1. Applying For College and More 5

2. Tell us what you remember about our last session: “How to Finance Higher Education”

4. What did you talk about on your ride home? What are some of the ways you discussed preparing to cover some of the costs associated with college?

5. The requirements to enter a university or community college Effective essays Volunteer work and community service Play the Quest for Success Game! Overview of Tonight’s Session

6. Standardized Tests Standardized Tests Universities use the results of entrance exams to decide who to accept There may be costs related to the exams  Students receiving free or reduced lunch can get a wavier for exam fees The exams are difficult and students have to prepare for them

7. Scholastic Aptitude Test Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test American College Test

8.  Test for aptitude and critical thinking through writing and multiple choice questions.  They have different sections: science, writing, mathematics, reading comprehension  Last about 4 hours  You can take them as many times as you like  The more times you take them the better  You should start taking them during 9 th grade All Tests

9. Students with free lunch or reduced price can take the exam without cost Standardized Tests: Standardized Tests: The Prices SATBasic Subject Exam Additional Subjects $54.50 +$26 PSATPractice for the SAT$15 ACTSubject Exam ACT Plus Reading $39.50 +$17

10. 1.Begin now - tests measure skills learned in the years — not weeks — before the test. 2.Read a lot – books, newspapers, magazines, and, textbooks 3.Take challenging courses in school 4.Get familiar with the test format 5.Talk to your School Counselor about resources  Study guides- free from the library.  Use free online resources like: College Board, ACT, and Number2.comCollege BoardACTNumber2.com 6.Form study groups How to Prepare for Standardized Tests How to Prepare for Standardized Tests

11. Entrance Exam Game

12. …and Gabe?  Gabe is working on applying for college. He is currently writing his college essay  College essays allow you to write about your personal experience with a particular theme

13. Let’s Help Gabe What guidance can you give Gabe to have success in writing a college essay?

14. What are they?  Essays are generally personal compositions that answer a short question in about 500 to 900 words  They are a place to share one’s life experiences, as well as one’s ability to write and think clearly

15. Essay Writing Tips Write seriously everyday  Practice makes perfect  Show others your writing and incorporate their feedback  Start a Journal Read everyday  Reading difficult books and articles will push you to improve your vocabulary and writing abilities

16. Essay Writing Tips The Essay is the place to “sell” your life experiences to college admissions and scholarship staff An excellent essay can be the difference between being admitting or not It is a personal essay, but it takes teamwork: ask for help to deliver the best essay possible! Invite teachers, parents, & friends to review them for you. The more reviews the better the essay.

17. Example Questions Why is this university the best university for you? Choose an intellectual or creative opportunity from your high school years that you have enjoyed and highlight how you have grown personally because of the experience. Which of your personal characteristics would you like to develop and which would you like to just disappear? Select one person that has had a great influence on you and describe this influence.

18. Volunteering and Community Service “All scholarship committees want to award scholarships to dedicated students who give of themselves to serve others.” Participating in a club or serving as a leader in a community group can set you apart from other students that apply.

20.  Each family will roll the dice and move their game piece forward on the game board the number of spaces they rolled.  Each space gives instructions similar to “The Game of Life.” When you land on a diamond space, pick up a diamond card and do what it instructs you to do.  Each family will have a choice on which path they want to seek, going to the university, community college, or getting a job.  The goal is that each family reaches the treasure that he desires. It does not matter how fast you reach your goal. The Quest for Success: Rules of the Game

21. Make a list of no less than 5 people or groups of people that can help you achieve your goal of going to college. Drive Home Chat

22. One Last Question Who can bring food to share with the class next week?