Junior Night Class of 2012

1. Junior NightClass of 2012 A Jump-Start on Senior Year & What You Should Know about College Ms. Carter Mrs. Cooper YHS Guidance Office

2. For Tonight • Senior Year Priorities • Planning for College • Picking a College • What colleges ask for • The SAT and ACT • Paying for College • What Happens When? • The FAFSA • What Juniors Can do NOW • NCAA • More Help and Useful Tools • Close with Questions

3. College?

4. Senior Year Priorities • Turning in your Senior Brag Sheet, which will be available next fall • Taking the ACT and/or SAT • Keep on track with Senior Year Calendar • Keeping up your grades • Writing your college essays • Getting letters of recommendation • Applying on-time or “early decision” to colleges • Seeking out financial aid options • Complete the free FederalApplication for Student Aid (FAFSA) and submit it between January 1 and March 10

5. Where Can I Find Info on Colleges? Check out the links on the YHS Guidance website • Attend College Fairs • Take College Visit Days • Senior Year -2 days allowed for college visits • Athletes can take up to 5 college visit days thanks to NCAA! • Attend College Representative Visits to YHS • Visit College websites • Call or email colleges and ask for: • brochures and application materials • dates of their Preview Days

6. Picking a School • How many should I apply to? • An individual decision How to Pick Reach Likely Safety

7. Things to Consider • Large vs. Small • Public vs. Private • Location • Cost • Major • Visit www.collegeboard.com and My College Quickstart, Naviance • Campus Visit!!

8. Campus Visits • Contact admission office well in advance • Inform college of special areas of interest • Learn as much as possible about the college before the visit • Prepare a brief resume of information about yourself • Plan to spend a whole day. Try to sit in on a class, tour the library, talk to students in addition to the tour guide, and read the school newspaper • Write a note of appreciation to individuals who helped you during your visit • If possible, take time to visit schools of interest during summer break

9. Applying to Schools • What do colleges ask for? • Counselor form, transcript, school profile • Application • Application Fee (varies) • Essay • Letters of Recommendation • SAT/ACT Scores • When should I apply? • Normal versus Early Decision Deadlines • These depends on each individual school • Keep track of deadlines and have application materials ready well in advance

10. Applications • Early Decision • ED to only ONE institution • Apply and hear back early • If admitted, withdraw all other applications • Committed to enroll at ED college • Early Action • Can apply to multiple institutions EA • Apply early, hear back early • No commitment • Rolling Admission • Admission review is continuous • Hear back usually within 2-6 weeks • No commitment

11. Applications continued • Common Application • One application for multiple colleges (those who participate) • On-line Applications • Read all instructions • Copy everything & print if you can • Spell and grammar check • Press send!

12. Letters of Recommendation • Its okay to ask “Can you write me a strong letter?” • Ask current, junior year, academic teacher(s) • Give teachers plenty of notice • Three weeks MINIMUM before you plan on submitting the application • Supply the teacher with a school addressed envelope (stamped) and a copy of your brag sheet • Follow up with a “thank you” note to the teacher

13. Essays • Usually required piece of application for private colleges and highly selective public universities. • However, you can mail them in with your other application materials to schools that don’t require essays • Make them personal for each school! • However, it may be beneficial to write a general essay over the summer and then fill in the personal information as you apply • Know who will be reading your essay • Have someone read prior to submission • Spell and grammar check

14. Application Calendar • Jr.: Spring semester, 2011: Take SAT and ACT • Jr.: Now – September: Make campus visits • Sr.: September- November: Apply to colleges • Sr.: September – register on www.fastweb.com • Sr.: January, 2011: Complete FAFSA • Sr.: May 1, 2011: Respond to admission offer(s)

15. SAT & ACT • Tests that are required by most colleges –gives them an idea of how you might perform academically • Check with schools to see which test they require (SAT usually works) • Best to register online to immediately reserve seat • There is a fee each time you take the test • Must be sent from the testing company to the college • Make sure you have taken test WELL BEFORE school deadline • Scores take several weeks to get results/be sent out • May want to give yourself time to retake test if unhappy with scores

16. SAT & ACT

17. SAT • Most colleges require the SAT Reasoning Test unless it is stated on the application that they want you to take an SAT Subject Test • Tests critical reading, math, and writing skills Some Upcoming Dates –More will be posted soon SAT Test Date Registration Deadline Deadline w/ late fees May 7 April 8 April 22 June 4 May 6 May 20 YHS School code: 153890

18. ACT • Assesses English, math, reading, and science ability • Optional writing exam –check with school Some Upcoming Dates –More will be posted soon ACT Test Date Registration Deadline Deadline w/ late fees April 9 March 5 March 6-18 June 11 May 6 May 7-20 YHS School code: 153890

19. Preparation for the ACT/SAT • Study! • See the YHS Guidance Website for links • The Compass in Muncie ($) • www.number2.com (free) • Use PSAT scores – My College Quickstart and Skills Insight (free) • Publications, on-line and CD-Rom go to www.act.org ($) and www.collegeboard.com ($) • Kaplan: www.kaplan.com ($$) Indianapolis Kaplan Center: James.Litton@kaplan.com or 571-1009 (free) • The Princeton Review: • www.review.com ($$) www.petersons.com ($$) • www.maxthetest.com ($) • www.collegepilot.com ($) • Indiana On-line Academy: The Princeton Review www.indianaonlineacademy.org ($$)

20. Paying for College

21. 3 Ways to Fund College • Loans • Government (subsidized and unsubsidized) • Fill out FAFSA to determine eligibility • Private • Grants • Fill out FAFSA to determine eligibility • Scholarships • Counseling Office will have a listing • Visit the YHS Guidance Website FAFSA

22. The FAFSA • MUST compete to be considered for almost every type of aid • Asks for tax information from student and parents –do taxes ASAP • Federal deadline to file FAFSA is usually in March but some schools will have EARLIER deadlines! • Easiest to apply online (Can apply for PIN starting December 1st but can’t submit until Jan 1) • Submit as close to January 1 as possible • Opportunities for free FAFSA help • After you do the FAFSA, a Student Aid Report (SAR) mailed/emailed to you February –April • Review carefully and follow any instructions

23. Scholarships • Applying • Can ask for very little to a lot! • Deadlines are absolute • Range in award amount–greater chance of winning smaller amounts (less competitive) • How do I know when they apply to me? • Look at requirements on the application • When should I start looking? • Usually start around August –more and more as year goes on • Where can I find them? • YHS Guidance Office & YHS Guidance Website, scholarship websites, churches, businesses, family employers • Warning: SSN & pay-based search sites

24. 21st Century Scholars & Free/ Reduced Lunch • SAT/ACT fee waivers • Allowed up to 2 per year • Your counselors can give you the necessary forms • Up to 4 college application fee waivers

25. What Happens When? Senior Year Checklist

26. First Semester • Visit colleges and attend college representative visits • Apply for as many scholarships as you can • Take SAT or ACT if you haven’t already • Narrow down list of schools you are applying to

27. First Semester continued • Make list of colleges, application materials, deadlines • Mail all necessary college applications by Nov 1st and call to make sure application packet is complete • Apply for FAFSA PIN starting December 1

28. Second Semester • FAFSA! • Continue to apply for scholarships • If not doing early decision deadlines, make sure everything is turned in by normal deadlines • these vary -do NOT be late! • Call colleges and ask “Is my application packet complete?”

29. Second Semester continued • Call college financial aid offices to see if they require additional forms (housing, financial aid, etc.) • Review financial aid information sent from colleges • Report any outside grants or scholarships you have been awarded to colleges • April/May: Finalize college decisions, and notify schools –even if you say “no”

30. NCAA – Division I or II • You must register with the NCAA Clearinghouse • Early fall https://web1.ncaa.org/eligibilitycenter/common/ www.ncaaclearinghouse.org • Core approved courses and SAT/ACT scores (see NCAA website) • Div I = 16 core courses • Div II = 14 core courses

31. NCAA continued • SAT/ACT scores • Must be reported directly from SAT/ACT • Use code “9999” • If you are being recruited, or think you may be recruited, TALK TO YOUR COUNSELOR! • Need more info? • See the NCAA website, the YHS Guidance website, or your counselor • Informational packets available in Athletic Office

32. Need Some Direction?

33. What Can I Do Now? • Guidance Website -Explore career and college majors • Contact schools for brochures and applications • Write down deadlines and gather what they ask for • Start to narrow down schools/programs you want to apply to • Register for and take the SAT or ACT • Write your essays early • Turn in your Senior Brag Sheet to the Counseling Office • Figure out who you will ask for letters of recommendation • Attend college fairs and take college visit days

34. Keep Pushing Yourself • This semester is the last semester the colleges will see when they are applying in the fall • Do colleges really care about senior year grades? • You can be accepted and then denied months later if your grades significantly drop –they see your final transcript • Continue to take rigorous classes –colleges ask for the list of classes you have picked for senior year • Continue to be involved in extracurricular activities

35. Valuable Tools • The YHS Guidance Website! • On YHS Guidance Site • This presentation • Senior Brag Sheet • Senior Year Calendar • 2009-2010 Senior Survival Guide • Can You Afford College, Worksheet • What is Important to me in a College, Worksheet

36. How Can We Help You? • Check for information from Guidance Office • We put together packets of information designed to make applying to college EASIER • We schedule college visits • College representatives come to YHS to tell you about their schools • Visit the YHS Guidance Website! • College and Career Exploration Tab • Junior and Senior Tab • For additional information on this topic, visit the following link to watch a video on college information: • http://media.doe.in.gov/curriculum/2011-02-24-collegenight.html

37. Your Counselors • Michelle Cooper –Last Names A-K (765) 759-2522 mcooper@yorktown.k12.in.us • Jim Vellenga–Last Names L-Z (765) 759-2521 jvellenga@yorktown.k12.in.us • Jennifer Carter–Counseling Intern (BSU) jacarter2@bsu.edu • Suzy Ober, Registrar/Guidance Secretary

38. Thank You! • Questions?