Transcript College Information Night Welcome Sophomore and Junior Parents

College Information Night
for Parents of Juniors
Ms. Brandi Cooper
Mrs. Amber Gilsdorf
Ms. Ann Raffay
January 11, 2012
Our January Agenda

Tuesday, January 10th
– Pass back PSAT results
– CollegeSmiths re: SAT & ACT
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Monday, January, 23rd:
– What happens junior year
– Junior Timeline
– Conducting your college search
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Tuesday, January, 24th:
– Types of applications
– Campus visits
– Mock interviews
Other Junior Guidance
about College
1.
November:
2.
- Licking County Financial
Aid Night at C-TEC
(Jan. 25 6:30 PM)
- Personality Assessment
- Exploration of Naviance
- College searching
January:
3.
April:
- Licking County College Fair
at GHS (April 25 6:00 PM)
Post-secondary Planning
(help is available!)

Students should take advantage of the opportunities
to help them in their college search process
provided to them by the counselors:
● Personality Profile – “Do What You Are”
● Naviance college search
● CollegeBoard college searching
● Guidance on how to strengthen your
academic profile
● College advising meetings with your
counselor
● NCAA Eligibility
Course Registration
Presentation Night
Make sure to have your parents attend the
Future Seniors Course Registration Presentation
Night on Wednesday, February 15 at 8:15 PM in
the theatre.
- 7:00 P.M. – Tips on Selective Schools
Admission in the GHS Library – open to all
grade levels
 Find out about appropriate choices for senior
scheduling!
The SAT and the ACT
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Students should take both the SAT and ACT in the
spring of junior year
Re-take either the SAT or ACT to improve scores
following a review. All testing is recommended to be
completed by the end of junior year.
Research colleges of interest and determine which test
they prefer (usually colleges will take either)
Pay special attention to if colleges require the “writing”
portion of the ACT. Guidance strongly recommends
taking the writing portion as some colleges require it!
The SAT is offered at GHS March 10th and June 2nd;
The ACT is offered at GHS April 14th
Registration
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Register for tests online & record your
username and password
For students requesting accommodations,
please see your counselor for additional
registration information.
– Collegeboard
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www.collegeboard.com/student
– ACT

www.actstudent.org
– Test-optional schools

www.fairtest.org/optional.htm
Inside the SAT
How
do
colleges
get
my
scores?
How is the test scored?
How do I get more
•
You
can
choose
4
schools
to
receive
• 200-800
points
per
section
for
information
about
thea total of
What
is
the
test
structure?
your
scores
for
free
when
you
register
for
2400 SAT?
possible
the
test. Reading
• Critical
• 2-12• points
for
the
essay
You can
gocan
to log-in
the GHS
• Otherwise,
you
to your
•
Mathematics
Guidance
& Counseling
• CollegeBoard
¼ points
subtracted
for
wrong
account
to every
send scores
answer
individually
colleges
part of your
websitetofor
more as
information:
• Writing
http://www.granvilleschools.org/domain/75
application.
• Strategy tip!  Educated guesses
only…if you don’t know it – leave it blank.
SAT Subject Tests

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Only more selective colleges and highly academic
programs require the SAT subject tests.
Take these tests right after you have completed the
class that focused on the subject in which you are
being tested
Each subject test lasts approximately one hour, so
students can sign up for up to three tests on one
test date.
Use Compass Prep to view which schools require
subject tests & how many. You can also access
Subject Test information from your specific school’s
admissions website.
http://www.compassprep.com/subject_about.shtml
Inside the ACT
What
the testget
structure?
How
dois
colleges
my scores?
How is the test scored?
• English
• You
canI choose
4 schools
to receive
How
do
get more
information
•
1-36
for
each
section
your
scores
for
free
about
the ACT? when you
• Reading
register
for the
test.
•
2-12
points
for
the
writing
• You
can go to the GHS Guidance &
• Mathematics
•• Otherwise,
can
Counseling
forlog-in
moreto your
Guessing website
is you
encouraged!
• Science
ACT
accountReasoning
to send scores
information:
•individually
Strategy tip!
 ACT: as
A Classroom
http://www.granvilleschools.org/domain/75
to
colleges
• Writing (optional…but part of your
Test
application.
recommended)
FAQs on Testing

Do colleges need both SAT and ACT scores?

Do I need the ACT with writing?

Which scores are better to send to colleges?
Should I send them now, or wait?

How important are grades as compared to
test scores?

What if English is not my first language?
(TOEFL)
The College
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Focus in on finding a good match

Compare your performance and interests
with the colleges’ profiles

Communication between parents and their
student is important
– Parents are key in helping the student through
the process, but they should not take over the
process
The College
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Refer to the College Handbook (page 12 &
13)—downloadable on the website
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It takes research!
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Research and college visits are vital to
finding a good fit
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Enjoy the process!
Finding your match: Using
the colleges’ profiles
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Location
Class sizes
Size of student body
Graduation Rate
Student Activities
Majors offered
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Selectivity
Majors offered
Residence Life
Facilities
Reputation
Male/Female Ratio
Study Abroad
Greek Life
Cost
GPA
Ask yourself…
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Who am I?
What are my interests?
What do I want from my college
experience?
What would I like to do at the end of 4
years?
What college will meet my needs?
Selecting Your Colleges
Narrowing down your choices:
– Start with the most important criteria for you
(2-3 criteria)
– Reflect on additional criteria and use college
visits to help narrow the list down from there
When it comes time to apply…we
recommend applying to five colleges.
– 1 “safety” school
– 3 “possibility” schools
– 1 “reach” school
Colleges and Selectivity
Acceptance rates from 2011
School
% Accepted
# of Applications
Harvard
7.2%
Received
 Stanford
7.97%
Harvard
7.23%
30,489
 Yale
8.56%
Stanford
7.31%
32,022
 Princeton
10.6%
Yale  Columbia 7.53% 11%
26,003
 Brown
Princeton
8.8% 11%
26,247
Brown Penn
9.34% 17%
30,135
 Georgetown
19%
Columbia
9.84%
25,427
 Duke
22%
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Duke
14%
30,000
Gathered from 14.26%
Naviance, 2012
U. of Penn.
26,941
Vanderbilt
17.95%
21,811
Georgetown
19.78%
18,616
Though acceptance
rates are low for these
highly selective schools,
we encourage all
students that match the
school’s academic
profile and feel that the
school is a “best fit” for
them to apply.
Types of Applications
Early Decision - apply early, commit to your first choice
institution, Binding--15% greater chance of admission vs.
the Regular deadline (NACAC Admissions Trends Survey, 2010)
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Ex: Miami, Kenyon, Wooster, Oberlin
Early Action- apply early, find out early, not binding
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Ex: Miami, Ohio Wesleyan
Priority - apply early, find out a little bit earlier, not binding,
usually due to scholarship eligibility or special programs
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Ex: Ohio State
Rolling- decisions made throughout the admissions cycle
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Ex: Kent State, Toledo, Ohio State
Regular- apply by a specified date, applications considered after
that date
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Ex: Miami
Top Factors in Admission
Decisions
Admission offices identify high school curriculum, test scores,
and grades as the top factors
In order of importance:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Grades in college preparatory classes (98%)
Strength of curriculum (92.7%)
Admission test scores/ACT & SAT (89.8%)
Overall grade point average (89.5%)
Application essay
Recommendations
Demonstrated Interest
NACAC Admissions Trends Survey
To have the strongest
application possible, you
should:
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Get involved in our community
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Get involved in school
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Explore your talents and what excites you
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Consider the opportunities available during the
summer
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Find a few things (not 10) to focus on and to
develop more
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Get to know your teachers and your counselor
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Schedule a family meeting (or two)
“Tip” Factors
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Colleges have de-emphasized their assessment of a student’s
rank in class (16% ranked “considerable” importance in 2010,
down from 42% in 2005)
Essay as a factor in admission has grown in importance…26.4%
of colleges report that student’s essays have considerable
importance
Demonstrated interest has grown as a “tip” factor
The fewer students a school accepts, the more likely it is to place
emphasis on “tip” factors in the admissions process
NACAC Admissions Trends Survey
College Visit- In Depth
Investigation
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Visiting is the most important way to learn
about colleges
Go when school is in session
Plan trips during vacations- spring break
Set up the appt 2-3 wks in advance, through
the phone or website
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Standard Visit - Tour and Presentation
Virtual Tours available on some college
websites and CollegeWeekLive
Experience as much as possible through
additional meetings and seeing the town
Remember your Resources!
1.
Your School Counselor!
2.
The GHS Guidance Office research resources:
• GHS Guidance & Counseling Website
• GHS College Handbook (downloadable on website)
• New books and resources available for check-out in Guidance
3.
Family & friends – especially those who have
gone through the process.
4.
Online research tools – Naviance, CollegeBoard,
college sites, & other search websites.
Naviance:
College Searching
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Conduct a college search
Research college profiles
View college acceptance data from previous GHS
students (without names)
Personalize a list of schools you have interest in
and keep track of deadlines
Access Naviance via the GHS Guidance &
Counseling Website
Important tool for the actual college application
process, i.e. sending of online transcripts
Remember these steps!
1.
Begin putting together your college list.
2.
Visit colleges.
3.
Take both the SAT & ACT in the spring.
4.
Talk with your parents about college options.
5.
Schedule a meeting with your counselor.
6.
Stay organized & enjoy the process!
Junior Year Timeline
Winter
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Review PSAT score report and utilize on-line service provided
by CollegeBoard.
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Access the GHS guidance website to find presentations and
resources.
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Register for ACT and SAT/SAT subject tests. GHS counselors
recommend taking both the SAT and ACT at least once your
junior year, and choose one of the tests to re-take.
If taking SAT Subject Tests, consult with your counselor about
the appropriate ones to take.
Develop your long list of colleges to investigate, and plan
college visits especially during spring break and over the
summer.
Junior Year Timeline
Spring
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Organize college mailings and materials into folders or a
file system.
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Consider organizing materials by “high interest” schools,
“maybe” schools, and “reach” schools.
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Counselors and English teachers work with students on
college interviewing skills as needed.
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Talk with your parents to plan a realistic schedule of
when to visit schools of interest. Plan visits during
spring break, and schedule interviews if necessary.
Junior Year Timeline
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Attend the Licking County College Fair on Wednesday, April 25,
2012 @ Granville High School from 6:00pm – 8:00pm. Located in
the GHS Gym.
Consider a “summer at college” experience or other summer work
opportunities (you can find these through Naviance & in guidance).
May  During a time when your English 11 class is in the library,
you will have a 5 minute meeting with your counselor to check in on
your college list.
Consider requesting letters of recommendation from teachers &
counselors if you plan to work on applications throughout the
summer.
Students should schedule a college planning meeting with your
counselor…this is a 50 minute meeting to go over your college
process in-depth (this can be junior or beginning of senior year)
Save the Date!
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February 15, 2012 @ 7:00 P.M. –
Tips on Selective Schools Admission in
the GHS Library – open to all grade
levels
Questions?
* Sign-up for email announcements to
get information about College
Representative Visits in Guidance and
the College Application Summer
Workshop (August 2012)