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Completing your college applications can be overwhelming, but it's essential to stay organized and informed. Remember, admission offices are looking for reasons to accept you, not deny you. Focus on your academic record, extracurricular activities, and strong letters of recommendation. Keep track of deadlines, communicate professionally, and ensure all components of your application are submitted correctly. Make use of resources like Naviance and your school counselor to guide you through the process. Stay honest, follow directions carefully, and maintain integrity throughout.
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Completing the app! The college application process
Take a deep breath! • Admission offices, not “Denial Office” • Looking for a reason to let you in • Building a class • Diversity of all kinds • First Impressions • Communicating on paper, electronics • Appropriate: • email address---VERY IMPORTANT • Language • Facebook/Phone use • Once it’s out there, it’s there & can’t control it • Colleges, employers • Criminal implications
General Tips • Professional • Appropriate grammar, punctuation • Spell/Grammar check • Use same username & password for all • Using school info may help • Honesty & Integrity • Read & follow directions • Meet ALL deadlines
Requesting Transcripts • MUST talk with counselor • ONLY counselors can change “colleges I’m applying to” • Teachers cannot see/send college list until counselor adds • $2 per transcript • You can verify status • Rank and GPA updating • Completed and uploaded week of Sept 23 • You will be notified by email
Deadlines….meet ‘em! • Be aware of all deadlines! • Counselors meet all deadlines of institutions (not yours) • Letters written according to deadlines • Testing • ACT – Next test October 26, 2013 • Register by September 27, 2013 • ACT Ready Prep Class available! • SAT – Next test October 5, 2013 • Register by September 20, 2013
What are 4 yr colleges looking for? • Primary Factors • Academic Record – • GPA • Class rank • Difficulty of classes: rigor of what’s on your transcript • Testing – ACT with writing or SAT • Some schools want the SAT Subject tests • Improvement—upward trend • Secondary Factors • Extracurricular Activities • Letters of Recommendation • Honors and Awards • Essays • Interviews
Using Your Numbers: Your Profile • Factors in your “Profile” • G.P.A. • Class Rank • ACT or SAT Test Scores
Comparing Your Profile • Safety – realistic • Your profile is SIGNIFICANTLY stronger than the typical freshman • 60-90% chance of admission • Target – selective • Your profile is similar to the typical freshman • 30-60% chance of admission • Reach – more selective • Your profile is not as strong as the typical freshman • less than 30% chance of admission
Use Scattergrams Safety Target Reach Look at where you plot to determine what category it falls in for you.
Determine Your List • Use Scattergrams • Found on college profile in Naviance • Application history from SW alums • Different from national acceptance data • Reasonable/balanced • 2-3 in each category • More “reaches” also need more “safeties” • 23 colleges = too many! • Financial Safety
Using Financial Aid info…. • Important to consider cost when applying • Not to eliminate choices but to be aware • Can determine approximated Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) and Cost of Attendance (CoA) • FAFSA estimators • www.finaid.org • www.getreadyforcollege.org • www.fafsa.gov • Net Price Calculator • Price calculator uses institutional data to provide estimated net price information to current and prospective students and their families based on a student’s individual circumstances. NOTE: FAFSA can NOT be completed until January 1 or after
Parts of the Application • Online Application • CommonApp: over 500 schools on one Application • U of MN is NOT a CommonApp school • www.commonapp.org • Fee • Transcript • Test Scores, if needed • All scores must be sent directly from the test companies • Letter of Recommendations • Teacher, if needed • Counselor, also known as “School Report” • Essays/Personal Statement, if needed • Supplements, if needed • Other
Letters of Recommendation • For all letters: • Do you really need one? If so, ASK! • Allow 3-4 weeks of time to write • Provide them with any information they need • Résumé, list of activities, what you learned in the class, etc. • Thank you note! • Teacher letters • Academic—4 core plus World Lang • Special programs may be exceptions, talk to your counselor • Counselor letters • Senior Letter of Recommendation Survey on Naviance • School report on Common App = Counselor letter
Resources: Online • Naviance • Everything post-secondary planning • Student Accounts • Parent Accounts • http://connection.naviance.com/swhsmn • Southwest Counseling website • Archived presentations • Calendar of events • http://southwest.mpls.k12.mn.us • College Websites • Best source of college-specific information
Resources: People • Counselors • AchieveMpls Career & College Center Coordinators • Project Success • College Admission offices • College Rep Visits at SW: • Sign up on Naviance (visit schedule) • Get pass from Ms. Jastrow/Ms. Van Pernis • Teacher permission to attend
Roles • Student • Project Manager • Parent • Supporting conversations • Reality check • Balance between independence/dependence • Counselor/Coordinator • Answer questions • Provide resources • Reality check
Responsibility • Student • Potential college list • Determine Requirements & Complete application • Request transcripts • Request letters • Request test scores sent from ACT/SAT • Make appointment with counselor • 15 minutes • Initial, do not need counselor letter • Get transcripts sent • 30-45 minutes • Require letter from counselor • Counselors prioritize based on deadlines • Follow-up
Responsibility, cont’d • Counselors/Career & College Center Coord. • Provide resources • Write letters, if needed • Send transcript • Answer questions • Parent • On-going conversations • Support • Assist with process • Remind/instruct student on how to follow-up
General Timeline • Fall • College application • Separate scholarship application? • Scholarships • Winter • Scholarships • Financial Aid • Spring • Review financial aid package • Scholarships • Make decisions
What’s coming up? • Scholarship database on Naviance • Start checking regularly • CSS Profile • Additional financial aid information required at more selective colleges • Accessed through http://profileonline.collegeboard.com • Available after October 1, 2013 • Financial Aid Night • Tuesday, October 22, 2013 at 7:00 in Auditorium • Get an overview of financial aid, the CSS Profile • FAFSA • Completed after January 1, 2014 • FAFSA night—January 16, 2014 7P.M. in the auditorium • Recommend taxes done first! • FAFSA Priority deadline: March 1 Meeting with counselors for workshop time on September 25