Traditional College Application Steps
- Complete Your Application
- Send Your High School Transcript
- Send Your Test Scores
- Submit Letters of Recommendation
- Send Supplemental Materials
Complete Your Application
STEP 1: Complete your college application. The types of applications are below.
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Students can create one account and use their application to apply to multiple institutions. More than 900 institutions use the Common App.
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There may be additional questions, essay prompts or sections for various colleges and universities.
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Students should record Common App login information. This will be needed to match Common App and Naviance. Students will also have to indicate "Common App" in Naviance as their application type.
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For tips and Common App help, visit the Common App Ready Toolkit.
University of Wisconsin System Application
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Used by all public universities in the UW System (UW-Madison, 4-year campuses, 2-year branch campuses).
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Application may require additional sections or essay questions based on the university.
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Students will have to indicate "Direct to Institution" as the application type in Naviance.
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This webpage provides students with information on admission requirements, application review timelines, etc.
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Want to preview what's on the application and practice applying? Use the UW System Practice Application!
College-Specific Application
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Each institution has their own specific application. Apply directly to the institution via their webpage.
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Applications can traditionally be accessed by clicking an "Apply" link. See a sample here from Madison Area Technical College.
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Fee Waivers
Application fee waivers are now available within the application. Indicate your need/reason for waiver. Follow up with your counselor for assistance.
Types of College Admissions
Not sure how you're applying? See the "Resources" tab below. The "Types of College Admissions" link will break down the differences between early decision, early action, regular decision, and rolling admission.
Send Your High School Transcript
STEP 2: Send your high school transcript.
Colleges and universities will require a copy of your official high school transcript (i.e. your high school academic record). All schools will request an initial and final transcript, and some may request a mid-year transcript.
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Naviance is Waunakee's electronic transcript system and is the primary method to request transcripts. Seniors may request and track the status of their transcript.
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All seniors have access to the Naviance presentation that students participated in on September 1st. See the "presentations" section under the "College Application Resources" tab below for this information. There is a flat fee for transcripts that should be paid in the Infinite Campus School Store.
UPLOAD AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT
Some schools (sample: UW System Application) may allow you to upload your transcript through your online application. You can upload an unofficial PDF version from Infinite Campus.
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Types of Transcripts
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Initial: Your high school record through junior year which includes your senior year schedule. Colleges/universities use your initial transcript for admission purposes.
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Mid-Year: Your high school record including first semester senior year grades and second semester senior year schedule. Colleges/universities will use for more informed admission decisions. Colleges/universities will request this documentation.
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Final: Your complete high school record with all grades/credits. You will indicate the college/university where your transcript should be sent on your senior survey in May prior to graduation.
Send Your Test Scores
STEP 3: Send your test scores.
THIS STEP MAY BE OPTIONAL DEPENDING ON YOUR FUTURE COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY.
The use of standardized test scores have traditionally been used as part of the admissions process. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, many colleges and universities are still using a test-optional admissions policy. Students are NOT penalized for not submitting a test score. Find out if your college/university requires a standardized test score as part of their admission process. Additionally, many of these same colleges/universities are electing to not consider ACT/SAT as part of their freshmen scholarships. It is in your best interest to reach out to your prospective college university to find out their current practices regarding test scores.
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Sign in to your MyACT account to send your ACT score to your future college/university. If you have not created a MyACT account, you will have to complete that step first.
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Sign in to your CollegeBoard account to send your SAT score to your future college/university. Like the ACT, you'll have to have an account created to send your score report.
Submit Letters of Recommendation
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Check College/University Requirements: Review each college/university admissions webpage closely as the requirements to apply may vary.
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Letter of Recommendation (LOR): Determine whether your college/university requires (or accepts) LOR’s as part of the application process. This information can typically be found on the college’s website or through Naviance.
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Prepare a Recommendation Sheet: Complete a "Teacher Letter of Recommendation Sheet" which helps your recommender understand your accomplishments and strengths and what to include in your LOR. You may also copy this resume into your Naviance request.
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Meet With Your Teacher: Meet with the teacher you’re requesting an LOR from. Share what you’d like them to include, and make sure to give them at least three weeks notice before the LOR is due so they can write a quality letter.
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Formally Submit Request in Naviance (if applicable): Follow the step-by-step instructions provided to formally request the LOR in Naviance. (Naviance undergoes summer updates and becomes available again on August 1st each year).
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Submission of Letter: Once the teacher completes the LOR, they will upload it to Naviance (if applicable) and submit it electronically to your chosen college/university.
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Non-Waunakee Teacher Recommendations: Most colleges prefer letters from core-academic teachers. However, if requesting a letter of recommendation from someone who is not a current Waunakee teacher, the recommender will need to send the letter directly to the institution, not through Naviance. If using the Common App, you may request outside recommenders to submit their letter via the Common App platform.
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Ensure Receipt: It's the student's responsibility to ensure that letters of recommendation are received by their prospective college or university.
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Express Gratitude: Remember to thank your recommender for their time and effort. Recommendation letters require both, so convey your appreciation sincerely.
Send Supplemental Materials
A post-secondary or college transcript only needs to be sent if the college/university requests it as part of the application. Many schools do not require a college transcript as part of the application. If you have taken any dual credit courses through Madison College, University of Iowa, UW-Oshkosh or Milwaukee School of Engineering, you may need to send your prospective college/university an official college or post-secondary transcript as part of your application so they can verify the college courses you've taken in high school. This process must be done by students as the high school cannot send this documentation. You will indicate which institutions you would like to receive your college transcript when you make your request.
Note: To be awarded the college credit, you'll need to request the college or university to send a final college transcript to the college or university you will attend in the fall.
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To request your transcript from UW-Oshkosh for CAPP classes, click here.
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To request your transcript from Madison College for dual credit classes, click here.
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To request your transcript from Milwaukee School of Engineering, click here.
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To request your transcript from University of Iowa for dual credit classes,, click here.