Junior Year College and Career Planning West Forsyth High School

Finding the right college for you…  Look for a MATCH between you and colleges  Decide what you want out of the college experience  Do your research and explore options  In the end, it’s you, not the school you choose, that will make the biggest difference

How do you get started?  Do your research—visit college websites (some listed in handout) and college handbooks  Talk to college representatives at West during lunch or before/after school  VISIT college campuses (Spring Break or teacher workdays are great times). If you can’t visit, at least visit online or

What are your chances of admission? Colleges will consider your:  Transcript Rigor of courses, grades, GPA, rank  Academic course selection. What does West Forsyth offer and what did the student choose to take?  Senior Year Schedule  Test Scores SAT/ACT/CPT/AP You are responsible for submitting  Extracurricular activities  Essays  Recommendations/Interviews

Beyond Admissions  Course selection and rigor is not just about getting in to college.  Students taking the most rigorous classes have a much higher likelihood of a successful college career.

Admissions  Most public colleges take a more quantitative approach, while most private colleges are more holistic in their application review. For example, private schools, in addition to grades and scores, will consider extracurricular activities, special talents, institutional priorities, etc.

Different Schools Fit Different Students: Examine Your Priorities  Location  School Size  Diversity of Student Activities and Academic Offerings  Cost of Attendance  Class Size

Which colleges should I apply to?  What do you want to study?  The career interest inventory on CFNC can help you answer these questions. Your counselors will help you with this.  Make sure colleges offer your major.  Knowing what you want to major in can make the college search easier, but you do not need to pick a major before you start college.

More competitive college admissions Why? More students. More applications. Majority of students chasing the minority of schools. UNC Chapel Hill- 30,000+ applied 7,847 admitted (36%) 3,960 enrolled (54%) Average GPA 4.53 (weighted). Average SAT (CR ; Math )

College Admissions NC State- Applied 27,000+ Accepted 10,137 Avg. GPA SAT Critical Read and Math ACT Excellent resource for admissions criteria for all public colleges: and Handout-Freshman Profiles for UNC Universities  Rather than “the one” perfect school, look for several good matches

Keep in mind:  “More than three quarters of students are accepted by their first-choice college.” -- Higher Education Research Institute

Schedule a visit: go online to obtain campus tour info. A summer visit is better than no visit

Campus Visits  Good questions to ask: What do students like most about the college? Like least? Retention rate for freshmen Graduation rate Most popular major and why? Housing (what do the residence halls look like?) Safety Ask yourself: “Can I see myself here?” Availability of classes What kind of student does well here?  Read the student newspaper/visit a class

Counselors are available  We strongly encourage you to meet with your counselor if you need help with college and career planning. Visit guidance to make an appointment.

Testing  You need to have SAT or ACT test scores if you plan to go to a four year college directly after high school. Register online at or Be sure to identify 4 schools you want scores to be sent for free at the time of registration.

Things to consider as you make your testing plans  All juniors will take the ACT at West on Tuesday,March 4 (no charge)  The SAT will be offered at West on Saturday, March 8. Fee waivers available if you qualify for free/reduced price lunch; otherwise $50

If you want to do well on the ACT/SAT, preparation is KEY  Free practice tests on CFNC  Practice test questions on ACT and College Board websites  Obtain your personalized study plan for SAT through your PSAT score report (access code on your score report)

Upcoming SAT Test Dates  January 25 (Registration Deadline: December 27)  March 8 (Registration Deadline: February 7)  May 3 (Registration Deadline: April 4)  June 7 ( Registration Deadline: May 9) We recommend Juniors take the SAT and the ACT once in the spring of their junior year and either the ACT or SAT again in of October senior year.

SAT vs. ACT Register online at least six weeks before test  More of an aptitude test- tests reasoning and verbal abilities  Verbal, Math, Writing ( Required )  Penalty for wrong answers  $51 (Seven times a year)  Achievement-measures what student has learned  English, Math, Reading, Science,Writing (optional )  No penalty for wrong answers  $50.50 (Six times a year)

. If you are planning on entering the military, take the ASVAB. West plans to offer it in the spring. Read the announcements or check with guidance.

Extracurricular Activities  Develop a list of all activities. Include summer enrichment, awards recognition. Save list on CFNC or personal computer  Utilize list during application, recommendation and scholarship process.  Your organization will save you time later !

Enrichment Activities  Summer Ventures in Science and Math (GPA 3.85) 4 weeks on UNC campus  Martha Guy Business Appalachian University  Architecture Summer Program UNC Charlotte  Wake Forest Summer Volunteer Program  NC State Design/ Engineering Camps  Check announcements daily

Extracurriculars: Balance is key  Emphasize quality instead of quantity  Do something you are passionate about  Through your involvement, make a positive difference  Enjoy your activities, but remember they may only give you a slight edge over a student with equal academic standing

Cost of College  NC Public College (Tuition, room/board, expenses) Approx. $18,000 year  Private NC College (Tuition,Room/Board)  Elon Univ. $40,000  Wake Forest $58,000 Forsyth Technical Community College Approximately $2300 per year (Tuition, Fees)

Don’t rule out a community college  34% of West’s 2013 graduating class planned to enter a community college  You can complete the first two years of college and then transfer to a four- year college as a junior saving thousands of dollars  Class sizes are typically smaller  Limited enrollment in some areas, like health careers. Apply early!

Three Main Types of Financial Aid  Grants and Scholarships - don’t have to be repaid. Grant aid usually comes from government. Scholarships usually awarded based on merit.  Loans- Must be repaid. Most loans awarded based on need are low-interest subsidized by government (no interest until graduation).  Work-Study

 Expected Family Contribution (EFC) The EFC is calculated by considering the family's financial strength -- their income and assets. Other factors: number of family members and the number of family members in college. Expected Family Contribution (EFC)

Financial Aid  Don’t rule out colleges based on sticker price alone Apply in January of your senior year

Financial Aid  Expected Family Contribution-assumes families will meet contribution through a combination of savings, current income, and borrowing  There are limited funds –Submit FAFSA application as early as possible (February of senior year)

Scholarships West Forsyth Class of 2013 awarded $7.5 million

Scholarships Take a multi-directional approach Colleges You Plan to Attend Websites www. West Forsyth Scholarship Newsletter Daily Announcements Community/Work

Scholarships  Mock Interview Committee- contact Mrs. Widle in Guidance  Park Scholarship Program “We note when the applicant is not the one calling about his/her application.” Be your own advocate.  Read the announcements. Read the announcements. Read the announcements.

CFNC Activity  Goal:Learn strategies for finding a college that is a good match for you.  Login into CFNC.Your username should be your first initial, middle initial and last name. Use your NC Wise # as your password.

Counselors C. Zimmerman A-B B. Freidinger R. Downs T. WinchesterK-Mo K. Widle F. Youngman