SAA Junior College Night Presented By Anne Weisel February 14, 2017

Welcome & Introduction What We Will Cover The Search Process The Application Process Questions and Discussion I’ve had a great conversation here in years past, I encourage you to ask questions – it gives others ideas and can start a great dialogue! Welcome & Introduction

The College Search Process Begin with Self Assessment What is important to you? Who is important to you? Paint the picture – then match! Use software that connects the dots. Begin thinking about what things are important to YOU: Sports, clubs, a particular major, location (big city, small town?) religious affiliation, fraternities & sororities, prestige, study abroad? Talk with the people who support you: Parents, teachers, counselor, coach, etc. What do they see as your strengths, realistic academic & athletic ability level, etc. Do they have any suggestions? Pool your info and take a realistic look at yourself. How do your interests, SAT/ACT Scores, transcript, and financial need come together? Paint a picture. This will give you the outline for a school that is the right fit for you! - Check out www.gacollege411.org , or use the College Board’s My Road software. These computer generated searches are so helpful!! This will create lists to start from. Draw YOUR school, then find it! The College Search Process

The College Search Process College Fairs PROBE & NACAC Prepare in advance – think buffet! Online resources & preregistration Window shopping vs. demonstrated interest An excellent way to get an overview of many potential schools in one place. – PROBE in both spring and fall here in Savannah. – Visit www.nacacnet.org for a listing of National College Fairs, where you can see hundreds of schools from all over the world. Prepare ahead of time by researching the list of participating schools and knowing who your priorities are. Don’t waste time wandering up and down the isles! *Buffet* PreRegistration with QR Code!! Load your info in electronically then scan your phone at the Rep’s table. If all else fails - Make address labels that include detailed contact information and any extras you are looking for (majors, sports, clubs, support services, etc). Instead of standing there filling out the card, you can be talking to the college representative. Demonstrated Interest is a documented contact – you have to complete a card, QR Code, etc for the conversation to count! The College Search Process

The College Search Process Visit, Visit, VISIT!!! See all the schools on your list, and some that aren’t! Individualize your experience. Stay organized and keep track with a notebook. Don’t forget to say thanks! Visit schools you have no intention of attending (YES! I’m serious!) to get a no-pressure exposure to the visitation process. *1st time you see your dream school… Visit ALL the schools you apply to – arrange an alumni interview if you cannot visit the campus. Individualize your visit to your interests: Meet teachers, coaches, students, see facilities, sit in on a class, determine if this school is a good fit for you, use your self-assessment as your guide. – Know your basics!! Check out the college’s website, read the Peterson’s Guide description, and have questions prepared so you know as much as you can at your visit and are prepared for questions. YOU should ask the questions!! It is very important that you take ownership of your visit. *Parents are involved & should talk in advance If you are touring the campus WEAR COMFORTABLE SHOES!! Most campus tours last at least 1 hour. Also remember that many admissions offices look out over the parking lot. You are being watched when you arrive! Remember to write a thank you note after your visit to EACH person you met with, including your tour guide. This is especially important if you met with an athletic coach or professor regarding a particular major. Start a college notebook. After visiting a number of campuses, especially on an out-of-town trip, your memory of the details of each one will get fuzzy. Make a page for each school you visit. In the few minutes after your visit, write your immediate thoughts on the page. When you are trying to remember months later which school it was that had the student center you loved, this will come in very handy! The College Search Process

The College Search Process Getting to Know Your List Social Media – 96% provide links 48% have student blogs 30% have online message boards 24% have admission officer blogs 20% have podcasts Read, attend, peel back the layers! Many admissions offices now have Facebook and Twitter accounts, as well as student blogs that are geared specifically to prospective students. Explore the websites, read the college newspaper, and check the coming events on the campus. Attend athletic events or performances if the school is within driving distance. All of these things will help give you a feel for the campus environment, and eventually help you to know if this feels like a place you could call home for the next four years. Remember – You are buying a product! The College Search Process

The Application Process NACAC National Association for College Admission Counseling www.nacacnet.org State of College Admission Admission & Counseling Trends survey College Board Survey of Colleges American School Counselor Association US Dept. of Education US Census Bureau We’ve pulled together helpful information from this resource to help guide you in the application process. The Application Process

The Application Process Did You Know? 81% of Seniors applied to 3 or more colleges A full One Third (1/3) of applicants submitted 7 or more applications! Reach vs. Safety – like them ALL. When developing your list LIKE ALL YOUR OPTIONS! Have a reach, a middle, and a safety that considers both academic AND financial. The Application Process

The Application Process Selectivity Defined as the proportion of applicants offered admission. Ranges from below 10% to more than 90% of a school’s applicant pool. Average acceptance rate is 64.7 – almost two-thirds. Private colleges average lower acceptance rates than public. How many students who applied were selected? This is a public statistic you can get for all schools. The Application Process

The Application Process Start with your School Counselor! Be familiar with timelines and site- based processes. Participate in a Junior meeting this Spring. Create a calendar system to keep track of deadlines. This process is manageable if you use your resources and start NOW! This year’s juniors have a number of processes and products that have only just rolled out in the past year or two. SAT, FAFSA dates, application lockers, etc. School Counselor will guide you through all of this! The Application Process

The Application Process Important Definitions Non-Restrictive Application Plans Regular Decision Rolling Admission Early Action (EA) Restrictive Application Plans Early Decision (ED) Restrictive Early Action (REA) *When in doubt – is it RESTRICTIVE? REGULAR DECISION – Submit by deadline, answer by specific date. ROLLING – As applied, is processed EARLY ACTION - Before Reg. Dec date with early answer _____________________________________________________________ ED – commitment – if excepted you WILL enroll REA – only Early Action you take part in. The Application Process

The Application Process Factors in the Admission Decision Grades in college prep courses (80%) Strength of curriculum (64%) Admission test scores (58%) Common others – essay, demonstrated interest, recommendations, extracurricular activities SAT II, portfolios, interviews supplement in course placement, scholarship review Grades in college prep courses – this is NOT overall GPA Admission Test Scores – only 58% but 88% stated considerable to moderate! SAA has an advantage – widely recognized “strength of curriculum. “ “Participation in college Prep Curriculum and performance in the course indicates to Admissions officers both: - Motivation to succeed AND - Ability to succeed in college IN FACT! Research shows students who complete a rigorous high school curriculum are MUCH more likely to complete a bachelor’s degree than those who complete a less rigorous curriculum. The Application Process

The Application Process Don’t…. Procrastinate Send more items than needed/requested Overlook important deadlines Use slang Name the wrong school in your admission essay! Use Slang – think about what this means to adults! Wrong School – Cut and paste error, can use the same essay but BE CAREFUL! *Also send more items than asked for: computer system, rubric, more than one letter – they will pick! The Application Process

The Application Process Do… Start early Read and follow ALL directions, proofread Pay attention to deadlines ASK when you are in doubt! Authenticity is valued Sell yourself – this is your chance to brag and shine! Create a calendar – color code! The Application Process

Questions? Let’s Discuss! Place value on the Search Process as well as the Application Process Remain active and authentic throughout the process Use your School Counselors! Questions? Let’s Discuss! In Closing