Welcome to the 2012 College Admissions Evening

1. Welcome to the 2012 College Admissions Evening Planning for life after Mahar

2. Tonight’s Program • The Guidance Counselors • Finding the Right College • The College Admissions Process • The Application • NCAA HOW DOES GUIDANCE HELP?

3. Counselors • All of grade 7 and 9th grade L-Z: Paula Swenson • All of grade 8 and 9th grade A-K: Cherie Hoyle • All of grade 10 and 11th grade A-K: Sara Storm • All of grade 12 and 11th grade L-Z: Caitlin McKenna

4. Mahar Websitewww.rcmahar.org Select • Services • Student Services • College & Career To link to college and scholarship search engines, virtual college tours, financial aid information and more!

5. The high school guidance curriculum for 10th, 11th and 12th grade • Grade 10, Career planning • PLAN • Interest Inventory (MA CIS) • Career Research

6. 11th grade curriculum • Grade 11, post secondary school planning • PSAT (voluntary, sign up in spring of 10th grade • ASVAB • College Quickstart • College/post secondary school planning workshop • Individual meetings

7. 12th grade curriculum • Fall workshop on post secondary planning • Fall college fair field trip to MWCC • Financial Aid evening for students and families • MWCC and GCC decision days • Individual meetings with students (as many as necessary!)

8. Selecting a College

9. Self-Assessment • goals and values • academic interests, abilities, and learning style • activities and outside interests • your personality and relationships with others • career awareness and interests

10. The College Search • On-line search. Go to www.rcmahar.org for links (college board, college data, princeton review) • Virtual Tours www.campustours.com • College fairs (fall MWCC and NMH) • Open houses • Small group rep sessions at Mahar • College visits*

11. www.collegeboard.com www.actstudent.org www.toefl.org

12. The College Visit • Visit as many colleges on your list as possible. • Know the facts about the college before you visit. • Arrange an interview, if possible. • Make a list of questions not answered by your research. • Make arrangements to sit in on a class. • Make an appointment to speak to a professor about curriculum or a coach about a particular sport that may interest you. • Ask the tour guide for his or her e-mail address. • Write down five impressions you received from the tour. • Send thank you notes.

13. Finding the Right Match: Factors to Consider • Location: MA, New England, East Coast • Size: number of students, student/teacher ratio • Setting: urban, rural • Majors or areas of interest • Type: liberal arts, business, public, private • Selectivity/academic intensity • Cost: percent of students receiving aid • Athletics: Division I, II • Student Activities: study abroad, groups • Internship programs, CO-OP, Job Opportunities • Safety and Security

14. Understanding the CollegeAdmission Process

15. Possible Admission Criteria • courses taken and grades achieved • grade point average • admission tests • recommendations • application questions and essay • intended major • activities outside the classroom • special talents, skills and interests • ethnicity • alumni relationship • geographic location • personal interview

16. Mahar Requirements State College Req. • 4 years of English • 4 years of English • 4 years of math • 3 years of math (Algebra II & Geometry) • 3 years of science • 2 years of social science • 3 yrs of science (2 lab) • 3 years of social science • 20 core elective credits • 5 arts credits • 2 years of the SAME foreign language • 10 phys. ed. credits • 2 years of college-prep level electives • 10 health credits • School-to-work requirement MCAS: Proficiency in ELA and Math, Passing in Science

17. State School Minimum Requirements UMASS GPA SAT (ACT) 3.0 N/A 2.51-2.99 950 (20) 2.41-2.5 990 (21) 2.31-2.4 1030 (22) 2.21-2.3 1070 (23) 2.11-2.2 1110 (24) 2.0-2.1 1150 (25) (9/06) State Colleges GPA SAT (ACT) 3.0 N/A 2.51-2.99 920 (19) 2.41-2.5 960 (20) 2.31-2.4 1000 (21) 2.21-2.3 1040 (22) 2.11-2.2 1080 (23) 2.0-2.1 1120 (24)

18. Evaluating a Match: The Freshman Profile • Average SAT scores • Average GPA • Average class rank • Additional test scores • High school course requirements • Number of students receiving financial aid • Additional requirements for selected majors • Basis for selection- interviews, essays, recommendations

19. The College List • Level One: The Reach or Long Shot(1-2 schools) (less that 50% chance of acceptance) • Level Two: The Mid-Range (3-4 schools) (about 50% chance of acceptance) • Level Three: Safety (2-3 schools) (99% chance of acceptance)

20. EARLY ACTION A plan that permits students to submit an application early and to receive decisions on their application well in advance of the normal response dates. If accepted, the candidate is not committed to enroll but must notify the college by May 1 of his or her decision. EARLY DECISION A plan that permits students to receive a decision on their application for admission (and for financial aid if applicable) significantly before the regular notification date. The plan requires students to commit to attending the institution.

21. The College List: Moving Forward • All students must make an appointment with their guidance counselor. • Gather applications and financial aid information. • Keep track of all deadlines (early action, early decision, regular, financial aid). • Fill out transcript request form and submit it with a $2.00 fee to your counselor at least fifteen school days before the deadline. • Consider college visits/interviews.

22. The Application COUNSELOR responsibilities • Mail official transcript • Counselor recommendation/school report (upon written request at least fifteen school days prior to deadline) • Mail teacher recommendations • Mail end of year transcript

23. The Application STUDENT responsibilities • Submit transcript release form with $2.00 fee to counselor • Meet with counselor • Send completed application and fee directly to college • Common Application www.commonapp.org. • SAT/SAT II scores sent to schools from College Board • ACT scores sent to schools directly from ACT • Essay(s) • Supplementary materials (portfolio, tapes, etc) • KEEP TRACK OF ALL DEADLINES

24. “Applications that are done at the last minute look like applications that were put together at the last minute.” Janet Lavin Rapelye, Dean of Admission Wellesley College

26. DON’T PANIC

27. College Admissions Tests • SAT and SAT subject tests. Register for next test dates of May 5th by April 6th and the June 2th test by May 8th at www.collegeboard.com$49.00 (free and reduced lunch waivers) • MWCC SAT Prep course ($125.00) • ACT with writing tests. Register for April 14th test by March 9th and for the June 9th test by May 4th at www.actstudent.org$49.50

28. Student Athletes For participation in Division I or II athletics, students must register and be certified by the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse. Registration materials are available by going to website http://www.ncaa.org STUDENT HOTLINE 1-800-638-3731

29. And for the rest of us… other levels of college athletics • Division III • Intramural • Club Fencing, rugby, bicycle road racing, soccer, basketball, flag football.

30. Look for the Financial Aid Evening in the fall • To learn about scholarships, grants, loans and work study • To learn more about how colleges determine financial aid packages • To learn about how to calculate the “total cost of attending” college or technical school

31. Counselor Contact Information Sara Storm: sstorm@rcmahar.org Caitlin McKenna: cmckenna@rcmahar.org 978-544-2542, ext. 4