The Next Step College Admission

The Next Step College Admission

Define Your College Public University Funding comes from state taxpayers Tend to have a larger student population Tuition is typically lower for in-state students (out-of-state students tend to pay slightly more for tuition) Tend to have more commuter and part-time students Faculty emphasis on research and publication

Define Your College Private University Indicates that the university s funding comes from tuition, investments and private donors Student body size smaller than public universities, with liberal arts schools being the smallest Teaching has top priority at liberal arts colleges (research still the focus at larger schools) Majority of students live at college and attend full time Most well-known schools across the country are private schools

Top Ten 4 year Schools Final Transcripts Class of 2015 University of Texas Dallas University of Texas Austin Texas A&M University University of North Texas University of Arkansas Texas Tech University University of Oklahoma Texas State University Baylor University Oklahoma State University

Top Ten Out of State 4 Year Schools Final Transcripts Class of 2015 University of Arkansas University of Oklahoma Oklahoma State University University of Missouri New York University University of Kansas University of Colorado University of Alabama Indiana University Brigham Young University

Top 20 Research Colleges 2015 (Final Transcripts from Plano ISD Students) Princeton - 3 Harvard - 5 Yale - 3 Columbia - 3 Caltech - 4 MIT - 1 Stanford - 7 Univ of Chicago - 1 Univ of Pennsylvania - 3 Duke University - 6 Dartmouth- 1 Johns Hopkins University - 3 Northwestern University - 1 Washington University in St. Louis - 6 Cornell - 6 Brown - 0 Vanderbilt University- 8 Notre Dame - 0 Rice - 14 U. of Cali., Berkeley - 3 U.S. News National University Rankings - 2015

2015 Graduates Armed Service Academies United States Air Force Academy 1 United States Military Academy at West Point 2 United States Naval Academy 2 United Stated Merchant Marine Academy- 1

Plano ISD University Ready http://ur.pisd.edu/ind ex.shtml Go to the website On the right side of the page, near the bottom, is a list of schools receiving final transcripts from Plano ISD graduates.

4 year schools 2 year schools Choices Certificate programs Trade schools Military World of work

Colleges and Social Media According to a survey by the testing resource Kaplan, 27% of college admission staff Google their applicants while 26% check Facebook. 35% of students were kept from getting into a school they applied to based on what admissions staff found online.

College and Social Media Social media can also hurt or help your chances of being recruited. According to a Pew Research Center report when doing new students recruiting: 87% of colleges use Facebook 76% of colleges use Twitter 63% of colleges use YouTube So what technology posts hurt your chances of getting into college? Illegal activity Photos of students drinking alcohol Plagiarism Vulgarity

Getting Started in the 9 th Grade Student Information Folder/Naviance Activities Resume Research Colleges At least ten Importance of grades The person most invested in academics should be the STUDENT Rigorous curriculum Take the most competitive courses you can and still perform well the strength of curriculum is typically the top factor for selective colleges and universities.

10 th Grade PSAT the practice test Individual Academic Conferences Research colleges at least ten Academics Naviance

PSAT/NMSQT Redesigned PSAT/NMSQT Practice Test Now Available This October students in the 10 th grade took the redesigned PSAT/NMSQT Results are available on-line with the student s Access Code Strongly recommended that students connect their College Board account (PSAT results) to the Khan Academy Khan Academy will create a personalized SAT study plan for each student - FREE

11 th Grade PSAT/National Merit Individual Academic Conferences College Nights Colleges visit the campus throughout the school year College visits tour the campus Narrow college search to eight Spring of junior year SAT/ACT Naviance

12 th Grade Apply to colleges using the student s Naviance account College Nights Senior meetings Colleges visit the campus throughout the school year FAFSA October (no later than January) College visits tour the campus

What is Demonstrated Interest? Indicator used by colleges to determine how interested applicants are in enrolling in their college. Education.com/reference

Types of Demonstrated Interest Supplemental Essays Common Application college-specific supplement Campus Visits College Interviews College Fairs Contacting your Admission Representative Sending a Thank You Note Applying early

Top Admission Factors Grades in college preparatory courses Strength of curriculum Admissions tests Overall grades College Admission Factors from the National Association of College Admission Counseling

Tip Academic Factors Supplemental to the top factors and used to add content to the academic record. College Application College essay or writing sample An essay alone will not get you admitted to college, but little effort or questionable taste with the essays may keep you out Don t worry about finding the perfect topic there isn t one. Just tell a story straight from your heart A good essay isn t rocket science, just hard work. You may need to write ten drafts to get there Every thought, sentiment, piece of content, or expression in the essay must be the student s original work (College Admission, Hamlet and Vandevelde) An excerpt from a Yale application In the past candidates have used this space in great variety of ways There is no correct way to respond to this essay request No answer is wrong, but sloppy, general, insincere, or tasteless responses can hurt your cause Class rank college s decision Counselor recommendation Teacher recommendation

From College Executives: Write don t text. No matter your major of choice, having the skill to communicate effectively is critical. Take advantage of opportunities in high school to sharpen your communication skills. -Wheaton College Wheaton, Illinois

Student Interview Work Other Factors Volunteer (get involved) Application Meet deadlines Follow directions

NCAA National Collegiate Athletic Association Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse is the organization that determines whether prospective college athletes are eligible to play sports at NCAA Division I or Division II institutions. The student athlete's academic record, SAT or ACT scores, and amateur status are reviewed to ensure conformity with NCAA rules. www.ncaaclearinghouse.net

More on extra-curricular activities Remember the word is contributions not just a laundry list for essays or interviews ultimately the admissions officer will want to know what you will contribute to the college or university community and what you might contribute that another student might not. - Austin College Sherman, Texas

Additional Websites http://ur.pisd.edu the district s University Ready site www.fafsa.ed.gov financial aid information www.collegeboard.org testing (PSAT, SAT, AP), college and career exploration www.actstudent.org testing ACT, college and career exploration www.texascollegeandcareer.org a planning and organizing site