Berea City School District The College Landscape Today Berea-Midpark High School January 19, 2017
College Planning Tonight: Importance of postsecondary education today Trends How to approach the process Things people miss What is important
Importance of a Post-Secondary Education Education tends to provide a better lifestyle; more opportunities, increases the amount of money a person earns College graduates tend to give more to their communities through volunteering, leadership roles and giving back Education expands ones skills, not only technical, but decision-making, critical thinking, reasoning, creativity
Education Level of Individuals Age 25 to 34, 1940 to 2015 SOURCE: The College Board, Education Pays 2016, Figure 1.5A For detailed data, visit: trends.collegeboard.org. Education Pays 2016
Median Earnings of Early Career and Mid-Career College Graduates Working Full Time, by College Major, 2013 2014 SOURCE: The College Board, Education Pays 2016, Figure 2.9 For detailed data, visit: trends.collegeboard.org. Education Pays 2016
Median Earnings (in 2014 Dollars) of Full-Time Year- Round Workers by Age and Education Level, 2010 2014 SOURCE: The College Board, Education Pays 2016, Figure 2.7 For detailed data, visit: trends.collegeboard.org. Education Pays 2016
Today s College Landscape Students apply to several colleges (on average, 5-6); we recommend a Reach/Match/Safety approach Resumes (brag sheets) start when 8 th grade ends; summer is no longer down time College admissions is now global in scope; internationals are courted (6,437 international students in the OSU 2016 freshman class) College admissions is competitive and quirky College costs continue to climb
Most parents feel like this...
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Most guidance counselors feel like this...
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Trends HS counseling loads & job descriptions are increasing (e.g. testing) Tuition costs have outpaced inflation -- OSU $21,703 (tuition and R&B) Application numbers continue to rise and acceptance percentages are declining (2016): Harvard 5.2% Ohio State 49% Stanford 4.69% Ohio University 74% Some schools are no longer able to be need-blind
Latest trends in college admissions... Reduced resources for higher education Increase in students planning to attend public colleges (more top students attending in-state; test score averages are increasing) (average ACT composite in Ohio last year was: 22.0) Financial aid calculators ; transparency; need to understand the financial aid process; FAFSA moved up earlier so college application deadlines are being moved up as well Colleges are paying more attention to yield rates; students who may actually enroll if offered admission; some are offering more money after students say yes Transfers are now on the college radar; this is a recent trend Students are spending less time evaluating the fit of their college options --National Association for College Admission Counseling, 2015
College & Career Readiness THEN Only the affluent could look at highly selective schools Lots of merit aid available College was viewed as an option for some, but not a need Students mostly attended instate schools College was considered to be 4 years for an undergraduate education NOW Many students aspire to more selective schools; financial aid is mostly need-based, but many schools have merit aid A college degree is needed for many of the jobs of today and tomorrow Students think globally about college choices Many students complete their undergraduate degrees anywhere from 2 years to 10 years.
Cost of some colleges OSU $21,703 Case $60,829 Bowling Green $19,296 Ohio University $24,012 Miami Univ. $29,532 Cornell $67,613 Purdue $41,994 Harvard $63,025 Carnegie-Mellon $67,980 $$$$$
Sticker Price
What is happening in Ohio?
Trends Specific to Ohio State funding is now tied to retention and graduation (student outcomes). Officials at colleges have said that they are seeking more academically qualified students. Students who need remediation are encouraged to enroll in community colleges or satellite campuses first. College Credit Plus is very popular Tuition at Ohio public colleges and universities is 15% higher than the national average; students graduate with more debt than in the nation as a whole --Unintended Impacts of Performance Funding on Community Colleges and Universities in Three States (Community College Research Center), Columbia University, 2014; Toledo Blade editorial 10/15/2015
The Ohio State University OSU mid-range: ACT 27-31 [25% above and 25% below] Average ACT score is 29.2 Autumn 2016 Freshman class: 7,885 students entering Total enrollment at OSU: 66,046 (Columbus = 45,831 UG) Freshman profile: 63% are in the top 10% of their high school class; 95% are in the top 25% of their class Source: Ohio State University (Office of Enrollment Services), 2016
What is happening at most State Schools THEN Ohio State 1995 Average ACT 22.8 Top 10% of Class 21% Top 25% of Class 46% # of Applications 15,748 NOW Ohio State 2016 Average ACT 29.2 Top 10% of Class 63% Top 25% of Class 95% # of Applications 49,388 (Columbus)
Remediation Free ACT Readiness Benchmarks/ (Ohio percent in meeting benchmark) Test Benchmark % Reaching English 18 71% Reading 22 54% Math 22 49% Science 23 45% ALL 33% PSAT & SAT Readiness Benchmarks 10 th Grade PSAT 11 th Grade PSAT Evidence -Based Reading & Writing 430 480 460 510 Math % Reaching SAT 480 530 41.9%
How to Approach Your College & Career interest inventories What are your strengths? What are your favorite subjects? Look at DNA Career Search
College or Career? College isn t for everyone. Some college might be the answer. Certifications. Community colleges Gap Year
Reach, Match & Safety
Finding reach, match & safety Some schools are reach schools for everyone A reach school for one student may be a safety for another Maybe start with the lists of schools known to have strong programs in the interest area then gradually look at the other criteria Look at the test score mid-ranges, look at entering freshmen profiles on school web sites. Goal: to have choices in April
How to Approach Your College Search Finding your MATCH school. Where will you thrive? Where can you maximize your potential? What is a good fit school for you?
Where Do You Start? What do you enjoy? Ask others what they see you doing in the future. Are you realistic about what is a R, M, or S school for you? Visit colleges, talk with older students Do some career shadowing, internships Discuss with parents Learn the terms; pay attention to DEADLINES
Criteria Big or small? Rigorous or easy? Close or far away? In-state or out-of-the country? Urban/Suburban/Small Town/Rural? Depth of programs Accepts AP credit? CCP Credit? Affordable?
What matters to Admissions Offices? Grades in college prep courses High School Curriculum (strength & rigor) Standardized Test Scores GPA Recommendations
What matters to Admissions Offices? Have you taken the most rigorous curriculum that you could manage successfully? Grades Course offerings at your high school Leadership, Community Service Work Research (for some schools)
Leopards tend not to change their spots
Freshmen Profiles School GPA ACT Range Univ. of Akron 3.33 20-26 Bowling Green 3.31 20-25 Univ. of Cincinnati 3.446 22-27 Cleveland State 3.22 19-25 Kent State 3.31 20-25 Miami Univ. N/A 26-30 NEO Med. Univ. 3.9 27-35 OSU N/A 27-31 Ohio University 3.4 22-26 Shawnee State N/A 19-23 Univ. of Toledo 3.23 19-25 Wright State 3.19 21.8 Youngstown State 2.97 17-23
Freshmen Profiles School Top 25% ACT Range Brown Univ. 98% 39-34 Harvard 99% 32-35 Princeton 98% 31-35 MIT 100% 32-35 Caltech 100% 33-35 Stanford 100% 31-34 Univ. of Chicago 100% 32-35 Georgetown 98% 29-33 Carnegie Mellon 96% 30-34 West Point 90% 27-32 Duke 98% 31-34 Harvey Mudd 100% 32-35 Purdue Univ. 80% 24-30
Look at what is happening School Admission Rate 2005 Admission Rate - 2015 Cleveland State University 79.94% 67.1% Cornell 27.1% 14.2% Duke 23% 11.4% Harvard 8.9% 5.3% MIT 14.3% 7.9% Northwestern 29.7% 13.1% The Ohio State University 75.6% 53% Stanford 12% 5.0% University of Cincinnati 76% 76% University of Michigan 57% 32.2% Vanderbilt 40% 13.1%
A word about admission rates...
A word about rankings... In 1999, US News & World Report named California Institute of Technology (Caltech) the number one college in America. Due to much criticism, the magazine then changed its criteria to reduce the importance of one measure: expenditures per student. Source: Daniel Golden, The Price of Admission Different rankings emphasize different criteria: Forbes: post-graduate success, debt & happiness US News: selectivity, alumni giving and school counselor opinions Kiplinger s: competitiveness, cost, aid, graduation rates Princeton Review: Dorms Like Dungeons, Dorms Like Palaces, etc.
Test Scores PSAT: (cut-off for National Merit has ranged from 211 217 since 1999); less $$$$ at schools for Finalists SAT: different test than ACT; most highly selective colleges prefer it & SAT Subject Tests ACT: most popular in the Midwest Perfect Scores in Ohio: 119 (Class of 2016) Perfect Scores in the Nation: 2,235 Test scores matter since high schools, teachers and opportunities vary.
Financial Aid Two definitions Many colleges are eliminating merit aid and only using needbased aid Most recommendations say aim low for better aid packages (schools where your child is overqualified) (Kiplinger s) Apply to different types of schools (private, state, AP credit, etc.) Always apply for aid note the earlier FAFSA deadline You can always share what the competition is offering Look at Financial Aid sites for merit aid (look at test scores needed for merit scholarships, scholarship criteria) Today more students work while in college to help lessen debt and to help parents
Important Things That People Miss Deadlines (waiting too long to ask for recommendations, information or missing scholarship deadlines) Not completing ACT/SAT/Subject Tests early; not sending scores early enough before the deadlines Not understanding the different admissions plans-- (e.g., Early Action, Early Decision, Rolling Admissions); tracking changes
Make sure you can get a job! Look at in-demand majors Follow your heart, not your pocketbook Do career shadowing Take classes to help improve your skills
Artificial Intelligence Biomedical engineering Biometrics; Forensic Science Computer Game Design Cybersecurity Data Science; Business Analytics Petroleum Engineering Public Health Robotics Sustainability (environmental degrees) Hot Majors
Conclusion Start early Meet with your counselor; LISTEN Challenge yourself in school Get involved Use the available resources