How High School Students Can Prepare to Apply
College Application Prep Checklist for High School Students
No matter where you are in your high school journey, now is the time to start exploring!
Choosing to pursue a college education is the biggest investment you will ever make in your future. It’s never too early to begin planning your road ahead.
High School Curriculum
Admission application readers need to know that you are prepared to begin study at the college level, and that you have sufficiently challenged yourself through your high school course selection. A good way to demonstrate this is to successfully complete a rigorous curriculum. For some, this may mean AP and Honors courses. For others, if your school doesn't offer AP and Honors, it may be dual credit, or credit earned from a college while you are in high school. It may also be a college preparatory curriculum. In all cases, application readers want to know that you have challenged yourself.
Recommended High School courses typically include:
- 4 units of English
- 4 units of social studies
- 3 units of mathematics (4 units required for engineering and applied sciences)
- 3 units of science (4 units required for engineering and applied sciences)
- 2 or 3 units of a foreign language
At Stony Brook, we consider all course work completed as part of our academic review, but English, Social Studies, Mathematics, and Science courses are considered core subject areas and often are considered for admission to some of our restricted majors.
High School Academic Performance
Universities take note of a student’s progress in grades. It is favorable for applicants to have upward or solid steady trends in their grades as they move through their high school program. We know that sometimes taking more challenging courses may not always mean an ‘A’ and for our review, that's okay as long as there is a balance across our review areas.
Standardized Examinations
Stony Brook is test optional for applicants (*See information regarding necessary test-scores for those interested in the Scholars for Medicine or Dental Medicine honors programs).
This means it is up to each applicant to determine if submitting an SAT or ACT is appropriate. If you believe your test score reflects your academic achievement and potential, you may decide to send the score.
Test scores are just one part of our holistic review. Other parts that are reviewed include a student’s academic record including the overall grade point average and strength of curriculum, as well as other academic and personal factors such as extracurricular and community involvement, evidence of leadership, special talents or interest. All factors are considered for all applicants, so even if you don’t submit a test score you will still receive full consideration. You’ll also still be eligible for merit based scholarships, too.
Read more about test scores on our FAQs page
Preparing for Honors, Scholars, or Restricted Major Applications
It's great that you're thinking ahead! While you can only apply to our Honors Programs
during your senior year of high school for the fall semester, here are some tips on what you can do now to prepare for a competitive application.
What Honors Programs Look For
Stony Brook's honors programs—including the Honors College, WISE Honors, University
Scholars, Scholars for Medicine, and Scholars for Dental Medicine—seek students who
demonstrate:
- Strong Academic Performance: Honors applicants typically have excellent grades, especially in challenging courses (like AP, IB, or Honors classes).
- Engagement in Extracurriculars: Quality over quantity! Get deeply involved in activities that align with your interests, whether it's research, volunteering, leadership, or specialized clubs.
- High Test Scores (For some programs): Scholars for Medicine and Scholars for Dental Medicine require SAT or ACT scores, so planning to take those tests is important. For other programs, strong scores are helpful but not always required.
- Strong Writing Skills: You will need to write an essay explaining why you are a good fit for your preferred program, and Scholars for Medicine/Dental Medicine require an additional, longer essay.
Things to Do Now
- Challenge Yourself Academically: Enroll in rigorous courses available at your high school, especially in subjects related to the honors program you are interested in (e.g., science and math for WISE). Maintain excellent grades.
- Explore Your Interests:
- Research: Look for opportunities to get involved in research, even if it's a school project, local university program, or a summer camp. This is especially helpful for Simons STEM Scholars.
- Leadership & Service: Take on leadership roles in your extracurricular activities or commit to significant community service.
- STEM Focus (for WISE/Simons): Seek out STEM-related activities, clubs, or competitions.
- Build Relationships with Teachers: You will need two Letters of Recommendation for select academic/Honors programs from people who know you well, such as a teacher or school counselor.
- Show good work ethic, engagement, and critical thinking.
- For WISE: Aim to have at least one of your recommendations come from a science or math teacher.
- Practice Standardized Tests: If you are interested in Scholars for Medicine or Scholars for Dental Medicine, you must submit SAT or ACT scores. Begin studying and planning when you will take the tests (usually in the late spring of junior year or fall of senior year).
- Refine Your "Why": Start thinking about why a particular Stony Brook Honors Program appeals to you. What are your academic goals, and how will that specific program help you reach them? This is the core of the required statements on the application for each program.
Tell Us About Your Special Talents
While a supplemental application provides you with an opportunity to highlight your special talents or circumstances, it is often advisable to have your college counselor or advisor attach a letter to your transcript discussing these abilities and your potential.
Gather Letters Of Recommendation
Letters of recommendation can provide a sense of your capabilities and accomplishments through a voice that is not your own. At Stony Brook, one letter of recommendation is required for general admission to the University; two letters from teachers are required for applicants to honors programs.
Your letter for General admission can be used for the Honors Application as one of the two total letters required. WISE: At least one of your recommendations must come from a science or math teacher.
Be Involved
During your high school experience it is important to get involved in your school and local community. This involvement is a sign to application readers of how you may engage in our campus community. You will list these activities on your application for admission.
It is important to be involved in activities that you are passionate about, contribute strongly to, and can show leadership growth in.
EXAMPLE: Becoming the president of your student government after being in it for three years is a great sign of leadership growth. This can also include working part time jobs. Working part time jobs also show motivation and leadership growth so be sure to consider this as an option, too.
Get ready to apply through Early Action!
Stony Brook follows an Early Action application process, which means for students who apply by our Early Action deadline, you will receive a decision by the end of January. Applying early also gives you priority consideration for select academic programs and special university programs.
Financial Aid
Financing your college education is an important consideration to begin thinking of now. We encourage you to begin exploring finances soon so you can understand all of your options. Our financial aid website is a great resource to begin with.
At Stony Brook we offer merit based scholarships to admitted students. You don’t have to apply for these, all admitted students are automatically considered for them.
There are also a number of university scholarships that you’ll be able to apply for after being admitted.
For First-Year International Students, we offer the You Are Welcome Here scholarship, so it is a great time to think about prepping your #YAWH application.
For domestic students, they should begin to familiarize themselves with the FAFSA application process, and for those living in New York State they should also look into the HESC TAP application process.
Visit Us
We invite you to take a tour and dare to discover the possibilities that await you at Stony Brook. We offer campus visits nearly every day and on select Saturdays. Be sure to register early as space does fill quickly.
Can’t make it to campus quite yet? We also offer many virtual information sessions as well as presentations.