US College Application Resources

Here are just some of the valuable resources and pieces of information that will help you understand how Brentwood University Counselling supports you with your US College Applications.

Grade 12:

US Applicants... Take note!

Regular Decision Applications

The bulk of your Regular Decision application deadlines fall over the December holidays, so YOU NEED TO SUBMIT BEFORE YOU LEAVE ON DECEMBER 13. That means you should have all of your applciation work done NOW!

Recommendation Letters

Most US schools will require the submission of Recommendations Letters from Teachers and a Counsellor.

Applicant Autobiography

All applicants who must have a Counsellor Recommendation Letter submitted will need to complete the Applicant Autobiography process. SCROLL DOWN TO FIND THE APPLCIANT AUTOBIOGRAPHY...

The CommonApp

Early Decision/Early Action

Other Applications

English Proficiency

If your first language is not English, regardless of your citizenship, you inevitably will have to do a test of English Proficiency as part of the admissions process. That would be TOEFL or IELTS... but it might be the much better, cheaper, and easier-to-access Duolingo. Regardless, it is critical that we review the English Proficiency requirements of EACH of your schools to ensure that you have a plan to meet their requirements.

International Certification of Finances

Any non-US citizen will, at some point, have to demonstrate that they have financial resources to pay for at least a year's expenses to attend school in the United States. Some schools require you to submit an International Certification of Finances (official proof of available funds from a financial institution) as part of the admissions process, while others only require it after you are admitted. It is critical that we review the requirements of EACH of your schools to ensure that you have a plan to meet their requirements. Your parents need to stand by to acquire and provide that financial documentation.

Grade 11:

interested in applying to colleges in the united states?

Registering for your first SAT

Some Grade 11s who already know that they will definitely will be applying to the US have been asking about the official SAT. As you can see on the Grade 11 Timeline, we recommend that students in Grade 11 take the SAT for the first time in March.

REGISTRATION for the March SAT is now Open...

...and the registration deadline is February 21. But seats will go VERY QUICKLY, we are certain. Please make an appointment with one of the University Counsellors for help with getting registered.

Testing Schedule for the SAT

Regardless of how you are preparing for the SAT, you need to get your testing schedule organized. What we recommend for all Brentwood students is:

Not every student needs to sit the SAT three times, but virtually all students will take it 2 or 3 times.

General Resources & Documents:

Applicant Autobiography: "My Story"

Applicant Autobiography

All applicants to the US require a recommendation letter/reference from University Counselling. The Applicant Autobiography (and subsequent interview based on it) helps inform us to draft a rich and impactful reference.

Teacher Recommendation Request Form

When it comes time to ask a teacher for a recommendation letter, it is helpful to provide them more insight into you. Fill out the Student Request Form and provide one to EACH Teacher from whom you are seeking a Recommendation Letter.

Student Request Form_Teacher Recommendations

US Essays - CommonApp Essay Prompts

Click HERE to access the prompts Grade 11 US Applicants need to reference to draft their personal essay.

Brentwood School Profile

We send this document to US Colleges (and some international institutions, too) so that they can better understand Brentwood and assess your transcript. Admission Officers use this information to understand who you are as a student in the context of Brentwood... that's how they review your application!

2024-25 School Profile.pdf
sample USPR25.pdf

Brentwood School Sample US Transcript

This is a sample of a student's midyear transcript that went to US colleges. 

US Colleges that are Worth Your Time...

There are thousands of colleges and universities in the US, but our students do not necessarily apply to them all (thank goodness). Here's a list of those that our students are most interested in and ones that we believe are quality institutions.

Colleges that are worth your time…

Recommendation Letters

Most US schools will require the submission of Recommendations Letters from Teachers and a Counsellor.

Applicant Autobiography

All applicants who must have a Counsellor Recommendation Letter submitted will need to complete the Applicant Autobiography process. SCROLL DOWN TO FIND THE APPLCIANT AUTOBIOGRAPHY...

The CommonApp

Early Decision/Early Action

Other Applications

English Proficiency

If your first language is not English, regardless of your citizenship, you inevitably will have to do a test of English Proficiency as part of the admissions process. That would be TOEFL or IELTS... but it might be the much better, cheaper, and easier-to-access Duolingo. Regardless, it is critical that we review the English Proficiency requirements of EACH of your schools to ensure that you have a plan to meet their requirements.

International Certification of Finances

Any non-US citizen will, at some point, have to demonstrate that they have financial resources to pay for at least a year's expenses to attend school in the United States. Some schools require you to submit an International Certification of Finances (official proof of available funds from a financial institution) as part of the admissions process, while others only require it after you are admitted. It is critical that we review the requirements of EACH of your schools to ensure that you have a plan to meet their requirements. Your parents need to stand by to acquire and provide that financial documentation.