Transcript Junior Parent Night - Madison Public Schools

Junior Parent Night
2/12/2014
Brett Levine, Director of Guidance
Tonight’s Program
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60-75 minutes
PPT on Web site
Information rather than advice
Financial Aid not covered
Scholarships Covered at Sr. Parent night
Informal Q/A up front at the end.
Milestone Dates
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Winter of Jr Year-Jr. 11th Grade Parent Night
Winter of Jr Year-Jr Conference-Individual College
planning conference
Spring Jr. Year: Junior Group Guidance: Teacher Recs
Summer bet 11-12 grade- Mailing from Guidance (nuts
and bolts), Register on Commonapp.org
Fall of Sr. Year-Sr. Parent-Application Processing info
Fall of Sr. Year-Sr. Group Guidance
Fall of Sr. Year-Sr.Conference-Individual Conference
Non-College Options
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Handled individually
Year off resources
Ranges from military to gap year
Advise to apply then defer
(GPA Binder)
Most popular schools
(class of 2014 applications)
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James Madison & Penn State (20)
U of Rhode Island (24)
Northeastern (25)
Montclair State (26)
U of Delaware (27)
U of Scranton (29)
Rutgers (30)
Fairfield (32)
Where students matriculated last
year: class of 2013
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3 @ Elon, Loyola, Towson
4 @ FDU, Fairfield, Rowan, Kean, Montclair
State, Northeastern
12 @ Rutgers
13 @ CCM
But there is more…
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Selective: Dartmouth (2) , Cornell, Yale
Liberal Arts: Smith, Drew, Amherst, Muhlenberg,
Wellesley
Public (outside NJ): U of Alabama, SUNY Cortland,
Towson U
Technical: Georgia Tech, RIT
Who Would of thought? Cal State: San Luis Obispo;
Sewanee U of the South
Hate the cold: USC, U of Tampa
Love the cold: Syracuse, U of Vermont
City Slickers: NYU, Drexel, Carnegie Mellon
Across the pond: Durham University
The State of College
Admissions: (
From the 2013 State of College Admissions
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Colleges accept nearly 2/3 of applicants.
At colleges with early decisions policies the gap in
acceptance rates edges up.
Grades, HS curriculum, and test scores top factors.
Average yield rate is 36.9%
Private colleges (and smaller colleges) assigned
greater importance to subjective factors.
More selective more emphasis on SAT subject
scores.
Source: NACAC
How we stay informed
Counselors attend conferences, college tours
and local receptions to stay current and to
network with college representatives.
Upcoming Events : Spring 2014
Date
Event
Time, Location
TBA
Practice SAT
7:45, Cafeteria
Thursday, March 20
Understanding MOOCS
5pm, Media Center
Wednesday April 23th,
Thursday, April 24th
NACAC College Fair
Meadowlands Expo
Center
Sunday, April 6
NACAC College Fair
11-4, Javits Center (NYC)
Thursday , May 8
College Application
Process; First Timers
5pm: Media Center
Wednesday, April 2
College Information
Night for Students with
Disabilities
Media Center
Scheduling update for next year
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Done at the Jr Conference
Course rec day on Wed, Feb 12th
5 core classes
Don’t forget 4th year of science is possible (Ecology, Astronomy, Forensics,
Env Science)
New math titles
 Enr Alg 3 changes to Adv Alg & Trig
 Alg 2 changes to Intermediate Alg
Zero Period PE for scheduling purposes
New tech elective: Engineering Design (Not official)
Financial Literacy Requirement (summer school?)
Humanities and (PS or CW or SF)
Curriculum guide on web site
Resolve changes before end of the year. (IMPORTANT)
Summer assignments
HSPA
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March 4,5,6
1st day Math, then 2 days LA
Be prompt
Bring calculators, and pencils
Electronic devices OFF.
Graduation exam
Alternative assessments for those who do
not pass..(I think )
Process
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A series of actions or steps taken in order to
achieve a particular end…..
8-9 month PROCESS of getting it done.
Preparing for the Jr. Conference
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Parent and student survey
Remind your child
Discuss courses ahead of time
Discuss the big questions ahead of time
The college search: Where do I
start?
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Start by asking yourself, “What are the most important
criteria?”
Variety of resources: Family Connections-web based
service designed specifically for students and parents to
help make decisions about colleges and careers, college
books like Fiske Guide to College, school’s websites,
MHS alum(huge resource available to us), etc.
Attend College Fairs: April 23rd and 24th
Open Houses
Use spring break to visit. Set up apt online.
Start narrowing things down for the Fall
7 Components of the College
Application Process
Application
 Test scores
 Essay
 Transcript
 Recommendations
 HS Profile
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Supplemental Information
The Application
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On-line preferred by colleges
Common app, school based app (Bucknell vs.
Rutgers)
Create an account on common app over the
summer (after August 1, 2014)
You send the application
Transcript
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Final Grades
Reporting rank is optional
The most important piece of the package
Answers the most important questions
Will have sr year schedule(currently enrolled
classes)
We send mid-year transcript
We send (electronically)
Standardized Testing
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SAT v ACT
When to take them
SAT subject exams
Score choice
Register on your own (collegeboard.com or act.org)
3rd greatest factor in admissions decisions.
Test optional
You send
The Essay
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Common app has generic essays for example Recount an
incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect
you, and what lessons did you learn?
Its value depends on the college: Montclair State (non
C/A school): Develop the perfect college essay question…then
answer it!
Common sense editing, language
Our English teachers are great with editing
5th greatest factor in admission decisions.
You send along with application, standardized test and
supplemental information
High School Profile
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4-page standard high school document
Tells about Madison HS and about Madison
Gives colleges a snap shot of test scores, course
offerings and college matriculations. Helps
them compare apples to apples
Take a look on-line (Guidance, Profile on Left)
We send (electronically)
Counselor Recommendation
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Counselor letter of recommendation.
Answers the question, “Why you want this person as a
member of the campus community?”
Can explain gaps in performance (sickness, injury, etc.)
Content should be discussed during the Jr./Sr.
Conference
Sent in with secondary school report form
We send (electronically)
Teacher Recommendation
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Answers the question, “What has this student
contributed in my class?”
Some colleges want 1 or 2 or sometimes NONE
Ask teachers, follow up w/ e-mail (nuts and
bolts outlined in summer letter and sr.
conference)
Ask 2 teachers maximum.
Student should give teachers a short bio/resume
We send (electronically)*
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*In most cases
Supplemental Info
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Portfolio (Art Students and Performing Arts
Audition)
Additional letters of recommendations (Church
group, work experience, volunteerism)
Eligibility Center (NCAA.ORG) contact Mr.
Levine for more info
Student is responsible for sending all of the
above.
Counselor Role
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Encourage students to find the right postsecondary match
Provide emotional AND practical support
during the college process (keeping in mind the
academic component)
Keep you informed & maintain open
communication
(parents/teachers/students/college admission
representatives)
IT TAKES A VILLAGE
Parent Role
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Fill out Parent Brag Sheet and try to attend Jr
Conference
TAKE YOUR CHILD ON COLLEGE VISITS AND
OPEN HOUSE TOURS
Have an open and honest dialogue with your child
about college (finances, location, public vs. private, etc.)
Assist your child throughout the process
Fill out appropriate financial aid forms
Keep in contact with us about issues of concern
“WATCH THEM FLY!”
THE PROCESS COMES
TOGETHER
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When we are young the words are scattered all
around us. As they are assembled by experience,
so also are we, sentence by sentence, until the
story takes shape. Louise Erdrich
What we need in order to do our part:
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12 School days
Record release form
FERPA Release on FC
Transcript request form. (EDOCS or
Envelopes)
Stamped envelopes if colleges don’t accept
things electronically
Reviewed in detail at Sr. Parent Night
Family Connections
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Family Connections is our web based college
application program. Students have been
trained. Demonstrated at 10th grade parent
night. Will be presented to parents at 12th grade
parent night and upcoming CWC.
Public Service Announcement
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All male students, when they reach the age of
18, must register for the United States Selective
Service. Information about this can be obtained
by speaking to Mr. Levine or by visiting
https://www.sss.gov
Girl’s Career/ Girl’s State/ Boys State
Fill out surveys (Math and others TBA on
Homepage)
Sign up for email
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”
~Lao Tzu