Senior Application Night

Senior Application Night Immaculate High School September 16, 2009

Some Housekeeping Items • College Conference Appointment Slip • Senior Class Email Information Sheet • Senior Application Procedures Acknowledgement

How Are You Doing On Your College List????? • Resources • Naviance • Collegeboard.com • College Admission Reps at Immaculate • Sign up in Naviance – GET A PASS • Use good judgment • Danbury Fair Mall College Fair • October 19 5-9pm

Preparing for the College Application Process • Construct a spreadsheet • Register for any additional admission testing • SAT, ACT, SAT Subject Tests • Enter prospective colleges into Naviance • Attend your College Conference

Setting Up Your College File • 2 Teacher Recommendations • REQUEST FOR TEACHER RECOMMENDATION FORM • Teacher Evaluation Forms (Common App + other school forms) • STUDENT EVALUATION FORM • Counselor Recommendation • 3 STUDENT EVALUATION FORMS • INDIVIDUAL DATA SHEET • STUDENT ACTIVITY RESUME • PARENT/GUARDIAN BRAG SHEET • Set up your personal interview with your counselor • Student ActivitiesResume

Setting Up Your College File • All forms you need to complete are available: • NAVIANCE – Document Library • Guidance Office

Begin the Essay Writing Process • PROCESS!!!!!!!! • Be Strategic • Needs to provide additional information about you that appears no where else • Use your resources • Several drafts – seek out feedback • Save everything you write

Types of Admissions Programs • Restrictive: requires a commitment from the applicant • Non-Restrictive: allows student time to accept offer

Restrictive Admissions Early Decision (ED): student makes a binding commitment to a first-choice institution where, if admitted, they definitely will enroll. • Student may apply to only one school ED • If accepted student must withdraw all other applications • If a student reneges on ED agreement it is unlikely that the student will be accepted at any other selective institution • ED deadlines are usually November 1st or 15th • If denied student may not be able to roll over to the regular decision pool. • If seeking financial aid and your needs are not met you can decline acceptance. Restrictive Early Action: varies greatly by institution Typical restrictions include: • disallowing student from entering regular decision pool once decision is rendered • disallowing student from applying to other early decision/action plans

ED Pros and Cons Pros: • You may have an easier time getting admitted if you show your willingness to commit • You will know post-high school plans sooner • If denied, you will have an easier time reassessing your options. Cons: • You must make an unwavering decision early on in your senior year • Won’t have the advantage of presenting strong first semester senior year grades • Student may find his/her goals changing as senior year progresses • Some colleges have chosen to discontinue ED and EA plans because they are potentially unfair to students who rely heavily on financial aid.

Non-restrictive Admissions • Regular Decision: submit your application by the college’s deadline, and you will learn the decision by a specified date. Typically that deadline is January 1st and you will be notified by the college by April 1st. • Rolling Admission: schools review applications as they’re submitted and make decisions throughout the admission cycle. • Early Action: similar to Early Decision without being binding. If accepted student can choose to commit to the college immediately, or wait until the spring. Students may apply early action to other colleges. The typical early action deadline is December 1st Students are responsible for knowing thedeadlines of their colleges

Types of Applications • School: • On-line • Paper • Common Application: • On-line • Paper

School Applications • On-line: preferred by most colleges, easier to track • Paper: still available if necessary • Other forms: • Counselor form • Teacher form • Early Decision Agreement form

Common Application • www.commonapp.org* • Accepted by 391 U.S. institutions • On-line and paper applications • Additional forms: • Secondary School Report (SSR) • Teacher Recommendation • Early Decision Agreement • Supplemental Forms: Athletic, Arts, College Specific • DO NOT download Midyear or Final Report forms * Beware of commonapp.com or commonapplication.com these are not the same program!

Completing and Processing Your College Applications • Complete on-line • Download, complete, you mail directly • Download, complete, give to the Guidance Office • YOUR APPLICATION IS ONLY ½ OF THE PACKAGE • You need SCHOOL DOCUMENTATION to be sent

How do I get my school documentation sent???? • TRANSCRIPT REQUEST FORM + FEE • TRANSCRIPT REQUEST FORM + FEE • TRANSCRIPT REQUEST FORM + FEE • TRANSCRIPT REQUEST FORM + FEE • TRANSCRIPT REQUEST FORM + FEE • TRANSCRIPT REQUEST FORM + FEE

Transcript Request Form + Fee • Complete the TRF after you have COMPLETED your application • Attach Fee • MUST BE BY CHECK – Cannot accept cash • $3.00 per TRF • Your TRF WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED if missing fee • Please answer all the questions • Be sure address of college & deadline date are accurate

Transcript Request Form + Fee • TRF needs to be signed – Transcript is a legal document • If you applied with the Common Application, you must complete your FERPA Release regarding access to your Letters of Recommendation – Go to NAVIANCE – About Me / My Colleges • TRF needs to be given directly to your counselor, PARTICULARLY YOUR FIRST REQUEST

Transcript Request Form • The form is available: • NAVIANCE – Document Library • Guidance Office

School Documentation Sent • Official Transcript with list of senior courses • School Profile (Created by Guidance) • Student’s Activity Resume • Teacher Recommendations • Counselor Recommendation • Common Application Secondary School Report Form & Teacher Evaluation Forms, if applicable • Any additional Teacher or Counselor forms for school applications, if applicable

Colleges Requesting Disciplinary Information • Done through the student application & and Secondary School Report Form or other Counselor Form • FERPA states that such information can only be released with the permission of the parent • Immaculate policy – Disciplinary records are not part of the academic record, so they are not in the purview of what we report. Our policy is included in our School Profile.

Deadline Dates for Submitting TRF • The FIRST TRF any student submits to Guidance for processing should be submitted THREE WEEKS before the application deadline • Key Deadlines • October 5 – Deadline for submission to Guidance for November 1 ED/EA deadline • October 19 – Deadline for submission to Guidance for November 15 ED/EA deadline

Deadline Dates for Submitting TRF • November 25 – Deadline for submission in order to be processed BEFORE THE CHRISTMAS BREAK • This includes applications with a Jan 1 & Jan 15 deadline • Please be aware that the Fall is a HIGH VOLUME time for processing applications in Guidance • Please do not expect to drop your TRF off one day and have your materials go out the next day • TRFs are dated when we receive them and processed in that order • You can track when your school documentation was sent through your NAVIANCE account under MY COLLEGES

Follow-Up School Documentation • First Quarter Grades • Automatically will be sent to all schools we have sent materials to when they are issued. • From that point on first quarter grades become part of the school documentation until the Mid-Year Report is available. No request needed • Mid-Year Report • At end of first semester a Mid-Year Report is automatically sent to all schools to which the student has applied listing semester grades. No request or form needed • Final Report • At end of school year a final transcript is sent to the school the student will be attending. No request or form needed.

Meeting Your College Application Deadlines • Give yourself plenty of time – DO NOT BACKUP RIGHT TO THE DEADLINE • Schools have different deadline dates for different types of admission • Receipt of your application is what is critical to meeting the deadline date. • First piece of info college receives on student opens the file, subsequent materials are added as they arrive

Meeting Your College Application Deadlines • If mailing materials to a very large university, it can take weeks for the material to make its way through the institution to the Admissions Office • If you are notified that school has not receive your school documentation: • Ask if they are current with their processing

Admissions Testing • SAT: tests students' knowledge of subjects that are necessary for academic college success • SAT Subject Tests: designed to measure your knowledge and skills in particular subject areas, as well as your ability to apply that knowledge • ACT: is a national college admissions examination that consists of subject area tests in Mathematics, Reading, English and Science

SAT Register atwww.collegeboard.com Regular Reg. Late Reg. October 10th: Sept. 9th Sept. 25th *November 7th: Oct. 1st Oct. 15th December 5th: Oct. 30th Nov. 12th *IHS is a Test Site for the Nov. 7th SAT Students are responsible for sending their scores to colleges

SAT Scoring 3 Subtests: Critical Reading, Mathematics, Writing Scores are 200-800 points per subtest for a total score of 600-2400. Scores are available on-line within 3 weeks and are sent to colleges within 5 weeks Score Choice: Students now have the option to send scores by test date or individualSubject Test in accordance with an institution's stated score-use practice Students are responsible for sending their scores to colleges

SAT Subject Tests Measure your knowledge and skills in particular subject areas, as well as your ability to apply that knowledge 5 general subject areas: English, History, Sciences, Foreign Languages and Mathematics Scores are also 200-800 points Refer to www.collegeboard.com to determine when subject tests are offered and to register Students are responsible for knowing if their institutions require SAT Subject Tests

ACT Register atwww.actstudent.org* Regular Reg. Late Reg. October 24th: Sept. 18th Oct. 2nd December 12th: Nov. 6th Nov. 20th IHS is not a test site for the fall ACT *Be sure to register for ACT Plus Writing Students are responsible for sending their scores to colleges

ACT Scoring 4 Subtests: English, Mathematics, Reading and Science with a separate Writing score Scores range from 1-36 points per subtest Composite Score: Average of 4 subtest scores ACT Scores are sent by test date only Scores are available on-line within 2½ weeks and are sent to colleges in 5-8 weeks Students are responsible for sending their scores to colleges

Scholarships • Scholarships are awarded based on a variety of criteria: • Academic performance • Special Talent • Community Service Involvement • Course of Study / Career Direction • Ethnic Background • They can be national in scope or local

Scholarships • Sources: • Colleges you are applying to – check the college website • NAVIANCE Scholarship Listing – National & Local • Scholarship Search Engines • www.fastweb.com • www.schoolsoup.com • Employers & local/civic organizations

ROTC Programs • Reserve Officer Training Corps • Air Force, Army, Marine & Navy • Programs are offered at a variety of colleges across the country • Army ROTC Program, as an example involves leadership training as well as other specialized courses • Full tuition scholarships are available, as well as one, two & three year scholarship options • Additional allowances for books and fees

ROTC Programs • Monthly living allowances are also provided • All scholarship students are required to serve in the military for a period of eight years. This obligation may be fulfilled by serving four years on Active Duty and four years in the Inactive Ready Reserve • Information on all programs is available by using a link provided in NAVIANCE – From Your School - Resources

Student Athletes All athletes desiring to play in a Div. I or II sport must be academically cleared to play by the NCAA • Register at www.elgibilitycenter.org – new web address • Re-register if registered at old address • Complete Transcript Request Form • Send SAT/ACT scores to NCAA using code 9999 Please see NCAA Quick Reference Sheet in your folder

Financial Aid • Financial Aid Night • To be scheduled in Oct / Nov. • Guide to Federal Student Aid – on back table • FAFSA – Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Cannot be completed until January 1 of student’s senior year • FAFSA4caster – way to find out how much federal student aid you might be eligible for

Financial Aid • How to get your Federal Student Aid PIN which is an electronic access code that serves as your personal identifier • CSS Profile / Financial Aid PROFILE • An additional form used by some institutions to award institutional aid funds • List of schools available at www.collegeboard.com Paying for College • Can file as early as October 1, 2009

The End • Thanks so much for coming! • We are here to support you!

Senior Application Night