Classes of 2015 & 2016 Melrose High School

 Sophomore Year  Introduction to Naviance/career exploration junior year  Classroom presentations on college planning  Individual meetings with student/counselor  Begin college search and test planning Senior Year  Classroom presentations on college planning  Individual meetings with student/counselor  College/career planning and applications M.H.S. Developmental Guidance Program

  Linked with guidance office  Web-based service to help with decisions about colleges and careers  Junior accounts have been activated  Sophomore accounts will be activated this spring Naviance

  Counselors will meet individually with every junior  Discussion centers around interests and post-high school plans  Students learn to research colleges using variables such as major, location, size, etc.  Counselor and student generate a list of colleges for further exploration Individual Session with Counselor

  4 year college  school  2 year school  Technical School  Military  Work Options

  Math through pre-calculus  Biology, Chemistry and Physics (or equivalent lab science)  3-4 years of same foreign language  Rigorous senior year schedule What Competitive Colleges Look For

  SAT I (Reasoning) Spring Test Dates  May 3rd (register by April 4th)  June 7th (register by May 9th)  SAT II (Subject Tests) Same Test Dates  US History, World History, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Math Level 1 & 2, Literature, Spanish, Latin, French, Italian, and German  Register  Standardized Testing

  ACT (With Writing) Spring Test Dates  April 12 th (register by March 7 th )  June 14 th (register by May 9 th ) Register  * Differences Between SAT and ACT Standardized Testing

  Use with discretion  Kaplan Test Prep  A+ Tutoring  Revolution Test Prep  Sullivan Tutoring  …Many others SAT/ACT Prep

      Many other online resources out there, ask counselor College Search Web Sites

  Size  Location  Learning style  Majors  Co-curricular activities  Entrance criteria College Selection Process

  “Reach”  “Realistic”  “Likely/Safety”  Sometimes realistic schools can also be organized by “Realistic High” and “Realistic Low”  Use historical MHS data (if available) to estimate chances College Selection Process

  Harvard, Dartmouth, Princeton, Yale, Brown, Columbia, Georgetown, Bowdoin, MIT, Swarthmore, Cornell, UPenn, Stanford  UVA, University of Michigan, Cal Berkeley Extremely Selective

  Boston College  Connecticut College, Williams, NYU Middlebury, Amherst, Brandeis, Colby, Hamilton, Tufts, Vassar, others  Schools that accept <25% of applicants Very selective

  Assumption, Stonehill, Wheaton, Bowdoin, Holy Cross, Connecticut College, Providence, etc…many others  Competitive Colleges Not Requiring Standardized Testing

  3.0 GPA required or 960 old SAT  U.Mass/Amherst looking for 3.5  Commonwealth College – 3.8  School of Nursing – most competitive  U.Mass/Lowell  U.Mass/Dartmouth  U.Mass/Boston University of Massachusetts System

  Bridgewater State  Fitchburg State  Framingham State  Salem State  Westfield State  Worcester State  Massachusetts College of Art  Mass College of Liberal Arts (MCLA)  Massachusetts Maritime Academy Massachusetts State University System

  Meet with your counselor  Research schools  Apply to approximately 5-10  Keep an open mind  Look for the best fit, not necessarily the best brand name Application Process

  Early Decision / Early Action  Usually Nov 1, Nov 15, or Dec 1  Regular Admission  often Jan 1 st  Rolling Admission  Anytime - The earlier, the better  Application materials must be received by guidance department 1 week prior to application deadline Application Deadlines

  START NOW  Check college website for appointment schedules for tours and information sessions  Try to visit when school is in session  Get the student perspective Visiting Colleges

  1 – 2, as directed by college  Student are encouraged to ask teachers in the spring of junior year and again in the fall of senior year  Supplemental recommendations okay, but no more than 4 total including guidance counselor recommendation College Recommendations

  Good idea to start now  Often requires some soul searching  Have counselor or English teacher review  Will work on essay in senior year English class in Fall College Essay

  Financial Aid Night  Usually 1 st week in December  FAFSA  CSS Profile  Use MEFA (Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority) as a resource  mefacounselor.org Financial Aid

  Some colleges will give merit scholarship based on applicant’s profile  Melrose Permanent Scholarship Fund    Check with employers, unions, and any other organizations you may be affiliated with  Follow the MHS Guidance blog – Register on Guidance website Scholarships

  Senior Parent Breakfast  October 2014  MHS College Visits  Fall 2014 date to be determined  Reading Co-Operative College Fair  October 2014  Financial Aid Night  November or December 2014 Coming Attractions

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