Senior Class Meeting September 5, 2019 6:00 PM

1. Senior Class Meeting September 5, 2019 6:00 PM

2. The College Application Process at Watkins Mill High School

3. Room A006 Room E107

4. High school senior year! This is the big one. If you are the parent of a senior in high school, you know that the coming months are packed with: • Essay writing • Completing The Common/Coalition Application • Campus visits • Counselor meetings • College fairs • On-campus and alumni interviews • Teacher recommendations • Standardized tests (ACT or SAT) • Financial aid applications (FAFSA, CSS Profile) • Scholarship research

5. HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR YEAR TIMELINE • NOVEMBER • Prepare to submit regular decision applications in advance of deadlines • Clean up social media accounts • Research and apply for scholarships • Work hard in your classes • SEPTEMBER • Complete Brag Sheet • Meet with counselor – make preliminary college list, double check graduation reqs. • Create a calendar of admission and financial aid deadlines • Register for Oct. Nov. or Dec test if retaking SAT/ACT • Request teacher recommendations • Draft Common Application Essay • Attend admission rep visits • OCTOBER • Attend admission rep visits in the career center • Complete financial aid forms (FAFSA, CSS profile) • Finalize Common/Coalition App essay • Finalize list of schools to apply to • Complete Early/Prioity Action applications • Keep up and enjoy extracurricular activities • DECEMBER • Follow up with teachers/counselor about recommendations • Send test scores and transcripts • Complete Common/Coalition App and supplements • Celebrate if you received early action offer • Submit applications before winter break so you can enjoy the holidays • FEBRUARY • Stay engaged with high school. Watch out for Senioritis • Continue to apply for scholarships • Meet with counselor to make sure you have met all senior requirements • Work hard in your classes • JANUARY • Submit applications to colleges with late deadlines • Send first semester grade reports • Follow up with schools to make sure your applications are complete • Not going to college? Have a plan. • Work hard in your classes

6. HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR YEAR TIMELINE • APRIL • Attend “admitted student” events at colleges you are considering • Decide whether to accept waitlist spots if offered • Keep grades up – the college you accept will require a final transcript • Choose your college and mail the deposit by Mary 1st • Work hard in your classes • MAY • Take AP tests (your college may accept scores for course credit) • Continue to apply for scholarships • Inform counselor/teachers who wrote recommendations of your choice (and write thank you notes) • Research first-year housing options; connect with potential roommates • Work hard in your classes • MARCH • Celebrate your offers of admissions • Compare financial aid awards • Plan your summer; work, internship, travel • Work hard in your classes

7. Post High School Educational Options • Four year Institutions - $10,795 UMD; $53,435 GW (does not include room and board and incidentals) • Two year Community Colleges- $5000 • Community College IS college. 42% of MC students transfer to a 4 yr. University- (USG is a viable option) https://www.montgomerycollege.edu/academics/transfer/transfer-agreements.html • Vocational/Trade Schools Check Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges Website at www.accsc.org/directory/ • Military – Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard

8. Use the School Website https://montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/watkinsmillhs/ to Access Naviance/Family Connection Family Connection is a web-based tool that provides self-discovery activities and lessons to help students explore and plan their college and career goals. Students can discover their individual strengths and talents and explore career and college options.

9. College Admissions Reps visit high schools in the fall to discuss applications, programs, scholarships and more. A complete list can be found in Naviance on the home page. Simply click on more info, register for the visit, print the confirmation page and use that as your pass from class. All rep visits will be held in the Career Center unless otherwise noted.

10. Colleges – Find your Fit

12. Sort Your List Once you have a list of colleges you think you will be satisfied attending, sort it into three categories: Safetys: These are colleges that you feel you have a very good chance of getting into and that you think you can afford to attend. They should also be colleges you would be happy to attend. Target: These are colleges that you feel you have a good chance of getting into and that are good matches for you overall. Reaches: These are colleges that you think may be more of a challenge to get into. Getting in is not a sure thing, but it’s realistic enough to be worth the effort of applying.

13. How Many Colleges Should I Apply To? One to Two Reach Two to Four Target One to Two Safety Make arrangements to visit college campuses.

14. Early Action (EA) • Option to submit your applications before the regular deadlines. • Admission decisions from colleges come earlier than usual. • Not binding  • Early Decision (ED) – Must have counselor and parent signature to apply this way • Option to submit an application to your first-choice college before the regular deadline. • Admission decision comes earlier than usual. • Early decision plans are binding • Enroll in the college immediately if admitted and offered a financial aid package that meets your needs.  • Open Admission • Accepts any high school graduate, no matter what his or her grades are, until all spaces in the incoming class are filled. • Almost all two-year community colleges have an open-admission policy. However, a college with a general open-admission policy may have admission requirements for certain programs. • Priority Date or Deadline • The date by which your application — whether it’s for college admission, student housing or financial aid — must be received to be given the strongest consideration. • Rolling Admission • Each application is considered as soon as all required information (such as high school records and test scores) has been received, rather than setting an application deadline and reviewing applications in a batch. • Colleges that use a rolling admission policy usually notify applicants of admission decisions quickly.

15. * The school is a Common App School The school accepts electronic delivery The transcript must be mailed Once you have your “colleges I’m thinking about” list you can click on to find out: Application Deadlines Information About Electronic Delivery

17. What’s in a COMPLETE APPLICATION? • Application Forms • Application Fees $50+ ask about fee waivers • High School Transcript-pick up request form in Counseling office • Final High School Transcript- Mailed AFTER the year ends • Admission Test Scores-SAT/ACT sent directly from ACT or College Board • Letters of Recommendation – Teachers and Counselor • Essays • Auditions and Portfolios • Interviews-Not all schools require an interview

18. Find it on the WMHS Counseling Page

19. Common Application • www.commonapp.org– allows you to apply to several colleges using a “common application”. • Accepted by over 700 colleges (Salisbury, UMBC, St. Mary’s, etc.) • The student creates an account using the same email address that is listed on Family Connection (Naviance). • Enter Common App email address on the “My Colleges” tab under “Colleges I’m Applying To” on Family Connection and then click “Match.” This links the Common App account with the Family Connection account.

20. If you are applying to a Common App School Please watch the video on the homepage of your Naviance Account for instructions on how to match you application.

21. The Coalition Application http://www.coalitionforcollegeaccess.org/

22. The UMCP Application- Now a COALITION APPLICATION SCHOOL • Priority deadline is November 1st. • Submit by this date for best chance of admission & to be considered for Honors, Gemstone, Scholars, & merit scholarships. • 95% of the class will be selected from these applicants. • Test scores need to be sent directly from ACT or CollegeBoard to College Park. Request no later than October 1st. • Request official transcript from Ms. Brown no later than October 11th.

23. Montgomery College • Simple online application. Can apply October 1st! FREE for MCPS students!! • Due date for the Scholars Program and Macklin Program is in January 6, 2020. Separate application. $25 fee • Students must take the Accuplacer if they do not have an ACT or SAT score OR if scores are not a 21 or higher for the ACT or a 530 or higher on the Math SAT. • Take assessment tests before class registration.

24. At least 3 weeks (15 school days) prior to the college application deadline, submit to Ms. Brown in the counseling office the following: • WMHS Secondary School Report Form • Signed transcript request form • If the transcript has to be mailed, a 9 x 12 envelope addressed to the college with 3 Forever stamps or $1.47 postage on it • Transcript request fees: first 3 are free, each transcript after that is $3.00, MC is free – does not count in the three free count

25. How to Request a Recommendation • Ask teachers Early and in PERSON. Many students will make the same request of them. • Ask at a Convenient Time for the Teacher. • Use the “Request for Recommendation Letter” and give the following materials to your Teachers: • Request for Teacher Recommendation • Remind them your completed brag sheet is online in Naviance • Addressed envelope with postage (if college does not accept electronic submissions)

26. SAT – www.sat.collegeboard.orgACT – www.actstudent.org WATKINS MILL’S HIGH SCHOOL (CEEB) CODE: 210568 Send Test Scores:

27. LET’S REVIEWYour Application Packet STUDENT SUBMITS: WMHSSENDS: Official Transcript (Transcript Request Form) OnlineApplication Secondary School Report SAT/ACT Scores Letter of Recommendation (Brag Sheet) Application Fee WMHSSchoolProfile Did your teacher send your recommendation letter?

28. On-the-Spot Admissions At WMHS Many schools will make on-site acceptance decisions. Our on-site decision day will be in December. I will be adding the list of attending schools to our website soon.

29. Financial Aid and Scholarships Financial Aid Workshop Tuesday, September 24th 6:00-8:00 pm Presented in English & Spanish Bring your Parent or Guardian • www.fafsa.gov • Available October 1 • Scholarships link on the College/Career Center webpage

31. My Contact Information: • Kate Heald • Catharine_E_Heald@mcpsmd.org • 301-284-4432

32. Important Reminders: Pay Attention to application deadlines Check your email on a regular basis, MHEC will send you an email if you are awarded money SSL Hours – Don’t wait to get your SSL Hours- Set a goal to get them completed by March. See your counselor or Ms. Torres-Merriweather if you have any questions Obligations – Make sure all your obligations are paid

33. Tips for Parents of Seniors • Now is the time to: • Understand there will be stress • Acknowledge that your student may see a peer’s opinions and ideas equally as important as yours • See this as an opportunity to learn about yourselves and your child • Work together. Your teen may not say so, but he/she probably wants your involvement and approval. • Encourage your teen to get to know himself or herself, and then let the choices be your son or daughter’s. She/he must live with the choice • Discuss with your child how much money, if any, you can provide for college • Resist the temptation to be critical or judgmental • Encourage your student to brainstorm about and solicit feedback about the very important college essay • Now is NOT the time to: • Make your child’s college and career decision so that he/she feels like a failure if he/she doesn’t please you or is rejected at the school of your choice • See your teen’s choice as a reflection on you • Let college and career conversations dominate family life for months on end

34. Questions??? Just think, this time next year you can rent out their room!!