1. COLLEGE: EXPLORING MY OPTIONS Presenters: Sheri Crigger & Quaynteece Mosby School Counselors Huntsville City Schools

2. Information for the masses...

3. Take advantage of college website information!  Future Students  Prospective Students  Admission  Undergraduate Admission  Freshman

4. College Admissions Connections  Who is my college admissions recruiter?  Why is this person so important?

5. Types of Institutions  What’s the difference between a college and a university?  Colleges offer only undergraduate programs and have smaller enrollments (below three thousand); Universities offer graduate programs up to the master’s and/or doctoral level and have larger enrollments (double digit thousands).  What’s the difference between private and public?  Private means that the colleges and universities are primarily funded by tuition, investments, and donors; Public means that the colleges and universities are primarily funded by state taxpayer funds and federal subsidies.  What’s the difference between junior and senior colleges?  Students usually attend usually attend a junior college for their first two years of school. They may take general education classes or they may take specific courses to earn a two-year degree or certification. Senior colleges offer the final two years of college work toward a four-year degree.  What’s a research university?  The mission of a research university is to generate cutting edge research and train graduate students with a strong focus on math and science.

6. Types of Institutions  What’s a liberal arts college/university?  The mission of these institutions is the training of undergraduate students in literature, languages, theoretical and applied mathematics, physical and applied sciences, and social sciences.  What is an HBCU?  Historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are institutions of higher education in the US that were established before 1964 with the intention of serving the black community. There are 105 HBCUs today.  What is a vocational/technical school?  Vocational or technical colleges offer specific career-oriented programs that last from a few months to two years. Most are specialized and offer intense training in one specific skill area.  What is a proprietary institution?  Proprietary schools are private and are legally permitted to make a profit. Most proprietary schools offer technical and vocational courses.

7. Common Admissions Terms  Open Admission  Rolling Admission  “Batch” Decisions  Regular Decision  Early Action  Early Decision  Selective School  “Holistic” approach

8. Elements of the College Application  ALL college applications require these items:  Online account  Email address  Online application  High school transcript  Test scores  Application fee  Additional items required by some colleges (selective, private, etc.):  Student essay(s)  Student resume or list of activities  Teacher or counselor recommendation letter

9. Get Organized!  Keep a calendar  Keep a file  Create a College Email Address  Manage multiple accounts and email addresses after you apply

10. Finding the college for YOU  Academic requirements  Cost  Major  Location  Honors College  Campus Life  Housing  Greek Life  Research Opportunities

11. Finding the college for YOU  Do you meet the specific academic requirements for admission?  From The University of Alabama website: 4 English 4 Social Studies 3 Math (through at least Algebra 2) 3 Science (including 2 lab courses) 1 Foreign Language 5 additional units of academic courses

12. Finding the college for YOU  Minimum ACT/GPA requirements may be stated directly on the college website. If not, search for the “Freshman Profile” to get an idea of the type of students that attend the college. CollegeGPAACTNotes CalhounDiploma1620 ACT for regular classes UAB2.2520 UAH2.920Sliding scale UNA2.018Unconditional Admission Univ of Alabama3.0*21* * Students with these scores “should be successful at The University” Auburn University3.74*24-30** Freshman Profile– “averages” for the Freshman in Fall of 2013

13. Student Services  Academic Advisement  Academic Support/Tutoring  Disability services  Career Services  Internship, Co-Op opportunities (school year and/or summer)  Job shadowing, placement upon graduation  Relationships with local/national companies  Strength of Alumni Network  Facilities  Computer labs  Library  Recreational  Dining  Heath Services/Clinic  Campus security  Policies and procedures for maintaining student safety during school hours and after hours

14. College Planning Checklist  Ideally, EVERY year of high school would include  Family discussion  Career Exploration  College interest & searches

15. Online Resources  Comprehensive Sites  http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/ http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/  http://www.collegeboard.org/ http://www.collegeboard.org/  http://www.collegecountdown.com/ http://www.collegecountdown.com/  http://www.princetonreview.com/ http://www.princetonreview.com/  Admissions Blogs  http://www.thecollegesolution.com/ http://www.thecollegesolution.com/  http://diycollegerankings.com/ http://diycollegerankings.com/  http://collegeadmissionbook.com/ http://collegeadmissionbook.com/  Admissions Testing  SAT http://www.collegeboard.org http://www.collegeboard.org  ACT http://www.act.org/ http://www.act.org/  Test Optional www.fairtest.org www.fairtest.org  Paying for College  http://www.meritaid.com/ http://www.meritaid.com/  http://www.fastweb.com/ http://www.fastweb.com/  http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/ http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/  http://www.scholarships.com/main.asp x http://www.scholarships.com/main.asp x

16. Assistance in the Process  College Admissions Recruiters  High School Counselors  Online resources through Naviance

17. Questions? We plan to email this presentation to those who provided an email address on the sign-in sheet. Thank you for coming!