An Overview of the College Application Process from the Inside-Out

An Overview of the College Application Processfrom the Inside-Out duPont Manual High School Wed, March 14, 2012 Ms. Christy Teague, Counselor

College-Prep Graduation Requirements

COMMONWEALTH DIPLOMA • Highest diploma offered by Kentucky • Requirements: AP English AP Math or Science AP World Language AP Elective Pass at least 3 AP exams Must tell your counselor you are going for this type of diploma to add your name to the official CD roster that is submitted to KDE in the Fall of 2012.

NCAA • 16 Core Credits • 4 Years of English • 4 Years of Math – Algebra 1 or higher • 2 Years of Physical/Natural Science • 1 Year of Social Science • 1 Additional Math, English, or Natural/Physical Science • 4 Years of any of the above or Foreign Language • Make sure you have taken the ACT or SAT and reported your scores to the Clearinghouse • Register online at www.ncaaclearinghouse.net • The fee is $50.00 • Apply at the end of your junior year – Mrs. Johnston will send your transcript • Mrs. Marti Johnston is our contact for NCAA

Academic Status Report • Student’s name, counselor, grade level • Magnet Program • Required Credits • Credits Earned • Credits Needed • GPA (weighted/un-weighted) • Copy of Unofficial Transcript

Your Transcript at a Glance… • Form that shows every semester of high school that you have completed with the courses you have taken/credits earned • The level of rigor of each class is included on the transcript • Advanced Placement (AP) • Advanced (Adv) • Honors (Hnr) • Cumulative weighted and un-weighted GPA • Attendance record • Grades, including all pluses and minuses, A’s, B’s, C’s, D’s, and U’s!!! • Your name, address, phone, birth date, and student ID numbers are also on the transcript, as well as the name and address of Manual High School

Official & Unofficial Transcript

Top Occupations in the U.S.A. Based on Growth Rate to 2014 • Home Health Aides • Network Systems & Data Communications Analysts • Medical Assistants • Physician Assistants • Computer Software Engineers/Applications • Physical Therapist Assistants • Dental Hygienists • Dental Assistants • Personal and Home Care Aides • Network and Computer Systems Administrators • Database Administrators • Physical Therapists • Forensic Science Technicians • Veterinary Technologists and Technicians • Diagnostic Medical Sonographers • Occupational Therapist Assistants • Medical Scientists • Occupational Therapists • Preschool Teachers • Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians • Postsecondary Teachers • Hydrologists • Computer Systems Analysts • Hazardous Materials Removal Workers • Biomedical Engineers • Employment Recruitment and Placement Specialists • Paralegals and Legal Assistants

College Application Criteria by Importance • 1. Academic Rigor (AP courses), Talent, and/or Mastery of Skills • 2. Cumulative GPA • 3. Grades in Advanced Placement (AP) Courses • 4. Grades in College Prep Courses • 5. Grades in All Subjects • 6. ACT & SAT Test Scores • Essay or Writing Samples • Honors, Awards, etc. • 9. Counselor/Teacher Recommendations • 10. Interviews (if required) • 11. Leadership • 12. Community Service • 13. Work and Extra Curricular Activities

ACT v. SAT ACT • Content based – core curriculum knowledge • Includes science reasoning • Math includes trigonometry • No guessing penalty • Tests grammar • Scored on a scale of 1-36 • 1 composite score and 4 subject scores, plus 7 subscores SAT • Tests critical thinking and • problem solving • Tests vocabulary much more • Not entirely multiple choice • Includes a guessing penalty • Does not test grammar • Scored on a scale of 200-800 • and has 7 sections—3 math, • 3 verbal, plus an experimental • section

Which test do I take??? • Depends on the college • Most colleges in the US accept the ACT • More competitive, prestigious colleges may require the SAT I and SAT II • Take one test a minimum of twice to improve your score

How do I register for the ACT and/or SAT? • To Register for the ACT or to send your score reports to a college go to: www.actstudent.org • To register for the SAT or to send your score reports to a college go to: www.sat.collegeboard.com SAT I SAT II (subject exam) • Manual’s School Code:181-525

2011-2012 College Application Deadlines College DeadlineDeadline to your Counselor October 1, 2012 Friday, September 16, 2012 October 15, 2012 Friday, September 30, 2012 November 1, 2012 Friday, October 14, 2012 November 15, 2012 Friday, October 28, 2102 December 1, 2012 Friday, November 11, 2012 December 15, 2012 Friday, November 18, 2012 January 1, 2013 Friday, December 2, 2012 January 15, 2013 Friday, December 16, 2012 You meeting these deadlines with your counselor is critical in guaranteeing that college/scholarship deadline are met and your application is NOT late.

Red Folder (Counselor) • Use the same Red Folder all year to request transcripts, forms to be completed by the counselor, and letters of recommendation from your counselor • Red Folder must be submitted to the Guidance Office at least 10 days prior to the deadline – the earlier, the better • Send your actual application and fees separately (online or mail). Do NOT submit money or checks to the Guidance Office.

Red Folder COVER • Complete all information on the cover page • Only list the applications that are inside your Red Folder that are ready to be processed—not future applications • List applications from earliest deadline to latest

Red Folder—INSIDE LEFT Side Resume Letter to your Counselor RIGHT Side Counselor’s Form to complete: Secondary School Report (SSD) for Common Application OR College Form—not using Common Application LEGAL-Sized Envelope if more than transcript is needed with at least 4 stamps adhered to envelope (Counselor’s Form and/or Letter of Recommendation) Put all materials on the Right Side of Folder in order of Due Date

Red Folder—RESUME Name Indentifying Information Magnet # of AP Courses Taken Career Goal Academic Achievements Extracurricular Activities Leadership Community Service

Red Folder—Letter to your Counselor • Recaps your resume • Make it descriptive, yet concise • What makes you stand out from your peers? Make you special? • Hardships? • How would the college benefit from accepting you as a student? • What are you passionate about and why? • Counselor’s letter – 1 page

Red Folder—Common Application • Using Common Application for several schools—only need one copy of the Common Application • Make sure you indicate which colleges need the Common Application • You may complete your portion of the Common Application online. • Counselors’ do NOT process any online Common Applications—print out the Secondary School Report (SSR)

Stamps, Official Transcripts, School Profile • Make sure all of your envelopes have enough STAMPS adhered onto them • Legal-Sized Envelope needs at least 4 stamps • All transcripts sent from the school are OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTS • Students do not touch • Embossed with school seal • Principal’s signature • With all college applications, we include our SCHOOL PROFILE that highlights the school’s grading scale and important stats about our academic curriculum, test scores, and student body.

College Application Process Flowchart Student applies to college/scholarship: Online or paper form • Student makes Red Folder for COUNSELOR • All applications that are ready to be processed go into the Red Folder before given to Mrs. Just in the Guidance Office • Student fills out cover sheet of Red Folder • Inside Red Folder: • Left Side—Resume & Letter to counselor • Right Side—applications in order of deadlines • If online…place a sheet of paper that lists • all online applications • If paper form…paperclip application to • an addressed, stamped legal-size • envelope (4 stamps) Student makes Folder for TEACHER Ask your teacher if he/she wants to complete their recommendation online or in paper form. Make Folder for your teacher Fill out cover sheet of folder Inside Folder: Left side—resume & letter to teacher Right side—applications in order of deadlines If online….place a sheet of paper that lists all online applications If paper form….paperclip application to an addressed, stamped legal-size envelope (4 stamps) Mrs. Just places an official transcript with each application. Mrs. Just gives Red Folder to Counselor --counselor completes forms w/ letter (if required) & completes online applications Teacher complete forms (if required) Teacher writes letter Teacher mails and/or completes online (on their own)—does not come back to the counselor to mail Applications mailed and/or submitted online.

Mid-Year Reports & Final Transcripts • Some colleges (and all that use Common Application) require a Mid-Year Report. • All colleges required a Final Transcript. • Mid-Year Reports are not sent automatically—you must turn in your Mid-Report form to your counselor in January—do not include the MYR when you turn in your Red Folder for processing your initial college applications • You only do the MYR if your college requires this. • Final Transcripts will be automatically sent two weeks after school is out for the summer. You will tell the counselors the college you will be attending your one of the graduation practices. • Do NOT include Mid-Year Report forms in your Red Folder when you apply to colleges in the Fall. You give the MYR form attached to a Legal-Sized Envelope (4 stamps) to Mrs. Just in January, or they will not be sent. • Do NOT include Final Report forms in your Red Folder until May. If there is a form required (CA schools there will be a form), you will print the form and attach it to a Legal-Sized Envelope (4 stamps).

Teacher Recommendations • Most applications only request one teacher recommendation • Ask teachers early—by October 1st • Some teachers limit the number of recommendations they do • Make sure you choose a teacher who will say great things about you—you will not be able to read the letter before it is mailed (confidential) • Make a folder for your teacher—exactly like your Counselor’s Red Folder • Teachers will mail their recommendations separately from the Counselors’ Recommendation—do not give to Counselor • Remember to give teachers at least 10 school days notice when you need a letter of recommendation • Write a thank you note to teacher who wrote you a recommendation

First Impressions MATTER! The appearance of your college application is VERY important. Completing online? Make sure all the blanks are filled in and your application is complete. Hard Copy? Type the application or print it VERY NEATLY in black ink. Make sure all of the components of the application are in the correct order. Mailing the application? Make sure the envelope is addressed in a professional way. Typed address labels look great.

Get It In Early • Keep on top of deadlines—there will be different deadlines for each college and for each part of the application process • Some deadlines are as early as October 1st • Applying early shows the college that you are very interested and stronger applicants tend to apply earlier Manual’s Recommended Deadlines: October 1, 2012 Ask for a Teacher Recommendations November 23, 2012 All college applications complete and submitted to your counselor

Early Decision v. Early Action • Both require students to apply by an early deadline—usually between October 15 and December 1 • Decisions are usually rendered between December 15 and February 1 • Borderline students are usually deferred and considered with the regular applicant pool at a later date

Early DECISION • BINDING DECISION • You must enroll if you are accepted—without you knowing the financial package they may or may not be offering to you • You may only apply to ONE COLLEGE for Early Decision—if accepted, you must withdraw your applications to all other schools • Early Decision offers a slight advantage of acceptance—colleges usually accept a higher percentage of applicants than those that apply for regular decision—colleges desire students that really want to attend their school • Early Decision is a good choice for borderline with LOW financial need who have a clear first choice school— others should be very CAUTIOUS!!!

Early ACTION • No commitment to enroll and offers little advantage for admission • However, Early Action students are often first in line for merit scholarships and housing • Some Early Action colleges now ask that students apply early only to their institution, however, you may still apply regular decision to any other institution

Interviews • Relax • Professional Dress • Be ON TIME • Be prepared to discuss 2-3 topics at length (your school, favorite subject, extracurricular activities, current events, favorite book, etc.) • Do not misrepresent yourself—don’t tell them you like current events and then go blank when they ask you about the Supreme Court’s latest decision • Keep your cool and be yourself

Probing Questions • What books have you read lately? • Why do you want to enroll here? • What are your most important activities and why are they valuable? • What would you add to the campus life at this college? • What other colleges are you considering?

Good Questions for YOU to Ask • What is distinctive about your school? • What sets students apart from those at similar schools? • What percentage of entering students graduate within 5 years? • What are the most common career paths for your graduates? • What is the average time a student gains employment after graduation?

Sobering Facts about College Expenses • Cost of attending the most prestigious private colleges is about $200,000 over four years • Tuition at public universities has risen more than 50% over the past 10 years • Grant programs have withered, while student debt has ballooned—make sure your chosen profession allows you the financial resources to repay loans • Unless your name is Gates or Rockefeller, money should ultimately influence your college choice decision

How much will college cost? • Tuition • Fees—registration, parking, health care, laboratory, many others • Books and materials—computer, required texts and supplies • Housing • Food—meals plans, eating out, groceries • Transportation—trips home, gas expense, parking, insurance, car payment • Personal—clothes, laundry, recreation, medical/dental, insurance • Miscellaneous—catchall for anything that doesn’t fit in another category—about 10% of the total amount above

Types of Financial Aid Merit-Based Aid • Awarded solely based on academic record or outstanding ability in many areas (such as the arts) • Around 3.8 GPA / ACT scores around 28 • Could be solely based on talent (visual arts, music, dance, etc) • Each college is different—search the scholarship section of the college’s website • There may be a separate application to apply for Merit-Based Aid—check with your college to see if this is the case. Need-Based Aid • Need is based on the difference between what it costs to attend a college and what you and your family are expected to pay, based on your family’s income. • To qualify for Need-Based Aid, you must do the FAFSA.

FAFSA December 2012 FAFSA Workshop 7pm Manual’s Auditorium All seniors need to attend this session!!!

FAFSA • Free Application for Federal Student Aid • Based on your family’s income for 2012 • Colleges use FAFSA to determine eligibility for financial aid • State and Federal government use FAFSA to determine eligibility for grants • Cannot do the FAFSA until January 1, 2013 • You must have your family’s tax information from 2012 before completing the FAFSA • Apply online atwww.fafsa.ed.gov • Learn more about FAFSA on December 2012 from the experts

FAFSA Process • Colleges set their own deadlines to complete the FAFSA, but in general Kentucky’s deadline is February 15, 2013. • You do the FAFSA online • This information goes to the colleges you choose and to the state/federal government. • Each college will determine your Financial Aid Package based on the FAFSA. • Each college’s financial aid packages could be greatly different from one another. • Letter will be mailed to you that describes your financial aid package that particular college is offering you.

Financial Aid Packages • State Grants (if attending in Kentucky) • Federal Grants • Work-Study Programs • Loans—subsidized & unsubsidized (must be repaid with interest) • Scholarships and/or tuition remission vouchers

Scholarships • 95% of all scholarship money is available through the colleges themselves—search their financial aid site • Alumni Groups, National Corporations, Associations, local businesses, community service organizations, fraternities/sororities, banks, and churches • Manual lets seniors know about scholarships by sending you an email announcing the scholarship criteria and how to apply • www.dupontmanual.com  click on the COUNSELORS’ tab  click on the SCHOLARSHIPS tab • Manual/YPASCollege/Career Room

Scholarship Scams Warning Signs: • Application Fees • Other Fees • Guaranteed Winnings • Mail Drop Box Number or Residence for a return address

Scholarship/Financial Aid Websites FastWed: http://www.monster.com Loan Repayment Estimator: http://www.student-loans.com/Repay.html Sallie Mae: http://www.salliemae.org Nellie Mae: http://www.nelliemae.org

Some Thoughts for Parents • Communicate • Set Financial Parameters • Be Realistic • Let the Student Take Center Stage • Don’t Live Through Your Child • Be Supportive

Contact Information: Amy Medley amy.medley@jefferson.kyschools.us National Merit Finalists Governor’s Scholars Graduation Christy Teague christy.teague@jefferson.kyschools.us Advanced Placement (AP) PSAT Commonwealth Diploma Marti Johnston marti.johnston@jefferson.kyschools.us ILP NCAA Master Schedule Dennis Robinson dennis.robinson@jefferson.kyschools.us Scholarships Junior/Senior Awards YPAS Senior Night

Questions??? Thank you for attending. I hope this session was helpful.

An Overview of the College Application Process from the Inside-Out