Checklist for Parents
High school preparation is important for a Mines education. To help you encourage your high school student, we've put together a timeline of information that we hope is helpful to you.
Sophomore and Junior Year - Visit Mines
One of the best ways to explore opportunities is to visit campus with your high school student. We offer official visits that include a tour with a Student Ambassador, followed by a personalized meeting with an Admissions Officer. After a visit, your student will know if Mines is the right fit and, if so, will be prepared for the application process.
We welcome you to sit in during our meeting, as long as your son or daughter has no objections. Student and parent questions can be both similar and different. We hope to address all your questions during the advising session.
Senior Year, Fall Semester - Apply Online for Free
There is no application deadline, but we encourage students to apply online in the fall semester of their senior year, after the completion of all standardized testing. Senior scores are usually the most competitive scores on the application, so we suggest prospective students plan to take the ACT or SAT as a senior.
We review applications as they arrive, and admissions decisions are usually mailed within three weeks from the time we have a complete file (the application, official high school transcripts and standardized test scores). Online applications are free. Paper applications require a $45 application fee.
An essay and recommendation letters are not required. Unless we have requested this information for a specific reason, there is no need to submit these items.
Also, when students have questions regarding the application process, we want them to contact us directly, and we’ll be happy to help with the process.
Senior Year, Fall Semester - Decision letters
As early as October, the Admissions Office will send decision letters indicating your student is admitted to Mines, needs to submit additional information (for example, a senior test score or the 7th semester high school transcript), or is denied admission.
If students have questions about an admission decision, we encourage them to contact us for a personal discussion.
Senior Year, January/February - Apply for Financial Aid
The earliest you may apply for financial aid is after January 1 of the senior year. This is an important step in the process. We recommend all students apply for financial aid, regardless of expectations. Financial aid includes grant money, work study funding and student loans. For more details, including deadlines and tips for filing, visit Financial Aid.
Senior Year, January through March - Mines Scholarships
From January 1 through March 1, the Financial Aid Office will review all admitted students for merit scholarship awards. If your son or daughter exceeds the average criteria of the admitted students in unweighted GPA, standardized tests and class rank, a scholarship may be awarded in a wide range of amounts. Scholarship awards are typically mailed by March 1, and admitted students will be notified either way.
Senior Year, Spring Semester (Before May 1) - Apply for Housing
Residence hall applications will be included with acceptance letters. Expect two steps in the residence hall application process. First, your son or daughter must complete the application and return it to Residence Life with a $150 fee. In response, Student Housing will send a contract to be signed. The second step is to return the signed contract by May 1. Housing will be guaranteed to freshmen who meet the May 1 deadline.
In May and June, Student Housing will set up room assignments to be mailed in July. Efforts are made to assign compatible roommates.
Senior Year, May 1 – Enrollment Date and Disability Services
The enrollment deadline is May 1. In the acceptance letter, your student will find an enrollment confirmation form, which should be postmarked by May 1 to ensure enrollment for the following fall term. An enrollment deposit of $200 is required in addition to the housing deposit. To help you remember the details and know what to look for, we will also include our "Road Map to Mines" form with the acceptance letter.
Student Development and Academic Services is available to assist with appropriate paperwork and necessary accommodations for students with documented disability. You should begin working with Student Development and Academic Services upon submission of the enrollment deposit.
Summer Break – Preparations
Several campus offices will work collaboratively over the summer to provide students with information preparing them for the first semester of college, including details on freshmen orientation, parent orientation, e-mail accounts, health forms and more. This is also the time when your student confirms that we've received all AP/IB scores, official college transcripts (if applicable), disability services forms and any other requested information.
First Day of Classes
Classes begin in late August following an extensive orientation/welcome weekend. Move-in day is the Friday before classes begin. Visit Academic Calendar for important dates throughout the semester, including fall and winter break, spring break, homecoming, parents weekend and more.