James Hubert Blake High School senior presentation Life After High School THE JOURNEY BEGINS September 14, 2018

Post-Secondary Options Four year Institutions Two year Community Colleges Vocational Schools or Apprenticeship Programs Arts Institutions The World of Work Military “Gap” Year AmeriCorps, Study Abroad, Outward Bound

How Many Colleges Should I Apply To? Target Safe Reach No Magic Number 6-8 Colleges is about right Make arrangements to visit college campuses and meet with admissions reps who visit Blake.

Four Year College Applications Application – Biographical Data Common Application (www.commonapp.org) Coalition Application (www.mycoalition.org) Black Common App (www.commonblackcollegeapp.com) Application Fee – ranges from $0 - $90 Transcript – GPA & Courses Test Scores – SAT or ACT www.fairtest.org – Test optional colleges Essay – Check prompts carefully Letters of Recommendation – teacher and counselor Audition/Portfolio/Interview – specific to certain colleges

How are Admission Decisions made? Highly Selective (GPA, SAT/ACT) Academic Rigor (course selection) Recommendations (teacher/counselor) Extracurricular Activities (resume) Essay Needs of the institution Responses: Acceptance, Defer, Waitlist, Conditional Admit (spring/summer), Denial

Score Reporting Send official scores (both*): SAT www.collegeboard.org ACT www.actstudent.org 4 free score reports if requested during registration; after test- $12- 13 each Blake HS does NOT mail/fax test scores. *Many colleges award scholarships based on SAT or ACT scores as well as GPA.

Two Year College Applications (Montgomery College) Complete MC online admissions application FREE beginning October 1 Take Accuplacer Diagnostic & Official MCPS Accuplacer or Accuplacer Diagnostic– Oct 10 No Essay, Recommendations or Transcript Special application for: MC Scholars, Macklin Business Scholars & scholarships essay, recommendations, test scores required

MCPS Accuplacer October 10, 2018 Apply to Montgomery College ONLINE beginning October 1 for FREE to obtain your “M-Number” Seniors who have not taken an SAT or ACT will be expected to take Accuplacer on October 10 (unless registered for Oct exam)

ASVAB Testing (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) Career exploration test that helps students link their skills & aptitudes with related occupations. The ASVAB is required for entrance in the military, but anyone can take it for career identification purposes without obligation to the armed services. ASVAB is FREE! November 13th 7:45-10:45 am Blake Cafeteria Permission forms due by November 8. Score Interpretation meeting - Dec 11, 2018 8:30-9:30am in AMP

Blake Career Center Website Access College Information, Scholarships, Financial Aid, College Testing and Preparation Blake H.S. Code 210959 Required for SAT or ACT registration and college applications

(See or email your Counselor if you need your password reset) Use Naviance Student (See or email your Counselor if you need your password reset)

College Visits in Career Center Sign up on Naviance at least one day in advance Print out the Confirmation Page to be signed by your teacher (subject to classroom teacher’s approval)

Benny Bengal considers Frostburg

Colleges I’m Thinking About

Move colleges to “colleges I’m applying to” once you have applied! Colleges MUST be posted here to send your transcripts. Note the submissions type and deadline. Use the COMMON APPLICATION for all CA schools.

How to Request a Teacher Recommendation Ask the teacher in PERSON Earlier the better, at a convenient time for the teacher Provide the teacher with the blue “Request for Recommendation Letter” form with colleges and deadlines. Addressed envelopes with postage (if college does not accept electronic submissions) Copy of resume is suggested Add teacher in Naviance Student. Check in with teachers closer to deadlines.

Teacher Recommendations AFTER speaking to the teacher in person, you must submit a REQUEST to the teacher on Naviance. From the Colleges tab in Naviance, click on Letters of Recommendation

On the recommendation request page, click on the blue Add Request button to submit requests, one teacher at a time.

Step 1: Select a teacher from the drop-down Note: Counselor letters do not fall under this category.

Step 2: Review the colleges and check one or more boxes to indicate which schools the teacher should be sending the letter of recommendation. Note the # of required and # of allowed recommendations for each school. Colleges are pulled directly from your “colleges I’m applying to” list

Step 3: Add a personal note to the teacher Step 3: Add a personal note to the teacher. Click the SAVE button at the bottom of the screen.

See the Registrar Ms. Marks (15 school days in advance) Transcript Request Form 1-3 transcripts = free 4 or more transcripts = $3 each Envelopes w/postage stamps (if required) Addressed to college admissions office Scholarship transcripts

Transcript Request Form (return to Ms. Marks, Registrar) Complete with Parent’s Signature

LET’S REVIEW YOU SUBMIT online: BLAKE Registrar SENDS: Transcript (Transcript Request Form) Application Secondary School Report SAT/ACT Scores Counselor Recommendation (Student/Parent Reflection Forms) Application Fee Blake School Profile Did your teacher send/upload their recommendation letter separately?

On-the-Spot Admissions Events What are on-the-spot admissions? They are local events for students to apply for admission to certain colleges, face-to-face, and get an immediate acceptance decision. How do I find out about them? Students should listen for announcements, check the Naviance website, the Blake website or see Mrs. Prochnow in the College & Career Center for information.

Financial Aid Workshop FAFSA opens October 1st Financial Aid Workshop Wednesday October 3, 7:00 pm Amphitheater Bring your Parent or Guardian www.fafsa.gov

Scholarships Start NOW, don’t wait until the Spring Prepare an ESSAY Discuss your personal financial need There is MONEY out there, but you have to find it Utilize links on Career Center webpage www.fastweb.com www.scholarships.com www.cappex.com Remember to request transcripts & recommendations 15 days in advance

Scholarship Transcript Request Form Request in advance Provide addressed envelope w/postage and transcript fee. See registrar if online transcript required.

Notify Mrs. Prochnow of all college decisions & scholarships earned! Bring in copy of acceptance letters Please report wait-list & denials, too Acceptance data tracked by MCPS Scholarship data reported to Superintendent Provide copy of scholarship award letters