Reservoir High School February 19, 2015 College Admission 101 Reservoir High School February 19, 2015

Schedule for the Evening 7:00 – 7:25 Introductions & Opening: College Admissions Overview 7:30 – 7:55 Break-out Session 1 8:00 – 8:25 Break-out Session 2 8:30 – 9:00 Break-out Session 3 Counselors will be available in Student Services for Q&A and support getting on Naviance throughout the evening. Military Personnel will be available in Student Services for Q&A.

NACAC’s 2012 State of College Admissions What Is Important? NACAC’s 2012 State of College Admission report is based on ten years of surveys of school counselors and colleges and universities nationwide. The report presents information on a variety of topics related to the transition to college and the counseling and admission professions, including: High school graduation and college enrollment Applications to college Early Decision, Early Action, and wait lists Factors in the admission decision School counselors and college counseling in high schools The college admission office 

THE TOP FIVE MOST IMPORTANT CRITERIA

UMCP Statistics from Class of 2015

There Are No Guarantees Student Example: GPA 4.55 SAT CR 570 MATH 580 Was rejected from University of Maryland Was accepted to schools comparable to University of Delaware, Towson, Salisbury and UMBC

There’s A School For Everyone Student Example: GPA 2.96 SAT CR 440 MATH 460 Was accepted to several colleges including St. Mary’s, Hood College, Stevenson University, and Bridgewater. The student earned a 3.0 during his first semester and took a winter online class and currently has earned 18 credits.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOU? 9th and 10th graders Enroll in rigorous courses Do well in your rigorous classes Start preparing for your SAT’s and ACT’s now. Read, read, read, read, read, read, read Start looking at SAT prep books Be ready for the PSAT in the fall (October)

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOU 11TH Graders (rising seniors) Work hard to identify colleges that are a good academic match Study for your SAT’s and ACT’s Be realistic about creating a list of schools where you will be accepted Visit schools to determine what criteria is important to you

RESERVOIR HIGH CLASS OF 2016 COLLEGE PLANNING TIMELINE March Research Schools Online Register for SAT/ACT if you have not already taken April Visit schools over spring break Take SAT prep class or study independently Continue to research schools May Take AP exams and SAT’s Complete Naviance surveys for teacher and counselor recs Submit waiver of rights form to registrar Concentrate on having a strong finish to school year

RESERVOIR HIGH CLASS OF 2016 COLLEGE PLANNING TIMELINE June-August Visit schools of interest Get a summer job or find a volunteer opportunity Start working on applications and essays Register for a Fall SAT and/or ACT September Senior Meetings with Counselors Submit teacher recommendation request forms Submit transcript request form to registrar Attend all workshops to help with applications October Complete applications and essays Submit all November 1 deadline applications Take October SAT

USING NAVIANCE TO SUBMIT TRANSCRIPTS AND LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATIONS Complete questionnaires on Naviance for teachers and counselors in the spring Parents complete questionnaires on Naviance Add colleges to “Colleges I’m Thinking About” in Naviance in spring/summer “Match” Naviance to Common App in the fall Submit teacher recommendation request form 20 days prior to your deadline Submit transcript request form to registrar 20 days prior to deadline Send SAT and ACT scores directly from College Board and ACT

COUNSELOR AND TEACHER INPUT FORMS

ADDING COLLEGES TO “COLLEGES I’M THINKING ABOUT”

Transcript Request Form Due September 25th for the November 1st college deadline. The registrar will add all of these colleges to “Colleges I’m Applying to” in Naviance.

Teacher Recommendation Form Due September 25th for the November 1st college deadline. Teachers will submit their letter of recs online through Naviance. Teachers will use information you provide on the “Teacher Information Form” in Naviance to write letters of rec.

Closing Remarks There is no such thing as a PERFECT school. College is not about where you go, but rather what the student makes of the experience Spend the time, and YOU WILL find a school that “fits” Don’t hesitate to seek our help! Resist attempts to turn the process into a status competition Don’t allow the cost of a college education to cut short educational pursuits Monitor your online and social media activity Create a separate email address just for college correspondence

Finding the Right Fit https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/find-colleges/how-to-find-your- college-fit/how-to-find-a-college-that-fits-you