United States
Selective US admissions is a full file. Grades, courses, activities, recommendations, essays and aid paperwork are read together.
01
The system
Most colleges sit on the Common App. Each one still wants its own supplements, and early action or early decision changes the calendar. The college list has to mix reach, match and safety on purpose, not by hope.
02
Tests and writing
SAT and ACT are optional at many colleges and still useful at some. We say whether sitting one is worth the date. The main essay and every supplement need a specific story, not a recycled paragraph.
03
Money
CSS Profile, institutional forms and sometimes FAFSA sit next to the application. Aid is part of the list, not a surprise in April.
04
After the offer
You accept one place, send the deposit, then work through I-20 or enrolment papers, the student visa if you need one, housing and the flight. We stay on that list.