Junior Year College Planning Blue Valley West HS September 2014

Priorities for Junior Year O 1. Get Good Grades O 2. Take College admission tests O 3. Shop for colleges *By the start of senior year, students should have a short list of colleges they are ready to apply to.

1. Get Good Grades O Most college admission decisions are made based on your transcript through junior year. O 11 th grade is typically the most academically difficult school year. O Remember the challenges (& skills learned through those challenges) create a foundation for overcoming challenges in college!

Top 3 admission factors Admissions GPA Test ScoresCourse Rigor Making these factors as strong as possible will give your student the best chance at being accepted & being awarded a scholarship.

2. Take College Admission Tests Dec. 13, 2014 February 7, 2015 April 18, 2015 June 13, 2015 Register: BVW is a test site for most test dates Dec. 6, 2014 Jan 24, 2015 March 14, 2015 (no subject tests) May 2, 2015 (BVW) Jun 6, 2015 Register:

ACT vs. SAT O $38 no writing O $54.50 plus writing Writing optional & not required at all colleges O Accepted at nearly 100% of universities O Comprehensive exam over English, Reading, Math & Science O No penalty for wrong answers O $52.50 includes writing O $16-26 Subject Tests Writing is required in all SAT tests. O Subject Tests may be required & would be scheduled on an additional test day. O Accepted at nearly 100% of universities O Tests in Math, English, Reading & Writing O Penalty for wrong answers * Changes coming to the SAT- Spring of 2016

Testing Tips O Most students do some type of test preparation O Students considering highly selective schools or schools on either coast may consider taking both ACT & SAT and retaking the test they are best at. O Most students take their tests an average of 2-3 times. O Start testing 2 nd semester junior year & the final retake fall semester of senior year. O Remember that a rigorous course schedule is the best preparation for college testing!

3. Shop for Colleges O Naviance Family Connection (our one stop website for all things college and career related) O College Fairs Fall & Spring in the community. O College visits at BVW Sign up for library visits in Naviance to talk to college reps here in school. Great “face time!” O Campus Visits Use your camera phone & take notes when you get home Visit our regional schools to get a feel for what you like, then combine further college visits with family vacations, spring break, summer, etc

Upcoming College Fairs  Sunday, Oct. 5- Kansas City National College Fair 1:00-4:00pm Sprint Center KC, MO  Mon. Oct 13- KC Metro College Expo metro-college-expo-high-school-guests/ 6:30-8:30pm O.P. Convention Center  Wed. Oct 15- Shawnee Mission College Clinic 6:30-8:30pm SM East High School  Mon. April 13- Blue Valley College Fair 6:00-7:30PM BV Southwest *Check the websites for pre-registration information

Tips for Visiting Colleges O Schedule your visit with the admission office ahead of time. O It takes 2-3 college visits to get the swing of what you like and what you’re looking for. O Treat every interaction with college representatives as a potential interview…make a great 1 st impression! O Find out about each school’s scholarships and financial aid packages.

Financial Aid Three Types of Financial Aid: 1. Scholarships- awarded by colleges & organizations for academic merit. 2. Loans- money students & parents may borrow to finance college that will need be paid back. 3. Grants, Work study- financial need based programs awarding money for college that will not need to be paid back.

Financial Aid Timeline Everything happens Senior year! Dec & 2015: Blue Valley Financial Aid Night Fall 2015: Seniors apply for college, many colleges have early scholarship deadlines (Nov. 1) Dec-Feb: Get acceptance letters from colleges & hear about college scholarships. February 2016: Complete 2015 tax returns. (FAFSA opens Jan 2016) March 1, 2016: Fill out FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) online & submit to colleges April 2016: Financial Aid Packages arrive May 1, 2016: Deadline to decide which college to attend

Financial Aid Tips O The FAFSA will be based on your 2015 tax return, so this year is a good time to discuss your savings & options to maximize the financial equation. O Cost is important, but it will be the last decision making factor in the college search process. O The bulk of scholarship money will come from the college your student attends. O Oct-Feb is prime time for senior year scholarships. Check Naviance family connection for our local scholarship list.

College Industry Just like weddings and babies…there are tons of people who would love to take your money to help with the college process. O If it seems too good to be true….it probably is. O Do not pay to search for scholarships. O Do not pay to complete your FAFSA form. O When in doubt look for an affiliation with NACAC (National Association for College Admission Counselors) or call our counseling office. O Our 4 counselors work hard to stay current on issues in college admission. We are affiliated with regional & national college admission organizations. We’ll do everything we can to help your student attend the college of their dreams. O Most businesses and services are legit, but remember that everything in this process can be done without spending extra money.

Final Thoughts… O College searching tips from an Ivy League Dean on the Today show. Dean Eric Furda, University of Pennsylvania

Next Steps 1.Make sure you can log into Naviance Family Connection 2.The counselors will meet with each junior about college plans, transcripts and senior classes this semester. 3.Call Judy Troester if you would like to set the appointment to participate in your student’s meeting. Any student not already scheduled with a parent appointment will meet with their counselor after Oct. 31.

BVW Counseling Dept. John StoneJennifer Freestone Students A-EStudents F-K Kim UrendaTara Lebar Students L-QStudents R-Z Judy TroesterCheryl Battista Administrative AssistantRegistrar Thanks for coming!