Transcript Junior College Planning

COLLEGE PLANNING
AN OVERVIEW
Presented by GVHS Counselors:
Mr. Chip Harvey
Ms. Anna Saracino
11th Grade Milestones
• Fall/Spring
• Register Online for Entrance Exams (SAT/ACT/SAT Subject Tests)
• Familiarize Yourself with Naviance and College Websites
• Search for Colleges & Research GOOD FIT Schools
• Develop Preliminary List of Schools
• Build Your Resume
• Visit Colleges (Great time- Spring Break!)
• Carefully Select Senior Year Courses
• Request Letters of Recommendation from Teachers (spring)
• DI/DII Potential Athletes- Register with NCAA Clearinghouse
Summer Between Junior & Senior Year
• Spring/Summer
• Finalize List of Schools (6-10)
• Investigate/Enroll in Summer Programs
• Review list of programs in Naviance under “colleges tab”
• Summer/Fall
• Locate applications online at the college website or the Common
Application (www.commonapp.org)
• Look at essay topic requirements and work on essays
• Begin working on school-specific applications (after July 1)
• Common Application available August 1
• Prepare for any additional standardized tests and sign up online
12th Grade Milestones
Fall
• Attend Senior Student & Parent Night (early September)
• Meet with your Counselor for senior meeting
• Scheduled by the counseling office 2nd week of September thru mid-October
• Request that school transcript and packet be sent to each college where
you will apply using GVHS application submission form
• School Packet includes Transcript, Secondary School Report (data sheet),
Counselor Letter of Rec, School Profile, Teacher(s) Letters’ of Rec
• Must be requested 15 school days before materials need to be at college
12th Grade Milestones Continued
Fall
• Follow up with teachers writing on your behalf by using the teacher letter
of recommendation follow up form (in counseling and on Naviance)
• Take any additional SAT/ACT/SAT Subject tests (by October)
• Send test scores to each college where you will apply
• www.collegeboard.org, www.actstudent.org
• Submit applications well before deadline date (by end of November for
Rolling Admission deadlines)
• Early Decision, Early Action, Regular Decision, Rolling
Important Factors in
Admission Decision
High School Transcript (Academic Record)!!!
• Grades and Rigor are the most important factors
• Senior year courses should reflect ability and interests
Standardized Test Scores (SAT/ACT/SAT Subject Tests)
• Review requirements on Naviance or on school’s webpage
YOU- Who Are You As a Person!?
• Essay(s), Interviews (if required/recommended), Letters of Rec, Resume
Application
• Completed and submitted online
Taking Entrance Exams
(SAT/ACT/SAT Subject Tests)
• When?
• First exam sometime between January-March
• Refer to Naviance for the test dates and locations
• Register for these Exams Online
• SAT & Subject Test Registration: www.collegeboard.org
• ACT Registration: www.actstudent.org
• Does my school require Subject Tests?
• View link to determine the answer: www.compassprep.com
• Some Schools do NOT require test scores
• Test optional schools: www.fairtest.org/optional
The College Search
• Goal – Develop Preliminary List of Schools This Year
• Identify Good Fit Characteristics
• size, location, major, activities, strength of program, learning env., etc.
• Use College Search Sites to Narrow List
• CollegeBoard, Naviance, Petersons, Cappex, Princeton Review, etc.
• VISIT Colleges (small, big, city, rural, etc.)
• Selection Process (foundational, target, reach)
• Narrow List! (subjective and objective research)
VISIT COLLEGES
• Great time to visit- SPRING BREAK!
• See school when students are on campus- ask questions~
• Sign up for a tour with the admissions office by calling the
school in advance. Some schools offer online registration.
• Bring a Notebook!
• Jot down your likes and dislikes as SOON as you leave campus
• Your impressions of a school are important and will help you to determine
good fit and factors of importance
Build Your Resume
• Include activities, jobs and volunteer hours that you have been
involved with since the beginning of 9th grade
• Use appropriate grammar (you are not texting!!!)
• Take on leadership roles and stay involved
• Consider a summer program that is related to your career goals
or that is on a college campus of interest
• Example resumes available in Naviance
• Resume tab available to document experiences in Naviance
Letters of Recommendation
• Ask 2 Teachers to write you a letter
• When to ask!? Right after Spring Break !
• Ask Major Subject Teachers
• Math, English, Science, Social Studies
• Consider the major you might pursue in college
• Follow up by providing a teacher request form!
• Available in the counseling office this spring
• Forms also may be printed from Naviance (in the document library)
Say THANK YOU!
Potential DI/DII Athletes
• REGISTER with NCAA at: ncaa.org/Eligibility Center
• Request that your transcript be sent to NCAA after junior year & after
graduation using the GVHS transcript request form
• Review NCAA core-course requirements to ensure you are on track
• Send your test scores (SAT &/or ACT) to the NCAA
• Enter the code 9999 each time you register to take the exam
• Familiarize yourself with College Athletic Sites:
• njcaa.org/-The National Junior College Athletic Association
• naia.org/ - The NAIA is another collegiate athletic association
Acceptances and Decisions
• When!?
• Rolling Schools- response within 2-3 weeks
• Early Action/Early Decision- response before winter break
• Regular Decision- response before April 1st
• How
• Most Schools post application decisions online
• Many Schools mail a decision in the mail
• National Decision Day!
• Students must commit to a school by May 1st, anytime before
• Some colleges do not guarantee housing if you wait until 5/1
• Consider your financial aid package with decisions (next slide)
Financial Aid
• FAFSA
• Free Application for Federal Student Aid
• Apply for a pin and complete application soon after Jan. 1st (12th grade)
• Complete online: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/
• CSS Profile
• Required by many private colleges and universities to determine your
eligibility for non-government financial aid, such as the institution's own
grants, loans and scholarships
• Can be completed in the fall of 12th grade
• Completed online: https://profileonline.collegeboard.org/prf/index.jsp
• Local Scholarships
• Fastweb Database
Questions & Handouts (online)