Good evening! My name is Kelli Myrick and I have been the College and Career
Counselor here at STEM for the last 3 years. I went to Texas A&M University for my
undergraduate degree, Colorado Christian University for my masters program, and
earned my certification in College Counseling from the University of California - San
Diego extended studies program in 2022. I am originally from Texas and have lived in
Colorado with my husband for about 10 years. Prior to STEM, I was an admissions
counselor for a university here in Colorado.
Myths about College Selection
1. There is one PERFECT college for everyone.
2. I’ve never heard of that college, so it can’t be a good one.
3. There is no way my family can afford to go to a private or out-of-state
college. I should only look at public colleges in Colorado.
4. To find the right college, I need to know exactly what I want to do now as
my major or career.
5. Go for the “A” in the less difficult class because it will look better on my
transcript.
6. What I do my senior year doesn’t matter once I have been accepted.
1. There are a multitude of colleges you can be happy at! It is just our job to try and narrow
down that list and find the “best” fit. I firmly believe that each student goes to the university
or program that are meant to be at! Perfect doesn’t exist ☺
2. There are over 3,000 four-year universities in America alone. I guarantee you haven’t heard
of every single one of them, but that does not mean it is not a reputable university.
3. While out of state schools and private universities can be expensive, there are often
additional scholarships for out of state students. Private universities also typically give more
scholarships and work more with you on financial aid.
4. On average, a college student switches their major at least 3 times. Over 80% of college
students change their major at least once. It is perfectly normal to not know what you want
your life to look like yet! College is a time to explore your interests and passions to
determine what you want to do career wise.
5. Not true! Some colleges only look at your GPA, yes, but most universities are looking at our
school’s profile and your transcript instead of your GPA. They will be able to see the types of
classes we offer our students on our profile and will see the types of classes you took on
your transcript. Competitive schools want to see that you continued to challenge yourself
and took advantage of as many of the opportunities the school offered academically.
6. Senior year is not the time to slack off! Colleges still care what courses you are taking your
senior year. A college could technically rescind your acceptance if you do not take the types
of courses you normally would during senior year, if you tell them your class schedule on
your application and then change it to “blow off” classes, or if you do not pass the classes
you are in.
Selecting
Colleges to
Apply To
● Joint process among parent(s), student, and assistance from counselor
● Important for students to make an independent decision, not one based on
peers or friends
● College match-making is a process!
● It’s not about finding the best college. It’s about finding the best college for
you.
● The right college is where a student feels comfortable and will be happy and
successful!
The Selection Process
1. This needs to be student led. Parents and I need to support and help inform the
students about their options, but make sure the student is the one driving this
entire process. Also, make sure the student is the one that is contacting the
universities admissions offices and not the parents (infrequent parent contact is
fine).
2. While college matchmaking is a process, it is a wonderful time to start thinking
about what environment you would thrive in both academically and personally.
Finding the Right Fit
There are many factors when you are determining the best fit for you and there are
many ways to research!
Your Search
Should Include
● Brochures sent from college
● Internet Searches
● College Fairs
● Visits from College
Representatives at STEM
● Counselor Conferences
● Campus Visits
● Information Session
Don’t just look at one piece of research – look up many “sources” to get a good feel of
the school. I highly suggest coming to as many college visits at STEM as possible
even if you have not heard of the school (remember, there are 3,000 – you won’t
know about all of them! ☺).
Once you have narrowed down your list, make sure you are visiting at LEAST your
top 2 schools. College tours, visiting classes, staying on campus (if possible) can
really help you determine if the school would be a good fit for you. I am also a huge
believer of the “gut feeling”. I visited my top school my senior year and when I
stepped on campus I just had a weird feeling that this wasn’t right for me. I ignored it,
thought it was just because I was nervous to think about going to college….and
ended up transferring to A&M. When I stepped foot on A&M’s campus, it just felt right.
Don’t ignore that feeling!
College Fairs- local college fairs are always listed on my College Newsletter that I
send at the first of everything month.
Some College Search Engines:
Niche: https://www.niche.com/colleges/search/all-colleges/
BigFuture college search: https://collegesearch.collegeboard.org/
Cappex: https://www.cappex.com/colleges
Decision Factors
•Size of School
•Location
•Distance from home
•Activities/Athletics
•Public/Private
•Admissions Requirements
•Honors Program
•Facilities
•Reputation of School
•Faculty/Class Size
•Program/Major
•Support Services
•Cost
•Diversity
•Campus Personality
•Religious Affiliations
There are many decision factors when you think about what school might be a good
fit for you. When you are filling out the After Grad packet, I ask you to write down any
“must haves” for your college. It can be as broad as a honors college or Greek life, or
as narrow as wanting to make sure you go to a school with a good football team in
College Station, Texas!! I just really want you to think hard about what the “perfect”
school looks like for you and then we will search to find something close to it!
US/American History
The following states have some sort of US History or American History
requirement to receive a high school diploma. Make sure you double check
admissions requirements of schools you are interested in to see if this course is
a requirement for admission.
● Mississippi
● Nevada
● New Hampshire
● New Mexico
● New York
● North Carolina
● North Dakota
● Ohio
● Oklahoma
● South Carolina
● South Dakota
● Tennessee
● Texas
● Utah
● Virginia
● Washington
● West Virginia
● Wyoming
● Alabama
● Arizona
● Arkansas
● California (all schools in the University of California or
California State University system require US History)
● Delaware
● DC
● Florida
● Georgia
● Hawaii
● Idaho
● Illinois
● Indiana
● Kansas
● Louisiana
● Maryland
● Michigan
● Minnesota
There are certain schools that require specific courses. The most common I have
found is US History, American History, US Government and things of that nature.
These states have some sort of US history requirement to graduate from high school,
so it might be a good idea to check universities in these states (if you are interested,
obviously) and see if there is a requirement for admission having to do with the states
courses.
Campus Visits
For campuses where you are able to visit in person:
● Visit on a weekday and attend a class if possible
● Take the campus tour
● Try the food
● Talk to others besides the tour guide
● Ask the Questions to Ask on a Campus Visit
STEM Visits:
● STEM will be hosting colleges on campus each fall and spring. You can see
which colleges are coming in the College & Career Newsletter
Once again, make sure you are visiting your top schools! I suggest going when
classes are in session if it is a top school – this will show you what campus is like on a
normal day.
Come to visits when college representatives are at STEM!I will always send out a
reminder email the morning of the visit to every high school student. .
Safety
Match
Reach
Safety A safety school is one where your academic
credentials are above the school's range for the average
freshman. You should be reasonably certain that you will
be admitted to your safety schools. Like the rest of your
list, these should also be colleges you would be happy to
attend. In addition to an admissions safety school, it is a
good idea to include a financial safety school on your list.
Match A match school is one where your academic
credentials fall well within (or even exceed) the school's
range for the average freshman. There are no guarantees,
but it is not unreasonable to be accepted to several of
your match schools
Reach A reach school is one where your academic
credentials are below the school's range for the average
freshman or a school that is incredibly competitive
(private universities, Ivy Leagues, military academies).
Reach schools are long-shots, but they should still be
possible. A university with under a roughly 30%
acceptance rate will be considered a reach for
every
student.
When we talk about the “average freshman” the data we typically look at is the middle
50% reported by schools. Not every school will report their middle 50% data. Your
“dream school” can also be your safety or match school. My sister’s dream school
was the University of Texas. In Texas, the top 6% of students at each high school are
guaranteed admission to any state school in Texas. She was number 3 out of almost
700 students, so while UT was her dream school it was also her safety school. Do not
feel like your dream school has to be a reach school.
If you do not want to go to an Ivy or top 5/10 university that is completely fine!!
Middle 50
Examples of the “middle 50” discussed when trying to determine if a school is a
safety, match, or reach school.
If you do not want to go to an Ivy or top 5/10 university that is completely fine!!
How many
colleges should
I apply to?
● 2 Safety Schools (I know I will get in)
○ Community College
○ Meeting Automatic Admissions
Criteria
○ Schools that only look at GPA and
you have the minimum GPA
needed to attend
● 3-4 Schools You Hope to Attend (Match)
○ Schools that do a holistic review
○ You meet most of the criteria listed
on their website
● 1 -2 Reach Schools
MAGIC NUMBER is 6 - 8 TOTAL!
If there are not any reach schools you actually want to attend, you don’t have to apply
to a reach school! I have had some students apply to one school and some apply to
over 20. I recommend staying in the single digits if possible.
How much does
it cost to apply
to college?
● All 2-year community colleges
are FREE
● Application fees range from $25 -
$100
● Colorado Free Application Days
(this is typically 1-3 days in mid
October)
● Application fee waivers are
available to students who qualify
for free or reduced lunch.
● Some colleges offer their own
free application day
As soon as I have the dates for the Colorado Free Application Days I will share them!
The Pieces of College Applications
General Overview
● Portals
● Admission types
● Deadlines
The Application
● Requirements
● Essays
● Holistic Reviews
The Extras
● Testing
● Transcripts
● Letters of
Recommendation
General Overview
The College
Application Portals
● Common App
○ Over 1,000 colleges and universities
○ If you are applying with Common App,
you will need to link your Naviance
and Common App accounts. This
allows transcripts and letters of
recommendation to be sent.
● Coalition
○ 115 Public & Private Universities
○ Some universities allow you to apply
through Coalition
or
Common App
(pick Common App - just trust me 🙂)
● University Websites
If a university is on Common App and other portals too, I always suggest doing the
application through Common App. It is the easiest portal to navigate. I am creating a
slideshow with screenshots and videos to navigate the Common App. When it is
completed it will be sent to all juniors, will be on my College Newsletter, and uploaded
to the STEM College and Career website.
Application Types
Regular (“Deadline”) Admissions
Many schools set a specific deadline for applications to be submitted.
Common deadlines are January 1st and January 15th (but this varies
from school to school, so make sure you are aware of each school’s
actual deadline!). All application materials must be received by the
admissions office before the set deadline. No decisions will be made
regarding applicants until after the deadline has passed and the
admissions office has had the chance to review all applications.
Therefore, the timing of your applications submission does not
impact your admissions decision as long as it is submitted prior to
the deadline.
Rolling Admissions
Schools that use a Rolling Admissions plan
generally begin accepting applications in the fall,
and they make admissions decisions on an
ongoing (“rolling”) basis. Students can improve
their chances of acceptance by getting
applications in as early as possible. Since these
schools fill their incoming spots over the course
of a couple of months, the longer you wait to
submit your application the less pace they have
available and admissions standards may increase.
Early Action VS Early Decision
Early Decision means “D” for “Done”
–Legally binding agreement. Meaning you and your
family MUST be okay with the financial piece of
the school because it is HIGHLY unlikely that if
you are accepted ED you will get out of it! You are
only able to submit one ED application.
Early Action means that you really like this school
and it is one of your top choices. You can submit
for as many schools are you want!
Most early action dates are November 1, so it’s best to start as soon as senior year
begins!
If you are thinking of doing Early Decision, I have to have a meeting with the you and
your parents. Common App requires me to sign off that we have had a discussion
about the legality of Early Decision.
Application Deadlines
● The deadline listed on the application is NOT the deadline to hit the submit button. It is the
last day to have ALL REQUIRED pieces of the application submitted to the university.
○ Application
○ Fees/ Fee waiver
○ Essays
○ Transcript
○ Test Scores
○ Letters of Recommendation
The Applications
What is required in the application process?
● Submitted Application
● Application Fees
● Transcript
● Test Scores*
● Application Essay
● Teacher Letters of Recommendation*
● Counselor Letter of Recommendation*
● Supplemental Essays*
* Not required for every school
How do colleges
review my
application
holistically?
ACADEMICS:
● Curriculum
● Grades/GPA
● School Profile
● SAT/ACT Scores
○ Take ACT/ACT
○ Retest if you would like to improve
your scores
● AP Test Scores (optional, but will likely be
used by competitive universities due to
cancellation of SAT subject tests)
PERSONALITY:
● Letters of Recommendation
● Essay
● Leadership in Organizations
● Resume & Activities
○ Sports, Clubs, Jobs, Community
Service, Internships, Mentorships,
Apprenticeships, Summer Activities
● Interviews (optional for some colleges)
If a school is not granting admission based on just GPA and test scores, they will
review the application in a holistic manner. They are taking everything about you into
consideration to determine if you would be a good fit. A large majority of schools do
holistic reviews.
College Essay Requirements
● Some colleges DO NOT require an essay
● Most Colleges require essays
● If the application says “recommended” or “optional” this really means
REQUIRED if you want to have a strong application
So you want to
apply to an Ivy
League School
or Military
Academy?
● For all students, these institutions fall into the
Reach School category
● It is important to note, that most students accepted
to Ivy League or military academies are in the top
3% of their graduating class. Currently for the Class
of 2025, this GPA range is: 4.58 - 4.75
● This year many of these institutions are
test-optional; however, typically students score on
the SAT & ACT
These institutions are looking for WORLD CHANGERS.
Often students have created non-profits, hold patents for
inventions, and/or run their own companies while still in
high school.
These are always a reach, but that does not mean I discourage you from applying!
We have had students get accepted into top tier schools and military academies
without being in the top 3%.
The Extras
SAT & ACT Testing and Test Optional
Applications
● Students will not be penalized by test-optional policies if they decide not to submit
their scores.
● Currently about 100 universities for the Class of 2024 are still test optional or blind
● By not submitting their scores, the other parts of their application will be reviewed
and considered on a heavier weight
● If you have a great score and a school is test optional, we can strategize which
schools to send those scores to based on freshman profiles.
● Be checking with schools you are interested in on their testing policies for
admissions. There are some universities that have gone back to test required. Some
of interest to our students include: MIT, Georgetown, public Florida universities,
public Georgia universities, Dartmouth and Purdue. *
This list could change every
day. I will try and be as up to date as possible if universities switch back to test
required.
Double check with all the schools you are interested in to see if they are
test—optional, test-blind, or still require ACT or SAT scores for admissions. If a school
is test optional and you have a higher SAT or ACT score come talk to me! We can
look at the freshman profile middle 50% for that school and be strategic on which
schools we send your scores to.
SAT & ACT Testing Dates
For the Rest of the
School Year
This is on my website for you to
reference and download.
April 16,
2024
will be the in school testing
date for STEM Juniors. The SAT
will be offered on this date.
April 16 is the testing date for juniors at STEM.
Sending Test Scores
to Colleges
● For BOTH exams: You can send your test scores
for FREE if you select four colleges when you
register for the exam (or within 9 days of taking
the exam).
● If you do not select the schools up front to send
your scores, it will cost you per school to send.
● Remember, colleges do not review your
application until all required documents are
submitted.
● During the application review process the
university will ONLY look at your HIGHEST
scores.
● Some schools SUPERSCORE, which means
they add the highest scores for each section to
get a new total overall score from all of your
tests.
● If you wait to send the scores, it takes a
minimum of 2 weeks for the university to
receive your scores. If you send scores for FREE,
the day you get your score is the say the
colleges receive your score
This is all on you as the student! STEM does not send test scores to schools, you will
need to send them through ACT or College Board. Make sure you plan for extra time
for these scores to get to the universities you are applying for!
Ocial High School Transcript Request for
Colleges & Scholarships
I will send transcripts electronically if the student adds me to the
application or scholarship application portal (ie: Common App,
Coalition, Boettcher Scholarship foundation, etc).
OR
If a student needs an official high school transcript sent for a
“third-party” scholarship or different application portal students will
need to email me
Once senior year begins, I will show all seniors how to add me as the counselor to
their application portals. No need to worry about this just yet ☺
Requesting Teacher Letters of Recommendation
● Research the letter of recommendation requirements for each college or university you
are applying to.
● Speak with the teacher IN PERSON no less than
three weeks
before the deadline
● Provide the teacher an email with a copy of your resume, AG Packet, and deadline.
● If application is on Common App, add the recommenders to your application
● Follow up with the teacher via email regarding the request. Be sure to thank the
teacher!
1. Some schools are fine with any current teacher, some want any teacher you have
ever had, and some want specifically a math or science teacher. Make sure you
read the requirements before asking teachers to write a letter.
2. MINIMUM 3 weeks. The earlier you can let them know, the better.
3. This will help teachers remember specific awards you have won, programs you
have completed, etc. Give the teachers some cushion time on the deadline. If it is
due to the university on November 1, consider telling your teacher you need it to
be completed a week before.
4. Once again, I will show you how to add teachers once senior year starts ☺
5. Don’t be afraid to kindly remind your teachers of your letter as the deadline
approaches.
Counselor Letter of Recommendation
● Ms. Grebe, Ms. Birchfield, or I can write counselor letters of
recommendation for the Class of 2025!
● You will just need to email us to let us know who you would like to
write your letter at the beginning of senior year.
● Still add me as the counselor in each portal so I can send transcripts. I
will upload Ms. Grebe or Ms. Birchfield’s letters if you have one of
them write it for you!
After Graduation Packet (AG Packet)
The purpose of the AG Packet:
1. You are compiling all of the information you need to fill out a college application
2. The short answer questions enable me to write your Counselor Letter of
Recommendation
3. You should share the AG Packet with other LOR writers
When you complete your AG Packet, please email it as a PDF to me at
Please be as “braggy” and specific as possible! For students I do not see on a regular
basis, this packet will be a way for me to get to know you and information from this
packet will be a large part of your letter of recommendation. It is also helpful to give
this packet to anyone else you want to write a letter.
Good to Know Information
Pathways
Programs
● Some universities offer Pathway
Programs where students can attend a
community college or another
university and automatically be
admitted after one year if they meet
GPA requirements.
● Sometimes you will hear Pathway
Program referred to as Auto-Admit
Transfer programs.
● ALWAYS apply to your dream school
because they could offer you a Pathway
Program for entry!
For example, Texas A&M has the “Blinn Team” program. If you accept to be part of
Blinn Team, you will attend Blinn College in College Station, and if you have a 3.0
GPA you will be auto-admitted to Texas A&M. If you are offered an option like this we
can certainly talk it through together on if it would be a good idea for you to pursue.
Universities Can Track
Interest
● Showing demonstrated interest
can
be that
one thing that helps put your application
over the edge! Every time you visit the
college campus be sure to fill out a card.
● Every time the college visits STEM be sure
to fill out one of the cards.
● Make sure you talk to the rep and get to
know him/her. Often the reps that visit
STEM are the reps that take the first look at
your applications.
Don’t let this be you!
Remember to keep working hard,
challenge yourself with the types of
courses you take, continue being
involved in volunteer work and
extracurricular activities, and
remember to enjoy your final year at
STEM too!
You only graduate high school once - make your senior year count!
Contact Information for Mrs. Myrick
Kelli Myrick, College Counselor at STEM
● Phone: 303–683-7836
● Website:
○ Stemk12.org
○ Hover over Student Support
○ Click College and Career Planning
● The College & Career Planning Newsletter can be found in the Student Support section of
the STEM newsletter & on the College & Career Website.
● The newsletter is sent to every STEM junior and senior via email. Parents that would like to
be emailed the newsletter can sign up by emailing me the names and email addresses to be
added to my list.
