College Preparation

1. College Preparation For Middle School Students and Parents by Mr. Sam Simmons Sponsored by Kellogg Guidance Department and Gifted and Talented Education Program

2. Topics: • Post High School Plans • Why College? • The Middle School Years • Educational Testing • College Admissions • College Selection/Match • Financial Aid • What do we do now?

3. Post High School Plans • World of Work • Military • Technical/Trade School • 2 Yr College • 4 Yr College

4. Why College? • Highest average salaries • More career options • “Rite of Passage” • Quality of life: Liberal Arts

5. Middle School Years – Laying the Foundation • Selecting the right courses • Academic support and encouragement • School Programs • Getting involved - Volunteering • Talk with older kids

6. Selecting the right courses • Interests, abilities and strengths (testing: EXPLORE) • Correct level of difficulty • Striking a balance • Parents’ opinions • Teacher & counselor opinions

7. Academic Encouragement and Support • A daily homework schedule • A quiet place to study • Praise • Work with teachers • Develop good reading habits • Talk about future plans

8. School Programs • Gifted and Talented Education Program • Career Exploration Program - i.e. “Job Shadowing” “Bring Kid to Work Day” • “Summer of Service” – Service Learning • Athletics

9. Get Involved!!! • Getting involved in activities and sports • Now’s the time to try out different activities! • School, church/religious org, community serv. • Talk with older kids • Relatives, neighbors, Youth group, etc

10. Keep in mind … • Everything you do starting in 9th grade will go on your high school transcript and will be seen by colleges and organizations sponsoring scholarships • All high school level courses you take PRIOR to high school will also be on your high school transcript

11. Educational Testing • ACT/SAT – NUMATS • EXPLORE (gr 8), PLAN (10), ACT (11) • PSAT (11), SAT (11), SAT Subject Tests • Advanced Placement (AP)

12. College admission tests are … • challenging – an average test-taker can expect to get 50% correct. • approximate – no test can measure abilities with perfect precision. • limited – they don’t measure work habits, enthusiasm, creativity, artistic or musical ability, leadership skills, motivation, responsibility, or character.

13. Long-term test prep • Read, read, read, read, … • Develop and strengthen critical thinking, higher order reasoning and problem-solving abilities • Improve vocabulary and develop word attack skills • Advanced Math students may have to go back to review earlier math skills

14. Short-term test prep • Keep it in perspective … lower anxiety • Become familiar with the types of questions and directions • Take practice tests (EXPLORE, PLAN, PSAT) • Use practice tests as study tools

15. A Word on Private Test Prep Opportunities • How do I know if I need this, or if it will help? • Test Prep Literature • Peterson’s, Arco, Princeton Review, Barron’s • Test Companies themselves (online) • Classes • Private tutors • Community Ed. – Dr. Zaps • National companies – Kaplan, Princeton Rev., Huntington Learning, etc.

16. College Admission • 2 Year Community College/Technical Cols. • 4 Year Colleges • State or Public Colleges and Universities • Private Colleges and Universities

17. 2 Year Com. Colleges • Two-year programs • Transfer programs • Get Started on your Bachelor’s Degree • Save Money • Start Small • Undecided/General Education • Open Admission Policy • A. A. degree • May transfer to 4 yr col.

18. 4-Year Colleges and Universities • State or Public Colleges and Universities • Private Colleges and Universities

19. State/Pub. Cols. & Univs. • Four-year institutions • Variety of program majors • Selective Admissions • University of Minnesota, Winona State University, U. of Wisconsin – Madison, North Dakota State U.

20. Note: Tuition Reciprocity • Minnesota has tuition reciprocity with state schools in Wisconsin, North Dakota, & South Dakota and provincial schools in Manitoba • Midwest Student Exchange Program – reduced tuition in Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri & Nebraska – www.MHEC.org – click “Student Access” and “MSEP”

21. State Universities Admissions • Typical admission Criteria (more formulaic): • Class rank • ACT or SAT • Preparation Standards • 4 years of English • 3 years of Math • 3 years of Science • 3 years of Social Science • 2 years of World Language • 1 to 2 years of World Culture or Fine Arts

22. Private Colleges • May have a Religious Affiliation • Cost • Admissions will look at individual student, not number of applicants • St. Olaf College, Beloit College, Northwestern U., Stanford U., Col. of Wooster

23. Private College Admissions • Typical Admission Criteria (more holistic): • Varying degrees of selectivity • ACT or SAT – may req. SAT Subject Tests • Class Rank • Strength of Schedule • Outside Activities • Show of interest • How will student benefit from us, and what does the student have to offer our college?

24. College Selection/Matching “College is a match to be made, not a prize to be won.”

25. Self-evaluation: First step in finding the right match • Goals and values • Academic interests and learning style • Activities and outside interests • Your personality and your relationship with other people • Career awareness

26. The Conventional Wisdom • Three types of schools (different for each Student) – pick a couple in each category - Reach - Target - Safety (including a “financial safety”)

27. Criteria for Selecting a College • Programs/Majors • Geography – state and community • Public/Private • Size of College • Faculty/student ratio • Facilities • Atmosphere (i.e. Liberal or Conservative) • Expenses/Financial Aid/Scholarships

28. A word on college “rankings” • Appeals to us as consumers. • Rankings are all SUBJECTIVE ! • Some colleges refuse to submit data used in popular ranking lists • Some colleges purposely skew their statistics so they look better to organizations that rank them.

29. Financial Aid • 2 Types • Need Based (FAFSA) • Grants • Loans • Work/Study • Merit Based (Scholarships) • Institutional Aid (from college itself) • Corporations • Employers • Civic Groups

30. What can we do now? • Talk with others with kids in college • Read some college guide books • Visit college search engines & col. websites • Visit college campuses – family vacation? • Summer enrichment programs • Community service - volunteer • See your Financial Planner/Accountant • College Savings Plans - 529 Plan, Coverdale

31. … and in the near future • Importance of doing well academically • Admissions • Merit Scholarship qualification • Keep track of all activities & leadership positions • Minimize indebtedness • Students may consider part time job • Some employers, parent’s or student’s, may offer scholarships – do some research • Some organizations you may be a member of may offer scholarships

32. Helpful Websites • Career Search • www.Iseek.org • mncis.intocareers.org • College Search • www.petersons.com • www.review.com/college

33. Testing • www.act.org • www.collegeboard.com • www.ctd.northwestern.edu/numats/ Financial Aid • www.finaid.org • www.collegeboard.com/paying • www.ohe.state.mn.us

34. Some Helpful Materials • “The Best 373 Colleges” by Princeton Review • “Fiske Guide to Colleges” • “Insider’s Guide to the Colleges” by staff of Yale Daily News • “Colleges That Change Lives” by Loren Pope • “Harvard Schmarvard” by Jay Mathews