College Planning Night January 11, 2010 College Planning Night January 11, 2010 WELCOME PARENTS AND STUDENTS! Presented by: The Lower Moreland High School Guidance Department

College Planning: Four-part process Part 1: “Making College Affordable!” Part 2: General College Information (tonight) Part 3: “Meet the College Rep Night” (March 23) Part 4: Individual Planning Conference (Spring)

Tonight’s Program: I. Welcome-Richard Marta, Guidance Chair II. Student Self Assessment III. Parent Assessment IV. College Assessment V. College Search/Research VI. Financial Aid/Scholarships VII. Questions Begin College Road Trip

II. Student Self Assessment (p.1-10) What’s important to you when considering a school? “College Questionnaire for Students”(p.3-5) Please complete and discuss as a family prior to your Junior Conference. “Student Brag Sheet” (p.6 & 7)- Submit with first transcript request. Guidelines for athletes (p.8) Guidelines for applying to Service Academies (p.9) Guidelines for students with learning differences (p.10)

III. Parent Assessment (p ) Review “Pointers for Parents” (p.11) Optional “Parent Brag Sheet” (p.12&13) (Given at Junior Conference and returned to Counselor in fall with first Transcript Request). Remember: The right college is where your child fits academically and socially. Try to be realistic and supportive.

IV. College Assessment (p.14-35) Academic record/ H.S. transcript (p.15) Standardized Tests/ SAT Reasoning or ACT & SAT Subject Tests (p.17-26) Ability to communicate/Personal statement (p.29) Facebook and college admissions H.S. Standing/ Class Rank (p.16) Recommendations (p.27 & 28) Extracurricular activities/Community service(p.30-32) Number of applicants Geography and residence Special considerations

V. Begin College Search Develop a preliminary list of schools to research Use Naviance and LMHS data to assist in identifying safety, realistic and reach schools Naviance and other college planning links on Guidance Website Take a virtual tour (“Links” page: Campus Tours link). Visit schools Attend Open House programs

Naviance Family Connection Parent access to program given at Individual Planning Conference Students have access now-please update the following before your Individual Junior Conference: “About Me” section: update Extracurricular Activity Sheet, complete Game Plan, & add Favorite Colleges “Colleges” section: input “Colleges I’m Thinking About” Example of how to use Naviance in the College Planning process Example of how to use Naviance in the College Planning process

Research (p ) Research (p ) LMHS Guidance Department website: ( Follow path: Departments, Guidance. College Resource Reference Guides-(p. 38 & 39) Useful websites for research (p.40-42) College Admissions Data Sheets-(p ) College Representatives (p. 47) Campus Visits (p. 48 & 49) Weekly Guidance Bulletin/Scholarship page College Fairs (p. 50) College Visitation Day Permit (p. 66)

What else should I be doing? Stay involved with clubs/activities in/out of school. Keep a personal record of all activities/awards/service (update your Naviance records) Continue to challenge yourself academically next semester Keep your grades up! Official GPA/Rank calculated over summer Review the Weekly Guidance Bulletin/Scholarships page of the Guidance Web Site on a regular basis Continue Community Service or employment Explore internship options to gain valuable experience in your field of interest. Explore Summer Programs/College Courses

VI. Financial Aid & Scholarships Guidance Department Website’s Financial Aid link Free consultation with College Aid Professionals- from November’s Financial Aid Night program Naviance Family Connection Check the Weekly Guidance Bulletin for new scholarships- on the Guidance Website Use the list of scholarship search websites provided on pgs. 57 & 58 Look for Merit Scholarships on: Scholarships can be based on: Merit, financial need, leadership, community service, ethnicity, athletic ability, specific majors or careers or specific talents.

VII. Questions? We appreciate your attention and attendance this evening! We look forward to working with you! Final thought Counselor links on HS website (Click on Staff, listed alphabetically); links in Naviancewww.lmtsd.org/lmhs Guidance phone: (215) Don’t forget to schedule your Individual Junior Planning Conference (Invitation will be mailed soon).