1. Understanding the College Admission Process WHS College Night September 22, 2016 Andre Abraham, Alyson Leatherman, Lucia Meza, Christine Moon & Lyndi Tucker

2. Evening Agenda Welcome College Admission Timeline Finalizing List of Colleges College Admission Process Including Family Connection Demo Question & Answer

3. College Admission Timeline

4. Fall of Senior Year Attend the NACAC College Fair in Portland on Sunday, October 23 or Monday, October 24 at the Oregon Convention Center Visit with college admission representatives when they visit WHS Narrow and finalize a list of colleges that you will apply to and review application requirements by the end of October Be aware of application deadlines for each college you will be applying to. You need to start the application process at least 4 weeks prior to the deadline If necessary, take or re-take SAT and/or ACT no later than December If you have an application deadline in early to mid-January, be sure to contact your school counselor before the holiday break Register for NCAA Clearinghouse if you plan to pursue college athletics

5. College Admission Timeline, cont. Fall of Senior Year, cont. Attend WHS Financial Aid Night on Thursday, October 6 at 6:30 pm NEW!: The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is available October 1, 2016 www.fafsa.ed.gov/ Prior, Prior Year (PPY): Families will complete the FAFSA using tax information from two years prior, so for Class of 2017, use 2015 tax returns Gives students and families an earlier and more accurate picture of their financial aid and college costs Complete as close to October 1 as possible College Goal Oregon- Opportunity to complete FAFSA with support www.CollegeGoalOregon.gov What you can do now for Financial Aid: FAFSA4caster: Provide you with the experience of completing the FAFSA and also give you an early estimate of eligibility www.fafsa4caster.ed.gov/ Utilize the Net Price Calculator on college websites

6. College Admission Timeline, cont. Winter/Spring Research and apply for scholarships Family Connection: Scholarship database including nation and regional and local scholarships. Local are typically available in March. Office of Student Access and Completion (OSAC): Over 500 scholarships available for Oregon students with one application. Application available online beginning November with an Early Bird deadline in February 2017. www.OregonStudentAid.gov Oregon Promise: State grant program for students who plan to attend community college. For qualified students, tuition is FREE except for a $50 per term co-payment. Must have a 2.5 cumulative GPA. Available on October 10 www.oregonstudentaid.gov/oregon-promise.aspx Make final decision by May 1 st and send in deposit to secure your spot Be aware of housing application and housing deposit deadlines

7. College Admission Timeline, cont. Spring/Summer before College Take any required placement exams Send a final transcript Send AP scores and CCC transcript Have a financial plan– will you have enough spending money next year? Attend summer orientation for freshman

8. Finalizing Your List of Colleges

9. First, decide if you will apply only to four year colleges and universities or if you will also consider community college Second, categorize your colleges as Reach, Good Fit and Safe

10. Finalizing Your List of Colleges Community College Options: Transfer Degree (to a 4 Year College/University) Associates Degree (2 Year) Certificate Program (1 Year) Community College Event in April Spring application timeline Application Placement Tests Advising Session

11. Finalizing Your List of Colleges Things to Consider: Compatibility of your academic profile with each of the colleges Location and size Academic majors or programs offered Costs and financial aid Campus activities Study abroad opportunities Support services Housing options Graduation and retention rates

12. Assessing Majors and Educational Programs Consult publications such as U.S. News and World Report, Peterson’s, Princeton Review and Barron’s for published ratings Investigate the college or university What courses are required for specific majors Number of professors with highest degree in field Research institution vs. teaching institution Number of students seeking higher education, securing jobs, etc. after graduation Attend a class Meet with a professor in that major or program Meet with a current student in that major or program

13. Unsure About a Major? It’s common for students to be unsure about their major Inquire about freshman course of studies Inquire about when you have to declare a major Consider a liberal arts college Talk with your school counselor Use Family Connection or CIS for career exploration

14. Resources to Help Finalize Your List WHS College & Career Center College catalogs and bulletins Guide books: The College Handbook, Barron’s, Peterson’s, etc. WHS College Visits Admission counselors visit WHS regularly and meet in the College & Career Center Calendar of visits available on Family Connection Sign up through Family Connection or see Mrs. Tucker!

15. Resources to Help Finalize Your List Campus Visits/Preview Days/Evening Programs Meet with an Admission Counselor Take a campus tour Attend a class Eat in campus dining hall Talk with students and faculty Overnight visit (if offered)

16. Resources to Help Finalize Your List College webpage for prospective students Facebook, Twitter, Blogs Parents, students and alumni Your school counselor

17. College Admission Process

18. Typical College Application Requirements Online Application and Fees Transcript (Coursework, GPA and Class Rank) Test Scores (SAT and/or ACT) Additional Requirements Essay Letters of Recommendation Student Activity Profile/Resume Interview

19. College Application Types/Deadlines Regular Decision: is the most common application process. A student sends in their application by a regular deadline which is typically in early winter. Early Action: is a non-binding early application process. A student sends in their application by a specific early deadline and will receive their decision earlier than regular decision, usually before the end of December. Early Decision: is a binding early application process.

20. Online Application School Specific Application Ex: University of Oregon or Oregon State University Common Application (commonapp.org) Over 500 colleges and universities will accept the Common Application Great way to apply to multiple colleges with one application Ex: Linfield College, University of Portland, Seattle University Priority Application Application usually sent to your email providing you with an incentive to apply (i.e. no fee, no essay) Ex: Montana State

21. Online Application, cont. Student sends application directly to college electronically For the Common Application, students must submit application before WHS can send supporting documents i.e. transcript and recommendations

22. Family Connection: New Best Friend Log-on to Family Connection- personal online college planning and management software WHS Website/Academics/Family Connection Username: Student School Email Password: P + Six digit ID Number Students will use Family Connection to communicate where they are applying; to request transcripts; and to request teacher recommendations Students can also use Family Connection for the following services: Research colleges Create activity resumes Access the WHS scholarship database Sign-up for college visits Access college data regarding 2006-2016 WHS graduates

23. Family Connection, cont. Add Colleges to Family Connection Communicate with school counselor where the student is planning to apply Indicate if using the Common Application See College Admission Process Handout Request Initial and Mid-Year Transcripts The official transcript includes completed coursework, GPA (weighted and unweighted) and class rank A School Profile will be provided with each transcript to help the college better understand WHS and our community See College Admission Process Handout

24. Family Connection, cont. Request Teacher Recommendations See College Admission Process Handout Request Counselor Recommendation See College Admission Process Handout Remember: Thank you notes are appropriate

25. Standardized Tests The SAT Test or the ACT should be taken as early as March of the Junior year and no later than December of the Senior year It is important to have your scores sent directly from collegeboard.org or actstudent.org to the schools that you are interested in applying to Schools will generally take your best combined score, so it is advisable to take the exam more than once SAT= Math and Evidence Based Reading and Writing High score = 1600 Essay is optional and is scored separately, 2 to 8 on each of three traits ACT= English, Reading, Math, Science, Writing High score = 36

26. Standardized Tests, cont. There are some differences between the SAT and ACT (please see handout) More alike than different SAT Score Converter Use the mobile app and online tool to compare scores on the new SAT, the old SAT, and the ACT

27. The Interview Although optional, many colleges and universities recommend a meeting with a member of the admission counseling staff or an alumnus During this meeting, you may discuss your academic background, high school activities, special interests, and options for financing your education The interview may be individual or group, and could last between 30 minutes to 1 hour Parents are often invited Remember: the interview is your opportunity to ask questions, so be prepared Remember: the interview is only one piece of the admission decision

28. How do Colleges Make Admission Decisions? Since each institution is different, if you are curious, it is important to inquire with individual schools about their decision making process Typically, most colleges and universities consider: Courses taken in 9-11 th grades, the grades earned in those courses and strength of senior schedule Most colleges require mid-year senior transcripts Test Scores Extra-curricular Activities Essay Letters of Recommendation

29. How do Colleges Make Admission Decisions? Automatic Admit vs. Comprehensive Review OUS Recommended GPAs U of O – Comprehensive Review OSU, PSU, Western, OIT – 3.0 Eastern, Southern – 2.75 Academic Units English- 4 years Math- 3 years Science- 3 years (2 years must be lab science) Social Studies- 3 years World Language- 2 years of same language

30. Connect with Us! Twitter Follow us @WilsonvilleHS We will tweet friendly reminders about deadlines and important events throughout the college admission process Remind Text @whscla to 81010 For email notifications go to rmd.at/whscla We will text friendly reminders about deadlines and important events throughout the college admission process Facebook Like us! Wilsonville High School College & Career Center We will post friendly reminders about deadlines and important events throughout the college admission process Senior Only Emails Register for the Class of 2017 email (WVHS-Homes17) We will send friendly reminders about deadlines and important events throughout the college admission process

31. Helpful Websites WHS: College & Career: http://www.wvhs.wlwv.k12.or.us/Page/10575http://www.wvhs.wlwv.k12.or.us/Page/10575 Family Connection: www.connection.naviance.com/wilsonvillewww.connection.naviance.com/wilsonville SAT and ACT: www.collegeboard.org www.actstudent.org Financial Aid and Scholarships: www.fafsa.ed.gov/ www.OregonStudentAid.gov www.fastweb.com www.scholarships.com www.finaid.org www.collegegoaloregon.org NCAA Clearing House: www.ncaaclearinghouse.org

32. Helpful College Websites College Search: Family Connection: www.connection.naviance.com/wilsonvillewww.connection.naviance.com/wilsonville CollegeBoard: www.collegeboard.orgwww.collegeboard.org US News Best Colleges: www.usnews.com/rankingswww.usnews.com/rankings Colleges That Change Lives: www.ctcl.comwww.ctcl.com Community and Two Year Colleges: www.community-college.orgwww.community-college.org U. S. Department of Education Information Site for Students and Institutions: www.students.govwww.students.gov Career : Family Connection: www.connection.naviance.com/wilsonvillewww.connection.naviance.com/wilsonville Oregon Career Information System (CIS): oregoncis.uoregon.edu/home/oregoncis.uoregon.edu/home/ o Username: Wilsonville o Password: wildcats

33. Question & Answer

34. Thank You for Coming! Please fill out our evaluation before leaving this evening Our next following College Night is the Financial Aid Night on Thursday, October 6 th at 6:30 pm