Transcript Getting Started in the College Selection Process

GETTING STARTED IN THE
COLLEGE SELECTION PROCESS
November 7th, 2013
Aaron Bauer – Dublin Jerome
Jon Borland – Dublin Scioto
Kevin Patton – Dublin Coffman
Nicole Sutherland – Dublin Coffman
TONIGHT’S FOCUS
Preparing your child for the college selection
process


Naviance/Family Connection
Used in all grade levels at the high school
 On-line tool for the college selection/application process


College Admissions for the university perspectiv

Keith Gehres


Jennifer Markovich


Associate Director-Outreach & Recruitment, The Ohio State Univ.
Admissions Counselor, The Ohio State University
Ben Shoemaker

Director of Admissions, Otterbein University
COLLEGE TIMELINE

9th Grade:


10th Grade:


PLAN test, PSAT (optional), begin college research
11th Grade:


Start strong in classes, solid GPA foundation, get involved,
PSAT (optional)
PSAT (required), Practice ACT, take ACT/SAT, college
selection/visitation process, build resume, research colleges
12th Grade:

College application process, transcript request process, take
ACT/SAT (if necessary)
ACT & SAT TEST DATES:

SAT
December 7, 2013
 January 25, 2014 (DCHS)
 March 8, 2014
 May 3, 2014 (DJHS)
 June 7, 2014


ACT
December 14, 2013 (DJHS)
 February 8, 2014
 April 12, 2014 (DSHS)
 June 14, 2014

NAVIANCE/FAMILY CONNECTION
School
• Data accumulation
• List scholarships
• Communication to students
and parents
• Send transcript materials to
colleges and universities
Student/Family
• College research
• Scholarship research
• Career assessments
• Learning style assessments
• College testing information
• Request transcripts to be sent
to colleges and universities
NAVIANCE / FAMILY CONNECTION
•
Coffman https://connection.naviance.com/coffman
•
Jerome https://connection.naviance.com/dublinjhs
•
Scioto https://connection.naviance.com/dublinshs
NAVIANCE / FAMILY CONNECTION
UN: 14SMITH_JOHN
PW: STUDENT ID #
NAVIANCE /FAMILY CONNECTION
College Research
COLLEGES
COLLEGE SUPER MATCH
6 TOPICS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Selecting a college, where to start
Researching colleges
Visiting campus effectively
What colleges look for
What factors influence admission
Misconceptions about preparing for
and attending college
SELECTING A COLLEGE:
WHERE TO START?
Develop criteria
 Your ideal school? Size, location, majors,
types of students…
 Gather information
 guidebooks
 web/internet searches
 Counselors, teachers, professionals,
friends, family

PRIVATE COLLEGES
50+ in Ohio, over 130,000 students
 Diversity of schools: liberal arts, nursing,
professional schools (CCAD)
 Small classes taught by professors
 Opportunities for research, leadership,
internships
 Strong graduation rates
 Tuition ranges $8,400 - $40,240
 Financial aid/scholarships

PUBLIC COLLEGES
13 in Ohio with 27 regional campuses
 Range in size from 2,000 to 42,000
 Wide variety of academic major options
 Opportunities for research, leadership,
internships
 Tuition ranges $4,833 - $14,652
 Merit and Need-based Financial Aid

RESEARCHING COLLEGES
Over 3200 colleges nationwide, how to find a
good match
 College handbooks and guides
 Websites
 College catalogs and viewbooks
 Colleges visiting your high school
 High school counselor
 On campus visits
 Suburban multicultural college fair in April
 Suburban college fair in September
RESEARCHING COLLEGES
Important considerations
 Admission policy
 Majors and course offerings
 Support and success services
 Campus life and housing
 Location and size
 Private or public
 Religious affiliation
 Physical facilities
 Cost
RESEARCHING COLLEGES
Favorite college search sites
 www.collegeboard.com
 Select “find a college”
 www.princetonreview.com
 Select “counselor-o-matic”
VISITING CAMPUSES EFFECTIVELY
Plan ahead for a visit (spring of junior year!)
 Ask the college what they recommend
 Be certain that classes are in session
 Information session or formal interview
 Is the tour a walking tour
Ask a lot of questions
 Prepare a list ahead of time
 Know the institution
 Be ready to talk (students, this means you)
VISITING CAMPUSES EFFECTIVELY
Find the experts
 Students: social life, residence halls, classes,
professors
 Faculty: department strengths, success of
graduates, opportunities like internships or research
 Coaches, band directors, organization advisors:
schedule of activities, what kind of competition can
you expect, how to prepare for audition or try-outs
 Admission/Financial Aid Counselors: costs,
scholarship opportunities, college stats like retention
rates, chances of being admitted, special support
services, safety issues –those things that are a
concern to you
VISITING CAMPUSES EFFECTIVELY
If you are looking at a residential campus, the
student is going to live there, not just go to
school
 Eat the food
 See a room: classroom/residence hall room
 Arrange an overnight visit if possible
 Attend a campus event
VISITING CAMPUSES EFFECTIVELY
Ask interactive questions
 Describe interactions with your professors?
 What do you and your friends do for fun?
 What did you do last weekend?
 What extra expenses surprised you?
 How do you get around campus/town?
 How many times did you go home last
term/year?
WHAT COLLEGES LOOK FOR
Apply with care!
 Gather application materials
(paper, web, common app)
 Know the deadlines
 Note requirements
 High school transcript
 Standardized test scores
(ACT, SAT I, SAT II)
 Essay
 Recommendations
 Interviews
WHAT COLLEGES LOOK FOR
High School Performance
 Four year college prep curriculum
 Performance based on GPA/class rank
 Grade trends
 Rigor of curriculum
 Competitiveness of high school
WHAT COLLEGES LOOK FOR
Standardized test scores
 May help to pinpoint strengths and
weaknesses
 May be used for placement
 May be used for scholarship cut-offs
 May not be weighed as heavily if high school
record is strong
 May need to include writing section for ACT
 May not be required at all
WHAT COLLEGES LOOK FOR
Extracurricular activities
 Never replaces academic preparation and performance
 Consistent involvement and leadership important
Service
 Consistent involvement
 Impact on student and/or community
 May lead to special scholarships
Other factors
 Legacy
 Diversity
 Religious affiliation
 Special talents
 Interviews
WHAT FACTORS INFLUENCE
ADMISSION?
NACAC 2011 admission trend survey
 High school graduates
 Number of high school grads peaked in 2008-2009
 Population expected to decline through 2014-2015
and remain below 2009 levels through at least
2020-2021
 Wide variations by state and region
 Racial/ethnic composition changing
 Total college enrollment
 2009: approximately 20.4 million students enrolled
 2020: enrollment will grow to an estimated 23
million students
WHAT FACTORS INFLUENCE
ADMISSION?
Local admission trends
 Students apply earlier
 Early decision (binding)
 Early action (non-binding)
 Single choice early action (hybrid)
 Students apply more often
 Impact on decision
 Surprise by increasing selectivity
 Different for current students than siblings and
parents
 Increasing use of technology
 Makes exploration easier but can be overwhelming
STUDENT MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT
PREPARING FOR AND ATTENDING COLLEGE

Fiction: Getting into college is the hardest part
 Fact: For most students, completing college is the
hardest part

Fiction: My senior year does not matter
 Fact: Senior classes determine which classes you may
take and how well prepared you are for those classes
STUDENT MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT
PREPARING FOR AND ATTENDING COLLEGE

Fiction: It’s better to take easier classes in high school
and get better grades
 Fact: One of the best predictors of college success is
taking rigorous courses

Fiction: I can take whatever classes I want when I get to
college
 Fact: Most colleges require entering students to take
placement exams in core subject areas