Applying to College: Junior and Senior Year

1. Applying to College: Junior and Senior Year Revised 8/2013

2. College Process Timeline

3. Agenda

4. Application: Parts • Personal Information • Name, Address, etc. • Transcript • Official or Copy • Letter of Recommendation • Standardized test scores • Financial Aid Information • Resume of Activities • Essay • Short Answer Questions

5. Application: Letters of Recommendation DOs • Ask someone who knows you well and can write about your academics, community service, in-school involvement, leadership, and personal growth. • Consider how long the person has known you and in what capacity. • Ask at least one month before the application is due. • Choose a responsible recommender • Give the writer your essay and student activities list. Let them know if you want something highlighted • Get one academic and one character recommendation. • Send a thank you card. DON’Ts • Don’t ask a family member or your friends for a recommendation. • Don’t put a teacher in an awkward position. • Don’t ask someone who does not know you well. • Don’t ask someone to write you a letter at the last minute! • Don’t assume that your recommender knows every detail about you. • Don’t forget to provide everything your recommender needs (address, stamped envelope, recommendation forms) • Don’t forget to send a thank you card!

6. Application: Resume of Activities • Describe the impact the activity has had on you. • Leadership, commitment, service, passion • Clubs • Sports • Jobs • Student Government • Family Obligations • Community Service • Church Involvement • Arts and Music

7. Application: Essay Prompts Participate in Writing College Application Essays workshop • Why do you feel that XYZ University is a good match with your educational goals? • Discuss how your family’s experience or cultural history enriched you or presented you with opportunities or challenges in pursuing your educational goals. • Tell us a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped to shape it.

8. Application: The Common App

9. Application: House Bill 1079 • Undocumented students have “resident” tuition status • This does not affect your citizenship status • Include an affidavit in your college applications

10. Application: House Bill 1079

11. Application: House Bill 1079 • Put zeroes in the space for social security number, or leave the section blank. • List the U.S. as your permanent country of residence. • Write “HB 1079” in the “other” section for immigration status and/or current/expected visa section.

12. Agenda

13. What Admissions Officers Look For

14. Agenda

15. Junior Year: Fall • Keep your grades up! • Take the PSAT • Explore careers • Evaluate your college options • Make a college list • Gather information about colleges • Create a testing plan

16. Junior Year: College Options Graduate Degrees Master (MS, MA, MBA, MPA, MEd, etc) Undergraduate Degrees Doctorate (PhD) Vocational, technical, or trade certificate Associate (AA, AS, ABA, etc.) Bachelor (BS, BA, BFA, etc) Professional (JD, etc)

17. Junior Year: College Options All Degree Types All Fields of Study

18. Junior Year: College Preparation Tests

19. Junior Year: Winter Attend a College Goal Sunday event. Collegegoalsunday.wa.org • Keep up your extracurricular activities • Organize your college information • Begin narrowing down your college choices • Prepare and register for standardized tests • Talk to your family • Learn about financial aid

20. Junior Year: Finding the Right Fit • Size • Location • Type of College • Programs of Study • Student Services • Student Life • Personal Values

21. Junior Year: Spring • Prepare your senior year schedule. Push yourself! • Search for scholarships • Take AP exams • Contact recommendation writers • Apply for a summer job or internship • If possible, set up appointments for college visits

22. Junior Year: Summer • Visit colleges • Connect with college students • Organize your financial aid information • Start applying for scholarships

23. Agenda

24. September: Reach, Target, and Safety Reach • Academically challenging – you may not quite fit the college’s academic profile • Selective admissions • Potentially high cost of attendance Target • You are likely to be admitted based on your academic profile • You would be happy attending that college • Would not be financially overwhelming to attend Safety • Schools where you are almost certain to be admitted • You would be happy and get a good education there • Affordable with reasonable effort

25. September: Reach, Target, and Safety SAT GPA Jane Doe John Doe 3.8 GPA 1400 SAT 3.3 GPA 1200 SAT Red = Central Yellow = Berkeley

26. September • Revisit which colleges are the “right fit” for you • Make your reach/target/safety list • Identify and contact references for your letters of recommendation • Create a calendar of application deadlines • Plan on applying to 3-6 colleges

27. October • Draft your admission essays • Talk with your English teacher and/or college counselor about your essays • Order official high school transcripts • Take SAT/ACT and have your scores sent to the colleges

28. November • Make finishing touches to your application essays • Attend college visits at your school • Attend a college application completion event in your area • Attend a NACAC national college fair • Portland: November 1-2 • Spokane: November 5 • Seattle: November 8-9

29. December Participate in FAFSA 101: Understanding and Filing the FAFSA workshop • Early admission application deadlines • Attend a financial aid workshop at your high school • Some regular decision application deadlines

30. January and February Attend a College Goal Sunday event. Collegegoalsunday.wa.org • Complete the FAFSA • Attend a College Goal Sunday event • Continue applying to colleges and scholarships • Keep your grades up!

31. March and April Participate in Understanding & Comparing Financial Aid Packages workshop • March: Update the FAFSA with tax information and corrections • Review acceptance letters and financial aid awards • Make your choice! • Send required deposits and housing decisions

32. May and June • May 1: National Candidates Reply Date • Send thank you letters to teachers, counselors, and references who helped • Request for your final transcript to be sent to the college you plan on attending • Finalize housing, deposits, orientation and classes • Enjoy graduation!

33. Agenda

34. Resources: Fee Waivers • NACAC: http://www.nacacnet.org/studentinfo/feewaiver/Pages/default.aspx • College Board: www.collegeboard.org • College Counselor

35. Resources • College Counselors • College Websites • College Cost Navigator • http://collegecost.ed.gov/ • Big Future • https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/college-search • Books with college information • Current college students • Usafunds.webex.com – online workshops

36. Resources: College Process Timeline

37. Other Workshops Participate in our other workshops! Writing College Application Essays FAFSA 101: Understanding & Filing the FAFSA Scholarship Strategies Paying for College All can be found at usafunds.webex.com