How To Get A Good College Degree

Transcription

1 The College Process: Exploring & Applying to Colleges 11 th Grade March Presentation Quince Orchard High School Counseling Department (301)

2 Upcoming Events 11 th Grade Parent Night March 10th at 7pm in the QO Auditorium Counselors visit 11 th Grade classroom to discuss college planning Week of March 16th College Fair April 21 and 22 at Montgomery County Agricultural Center

3 Resources in the building Road Map SAT/ACT College visits and Interviews College essay & resume College recommendations Choosing the right school Types of admissions Family Connections/ Naviance Rich Edgar College admissions officer, Director of U.S. Operations, John Cabot University, Rome, Italy

4 Counselors Advise on researching & investigating post secondary institutions Advise on tests (SAT/ACT/Accuplacer) Write letter of recommendations Registrar Mail official transcripts, school profile, & counselor recommendations Maintains deadlines Provides support with e docs College & Career Coordinator Offers college & local scholarship applications & financial aid materials Provides research materials Provides help accessing family connections/ Naviance Book Resources The Fiske Guide to Colleges The College Handbook Peterson s Guide to 4 year colleges Insider s Guide to the Colleges Colleges that Change Lives 4

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6 ACT Four section exam English, Math, Reading, & Science Reasoning, Experimental section added on some dates & is clearly marked (5 th section with writing) Content Math: up to trigonometry; Science: charts, experiments; Reading: 4 Passages; English: grammar Scored 1 36 for each subject & avg d for a composite score. High score of 36. No penalty for wrong answer Test Length: 2 hours 55 minutes/ 3 hours 25 minutes with writing ACT, Inc. (319) , SAT Ten section exam 3 critical reading, 3 math, 3 writing, & 1 experimental(masked to look like regular section) Content Math: up to 9 th grade basic geometry & algebra 2; Reading: sentence completions, short & long critical reading passages, reading comprehension; Writing: essay, & grammar, usage, & word choice Scored per section, added together for combined score. High score of ¼ point penalty per wrong answer Test Length: 3 hours 45 minutes The College Board (609) ,

7 SAT Subject Tests: Some of the higher end (most competitive) schools do require SAT subject tests check with your schools Accuplacer: Test for Montgomery College Exempt from taking if you ve scored higher than 550 on SAT or 24 on ACT in both Reading and Math. TOEFL: Take if you have been in the country less than 10 years; helps show proficiency in English Please Prepare! Online preparation for both the ACT & SAT Mock Tests through the PTSA College test prep course in or out of school Prep Books

8 Know your needs Prepare & arrange for a Visit Kinds of visits Questions to ask on Visit Interviews List your current interests, abilities, & goals Consider school climate you are looking for Sign up for campus tours & know ahead of time to make appointments to see a coach, or head of a department Sign in if the school has this! Student for a day sit in classes, tour campus, eat in the residence hall, overnight stay in the dorm, consider weekend for social environment Consider those for students and those for faculty or admissions representatives list of ques. in the packet Some colleges still do interviews Be confident, articulate, & practice ahead of time

9 Admissions officers place much value on essays as they are a window into who you are, how you think, what is important to you, and how you communicate The essay evaluates your communication skills & distinguishes you as an individual beyond your GPA & SAT scores Essay Writing workshops available this summer through the QO English Department

10 Purpose Provides college with quick summary of what is important/distinctive about your high school experience Tips Highlight most meaningful activities Present clearly: what/when Bullet, not sentences Keep to 1 page

11 Most colleges require a counselor recommendation 1 or 2 teacher recommendations Choosing a teacher Who/How/When to ask Confidentiality Waive right to read recommendations(standard procedure) Deadlines Sending Recommendations Thank Teachers!! Be clear when they are Most will be sent via e docs, others by mail (more to come in fall) Recommendations take time to write & teachers do out of commitment to you

12 Size Personality Fit Location Admission selectivity Special Programs Music, sport, etc. Majors Cost

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14 Student College Questionnaire Answer the following questions on a separate sheet or via e mail. Please be thorough and give/send to your counselor by Thursday, June 5, Student Name: Date of Birth: Home Phone: Cell Phone: Student E Mail: Describe a time during high school when you felt particularly proud of yourself? What did you accomplish? What made you stand out? Describe a situation in which you were able to take charge of a situation and demonstrate leadership. Describe a situation in which you demonstrated compassion. Describe what you believe are your academic strengths. In college, what subjects are you most interested in studying? Why? What makes you a good fit for the colleges to which you are applying? What contributions could you make? Please be specific. What else would you like the school to know about you? Is your transcript a reflection of your capabilities? If not, why? Write about two events that were challenging or had an impact on your life. List six personal qualities that you, your family, and/or your friends use to describe you and why? Parent thoughts Please type on a separate page or e mail to your son or daughter s counselor: Please feel free to share any comments or insights into your son or daughter that you would like their counselor to know. What do you believe are your son or daughter s talents? What do you wish the college to know about your child? Please attach a resume of... your athletic and extracurricular activities, awards, community service and work experience. Due To Counselor:

15 A Great Resource for: career choices and options for college majors a list of realistic college options tailored to you comparing your GPA & test scores to average acceptance data from QOHS building your resume Any questions about Family Connections/Naviance: Please see your counselor or Ms. Stewart in the College and Career Center

16 Sign up for SAT/ACT/SAT Subject tests Begin to refine list of possible colleges Use Family Connections to help Consider summer program, work experience, internship, community service Review on line college applications forms (summer) Requirements & Directions Essay Choose topic/write first draft Consider QO s Summer Essay and College Application Programs & Schedule a senior meeting with your counselor

17 Thank you for your attendance tonight! We are pleased to welcome Mr. Edgar to QOHS! Mr. Rich Edgar Director of U.S. Operations John Cabot University Rome, Italy