1. Merion Mercy Academy College Counseling meeting
Elizabeth A. Downing
University of Pennsylvania

2. The Notion of “Fit”

3. Student’s Self-Assessment: What does your child want from her college career?
Academic Programs
Size of Student Body
Type of School
Location
Athletic or Extra-curricular pursuits
Cost

4. Crafting the College Visit List
Family conversations
Meetings with your child’s college counselor
Attend college fairs, college representative visits
Use the internet and Naviance as a resource

5. Visiting the Campus
Ideal to visit schools in spring, but attending in the summer is better than not visiting at all.
Participate in tours, information sessions and other activities sponsored by the admission office.
Look beneath the school’s marketing.

6. College Admission Lingo
Decision Plans
Rolling Decision, Early Action, Early Action Single Choice/Restrictive, Early Decision, Regular Decision
Common Application
Financial Aid
Need-aware versus need-blind
Need-based versus merit-based aid
CSS Profile, FAFSA
Net Price Calculators

7. Creating the Application List
Decide whether or not you want to apply to a school Early Decision or Early Action
Apply to a range of schools
Reach Schools, Comfortable Schools and In-between Schools

8. Building a Competitive Application
Standardized Test Scores
SAT vs. ACT
Subject Tests
Test Optional Institutions-
High School Transcript
Rigor of curriculum
Grades

9. Building a Competitive Application
Recommendation Letters
Counselor Letter
Teacher Letters
Supplemental Letters
Involvement Outside the Classroom
Depth versus Breadth
Exceptional Talents
Summer Experiences

10. Building a Competitive Application
Personal Essays
Share something the selection committee does not already know about you!
Trite and Terrific Essay Topics
School-Specific Essays
Short Answers
Interviews
Demonstrated Interest

11. Building a class is like assembling an orchestra
The Committee Process
Building a class is like assembling an orchestra

12. Institutional Priorities that impact admission decisions

13. Questions and Answers