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Building Your College List
+Introduction
ü Who We Are
ü Structure of Presentation
ü Your Role
ü Q&A
+Principles to Remember
ü This process is about CHOICE. You’re in charge.
ü Shift your mindset from “The Best College” to “The Best-FIT College for Me”
ü Researching and choosing colleges is one of the first big decisions that most students will make. Parents, let them make it!
+Terms to Know
Application Plans
v Early Decision I
v Early Decision II
v Early Action [Single Choice]
v Early Action [Non-Restricted]
v Rolling
+Terms to Know
Standardized Testing
ü Test-Optional
ü Score Choice
ü SAT Subject Tests
ü SAT vs. ACT
+Terms to Know
Financial Aid
² FAFSA
² CSS Profile
² Merit Aid
² Need-Blind vs. Need-Aware
+Timeline
For Freshman and Sophomores
n Freshman Year: Keep it Simple! n Good Grades
n Get Involved
n Consider taking a science SAT Subject Test
n Sophomore Year n Good Grades
n Stay Involved
n Keep your eye on SAT Subject Tests
n Athletes: Start your search
n Dancers, Actors, Musicians: Start collecting footage
+Timeline
For Juniors and Seniors
n Junior Fall
q Take the PSAT
q Prepare for SAT or ACT
q SUNY College Fair
n Junior Spring
q College Research
q Campus Visits
q Ask current teachers for recommendations
n Junior Summer:
q Personal Essay
q Common Application
q Arts Supplement
n Senior Fall:
q Overnight Visits
q Supplemental Essays
+THE SEARCH
Before you begin…
n How do I stay organized? q E-mail Address
q Calendar
q Folder & Notebook
n How do I find the time? q Treat your College Search as a class
q Weekly, consistent time to work on college-related tasks
q Outside of this time, limit the college conversation
v Parents, this means you!
+Giant Wall Calendar
+THE SEARCH
I. The Thinking Process Qualities to Consider….
ü Location ü Size ü Setting ü Price ü Academic Strengths ü Social Life ü Athletics ü Teacher-Student Interactions ü Class Size ü Diversity of Student Body ü Current Campus Issues ü Academic Support ü Internship & Career Support
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+THE SEARCH
II. Research
u Make a Preliminary List
v College Board’s Big Board
v CollegeResults.org
v Peterson’s Online College Search
u Already know what you want to study?
v The Fiske Guide
u Nervous about submitting test scores?
v Fairtest.org
u Have a specific characteristic you’re looking for?
v CollegeExpress.com/lists
+THE SEARCH
II. Research
v Preliminary List: 20-25 schools
v Subjective Guidebooks
v The Fiske Guide to Colleges
v The Insider’s Guide to the Colleges, Yale Daily News
v Colleges That Change Lives, Loren Pope
v Colleges Of Distinction [CollegesOfDistinction.com]
v Social Media
v Facebook Page
v YouTube
v Admissions Blogs
v Reach out!
+Personality via YouTube
+Let’s not forget Twitter..
+THE SEARCH
II. Research
v Another important component of your research: Cost
v Need Blind vs. Need Aware
v But also: Meets Full Financial Need?
v Examples of need-blind: v Carnegie Mellon v Brown University v University of New Hampshire
v Examples of need-aware: v Furman University v Colby College v George Washington University v Union College v Tufts University
+THE SEARCH
II. Research
v “Best Value” Public Colleges (Princeton Review)
v UNC
v University of Michigan
v UCLA
v University of Florida
v College of William & Mary
v Strong Merit-Aid (US News & World Report)
v Hillsdale College (Michigan)
v Denison University (Ohio)
v DePauw University (Indiana)
v Rhodes College (Tennessee)
v Trinity University (Texas)
No Merit Aid Ivy League Schools
Amherst Bowdoin Hamilton
MIT Middlebury
Vassar Williams Trinity
Haverford
+THE SEARCH
II. Research
v With regards to cost, think BALANCE
v Need-aware vs. need-blind
v Public vs. private
v Include SUNYs, CUNYs
v Schools where you are academically overqualified
v Check Net-Price Calculator
v MeritAid.com
v Searchable database of college-specific merit scholarships
v Cappex.com/scholarships
v Find scholarships based on ethnicity, gender, state, major
+THE SEARCH
SUNY
u Visit the SUNY Information Center at 33 West 42nd Street
u Attend a SUNY College Fair
u Strengths within the System u Purchase (Arts) u Binghamton (Liberal Arts) u Stony Brook (Engineering) u SUNY College of Environmental
Science and Forestry (ENVS)
+THE SEARCH
CUNY
u Options at CUNY
u Eleven “Senior Colleges” (Four-year programs)
u Seven Community College (Two-year programs)
u The Macaulay Honors College
u One Application for the CUNY system
+THE SEARCH
III. Campus Visits
u Organize your Road Trip
v RESOURCE: GoSeeCampus.com/college-trip-planner
v Check interview policies before you visit
u Make it count
u If you know someone on campus, connect with them beforehand
u Find out whether you can sit in on a class
u Try to see the campus during “down time”
+Maximizing Campus Visits
n Questions to ask students… n What did you learn about this college that you didn’t know
before you arrived?
n When did you last meet individually with a professor?
n What events draw a crowd?
n What was happening on campus last weekend? What did you do last Thursday and Friday night?
n Questions to ask admissions officers…. n What sort of students seem happiest here?
n What is new at the school in the past year or two?
n If you only had 2 minutes to describe your college, what would you say?
n What is freshman year like in terms of requirements, orientation programs and traditions?
þ
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Did You Know?
Demonstrated Interest
Over 20% of colleges rank “demonstrated interest” as more important than class rank or the interview.
What is Demonstrated Interest?
It’s pretty much what it sounds like: showing a college that you’d seriously like to go there. You can show your interest by visiting campus, attending a local information session or writing a thank-you note to the admissions officer after you’ve met.
+THE SEARCH
IV. Campus Visit Alternatives
New York City Performing and Visual Arts Fair October 7th, 2014
National Portfolio Day November 16th, 2014
Portfolio Feedback
Meet with representatives from 50+ art schools
Admission Reps LaGuardia Arts Admissions-Visit Schedule
Locate Admissions Counselor for the NYC area
+THE SEARCH
IV. Campus Visit Alternatives
All accessible without a car
Urban Universities NYU Drexel University
Residential College in an Urban Environment Manhattan College (small) Fordham University (medium)
Suburban College in a Town SUNY Stonybrook SUNY Purchase Fairleigh Dickinson University
Small Liberal Arts College Sarah Lawrence College Vassar College
+The Final List
¤ 4-5 Target Schools
¤ 2 Likely Schools (“Safeties”)
¤ 2 Reach Schools
Based on average SATs, GPA & Naviance comparisons
+Case Study
n Megan Fox n Academic GPA: 92
n SATs: 660 M / 680 R / 670 W
n Acting Major; Strong Roles; Camp Counselor for 3 summers; interested in small liberal arts college
n Sample College List: n Reaches: Connecticut College, Oberlin College
n Targets: Trinity College, College of Wooster, Colby College, Washington & Lee, Whitman College
n Safeties: Allegheny College, Franklin & Marshall College, SUNY-Binghamton
+Case Study
n Peter Parker n Academic GPA: 83
n SATs: 590 M / 580 R / 570 W
n Technical Theater Major; works on set construction for local theater; directs and edits skateboard videos; interested in medium/large schools near a city
n Sample College List: n Reaches: Clark University, Emerson College
n Targets: Temple University, SUNY Oneonta, BU, Ithaca College
n Safeties: Columbia College (Chicago), CUNY-Brooklyn
+Additional Resources
For the Arts
n Creative Colleges: A Guide for Student Actors, Artists, Dancers, Musicians and Writers, Elaina Loveland
n College Guide for Performing Arts Major: The Real-World Admission Guide for Dane, Music, and Theater Majors, Carole Everett
n Lists in The Fiske Guide
+Summer Advice
n Sophomores: n Near a college? Check it out!
n Start SAT Studying
n Staying in NYC?
n Job
n Volunteer Work
n Stay busy!
n Juniors n Identify gaps in your calendar, and schedule time for:
n The Common App
n Personal Statement,
n Arts Supplement
+Arts Supplement
n Common App Arts Supplement
n Other Schools: n Create a website
n http://www.aidanstack.com/ n http://malcolmhoyt.wordpress.com/
n Video or Images n Artistic Statement n Resume
n Doesn't’t have to be fancy!
n Deadlines may vary for arts supplement submissions
+Questions?
+A Word on Resources