OVERVIEW OF THE COLLEGE PROCESS

Transcription

1 OVERVIEW OF THE COLLEGE PROCESS S

2 TIMELINE: S JUNIOR YEAR WINTER/SPRING -Readiness -Group meeting with counselor- December, January -Junior Night #2 (for parents and students) -Individual meetings with counselors, throughout winter, spring -Parent/Family meeting upon request -Maintaining good academics, involvement -Standardized tests -College visits -Start developing list -Asking for recommendations

3 TIMELINE (cont.): S SUMMER FOLLOWING JUNIOR YEAR -Be Productive, Get Involved! -Continue visiting colleges, interviews -Begin filling out Common Application (available August 1 st ), Supplements, Essay, Resume -Start narrowing down/finalizing list

4 TIMELINE (cont.): S SENIOR YEAR FALL -Senior Advisory -Senior Night (parent and student evening program) -Meet with counselor -Finalize applications, essays, resumes -Finalize college list -Determine strategy- applying early action/decision, or regular -College Mini Fairs at CCHS

5 TIMELINE (cont.) -Touch base with teachers about recommendationslet them know of earliest deadline -Take standardized tests again if desired -College Interviews -Remaining college visits -Submit Early Decision and Early Action Applications

6 TIMELINE (cont.): S SENIOR YEAR WINTER -Submit Regular Decision deadline applications -Fill out FAFSA (available January 1 st ) -Apply for scholarships -Wait.J

7 ADDITIONAL SUPPORT: S Weekly College Lunch Groups WHEN: Tuesdays during D, E, F blocks, beginning for juniors in February and running through June. Then picking up again in fall with seniors. WHERE: Cafeteria WHAT: Counselors and laptops will be available during lunch blocks every Tuesday to help with all aspects of the college process (building lists, discussing schools, assisting with Naviance, applications, essays, college lists, resumes, sending test scores, filling out forms, scholarships, financial aid, FAFSA, etc.).

8 ALSO (misc.): S GPA- weighted vs. unweighted, what s sent to colleges, what s included S NCAA -If planning on playing a Div. I or II sport in college you must register with the NCAA Eligibility Center see counselor for more information S NAVIANCE -Extremely helpful tool throughout this process. If you don t have a password, please contact Mrs. MacHaffie in Guidance

9 THNGS TO KEEP IN MIND: S Facebook, address, Twitter S Post-Secondary Planning does not have to mean traditional 4-year college (GAP Year, Community College, etc.) S Parent vs. Student Involvement

10 STATISTICS FROM GRADUATION CLASS OF 2015 S See Handout

11 VARIABLES IN COLLEGE ADMISSIONS: S What are your priorities? What is most important to you? S What are you looking to get out of your college experience? S What type of learner are you? S What type of school- University, Liberal Arts, Engineering, Research, Technical, Business, etc. S Size, location/part of country, distance from home, majors, urban/ suburban/rural, diversity, religious affiliation, four-year, two-year, public/private, etc. S Activities on campus, internship opportunities, study abroad, academic support, class size, athletics, etc. S Cost

12 CREATING A LIST: S Have parameters conversation early on (cost, distance, etc.) and keep lines of communication open throughout process! S Work with guidance counselor S Talk with experts/mentors in your realm (coaches, music/art teacher, etc.) S Use Naviance to organize your list and gather info on colleges (can start with College Search, SuperMatch, College Match, Overlaps, Virtual tours) S Research schools S Keep options open

13 CREATING A LIST (cont.): S Reaches, Targets, Safeties -What are they (can use Naviance to determine where you fall- Scattergrams, Admit rate, etc.) -Academic, Financial -What should your list include S Keep lines of communication open with family, counselors S Stay organized! S Some considering particular majors, others looking for a feeling

14 BOTTOM LINE: FIND THE RIGHT FIT FOR YOU!!!

15 Expressed Interest S Visiting colleges/ Tour S Interviews S Mini-Fair S Communication with Admissions Representatives

16 VISTING A COLLEGE: S Importance- Getting feel for school, Expressed Interest S Timing- best when students are on campus S Setting up visit S 3 excused College Visit Days from CCHS S Have list of questions

17 VISTING A COLLEGE (cont.): S Immerse yourself as much as possible- café, residence halls classes, visit departments of interest, coaches, support services, talk to students on campus! S Let admissions know if can t get on tour- want your visit documented S Parents let your child develop their own impressions of schools

18 INTERVIEWS: S Importance- Gives colleges a more holistic view of applicant, expressed interest, relationship building S Take advantage if offered S Timing- find out what each colleges process is for interviews, possibly start with a school not top on list S Setting up interview, follow up with /thank you note S Have list of questions S Convey to them why school is a good fit for you, what you can bring with you to the school S Check out list of potential questions on Counseling website

19 INTERVIEWS: S Remember: - Goal of college is to create an interesting, diverse and involved school community- how can you contribute to this? -Colleges are concerned about their yield how will you convey to them that they are top on your list?

20 CCHS MINI-FAIRS: S College Admissions Representatives will be in the lobby outside of Guidance from 11:00am 12:45pm on Thursdays from September thru November. S List of schools attending on Naviance S Stop by, ask questions, gather information S More Expressed Interest, Relationship building!

21 ESSAY: S Another opportunity to convey something about yourself S Write about something that is important to you S Make sure your voice comes through S Show to an English teacher for grammar S Have someone read for content S Ratio description:effect

22 RESUME: S Not required by most schools S Can be beneficial for students with lengthier list of activities S Template on Naviance S How to send to colleges

23 RECOMMENDATIONS: S Who to ask -Two junior/senior academic teachers from different departments -Optional- character/talent reference S When to ask S Ask in person! S Follow up with thank you note! S Counselor Letter

24 Standardized Testing S PSAT S Current SAT S New SAT S SAT Subject Tests S ACT

25 PSAT S This PSAT is aligned with the new SAT S Taking place on Wednesday, Oct. CCHS S Registration in Guidance Dept. from 9/29-10/2 S $20 check made out to Concord-Carlisle HS (no cash) S Students will receive a booklet with practice test

26 Current SAT S Will be offered OCT, NOV, DEC, and JAN S Critical Reading S Math S Writing S Score Choice S Super Score

27 New SAT S Will first be offered in MAR 2016 S Major Differences S No penalty for wrong answers S Score is out of 1600 (800 each for Math and Evidence-Based Reading/Writing) S Essay is optional S Calculator is not used for all math sections S Much less focus on vocabulary (no Sentence Completions)

28 SAT Subject Tests S Specific to certain academic subjects S Who requires them and which tests? S When to take Subject tests

29 ACT S Compare and contrast to current SAT S English S Math S Reading S Science S Composite Score

30 College Application Process Student s Responsibilities S Application S Payment S Standardized tests scores S Additional letters of recommendation S Supplemental material

31 College Application Process School s Responsibilities S Record Release Forms S Transcripts S School Profile S Teacher letters of recommendation S Counselor letter of recommendation

32 College Admissions Policies S Early Decision (ED) S Early Action (EA) S Early Action Restrictive S Rolling S Regular

33 College Admissions Policies (Cont.) S Possible Outcomes S Accepted S Denied S Deferred S Wait List

34 Financial Aid S Forms S FAFSA S CSS Profile S Institutional forms S Types of Aid S Grants S Loans S Work Study

35 Financial Aid (cont.) S Resources S MEFA S Financial Aid Office at colleges S Financial Aid Night S October 7:00 in CCHS Auditorium

36 Additional Resources S Naviance S Guidance Dept. website at S Post-Secondary Planning Guide S College Board at S ACT at S Guidance Counselor!!