The Gilbert School

1. WELCOME! Class of 2015 Senior Planning Night The Gilbert School • Kim Fiducia Counselor for Grade 12 fiduciak@gilbertschool.org • Julie McDougall, Director of Guidance mcdougallj@gilbertschool.org 860-379-8521

2. What’s Right For you? OPTIONS: Work Military Gap Year Trade School College – 2-Yr Vs. 4-Yr What’s next?Life after TGS

3. Work: Do What You AreDetermine Your Career Interest by completing a career interest survey located on your Naviance Family Connection account. To Loginto Naviance Family Connection: Go to www.gilbertschool.org . Under the “Academics” tab, select “College & Career Counseling”. Click on “Naviance” on the left hand side of the page. NAVIANCE icon will appear in center of page, click and log in*. Once logged into your Family Connections, go to Careers tab, Select DO WHAT YOU ARE to start your career interest survey.*see counselor if you’ve forgotten your login username and password

4. Finding Employment:Websites & Agencies http://www.ctdol.state.ct.us/gendocs/JobSeekers.html www.connecticut.us.jobs/index.asp http://www.kellyservices.com/Global/Home/ http://aeistaffing.com/ www.nam.org www.nextgenmfg.org

5. Military Recruiters visit TGS offer information for students who Approach them. ASVAB test is Given at Gilbert in Spring of each Year. Students must sign up in Guidance. ARMY visit– September 25th Marines visit – September 26th Military

6. Military Web Sites http://www.todaysmilitary.com/ - Military (general)http://www.army.mil/ - Armyhttp://www.navy.mil/ - Navyhttp://www.uscg.mil/USCG.shtm - Coast Guardhttp://www.marines.com/ - Marineshttp://www.af.mil/ - Air Force

7. GAP Year Opportunities& Alternatives…. • National service programs: www.americports.govwww.cityyear.org • Adventure & Travel programs: www.castle-rock.orgwww.outwardbound.org • Internships, apprenticeships, volunteer work, etc: • www.interimprograms.comwww.dynamy.org • Building affordable housing: www.habitat.org • Environmental Conservation (Student Conservation Assoc.): www.thesca.org • Travel & Study Abroad: www.semesteratsea.orgwww.sea.edu

8. Trade Schools • ww.trade-schools.net/locations/connecticut-schools-directory.asp • www.technical-schools-quide.com/connecticut-technical-schools.html • www.technicalschool.org/state/find-technical-schools-and-colleges-in-connecticut • www.u101.com/colleges/Vocational/Connecticut • www.UTI.edu • www.porterchester.com • www.lincolnedu.com • www.itt-tech.edu • www.devry.edu

9. College in Connecticuthttp://www.ct.edu/ 2-Yr (12 in CT) • NCCC Programs http://www.nwcc.edu/courses/programlist.htm • Affordable tuition ($5K) • Commute to college • No SAT required • Associate Degree programs • Transfer opportunity • Certificate Programs 4-Yr • Five state Universities • UCONN www.uconn.edu • Central www.ccsu.edu • Southern www.southernct.edu • Eastern www.easternct.edu • Western www.wcsu.edu

10. 2-yr to 4-yr: NCCC’s Transfer Pathway Programs • Biology • English • Forensic Science • History • Psychology • Teaching • Art Education • Childhood Education • Elementary Education • Secondary Education • College of Technology • Engineering Science • Electric Power Tech • Industrial Technology • Civil, • Mechanical • Manufacturing • Composite • Computer Engineering

11. NCCC High School Partnership Program • Take college classes while still in high school! • Juniors & Seniors with B average or better • Free tuition • Credits can be used to • jump start college education at NCCC • transfer to many 4-yr. schools • Nov. 15th application deadline for Spring semester.

12. Admission Criteria: What 4-yr schools look for: • Academic Achievement Record (Transcript) • Rank in Class • Standardized Test Results (SAT, SAT Subject tests, ACT) • Personal Essay • Letters of Recommendation • Special Activities (school, community, honors, awards, etc.) • Personal Interview (optional)

13. CLEAN UP Your ACT! • News flash! • Colleges and Universities will: • Look at your social media accounts. • Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, etc. • Google your name as a form of ‘risk assessment’ to predict on-campus behavior, especially for students applying for on-campus housing.

14. What does the completed application look like? • Student will send: • Application & Supplement • Application Fee • Essay • Resume • Standardized Test Scores (via College Board or ACT) • Guidance will send: • Letters of Recommendations • Transcript • School Report • School Profile

15. Don’t Be a “Stealth” Applicant! • DO: • Inquire early and often • Email your schools! • Attend College Rep visits at TGS. • Go to Open House events and visit Admissions offices. • Visit a Department or audit a class. • DON’T • Rely on just an application to get in! • Don’t be shy! • Don’t hesitate to email and visit more than once! • Don’t be afraid to ask for an interview. • Don’t miss out on Open House and overnight events!

16. Using Naviance & Family Connection Naviance & Family Connection is your tool for: • College searches • Creating colleges I’m applying to list • Attending college rep visits at Gilbert • Submitting a transcript request from Guidance • Tracking the application process • Scholarship information

17. Naviance & Family Connection • Important Note! Family Connection is required for Gilbert students applying to college. Students must: • Update Prospective & Active Applications • Request Transcripts in Naviance • Update College Responses www.gilbertschool.org Located under the “Academics” tab, under “College and Career Counseling” on the left hand side of the page.

18. Common Application • One application that is accepted by a number of schools • Cuts down on time • Go to website www.commonapp.org • Create an account • Add your colleges • Check to see if supplements are required by your colleges.

19. Decisions, Decisions!Early Decision vs. Early Action • Early Decision: • Early Decision is a commitment; student promises that, if accepted, student will definitely attend that school. • Student can only have one Early Decision application pending. • Upon acceptance, student must withdraw all other applications. • Early Action: • Indicates to school the student’s strong preference. • Students receive decision well in advance of regular response date. • Student not obligated to accept offer of admission.

20. NCAA Clearinghousewww.ncaaclearinghouse.net What is the NCAA Clearinghouse? • Ensures the academic eligibility of student athletes in Division I and Division II. • All Division I & II athletes must go through the Clearinghouse in order to play in college. • Division I: range of eligibility requirements for both core GPA and SAT or ACT scores (combined). • Division II: core GPA must be 2.0+, SAT 820+.

21. Colleges visiting Gilbert 2014 SEPTEMBER • Quinnipiac, CT • U of New Haven, CT • Lasell College, MA • Western New England • Springfield College, MA • U of Rhode Island, RI • UCONN, CT OCTOBER • St. Anselm College, NH • Lesley U, MA • Eastern CT State, CT • Salve Regina U, RI • U of St. Joseph, CT • Mercyhurst U, PA • Western CT State U, CT • American Int’l College, MA • Central CT State U, CT • NCCC, CT • U of Hartford, CT

22. Senior Year Planning Time Table September • Make appointment with counselor to discuss post high school goals. • Register for the SATs and/or SAT subject tests, and/or ACTs. • Attend college Rep visits at Gilbert. • Register at NCAA Clearinghouse for Division I & II Athletics: (www.ncaaclearinghouse.net)

23. Senior Year PlanningTime Table October • Take SATs on Oct. 11th at Gilbert. • Pick Six – finalize list of colleges applying to. • Fill out student & parent questionnaires. • Ask teachers for recommendations. • Attend College Rep visits at Gilbert • Attend college open houses. • Prepare Early applications. • Attend Financial Aid Night at Gilbert on Wednesday, October 29th at 7pm in the library.

24. OCTOBER ATTEND FINANCIAL AID NIGHT at Gilbert Mark your calendar now! • Financial Aid Night at Gilbert on Wednesday, October 29th at 7pm in the library. • Andrea Devereaux, UCONN’s Director of Financial Aid, will cover the do’s & don’ts of paying for college.

25. December January • Send college applications by December 19th. • Meet with counselor to verify supporting materials have been sent. • Register for FAFSA Pin (www.pin.ed.gov). • Complete FAFSA form (www.fafsa.ed.gov). • Send mid-year grades to colleges (if requested). • Continue looking for scholarships. Senior YearPlanning Time Table

26. A note about finding Money… Scholarship Tweets: Interested in finding some scholarship money? $ Barnes and Noble has tons of reference books you can browse. Take a Saturday, get a cup of something yummy, and browse the indexes…choose applications that require an essay – no one wants to do the work for those! $ Take notes, take pictures of those that seem to fit your profile. If, in an afternoon, you find $500 this way, you’ve earned $100/hour! If you want to read tweets about different scholarships to apply for: • @scholarshipsusa Scholarships USA • @scholarshipscom Scholarships.com • @USNewsEducation US News Education • @ScholAmerica Scholarship America  Finding Money

27. Senior Year Planning Time Table November • Send Early Decision or Early Action applications by November 1st or 15th. • Research Scholarships published on Naviance and: (www.fastweb.com) (www.meritaid.com) (www.collegeboard.com) (www.Scholarships.com) (www.ScholarshipMonkey.com) (www.Studentscholarshipsearch.com) • Continue to attend college Rep visits at Gilbert. • Register for NCCC’s High School Partnership Program

28. February March • Research and apply for local scholarships • Applications in Guidance, and • listed on Naviance. • Continue to research and visit colleges to which you have applied. • Remember the importance of 2nd semester grades!! Senior Year Planning Time Table

29. Senior Year Planning Time Table April • Review your college responses and aid offers. • Make final decision on where to attend. • Send deposit by May 1st. • Register for AP exams (if registered for AP courses).

30. May June • Students in AP classes take AP exams. • Let your counselor know where you will be attending. • Send “thank you” notes to those who wrote you letters, etc. • Request your final transcript to be sent to college of your choice. • Register for courses at your college (if possible). • Send “Thank you” notes to those who awarded you scholarships. Senior Year Planning Time Table