College Information Night for Parents of Seniors!

1. College Information Night for Parents of Seniors! Class of 2020 @BWHSCounseling (Twitter) Briar Woods School Counseling (FB)

2. Agenda This is the Nuts & Bolts presentation • The College Application & Briar Woods High School Procedures • Back-to-School Night at 7:00pm

3. Materials • This presentation will be posted online tomorrow morning • You will receive an email with important dates and links by Friday • Several resources can be found on the School Counseling page of the BWHS web site. It includes: • Application Process checklist • Transcript release form • Senior Profile ( google form) • Parent feedback (google form) • NACAC Guide (best practices in college admissions) • Additional forms & resources • Let your counselor know if you need hard-copies

4. College Degrees • Associates Degree: 2-year degree (typically earned at a community college or a junior college) • Bachelor’s Degree: 4-year degree • Master’s Degree: Typically 2 additional years after earning a bachelors • Doctoral Degrees & Professional Degrees: PHD, JD, MD, DC

5. Community College • Community College • Certificate programs • 2-Year Associates Degree • First year or two of a 4-Year Bachelors degree • NOVA is one of the best community colleges in the country • Relatively inexpensive • Close to home • Usually “open” admissions

6. Community College • NOVA’s Guaranteed Admissions (incomplete list) • George Mason University – Advance Program • Christopher Newport University • George Washington University • Georgetown University • James Madison University • Liberty University • Longwood University • Marymount University • Norfolk State University • Old Dominion University • Radford University • University of Mary Washington • University of Virginia • Virginia Tech

7. How Many Colleges Should A Student Apply to? • There is no magic number • One or two “Reach Schools”- Your dream school • One to three schools where you meet most of the criteria but the decision could go either way • One or two “Safety Schools”- You meet all the criteria

8. A simpler time… • Before the internet… The Application Folder!

9. The Application “Folder” • Application • Essay • Student Resume • Test Scores • Transcript • Letter/s of Recommendation • Secondary School Report/Common App Counselor Form

10. The Application • Seniors are responsible for being aware of application deadlines (see NACAC Guide) • Regular Admission – traditional deadline • Early Decision – binding • Early Action – non-binding • Rolling Admission – applications accepted based on space availability until the institution is “full”

11. The Application • Applications are submitted electronically over the internet – make sure you know how the college wants to receive the application • Direct to the college on their website • Common App • Coalition App • You should start your application before requesting transcripts and letters of recommendation • Print and review before submitting it! • Seniors are responsible for completing and submitting their own applications (not mom & dad!) • Seniors should make copies of all applications they submit

12. The Common App. • The Common Application is a common, standardized first-year application form for used by many colleges. • Over 700 public and private universities use the common application. • Some colleges require supplemental information (additional essays, recommendations, etc.). • Your Common App must be “matched” in Naviance Student

13. The Coalition App • The Coalition Application is another standardized first-year application form • Some colleges require supplemental information (additional essays, recommendations, etc.) • Feedback has been… not great

14. The Application • Direct to college on their website • Common App • Coalition App • Some colleges give the student a choice of what platform to use

15. Social Media & Email • Use Social Media - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. appropriately. • Create a “professional” email address. • Start checking email. Use a new email address or get off of most/all email notifications • Take down any inappropriate pictures and information. • If you wouldn’t want your grandmother to see it then it’s probably not appropriate for a college admission officer to see. • Colleges do check!

16. The Application “Folder” • Application • Essay • Student Resume • Test Scores • Transcript • Letter/s of Recommendation • Secondary School Report/Common App Counselor Form

17. The Essay • Not all colleges require an essay • Essays are usually submitted electronically along with the application • Seniors should make sure they are understand the essay topic • Follow the directions/guidelines • Seniors are advised to print out and review (with help!) their essays before sending them

18. The Essay • Senior English teachers will work with students on essays • Seniors should save all essays because they may be modified and reused – but be careful • Essay resources – BWHS library, BWHS Career Center, BWHS Writing Center, workshops, public library, internet

19. The Application “Folder” • Application • Essay • Student Resume • Test Scores • Transcript • Letter/s of Recommendation • Secondary School Report/Common App Counselor Form

20. Student Resume • Many colleges accept student resumes • Resumes are usually sent to the college electronically along with the application and essay • Resumes can highlight your accomplishment both in and outside of school – that don’t easily “fit” in the college application boxes • Be honest and truthful- Information on resumes must be 100% accurate • An effective resume is EASY TO READ! • Use resume templates or Naviance Student to format your own

21. The Application “Folder” • Application • Essay • Student Resume • Test Scores • Transcript • Letters of Recommendation • Secondary School Report/Common App Counselor Form

22. Test Scores • Seniors are responsible for determining the tests needed for the colleges they are applying to • SAT Reasoning Test (typically for determining admissions) • ACT (typically for determining admissions) • SAT Subject Tests (typically used for placement)

23. Test Scores • Seniors are responsible for having their test scores sent to the colleges they are applying to • Requests are made directly through the College Board or ACT; BWHS nor LCPS send test scores • Seniors can request their scores be sent when they take the tests; or they can have their scores sent after the test date by contacting the College Board or ACT (for a fee)

24. College Admissions Testing • Register now!!! The Loudoun test sites fill up quickly • Hard-copy practice tests • College Board SAT Course Online • Other Prep Classes: PTSO, Private Companies

25. ACT Dates • Test DateRegistration Deadline(Late Fee Required) • September 14 August 16 August 17-30 • October 26 September 20 September 21-Oct 4 • December 14 (BWHS) November 8 November 9-22 • February 8 January 10 January 11-17 • April 4 Feb 28 March 1-13 • June 13 May 8 May 9-22 • July 18 June 19 June 20-26

26. SAT Dates • Test Date Deadline Late Deadline • August 24 July 26 August 13 • October 5 Sept. 6 Sept. 24 • November 2 Oct. 3 Oct. 22 • December 7 Nov. 8 Nov. 26 • March 14 (BWHS) Feb. 14 Mar. 3 • May 2 April 3 April 21 • June 6 May 8 May 27

27. The Application “Folder” • Application • Essay • Student Resume • Test Scores • Transcript • Letter(s) of Recommendation • Secondary School Report/Common App Counselor Form

28. The Transcript • BWHS sends official high school transcripts Naviance Student using a function called eDocs • Students log in via LCPS Go using their lead username and password. • Parents will be sent a unique code to set-up parent accounts with limited functionality

29. The Transcript • Students must complete the application before requesting official transcripts (or at least be working on it) • Add the school to “Colleges I’m Applying To” in Naviance Student and then turn in a Transcript Release Form • We include a school profile with every transcript • The transcript is sent electronically and you can view the date of submission in Naviance Student • Transcript requests must be made before December 6th in order to be sent before winter break • We will automatically send mid-year transcripts to all the colleges to which a student has applied – you don’t need to submit a request

30. You can add schools from your Home page, or by clicking on Colleges at the top of the Home page Every college you are applying to and need a transcript sent must added to Colleges I’m Applying to

31. This indicates how the college receives the application. If there is a ? we won’t be able to send any documents – you much use the edit tool to update

32. What about unique situations or practices? • BWHS will never let our established practices conflict with a student, college, or program that has their own unique system, requirements or needs! • Self-reporting: There are some colleges that have the student obtain a transcript from their high school and send it on their own • Military academies and some ROTC programs have their own transcript portal that counselors use • Some college athletic programs have their own process for obtaining high school transcripts

33. The Application “Folder” • Application • Essay • Student Resume • Test Scores • Transcript • Letters of Recommendation • Secondary School Report/Common App Counselor Form

34. Letters of Recommendation • Counselor Letter • If a senior needs a letter of recommendation from the counselor, he/she will request it when he/she requests the transcript • Every senior needs to complete a Senior Profile to be turned into the counselor by Oct. 11th • The Senior Profile is now a Google Link and contains a parent “brag” section – QR CODE. • The counselor letter will be sent electronically through Naviance Student with the transcript

35. Letters of Recommendation • Teacher Letter • Does the College/University require a teacher letter of recommendation? If so, follow the steps below. If not, no action is required. • Ask the teacher in person if they can write a letter of recommendation for you – Please allow 2 weeks for the teacher to complete a letter for you • Log-in to Naviance Student and request the teacher letter of recommendation electronically. • Teachers will upload and send their letter through Naviance Student

36. Letters of Recommendation • Seniors should allow counselors and teachers a minimum of two weeks to write a letter. • Please only request letters to be sent to schools you are actually applying to. Some schools don’t require any letters of recommendation. • If you send more letters than the college requests, you can’t control which ones they choose to read.

37. Letters from outside of BWHS/ACL • Common App or Coalition App portal • College’s own portal if they have one • Email to college admissions representative • Envelope & a stamp!

38. The Application “Folder” • Application • Essay • Student Resume • Test Scores • The Transcript • Letter/s of Recommendation • Secondary School Report Form

39. Secondary School Report/Common App Counselor Form • Some colleges ask for a Secondary School Report. Schools using the Common App will ask for a Common App School Report • The Secondary School Report Form is sent with the transcript • We do not use ‘school specific’ secondary school reports. We will send a comprehensive “universal” Secondary School Report for all students

40. The Application “Folder” • Application • Essay • Student Resume • Test Scores • Transcript • Letters of Recommendation • Secondary School Report/Common App Counselor Form

41. The Application “Packet” - Summary • Senior submits application electronically to the college – using the college’s website, Common App, or Coalition App • Senior submits the essay electronically to the college (if there is one) • Senior may submit the resumeelectronically to the college • Senior has test scoressent directly to the college by the SAT (College Board) or the ACT • Senior lists schools in ‘Colleges I’m Applying To’ in Naviance Student and submits a Transcript Release Form to the Counseling Secretary • Senior may request letter of recommendation(if needed) from their counselor and/or teachers through Naviance Student • Senior will meet with their counselor to review Transcript Release Form and answer any questions. Secondary School Report will be sent with the Transcript.

42. Keeping Sane!!! • Complete one college application at a time • Trying to work on several applications at once = confusion for all! • Stay organized-use a checklist for each application. • Pay attention to deadlines!

44. Interviews • Some colleges interview applicants. • Process, procedures, and guidelines vary. • Dress appropriately!

45. Communication/Follow-Up • Students and parents can log onto Naviance Student to view transcript send dates • We automatically send mid-year transcripts to the colleges our students apply to – No request form or Naviance Student action is needed • Final transcripts are sent to the colleges our students plan to attend (no cost) • The infamous “we didn’t get your transcript” email

46. Upcoming Activities • Senior presentations – Started this week • Senior/Counselor meetings – Start next week • LCPS College Fair – September 22nd – SBHS 2:30 – 5:00 • Financial Aid Night – September 24th- 7:00pm • FAFSA Night – October 23rd - RRHS– 7:00pm • My College Funding Coach – 7:00pm

47. Have a great Senior year!! Class of 2020

48. Follow us on Twitter and FB: @ BWHSCounseling & Briar Woods School Counseling

49. College Visits at BWHS • College representative visits to BWHS • Visits are listed in Naviance Student • Sign-up through Naviance Student • Sign up at least 2 days in advance of the visit • Limit visits to 5 • Avoid missing the same class twice • Your teacher is not obligated to release you from class • There is no substitute for a campus visit as a way to assess a school

50. COLLEGE VISITSign Ups Log into – LCPS.Go and then access Naviance Student 1.