Junior Family College Night Wilsonville High School March 3, 2011 Alyson Leatherman, Christine Lindberg and Lyndi Tucker

Evening Agenda Welcome College Planning Timeline College Exploration Standardized Tests Preparing for Senior Year Community College Question & Answer

To Begin… College planning may seem overwhelming, so it is important to take it one step at a time This evening is the first step in your family’s preparation for college Remember: Preparing for college is a process, not an event

College Planning Timeline Junior Year  Investigate and explore colleges and universities  Attend the PNACAC College Fair in Portland on March 27 at the University of Portland  Prepare for and take SAT or ACT in the spring  Begin campus visits (perhaps during spring break?)  Prepare for AP exams  Register for NCAA Clearinghouse if you plan to pursue college athletics (  Continue to maintain a challenging academic schedule  Meet with your school counselor to review your transcript and forecast schedule for senior year

College Planning Timeline, cont. Senior Year  If necessary, re-take SAT and/or ACT during the fall semester  Finalize list of colleges  Complete applications  Complete the FAFSA for financial aid  Conduct scholarship search

College Exploration Who am I?  What are my interests?  How do I learn?  What do I want? Exploration

College Exploration What is Important to Your College Experience? Things to Consider  Location and size  Majors and educational programs  Type of school and degrees offered  Admission programs and requirements  Cost of attendance and financial aid  College affiliation and accreditation  Campus activities  Support services  Housing options

Unsure About a Major? It is common for students to be unsure about their major Inquire about freshman course of studies Inquire about when you have to declare a major Consider a liberal arts college Talk with your school counselor Use Career Information Systems (CIS)

Assessing Majors and Educational Programs Consult publications such as U.S. News and World Report, Peterson’s, Princeton Review and Barron’s for published ratings Investigate the college or university  What courses are required for specific majors  Number of professors with highest degree in field  Research institution vs. teaching institution  Number of students seeking higher education, securing jobs, etc. after graduation  Attend a class  Meet with a professor in that major or program  Meet with a current student in that major or program

Collect Information Family Connection Other Sources  WHS College & Career Center Guide books: The College Board Handbook, Kaplan, Princeton Review, Barron’s, Peterson’s, etc.  College websites  College representatives and college fairs  Facebook, Twitter, College Blogs  Parents, students, and alumni  Indicate to colleges on PSAT, SAT, ACT and AP registration that you are interested in receiving information regarding their school Exploration Information

Campus Visits One of the best ways to investigate a college or university and collect valuable information Spring break and spring campus visit days Summertime is not as helpful because students are not on campus Visit several different colleges to get best perspective Contact the admission office/campus visit coordinator to arrange your visit Be sure to write thank you notes to anyone that you meet with during your visit

Campus Visits, cont. Take a campus tour Attend a class Eat in campus dining hall Talk with students and faculty Meet with an Admission Counselor  Verify admission requirements  Determine actual college costs  Ask about financial aid opportunities  Investigate your academic program  Discuss your chances for success: Admission Graduation Placement Overnight visit (if offered)

What To Do With All the Info? Be organized  Create a filing system for your college materials  Create an electronic folder for college s Keep only the materials that are of interest to you Record impressions from college visits

Standardized Tests Almost all colleges accept either the SAT Reasoning Test or the ACT for admission Some schools will state a preference and you should always check with the admissions office for specific requirements The only sure way to see on which exam you will perform better is to take both tests and compare your scores Exploration Information Tests

Standardized Tests, cont. The SAT Reasoning Test or the ACT should be taken as early as March of the junior year and no later than December of the senior year To register for the SAT, visit and to register for the ACT, visit You will create a username and password. Be sure to keep it in a safe place as you may need it at a later time

Standardized Tests, cont. The SAT will be offered on May 7 and June 4. The cost is $47.00 The ACT will be offered on April 9 and June 11. The cost is $48.00 If you have some schools in mind already, send your scores directly to the schools The WHS CEEB code or school code is

Standardized Tests, cont. WHS offers a SAT prep course for English and Math that begins on March 6. Another course will be offered in the Fall. Other ways to prepare include: Kaplan course, College & Career Center, free online resources and local library Schools will generally take your best combined score, so it is advisable to take the exam more than once SAT= Verbal, Math, Writing  High score = 2400 ACT= English, Reading, Math, Science, Writing  High score = 36

Standardized Tests, cont. Some colleges and universities also require SAT Subject Tests for admission You should check with the admissions office for specific test requirements jects.aspx jects.aspx It’s advisable to take the SAT Subject Tests as soon as you have completed a course in that subject area

Preparing for Senior Year College Admission Academic Requirements  Colleges and universities consider the courses taken in 9 th, 10 th and 11 th grade and the grades earned in those courses, and the strength of senior schedule  Requirements include: English- 4 years Math- 3 years Science- 3 years (2 years must be lab science) Social Studies- 3 years World Language- 2 years of same language  University of California System also requires 1 year of the same visual or performing art  ‘D’ Policy

Preparing for Senior Year, cont. Meet with your school counselor to review your transcript and discuss your senior schedule  Consider AP Courses- forecasting February 28 – March 11, 2011 Cumulative Grade Point Averages (GPAs)  Automatic Admit vs. Comprehensive Review  OUS Recommended GPAs U of O – 3.4 OSU – 3.0 PSU – 3.0 OIT – 3.0 Eastern, Western, Southern – 2.75

Preparing for Senior Year, cont. Meaningful Summer Activity  Employment  Volunteer  Academic program  Leadership camps Exploration Information Tests Summer Experience

Preparing for Senior Year, cont. Student Activity Profile  Organizing your activities in a readable, concise and clear manner allows admission counselors to quickly review your extracurricular activities and how you might contribute to their college  If you decide to include a student activity profile or resume with your application materials: Utilize Family Connection Seek assistance for how to develop your profile- there are many acceptable formats Highlight your strengths and accomplishments Be honest- don’t embellish! Quantify your involvement (years, hours, etc.) Do not include things that happened before freshmen year

Categorizing Your Options Safety 50/50 or Good Fit Reach

Community College Program Options:  Transfer Degree (to a 4 Year College/University)  Associates Degree (2 Year)  Certificate Program (1 Year) Admission Process  Online application completed in spring of senior year  Placement Tests  Advising Session Community College Event March 31 at 6:30 p.m. CCC and PCC representatives will present

Family Connection: New Best Friend Web-based software purchased by the district to assist in the college planning process or WHS Website/College & Career/Family Connection Username: WHS student / Password: student ID  Example: / Password: Research colleges Create activity resumes Sign-up for college visits Access college data regarding WHS graduates

Family Connection: New Best Friend Students will use Family Connection during their senior year to:  Communicate where they are applying  Request transcripts  Request teacher recommendations  Access the WHS scholarship database

Career Information Systems (CIS) Web-based software purchased by the district to provide a system of occupational and educational information to help students learn about the world of work and education.  Username: Wilsonville  Password: wildcats CIS services include: multiple self assessments, college searches, and career searches Students can maintain an individual career planning portfolio

As a Parent, What Can I Do? Stay active in your child’s academic planning  Ask questions and have high expectations Make contact with your child’s school counselor and the college and career coordinator  They are available to help and have a wealth of information! Discuss college with your child and be active in their research  How far is too far? Size? Does it have an academic program of interest? Stay informed and be available to provide support  If possible, visit schools with your child, help your child organize application materials, etc.

Helpful College Websites WHS: SAT and ACT: Financial Aid and Scholarships: NCAA Clearing House:

Helpful College Websites College Search: Family Connection: CollegeBoard: US News Best Colleges: Colleges That Change Lives: Community and Two Year Colleges: U. S. Department of Education Information Site for Students and Institutions: Career: Oregon Career Information System (CIS): oregoncis.uoregon.edu/home/ oregoncis.uoregon.edu/home/

Question & Answer

Thank You for Coming! Please fill out our evaluation before leaving this evening. Our next college night is the Community College Event on March 31, 2011 at 6:30 p.m. in the WHS Pointe The first college night of senior year will be in early October