The Montgomery High School Guidance Department presents…

January 26, 2011

MHS Guidance DepartmentMHS Guidance Department

Ms. DeBowMs. DeBow ext 6168ext 6168 kdebow@mtsd.uskdebow@mtsd.us Mr. GlockMr. Glock ext 6164ext 6164 kglock@mtsd.uskglock@mtsd.us

Ms. HamptonMs. Hampton ext 6165ext 6165 champton@mtsd.uschampton@mtsd.us Ms. MusialMs. Musial ext 6166 ext 6166 pmusial@mtsd.uspmusial@mtsd.us Mrs. Pino Mrs. Pino ext 6167ext 6167 hpino@mtsd.ushpino@mtsd.us Mrs. RitsonMrs. Ritson ext 6172ext 6172 jritson@mtsd.usjritson@mtsd.us Ms. WatsonMs. Watson ext 6163ext 6163 cwatson@mtsd.uscwatson@mtsd.us

Make an appointment through email, an appointment card, or Make an appointment through email, an appointment card, or speaking with a secretary. speaking with a secretary.

BEGINNINGBEGINNING THE COLLEGE THE COLLEGE SEARCH PROCESSSEARCH PROCESS

The Goal:The Goal:Find theFind thecolleges colleges that are that are the the

right fits right fits for you!for you!

DECISION FACTORSDECISION FACTORS SizeSize LocationLocation Campus personalityCampus personality Entrance Entrance

RequirementsRequirements Majors availableMajors available The school’s The school’s

commitment to a commitment to a particular majorparticular major

DiversityDiversity Athletics/ActivitiesAthletics/Activities Reputation Reputation Cost…Cost…

CONSIDERING THE COST CONSIDERING THE COST OF COLLEGEOF COLLEGE

How much can your family afford?How much can your family afford? (including tuition, books, travel, spending money, etc)(including tuition, books, travel, spending money, etc) Compare lower tuition at a public school with Compare lower tuition at a public school with the possibility that a private school may have the possibility that a private school may have more financial resources and be able to offer more aidmore financial resources and be able to offer more aid Consider applying for scholarships: Consider applying for scholarships: www.fastweb.comwww.fastweb.com is a great place to is a great place to startstart

Going to college should Going to college should NEVER break the piggybank!NEVER break the piggybank!

TYPES OF COLLEGESTYPES OF COLLEGES 4-Year Colleges and 4-Year Colleges and

UniversitiesUniversitiesLiberal Arts SchoolsLiberal Arts SchoolsIvy League SchoolsIvy League SchoolsPrivate CollegesPrivate CollegesPublic CollegesPublic CollegesTechnical UniversitiesTechnical Universities

Specialized Institutions

Music conservatoriesArt schoolsCulinary schoolsHealth sciences

Two -Year Colleges

Two-year private schoolsCommunity collegesGuaranteed transfer programs

Getting StartedGetting Started Begin in winter of Begin in winter of

your Junior yearyour Junior year Talk to older Talk to older

friends/family about friends/family about their experiencestheir experiences

Identify possibilitiesIdentify possibilities Know your resourcesKnow your resources Research and visitResearch and visit

YOUR COLLEGE YOUR COLLEGE SEARCH SHOULD ALSO SEARCH SHOULD ALSO INCLUDE:INCLUDE:College visits!College visits! Best to go when Best to go when

school is in sessionschool is in session Take a campus tourTake a campus tour Attend an open houseAttend an open house Overnight stays Overnight stays with a sibling or with a sibling or

friendfriend Visit actual classes Visit actual classes

while in sessionwhile in session Interview?Interview?

JUNIOR PLANNING JUNIOR PLANNING MEETINGSMEETINGS

Counselors present Counselors present to Juniors in small to Juniors in small groupsgroups

Counselors meet with Counselors meet with each student each student individuallyindividually

Counselors will meet Counselors will meet with students and with students and parents upon requestparents upon request

Parents and students Parents and students can use Naviance at can use Naviance at homehome

What are colleges What are colleges looking for?looking for?

Grades in coreGrades in core academic classes – academic classes – strength of program strength of program

SAT/ACT testsSAT/ACT tests Overall GPAOverall GPA Essay or writing sampleEssay or writing sample Teacher/Counselor Teacher/Counselor

recommendationsrecommendations Interview/VisitsInterview/Visits Activities/Special talentsActivities/Special talents

GIVING THE GIFT OF GIVING THE GIFT OF OWNERSHIPOWNERSHIP

The college admissions process calls for trust and The college admissions process calls for trust and a new kind of teamwork “directing” needs to give way to a new kind of teamwork “directing” needs to give way to

“guiding”“guiding” Getting to college, Getting to college, despite your child’s despite your child’s inexperience and busy inexperience and busy schedule, is something schedule, is something she must do for herself she must do for herself College admissions College admissions officers are eager toofficers are eager tohear about the student hear about the student from the studentfrom the student You have done your jobYou have done your jobin that you have brought your child to the point where he in that you have brought your child to the point where he

can begin can begin speaking for himself - Now it’s his turnspeaking for himself - Now it’s his turn

Trends in 2010 to Trends in 2010 to Consider…Consider…

Rutgers University policy Rutgers University policy of self-reporting gradesof self-reporting grades

Admission policies like Admission policies like Restricted Early ActionRestricted Early Action

Electronic submission of Electronic submission of documents via Naviancedocuments via Naviance

Test optional schools  Test optional schools  www.fairtest.comwww.fairtest.com

ACT – much more ACT – much more popularpopular

Standardized TestingStandardized Testing

Know what the colleges on your list are looking for…

SAT ?SAT II?ACT?

REGISTER FOR THE REGISTER FOR THE TESTTEST

Register online - Register online - www.collegeboard.comwww.collegeboard.com for for the SAT and the SAT and www.act.orgwww.act.org for the ACTfor the ACT

Websites also have useful Websites also have useful resources such as practice resources such as practice tests, questions of the day, tests, questions of the day, study and test-taking tips, study and test-taking tips, college searches, etc…Take college searches, etc…Take advantage of themadvantage of them

SAT & ACTSAT & ACT

SATSAT

Scholastic Aptitude TestScholastic Aptitude Test Aptitude orientedAptitude oriented 3 3/4 hours in length3 3/4 hours in length Score Range 200 – 800 Score Range 200 – 800

(2400 total)(2400 total) Critical Reading, Math, Critical Reading, Math,

WritingWriting Essay (scored out of 12) Essay (scored out of 12) You choose which You choose which

scores will be sent to scores will be sent to colleges.colleges.

ACTACT

American College TestAmerican College Test Achievement orientedAchievement oriented 3 1/2 hours in length 3 1/2 hours in length Score Range 1-36Score Range 1-36 English, Math, English, Math,

Reading & Scientific Reading & Scientific ReasoningReasoning

Essay optionalEssay optional You choose which You choose which

scores will be sent to scores will be sent to collegescolleges

Which test is right for you?

SAT II – Subject TestsSAT II – Subject Tests

Selective Colleges require Selective Colleges require Subject Tests for admissionSubject Tests for admission

1 hour in length (take up to 1 hour in length (take up to three tests on one test date)three tests on one test date)

Score Range 200 – 800 Score Range 200 – 800 All tests are not offered onAll tests are not offered on all dates – all dates – be sure to plan ahead be sure to plan ahead

SAT TESTINGSAT TESTING – Dates to – Dates to RememberRemember

DATE TEST/S REGISTER BY

March 12, 2011 SATFebruary 11

(February 24 Late)

May 7, 2011 SAT/Subject tests April 8

June 4, 2011 SAT/Subject tests May 6ACT TESTINGACT TESTING – Dates to Remember – Dates to Remember

February 12, 2011 January 7

April 9, 2011 March 4

June 11, 2011 May 6

Test Prep/Coaching Test Prep/Coaching ProgramsPrograms PSAT Score Report Plus and test PSAT Score Report Plus and test booklet were recently returned and are abooklet were recently returned and are agreat way to identify specific strengths great way to identify specific strengths and areas of needand areas of need CollegeBoard and ACT offer free test CollegeBoard and ACT offer free test preparation on their websites. Students can familiarize themselvespreparation on their websites. Students can familiarize themselveswith the tests and the directions for different sectionswith the tests and the directions for different sections Many different individual, small and large classes, handbooks and computer programs on the marketMany different individual, small and large classes, handbooks and computer programs on the market

– Effectiveness of books and classes is a hotly debated topicEffectiveness of books and classes is a hotly debated topic– Can be costly and time-consumingCan be costly and time-consuming– Results varyResults vary– Princeton Review and Revolution Prep programs offered at MHSPrinceton Review and Revolution Prep programs offered at MHS

TESTINGTESTING – Helpful Hints – Helpful Hints

Become familiar with Become familiar with the testthe test

Know how you learn Know how you learn best and invest time best and invest time into that strategyinto that strategy

Take timed practice Take timed practice teststests

People who read well – People who read well – score wellscore well

READ, READ, READ!READ, READ, READ!

YOUR COLLEGE SEARCH YOUR COLLEGE SEARCH STARTS WITH:STARTS WITH:

Registering and logging in toRegistering and logging in to

What is it?What is it?

Web-basedWeb-based Supports high Supports high school career and school career and college planningcollege planning Specific to MHSSpecific to MHS Available Available onlyonly to to registered usersregistered users(student and parent, (student and parent, and counselors)and counselors) Easy registration, easy to useEasy registration, easy to use

How does it help?How does it help? Shared resource linking home to schoolShared resource linking home to school

Organized and efficient “container” to compile a student’s Organized and efficient “container” to compile a student’s data, experiences, documents, etc., relevant to data, experiences, documents, etc., relevant to college college admissionadmission with consideration for student information with consideration for student information confidentialityconfidentiality

Greater opportunity for parent Greater opportunity for parent participation in high school college participation in high school college planningplanning

Accurate, complete records about Accurate, complete records about student outcomes and admission student outcomes and admission decisions from our schooldecisions from our school

Realistic assessments of your Realistic assessments of your chances of admission to colleges chances of admission to colleges where prior graduates have appliedwhere prior graduates have applied

Family Connection Login Page

Do a College SearchDo a College Search

ScattergraScattergramm

See When College Reps are See When College Reps are Visiting MHSVisiting MHS

• Registered users sign up to attend meetings online

• Meeting reminders e-mailed a day before college visit

Complete SurveysComplete Surveys

FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE COLLEGE SEARCHCOLLEGE SEARCH

From all of your research, From all of your research,

make a list of ten to twelve schoolsmake a list of ten to twelve schools

that are potential fitsthat are potential fits Do more extensive research Do more extensive research

on those schoolson those schools Trim that list to eight to Trim that list to eight to

ten by September of your ten by September of your

senior year and begin applyingsenior year and begin applying

This is an exciting time!This is an exciting time! Remember to have Remember to have

fun visiting campuses fun visiting campuses and learning about and learning about what makes each one what makes each one unique unique

Remember that there Remember that there is more than one is more than one college out there for college out there for youyou

Try to minimize stress Try to minimize stress by keeping all lines of by keeping all lines of communication open communication open and seeing your and seeing your counselor oftencounselor oftenGood luck!