COLLEGE PLANNING CENTRAL BUCKS HIGH SCHOOL EAST CLASS OF 2018
CLASS OF 2018 COUNSELORS Elizabeth Carr (A-K) ecarr@cbsd.org George Moustakas (L-Z) gmoustak@cbsd.org
OVERVIEW Senior Year Timelines College Search Selection Process & Considerations Applications Financial Literacy
Complete and submit applications. SENIOR YEAR TIMELINE FALL Finish up testing and send official ACT and/or SAT scores to your colleges. Approach teachers for recommendations and follow up to be sure they are submitted. Meet college reps during their visits to East. Attend the District Financial Aid Night October 4, 2017-7 PM @ CB East. Attend the FAFSA Completion Night October 16, 2017-6:30 PM @ CB East. Seek and apply for scholarships (check Naviance weekly for new updates). Division I and II athletes must complete the NCAA Clearinghouse and submit transcript and testing scores directly to Clearinghouse. Submit FAFSA as early as 10/1/2017 utilizing 2016 tax info. Detailed info on 10/16.
THE COLLEGE SEARCH PROCESS RESOURCES & CONSIDERATIONS
NAVIANCE TOOLS College Search Organize yourself by adding schools to colleges I m thinking about College Match- shows colleges and universities who have accepted students like you Review Career Plan results Cluster Finder under careers tab Career Interest Profiler under careers tab Strengths Explorer under about me tab
TYPES OF POST-SECONDARY SCHOOLS PA State Colleges and Universities State Universities Liberal Arts Schools Ivy League Schools Military Academies Specialized Institutions (art, music, culinary arts, technical/trade) Community Colleges Transfer Programs
TOP ADMISSIONS CRITERIA 1. Grades/GPA in college prep classes and rigor of course selection. Keep in mind that senior mid-year grades are sent to all schools to which you apply. 2. Standardized Test Scores. 3. Application Essay and Personal Statement. 4. Teacher and/or Counselor Recommendations. 5. Extracurricular Involvement & Leadership. *CBSD does not provide rank for admissions purposes.
YOUR CONSIDERATIONS Admissions standards; selectivity & criteria Tuition, room, board and fees Enrollment- undergraduate & graduate Average class size Geographic location/size of community Distance from home Athletics and extracurricular activities Facilities & housing Average financial aid award Technology integration Diversity
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS Statistics Retention rate & 4-year graduation rate Job placement & career center Graduate school acceptance Co-op/internship experiences Advisory system Parking & public transportation New construction
INSIDE THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS PROCESS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ab-5dcfqrs
APPLICATIONS TYPES OF APPLICATIONS, DEADLINES, AND THE PROCESS
TYPES OF APPLICATIONS School specific applications (direct from their website) Common Application (700+ schools) www.commonapp.org Coalition Application (90+schools) (UFlorida, UMD, & UWashington only colleges that are Coalition App exclusively) PA State System www.passhe.edu
TYPES OF APPLICATION DEADLINES Regular Decision- is the normal process by which students apply by published deadlines, with promise of receiving an admissions decision no later that April 1 of their senior year Rolling Admissions- Unlike a regular admission process with a firm application deadline, rolling admission applicants are often notified of their acceptance or rejection within a few weeks of applying. A college with rolling admission typically accepts applications for as long as spaces are available. Early Action Non-binding Can apply to other schools EA, RD, and Rolling Early Decision- Binding Can only apply ED to one school Can apply to other schools through Early Action, Regular Decision, or Rolling Admission schools Requires signatures from student, parent and counselor
WHEN SHOULD I START MY APPLICATIONS? Applications became available online mid-summer. CB East starts processing record requests within 15 SCHOOL DAYS. Mid-September start. Goal should be to have applications completed by mid-november. PSU (Nov 30 priority deadline!) Rolling admissions schools fill seats as students are accepted.
YOU ARE IN THE DRIVER S SEAT! What must YOU do?!? 1. YOU must fill out Release of Records Form- Gives us permission to send your transcript(s). Fill out only ONCE. 2. YOU must complete your applications, before requesting info to be sent. 3. YOU must send your official testing scores from College Board or ACT. 4. YOU must add your schools into Colleges I m Applying to in Naviance after you submit your applications. Request Transcripts. Do not do this prior to submitting your application. 5. YOU must approach your teachers about submitting letters of recommendation. 6. YOU must complete the counselor/teacher recommendation checklist, if you want a recommendation sent. Returned to Senior House Guidance Office and teachers.
Circling YES means we will send all SAT/ACT scores. This is done as a courtesy. You must still have them sent from CollegeBoard or ACT for them to be official.
THE COMMON APPLICATION Email address used for Common App MUST match Naviance log-in. No parent email addresses! We recommend using the same email for College Board and ACT as well. Do not request teacher or counselor recommendation via Common App. Letters are sent via Naviance after the Counselor/Teacher Recommendation Checklist is submitted to Guidance or teacher. Make sure you input our CEEB Code 390-488 into Common Application because it communicates with your Naviance records.
COMMON APP ONLY
COMPLETE THE FERPA WAIVER
WE RECOMMEND YOU WAIVE YOUR RIGHTS
COMPLETE THIS STEP ONLY IF USING THE COMMON APP FOR ONE OR MORE SCHOOLS. LOG INTO NAVIANCE CLICK ON COLLEGES > COLLEGES I M APPLYING TO IN THE WHITE BOX, ENTER YOUR COMMON APP EMAIL ADDRESS AND DATE OF BIRTH, AND CLICK MATCH. (THIS IS REQUIRED SINCE COMMON APP AND NAVIANCE WORK TOGETHER TO SUBMIT YOUR DOCUMENTS ELECTRONICALLY.) Complete the FERPA waiver in Common App first
REQUESTING TRANSCRIPTS-
REQUESTING TRANSCRIPTS
REQUESTING TRANSCRIPTS CONT Do not request transcripts for self-reporting schools. Examples: Penn State, University of Pitt. However, these schools will still need to be added to Colleges I m applying to, in Naviance.
SELF-REPORTING Some colleges are asking students to self-report courses and grades on applications. Unofficial transcript can be obtained through student portal. Even if a student self-reports, the name of the school must be added by the student to the colleges I m apply to list in Naviance after you submit your application.
SOME OTHER IMPORTANT INFO Only request transcripts for colleges to which you will definitely be applying, and have already applied to!!! Again, you should have already applied to the college first before requesting a transcript. Penn State has a Priority Deadline of Nov. 30 th so please have your application submitted by Halloween Penn State Schreyer Honors College: You must make a separate request. Make sure you list Schreyer s specifically on your teacher checklist (and let the teacher know that they will be getting an email directly from Schreyer s). Do not print any counselor forms for us to fill out. We have access to them online.
RECAP-REQUESTING DOCUMENTS FROM EAST Things to know 1. If you apply to a college, you MUST fill out a Release of Records form. 2. Senior Year Schedule will be sent. 3. If you need a counselor recommendation, we require you to fill out the college recommendation questionnaire in Naviance under the about me tab. 4. All documents are sent electronically. Release of Records Form Request Recommendation from Counselors/Teacher(s) Verification Parent and student signature required on Records Release Form. Application is completed and submitted to college. Request for Counselor Recommendation Survey is completed in Naviance (if requesting rec). If you have not already asked teachers about writing a letter, do so immediately. Complete the college recommendation questionnaire recommendation survey in Naviance OR complete the teacher specific survey. Compete and return the Counselor/Teacher Recommendation Form to Guidance office to teacher. Allow up to 15 school days for submission of documents. Verify submission status on Naviance. College websites are not updated as quickly due to the volume of applications they receive. Remain calm.
RECOMMENDATIONS You will give this form to Guidance and teachers to formally request that your recommendation be sent to specific colleges Counselors and teachers will send their recommendations directly to the college Only list colleges to which you want that specific teacher to send your recommendation. DO NOT ask more teachers to write/submit recommendations than are wanted or accepted by the colleges because the teachers will not be able to submit them! This form needs to picked up in Guidance after applications have been completed.
FUNDING YOUR EDUCATION Financial Aid Night - October 4, 2017 at CB EAST-7 PM FAFSA completion as early as 10/1/17; 2016 tax information FAFSA Completion Night-October 16, 2017 at CB East-6:30 PM CSS Profile, if required, completed in the fall Net Price Calculators on every college website Start thinking about scholarship search Naviance, employers, service organizations You should NOT pay for a scholarship search or opportunity
SCHOLARSHIP WEBSITES NAVIANCE studentaid.ed.gov fastweb.com finaid.org collegeboard.com/bigfuture collegenet.com scholarshipmonkey.com
WHAT CAN I BE DOING RIGHT NOW? Research in Naviance. Maintain grades and attendance Trim the list to 3-7 colleges to which you plan to apply to. Continue to schedule campus visits/interviews Meet with visiting college admissions reps coming to East (register on Naviance) Continue to Clean-up your social media
NAVIANCE SCHOLARSHIP RESEARCH
OTHER IMPORTANT INFO SAT: October 7 (late deadline is Sept. 19), November 4, December 2 ACT: October 28 (regular deadline is Sept. 22), December 9 College visits in guidance check schedule and sign up on Naviance (24 hours in advance of visit) Print sign-up confirmation screen and use as pass 3 excused absences to visit college campuses excuse forms available in attendance Upcoming dates: Financial Aid Night Wednesday 10/4/17-7:00 PM @ CB East FAFSA Completion Night- Monday 10/16/17-6:30 PM @ CB East
COLLEGE PLANNING MEETING Thank you for joining us tonight!