Filled-in application forms are the basic documents you would have to submit to your prospective college. Application forms are provided by the colleges themselves. You can submit application forms online or directly to the college itself. But it is important to know if the college accepts paper application forms. Some colleges may follow paperless policy and therefore recommend only online submission; in such cases, paper submission may delay the application evaluation process.
Candidates need to submit official transcripts and their school profile. You generally need to produce official transcripts of both your junior and senior year. Submit a secondary school report issued by your guidance counselor and in most cases the report would include your transcript details in addition to your profile and other academic details.
All applicants need to submit scores of their SAT Reasoning Test, or ACT or American College Testing, including Writing. Candidates with a non-English first language or that have had a non-English medium of instruction are required to take TOEFL or Test of English as a Foreign Language, or IELTS or International English Language Testing System to prove their English-language proficiency.
An application essay has a significant say in accepting or rejecting a candidate's admission. The purpose of application essays is to know the person behind the test scores and academic qualifications. For an essay to be compelling, it should revolve around a topic that is personal and unique to you. How you present the topic sets you apart from others. Language skills are equally important in making a positive impression.
Applicants need to submit letters of recommendation; the number of recommendations depends on the college. You may have to submit a minimum of three recommendations -- one from your high school guidance counselor and two teacher recommendations. Letters of recommendation should talk about the issuer's evaluation of your character and intellectual ability as well as your academic work and future potential. Recommendation may usually be included as an individual section of the secondary school report.