JUNIOR PARENT NIGHTWelcome! Thank you for coming!

TOPICS WE WILL GO OVER TONIGHT INCLUDE…

SAT / ACT

College Applications

The Common App

College Search on NavianceSummer

Opportunities

How to choose a collegeNEW! Senior

student/parent panel

College Visits

Course selection

Financial Aid / Scholarships

Lottery Money $

College

Philosophy

HOW TO CHOOSE A COLLEGE

Step 1: Education, Self-Evaluation, and Preparing to ApplyJunior Year Spring and Summer

Step 2: Shopping for CollegesJunior Year Spring, Summer and Senior Year Fall

Step 3: Choosing and Applying to CollegesSenior Year Fall and Winter

Step 4: Making a College ChoiceSenior Year Fall, Winter, Spring

STEP 1: EDUCATION, SELF-EVALUATION, AND PREPARING TO APPLY

JUNIOR YEAR SPRING AND SUMMER

Educate yourself – Naviance college search can help you!Six Key Issues to Examine:

• Academic Program• Size: College or University• Geography/Location• School Culture• Cost/Financial Aid• Selectivity

ACADEMIC PROGRAM: LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES

HumanitiesHistory, English, Philosophy, Theology, Languages

Math and SciencesVisual and Performing ArtsSocial Sciences

Psychology, Economics, Sociology, Political ScienceInterdisciplinary Majors: (Interdisciplinary majors allow students to construct a college major with

courses from various departments within a college or university) Internet Studies Environmental Policy and Planning Earth and Ocean Sciences African American Studies Non-Profit Management

ACADEMIC PROGRAM: PRE-PROFESSIONAL

NursingEngineeringEducationBusinessPhysical TherapyArt

LIBERAL ARTS VS. PRE-PROFESSIONALLiberal ArtsPrepares for nothing?Prepares for Everything!Classical EducationDevelops Skills:

Problem SolvingWritingResearch

Pre-professionalPrepares for ProfessionOffers license, credential, and/or state certificationDevelops SkillsDownside?

Less flexibilityFor the Student who is Career Certain

SIZE: COLLEGE VS. UNIVERSITY

CollegeOne missionSmall classesClose student/faculty relationshipsOpportunities for several interestsResearchLess diverse

UniversityCollection of collegesDiversityMore programsMore and less flexibilityLots of stimulationBig classesTA’s

GEOGRAPHY SCHOOL CULTURE

Urban vs. RuralPlanes, Trains, AutomobilesCost of travelWeather

Liberal vs. ConservativeReligious AffiliationHighly Intellectual/Party SchoolCommitment to DiversityHBCU’sSingle Sex vs. Coed

WHAT MATTERS IN THE COLLEGE APPLICATION

GPA and Course Rigor #1! (especially for Honors Colleges)

School reputation ACT/SAT Scores *Some schools are test optional*

Resume - athletics, activities, community service, work

Essays

Letters of recommendation

Question to think about…

How does my academic profile match up to the admitted student profile at those schools I am considering?

STEP 2:SHOPPING FOR COLLEGES

(Junior Year Spring, Summer and Senior Year Fall)

Junior student/parent meetings to begin in March – look for letter to schedule

Register for the SAT and/or ACT (3 left for SAT / 2 for ACT)

Study for SAT and/or ACTVisit, visit, and visit more colleges! 2 excused absences allowed

Do well in classCultivate teacher relationships – they will be writing your rec. letters!

Plan for the summer – see “summer opportunities” on the Guidance webpage

COURSE SELECTION FOR NEXT YEAR’S CLASSES WILL BEGIN NEXT

WEEK!

**New courses for 2014/2015 school year**AP Chemistry

Honors Physics II

SAT TEST DATES ACT TEST DATESMarch 8th Register by Feb. 7th

May 3rd Register by April 4th

June 7th Register by May 9th

Where to register:

www.collegeboard.org

or

www.sat.org/register

(Feb. 8th) (Deadline passed)

April 12th Register by March 7th

June 14th Register by May 9th

Where to register:

www.actstudent.org/start

STEP 3: CHOOSING AND APPLYING TO COLLEGES

COLLEGE APPLICATIONS 101

Two Options:

School specific applications or

Common Application

SCHOOL SPECIFIC APPLICATIONS

Students go to college website and click APPLY Students will need a copy of their unofficial transcript Students send their ACT/SAT scores directly to each college Application may include an essay or short answer. No essay is optional, students should fill out ALL parts of application

Letters of recommendation not required Examples of School Specific Applications

USC, CofC, Clemson, Alabama, Auburn, Georgia

COMMON APPLICATIONWWW.COMMONAPP.ORG

Mostly private schools One application, but each college may have one or more “supplements”

Require letters of recommendation (at least one teacher, one counselor)

Mid year report Due Dates vary!!!

MORE APPLICATION INFORMATION Early Action – Early deadlines, with early responses – *CAUTION*

Early Decision – Binding agreement – mostly private schools *CAUTION*

Rolling Admission – window of time, when all spots are filled, window closes

Deferred – means they are waiting on more information – mid year reports, updated SAT/ACT, letter of recommendation

NAVIANCE AND THE COLLEGE APPLICATION

Naviance serves as a “holding tank” for transcripts, letters of recommendation and counselor forms

Teachers upload letters into Naviance –they do not go through student

Counselors send material in Naviance – either to Common Application or electronically to the school

Naviance is only as good as the student keeps it

STEP 4: MAKING A COLLEGE CHOICE /

COLLEGE PHILOSOPHY Be realistic Choose 5-6 schools that you can live with. One dream school, two or three mid range schools and one safety

Visit the campuses – ask questions. Be an educated consumer Talk to graduates, current students Check out the requirements for the major and general education courses

FINANCIAL AID/SCHOLARSHIPS Take a look at the Guidance Web Page under “Scholarships”

Never too early to look for $$

FAFSA Form – Free Application for Federal Student Aid – for your students – will be based on 2014 Tax Return (can’t be filed until January 1, 2015)

South Carolina Lottery Money

FINANCIAL AIDCost of Attendance: Tuition, Room/Board, Fees, Books,

Living ExpensesFinancial Aid = Cost of Attendance - Family Contributions Types of Financial Aid: Need Based vs. Merit“Need Blind” vs. “Need Aware”Need Based Aid: Loans, Grants, WorkGapping: Need minus offer Outside Scholarships

FINANCIAL AID EXAMPLE

Cost of Attendance $55,000Est. Family Contribution $10,000

Determined by FAFSA, CSS ProfileFinancial Aid = $45,000Questions: What % of $45,000

Loan? Work Study? Grant?

BREAKDOWN OF LOTTERY SCHOLARSHIP MONEY

Palmetto Scholarship: $6,700 Criteria

1. 1400 SAT/ 32 ACT and 4.0 SCUGP 2. 1200 SAT/ 27 ACT, 3.5 SCUGP and Top 6% (Sophomore or Junior Year)

Life Scholarship: $5,000 Criteria:

Must meet 2 out of 3 1100 SAT / 24 ACT, 3.0 on SCUGP, top 30% of class

Hope Scholarship: $2,800 Criteria:

3.0 on SCUGP alone

JUNIORS AND SENIORS WILL BE SPLIT NEXT YEAR BETWEEN

MS. GASTALDI & MS. SALLEY

Ms. Gastaldi Last names A-K

Ms. Salley Last names L-Z

QUESTIONS?

Thank you for coming! Have a great evening!