DISCOVERY: COLLEGE Class #8 11/14/12 The Great Sorting Game, The Mock Admissions Game – Recap & Analysis, Consolidating Your College Planning Portfolio Class #8 11/14/12

Factors That Are Weighted in Admission Decisions THE GREAT SORTING GAME Factors That Are Weighted in Admission Decisions

RECAP: THE MOCK ADMISSIONS GAME Recall The Mock Admissions Game that the class played on 11/5/12. What were some of the things you and your classmates considered in deciding to admit, waitlist, or deny admission to Ronald “Max” Maxwell, Allison Adams, Luke Jackson, Angela Maria Guzman, and Elizabeth Patel? Might your decisions have been different if you had “worked” at a different college or university? How does it feel to be on the “other side” of admissions decisions?

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER Are there any factors in admissions decisions that surprised you? Which factors may tend to improve your chances for admission? Which factors may tend to hurt your chances for admission? How do The Mock Admissions Game and The Great Sorting Game inform your own college planning and application processes?

ADMISSIONS FACTORS What Do The Colleges Say . . . ?

TOP FACTORS IN ADMSSIONS DECISIONS % COLLEGES REPORTING CONSIDERABLE IMPORTANCE % MODERATE IMPORTANCE Grades in College Prep Courses 83.4% 12.3% Strength of curriculum 65.7 25.7 Admission test scores (SAT, ACT) 59.3 29.4 Grades in all courses 46.2 42.1 Essay or writing sample 26.6 33.0 Student’s demonstrated interest 23.0 30.9 Class rank 21.8 37.2 Counselor recommendation 19.4 45.0 Teacher recommendation 19.0 44.2 Subject test scores (AP, IB) 9.6 32.4 Interview 9.2 22.7 Extracurricular activities 7.4 42.3 Portfolio 5.9 12.9 SAT II scores 5.3 11.8 State graduation exam scores 4.2 14.0 Work 1.9 20.3 SOURCE: NACAC Admission Trends Survey, 2010.

HOLISTIC ADMISSIONS What does the term “holistic admissions” mean? What type(s) of colleges/universities are most likely to employ holistic admissions practices? Why? What type(s) of colleges/universities are less likely to employ holistic admissions practices? Why?

HOLISTIC ADMISSIONS: DEFINED HOLISTIC ADMISSIONS: The school's admissions officers consider the whole applicant, not just empirical data like a GPA or SAT scores. Colleges with holistic admissions are not simply looking for students with good grades. They want to admit interesting students who will contribute to the campus community in meaningful ways. Under a holistic admissions policy, a student with a 3.8 GPA might be turned down while an award-winning trumpet player with a 3.0 GPA might be admitted. The student who wrote a stellar essay might get preference over the student who had higher ACT scores but a bland essay. In general, holistic admissions take into account a student's interests, passions, special talents, and personality. From: http://collegeapps.about.com/od/glossaryofkeyterms/f/What-Are-Holistic-Admissions.htm

CONSOLIDATE YOUR COLLEGE PLANNING PORTFOLIO Upload your Discovery College work into Naviance, including: Qualities That Will Make A College Right For You 10 Things . . . Letter To Your Future Roommate 10-15 Colleges To Explore* *Continue your work on 10-15 Colleges To Explore; you should have at least 10 colleges on this list.

WHAT’S NEXT? In the upcoming weeks, we will explore: The College Application Process The College Essay Paying for College

TODAY’S “TAKE AWAY” What is your College Knowledge “take away” today?

INCREASE YOUR COLLEGE KNOWLEDGE (web resources) EXPLORE COLLEGES ON THE WEB Naviance Big Future: https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/This is an excellent resource for finding colleges, exploring careers, and learning the details about many colleges and universities. Colleges' Websites: Each college's website provides current information regarding student life, admission policies, testing requirements, scholarship and financial aid, etc. The easiest way to find a college's website is to Google the college name and/or link through Naviance or Big Future. Inside College: www.insidecollege.com. This website provides college lists of all kinds. Search on anything from prospective majors to most beautiful campuses to college fight songs. College Prowler: This link provides subjective reviews of colleges from the perspective of the students who attend: www.collegeprowler.com Unigo: www.unigo.com. This website provides information that helps students find, get in, and pay for college.