College Night Presentation

1. College Night Presentation November 30, 2017

2. Agenda • Preparing for a College Search • Scholarships • Next Steps for Juniors • Myths and Facts about College Admissions • Q & A

3. Preparing for a College Search

4. 4 Year Offers Bachelor's Degrees and beyond Provides a well-rounded college experience that includes an academic area of study Admission Requirements include test scores, GPA, class rank, recommendations, essays, extracurricular activities, transcript 2 Year Offers Associates Degrees Provides a way to ease into college/take general classes for college credit. Typically have agreements with 4-year colleges to transfer credits. Generally an open-door admissions policy Less expensive Types of Colleges

5. What is important to you? Location • Academics • Size • Campus Appeal • Social Life • 10 Step Campus Culture Quiz • Total Cost - Including Aid • Net Price Calculators Choosing Your College Priorities

6. ACT Consists of four tests: English, Math, Reading, and Science Writing Component is optional - I recommend you take this section at least once The ACT is scored on a scale from 1 to 36 In-school ACT on 2/27 Super Score SAT Consists of Evidenced Based Reading and Writing, and Math sections with essay portion being optional The SAT is scored on a scale from 400 to 1600 (essay would be scored separately) Khan Academy (PSAT scores) SAT Subject Tests Hour-long content based tests that allow you to showcase achievement in specific subject areas Only a handful of colleges require SAT Subject tests Test Preparation Prep Classes, books, websites, apps, Khan Academy www.actstudent.org www.collegeboard.org About College Admissions Tests

7. What Information Do College Admissions Officers Review? • Grades/Overall GPA • Strength of High School Course Selections • ACT or SAT score • Some schools are test-optional • Essay • Teacher and Counselor Recommendations • Demonstrated Interest • Class Rank • NDA provides decile ranking • Personal Accomplishments • Extracurricular Activities • Personality Characteristics • Courses in Progress Senior Year • How are you applying? EA/ED/RD

8. Scholarships

9. Merit Scholarship Tips Merit scholarships are where the money is. •More than $11 billion in merit scholarships available to students from colleges. •Not just for “A” students. •Some awards emphasize leadership or school involvement. •The average merit scholarship is $5,000/yr. •Many awards can be renewed year after year.

10. Scholarship Resources • Fastweb.com - Vast scholarship listing • fafsa.ed.gov - Free Application for Federal Student Aid • Studentaid.ed.gov - The federal government’s website about paying for college • MeritAid.com - $11 billion in merit scholarships • Cappex.com- Scholarship matching • finaid.org - Free student resource for learning about all types of financial aid • Toledo Community Foundation • Parent’s place of employment Never pay for access to scholarship opportunities!

11. Next Steps

12. Next Steps for Juniors In School • Stay focused on academics • Do not lighten your academic load for senior year • Meet with your college counselor • Stay involved in activities Standardized Testing • Prepare for tests • Register for ACT/SAT tests • www.actstudent.org • www.collegeboard.org • Register for SAT Subject Tests if needed • In-school ACT - 2/27

13. Next Steps for Juniors College Exploration • Explore colleges on the Web – UtilizeNaviance!! • Visit college campuses • Meet with college representatives when they come to NDA • Attend college fairs – Lourdes Fair will be the first Tuesday in October • Familiarize yourself with the Common Application. www.commonapp.org • Begin working on the application and essay • Register with the NCAA (www.eligibilitycenter.org ) if wanting to play DI/DII athletics

14. NDA Timeline • Take the ACT/SAT at least once this school year • Attend individual meeting with Mrs. Meier next semester • Visits, visits, visits! • Work on essay over the summer • Retake ACT/SAT if necessary • Take SAT Subject Tests if necessary • August - Student Brag Sheet and Parent Brag Sheet • Attend FAFSA presentation in the Fall • Complete FAFSA • Complete CSS Profile if necessary • Applications will be due in Mid-October

15. Myths and Facts “I’m not going to get into college” Fact: About 70% of colleges accept an average of 70% of their applicants “If I haven’t heard of the school, it must not be any good” Fact: There are countless schools that will offer you a great education. Don’t make your decision based on prestige or name recognition. Make your decision based on the best fit for you. “Take the easiest courses your school offers in order to maximize your GPA” Fact: Colleges know the most difficult classes NDA offers and they factor that in when reviewing your application

16. Myths and Facts “Be Modest” Fact: Admissions officers won’t read between the lines. They have to read between 75 and 100 applications a day, so make it easy for them. Give them the facts and don’t be afraid to brag. “By the time you get to applying to college, the hard work is done” Fact: You have 5 pages to represent 17 years of your life. Every word needs to count, and essays must be written and rewritten many times. Don’t underestimate the time it will take to make sure your application is the best it can be. “No college will take the time to look at your Facebook page” Fact: Admissions officers can and do look at social-networking profiles, so make sure you aren’t putting anything out there that you wouldn’t want them to see.

17. Q & A Ms. Adrian Meier ameier@nda.org 419.724.1007