1. James Hubert Blake High School College Night
Life After High School
THE JOURNEY BEGINS
September 14, 2017

2. Post-Secondary Options
Four year Institutions
Two year Community Colleges
Vocational Schools or Apprenticeship Programs
Arts Institutions
The World of Work
Military
“Gap” Year
AmeriCorps, Study Abroad, Outward Bound

3. How Many Colleges Should I Apply To?
Target
Safe
Reach
Identify
10 Colleges
Apply to
4-8 Colleges
Make arrangements to visit college campuses and meet with admissions reps who visit Blake.

4. Four Year College Applications
Application – Biographical Data
Common Application (
Coalition Application (
Application Fee – ranges from $0 - $75
Transcript – GPA & Courses
Test Scores – SAT or ACT
– Test optional colleges
Essay – Check prompts carefully
Letters of Recommendation – teacher and counselor
Audition/Portfolio/Interview – specific to certain colleges

5. Two Year College Applications (Montgomery College)
Complete MC online admissions application
Oct 4 and 5 during lunch in A103
Take Accuplacer Diagnostic & Official
MCPS Accuplacer or Accuplacer Diagnostic– Oct 11
MCPS Accuplacer or Accuplacer Diagnostic – Jan 11
Final MC Accuplacer – June 1
No Essay or Recommendations
Special application for: MC Scholars, Macklin Business Scholars & scholarships
essay, recommendations, test scores required

6. College Admissions Vocabulary
Early Decision
Early Action or Priority
(Honors College or Scholarship Deadlines)
Rolling Admission
Regular Admission
Open Admission

7. How are Admission Decisions made?
Highly Selective (GPA, SAT/ACT)
Academic Rigor (course selection)
Recommendations (teacher/counselor)
Extracurricular Activities (resume)
Essay
Needs of the institution
Responses: Acceptance, Defer, Waitlist, Conditional Admit (spring/summer), Denial

8. What tests should I take?
Ask yourself…
How did you do on the PSAT last year?
SAT
ACT
Have you prepared for taking these tests?
Are you considering community college?
Accuplacer
What’s the difference?

9. SAT–ACT Testing Recommendations
Prepare for the SAT using the free Khan Academy site:
Consider taking a prep class (Catalyst Prep Boot Camp, MC test prep, Kaplan, Modern Muse Education, Princeton Review, Revolution Prep etc)
ACT is accepted at all colleges; consider taking it
= free ACT prep

10. Score Reporting Send official scores (both*): SAT www.collegeboard.org
ACT
4 free score reports if requested during registration; after test-$12 each
Your high school does NOT mail/fax test scores.
*Many colleges award scholarships based on SAT or ACT scores as well as GPA.

11. MCPS Accuplacer October 11, 2017
Apply to Montgomery College ONLINE from Oct 1st to Feb 28th for FREE to obtain your “M-Number”
Computer lab A103 open during lunch on Oct 4 & 5 to apply online. Be there!
Only passing scores are forwarded to MC
Seniors who have not taken an SAT or ACT will be expected to take Accuplacer on October 11 (unless registered for Oct exam)

12. MC College Ready Scores
Accuplacer determines if you need remedial, non-credit courses in college
Taking it now gives you time to prepare and take it later this year
Some 4 year colleges use the Accuplacer for placement purposes (Towson)

13. ASVAB Testing (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery)
Career exploration test that helps students link their skills & aptitudes with related occupations.
The ASVAB is required for entrance in the military, but anyone can take it for career identification purposes without obligation to the armed services.
ASVAB is FREE!
November 14th
7:45-10:45 am
Blake Cafeteria
Permission forms due by November 8.
Score Interpretation meeting - Dec 12, :30-9:30am in AMP

14. Blake Career Center Website
Access College Information, Scholarships, Financial Aid, College Testing and Preparation
Blake H.S. Code
210959
Required for SAT or ACT registration and college applications

15. Use Naviance/Family Connections
(See or your Counselor if you need your password reset)

16. College Visits in Career Center
Sign up on Naviance at least one day in advance
Print out the Confirmation Page to be signed by your teacher (subject to classroom teacher’s approval)

17. Search for Colleges in Naviance
School Type (2 or 4 yr)
Location
Student Body - Enrollment Size
Majors & Minors
Athletics
Cost + Financial Aid
Special Programs (clubs, newspaper, band, ROTC, etc)

18. Sally Bengal considers St. Mary’s College of Md

19. Colleges I’m Thinking About

20. Move colleges to “colleges I’m applying to” once you have applied!
Colleges MUST be posted here to send your transcripts.
Note the submissions type and deadline.
Use the COMMON APPLICATION for all CA schools.

21. IMPORTANT: Link your Common Application account to your Naviance account

22. How to Request a Teacher Recommendation
Ask the teacher in PERSON
Earlier the better, at a convenient time for the teacher
Provide the teacher with the blue “Request for Recommendation Letter” form with colleges and deadlines.
Addressed envelopes with postage (if college does not accept electronic submissions)
Copy of resume is suggested
Add teacher in Naviance/Family Connection.
Check in with teachers closer to deadlines.

23. Teacher Recommendations
AFTER speaking to the teacher in person, you must submit a REQUEST to the teacher on Naviance.
From the Colleges tab in Family Connection, click on Letters of Recommendation

24. On the recommendation request page, click on the blue Add Request button to submit requests, one teacher at a time.

25. Step 1: Select a teacher from the drop-down Note: Counselor letters do not fall under this category.

26. Step 2: Review the colleges and check one or more boxes to indicate which schools the teacher should be sending the letter of recommendation.
Note the # of required and # of allowed recommendations for each school.
Colleges are pulled directly from your “colleges I’m applying to” list

27. Step 3: Add a personal note to the teacher
Step 3: Add a personal note to the teacher. Click the SAVE button at the bottom of the screen.

28. Video: Teacher Recommendation Tutorial

29. For MC bound Seniors….
If you know you will be attending community college after high school:
Add Montgomery College to your “colleges I’m thinking about” list
Apply online to MC in A103 on Oct 4, 5, & 6.
You will take the Accuplacer on Oct 11
No need to take the SAT or ACT; focus on doing well on the Accuplacer
No need for recommendation letters or essay

30. See the Registrar Ms. Marks (15 school days in advance)
Permission to Release Records Form (1x)
Transcript Request Forms (1 for each college)
1-3 transcripts = free
4 or more transcripts = $3 each
Envelopes w/postage stamps (if required)
Addressed to college admissions office
Scholarship transcripts

31. Complete w/ parent signature (return to Ms. Marks, Registrar)
Permission to Release Student Records (only needs to be completed once)

32. Official Transcript Request Form
Complete this form for each transcript required by a college or scholarship.
Turn forms into Ms. Marks 15 school days in advance.

33. LET’S REVIEW YOU SUBMIT online: BLAKE Registrar SENDS: Transcript
(Transcript Request Form)
Application
Secondary School Report
SAT/ACT Scores
Counselor Recommendation
(Student/Parent Reflection Forms)
Application Fee
Blake School Profile
Did your teacher send/upload their recommendation letter separately?

34. Local College Fairs this Fall (See Career Center Webpage for Details)
DC Performing and Visual Arts Fair 10/1/17
Albert Einstein HS College Fair 10/9/17
ALCANZA Latino College Fair 10/10/17
Washington Christian Academy Fair 10/18/17
Baltimore National College Fair 10/30-10/31/17
DC National College Fair 11/5/17
To be excused for a college-related absence, a parent note is required 5 days in advance of the event.
Gr Limit - 5 excused absences per year

35. Amphitheater – English Career Center – Spanish
FAFSA opens October 1st
Financial Aid Workshop
Tuesday
October 11, 7:00 pm
Amphitheater – English
Career Center – Spanish
Bring your
Parent or Guardian
Scholarships link on the Career Center webpage

36. Upcoming College Fair - MCPS Field Trip
HISPANIC
COLLEGE FAIR
November 7, 2017
Bohrer Park Activity Center
Field trip permission form is required for participation.
FREE
Bring a bag lunch for the bus & dress appropriately.

37. On-the-Spot Admissions Events
What are on-the-spot admissions?
They are local events for students to apply for admission to certain colleges, face-to-face, and get an immediate acceptance decision.
How do I find out about them?
Students should listen for announcements, check the Naviance website, the Blake website or see Mrs. Prochnow in the College & Career Center for information.

38. Scholarships Start NOW, don’t wait until the Spring Prepare an ESSAY
Discuss your personal financial need
Have a RESUME ready
There is MONEY out there, but you have
to find it
Utilize links on Career Center webpage
Remember to request transcripts & recommendations 15 days in advance

39. Scholarship Transcript Request Form
Request in advance
Include completed scholarship packet
Provide addressed envelope w/postage and transcript fee.
See registrar if online transcript required.

40. Notify Mrs. Prochnow of all college decisions & scholarships earned!
Bring in copy of acceptance letters
Please report wait-list & denials, too
Acceptance data tracked by MCPS
Scholarship data reported to Superintendent
Provide copy of scholarship award letters

41. Too Much Information? Check out the College and Career Bulletin Board

42. School Counseling Staff See your counselor to discuss post-secondary plans
Ms. Conter A-D
Ms. Hayes E - Ki
Ms. Baer Kj- Pa
Ms. Valle Pb - R
Ms. Costenbader S - Z
Ms. Smith Grade 9
Mr. Tolbert Grade 9
Mrs. Prochnow College & Career Coordinator
Ms. Marks School Registrar
Mr. Jennings ACES Coach