- - - - - – - - - 1 Port Jervis High School Planning Guide for School Counselors Mrs. Laurie Kahmar A De Mrs. Julie Balogh Di I Ms. Cathy Lane JO Mr. Chris Stellato P Sl Ms. Kate Oldham Sm Z Mr. Eric Hipsman District Attendance Guidance Secretaries Mrs. Schields & Mrs. Moraza Guidance Phone: 858 3102 option: 5 www.pjschools.org >high school >guidance All 4-year college applications should be completed and submitted by November 9, 2017 Submitting your applications at this time (or earlier) can give you a distinct advantage over other applicants. 1
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Port Jervis High School Planning Guide for
School Counselors Mrs. Laurie Kahmar A De
Mrs. Julie Balogh Di I Ms. Cathy Lane J O
Mr. Chris Stellato P Sl Ms. Kate Oldham Sm Z
Mr. Eric Hipsman District Attendance
Guidance Secretaries Mrs. Schields & Mrs. Moraza
Guidance Phone: 858 3102 option: 5 www.pjschools.org >high school >guidance
All 4-year college applications
should be completed and
submitted by November 9, 2017
Submitting your applications at this time (or earlier) can give you a
Senior/Parent information night: Thursday, October 5, 2017, 7 PM
Financial Info night: Thursday, October 26, 2017, 7 pm
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Please be sure that your guidance counselor has your updated e-mail address – this is important!!
Become familiar with www.collegeboard.org, www.commonapp.org, http://www.bls.gov/ooh/ , and www.payscale.com, www.bigfuture.org
Visit Colleges / Trade Schools (make appointments) Prepare portfolios/auditions for any specialty schools Make an Activity Sheet/Resume (see pg. 8) Keep in touch with admissions counselors Find out which colleges offer majors in which you are interested Narrow your college list to 5-8 schools: target schools, reach schools, and safety schools If you haven’t picked out 5-8 colleges, do a college search on www.bigfuture.org Stay aware of college entrance exam test dates and deadlines:
o ACT- www.act.org SAT exams- www.collegeboard.org Start filling out your college applications, especially if you plan to apply through an early decision or
early action program – SUNY Orange Instant admissions (free application!) Pay attention for contact from your guidance counselor. She/he will be making an appointment to go
over important information... check your e-mail Request letters of recommendation from at least 2 teachers (see pg. 6) Follow up those requests with thank you/reminder notes Activity sheet/Resume due October 24 to your counselor Pick up UNOFFICIAL copy of your transcript from the guidance secretaries Letters of recommendation are due by October 30 (make sure your teachers know this) If you are applying online, tell your counselor once your application is submitted Give your counselor all mid-year and final Transcript Request Forms that may be part of the
application packet Listen to morning announcements for visits from college representatives… practice your interview
skills on them - Shake their hand and welcome them to PJHS Get started on your college application essay Register for SAT subject tests if your college requires them – find out at:
http://professionals.collegeboard.com/testing/sat-subject/about/institutions#inst_using_SAT Athletes for DI or DII schools: https://web3.ncaa.org/ECWR2/NCAA_EMS/NCAA.jsp
Financial Aid: Parents- complete your and your child’s taxes as early as possible to help complete the FAFSA Financial Aid forms: in order for your child to be eligible for most college scholarships and any other
financial aid, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) must be submitted Submit FAFSA as soon as possible after October 1st www.FAFSA.ed.gov Pay attention to financial aid deadlines set forth by the schools to which you are applying Do your colleges require the CSS Profile? If so, complete this online at www.collegeboard.org Males need to be sure that they have completed the Selective Service form once you turn 18 (you will
not be eligible for financial aid if the form has not been submitted) www.sss.gov
November of Senior Year
All 4-year college applications should be completed and submitted by November 9th
Attend college fairs— PJHS Fair is the first Wednesday of November Be aware of college entrance exam test dates and deadlines (SAT, ACT)
Important scholarship information will be given directly to you from our guidance office- please read carefully and watch deadlines Maintain strong grades Be sure to send your SAT and ACT scores directly through these testing agencies to the schools you
are applying to (not sure if this is required? Call each school and find out!) Have an honest discussion with your parents about the cost of college – use the EFC calculator Do you need to attend a college interview? Find out… See your counselor for more information
Mrs. Schields in guidance is in charge of all things “scholarship” - [email protected] You must come to guidance to SIGN for your scholarship packet first week of December. Stay organized during this hectic month! Speak with your parents or counselor to clear up any
questions or concerns that might come up Make sure you have submitted all of your college applications that are due while we are on Winter
Recess (many applications are due by January 1, so they must be turned in two weeks before we go on break!)
Stay aware of college entrance test dates and deadlines
February/March of Senior Year
If you still have not applied to college, it may not be too late! Make appointment with your guidance counselor ASAP Do a college search on your own at www.collegeboard.org
Four weeks after submitting FAFSA, look for your Student Aid Report (SAR). Review and submit all additions and/or corrections
Keep asking about scholarships! Visit guidance often! After receiving your acceptance letters, re-visit the colleges. Check with the school’s admissions
office if you can arrange for an overnight visit in one of the dorms. As you receive acceptance letters, inquire with each schools financial aid office if there are any
scholarships offered from the school. Parents- use offered scholarships as a bargaining tool with other schools! Study for the May AP exams
April/May of Senior Year
Most admissions decisions and financial aid award letters arrive this month If you haven’t heard, call and inquire about the status of your application If you were waitlisted contact the director of admissions to reiterate your interest in the school.
Talk with your guidance counselor as well. If you were not admitted to any schools, talk to your counselor immediately. Together, you will
find a college with a deadline that has not passed. Pay attention to reply deadlines and respond in a timely fashion Review your financial aid packages Send enrollment form and a deposit check to the college of your choice
Finalize your summer plans- internships, jobs, or volunteer opportunities Send thank you notes to any scholarship program as well as anyone who has helped you along the
way Ask the guidance secretaries to send your final transcript to the college that you will be attending Thank your families/guardians for all their love, help, guidance, and support ENJOY GRADUATION, YOU DESERVE IT!
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Visiting Colleges
Make appointments, get business cards, and send follow up thank you notes. If you visit a private college, ask them if they will waive your application fee since you are there on a visit. (Most college applications have a processing fee associated with them; anywhere between $25 $75 per college application.)
Plan to visit colleges the spring of your junior year while they’re in session. Be sure to schedule an appointment before you go. Many colleges keep track of how many times you visit or contact the college (it shows a measure of your interest).
Research Colleges
Use www.collegeboard.org to research colleges. Note: you are considered a “prospective” or “future” college student these links of the college websites are for you!
ACTIVITY SHEET/RESUME
Make an activity sheet (resume) of your
accomplishments, activities, and work
experiences (see attached sample).
Activity sheets are used as part of your
application packet that will be sent to
your colleges, they are also used to help
evaluate you for scholarship
opportunities, and teachers need them to
write your letters of recommendation.
LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION
Request letters of recommendation from your teachers/advisors
beginning as early as March or April of your Junior year. We
suggest that students get at least two letters from teachers that
they have had recently who know them well and 1 letter from an
activity advisor or employer. Follow up these requests with a nice
thank you note (this note can serve as a “Reminder note” also).
Step 1: Ask a teacher in person if they would be willing to write a
letter of recommendation for you. If “yes”, move on to step 2.
Step 2: Write a reminder/thank you note to the people who have
agreed to write a letter for you:
“Dear ___, Thank you very much for agreeing to write a letter of
recommendation on my behalf…etc. Attached, please find a copy of
my Activity Sheet (resume) and transcript for your reference. My
intended major is … Could you please highlight ________
(something that that person knows about you first hand). Please
turn in your letter to my Guidance Counselor, ___ by October 24th.
You may also receive an e-mail requesting that you upload my
letter directly to a website. (ie: Common app) Would you also
please provide me with a letter that I could use for scholarships?
Sincerely, _____”
Note: Your Guidance Counselor also writes a letter for your application
file. It is required for most four year schools. The Guidance Counselor
letter sets the context in which your application will be reviewed. It is
important that you have a strong working relationship with your
Guidance Counselor so that she can write the most effective letter on
A firm handshake and eye contact show respect and interest. Dress appropriately for meeting with representatives. Speak clearly and confidently. Ask them for their business card and/or contact information and follow up with a thank you note; thanking them for taking the time to speak with you.
1. What grade point Average (GPA) do I need to be considered a good candidate for acceptance to your school?
2. What SAT scores do I need to be considered a good candidate for acceptance to your school? Do I need to take the SAT Subject test/ which ones do I need?
3. (For SUNY schools) Do I need an advanced regents diploma or certain regents exams?
4. Do you hold interviews as part of the admissions process?
5. What are your most popular majors?
6. What is the total cost per year to attend?
7. How many students receive financial aid through the school and what is the average award?
8. Are applicants automatically matched to scholarships based on their application file?
9. What kind of services does your school provide? (tutoring, mentoring, Freshman Experience, etc.)
10. Are there any programs for minority students?
11. What is the typical Freshman class size?
12. Will I be assigned an advisor right away?
13. How many applications did you receive last year?
14. What kinds of internship (or study abroad) experiences would be possible if I majored in…?
15. How many students from last year's senior class went on to graduate or professional schools?
16. What are some of the challenges and even weaknesses of This College?
Remember that the college representatives that you will meet at colleges, college fairs, or high schools are usually the ones who make the decision on your application file as to whether you are
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www.commonapp.org
WHAT IS THE COMMON APPLICATION? The Common Application is a not-for-profit organization that serves students and member institutions by providing an admission
application – online and in print – that students may submit to any of our 456 members.
WHY USE IT? Once completed online or in print, copies of the Application for Undergraduate Admission can be sent to any number of participating colleges. The same is true of the School Report, Optional Report, Midyear Report, Final Report and Teacher Evaluation forms. This allows you to spend less time on the busywork of applying for admission, and more time on what's really important: college research, visits, essay writing, and senior year coursework.
IS IT WIDELY USED? Absolutely! Millions of Common Applications are printed and accepted by our members each year. In addition, last year almost 2.5 million applications were submitted via the Common App Online.
IS IT TREATED FAIRLY? YES! Our college and university members have worked together over the past 35 years to develop the application. All members fully support its use, and all give equal consideration to the Common Application and the college's own form. Many of our members use the Common Application as their only undergraduate admission application.
CAN ALL COLLEGES PARTICIPATE? Membership is limited to colleges and universities that evaluate students using a holistic selection process. A holistic process includes subjective as well as objective criteria, including at least one recommendation form, at least one untimed essay, and broader campus diversity considerations. The vast majority of colleges and universities in the US use only objective criteria – grades and test scores – and therefore are not eligible to join. If a college or university is not listed on this website, they are not members of the consortium. Sending the Common Application to non-members is prohibited.
WHAT IS THE COMMON APP ONLINE SCHOOL FORMS SYSTEM? As part of the application process, schools require a variety of information to be provided by teachers and guidance counselors who have interacted with you in the high school environment. Until last year, those forms were only available as PDF files that could be printed, copied, and mailed to the appropriate colleges. Now each teacher and counselor will have the option to complete the forms online via the Common App Online School Forms system if they desire. There is no cost to you or high schools, and using the online system is completely optional for your teachers and counselor.
When you create an account on the Common App Online, you must first indicate what high school you attend. Once this information has been saved, you can access a 'School Forms' section of the Common App where teachers and counselors can be identified. By adding a teacher or counselor to the list of school officials, an email is triggered to the teacher or counselor with information about how to log into the Online School Forms system or how to opt for the "offline" or paper process. You are then able to track the progress of your various teachers and counselors via a screen
within the Common App Online.
See the common app website www.commonapp.org for all participating member schools.
For all colleges:
Know that it is in your best interest to waive your FERPA rights when it comes to letters of
recommendations. Some colleges will not consider recommendations if you did not waive your
The Excelsior Scholarship, in combination with other student financial aid programs, allows students to attend a SUNY or
CUNY college tuition-free.
An applicant must:
be a resident of NYS and have resided in NYS for 12 continuous months prior to the beginning of the term;
be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen;
have either graduated from high school in the United States, earned a high school equivalency diploma, or passed a
federally approved "Ability to Benefit" test, as defined by the Commissioner of the State Education Department;
have a combined federal adjusted gross income of $100,000 or less;
be pursuing an undergraduate degree at a SUNY or CUNY college, including community colleges and the statutory
colleges at Cornell University and Alfred University;
be enrolled in at least 12 credits per term and complete at least 30 credits each year (successively), applicable toward
his or her degree program;
if attended college prior to the 2017-18 academic year, have earned at least 30 credits each year (successively),
applicable toward his or her degree program prior to applying for an Excelsior Scholarship;
be in a non-default status on a student loan made under any NYS or federal education loan program or on the
repayment of any NYS award;
be in compliance with the terms of the service condition(s) imposed by a NYS award that you have previously
received; and
Execute a Contract agreeing to reside in NYS for the length of time the award was received, and, if employed during
such time, be employed in NYS.
A recipient of an Excelsior Scholarship may receive up to $5,500.
To determine the award amount, the resident tuition rate charged by SUNY (currently $6,470) or CUNY (currently $6,330)
will be reduced by the amount of certain other student financial aid awards which an applicant has or will receive for the
academic year, including a NYS Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) award and/or federal Pell grant. The Excelsior
Scholarship will cover any remaining tuition liability up to $5,500; and a tuition credit will cover any remaining tuition
expenses not covered by the Excelsior Scholarship.
*Note: Any award payment received may have tax implications. Any questions regarding this should be directed to a tax
professional, the Internal Revenue Service, or the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance.
Duration
A recipient of an Excelsior Scholarship is eligible to receive award payments for not more than two years of full-time
undergraduate study in a program leading to an associate's degree or four years of full-time undergraduate study, or five
years if the program of study normally requires five years, in a program leading to a bachelor's degree.
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The College Application Essays…..
Your college essay, regardless of topic choice, should demonstrate your
character and your background. It helps to set a context in which your
application will be reviewed. Personal statements are just that: personal.
College essays are not usually used to test your vast vocabulary or your
knowledge of literary works. Readers of your essay should not need an
encyclopedia or dictionary to decipher what you are trying to say.
Excerpts from the University of Virginia Website:
Fast Food. That's what I think of when I try to draw an analogy with the process of
reading application essays.
The bad. Ninety percent of the applications I read contain what I call McEssays - usually five-paragraph essays that
consist primarily of abstractions and unsupported generalization. They are technically correct in that they are organized
and have the correct sentence structure and spelling, but they are boring. Sort of like a Big Mac. I have nothing against
Big Macs, but the one I eat in Charlottesville is not going to be fundamentally different from the one I eat in Paris,
Peoria or Palm Springs. I am not going to rave about the quality of a particular Big Mac. The same can be said about
the generic essay. If an essay starts out: "I have been a member of the band and it has taught me leadership,
perseverance and hard work," I can almost recite the rest of the essay without reading it. Each of the three middle
paragraphs gives a bit of support to an abstraction, and the final paragraph restates what has already been said. A
McEssay is not wrong, but it is not going to be a positive factor in the admission decision. It will not allow a student to
stand out.
A student who uses vague abstractions poured into a preset form will end up being interpreted as a vague series
of abstractions. A student who uses cliché becomes, in effect, a cliché. If we are what we eat, we are also what we
write.
Not only does a preset form lead to a generic essay, so does a generic approach to what is perceived as the right topic.
Far too many students begin the search of what to write about by asking: What does my college want to hear? The
thinking goes something like this: If I can figure out what they are looking for, and if I can make myself look like that,
then I'll improve my chances.
Several years ago we asked students to describe an invention or creation from the past that was important to them. Our
No.1 response - at least a thousand people - was the Declaration of Independence. This might make some people think
that our college bound students are wonderfully patriotic, but given that my institution was found by Thomas Jefferson,
I have a better answer. My guess is that a significant portion of the people who chose the Declaration did so because
they thought we would want to hear about how much they admired Thomas Jefferson. While this may be a noble
sentiment or, in some cases, a cynical maneuver, it ultimately meant that we had a thousand essays that sounded pretty
much alike and therefore did not affect the admission decision. We are not looking for students who all think the
same way, believe the same thing, or write the same essay.
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Too often, however students who want to avoid sounding generic with respect to form or content choose exactly the
wrong remedy; they think that bigger topics - or bigger words - are better. But it is almost impossible, in 500 words, to
write well about vast topics such as the death of a loved one. I am not advocating longer essays (just remember how
many applications admissions officers need to read); I am advocating essays with a sharp focus that allows for detail.
Detail is what differentiates one essay from another, one applicant from another.
Instead of detail, however, students try to impress us with big words. In trying to make a topic sound
intellectual, students resort to the thesaurus and, as a result, end up sounding pretentious or at least insecure
about using the voice they would use to describe an event to a friend. The student assumes that these
"impressive" words intensify the experience for a reader rather than diminish it. Before students send off their
essay, they should always read it aloud to someone who knows them well; let that person decide if an individual
voice comes through.
The good. A good essay is not considered “good” because of the topic, but because of the voice. A good writer can
make any topic interesting, and a weak writer can make even the most dramatic topic a bore.
Students need only to recall the difference between two simple concepts - showing and telling. A good essay always
shows; a weak essay always tells.
By showing, a writer appeals to all of the senses, not just the visual. To show means to provide a feast for the eyes, ears
and, depending on the essay, the mouth, nose or skin. But rather than telling a reader what show is, it is much easier to
show what showing is.
A writer who “shows” respects the intelligence of the reader; a writer who “tells” focuses on the ideas, or the perceived
ideas, behind the details. He or she is more concerned about demonstrating the ability to be abstract than the ability to
be precise. In a short, personal essay, precision is power.
The risky. Any student who has already learned the basics of “showing” should think about taking a risk on the college
essay. What kind of risk? Think about starting an essay with: "I sat in the back of the police car." Or, "He told me if I
didn’t move, he wouldn’t hurt me…” These first sentences use what journalists call a hook. The sentence reaches out
from the page and grabs our attention. It creates a bit of controversy and an expectation that the writer might be willing
to take academic risks in the classroom. A good hook does not mean that a good essay will follow, but it does mean
that a reader will look forward to seeing what will unfold.
A risky essay can border on the offensive. In some cases, it is possible that a few readers might write off an applicant
based upon questionable taste. That is the danger of taking a risk. People wonder if they will be penalized if they do
take a risk in an application. They want to know, in other words, if there is any risk in taking a risk. Yes, there is. I can
say, however, that my experience in the admissions field has led me to conclude the great majority of admissions
officers are an open-minded lot and that to err on the side of the baroque might not be as bad as to stay in the comfort
of the boring.
The best essays are crafted not from a formula for success but by a voice that is practiced. Those who are willing to
take a risk, to focus on that part of the world that matters to them and to show the passion and the practice it takes to
write about it well, will help their chances of admission through their essay.
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2017-2018 Common Application Essay Prompts (Same prompts for SUNY)
1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. [No change]
2. The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience? [Revised]
3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome? [Revised]
4. Describe a problem you've solved or a problem you'd like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma - anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution. [No change]
5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others. [Revised]
6. Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more? [New]
7. Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design. [New]
Please have your guidance counselor review your essay before you submit it….It’s easy, just e-mail it :
