COLLEGE PLANNING

COLLEGE PLANNING A WORKSHOP FOR STUDENTS AND PARENTS APRIL 2014

OVERVIEW • Checklist for juniors • Factors in college admissions • College admissions testing • Selecting colleges that are good matches • The State University of New York (SUNY) • Campus visits and interviews • The college application process • Financial aid information and procedures • Scholarships • Athletes • Naviance/Family Connection • Social Media • Questions

CHECKLIST FOR JUNIORS • Keep grades up. • Consider college entrance requirements when scheduling courses for senior year. • Register for the SAT and/or ACT. • Develop a preliminary list of 10-20 colleges. • Attend College Night at OCCC on April 30th. • Visit college campuses. • Start the process for military academies and/or ROTC Scholarships. • Explore scholarship possibilities.

FACTORS IN COLLEGE ADMISSION Most Important Factors: • Grades • Class Rank • Rigor of Program • SAT or ACT Scores Other Factors: • SAT Subject Test Scores • Extracurricular Activities • Community Service Activities • Work Experience • Letters of Recommendation • Essay(s) • Interview

NOTES ON COLLEGE ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS MATH:Some public colleges and universities outside of NYS (including Florida and North Carolina) require 4 math credits. The typical strong college preparatory sequence would include: • Algebra 1 • Geometry • Algebra 2/Trigonometry • Precalculus* *Statistics may also be acceptable as the 4th credit. NOTE: The more competitive colleges in the U.S. expect students to take at least 4 years of college preparatory math.

COLLEGE TESTING TIMETABLE • October of 10th Grade: Sophomores are encouraged to take the PSAT • October of 11th Grade: Juniors are advised to take the PSAT • May/June of 11th Grade: Juniors should take the SAT and/or the ACT with Writing • June of 9th, 10th, or 11th Grade(s) and/or fall of 12th Grade: SAT Subject Test(s), IF appropriate • October/November of 12th Grade: Seniors should take the SAT and/or ACT again

COLLEGE ADMISSIONS TESTING 2-year colleges: Some require the SAT; Some recommend the SAT. Community colleges generally administer their own placement tests. 4-year colleges generally require the SAT or ACT: SAT: Sat., 5/3 (registration deadline: 4/4) SAT: Sat., 6/7 (NOT AT O’NEILL) (registration deadline: 5/9) ACT: Sat., 6/14 (NOT AT O’NEILL) (registration deadline: 5/9) Some highly competitive 4-year colleges: SAT Subject Tests Registration: Online or Paper (O’Neill’s school code: 332375) *If you think you qualify for a FEE WAIVER or TESTING ACCOMMODATIONS, please see your counselor ASAP.

SAT SUBJECT TESTS Check individual college websites. Examples: • Princeton, Dartmouth, and Harvard all require the SAT or ACT WITH Writing AND two SAT Subject Tests. • Cornell testing requirements vary by individual colleges within the university: Arts and Sciences: Same as above Engineering: Same as above except the Subject Tests must be in science and math Agriculture and Life Sciences: Subject tests are recommended but not required

TEST OPTIONAL Some colleges do not require ACT or SAT scores, but you need to read the instructions carefully for each college. For example: • Some colleges, like Marist College, simply state that test scores are optional. However, Marist requires that test scores be submitted after you are admitted for academic advisement and placement. • Some colleges state that students may choose to submit one or more graded writing samples instead of test scores (like Franklin & Marshall College). • Others, like NYU, state that the SAT or ACT can be replaced by SAT Subject Tests, AP exams, IB exams, or other comparable standardized tests. • Two-year community colleges do not require the SAT or ACT but will require you to take their placement tests.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE SAT AND ACT: CONTENT SAT (10 alternating sections):ACT (4 sections + optional essay): Math (no trigonometry) Math (includes trigonometry) Critical ReadingReading (four longer passages— (includes long and short about a page each) passages and sentence English (usage/mechanics and completions) rhetorical skills) Writing (includes essay and Science (interpretation, analysis, multiple choice questions evaluation, reasoning, and on identifying errors and problem solving) improving grammar/usage) Optional essay* *Students are advised to take the writing test.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE SAT AND ACT: SCORING SAT*ACT Each section: 200-800 Each section: 1-36 Maximum total: 2400 Maximum composite: 36 Essay scored 2-12 Optional essay scored 2-12 Guessing penalty for No guessing penalty random guessing for random guessing *The SAT will change in the spring of 2016, which is when the current freshmen will take the test.

SAT OR ACT PREP • Students are generally advised to prep for the test • From least to most expensive: Internet resources at no cost (sample tests, practice questions, etc.) Books and CD’s On-line courses Classes Private tutors

SELECTING COLLEGES THAT ARE GOOD MATCHES • There are almost 5,000 four- and two-year colleges and universities in the U.S. • There is no one perfect college for each student. The challenge is to find colleges that are good matches. • The first step is a self-evaluation. • The next step is to determine what you want in a college or university. • Try using a computerized search like www.connection.naviance.com/jamesonhs or www.collegeboard.org.

SELF EVALUATION • What are my academic interests? • What kind of student am I? • How do I learn best? • What activities outside of class matter most to me? • How important is prestige to me? • Do I want a diverse college? • What kind of social and cultural environment would I like best? • Where do I want to live for the next four years? (from Admission Matters by Springer and Franck)

WHAT DO YOU WANT IN A COLLEGE? Some factors to consider are: • Programs of study • Location • Size • Selectivity • Type of school: 2- or 4-year Public vs. private Religious affiliation Coed or single-sex Historically black Military-affiliated • Special programs, extracurricular activities, and sports • Cost Some of these factors can be easily plugged into a computerized college search (like www.collegeboard.org or www.connection.naviance.com/jamesonhs).

SPRING OF JUNIOR YEAR Develop a list of 10-20 colleges that you would like to investigate further. Build a three-part working list that includes (from the CollegeBoard’s College Handbook): • Target schools (or good matches): Colleges you would like to attend that will be somewhat difficult for you to get in and where your GPA and test scores would be about average. Most students apply to 2-4 target schools. • Safety schools: A college you would like to attend that is also sure to accept you. You should apply to at least one safety school, and you should give this careful consideration. • Reach school: A college you’d like to attend but that will be difficult for you to get in. Your GPA and test scores may be below average for this school, or the school may have a very low acceptance rate because they receive so many applications. You should apply to 1-2 reach schools.

FALL OF SENIOR YEAR Narrow the list of colleges to approximately 5-8. This list should include: • At least 1 safety school • 2-4 target schools or good matches • 1 or 2 reach schools Is there a magic number of schools for an application list? No. What you should aim for is a list that allows you to do a good job in applying to a group of schools that will provide you with options—not unpleasant surprises in the spring…(from College Admission from Application to Acceptance, Step by Step by Mamlet and Vandevelde)

SAFETY SCHOOLS It is critical to spend significant time and energy selecting one or more safety schools. • A safety school is a college you would like to attend that is also sure to accept you. • Your safety schools should include one or more financial safety schools—that is, schools where you have a good chance of admission, that you would be happy to attend, and that you can afford based on what your family can contribute (not financial aid). • A community college could be a financial safety school—if the student would be content/happy to attend the community college.

STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK (SUNY) 64 Campuses: • University Centers and Doctoral Granting Institutions • University Colleges • Technology Colleges • Community Colleges

SUNY UNIVERSITY CENTERS • Degree programs: Bachelor’s (4-year), Master’s, and Doctoral • Campuses: Albany Binghamton Buffalo Stony Brook • Average GPA range: 88 – 97 • Average combined SAT score range (using only Critical Reading and Math): 1100 - 1390

SUNY UNIVERSITY COLLEGES • Degree programs: Mostly Bachelor’s (4-year) • Campuses: Brockport Old Westbury Buffalo State Oneonta Cortland Oswego Fredonia Plattsburgh Geneseo Potsdam New Paltz Purchase • Average GPA range: Low: Buffalo State (83 – 90) High: Geneseo (91 – 96) • Average SAT score range (using Critical Reading and Math): Low: Buffalo State College (950 – 1100) High: Geneseo (1240 – 1360)

SUNY COLLEGES OF TECHNOLOGY • Degree programs: mostly Associate’s (2-year) with an increasing number of Bachelor’s (4-year) • Campuses: Alfred Canton Cobleskill Delhi Farmingdale Morrisville • Average GPA range for 2-year programs: 76 – 88 for 4-year programs: 79 – 93 • Average SAT range (using Critical Reading and Math): for 2-year programs: 760 – 1100 for 4-year programs: 860 - 1180

SUNY COMMUNITY COLLEGES • Degree programs: Associate’s (2-year) • Certificate programs—alternatives to degree programs that are designed to get you into the working world faster (and, if already working, to increase your value to employers) • Open enrollment: Students need a high school diploma • The SAT is not required; community colleges give their own placement tests • Some programs are competitive • Honors programs are available • Least expensive option • Some offer housing

COLLEGE VISITS Plan ahead: Go through the admissions office (call or visit the website). You should try the following: • Take a campus tour led by a current student. • Attend a group information session. • Fill out a visitor card at the admissions office and pick up a catalog, viewbook, and application. • Eat a meal on campus. • Pick up a copy of the campus publication and read it. • Walk through the library. • Check out the recreational facilities that interest you. • Sit in on a class. • Have a formal interview. • Meet with a coach or faculty member in your area of interest. • Stay overnight in a dorm with a current student. • Talk to as many students as possible. • Explore the nearest town and transportation options.

INTERVIEWS • Ascertain the importance of the interview for admission purposes: Is it optional or informational only? Is it used to evaluate candidates? • You can use the interview to help you narrow your college choices • Prepare for the interview • Typical interview questions

QUESTIONS TO ASK ON AN INTERVIEW • Which departments are strong and why are they strong? • Can I get an internship in my major field? • Do your graduates find jobs? Are they helped finding jobs? With whom do they find their jobs? • What percentage of graduates are accepted to graduate, medical, or law school? • What is the average class size? Largest? Smallest? • What percentage of the faculty teach freshman and sophomores? Are they full professors? Will I be taught by graduate students? • How accessible are the faculty members? Do they have office hours? Do they act as faculty advisors? • What help is available if I have difficulty with English, math, or another subject? • If I am undecided concerning my major, what help will I be able to get? • What matters socially to your students? • What happens on this campus on the weekends? • Will I have ready access to computers and other equipment on campus?

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS YOU MAY BE ASKEDfrom Acing the College Application (Hernandez) • Tell us about your school and your classes this year. • What do you do in your spare time? • Describe your most influential or favorite teacher. • Tell us about a book you read recently. • Is there any major project or research paper you are particularly proud of? • What has been your most exciting intellectual experience? • What are you looking for in your college experience? Why do you like our school? • What will be your biggest contributions to our campus? • Do you have any special talents or hobbies? • What would your favorite teacher say about you? • If you could change one thing about your high school, what would you change? • What would you do with a free day? • How would you want to be remembered? • Do you have any questions for me?

APPLYING TO COLLEGES Deadlines: • Regular Admission • Rolling Admission • Early Decision (see next slide) • Early Action: Some colleges offer an early action option whereby you submit your application by an established deadline like November 1st and receive a reply in mid-December or January. However, unlike Early Decision, an offer of admission under the early action plan does not bind you to acceptance, and you need not notify the college of your decision until the candidate reply date in May. Recommended deadlines for state colleges and universities, including SUNY, are usually in the fall.

EARLY DECISION If you are sure that you want to attend one particular college, you may apply by an early deadline in the fall (usually 11/1 or 11/15). In return for an early decision and notification, you will be expected to attend that college if you are accepted and to withdraw you applications to other colleges. Not all colleges offer this plan. Advantage: The acceptance rate may be higher for the early applicant pool. For example, for the Class of 2017 at Cornell, 29.7% of the Early Decision applicants were accepted vs. 13.9% of the Regular Decision applicants. Disadvantages: Students do not have the additional six months that regular decision applicants have to weigh their options. Also, students will not be able to compare financial aid packages.

DEADLINES • Recommended deadlines for State colleges and universities are usually in the fall. • Examples: SUNY: The recommended deadline for SUNY colleges and universities is 12/1. Also, note that some programs at the SUNY Colleges of Technology and the Community Colleges may have deadlines or close when full. Penn State: The priority application deadline for Penn State is 11/30. Florida State University*: There are two deadlines: 10/16 (with notification 12/16) and 1/15 (with notification 3/19). *Note: FSU course requirements include 4 units of math at the Algebra I level or higher.

OBTAINING APPLICATIONS When? Late summer or early in the fall*—Be sure the application is for the appropriate year (2014-15 for current juniors) How? • Apply online at the college website • Download the application from the college website Common Application (used by about 500 colleges and universities in the U.S.): The 2014-15 version should be available in early July at www.commonapp.org. *Students who plan to apply to one or more military academies should start the process in the spring of their junior year.

COMMUNITY COLLEGES Admission Checklist: • Complete and submit the application. • Early applications are encouraged. • Some programs (like health profession programs) may have deadlines. • Completed applications are reviewed and decisions are made on a rolling basis throughout the year. • Applicants may be admitted until two weeks prior to the upcoming sessions, but they may not be able to register for the courses they want/need to take. • If you plan to apply for housing, you need to apply earlier. See the college website. • Request that your high school transcript be sent to the admissions office. • Take the placement test.* • These tests assess college-level skills in reading, writing, and math. • Visit the college website to see sample questions. *Note: Community colleges do not require the SAT or ACT.

TRANSCRIPTS • Every college requires a transcript, whether you apply online or complete a paper application. Fill out a transcript request form, available in the Guidance Office or at www.hffmcsd.org (click on O’Neill, then Guidance, and then Forms). • Note that signatures are required from you and a parent. • To be official the transcript must be sent directly from the Guidance Office to the Admissions Office. • Please allow at least one week for processing. If you are requesting a counselor recommendation, allow at least two weeks for processing. • Note that colleges also require a final transcript at the end of the senior year to confirm successful completion of courses and graduation.

TRANSCRIPTS • New: SUNY colleges and universities are encouraging students to self-report their transcript information (SOAR—SUNY Online Academic Record). Then the high school must send a final transcript at the end of the year. • If you plan to self report, please stop by the Guidance Office and request an unofficial copy of your transcript. • Note: SAT and ACT scores will NOT be included on your O’Neill transcript. You must arrange to have the scores sent directly from the testing agency.

Recommendations • Counselor (“school report” form) • Teacher (one or two may be required, although the military academies require three evaluations): Colleges usually want to hear from a teacher who has taught the student an academic subject in 11th or 12th grade (or 10th). Some applications specify which subject teachers. • Ask the teacher(s) and/or counselor at least two weeks before the deadline if they would be willing to write you a recommendation. If you are providing a teacher’s email address online as a reference, you should talk to the teacher first. • Discuss with the teacher whether the evaluation will be done online or on paper. • Provide background information (a copy of your senior information form, activity sheet, or resume). • Email or give the teachers a note telling them the names of the colleges to which you are applying and the deadlines. Also, be sure to thank the teachers! • Note that recommendations are confidential.

Activities The instructions for the Activities section of the Common Application are as follows: • Please list your principal extracurricular, volunteer, and work activities in the order of their importance to you. Feel free to group your activities and paid work experience separately if you prefer. Use the space available to provide details of your activities and accomplishments (specific events, varsity letter, musical instrument, employer, etc.). To allow us to focus on the highlights of your activities, please complete this section even if you plan to attach a resume. • We will ask seniors to fill out a Senior Information form that uses a similar format.

Activity Sheet You may choose to create your own activity sheet or resume. Include some or all of the following: • Extracurricular activities • Awards and honors • Hobbies and special interests • Summer activities • Work experience and internships • Community involvement • Other activities You are generally advised to use a format similar to the one used in the Common Application. You can write 2-3 sentences that “capture the essence of your involvement in each activity” (from Admission Matters).

Essays • Think of the essay as a way for you to personalize your application and give it life. That’s the way colleges view it. (from Admission Matters) • There are a number of resources available in libraries, bookstores, and on-line (try www.collegeboard.com) that focus on writing the college essay. The English 12 teacher is also a resource.

Financial Aid Your first major decision in the financial aid search is whether or not to apply for need-based aid. In most cases, the answer should be yes. Even if your family income is over one hundred thousand dollars, there is still a chance that you may qualify for something, and some non-need awards require an aid application…don’t eliminate the expensive (schools) just yet. Apply for aid and see what you get. The time to judge whether a college is too expensive comes at the end of the process, after the financial aid awards have been made. (from The Fiske Guide to Getting into the Right College by Fiske and Hammond)

Financial Aid Estimators There are ways to estimate how much your family will be expected to contribute to the cost of college. Try the College Board’s online aid estimator at www.collegeboard.org or the Federal aid estimator at www.fafsa4caster.ed.gov.

Applying for Financial Aid • FAFSA: Everyone who applies for financial aid must submit this form—as soon as possible after January 1st of the student’s senior year. • NYS TAP (Tuition Assistance Program): Students who are legal residents of NYS and who plan to attend college in NYS may be eligible for TAP. • PROFILE: Only required by some (mostly private) colleges and universities. There is a fee. • Supplemental forms may be required by individual colleges. • Read the instructions carefully for each college. Note the priority deadlines for each. • Some financial aid is given on a “first come, first served” basis.

Financial Safety School While families are advised not to let financial aid considerations determine where the student applies (and are encouraged to apply for financial aid to see what they get), your list of colleges should include at least one financial safety school—that is, a school where you have a good chance of admission, that you would be happy to attend, and that you can afford (based on what your family can contribute).

Public Colleges and Universities • Supported by the state in which they are located • Less expensive, generally less than half the cost of a private institution • Members of the U.S. Armed Forces, while on full-time active duty and stationed within NYS, and their dependents, are eligible for the in-state tuition rate for SUNY schools

COMPARING THE COST OF SUNY • The cost to attend a 4-year SUNY college and live on campus for the 2013-14 school year: $22,700 • Compare to the following private colleges: Syracuse University: $57,450 Marist College: $44,390 • Compare to the cost of the following out-of-state public colleges and universities: Florida State University: $ 34,333 ($17,487 in-state) University of Delaware: $41,132 ($23,312 in-state)

Scholarships • Colleges and universities • Local scholarships (packet distributed to all seniors in March) • Employers • Organizations to which students and parents belong • Newsletters • Internet searches (try www.collegeboard.org or www.finaid.org) or directories of scholarships available in libraries, bookstores, and/or the guidance office

Scholarship Scams From the ACT website: Watch out for scholarship scams. Every year, many families lose money at the hands of bogus scholarship companies who claim to have access to billions of dollars in private funding. They say these monies are unclaimed student aid. Before you use a scholarship service, make sure a reputable company backs the services. To check a scholarship service, talk to your college financial aid office or call the National Fraud Information Center at 800-876-7060.

Scholarship Scams, Continued A scholarship service may be a scam if they tell you: • The scholarship is guaranteed or your money back; • You can’t get the information anywhere else; • They will do all the work; • The scholarship will cost money; or • They need your credit card or checking account number in advance.

Athletes Students who are hoping to be recruited: Place yourself in a position to be noticed or evaluated by recruiters before your junior year. This can be accomplished by playing for prominent summer league teams, participating in college camps held by the schools you are interested in, attending showcase camps that college coaches attend, and personally notifying the coach of your interest in his program and letting him know your qualifications. (from College Bound Sports’ The High School Athlete’s Guide to College Sports)

Athletes: The NCAA Eligibility Center If a student plans to participate in Division I or II athletics as a college freshman, the student must register and be certified by the NCAA Eligibility Center. Factors used to determine eligibility: • The completion of a set number of CORE courses; • The grade point average in those core courses; and • The SAT or ACT score.

Athletes: The NCAA Eligibility Center Please refer to the NCAA’s website at www.eligibilitycenter.org. • Note that not all courses count as core courses. • Check the NCAA’s website for the list of O’Neill’s courses that have been approved (or ask your counselor). • Note the required distribution of core courses that is available on the NCAA’s website or from your counselor or coach. • Students should ask their counselor to do the NCAA work-sheets with them and discuss the registration process. There are different worksheets for Divisions I and II.

COLLEGE PLANNING