Ready…. Set…. COLLEGE!!!

1. Ready…. Set…. COLLEGE!!!

2. High School Academics A Balanced Course Load Classes, College Prep, Electives Recommend Classes English Mathematics Science Social Studies World Languages The Arts Computer Science Advanced Placement (AP) Independent Study Choosing Smart Electives Cultivating Interests, Strengths and Special Talents

3. Junior Year College Timeline Fall • Meet with your guidance counselor to review the courses you've taken and see what you still need to take. • Check your class rank. Even if your grades haven't been that good so far, it's never too late to improve. Colleges like to see an upward trend. • Take the PSAT Test to qualify for National Merit Scholarships. This is also the qualifying test for the National Scholarship Service and National Hispanic Scholar Recognition Program. • Learn your social security number. • Take a long, hard look at why you want to continue your education after high school so you will be able to choose the best college or university for your needs. • Make a list of colleges that meet your most important criteria (size, location, and distance from home, majors, academic rigor, housing, and cost). Weigh each of the factors according to their important to you. • Continue visiting college fairs. You may be able to narrow your choices or add a college to your list. • Speak to college representatives who visit your high school. • If you want to participate in Division I or Division II sports in college, start the certification process. Check with your guidance counselor to make sure you are taking a core curriculum that meets NCAA requirements. • If you are interested in one of the military academies, talk to your guidance counselor about starting the application. Winter • Collect information about college application procedures, entrance requirements, tuition and fees, room and board costs, student activities, course offerings, faculty composition, accreditation and financial aid. The Internet is a good way to visit colleges and obtain this information. Begin comparing the schools by the factors that you consider to be most important. • Discuss your PSAT score with your guidance counselor. • Begin narrowing down your college choices. Find out if the colleges you are interested in require the SAT, ACT or SAT Subject Tests for admission. • Register for the ACT Test which is usually taken in April or June. You can take it again late in the junior year or the fall of the senior year. • Begin preparing for the tests you've decided to take. • Have a discussion with your parents about the colleges in which you are interested. Examine financial resources and gather information about financial aid. • Set up a filing system with individual folders for each college's correspondence and printed materials.

4. Junior Year College Timeline Spring • Meet with your guidance counselor to review senior year course selection and graduation requirements. • Discuss ACT and SAT scores with your guidance counselor. Register to take the ACT and/or SAT again if you are trying to improve your score. • Discuss the college essay with your guidance counselor or English teacher. • Stay involved with co-curricular activities. Colleges look for consistency and depth in activities. • Consider whom you will ask to write your recommendations. Think about asking teachers who know you well and who will write positive academic recommendations about you. Letters from a coach, activity teacher, or an adult who knows you well outside of school are also valuable. • Inquire about personal interviews at your favorite colleges. Call or write for early summer appointments. Make necessary travel arrangements. • See your guidance counselor to apply for on-campus summer programs for high school students. Apply for a summer job or internship. Be prepared to pay for college application, financial aid and testing fees in the fall. • Request applications from schools you're interested in by mail or via the Internet. Summer • Visit the campuses of your top five college choices. • Consider participating in a summer program on a college campus. • After each college interview, send a thank you letter to the interviewer. • Talk to people you know who have attended the colleges in which you are interested. • Continue to read books, magazines and newspapers. • Volunteer in your community. • Compose rough drafts of your college essays. Have a teacher read and discuss them with you. Proofread them and prepare final drafts. Proofread you final essays at least three times. • Develop a financial aid application plan, including a list of the aid sources, requirements for each application, and a timetable for meeting the filing deadlines.

5. Senior Year College Timeline August • Start thinking about college options • Research college websites • Request catalogs and admissions information from colleges • Begin scheduling visits with colleges and universities • Sign-up for the ACT and/or SAT September • Meet with admissions representatives visiting BHS • Obtain Admission Applications • Begin touring colleges and universities • Make a list of deadlines for ACT/SAT tests, admissions, financial aid applications • Begin asking teachers/employers for letters of recommendation October • Take the ACT/SAT if necessary • Begin completing college applications (request transcripts, test scores • from Guidance Office) • Visit your top school choices • Identify Open House Dates offered at colleges you are considering • Find out which financial aid forms are required by the college you are interested in • Research outside scholarships (scholarship websites, local scholarships) November • Take the SAT if necessary • Submit college applications by Thanksgiving break • Request FAFSA pin number online (www.fafsa.ed.gov) • Apply for scholarships December • Take the ACT/SAT if necessary • Familiarize yourself with the FAFSA website • Continue applying for scholarships (Ask your Admissions Counselor about possible scholarship days held at their universities)

6. Senior Year College Timeline January • Attend parent financial aid meeting • Submit FAFSA as soon as possible after January 1st • Be sure to list the college codes of the schools you are considering on the FAFSA (you can locate codes on college websites or through the Admissions Office) • Keep copies of all submitted forms • Send mid-year grades if needed February • Start narrowing down your college choices and send deposits • Continue applying for scholarships March • Begin reviewing financial aid packages with Admissions Counselors and parents • Apply for local scholarships April • Compare financial aid packages and decide on your final college choice by May 1st • Send deposit to ensure enrollment Summer • Begin accepting and finalizing financial aid for chosen college • Select a summer orientation date to attend • Receive residence hall assignment, obtain course scheduling, purchase books for classes and secure any loans necessary to pay for college Congratulations! You are about to begin one of the greatest adventures of your life!

7. Types of Colleges Which type suits you best? What kind of college do you see yourself attending? Different types of colleges suit different types of people. Take a look at these descriptions to help you see where you fit. Liberal Arts Colleges Universities Community or Junior Colleges Upper Division Schools Agricultural, Technical, and Other Specialized Colleges Public vs. Private Special Interest Religiously-Affiliated Colleges Historically-Black Colleges Hispanic-Serving Institutes Bottom Line What’s right for you depends on your situation and goals. Reprinted with permission of College Board

8. Types of Degrees If a student decides he/she would like to attend college, it’s wise to decide what type of degree is of interest before beginning the application process. Five recognized types of degree programs exist: Certificate of Completion Associate Degree Bachelor’s Degree Master’s Degree Doctoral Degree Reprinted with permission of College Board

9. Why Visit Colleges? • Seeing Beyond the Brochure • You can't Judge a College by Its Brochure • Get Answers to Your Questions • Get Valuable Information • Is This College Right for You?

10. Preparing for a Campus Visit Know Before You Go Research the College Review the school’s view books, course catalogs, and any other information of interest. Spend some time surfing the college’s web site. Talk to currently enrolled students or alumni about the college. Some college web sites let you contact them online, or a student can get phone numbers from the admissions office. Schedule Your Trip Find out how often college tours run, and if a student has to sign up in advance. Be sure to get a map of the school. If an interview is suggested, be sure to make an appointment. Also, consider meeting with the financial aid officer. Pack a Camera and Notebook What’s Important to You?

11. Campus Visit Checklist Take a campus tour Have an interview with an admission officer Get business cards and names of people you meet for future contacts Pick up financial aid forms Participate in a group information session at the admission office Sit in on a class of a subject that interests you Talk to a professor in your chosen major or in a subject that interests you Talk to a coaches of sports in which you might participate Talk to a student or counselor in the career center Spend the night in the dorm Read the student newspaper Try to find other student publications-department newsletters, literary reviews Scan bulletin boards to see what day-to-day student life is like Eat in the cafeteria Ask a student why he/she chose this college Wander around the college by yourself Read for a little while in the library to see what it's like Search for your favorite book in the library Ask students what they hate about the college Ask students what they love about the college Browse in the college bookstore Walk or drive around the community surrounding the campus Ask student what they do on weekends Listen to the college's radio station Try to see a dorm that you didn't see on the tour Imagine yourself attending the college for four years Preparing for a Campus Visit

12. When to Visit/How to Schedule • Your Campus Visit • Schoolwork, your job, your parents… • How to Pick a Date • During the Week • The Best Seasons • Spring of Junior Year • After You've Been Accepted • When Not to Go • College not is session • Classes are not meeting • Admissions office is closed

13. Ten Tips for Surfing College Websites • Enlist academic support • Check out the library • Check into housing • Check up on student health services • Log on to computing services • Grab a tray • Root for the home team • Browse the school newspaper online • Lurk in the halls of student government • Go clubbing • Patronize the arts

14. Surfing College Websites for Academic Information • Academic Catalogs • Department Web Pages • The Social Scene

15. Pointers for College-Bound Students and Their Parents • Caliber of School Programs • Selectivity of Admissions • Chances of Admission • Location of the School • Rural, Suburban, Urban • Size • State or Private • Geographical Diversity • Cost of College • Financial Aid • Living Conditions • Social life • Safety • AP/PSO Credits • Internships • Graduate School • Job Placement • Recreation • Faculty • Library

16. For Your College Bound Student with Special Needs..... Increasing numbers of high school students with special needs are opting for college. If your student currently has an IEP plan or 504 plan, your college bound student continues to have rights under Federal Law. However, there are significant differences at the college level in the way special needs students are served. Your and your child need to understand these important differences, so your student can receive the help that is needed. The HEATH Resource Center is the national clearinghouse on post secondary education for individuals with disabilities. HEATH collects and disseminates information nationally about disability issues in post-secondary education. Staff are available for telephone consultation from 9 am to 5 pm EST. Recent publications, single copies of which are free, include information from HEATH (newsletter), National Resources for Adults with Learning Disabilities, HEATH Resource Directory, Financial Aid for Students with Disabilities, Section 504: The Law and Its Impact on Post-Secondary Education, as well as Resource Papers on disability-specific topics. HEATH Resources Center American Council on Education One Dupont Circle, Suite 800 Washington D.C. 20036-1193 (202) 939-9320 or (800) 544-3284 Both telephone numbers are Voice/TT Fax: (202) 833-4760 www.heath.gwu.edu

17. Public Universities in Ohio Websites The University of Akron www.uakron.edu Bowling Green State University www.bgsu.edu Central State University www.centralstate.edu University of Cincinnati www.admissions.uc.edu Cleveland State University www.csuohio.edu Kent State University www.kent.edu Miami University www.muohio.edu Ohio State University www.osu.edu Ohio University www.ohiou.edu Shawnee State University www.shawnee.edu University of Toledo www.utoledo.edu Wright State University www.wright.edu Youngstown State University www.ysu.edu Independent Colleges in Ohio Websites Antioch College www.antioch-college.edu Antioch University McGregor www.mcgregor.edu Art Academy of Cincinnati www.artacademy.edu Ashland University www.ashland.edu Baldwin Wallace College www.bw.edu Bluffton College www.bluffton.edu Capital University www.capital.edu Case Western Reserve University www.cwru.edu Cedarville University www.cedarville.edu Chatfield College www.chatfield.edu Columbus College of Art & Design www.ccad.edu University of Dayton http://admission.udayton.edu Defiance College www.defiance.edu Denison University www.denison.edu The University of Findlay www.findlay.edu Franciscan University of Steubenville www.franuniv.edu Franklin University www.franklin.edu Heidelberg College www.heidelberg.edu Hiram College www.hiram.edu John Carroll University www.jcu.edu Kenyon College www.kenyon.edu Kettering College of Medical Arts www.kcma.edu Lake Erie College www.lec.edu Lourdes College www.lourdes.edu Malone College www.malone.edu Marietta College www.marietta.edu Mercy College of Northwest Ohio www.mercycollege.edu Mount Carmel College of Nursing www.mccn.edu College of Mount St. Joseph www.msj.edu Mount Union College www.muc.edu Mount Vernon Nazarene University www.mvnu.edu Muskingum College www.muskingum.edu Myers University www.dnmyers.edu University of Northwestern Ohio www.unoh.edu Notre Dame College www.notredamecollege.edu Oberlin College www.oberlin.edu Ohio college of Podiatric Medicine www.ocpm.edu Ohio Dominican University www.ohiodominican.edu Ohio Northern University www.onu.edu Ohio Wesleyan University www.owu.edu Otterbein College www.otterbein.edu University of Rio Grande www.rio.edu Tiffin University www.tiffin.edu Union Institute & University www.tui.edu Urbana University www.urbana.edu Ursuline College www.ursuline.edu Walsh University www.walsh.edu Wilberforce University www.wilberforce.edu Wilmington College www.wilmington.edu Wittenberg University www.wittenberg.edu The College of Wooster www.wooster.edu Xavier University www.xavier.ed

18. Helpful College Internet Web Sites Top College Searches College Board Online www.collegeboard.org College Information www.collegeinfo.com College Net www.collegenet.com College View www.collegeview.com Peterson’s Education www.petersons.com Online Applications College Net’s Online Applications www.applyweb.com Sites That Link to Individual College Web Sites College and University Home Pages www.mit.edu Braintrack www.braintrack.com Yahoo Search www.yahoo.com Admissions Tests ACT www.act.org SAT www.sat.collegeboard Financial Aid Free Scholarship Search Services www.fastweb.com www.fastap.org www.weeklyscholarshipalert.net www.scholarships.com www.offtocollege.com www.discovercolleges.com http://scholarships.salliemae.com www.schoolsoup.com National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators www.finaid.org

19. COLLEGE BOUND JUNIORS 2011 – 2012 SPRING ACT AND SAT TESTING SCHEDULE College bound juniors should take the ACT/SAT in the spring of the junior year. Cleveland National College Fair Sunday, April 22nd 1:00pm – 4:00pm Wolstein Center – Cleveland State www.gotomyNCF.com

20. Description of the ACT The ACT is a set of four multiple-choice tests which cover English, mathematics, reading and science. Beginning in February 2005, ACT offers the optional writing test. English Mathematics Reading Science Writing (Optional, but recommended) How Colleges Use ACT Results Admission Decisions Course Placement Academic Advising Scholarship and Loans

21. Description of the SAT The SAT is a three hour and forty-five minute test that measures the critical thinking, mathematical reasoning, and writing skills that students need in order to do college-level work. Critical Reading (3 sections) Math (3 sections) Writing (3 sections) SAT Subject Tests Most highly selective colleges require a minimum of three SAT subject tests. Some colleges specify the Subject Tests they require for admission or placement; others allow applicants to choose which subjects to take.

22. COLLEGE LEVELS OF SELECTIVITY GUIDELINES Colleges look at all of the following during the admission process: GPA Strength of curriculum ACT/SAT scores Clubs/sports/activities Service

23. -Parent Questionnaire Please return to Mrs. Kelley this spring. -Activity Resume Template -Financial Aid/Scholarships

24. Follow the BHS Guidance Department on Twitter!!!

25. Thank you for attending! Have a safe and enjoyable spring break!