Senior Parent Night!

CLASS OF 2014

MEETING OBJECTIVES• Introductions• The College Application Process

a) Macrao.orgb) On-Line v. Paperc) Finding requested application information d) What to do at schoole) Timeline

• Senior Year Events• Scholarships, Grants and Loans

Getting in…• What are colleges looking for?

a) GPAb) ACT/SAT scoresc) Rigorous Courseworkd) Extra-Curricular Involvement/Well-Roundedness

** USE “MICHIGAN COLLEGE GUIDE” (hand out) or www.michigancollegeguide.com: to determine college requirements for admission.

Start a “College File”

COLLEGE FILE TABLE OF CONTENTS:• List Colleges of Interest – Dream BIG• Current Copy of Unofficial Transcript• Three Letters of Recommendation• Create an On-line Account with each College

of Interest: record Usernames/Passwords• Area to Keep Records of Where/When Apply

MACRAO.ORG

Great Resource!• Enter www.macrao.org• Click on Michigan College Home Pages• Screen is split into three columns• Left= MI Public 4 year Colleges/Univ• Center= MI Private 4 year

Colleges/Univ• Right= MI Community 2 year Colleges • Each offers Quick Links to Apps

Application Time Line• Try to apply at your College Visit!• Early Admission is from September – November 1st

• Check DEADLINES of Colleges of Interest• Best to start submitting Applications in September• Open/Rolling Enrollment v. Deadline for Apps• 4 Year Colleges usually want a commitment by

approximately May 1st of Senior Year • Community Colleges use Open Enrollment – Start

Application Process in May of Sr. Year

Application Process• ON-LINE v. PAPER: On- line is faster although

many parents prefer to keep hard copies of the application – On-line seems preferred by Colleges

• INCLUDE THE COUNSELING OFFICE IN EACH STEP OF YOUR APPLICATION PROCESS

Application Process• On-Line: Create an Account

1) Begin Application – student’s personal information is entered by student/family. There is usually an Application Fee of appx. $35 -$50.2) Come to Counseling Office to request academic records be sent to your college choices. If you desire, you can mail the Application Fee with trans.3) DOCUFIDE/PARCHMENT – You may choose to create an account with Docufide; you can order your transcripts on-line indicating where to send them. This generates an email Transcript Request to Ms. Bates. 4) DON’T FORGET! You will need to let Ms. Bates know if your updated transcript needs to be sent more than once.

Application ProcessPAPER: 1. Mail in your Application 2. Request Transcript be sent by Counseling

Office3. Don’t forget to include check for Application

Fee4. Make Copies of everything and record the

date you send it

Accounts to Create• www.actstudent.org : if you need to send scores to

additional schools NOT indicated on your child’s original sheet

• www.ncaaclearinghouse.net : if you are a perspective college athlete, you’ll need to create an account

• www.lakeshoreschools.org: if you are interested in ordering records through Docufide/Parchment. MORE: many links included on Counseling Department’s site regarding COLLEGES, CAREERS, FINANCIAL AID & SCHOLARSHIPS

• www.fastweb.com: free scholarship search

Senior Year Events

• Apply to several schools you’d like to attend!• Sign up to Retake ACT/SAT (if unhappy w/score)• Keep grades UP throughout the year-they check!

• Avoid SENIORITIS at all costs!• Attend FINANCIAL AID NIGHT – January, 23 2014

• Use LSHS Counseling Department website

Financial Aid, Scholarships and FAFSA

• Financial Aid a) Grants b) Loans

• Scholarshipsa) Community/Privateb) College/University Offered

• FINANCIAL AID NIGHT – JANUARY 23, 2014- FAFSA IS BASED ON 2013 TAX INFORMATION- FAFSA APPLICATION SHOULD BE CREATED 1/14 – 3/14- www.fafsa.ed.gov: Can create a PIN number now for your application in 2014. You MAY but it is not NECESSARY.

• Patrick Klenner – Financial Associate - patrick.klenner@thrivent.com ; 586-773-7596