Classes of 2015 and 2016 College Planning Night Presented by the NPHS Guidance Department

North Penn HS graduates…  90+% - directly to formal post-secondary education  100% - will eventually need/seek some sort of additional training or education

~60% of NPHS grads Four-Year College  Bachelors Degree in a specific major or area of study Most colleges require students to take general courses before choosing a major ~30% of NPHS grads Two-Year College  Community or Junior College; earn general credits and transfer to a 4-year school OR  Associate’s Degree One- or Two-year Specialized Program  Certificates

How will you choose a college? Location/Size Academic interests/major(s) Competitiveness “X-factors” Cost Make a Good List: Reach Realistic Match Safety

How will the colleges choose you? Factors Considered in College Admissions What do YOU think? (1-7) ____ Essays ____ Test scores ____ Interviews ____ Rigor of high school course Schedule ____ Recommendations ____ Activities, interests, experience ____ Academic Performance

According to NACAC and current research…factors that impact admission 1.Academic Performance (grades, GPA, class rank) 2.Rigor of high school course schedule 3.Test Scores (SAT/ACT) 4.Personal statements/Essays 5.Recommendations 6.Activities, interests, leadership/work experience, etc. 7.Interviews

Academic Performance… On your NPHS Transcript  All classes, final grades, and credits for 9 th, 10 th, and 11 th grade  Cumulative weighted GPA for 9 th, 10 th and 11 th grade Cumulative non-weighted GPA for 9 th, 10 th and 11 th grade  Cumulative weighted class rank for 9 th, 10 th and 11 th grade  Senior Courses

Sophomore Year  Keep your grades up  Involve yourself in activities that interest you Maintain a list and build a resume  Take the PSAT (October) – use PSAT results along with personalized “QuickStart” to prepare for future tests and explore college options.  Preliminary college research College/University Websites College Search engines: Collegeboard.org, PrincetonReview.com College and Career Center (K25)

Junior Year All year  Keep grades up  Continue with activities, interests, etc. 1 st Semester Junior Year  Take the PSAT (October)  Continue researching colleges to develop a list of potential schools 2 nd Semester Junior Year  Course Selection for Senior Year  Initiate Teacher Recommendations  Begin visiting campuses  NPHS College Fair – March 4, 2014  Financial Aid Night – March 12, 2014  SAT/ACT

SUMMER before Senior Year… Narrow your list of schools by considering: Academics Rigor Housing/Dorm life Campus Life Facilities Technology/web-access Food Safety Transportation options Freshmen Orientation Programs Academic support options

S UMMER before Senior Year …(cont.) Determine if you can and/or will apply:  Early Decision - binding  Early Action- non-binding  Regular Decision – specific deadline  Rolling Admission – reviews applications as received

S UMMER before Senior Year …(cont.)  Visit campuses  Begin working on… Student portions of application Essays Scholarship search engines

FALL of Senior Year  SAT again?  Finalize teacher recommendations  Follow North Penn’s Procedures for Applying to College for the Class of 2015 (will be posted on NPHS guidance website)  Senior College Application Night (Fall TBD)  Financial Aid Night (Fall TBD)  NCAA Night (Fall 2013– TBD)  Montgomery County and National College Fairs – (Fall 2014– TBD)

Standardized Testing  Spring 2014 SAT Reasoning Test (SAT I) dates: March, May and June  Subject Tests (SAT II), if applicable  Your scores are sent directly from the Collegeboard to the colleges to which you’re applying: (4 free per test)  SAT preparation: PSAT results College QuickStart and MyRoad  Free and reduced lunch program  NPHS’s CEEB code:  NPHS’s testing site code:  ACT?

Resources  College and Career Center (K025) – by appt. or walk-in  NPHS Guidance Website Counselors’ contact information Course Selection Information NPHS College Application Procedures FAQ: Teacher Recommendations Links and suggested resources for college, military, SAT, etc. Lists and dates of College Representatives visiting North Penn Local and community scholarship announcements Career Pathways Planner  BIG FUTURE   College Representatives/Fairs  College Admissions Offices and Websites

A few words about Financial Aid… Types of Aid  Grants/Scholarships – does not need to be repaid; typically based on need or merit  Loans – must be repaid, plus interest  Federal Work Study – aid student earns through part-time work during college; does not need to be repaid Sources of Aid  Federal/State – – form required to apply for all Federal aid as well as many state and private funds; cannot be submitted until after January 1 st of senior year and requires tax information from previous year.  Private/Independent Scholarships – through companies, organizations, employers, etc. College and Career Center collects information about many local scholarships.  Institutional Aid – speak with financial aid office at your potential schools to learn for which scholarships/aid you may be eligible to apply.

GPA / Class Rank  GPA rounded to nearest hundredth  Rank is based on 5 majors  “IFE” = “Ineligible For Exclusion” from ranking  Courses that earn credit values of 1, 1.15, 1.3, and 1.5 count as 1.0 for rank only  Grades are ranked

“IFE”=Ineligible for Exclusion from Ranking  English 9, 10, 11  British Literature  America In History 2  World Cultures & Am. Cultures  Semester Government  AP Government  AP World History & AP US History  Algebra/Geometry  Algebra 1 and 2  Geometry  Physical Science 9  Required Biology  First year of Chemistry “IFE” Courses

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Remember:  You got to be very careful if you don’t know where you’re going, because you might not get there.”  Yoggi Berra