Junior Night Class of 2014 A Jump-Start on Senior Year & What You Should Know about College Ms. Carter Tri Guidance Office

For Tonight Senior Year Priorities Planning for College Picking a College What colleges ask for The SAT and ACT Paying for College What Happens When? The FAFSA What Juniors Can do NOW NCAA More Help and Useful Tools Close with Questions

Senior Year Priorities Turning in your Senior Brag Sheet, which will be available next fall Taking the ACT and/or SAT Keep on track with Senior Year Calendar Keeping up your grades Writing your college essays Getting letters of recommendation Applying on-time or “early decision” to colleges Seeking out financial aid options Complete the free Federal Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) and submit it between January 1 and March 10

College?

Where Can I Find Info on Colleges? Check out the links on the Tri Guidance website Attend College Fairs Take College Visit Days ◦ Senior Year -2 days allowed for college visits  Athletes can take up to 5 college visit days thanks to NCAA! Attend College Representative Visits to Tri Visit College websites – search for the “admissions” page Call or colleges and ask for: ◦ brochures and application materials ◦ dates of their Preview Days

Picking a School How many should I apply to? ◦ An individual decision How to Pick Reach Likely Safety

Things to Consider Large vs. Small Public vs. Private Location Cost Major Visit and My College Quickstart, Naviance Campus Visit!!

Campus Visits Contact admission office well in advance Inform college of special areas of interest Learn as much as possible about the college before the visit Prepare a brief resume of information about yourself Plan to spend a whole day. Try to sit in on a class, tour the library, talk to students in addition to the tour guide, and read the school newspaper Write a note of appreciation to individuals who helped you during your visit If possible, take time to visit schools of interest during summer break

Applying to Schools What do colleges ask for? ◦ Counselor form, transcript, school profile ◦ Application ◦ Application Fee (varies) ◦ Essay ◦ Letters of Recommendation ◦ SAT/ACT Scores When should I apply? ◦ Normal versus Early Decision Deadlines  These depends on each individual school ◦ Keep track of deadlines and have application materials ready well in advance

Applications Early Decision ◦ ED to only ONE institution ◦ Apply and hear back early ◦ If admitted, withdraw all other applications ◦ Committed to enroll at ED college Early Action ◦ Can apply to multiple institutions EA ◦ Apply early, hear back early ◦ No commitment Rolling Admission ◦ Admission review is continuous ◦ Hear back usually within 2-6 weeks ◦ No commitment

Applications continued Common Application ◦ One application for multiple colleges (those who participate) ◦ Allows you to spend less time on the busywork of applying for admission, and more time on what's really important: college research, visits, essay writing, and senior year coursework. On-line Applications ◦ Read all instructions ◦ Copy everything & print if you can ◦ Spell and grammar check ◦ Press send!

E-Transcript Most universities and colleges now prefer to receive copies of high school transcripts online through the free E-Transcript (Docufide) service To utilize this service, students must create an account – a link to the E-Transcript website is on the guidance page of the Tri High website This service allows the student to also receive s confirming that transcripts have been received by the college/university

Letters of Recommendation It’s okay to ask “Can you write me a strong letter?” Ask current, junior year, academic teacher(s) ◦ Give teachers plenty of notice ◦ Three weeks MINIMUM before you plan on submitting the application Supply the teacher with a school addressed envelope (stamped) and a copy of your brag sheet Follow up with a “thank you” note to the teacher

Essays Usually required piece of application for private colleges and highly selective public universities. ◦ However, you can mail them in with your other application materials to schools that don’t require essays Make them personal for each school! ◦ However, it may be beneficial to write a general essay over the summer and then fill in the personal information as you apply Know who will be reading your essay Have someone read prior to submission Spell and grammar check

Application Calendar Jr.: Spring semester, 2013: Take SAT and ACT Jr.: Now – September: Make campus visits Sr.: September- November: Apply to colleges Sr.: September – register on Sr.: January, 2014: Complete FAFSA Sr.: May 1, 2014: Respond to admission offer(s)

SAT & ACT Tests that are required by most colleges –gives them an idea of how you might perform academically Check with schools to see which test they require (SAT usually works) Best to register online to immediately reserve seat There is a fee each time you take the test Must be sent from the testing company to the college Make sure you have taken test WELL BEFORE school deadline Scores take several weeks to get results/be sent out May want to give yourself time to retake test if unhappy with scores

SAT & ACT ACT Only multiple choice questions Maximum score is 36 No penalty for wrong answers SAT Some math questions and essays are not multiple choice Maximum score is 2400 (max. of 800 per section) Wrong answers have Penalty -However, if you’re able to eliminate choices, guessing may be beneficial

SAT Most colleges require the SAT Reasoning Test unless it is stated on the application that they want you to take an SAT Subject Test Tests critical reading, math, and writing skills Some Upcoming Dates –More will be posted soon SAT Test DateRegistration DeadlineDeadline w/ late fees May 4 April 5 April 19 June 1 May 2 May 17 Tri School code:

ACT Assesses English, math, reading, and science ability Optional writing exam –check with school Some Upcoming Dates –More will be posted soon ACT Test DateRegistration DeadlineDeadline w/ late fees April 13 March 8 March 9-22 June 8 May 3 May 4-17 Tri School code:

Preparation for the ACT/SAT Study! See the Tri Guidance Website for links The Compass in Muncie ($) (free) Use PSAT scores – My College Quickstart and Skills Insight (free) Publications, on-line and CD-Rom - go to ($) and ($) Kaplan: ($$) Indianapolis Kaplan Center: or (free) The Princeton Review: ◦ ($$) ◦ ($$) ◦ ($) ◦ ($) Indiana On-line Academy: ($$)

ACT Prep - Sunday, March 17 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM Golay Community Center 1007 East Main Street Cambridge City, IN SAT Prep - Sunday, April 14 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM Indiana University East 2325 Chester Blvd Richmond, IN Register today for one of the locations offering on-site ACT/SAT Prep Courses to prepare to take the test. Register on-line at or by calling For questions, please contact Kim Parsons from the Wayne County College Success Coalition at (765) $60 seminar fee includes; · 5 hour test preparation seminar · Comprehensive study guide · 6 practice tests per subject Scholarships are available through CIS Site Coordinators and Guidance Counselors. The ZAPS ACT/SAT seminar is for college-bound students of all ability levels. Enrollment is limited; register early to guarantee your place.

Super-Scored SAT/ACT Some colleges and universities are now super-scoring the ACT/SAT (i.e. PU & IUB – be sure to ask admissions when applying to a school to be sure) Super Scoring involves taking the highest section scores from multiple SAT/ACT test sittings and creating a composite. This allows for the best possible composite score for the student and also encourages the student to take the exam more than once

Paying for College

3 Ways to Fund College Loans ◦ Government (subsidized and unsubsidized)  Fill out FAFSA to determine eligibility ◦ Private Grants ◦ Fill out FAFSA to determine eligibility Scholarships ◦ Counseling Office will have a listing ◦ Visit the Tri Guidance Website FAFSA

The FAFSA MUST compete to be considered for almost every type of aid ◦ Asks for tax information from student and parents –do taxes ASAP Federal deadline to file FAFSA is usually in March but some schools will have EARLIER deadlines! ◦ Easiest to apply online (Can apply for PIN starting December 1st but can’t submit until Jan 1) ◦ Submit as close to January 1 as possible ◦ Opportunities for free FAFSA help After you do the FAFSA, a Student Aid Report (SAR) mailed/ ed to you February –April ◦ Review carefully and follow any instructions

Scholarships Applying ◦ Can ask for very little to a lot! ◦ Deadlines are absolute ◦ Range in award amount–greater chance of winning smaller amounts (less competitive) How do I know when they apply to me? ◦ Look at requirements on the application When should I start looking? ◦ Usually start around August –more and more as year goes on Where can I find them? ◦ Tri Guidance Office & Tri Guidance Website, scholarship websites, churches, businesses, family employers ◦ Warning: SSN & pay-based search sites

21 st Century Scholars & Free/ Reduced Lunch SAT/ACT fee waivers ◦ Allowed up to 2 per year ◦ Your counselors can give you the necessary forms Up to 4 college application fee waivers

What Happens When? Senior Year Checklist

First Semester Visit colleges and attend college representative visits Apply for as many scholarships as you can Take SAT or ACT if you haven’t already Narrow down list of schools you are applying to

First Semester continued Make list of colleges, application materials, deadlines Mail all necessary college applications by Nov 1st and call to make sure application packet is complete Apply for FAFSA PIN starting December 1

Second Semester FAFSA! Continue to apply for scholarships If not doing early decision deadlines, make sure everything is turned in by normal deadlines ◦ these vary -do NOT be late! Call colleges and ask “Is my application packet complete?”

Second Semester continued Call college financial aid offices to see if they require additional forms (housing, financial aid, etc.) Review financial aid information sent from colleges Report any outside grants or scholarships you have been awarded to colleges April/May: Finalize college decisions, and notify schools –even if you say “no”

NCAA – Division I or II You must register with the NCAA Clearinghouse ◦ Early fall Core approved courses and SAT/ACT scores (see NCAA website) ◦ Div I = 16 core courses ◦ Div II = 14 core courses (MUST have at least a 2.3 GPA!)

NCAA continued SAT/ACT scores ◦ Must be reported directly from SAT/ACT ◦ Use code “9999” Need more info? ◦ See the NCAA website ◦ Informational packets available in Athletic Office

Need Some Direction?

What Can I Do Now? Guidance Website -Explore career and college majors ◦ Indiana Career Explorer Contact schools for brochures and applications ◦ Write down deadlines and gather what they ask for ◦ Start to narrow down schools/programs you want to apply to Register for and take the SAT or ACT Write your essays early Turn in your Senior Brag Sheet to the Counseling Office Figure out who you will ask for letters of recommendation Attend college fairs and take college visit days

Keep Pushing Yourself This semester is the last semester the colleges will see when they are applying in the fall Do colleges really care about senior year grades? ◦ You can be accepted and then denied months later if your grades significantly drop –they see your final transcript ◦ Continue to take rigorous classes –colleges ask for the list of classes you have picked for senior year ◦ Continue to be involved in extracurricular activities

Dual Credits If your student has taken any dual credits through Tri or NCACP it’s important to request transcripts from those post- secondary institutions as soon as the semester is finalized. ◦ Your student will want to request those transcripts be sent to the post-secondary school they plan to attend as well. ◦ Take these transcripts to college orientation and/or when meeting with the college advisor so they don’t schedule your student in a class they’ve already received credit in.

Dual Credits at Tri * New in the school year

Valuable Tools The Tri Guidance Website! On Tri Guidance Site ◦ This presentation ◦ Senior Brag Sheet ◦ Senior Year Calendar ◦ Senior Survival Guide ◦ Can You Afford College, Worksheet ◦ What is Important to me in a College, Worksheet

How Can We Help You? Check for information from Guidance Office We schedule college visits ◦ College representatives come to Tri to tell you about their schools Visit the Tri Guidance Website! ◦ College and Career Information ◦ Junior and Senior Tab

More and more we are communicating to students and parents through . To ensure you are receiving the updates and latest information, please make sure the guidance office has the parent (and if applicable, student) address that you use. Be sure to check your on a frequent basis, as we send several important announcements out throughout the year. Also, be sure to check that s from the guidance department aren’t being sent to your junk mailbox.

Your Counselor Jennifer Carter–Counselor ext. 207 Julie Bowman-Registrar/Guidance Secretary ext. 206

Thank You! Questions?