Transcript Fall College Information Night for Seniors and Parents Briar Woods High School Guidance Department.

Fall College Information Night for
Seniors and Parents
Briar Woods High
School Guidance
Department
College Information Night

Counselors will review material with seniors
next week
–

This presentation is online
–

Information packet & NACAC Guide
BWHS Guidance >>> “Presentations”
Many of the documents and worksheets
discussed tonight are online
–
BWHS Guidance >>> “Forms”
Agenda

Review of the college selection process

The college application “folder” and
Briar Woods High School application
procedures
The College Selection Process

Ideally, students should begin their senior year with
three or more colleges in mind

There are many college search tools available
–
–
Family Connection college search function – every senior
has an account; accessed through the internet
CollegeBoard website

The BWHS Career Center

Your child’s counselor & career specialist
The College Selection Process

The LCPS College Fair, September 19,
4:00-5:30 & 6:30-8:00 at Stone Bridge HS
–
–
–
Focus on a couple schools, then…
HAVE FUN!
Helpful questions to ask college representatives
The College Selection Process

College representative visits to BWHS

There is no substitute for a campus visit as a
way to assess a school
–
Use a worksheet to record your experiences,
what you like/dislike, contacts you make, etc.
The College Selection Process

College testing
–
–
–

SAT Reasoning Test (admissions)
ACT (admissions)
SAT Subject Tests (typically for placement)
Register now!!! The Loudoun test sites fill up
quickly
The College Selection Process Summary





Use college search programs to help select
colleges
Use available resources to further narrow
your search
Visit colleges!
Take the college entrance exams (SAT
and/or ACT)
If you need a more thorough review, plan to
attend Junior College Night on October 18
The Application “Folder”
–The Magnificent Seven







Application
Essay
Student Resume
Secondary School Report
Test Scores
Transcript
Letter of Recommendation
The Application “Folder”







Application
Essay
Student Resume
Secondary School Report
Test Scores
Transcript
Letter of Recommendation
The Application





Most applications are submitted
electronically over the internet
Print and review before submitting it!
Seniors are responsible for completing and
submitting their own applications (not mom &
dad!)
Seniors should make copies of all
applications they submit
Many colleges use the “Common
Application”
The Application

Seniors are responsible for being aware of
application deadlines (see NACA Guide)
–
–
–
–
Regular Admission – traditional deadline
Early Decision – binding
Early Action – non-binding
Rolling Admission – applications accepted based
on space availability until the institution is “full”
The Application “Folder”







Application
Essay
Student Resume
Secondary School Report
Test Scores
Transcript
Letter of Recommendation
The Essay




Not all colleges require an essay
Most essays are submitted electronically
along with the application
Seniors should make sure they are
understand the essay topic
Seniors are advised to print out and review
(with help!) their essays before sending them
The Essay



English teachers are more than happy to
help students with essays; some teachers
incorporate this into their curriculum
Seniors should save all essays because they
may be modified and reused – but be careful
Essay resources – BWHS library, BWHS
Career Center, public library, book store,
internet
The Application “Folder”







Application
Essay
Student Resume
Secondary School Report
Test Scores
Transcript
Letter of Recommendation
Student Resume







Many colleges accept student resumes
Resumes are usually sent to the college
electronically along with the application and essay
Resumes can highlight your accomplishment both in
and outside of school
An effective resume is EASY TO READ!
Use resume templates and samples to format your
own
Information on resumes must be 100% accurate
Use email, Facebook, MySpace, etc.
appropriately (if you wouldn’t put it on a
resume…)
The Application “Folder”







Application
Essay
Student Resume
Secondary School Report
Test Scores
Transcript
Letter of Recommendation
Secondary School Report


Some colleges provide the student with a
Secondary School Report form for the
counselor to complete and send in
It is the student’s responsibility to print it out
and bring it in!
The Application “Folder”







Application
Essay
Student Resume
Secondary School Report
Test Scores
Transcript
Letter of Recommendation
Test Scores

Seniors are responsible for determining the tests needed for the
colleges they are applying to
–
–
–



SAT Reasoning Test (typically for determining admissions)
ACT (typically for determining admissions)
SAT Subject Tests (typically used for placement)
Seniors are responsible for having their test scores sent to the
colleges they are applying to
Requests are made directly through the CollegeBoard or ACT;
BWHS nor LCPS send test scores
Seniors can request their scores be sent when they take the
tests; or they can have their scores sent after the test date by
contacting the CollegeBoard or ACT
The Application “Folder”







Application
Essay
Student Resume
Secondary School Report
Test Scores
Transcript
Letter of Recommendation
The Transcript




Seniors must submit a Transcript Release Form
signed by a parent. Forms can be obtained in
guidance and are online
Seniors must submit the form in person to the
counselor (along with the Secondary School Report
if required)
We ask that seniors submit transcript requests a
minimum of two weeks before the college application
deadline (last year we sent over 1200 transcripts)
We track the process date and send date – posted
on Family Connection
The Transcript





We include a school profile with transcript
Transcript requests must be made before December
1st in order to be sent before winter break
All LCPS student’s are charged $3.00 per transcript
Please only request transcripts to be sent to colleges
you are actually applying to
There are no costs for mid-year and end-of-year
transcripts
The Application “Folder”







Application
Essay
Student Resume
Secondary School Report
Test Scores
Transcript
Letter of Recommendation
Letters of Recommendation

Counselor Letter
–
–
–
If a senior needs a letter of recommendation from
the counselor, he/she can request it when he/she
requests the transcript
Every senior will be provided with a Senior
Information Packet to be turned into the
counselor
The Senior Information Packet is posted online
and contains a parent “brag” section
Letters of Recommendation

Teacher Letter:
–
–
If a letter of recommendation is requested from a
teacher, the senior should make the request
directly to the teacher and provide the teacher
with a postage-paid envelope addressed to the
college
Think about who you are asking… they may need
more time!
Letters of Recommendation



Seniors should allow counselors and
teachers a minimum of two weeks to write a
letter
Please only request letters to be sent to
schools you are actually applying to
If you send more letters than the college
requests, you can’t control which ones they
choose to read
The Application “Folder” - Summary







Senior submits application electronically to the college
Senior submits the essay electronically to the college (if there is
one)
Senior may submit the resume electronically to the college
Senior has test scores sent directly to the college by the SAT
(CollegeBoard) or the ACT
Senior meets with counselor directly to request a transcript by
submitting a Transcript Release Form
Senior may submit Secondary School Report (if provided by the
college) when they meet with the counselor
Senior may request letter of recommendation (if needed)
Keeping Sane!!!



Complete one college application “folder” at
a time
Trying to work on several applications at
once = confusion for all!
Use a checklist for each application
Interviews


Some colleges interview applicants
Process, procedures, and guidelines vary
Communication



Your child will hear everything we talked
about tonight through classroom
presentations
Every senior will meet with his/her counselor
individually
Every senior will receive a NACAC Guide –
includes rights and responsibilities in the
college admissions process. This is a
fantastic source of information!
Communication

Every senior will receive a planning folder:
–
–
–
–
–
–
Planning calendar
Student information packet
Sample resumes
Transcript release form
College visit worksheet
College application checklist
Communication




Students and parents can log onto Family
Connection to view transcript send dates
We automatically send mid-year transcripts to the
colleges our students apply to (no cost)
Final transcripts are sent to the colleges our students
plan to attend (no cost)
The infamous “we didn’t get your transcript” postcard
or email
Some Advice

Traditional advice – Pick three to six colleges:
–
–
–

“Dream” schools
“Good chance” schools
“Back-up” schools
Balancing “Going for it!” with “Being realistic”
–
–
Apply to colleges that are a “good fit”
Look at GPAs, test scores, high school courses, admission
rates
Some Advice

Complete applications one at a time
–
–
–
One by Halloween
One by Thanksgiving
The rest by Winter Break

Use a checklist for each application

Pay attention to deadlines!

HAVE FUN!
Upcoming Dates

LCPS College Fair – September 19 at 4:00pm5:30pm & 6:30pm-8:00pm, SBHS

Junior College Information Night – October 18 at
7:00pm

NCAA Night – November, date TBA

Financial Aid Night – December, date TBA
HAVE A GREAT SENIOR YEAR!!