St. Stephen’s High School College Information Night September 20, 2017

Counselors by Alpha Candace Johnson Grades 10-12, A-G Candace_johnson@catawbaschools.net Amber Moulton Grades 10-12, H-O Amber_moulton@catawbaschools.net Mercia Barringer Grades 10-12, P-Z mercia_barringer@catawbaschools.net Lori Wike Grade 9/Freshman Transition Counselor Lori_wike@catawbaschools.net

Counselor Roles Classroom Guidance: Academic-Study skills support Career -Postsecondary planning and application process and Career planning Emotional Support- coping strategies, relationships, etc Individual Student Planning: Goal setting Academic plans Career plans Problem solving Education in understanding of self, including strengths and weaknesses Transition plans Responsive Services: Individual and small-group counseling Individual/family/school crisis intervention Peer facilitation Consultation/collaboration Referrals

Mark your calendars! COLLEGE APPLICATION MONTH PARENTS AND STUDENTS MARK YOUR CALENDARS This will be held Oct 28th-Nov 24th. This is the month some of the colleges waive their application fee!!! You can find a list of these colleges at www.CFNC.org You will need to have a CFNC account created prior to this week. 

Post-Secondary Options Enter Workforce Military Vocational/Technical Colleges Community College Four-Year College/University Military: pays you for job training/education. Apprenticeship: pays you while you are working, allows you the opportunity to try a career to see if you like it, provides a progressive pay scale as you gain more training and experience. Correspondence Courses: allows you to work at your own pace. Vocational/Technical Colleges: charge less tuition than 4-year universities and allow you to enter the workforce sooner. Community College: allows you to earn an associate degree (2 years) which allows you to enter the workforce or apply to a major university. Four-Year College/University: allows a more in-depth study of your chosen field in which you could earn a B.S.(Bachelor of Science) or a B.A. (Bachelor of Arts). World of Work: provides limited options of other work experience based on training received while in high school, usually lower paying than careers with advanced training.

Making College Choices What is a “good” school? Meets the student’s interests academically, geographically, financially, etc. Has a variety of activities of interest to your student How do students find a good school? Visit collegeboard.org (college matchmaker) and CFNC.org Visit college websites Visit college campuses

Which college can I get into? Look at data on students previously accepted Average and mid-range SAT/ACT scores Average GPA and GPA range UNC system data comparison Think of college choices on a continuum Reach—Middle of the road—Safe

Admissions Data for NC Public Universities from Fall 2016 Freshmen Class School Name SAT Mid 50% Range CR+M ACT Scores Range 3.75 and up 3.5-3.74 3.0-3.49 2.0-2.9 Top 25% Top 10% Average Weighted GPA* Appalachian State 1060-1240 23-28 84 18 5 1 61 21 4.14 East Carolina 960-1110 20-24 51 17 25 7 44 16 3.67 Elizabeth City State 840 15-18 13 22 39 2 3.07 Fayetteville State 790-930 16-19 32 33 26 9 3.18 NC A&T 830-990 16-21 - 85 34 11 NC Central 800-940 37 6 3.21 NC School of the Arts 990-1230  21-27 49 43 3.7 NC State 1160-1330 27-31 46 87 4.4 UNC-Asheville 1050-1250 19 27 42 12 52 4.09 UNC-Chapel Hill 1200-1390 27-32 98 96 77 4.59 UNC-Charlotte 1010-1180 22-25 65 57 3.86 UNC-Greensboro 940-1110 20-25 48 8 41 3.66 UNC-Pembroke 18-22 30 3.4 UNC-Wilmington 1120-1260 23-27 81 62 24 4.13 Western Carolina 930-1120 19-24 50 3.75 Winston-Salem State 810-930 16-20 NA Admissions data reported to College Board 2015 *GPA data taken from www.collegedata.com and/or Institutional Factbooks

College Admissions Based on academic achievement and potential SAT and ACT Strength of curriculum GPA and Rank Additional considerations (be specific) Extracurricular activities Community involvement Leadership After students find schools that meet their interests, the big question is “can I get into this college?” As counselors, we rely on the data to help you answer this question. Even though all colleges say they look at extracurricular activities and recommendations, the bulk of the decision in admissions is based on academic scholarship. The most competitive universities in North Carolina are looking for a solid GPA in a rigorous course load. Rank in class is also an important component in the admissions decision at highly competitive universities. The bulk of the admissions decision is a combination of all these academic factors. However, universities do consider personal qualities and talents in the admissions decision. Finally, public universities supported by the state must reflect the diversity in the state population. A rumor that often circulates in Wake County is that there is a quota on how many Wake County students can be accepted to prestigious state schools. This is not true because universities are looking for the best candidates from every county. Universities in North Carolina do not employ any kind of quota system for any subgroup, but should have admissions policies that are open and equitable for all applicants.

Helpful Links https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/ www.cfnc.org https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/  www.cfnc.org www.collegeboard.org

Early Action vs. Early Decision Simply means early notification Automatically considered for merit scholarships based on students’ grades Early Decision: Binding Only use if students are 100% sure they are attending this school regardless of financial aid at other schools

Starting the Application Process Step 1: Research college choices on CFNC.org and collegeboard.org Step 2: Re-take SAT’s or ACT’s if necessary Choose 4 colleges to send scores to or NCAA Eligibility Center Step 3: Narrow choices to 3-5 schools based on college admissions requirements Step 4: Begin providing information to teachers for letters of recommendation SAT scores should be sent through collegeboard.org while ACT scores are sent through actstudent.org

Application Process (continued) Step 5: Complete the RDS(residency determination service) Step 6: Begin completing applications Write essays and personal statements Step 7: Pay the application fee by the deadline Step 8: Send official transcripts Transcripts will not be available until September 22. We will discuss the transcript process in a few minutes.

Sending Transcripts Question: What is it for? On Common App In-State Schools (not on common App) Out-of-State Schools (not on Common APP)   *If you would like to request a paper copy of a transcript please stop by the Counseling Office and fill out a blue Transcript Request Form. We will then print and return to you so you can send to the schools of your choice.

Application Process (continued) Step 8: Send SAT or ACT scores through collegeboard.org or actstudent.org Step 9: Research and apply for scholarships Step 10: Continue to check your college account for status notifications Pay attention and wait: College admissions offices will contact you if they require more information Be cognizant of application due dates Parents check with their human resource office for scholarship opportunities.

Always remember… Focus on grades and test scores Colleges will review mid-year and final grades Colleges will take highest SAT/ACT (CR, M, and optional Writing) Apply for SCHOLARSHIPS Applications are detailed and may require essays Even though applications may be sent into colleges before mid year grades are available, many colleges will hold their application and defer their admissions decision until after they see mid year grades. Students may also take the SAT after their application is sent in, and colleges will review the highest score. It is also important that students maintain their grades because all colleges offer a conditional admittance based on end of the year grades. While you are waiting for an admissions decision, you may also encourage your student to apply for scholarships. Though there are a few scholarship applications available now, more will come throughout the year. Filling out scholarship applications is a detailed process which will certainly occupy your student’s time until the admissions decision is made. Colleges pulling acceptance. Early release and dropping courses.

Financial Aid Process Must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to receive any aid www.fafsa.ed.gov Opens October 1st (can apply for PIN # prior) Check the priority deadline at each college Check with each college for institutional forms such as the CSS PROFILE The financial aid process begins in January with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid or FAFSA for every college in the United States. If you want to receive any grants, loans, or work study from a university, you need to complete the FAFSA and submit it to the federal government after January 1. The FAFSA uses data from this current year’s income, so if you do not receive your W-2s until the end of January, act quickly to meet the priority deadline. Also, some colleges require additional financial documents and other institutional forms. CSS PROFILE is used to establish eligibility for institutional aid. NC State, Meredith, and Chapel Hill as well as many other colleges in the state use the profile. The PROFILE is not a free application and you must contact CSS for more information.

Financial Aid https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LK0bbu0y5AM&list=PL23B9A23CD8DD82DD&index=1 Financial Aid can come in many forms… When people talk about financial aid, they may mean several different things. For the most part, when college officers and counselors talk about financial aid, we are referring to need-based aid, such as grants and loans. However, financial aid can include non need-based awards such as scholarships and loans. Each college may require slightly different forms, and applying for financial aid is a completely separate process from the admissions process. If you have specific questions, you will need to contact the Financial Aid Office to each college for answers.

The Search for Scholarships Check Scholarship Board regularly Newsletter www.scholarshipplus.com/wake www.cfnc.org Register online at fastweb.com for a free national scholarship search Check college websites Contact employer, church and community organizations One of the most overwhelming processes for students and parents in the search for scholarships. This is due to the fact that there is no one source, or national database for all scholarships that are available to your student. Many organizations and individuals offer scholarships to student’s based on the organizations criteria. This means that each application will be different and requires different components. The key to finding out about scholarships and receiving them is hard work. At PCHS, we will use the wake county scholarship guide and also post new scholarships on our website. I also recommend that students register online at fastweb.com, which is an online scholarship search. After registry, fastweb sends customized emails to students when new scholarships are available. This site does not sell individual information to agencies and many of our students have found success using this site. Other places you should contact for scholarships information is the colleges you are applying to and departments within each university. This information will not be available in the bulletin for every university. In addition to the colleges, you can find out what is offered at your company, church or community organization. Basically, encourage your student to tell everyone that your family wants a scholarship. Networking is one of the best ways to find information. Lastly, please remember that everything about the scholarship process is free. Legitimate organizations want to give your student money not charge fees.

Beware of Scholarship Frauds: Application fee for scholarships Small “processing” fee for applications Scholarship lotteries Guaranteed scholarship money Paid services with unique information Free seminars with high-pressure sales “You need this service to be successful” “You are a bad parent if you don’t do this” This leads us to the topic of scholarship frauds. Here are some of the common scams. Any organization that charges a fee for the application or processing may award a “scholarship” after making a profit. Many online sites have so called scholarship lotteries. With this scam, students enter their personal information for a chance to win. Most of these sites gain access to your personal information and then sell it to advertisers. One of the most insidious scams that I love to hate is the paid scholarship services. Scholarship services may have legitimate information for your student, but certainly not exclusive. These organizations rent space at Duke or NC State and offer you a free scholarship workshop. This free workshop is actually a sales pitch, much like timeshare presentations. These services do not complete applications for students and many times, you have to contact the service periodically to receive updates. Some services claim to guarantee scholarship money, while most services use high pressure sales techniques to get you to buy into their service. These agencies capitalize on your fears, inexperience, and love for your child. These organizations seem to prey on financially disadvantaged families in particular by saying things like “an investment of $2000 is only a small part of your child’s future.” Please be aware that if it an agency tells you getting scholarships is a quick and easy process, then you are probably dealing with a fraud. It takes patience, time and effort to earn scholarships. However, the benefits can secure your student’s future. I only had one student apply for every scholarship for which she was eligible. She had a B+ average, but won $13,500 and a new computer because she never gave up.

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Thank you for coming out tonight! Questions? Students will be notified regarding the senior interview process