College Fair! November 8, 9-12 November 9, 12-4 Seattle Convention Center

1. College Fair!November 8, 9-12November 9, 12-4Seattle Convention Center

2. Smith College Tea Maureen Pine, Assistant Director of Admission for Smith College, will be in our area Oct 20-22 and again Nov 7-9 for the National College Fair.  We expect to hold our annual prospective students' party around the dates of the fair. If any of your students would like an invitation to the party, or would like to meet with Maureen for an interview while she is here, please let them know to contact me via email, seattlesmithadmissions@gmail.com.

3. Will your child be a “Stealth” applicant to college? Will your child be an “OA?”

4. Scholarship Program for High-Achieving Students Looking for Rural Applicants A scholarship program targeting gifted rural youth is having a tough time finding 40 qualified students for its summer program. The Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth plans to serve 120 low-income seventh- through ninth graders over the three-year scholarship program, Rural Connections. Gifted rural students who qualify will attend a three-week residential Center for Talented Youth program at one of two dozen sites across the country.

5. Are there Colleges Looking for your child? Probably so! And they may have some significant dollars for you!

6. Why am I here? • My friend told me this was the right college for me? • I wanted to be a “Leopard/Artichoke/Geoduck/Banana Slug?” • My parents graduated from here? • I need to go to college! • I don’t know!

8. Question? • Write down on a piece of paper the name of a college/university that isn’t an Ivy League school OR has a geographical reference in its name.

9. Could this be why so many don’t finish college? Inadequate research?

10. True of False? • You will graduate from UW or WSU in four years. • It costs more to go to an out of state college. • Washington has one of the highest acceptance rates at out of state colleges. • Most Freshman classes at UW and WSU are taught by professors. • Ivy League schools do not charge tuition.

11. Are there Colleges Looking for you? Probably so! And they may have some significant dollars for you!

12. They are not looking here!

13. :

14. Do you know? In as few as 2 years, or maybe even less, Persons you may, or may not know, (your choice) will be making decisions that will: • 1. Have serious financial impacts on you? • 2. May have dramatic impacts upon your child’s future? • 3. "We all spend way too much time on Facebook. Surely you can spend 10-15 minutes a week," Lambert says to students who say they are too busy with schoolwork or other activities.“ (Seattle Times 5/20/12) It’s your choice!

15. Do you know? • Approximately half the significant scholarship money at competitive colleges is awarded to kids that have been in the college’s recruiting data base before the beginning of the 10th grade!

17. Who’s responsible? • Louisiana State Superintendent John White has been applauded for visiting with teachers across the state who are concerned over Governor Bobby Jindal’s education reforms. As White answered questions a familiar theme arose: teachers felt that they were being made scapegoats for poor student performance when parents should also be held accountable. Indeed, a recent study from Denmark suggested that parental influence on test resultswas five times that of teachers.

18. The United States is: • 21st in the Western World in 15 year old’s scholastic achievement • If Asian students were added we would be below 25th! • Microsoft hires 99% of its employees from out of the State of Washington because:

19. Washington State is: • 42nd in the nation in high school completion • Tied for 48th in high school graduates that meet the entrance requirements for 4 year colleges • 46th in the nation in students who enter college. • 50th in the nation in 3rd year college students • 38th in College Graduation rates • Approximately 16% of 9th graders will graduate from college in 10 years.

20. Seattle TimesSeptember 23, 201279,308 High School Seniors62,810 (Graduate?) • 20,774 to Community Colleges • 14,650 intend to get a 4 year degree • 4,540 Transfer to a 4 year college • 24,169 to 4 Year Colleges • 12,290 Graduate from College within 6 years

21. According to UWOut of 100 entering the 9th Grade: • 31 will not graduate from high school • 34 will not enroll in college after graduation • 10 who enroll will not come back for the 2nd year • 7 will not graduate from college within 3 years at two year colleges or 6 years at a 4 year college

22. “We have an educational system here that is not preparing our kids for those jobs” • Ed Lazowska, Gates Chair at UW • “Compared with the 10 states that have technology economies most like ours, we have the leakiest pipeline from ninth grade to graduation from either a two-year or four-college. Of 100 students who enter ninth grade in Washington, only 18 will get a four-year college degree within six years of high-school graduation.” • “That is far the worst of any tech state and among the worst for the whole country,” • Seattle Times 2/7/13

23. Washington Learns(Governor’s Commission on Education) • “Public education officials are producing a generation of students less educated than their parents!”

24. Seattle University There are more students attending Seattle University from out of state than from Washington. Academic qualifications from out of state students exceed in state students at Seattle U. AND at UW!

25. UW’s opinion of Local High Schools (update) GPA of Freshmen at UW 25% 50% 75% 3.08 3.21 3.33 Decatur 2.99 Federal Way 2.82 T Jefferson 3.02 T Beamer 2.83 Burlington High School 3.35

26. 51 Burlington • 50th Nevada • 49th New Mexico • Kent • Federal Way • 48th South Carolina • 47th Mississippi • 42nd Washington • 1st New Jersey Education WeekHigh School Graduation Rates

27. The former President of the University of Washington says: • “We lead the country in science and engineering jobs, but we are one of the states at the bottom in production of science and engineers.” • “The sons and daughters of Washington will be washing the cars for the people who come here for the best jobs.” • “Car Wash Tech?”

28. What’s Washington Like? • We're an importing state," Jim Gaudino, president of Central Washington University, said recently. He was talking about how Washington does not turn out a pool of qualified applicants adequate to its brain-driven economy. He talked about a tongue-in-cheek slogan to attract talent: •  "Come to Washington. We'll give you a job. We'll provide people who will mow your lawn."

29. What can we do to “help” these colleges? “Better Colleges Failing to Lure Talented Poor” New York Times 3/17/13 “Most low-income students who have top test scores and grades do not even apply to the nation’s best colleges, according to a new analysis of every high school student who took the SAT in a recent year. “

30. Bowdoin College? “A lot of low-income and middle-income students have the inclination to stay local, at known colleges, which is understandable when you think about it,” said George Moran, a guidance counselor at Central Magnet High School in Bridgeport, Conn. “They didn’t have any other examples, any models — who’s ever heard of Bowdoin College?” http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/17/education/scholarly-poor-often-overlook-better-colleges.html?hpw&_r=1&

31. The Good News! • It is very hard to find qualified high school graduates from the Northwest to fill the recruiting quotas that many fine colleges have for the Northwest. • “Recruiting in the Northwest is a trip to the desert” College recruiter

32. This could be better! Only 10.7% of your 2007 class students have graduated from a 2 year college. Only 22.1% of your 2007 class students have graduated from a 4 year college.

33. We need more of this! College Counseling Chats: This year we will host a series of gatherings to discuss the latest topics in college admission and to answer questions that are looming on parents’ minds about this increasingly complicated process. Once a month, parents of all grade levels are welcome to join us in the new Seminar Room on the main floor of the Gateway building for fellowship and conversation. We will make an effort to hold these meetings at different times of the day to account for different family schedules. This first will be a brown bag lunch at 12:00 p.m. on Monday, September 26. We will be joined by Beverly Morse, a long time admission professional at Kenyon College in Ohio.

34. A college recruiter: “We are considering no longer visiting high schools in Washington, as most of the students coming to our presentations are simply trying to get out of class.” ~College Recruiter

35. The bad news Many high school students, with some support from their parents, believe in Larry the Cable Guy’s motto. “Hard work pays off in the future, laziness pays off now!” Not in college admissions!

36. Private Schools cost more! • The average indebtedness of a Whitman College graduate is almost exactly the same as that of a University of Washington graduate! • Whitman’s class size is 24 • UW freshman classes are up to 600 • Whitman guarantees graduation in four years. • The average for UW is 5.5 years

37. Robertson Davies “Education is hard work, not play, and its rewards, are a seriously informed, wide ranging attitude towards real life, and the beginning of a great adventure.”

38. “Getting your child a quality education is not a spectator sport in the State of Washington!” It’s up to YOU! Charlie Hoff

39. “Some people drink from the fountain of knowledge, others just gargle” • Robert Anthony

40. One in Three! PAY FULL FARE! How much do you want to pay? New York Times 1/15/11

41. Barron’s, April 15, 2012 “As a result, students graduating from elite schools like Princeton, Yale and Williams College are able to graduate with total debt under $ 10,000, making them among the lowest-debt colleges in the country.” Posted Tuition and Board: Princeton $ 47,000/yr Yale 45,000 Williams 45,140

42. News Flash! Harvard has a program that if you make less than $180,000/yr the cost of attending Harvard will be 10% of your income!

43. Tiger Mom’s Rules“You may not:” • attend a sleepover • have a playdate • be in a school play • complain about not being in a school play • watch TV or play computer games • choose your own extracurricular activities • get any grade less than an A • not be the No. 1 student in every subject except gym and drama • play any instrument other than the piano or violin • not play the piano or violin.

44. What kids don’t understand • Adults have all of the cookies! • Adults can either give, or not give you cookies. • Your friends don’t have any cookies! • The early bird gets the worm, and birds like the taste of worms!

45. How do you become a desirable candidate for these opportunities? • You pick the right course of study • You make sure that colleges know that you exist, consistently, persistently, and insistently. • Check this website: http://www.nacacnet.org/research/PublicationsResources/Marketplace/Documents/SoCA2010.pdf

46. How to build a College List Bigfuture.org/college-search College Board’s approach

47. What are the right courses of study? • International Baccalaureate Program • Cambridge Program • 5 Advanced Placement exams with scores of 4 or better • If your school district does not offer either IB or Cambridge are you asking your school board members why?

48. What will probably not impress a college admissions officer • “Honors Courses” • “College Prep Courses” • Running Start Courses • Any other un-documentable courses such as these posted in a local high school. • "Advanced Marketing", "AdvancedAccounting", "Advanced Drama" and my personal favorite, "AdvancedWeight Lifting".  

49. Steps to take to get started • Take the next PSAT exam, no matter what grade you are in! This exam is only given once a year, October, so get your request in as soon as possible!

50. Identify 20 colleges in “Barron’s Profiles of American Colleges” that: • Are “Most, Highly, or Very Competitive” • Offer a major that you might be interested in taking • Have yields of less than 50% from their admissions process • Have evidence of geographic diversity • Have evidence of substantial ability to offer financial aid. Probably private colleges.