West Nottingham AcademyCollege Counseling

Parents NightFriday, April 26, 2013

WNA Class of 2013 Highlights of College Acceptances

• University of Alabama• Bentley Univ.• Boston College• Boston University• Univ. of Calif. Davis, Irvine, San

Diego, Santa Barbara & Santa Cruz• The Citadel• Dickinson College• Drexel University• Indiana Univ.

• UMBC• University of Maryland College Park• Penn State• Purdue• RIT• St. John’s Univ.• U- Mass.• University of VA.• College of William and Mary

RESPONSIBILITY FORMULA

STUDENT + PARENT+ COLLEGE COUNSELOR

= Success!

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Parent Responsibilities•Touch base with your student to ensure they are on track and accompany students on college visits

•File FASFA as early in January

•Obtain previous school official transcript. Give one to college counseling office, and mail as needed to colleges

•Assist students with college search, financial aid, aid and scholarship applications and provide them with required information and material

IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY ENSURE ALL REQUIRED TESTING RESULTS, PREVIOUS

TRANSCRIPTS AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION ARE MAILED TO COLLEGES!

SSD & International Parent Additional Responsibilities•International applicants are required to provide colleges with financial certification forms. Many colleges require student, parent and bank signatures

•In some instances colleges require foreign transcripts to be verified and translated

•If student is on an IEP, be sure the plan and the required tests are all current within three years of application date

College Counseling Office Responsibilities

• Counsel and guide students as they navigate searching & applying to colleges.

• Be available by appointment to students and parents.

• Work with you and your student to find a reasonable list of colleges.

• Submit• requested transcripts• letter of recommendation• school profile • Secondary School Report • trimester grades and midyear report • ONE final transcript to attending college

College Fit/Match

• Myth: There is one perfect college for me.• Fact: There are over 3,000 U.S. colleges.

Helping Students to Conduct aThorough College Search

College Fit/Match• The college search process is a personal and intimate experience• Students should be encouraged to think about what factors are most important to them• Students may need to be challenged to think about the process differently.

Asking the Right Questions

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Small or large?

Diversity?

Urban, suburban,

rural?

Athletics and

activities?

What part of the country?

Two year or four year?

School with specific major or school with lots of variety?

Cost?

Factors to Consider: Retention &Graduation Rates• What percentage of students like me are graduating?• If they can’t tell you, then that is a red flag• What can you tell me about your retention efforts?• What are you doing to ensure that students aresuccessful inside and outside of the classroom?Given today’s economy, students need to be sure that the college isinvested in their success and completionQuestions to ask:

Factors to Consider: Academic &Student Support ServicesServices can vary dramatically across campusesQuestions to ask:• What types of academic and personal services do you offerstudents?• How does student advising work?• Are any of the services mandatory?• Is there a cost associated with any of the services?

Factors to Consider: Career Services andJob Placement RatesPreparation for the workforce is something students must consider up frontQuestions to ask:• What is the employment rate for (insert major) grads?• How does your career center operate?• Are the services only on a drop-in basis or is there a moreproactive plan to engage students?

Factors to Consider: Most Popular vs.Strongest MajorThere can be a dramatic difference between the two, but the reason(s) behindwhat makes a major the most popular or the strongest are worth knowing.Popular could mean larger class sizesStrongest could mean better resources/facilitiesQuestions to ask:• What is your strongest major and why?• Is this also your most popular major?Do not to ask:• Is (insert major) a strong/popular major?

Constructing the List of Colleges

• 1. The goal is to have options.• 2. Can you get into these schools?• 3. Is there an appropriate range of schools?• 4. Is the number of schools appropriate?• 5. Does the list make sense to you?• 6. Does the list make sense to the parents?

Family Connection

I am NEW and need to REGISTER

• Email ydvorak@wna.org for password

What does it do?•Students can search and compare colleges

College Comparisons

Produces scatter grams of senior applicant’s acceptances, waitlists & denials

Allows parents & students to look at scholarships

Requesting transcripts through Family In order for students to request transcripts they need to log in to the Family Connection website (a link is provided on the WNA website.)

After successfully logging in, tabs appear at the top of the screen. Click on the “COLLEGES”

Next, click on “colleges I’m applying to”. The first time you log in, you will see the privacy notice for common application (above). We ask that you “DO waive” your right to see your recommendation. Next, check the box to authorize us to send your records.

www.nacacnet.org

• Level of courses completed• Grades in academic coursesAcademic Record

• ACT or SAT, maybe SAT II’s - check with individual college to determine requirements.

Test Scores

Letters of Recommendation

Essay(s)Student

Activities and

Employment

Admissions Decisions

FAFSA Free Application for Federal Student Aid

What We Do

Federal Student Aid is responsible for managing the student financial assistance programs authorized under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965. These programs provide grants, loans, and work-study funds to students attending college or career school.

We ensure students and their families can benefit from these programs by

informing students and families about the availability of the federal student aid programs and on the process for applying for and receiving aid from those programs;

developing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSASM) and processing approximately 22 million FAFSA submissions each year;

accurately disbursing, reconciling, and accounting for all federal student aid funds that are delivered to students each year through more than 6,200 colleges and career schools;

managing the outstanding federal student loan portfolio and securing repayment from federal student loan borrowers;

offering free assistance to students, parents, and borrowers throughout the entire financial aid process; and

providing oversight and monitoring of all program participants—schools, financial entities, and students— to ensure compliance with the laws, regulations, and policies governing the federal student aid programs.

Web link: http://studentaid.ed.gov/about

College Essay Writing: Getting Started

NACAC: Top Ten Tips for Writing a Quality College Essay

1. Start early. The more time you have, the less stress you’ll have.

2. Be yourself. One of the biggest mistakes students make is “writing what they think others want to hear.”

3. Be honest. College admission officers have read thousands of essays. They are masters at discovering any form of plagiarism.

4. Take a risk. Don’t settle for the essay that everyone else is writing.

5. Keep in focus. Use the essay to help the admission officers get to know you as a person.

6. Write and rewrite. Don’t try to write a masterpiece on your first try.

7. Get a second opinion. Even best-selling novelists ask other people to read their manuscripts before they’re sent to the publisher.

8. Proofread.

9. Don’t confuse applying online with sending e-mail. Make sure that you put as much effort into an online essay as you would if you were sending it snail mail.

10. Don’t expect too much from an essay. The application essay is important, but it’s not the only thing that is considered.

Sample Essay Questions: Both unique and Challanging University of Chicago: Spanish poet Antonio Machado wrote, “Between living and dreaming there is a third thing. Guess it”. Give us your guess. MIT: We know you lead a busy life, full activities, chosen by and required of you. Tell us something you do for pleasure. New York University: What intrigues you? Tell us about one work of art, scientific achievement, piece of literature, method of communication, place in the world or a film, book, performance, website, event etc., and explain its significance to you. Emory University: What are the unique qualities of Emory University, and the specific schools to which you are applying, that make you want to become part of Emory Univ.? In what ways do you hope to take advantage of the qualities you have identified?

Junior Year

1. Often junior year grades are the final grades that will influence the college application.

2. Continue involvement in activities that will develop leadership skills; update the academic and extracurricular portfolio. If you are not involved in extracurricular activities/work, it is not too late!

3. Register for the October PSAT/NMSQT; register for SAT, ACT and SAT Subject tests in the spring.

4. Set up the college application process checklist, college folders and calendar.

5. With your family, begin to learn about financial aid (grants, scholarships, loans, and work study).

6. Meet with the guidance counselor to discuss the preliminary list of colleges; continue to research colleges of interest. Aim for a final list of five to ten colleges.

7. Attend college fairs and visit college campuses during spring break and summer vacation.

8. Choose meaningful summer activities: employment, academic, enrichment programs, or volunteer.

9. Begin preparation for the application process (draft essays, assemble portfolios, contact coaches if you are an athlete, consider letters of recommendation, etc.).

10. Continue saving for college.

Senior Year

1. Continue to monitor academic progress throughout the senior year… No Senioritis!

2. Continue involvement in activities that utilizes leadership skills; update the academic and extracurricular portfolio.

3. Take college admission tests as needed: SAT, ACT, SAT Subject Tests, and have test scores sent to the appropriate colleges.

4. Update the college application checklist and college folders. Write due dates on the calendar and meet them!

5. Complete all portions of the college application and submit on time. Make copies of everything.

6. Complete financial aid applications (for grants, scholarships, loans and work-study). This may include the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), the CSS Profile (if required), and the college’s financial aid forms.

7. Set up interviews and plan final visits to colleges.

8. In the spring review offers of acceptance, and compare financial aid packages, then make a decision of which college to attend.

9. Notify all colleges of your decision by May 1st. Send required deposits.

10. Plan meaningful summer activities and pack for college.