college night presentation

College Admissions 101LCHS Junior Parent NightFebruary 28th 2015

Contact Info

Guidance Homepage: bit.ly/lchsguidance College Advising: www.lchs2college.com Follow Us on Twitter:

@GuidanceLCHS @lchs2college

Email: Kelly Hagerty: [email protected] Victoria Dietrich: [email protected] Tatianna Bissonnette: [email protected] Denise Riley: [email protected] Rosana Medan: [email protected]

Agenda

Important Dates The Application Process Choosing the Right School Paying for College Resources Q&A Panel w/ College Admissions

Counselors

Important Dates

Mar 3- All Juniors take the ACT at LCHS Registration at school

Mar 10- Greater Raleigh National College Fair 4:30-7:30pm Raleigh Convention Center

July-Sept- Applications for Fall 2016 Open Late Sept- Senior College Night Early Oct- College Fair at CCCC Early Dec- Financial Aid Night

The Application Process

Terms & Definitions Rolling Admissions-

Applications are reviewed as they come (roll) in and students can receive a decision in a matter of weeks

Most students should apply as early as possible

Priority/Early Action- The first deadline for applications reviewed by

colleges, Typically higher % of applicants accepted

Early Decision- Binding agreement that if the student is accepted, he

or she commits to enrolling at that institution


Terms & Definitions Deferred Admission-

The college will review an application again after the final deadline

What to do if deferred from a school: Email Admissions Office & ask for advice Retake the ACT or SAT (if there is time) Try to increase GPA as much as possible

Waitlisted- Colleges may send additional acceptance letters to

students on the waitlist if they do not fill spots for incoming class by May 1st


Where to Apply- Common Application (opens Aug. 1st)

www.commonapp.org Accepted by over 1,000 schools nationwide In NC: UNC, Duke, Wake Forest, UNCW, Davidson, High Point,

Meredith, Guilford, UNC Asheville & Warren Wilson

College Foundation of North Carolina Cfnc.org -> Apply to College Links to application for all schools in NC

Admissions pages for all schools


Official Transcripts – required by all schools Sending Transcripts-

For schools in NC: Cfnc.org -> Apply to College -> Transcript Manager

For out-of-state schools: Fill out a Transcript Request Form found in Guidance Pick up Envelope next day Address & Stamp to send to schools

“Mid-Year Report” Some colleges ask students to send an updated

official transcript after first semester CFNC will automatically send mid-year reports Same process as sending your transcripts


The ACT and SAT Test All colleges accept both tests Most colleges only look at the highest score Merit Scholarships-

Ex. NC Wesleyan College awards $28,000 to all incoming freshmen with over a 1100 SAT or 24 ACT (& 3.5 Weighted GPA)

Fee Waivers for students who qualify for free or reduced lunch


ACT- www.actstudent.org

March 3rd- Juniors take ACT at LCHS for free Offered at LCHS in October & December

May take it at any other school that offers it as well! Send score report to 4 schools for free

Must select schools prior to or during the test Otherwise the cost to send scores is $12 per school

Registration Deadlines ~1 month before test date May register late with a $30 fee

Cost: $54.50 without a fee waiver


SAT – www.sat.org May 2 –offered at Southern Lee May send score reports to 4 schools for free

until 6 days after the test date Take SAT w/ a waiver also receive 4 college

application fee waivers!!


Essays Tell a story that shows how you think and/or

view the world Do not repeat anything that can be found

anywhere else in your application Be concise & clear! Have it proofread by at least 1-2 other people

Do not focus on what you think college want to hear, but rather-

**What do you want colleges to know about you?**


Essays Optional material is not really optional

Especially for Target or Reach schools Unless the college specifies that optional material

is not recommended


Letters of Recommendation From people who know you well

Don’t just ask an AP teacher or a teacher who went to that college, counselors can tell when its genuine

Examples: English III teacher, volleyball coach, church leader, etc.

Ask in-person at least 2 weeks before deadline

Most schools will want at least 1 academic teacher, so start building relationships now!


Letters of Recommendation A Counselor Report is a write up of your

academic performance as well as anything else your counselor wants to share about you Meet with your Guidance Counselor at the

beginning of next year so they know you well enough to write a good report

Mrs. Dietrich- Last names A-G Ms. Riley- Last names H-O Mrs. Bissonnette- Last names P-Z Ms. Medan- ESL Students


Timeline for Applying Applications Open:

July 1st (ex. Campbell University) August 1st: Common Application September 1st: All Applications Open for Fall 2016

Early/Priority Deadlines: October 15th (ex. NC State & UNC Chapel Hill) November 1st or 15th

Regular/Final Deadlines: January 1st

Mid-January/February March/April (most schools with rolling admissions) Summer (Community Colleges & some 4-year schools)


Tips: Remember to apply early for schools with

Rolling Admissions If financial aid is a huge consideration, you

probably should not apply Early Decision


What Matters Most? Academics Extracurricular Activities Essays/Personal Statement Letters of Recommendation Demonstrated Interest Special Talent


What Matters Most? Academics

Rigor/difficulty of your high school courses Taking challenging courses (Honors, AP, CCP) Have more than the minimum required courses

Ex. 3-4 years of Spanish instead of 2 Weighted and unweighted GPA ACT or SAT Honors & Awards


What Matters Most? Extracurricular Activities

Sports, clubs, activities in & out of school including:

Volunteer/Service Work Church groups Community involvement Part-time jobs Babysitting and taking care of relatives count!

Quality over Quantity! Leadership Positions Dedication and commitment Honors & Awards


What Matters Most? Essays/Personal Statement

Write about you, not what you think colleges want to hear!


What Matters Most? Letters of Recommendation

At least 2 weeks notice Remember-ask people who know you well


What Matters Most? Demonstrated Interest

Campus visits Contact with Admissions Office (email, phone

calls, etc.) Requesting information


What Matters Most? Special Talent

NCAA/NAIA Recruitment Recruited athletes may get a “boost” for their

application through admissions Minimum Requirements still stand-

UNC System Schools require >2.5 GPA, 17 ACT or 800 SAT

NCAA Eligibility requires >2.3 GPA, 17 ACT (sliding scale)

Fine Arts Other Significant Contributions


What Matters Most? Things to Consider:

Weight of each factor depends on the school “Holistic Review”- Every component of a student’s

application is considered with equal or almost equal weight

More common for selective to highly selective schools “Open Admission”-

All students who apply are accepted Ex. Community Colleges (except for certain programs)

“Less Selective” Colleges & Universities GPA & Test Scores = most important Often do not require essays or LORs May look at other factors if a student is borderline

Choosing the Right School

Options Academic Fit Location Size Student Body Programs Offered


Options: 2-Year College (Associate’s Degree)

Community College Vocational or Trade School Junior College

4-Year College or University (Bachelor’s Degree) Public or “State” Schools Private For-Profit

College Transfer Pathway


College Transfer Pathway Earn Associate’s Degree from a Community

College (~2 years) Maintain over a 2.5 GPA

Higher the better! Apply as a transfer student to most schools in

NC and many out-of-state schools Complete remaining requirements for a

Bachelor’s Degree (~2 more years)


Academic Fit Admissions Profiles (www.collegedata.com)

Middle 50th Percentile Range Ex. NC State’s ACT Middle 50%= 26-31 for students

admitted for Fall 2014 Averages

Ex. High Point University’s Average SAT (Reading & Math only)= 1100 for the Freshman Class of 2018

Matching Schools Likely Schools (formerly “Safety School”)

Above Mid-50 Range for GPA & Test Score(s) Target Schools

Within Mid-50 Range for GPA & Test Score(s) Reach Schools

Below Mid-50 Range for GPA & Test Score(s)


Location Distance

How will you get there? Ie. Fly, drive, public transit How often will you want to come home? How often will you want visitors?

Setting Urban Suburban Rural Small Town


Size Student Population

Small= ~2,000 or less Medium= ~2,000-15,000 Large= ~15,000 or more

Campus Walking? Biking? Campus buses?


Student Body All Male or All Female

Ex. Hampden Sydney or Meredith College Diversity on Campus

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Ex. NC A&T, Howard University, or Morehouse College

Hispanic Serving Institutions Liberal or Conservative Environment Student Groups on Campus

Greek Life or Selective Living Groups Clubs & Activities


Majors/Areas of Study Liberal Arts Pre-professional

Health, law, business Research Opportunities Undecided is the most popular major

Paying for College

Need-based Aid (“Grants”) FAFSA: Free Application for Federal Student

Aid Used for:

Federal aid State aid Institutional Aid Some outside scholarships

Based on: Household Income Number of people in household Number of students in college Liquid Assets

Paying for College

Merit Scholarships Academic

GPA & ACT/SAT Scores Automatically awarded or application-based

Essay Writing Talent-based

NCAA D1 or D2 Athletic Scholarships Music scholarships Other unique talents

Paying for College

Military Options ROTC (Reserve Officers Training Corps) Reserves GI Bill

Paying for College

Work Study Determined by FAFSA Money given to on-campus employer to hire

student to work Still have to apply for positions, but essentially

“guarantees” employment

Paying for College

Student Loans Federal Loans

Lower interest rate More repayment plan options You do not have to accept the full amount of

any loan you are offered Private Loans- last resort

Web Resources

FAFSA.gov CollegeBoard.org CFNC.org ACTStudent.org FastWeb.com ScholarshipExperts.com Zinch.com

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