Senior Parent College Application Night

1. Senior Parent College Application Night Seneca High School September 11, 2013

2. Purpose of Senior Parent Night • Assist you with the college application process. • Discuss application procedures, transcript requests, letters of recommendation, standardized testing, Naviance and the online process.

3. How many schools should I apply to? • Reach 1-2 • Good Match 2-3 • Safe 1-2 • Think about major, location, size, setting (rural/urban/suburban), extracurricular activities. • Realistic evaluation of each college’s admission requirements (grades, standardized test scores, required high school courses).

4. College Visits/Interview Visits • Take campus tour • Visit library, cafeteria, dorms • Talk with students The Interview • This is a good way for schools to know YOU and not what is on paper. • Be yourself- there are no right/wrong answers. • Be able to state why you are interested in that particular school. • Bring a copy of your unofficial high school transcripts (just ask the counseling secretary) * College visits/interviews are excused with a letter from the college on school letterhead.*

5. Types of College Admissions • Early decision is a contract between you and the college. You can only apply to 1 school early decision. If you are accepted, you MUST attend. BINDING contract! • Early action is more flexible. You do not have to commit to the college if you are accepted.You can apply to multiple schools.NON-BINDING contract! • Rolling Admission-Applications are evaluated as they are received. • Regular Decision- decisions are made once ALL applications have been received by deadline. • Priority/VIP Applications – If the school gives you one of these apps AND they accept the common application – YOU MUST fill out the COMMON APP- you can ask the school to give you a code so that the application is free!!! Pay attention to deadlines.

6. Top Factors for College 1.Grades in your courses – Grades in AP, honors, or accelerated level courses 2. Strength of Curriculum – Both the amount of course work you complete in high school and the quality of those courses 3. Admission Test Scores – Scores on either the SAT or ACT (most schools accept both interchangeably) 4. High School Grade Point Average – Calculated by dividing the total number of grade points received by the total number attempted • Source: National Association for College Admission Counseling

7. GPA/Rank • All seniors will receive their Rank and GPA in homeroom at the end of September. • Un-weighted is on a 4.0 scale • Weighted is on a 6.0 scale • Top 15% weighted rank = NJ Star • Transcript reflects weighted & un-weighted GPA & Rank

9. Standardized Tests • SAT’s-www.collegeboard.com (SAT Reasoning Test) • ACT’s-www.actstudent.org (ACT with writing) • SAT Subject Tests are specific one hour content area tests used by a small percentage of colleges. Be sure to confirm if the colleges to which you are applying require these tests and plan accordingly. • Send scores to Seneca High School-CEEB-311474 & colleges of your choice • NCAA contenders must send scores to NCAA Clearinghouse: 9999 • You must send Standardized Test scores to colleges directly from the testing agency: College Board (SAT’s) www.collegeboard.com ACT- www.actstudent.org • AP scores must be sent directly from College Board. • We recommend that students take SAT’s twice junior year and once senior year.

10. Test Dates SAT’s- at Cherokee HS October 5, 2013 January 25, 2014 November 2, 2013 March 8, 2014 December 7, 2013 \ ACT’s September 21, 2013 February 8, 2014 October 26, 2013(Seneca)April 12, 2014 December 14, 2013

11. BCC CAP COURSES • If your child has taken any course as a CAP course you will need to request a transcript directly from BCC (it will not show as CAP on your HS transcript). • http://www.bcc.edu/PDFFiles/Forms/(online)TranscriptRequestForm1209.pdf • October 23rd -BCC CAP registration @ Seneca

12. Seneca is GREEN…With the College Application Process • Online applications • Online teacher recommendation letters • Electronic submission of transcripts and letters

13. Teacher Recommendations • Ask two teachers politely in person. Give teachers at least two weeks notice. • Put teacher recommendation request in Naviance 1. Click on Colleges 2. Click on Colleges I’m Applying To 3.Click Add/Cancel Requests 4. Select teacher’s name from drop down bar 5. Click Update Requests • Check Naviance to see when letters have been completed. You will not be permitted to see the letter. • When teachers write you a letter, they will also fill out the common application teacher form electronically. **Teacher letters should be completed when you are requesting transcripts** • Counselors will automatically write a letter and fill out common application/counselor form electronically. You do not have to ask your counselor to write a letter.

14. Ways to Apply • Online • Go to the individual college website. • You will create a username and password. • Fill out the entire application online. • Common Application- www.commonapp.org • You will create a username and password. • Fill out once for multiple schools • Some schools have supplemental forms as well ** If a college accepts the Common Application & also has its own online application, you MUST apply using the Common Application for us to be able to send electronic documents**

15. Application and Transcript Process • Complete the application online using the college’s website or Common App website. • Submit a Transcript Request Form (attached) to Mrs. Dzwill in the Registrars Office. Please allow up to two weeks. *You need a Transcript Request Form for each college.* • The Counselor will electronically submit all required documentation. We MUST have parental release of academic records on file or the transcript will not be sent (attached) Students should check Naviance to ensure that teacher letters are completed.

18. Rutgers The Rutgers application process is unique • Apply online on Rutgers website (State ID # is on transcript) • Self report your grades on Rutgers website Rutgers does not want a high school transcript or recommendation letters. If you plan to attend, you will send a final transcript in June.

19. DEADLINES Please leave at least 2 weeks for the transcript request to be processed. • Deadlines approach quickly • Check individual college websites to verify deadlines We CANNOT honor same day requests for transcripts

20. Mid-Year & Final Transcripts • We do NOT automatically send mid-year or final grades. • Mid-year grades-Students must submit a mid year grade request form to Mrs. Dzwill in the Registrar’s office

21. College Athletics Students who are planning to play in a Division I, II sport need to complete the following: 1. Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center: http://eligbilitycenter.org • Send official test scores from College Board/ACT to NCAA • Send high school transcript to NCAA-submit transcript request form

22. BCC Spring Ahead Program • December 6th, 2013 -Attend BCC informational meeting at Seneca & fill out free application- https://www.bcc.edu/forms/adm • January-Transcript request form due to Counseling Center • February 4th or 5th-BCC placement tests at Seneca. Exempt if scored 540 in Critical Reading and/or 530 in Math on SAT’s or ACT Reading-23 and/or Math-20 (Must have applied and sent transcript by January in order to take test) • May 5th-Trip to BCC to register for classes (Must have applied, sent transcript & taken placement test in order to attend)

23. Military Branches • Marines- www.marines.com • Army- www.army.mil • Navy- www.navy.com • Air Force- www.af.mil ASVAB-Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (Military entrance exam) • Each branch has required entrance score • ASVAB administered Nov 14th at Seneca-sign up in Counseling Center

24. Trade Schools Schools that recent Seneca graduates have attended: Universal Technical Institute (UTI) Lincoln Tech BCIT Rizzieri PB Cosmetology *Must submit transcript request form*

25. Things to do….NOW • Submit parental release of academic records • Ask teachers for recommendation letters (2) and request through Naviance • Identify your schools and visit • Finish standardized testing • Counselor will meet with your child to review college application process • APPLY-**pay attention to deadlines** • Early action/decision deadlines are October and early November • Most applications should be completed by December 1st

26. Scholarships • Mrs. Grace McCloskey – Chairperson • gmccloskey@lrhsd.org • Check the Scholarship eboard & Naviance weekly: www.gmccloskey.seneca.site.eboard.com https://connection.naviance.com/senecahs Complete local scholarship packet (distributed in homeroom in January)

27. FINANCIAL AID • Visit Financial Aid website-www.fafsa.ed.gov to request a password • Complete FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) online after January 1st • Check college deadlines for FAFSA • NJ Stars must apply for financial aid Financial Aid Night January 9, 2014 7:00 PM Auditorium

28. Upcoming Counseling Center Events • October – To be announced – Open Counseling Center for College Applications

29. Seneca News • Visit the counseling center’s website: http://www.lrhsd.org/sencounseling • Each month the Seneca eNewsletter is emailed:www.lrhsd.org/enewssubscribe

30. Family Connection Powered byNAVIANCE • Create a resume • Personality/learning style inventories • Explore careers/career profiler • Search colleges • Full length SAT practice tests • Apply for scholarships • Track transcripts and letters of recommendation http://connection.naviance.com/senecahs Username: StudentID#@lrstudents.org Password: personal choice

31. Counselor Contact Information CounselorLast NamesPhoneEmail Mr. Sam Maira A-Dek x6687 smaira@lrhsd.org Mrs. Mary Sabo Del- Hof x6679 msabo@lrhsd.org Mr. Dave Lafferty Hog- Mc x6686 dlafferty@lrhsd.org Mrs. Erica Maira Me- Se x6685 emaira@lrhsd.org Ms. Sue Johnson Sh-Z x6656 sjohnson@lrhsd.org Seneca-609-268-4600

32. Thanks for coming!!See you at Graduation!!!