Well, you've
finally made it! This is the big
year. You're a senior at last! Now, there is only one more year until you're
out on your own--at college, working, or in the military. The prospects are exciting and scary at the
same time. Some of you know just what
you want to do and have been planning on this for years, while others haven't
even wanted to think about it. We
encourage you to make an appointment with your counselor as soon as school gets
underway (but no later than November 1st). Parents are always welcome at this
conference, in fact, we suggest that the college search become a family
project. Those of you interested in
working, or joining the military, should also make an appointment with us early
in the year. All seniors should meet
with a counselor, at least once, prior to November 1st.
The Guidance Office is here to serve you
and it is well stocked for those:
For those of you planning
on going into the military or to work, we
have a "Careers Without College" section with materials for
you to investigate. Other resources
include military brochures, resume and
interviewing guides, and much more.
There may be exams
you need to take, such as the ASVAB or a civil service exam in order to land
the job you are seeking. Some positions
or tests may have age restrictions.
Please stop in and see us so that we may help you plan your future.
For those headed
to college, we have many videos of colleges as well as "How to Plan for
College" and "How to Survive Your Freshman Year" -- two
excellent tapes. The office has two
computers for students to use when investigating colleges, scholarships and
obtaining applications. We have a large
collection of college guides (Barron’s, Peterson’s, Cass & Birnbaum, etc.)
available for your use. SAT and ACT test
dates are posted and registration deadlines are published in the school
calendar as well as posted in the Guidance Office. We also have several new resources on
choosing your college major.
College Visits
Visiting Tips and Suggestions:
1.
VISIT!
VISIT! VISIT as many colleges as possible.
You learn SO much about a college just by seeing it. It is impossible to get a “feel” for a
college over the phone or on paper. Try
to go while students are on campus, there is a much different atmosphere during
a time when there are students around than when the campus looks like a ghost
town. Also, keep in mind the weather
when you go. If it is a miserable, rainy
or snowy day that may influence how you feel about the college.
2.
Get an
official tour and then try to talk to students about what the campus is really
like. Pick up a publication of the
school newspaper. Often students produce them, making them a
great indicator of the hot topics on campus.
3.
Make an
appointment to speak with a couple of the professors from the major you may
declare. Gain an understanding of
exactly what is expected of you once you are taking classes.
4.
Set up
an opportunity to stay over night or shadow a current student for a day.
5.
Start a
notebook with all the information and correspondence from each college you are
looking at for quick reference. This
would help you organize your information as well as give you a place to write
down your thoughts throughout the college application process.
The College Selection Process
POINTS
TO KEEP IN MIND
˜ Don't become over anxious. 92% of all current college freshmen are
enrolled in their 1st or 2nd choice.
˜ Your college application enhancement begins in
junior high school. Be sure you are
enrolled in the academic curriculum. If
you are able, take "honors" or "advanced placement"
courses. Be sure to speak with your
parents about how important good grades are for college choice.
˜ Work with your guidance
counselor, but realize that you must take charge.
˜ There is a good college for
everyone. Most colleges provide the
opportunity for a good education. Don't
push too hard. A great deal depends upon
the student not the school or it’s reputation.
˜ Approximately 300 of the total
3,601 colleges are considered to be very difficult or selective in their
admissions requirements.
˜ Make sure you are aware of the
importance of good grades and reasonable SAT or ACT scores. If your test scores are low for the college
of their choice, consider a SAT or ACT prep course in the junior or senior
year-it can help!
˜ Don't let college selectivity be
the end-all. There are hundreds of
excellent colleges. Don't limit yourself
to just the most selective. Although all
of the highly selective schools provide an excellent education, so do most of
the others.
˜ Narrow your focus to 6-10 schools
as soon as practical. Learn all you can
about those schools
˜ Consider both a "reach"
and "safety" college in addition to those listed as
"possibilities". Make sure the
school matches what you really want and need.
(Note: A "reach" is a
school at which you will have a 20% chance of acceptance and a
"safety" is a school at which you student will have an 80% chance of
acceptance.)
˜ Learn everything you can about
financial aid, and talk with the financial aid offices of colleges your student
is considering. Don't be bashful: ask
for financial help.
˜ Planning,
evaluating and choosing a college can be a difficult and frustrating experience
or a rewarding expansive and learning process that brings a greater
appreciation for you and your interests when you involve your parents. It's up to you.
TIPS ON COLLEGE ADMISSIONS
At most of the 1,500 four-year accredited colleges in the country, the
difficulty of being admitted is governed by a simple principle of supply and
demand. If a college has a large number
of applicants but only has to accept a small number to fill its freshman class,
the college can be highly selective. If,
on the other hand, the college must take most of its applicants, the college
cannot be selective.
Always keep in mind that the best college for your student may not be
the most selective one, but one that best matches your student's desires.
When colleges make admission decisions, they usually evaluate three
areas:
1.) academic achievement
2.) standardized test scores
3.) a personal
profile (and essays)
Academic achievement is generally the most
important. It includes the quality of
courses taken, grades, rank in class, and in some cases, teacher
recommendations. The quality of courses
is determined by academic level, such as general, honors, and college
preparatory.
The second component is test scores, either
SAT's or ACT's. At most highly selective
colleges, these tests are used in conjunction with the College Board
Achievements tests. It is important to
consider which test you need to take. Most
colleges accept both, however, it is best to check the college information to
make sure you are meeting their requirements.
For
more information about which exam to take click here: SAT or ACT
The third component, the personal profile,
measures what the candidate does outside the classroom. This profile includes job, athletics,
community service, religious activities, art, student government and more. Unlike scores and academic achievement, which
are relatively easy to measure, the personal profile is far more difficult to
evaluate. The application, the interview
and the letters of recommendation are three ways that colleges gather
information in this area.
The impact of the three
components listed above vary greatly in a college’s decision making. Large public universities are less likely to
use the personal profile and more apt to use test scores, formulas and cutoffs
than are smaller, private colleges. In most cases, weakness in one area can be
offset by strength in another.
REMEMBER, The more selective a
college, the more that college can demand in academic achievement, test scores
and personal profile.
Colleges will often send notices of missing information, please know
that often the paperwork is there, just not as one package yet. Click “Are you sure you
sent the application” for helpful information
Finally, we are here to help in every way, but ultimately
you, the student, must take responsibility for your future.
You must read the college
materials, do the research, make the decisions, take the appropriate tests, get
your recommendations, and
give the application to us in order
for us to send out it in time to meet your college deadlines. If work or the military is your choice,
you must make the contacts, set up
appointments, make application and follow through. We can assist you with
resumes, meeting places, etc.
Please call us soon to set
up an appointment. The Guidance Office
number is 364-7111.
TIMELINE FOR APPLYING TO COLLEGE
Summer
before Senior Year
́
Narrow Search to 5-8 colleges
́
VISIT colleges, especially those on the list
́
Work, volunteer, get involved
September
́
Meet with college representatives in the guidance office.
́
Meet with your guidance counselor to discuss graduation
requirements and future plans.
́
Contact colleges for applications, to set up admissions visit and
tour.
́
Register for SAT and ACT if you have not taken them yet or plan on
retaking them. To register on line for the SAT or the
ACT click the link.
October
́
Begin filling out applications.
́
Ask at least 2 teachers for recommendations.
́
Develop a resume or Fact Sheet about your activities and
experiences throughout grades 9-12.
́
Take/Retake ACT and/or SAT.
November
́
Complete and turn in at least one application by Nov.1st
to the guidance office.
́
Continue to fill out and complete applications.
́
Keep track of deadlines.
December/January
́
Begin/continue scholarship search.
́
File FAFSA (not until January 1st). For more on Financial aid click here
́
Complete Second or supplemental applications as they come in the
mail.
́
Respond to other requests from the various colleges.
February/March
́
Watch mail for information and respond in a timely manner.
́
Make decisions based on financial aid packages.
́
Contact school that did not meet your financial need to see if
there is anything that can be done.
April/May
́
Make a final decision for a college.
́
Send in the deposit by the date specified by the college of your
choice.
́
Finish the school year strong – you don’t want to lose scholarships
or develop bad study habits before going to college.
