JUNIOR COLLEGE PLANNING

Presented by the WHS Guidance Department

TimelineFebruary/March: Register for/prepare for the SATs Meet with counselor to begin discussing plans

for post- graduation Familiarize yourself with your transcript; you

can’t search appropriately if you’re not informed

Begin searching for colleges/universities/technical programs

Choose classes for senior year Begin and/or edit your Activity Sheet

Timeline cont.March - June: Register/take the SATs (or ACTs) Meet with counselor to discuss options Continue searching for post-secondary

schools and adding to “Prospective colleges” list on Naviance

Visit college campuses Continue working on your activity sheet Ask for letters of recommendation

The College Search Naviance, Collegeboard.org What to consider when choosing a college: - Geographic location

- Majors - Size - Cost - Selectivity - Setting (Rural, Urban, Suburban) Develop a list of schools that you are

interested in

The College Search Con’t. Schedule college visits/tours with the

Admissions Department Write down questions you want to ask Prepare for questions they may ask you Send a thank you email or note Plan to narrow down your list of schools

by Fall of Senior year

The College Search Con’t.

Attend College Fairs - Hartford National College Fair, Wednesday, March 25th 6:30-8:30pm, CT Convention Center

Wolcott HS College Fair – Thursday September 24th 6 – 7:30 Plan to attend college rep visits at

Wolcott HS in the fall

Developing a List Be open minded to schools Start with a larger list and narrow when it

is time to apply Ideally apply to 5 – 7 Schools

1 – 2 Reach 2 -3 Reasonable 1 – 2 Safety

Consider academics and finances when applying

Factors Colleges Consider for Admissions

Transcript Rigor GPA / Rank Trend

Standardized Test Scores You as a person

Essay Extracurricular Letter of Recommendation

SAT Reasoning Test Measures ability to critically reason, apply

mathematical concepts and write Register for an SAT test at collegeboard.org

ALL juniors created a collegeboard account with their counselors. DO NOT create a 2nd account

Recommendation: Take SAT once in Spring of Junior year and once in Fall of Senior year

Pay attention to registration deadlines! Fee waivers are available to families with a

lower income level. See your counselor for more info.

SAT con’t. Score reports Remember: You are responsible for

sending your scores to each college you apply to!

Test Optional – fairtest.org Practice for the test –

mycollegequickstart

ACTs Assesses general educational

development and ability to complete college-level work

Can be taken in lieu of SAT or in addition www.act.org for test dates and to register

for a test ACT-W Pay attention to registration deadlines!

SAT Subject Tests Required by some colleges, usually more

competitive institutions Check individual colleges website to find

out if they require subject tests Register for tests on collegeboard.org You cannot take subject tests on the

same day as the reasoning test Plan accordingly!

Activity Sheet What is it? Why is it important? It lists all the activities you were/are

involved in during high school, including sports, clubs, work experience, community service, etc.

The teachers and your counselor will use it as a reference when writing your recommendation letters.

Recommendation Letters Each student will need at least two

teacher recommendations You may also need a letter from your

counselor You may get additional letters beyond

that (ex. coach, boss) Make sure your Activity Sheet is

completed before asking for recommendation letters.

The Common Application What is it? Who uses it? www.commonapp.org We will teach students how to fill out as

part of our September lesson Supplemental Forms Look over the essay prompt choices

The College Essay Allows the student to explain to the

admissions committee who they are beyond their transcript

Do not plagiarize, they will know! Make the essay personal, original,

authentic PROOF READ! Have someone look over your essay

before submitting it

The College Essay Con’t. Follow the guidelines set by the college Begin writing your essays over the

summer Meet with your English teacher in the fall

for assistance on proofreading your essay

Grades are Important Make sure you are taking challenging

courses in your senior year Do not slack off! Colleges will see grades up to the last

semester of Senior year Avoid Senioritis!!!!!!!!!

Early Action vs. Early Decision vs. Regular Decision

When choosing to apply to a college, a student has to decide which application plan is best for them:

Regular Decision - Many colleges establish a deadline by which all applications must be received. All students are then notified of the college's decisions at a uniform response date

Early Decision - Many colleges offer this plan to applicants who are sure they want to attend the college. This college should clearly be the applicant's first choice, as it is a binding agreement and if the student is accepted, they are expected to attend that school.

Early Action vs. Early Decision vs. Regular Decision

Early Action – Admission program in which applying early gets you an earlier response. This is a non-binding agreement.

Rolling Admissions- no particular deadline… colleges admit on a rolling basis

Check with each school you are applying to on what application plans they use and what those deadline are.

Prospective Student Athletes There are three divisions in college sports – 1,2

and 3 (check w/ each school to find out what division they are in)

If you plan on applying to Division 1 or 2 schools, you MUST register with the NCAA Clearinghouse

Students should be registered by the end of their Junior year of high school

Website: www.eligibilitycenter.org Ask your Guidance Counselor to send a

transcript to the Clearinghouse at the end of your Junior year

Prospective Student Athletes con’t.

You must also request your SAT/ACT scores to be sent from collegeboard.com to the Clearinghouse

Maintain good grades and do your best on the SAT’s!

Community Colleges Community Colleges

Accuplacer Cost effective Certificates, A.S. degree, and Courses transfer

to 4 year colleges. Articulation agreements with the state

universities, UCONN, and many private and out of state institutions

Career Readiness Technical / Trade School

Apprenticable trade training (HVAC, Electrical, Plumbing, etc)

Typically less than 2 years in length.

Speak with your counselor for more information

Military Military

ASVAB Test every November at WHS Enlistment ROTC Academy

Financial Aid FAFSA / CSS Profile Merit Money Financial Aid Workshops offered Fall 2015 Scholarships – Local / Regional

Helpful Tips There will be a Senior College night in the Fall that

all current Junior parents should attend. We will explain the actual application process at this meeting.

We will give a detailed overview of Financial Aid Make sure you seek out help from your School

Counselor throughout this process. Don’t procrastinate. Communicate with your parents throughout the

process. Do your best HAVE FUN!!!!!!!