Senior College Information Night

1. Senior College Information Night • “We are not permitted to choose the frame of our destiny. But what we put into it is ours.” Dag Hammarskjold

2. Tonight’s Presenters Mr. Daniel Petruccio Assistant Principal for Guidance Mr. Robert Hazelton College Placement Officer

3. Letters of Recommendation Transcripts SAT/ACT Financial Aid NCAA Clearinghouse College Visits Senior Year Types of Admissions Rank/Average College Placement Office Naviance St. John’s College Advantage Program PRESENTATION TOPICS

4. Letters of Recommendation • School Letter of Recommendation (Sometimes referred to as a Counselor’s Recommendation). • Teacher Recommendation • An academic assessment. • A teacher who happens to be the coach or moderator of your team or club. • Not written automatically. • In the event of a paper application (see Mrs. Mansueto)

5. Teacher Letter of Recommendation • May of your junior year you were asked to submit the name of a teacher to write a teacher recommendation for you. • As a courtesy you should have already spoken to the teacher personally. • In the case that you need a second teacher letter of recommendation you must see me before approaching a teacher. • If you need to change teachers you must see me first.

6. Teacher Letter of Recommendation • Using Naviance on-line you will invite the teachers you have chosen to write your letter of recommendation by sending them a notification email. Later in the program we will walk you through the process. • By signing the FERPA form you will waive your right to see the recommendation. Without doing this the teacher will not write the letter.

7. The Transcript • With each application sent to a college on your behalf we include your official school transcript. • Grades from Freshman, Sophomore and Junior year. • Summer school grades if applicable. • SAT and ACT scores are not on the transcripts sent to the colleges. You must submit them electronically through College Board and the ACT.

8. SAT & ACT • You are responsible for getting your scores to the colleges you are applying to. • You are able to control what scores are sent to the colleges by utilizing Score Choice. • Limitations: Complete Test Scores for a particular test date must all be sent. • ACT exams are an option for students that feel that the SAT exams don’t represent their best effort.

9. FINANCIAL AID • 50% of all full-time students receive some form of financial aid. • Only ½ of 1% of the money a student receives comes from private sources (non-school source). • This means most of the financial aid money comes directly from the colleges that accept you. • 2 basic types of financial aid: Merit and Need based.

10. Financial Aid • For most students the largest financial aid packages will be offered by your “safe” schools. There is a lot of money out there! • Affordability has to be the first criteria when looking at colleges. • Colleges allocate funds on “first come, first serve” basis.

11. Types of Financial Aid • Grants • Scholarship • Loans- Stafford & PLUS • Work-Study Programs • Merit Based Awards or “Discounts”. • The combination of all of these sources of money is your “Financial Aid Package”.

12. How do you apply for Financial Aid? • FAFSA: Free Application for Federal Student Aid. http://www.fafsa.ed.gov • Filing can’t be done before January 2014. • Use your most recent tax return. If you have not filed your 2013 return then use the one from 2012 and you can update the information at a later date if there are changes. • CSS Profile is an alternate method of determining that is used by some schools. http://www.collegeboard.org • The CSS Profile is available in Mid-October.

13. Formula for Financial Aid • Expected Family Contribution (EFC) • Cost of Attendance (COA) • Subtract EFC from COA. • If you want to be considered for financial aid, need or merit based, you must fill out the FAFSA form.

14. Where to Look for Financial Aid? • Use the Naviance program. • If you are fortunate enough to be accepted at one of your reach schools you will not likely receive any merit based awards from that school. • You must be prepared to pay the full sticker price.

15. NCAA Clearinghouse • Potential College Student/Athletes must register with the NCAA. • www.eligibilitycenter.org • Prospective Student/Athlete • Registration Form for US Students • $65 • SAT/ACT scores come from you directly • Notify Mrs. Mansueto that you have registered.

16. College Visitations • Arrange visits on weekends, vacations or days when Chaminade is not in session. • Visits are an essential part of the college application process. • In some cases schools are intentionally wait listing qualified candidates because they have not visited campus. • Check the college website to see the schedule for visits, tours and information sessions. • If you are just starting to visit now you are significantly behind in this process

17. Checklist for College Visits • Check in with the Admissions Office • Ask a lot of questions • School newspaper • Housing • Meal Plans • Transportation • Class sizes (T.A. teaching classes) • Surrounding Community • Career Placement Office

18. Senior Grades • Commit yourself to making senior year your best academic year. • Aside from your college application, senior grades are the only other factor in your admittance. • Mid-Year Grades are your First Semester Grades. • About 95% of the schools our seniors apply to request these Mid-Year Grades.

19. Types of Admissions • 2 Types of early admissions: • Early Action: not binding; the advantage is that you will have an answer early in the process. • Early Decision: binding; if admitted, you agree to enroll and not submit other applications. • Our internal deadline for these applications (EA and ED) – Oct. 15th (Tuesday after Columbus Day)

20. Types of Admissions • Regular Decision: our internal deadline for all remaining applications- November 25th (Monday after Thanksgiving) • The applicant is usually notified by April 1st and must reply by May 1st. • Rolling Admissions: This process usually begins in the early fall and continues into the summer in some cases.

21. Rank and GPA (3-year average) • Last week in homeroom you received your rank and 3-year average card in homeroom. • You have been “ranked” in each of your three years; the rank you will receive is an average of these rankings.

22. College Placement Office: Fall Visits • Starting two weeks ago, colleges began visiting CHS on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays after school. • Posted in Homeroom, AM announcements, Naviance generated e-mail, etc. • As many as 5 schools each day; these visits take place in rooms 1-6 • These sessions are led by the admission representative who will read your application!

23. Evening Presentations • University of Notre Dame • Tuesday, October 16th at 7:30 in the Hearst Auditorium in the A.A.C. • Fairfield University • Tuesday, October 30th at 7:30 in the Hearst Auditorium in the A.A.C. • University of Dayton • Monday, November 5th at 7:30 in the Hearst Auditorium in the A.A.C.

24. College Placement Office: Strategy • On the average, our seniors apply to 8-10 schools. • 2/3 “Reach” Schools • 2/3 “ 50/50” Schools • 2/3 “Safety” Schools • You must apply to a number of “Safety” schools. • Can you see yourself at all the schools to which you apply? • One strategy that is often utilized and is not recommended is to apply to 10 reach schools and two safe schools. The result is a tremendous amount of disappointment and dissatisfaction.

25. College Placement Office: Strategy • How do you create your list of schools? 1. Make an appointment with a guidance counselor. 2. Read the College Placement Survey Book in your homeroom or down in the Guidance Center. Parents are encouraged to stop by the Guidance Center and spend some time looking at the book.

26. College Placement Office: The Essay • The part of the application you control. • Remember! The admissions rep reads thousands of these! • Therefore, • 1. Be concise. • 2. Start the essay in a unique way. • 3. Use a “slice of life” approach.

27. Assistance with your College Essay • Seniors will be working with their English teachers; Guidance counselors are also available to work with them on their essays.

28. College Placement Office: Scholarships • A number of scholarships become available throughout the school year. • Two main types: civic and college-related. • These scholarships will be posted on Naviance and in homeroom with information and deadlines.

29. NAVIANCE • College Applications in the 21st century. • Username and Password. • Any questions, have your son come down to the Guidance Center and speak with me.

30. Commonly Asked Questions: • Mr. Hazelton is the counselor of record for all applications. • His phone number is 516-742-5555 Ext.442. • His email is rhazelton@chaminade-hs.org • His fax # is 516-739-5013 • Do not check off the discipline box if you have received demerits while at Chaminade.

31. St. John’s University College Advantage Program • Cost: $500 for (6) Credits – 2 Semesters • Maximum of 12 credits in total for both semesters. • Spanish, French, German, Latin • English • Calculus I and Calculus II • Pre-Calculus • Physics • American History

32. St. John’s Program • Forms will be distributed in homeroom tomorrow morning. • Forms and checks for the full amount are due to Bro. Thomas’ office by September 25th. • Make check payable to Chaminade H.S. • Additional work will be assigned above and beyond the normal class load. • Ex. A paper or additional project.