Navigating College Admissions

1. Deer Park High School Parent Presentation 2013-2014 Navigating College Admissions

3. Deer Park High School Guidance Counselors • Corrie Madden-Grades 10, 11, and 12 • Jason Spelic-Grades 7, 8, and 9

4. Student Responsibilities • To research and to be personally knowledgeable about all of the colleges to which you will apply. • You must complete all application materials on or before deadlines and be the sole author of your application. • You should seek the assistance of your counselor! • Perform well in college!

6. A Note to Parents and Students Be Realistic About Your Profile • GPA • Test results • Curricular choices • Your special talents and needs “Lay all your cards on the table” about: • College cost vs. Family income • Student achievement and progress at college • Expected student financial contributions • Final choices-A family decision

7. Post-Secondary Institutions • Liberal Arts College • Wilmington, Xavier, College of Mt. St. Joseph • University • O.S.U., Miami U, U.C., Xavier • Technical/Community College • Cincinnati State, Sinclair, Raymond Walters • Engineering or Technical Institute • Cincinnati State, ITT, DeVry • Nursing School • Good Samaritan, U.C., Cincinnati State, N.K.U., Xavier • Music, Drama, and Art • Cincinnati Art Academy, Cincinnati Art Institute, U.C. (CCM, DAAP)

8. What Admission Committees Review The Objective • Curriculum choices • Standardized testing • Grade point average • Class rank The Subjective • Involvement in extracurriculars • Time commitments outside of class • Essays • Letters of recommendation • Special talent, legacy, diversity (of ALL sorts)

9. A Good Application • Rigorous curriculum • Broad range of extracurricular activities, inside the high school and out • Strong GPA • Test Scores • Essays • Recommendations • Interest

10. Building the College List • Size of student body • Geography • Social Life • Residential • Reputation • Major • Athletics • Facilities • M/F Ratio • Study Abroad • Cost • Class sizes • Student Activities • % of students returning • Selectivity • Campus setting • Greek Life • Graduation rate • Who Teaches? • Dorm Life • Diversity

11. Admission Plans • Regular Decision • Early Decision • Early Action • Rolling Admission • Wait List

12. Early Decision (ED) • You apply early and make a contract with the college that if accepted you WILL attend their school. • Deadlines are usually October 15-December 1st. • If accepted ED you must withdraw your other applications. • Be 100% SURE before you apply ED. • Colleges improve their yield by accepting students ED, and thus your chances of acceptance are higher at most ED schools.

13. Early Decision Positive Features • Early response from admission committee • Smaller applicant pool • Demonstrates strong interest • Greater chance of gaining admission? • Less stress! Negative Features • Eliminates options • BINDING • Tentative financial aid offer • Limits scholarship/aid opportunities • What high school senior is sure of anything?

14. Early Action (EA) • Similar to Early Decision, but not binding. • Deadlines tend to be from Oct. 15th to December 1st. • You should find your status between December 1st and February 1st. • Less of an admission advantage than ED.

15. Early Action • Gives students the benefits of early notification without the obligations of early decision • Students are free to apply to other schools and to compare financial aid offers • SINGLE CHOICE EARLY ACTION requires students not to make other EA applications to schools

16. Rolling Admissions When you apply, your application is reviewed soon and you will generally be notified of the admission decision in 3-8 weeks. • Apply early! October/November • Your chances are improved early in the admission cycle year with Rolling Admissions. • Most (but not ALL) state schools use Rolling Admissions.

17. Late Decision or the Wait List You have not been accepted or denied. There may be room if they need you. • Students respond to stay or not on the List • If the student is still very interested, he/she should express very clearly that they will attend if offered a spot from the wait list. • Unfortunately, the odds are stacked against wait list students.

18. Complete a Financial Need Estimate IF you look like you WILL qualify for aid, don’t rule out private schools! • IF you WILL NOT qualify for aid, but want to attend a smaller, private school apply to safe schools for scholarship money. • Some out-of-state, State schools are as affordable as in-state, State schools! • Consider State schools. Ohio has many different options. Cost and Value

19. College Goal Sunday • Locations throughout Ohio • College Goal Sunday offers the opportunity to have expert help completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) • Financial aid professionals from Ohio colleges & universities will be available to walk you and your family through the financial aid process • College Goal Sunday is brought to you by the Ohio Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. • Need Information for College Goal Sunday? • Call Ohio’s College Access Information Hotline • 1-877-I-ATTAIN (428-8246) • Mon.-Fri. 10am-6pm

20. A Final Word about Cost Please discuss cost as a family now, not later! If cost is a major factor, design your list to maximize your money.

21. College Applications When applying on-line ALWAYS: • Have someone you trust review your application before you submit it. • Print out the counselor form for Mrs. Shafer or Ms. McNulty and bring to the counseling office • Remember to tell the counselors that you applied, the colleges do not. • Call the admission office to verify that your application was received.

22. The Application The application will include: • On-line application form • Essay? • Teacher recommendation? • Counselor Form and Transcript • Test Scores (you may need to have these sent) • Interview? • Audition? • Portfolio? • Additional Materials?

23. Application Tips • Watch out for Deadlines, including scholarship Deadlines. • Complete an Inventory of the application • START EARLY and make a schedule for completion. • Don’t add too much extra information, but some may be OK. • Be sure the application is 100% accurate

24. The Common Application The Common Application is a single college application good at over 450 colleges. • Students may complete on-line or type in to web site and print out whenever you need it. www.commonapp.org • Many schools still need an additional supplement completed as well. • Some schools which accept the Common Application: Miami U (OH), Denison, Wittenberg, University of Dayton, UK, University of Findlay, Xavier University, etc.

25. A Word about DEADLINES • Applications must be turned in at least two weeks prior to any deadline. • Work backwards from the due date to determine your timeline. • Plan to complete and turn in all applications one month before deadline and definitely by Christmas. • 95% of all deadlines are absolute! Colleges and definitely scholarships will not modify their deadline for you no matter how good your reason.

26. Recommendation Letters Recommendation letters can help your application. Some general guidelines about recommendations: • Ask someone who will write positively about you! • Ask someone to write about you who knows you well! • Ask at least TWO WEEKS IN ADVANCE for your letter. Forms are available in the counseling office. • Put it all together neatly and ask nicely. • In most cases you can include an extra recommendation letter, but do not include too many. • Recommendation Letters are confidential between the writer and the college

27. Testing… ACT vs. SAT ACT • Score of 36 is perfect (National average is 21) • 4 sections (English, Math, Reading, and Science) + OPTIONAL writing section • More common in the Mid-West and South • Ohio State requires the writing portion! • Free ACT prep at www.ACTstudent.org SAT • Score of 2400 is perfect (National average is 1500) • 3 Sections (Math, Critical Reading {formerly verbal}, and Writing • More common on East and West Coast • Free SAT prep at www.collegeboard.com

28. SAT Subject Tests/SAT 2’s Three tests at one sitting, usually one Math, and two others of your choice • Few schools require, BUT these are generally the more SELECTIVE schools in the country • Often used for placement

29. ACT/SAT Continued… ATTENTION SENIORS: If you have NOT yet completed an ACT or an SAT, please do so ASAP!! ATTENTION JUNIORS: We recommend you take your first ACT/SAT in April of your junior year Sign up for the PSAT test given on Oct. 13th

30. ACT/SAT Continued… • Most colleges will only accept scores directly from the testing company • If you coded in colleges on your original exam, they have already been sent by the testing agency • If you forgot to code colleges on your original exam, you must contact the testing company to have your scores sent to the colleges • Deer Park High School’s testing code: 360-975 Scores will be sent to the high school if you code it (we need verification for some awards/scholarships)

31. PSAT • PSAT (Practice SAT) Wednesday Oct. 16, 2013 • Registration fee is $14.00 (may change) -Make checks payable to Deer Park High School • Open to sophomores in honors English and to ALL juniors • Students register with in the main office • Space is limited to the first 50 students who sign up • Upon registration, students will receive a practice PSAT

32. Essays • A good essay allows the reader to see who you are and understand what you are! • How do you write one? -Good essays contain certain qualities: 1. They are well developed in thought and theme. 2. They are grammatically correct. 3. They display good vocabulary skills. 4. They hold your attention and are read easily. 5. They reveal your personality, position, passion, and ideals.

33. Essay Tips • There are no right and wrong answers!! • Answer the question which is asked. • Be well organized in the essay. Is there a beginning, middle, end? • Support your main ideas with examples. • Avoid cliché topics: confessions, shock topics, vulgarity, girlfriend/boyfriend, “the injury”, Iraq • Is it coherent? Does it flow and make sense? • Don’t try to cover too much, rather focus in on a specific idea. • Proofread three times!! • Get a second and third opinion. • Make it your voice. • Do you have a story to tell? • Use wit and humor (just not too much). • When in doubt, keep it simple. • Show, don’t tell.

34. College-bound Student Athletes • Do you want to play sports in college? • Be realistic. • Seniors: Register NOW for the NCAA Clearinghouse for Division I & II prospects. www.eligibilitycenter.org • ACT/SAT scores must be sent directly to the Clearinghouse (code 9999) • Have strong grades your senior year. • Get promises in writing.

35. College Visits Simply the best way to learn about a college and its potential match. Tips: • Make an appointment online or by phone with the individual college -schedule a meeting with a college admissions counselor - request meetings for any special needs you may have • Notify Mrs. Miskimens prior to the visit & pick up college visit form -obtain signature from the college admissions counselor -returned the sign form to Mrs. Miskimens • During the visit: -Talk to students -Visit the program(s) of interest -Sit in on a class -Eat in the cafeteria -Read the student newspaper -Take a journal to record notes and your impressions of the school • Do an overnight visit at a couple of schools you are very serious about • Send a thank you note

36. Senior Timeline • September – Review, research your college list. Begin your applications. • October/November- Finish testing. APPLY to those colleges! Pay close attention to deadlines. • October-April-Apply for scholarships. Pay close attention to deadlines. • January- Apply for Financial Aid through FAFSA • April 1-15- You should receive your decisions and financial information • MAY 1ST! You must make YOUR final decision.

37. Admission Myths • I need to know my academic major before I can apply for admission. • The ACT or SAT results represent the most heavily weighted factor in selective admission. • Prospective students and parents have little control over the college selection process. • It’s better to have a highly developed, special talent than to be the ‘well rounded’ applicant.

38. College Fairs • Go as a team with your son/daughter • Ask questions! • Be open-minded and look at a large variety of colleges

40. Thank You for attending tonight’s presentation. Please contact Mrs. Madden or Mr. Spelic with any additional questions