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University Application Tools

Completing the university application process takes several steps. The goal of the TCHS school counseling team is to assist in the step-by-step process.  

Please click here for the full senior college and career presentation. 

  1. Use the counselor exploration page on the school counseling website to explore universities, including application deadlines and material submission requirements. Click here to see all Florida public universities’ application and materials deadlines.  
  2. Complete the application for each university on the Common App website or through direct admissions on the university website. 
  3. Complete the Common App or University Personal Essay as part of the application. Essay writing resource links are provided below. 
  4. Organize your application process.  Use the Excel provided below to organize portal login information and record submission or required materials. 
  5. Connect to Xello.  Under the college applications tab, you use Xello to connect to us and your teachers if you need official transcripts, letters of recommendation, or a counselor report. 
  6. Complete application portal requirements.  Almost ALL universities require you to log in to a portal sent to you via email to submit grades, test scores and additional materials.  Read the material requirements carefully.
  7. Call the university admissions office with any questions about your application.  While counselors want to help, we cannot see your application.  Admissions advisors are there to help you complete all requirements of your application. 

Ways to Apply to a university

Students may apply to a university using one of two different methods: Common App or directly to the university. To apply direct to the university, you must visit the university’s admission website.  

utilizing common app for university applications

Use one common application for a base for all of your university applications. With Common App, you will:

  • Complete your profile information
  • Complete the Common App Essay for all schools
  • Search and select the university or universities to which you will apply
  • Complete additional necessary application requirements for each university
  • Submit a university fee waiver for review if you meet qualifications
Get Started: Visit the website www.commonapp.org
 

Resources to use: 

 Common App Walk Through: Youtube walkthrough from Common App to get started.  Please note: TCHS uses Xello for counselor forms and letters of recommendation. You will not request your counselor forms or letters of recommendation through Common App.

Common App Step-By-Step Guide: The Common-App website gives step-by-step instructions for completion.  Please note: TCHS uses Xello for counselor forms and letters of recommendation. You will not request your counselor forms or letters of recommendation through Common App.

The Common App or University application Essay & Activities section

Whether you apply via Common App or directly to the institution, many universities require completion of a personal essay and supplemental essays to complete the application. For many students, this is the most challenging part of the application process.  Use the resources below for help.  

Resources to use: 

Common App Essay Prompts: Common App displays the different essay prompts and offers tips for success in writing the essay. 

Bright Futures Essay Tips: Bright Futures provides videos and articles on writing tips and what to avoid in the college essay. 

 College Essay Guy Tips: The College Essay Guy provides a free resource handout outside of TCHS that many students use for assistance.   &

Organize your university application to-do list

Your application is NOT complete when you hit submit! Universities will email you the next steps to the application process that usually include logging into the application portal to submit materials.  Organization is key as students miss deadlines due to forgetting to send required materials.

Know the Difference:

Official vs. Self-Report test scores:  The school portal will dictate whether it requires official test scores or if it allows the self-report of test scores. Self-report of test scores requires you to type your official test scores within the university portal. Official test scores require you to request them through the appropriate test company:

  •  ACT: ACT.org
  • SAT: Collegeboard.org
  • CLT: CLTExam.com
Even if it is on your transcript, Tocoi Creek High School is not an official report of test scores.
 

Official Transcript vs. Self-report of grades: If instructed to send an official transcript, you must request this in Xello, as instructed below.  If instructed to self-report grades, you will most likely use STARs or, for the University of Central Florida, the SPARK form. Instructions are below. 

Resource to use:

Excel for University Application Organization Download a copy to organize your deadlines, log in information, and materials submissions. 

connect your applications to Xello

Whether you submit your application through Common App or directly to the university, you will need to use Xello so that school counselors may submit materials and teachers may submit recommendations, if required. You must notify your school counselor of the request with two weeks processing time. 
 
Resources to use: 
 
Xello Guide to Material Submission: One-page instructions to access Xello, connect Xello to Common App, request transcripts, and request letters of recommendation. 
 
Xello Tour: An interactive tour of Xello to explore how to connect to Xello and request materials. 
 

Link Common App to Xello: A video tutorial to link Common App to Xello 

Xello Tutorial for transcript and letter of recommendations: Step-by-step guide to request letters of recommendation and transcripts when you submitted your application through Common App (not direct). 

Xello Tutorial for Letter of Recommendation Request: Step-by-step guide to request a letter of recommendation for a teacher.  Always remember to ask the teacher first. 

Sending grades or transcripts 

After you complete your application, you will receive instructions from the university on how to submit either self-reported grades or official transcripts. 

Official transcripts:

Official transcripts for a direct application: Instructions to request an initial, mid-year, or final transcript on Xello if you applied directly on the university’s website. 

Official transcript request when using Common App: Instructions to assign a counselor to send the transcript if you applied through Common App.

Self-report of grades:

If the university dictates that you must submit grades through STARS or SPARK, please use the resources below.

How to self-report grades:

1. Find your transcript in Xello:

  1. Log in to Xello through Clever. 
  2. Hover over the “Plans” tab at the top of the site.
  3. Click “College Applications”
  4. Click on your PDF under the Transcript header. Save your transcript. 

2. Create your STAR or SPARK (for UCF) account. Type courses and grades exactly how they appear in the transcript. Please note the following:

  • TCHS reports in letter grades
  • If 1.0 credit on the transcript, it is a full-year course
  • If .5 credit on the transcript, it is a semester course.
    • Ex: English 1 reports grades in semesters. Select semester, and put in semester 1 and 2 grades.
    • If you took Algebra, Geometry, Biology, or US History in Florida (not AP level), these are full-year courses with one letter grade.
  • If you failed and retook a course, you must put both, as is documented on the transcript.

 Resources to use: 

STARS Website: Create an account that you will use to complete the self-report of grades. 

STARS Tips from FSU: Tips for how to complete the STARS and answers to common questions.