College Admission Counseling 101 ASCA 2007

1. College Admission Counseling 101ASCA 2007 Bob Bardwell, Director of Guidance, Monson High School Roberto Garcia, Director of Admission, Colorado College

2. Why teach college admission counseling? • 43% of counselors surveyed spend more than 20% of their time doing college admission counseling • More people going to college • Only 1/3 of HS graduates in 1960 went to college • Today - More than half do • 50% of bachelor degree students drop out • Lots of misinformation is out there • Under-represented students need help

3. National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) • Networking with over 8000 members • Premiere organization for professional and ethical issues facing college counseling • Access to national conference and professional development opportunities • Web site (www.nacacnet.org) • E-list (Listserv@peach.ease.lsoft.com) • Newsletters/Journals

4. Statement of Principles of Good Practices • All members must adhere to these ethical and professional policies • Reviewed annually • Two articles • Promotion and recruitment • Admission, Financial Aid & Testing policies and procedures • Mandatory practices vs. best practices

5. The role of the secondary school counselor in college admissions • Advisor • Information provider • Researcher • Sounding board • Surrogate parent • Advocate • Financial aid expert • Teacher

6. Working with parents, faculty and administrators • What do (some) parents expect? • You are the expert • Lots of information • Available 24/7 • You to do the work for them • Some parents are not involved at all

7. Working with parents, faculty and administrators (continued) • What do the faculty expect? • Letters of recommendation assistance • Course placement information • Grading and test score information • Do they need my course to go to college? • Classroom guidance lessons/presentations • General college planning (ie: junior seminar) • Essay writing • College searching (internet or reference book) • Primarily serve as a resource

8. Working with parents, faculty and administrators (continued) • What do administrators expect? • Excellent placements/Where students got in • Professionalism • High quality college admission counseling programs/activities • Satisfied students and parents • Good publicity for the school/community

9. Setting up the College Counseling Office • Reference materials • print • search guides - Peterson’s, College Board, Chronicle • catalogs/viewbooks • non-fiction books • free materials • multimedia (Videos, DVD’s, CD-ROM’s) • online • maps/guides

10. Setting up the College Counseling Office • Programs • grade level programs • junior prep night • senior financial aid night • junior/senior seminars • Newsletters • E-mail/e-group options

11. Required college counseling seminar for juniors • Introduction to the college search process • Timelines • Identifying needs/self-exploration/values clarification • Testing issues • Exposure to college materials, critical thinking • Dispelling myths, creating awareness, getting kids “on board”, alleviating anxiety • Planning for junior spring & summer visits • The essay

12. Profiles • Should accompany every transcript sent • Tell the college about your school • School & community facts • name, address and contact information • type of school (public/private) • enrollment by grade level • accreditation(s) • calendar system (quarter/semester/trimester) • description of the school community

13. Profiles (continued) • Staff • Name of principal/headmaster • Name(s) of counseling staff w/contact information • Grading system • Grading system • Computation of class rank (if computed) policy • Grade weighting policy • Graduation requirements • Special situations (ESL or special needs students)_

14. Profiles (continued) • Recent college admission test scores • Percent of students taking ACT/SAT • Range of scores • Further schooling of graduates • chart or table showing percent of graduates attending various types of post secondary schools • Curriculum information • All courses offered • Designation of honors, AP & IB courses • Unusual programs or opportunities

15. Timeline for Conducting the College Search • Sophomore year • Junior year • Fall • Take PSAT’s • Winter/spring • Research schools; narrow down your list • Prepare for the SAT/ACT • Select appropriate senior year courses • Summer • Visit Schools

16. Timeline for Conducting the College Search (continued) • Senior Year • Fall • Finalize your list of potential schools • Visit schools • Get letters of recommendation • Take SAT/ACT • APPLY • Get financial aid information/forms • Begin to apply for scholarships

17. Timeline for Conducting the College Search (continued) • Winter • Continue to apply for admission and scholarships • Apply for financial aid • If accepted, make sure to let the admissions office know if you want an extension until May 1 • Spring • Evaluate acceptances and financial aid offers • Send non-refundable deposit by May 1 • Send final transcript after graduation

18. Factors to consider when selecting a college • Location, location, location • Large city • Small city • Rural area • Major • Size of school • Extra large 15,000 + (University of Mass.) • Large 5000-10,000 (Boston College) • Medium 1000-5000 (Springfield College) • Small under 1000 (Elms College)

19. Factors to consider when selecting a college (continued) • Type of school • Liberal arts (Amherst College) • Technological (Worcester Polytechnic Institute) • Health sciences (Mass. College of Pharmacy) • Business (Bryant University) • Art (Mass. College of Art) • Military (Mass. Maritime Academy)

20. Factors to consider when selecting a college (continued) • Type • Private • Public • Religious affiliated • Lifestyle/Activities • Fraternities/sororities • Athletics • Clubs/organizations • Special programs - study abroad; co-op

21. Factors to consider when selecting a college (continued) • Selectivity • Very selective (admits less than 30%) • Selective (admits 30-60%) • Competitive (admits 60-90%) • Open enrollment (admits 100%) • Institution selectivity vs. major selectivity • Reputation

22. A word of caution about rankings/ratings • US News & World Report & Rugg’s Recommendations on the College are helpful, but…. • The best school for a student may not have the best program • Check the industry for programs that are accredited or endorsed

23. Resources to search for a college • College Search Books • Peterson’s Guide • College Board Handbook • College Board Index of Majors • Chronicle Guidance Publications • Barron’s Guides • Lovejoy’s College Guide • The Fiske to the Colleges • Rugg’s Recommendations on the Colleges

24. Resources to search for a college • Athletic resources • National Directory of College Athletics • Honors Programs • Peterson’s Guide to Honors Programs & Colleges • Vocational/Technical Schools • Peterson’s Guide to Vocational & Technical Schools • Religious Affiliated Schools • Peterson’s Christian College & Universities • Catholic Colleges – www.catholiccollegesonline.org

25. Resources to search for a college • General Books • A is for Admission- Hernandez • The College Admissions Mystique - Mayer • Colleges that Change Lives - Pope • Admissions Confidential - Toor • The GateKeepers - Steinberg • The Public Ivys- Moll

26. Resources to search for a college • Magazines/periodicals • US News & World Report • Money Magazine • The Gourman Report • Newsweek - How to Get into College • The Princeton Review • The free stuff

27. Resources to search for a college • Placement Reports • Database (Microsoft Access) • Make your own program • Scattergrams • www.naviance.com • www.inresonance.com.

28. College Fairs • NACAC sponsored • Almost 50 national fairs • 15 Performing & Visual Arts college fairs • State & Regional ACAC sponsored • High school sponsored • Other privately sponsored • National Hispanic College Fair

29. College tours for counselors • Private • College Visits, 207 East Bay Street, Suite 304 Charleston, SC 29401, 800-944-2798, www.college-visits.com • College sponsored • College sponsored, usually ones situated close together • Free or inexpensive; you may pay to get there • Several days or part of the day • Overnight programs for counselors and their families • As part of conferences

30. College Tours for Students • Commercial packages • www.college-visits.com • www.niep.com • The College Authority (949) 371.1111 • Design your own college tour • Field trip to local college • College may offset cost of transportation & meals • Field trip to local college fair

31. The counselor cycle • College Planning begins in the middle school • Middle school early planning program for parents • Early testing programs - SSAT • Develop a 4 year plan with incoming freshmen emphasizing proper course selection and good grades • Continue in grades 10 & 11 • Taking AP/Honors courses vs. less challenging course

32. The counselor cycle(continued) • Fall of junior year • Program to discuss calendar & resources available to search for colleges • Voluntary • Give out transcript • PSAT administration • Third Saturday or Wednesday after Columbus Day in October • Given at most high schools nationally

33. The counselor cycle(continued) • Spring of junior year • Program for students and parents • Evening • Panel of admission representatives • SAT/ACT registration and administration • College search • College tours

34. The counselor cycle(continued) • Fall of senior year • Large group meeting to gather information • Review calendar & responsibilities • Review letter of recommendation guidelines • Deadlines • Evening program • Small group/individual appointments • Folders • SAT/ACT test administration & registration • Letters of recommendation • Financial aid night

35. The counselor cycle(continued) • Winter of senior year • Letters of recommendation • Reviewing applications and/or essays • Financial aid deadline reminder • Verification of transcripts sent

36. The counselor cycle(continued) • Spring of senior year • Follow up with students who have not applied • Field trip to local community college • Assisting with financial aid award letter interpretation and decision making • Coordinate program to help plan for the transition to college for parents & seniors

37. Parts of an application • Application • Fee • Personal statement/essay • Secondary school report • Counselor recommendation • Teacher recommendations • Standardized test scores • Personal Interview • Portfolio • Other requirements for specific majors

38. How many applications? • 3-5 was the average; 5-10 more common now • Community standard will determine this • Sort institutions by selectivity • Reach - tend to be more competitive • Likely - a pretty good chance of getting in • Safety - pretty much a guaranteed admission • Try to put 1-2 schools in each category to ensure choices later on

39. When to apply? • Most early admission programs have deadlines around November 1st • More selective schools have deadlines around January 1st • Most schools have February or March 1st • Less selective schools may continue accepting students up to May 1st • Financial aid award may be determined by when you were accepted (priority deadline)

40. Counselor letter of recommendation • Should provide an overview of the applicant’s strengths and potential for success in college • Don’t repeat what is already in the application (I.e.: activities) • Reveal things that are not necessarily known to the reader • Make connections, especially with events which have shaped their goals/choices

41. Counselor letter of recommendation (continued) • Fill in the gaps • Give insights that most people wouldn’t know • Explain problems/issues (assuming you have the permission of the student) • Respect confidentiality • Be positive, yet honest • Don’t state the obvious

42. Counselor letter of recommendation (continued) • Three parts • Introduction - context in which you know the student • Body - provide specific examples and documentation; can include teacher comments, but…… • Conclusion - summary of recommendation • To show or not to show?

43. Counselor letter of recommendation (continued) • Where to gather information • From student interactions & past experiences • From faculty • From records/cumulative folder • From parents • How long should it be?

44. Teacher Letters of Recommendation • Don’t have too many; 2-3 at the most • Have different disciplines represented unless specific individuals are needed • Try to include letters from outside of the school if appropriate • Clergy • Coach • Advisor • Employer

45. Teacher Letters of Recommendation • Ideally a student should have had the teacher for at least two classes • Choose teachers from junior or senior year courses • Student should provide information sheet • What does the teacher do with it after it is written?

46. The Personal Statement/Essay • This is a personal experience; don’t talk about other people or if you do, how he/she impacted you • Be yourself • This may be the only subjective information that the reader has about the candidate • Should provide reflection about the individual’s strengths and weaknesses

47. The Personal Statement/Essay • Should expand upon the application, not repeat it • Should be your best effort, not a last minute piece • Don’t write about what you think they want to hear • Answer the question(s) • Follow directions

48. The Personal Statement/Essay • Provide concrete, vivid examples Avoid gimmicks, humor (if you’re not funny) and preaching • Avoid controversial topics • Can be used to “explain” something • Develop an outline prior to writing • Don’t use big words or thesaurus words • Make your introduction memorable

49. The Personal Statement/Essay • Demonstrate higher level thinking; make the connection • If you are going to mention the school, make sure to send the correct one • Revise & rewrite • Have others proofread it • How long?

50. Secondary School Report • Basic academic information • GPA • Rank • Strength of curriculum in comparison to others • Ratings/checklists • Statistics about placement rates • List of senior courses/grades • Transcript request • Letter of recommendation/counselor comments • Discipline/suspension issues