College Application Night

Avon Grove High School Guidance Department September 30 th Avon Grove Guidance Counselors Elaine Markowitz and Duane Carroll

The topics that we will cover

• The college identification process • College application strategies • Using the Common Application • Writing the college essay • Financial aid • Scholarships

So you want to go to college…..

Avon Grove High School Graduates: 65% go on to 4 year colleges 19 % go on to 2 year or Technical Schools.

According to the National Center for Public Policy and Higher • PA ranks 5 th • PA ranks 45 th in the nation for sending high school students to in the nation for graduating the same students

Why are you going to college?

• What is the college experience?

How much does that cost?

• Have you done the research?

What the retention/graduation/transfer rates are for schools that you are interested in? www.collegeresults.org

• What are some of your must have’s?

How are you locating possible schools?

Common Sites to search

• • • www.fiskeguide.com

• www.collegeboard.org • www.actstudent.org

• www.usnews.com/education www.collegeview.com

www.collegeresults.org

(retention rates info.) • Others???

Overview of the College Application timeline.

1. Research schools 2. Narrow choices What are the “filters that you are using?

1. Apply to schools 2. Waaaaiiiiiitttt 3. Make final selection

www.collegeboard..org

High School visits or fairs Go to websites for individual colleges!

Reality Check of the schools you are interested in… How Likely are you to be Admitted to Penn State?

• The graph on the next page is intended for use as a counseling tool to assist students interested in attending Penn State. Admission to Penn State is competitive, and admission to the University Park campus is particularly competitive..

SAT Scores

Here are the Pieces of the college application

#1 Student applies

• Typically online/paper application • Student uploads essay or personal statement if appropriate • Student pays the application fee

#2 Supplemental Information

• Student/parents requests a transcript be sent from the high school to college • Student arranges for letters of recommendation to be sent

How do you send your transcript and other information to colleges?

You must use Avon Grove High School Transcript request form

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Transcript Request Form • •

Avon Grove HS Transcript Request Form

• and a check or money order for $5 for each request made payable to Avon Grove High School.

• Each school or scholarship application requires a separate form Allow 10 school days for the requested transcript to be sent.

Fill this form out completely and return to the Guidance Office.

Student Name (print clearly) Institution/Scholarship Name Institution/Scholarship Address _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ Application Deadline Date _______________ Major________________________________ Type of Application: Online or Paper Proposed Counselor Form Attached? Yes No Common Application Used? Yes No Did you select Mr. Carroll as Counselor? Yes No Include Keystone Scores? Yes No Transcripts include your top SAT scores; however, most institutions require SAT scores to be reported directly from College Board.

Recommendation Letters to Include: Are these on file? Yes / No If a letter is on file, please list names on lines below.

______________________________ _____________________________ If a letter is not on file please, provide the teacher with a stamped, addressed envelope. Also, please ask the teacher(s) to send a copy of the recommendation letter to the Guidance Office for your file for future applications. Please note that families do not have access to recommendations on file in the Guidance Office without the written permission of the evaluator.

Parent/Guardian Information

If there are any questions in reference to this form, a parent/guardian will be contacted by email or phone. Please provide a parent/guardian’s email address or phone number so contact can be made in a timely manner.

Parent/Guardian Email Address ____________________________________________________ Parent/Guardian Phone Number ____________________________________________________ Parent/Guardian Signature (required) ____________________________________________________

Guidance Procedures

• Complete the Transcript Request Form $5.00/per – One for each school – The request will be sent out within 10 working days • Paperclip it to the application or to the counselor section of the on-line application

The Process of Applying

• Online Application – Preferred by most schools.

• Paper Application DCCC, Del Tech; and some others…… • – Accepted at over 500 schools – Supplement section is college specific – www.commonapp.org

to see the list or get started.

• Use Google Chrome when applying with the common application!

• Please select Mr. Carroll in two sections of the Common Application • 1 st spot: Mr. Duane Carroll (counselor) • 2 nd spot: Under Recommenders: [email protected]

Applying to College

Strategy

(one) Reach School (two to three) Target Schools (one) Safety School Don’t put all your eggs in one basket!

•

Types of Admissions

(Keep deadlines in mind!) • Early Action – Non-Binding Commitment – You will receive the admission decision earlier.

• Early Decision – Binding Commitment • Rolling Admissions – The earlier you apply, the more likely that you will be accepted. For example, Indiana University of PA (IUP) receives approx. 12,000 applications per year. Between Sept. - Dec. they receive 2,000 and between Jan. – March they receive 10,000. The longer you wait, the more competition!

Regular Admissions The deadline varies from school to school

Admission Tests

SAT

www.collegeboard.org

ACT www.actstudent.org

Upcoming Tests Upcoming Tests

Date Deadline Status

Date Deadline Status   Oct 11 Sep 30 Late Register Nov 8 Oct 9

Register Now

 October 25, September October 3

Late Register

 December 13, November 7

Register NOW

Letters of Recommendation

• In situations where all else is equal, such as GPA, SAT score, and essays, the recommendation can be THE distinguishing factor in being accepted!

• The more specific a student is when they fill out their recommendation form (Brag Sheet), the more detailed and thorough their letter of recommendation will be!

• UPDATE : Some schools don’t ask for letters of recommendation so make sure to know which schools want them and which schools don’t!

Letters of Recommendation

From Teachers From Counselors From Coaches/Employers/Advisors

Letters from Teachers

Ask at least 2 teachers • It helps if the teacher: – Knows you for excelling in class – Knows you for more than 1 year – Be careful with the common application • Make sure that you have contact with the teacher... No surprises please.

Please give teachers at least 2 weeks to write letters of recommendation

When You Ask…

- Activity Resume - GPA – see your counselor - Student Recommendation Form “Brag Sheet” - Envelope - Addressed to the college of your choice (Remember a stamp) - Addressed to the Guidance Office (No stamp) Keep an eye on admissions deadlines

Tips to Keep in Mind

1. Select a teacher who can highlight your strengths. 2. Select a teacher who is enthusiastic about writing this recommendation for you. 3. Select a teacher who supports the program you are entering or who is an alumni.

Letters from Counselors

• Does the University/College require them?

• Fill out the Student Recommendation Form “Brag Sheet”

Letters from Coaches/Employers/Advisors

Only ask for these if you are: - Currently working in a field related to your intended major - Planning to play sports in college - Taking leadership roles in activities

Your Audience: Admissions Officers Reflect on Application Essays

“It is crucial that applicants allow themselves to be as personal Avoid writing about something on a superficial level or resorting to a topic that does not reveal anything special about you.”

~ Richard Shaw, Dean of Undergraduate Admissions and Financial Aid, Yale University

“Students should write about what they think is important, not what they think we want to hear”

~ Lee Stetson, Dean of Admissions, University of Pennsylvania

Getting Started

• Think about your audience and your objectives • Think about what you want to say • Develop and organize your material • Outline your ideas • Review basic writing and grammar rules

• Hey (insert family member), can you look over my essay?

- “Over edited essays lose all their personality. Applicants shouldn’t have a lot of different people – ESPECIALLY PARENTS – give their input. This can really ruin an essay.” ~Karl Furstenberg, Dean of

Admissions and Financial Aid, Dartmouth College -

Find someone to read and edit your work, such as an English teacher.

Reusing your Essays

• The good news is … • The bad news…

Don’t just substitute the new school’s name!

Typical Questions

• Don’t give typical answers!

• What academic areas or extracurricular activities interest you the most?

• Why do you want to attend this college?

Whoops!

Common Application Questions • 2014-15 Common Application Essay Prompts • Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

• Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what lessons did you learn?

• Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again?

• Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you?

• Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture,

Financial Aid

• Once you get accepted…..then it’s time to figure out how the bills get paid!

Financial Aid Night

Avon Grove High School To Be Determined… Early January 2015

FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)

1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243) Paper Application On-Line Application • www.pin.ed.gov (2 PINs needed Student and Parent) • www.fafsa.ed.gov

– File after January 1, 2015 – Deadline: June 30, 2015

Selective Service

• Males age 18-25 must register to be eligible for Federal/State Financial Aid • 1-888-655-1825 • www.sss.gov

• Can register on the FAFSA form

PHEAA (Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency)

1-800-692-7392 www.pheaa.org

www.pasfaa.org

File FAFSA before May 1, 2015 to qualify

CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE

Required by some schools to award Non Federal Aid 1-305-829-9793 or 1-800-778-6888 http://profileonline.collegeboard.com

• There is a general registration fee • Plus a fee for each school report sent • The list of schools requiring the PROFILE can be found on the form, on-line, or by contacting the individual school’s Financial Aid Office

Institutional Applications

Check with each school’s Financial Aid Office to inquire if they have their own financial aid forms.

Financial Aid Falls into 2 Categories

• Need-based – Depends on the cost of college and your family’s ability to pay these costs • Merit-based – Usually awarded in recognition of special skills or academic ability

4 Types of Financial Aid

1. Scholarships 2. Grants 3. Work Study 4. Federal Loans 5. Private Bank Loans

Scholarships

• Definition • Sources – Private – Colleges themselves – Public/government

Award Factors

• Academic achievement • Athletic ability • Artistic ability • Choice of major • Financial need • Ethnicity, gender, or other group membership

Locating Scholarships

• Colleges of interest and their financial aid office • Guidance web page • Internet search sites: • www.finaid.org

• Employers • Local organizations

Scholarships (continued)

• Scam – “This scholarship is guaranteed or your money back.” – “You can’t get this information anywhere else.” – “May I have your credit card or bank account number to hold this scholarship.” – Remember if it sounds too good to be true it

probably is!

Questions