Charting the College Application Process

1. Charting the College Application Process A testimony Against Procrastination

2. Applying to College Can Be a 2 Part Process • August- December: College Applications • January-March: Financial Aid • Overview Timeline • Q&A Session

3. So You Want to Go to College • Apply to more than one school • Safety • Reach • Be aware of Application Options • Early Decision-Early decision plans are binding. You get accepted around December. • Early Action-Early action plans are similar to early decision plans, but are not binding. You get accepted around December • Regular Decision- Apply to multiple colleges and then select by May 1st. • Due dates for early action or early decision differ from regular admissions

4. Update for 2011 Applicants Early Action • Harvard • Princeton • Stanford • Yale Early Decision • Penn • Cornell

5. Organization is Important • Establish a list of colleges you plan to apply to • The longer the list, the better your chances • I applied to ten and was accepted to nine • Create a calendar or buy a planner just for college planning • Applications • Research target application due dates (preferred by colleges) • Absolute deadlines • Financial Aid • FAFSA • Possible college equivalent financial form

6. Where to Begin • The earlier you start, the easier the year. • Compile a list of the colleges/programs you are interested in • http://collegesearch.collegeboard.com/search/index.jsp • Make a list of achievements and accolades • Know testing deadlines and the latest you can take an exam for each school • Draft a curriculum vitae or CV (academic résumé) • Include sports, clubs, leadership positions, and volunteer hours

7. My Testing Deadlines • August-September: began apps • October-took ACT (1st time) • November- retook SAT (2nd time) • December- retook ACT (2nd time) • December- SAT II’s Literature Exam • December-submitted all apps • January- SAT (3rd time) • I highly recommend you to take SAT II’s immediately after an AP exam corresponding to that subject

8. The CV: Curriculum Vitae • Definitely an integral part of the application • Makes the Common App easier (section on activities) • Make yourself stand out • Find internships • Law offices • Special Fields • Special programs • Congressional Academy for American History and Civics (US Dept. of Edu.) • Seminar for Tomorrow’s Leaders (Rotary International) • H.O.R. or Senate Page Program • Local Volunteer Work • Quality vs. Quantity

9. The College List-Who makes the Cut? • Applications are EXPENSIVE—choose wisely • Common App/Reach Schools • Brown- $75 • Columbia- $80 • Princeton- $65 • NYU- $70 • Yale- $75 • Safety Schools • Ashland- FREE • FSU- $30 • Rutgers- $65 • Tulane- FREE • UF-$30

10. Other Fees • SAT Scores- 4 free per test, additional $10 per school • Score Choice- choose your best sitting • SAT= $47 • Includes SAT IIs- ($21** may include an extra $10 charge) • Advanced Placement Scores- $15 per college • Sends all scores from school year • ACT Scores- $10 per test date per school • Always take ACT + Writing; many colleges only accept this score • Costs more ($48 instead of $33) • College Transcripts- SFCC is $5 per out-of-state school

11. The Common App • What it is- a streamlined website to make applying easier • Advantages-finish all work and save it to the same location • Expedites payment process • Only way to apply for some schools • Not every school uses the Common App • www.commonapp.org

12. Know Your Chances • Out-of-state schools may be harder to get into • Be aware of admissions rates but don’t be deterred http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2011-admission-decisions-chart/?ref=edlife

13. Working on the Application • Longest part of the process • Take your time • Proofread—get third party opinions • Sell Yourself • Be Original • Consider the reader- young demographic

14. Components of the Common Application • Consists of general application • Future Plans • Applicant Data • Demographics • Family Education • Academics • Activities • Writing- 1 short answer, 150 words or fewer, about an extracurricular and THE PERSOANL ESSAY (250 minimum) • Specific Supplements for each college

15. Components of the Common App • Future Plans- admissions route (early or regular) • Applicant Info-name, address, telephone • *Demographics- You can opt out of this • Family Info-profession, sibling info • Education-input CEEB code (there is a search box) • Academics-rank, AP scores, SAT scores, current year courses • Activities-report extracurricular activities • Writing-essay • Supplement- varies

16. Personal Essay • Trip Gabriel’s article, “The Almighty Essay,” discusses the importance of this essay • “The personal essay, they (admissions counselors) all said, growing soft and fuzzy, is the one element where a student’s own voice can be heard through the fog of quantitative data.” • Essay can be like a tie-breaker

17. How To Write an Effective Personal Essay • Think positively—You can do this! • Discuss something you feel strongly about or an experience that changed you • Vary your writing style and make your topic sound interesting • Be yourself and use your voice • Don’t repeat something already stated in your application • Grab the reader’s attention right away • Sleep with a notebook next to your nightstand—sometimes creativity strikes at the strangest times

18. Personal Essay Topics • The Common App’s questions were the following: • Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you. • Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international concern and its importance to you. • Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence. • Describe a character in fiction, a historical figure, or a creative work (as in art, music, science, etc.) that has had an influence on you, and explain that influence. • A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences adds much to the educational mix. Given your personal background, describe an experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college community, or an encounter that demonstrated the importance of diversity to you. • Topic of your choice.

19. Therefore… • There really are no wrong answers • But there are poorly written essays • The staff of Stevenson University in Maryland was moved by a student’s memories of being a Big Brother, even though he repeatedly spelled it “Big Bother.” Barnard College was puzzled by an applicant who kept referring to her enthusiasm for the “Peace Core.” --The Choice

20. The Good, the Bad, and the Weird(U.V.A. essays) John Lennon’s song ‘Imagine’ was sung by Fox’s new show, ‘Glee.’ In one particular episode, a deaf glee club performed this song. I heard it before when John Lennon sang it: unfortunately I did not care much for it. When I watched this episode while the deaf adolescents were singing it, and soon joined by another glee club, it surprisingly affected me… John Lennon sang it like a professional, but what he did not have was the emotion behind the words. He sang it more staccato than legato. He sang it like it was his job, and nothing more. These singers from Glee sang with powerful emotions. … I strode in front of 400 frenzied eighth graders with my arm slung over my Fender Stratocaster guitar — it actually belonged to my mother — and launched into the first few chords of Nirvana’s ‘Lithium.’ My hair dangled so low over my face that I couldn’t see the crowd in front of me as I shouted ‘yeah, yeah’ in my squeaky teenage voice. I had almost forgotten that less than a year ago I had been a kid whose excitement came from waiting for the next History Channel documentary. It was during the awkward, hormonal summer between seventh and eighth grade when I first heard Nirvana’s ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit.’ The song shocked my senses — until that point my musical cosmos consisted mainly of my father’s Beatles CDs.

21. Supplements • Each school will ask for different components • Some require extended essays (Brown and Princeton) • Some require short answers (NYU, Columbia, Yale) • Spend an equal amount of time on supplements as on the personal essay • Research the school thoroughly if the question calls for it

22. Additional Requirements • Send OFFICIAL (sealed) transcripts to each school • Provide Mrs. Carlisle with enough time and correct undergraduate office addresses • Counselor must fill out Secondary, Midyear, and Final Report on class ranking, etc. • Forms available at commonapp.org • Two letters of Recommendation from teachers, 1 from Counselor • Choose teachers who know you and can write an excellent letter about your awesome traits

23. When the Application is Complete… • You are halfway there. • Submit apps before winter break • Create domains on school websites to track your application and documentation received • Call undergraduate offices if necessary; it’s their job to help you • Make copies of all receipts and of your Applications • Keep all correspondence with schools • Take a short break because…

24. Financial Aid is A Bear • Two types: need-based and merit based • Need-based • under $60,000 household= full ride • Everyone else usually has to contribute something • Merit based • Academic standing • National Merit Scholar-PSAT results • If you need to apply for financial aid, have your parents file their taxes AS SOON AS THEY CAN • FAFSA operates on first come, first serve as it is federal student aid • You may not qualify for anything but loans—this happened to me • Research qualifications for Pell grants • Out-of-State schools may still be in reach! • The Ivies, especially, have their own system of awarding financial aid

25. Supplemental Financial Aid Forms • CSS Profile • Collegeboard application • At least 100 very personal questions, if not more • “Enter the total amount you expect to receive from your relatives and all other sources.” • Be careful of the information you disclose—the more money colleges think you have, the less they give • Underestimate rather than overestimate • Know when the CSS is due for each school • I was late on Princeton’s and Brown’s (Feb. 1) • Yale and Columbia were due March 1 • You pay to send the CSS profile ($9 application fee + $16 per school) • https://profileonline.collegeboard.com/prf/index.jsp

26. Tuition Rates • Ivies- flat tuition rate (only need-based awards offered) • Ivies are expensive • Princeton is the least expensive ($49,069 per year) • Columbia is the most expensive ($56,684 per year) • State schools and some private universities have lower rates for residents • Estimating family contribution: • Financial aid calculators available on school websites • https://sweb2.princeton.edu/cgi-bin/FinAid/finaid_form.pl

27. I Paid How Much?!? • If paying for apps, testing, and other fees is a concern, the Sebring High guidance office can assist with fee waivers to those who qualify. • “Fee waivers are not available through the College Board.” --http://sat.collegeboard.com/register/sat-fee-waivers

28. My Pre-College “Investment” $975

29. Some Colleges have their own Financial Aid Forms • Princeton’s PFAA is a separate form • Gave me full tuition while FAFSA gave me nothing

30. Be Proactive • Look for scholarships on your own • www.fastweb.com • www.questbridge.org (need-based) • http://www.whitepicketcollege.com/tag/college-scholarships/ **Non-need based • www.scholarships.com **

31. Helpful Sites and Links • The Times education blog “The Choice” provides insight into the entire process and has interviews with students in the process of applying ** • http://www.admissionsadvice.com/ • Common App’s FAQ section • Collegeboard.com • Act.org • www.collegeconfidential.com ** • Helpful discussion boards on almost every college topic

32. Talking About College is the Easy Part • Senior year was my most stressful year • Choosing a college is one of the single most important decisions in your life • Easy to lose sight of goal • Incredible amounts of stress require allocated breaks • Remember that after Mid-March, everything else is cake

33. The Ideal Junior Timeline: College Applications • Sophomore Fall- PSAT • Summer-Visit Prospective Colleges • Junior Fall- PSAT (NMSQT) • August: • Begin Common App • Work on CV (academic résumé) • Find clubs and activities • September: • Practice for SAT • Refine College List • Research College Requirements/Deadlines • Consider Letters of Recommendation • Take ACT+Writing • October: • Take SAT (10.01) or SAT II • PSAT (10.12) • Continue Common App • November: • Refine Essays • Ask for Letters of Rec. • Research scholarships • December: • Request transcripts • Send app • Prep for interviews • Continue with scholarship search • Organize for FAFSA/CSS • Take ACT/SAT for the last time the college allows

34. The Ideal Timeline Cont.: Financial Aid • January: • Submit FAFSA • Submit CSS • Continue Scholarship search • February: • CSS due for some colleges • Scholarships • March: • Decisions • School Visits • May: • Choose a college by 05.01

35. REMEMBER! • Admissions officers are basing their selection on 9-11th grade progress. • Only the first semester of the senior year is sent before decisions. • Shine early on; don’t try to have a “miracle comeback” • If offered, do an interview!

36. In Case of Emergency or Just to Say, “Hello.” sbeiner23@gmail.com