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SENIOR COLLEGE NIGHT

Join us for a comprehensive discussion on finalizing college lists, application process, testing options, financial considerations, and special circumstances. Get valuable resources and guidance from our experts at Taunton High School.

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SENIOR COLLEGE NIGHT

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  1. SENIOR COLLEGE NIGHT Presented by the Taunton High School Guidance Department

  2. AGENDA • Finalizing the College List • Where to Apply • When to Apply • How to Apply • Testing Options and Strategies • The College Essay • Financial Considerations • Special Circumstances • Resources

  3. WHAT HAS MY STUDENT ALREADY BEGUN? • Guidance Counselors met with your students in small groups in June to discuss the application process. • Students were encouraged to fill out their Senior Questionnaires (“Brag Sheets”) and consider teachers to write recommendation letters. • Students were urged to sign up for college tours and visit campuses. • Students should be finalizing their college lists using Naviance • Students were introduced to the Common Application, an online application affiliated with almost 800 colleges and universities. • 99 students participated in our Summer College Boot Camp.

  4. DEVELOPING YOUR COLLEGE LIST Focus on “Fit” • Academic • Majors/Special Program/Internships/Study Abroad • Financial • Affordability/Cost of Attendance/% of Need Met/Student Indebtedness • Social/Campus Life • Geography/Size/Extracurriculars/Campus Culture/Alumni Network

  5. TO HOW MANY SCHOOLS SHOULD I APPLY ? • The answer depends on many factors, including your major, but a good Rule of Thumb is 3-7 • 3 Categories: • Reach • Good Match • Safe (Academic & Financial) • Applications are expensive • Fee waivers available • Free/Reduced lunch or other gov’t assistance • Institutional fee waivers

  6. CONNECT WITH COLLEGES • Meet with Admissions Reps • THS College Mini-fairs: September 26, October 3, October 10 • HBCU College Fair at THS – Saturday, October 5, 12-3 • National Hispanic College Fair: November 6 (space is limited) • THS Info Sessions: Individual colleges throughout the fall – sign up on NAVIANCE • Visit Campus • Sign up for an official tour • Sit in on a class/do an overnight • Bring questions/talk to current students • College Tour Day: Wednesday, October 16, 2019

  7. UNDERSTANDING ADMISSIONS OPTIONS • Early Decision – Early application deadline AND binding agreement. If accepted, the student MUST withdraw all other applications. Financial aid information may not be available at this time. Nota recommended admission option. • Early Action – Early application deadline (Oct-Nov), given until May 1st to decide if attending. Some competitive programs, such as nursing, have early/priority deadlines. Can be advantageous for admissions and financial aid. • Regular Admissions – Institution-specific deadline, usually after January 1st. • Rolling Admissions – No specific deadline. Applications are processed as they are received and decisions are usually made within a few weeks. • On-the-Spot: Admissions reps from community colleges meet with students to complete the application process (at THS or at the institution). There are pros/cons to applying Early & Regular: we can help you strategize. The goal is to submit the strongest application possible.

  8. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE COMMON APPLICATION & OTHER APPLICATIONS? • The Common Application has many benefits if your student is applying to multiple schools. It can be found at commonapp.org • Naviance allows Guidance Counselors and teachers to submit their recommendation letters and student transcripts electronically, streamlining the entire process. • Institutions not affiliated with the Common Application, such as Fitchburg State University and Bristol Community College, require students to apply directly to their institutions. • Whether students apply with the Common App or directly to the college, students are responsible for sending SAT scoresvia collegeboard.org. There is a fee to send scores. • Khan Academyhas a video tutorial on completing the Common App

  9. UNDERSTANDING WHAT COLLEGE ADMISSIONS REPRESENTATIVES WILL CONSIDER • Most 4-year colleges take a holistic approach to their admissions decisions. They will consider a variety of factors in the application, including: • Transcript: grades & class rank (rigor of secondary school record) • Standardized test scores • Essay and writing supplements • Personal information and family history • Honors & awards • Extracurricular activities – sports, clubs, employment history & volunteer work • Recommendation letters • Interview, alumni relationship, demonstrated interest

  10. SHOULD MY CHILD TAKE ANOTHER ADMISSIONS TEST? • Your student had the opportunity to take the SATs for free at THS in April. • The benefit of taking a test senior year is to have one more set of scores to consider prior to applying to their college of choice. • Upcoming SATs: October 5 (9/17*), November 2 (10/3), December 7 (11/8) • Upcoming ACTs: October 26 (9/20), December 14 (11/8) • If applying early, tests should be completed by November. • For students considering certain selective colleges, the fall is also an opportunity to take SAT Subject Tests. • More schools going test-optional: check requirements! www.fairtest.org • Please visit collegeboard.org or act.org to sign up for future exams. • Fee waivers are available for students who receive free/reduced lunch.

  11. THE APPLICATION ESSAY • The Common App has an essay requirement. There are 7 prompts from which to choose & the word limit is 650. Some schools have additional writing supplements. • Non-Common App schools may have other essay requirements. • Community colleges do not require an essay. • Do not start with a quote, restate your resume, or dwell on the negative. • Do use original language and your authentic voice. • Prrofread. Oops! Proofread. Please. • Khan Academy has videos on writing a successful college essay. • Mrs. Andrews is available to give feedback on essays.

  12. COMMUNITY & TECHNICAL COLLEGES • Many programs and pathways • Earn a certificate or license • Earn an Associate’s Degree • Transfer to a 4-year college and earn a Bachelor’s Degree • High-Quality • Affordable • Flexible • Simplified Admissions Process • HS transcript • Application • No Essay • Testing for course placement only

  13. MASS TRANSFER • Start at a MA community college • Transfer to a 4-year college • Multiple pathways • Guaranteed transfer of credits • Save $$$

  14. MASS TRANSFER PROGRAMS • Gen Ed Foundation • Complete 34 credits – save 11% on Bachelor’s degree • A2B Degree/Commonwealth Commitment* • Complete 60 credits – save 28%-40% on Bachelor’s degree • 2.0+ GPA = no application fee, no essay • 2.5+ GPA = guaranteed university admission • 3.0+ GPA = freeze on fees for 4 years, 10% rebate at end of every completed semester, additional tuition credit at State U or UMass campus * not all majors www.mass.edu/masstransfer

  15. FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS • Neither parent graduated from college • Can be a positive factor in admissions decisions • Many schools are improving outreach and support for 1st Gen students and some scholarships are specifically for 1st Gen students. • College NOW Admissions Program at UMASS Dartmouth will be presenting at Taunton High. Please see your Guidance Counselor if interested. • The First Generation College Fair will take place in November. A variety of schools from the New England areawhich offer 1st Gen programs will be in attendance.

  16. PAYING FOR COLLEGE • Financial considerations are significant. Some things to consider: • Overall cost of attendance • Sources of financial aid • Federal/State • Institutional • Local/Community • Types of financial aid • Need-based vs Merit • Scholarships/Grants vs Loans/Work-Study • The Long View • Undergraduate/Graduate • Overall Student Indebtedness

  17. FINANCIAL AID INFORMATION • The Guidance Department will host a Financial Aid Night on October 23 at 6:00pm. • A representative from the Massachusetts Educational Financial Authority (MEFA) will be the guest presenter and will be available for questions at the end of the presentation. • www.mefa.org • Consider all sources of financial aid when financing your child’s education, including federal and state government loans, institution grants and scholarships, private agencies, professional associations, and employers. • Local scholarships are also available to THS students each year. A list of local scholarships can be found on Naviance. These scholarships help reduce the cost of college, but the majority of student aid usually comes from the institution your student will attend and depends on the FAFSA. • Net Price Calculatoron every college website

  18. KEEP CALM & FILE YOUR FAFSA • To apply for federal student aid, including federal loans, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid(FAFSA). Starting October 1st you and your child can begin filling out the FREE application at fafsa.ed.gov • In addition to completing FAFSA, students applying to private institutions may need to complete the CSS/Financial Aid Profile which can be found at collegeboard.org • The College Board charges a fee to process the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE, so you should only submit a profile if your college or scholarship program instructs you to do so. • Deadlines for FAFSA and the CSS Profile are VERY strict and vary by institution. It is your responsibility to stay organized! • Yes, you should apply for financial aid even if you think you will not qualify!

  19. SAVE TIME & MONEY • Earn college credit while in high school • Qualifying Advanced Placement Scores (usually 3 or higher) • Requirements vary by institution • Dual Enrollment • Coursework completed at an institution of higher ed while in high school • Must send separate transcripts

  20. STUDENT ATHLETES • Students interested in playing a Division I or II sport in college MUST register with the NCAA Clearinghouse/Eligibility Center. • Students playing at the DIII level do not need to register. • Interested seniors who have not already registered should see their Guidance Counselor. The eligibility process should be completed before December break. • Once registered, SAT scores must be sent to the NCAA via Collegeboard. The code is 9999. • Additional information can be found at ncaaclearinghouse.com • Most schools offer a variety of club and intramural sports, and it is at these levels that most students participate in collegiate athletics.

  21. TIPS FOR MAKING THIS PROCESS SUCCESSFUL & LESS STRESSFUL FOR YOU & YOUR CHILD • Focus on “fit”. • Ask questions, use your resources, do your research. • Get organized and meet deadlines. • Check and update Naviance regularly. • Do not rule out a school because of the cost. • Do apply to at least one financially affordable school. • Have ongoing, honest conversations about expectations and financial circumstances.

  22. MORE HELP: AFTER-SCHOOL & EVENING PRESENTATIONS • Wed. Oct. 23, 6:00pm, Auditorium: Financial Aid Night • The Guidance Department offers College Academy, a series of after-school workshops to assist in the college process. • Spring 2019 (TBD): Understanding your Financial Aid Award We are here to help! Please take advantage of these opportunities!

  23. THS GUIDANCE DEPARTMENT: WHO’S WHO • Jared Homer (A – Bun) 508-821-1139 • Julie Barbour (Bur - Den) 508-821-1143 • Alyson Golder (Edward Almeida) (Dep – Gri) 508-821-1140 • Maureen McCarthy (Gro – Let) 508-821-1238 • William Ventura (Lev – Mor) 508-821-1142 • Lucinda Rosenberg (Mos – Rh) 508-821-1141 • Gregory Gay (Rib – Tay) 508-821-1293 • Paul Bochman, Head of Guidance (Tei – Z) 508-821-1105 • Jenifer Andrews College & Career 508-844-5857 Twitter: @THSDEPTGUIDANCE Remind: text @tauntonh to 81010

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