College Application Timeline: Important Dates and Information

1. 12th Grade College Information Night SEPTEMBER 27TH, 2011 MR. JOE FRICK MVAFRICK@GMAIL.COM

2. College Application/Admissions Timeline: September • Register for fall SAT, SAT II Subject Tests, and ACTs • Narrow down college list • 1-2 Reach Schools • 6-8 Solid Schools • 1 Safety School • Make sure you have 1-2 teacher recommendations • CUNY Schools: No recommendation needed • CUNY Macaulay Honors: 2 teacher recs; 1 counselor • SUNY: 1-2 teacher recs; 1 counselor • Private Schools: 2 teacher recs; 1 counselor

3. College Application/Admissions Timeline: October • Take SATs/ACTs • Fill out and begin to submit applications for CUNY, SUNY, and private schools • Request appropriate documentation to be sent • College Lock-In for CUNY/SUNY: Friday, October 28th!

4. College Application/Admissions Timeline: November • Take SAT II Subject Tests (especially for students applying to more selective colleges • Submit supplemental applications • Essays/Personal statements • Resumes • Art work and other evidence of student accomplishment • Follow up on documentation • Transcripts • SAT score reports • Teacher/Counselor recommendations

5. College Application/Admissions Timeline: December • Finish up, follow up • Many schools have hard deadlines on Jan. 2nd, Jan. 15th, and Feb. 1 • Ensure that schools have received your documentation • Be Polite, Patient, but be Persistent! • Begin applying for Financial Aid • CSS profile (required for more selective, private schools who give out more financial aid) • Attend Financial Aid workshops (we will have one here!) • Prepare to submit FAFSA (Opens January 1st) • Apply for scholarships!

6. Application Process: CUNY (City University of New York) • http://www.cuny.edu/admissions • $65 application • Application fee is for SIX CUNY schools/programs within schools • Might be your best option, might be a safety net/ultimate fallback—you are strongly encouraged to apply! • $10 to send SAT score reports to CUNY UAPC in Brooklyn  SAT scores to all your CUNY choices • In present economy, CUNY scores can not be very flexible in terms of GPA and SAT scores • Avg. Total Cost: approx. $5,100 per year

7. Application Process: SUNY (State University of New York) • http://www.suny.edu/ • $50 per application • If your fee waiver request is approved, you get 4 free applications • People who feel they qualify for EOP also get 4 free applications • SUNY is the second-largest higher educational institution in the US, with a focus on cooperation, not competition • Transferability—schools have articulation agreements with each other: If you take certain classes in a 2-year SUNY or SUNY Technical College, you can enter automatically to a 4-year SUNY • Use either ApplySUNY or Common App platforms • SUNY schools have some flexibility in terms of GPA, SAT scores, but not as much as private schools • EOP available at both 2-year and 4-year schools • Avg. total cost: approx. $20,000 per year

8. Application Process: Private Colleges and Universities • http://www.commonapp.org • Can also be used for SUNY schools! • $0 - $70 per application, depending on school • Cost per year can be $25,000 - $55,000, but private schools have the most financial aid and scholarship money to give out • Can be more flexible in terms of GPA, SAT scores, and ability to look at a candidate holistically • Examples in New York City: Pace, Fordham, NYU, Mount Saint Mary, St. John’s

9. Documentation: Transcripts • CUNY  via OSIS # in CUNY app • It is VITAL that you input this! If you don’t have your ID at that time, wait! • SUNY  via SOAR (STARS for Binghamton and Stony • Self-report of cumulative GPA and coursework • Private Schools/Out-of-state Public schools  Frick (via the counselor page of Common App)

10. Documentation: SAT/ACT Scores • CUNY  via CollegeBoard or ACT highly recommended • $10 fee • Frick can send if necessary • SUNY  via SOAR, CollegeBoard (required for Binghamton, Stony Brook, and Buffalo) • Frick can send if necessary for confirmation • Private/Other Schools  CollegeBoard (required for many) • Frick can send upon request

11. Documentation: Teacher Recommendations • CUNY  N/A for general applicants; via special portal directly by teachers/counselors for Macaulay Honors applicants • SUNY  via Frick • SUNY (Common App) via teacher’s account • Private/other  via Common App (counselor’s/teachers’ accounts) • Frick can also mail (should make sure he has had afternoon coffee before asking)

12. Fee Waivers • CUNY—very limited (only 15 available), and given out to those in greatest need • SUNY  via SUNY Fee Waiver Request form available online and in Frick’s office • If approved, 4 free SUNY applications • If you apply to SUNY via Common App, speak to Frick separately • Private/other NACAC fee waiver • Submit on Common App; fill out form for Frick to mail in as verification

13. EOP/HEOP/SEEK • Educational Opportunity Programs offer special admissions criteria for students whose economic circumstances may have had a detrimental impact on their academic performance • CUNY  SEEK/College Discovery • You click a button on CUNY app to be considered • SUNY  EOP • Click button on ApplySUNY app to be considered OR call admissions office if you used Common App • Private/Other  HEOP • Procedures vary

14. Scholarships • http://www.fastweb.com • Mr. Frick, the teachers, and the school do their best to forward opportunities, but it’s up to you to be proactive about applying • Generally, deadlines are in the winter time

15. Financial Aid • CSS • FAFSA • Information night in December; FAFSA help in January • There is financial aid out there for everybody, so don’t let costs of college dissuade you from applying! • Give yourself options and see which school seems like the best value for you in the end

16. Deadlines: Don’t Miss One! • November SATs: Friday, October 7th! • December SATs: Friday, November 8th! • Early Decision Deadlines: November 1st/15th • Early Action Deadlines: December 1st • Most Schools Deadline for Regular Decision: January 2nd • CUNY deadline: February 1st! • CSS deadlines: Jan. 15th! • FAFSA deadlines: April 1st/May 1st!