PRESENTED BY THE HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELING DEPARTMENT MRS. CARVELL MR. WARD MS. LANDGRABER

1. College Information and Planning for Junior Parents PRESENTEDBY THE HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELING DEPARTMENT MRS. CARVELL MR. WARD MS. LANDGRABER

2. Questions Students Should Ask Themselves • What are my educational goals? • What are my interests? • What are my occupational goals? • Am I ready to go away to college? • Do I enjoy making decisions on my own? • Do I thrive in a competitive or less competitive atmosphere? • What special programs are important to me? • e.g. athletic, music, drama, etc. • Where can my family afford to send me to college?

3. Students Need to Consider the Following • Academic Profile: • GPA • Strength of schedule • ACT /SAT scores • Extra-Curricular Activities: • Clubs • Sports • Jobs • Volunteer work • Community service

4. SAT and/or ACT? • Required by most colleges • College entrance exams

5. 3 hours 45 minutes test time Measures skills learned in and outside the classroom and how well you can apply that knowledge. It tests how you think, solve problems and communicate. 3 Sections Critical Reading Mathematics Writing SAT Reasoning Test

6. Two Test Options ACT (No Writing) ACT (Plus Writing) 3 hours 40 minutes test time Designed to assess the skills typically acquired in courses taken to the beginning of Senior year. 4 Sections English Math Reading Science Writing (Optional) ACT

7. Nervous about taking the ACT/SAT? Here are a few tips: • Preparation Options • Self Prep. • Prep. Books • Online Courses • Software • Classes • Tutoring • Read, read, read

8. Literature Biology Chemistry Physics Math Levels 1 & 2 U.S. History World History French Spanish German Modern Hebrew Latin Italian Chinese Japanese Korean SAT SUBJECT TESTS

9. SAT Dates 2011-2012 www.collegeboard.com January 28, 2012 March 10, 2012 (SAT Reasoning ONLY) Deadline February 10, 2012 May 5, 2012 Deadline April 6, 2012 June 2, 2012 Deadline May 8, 2012 ACT Dates 2011-2012 www.actstudent.org February 11, 2012 Deadline January 13, 2012 April 14, 2012 Deadline March 9, 2012 June 9, 2012 Deadline May 4, 2012 GLEN RIDGE H SSCHOOL CODE/CEEB #310435

10. PROCEDURES FOR CHOOSING A COLLEGE MAKE THE FOLLOWING DECISIONS • Location (NJ or out of state) • Distance from home • Atmosphere (city, rural, etc.) • Size (Large, Medium or Small) • Choice of majors/vocational interest • Coeducational or not • Financial limitation

11. General Information • MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH YOUR COUNSELOR • START WITH A LIST OF BETWEEN 20-25 SCHOOLS • BE SURE TO VISIT COLLEGE CAMPUSES AND • ATTEND OPEN HOUSES • EVENTUALLY TRY TO NARROW YOUR LIST OF SCHOOLS TO 7- 10 • ( 2 reach, 3 target, 2 safe )

12. http://connection.naviance.com/glenridgenj (This website can also be accessed via the Glen Ridge District website. Glen Ridge High School -> Guidance -> Naviance)

13. Naviance and the College Search • College Search-search for schools based on type, location, student body, admissions, athletics, majors, cost and special programs. • College Match- search for college that have accepted students with similar GPA’s and test scores as you. Also, find overlaps to the schools you are interested in. • College Compare- Compare yourself to your prospective colleges based on GPA’s, test scores and acceptance ratios. • Scattergrams-plot yourself on a graph based on the GPA’s and test scores of previous applicants from Glen Ridge. • College Lookup, College Resource, College Maps, Acceptance History

14. Naviance- Other Resources • Careers: Career interest inventories Personality assessments Learning style inventories • About Me (personal information): Develop a game plan Create a Resume Access information from college searches and personality/career assessments

15. Steps Naviance MUST Be Used For(Please refer to the Naviance hand out for further instructions) • Creating a resume/activity sheet • Creating a student brag sheet • Creating a parent brag sheet • Waiving your right (given under FERPA) to read/have access to your counselor and teacher recommendations • Authorizing Glen Ridge HS to release your transcript to all colleges to which you are applying • Verify your Common Application Account • Request your HS Transcripts to be sent to colleges • Determine whether a school requires Electronic Submission or Mailed Submission (for transcripts, school and counselor/teacher recommendations) • Indicate whether using the common application for each application • Request Teacher Recommendations • Track Application Submission Status

16. Campus Visits • Colleges love to have high school students visit • It just takes a phone call to set one up! • Go online to the to the school’s admissions website This is the best way to find out if a school is right for a student!

17. Additional Considerations • Housing • Meal Plans • Medical facilities • Security • Computer accessibility • Student/faculty ratio • College Graduation Requirements

18. HOW TO ORGANIZE THE PROCESS

20. Early Decision vs Early Action

21. College Fairs • New York City National College Fair • Jacob Javitz Convention Center • Sunday, April 22, 2012 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. • New Jersey National College Fair • NJ Convention and Expo Center, Edison, NJ • Wednesday, April 25, 9 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. & 6 :00 p.m.- 9:00 p.m. • Thursday, April 26, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. • Bergen County Director’s of Guidance Fair • Fairleigh Dickinson U – Rothman Center, Hackensack • September, 2012 • GRHS College Fair – October, 2012

22. Significance of Senior Year • Rigor of schedule • Doing well in classes • SAT/ACT • Continue with extra-curricular activities

23. Questions?

24. GOOD LUCK ON YOUR COLLEGE JOURNEY Please Contact Your Child's Counselor Thanks for Coming Mrs. Carvell Mr. Ward Ms. Landgraber