* Applying. to college. What can we do as a family?

Transcription

1 * Applying to college What can we do as a family?

2 * Hopefully the dialogue has begun * Countries * Universities * Courses of study * Cost * Proximity to home/family * Talk!

3 * For many students, college is the first time they will be away from home and on their own. This can mean taking on new responsibilities * Let your child put this responsibility and independence to the test:let your child take the lead in this process! * Be involved but not insistent

4 * Students have started to develop their List due September 15 th so we can review it together and make sure each student has the right fit. * Record list in Naviance - Colleges I m applying to * UK considerationss * -U.S. * -U.S. * -U.K. * -Netherlands * -Canada * -Germany * Put together a list of colleges

5 * Especially if students are applying to the US and the UK, they can get started on their applications right now. Both countries have centralized systems for applying to most universities. * * * Many US Colleges require supplementary writing. Once you have created a CommonApp account you can start to get an idea of how many supplements you will have to write. * In other countries, in most cases, students apply directly to the university either online or on paper. * Create Accounts

6 * Create a range of options * Reach (1%-30%), Target (30%-50%), Match (50% +) * Look at: * Student Profile- do you fall within the range? * Entry Requirements * Cost and Distance * Financial Aid Considerations * What do YOU want in a school? * Making a Smart List

7 * education/thechoice-2013-acceptance-rates.html? _r=0 * ivy-league-college-admission-rates-2013/? ref=education * International students needing financial aid facing the highest challenge * Making Realistic Choices

8 * Individual Meetings; List Drafts * Pre-scheduled sessions in ToK classes * After-School sessions on Thursdays * Students should be doing their own independent research to supplement their college list DUE IN NAVIANCE ON SEPTEMBER 15 TH * Independent work is a necessity * Support in Completing Applications

9 Super People, the writer James Atlas has called them the stereotypical ultra-high-achieving elite college students of today. A double major, a sport, a musical instrument, a couple of foreign languages, service work in distant corners of the globe, a few hobbies thrown in for good measure: They have mastered them all, and with a serene self-assurance that leaves adults and peers alike in awe. A friend who teaches at a top university once asked her class to memorize 30 lines of the eighteenth-century poet Alexander Pope. Nearly every single kid got every single line correct. It was a thing of wonder, she said, like watching thoroughbreds circle a track. These enviable youngsters appear to be the winners in the race we have made of childhood. But the reality is very different, as I have witnessed in many of my own students and heard from the hundreds of young people whom I have spoken with on campuses or who have written to me over the last few years. Our system of elite education manufactures young people who are smart and talented and driven, yes, but also anxious, timid, and lost, with little intellectual curiosity and a stunted sense of purpose. * Who is the Ivy League student?

10 * Coursework should remain the priority * Make SURE you are taking the tests you need to and ordering your official scores * Keep track of university admissions exams and interview deadlines in other countries * Keep up with work and any standardized tests

11 * Most students will need 1-2 recommendation letters in addition to the Counselor Letter * These letters MUST be requested and submitted through Naviance * Students should submit their Brag Sheet to all recommmenders * The letters are confidential but this helps keep the process ethical. * Get Recommendations

12 * Most students have Personal Statements or College Essays they should be working on. The content, length and quantity of essays depends on where the student is applying. * Stay in touch with your student about his essay be sure he is working on it and having someone edit it, even if that someone isn t you. * Essays

13 * August-September: research schools and draft lists, draft essays, ask for recommendation letters, create application accounts * October: Finalize list of schools, take SATs, keep drafting essays, Skype and alumnae interviews * November: Submit Early Decision/Action applications, final draft of Essay, Skype and alumnae interviews; Order SAT Scores * December: Finalize info in applications; all school documents DUE DECEMBER 15 th * January: Application deadlines; Financial Aid Deadlines * If students don t have to apply until summer, make sure you know the requirements for your home country university * Timeline

14 * Cost, Financial Aid and the application process and payment will differ greatly depending on the country to which your student is applying and the country in which your student is a citizen. * We can discuss this individually * Student workshop on budgeting * Cost

15 * Your main question might be: what is the most important part of the application? * The answer: It depends * Grades, rigor of transcript, Recommendation letters, test scores, Interviews, Extra-curriculars, supplementary materials * Do SATs matter?

16 * It seems strange to think about this before the applications have even been submitted, but it can be another aspect of the research process. * Graduate School Placement * Alumnae Involvement * Job Placement * What happens after college?

17 * Software through which the Application Process is managed * Every student should have logged on * Ask your student to see their account? * Sample. * What Is Naviance?

18 * There is a college for everyone!