Preparing Students for College

Oglethorpe UniversityOffice of Admission

South Atlanta School of Law andSocial Justice

A Look at What’s Ahead . . .

1. What can I do as a teacher?2. Standardized Tests 1013. College Prep Timeline4. Writing letters of recommendation5. Meet the FAFSA6. Website Tour7. Questions and discussion

What Can I Do as a Teacher?

Support your school counselor – and your students

What Can I Do as a Teacher?

•Build a college-bound culture•Be a basic knowledge source•Teach organization skills•Encourage extracurriculars•Help develop the college essay•Write letters of recommendation•Forecast what lies ahead

Standardized Tests 101Register six weeks ahead of time

Fee waivers come straight from high school counselor

Test-optional colleges

The PSAT/NMSQT

•Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test

•Determines scholarship finalists•Junior year “counts”, but sophomores should try it too

•October of each school year•$13 fee

The SAT

•Three parts: Critical Reasoning, Math, and Writing

•Used for college admission•Spring of 11th grade and/or Fall of 12th grade

•Oct, Nov, Dec, Feb, Mar, May and Jun•$45 fee•www.collegeboard.com

The ACT

•Four parts: Math, Reading, and Science with an optional Writing section

•Used for college admission •11th grade and/or Fall of 12th grade•Sep, Oct, Dec, Feb, Apr and Jun (usually)

•$31 fee, or $46 with Writing section•www.actstudent.org

Other Standardized Tests

•PLAN – pre-ACT•AP – Advanced Placement•TOEFL – Test of English as a Foreign Language

•SAT II Subject Tests

College Prep TimelineWhat to do year by year:

9th grade10th grade11th grade12th grade

. . . and during the summers in between!

9th Grade Timeline•Talk about going to

college•Establish college

prep classes•Algebra or

geometry and a foreign language

•Options later start with good grades now

•Think about which colleges interest you

•Create a running file that includes:▫Report cards▫ Awards and honors▫ School activities▫Community activities▫Work and volunteer

jobs▫Descriptions of what

you do

10th Grade Timeline•Does high school

curriculum meet requirements of your college choices?

•Explore AP•Update running file•Extracurriculars•The PSAT (and

PLAN)•SAT IIs for 10th

grade subjects

•Summer afterward:▫Workshops and camps▫ Project GRAD▫ Volunteer ▫Work to save money

for college

11th Grade Timeline•Keep up your grades!• “Talk business” with a

counselor or teacher•The PSAT•Attend college fairs•Research your college

interests – books and Internet

•Research financial aid•Parents in the loop•SAT or ACT prep?

•Narrow list of colleges:▫ “Reach” schools▫ “Target” schools▫ “Safe” schools

•Campus visits and interviews

• Identify deadlines•Teachers who will

write recs•AP exams

Summer after 11th Grade

•Update your running file▫Report cards and test scores▫Honors and awards▫Recent activities

•Visit colleges•NCAA Clearinghouse•Practice online applications•Gather ideas for your essay(s)•Decide about Early Decision (ED)•Read college mail

12th Grade TimelineSeptember•Check on credits•Register for

SAT/ACT•Rec forms to

teachers•Double-check

deadlines•Request official

copies of transcript

October•Final list of schools•File folder for each•ACT or SAT•Polish essay

November•Submit

applications!

12th Grade TimelineDecember•Early Decision

response•ACT/SAT score

reports•Schedule interviews▫Required (with

admission officer)▫Optional (with local

alumni)

January•Parents – do income

tax returns early•Start the FAFSA•GAcollege411.org•Other fin aid forms:▫ Institutional app▫CSS/Profile

•Mid-year reports•Check with

admission office(s) on materials

12th Grade TimelineFebruary•Complete the FAFSA•Scholarship apps•Check with fin aid

office(s) on materials

March/April•Hear back!•All details on aid•Submit deposits

May•May 1 – the

“National Candidate Reply Date”

•Make decision and notify college

•AP exams• If on a waiting list:▫Decide if you want to

wait▫Notify school that you

are still very interested

Summer after 12th Grade

•Final transcripts sent•Fee details on tuition, room, and board•Summer orientation programs•Student insurance?•Thank counselors, teachers, parents, and

mentors•Get excited!

Teacher Recommendations

A great way to support your students in the college process!

Writing Teacher Recs

•Communicate clearly•Decline if you must•Write from the context of YOUR class•Focus on what YOU have seen:▫Natural aptitude▫Improvement ▫Initiative

•Offer supporting details•Teachers = professional eye-witnesses

Writing Teacher Recs

DO: DON’T:• Be honest, concise,

conversational, and positive

• Give context• Describe classroom

“culture”• Use specific examples• Evaluate and compare• Use anecdotes and

stories

• Comment on appearance

• Be generic• Discuss specific

college• Give a laundry list of

student’s extracurriculars

• Explain what the student is NOT to make a positive point

• Gush or “over-enthuse” without evidence

Meet the FAFSAA little information on financial aid

Meet the FAFSA

•Free Application for Federal Student Aid

•www.fafsa.ed.gov•“Free” is key!•January 1 – form goes live•Dept. of Ed formula determines the EFC

•Must reapply each year•Absolutely necessary for every family

What is “need”?

Cost of education (total cost of attending)

-- Expected Family Contribution (EFC)_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

= Financial Need

What influences the EFC?▫Parent income and assets▫Student savings and earnings▫Family size and circumstances

A Few Notes on Cost

•“Sticker price” is not the same as affordability

•Financial aid makes college affordable•EFC works in your favor•Don’t rule out colleges with higher costs

Average costs, 2007-08:▫Public, two-year: $2,361▫Public, four-year: $6,185▫Private, four-year: $23,712

Forms of AidScholarships•Gift aid• Based on merit• From the college; also

outside or local•Georgia HOPE

Grants•Gift aid•Don’t have to be earned

or re-paid• Federal and state

governments; also colleges

• Pell, SEOG, GTEG

Work• Federal Work-Study•Helps cover indirect costs• Part-time jobs on- or off-

campus

Loans• Aid that must be re-paid• Sponsored by feds, low

interest rates • Repayment usually starts

after graduation• Stafford, Perkins, PLUS,

private loans

Website TourMy five top picks for websites that will help you and your students in the college exploration process

Website Tour

This is a tiny sampling of the excellent web resources that exist, so take advantage of links from these sites and others

like them to discover new information.

1. www.KnowHow2Go.org link

2. www.CSOCollegeCenter.org link

3. www.CollegeBoard.com link

4. www.EducationPlanner.org link

5. www.Petersons.com link

Questions and Discussion

Thank you for helping out all of the students at South Atlanta SLSJ!