College Planning - An Overview

1. College Planning - An Overview Presented by GVHS Counselors: Ms. Meridith Bebee Ms. Anna Saracino

2. 11th Grade Milestones • Fall/Spring • Register Online for College Entrance Exams (SAT/ACT/SAT Subject Tests) • Familiarize Yourself with Naviance and College Websites • Search for Colleges & Research GOOD FIT Schools • Develop Preliminary List of Schools • Build Your Resume • Visit Colleges (Great time- Spring Break!) • Attend College Fairs (Main Line College Fair at Villanova- May 21, 2020) • Carefully Select Senior Year Courses • Request Letters of Recommendation from Teachers (spring- after spring break) • DI/DII Potential Athletes- Register with NCAA Clearinghouse

3. Summer Between Junior & Senior Year • Spring/Summer • Investigate/Enroll in summer programs (late winter/early spring) Review list of summer programs in NAVIANCE under “colleges tab – research colleges – enrichment programs” • Finalize list of colleges/ universities (6-10) • Summer/Fall • Locate and complete applications online at the individual college admissions website or on Common Application (www.commonapp.org) or on Coalition Application (www.mycoalition.org) • Look at essay topic requirements and work on essays (April-Aug 2020) • Begin working on school-specific applications (after August 1, 2020) • Prepare for any additional standardized tests and sign up online

4. 12th Grade Milestones Fall • Attend Senior Student & Parent Night (early September) • Meet with your Counselor for your Senior Meeting • Scheduled by the counseling office 2nd week of September thru mid-October • Request that your school packet and transcript be sent to each college where you will apply online thru a link in NAVIANCE • School Packet includes Transcript, Secondary School Report (data sheet), Counselor Letter of Rec, School Profile, Teacher(s) Letters of Rec • Must be requested 15 school-daysbefore materials need to be at college

5. 12th Grade Milestones Continued Fall • Follow up with teachers writing on your behalf by using the teacher letter of recommendation follow up form (in counseling office and on Naviance) • Take any additional SAT/ACT/SAT Subject tests (summer thru October) • Send test scores to each college where you will apply • www.collegeboard.org, www.actstudent.org • Submit applications well before deadline date (by end of October for Rolling Admission deadlines). A few southern state school have 10/15 deadlines if you would like to be considered for scholarship money • Early Decision, Early Action, Regular Decision, Rolling, Priority

6. Important Factors in Admission Decision High School Transcript (Academic Record)!!! • Grades and Rigor are the most important factors • Senior year courses should reflect ability and interests • Senior year grades are shared with colleges in the Mid-Year report Standardized Test Scores (SAT/ACT/SAT Subject Tests) • Review requirements on Naviance or on school’s webpage YOU- Who Are You As a Person!? • Essay(s), Interviews (if required/recommended), Letters of Rec, Resume Application • Completed and submitted online

7. Taking Entrance Exams (SAT/ACT/SAT Subject Tests) • When? • Recommended first test dates - SAT March ACT - Feb or April • Refer to NAVIANCE or test websites for full list of test dates and locations • Recommended to take SAT and/or ACT twice in the spring of junior year • Register for exams online • SAT & Subject Test Registration: www.collegeboard.org • ACT Registration: www.actstudent.org • Does my school require Subject Tests? • View link to determine the answer: http://www.compassprep.com/subject-test-requirements-and-recommendations/ • Some Schools do NOT require test scores • Test optional schools: http://www.fairtest.org/university/optional

8. The College Search • Goal – Develop Preliminary List of Schools This Year • Identify Good Fit Characteristics • size, location, major, activities, strength of program, learning env., etc. • Use College Search Sites to Narrow List • CollegeBoard, Naviance, Petersons, Niche, Princeton Review, etc. • VISIT Colleges (small, big, city, rural, etc.) • Attend College Fairs • Selection Process (foundational, target, reach) • Narrow List! (subjective and objective research)

9. VISIT COLLEGES • Visits Will be Approved as an Excused Absence Junior/ Senior Year • Must use an educational travel form- get from the attendance office • Great time to visit- SPRING BREAK! • See school when students are on campus- ask questions~ • Sign up for a tour with the admissions office by calling the school in advance or some schools offer online registration. • Bring a Notebook! • Jot down your likes and dislikes as SOON as you leave campus • Your impressions of a school are important and will help you to determine good fit and factors of importance. Your notes may help in making a decision about where to apply and enroll

10. Build Your Resume • Include activities, jobs and volunteer hours that you have been involved with since the beginning of 9th grade • Use appropriate grammar (you are not texting!!!) • Take on leadership roles and stay involved • Consider a summer program that is related to your career goals or that is on a college campus of interest • Example resumes available in NAVIANCE • Resume tab available to document experiences in NAVIANCE

11. Letters of Recommendation • Ask 2 teachers to write you a letter of recommendation • When to ask!? Right after Spring Break ! • Use “GVHS Request for Letter of Recommendation” form • Ask Major Subject Teachers • Math, English, Science, Social Studies, World Language • Consider the major you might pursue in college • Follow up with recommenders during the first 2-weeks of senior year • Use “Recommendation Letter Follow-Up” form! • All forms are available in the counseling office or they may be printed from Naviance (in the document library, junior or senior folder) • Remember to say “THANK YOU” to your recommenders after receiving your college decisions spring of senior year!

12. Potential DI/DII Athletes • REGISTER with NCAA by the end of junior year at: • https://web3.ncaa.org/ecwr3/ • Request that your transcript be sent to NCAA at the end of junior year & after graduation using the GVHS Records Request/Release Form - Available in the Counseling office and in Naviance in the “document library – junior folder” • Review NCAA core-course requirements to ensure you are on track to meet academic NCAA requirements • Send your test scores (SAT &/or ACT) to the NCAA • Enter the code 9999each time you register to take the exam

13. Acceptances and Decisions • When!? • Rolling Schools- response within 2-3 weeks or more • Early Action/ Early Decision- response before winter break usually • Regular Decision- response before April 1st • How • Most schools post application decisions online • Many schools mail a decision in the mail • National Decision Day! • Students must commit to a school no later than May 1stof senior year • Some colleges do not guarantee housing if you wait until 5/1 • Consider your financial aid package with decisions (next slide)

14. Financial Aid • FAFSA • Free Application for Federal Student Aid • Apply for a FSA ID in September of senior year or earlier • Complete FASFA as soon as possible after October 1stof senior year • Complete online: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/ • CSS Profile • Required by many private colleges and universities to determine your eligibility for non-government financial aid, such as the institution's own grants, loans and scholarships • Can be completed in the fallof senior year (check college specific deadlines) • Completed online: https://profileonline.collegeboard.org/prf/index.jsp • Local Scholarships • Early spring of senior year • Review Scholarship Links in Naviance

15. Questions