COLLEGE KNOWLEDGE FOR SAISD HIGH SCHOOL JUNIORS

COLLEGE KNOWLEDGE FOR SAISD HIGH SCHOOL JUNIORS

First mountain climber, along with Tibetan climber Tenzing Norgay, to reach the summit of Mount Everest

CONTENTS Introduction Why College?... 1-4 Chapter1: Naviance Your One-Stop-Shop for College!... 9 What is Naviance and How to Access Resources... 10-18 Chapter 2: Time Management 101. 19 Find the Right Tool and Use it!... 20-22 College Knowledge - Junior Planning Timeline & Checklist (Pull-Out Section)... 23-32 Chapter 3: Organize U!... 33 Forms and Resources... 34-48 Chapter 4: Best Fit! Best Match!... 49 Are You Ready For College Quiz...51-52 College Search Guiding Questions and Considerations...53-54 College Search Timeline and Charts... 55-62 Colleges that Meet 100% Need.63 Colleges that Change Lives... 64-65 2016-2017 College Admissions Chart... 66 Charting Impact... 71 Top 20... 73 The Ivy League Quiz 74-75 Chapter 5: Master the Test... 77 College Exam Test Preparation and Admissions Requirements... 78-84 Dual Credit and Advanced Placement... 85-88 Chapter 6: The College Essay... 89 How is the Essay Used, Timeline, Prompts and Samples... 90-102 Chapter 7: FAFSA, TASFA and FSA IDs... 103 Free Money for College!... 104-108 Chapter 8: Summer Rocks!... 109 Continue Your Search and Complete Projects... 110-114 Chapter 9: Throwing Darts (How to Survive the College Admissions Madness!)... 115 Surviving the College Admissions Process... 116-122 Chapter 10: Acknowledgements and Resources... 123-126 ii

Introduction Congratulations! You re a junior! You ve been working hard, exploring career interests and researching colleges. Now is the time to get focused - to rev up your efforts. Your junior year in high school may be the single, most important year for college preparation. Where are you with college planning? Though it may seem like a daunting task, once you get started, the process can be exciting and fun. College Knowledge provides valuable information to jump start college planning and preparation into high gear. It addresses questions and concerns you may have about how to select the right college, how to afford college and how to make a successful transition from high school to college. Yes! You CAN earn a college degree. Believe it! It is doable, attainable, affordable and within your reach. Don t let money, time or employment be an excuse to keep you from going to college. Start your junior year by preparing for the PSAT, SAT and ACT. Narrow your college search as you go through the year. Identify career interests, research scholarships and write college essays. Get ready. This will be a busy year. Take advantage of the many tools available to help you succeed teachers, counselors, online college resources, College GO Center, Café College and alumni who have gone before you to pave the way. Finally, going to college is a family affair. Make sure to include your parents, grandparents, siblings and loved ones in the decision-making process. Keep the lines of communication open. Listen. Learn. Succeed. You can do it all! 1

Why College? Going to college means different things to different people. Some envision going off to live in a distant, ivy-covered dormitory, attending challenging classes in historic buildings at a four-year college or university with time-honored academic and social traditions. But it might also include living at home, enrolling in a local university or near-by community college, holding down a job, raising a family and attending college part-time until you finish your degree. Whatever the case, many potential students wonder if a college degree is a possibility or even still worth it. The bottom line is that college is not only a real possibility, it is a worthwhile investment in your future. If you re uncertain about life after high school, consider the monetary benefits a college degree adds to your lifetime income. There are many resources to help make it a reality. College Knowledge is just one of many tools to help you get there. Good luck. A college degree is within your reach! 2

Learn More, Earn More! A college degree adds a lot to your lifetime earnings. Here's a big reason to go to college: your earning power goes up way up! In fact, over a lifetime, you could take home about $2.3 million dollars, twice as much as what individuals make with just a high school diploma. The graphic below illustrates the earnings a college degree provides over a lifetime. Have a bachelor's degree? Your pay could be about $24,000 more per year than someone with just a high school diploma. The power to earn grows with each higher level of education. Of course, you aren't guaranteed these salaries. The salaries shown are based on a range of reported incomes from employees in different professions. To earn what you want to earn, you'll need to consider the career you choose and the degree or certificate you achieve. 2015 Median U.S. Earnings by Educational Attainment (workers age 25 and older): No High School Diploma $25,706 year/$494 week High School Diploma $35,353 year/$680 week Associate Degree $41,610 year/$800 week Bachelor s Degree $59,286 year/$1,140 week Master s Degree $69,924 year/$1,345 week Doctoral Degree $84,628 year/$1,627 week Professional Degree $90,207 year/$1,735 week http://aie.org/dollars 3

Nonfinancial Benefits to Individuals and Society Still not convinced? Individuals and society benefit from higher education in a variety of ways. Although not as easily quantified, these benefits may be just as important. Consider the following nonmonetary benefits: An educated society is a more productive society. Greater productivity equals higher tax revenues and lower reliance on social support programs. A highly-educated population produces a more informed and involved citizenry. Higher levels of education are associated with both higher levels of earnings and lower rates of unemployment. In a study involving siblings and twins, those with higher levels of education were more likely to have spouses with more education, less likely to be divorced or to be receiving disability payments and less likely to have a teenage birth. Higher levels of educational attainment have a significant impact on adult civic engagement and attitudes such as increased voter participation, support for free speech and increased frequency of newspaper readership. Individuals with higher levels of education are more likely to receive retirement benefits and health insurance. Finally, people who don t have college degrees benefit from the higher educational levels of others. They earn more and face less strained local, state and federal budgets. Moreover, they live in a society in which more people are well-informed and actively engaged in the community, improving the quality of life for all. https://trends.collegeboard.org/education-pays 4

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Why do you want to go to college? What obstacles will you overcome on your path to college? Take 3 minutes to jot down your thoughts. Share with a family member and ask for input 6

~ Nelson Mandela A symbol of global peacemaking, Nelson Mandela was the first black president of South Africa and won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993. 7

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NAVIANCE Your One-Stop-Shop for College! 9

WHAT IS NAVIANCE? Naviance is a K-12 web-based portfolio that will help you plan and organize your junior year, as well as keep track of your post-secondary process. Naviance provides a variety of career exploration resources available to you. They include: Learning Style Inventory, MI Advantage, Do What You Are, Career Cluster Finder, Career Interest Profiler, College Scorecard and Big Future to name a few. Review the descriptions of each of these programs found in this section. Reference your section calendar to schedule a review of these resources during the fall and spring semesters. NAVIANCE TOOLS Career readiness begins with self-discovery. Naviance tools allow you to learn about your strengths and reflect on your interests. Assessments provide suggestions on how to apply personality traits and learning styles in class, in addition to helping you discover career options based on interests and strengths. Armed with this information, you can plan courses that compliment your career pathway, research colleges, college majors and gain knowledge and skills to assist with the college application process. 10

NAVIGATING NAVIANCE In addition to important news and dates provided by your College Bound Advisor and the SAISD Student Support Department, Naviance has five tabs that help you navigate the program: Courses, Colleges, Careers, About Me and My Planner. 1. COURSES View a list of your high school courses Create a list of courses that look interesting Access resources that support your four-year plan 2. COLLEGES Search for colleges Research colleges Compare GPA/SAT scores to college admission statistics Create a file of Schools I m Thinking About Request teacher recommendations Search for scholarships 3. CAREERS Research and explore careers Take surveys that identify your abilities and interests in different careers Access Road Trip Nation to view more than 3,500 career-related videos 4. ABOUT ME Compile and store previous searches and assessments Create a resume View SAT/Subject Test and ACT test scores View GPA Explore learning styles 5. MY PLANNER Set goals Create To Do lists 11

TOP NAVIANCE HIGHLIGHTS! Update your profile. Make sure your personal e-mail and contact information is up to date in Naviance. Be sure to add your parents, too. Maintain your list of target colleges so you will receive an e-mail if they visit your high school campus. Use the SuperMatch College Search to find schools that meet your criteria. Track your college application status by using the Colleges I m Applying To section. Sign up for college representative visits. Take the Personality Type Survey to determine how your personality is connected to potential majors and careers. Find local and regional scholarship opportunities in the Scholarship List under the Colleges tab. View Scattergrams to determine how your GPA and test scores compare to your high school campus. Research summer enrichment opportunities. Create a resume. Begin completing this as soon as possible so you don t forget anything you want to include. Complete the teacher/counselor recommendation surveys to ensure teachers and counselors write the best recommendation possible. 12

NAVIANCE & YOUR COLLEGE SEARCH Naviance uses historical high school student data (test scores and GPA) to produce acceptance comparisons for colleges. Know that some colleges accept students based on a holistic application that may include essays, extracurricular activities, athletics, voice/musical performance, etc. These attributes are NOT reflected in the comparisons. Use the histories, graphs, and lists as just one piece of information to help you with your college choices. Under the Colleges tab in Naviance, you can use: SuperMatch to identify colleges by specific search criteria including Location, Majors, Scores, Tuition, etc. Explore the site by entering your specific filters. College Match to view colleges looking for students who have similar GPAs and test scores as you. Scroll down to view a list of colleges that have accepted students like you. College Compare to compare your GPA and standardized test scores to those of your high school peers who have been accepted by certain colleges. College Resources to view directories for more information about College Search, Test Prep, Financial Aid, College Athletics and the Military. College Maps to view maps of colleges that have accepted students from your high school, where they are attending and the top 20 most popular colleges where students from your high school have applied. Scattergrams to view a graph of how you compare to other students from your high school who have applied to a particular college over the last two years. Acceptance History to view statistics about students from your high school who have applied, were admitted and enrolled in a particular college over the last 7 years. NAVIANCE & CAREER EXPLORATION Students can explore a wide variety of careers on Naviance, frequently updated through the Occupational Outlook Handbook. You can also complete assessments that, when all are finished, provide a comprehensive portfolio of career options and personality traits. These assessments can be found under the About Me tab and include listings shown on the following chart. TIP: Remember to add colleges of interest to you to your Colleges I m Thinking About list. Once you do that, you ll receive automatic notifications when a college representative from one of the schools on your list visits your high school. 13

NAVIANCE RESOURCES & LINKS ASSESSMENT DESCRIPTION HELP PAGES LINK Learning Style Inventory MI Advantage Do What You Are Career Cluster Finder Career Interest Profiler College Scorecard Big Future Allows students to boost academic potential by recognizing their natural learning style, discover better learning strategies and gain career development skills. Uses Multiple Intelligence theory to reveal students unique intelligence strengths and challenges, and then provides suggestions on ways to develop all their intelligences. Based on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, this assessment uses personality types to suggest careers and clusters that might be a good match for a student. Pinpoints career clusters that are a match for a student s interests. Career clusters are groups of careers that share common themes or require similar skills. This assessment surveys specific careers of interest to you. Maintains some of the most reliable data on college, costs, graduation rates and more. Use the College Scorecard to find the best college match for you and your family. Find colleges, explore careers and ways to pay for college, view SAT scores, make a plan for attending college and more. http://community.naviance.com/ t5/naviance-marketplace/learning-style- Inventory/ta-p/14562 http://community.naviance.com/ t5/naviance-marketplace/mi-advantage-2-0/ta-p/14564 http://community.naviance.com/ t5/naviance-marketplace/mi-advantage-2-0/ta-p/14564 https://connection.naviance.com/.../ careers/career-clusters.shtml https://connection.naviance.com/familyconnection/careers/interests https://collegescorecard.ed.gov https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org 14

NAVIANCE & THE COLLEGE APPLICATION PROCESS Use Naviance to complete the following steps in the college application process: Update your list under Colleges I m Thinking About Submit information for Counselor and Teacher Letters of Recommendation under the About Me tab Request Teacher Recommendations, if applicable Check the status of your college application (Note: It is your responsibility to ensure all documentation has been sent by the deadline.) Record your final college decisions in spring of your senior year NAVIANCE FAQs Q: How do I access Naviance? A: Click on your school Naviance Family Connection link and follow the instructions to create an e-mail and password. For questions, or if you are having trouble signing into Naviance, contact your counselor or designated administrator. Be sure to save Naviance on your electronic device for easy access. Q: Is the information on Naviance 100% accurate? A: Time sensitive information changes frequently. Crucial information such as college admission dates should be confirmed on the college website. Q: How do I find information for a specific college or university? A: After logging into Naviance, click on the Colleges tab. Then, in the Search for Colleges field, enter the name of the college or university leaving off the word College or University. Q: As a parent of an 11 th grader, how can I help them with this process? A: *Talk to your child about possible majors, colleges and careers. *Confirm that your child is registered for the SAT, ACT and prep classes. And make sure they attend! See Section #4 of this guide for details. Encourage your child to take practice SAT exams on Khan Academy through their linked College Board account. *Attend campus and district college events, especially those that host college representatives. This is an inexpensive way to get information about a college your child is considering. *If possible, visit colleges with your child. Most schools have visitation days with plenty of helpful information. 15

Q: How can I use Naviance to make informed college decisions? A: *View Scattergrams to determine how your GPA and test scores compare to others who apply to the same colleges as you. *Receive reminders of college representatives visiting your high school or San Antonio from your college choices. *Use SuperMatch college search to find schools that meet your criteria. *Use Colleges I m Applying To for your college applications. *Use Colleges I m Applying To to track your application status. *View My Personality Type assessment tool to determine how your personality is connected to potential majors and related career clusters. *Use College Compare to rate your test scores and GPA with several schools at once. Q: How do I add a college I am applying to? A: After logging into Naviance, click on the Colleges tab. Then, in the My Colleges field, click on Colleges I m applying to. Select + add colleges to this list. Add colleges through the college picker by using the lookup link. (Hint: If you have already applied, you may select that option and request a transcript.) Then, scroll down and click Add Colleges at the bottom of the page. Q: How do I request a transcript during my senior year? A: Follow the same procedures as adding colleges to your list. Under the Colleges I m Applying To tab, select Request Transcripts. Click add request and include unofficial ACT/SAT scores for each school you wish to send a transcript. Click add requests at the bottom. Look for the GREEN confirmation box saying your transcript requests have been submitted. Under Transcripts, you should see requested. Once transcripts have been sent, a notification will appear as sent under the Transcript column. Q: Can I use Naviance to create my resume? A: Yes! The Naviance resume builder is intuitive and easy to use. Save yourself the time and effort of formatting a resume by using the templates available in Naviance. Access the how-to guide in Naviance to create your resume. ** For additional assistance with Naviance, visit the College Bound Advisor at your high school. 16

At the beginning I thought it was impossible. But now I know that starting a new venture is challenging, but I can do it. ~ Martha, graduate Burbank HS 17

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Time Management 101 19

Don t let anything stop you from becoming what you want to be! ~ Yamilet R. Brackenridge HS Class of 2017 20

TIME MANAGEMENT 101 Find the Right Tool You have a busy year ahead! Finding a system that helps you manage your time, schedule and activities and fits your personality is a good first step. What works for one person may not work for another, says Laura Miller, Learning Strategist. Sometimes the bells and whistles of technology provide the motivation. An app on your phone might be the right tool for you. Just keep in mind that technology can have its glitches even break down occasionally. Make sure you can and do transfer important information from your mobile device to your computer regularly, just in case. Your laptop and ipad are good resources for calendar and scheduling software, but it means having to turn the device on every time you need to do something like check a date or deadline. Sometimes, the good old paper and pen method of writing things down in an agenda or planner, like the one provided in College Knowledge, may be the way to go. It s a simple, easy-to-carry checklist that doesn t require any technological know-how. So, cut out and save the College Knowledge Junior Planning Timeline & Checklist in your notebook, portfolio, at home, in your backpack or any handy place where you can refer to it often and check off items as you complete them. Semester and Monthly Activities Organization is the key to success. It is a common trait of successful leaders. The College Knowledge - Junior Planning Timeline & Checklist is divided by semester and monthly checklists as you proceed through your junior year in high school and prepare for college. These include short-term and long-term activities up to the beginning of your senior year. Study the timeline carefully, coordinate activities with your school-year calendar and begin prioritizing urgent items with corresponding application deadlines, exam dates, class assignments and projects, extracurricular activities and social commitments. Get in the habit of frequently reviewing your short-term plans for the week and longterm plans for the semester. Make To-Do lists for each day of the week with urgent items at the top of your list. Once you create a system that works for you, you ll find that you can effectively balance all that is expected of you during the very busy year ahead. 21

Chunk It! Let s say you have an exam coming up. It will cover material from three chapters in your textbook, and you have 15 days before the test. This means you have five days to study each chapter. Take each chapter, divide it into five sections and, on your daily To-Do lists, write down the numbers of the pages you need to study each day. If a chapter is about 40 pages long, you only need to study eight pages a day. Use this organizational technique for all your term papers, projects, college exams and essays. As you break down tasks into manageable chunks, you ll need to estimate how much time it will take to complete each task. If you overestimate slightly the amount of time needed for a given task, you may find that you can finish tasks early. Reward yourself with a scheduled break or move on to the next item on your checklist and complete all tasks before your scheduled deadlines. Start with a Daily Action Plan Every morning, check your College Knowledge - Junior Planning Timeline & Checklist. What s on your To-Do list for the day, week and semester? Complete as many items as possible in a timely manner and check them off your list as you complete them. Getting and staying organized will ensure a productive, successful and less-stressful year! College Knowledge Junior Planning Timeline & Checklist Pull Out Section 22

College Knowledge -Junior Planning Timeline & Checklist FALL SEMESTER CHAPTER PLANNER Chapter 1: Naviance Your One-Stop-Shop for College! Now is the time to focus on your college and career research. Use Naviance to help identify target colleges that meet your criteria. Take personality surveys that connect your personality to potential majors, careers and career interest inventories. Explore the additional online resources provided in Chapter 3 The more you discover about yourself and potential college matches, the sooner you will be able to make an informed decision about your college and career future for you and your family. Chapter 2: Time Management 101: Manage yourself wisely! Maintain a high grade point average during your junior year in high school. Colleges put a lot of weight on your academic success during this year. Challenge yourself academically! Colleges consider the rigor of the courses on your schedule. Talk to your parents about your reasons for going to college. As you research your education and career options, share your discoveries with your family. Chapter 3: Organize U! Set yourself up for success by getting organized. Now is the time to set up college e-mail accounts with usernames and passwords stored in a safe and secure location. Set up online accounts with Gmail, College Board, Khan Academy, ACT, Common Application, ApplyTexas, FAFSA, Dropbox Get to know your teachers, counselors, College Bound Advisor, College GO Center staff, CaféCollege and other online and community resources. You will request Letters of Recommendation from them before the end of the school year. Take a close look at how you are managing your time. Are you able to include school and community activities while keeping your grades up? If not, consider what can be removed from your schedule. Your grades 23 are your priority right now!

College Knowledge -Junior Planning Timeline & Checklist FALL SEMESTER CHAPTER PLANNER (cont d) Talk to your College Bound Advisor about the following: Availability of and enrollment in AP classes Dual credit: Enrollment in college-level courses during high school Your academic record: high school credits. Are you on-track to graduate? Are you college-ready? Areas for improvement? Remember Admissions officers look at EVERYTHING! Chapter 4 Best Fit! Best Match! Your College Search Continues Continue your research! There are more than just GPA and test scores to consider. Use the guiding questions and college considerations in this chapter to narrow college choices. Use the Best Fit! Best Match! Chart to add an additional 15 colleges to your college list: End of 1 st 9 weeks: Complete Texas colleges End of 2 nd 9 weeks: Complete out-of-state colleges End of 3 rd 9 weeks: Complete Tier 1 Universities End of 4 th 9 weeks: Narrow list to Top 9 schools Maintain and update your college portfolio in Naviance, college application checklists and other admissions information. Make plans to attend District College Night in November; visit CaféCollege and participate in all college/university campus visits available to you. Have you met your campus College Bound Advisor? Have you visited the College GO Center? Make sure to do this as soon as possible during the fall semester. These are two great resources to help keep you focused on your college goals. 24

College Knowledge -Junior Planning Timeline & Checklist FALL SEMESTER MONTHLY PLANNER August Obtain schedules and forms for the PSAT, SAT, SAT Subject, ACT and AP exams. September Register for the PSAT/NMSQT exam offered in October. Remember when you take the PSAT in your junior year, the scores will count towards the National Achievement Program. They are a good indicator of SAT scores and may be used to indicate success in specific AP courses as a senior. Set up Naviance and online accounts. Continue your exploration of Naviance, visit the College GO Center and CaféCollege and continue accessing online college resources. October Take the National Merit Scholarship Program (NMSQT) in October or November. Your research of Texas colleges should be completed by the end of October. Do any of your schools require interviews? If so, practice mock interviews with counselors, teachers, parents, friends and mentors. How many college tours/visits have you taken or planned? What careers have you explored on Naviance this month? What career connections did you discover from Naviance personality surveys or career interest inventories? End of 1 st nine weeks November Attend SAISD College Night December You will receive your scores from the October PSAT Exam. Now is a good time to link your College Board account to Khan Academy so you can access customized, free online SAT prep resources. Deadline for completing Best Fit! Best Match! Texas and out-of-state colleges. Deadline for completing 3 ApplyTexas essays. End of 2 nd nine weeks / End of 1 st semester 25

College Knowledge -Junior Planning Timeline & Checklist SPRING SEMESTER CHAPTER PLANNER Chapter 5 Master the Test! Admission examinations provide an indication to colleges and universities of your readiness for college work. Generally, colleges consider admission tests in combination with your high school grades and coursework. Talk to your College Bound Advisor about: Schedules for the PSAT, SAT, SAT Subject, ACT and TSI exams early in the semester; Why you should take these exams, how they are used; and How exams can benefit you. Review the key differences between the ACT and SAT and the Texas College and University Admissions Requirements provided in Chapter 4 of College Knowledge. Study your list of college choices to determine admission requirements for the schools you are considering. Now that you ve reviewed the different admissions exams and your college requirements, decide which school/s are the best fit for you and sign up for these tests. Are you preparing for your exams yet? Take advantage of the resources available in your district and community: SAISD provides a free SAT exam to all high school juniors each spring and to all seniors in the fall; ACT Prep can be accessed on Naviance and at Café College; Free SAT Prep can be accessed 24/7 through Khan Academy; Free online resources through Naviance, College Board and many more listed in Chapter 2 of College Knowledge; and Access to SAT and ACT study guides in your high school College GO Center, library, community library and on Khan Academy. 26

College Knowledge -Junior Planning Timeline & Checklist SPRING SEMESTER CHAPTER PLANNER (cont d) Chapter 6 The College Essay The college essay is used by admissions departments for three primary reasons: To evaluate your writing ability, with specific focus on your ability to develop a logical and coherent essay structure with persuasive and well-written sentences; To learn more about you through the topic and content of the essay; and To see what you would contribute to the college s student body. Use Chapter 6 to practice and improve your college essays: Complete all 3 ApplyTexas essays by the end of the fall semester of your junior year; Complete 3 of 7 Common Application essays by the end of March of your junior year; and Complete 6 scholarship essays by the end of April of your junior year in high school. College Application Essay Tips College essays should tell the admissions officers something they don t already know about you. Essays are especially helpful for students whose grades and scores are less than stellar. Choose a prompt that you are familiar with and passionate about. The best essays are personal, honest and heartfelt. They reveal your true self. Use concise wording. Don t use 10 words when three will do. Bigger words are not necessarily better. Avoid slang, flowery or overused clichés and metaphors. Introduce and fully develop the ideas presented in your story. Avoid cynical and condescending generalizations. Punctuation counts. Show your drafts to people whose opinion you value, then revise, revise, revise! Ask yourself this question does the reader know you better after reading your work? Everybody has a story. What s yours? 27

College Knowledge -Junior Planning Timeline & Checklist SPRING SEMESTER CHAPTER PLANNER (cont d) Introduction - What is Financial Aid? Financial Aid is any grant or scholarship, loan, or paid employment offered to help a student meet his/her college expenses. Such aid is usually provided by various sources such as federal and state agencies, colleges, foundations and corporations. The amount of financial aid that a student receives is determined through federal, state and institutional guidelines. What are the Types of Financial Aid? 1. Grants are typically awarded on the basis of need and generally do not have to be repaid. There are federal and state grants available for those who qualify. 2. The Federal Work-Study Program enables students to earn money during the school year while also gaining valuable work experience, typically in part-time, careerrelated jobs on the college campus. 3. Loans consist of money that a student borrows to help pay for college, and must be repaid (with interest). 4. Scholarships consist of free money awarded based on various criteria identified by the funding source. 5. GI Bill refers to any Department of Veterans Affairs education benefit to help service members and eligible veterans cover the cost of education or training. 28

College Knowledge -Junior Planning Timeline & Checklist SPRING SEMESTER CHAPTER PLANNER (cont d) Chapter 7 FAFSA, TASFA & FSA IDs FAFSA is the Key! The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the key that opens the door to financial aid. It serves as the application for most of the financial aid from federal and state programs and from colleges and universities. You will complete your FAFSA application during your SENIOR year in high school. As a JUNIOR, you will create a FSA ID in preparation for the FAFSA application next year. The FSA ID must be used to login to the FAFSA website. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid or FAFSA is a form that must be prepared annually by current and prospective college students (undergraduate and graduate) in the United States to determine eligibility for student financial aid. All SAISD students complete the FAFSA application during their senior year in high school. The FSA ID - a username and a password must be used to log in to certain U.S. Department of Education websites. Your FSA ID confirms your identity when you access your financial aid information and electronically sign Federal Student Aid documents. Read Chapter 7 carefully. Chapter 7 provides detailed information about how to apply for and receive federal student aid to attend college, including TASFA information. May 1 May 31: All SAISD juniors are required to complete their FSA IDs before the end of their junior year. 29

College Knowledge Junior Planning Timeline & Checklist SPRING SEMESTER CHAPTER PLANNER (cont d) Talk to your teachers, mentors, counselors and College Bound Advisor about writing letters of recommendation for you. Think about what you would like to include in these and politely ask your teachers if they can help. Do you have a resume? If not, write one. A resume will help when you ask teachers to give you letters of recommendation. You will find resume builders in Naviance as well as additional online resources. Check one out today! Chapter 8 Summer Rocks! The summer prior to your senior year in high school is an excellent time to continue the college research you began this past year and to regularly review, refine and rank your Best Fit! Best Match! colleges. Along with the information presented in Chapter 7, summer break is also a great time to do the following: Update your resume with jobs, job shadowing or internship activities completed over the summer. Include your most recent report card, test scores, honors and awards. Continue to work on your application essays and review application procedures for the colleges where you plan to apply. Continue with college visits. Call ahead for appointments with the financial aid, admissions and academic advisors at the colleges in which you are most interested. If you go on visits, make sure to get a business card from everyone you meet. This will help you build your network. Don t forget to send hand-written thank you notes. Personal thank you notes are always better than an e-mail. Have you heard of Early Decision and Early Action? Early Decision is an option if you know exactly which college you want to attend, have done your research and are prepared to go there if accepted. If you are accepted through Early Decision, you MUST go there. Early Action allows you to apply to a college early and get your decision early, but you do NOT have to commit to it early. Both options require you to submit your applications early, typically between October and December of your senior year. Continue to check your professional e-mail accounts during the summer that you set up at the beginning of your junior year. Read your college mail and send reply cards to your colleges of interest. Start thinking about how you will cover your college application fees. Determine if you are eligible for fee waivers. Continue to talk to students who have attended college to learn about their experiences. Practice effective time management skills. Learning to make efficient use of your time can prevent you from getting overwhelmed. Continue to improve your reading, writing and math skills. These basic skills will serve you well in both college and your career. 30

College Knowledge Junior Planning Timeline & Checklist SPRING SEMESTER MONTHLY PLANNER January May Consider taking rigorous AP and Dual Credit courses as a senior that will enhance your transcript. It s not too early to start thinking about a summer job or internship. Not only can you earn money for college, you can also learn valuable marketing skills. Plan to take both a math and English course your senior year. Completing a minimum of Algebra II and taking a math and English course your senior year can help you avoid investing time and money in college remediation courses that do not count towards your degree. January You should be a Naviance pro by now! Continue to use Naviance to enhance your college and career connections. What college visits have you scheduled this semester? Continue to narrow down your list of potential colleges to meet your Best Fit! Best Match! timeline. February Register for the March SAT or the April ACT plus Writing, or both. Research the admission deadlines and required exams of the colleges you re interested in. Register for AP exams. Contact your AP teacher, AP coordinator or counselor to register. They will organize your registration. Remember you can take as many AP exams as you want, even if you didn t take the class. March Take the March SAT exam. Deadline for completing Best Fit! Best Match! Tier 1 Universities. Deadline for completing 3 of 7 Common Applications essays. End of 3 rd nine weeks 31

College Knowledge Junior Planning Timeline & Checklist SPRING SEMESTER MONTHLY PLANNER (cont d) April Take the April SAT exam at your high school. Deadline for completing 6 scholarship essays by the end of April. May Take the AP and SAT Subject exams. Create your FSA ID by the end of May. Continue to request and collect Letters of Recommendation. Do you have a resume? It s never too early to write one. End of 4 th nine weeks / End of 2nd semester June Take the SAT, SAT Subject and ACT plus Writing exams if you re registered. Continue to research, rank and visit colleges. Update and revise your resume as needed. Review Chapter 7 of College Knowledge Summer Rocks! August of Senior Year Pick up your copy of There s a U for You at the beginning of the year for more great tips on how to ace your senior year and continue to prepare for college. l You re a SENIOR! Work hard! Study hard! Learn! Have fun! Enjoy! GRADUATE! 32

ORGANIZE U! 33

ORGANIZE U! In addition to the school-year calendar and College Knowledge timeline and planner, the forms and logs in this chapter may be used to record important information as you establish professional e-mail accounts and save information electronically for easy reference and retrieval. Set up usernames and passwords for all accounts in this section by the end of September. *THIS IS YOUR PROFESSIONAL e-mail ACCOUNT FOR COLLEGE USE ONLY (See instructions on how to create a professional e-mail account in this chapter) Student Name (Last/First): Student ID: Personal e-mail Address: Password: Security Question: Naviance Family Connection Handy Forms and Resources SAISD Username/Password Log Sheet (These passwords are critical. Do not lose!) Username: Password: Security Question: www.khanacademy.org Khan Academy Username: Khan Academy Password: Security Question: www.collegeboard.org SAT/College Board Username: SAT/College Board Password: Security Question: 34

www.actstudent.org ACT Username/ID: ACT Password: Security Question: www.commonapp.org Common Application Username: Password: Security Question: www.applytexas.org Apply Texas Username: Apply Texas Password: Security Question: www.fafsa.gov Student FSA ID: Student FSA Password: Save Key: Parent FSA ID: Parent FSA Password: 35

University Field Trip Experience Log (Log your college visits so you don t forget them. Refer to this log for essay and interview information.) College/University Date Notable Experience 36

Professional E-mails Follow the tips below to create your professional e-mail and username. Don t Use a Nickname. SmoothGeek and other similar names have been used as e-mail addresses. It is frustrating to try to figure out who the person really is. There might be a reason to use a nickname if you are concerned about privacy, but be prepared for people not to take you seriously because there doesn t seem to be a real person standing behind the e-mail. SmoothGeek - Who is that? Choose Professional Titles for Your Username. EvilGoddess@gmail.com might have seemed like a good idea at the time. It might be great for your friends who get the joke, but colleges/college admission officers who don t know you may not draw the same conclusions. Avoid Complicated E-mails. Keep in mind the e-mail that looks nicely formatted will not get butchered by the recipient of your e-mail. Include Your Full Name and Last Name. Some people like to create e-mails that contain the following: smookie1743@yahoo.com or honeybare1590@hotmail.com. These are not professional e-mails. Just imagine an Ivy League school receiving an e-mail from honeybare1590. Not good. Imagine the application officer when he/she is corresponding with smookie1743. Here are some ideas to help get you started: bob.hope@mail.com bob.t.hope@mail.com bob.townes.hope@mail.com bob_hope@mail.com hope.bob@mail.com 37

How to Setup a Gmail Account Step 1: Type the following URL: http://gmail.com in your web browser. Step 2: Click on the blue 'create an account' button at the top right of the page. Step3: To create a new Gmail account, Google will require you to enter some personal information, notably your first and last name. Additionally, you will have to pick your Gmail account username. This will be used to create your own unique email address yourname@gmail.com. Be aware that some names may not be available, so you might have to come up with a different username. Here are some ideas to help get you started 1. bob.hope@mail.com 2. bob.t.hope@mail.com 3. bob.townes.hope@mail.com 4. bob_hope@mail.com 5. hope.bob@mail.com Step 4: If the username you chose is not available anymore (usernames need to be unique), Gmail will tell you and you will choose a different Gmail account name. Unfortunately, a lot of short and memorable usernames are taken so you may need to try a few times until you find a good username that suits you, is still available and professional. Step 5: Keeping your account secure is very important! Make sure that you chose a memorable, but secure password. **Do not choose a password like '12345'. Step 6: Once you have filled out all the information click on 'Next Step' where you will be asked to complete your user profile. It is up to you whether you want to do that or not. Step 7: Congratulations, you have created your new Gmail account which you can now use. 38

Student s Cloud Storage: Google Drive When Google Drive first launched, it served as a place to store your files in the cloud so that they could be accessed anywhere. As Drive has evolved, it has assimilated the roles of Google Docs and now serves as the hub for all Google document creation and office tools. You can even install apps into Drive to expand its functionality even further. Get the most out of Google Drive by following this guide. Accessing Google Drive Once you've set up your Google account, you can access Google Drive by going to http://drive.google.com in your web browser. You can also navigate to Google Drive from any Google page (such as Gmail or Google search) by selecting the grid icon near the top-right corner, then clicking Drive. The Google Drive interface Your Google Drive may be empty right now, but as you begin to upload and create files you'll need to know how to view, manage, and organize them in the interface. Click the buttons in the link below to become familiar with the Google Drive interface. Resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbeuqqwnphy 39

Uploading Files and Folders It's easy to upload files from your computer to Google Drive. If you're using the Google Chrome web browser, you can even upload entire folders. Add files to your drive. There are two ways to add files to your drive. You can create Google Drive documents or you can upload files from your computer. To upload a file 1. From Google Drive, locate and select the New button, then select File upload. 2. Locate and select the file(s) you want to upload, then click Open. 3. 4. The file(s) will be uploaded to your Google Drive. Depending on your browser and operating system, you may be able to upload files by clicking and dragging a file from your computer into your Google Drive. 40

To upload a folder: Note: This feature is only available if you're accessing Google Drive through Google Chrome. 1. Click the New button, then select Folder upload. 2. 3. Locate and select the folder you want to upload, then click OK. 4. The folder and the files within it will be uploaded to your Google Drive. 5. Resource: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgdwqjqybqc Challenge! Try uploading a file from your computer to your Google Drive. Check to see that it has been added to your Google Drive. 41

On your computer, open your web browser, type in www.dropbox.com. Follow the Instructions: 1. Go to www.dropbox.com 2. Click Sign up. 3. Type in your first name, last name, e-mail address, and a password for your account. Your e-mail address and password will be your account credentials to log in. 4. Check box that says I agree to Dropbox Terms. 5. As soon as you sign up you will be taken to this screen, and presented with a special offer: On the Choose Your Dropbox Plan page, decide which plan you want: Dropbox Basic is the free plan that gives you up to 2GB of storage space, plus basic filesharing features. Dropbox Pro costs about $10 per month and gives you up to 1TB (1,000GB) of storage space, plus a few more file-sharing controls. Dropbox for Business costs $15 per user per month and gives you unlimited storage space. However, you have to buy at least five licenses (one per user), which makes the total cost per month at least $60. This option is geared toward business collaborators. Quick tips for Dropbox https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29qfd5zdu8a 42

ORGANIZE YOUR ENVIRONMENT! Now that you ve maximized your time management skills with professional e-mail accounts and online resources, it s time to discover some valuable resources that are closer than you think. Let s start with the basics. There are free, convenient college support resources available on your high school campus and in your community. Get to know them. Use them. Take advantage of the information, wisdom and services they provide. TEACHERS: Get to know your teachers. They have great college experiences to share! This includes former and current teachers. Teachers are valuable sources of information, knowledge, advice, strong role models and your go-to support for Letters of Recommendation that are required with college applications. YOUR COLLEGE BOUND ADVISOR: Meet your College Bound Advisor at the beginning of the year. Schedule a meeting to begin an ongoing conversation about the college application process. This is a critical step during your junior year. Your advisor will often be your go-to person for answers to questions regarding credits, transcripts, college applications, scholarships, fee waivers, college exams, college essays and Naviance pretty much the entire college application process. Take advantage of their experience by meeting with them regularly. Make sure you know them. Make sure they know you! COLLEGE GO CENTER: Your campus GO Center is a one-stop resource hub for ALL students and their families. You can research schools and apply for college, complete FAFSA/TASFA applications and register for SAT/ACT exams. Each center is staffed with a full-time college advisor from the College Advising Corps and other professionals to guide you through the college application process. Most GO Centers are staffed with professionals in the following positions: College Advising Corps Advisor FAFSA Counselor Project Stay Advisor San Antonio Education Partnership Advisor UT Outreach Support UTSA G-Force CAFÉCOLLEGE: Funded by the City of San Antonio and managed by the San Antonio Education Partnership, CaféCollege serves as San Antonio's one-stop-shop for college access advice, guidance, and workshops. No appointment is needed and all resources are free of charge. Services are provided in English and Spanish for students in middle school, high school, college and anyone in the community. It's never too early or too late to start planning for college. Visit their facility and website (cafecollege.org) to learn how you can make going to college a reality! Café College is located at 131 El Paso Street, SA, TX, 78204. 43

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ONLINE COLLEGE RESOURCES There are numerous, free online college resources available to prospective college students. A few are mentioned here. Your visits with teachers, counselors, College Bound Advisor, College GO Center staff and CafeCollege will certainly produce more. Visit the sites below. Add to this list as needed. Find the best resources that work for you. www.khanacademy.org/college-admissions www.bigfuture.collegeboard.org https://collegescorecard.ed.gov www.accreditedschoolsonline.org; The Complete Guide to College Admissions by Accredited Schools Online Silverturtle s Guide to SAT and Admissions Success www.fiskeguide.com; Fiske Guide to Colleges 2017 www.collegeconfidential.com www.colleges.niche.com www.aft.org; Just Ask! Which College Is Right For You http://launchmycareertx.org/ 46

41 FROM THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN CEO of Dose, one of the world s fastest-growing digital media companies which Spartz created at the age of 22. 47

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ARE YOU READY FOR COLLEGE? Take Our College Knowledge Quiz (Answers on the following page) True or False 1. T or F Parents are always the best people to talk to about preparing for college. 2. T or F Colleges want to help students get financial aid. 3. T or F Working while going to school will hurt my academic success. 4. T or F Colleges require you to take two or more years of natural science classes in high school (earth science, biology, chemistry, physics, etc.). 5. T or F The federal government provides most of the financial aid for students. 6. T or F I can still get into a selective college if I did poorly in 9 th or 10 th grade. 7. T or F If I apply for a student loan through a bank, I don t have to take it. 8. T or F A lot of extracurricular activities in high school will make up for poor grades. 9. T or F Colleges require you to take three years of English classes in high school (grammar, composition, literature, etc.). 10. T or F Anyone can get into a public university, but it s hard to get into a private college. 11. T or F Colleges require you to take three or more years of mathematics in high school beginning with Algebra I and higher. 12. T or F College graduates earn twice as much as individuals earn with just a high school diploma. 51

ARE YOU READY FOR COLLEGE? How did you score? 1. False. If your parents didn t go to college, chances are there s an adult in your life who did (teachers, counselors, mentors, etc.). Most would be happy to help you prepare for college. Tell them you want to go to college and ask if they can help you! 2. True. The job of a college s financial aid officer is to make it possible for all students to attend college while staying within federal guidelines. 3. False. Research shows that students who work a moderate amount often do better academically. Serving in an on-campus job, especially if it is related to your career goals, is a good way to help pay college costs, get experience and create ties with the university. 4. True. All colleges require two or more years of natural science classes in high school if you re thinking about majoring in a related field. 5. False. Government grants comprise only a moderate proportion of the available financial aid. Private colleges, especially, supply the largest portion of financial aid. 6. True. Colleges look for improvement in performance as a sign that you can and will do the work. In fact, a vast academic improvement as a junior and senior indicates to a college that you have settled down. 7. True. Families are not obligated to accept a low-interest loan if it is awarded to them. Even if you are awarded a loan, you can turn it down and try to find money elsewhere. 8. False. Yes, colleges consider extracurricular such as athletics, student government, music and other high school activities you participated in when they review an application, but colleges look at your academic performance first. 9. False. Since reading and writing are so important to success in college, most schools require four or more years of high school English classes. 10. False. Many public universities are some of the most competitive to get into, while other public universities are required to take nearly all applicants. It s true some private colleges are very selective, but others take students who wouldn t ever be admitted to a home state public university. 11. True. You must take at least three years of math at the Algebra I level and higher to prepare for college. If you take more advanced classes in high school, you may test out of basic college math classes. 12. True. A college degree adds approximately twice as much as what you could earn over a lifetime with just a high school diploma. 52

BEST Fit! BEST Match! Now that you ve had the time to practice using Naviance and the online resources provided in Chapter 1, it s time to start doing the hard work, research and reflection that will lead to the best college fit and match for you. Did you know there are over 4,000 colleges in the United States? The possibilities are endless! Finding the right college can be stressful, but with the tools found in this section it can be fun and rewarding. First, don t let the sticker price scare you away from any college there are numerous ways to make college affordable. Before you cross off colleges due to cost, determine what really matters to you in an academic setting. Finding what matters to you is the first step. College Search Guiding Questions Ask yourself these questions before you begin your college search: Do I want to be close to home or move away? Do I want to live in a big city or a small town? Am I looking for schools with strong resources in my career pathway, or for a school with many potential choices? Which majors/career fields do I want to study? What about the size of the school? Do I prefer larger schools where I am one of many students or a smaller school where everyone knows each other? What can I afford? Where will I get a quality education? Public? Private? Religious affiliation? What meal plans are available? Athletics? 53

College Considerations Here are some things to consider while reflecting on what you want out of your college experience: Academics: What are the academic programs that interest you? Do you want a school with a liberal arts curriculum? Are you potentially interested in academic research? What sort of academic atmosphere do you want during your college experience? Would you prefer professors who are highly esteemed in their field, or professors who are eager to sit and talk to undergraduates for hours are there places for both? Do you prefer large classes or smaller seminars? Location: Do you want to be close to your family or far away? Do you prefer a rural, urban, or suburban setting? Do you care about the location s climate? Do you want to be near the mountains, the coast or both? The difference in lifestyle and extracurriculars in a snowy place versus a sunny place is remarkable. Size: Do you want a close-knit college experience where everyone knows, or knows of, everyone else? Or, do you want to attend a big school so you ll always have the chance to meet new people? Public/Private: Do you prefer a public or private school? Public schools tend to have more students from that state than private schools. Is this a plus or minus? Housing: Do you want to live on campus all four years? Would living off campus in the surrounding area be affordable? Is it more expensive to be on campus, relying on the school s housing and meal plan? Social Life: Do you want to attend a school with prominent Greek life? Do you want a school that has more of a social scene on campus or off campus? How do you like to spend your weekends? Do you want your peers to come from similar geographic areas, share political/religious views or be of the same gender/race/ethnicity as you? Do you want to go to a place that prides itself on a diverse student body? Food: Do you require specific dietary or religious needs? Does the quality of the school s dining halls make a difference to you? Athletics: Is a strong athletic program important to you? Do you want a lively, sports-crazed atmosphere? Do sports make a difference? Extracurricular: Are there certain clubs or extracurricular activities that you want to join? Do you want to play intramural sports? Finances: How much can you or your family realistically afford to contribute per year on your college education? Before you decide on colleges that best match your family s financial preferences, consider the characteristics that match your ideal college experience. Then investigate the many financial resources available that could make your experience a reality. 54

Your BEST College Fit and Match! The search continues! You have already researched at least 15 colleges and universities before the start of your junior year. Your goal this year is to continue using the BEST Fit! BEST Match! Chart and College Survey Templates to add an additional 15 colleges to your current list by the end of this school year. Use the College Search Timeline below. These dates are also found in your College Knowledge Junior Planning Timeline & Checklist. College Search Timeline End of 1 st 9 weeks Texas Colleges End of 2 nd 9 weeks (semester) Out-of-State Colleges End of 3 rd 9 weeks Tier I Universities End of 4 th 9 weeks (2 nd week of May) Narrow list to Top 9 55

BEST Fit! BEST Match! Definitions Reach Universities/Colleges Schools that are approximately 5-10+ percentage points higher than your current GPA, SAT or ACT scores. Student Scores GPA and College Readiness Entry Exam Criteria Percentage Points needed to meet Reach school criteria GPA: 3.4 3.8 10% SAT: 900 990 10% ACT: 19 21 10% *I need to increase my GPA, study for SAT/ACT exams and write a dynamic essay. Target Universities/Colleges Schools that are approximately 2-5+ percentage points higher than your current GPA, SAT or ACT scores. Student Scores GPA and College Readiness Entry Exam Criteria Percentage Points needed to meet Target school criteria GPA: 3.4 3.5 5% SAT: 900 945 5% ACT: 19 20 5% *I m close! I might qualify with conditional acceptance. I may need to increase my GPA, SAT, or ACT scores by 2 or more percentage points. I can increase my scores by accessing free, online practice exams. (collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat/practice/daily-practice-app; khanacademy.org) Safety Universities/Colleges Universities and colleges that reflect your current GPA, SAT and ACT scores. Student Scores GPA and College Readiness Entry Exam Criteria Percentage Points needed to meet Safety school criteria GPA: 3.4 3.4 5% SAT: 900 900 5% ACT: 19 19 5% *I have the GPA and SAT/ACT or TSI scores to qualify. I ll get in! 56

Directions: Complete the College Survey Charts for colleges of interest to you. Explore college websites, read their brochures and catalogues, and talk to your family and friends. Student: Grade: Campus: Date: CATEGORIES COLLEGE 1 COLLEGE 2 COLLEGE 3 COLLEGE 4 COLLEGE 5 Name of College & Public or Private Location (urban, rural, suburban & climate) Website Phone Number # of Students % Male / % Female Student Diversity Student-Faculty Ratio Average Class Size % Yr 1 Retention Rate % Graduation Rate ( 4 years & 6 years) Popular Majors % of Applicants Accepted SAT Critical Reading Range SAT Math Range SAT Writing Range ACT Range Average HS GPA Does Class Rank Play a Significant Role in Admission Decisions? Application Deadlines Fee Waiver for Applicants with Financial Need Visitation Programs or Open Houses 57

College Survey Chart (Colleges 1-5 cont d) CATEGORIES COLLEGE 1 COLLEGE 2 COLLEGE 3 COLLEGE 4 COLLEGE 5 % Freshmen Live on Campus Student Clubs & Organizations of Interest Athletics Pre-orientation, Orientation, Transition, First-Year Programs Academic Advising & Mentoring Programs Other Programs or Services # of Fraternities & Sororities Tuition Room & Board % of Students Receiving Aid % Receiving Need- Based Scholarship or Grant Aid 100% Financial Need Met Need Blind Average $$ Package Average Student Loan Debt Upon Graduation Important Scholarships or Financial Aid Opportunities Out-of-State Scholarships Based on your research, will you apply? 58

College Survey Chart Colleges 6-10 CATEGORIES COLLEGE 6 COLLEGE 7 COLLEGE 8 COLLEGE 9 COLLEGE 10 Name of College & Public or Private Location (urban, rural, suburban & climate) Website Phone Number # of Students % Male / % Female Student Diversity Student-Faculty Ratio Average Class Size % Yr 1 Retention Rate % Graduation Rate ( 4 years & 6 years) Popular Majors % of Applicants Accepted SAT Critical Reading Range SAT Math Range SAT Writing Range ACT Range Average HS GPA Does Class Rank Play a Significant Role in Admission Decisions? Application Deadlines Fee Waiver for Applicants with Financial Need Visitation Programs or Open Houses 59

College Survey Chart (Colleges 6-10 cont d) COLLEGE 6 COLLEGE 7 COLLEGE 8 COLLEGE 9 COLLEGE 10 % Freshmen Live on Campus Student Clubs & Organizations of Interest Athletics Pre-orientation, Orientation, Transition, First-Year Programs Academic Advising & Mentoring Programs Other Programs or Services # of Fraternities & Sororities Tuition Room & Board % of Students Receiving Aid % Receiving Need- Based Scholarship or Grant Aid 100% Financial Need Met Need Blind Average $$ Package Average Student Loan Debt Upon Graduation Important Scholarships or Financial Aid Opportunities Out-of-State Scholarships Based on your research, will you apply? 60

College Survey Chart Colleges 11-15 CATEGORIES COLLEGE 11 COLLEGE 12 COLLEGE 13 COLLEGE 14 COLLEGE 15 Name of College & Public or Private Location (urban, rural, suburban & climate) Website Phone Number # of Students % Male / % Female Student Diversity Student-Faculty Ratio Average Class Size % Yr 1 Retention Rate % Graduation Rate ( 4 years & 6 years) Popular Majors % of Applicants Accepted SAT Critical Reading Range SAT Math Range SAT Writing Range ACT Range Average HS GPA Does Class Rank Play a Significant Role in Admission Decisions? Application Deadlines Fee Waiver for Applicants with Financial Need Visitation Programs or Open Houses 61

College Survey Chart (Colleges 11-15 cont d) COLLEGE 11 COLLEGE 12 COLLEGE 13 COLLEGE 14 COLLEGE 15 % Freshmen Live on Campus Student Clubs & Organizations of Interest Athletics Pre-orientation, Orientation, Transition, First-Year Programs Academic Advising & Mentoring Programs Other Programs or Services # of Fraternities & Sororities Tuition Room & Board % of Students Receiving Aid % Receiving Need-Based Scholarship or Grant Aid 100% Financial Need Met Need Blind Average $$ Package Average Student Loan Debt Upon Graduation Important Scholarships or Financial Aid Opportunities Out-of-State Scholarships Based on your research, will you apply? 62

Colleges that Meet 100% Need College/University Location Undergrads Majors Acceptance Rate Amherst College Amherst, Massachusetts 1,795 46 14% Barnard New York, New York 2,573 70 21% Bates Lewiston, Maine 1,773 40 25% Boston College Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 14,317 76 34% Brown Providence, Rhode Island 9,181 116 9% Bryn Mawr College Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania 1,709 57 40% Bowdoin Brunswick, Maine 1,805 44 15% Caltech Pasadena, California 2,209 40 9% Carleton Northfield, Minnesota 2,057 59 23% Claremont, McKenna College Claremont, California 1,324 68 11% Colby Waterville, Maine 1,847 63 28% Colgate University Hamilton Village, New York 2,888 62 26% College of the Holy Cross Worcester, Massachusetts 2,787 28 43% Columbia University Manhattan, New York 27,589 110 7% Connecticut College New London, Connecticut 1,900 60 38% Cornell University Ithaca, New York 21,679 138 14% Davidson Davidson, North Carolina 1,770 26 22% Duke University Durham, North Carolina 15,856 69 11% Dartmouth Hanover, New Hampshire 6,298 77 12% Franklin & Marshall College Lancaster, Pennsylvania 2,209 53 39% Olin College of Engineering Needham,Massachusetts 305 3 12% Georgetown University Washington, D.C. 17,858 64 17% Grinnell College Grinnell, Iowa 1.705 27 25% Hamilton Clinton, New York 1,904 56 26% Harvey Mudd College Claremont, California 804 24 14% Haverford College Haverford, Pennsylvania 1,194 38 25% Harvard University Cambridge, Massachusetts 28,791 85 6% Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, Maryland 5,299 82 18% Macalester College Saint Paul, Minnesota 2,073 74 36% Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, Massachusetts 11,319 55 8% Middlebury College Middlebury, Vermont 2,533 62 17% Mount Holyoke South Hadley, Massachusetts 2,255 56 55% Northwestern University Evanston, Illinois 21,554 120 13% Oberlin College Oberlin, Ohio 2,978 63 33% Occidental College Los Angeles, California 2,040 43 42% Pitzer College Claremont, California 1,076 47 13% Pomona College Claremont, California 1,650 53 12% Princeton University Princeton, New Jersey 8,088 43 7% Reed Portland, Oregon 1,386 32 49% Rice Houston, Texas 6,621 60 15% Scripps Claremont, California 988 82 28% Smith College Northampton, Massachusetts 2,989 81 42% Stanford University Stanford, California 16,963 75 5% Swarthmore Swarthmore. PA 16,963 75 5% St. Thomas Aquinas College Santa Paula, California 378 1 83% Trinity College Hartford, Connecticut 2,408 146 32% Tufts University Medford, Massachusetts 10,907 88 17% The University of Chicago Chicago, Illinois 15,097 66 9% The University of Norte Dame Norte Dame, Indiana 12,197 75 21% Penn University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 24,806 125 10% University of Richmond Richmond, Virginia 4,182 92 32% University of Southern California Los Angeles, California 42,453 206 18% University of Virginia Charlottesville, Virginia 23,732 88 29% Vanderbilt University Nashville, Tennessee 12,686 101 13% Vassar College Poughkeepsie, New York 2,421 63 24% Washington and Lee University Lexington, Virginia 2,264 45 19% Washington University in St. Louis St. Louis, Missouri 14,348 153 17% Wellesley Wellesley, Massachusetts 2,323 80 30% Wesleyan University Middleton, Connecticut 3,224 58 24% Williams College Williamstown, Massachusetts 2,150 41 17% Yale University New Haven, Connecticut 12,336 99 6% 63

Colleges That Change Lives (CTCL) is dedicated to the advancement and support of a student-centered college search process. CTCL was founded on a philosophy of building the knowledge, character and values of young people by introducing them to a personalized and transformative collegiate experience. As an organization, CTCL provides information and the opportunity to pursue a bestfit college to all students regardless of race, color, religion (creed), national origin (ancestry), sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, socioeconomic status, political affiliation, marital status, disability, military status, or any other means by which a student could be discriminated. CTCL schools tend to be small and offer a personalized experience that many students value. Many schools on the list are not familiar names, but they offer education of the highest quality in an environment where many types of students will feel supported. All students should include CTCL schools as serious contenders in their college research. Colleges That Change Lives Member Institutions Agnes Scott College Allegheny College Antioch College Austin College Beloit College Birmingham-Southern College Centre College College of Wooster Clark University Cornell College Denison University Earlham College Eckerd College Emory & Henry College The Evergreen State College Goucher College Guilford College Hampshire College Hendrix College Hillsdale College Hiram College Hope College Juniata College Kalamazoo College Knox College Lawrence University Lynchburg College Marlboro College McDaniel College Millsaps College New College of Florida Ohio Wesleyan University Reed College Rhodes College Southwestern University St. John s College Saint Mary s College of California St. Olaf College University of Puget Sound Ursinus College Wabash College Wheaton College [Illinois] Whitman College Willamette University 64

Historically Black Colleges or Universities (HBCUs) Historically Black Colleges or Universities found their origins in the time when African- American students were systematically denied access to most other colleges and universities. Often, these schools receive extra funding to help African Americans enter disciplines in which they have been traditionally underrepresented. In general, HBCUs can be excellent institutions for African American students to gain an affordable, highly respectable education while also exploring their cultural heritage. Many African-American students choose to attend an HBCU because they want a supportive cultural environment and/or want to explore their cultural roots. Students who are not African-American are also welcome at HBCUs, and in many cases can find attending one to be an affordable and culturally rich experience. There are over 100 HBCUs in the United States, and several in the state of Texas. Texas HBCUs include: o o o Prairie View A&M University Texas Southern University Paul Quinn College o o o Huston-Tillotson University Jarvis Christian College Wiley College o o Southwestern Christian College Texas College Some of the top HBCUs around the US include: o o o o o o o Clafin University Clark Atlanta University Dillard University Fisk University Florida A&M University Hampton University Howard University Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) o Jackson State University o Morehouse College o North Carolina A&T State University o Spelman College o Tuskegee University o Xavier University of Louisiana Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) are defined as colleges, universities, or systems/districts where total Hispanic enrollment constitutes a minimum of 25% of the total enrollment. While the designation of HSI does not automatically mean that the school has special programming for Hispanic students that is often the case. Some Hispanic students choose to attend an HSI because they want to be certain that there will be a large community where they can be supported, they can relate culturally, and become involved. Four-Year Texas HSIs include: o Our Lady of the Lake University o Schreiner University o Southwestern Adventist University o St. Edward s University o St. Mary s University o Sul Ross State University o Texas A&M International University o Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi o Texas A&M University-Kingsville o o o o o o o o o o Texas A&M University-San Antonio Texas A&M University Texas State University The University of Texas at Arlington The University of Texas at El Paso The University of Texas at San Antonio The University of Houston University of North Texas at Dallas University of Incarnate Word West University of Incarnate Word 65

*2016-2017 ADMISSIONS CHART (*Information subject to change. Check individual colleges for most current information.) School Top 8% Top 10% Top 25% 2nd QTR 3rd QTR 4th QTR Non-ranking Notes Holistic Review Holistic Review Holistic Review Holistic Review Holistic Review Holistic Review Holistic Review www.acu.edu Acceptance rate: 45% Auto Admit Auto Admit 17 ACT Comp or 900 SAT RW+M 17 ACT Comp or 900 SAT RW+M Individual Review Individual Review Individual Review www.angelo.edu Acceptance rate: 82% Open Open Open Open Open Open Open www.blinn.edu 2.5 GPA and 22 ACT or 1020 CR+M 2.5 GPA and 22 ACT or 1020 CR+M 2.5 GPA and 22 ACT or 1020 CR+M 2.5 GPA and 22 ACT or 1020 CR+M Individual Review Individual Review Individual Review www.concordia.edu Acceptance rate: 49% *19 ACT or 900 SAT CR+M *19 ACT or 900 SAT CR+M *19 ACT or 900 SAT CR+M *21 ACT or 960 SAT CR+M *26 ACT or 1200 SAT CR+M *26 ACT or 1200 SAT CR+M *26 ACT or 1200 SAT CR+M www.hbu.edu *Applicants will not be automatically admitted and will undergo holistic review if they have any of the following: SAT section score below 400, ACT section score below 18, and SAT essay score below 7; Acceptance rate: 35% Open Open Open Open Open Open Open www.hccs.edu Auto Admit Auto Admit 18 ACT Comp OR 930 SAT RW+M 20 ACT Comp OR 1010 SAT RW+M 21 ACT Comp OR 1080 SAT RW+M 21 ACT Comp OR 1080 SAT RW+M 21 ACT Comp OR 1000 SAT CR+M www.lamar.edu Acceptance rate: 79% 66

*2016-2017 ADMISSIONS CHART (*Information subject to change. Check individual colleges for most current information.) School Top 8% Top 10% Top 25% 2nd QTR 3rd QTR 4th QTR Non-ranking Notes Auto Admit Auto Admit Auto Admit 17 ACT OR 820 CR+M 20 ACT OR 940 CR+M 21 ACT OR 980 CR+M Individual Review www.wtamu.edu Acceptance rate: 67% Louisiana State University *3.0 GPA and 22 ACT or 1030 SAT CR+M *3.0 GPA and 22 ACT or 1030 SAT CR+M *3.0 GPA and 22 ACT or 1030 SAT CR+M *3.0 GPA and 22 ACT or 1030 SAT CR+M See Notes See Notes See Notes www.lsu.edu *ACT subscores min 18 English, 19 Math SAT subscores min 450 CR, 460 Math In addition,19 units of required college preparatory classes, as listed on the website. NEW SAT COMING SEPT www.msstate.edu See Notes See Notes See Notes See Notes See Notes See Notes See Notes Beginning Fall 2015 out of state residents require a minimum 2.50 grade-point average, composite score of 20 or higher on the ACT, or a combined score of 940 or higher on the SAT. Prairie View A&M University Auto Admit Auto Admit 2.75 GPA 15 ACT Comp or 800 SAT RW+M 2.75 GPA 15 ACT Comp or 800 SAT RW+M See Notes See Notes See Notes www.pvamu.edu Acceptance rate: 39% Open Open Open Open Open Open Open www.sanjac.edu Sam Houston State University Auto Admit Auto Admit SAT: 1010 ACT: 19 22 ACT comp or 1110 SAT RW+M 25 ACT comp or 1210 SAT RW+M Review only See Notes www.shsu.edu For non-ranking, home school, or GED students visit shsu.edu/admissions/undergraduate to view the admission requirements. Acceptance rate: 74% Holistic Review Holistic Review Holistic Review Holistic Review Holistic Review Holistic Review Holistic Review www.stthom.edu Acceptance rate: 80% 67

*2016-2017 ADMISSIONS CHART (*Information subject to change. Check individual colleges for most current information.) School Top 8% Top 10% Top 25% 2nd QTR 3rd QTR 4th QTR Non-ranking Notes Stephen F. Austin State University Auto Admit Auto Admit 17 ACT Comp or 930 RW+M 20 ACT Comp or 1030 SAT RW+M 24 ACT Comp or 1170 SAT RW+M File Review See Notes www.sfasu.edu Go to sfasu.edu/admissions/freshman for more information on admission requirements. Acceptance rate: 56% Tarleton State University Auto Admit Auto Admit Auto Admit 16 ACT Comp OR 880 RW+M Individual Review Individual Review Visit website for more information www.tarleton.edu Acceptance rate: 53% College Station Auto Admit Auto Admit 30 ACT Comp OR 1360 SAT CR+M Holistic Review Holistic Review Holistic Review See Notes www.tamu.edu Students from non-ranking schools and home schooled students are assigned a rank and may be eligible for automatic academic admission. Admission deadline is December 1st. Acceptance rate: 67% Auto Admit Auto Admit Top 30% is Auto Admit 21 ACT Comp or 980 SAT CR+M See Notes See Notes See Notes www.tamuc.edu Applicants who do not meet automatic admission requirements based on ranking and/or SAT/ACT scores will be reviewed by the university's Admissions Appeal Committee. To be reviewed by the Admissions Appeal Committee the applicant should submit a personal statement. Acceptance rate: 39% Auto Admit Auto Admit Auto Admit 21 ACT Comp OR 1080 SAT RW+M 23 ACT Comp OR 1170 SAT RW+M 27 ACT Comp OR 1270 SAT RW+M Holistic Review www.tamucc.edu Additional stipulations apply for automatic admissions see website. Students who do not meet general admissions standards will be considered under our alternative admissions. Acceptance rate: 85% Auto Admit Auto Admit 20 ACT Comp or 1000 SAT RW+M 22 ACT Comp or 1090 SAT RW+M 26 ACT Comp or 1250 SAT RW+M 29 ACT Comp or 1330 SAT RW+M Holistic Review www.txstate.edu Applications of those students in third quarter or higher who do not meet assured admission requirements will be reviewed holistically. Acceptance rate: 66% 68

*2016-2017 ADMISSIONS CHART (*Information subject to change. Check individual colleges for most current information.) School Top 8% Top 10% Top 25% 2nd QTR 3rd QTR 4th QTR Non-ranking Notes Auto Admit Auto Admit 24 ACT Comp OR 1180 SAT CR+M 26 ACT Comp OR 1260 SAT CR+M 27 ACT Comp OR 1290 SAT CR+M Application Review Holistic Review www.ttu.edu Students who do not meet our automatic admission requirements will go through our holistic review process. If students fall under the review process, it is strongly recommended that students submit one essay from Topic A, B, or C and up to 3 letters of recommendation. Acceptance rate: 64% Auto Admit* See Notes See Notes See Notes See Notes See Notes See Notes www.utexas.edu Students in the top 7% with a complete application by the admissions deadline are eligible for automatic admission in the freshman class, but are reviewed holistically for their major. All students outside of the top 7% are reviewed holistically for admission and major selection. Acceptance rate: 47% Auto Admit Auto Admit 26 ACT Comp OR 1270 SAT CR+M 26 ACT Comp OR 1270 SAT CR+M 26 ACT Comp OR 1270 SAT CR+M 26 ACT Comp OR 1270 SAT CR+M 26 ACT Comp OR 1270 SAT CR+M www.utdallas.edu Students ADMITTED BY March 1, 2017 are automatically reviewed for the Fall 2017 Academic Excellence Scholarship Awards. No scholarship application is required. Visit website: http://oue.utdallas.edu/aes/ Acceptance rate: 52% Auto Admit Auto Admit Auto Admit 22 ACT Comp OR 1130 SAT CR+M Individual Review Individual Review 24 ACT or 1170 SAT CR+M www.uta.edu Acceptance rate: 61% University of Texas at San Antonio Auto Admit Auto Admit Auto Admit **24 ACT Comp OR 1170 SAT CR+M for Auto Admit Committee Review: ACT COMP >21 OR SAT CR+M > 1080 for consideration. Committee Review: ACT COMP >24 OR SAT CR+M > 1170 for consideration. Open Open Open Open Open Open Open 24 ACT Comp OR 1100 SAT CR+M for Auto Admit (Others by Committee Review: SAT > 900 OR ACT Comp > 19 for consideration.) www.utsa.edu **Students in the 2nd quartile who do meet auto admit requirements are reviewed by a committee and must have SAT CR +M > 900 OR ACT Comp > 19 for consideration. Acceptance rate: 75% www.tstc.edu All students must take TSI Assessment or qualify as TSI exempt. 69

*2016-2017 ADMISSIONS CHART (*Information subject to change. Check individual colleges for most current information.) School Top 8% Top 10% Top 25% 2nd QTR 3rd QTR 4th QTR Non-ranking Notes Auto Admit Auto Admit 20 ACT Comp OR 1030 SAT RW+M 21 ACT Comp OR 1070 SAT RW+M 22 ACT Comp OR 1110 SAT RW+M 23 ACT Comp OR 1140 SAT RW+M Individual Review www.uttyler.edu Acceptance rate: 84% Texas Southern University Auto Admit Auto Admit 2.5 GPA, 17 ACT Comp OR 900 SAT RW+M 2.5 GPA, 17 ACT Comp OR 900 SAT RW+M 2.5 GPA, 17 ACT Comp OR 900 SAT RW+M 2.5 GPA, 17 ACT Comp OR 900 SAT RW+M 2.5 GPA, 17 ACT Comp OR 900 SAT RW+M www.tsu.edu Acceptance rate: 52% Auto Admit Auto Admit Auto Admit 2.0 GPA, 21 ACT Comp, 1080 SAT CR+M Reviewed individually for provisional admittance Reviewed individually for provisional admittance Reviewed individually for provisional admittance www.twu.edu Acceptance rate: 85% Auto Admit Auto Admit Auto Admit SAT CR+M > 850 or ACT > 18 or GPA > 2.5 SAT CR+M > 850 or ACT > 18 and GPA > 2.5 or TSI College Ready SAT CR+M > 850 or ACT > 18 and GPA > 2.5 or TSI College Ready SAT > 850 ACT > 18 www.uhd.edu Each applicant s file will be reviewed by a committee and a student may be admitted to UHD or considered for an alternative option. Auto Admit Auto Admit 1080 SAT CR+M, 21 ACT until Dec 1st 1170 SAT CR+M, 24 ACT until Dec 1st Individual Review Individual Review Individual Review www.uh.edu After Dec 1st: Top 10% - Auto Admit. All others will be individually reviewed. Acceptance rate: 56% Auto Admit Auto Admit 2.0 GPA or 18 ACT Comp or 940 SAT RW+M 2.0 GPA or 18 ACT Comp or 940 SAT RW+M 2.0 GPA and 18 ACT Comp or 940 SAT RW+M 2.0 GPA and 18 ACT Comp or 940 SAT RW+M 2.0 GPA and 18 ACT Comp or 940 SAT RW+M www.uhv.edu All students must graduate under the recommended or distinguished high school program or similarly rigorous curriculum. Auto Admit Auto Admit 1030 SAT RW+M or 20 ACT Comp 1130 SAT RW+M or 23 ACT Comp Individual Review Individual Review Individual Review www.uhcl.edu Auto Admit Auto Admit 20 ACT Comp or 1030 SAT RW+M 23 ACT Comp or 1130 SAT RW+M 26 ACT Comp or 1250 SAT RW+M Individual Review Individual Review www.unt.edu -The individual Review Process requires 3 letters of recommendation and a personal statement. Please contact Admissions Counselor for essay prompt. Acceptance rate: 64% 70

Chart Your Path Top 20 Directions: Fill in your GPA, PSAT, ACT, SAT and Class Rank on the chart below. Then add the college criteria. Now plot the data on the BEST FIT/BEST MATCH (page 75). Do they fall within the same color as your TOP 20 college /university choices? See the college criteria on College Board Big Future, college.startclass.com. Discuss with your counselors, family and others. Explain how your choices may have changed from the Best Fit/Best Match chart you plotted in October. 1. 2. University College GPA PSAT ACT SAT Class Rank Where do I need to focus to get into my choice college? My College My College College College College My GPA My ACT My SAT Class (Remember ACT and SAT could be Criteria PSAT Criteria Criteria Criteria Criteria Rank the change agent!) 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 71

Chart Your Path Top 20 (cont d) 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. List three action items you will complete this month to help you reach your college choices: GPA PSAT ACT SAT Class Rank Where do I need to focus to get University College My GPA College Criteria My PSAT College Criteria My ACT College Criteria My SAT College Criteria My Class Rank College Criteria into my choice college? (Remember ACT and SAT could be the change agent!) 1. 2. 3. 72

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The Ivy League Almost everybody has heard of the Ivy League eight colleges in the U.S. that are among the nation s very best. How much do you know about the Ivies? Take the quiz below and find out! 1. Which of the following school is not in the Ivy League? a. Columbia b. Stanford c. Brown d. Princeton 2. What is the general location of all Ivy League schools? a. Midwest U.S. b. Southwestern U.S. c. Pacific Coast d. Northeastern U.S. 3. The Ivy League was originally formed to consist of schools with. a. Excellent athletic teams; particularly football b. The best academic rankings c. The wealthiest students d. More than 100 fine-arts majors 4. The Ivy League college located in Hanover, NH is? 5. The only Ivy League school founded after the American Revolution is? a. University of Pennsylvania b. Brown c. Cornell d. Princeton 6. Which of the following Ivy League schools is known to be the most selective? a. Yale b. Harvard c. Princeton d. University of Pennsylvania 7. By what name is the Ivy League officially known? a. American Premier Football League b. The National Organization of Top Universities c. Council of Ivy League Presidents d. United States Assembly of Collegiate Success 8. When was the Ivy League founded? a. October 1892 b. March 1978 c. June 1930 d. February 1954 9. True or False: All Ivy League colleges/universities are public schools. 10. How did these eight elite schools receive the name of Ivy League? a. From the ivy growing on the historic, building walls b. All eight schools had ivy plants as unofficial botanical mascots c. The founder of the Ivy League was named Ivy. d. The term was first coined as a slang name but stuck. www.braingle.com 74

The Ivy League How did you score? 1. b. Stanford. The eight Ivy League schools are Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Dartmouth, University of Pennsylvania, Brown, Columbia and Cornell. 2. d. Northeastern U.S. Yale: New Haven, CT; Princeton: Princeton, NJ; Harvard: Cambridge, MA; University of Pennsylvania: Philadelphia, PA; Dartmouth: Hanover, NH; Columbia: New York, NY; Cornell: Ithaca, NY; Brown: Providence, RI 3. a. Excellent athletic teams; particularly football 4. Dartmouth or Dartmouth College 5. c. Cornell. Cornell was founded in 1865. 6. b. Harvard 7. c. Council of Ivy League Presidents. The Ivy League is also known as the Ancient Eight or simply the Ivies. 8. d. February 1954 9. False. The Ivies are private schools (schools which depend mostly on monetary donations from individuals rather than government grants) and although they receive government funding for research, they receive many generous financial endowments from private sources. 10. a. The name derives from the ivy growing on the historic building walls. www.braingle.com 75

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Master the Test! 77

Two-time USA Olympic gold medal athlete in track and field 78

MASTER THE TEST! College entrance exams provide an indication to colleges and universities of your readiness for college work. No matter what college or university you plan to attend, you ll have to submit test scores for at least one college entrance exam. The reality is that entrance exams are reviewed by college admissions officers and are often a significant component of the college application. A comparison of your scores vs. accepted students scores should be a factor as you continue to refine your college list. With thousands of applicants from around the world, entrance exams offer an imperfect way to assess academic ability. Keep in mind these tests don t determine how smart you are, just how good you are at taking that particular test, and as with anything the more you study, the better your score. Requirements for college entrance exams depend on the college/university. Many schools require an SAT or ACT score, and many either suggest or require SAT Subject Tests as well. Students can review college requirements for most schools on the College Scorecard website at www.collegescorecard.ed.gov. More than 925 schools pride themselves on not requiring standardized test scores. Visit www.fairtest.org/university/optional to review these schools. It s important to note that many students take the SAT/ACT more than once, largely to improve their score. Research has found that more than half of students improve their scores when taking an entrance exam for the second time. SAISD provides a free SAT exam to all juniors each spring and to all seniors in the fall. Everyone has two, free opportunities to take the SAT school day exam, and you can also register to take the ACT on a designated Saturday as a junior and a senior. Test Preparation SAISD also provides valuable, no-cost resources for students to practice and gain confidence taking college entrance exams. ACT Prep can be accessed on Naviance and CaféCollege provides free prep sessions. SAT prep can be accessed free, 24/7 through Khan Academy. In Chapter 3 of College Knowledge, you set up a free College Board account. When you link your 10 th grade PSAT results to this account, you will receive customized SAT prep through Khan Academy. Take advantage of this excellent resource! Prep books available for the SAT and ACT tests also provide good information that accurately reflects the questions and formats of the actual tests. The SAT is written by College Board, so check out The Official SAT Study Guide for helpful tips and suggestions. The ACT is written by ACT, Inc., so a good resource for that test is The Real ACT Prep Guide. Many schools and local libraries, including your own high school, have a college prep bookshelf so take advantage of them. Several copies of both books are available in the College GO Center at your high school. You can always ask to borrow books from friends or classmates. You could even create a 79

study group for the SAT or ACT. There are also tons of online resources for college entrance exams as well. Additionally, SAT/ACT information, tips and practice problems can be accessed through the Silverturtle s Guide to SAT and Admissions Success. When you work on practice problems or take practice tests, the focus should be on improving your areas of weakness. No one needs to know your practice scores, and you aren t trying to impress anyone. If you are unsure about a question and guess correctly, don t just forget about it! After each practice test you take, go back and review any questions that you guessed on, got wrong, or had any doubts about. The more you reflect on your practice tests, the more you can identify your weaknesses and do better next time. Focusing your efforts on where you have room to improve will help you achieve your goal score that meets requirements for your Reach and Target schools. What is the PSAT? The Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT) is a preliminary version of the SAT and is a great way to practice for the SAT exam. Although it won t count towards college admissions applications, it is the qualifying test for the National Merit Scholarship. And research shows that PSAT completers perform better on the SAT exam. You can access free practice exams on Khan Academy. ACT and SAT The two major entrance exams for college admissions in the United States are the ACT and the SAT. Most schools will require one or the other, but never both. Neither test is regarded as more impressive or legitimate than the other one. Take both exams and send your best scores to the colleges on your list. The tests, however, do cover slightly different topics and use different structures. Notably, the ACT has a science section, while the SAT does not. The tests are designed to stay pretty constant in terms of what each test includes. However, the SAT was recently changed significantly. Make sure to take practice exams on both the ACT and SAT, identify the exam for which you received the highest score, then concentrate on practice exams. Study the ACT vs SAT chart to get additional information. SAT Subject Tests Find out if your schools ask for SAT Subject Tests. Most colleges suggest two or three SAT Subject Tests when applying. These exams test, as their names suggest, a specific subject and are best taken at the end of your senior year, right around the time when you re studying for other final exams or AP exams (if you have them), so that you can draw on that knowledge. Again, study options abound. Do some prep work since these tests, like all standardized tests, have a high degree of predictability. Due to your ability to change your test performance in a sitting, you will need to study for whichever test you take. Yes, you can study, and yes, it is worth the time and effort! http://www.fairopportunityproject.com 80

SAT vs ACT: Key Differences between the ACT and SAT SAT vs. ACT Content-based test Type of Test Content-based test Reading: 1, 65-min section; Math: 1, 25-min section (no calculator) & 1, 55-min section (w/calculator); Writing & Language: 1, 35-min section; Essay: 1, 50-min section (optional) Reading, relevant words in context, math, grammar & usage, analytical writing (optional) Questions are evidence and context-based to focus on real-world situations and multi-step problem-solving Math and Evidence-Based Reading & Writing are each scored on a scale of 200-800. Composite SAT score is the sum of the two section scores and range from 400-1600 No you do not lose points for incorrect answers Yes you can choose which set(s) of SAT scores to submit to colleges Questions increase in difficulty level as you move through that question type in a section (except reading passage questions, which progress chronologically through the passage) Arithmetic, problem-solving & data analysis from algebra, geometry, and trigonometry; formulas provided With private schools and schools on the east and west coasts; however, every four-year college in the US accepts SAT scores Test Format Content Covered Test Style Scoring Penalty for Wrong Answers Score Choice Difficulty Levels Math Levels Tends to be more popular English: 1, 45-min section; Math: 1, 60- min section; Reading: 1, 35-min section; Science: 1, 35-min section; Writing: 1, 40-min essay (optional) Grammar & usage, math, reading, science reasoning, and writing (optional) Straightforward, questions may be long but are usually less difficult to decipher English, Math, Reading, and Science scores will each range between1-36. Composite ACT score is the average of your scores on the four sections; ranges between 1-36 No you do not lose points for incorrect answers Yes you can choose which set(s) of ACT scores to submit to colleges Difficulty level of the questions is random Arithmetic, algebra I & II, functions, geometry, trigonometry; no formulas are provided With public schools and schools in the Midwest and south; however, every fouryear college in the US accepts ACT scores Seven times per year: March or April, May, June, August, October, November, December, (SAISD Juniors April; SAISD Seniors October) Typically, about four weeks before the test date www.collegeboard.com Times Offered Registration Deadline More Information Six times per year: February, April, June, September, October, December Typically, about five to six weeks before the test date www.act.org Resource: http://www.studypoint.com/ed/act-vs-sat/ 81

Texas Colleges and Universities Admissions Requirements What SAT/ACT scores do you need for your Texas Target or Reach schools? 82

Submitting Your Scores For the ACT and SAT, you can take both tests more than once and can report your highest score to the school referred to as your superscore your highest possible score on each section of the test. If your top reading score is from a March test, and your top math score is from a June test, you ll have to send the entire test scores for both tests. The colleges will tabulate your superscore by recording the best scores for both tests. Although superscoring may seem like a good idea, enabling you to really focus in on one subject, it isn t always: some schools will require you to report all your test scores. Therefore, if you report that you ve taken the ACT nine times and did poorly on eight of them, the admission committee will also see this record. Both the ACT and the SAT provide score submission options, allowing you to write in colleges where you d like to send scores before you take the test, sometimes for free or at a reduced cost. The free side of this is great. However, the danger is that if you bomb a college entrance exam, that score is sent straight to the college you want to impress; if you don t select the college then it won t be sent, but you ll have to pay for submitting your score later via the online tool where you also registered. In summary, see what tests your school on the College Survey Chart asks for, then document them on your Charting Impact, pages 76-77. Study for the tests you need to take, one subject at a time. Your goal in testing is to get these tests out of the way with good scores ASAP so that you can devote time to the more nuanced portions of the application instead of having to worry about retaking the SAT and ACT. Texas Success Initiative The Texas Success Initiative (TSI) is a state legislated program designed to improve student success in college by requiring all students attending public institutions of higher education, unless considered TSI Exempt, to complete assessments in reading, writing and mathematics before enrolling in classes. Visit www.collegeboard.org to review practice test questions and answers in each of the TSI tested areas. Mathematics The TSI Mathematics and Statistics test contains questions that measure proficiency in four content areas: 1. Elementary Algebra and Functions - linear equations, inequalities and systems, algebraic expressions and equations, word problems and applications 2. Intermediate Algebra and Functions - quadratic and other polynomial expressions; equations and functions involving powers, roots and radicals; rational and exponential expressions, equations and functions 3. Geometry and Measurement - plane geometry; transformations and symmetry; linear, area and three-dimensional measurements 4. Data Analysis, Statistics and Probability - interpreting categorical and quantitative data; statistical measures; probabilistic reasoning 83

Reading The TSI Reading test contains questions that measure proficiency in four content areas: 1. Literary Analysis - identifying and analyzing ideas in and elements of literary texts 2. Main Idea and Supporting Details identifying the main idea of a passage; comprehending explicit textual information in a passage 3. Inferences in a Text or Texts synthesizing ideas by making a connection or comparison between two passages; making an appropriate inference about a single passage 4. Author s Use of Language identifying an author s purpose, tone and organization or rhetorical strategies and use of evidence; determining the meaning of words in context Writing The TSI Writing test contains questions that measure proficiency in four content areas: 1. Essay Revision coherence, organization and word choice; rhetorical effectiveness and use of evidence 2. Agreement subject-verb agreement; pronoun agreement; verb tense 3. Sentence Structure comma splices and run-on sentences; improper punctuation; fragments and parallelism; subordination and coordination 4. Sentence Logic correct placement of modifying phrase and clauses; the use of logical transitions Essay Section You may be asked to write a five-paragraph persuasive essay (approximately 300-600 words) on a controversial issue or one of current interest. You will be expected to clearly state a main idea and provide specific examples and details to back up your main idea, as well as follow conventions of standard English. You will not be allowed to use a dictionary or other outside resource, but you may use plain scratch paper to plan your essay and write your rough draft(s). TSI Minimum Standards The Texas Administrative Code identifies minimum standards (also known as cut scores ) for reading and mathematics that are used by an institution to determine a student s readiness to enroll in entry-level freshman coursework. *NOTE: Minimum standards vary from college to college. Check with the institution for which you are applying to verify minimum standards. Beginning Fall 2017 Fall 2019 Reading 355; Writing 350; Mathematics 356; Essay 5 Beginning Fall 2019 (no expiration) Reading 359; Writing 350; Mathematics 369; Essay 5 84

Dual Credit What is dual credit? Dual credit is a program that allows high school students to enroll in college credit courses prior to high school graduation. College credits earned through dual credit can be applied toward high school and college graduation and can be transferred to other colleges and universities if the college accepts the credit. Students may select from a variety of courses. What are some positive outcomes of dual credit? Studies show that dual credit classes increase the likelihood that a student will complete high school, and enroll in and persist in college. Dual credit courses decrease the cost of tuition and fees for students by accelerating the time to complete a degree. New graduates enter the workforce and begin to earn wages sooner, benefiting themselves and the economy. How do I apply for Alamo Colleges high school programs (dual credit/echs/alamo Academies)? All students seeking college and high school credit through any of the Alamo Colleges high school programs must complete the admission process at www.applytexas.org to be considered and accepted or access www.alamo.edu/alamoenroll/dual-credit/ for additional information meet with your high school counselor. Is there a fee for dual credit classes? Tuition and fees are waived through the College s Dual Credit Office for all Alamo College s high school programs. Advanced Placement SAISD s Advanced Placement (AP) Program enables students to pursue college-level studies with the opportunity to earn college credit while still in high school. Each AP course connects directly to a wide variety of college majors and careers. AP courses also help students transform the subjects they are enthusiastic about into a fulfilling future. By giving students the opportunity to explore what interests them the most, AP courses help them find and pursue their unique direction. Plus, 85% of selective colleges and universities report that a student s AP experience favorably impacts admission decisions. Each AP course concludes with an opportunity for students to earn college credit by passing an AP exam with a score of 3 or higher. AP exams measure three areas - depth of knowledge, completeness of thought, and synthesis of ideas. Approximately 1,200 institutions award credit based on the student's AP exam scores. These exams are graded on a five-point scale with college credit usually given for scores of 3 or higher. AP students in SAISD are expected to participate in the exam process and sign an oath to do so at the beginning of each AP course. 85

AP Exams have their own unique requirements; however, almost all the exams have several things in common: Most exams are two to three hours long. Be prepared to tackle a challenging exam with limited breaks. Eat a good breakfast and, if you are taking more than one exam on the same day, make sure you have lunch and snacks to keep you going. The first part of the exam usually consists of multiple-choice questions. You will choose one of four or five answer choices for each question and use a pencil to bubble in your choice on your AP answer sheet. Your total exam score on the multiple-choice section is based only on the number of questions answered correctly. You won t receive or lose points for incorrect answers or unanswered questions. The second part of the exam usually consists of free-response questions that require you to generate your own responses. Depending on the exam, your responses could be in the form of an essay, a solution to a problem, or a verbal response. In most cases, you ll be writing your response in the free-response exam booklet. AP Exam Fees The San Antonio Independent School District provides an opportunity for all Advanced Placement students to take their respective AP course examination by assuming the full $91.00 fee of each Advanced Placement Exam. Thus, it is critical that every student be present on the day of their respective exam. Each student is also required to take an AP Exam Pledge acknowledging the district s investment in their successful participation and completion of the exam. College Level Examination Program The College Level Examination Program (CLEP) is a group of standardized tests created and administered by College Board. These tests assess college-level knowledge in 36 subject areas and provide a mechanism for earning college credits without taking college courses. They are administered at more than 1,700 sites (colleges, universities, and military installations) across the United States. There are about 2,900 colleges which grant CLEP credit. Each institution awards credit to students who meet the college's minimum qualifying score for that exam, which is typically 50 to 60 out of a possible 80, but varies by site and exam. These tests are useful for individuals who have obtained knowledge outside the classroom, such as through independent study, homeschooling, job experience, or cultural interaction and for students schooled outside the United States. They provide an opportunity to demonstrate proficiency in specific subject areas and bypass undergraduate coursework. Many take CLEP exams because of their convenience and lower cost (typically $80) compared to a semester of coursework for comparable credit. 86

College and Career Ready By the time you graduate from high school, you should be academically prepared to pursue your future plans. Whether that plan takes you to the military, the workplace, a technical program, a 2-year or 4-year college or university, the better prepared you are, the more options you will have. When you become a graduating senior, your goal is to graduate college-ready. That is, you have earned college-ready scores on SAT or ACT by your senior year in high school. If you were accepted into college but did not score at a college-ready level, you will need to take developmental courses first before moving into for-credit courses. You will still need to pay tuition for developmental courses even though no credit is earned. Since you don t want to pay tuition for classes in which you will receive no credit, it is important to do your very best on each college entrance exam. 87

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The College Essay (Everyone has a story. What s yours?) 89

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The College Essay Everyone has a story! You just need the right tools to make your story come to life. It only takes being yourself, a little self-reflection and a bit of time and thought. In reality, this is one of the most dreaded parts of the college application process, but it doesn t have to be. In fact, the writing process can be an intellectually and personally meaningful experience. It is an opportunity to reflect on how far you ve come and on where you would like to go next. Keep a few things in mind: 1. The essay is the first opportunity for the admissions committee to hear from, and not about, you. That s exciting. Colleges don t admit a list of accomplishments; they admit human beings. This is your chance to put the human into the rest of your application and show admissions officers a bit more about yourself. 2. Unlike other parts of the application (transcripts, test scores, extracurriculars) that are set in stone by the time you get around to applying, you can tweak and improve the essay right up to the deadline. 3. You know YOUR story better than anybody else. No matter the prompt, the subject of the essay is always about you. How is the Essay Used? The college essay is used by admissions departments for three primary reasons: To evaluate students writing ability, with specific focus on developing a logical and coherent essay structure with persuasive and well-written sentences. To learn more about the student through the topic and content of the essay. To see what the student would contribute to the college s student body. While there are many ways to write a successful college essay, each essay should engage with all of the areas above. This section includes helpful tips and information on how to write an effective college essay. We ve included the most current ApplyTexas essay prompts and a recommended practice timeline for completing each type of college essay. Let s get started! 91

College Essay Timeline As you review the types of college essays, consider the following junior year timeline as a recommended schedule for practicing and completing each type of essay: By the end of the first semester of your junior year, you will complete all 3 ApplyTexas essays. By the end of March of your junior year, you will complete 3 of 7 Common Application essays. By the end of April of your junior year, you will complete 6 scholarship essays. Types of College Essays Common Application Essay: This essay is part of the Common Application and is strictly limited to 650 words. The Common App essay is sent to every school a student applies to through the Common App, making it even more important that this essay is your best. Here are a few pointers: 1. The Common App essay is the top brick of the pyramid that is your application. It should frame and give direction to your application by placing your scores, classes, references, and grades within a single narrative this is who you are and where you are going. 2. The essay is often the first thing an admissions officer reads in your application. With that in mind, your Common App essay should be intriguing, persuasive and well-written. Providing a well-written, thought-provoking essay will leave them eager to know more about you. 3. The Common App essay is a place to be you. If a school denies you for who you are, then you probably don t want to go there anyway. 4. Your Common App will be sent to every school you apply to through the Common App, so make sure that your essay is not directed at any specific school. Supplemental Essay: Many schools will require a school-specific essay. These are additional narratives about who you are as a person that refine, complicate and expand the profile you provided in your Common App essay. Remember, each component of the application should add an additional dimension or snapshot of you. A few more pointers: 1. Avoid significant overlap between your Common App essay and your supplements. Use the supplemental essay to show a different dimension of yourself. 2. This is a great opportunity to highlight your specific interest in the college to which you are applying. Become an expert about each college and communicate why you would be a great fit for them. Colleges accept applicants they believe will take great advantage of the resources they offer. 3. Supplemental essays vary. Some colleges ask slightly strange questions to give students an opportunity to demonstrate their creativity while others will ask traditional, standard questions like, Why X College or University? 92

The Prompt Selecting the essay prompt is one of the hardest parts about writing a college essay. Consider the following: Read the essay prompts for each of your applications before you start to write to find out if, with a little fine-tuning, you can use the same essay for several applications. Make sure your essay answers the question that is asked. Start by thinking about topics you want to write about. These most likely represent an important aspect about yourself. Even without words on the page, the topic of a part-time job as a youth soccer referee implies that a student is probably responsible. An essay about how you overcame an obstacle in your life to achieve a specific goal indicates that you can conquer challenges in your life. An essay about family may indicate that family values are an important part of your life. Select a topic that is meaningful to you rather than what you think an admissions officer is going to want to read. Write about a specific incident or event rather than something as broad as, for example, your childhood. Do not write about community service unless your experience is truly unique and shows initiative, an ongoing commitment, responsibility and leadership. Do not write about your love life, recreational drug and alcohol use or illegal activities. Avoid clichés and lofty topics. Have someone you trust proofread your essay (your college counselor, academic advisor, English teacher, parent or sibling.) I saved a lot of time by reading over the essay questions on all of my applications before I got started. With a little fine-tuning, I was able to use the same essay for three different applications. - Josue, Travis Early College HS 93

Don t worry too much about what others are writing. There is no one way to write about a meaningful experience, role, person or reflection. Avoid copying successful past essays or clichéd topics like playing on a sports team or writing about a late grandparent, unless you can inject some novelty into the subject. In the end, admissions officers just want to read about what you find important and meaningful. Don t be afraid to abandon a topic and find something that works even better. Often, the success or failure of an idea is revealed in the writing. It is completely natural and expected for your essay to undergo many shifts, changes and revisions before it is perfect. Successful essays won t necessarily add another bullet point demonstrating academic or extracurricular success. The activities and honors list will carry this burden. Instead, focus on deepening the image the admissions committee has of you and of your character. Some of the most compelling essays are written as stories, and might describe a relationship, a meaningful time in your life or an interest that has had an impact on you. The Tone In addition to the topic, the tone is important to convey your voice. Winning college essays do not read like dry, academic papers you might write for an English III or IV class. Instead, the college essay is a chance for students to demonstrate to colleges that they can write, while presenting specific aspects of themselves through the essay. Successful college essays can be witty, clever, touching, or even solemn. In each case, be yourself and present your voice. Typically, the tone is not overly academic and does not have an excessive number of long words from a thesaurus. Be you! Be sincere! Admissions officers read thousands of essays so they can usually identify genuine, authentic writing. The Process The process of writing college essays can be challenging to say the least. Essays are a weighty part of the application that may require weeks, even months, of planning. It is, in fact, the most important essay you will write in your high school career. Sometimes it s not easy to know where to start. Here are some tips excerpted from The Guide. A College Admissions and Financial Aid Guide For All Students produced by the Fair Opportunity Project, MIT: 1. Brainstorm. Starting the essay can be the hardest part. Brainstorming about your personality traits and the characteristics you d like the essay to highlight is a good place to begin. If you feel comfortable, talk about your brainstorming process with people (teachers, classmates, counselors, parents, etc.) that know you well to get their feedback and help. 94

2. Get words on paper. After you have an idea of what to write about, create an outline to organize your essay and let the words flow. Don t worry about making it perfect. The focus is on getting your ideas flowing and thoughts on paper. Keep it simple. Sentences should be simple and communicate ideas clearly. Trying to embellish sentences or use fancy words is not the most effective use of space. Remember, this is a time to showcase you, not show how well you can look up words in a thesaurus. 3. Put yourself in the college s position. Ultimately, colleges want to accept students that are going to graduate and be successful in the world after graduation. It is vital for you to present yourself as someone who can think critically, who loves to learn and is passionate about something. 4. Show, don t tell. Convey your characteristics in your essay through experiences or reflection instead of through specific statements. It is better to describe an example of your intellectual curiosity instead of openly stating, I am intellectually curious. 5. Balance use of imagery. Imagery can be important, but don t go overboard. Vividly describing scenes furthers the first goal of the college essay making it clear that you are a competent writer. But overwriting can negatively impact your essay. 6. Use the essay to say what your application can t. Colleges want to learn what makes you unique. The essay is a chance for you to communicate what the test scores, lists of extracurriculars and awards cannot. Imagine sitting with the college admissions officer and responding to the question, What else do I need to know? The essay should reflect a thoughtful response to this question. 7. Stay humble. Avoid drawing easy conclusions or forcing satisfying conclusions. You will likely have many different and complex feelings, questions and thoughts about the subject of your essay. Your essay need not resolve these in one grand epiphany. The conclusion you reach is less important than the thinking your thinking that led to it. 95

Review & Revise Start writing early! Once you think you ve written everything, proofread it and proofread it again. Save copies of rough drafts and try different ideas out in new copies. Then you can reread, revise and decide what draft you think is more effective at accomplishing the goals of a college essay. Once you think your essay is ready to submit, work with your teachers, parents, mentor and friends to edit your essay for grammatical mistakes that you might have missed. Then revise your essay again. Use these tools to edit and improve your essay: 1. Use a spelling and grammar check. Most online programs like Microsoft Word have a feature to review spelling and grammar. Use it! 2. Have the computer read the essay back. Many computers have a feature of text-to-speech with which the computer can read an essay to you. This is an excellent way to catch errors and improve the flow of the essay. As an alternative strategy, read the essay to yourself in front of a mirror to accomplish the same end. 2. Print-and-review. It can be helpful to print out the essay to make hand-written edits. Having a hard-copy of your paper can be great to read while on the bus, extra time in class or anytime that you have 5 minutes to review. 3. Teacher and counselor review. Once you are satisfied with the essay, feedback from teachers and/or counselors can be helpful. Feedback from people you trust, who know you well, can significantly improve your essay. 4. Turnitin Use Turnitin for essay feedback. See your English teacher for details or reference www.turnitin.com. http://www.fairopportunityproject.com 96

ApplyTexas Essay Prompts Required Essay Prompts Topic A (Freshman and International Freshman): Use this topic if you are applying for admission after the Spring 2017 semester. Prompt: What was the environment in which you were raised? Describe your family, home neighborhood, or community and explain how it has shaped you as a person. Topic B (Freshman and International Freshman): Use this topic if you are applying for admission after the Spring 2017 semester. Prompt: Most students have an identity, an interest, or a talent that defines them in an essential way. Tell us about yourself. Topic C (Freshman and International Freshman): Use this topic if you are applying for admission after the Spring 2017 semester. Prompt: You ve got a ticket in your hand Where will you go? What will you do? What will happen when you get there. Common Application Essay Prompts 1. Some students have a background, identity, interest or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. 2. The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience? 3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome? 4. Describe a problem you ve solved or a problem you d like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution. 5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others. 6. Describe a topic, idea or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more? 7. Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt or one of your own design. 97

Common Application Sample Essay Responses These sample essay responses represent effective answers to prior essay topics. College essays can take a variety of forms. These have been grouped by EXPERIENCE or REFLECTION essays. Use these examples as inspiration for how to structure and set the tone for your essays. Review the questions posed in the reflection boxes at the end of each story for additional insight and information. EXPERIENCE Essay: Shifting Gears I gestured to the sunglasses. Nice pull, a Turkish rider exhaled while passing. I tucked in behind. Six Pentair and Target jerseys fluttered in my shadow. Their time to pull, to face the faceless prairie winds, would come. Mine just passed. The switchgrass quilt rippled under the sky, and my thoughts soon spun faster under my helmet than my wheels. And so, there I was again looking down a gravelly driveway, my cheering mom and dad holding Band-Aids and disassembled training-wheels. I remembered years later peering into a dusty garage and seeing a rusty, cobwebbed road bike in the corner. It was beautiful. I remembered repair manuals, greasy fingers, and my first sun-drenched ride. My hands clenched. I remembered counting Christmas money, studying the newly broken frame, and rolling my bike into a dark garage. A Pentair rider swept by and relieved the Turkish rider who now drank from his water bottle. I checked my odometer and the riders behind yet to pull. With sweat cascading down my face and my legs feeling bitter, I cuddled back within my mind, going back five years to my doctor s office. I heard two knocks. Dr. Rogers few strands of hair waved hello as he bustled into the room. After my first physical s inevitable awkwardness, Dr. Rogers signed my sport forms, asked about school, and then mentioned he saw me biking. He smiled when my hands jumped to describe my self-repaired 1973 Schwinn Traveler but frowned as I revealed its current condition. Dr. Rogers nodded slowly, found his feet, and said, It ll work out. Later that night, I got a call. My doctor disassembled his winter bike-trainer and now had a bike to spare if, adding a clinical touch, I wore a helmet. The next day, I walked into my doctor s white, organized garage and saw a crush-blue 1987 Cannondale. It was beautiful. After explaining clip-in pedals and giving me bike shorts and shoes, Dr. Rogers added, While it s not the fastest bike, it ll get you out the door. I looked up, shook my head, and grinned. That night, the bike leaned against my bed. My doctor gave me an opportunity. I seized it. My mornings filled with dusty sunglasses, hot pavement, and cool wind. I guzzled gallons of water, devoured books like Super Foods Rx and The Cycling Training s Bible, and stationary-biked in the winter. Throughout it all, if I ever had a question or needed advice, my doctor was there a hand on my shoulder. Four years later, I was here: cycling 150 miles across Minnesota with sponsors on my back and a bike under my feet. The line leader gestured. I looked over my shoulder. No one. Just a black ribbon of pavement and one man s trust. Had it really been that long? Grabbing a last swig of water, I tightened my helmet and paused. I touched it again. Changing gears, I surged to the front of the pace-line and faced the winds anew. The Guide: A College Admissions and Financial Aid Guide For All Students, Fair Opportunity Project, MIT 98

Shifting Gears (Great title that hooks the reader and foretells the story!) This writer combined his memories of learning how to ride a bike when he was a child, a chance conversation with his doctor which led to the gift of a racing bicycle, and his passion for cycling to draft this essay. Notice how the writer went back in time to tell his story, and then brought the reader back to the present. Notice the very specific details he added to the story that only an experienced cyclist would know. He also acknowledged that he wasn t going to waste the opportunity the doctor had given him and the importance the doctor/mentor became in his life. All of us have common (learning to ride a bike/going to the doctor) and unique (passion/experience for race cycling/competition) experiences and people in our lives that are important to us and would make an interesting story. Who and what are yours? How can these experiences become an interesting college essay that a reader would enjoy? REFLECTION Essay #1 (no title): Order! Order! the judge screamed, banging his gavel on the wooded panel. The defendant is guilty! She will share! It was all very professional except for the fact that the judge was my little brother, the gavel was a ruler and the wooded panel was the floor of our living room. Regardless, the ruling hurt. After having my own room for a couple years, I was being ordered to share a room again, with my little sister. Living in a small house with four siblings, I knew this was inevitable, but it was still a shock when the news was handed down by the authorities. My siblings gleefully helped move my books, music and bed into my new abode. They painted over my old aquamarine walls, with a pleasant and decidedly masculine beige. The first few weeks of room sharing didn t go well. My little sister and I argued over mess and floor space. Something had to be done. I bought four doors, and spent a rainy afternoon hinging them together. Their new folding pattern obscured their original purpose and what was left was our new room divider and purveyor of peace and sanity. My doors have since become a veritable journal. A photo of my best friend and me camping is propped beside a schedule of next month s meteor showers. Schedules of music festivals I ve been to are push-pinned next to flyers from protests I have attended and helped plan. A picture of my high school varsity soccer team is next to photo-booth pictures taken when I was one of four chosen to fly to Tallahassee with the Youth Advisory Committee to petition the governor about the importance of education. Notes to myself are written haphazardly across my whiteboard. Commands such as "See" are scribbled above film such as The Bicycle Thief and "Read" hovers over Pirsig s Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance and Hawking s The Grand Design. A picture drawn for me by a disabled camper at Shake-A-Leg Miami where I volunteer, overlaps a picture drawn of me by my friend, an aspiring artist. She drew me bald, but with a big heart. A photo of my host family in Botswana is partially covered by a painting of the autumn leaves done by a young artist from Dorking, UK, the town where I grew up. A medal from the half marathon I ran last year with my two younger brothers and my scuba diving certification card are tucked beside index cards where I had written SAT words. Though I finished taking the standardized tests months ago, I still rotate the cards often imagining how 99

I will speckle the "erudite" words into tomorrow s conversations. My record player, an old, beat up thing, rests against my doors with the aged vinyls leaning against its wooden cabinet. Amongst the records is my favorite Fleetwood Mac album, the one I listen to every time I need to study. Tucked under the cabinet are my black boots, never worn in public, mind you, but perfect for stomping to the beats of "Go Your Own Way." As I lie in bed at night, looking at my colorful, life-affirming doors, my sister, lying in her bed just a few feet away, asks me in a voice out of the darkness, how was my day? Though the building of my doors was initially meant to be an act of selfpreservation and protection of my privacy, I now understand they served their real purpose so much better than I could have ever hoped. My doors are in fact an opening---to my passions, my mistakes, my accomplishments and my wishes. They connect me to people a thousand miles distant and to those sitting just a doors width away. My day was great Syd. How was yours? REFLECTION Essay # 1 The author of this essay reflects on how the dividers that separated her side of the bedroom from her little sister s became much more than extra space and privacy, but rather a very detailed journal of her life, her activities, her accomplishments, her mistakes, her travels and the very special bond shared with her sister. If you have siblings, then you have stories - good or bad. Most of us have also had to make sacrifices that meant giving up something that was important to us, like this author s experience of giving up her own room to her brothers in order to share a smaller room with her sister. Yet, her reflections of this experience focus on what she gained instead of what she lost. The reason this is a good story is because we can all relate to at least one, if not both, of these experiences siblings or loss. When you read this story, what connections did you make to something similar in your own life? How can these experiences become an interesting college essay that a reader would enjoy? REFLECTION Essay #2 (no title): Becoming certified as a youth referee at the age of twelve gave me many things: independence at a time when boundaries seemed tight, a position of authority where I could act justly, and a little bit of cash on the side. All of these newfound benefits enabled me to mature, grow as an individual, yada yada yada... Most importantly, though, becoming a certified referee gave me the ability to card my four siblings. For nearly three years after I earned my certification, I carried around my yellow card for cautions such as reckless behavior (spilling cheerios), dissent by word or action (disagreement about Sunday night television), and entering or reentering the field of play without the referee s permission (they learned to knock). The red card, although rare in my household of somewhat evenly tempered players, was necessary on a few occasions including violent conduct (wrestling matches over shower turns), and receiving a second caution in the same game/day ( I already told you once! ). While the cards were ditched by my fifteenth birthday, I realize that as the middle child in a family of five, those cards have metaphorically allowed me to see the world as a place to achieve balance. 100

Because I played soccer from an early age, I was able to recognize the weight of my decisions as a referee. Knowing the rules and recalling the power of having the whistle gave me insight. I learned when to bow to another s authority, when to respond with reason and when to react with passionate intensity because justice was not being done. These lessons have translated to my life off of the soccer field. As captain of the school volleyball team, I achieve the balance between team player and team leader. As President of Support of Our Sports Club, I facilitate student involvement at the school s extracurricular events, but recognize the importance of my academic responsibilities. I lead chants and paint faces but spend half-time under the bleachers reading Hosseini s The Kite Runner. At home, my family looks to me, the fulcrum between pairs of siblings to determine who rides shotgun, or who empties the dishwasher, while my mom is at work. I have learned the importance of taking turns, embracing various perspectives and bringing my own basketball to the court if I want to take a shot. Though there are distinct moments in my life when I feel empowered, I have also learned that blowing the metaphorical whistle too often diminishes authority. Sometimes, everyone just needs to play on. It is during these moments of restraint that I learn the most. Whether learning from my political theory teacher that our governmental system has a unique way of rewarding those with skewed moral standpoints or from my vegan little sister that my consumer choices can impact the animal industry, I know that when I actively listen, I have the chance to grow. Even the man on the bus bench taught me that, It always comes if you wait a lesson that has served its useful purpose many times. The trick is to know the difference. Mere active listening could not raise over $20,000 to build a fresh-water well in a small village in Senegal or start a school-wide polo shirt drive for students who can t afford school uniforms. It is the learning followed by the action that gets results. So, I have become a man of balance. A student and an athlete, a curious intellectual and an active doer, one who strives for spiritual peace and one who hopes to make a change in this material world, and of course, a player and a referee. Seeing the world through filters of yellow and red has allowed me to identify need and then act justly. Thankfully, the physical infraction cards are no longer necessary, except of course for real soccer games and tense games of monopoly. REFLECTION Essay #2 The author of this essay reflects on how his experiences in a position of authority as a youth referee, soccer athlete and school leader helped him grow in many areas of his life managing the behavior of his younger siblings, making good decisions, becoming a leader of teams and people. But the writer also acknowledges that too much authority can have negative influences on your life if overused or used inappropriately. According to the author, restraint is just as important as empowerment and active listening equals personal growth. Even the man on the bus bench taught me that, It always comes if you wait a lesson that has served its useful purpose many times. When you read this story, what connections did you make to something similar in your own life? When have you been in a position of authority over another person or as a school/community leader? How can these experiences become an interesting college essay that a reader would appreciate? The Guide: A College Admissions and Financial Aid Guide For All Students, Fair Opportunity Project, MIT 101

NOTES 102

FAFSA, TASFA & FSA IDs 103

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FREE MONEY FOR COLLEGE! FAFSA, TASFA & FSA IDs What do FAFSA and TASFA stand for? How do I know which application to fill out? FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. If you are a U.S. citizen or Legal Permanent Resident you should complete the FAFSA (www.fafsa.gov) to apply for federal financial aid. TASFA stands for Texas Application for State Financial Aid. This financial aid application is only for students who are not U.S. Citizens or Legal Permanent Residents and for students under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). The TASFA application is available at www.aie.org/tasfa and staff in your College GO Center can assist you and your parent with the application. I am a U.S. citizen. Residency Status Free Application for FAFSA Free Application for TASFA I am a permanent resident with an Alien Registration Card (I-551) I am a conditional permanent resident with visa type I- 551C. I am an eligible noncitizen with an Arrival/Departure Record (I-94) showing one of the following: Refugee Asylum granted Parolee (for a minimum of one year) Cuban-Haitian entrant I do not meet one of the statuses above; however, I have been classified as a Texas resident and therefore am eligible to pay the Texas in-state tuition rate. My classification as a Texas resident is NOT due to an in-state scholarship or assistantship. What is a FSA ID? FSA ID stands for Federal Student Aid ID. If you are filing a FAFSA, you and your parents will need to create an FSA ID to electronically sign your application. You can create your FSA ID at: https://fsaid.ed.gov. Do I have to complete the FAFSA/TASFA every year? Yes. Eligibility for financial aid does not carry over from one school year to the next. You will need to 105

complete the FAFSA or TASFA for each school year in which you plan to attend college. How do I get a FAFSA ID? Your FSA-ID consists of a username and password which increases the security level when you access the system. A FSA-ID is needed to log into: fafsa.ed.gov; the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) at nslds.ed.gov; StudentLoans.gov; StudentAid.gov and Agreement to Serve (ATS) at teach-ats.ed.gov. Pin numbers are no longer used to log into U. S. Department of Education websites. Students and parents that have a current PIN will be able to enter it and link to your FSA-ID to assist with verification of your FSA-ID To create your FSA ID: Step 1: Log on to https://fsaid.ed.gov Click start a New FAFSA Click the box that says Enter your Student s FSA ID Step 2: Create a Username. For example: jsmith4444 Use First letter of your First name, lower case Use all of your last name, lower case Use the last four digits of your Social Security Number Step 3: Create a Password. For example: Sanantonio210 The first letter is a capital S. All other letters are lower case; no spaces Step 4: Review the Following Sample Challenge Questions and Answers What city were you born in? Response: San Antonio What is your school s mascot? Response: owls What is your zip code? Response: 78210 What is your home state? Response: Texas What is a significant day in your life? Response: 06/01/2017 Step 5: Review your information. Read and accept the terms and conditions. Step 6: Confirm your e-mail address using the secure code, which will be sent to the e-mail address you entered when you created your FSA ID. Once you verify your e-mail address, you can use it instead of your username to log in to the websites. Now you will be ready to complete your FAFSA in the fall of your Senior year. Step 7: Parent or guardian must follow the same steps to create their FSA ID. Be sure to file your FSA IDs in a secure location so you will be able to find them in October and every year that your child is in college. *Additional FSA ID information and instruction sheet are available at: http://ifap.ed.gov/eannouncements/attachments/050415fsaidrepla cehowtocreatefsaidguideattach.pdf TIP: Important! Only the owner of the FSA ID should create and use the account. Never share your FSA ID. Keep your online identity safe and secure. 106

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COLLEGE TERMS WORD SEARCH O D E A D L I N E S Y G B D K P D A B R C S M S T U D E N T F H H E O R S O A E T F M H R E S R U O C I S I J R O T S T H A A I R R R C O M M U N I T Y M W K U I P I P A N E U S F A F S A N C E I E P S O I A E N S T T R P U Y D N A O L T M T F T S N L O O P A I A N M O C P S B O O O O K O C U T P A R D T I S G I S A C R H O O I C R D E I A E O S V O H A L E Y Y D O T U O E E S O H T S P E S L L D I M E B A B B H U H A D V I S E R C A A F R P E C P A U E A C R E O L N A S I R I B A T U S T L R D C S A N M T L C I T E D R O D E E T L S A G I S S O O I T T A P T N E E S H G E A Y N M O O H E O R Y M M R A R T S I G E R G I A E C N T R I M E S T E R I E N H B L O S J S C L A C I N H C E T L Y I F K N C L U O E E R T N T F T O S G O K E T A M M O O R R R U O H L A A T N A R G Y E T C A I H C H S R M U E L M E L A F O M M H W I B E O T U P S C I S Y H P E N C I L G P I P T A college university books dormitory class homework cafeteria schedule student grant loan scholarship major Spanish minor semester FAFSA test notes technical community proprietary course hour term football basketball literature soccer admission housing adviser parking bursar registrar deadlines financial aid roommate computer biology mathematics trimester bookstore department lab history English art science physics education notebooks pencil laptop 111

Senior Summer The summer prior to your senior year in high school is an excellent time to continue the college research you began this past school year and to continue to review and refine your college BEST Fit! BEST Match! list. It s also a great time to pursue and expand your interests. Carefully choosing how you spend your summer break can demonstrate to colleges a lot about who you are and what you like. Summer Rocks! Adapted from ArmoredPenguin.com Be a kid, have fun, hang out with your friends and family, but also consider how you can continue learning during your summer break. Common experiences that many students enjoy are listed below. See which ones might be a good fit for you. 1. Work Getting a job is an awesome opportunity to demonstrate character and responsibility. Many students hold summer jobs, including working at SeaWorld, San Antonio Parks and Recreation, summer camps, restaurants, HEB and more. Don t be afraid to list your work experience on your application. It shows commitment, responsibility and perseverance. 2. Job Shadowing/Summer Internships Job shadowing/summer internships at the veterinary office, doctor offices, business offices or any profession that provides an opportunity to explore your career possibilities, is accessible for many and viewed favorably by college admissions officers. Call or e-mail professionals of interest in your neighborhood or local vicinity. Many would be happy to offer a shadowing/internship experience whether half a day, a full day, or longer to a proactive, interested and responsible student. 3. Summer School Summer school can be an excellent opportunity to raise your GPA, receive additional credit and learn more about a subject of special interest in a relaxed and less formal environment. 4. Volunteer Volunteering at an organization of interest is a great way to give back to your community, demonstrate compassion, learn new skills, help others and productively spend your summer break. 5. Research Demonstrate academic interest by pursuing research at a local college or research institute. This can be a good way to learn about a specific topic of interest or a potential career path. 6. Volunteering Abroad You ve probably seen it: pictures of a high school student building a house in a rural village in a developing country. These are valuable experiences that can be achieved through more formal programs, but many are expensive and require extensive resources. Some programs offer financial aid and many do provide great opportunities for students to travel and participate in meaningful activities. 7. College Programs/Camps Like volunteering abroad, college programs/camps may be expensive and many students can t afford them. However, taking/auditing college classes or getting involved with a professor s research over the summer 112

(e-mail professors) is a fantastic way to gain research experience, find out more about yourself, a specific topic and distinguish your college application. Many college camps offer scholarships so research the options, apply early and don t miss the application deadline. You may be accepted to a college for free. Continue Junior Year Projects In between your summer job, volunteer activities and job shadowing/internship, don t forget to continue the projects and research begun in your junior year. For example, we ve already mentioned that summer is a great time to update and add to your BEST Fit! BEST Match! schools. Consider continuing the following activities as well: Request additional Letters of Recommendation for your college portfolio. Write thank you notes to those individuals who have helped you with college admissions projects, Letters of Recommendation, job shadowing, mentors, etc. Create or refine your student resume. This gives you the chance to brag about yourself. Don t be modest or shy! Resumes are meant to highlight all that you ve done. List your honors, achievements, initiatives, awards, etc. Don t hesitate to include places where you ve worked or volunteered. Admissions officers appreciate your experience working with kids at a summer camp or assisting seniors at the local retirement center. Microsoft Word offers free resume templates. TopCV and LiveCareer are two of many online resume generators along with Naviance Resume Builder. Continue practicing your writing skills for college essays. Brainstorm interesting topics to write about, write additional drafts and keep those ideas in your College Knowledge guide. Remember, the college essay is a significant part of the college application and requires considerable time and effort. Get as much done as you can during the summer! Make a scholarship list. An important part of affording college is applying for scholarships. Although some scholarship deadlines are in the fall, many are in the spring. Apply for those that are available and start making a list of those that are due in the spring (with their respective deadlines). 113

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Throwing Darts (How to Survive the College Admissions Madness!) 115

Where You Go Is Not Who You ll Be ~ Frank Bruni 116

Surviving the College Admissions Process (This final chapter is a MUST READ for all students, parents and families who will soon be going through the college admissions process together.) Over the last few decades, getting into a college of choice has become a terrifying and occasionally devastating process, preceded by test prep, tutors, complex strategies, all kinds of rankings and a conviction among too many young people that their futures will be determined and their worth established by which schools say yes and which say no. To diminish some of the anxiety associated with the college admissions process, we ve provided Frank Bruni s insightful essay How to Survive the College Admissions Madness. Frank Bruni is an Op-Ed columnist for the New York Times. This is adapted from his book, Where You Go Is Not Who You ll Be: An Antidote to the College Admissions Mania. How to Survive the College Admissions Madness Frank Bruni HERE we go again. At Harvard, Emory, Bucknell and other schools around the country, there have been record numbers of applicants yearning for an elite degree. They ll get word in the next few weeks. Most will be turned down. All should hear and heed the stories of Peter Hart and Jenna Leahy. Peter didn t try for the Ivy League. That wasn t the kind of student he d been at New Trier High School, in an affluent Chicago suburb. Most of its graduating seniors go on to higher education, and most know, from where they stand among their peers, what sort of college they can hope to attend. A friend of Peter s was ranked near the summit of their class; she set her sights on Yale and ended up there. Peter was ranked in the top third, and aimed for the University of Michigan or maybe the special undergraduate business school at the University of Illinois. Both rejected him. He went to Indiana University instead. Right away he noticed a difference. At New Trier, a public school posh enough to pass for private, he d always had a sense of himself as someone somewhat ordinary, at least in terms of his studies. At Indiana, though, the students in his freshman classes weren t as showily gifted as the New Trier kids had been, and his self-image went through a transformation. 117

I really felt like I was a competent person, he told me last year, shortly after he d turned 28. And he thrived. He got into an honors program for undergraduate business majors. He became vice president of a business fraternity on campus. He cobbled together the capital to start a tiny real estate enterprise that fixed up and rented small houses to fellow students. And he finagled a way, off campus, to interview with several of the top-drawer consulting firms that trawled for recruits at the Ivies but often bypassed schools like Indiana. Upon graduation, he took a plum job in the Chicago office of the Boston Consulting Group, where he recognized one of the other new hires: the friend from New Trier who d gone to Yale. Traveling a more gilded path, she d arrived at the same destination. He later decided to get a master s degree in business administration, and that s where he is now, in graduate school at Harvard. Jenna, 26, went through the college admissions process two years after he did. She, too, was applying from a charmed school: in her case, Phillips Exeter Academy. Her transcript was a mix of A s and B s, and she was active in so many Exeter organizations that when graduation rolled around, she received a prize given to a student who d brought special distinction to the school. But her math SAT score was in the low 600s. Perhaps because of that, she was turned down for early decision at her first choice, Claremont McKenna College. For the general admission period, she applied to more than half a dozen schools. Georgetown, Emory, the University of Virginia and Pomona College all turned her down, leaving her to choose among the University of South Carolina, Pitzer College and Scripps College, a sister school of Claremont McKenna s in Southern California. I felt so worthless, she recalled. She chose Scripps. And once she got there and saw how contentedly she fit in, she had a life-changing realization: Not only was a crushing chapter of her life in the past, it hadn t crushed her. Rejection was fleeting and survivable. As a result, she said, I applied for things fearlessly. She won a stipend to live in Tijuana, Mexico, for a summer and work with indigent children there. She prevailed in a contest to attend a special conference at the Carter Center in Georgia and to meet Jimmy Carter. And she applied for a coveted spot with Teach for America, which she got. Later she landed a grant to develop a new charter school for low-income families in Phoenix, where she now lives. It opened last August, with Jenna and a colleague at the helm. 118

I never would have had the strength, drive or fearlessness to take such a risk if I hadn t been rejected so intensely before, she told me. There s a beauty to that kind of rejection, because it allows you to find the strength within. I don t think Peter s example is extraordinary: People bloom at various stages of life, and different individuals flourish in different climates. Nor is Jenna s arc so unusual. For every person whose contentment comes from faithfully executing a predetermined script, there are at least 10 if not 100 who had to rearrange the pages and play a part they hadn t expected to, in a theater they hadn t envisioned. Besides, life is defined by setbacks, and success is determined by the ability to rebound from them. And there s no single juncture, no one crossroads, on which everything hinges. So why do so many Americans anxious parents, addled children treat the period in late March and early April, when elite colleges deliver disappointing news to anywhere from 70 to 95 percent of their applicants, as if it s precisely that? I m describing the psychology of a minority of American families; a majority are focused on making sure that their kids simply attend a decent college any decent college and on finding a way to help them pay for it. Tuition has skyrocketed, forcing many students to think not in terms of dream schools but in terms of those that won t leave them saddled with debt. When I asked Alice Kleeman, the college adviser at Menlo-Atherton High School in the Bay Area of California, about the most significant changes in the admissions landscape over the last 20 years, she mentioned the fixation on getting into the most selective school possible only after noting that more students are unable to attend their college of first choice because of money. But for too many parents and their children, acceptance by an elite institution isn t just another challenge, just another goal. A yes or no from Amherst or the University of Virginia or the University of Chicago is seen as the conclusive measure of a young person s worth, an uncontestable harbinger of the accomplishments or disappointments to come. Winner or loser: This is when the judgment is made. This is the great, brutal culling. What madness. And what nonsense. FOR one thing, the admissions game is too flawed to be given so much credit. For another, the nature of a student s college experience the work that he or she puts into it, the self-examination that s undertaken, the resourcefulness that s honed matters more than the name of the institution attended. In fact students at institutions with less hallowed names sometimes demand more of those places and of themselves. Freed from a focus on the packaging of their education, they get to the meat of it. 119

In any case, there s only so much living and learning that take place inside a lecture hall, a science lab or a dormitory. Education happens across a spectrum of settings and in infinite ways, and college has no monopoly on the ingredients for professional achievement or a life well lived. Midway through last year, I looked up the undergraduate alma maters of the chief executives of the top 10 corporations in the Fortune 500. These were the schools: the University of Arkansas; the University of Texas; the University of California, Davis; the University of Nebraska; Auburn; Texas A & M; the General Motors Institute (now called Kettering University); the University of Kansas; the University of Missouri, St. Louis; and Dartmouth College. I also spoke with Sam Altman, the president of Y Combinator, one of the best-known providers of first-step seed money for tech start-ups. I asked him if any one school stood out in terms of students and graduates whose ideas took off. Yes, he responded, and I was sure of the name I d hear next: Stanford. It s his alma mater, though he left before he graduated, and it s famous as a feeder of Silicon Valley success. But this is what he said: The University of Waterloo. It s a public school in the Canadian province of Ontario, and as of last summer, it was the source of eight proud ventures that Y Combinator had helped along. To my chagrin, Altman told me, Stanford has not had a really great track record. Yet there s a frenzy to get into the Stanfords of the world, and it seems to grow ever crazier and more corrosive. It s fed by many factors, including contemporary America s exaltation of brands and an economic pessimism that has parents determined to find and give their kids any and every possible leg up. And it yields some bitter fruits, among them a perversion of higher education s purpose and potential. College is a singular opportunity to rummage through and luxuriate in ideas, to realize how very large the world is and to contemplate your desired place in it. And that s lost in the admissions mania, which sends the message that college is a sanctum to be breached a border to be crossed rather than a land to be inhabited and tilled for all that it s worth. LAST March, just as Matt Levin was about to start hearing from the schools to which he d applied, his parents, Craig and Diana, handed him a letter. They didn t care whether he read it right away, but they wanted him to know that it had been written before they found out how he fared. It was their response to the outsize yearning and dread that they saw in him and in so many of the college-bound kids at Cold Spring Harbor high school, in a Long Island suburb of New York City. It was their bid for some sanity. Matt, like many of his peers, was shooting for the Ivies: in his case, Yale, Princeton or Brown. He had laid the groundwork: high SAT scores; participation in sports and music; a special prize for junior-year students with the highest grade-point averages; membership in various honor societies; more than 100 hours of community service. 120

For Yale, Princeton and Brown, that wasn t enough. All three turned him down. His mother, Diana, told me that on the day he got that news, He shut me out for the first time in 17 years. He barely looked at me. Said, Don t talk to me and don t touch me. Then he disappeared to take a shower and literally drowned his sorrows for the next 45 minutes. The following morning, he rallied and left the house wearing a sweatshirt with the name of the school that had been his fourth choice and had accepted him: Lehigh University. By then he had read his parents letter, more than once. That they felt compelled to write it says as much about our society s warped obsession with elite colleges as it does about the Levins warmth, wisdom and generosity. I share the following parts of it because the message in them is one that many kids in addition to their son need to listen to, especially now, with college acceptances and rejections on the way: Dear Matt, On the night before you receive your first college response, we wanted to let you know that we could not be any prouder of you than we are today. Whether or not you get accepted does not determine how proud we are of everything you have accomplished and the wonderful person you have become. That will not change based on what admissions officers decide about your future. We will celebrate with joy wherever you get accepted and the happier you are with those responses, the happier we will be. But your worth as a person, a student and our son is not diminished or influenced in the least by what these colleges have decided. If it does not go your way, you ll take a different route to get where you want. There is not a single college in this country that would not be lucky to have you, and you are capable of succeeding at any of them. We love you as deep as the ocean, as high as the sky, all the way around the world and back again and to wherever you are headed. Mom and Dad 121

Say YES to Work Study! GO TO CLASS!! Plan my class schedule wisely. The longer I stay the more I pay. COLLEGE Is my full-time job! Left blank for your own Note to Self. SET GOALS! ACHIEVE GOALS! Have I called my family lately? Left blank for your own Note to Self. Left blank for your own Note to Self. Be FIRST! NOTEs TO SELF YES! I can. Believe in Yourself! Left blank for your own Note to Self. finish persevere never, never, never give up Left blank for your own Note to Self. CELEBRATE rejection Begin with the End in mind. good grades + good attendance = FREE MONEY! I will do ONE thing EVERYDAY that SCARES me. Left blank for your own Note to Self. 122

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Special thanks to the following individuals who generously donated their time and talents to the success of College Knowledge: Dina Arriola Francisco Aranda, MA Marie Arias, MLIS Victoria Bustos, MA Rey Castilleja, BA Gustavo Cordova, MEd Patricia De Leon Irene Flores, MA Carol L. Frausto, PhD Angelica Lozano, MA Eva Lopes, MHR Vanessa Escobedo Lora, MS Wanita Mercer, PhD Suzanne Norton, MA Lory Pope, MA Kiah Mitchell-Scott, MA Roxanne Rosales, EdD Linda Vargas-Lew, EdD RESOURCES Fiske Guide to Colleges 2017, Edward B. Fiske Just Ask! Which College is Right For You, American Federation of Teachers The Complete Guide to College Admissions, Maryalene LaPonsie The Guide: A College Admissions and Financial Aid Guide For All Students, Fair Opportunity Project, MIT Silverturtle s Guide to SAT and Admissions Success How to Survive the College Admissions Process, Frank Bruni www.applytexas.org www.bigfuture.collegeboard.org www.collegeboard.org www.collegeconfidential.com 124

SAISD Board of Trustees President Vice President Secretary Trustee Patti Radle Arthur V. Valdez Debra Guerrero Steve Lecholop District 5 District 4 District 3 District 1 Trustee Trustee Trustee Superintendent James Howard Christina Martinez Ed Garza Pedro Martinez District 2 District 6 District 7 125