Central 301 College Planning - Central Unit School District 301

Central 301 College Planning: Helpful Links

Attention Juniors (Class of 2027)

One Click College Admit: Your Direct Path to College

The State of Illinois has launched One Click College Admit, a free and stress-free “direct admissions” program. With OCCA, participating Illinois public universities and community colleges will proactively offer YOU admission based on your GPA.

Why Participate?

No Application Fees: Save money on multiple university applications.
No Essays or Letters of Recommendation: Skip the stress of writing personal statements or tracking down teachers for references.
Guaranteed Spots: If you meet the university’s GPA requirements, you are automatically in.
In-State Opportunities: Explore the high-quality public institutions right here in Illinois.

Process/Timeline for Juniors (Class of 2027)

Junior Year (Spring 2026): Complete the Online Opt-In Form. By opting in, you give permission for your GPA to be shared with the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC). Opt-in must be completed by May 22, 2026.

Brief OCCA Opt-in Walkthrough Videos

Spring/Summer 2026: Create a Common App account if you don’t have one already. This is where you will eventually view and accept your offers.
Senior Year (Fall 2026): Check your email and Common App account! You will receive official admission offers from participating universities and your local community college.
Senior Year (Spring 2027): Simply “add” the school to your “My Colleges” list in Common App to accept the offer and begin the enrollment process.

Participating Institutions

Nine of Illinois’ public universities are participating in this direct admit program:

Chicago State University
Eastern Illinois University
Governors State University
Illinois State University
Northeastern Illinois University
Northern Illinois University
Southern Illinois University (Carbondale & Edwardsville)
University of Illinois Springfield
Western Illinois University
Plus: All Illinois Community Colleges!

Note: The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and University of Illinois Chicago do not currently participate in direct admissions due to their program-specific requirements. Students interested in these schools should still apply through the traditional Common App process.

Ready to Get Started?

Visit the official site at OneClickAdmit.org to learn more and complete your opt-in form. If you have questions, please stop by the Student Services office to speak with your counselor!

Helpful Resources/Links:

Requesting Transcripts – Current Students

For College Applications: From your SchooLinks dashboard, select Colleges on the left navigation sidebar. Then, select College Applications from the dropdown menu. This will bring you to your college Application Manager. Once you add a college application, a transcript will automatically be requested.
For Scholarships or the NCAA Eligibility Center: From your SchooLinks dashboard, select Student on the left navigation sidebar. Then, select Records Request from the dropdown menu. Select Send official transcript from the top of the page.
To View your grades or download to send to a college or program that accepts unofficial transcripts: From your SchooLinks dashboard, select Student on the left navigation sidebar. Then, select Records Request from the dropdown menu. Select Download unofficial transcript from the top of the page.

CHS Alumni/former students: Click Here (transcript ordering via Parchment)

SchooLinks
SchooLinks is a platform provided to CHS students in which students can start their journey for college and career planning, log volunteer hours, explore and apply to colleges, apply for scholarships, request transcripts, and more.

Elgin Community College – College & Career Events
Check out the list of events offered throughout the school year at Elgin Community College.

Transferology
Find out if a course you took at a community college will be accepted at the 4 year university you hope to attend by clicking around on this site.

College Scorecard
Compare colleges using graduation rate, average amount of debt at graduation, average salary after graduation, and more

Junior Year:

Plan some college visits to determine the college that is right for you. If you can’t get to a college, consider using the internet to take a virtual tour.
Ensure you are maintaining solid grades. Junior year is the last year to solidify the GPA that colleges will see when you apply. Although senior year is important, your application and acceptance letters will come before you complete your senior year.
Stay active in school activities or volunteer roles in the community. These are both great qualities that colleges want to see in a prospective student.

Senior Year:

FAFSA
Completing the FAFSA is a graduation requirement in the State of Illinois.

More about FAFSA
On a yearly basis, students and families complete the FAFSA to apply for federal student aid for college or career and technical schools. This includes federal grants, loans, and work-study funds, plus many states and colleges use it to award their own aid. Students are encouraged to complete the FAFSA sooner rather than later, as some funding is awarded on a first-come/first-serve basis.

FAFSA Application
Eligible noncitizens who do not qualify to complete the FAFSA can still meet the graduation requirement by using the Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid.

Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid
Families may choose to complete the FAFSA opt-out form instead of completing the FAFSA, which will also satisfy the graduation requirement.

Opt-Out Form Directions and Link
Further senior year content is under development in preparation for the 2026-2027 school year

District 301 Schools

College Planning