Finding The Right Fit Tuesday, August 31, 2010 Sequoyah High School

1. Finding The Right FitTuesday, August 31, 2010Sequoyah High School

2. What Colleges Are Looking For

3. Factors for Admission • GPA/Course Selection/Class Rank • Test Scores • Activities & Leadership • Essays/ Short Answer • Letters of Recommendation • Interest/ Contact Level • Interviews • Other

4. GPA/Course Selection/Class Rank School Profile Curriculum offerings Grade trends Meet requirements of individual college Use electives to demonstrate interests Institutional GPA calculation

5. Test Scores • SAT • www.collegeboard.com • Subject Tests– some require, others use for placement or course exemption/credit • ACT • www.act.org • Optional Writing Section

6. Activities and Leadership • Clubs and Organizations • Work & Volunteer Experiences • Summer Opportunities • Sports – School and Community • If applicable, utilize Special Circumstances Section • Depth of experience outweighs variety

7. Letters of Recommendation • How many letters needed? (only send req. amount)! • Junior or Senior year teacher usually better • Give writers plenty of time! • Provide writers with details (resume, deadlines, envelopes) • Send follow-up thank-you note to writers

8. Interest/Contact Level • Visit campus • Fill out contact cards at college fairs • Establish relationships with admission counselors, professors and current students • Create profile on admission websites and/or get yourself on the mailing list

9. Interviews • Arrive early • Be prepared/ Research the Institution • Formulate 5 unique questions • Dress appropriately/shake hands/eye contact • Note interviewer’s name & contact info • Send a thank you note/letter

10. Essays/ Short Answer • Choose unique topics that matter to you • Answer the question/stay on topic • Write articulately in space allotted • Revisit essay at least 2 times on different days • Don’t count on spell check – have a 2nd editor • Remember, it’s not only what you say, but also how you say it!

11. Other • Colleges may have specific goals that they are trying to accomplish • Alumni connections • Athletic recruits • Institute mission

12. What You Should be Looking For in a College

13. Consider Your Major • Explore the school’s website • Talk to faculty, staff, students • Sit in on classes • Utilize college guides • Visit online search engines such as collegeboard.com or collegeview.com • Research job placement rates for that major

14. Evaluating the Size • Research • freshman year class size • student to faculty ratio • class size for your intended major • Question instructor accessibility • mandatory office hours • contact information for instructors • Explore specialized academic programs

15. Picking a Location • Determine the distance from home • Explore the surrounding towns and cities on-line • Make a list of pros and cons of a rural and urban setting • Visit the campus • Ask campus police for a list of incidents

16. Exploring Student Life • Research how easy it is to get involved • Examine Greek life opportunities • Inquire about specialty programs such as honors programs, student government, and community service • Explore cultural opportunities

17. The Freshman Experience • Ask to visit a typical freshman dorm • Research academic support programs • Explore the career center • Check out jobs on and off campus • Examine transportation options

18. Tiffany McLeanAssistant Director of Admissions Tiffany.mclean@admission.gatech.eduwww.gatech.edu/ADMISSIONS404.894.8639