Welcome to Senior Year!

1. Welcome to Senior Year! Ms. Raffay A-F Mrs. Gilsdorf G-M Ms. Cooper N-Z

2. You will survive Senior year… See what the GHS Class of 2013 accomplished!

3. GHS Class of 2013

4. Postsecondary Plans for Class of 2013 Where did they go???

5. “College is a match to be made, not a prize to be won.” -Frank Sachs, The Blake School

6. A few reminders from last year… • Remember to apply to a safety school, “possibility” schools, and a “reach” school • The only way to guarantee a denial is to not apply…rejection is part of the process • Have weekly meetings with your parents to talk about your progress • Schedule final college visits and interviews if necessary • Technology first impressions

7. Do not fear the unknown! What is coming my way? See the Calendars & Organization Tools packet!

8. Application Components • Student Online Application • Name and address, the basics • Résumé or activity list • Essay (when requested) • Supplements as required by colleges • Application fee • Official test scores • Transcript • School Profile • Counselor letter of recommendation (when required) • Secondary school report/ counselor report • Teacher letter of recommendation (when required)

9. How to Apply to College

10. Step 1:Have all of the appropriate accounts set up! 1 • Naviance: Have a valid Naviance Student Account • Common Application: Create a Common App Account & write down your username & password! • FERPA: Complete the FERPA waiver in Common App if applicable

11. Step 2: Fill out the online application(s)! 2 • Where do I find the application? • Is it a Common App school?

12. 3 Step 3: Add all of your colleges to Naviance! • See page 4 for screen shots! • Matching your Naviance account with your Common App account 3

13. Step 4: Request teacher & counselor letters of recommendation 4 • Are they required? • What it means to the teacher/counselor to write a letter • Requesting a teacher letter (see form) • Requesting a counselor letter (see form)

14. What if I already requested teacher letters using the old form?

15. Ten Days! The more time you give us the better!

16. Step 5: Send ACT and/or SAT scores 5 • Have official SAT & ACT scores sent directly from the testing agency to your particular college. • www.collegeboard.org • www.actstudent.org 5 Yellow Sheet

17. Step 6:Requesting a Transcript! 6 Blue Sheet • One BLUE Form for every school to which you apply. • We cannot send your transcript until we have this form on file! • TEN DAYS before you want your materials to be submitted! • Requesting a transcript in Naviance

18. Watch and learn!

19. You MUST turn in your BLUE form at least TEN DAYS! Before you want your transcript to be sent! ***See Important Counseling Office Deadlines!***

20. Step 7: Follow up! 7 • You did it! Let your counselor know of application outcome. • Especially if you have been waitlisted, as it is important to follow-up with the college. • Other things to know… • How to know that my materials got to my college • How to transfer college credits…and what to mark in Common App about it!

21. Reminder: What Your School Counselor Does NOT Send to Colleges • Test Scores • Teacher Letters of Recommendation • Transcripts from Kenyon, COTC, OSU, or Denison

22. Once you’ve done all of this work…how do they make the decision? Admitted deferred waitlisted denied

23. If this is how you’re now feeling… Don’t worry! We are going to be with you every step of the way!

24. How do I keep track of it all? • Use your “How to Apply to College” packet • Stay organized! Let’s reference your Calendars & Organization Tools packet!

25. What other students do: • Folders  Make a folder for all of your college-related papers. • Lists  List each school in the order of the first deadline you are trying to meet. • Excel Sheets  Use Excel to keep track of each school, deadlines, cost, etc. • Naviance  has deadlines and links to the college’s website Knowing your deadlines…

26. Types of Application Deadlines Regular Decision: • Students submit an application by a specified date and receive a decision in a clearly stated period of time. Commitment Level: Non-binding

27. Types of Application Deadlines What does it mean if they use rolling admission? • Institutions review applications as they are submitted and render admission decisionsthroughout the admission cycle until a specified, regular deadline.

28. Types of Application Deadlines Early Action: • Students apply early and receive a decision well in advance of the institution’s regular response date. Commitment Level: Non-binding

29. Types of Application Deadlines Early Decision: • Students make a commitment to a first-choice institution where, if admitted they definitely will enroll. The application deadline and decision deadline occur early. Commitment Level: Binding!

30. Types of Application Deadlines Priority Deadline: • Students apply by a specified deadline to be considered for a full range of scholarships, housing preferences, special program, etc. • University of Cincinnati’s: • College of the Conservatory of Music November 1 • College of Design, Architecture, Art, & Planning (DAAP) December 1 • College of Engineering & Applied Science December 1 Commitment Level: Non-binding

31. Picking Your Deadline • College of Wooster • Early Decision I—November 1 • Early Action—November 15 • Early Decision II—January 15 • Regular Decision—February 15 • What’s the advantage of each deadline?

32. Other Application Components • SAT Subject Tests • Remember you can sign up for a maximum of 3 subject tests on any SAT regular test date • Usually 1 hour for each subject test • You cannot take the regular SAT on the same day as the subject tests • www.compassprep.com to find out which schools require subject tests • Interview • Portfolio

33. Sports in College • If you may play Division I or II athletics in college, you must register with the NCAA eligibility center at www.eligibilitycenter.org • Verify you have completed all necessary courses to be eligible for NCAA DI or DII athletics • GPA and Test score sliding scale

34. Financial Aid as Part of Your Application Process • Don’t let the “sticker price” stop you from applying • Remember Harvesting the Money Tree last year? • Grants, loans, scholarships, and work study • Know your college’s financial aid deadline • The Financial Aid Timeline • Local scholarships

35. Upcoming ApplicationWork Sessions September: • Monday, Sept. 9  In your English 12 classes • Wednesday, Sept. 253:00-5:00 PM in the library October: • Friday, Oct. 18 (COTA day) 10:00 AM-12:00 PM in the senior lounge November: • Monday, Nov. 11 3:00-5:00 PM in the library

36. January • Mid-year Reports  The counselors will send these automatically to every school you have applied, which includes a transcript with your 1st semester senior grades. • You do not need to bring us anything! • FAFSA becomes active January 1

37. May 1 • Deposit Deadline  Colleges have a reply date of May 1st, by which you must confirm with an acceptance letter and deposit to attend your school of choice!

38. Start NOW! “We cannot do everything at once, but we can do something at once.” - Calvin Coolidge

39. * Resources * • Your College 201 Folder • Your Counselor • Parents & Friends • Naviance • Online search tools • GHS Website  www.granvilleschools.org/ghs