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Understanding the College Admission
Process
WHS College NightOctober 7, 2010
Alyson Leatherman, Christine Lindberg and Lyndi Tucker
Evening Agenda
WelcomeAdmissions TimelineFinalizing List of SchoolsCollege Admission ProcessFamily Connection DemoQuestion & Answer
Admissions Timeline
Admissions Timeline
Junior Year• Generate list of schools that you would like to investigate• PSAT in October• Attend the NACAC College Fair in Portland on Saturday,
November 13• Prepare and take SAT or ACT in the spring• Visit with college representatives when they visit WHS • Begin campus visits (perhaps during spring break?)• Prepare for AP exams• Meet with your school counselor to review your transcript
Summer after Junior Year• Register for NCAA Clearinghouse if you plan to pursue college
athletics• Campus visits!• Take advantage of a great summer opportunity (internship, job,
program)
Admissions Timeline, cont.
Senior Year- Fall• Narrow and finalize a list of colleges that you will apply to and
review application requirements by the end of October• Be aware of application timelines for each college you will be
applying to. You need to start the application process at least 4 weeks prior to the deadline
• If necessary, take or re-take SAT and/or ACT no later than December
• If you have an application deadline in early to mid-January, be sure to contact your school counselor before the holiday break!
Admissions Timeline, cont.
Senior Year- Winter• Financial Aid- the Free Application for Federal Student Aid
(FAFSA) is available in January 2011
What you can do now:• FAFSA4caster: Provide you with the experience of
completing the FAFSA and also give you an early estimate of eligibility• www.fafsa4caster.ed.gov/
• Research scholarships on Family Connection• Attend WHS Financial Aid Night on Thursday, November 18• College Goal Oregon offers “FAFSA Fridays”- Webinars on the
last Friday of each month beginning in October• Webinars include an overview of the FAFSA and an
application demonstration and Q & A
Admissions Timeline, cont.
Senior Year- Spring• Scholarship search• Make final decision by May 1st and send in deposit to secure
your spot• Be aware of housing application and housing deposit deadlines
Summer before College• Take any required placement exams• Send a final transcript• Send AP scores and CCC transcript• Have a financial plan– will you have enough spending money
next year?• Attend summer orientation for freshman
Finalizing Your List of Schools
Finalizing Your List of Schools
First, decide if you will apply only to four year institutions or will you also consider community college
Second, categorize your schools as Reach, Good Fit and Safe
Finalizing Your List of Schools
Community College Options:• Transfer Degree (to a 4 Year
College/University)• Associates Degree (2 Year)• Certificate Program (1 Year)
Community College Event in May• Spring application timeline• Application• Placement Tests• Advising Session
Finalizing Your List of Schools
Things to Consider:• Compatibility of your academic profile with
each of the schools• Location and size• Academic majors or programs offered• Costs and financial aid• College affiliation and accreditation• Campus activities• Support services• Housing options
Assessing Majors and Educational ProgramsConsult publications such as U.S. News and
World Report, Peterson’s, Princeton Review and Barron’s for published ratings
Investigate the college or university• What courses are required for specific majors• Number of professors with highest degree in
field• Research institution vs. teaching institution• Number of students seeking higher education,
securing jobs, etc. after graduation• Attend a class• Meet with a professor in that major or program• Meet with a current student in that major or
program
Unsure About a Major?
It’s common for students to be unsure about their major
Inquire about freshman course of studies
Inquire about when you have to declare a major
Consider a liberal arts collegeTalk with your school counselorUse CIS career exploration
Resources to Help Finalize Your ListWHS College Visits• Admission counselors visit WHS regularly and
meet in the College & Career Center• Calendar of visits available on Family
Connection and on the Counseling Calendar• Sign up through Family Connection or see
Mrs. Tucker!
Oregon University System College Night• Monday, October 18th at 7:00 pm• The Pointe
Resources to Help Finalize Your ListCampus Visits/Preview Days• Meet with an Admission Counselor• Take a campus tour• Attend a class• Eat in campus dining hall• Talk with students and faculty• Overnight visit (if offered)
Resources to Help Finalize Your ListCollege webpage for prospective
studentsFacebook, Twitter, BlogsWHS College & Career Center• College catalogs and bulletins• Guide books: The College Handbook,
Barron’s, Peterson’s, etc.
Parents, students, and alumniYour school counselor
College Admission Process
Most Common Application Requirements
Four-year Colleges or Universities • Application and Fees• Transcript (Coursework, GPA and Class Rank)• Test Scores (SAT and/or ACT)• Letters of Recommendation• Essay• Student Activity Profile/Resume • Interview
College Application Deadlines
Regular Decision: is the most common application process. A student sends in their application by a regular deadline which is typically in early winter.
Early Action: is a non-binding early application process. A student sends in their application by a specific early deadline and will receive their decision earlier than regular decision, usually before the end of December.
Early Decision: is a binding early
application process.
Family Connection: New Best Friendhttp://connection.naviance.com/wilsonville orWHS Website/College & Career/Family ConnectionPersonal online college planning and management
softwareStudents will use Family Connection to communicate
where they are applying; to request transcripts; and to request teacher recommendations
Students can also use Family Connection for the following services:• Research colleges• Create activity resumes• Access the WHS scholarship database• Sign-up for college visits• Access college data regarding 2006-2010 WHS graduates
Application
School Specific Online ApplicationCommon Application• Over 400 colleges and universities will accept
the common application• Great way to apply to multiple colleges with
one application
Student Activity ProfileEssay Fees
Application, cont.
Family Connection Demo• Log-in to Family Connection• Complete FERPA Waiver• Add colleges to “Colleges I’m Applying to”• Click the box for “Request Transcript”• Request Teacher Recommendation
Student sends application directly to school electronically
For Common App, students must complete application before WHS can send supporting documents i.e. transcript and recommendations
Transcript
The official transcript includes completed coursework, GPA (weighted and unweighted) and class rank
A School Profile will be provided with each transcript to help the college better understand WHS and our community
All Transcript Requests must be made through Family Connection
When adding colleges to “Colleges I’m Applying to”, click the box for “Request Transcript”
No fee this year
Letters of Recommendation
Find out how many you need and who needs to write them- only ask for and submit what is asked for
All Teacher Recommendation requests must be made through Family Connection
For Teacher Recommendations, the student provides each teacher with:• Online request through Family Connection• Senior autobiography (see WHS college/career website)• At least THREE weeks notice
For Counselor Recommendations, the student provides the counselor with:• Senior autobiography (see WHS college/career website)• At least THREE weeks notice
Remember: Thank you notes are appropriate
Standardized Tests
The SAT Reasoning Test or the ACT should be taken as early as March of the junior year and no later than December of the senior year
It is important to have your scores sent directly from collegeboard.com or actstudent.org to the schools that you are interested in applying to
Schools will generally take your best combined score, so it is advisable to take the exam more than once
SAT= Verbal, Math, Writing• High score = 2400
ACT= English, Reading, Math, Science, Writing• High score = 36
SAT vs. ACTSAT ACT ACT Difference
Writing Writing (optional) The ACT essay is always the last section; the SAT essay is always the first section.
Math Math Covers math through trigonometry, whereas the SAT does not.
Critical Reading Reading Tests similar reading skills. No vocabulary oriented Sentence Completions.
N/A Science No science section on the SAT. Measures interpretation and analysis.
Deduction for incorrect multiple choice problems
No deduction for incorrect answers
Raw Score
200-800 scale 1-36 scale Scaled Score
Scores from all test administrations included on scores reports to colleges
Students can choose to not send scores from specific administrations to colleges
The Interview
Although optional, many colleges and universities recommend a meeting with a member of the admission counseling staff
During this meeting, you may discuss your academic background, high school activities, special interests, and options for financing your education
The interview may be individual or group, and could last between 30 minutes to 1 hour
Parents are often invitedRemember: the interview is your opportunity to
ask questions, so be preparedRemember: the interview is only one piece of the
admission decision
How do Colleges Make Admission Decisions?Since each institution is different, if you
are curious, it is important to inquire with individual schools about their decision making process
Typically, most colleges and universities consider:• Courses taken in 9-11th grades, the grades
earned in those courses, and the strength of senior schedule
• Test Scores• Extra-curricular Activities• Essay• Letters of Recommendation
How do Colleges Make Admission Decisions?
Automatic Admit vs. Comprehensive ReviewOUS Recommended GPAs
• U of O – 3.4 • OSU – 3.0• PSU – 3.0• OIT – 3.0• Eastern, Western, Southern – 2.75
Academic Units• English- 4 years• Math- 3 years• Science- 2 years (2 years must be lab science)• Social Studies- 3 years• World Language- 2 years of same language
Helpful WebsitesWHS: www.wvhs.wlwv.k12.or/college-career.htm www.connection.naviance.com/wilsonville
SAT and ACT: www.collegeboard.com www.actstudent.org
Financial Aid and Scholarships: www.fafsa.ed.gov/ www.getcollegefunds.org www.fastweb.com www.scholarships.com www.collegegoaloregon.org
NCAA Clearing House: www.ncaaclearinghouse.org
Helpful College Websites
College Search: Family Connection: www.connection.naviance.com/wilsonville CollegeBoard: www.collegeboard.com US News Best Colleges: www.usnews.com/rankings Colleges That Change Lives: www.ctcl.com Community and Two Year Colleges: www.community-college.org U. S. Department of Education Information Site for Students and
Institutions: www.students.gov
Career: Oregon Career Information System (CIS):
oregoncis.uoregon.edu/home/
Question & Answer
Thank You for Coming!
Please fill out our evaluation before leaving this evening
Our next College Night is the Oregon University System Night on Monday, October 18th at 7:00 pm. in the WHS Pointe
The following College Night is the Financial Aid Night on Thursday, November 18 at 6:30 pm