Post – Secondary Pathways A Guide to Planning Your Future to Planning Your Future2008

H-K HS Guidance Department Maryann Grimaldi, Department Head Peter Ettlinger, School Counselor Larry Leone, School Counselor Kaitlin Sullivan-Freimuth, School Counselor Christine Smith, Secretary Elaine Vivero, Secretary

The Route to your Destination

Senior Scheduling ► The most important piece of your college application will be your TRANSCRIPT. ► Keep this in mind as you go forward with scheduling for Senior year. Always do more than the minimum! 4 academics is the minimum 5 academics is better 6 academics are recommended for most of our college bound students

Junior Handbook- What is Inside? ► Pathways ► Choosing the College that is Right for You ► Types of Post Secondary Education ► Helpful Hints When Choosing Colleges ► Testing for College Admissions ► Application Process ► Financial Aid Information & Checklist ► Military Service ► Employment ► Sample Resume ► Calendar for Junior & Senior Year ► Glossary ► Sampling of College Requirements for Admission ► The Bottom Line Worksheet ► Writing Your College Essay

Pathways ► Some postgraduate options: four year college, two year college, technical training institutes, military, employment, etc. ► Decision Making  How do I decide what is the right Pathway for me?  How do I decide what I want to do for a career or a major? ► Meet with your counselor, take a wide variety of courses, take an interest inventory, try job shadowing, etc.

Steps Toward Your Future ► Select at least four or five strong academic courses for senior schedules ► Register for SAT I Reasoning and/or ACT ► Register for SAT II Subject test if appropriate, or the ACT with writing ► Start searching for colleges ► Make plans to visit colleges ► Attend the College Fair – April 3rd ► Explore opportunities for career focused events

Steps to Searching for the Right Pathway ► Make an appointment with your counselor ► Attend Junior Seminars, learn about various college search programs and many more helpful hints ► Review the blue planning book to help navigate your future ► Read the college guides and career catalogues available in the Guidance Office ► Search Web sites (collegeboard.com, individual school web sites, CT Labor Department- etc.)

College Selection Selectivity ► Every college can be ranked for selectivity or difficulty of admission. Ivy league colleges, like Harvard and Brown, would be among the most selective and colleges with open admissions like Middlesex Community Technical College would be among the least selective. ► Within the array of college selectivity from most to least selective, all students should chose colleges within the following categories:  REACH: Colleges a student would like to attend and their chances of admission are slim (20% or less). School is very competitive for this student  RANGE: Colleges a student would like to attend and they have a good chance of being accepted (about 50/50).  SAFETY: Colleges a student would like to attend and their chance of being accepted are excellent (80% or better).

Admissions Selectivity ► The challenge is for each student to find appropriate colleges and post graduate programs in each category. Everyone’s categories are the same but their colleges/ programs will be different.

Admissions Selectivity ► Students should make appropriate choices selecting programs within the three categories. These students should have options at the end of the process.

Affordability & Selection ► Look at schools financially, not just academically. ► Can you afford this school? ► We encourage you to have a serious discussion with your son/daughter to discuss what exactly you can contribute. ► We recommend having at least one school that you can afford even without financial aid. ► Talk to us about the options to potentially earn college credit while still in high school: AP, College Career Pathways, UConn Early College Experience, Wesleyan High School Scholars Program, Project Lead The Way (PLTW).

Other Things To Consider When Discussing Affordability ► Distance from home ► Travel expenses ► Books ► Entertainment ► Car expenses ► Potential financial awards from different colleges

Post Graduate Admission Resources ► A variety of web-based college search engines ► College Catalogs- many are available in the Guidance Office and most are on-line. ► Print information- Guidance Office has handbooks, catalogs, manuals, and view books

Standardized Testing ► SAT Reasoning ► SAT II Subject Tests ► ACT (with writing)

SAT & SAT II ► SAT I Reasoning  Measures Critical Reading, Math and Writing/ Essay (max score each)  CR & M are still the most important part of the SAT scores.  Some schools are looking at the writing, but the majority of schools are still working with just CR & M (max score of 1600) ► SAT II – One Hour Subject Specific Tests (max 800)  More selective colleges  Check with each school  “Recommended” vs. “Required”

ACT ► The ACT includes tests in English, Math, Reading, and Science reasoning. They have an optional writing component. We highly recommend that you take this. ► Highest composite score- 36 composite scores are the average of students’ scores on these tests. ► Some schools will take the ACT in place of the SAT II Subject Tests (check with your potential schools).

SAT & ACT Comparison SAT (Critical Reading & Math) ACT Composite Score

Testing Registration ► – – ► Before registering PLEASE make sure you have our school code with you – – enter this code on your registration materials!! ► ► Online Registration   SAT-   ACT- ► ► Telephone Registration   SAT   ACT ► ► Paper Registration By Mail   Mail in time to meet the registration deadline!

A little bit of help… ► Use your PSAT test book ► Prep Courses Homework and effort are a must for these classes ► Tutoring

Mark Your Calendars ► Upcoming Testing  SAT I & II: March 1 st, May 3 rd, June 7 th  ACT: February 9 th, April 12 th, June 14 th ► Students who had English or Math first semester may want to consider taking the March test while it is more fresh in mind than after second semester ► SAT II’s should be taken as close to the completion of the specific course as possible

FINANCIAL AID

How to Apply ► FAFSA- MUST be completed by all applicants for federal student aid.   Must be done every year  Both Parent & Students must get a PIN  You MUST apply on-line. Worksheets are available here at the school to help you prepare the necessary information.  Can be completed any time after January 1 st of your student’s senior year (2009)– you will need the previous year’s tax information  Check each individual school for deadlines!  Get this done early!! $$ is first come first serve

More on Financial Aid ► CSS/ Financial Aid Profile  Used by some colleges, universities and private scholarship programs to award their own private institutions and programs that use it.  Register via  Check with your schools to see if they require this. Not all schools do as this is NOT for federal student aid  Check each individual school for deadlines!  Get this done early!! $$ is first come first serve  You may begin registering as of October 1 st of your student’s senior year (2008).

What will my Aid Package be? ► Financial Aid Formula: Cost of Attendance - minus Expected Family Contribution - minus Pell Grant (extremely limited- low income) - minus Aid from other sources local, private & state scholarships EQUALS = $$ Your Financial Aid Package ► Financial Aid Packages include: □ LOANS □ Work Study □ Grants □ LOANS □ LOANS □ Parent Loans ?? E= MC2 ??

The “Award Letter” or What Families Need to Know Next ► What’s the full cost of the year at college? ► What’s the expected family contribution? ► How much aid is free (grants & scholarships)? ► How much aid is loans? Who borrows? ► How will you fill the gap?

Loan Statistics ► Loans as a percentage of total aid:  1980: 41%  1990: 49%  2004: 56% ► Constant-dollar increase since 1997:  Loans: 72%  Grants: 64% ► A needy undergrad could borrow up to $43,000 from federal programs. (What about grad school?) ► Many parents could borrow $140,000 from the federal parent loan to pay for four years. ► In students and parents borrowed $76,587,000,000 from federal and non-federal education loan programs.

National Collegiate Athletic Association Clearinghouse ► NCAA documents that high school athletes meet minimal academic standards and will be able to participate in college athletics. ► DI & DII athletes ONLY ► NCAA requires all student’s transcripts, SAT scores and a registration. This should be done early on in one’s senior year. ► Students must request through the College Board that their SAT scores be sent directly to the NCAA Clearinghouse. ► See your counselor and check out the website to complete this process:

Communicate with your Counselor ► For any additional questions please have your student stop by and ask or feel free to us  Maryann Grimaldi-  Peter Ettlinger-  Larry Leone-  Kaitlin Sullivan-Freimuth-

Happy Searching… ►V►V►V►Visit schools over vacations ►S►S►S►Senior Parent Night will be held in September and we will discuss more at that time. ►F►F►F►Financial Aid Night will be held in December