General Information and Tips

With the adoption of a statewide initiative to submit transcripts electronically in 2010, the process for submitting your college application through Okemos High School requires that you create an account with Parchment (formerly Docufide), an online electronic transcript service.  To create your account and learn more about this process, visit www.parchment.com. You may also find answers to common questions on our FAQs page. Parchment may charge a fee for your transcript, though many destinations are free of charge. If this is a financial hardship, ask your OHS counselor if you are eligible for a fee waiver.

As you are completing your applications you may need to include information about Okemos High School.  Click here for a copy of our school profile.

If your application will benefit from or requires a letter of recommendation, now is not the time to be humble. Provide your teacher or counselor with a student brag sheet or parent brag sheet. Use this grid to organize your activities and awards.

If you have a little more time, watch this excellent video from Vanderbilt University. You have likely already heard these tips from your counselor, and this video is a wonderful refresher. It covers topics ranging from college preparation to college selection, to applying for financial aid to writing admissions essays.

Standardized Test Scores

Most colleges require that you have your scores sent directly from ACT or the College Board (SAT).  Okemos High School does not provide copies of your ACT or SAT scores to colleges.  If your college will accept an unoffical copy or you need an unoffical copy for any other reason, you may provide a copy of your student report.  If you know of colleges you would like to receive your scores at the time of registration, you are encouraged to include that information with your registration.  If you wait to send your scores later, you may do so by visiting the ACT or the College Board websites.  You will be charged a fee by ACT or the College Board.

Admissions Visits

Admissions representatives from many colleges will visit Okemos High School during the first semester of each school year.  Visits typically take place during our lunch period. The representatives will either set up a table with information outside the Commons, or will be available to meet with students in the Guidance Classroom as part of our Brown Bag Lunch Series.  Students are welcome to eat lunch during the visit. While we encourage students to speak with as many representatives as they like, we expect that students will attend their fourth hour classes, and so will not be issuing passes for admissions visits. Parents are always welcome.  Please refer to the Guidance Office Calendar to browse upcoming visits or download a copy of the schedule.

Attend College Night

Two College Night events are hosted locally by Lansing Community College in October and feature admissions representatives from colleges all over Michigan and other midwestern states. Attending a College Night is an efficient way to gather information from several colleges and get immediate answers to your college questions, directly from the admissions officers themselves. 

Michigan Postsecondary Handbook

This handbook contains current information on admission requirements, campus characteristics, program offerings, and application procedures for each college and university in Michigan, as well as information pertaining to the various private occupational schools that are licensed or approved by Michigan agencies. Advanced Placement program information is also provided. Visit the Michigan Postsecondary Handbook website and use the dropdown box to access specific topics within the handbook.