November 29th, 2012

Lots of Announcements

Colleges of the Day

Class Survey

Writing Exercise

Game

Apply Texas Essay Prompts

Essay Brainstorming Time

Last ACT make-up date is Saturday, December 8th @ 8 am

Upcoming college visits @ Connally:

Texas A&M Kingsville, Tuesday Dec 4th, 2:45 pm

University of Houston- Victoria, Wednesday Dec 5th, 2:45 pm

If you haven’t set up your College Forward e-mail account, turned in your transcript, or e-mailed me a rough draft of your resume, you need to do that ASAP! See me if you have any questions.

What: Event to celebrate 30 years of the Texas Land Conservation’s environmental work

When: Saturday, December 1st (evening—shift times vary depending on position)

Where: 7400 Coldwater Canyon Drive, Austin TX, 78730

Sign up ASAP if you’re interested because positions are filling up! Search for Texas Land Conservation on volunteermatch.org or go to the link on the class website

Must be at least 16 to volunteer

When: December 1st (this Saturday)

What: free event for young girls to explore science, technology, engineering, and math

Where: Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum

Girlstart needs volunteers to help lead booth activities such as snowflake chemistry, igloo engineering, and gingerbread architecture

Shifts: 10:30 am-3:30 pm, or take a shift from 10:30-1 or 1-3:30

When: December 8th (Saturday after next)

What: 5K color run

Where: Travis County Expo Center

Color Me Rad needs volunteers to throw color bombs on runners and also to help clean up after the event

Shifts: 7 am-12 pm (color bomb squad) or 11 am-4 pm (clean up)

Must sign up with me by today if you are interested in doing this.

~3.5 hrs from Austin

5,561 undergrads

Tuition + fees: $6,940

Average loan indebtedness at graduation: $2,867

56% retention

37% graduate within 6 years

16:1 student to faculty ratio

Pop majors: interdisciplinary studies, business, engineering, social sciences, parks & rec

Acceptance rate: 86%

Other interesting majors: kinesiology, reading specialization education, criminology, ranch management

Pasadena, CA

978 undergrads

Tuition + fees: $39,588

100% of financial need met on average

98% retention

87% graduate within 6 years

3:1 student to faculty ratio

Pop majors: engineering, physical sciences, computer sciences, math, biology

12% acceptance rate

ACT mid 50%: 33-35

#1 Students Study the Most

Top 10 Best Value Private Schools

Please take a few minutes to fill out this survey to give me some feedback on the class. You don’t have to put your name on the survey if you want to be anonymous. Remember, if you want to see a change in the class, give constructive criticism.

Imagine that you could create and run your own country. What kind of geography would the country have, what kind of laws would you enforce, what would the culture be like, etc.? How do all these things relate to your own personality?

Write an essay in which you tell us about someone who has made an impact on your life and explain how and why this person is important to you.

Choose an issue of importance to you—the issue could be personal, school-related, local, political, or international in scope—and write an essay in which you explain the significance of that issue to yourself, your family, your community, or your generation.

There may be personal information that you want considered as part of your admissions application. Write an essay describing that information. You might include exceptional hardships, challenges, or opportunities that have shaped or impacted your abilities or academic credentials, personal responsibilities, exceptional achievements or talents, educational goals, or ways in which you might contribute to an institution committed to creating a diverse learning environment.

Option #1: Freewriting

What you do: Get out a sheet of paper and set a timer for 15-20 minutes, then start the timer and start writing on one of the given topics. You don’t need to write in complete sentences, just write in a stream of consciousness style and KEEP WRITING until the time is up.

Option #2: Cluster Map

What you do: Write a word or phrase related to a topic you want to write about in a circle in the middle of your paper. Then write related words in circles connected to that one so that you have a spiderweb.

Option #3: Design a magazine cover or web page layout.

What to do: Think about what you want to write about and decide how it would look if you had to lay out the most important information for a magazine cover or web page. Feel free to draw pictures.