College Information

 Take courses that prepare you for college.  Exceeding minimum graduation requirements (For. Lang., Math, Sci.)  Honors courses & Advanced Placement Courses  Dual Enrollment Courses & Post-Secondary Education Option Programs  Other opportunities as they arise…  Investigate careers and skills: Naviance, Ohio Means Jobs K-12  Research colleges and universities that offer degrees in the career field(s) you are interested.  Take college entrance exam by end of junior year, seniors ASAP  ACT or SAT - Schools will accept either  Send your scores up to 4 colleges for free  SAT II Subject Tests, if they are required Where To Begin?

What kind of college will be a good fit for you?  Size - Large, Medium, Small  Location – Commutable, Short Drive, Long Drive, Flight  Type - Public, Private, Technical  Reputable in Chosen Major  Cost  Tutoring or Special Needs Assistance  Campus Life – Organizations, Clubs, Athletics  Enrichment – Study Abroad, Guest Lecturers, Internships  Career Assistance More Beginning Tips…

College Visits  Take virtual tours of the college websites.  www. youniversity tv.com www. youniversity tv.com  Meet with the representatives that visit Hayes.  Visit the colleges. Make sure to schedule an appointment with an admissions counselor, academic advisor, and a financial aid counselor.  For visits, complete the Pre- Arranged Absence form.

Students with Special Needs  IEP or 504  Each college’s website will outline directions to get registered with the office of disability services.  Different colleges may have different documentation they require as proof of the disability.  Only the student can request services…parents are not permitted to send documentation on behalf of their son or daughter unless the student requests it.  Even Harvard has an office of disability services, but not all colleges offer the same accommodations.

Attending a Technical School  Technical schools are schools that provide mostly employment-preparation skills for trained labor, such as welding, health tech, culinary arts, or office management.  Technical school programs can last anywhere from a few months to two years.  Some offer transfer credit to four-year, some do not.  Some of the popular Tech schools are MTC, The Bradford School, Fortis College, and COTC.

Attending a Two-Year College  Two-year colleges provide programs that lead to associates degrees and/or transfer credits.  They are typically less expensive than 4-year colleges and universities. The average cost is $5,000 per year.  Most do not offer housing.  Many students will transfer to a 4-year university to seek their bachelors degree after completing their coursework at the 2- year college.

Transfer 101  Vertical Transfer (also referred to as traditional, forward, upward, 2/4): Transfer from a two-year institution to a four-year institution.  Lateral Transfer : Transfer from a four-year institution to another four-year institution OR from a two-year institution to another two-year institution.  Reverse Transfer : Transfer from a four-year institution to a two-year institution (may include students who enroll temporarily, such as for a summer term.)

Transfer 101  Check Articulation Agreements first!  Will my credits transfer? What colleges will accept my credits?   *Moving from a branch to a main campus is not a transfer; it is changing campuses.  Request transcripts to from the college where credit was earned to college you are applying.

Attending a Four-Year College  Four-year colleges and universities award students with bachelors degrees.  The average cost for a public college is $21,447 per year. (Price includes tuition, room & board.)  Average Ohio Public institution is $16,908  Many Ohio Public schools have branch campuses that are less expensive to attend. Ohio State University at Marion now has housing with more being built near campus!  The average cost for a private institution is $42,224 per year. (Price includes tuition, room & board.) Average cost after financial aid is $26,700. Source: cnnmoney.com

Components of the Application  Application  Profile, Activities, Leadership, Awards, etc.  Essay(s)  Letter(s) of Recommendation  Test Scores  Transcript(s)  School Report  Payment

What are Colleges Looking for in a College Application? (As reported by OSU)  Completion of the College Prep Curriculum  4 English, 3+ Math, 3+ Science, 3+ Social Studies, 2+ Foreign Language, 1 Fine Art  Additional courses in math, natural science, and for. lang.  Research shows these are predictors of success in college  Rigor of courses – did you take advantage of harder courses?  Honors and AP courses and CCP  Grades and grade trends (including class rank) – did you improve?  Strength of senior schedule  ACT/SAT Scores

Other Areas of Importance  Extracurricular Activities, Leadership, & Work Experience  This is not a laundry list of many clubs and activities. It should show commitment and leadership.  Obstacles the student may have overcome  Diversity—Is the student a 1 st generation college student? Does the student racially, ethnically, or economically diversify the campus?  Special talents  PSEO courses are preferred only when the high school curriculum has been maxed out. AP or Honors courses may be preferred for selective schools.

The Essay  An essay or two is often required by colleges in the application.  This is an opportunity for students to show a college who they are and who they can become…it is sometimes called a Personal Statement.  Readers seek evidence of authenticity, originality, self- knowledge and awareness of the world.  Common essay mistakes: Rewording the question as the first sentence, grammar, focusing on unimportant details, over generalizing, using clichés, five dollar words scattered around, too perfect, wrong college mentioned!

 Choose a teacher or community leader that knows you best or has direct personal experiences and interactions with you.  Give that teacher two weeks to complete the recommendation. This gives the writer time to write a quality letter.  Enter their contact info in Naviance so that they may directly upload the document. Letters of Recommendation

Testing  ACT  Offered 6 times per year starting in September.  Ranges in score from 1 – 36.  Includes Reading, Math, English, Science, and optional Writing.  Accepted at all schools.

Testing  SAT  Offered 7 times per year starting in October.  Ranges is score from 200 – 800 on each test.  Includes: Critical Reading, Math, and Writing.  Changing in March: Scoring change and optional writing.  Accepted at all colleges.

ACT vs. SAT  ACT questions tend to be more straightforward.  The SAT has a stronger emphasis on vocabulary.  The ACT has a Science section, the SAT does not.  The ACT tests more advanced math concepts.  The ACT Writing Test is optional on test day, but required by many schools.  The SAT is broken up into more sections.  The ACT is more of a "big picture" exam.

 Compare 3 to 5 colleges  Naviance is an AWESOME tool for searching and is our transcript request and uploading tool.  Deadlines vary but most priority deadlines are in November, December or January. Some are earlier!  Visit the schools before you apply.  Create a folder/binder to keep track of application deadlines & materials. The Application Process

 See your school college counselor, Mrs. Conant!  Access and explore Naviance.  Notify Mrs. Conant when you have completed the application or need help.  Let Mrs. Conant know if there is a deadline for submission.  Be sure you bring any necessary forms that need to be completed by Mrs. Conant.  Let Mrs. Conant know who you have asked for recommendations.  Naviance will track all submissions and progress along the way  Pay for your application fee online or request a fee waiver.  Give Mrs. Conant a two-week window for all requests. I may not be able to accommodate short notice requests! Application Process Continued

 Mrs. Conant will:  Complete any necessary forms  Send a transcript  Include any recommendations you have requested  Mail all documents to the college if not an online app  Stamped envelopes are not necessary Application Process Continued

 Check the status of your application  This can often be done online.  Wait for notification from the college  The time you have to wait will depend on if they have rolling admissions or not.  Notification from college  Need for additional information  Follow-up on request  Application is being processed – Be patient  Acceptance or Denial Next Steps

 Acceptance notification  Review materials and note deadlines  Additional scholarship deadlines  FAFSA deadline – this can be as early at Feb. 1  Housing contract  Once accepted the college must hold a place for you until May 1 with no other requirement, payments, etc.  Student and parent will follow directions by the college to accept the offered spot…most require a deposit. If Accepted…

 Complete a FAFSA  Seniors go to fsaid.ed.gov/ to request your FSA ID. fsaid.ed.gov/  FAFSA must be completed every year after January 1 of the year the student plans to attend college.  Tax returns need to be completed but not necessarily mailed, or you must estimate and then update the FAFSA once taxes are completed.  All students should complete a FAFSA even if you don’t feel you will qualify. Many scholarships are based on the filing of the FAFSA.  Financial Aid meeting will be scheduled in December to help families prepare for FAFSA completion.  Be sure to file your FAFSA with all colleges by their deadline to be eligible for grants and scholarships. Free Application for Federal Student Aid

 March or April  Notification of Financial aid package  Compare colleges & costs  Contact the college financial aid office if you have questions  Decide what college to attend  Send acceptance materials by May 1  Let other colleges know that you do not plan to attend After the FAFSA is Completed….

Communicate  Stay in touch with Mrs. Conant through:  Naviance   Phone:  Remind   Appointments: Make an appointment in the counseling office or through the school website