Get Updates

College Guide

4. Private Colleges and Universities

Most private colleges have similar course and test requirements to the CSU/UC system. Check with the specific college or university for their requirements.

Application

To apply to private colleges and universities, download the common application. Visit The Common Application for more information on undergraduate college admissions to private schools.

Letters of Recommendation

Many private colleges require one or more letters of recommendation from a teacher, counselor or community leader. If your applications require letters of recommendation, follow these steps to allow your writers to compose the best letter possible for you.

1. Write a resume. Don’t just develop an average resume in the typical format. Write a resume with ALL your information! List Honors or AP classes you have taken, challenges you have encountered and how you overcame them, special circumstances, awards received, clubs involved in, future plans and anything else you can think of! The more information you can give your writers, the more likely it is that they will write a great letter for you.
2. Ask seriously. Ask your writers in person AND in writing if they will write a letter for you. This will show that you are serious and your teachers or counselors will be more likely to remember you in the midst of requests from other applicants.
3. Give your writers a lot of time to write. This is perhaps the most important step. No matter how good your resume is or how close you are to your writer, if he or she is busy, your letter will not be of the highest quality. You may even be turned away if you did not give enough time for your writer to compose your letter, and you will miss the application deadline. Give your writers AT LEAST three weeks advance notice!

Other Requirements

Check with the college or university you are applying to for specifics. Most private schools require applicants to submit an official high school transcript. There are often supplemental essays and sections to describe awards you have received.

Early Action and Early Decision

There are many different types of admissions. Not all colleges will offer all of these options.

1. Regular Admission. Students apply by mid-winter and receive admissions decisions in late March or early April for the following fall admission. They must notify the colleges to which they were accepted if they plan to attend, or deny the offer of admission by May 1.
2. Rolling Admission. Students apply and receive an admission decision two to six weeks after the application was submitted.
3. Early Applications. There are two types of early application plans: binding and nonbinding. These applications are normally due early fall, but check with the individual college for an exact date. Early application plans are often used by colleges and universities who also use regular admission.
--> Early Decision. These early application admissions are binding, so be sure that you definitely want to attend this college or university. Not following through on this decision can cause other schools to refuse admission to you. Students apply in early Fall and colleges notify you before January whether you were admitted, deferred to the regular applicant pool or denied admission.
Special Aspects of Early Decision. You may apply for early decision to only one college. You may apply for early action or regular decision to other colleges. However, if you are accepted to the college to which you applied for early decision, you must withdraw all other applications. If the college cannot meet your financial aid needs, you are released from the early decision program.
--> Early Action. This type of early application is non-binding. Students apply in early Fall and are notified about their admission or denial by May 1, giving them time to review their financial aid packages before making a decision. Early action plans do not require you to attend the college applied to if you are accepted.
4. Single Choice/Early Action. Colleges accept an early action application, but students may apply to only one other college for early action. They may not apply for early decision to any other college or university.

Learn More

Empowering Students | College Guide | Finding the Right College | California Public University Requirements | Private Colleges and Universities | Community Colleges | Testing | AB 540 Students | Planning Tools and Resources