COLLEGE APPLICATION PROCEDURES FOR SENIORS

COLLEGE APPLICATION PROCEDURES FOR SENIORS O’NEILL CLASS OF 2015

AGENDA • Naviance/Family Connection • College Testing • Service Academies and ROTC • Senior Conference • Social Networking and College Admissions • Financial Aid and Scholarships • Financial Safety School • SUNY • Your List of Colleges • Narrowing Your College Choices—Campus Visits and Interviews • Applying to Colleges—Applications, Deadlines, Transcripts and Recommendations • Senior Grades • Athletes/NCAA • Final Decision

NAVIANCE/FAMILY CONNECTION • Go to O’Neill’s home page and click on Naviance/Family Connection. • Log in. • Click on About Me. • Click on Game Plan. • Complete the Goals after High School section and the College Interests section. • Then click on the appropriate Save box. If you don’t finish it now, please finish it by tomorrow morning. Please remember that you can use this program on your own to do the various career inventories and college searches.

COLLEGE TESTING • Register for required college testing. • Four-year colleges generally require either the SAT or ACT; some of the more competitive colleges require one or more SAT Subject Tests. • Check the admissions requirements for the colleges you are considering. • You are encouraged to register online: sat.collegeboard.org for the SAT and www.actstudent.org for the act. • Paper registration materials, including a practice test, are available in the Guidance Office.

REGISTRATION DEADLINES BE CAREFUL OF DEADLINES. We give the following tests here at O’Neill: • Saturday, 10/25: ACT—The registration deadline is 9/19, and the late registration deadline is 10/3 for an extra $24. You are advised to register for the ACT Plus Writing. (The deadline to request standby testing is 10/17 for an extra $47.) • Saturday, 11/8: SAT or SAT Subject Test(s)—The registration deadline is 10/9, and the late registration deadline is 10/24 (paper) or 10/28 (online and phone) for an extra $27.50. (Waitlist status may be available from the last registration deadline up until 5 days before test day for an extra $46. There is no guarantee.)

OTHER TEST CENTERS • The SAT will be given on 10/11, 12/6 and 1/24 but not at O’Neill. • The ACT will be given on 12/13 but not at O’Neill. • Go online to find out where the tests will be given and what the registration deadlines are. • NOTE: Try to avoid December and January test dates because of possible weather complications. • If you have any questions, please see your counselor.

COLLEGE TESTING NOTES • If you think you may qualify for a fee waiver, please see your counselor A.S.A.P. • If you are entitled to testing modifications, please see your counselor A.S.A.P. If you have already been approved, you need to be careful to check the appropriate box when registering. • Arrange to have your test scores sent directly from the testing company to the colleges to which you are applying. Please follow the instructions in the registration materials. Take advantage of the four free score reports you get when you register.

TEST DAY REMINDERS • In order to be admitted to the test center on the test day, you must take: A copy of your admission ticket and Photo ID. • If you register online, you must print out your admission ticket. • On test day you also need to take an acceptable calculator. If you need to borrow one, please see a math teacher before test day. You will not be able to borrow one on test day.

TEST OPTIONAL Some colleges do not require ACT or SAT scores, but you need to read the instructions carefully for each college. For example, • Some colleges, like Marist College, simply state that test scores are optional. However, Marist requires test scores to be submitted after you are admitted for academic advisement and placement. • Some colleges state that students may choose to submit one or more graded writing samples instead of test scores (like Franklin & Marshall College). • Others, like NYU, state that the SAT or ACT can be replaced by SAT Subject Tests, APs, IBs, or other comparable standardized tests. • Two-year community colleges do not require the SAT or ACT but will require you to take their placement tests.

SERVICE ACADEMIES AND ROTC • Students interested in applying to one of the service academies (the U.S. Military Academy, the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Air Force Academy, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy) or for an ROTC scholarship need to start the process immediately. • Students applying to the academies must also seek nominations, and the deadlines are early in the fall.

SENIOR CONFERENCE We plan to meet with each senior individually for a senior conference during the next two months. Your parent(s) is (are) also encouraged to attend. Bring your completed Senior Information Form. During the conference we will: • Review your graduation status and the kind of diploma you will earn; • Review your transcript and test scores; • Review your Senior Information Form. If you know to which colleges you will be applying, please include these. If not, we will help you do a computer search to start a list.

SENIOR CONFERENCE • Review your testing needs and plans to take or retake the SAT, ACT and/or SAT Subject Tests; • Review college application procedures as needed; • Review procedures for applying for financial aid as needed and possible sources of scholarships as needed; • For athletes, review the NCAA Eligibility Center procedures. Please let your counselor know if you are an athlete and plan to participate in intercollegiate athletics; • Review your plans to visit colleges, and, if applicable, interview; and • Address any addition concerns you may have.

SOCIAL NETWORKING AND COLLEGE ADMISSIONS The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) published an article called “MySpace in College Admission” by Nicole Verardi in April of 2006 that was updated in 2010. She cautions you that “…Whatever you post, it never goes away. Once your information is online—even if you take it down—it becomes public information, as your page can be saved on anyone’s computer.”

SOCIAL NETWORKING AND COLLEGE ADMISSIONS What you can do (according to Verardi): • First, be safe! Never post personal information such as your address, daily schedule, phone number, etc. • Make your profile private so that strangers can’t look at your information, and be cautious about adding new friends whom you do not personally know. • Take down any questionable photos or exchanges between you and your friends. Give it the “Grandma Test.” If you wouldn’t want your grandmother to see it, then you don’t want other adults to either. Remember, pictures and references of you on your friends’ pages can be damaging, too. You can ask them to take down this kind of information. • Don’t get a false sense of security on social media sites. It’s easy for faculty, alumni and random people to get on and look at the information you have posted.

SOCIAL NETWORKING AND COLLEGE ADMISSIONS “Whether it’s through Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr or another social media service, students are online—online sharing details with friends, online for everyone to see.” “Although social networking can be fun, remember that sometimes what you post will be in public view, like broadcasting it on the six o’clock news.” “So when it’s time to apply for college, give your social networking profiles a second look to make sure you feel comfortable sharing everything you have posted with an admission officer and, later, with potential employers because your site becomes permanent, public information about you.”

FINANCIAL AID • Applying for financial aid is a process that is separate from applying for admission. • Read the instructions carefully for each college to which you are applying for financial aid. • For each college note the PRIORITY FILING DEADLINES for submitting the required forms. • Note that some financial aid is given out on a “first come, first served” basis so that families are encouraged to submit the forms as soon as possible after January 1st, even if this means estimating income.

FINANCIAL AID: FAFSA • Everyone who applies for financial aid must submit the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). • You are encouraged to file the FAFSA online at www.fafsa.ed.gov, but if you want a paper copy there is an option—under “FAFSA Filing Options”—to download the form. • Submit the FAFSA as soon as possible after January 1, 2015, which is the earliest date that the form may be submitted. • You can plan ahead and register for your PIN numbers (both student and parent) at www.pin.ed.gov.

FINANCIAL AID: TAP New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP): • Students who are legal residents of New York and who pan to attend college in New York State may be eligible for TAP. • The TAP application will be generated by the FAFSA, provided you are a legal resident of New York and list at least one New York college or university on the FAFSA.

FINANCIAL AID: CSS PROFILE Some colleges and universities, especially private ones, require the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE. • This form must be filed online at www.collegeboard.org (click on College Planning and then under Pay for College click on PROFILE Online). • The PROFILE for 2015-16 will be available on 10/1/14. • It should be filed no later than two weeks before the earliest priority filing deadline specified by the Financial Aid Offices at the colleges to which you are applying. • There is a fee to file the PROFILE, so check the instructions for each college to which you are applying to determine if the PROFILE is required.

FINANCIAL AID NOTES Additional notes: • Some colleges and universities require that their own supplementary forms be completed. (Again, please read the instructions carefully.) • There are ways to estimate how much your family will be expected to contribute to the cost of college. You can do this online at www.collegeboard.org (click on College Planning, then Pay for College, and then Calculators). • Students and parents are encouraged to attend the financial aid for college workshop that will be given at O’Neill on November 18th at 7 p.m.

FINANCIAL SAFETY SCHOOL • While families are advised not to let financial aid considerations determine where the student applies (and are encouraged to apply for financial aid to see what they get), your list of colleges should include at least one financial safety school—that is, a school where you have a good chance of admission, that you would be happy to attend, and that you can afford without financial aid (based on what your family can contribute). • Public colleges and universities are supported by the state in which they are located and are less expensive, generally less than half the cost of a private institution. Please note that students who live at West Point pay in-state tuition for SUNY schools.

COMPARING THE COST OF SUNY • The cost to attend a 4-year SUNY college and live on campus for the 2014-15 school year: $23,342 • Compare to the following private colleges: Syracuse University: $59,320 Marist College: $49,890 • Compare to the cost of the following out-of-state public colleges and universities: Florida State University: $ 34,714 ($19,548 in-state) University of Delaware: $42,250 ($23,900 in-state)

STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK (SUNY) The State University of New York consists of 64 campuses: The University Centers The University Colleges The Technology Colleges The Community Colleges Pick up the Viewbook 2015 in the Guidance Office and the Admissions Information Summary 2014.

SCHOLARSHIPS • While most financial aid is need-based, colleges and universities also award merit-based scholarships. These scholarships include those awarded for academic accomplishments and special skills in athletics, art and music. Check individual college websites for information about non-need-based scholarships. • Local scholarship packets will be distributed to all seniors in March. • You and your parents should check with your employers (through the personnel offices) to see if they award scholarships. • Other scholarship information can be investigated through the Internet (try www.finaid.org or www.collegeboard.org)or reference materials in the Guidance Office or library. Scholarship information received by the Guidance Office is distributed in a newsletter every few weeks. • If you plan to investigate scholarship possibilities, you need to invest time in researching, obtaining applications, and completing applications. Be careful of deadlines.

YOUR LIST OF COLLEGES • As you research colleges, you should generally narrow your list to approximately 5-8. This list should include: At least 1 safety school; 2-4 target schools or good matches; and 1 or 2 reach schools What you should aim for is a list that allows you to do a good job in applying to a group of schools that will provide you with options—not unpleasant surprises in the spring (from College Admission from Application to Acceptance).

NARROWING YOUR COLLEGE CHOICES: THE CAMPUS VISIT On your campus visit, you should try to do the following: • Attend at least one class. • Meet with faculty in the department that interests you. • Eat a meal on campus and observe the food, the students, and the environment. • Pick up a copy of the campus publication and read it to see what currently concerns the student body. Also, check out bulletin board postings, clubs, activities, campus gov’t, etc. • Talk to as many students as possible. • Check out the surrounding area. Is there a town? A city? Countryside? Do you feel right with the local geography? The weather?

CAMPUS VISITS Campus tours are usually conducted by students. Since these students are not involved in the admissions process, you can ask questions you might not want to ask during the interview. • For example, students can tell you about such things as dorm life, social activities, and the quality of food in the dining halls. • You can make a list ahead of time of questions to ask.

NARROWING YOUR COLLEGE CHOICES: INTERVIEW INTERVIEW: • You should ascertain the importance of the interview in the admissions process for each college you are considering, since this varies widely. While some colleges do insist on an interview and use it as one means to evaluate a candidate, others make the interview optional or informational only. • If you would like an interview or are required to interview, make an appointment for your visit at least several weeks in advance. Try to arrange to have a tour before you have the interview.

INTERVIEWS Prepare for the interview by reviewing material related to the college on the website or any written material you have before you go. Make a list of thoughtful questions showing knowledge of the college, not questions that can be easily answered by reading a college handbook or looking at the website. You might ask: • Which departments are strong and why are they strong? • Can I get an internship in my major field? • Do graduates find jobs? Are they helped finding jobs? With whom do they find their jobs? • What percentage of graduates are accepted to graduate, medical, or law school? • What is the average class size? Largest? Smallest?

INTERVIEWS • What percentage of the faculty teach freshmen and sophomores? Are they full professors? Will I be taught by graduate students? • How accessible are the faculty members? Do they have office hours? Do they act as faculty advisors? • What help is available if I have difficulty with English, math, or another subject? • If am still undecided concerning my major, what help will I be able to get? • What matters socially to your students? • What happens on this campus on the weekends? • Will I have ready access to computers and the other equipment on campus?

INTERVIEWS Think of the interview as a conversation during which you will be able to tell the interviewer more about yourself and learn more about the college. Before the interview think seriously about your educational goals: Evaluate your needs, strengths and interests, especially in light of that particular college. Imagine how you might answer typical interview questions, such as: • Why have you picked this college? • What are your favorite school subjects? Least favorite?

INTERVIEWS • What accomplishment are you most proud of? • How do you spend your free time? Do you have any hobbies? • What books have you read in the past year that were NOT required reading? • Do you have any heroes? • What type of career do you wish to pursue? • What extracurricular activities do you participate in? • What books or films have made a lasting impression on you? • What three adjectives best describe you? • What three events would you deem crucial in your life thus far? • What is your work experience?

INTERVIEWS • On the day of the interview BE EARLY. DRESS APPROPRIATELY. Take an unofficial copy of your transcript that shows your grades and SAT/ACT scores and a copy of your resume or activity sheet. Take a positive, motivated, and excited attitude with you. • Be sure to get the name and email address of the person who interviews you. After the interview write a brief THANK YOU NOTE (you can do this by email).

APPLYING TO COLLEGES To obtain an application, go to the college website to apply online or download the application. Most colleges encourage students to submit applications electronically.

SUNY • You can use the SUNY application at www.suny.edu/student for most SUNY schools, both 4-year and 2-year. • A number of the 4-year SUNY schools give you the option of submitting the Common Application instead. • Some of the 2-year community colleges have their own applications (online or paper). These include Rockland Community College.

COMMON APPLICATION (CA) • More than 500 colleges and universities in the U.S. encourage the use of the CA, and some use it exclusively. • The CA simplifies the college admission process: Electronic copies may be sent to any of the participating colleges and universities. • To get started, go to www.commonapp.org. Click on Applicant and then Create an Account. You can click on the Help Center before or after you create your account. Note the Training Resources, starting with the Common App Basicslink. (While the Common App Basics tutorial does not mention the Naviance/Family Connection piece, we are including a link to a video tutorial that will explain this connection.)

COMMON APPLICATION (CA) • You will need to complete the FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) waiver in your Common App account. This waiver is completed only once and covers all current and future college recommenders. • You are generally advised to waive access to your recommendations because college admissions officers want to know that your teachers and counselors felt free to share their thoughts about you honestly and openly. *Note: If you do not waive your access, you will only be able to access your records after you apply to, are accepted by, and enroll at a college.

COMMON APPLICATION MATCHING PROCESS TO NAVIANCE/FAMILY CONNECTION To connect (“match”) your Common App account to your Naviance/Family Connection account, refer to the following video tutorial (which is also located on the welcome page in Naviance/Family Connection: http://vimeo.com/102639828

COMMON APPLICATION MATCHING PROCESS TO NAVIANCE/FAMILY CONNECTION Create and log into your Common App account: • In the Education section, complete the Current or Most Recent School information and add at least one college to My Colleges. • Read and sign the FERPA Release Authorization in the Recommenders and FERPAsection under the My Colleges tab. • Now log into Naviance/Family Connection .

COMMON APPLICATION MATCHING PROCESS TO NAVIANCE/FAMILY CONNECTION Now log into Naviance/FamilyConnection: • Click on the Colleges tab; • Click on Colleges I’m applying to; • The screen for the Common App Account Matching matching process should appear; • Type in the the email address you used for the Common App and your date of birth: The email addresses must match. • Once the accounts are matched you need to indicate whether or not you will be using the Common App for any of the colleges on your list.

DEADLINES Each college has its own admissions policies and schedule of notification. • ADMISSIONS DEADLINE: Some colleges have one admissions deadline and will not start to make decisions until that date, although it is generally to your advantage to get your application in early. • ROLLING ADMISSIONS: As soon as all of the required forms are received, the college will make a decision so that the sooner you apply, the sooner you will know the decision. • EARLY DECISION: If you are sure that you want to attend one particular college, you may apply by an established deadline in the fall (usually November 1st or mid-November). In return for an early decision and notification, you will be expected to attend that college if you are accepted and to withdraw your applications to other colleges. (Not all colleges offer this option.) • EARLY ACTION: If you submit your application by an established deadline, you will receive an early reply. Unlike early decision, an offer of admission does not bind you to early acceptance.

DEADLINES • Recommended deadlines for State colleges and universities are usually in the fall. • Examples: SUNY: The recommended deadline for SUNY colleges and universities is 12/1. Also, note that some programs at the SUNY Colleges of Technology and the Community Colleges may have deadlines or close when full. Penn State: The priority application deadline for Penn State is 11/30. Florida State University: There are two deadlines: 10/15 (with notification 12/17) and 1/14 (with notification 3/18). *Note: FSU course requirements include 4 units math at the Algebra I level or higher.

COMMUNITY COLLEGES Admissions Checklist: • Complete and submit the application. • Early applications are encouraged. • Some programs (like health profession programs) may have deadlines. • Completed applications are reviewed and decisions are made on a rolling basis throughout the year. • Applicants will be admitted until two weeks prior to the upcoming sessions, but they may not be able to register for the courses they want/need to take. • If you plan to apply for housing, you need to apply earlier. See the college website. • Request that your high school transcript be sent to the admissions office. • Take the placement test.* • These tests assess college-level skills in reading, writing, and math. • Visit the college website to see sample questions *Note: Community colleges do not require the SAT or ACT.

TRANSCRIPTS Every college requires a transcript, whether you apply online or complete a paper application. This is now a two-step process: (1) Fill out a paper transcript request form, available in the Guidance Office or at www.hffmcsd.org (click on O’Neill, then Guidance, and then Forms). Note that signatures are required from you and a parent.

TRANSCRIPTS (2) Log into Naviance/Family Connection: • Click on the Colleges tab; • Click on Colleges I’m applying to; • Click on +add colleges to this list; • Look up the college; • Indicate the decision plan; • Check the appropriate box if you want your transcript sent; • Check the appropriate box if you have already submitted your application; and • Click on Add Colleges (or Cancel).

TRANSCIPTS AND NAVIANCE/FAMILY CONNECTION Video from Naviance/Family Connection: Adding Colleges and Requesting College Application Materials http://vimeo.com/101520088

TRANSCRIPTS • To be official the transcript must be sent directly from the Guidance Office to the Admissions Office. • Note that SAT and ACT scores will NOT be included on your O’Neill transcript. You must arrange to have the scores sent directly from the testing agency. • Please allow at least one week for processing. If you are requesting a counselor recommendation, allow at least two weeks for processing. • Note: SUNY colleges and universities are encouraging students to self-report their transcript information. Then the high school must send a final transcript at the end of the year. If you plan to self report, please stop by the Guidance Office and request an unofficial copy of your transcript.

TEACHER RECOMMENDATIONS • If one or more teacher recommendations are required, we suggest that you discuss with your counselor which teachers you will ask. • Some applications specify which teachers you should ask. If not, note that colleges generally want to hear from a teacher who has taught you an academic subject in 11th or 12th (or 10th) grade. • Please ask teachers at least two weeks before the application deadline if they would be willing to write you a letter of recommendation. If you are providing a teacher’s email address online—as in Naviance/Family Connection—as a reference/ recommender, you should talk to the teacher first. • You should email or give the teachers a note telling them the deadline(s). Also, be sure to thank them.

TEACHER RECOMMENDATION REQUESTS IN NAVIANCE After you have asked the teacher if they would be willing to write you a letter of recommendation, you are ready to make that request in Naviance/Family Connection: • Log in; • Click on Colleges; • Click on Colleges I’m applying to; • Scroll down to the Teacher Recommendation section and click on add/cancel requests; • Select the teacher from the drop-down menu and, if desired, add a note to the teacher; • Repeat for any other teacher requests you want to make in this session; • Click on Update Requests.

TEACHER RECOMMENDATIONS • Note that recommendations are generally confidential and that you should not expect to see them. • If the recommendation will be done on paper and mailed: • Be sure to provide any forms provided by the college. • If there is no form, the teacher can write a general letter of recommendation on school letterhead. • You should give the teacher a stamped, addressed (business-sized) envelope for each college to which you would like the recommendation to be sent—or the teacher may choose to give the letter to your counselor to mail.

COLLEGE APPLICATION PROCEDURES FOR SENIORS