College
College Resource Page
Planning for College is not a simple process, but it is well worth the time and effort it takes. As a student at West Chicago Community High School, you have already been presented with choices and questions from your Counselor about your interests, career plans and educational goals. These are important things to think about before you look for a specific College. Once you are ready to look for specific colleges to contact and/or apply to, your Counselor can be of significant help to you.
The vast majority of college & career planning will begin with Naviance. Students are encouraged to utilize Naviance for all college & career planning needs.
Not sure where to start with the college search/college application process? Stop in and see your School Counselor today! Or, check out the following podcasts:
Episode 1 features Mr. Egan, Director of Student Services, talking about the college application process.
Episode 2 features Mr. Anderson, Social Worker, talking about making life decisions (such as college) and dealing with the inevitable stress/anxiety of those decisions.
Transcript Requests
Transcripts should be requested through a student's Naviance account. For more information on how to request transcripts, please view this page.
To send a transcript to an outside agency or scholarship entity, we must have your written permission. Click below for a printable transcript release form. Fill out the form, sign it, and then mail it (by regular US mail) to the school address (326 Joliet St., West Chicago, IL 60185) or bring it in to your counselor.
Transcript Request Form
The Illinois Student Assistance Commission
The ISACorps' main mission is to expand ISAC’s college access and outreach programs and services to help students navigate the process of applying to and entering college. Often an ISAC representative will have office hours in the College Career Center. This person can help with everything from choosing colleges, majors, and careers to filling out the college and FAFSA applications and figuring out how to pay for college. Check with Mrs. Goti in the College Career Center for available appointment times.
The Common Application
The Common Application is an undergraduate college admission application that applicants may use to apply to over 500 member colleges and universities. While some colleges and universities are exclusive to the Common App, others give students a choice between the Common App or the school's individual application. Many schools do not utilize the Common App at all. If a student is planning to apply to Common App schools, he/she will need to do so through his/her Naviance account. More information regarding how to sync a Common App account with a Naviance account can be found here. Please see your counselor to determine the best option or for help with this process.
Illinois Public Universities
The links below can also be helpful in contacting individual schools, or doing a search to identify schools that might be good for you. Of course, it's always a good idea to contact your counselor.
Chicago State University
Eastern Illinois University
Governors State University
Illinois State University
Northeastern Illinois University
Northern Illinois University
Southern Illinois University
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
University of Illinois at Chicago (Chicago, IL)
University of Illinois at Chicago (Chicago, IL)
University of Illinois at Springfield (Springfield, IL)
University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign (Urbana, IL)
Western Illinois University (Macomb, IL)
Useful Websites
Naviance
Cappex
College Board
College Illinois
Fastweb
Trade & Vocational Schools
NCAA Eligibility Center
The NCAA supervises and approves college athletic eligibility. Colleges that belong to the NCAA must follow certain rules governing how they recruit athletes and how those athletes participate. There are VERY specific requirements that you must meet as a student-athlete if you want to participate in a sport at college (at Division I or Division II schools in the NCAA). Students and parents are encouraged to review the requirements on the NCAA website when planning for coursework in high school.