Junior Parent N ight

1. Junior Parent Night Welcome! Thank you for coming!

2. College Philosophy College Applications Topics we will go over tonight include… The Common App How to choose a college Lottery Money $ NEW! Senior student/parent panel Course selection SAT / ACT Financial Aid / Scholarships College Visits College Search on Naviance Summer Opportunities

3. How to choose a college Step 1: Education, Self-Evaluation, and Preparing to Apply Junior Year Spring and Summer Step 2: Shopping for Colleges Junior Year Spring, Summer and Senior Year Fall Step 3: Choosing and Applying to Colleges Senior Year Fall and Winter Step 4: Making a College Choice Senior Year Fall, Winter, Spring

4. Step 1: Education, Self-Evaluation, and Preparing to ApplyJunior Year Spring and Summer Educate yourself – Naviance college search can help you! Six Key Issues to Examine: Academic Program Size: College or University Geography/Location School Culture Cost/Financial Aid Selectivity

5. Academic Program: Liberal Arts and Sciences Humanities History, English, Philosophy, Theology, Languages Math and Sciences Visual and Performing Arts Social Sciences Psychology, Economics, Sociology, Political Science Interdisciplinary Majors: (Interdisciplinary majors allow students to construct a college major with courses from various departments within a college or university) Internet Studies Environmental Policy and Planning Earth and Ocean Sciences African American Studies Non-Profit Management

6. Academic Program: Pre-professional Nursing Engineering Education Business Physical Therapy Art

7. Liberal Arts vs. Pre-Professional Liberal Arts Prepares for nothing? Prepares for Everything! Classical Education Develops Skills: Problem Solving Writing Research Pre-professional Prepares for Profession Offers license, credential, and/or state certification Develops Skills Downside? Less flexibility For the Student who is Career Certain

8. Size: College vs. University College • One mission • Small classes • Close student/faculty relationships • Opportunities for several interests • Research • Less diverse University • Collection of colleges • Diversity • More programs • More and less flexibility • Lots of stimulation • Big classes • TA’s

9. GeographySchool Culture • Urban vs. Rural • Planes, Trains, Automobiles • Cost of travel • Weather • Liberal vs. Conservative • Religious Affiliation • Highly Intellectual/Party School • Commitment to Diversity • HBCU’s • Single Sex vs. Coed

10. What matters in the College Application • GPA and Course Rigor #1! (especially for Honors Colleges) • School reputation • ACT/SAT Scores *Some schools are test optional* • Resume - athletics, activities, community service, work • Essays • Letters of recommendation Question to think about… • How does my academic profile match up to the admitted student profile at those schools I am considering?

11. Step 2:Shopping for Colleges (Junior Year Spring, Summer and Senior Year Fall) Junior student/parent meetings to begin in March – look for letter to schedule Register for the SAT and/or ACT (3 left for SAT / 2 for ACT) Study for SAT and/or ACT Visit, visit, and visit more colleges! 2 excused absences allowed Do well in class Cultivate teacher relationships – they will be writing your rec. letters! Plan for the summer – see “summer opportunities” on the Guidance webpage

12. Course Selection for next year’s classes will begin next week! **New courses for 2014/2015 school year** AP Chemistry Honors Physics II

13. SAT Test Dates ACT Test Dates March 8th Register by Feb. 7th May 3rd Register by April 4th June 7th Register by May 9th Where to register: www.collegeboard.org or www.sat.org/register (Feb. 8th) (Deadline passed) April 12th Register by March 7th June 14th Register by May 9th Where to register: www.actstudent.org/start

14. Step 3: Choosing and Applying to CollegesCollege Applications 101 Two Options: School specific applications or Common Application

15. School Specific Applications • Students go to college website and click APPLY • Students will need a copy of their unofficial transcript • Students send their ACT/SAT scores directly to each college • Application may include an essay or short answer. No essay is optional, students should fill out ALL parts of application • Letters of recommendation not required • Examples of School Specific Applications USC, CofC, Clemson, Alabama, Auburn, Georgia

16. Common ApplicationWWW.COMMONAPP.ORG • Mostly private schools • One application, but each college may have one or more “supplements” • Require letters of recommendation (at least one teacher, one counselor) • Mid year report • Due Dates vary!!!

17. More Application Information • Early Action – Early deadlines, with early responses – *CAUTION* • Early Decision – Binding agreement – mostly private schools *CAUTION* • Rolling Admission – window of time, when all spots are filled, window closes • Deferred – means they are waiting on more information – mid year reports, updated SAT/ACT, letter of recommendation

18. Naviance and the College Application • Naviance serves as a “holding tank” for transcripts, letters of recommendation and counselor forms • Teachers upload letters into Naviance –they do not go through student • Counselors send material in Naviance – either to Common Application or electronically to the school • Naviance is only as good as the student keeps it

19. Step 4: Making a College Choice / College Philosophy • Be realistic • Choose 5-6 schools that you can live with. One dream school, two or three mid range schools and one safety • Visit the campuses – ask questions. Be an educated consumer • Talk to graduates, current students • Check out the requirements for the major and general education courses

20. Financial Aid/Scholarships • Take a look at the Guidance Web Page under “Scholarships” • Never too early to look for $$ • FAFSA Form – Free Application for Federal Student Aid – for your students – will be based on 2014 Tax Return (can’t be filed until January 1, 2015) • South Carolina Lottery Money

21. Financial Aid Cost of Attendance: Tuition, Room/Board, Fees, Books, Living Expenses Financial Aid = Cost of Attendance - Family Contributions Types of Financial Aid: Need Based vs. Merit “Need Blind” vs. “Need Aware” Need Based Aid: Loans, Grants, Work Gapping: Need minus offer Outside Scholarships

22. Financial Aid example Cost of Attendance $55,000 Est. Family Contribution $10,000 Determined by FAFSA, CSS Profile Financial Aid = $45,000 Questions: What % of $45,000 Loan? Work Study? Grant?

23. Breakdown of Lottery Scholarship Money • Palmetto Scholarship: $6,700 • Criteria • 1. 1400 SAT/ 32 ACT and 4.0 SCUGP • 2. 1200 SAT/ 27 ACT, 3.5 SCUGP and Top 6% (Sophomore or Junior Year) • Life Scholarship: $5,000 • Criteria: • Must meet 2 out of 3 • 1100 SAT / 24 ACT, 3.0 on SCUGP, top 30% of class • Hope Scholarship: $2,800 • Criteria: • 3.0 on SCUGP alone

24. Juniors and Seniors will be split next year between Ms. Gastaldi & Ms. Salley Ms. Gastaldi Last names A-K Ms. Salley Last names L-Z

25. Questions? Thank you for coming! Have a great evening!