College? I’m not ready for college! Mary Beth Buttweiler Cindy Cutts

Week 2 – October 1st  Be Prepared!  Common Aps & how they work  SAT & ACT  Activities, service, awards, employment, Does it matter and how much?  How maximize your personal history  The college essay  High school resume  Letters of recommendation  Financial Aid  Scholarships  How to find them How to win them

How could a college not want me? A better question  Why do I want to attend college?

What is the goal?  Fit the education to the goal  Fit the college to the education goal  Fit the student to the college  Where will the student thrive and succeed?  It’s more important to get out of college than to get into it

How many schools?  Reach School  Confident School  Safety School In today’s competitive college applicant pool, confirm your back up plan. Take advantage of on-the-spot admission or service area options.

Public or Private? In State or Out of State?  Cost is not definite  Federal and State aid  Institutional aid  Western Undergraduate Exchange WUE  Recruiting Incentives

Prestigious Schools Highly ranked schools are extremely competitive. Be realistic when setting college goals. Compare your profile to the profile of the current freshman class Everyone needs a backup plan. The UC is NOT a backup plan.

Is this a good fit for me?  How competitive am I when I apply?  How will I reach my goals here?  What if I change my major?  Do I fit in here?  Does the climate matter to me?  What will I do if I need someone from home?  Will the area distract me from studying?  Will I find internships here?  How hard will I have to work to achieve my degree here?

Choosing a College  First – visit the website – Can you meet your goals here?  Talk to reps at college fairs  Visit the campus to explore and ask questions  Take a guided tour  Then take your own tour  Students need to spend at least 30 minutes alone to “breathe the air of a campus.”

Common App USED BY OVER 800 COLLEGES SUPPLEMENTAL APPLICATION OFTEN REQUIRED NAVIANCE – TRANSCRIPT, COUNSELOR, TEACHER FOLLOW UP ON ALL OF THE STEPS ASSUME NOTHING OPENS JULY 1 – DEADLINES DETERMINED BY INDIVIDUAL COLLEGES SAT & ACT MUST BE SENT TO SCHOOLS INDIVIDUALLY

University of California  Common Ap for all 9 UC campuses  2 Essays – which go to all campuses  SAT or ACT – goes to all campuses  Campus specific majors  Majors  Colleges  Scholarships  Opens August 1 – Closes November 30

CSU Mentor  23 Campuses  Minimal Data Required  ACT - to one CSU and it goes to all  SAT - Use CSU Mentor Code 3594  Opens October 1  Closes November 30

Coalition for Access, Affordability and Success  Online alternative to Common App  52 private and 31 public schools. More to come.  Ivy League, Stanford, Duke, other highly selective liberal arts colleges and research universities, and public flagship campuses in states such as Florida, Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia.  Similar component to pre-app options such as CSU Mentor or Naviance

So what stuff do I need to be a competitive applicant?  Supporting evidence that you can succeed at college  GPA  Test Scores  Activities (Leadership)  Community Service & Employment  Recommendations  Essay or Personal Statement  Resume’  Portfolio (for some majors)

SAT & ACT  Fall or winter junior year  Spring junior year  Improvement options fall dates of senior year December is the final date for seniors Some schools take only October or November senior year scores.

ACT  Subject area exam  Maximum score 36  Reading  Math  Science  Social Studies  Writing

SAT  New SAT begins in March  Juniors can take both “old” and “new” test  Current SAT is Logic & Reasoning  New SAT is “Relevant to classroom curriculum”

SAT Subject Exams  Take them at the end of the course  Sophomores & Juniors in Spring  Take them in subjects relative to your major  Take them in subjects that you know well

SAT or ACT?  All colleges use either exam if ACT includes optional Writing exam  All colleges use the higher of the two  Some colleges power score the SAT while very few schools power score the ACT  Take BOTH - twice

The College Essay or Personal Statement(s)  Purpose - This is your opportunity to tell about yourself -- your hopes, ambitions, life experiences, inspirations.  This is NOT an essay – this is your interview with the university!

Reveal something NEW about you  Paint a picture to explain things  Give your application a theme  Depth  Clarity  Be specific  Set yourself apart with your passions

Admissions Use  Admissions officials are friendly professionals who are looking for ways to admit you.  Provide them with details to help them connect the application to you as a person.  They already know how great their school is – don’t waste your words.

Pick a prompt  ANSWER IT!  Frequently students write eloquent essays that do not reveal new information or provide depth or clarity to the application.  Answer the prompt in one sentence –  “dress it up” into an essay.

Show, Don’t tell  Take the reader to the scene, event, experience, accomplishment or place where you can demonstrate your personal quality, talent or accomplishment  Write to create and share the emotions of your passion  Be succinct  Reveal new qualities about yourself not already evident on your “lists” on the application

Tips  Write in your voice  Show - don’t tell as you write  Be sincere  Write as if this is a college paper (it is)  No fluff. Every sentence should have meaning and provide information germane to the topic (you).  Use active verbs, and adjectives that create emotion  Confirm the theme of your application

Caution to Parents  Do not write your student’s essay.  College admissions personnel read thousands of essays each year. They can spot a parent-written essay within the first paragraph.  You might sabotage the application

Continue in a new Presentation Part 2