Presented by Your College and Career A dvisors

1. 2013-2014 seniors Applying to College: The extracurricular activity you never knew you signed up for Presented by Your College and Career Advisors

2. COLLEGE & CAREER ADVISORS • Ms. Snyder • Students with last names A-K • Mr. Trevino • Students with last names L-Z *We are located on the left side of the library in the “fish tanks” (you know…those large glass offices)

3. Goals • AT THE CONCLUSION OF THIS PRESENTATION YOU WILL KNOW HOW TO: • Get in touch with your college and career counselor • Access Naviance • Request teacher and counselor recommendation letters • Request transcripts and understand what is sent out with each transcript • Send SAT/ACT scores to colleges • Identify schools as reach, target or likely schools • Tell the difference between early action, early decision, regular, and rolling admission • Access various applications – ApplyTexas, CommonApp, school specific apps

4. NAVIANCE LOGIN • FAMILY CONNECTION • WEBSITE • Lovejoy High School Homepage  Click on “Naviance” • LOGIN FOR NAVIANCE • Username: Most likely your email address for LHS computer login • Password: If you forgot it, see Ms. Snyder and she will reset it for you • MOST OF THE INFORMATION IN THIS PRESENTATION MAY BE ACCESSED THROUGH NAVIANCE.

5. COLLEGE ADMISSIONS & OTHER TESTING • THE ACT & SAT ARE TAKEN IN HIGH SCHOOL TO HELP DETERMINE COLLEGE ADMISSION ELIGIBILITY • ACT– www.actstudent.org • SAT– www.collegeboard.org • ASVAB – www.military.com (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) • TSI – TEXAS SUCCESS INITIATIVE • Test to be used for course placement in college (not an entrance exam) • YOU CAN FIND MOST OF THIS INFORMATION UNDER THE “COLLEGE” TAB IN NAVIANCE BY CLICKING ON “COLLEGE RESOURCES”

6. Collin college • Associates degrees offered through a wide variety of disciplines • Benefits of attending Collin College: • Lower costs for transferable coursework • Relationships with local and regional 4-year institutions for transfer • Transfer scholarship opportunities • Opportunity for students to explore areas of interest

7. DEADLINES – 4 TYPES • APPLICATION • VARIES AMONG COLLEGES/UNIVERSITIES • SCHOLARSHIP • SOMETIMES FALLS BEFORE APPLICATION DEADLINE • FINANCIAL AID • GRANTS, SCHOLARSHIPS, WORK STUDY, LOANS • HOUSING • SOMETIMES FALLS BEFORE APPLICATION DEADLINE!

8. LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION ‐ TEACHERS • POLITELY ASK TEACHER FOR RECOMMENDATION • BE SENSITIVE TO TEACHER’S HESITANCY • PICK SOMEONE YOU KNOW WILL WRITE YOU A GOOD RECOMMENDATION • GIVE PLENTY OF NOTICE • AT LEAST 3 WEEKS • TEACHERS SHOULD EMAIL YOUR REC LETTER TO YOUR COLLEGE COUNSELOR TO BE SENT OUT WITH YOUR TRANSCRIPT • PLEASE DO NOT REQUEST MORE RECOMMENDATIONS THAN YOU NEED –GENERALLY 2 LETTERS, BUT NO MORE THAN 3!

9. LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION ‐ TEACHERS • PROVIDE TEACHER WITH: • YOUR RESUME • COLLEGES OF INTEREST AND DEADLINES • FOLLOW UP WITH THE TEACHER A FEW DAYS PRIOR TO DEADLINE • **WRITE A THANK YOU NOTE TO YOUR TEACHER**

10. Letters of recommendation - counselor • IF ANY OF YOUR COLLEGES REQUIRE A COUNSELOR RECOMMENDATION LETTER YOU MUST DO THE FOLLOWING 3 WEEKS PRIOR TO YOUR APPLICATION DEADLINE: • ASK YOUR COUNSELOR BY EMAIL AND IN PERSON IF THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO WRITE YOUR LETTER • COMPLETE THE “SENIOR LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION SURVEY” • Go to Naviance About Me tab  Senior letter of recommendation survey • PARENT MUST COMPLETE THE “SENIOR PARENT LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION SURVEY” FOUND ON THEIR OWN NAVIANCE PAGE **THE PARENT SURVEY IS ONLY REQUIRED FOR STUDENTS IN NEED OF A COUNSELOR LETTER**

11. Letters of recommendation • If you need ANY recommendation letters (teacher or counselor), you must complete the “Senior Letter of Recommendation Survey” found on Naviance: • Naviance About Me tab  Senior Letter of Recommendation Survey

12. transcripts • FERPA (Family Education Rights and Privacy Act) • ONCE YOU SUBMIT A FORM, IT WILL BE GOOD FOR THE REMAINDER OF YOUR HIGH SCHOOL CAREER • SEE OUR TRANSCRIPT SECRETARY, MS. HERRING, IF YOU HAVE NOT COMPLETED THIS FORM • Request transcripts through Naviance • NAVIANCE HOMEPAGE COLLEGES TAB  TRANSCRIPTS (lefthand margin) • TRY TO TIME YOUR TRANSCRIPT REQUESTS WITH YOUR REC LETTER DEADLINES!!!

13. Transcript Mailing • WHAT IS MAILED OUT TO COLLEGE WHEN I REQUEST A TRANSCRIPT? • AUTOMATICALLY SENT: • Official transcript • List of senior year courses • Secondary School Report • School Profile • SENT WITH TRANSCRIPT WHEN REQUESTED: • Teacher recommendation letters • Counselor recommendation letters **EVERY SENIOR IN NEED OF A TEACHER AND/OR COUNSELOR LETTER MUST COMPLETE THE SENIOR LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION SURVEY!

14. Sat/act sCORES • YOU MUST SEND YOUR SAT/ACT SCORES TO EACH COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY THROUGH THE OFFICIAL TESTING WEBSITES!!! • LOGIN TO YOUR SAT OR ACT ACCOUNT TO SEND SCORES • SEND SCORES 4-6 WEEKS PRIOR TO APPLICATION DEADLINE TO ENSURE DELIVERY

15. Narrowing college choices • REACH: • The majority of applicants have better grades and test scores than you. • You only have a slight chance of being accepted, however, you may have some intangible quality that the college is searching for in its students. • TARGET: • You meet most of the admissions criteria. • You have a good chance of being admitted to these colleges, but there is also the possibility of denial. • LIKELY: • You should be admitted without difficulty based on grades, test scores, etc. • You researched the school and believe you will get a good education and also be happy • HOW DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOU STAND?

16. Check out “Scattergrams” in Naviance! blackout

17. Target/Likely school University of Arkansas

18. COLLEGE Applications – 3 ways to apply • APPLY TEXAS COMMON APPLICATION • WWW.APPLYTEXAS.ORG • (NATIONAL) COMMON APPLICATION – “Common App” • WWW.COMMONAPP.ORG • COLLEGE-SPECIFIC APPLICATION • FOR COLLEGES WHICH ARE NOT MEMBERS OF THE APPLY TEXAS OR COMMON APP. ORGANIZATION. SOME SCHOOLS SIMPLY OFFER AS AN ADDITIONAL OPTION.

19. APPLY Texas Common Application • WWW.APPLYTEXAS.ORG • APPLY FOR ADMISSION TO ANY TEXAS PUBLIC UNIVERSITY AND TO PARTICIPATING TEXAS COMMUNITY AND PRIVATE COLLEGES/UNIVERSITIES • SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION ESSAYS ONLINE • APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS FROM PARTICIPATING UNIVERSITIES

20. Common Application • WWW.COMMONAPP.ORG • THERE ARE NOW 517 COMMON APPLICATION MEMBERS • THEY REPRESENT AN ENORMOUSLY DIVERSE VARIETY OF INSTITUTIONS – SMALL AND LARGE, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE, COED AND SINGLE SEX, HIGHLY SELECTIVE AND RELATIVELY OPEN ENROLLMENT • ALWAYS CHECK FOR REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

21. College APPLICATIONS – TYPES • REGULAR ADMISSION • ROLLING ADMISSION • EARLY DECISION • BINDING AGREEMENTWITH ONE SCHOOL • EARLY ACTION • NON-BINDING

22. TEXAS TOP 10% RULE • ANY STUDENT RANKED IN THE TOP 10% OF THEIR CLASS IS AUTOMATICALLY ELIGIBLE FOR ADMISSION TO ANY PUBLIC STATE SCHOOL IN TEXAS • YOU MUST STILL APPLY TO THE SCHOOL! • UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS IS THE EXCEPTION AS IT AUTOMATICALLY ADMITS ONLY THE TOP 7% • REMEMBER: BEING AUTOMATICALLY ADMITTED TO THE UNIVERSITY DOES NOT GUARANTEE YOU WILL BE ADMITTED INTO THE MAJOR OF YOUR CHOICE AT THAT TIME

23. CAUTION!!! • You are responsible for making sure the college receives all required materials before the deadline. You must check your email and your application status frequently. This is how a college will communicate with you.

24. We are here to support you through this process! Come see us any time!