Brick Township High School JUNIOR POST-SECONDARY PLANNING Brought to you by the BTHS Guidance Department

CourseYears RequiredCredits HPE420 English420 Math315 Science315 Social Studies315 Fine/Performing Arts15 Business/College and Career Readiness 15 World Language15 Electives 20 Financial Literacy12.5 Graduation Requirements 130 Credits

March 4, 2014 – Mathematics March 5, 2014 – Lang. Arts Day 1 March 6, 2014 – Lang. Arts Day 2 Attendance is crucial Make up testing March 11,12,13 HSPA

Scheduling  Early release options  Jump Start  Step Ahead  Senior Seminar  Early out/Late arrival  CBE – Cooperative Business Education  Carefully select courses for senior year  Changes should be made before the end of the year  OCVTS

THE Post-Secondary PLANNING PROCESS  Every student and family will be in a different place at a different time in the process  Focus on your own plans and do not get caught up in what your peers are saying and doing  Trust with good planning it will all work out

 Yourself--  Self-knowledge, career inventories, personality tests RESEARCH and GAIN INFORMATION About…

 Your options--  Careers  Military Service – ASVAB  Technical Training  2-year colleges  4-year colleges Research and Gain Information About…

 Talking with:  Parents  Counselors  Teachers  College students  Mentors  College Visits/College Fairs  Naviance  Meeting with college admission reps  Books and articles about college and careers Students gain knowledge by…

 or through the guidance website  A comprehensive web-based program designed to help in making informed decisions about colleges  If you misplaced your user name or password, please contact guidance and we will immediately get it to you NAVIANCE

The best college is the one that fits…  academically  athletically  socially  financially  emotionally THE BEST COLLEGE

 High School Grades & trends  Strength of Program  Standardized Tests—SAT, SAT Subject tests, ACT  Extracurricular Activities  College Essay(s)  Recommendations from Counselor & Teachers  Interest (sometimes!) Selection Criteria

 Admissions Representatives  College Visits to BTHS Guidance  College Fairs  /Phone contacts  Campus Visits  Information Sessions/Open Houses/Tours  Meetings with professors/class observations  Overnight stays THE BEST SOURCES FOR COLLEGE INFORMATION

 PLAN A – including Reaches  PLAN B – Middle 50% of accepted students  PLAN C – Safe bets (use data: Naviance, collegeboard.com, usnews.com) Have a strategy!

 Regular Decision – single Notification Date  Rolling Decision  Early Decision - Binding  Early Action  Single Choice Early Action Decision Plans

 Merit-based Grants (Scholarships)  Academics/Special talent  Athletics  BTHS Guidance Scholarship Bulletin  Need-based Grants:  Federal-PELL  TAG Grant  College  Loans  Federal Work-Study (need-based) Paying for College

 Brick Township Financial Aid Workshop next November at Brick Memorial  FREE Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)--required by all  Estimated Family Contribution (EFC)  Determined by information from FAFSA  federal student aid estimator  – Higher Education Assistance Authority Financial Aid

 All 19 County Colleges participate  Students graduating in the top 15% of their class and a family income under $250,000 are eligible  Covers the cost of tuition and approved fees (15 credits per term for five semesters)  Students must file a FAFSA to be eligible  NJSTARS

 College Visits – local, long distance  College Open Houses  Begin Activity Resume  Consider who you will ask for teacher recommendation letters  SAT – May 3, June 7  SAT Subject Tests  ACT – April 12, June 14  Finish Jr. Year STRONG! WHAT TO DO NOW…

 Continue Self Assessment  College Visits  Keep track of important deadlines  Think about essay topics—ideas, rough draft  Look over Common App Online—Common Essays & Supplemental Essays  Continue to build activity resume  Fine Arts Majors – begin to work on a portfolio, work with your teachers  Athletic Recruitment – Check eligibility online and register work with your coaches and athletic director What to do this summer…

 Finalize college list on Naviance  More Visits/Open houses  SAT retakes, SAT Subject tests, ACT retakes  College Essay & Activity Resume  Complete Applications—Common Application Online  Complete FERPA Waiver on Common Application  Link Common Application to Naviance What to do next fall

 January 2015  FAFSA & PROFILE by Jan. 31  January-May  Visit, compare and evaluate colleges  Admissions & financial aid packages received  Family decision time  May 1  Tuition & Room Deposits Due  May-June  GRADUATE!  Don’t jeopardize admissions decision!! …Spring 2015

 for SAT info  for ACT info  for SAT/ACT optional information  Naviance website:   Online Resources

Thank you for coming!