Steps to College Search Kevin McDonald School Counselor Irondequoit High School November 2016

Getting Started – Looking for ideas Colleges find out about you PSAT’s SAT’s/ACT’s AP’s Websites you have used Admissions events Student starts getting information from a college because they fit a particular profile. Expect to get: Brochures/glossy advertising Email messages Offers of informational books or special services

Getting Started – Looking for ideas You Find Out about Colleges Seek them out, but where? College fairs, College representative visit to your high school, Athletic/Academic Camps. Talk to those around you Alumni Teachers/Counselors Word of Mouth

Getting Started – Looking for ideas You Find Out about Colleges Print Resources Online Resources Naviance Bigfuture, College Navigator, etc. Colleges’ websites (.edu)

Narrow the Field How To? Consider the following: Location (how far from home?, urban/suburban/rural) Size Type (liberal arts, specialized colleges, religious affiliated, single gender, military) Majors Extracurricular activities Selectivity Cost versus availability of financial aid

Narrow the Field Visit!!

Narrow the Field - visiting options Open Houses Spring and Fall Often coordinated with breaks and/or on weekends Comprehensive Difficult to get one on one attention Great opportunity to see most of a campus. Group Sessions Smaller than Open House General Overview May be scheduled for a specific major

Narrow the Field - visiting options Individually Scheduled Visits – Call and make an appointment Options to consider Tour – student led. Do ask the tour guide about their feelings about the school: food, dorm life, social activities, workload, etc. Sit in on a class Meet with an Admissions Counselor – this is an opportunity to complete an interview. Check if required. Ask and answer questions – be ready to discuss your academic background They might ask you “Why are you considering the college?” “….or major?” “what are you going to contribute?”.

Narrow the Field - visiting options Overnight stay Best to complete when trying to make the final decision (2nd semester) First hand experience with dorm life, food, etc. Typically limited to Sunday night through Thursday night. Specialized Visits Art Portfolio Reviews Specific days for faculty to review your past work Music/Theater Auditions

Narrow the Field - visiting options When? Try to visit when colleges are in session (fall or spring semesters). Summer is fine, but the level of activity is less. Combine with other family trips.

Narrow the Field - visiting options Parents Let your child do the talking. Have your own set of questions. What is important to you may not be important to your child. Take the tour with your child. Talk with students who are NOT the tour guide. Talk with other parents.

THE GOAL……… ….is that by Thanksgiving of a child’s senior year they are applying to their colleges (3 – 7 schools). ….and that by May 1st they are paying their deposit to one school.

Questions??