A: The rigor of your high school program is what carries the most weight in the admission process. Have you pushed yourself academically and intellectually even in the subjects you don't like? Or, did you opt for the easy A in a college prep curriculum when you knew you would have been challenged more in the honors/AP track?

The level of courses you take says two things to us. One, it gives us a better sense of your preparation for the demands of college work. The higher level your courses, the better you will be prepared. Two, it says something to us about your intellectual motivation and curiosity. You are not satisfied to just get by with good grades. You are driven by the quest to stretch yourself conceptually and be challenged by your teachers and your classmates.

Other parts of your application that are important to us are your essay, recommendations (one from an academic teacher and one from your counselor), extracurricular activities, and interview.

Q: What does Connecticut College require from home-schooled students?

A: If you are a home-schooled student, we welcome your application to Connecticut College. There are a few things you should keep in mind when you are submitting your application. First, you must have a high school diploma or the equivalent GED. In addition, your letters of recommendation should not come from your parents. Instead many students submit letters from classes they may have taken through a local college or from people they have volunteered or worked for.

You should also try to have an interview, if possible, with an alumni representative or an admissions officer either on campus or in your home state. The home-schooled students who are successful applicants to the College have generally availed themselves of community college or distance learning courses through an accredited educational organization, and have participated in extracurricular activities at the local level.

Q: What should I take senior year that will benefit me when applying?

A: The most competitive applicants are those who have maximized their high school's curriculum and taken the most demanding courses available. We expect applicants to go above and beyond their high school's minimum graduation requirements and continue on in all academic subjects all four years. Does this mean that we deny students who do not take a lab science senior year? Of course not, but the strongest applicants are those who have a full academic load senior year (English, math, lab science, social science/history, and foreign language).

Q: Is there more than one part to your application?

A: Yes. We have two parts to our application. All applicants must submit (1) the Common Application and (2) the Supplement to the Common Application. You must also submit one letter of recommendation from your counselor, one recommendation from an academic teacher, your transcript, and your ACT or 2 SAT Subject Tests.

Q: Does it matter whether I complete my application online or on paper?

A: Our preference is that you submit both parts of your application electronically. You can submit both the Supplement to the Common Application and the Common Application electronically, and have your credentials from your school mailed the old fashioned way. Electronic submission allows us to spend more time reading your application than processing it. However, snail mail works fine for all of it if that is your preference.

Q: Is Connecticut Early Decision or Early Action?

A: Connecticut College offers two rounds of Early Decision (ED), but no Early Action (EA). For those who don't know what we're talking about, colleges and universities may offer an option for student to apply in November and be notified in December if they have been admitted. The difference between ED and EA is that ED is binding and EA is not. What this means is that you can only apply to one school ED and if admitted you must go, whereas you may apply to more than one school EA.

We refer to our two rounds of Early Decision as EDI and EDII. Those applying EDI will be notified in mid-December and those applying EDII will be notified in early February.

Q: What are your deadlines?

Two application documents are required to apply to Connecticut College as a freshman: the Supplement to the Common Application, and the Common Application. See the deadlines in here.

Q: Do I need to submit SAT Subject tests?

A: Connecticut College requires the ACT (the writing component is optional) or two SAT Subject Tests. Submission of SAT Reasoning scores is optional. If your SAT Reasoning scores do not reflect your full potential, we recommend that you choose to submit only two SAT Subject Tests or the ACT.

If you choose to submit the SAT Subject Tests, you may submit any two of your choice. If you choose to submit the ACT, the writing component is not required.

Connecticut College's ACT code is 0556 and its SAT code is 3284.

You are asked to indicate your choice of standardized tests you would like us to consider on the Supplement to the Common Application. If you submit multiple scores of the same test such as the ACT, we will consider your best composite score. Likewise, if you submit multiple SAT Subject Tests, we will consider your two highest scores from two different tests. If you choose to have us consider your SAT Reasoning scores, we will consider these scores along with two SAT Subject Tests. You may not submit only the SAT Reasoning test to us without two SAT Subject tests.

Q: Why don't you require the SAT Reasoning test?

A: We do not require this test for several reasons. First, we take a holistic approach to the review of the student application. We do not think that three hours on a Saturday or Sunday morning determines whether a student is going to contribute to our community. Second, we want to allow students to choose the tests that highlight their strengths. This is why we allow them to choose any two SAT Subject Tests, or the more comprehensive ACT. In addition, the SAT Subject Tests and the ACT have the advantage of being based on secondary school subject areas and have less test preparation and cultural bias associated with them. We believe that many students are not well served by the SAT Reasoning test and have actually found through our own studies that along with the high school transcript the SAT Subject Tests (or ACT) are a better predictor of how well a student will perform during their first year at the College than the SAT Reasoning scores.

Q: What kind of test scores are you looking for?

A: Keep in mind that Connecticut College does not require the submission of SAT Reasoning Scores, but requires that students submit the ACT or two SAT Subject Tests. The middle 50% ranges for test scores submitted by admitted students for the Class of 2011 are:

SAT Reading 650-740
SAT Math 640-710
SAT Writing 660-730
ACT 27-30
SAT subject scoes range from the high 600s to low 700s.

Q: How do I know whether to submit my SAT Reasoning scores?

A: Our advice would be to submit your scores if you feel they are representative of your achievement and you believe they will enhance your application. Some students use our middle 50% ranges for the SAT Reasoning scores as a guideline. If their scores fall within our upper ranges, they submit them.

Q: Do you penalize students for not submitting SAT Reasoning scores?

A: No, you are not penalized for withholding your SAT Reasoning scores. Some students do not submit them simply because they like our philosophy on standardized tests.

Q: Does it matter when I take my required tests?

A: You bet. Check with the College Board for test dates and register early. We recommend that you take either your SAT Subject Tests or the ACT for the first time in June of your junior year. If you feel the need to take them again, the October administration is recommended. Waiting until December of your senior year to take them for the first time is a bad idea! Don't do it. We accept your highest two SAT Subject Test scores so don't be afraid to submit low scores even if you don't know when you will take them again. Better to have scores on file than to have none at all.

Q: How many freshman will there be this fall?

A: The Class of 2011 comprises 492 students.

Q: How many students apply and what is the acceptance rate?

A: For the Class of 2011, we received 4,741 applications and admitted 34% of them.

Q: Does it make a difference which teacher I ask for my recommendation?

A: Ask a teacher who knows you the best, not necessarily the teacher in whose class you earned the highest grade. For example, you may not be a particularly gifted math student, but you went after class for weeks to get help and finished with a well-earned but lower grade than you are used to. Does your math teacher know the kind of student you are better than the AP English teacher in whose class you received an A? That is for you to decide. But if you are only going to submit one recommendation, please be sure it is from an academic teacher and not a coach, arts or music teacher. They can submit one too, but we need to hear from someone who has taught you in an academic setting.

Q: What's the deal with AP and IB tests?

A: Generally, we accept 4s and 5s on AP tests and 5s, 6s and 7s on the IB Higher Level tests. Tests with these scores will be entirely credited and can count towards your major and/or general education requirements.

Q: How will I know if someone is visiting my school or region?

A: We have the travel itineraries of our staff on the "Admission Counselors on the Road" Web page found through the "Connecticut College Visiting You" link. This information is posted each year by mid-September.

Q: When are freshmen due on campus?

A: Typically, orientation, testing, and registration for freshman applicants and transfers begin the last Saturday of August. Visit the Associate Dean for Freshmen and Sophomores site for more information.

Q: When are decisions mailed?

A: Decisions for Regular Decision applicants are typically mailed at the very end of March.