Demystifying College Admissions Clark County School District Las Vegas, NV

Calendar for Senior Students CCSD Moving On – College and Career Transitional Planning Guide – See Handout

College Admissions Process  Finding a college that fits  Request college information  Complete application  College Entrance Exams  Campus visit  College Comparison Worksheet

Finding a College That Fits  Know Yourself Goals  Likes & Dislikes  Abilities  Resources  Other Considerations  Size  Type  Location  Affordability  Programs/Degrees

College Information  College websites  (Insert school name here) College and Career Center  Located (insert info here)

Web Resources  CCSD Guidance and Counseling Website ~  Nevada Career Information System ~  User name: ncis  Password: nevada  College Searches   (student page)

2009 College Fair Plus  Cashmen Center  October 27-28, 2009  5:00 – 8:00 pm  Approximately 150 colleges participating  Breakout sessions  Education Funding Consultants, Scholarship Search, NCAA Student Athletes 

Nevada Colleges/Universities ( See - CCSD College Planning & Scholarship Handbook)  University of Nevada, Las Vegas  University of Nevada, Reno  Nevada State College  Sierra Nevada College  Community Colleges  CSN  Great Basin College, Truckee Meadows CC, Western Nevada College

UNLV/UNR Admissions Requirements  3.0 G.P.A – in core classes  4 credits English  3 credits math – Algebra or higher  3 credits social science  3 credits science – at least 2 lab science courses  Alternate admission requirements are available – speak to your UNLV/UNR rep.

Nevada State College Admission Requirements  2.0 G.P.A  4 credits English  3 credits math – at least 2 Algebra or higher  3 credits social science  3 credits science – at least 1 lab science course

Preparation for College Admissions  Introductory Letters/ –request catalog, application, financial aid  College Visits  Resume  Letters of Recommendation (at least 2 wk notice)  Essays KEEP COPIES!!

College Entrance Exams SAT I  Critical Thinking / Problem Solving  Verbal – average score: 508  Math – average score: 520  Writing  Guessing Penalty  Register online at SAT II  Subject Tests  Required by some schools/programs ACT  Content Based  Math / English / Read / Science Reasoning  Optional Writing Test  Average composite score: 21  Math includes Trig.  No guessing penalty  Register online at

Student Athletes Academic Plan – Core Courses NCAA requirements – Refer to NCAA Quick Reference Guide Clearinghouse – Register at end of junior year College entrance exams – Take at end of junior year Website –

Financial Aid Grants – Do not have to pay back Loans – Must pay back with interest Work Study Scholarships – Do not have to pay back

Financial Aid Nights (Insert school information here) – TBA Community

Free Application for Federal Student Aid *FAFSA FAFSA – Required for any federal financial aid – File form beginning January 1 – Both student and parent needs a PIN – Checklist of information needed to complete FAFSA is in handbook – – FAFSA4caster

Financial Aid – Scholarships Merit based – Academics – Special talents – Community service Need based – FAFSA Competitive – School – Local – National

How Can I Get More? Internet scholarship searches – – More internet sites on CCSD Moving On – College & Career Transitional Planning Guide Be as well rounded as possible Scholarship committees look at: – GPA – Honors, AP, and IB courses – ACT, SAT I, and SAT II scores – Involvement in clubs, activities, athletics, and community – Work – Family responsibilities

Where Do I Start? Largest scholarships come from the colleges themselves – Be sure to request the scholarship/financial aid applications when you apply – For example, UNLV’s application for all types of scholarships is found on the web – Each school has a specific way to apply – contact the financial aid office at individual schools for information – Be aware of deadlines as they may be different from admission application deadlines

Deadlines and Presentation Are Important! Remember there are hundreds of applicants. Often the only contact you have with the scholarship committee is your application. Read those directions! Don’t be late!

Scholarship Summary Sheets * Posted by due dates Due in November Target All-Around Scholarship (National) Sponsor:Target Amount:To be determined Eligibility:Senior. Transcript. List and describe the volunteer service in which you have participated without pay in your community. Essay – Choose one volunteer experience listed on your application and briefly describe how the experience benefited others. Describe what happened in your life or in the life of your family as a result of your volunteer service experience. Must use Target application form. (once on their website, type in keyword: scholarships) Deadline:November 1, 2009 (Received) Current scholarship lists can be found in (insert school info here)

Millennium Scholarship Graduate with a diploma from a Nevada high school. Complete high school with at least a 3.25 GPA and pass all areas of the Nevada High School Proficiency Exam. Resident of Nevada for at least two of your high school years. Core curriculum required (4 English, 4 math [including Alg. II], 3 Social Studies, 3 Science) Will NOT pay 100% of your college expenses Website:

Scholarship Scam Warning! “This scholarship is guaranteed or your money back.” “You can’t get this information anywhere else.” “May I have your credit card or bank account number to hold this scholarship?” We’ll do all the work.”

It’s All Up To You!!!