Post Secondary Planning

1. Post Secondary Planning “It is good to have an end to a journey; but it is the journey that matters in the end.” Ursula Le Guin

2. Consider the Options • College • Vocational/Trade School • Employment • Military Careers • www.goarmy.com • www.navyjobs.com • www.af.mil • www.usmc.mil Employment

3. Thinking about College? This is a BIG decision! Where to begin? • College Admission Tests • College Search Process • NAVIANCE • Admission Standards/ Types of Colleges • Components of College App. • Financial Aid

4. Narrowing down… There are THOUSANDS of colleges out there… how do you choose? • College Visits/ Open Houses • College Fairs • College Representatives Criteria to think about: Location (33 schools within 1 hour of UM) Size Academic Majors/Programs Extra-curricular Activities Admission Requirements Cost

5. A Major is a MAJOR Decision • Don’t feel pressured to decide right now • Can wait to declare at the end of sophomore year • Exceptions: Education, Nursing, Pre-Professional Programs • Complete Career Inventories & Surveys • Research majors in areas of academic interests • Remember, change is a part of life • 50% students switch majors and most people switch careers a few times in their lives!

6. Naviance http://connection.naviance.com/umhs Juniors Seniors Transcript Requests College Applications Recommendation letter requests Application tracking – reports colleges applied to and admission decisions • Super Match College Search • Upcoming College Visits • College resources • College maps • Scattergrams • Career interest profiler • Scholarships • Resume

7. College Searching on Naviance • Generate list of colleges by criteria (size, location, cost, major, etc.) • Compare colleges of interest based on academic criteria • Add selected schools to “Colleges I’m Thinking About” list • Find detailed information on each college

8. Scattergrams • A graph of a particular college with actual UM admissions data • GPA and SAT of UM students who were Accepted or Denied • Plots current student based on his/her GPA and SAT scores

9. Scattergram

10. Arriving at a Tentative College List… • 1-3 Target Schools Those where student’s GPA and SAT are on par with most admits. • 1-2 Reach Schools Those where your grades & test scores suggest less of a chance for admission • At least 1 Safety School One where your student’s credentials are a bit better than the average student admitted.

11. What are colleges looking for? It depends on the college…. • Academic Rigor (transcript) • Standardized Test Scores: SAT / ACT • GPA • Class Rank • Extra curricular-activities Remember, it all counts!

12. SAT / ACT • 3 hours, 45 minutes • 10 sections: 3CR, 3M, 3W incl. essay, 1 experimental • Total score 600-2400 based on 3 scores of 200-800 for each subject • 3 hours, 25 minutes • 4 sections: English, Math, Reading, Science, Writing optional • Composite score based upon average of scores from 4 tests 1-36

13. SAT Test Dates and Prep • March 8, 2014 @ UM • May 3, 2014 @ UM • June 7, 2014 • Kaplan SAT practice test 2/1/14 • Catalyst Boot Camp Weekend prior to March test date • Kaplan SAT Prep for May test date

14. SAT Subject Tests • One hour long, content-based tests • 5 subject areas: English, History, Math, Science, Languages • Opportunity to demonstrate knowledge and showcase achievement in specific subject area. • Some colleges require or recommend them • Used as part of admission process or for placement/advisement in course selection.

15. College Athletics • Students who want to play Division I or Division II sports must register with the NCAA Clearinghouse. • Register @ www.ncaaeligibilitycenter.net during your junior year. You finish the process after graduation. • Make contacts with coaches • Complete prospective athlete form for each college of interest.

17. Types of Colleges 2 state systems in PA: • 14 State schools PASSHE (PA State System of Higher Education) Bloomsburg, Kutztown, Shippensburg, etc. Approx. cost: $18,000 annually 2013/14 tuition- $8,758, room & board varies • 4 State supported schools Penn State, Temple, Pitt, Lincoln Approx. cost: tuition, room & board – $26,000 annually

18. Types (con.) • Private Colleges and Universities e.g. Arcadia, Penn, Widener……. Out of State – “State schools” • Need to carefully look at the cost for non-residents • Admission criteria can often be more competitive. • Financial aid may not follow, i.e. state grants

19. Penn State University (University Park) • Highly competitive - 25,772 admitted out of 47,552 applicants (54%) • Average GPA: 92% • SAT Average: 1630 - 1940 (CR,M,Wr) • Approx. Cost: $26,134(tuition/room & board) 4 years of Eng., 3 years of SS, Science, Math & 2 years of Language (MINIMUM) *addtl. reqs. for some programs

20. University of Pennsylvania • Most competitive-3,935 admitted out of 31218 (12%) • GPA average: 96% • SAT average: 2020-2030 (CR/M/W) • Approx. cost: $55,934 (Tuition/Room & Board) • 4 Years of English, Math, Science, SS, Language • (Honors/AP levels

21. West Chester University • Competitive-7,161 admitted out of 14,356 (49%) • SAT average: 1470-1730 (CR/M/W) • GPA average: 90% • Approx. cost: $16,542 • 4 years English, 3-4 Math, 2 SS, 2-3 Science (lab), 2 Foreign Language

22. Internet Resources • www.collegeboard.org (SAT) • http://connection.naviance.com/umhs • www.umtsd.org (Guidance Department) • www.actstudent.org (ACT) • www.fafsa.ed.gov (FAFSA) • www.commonapp.org • www.princetonreview.com • www.kaplan.com • www.PASSHE.edu