Lancaster High School Counseling Department

1. Lancaster High SchoolCounseling Department Senior Parent Night Class of 2016

2. Counselors by Alpha Jessica Reiber, A-D • j_reiber @lancaster.k12.oh.us Mary Jo Wooten, E-J • m_wooten@lancaster.k12.oh.us Melissa Roundhouse, K-P • m_darfus-roundhouse@lancaster.k12.oh.us Chris Stiel, Q-U • c_stiel@lancaster.k12.oh.us Sarah Collins, V-Z, • s_collins@lancaster.k12.oh.us

3. Other people you should know Vicki Lifer, Secretary • v_lifer@lancaster.k12.oh.us Julie Hutchison, Secretary • j_hutchison@lancaster.k12.oh.us

4. Post-Secondary Options • Enter Workforce • Military • Vocational/Technical Colleges • Community College • Four-Year College/University

5. Making College Choices • What is a “good” school? • Meets the student’s interests academically, geographically, financially, etc. • Has a variety of activities of interest to your student • How do students find a good school? • Visit collegeboard.org (college matchmaker) • Visit college websites • Visit college campuses • Use Career Cruising program

6. College Admissions • Based on academic achievement and potential • SAT and ACT • Strength of curriculum • GPA and Rank • Additional considerations (be specific) • Extracurricular activities • Community involvement • Leadership

7. ACT vs. SAT Both the SAT and ACT are accepted by most schools SAT: • Aptitude test with math, critical reading, and writing sections • Lose points for each question answered wrong • Register at collegeboard.org *Formatting on SAT is changing for the March 2016 Test* ACT: • Achievement test with math, critical reading, science, english, and writing sections • Do not lose points for questions answered wrong • Register at actstudent.org • Free ACT prep on your career cruising account!

8. 2015-2016 ACT Dates Test DateRegistration Deadline (Late Fee Required) September 12, 2015 August 7, 2015 August 8–21, 2015 October 24, 2015 September 18, 2015 September 19–October 2, December 12, 2015 November 6, 2015 November 7–20, 2015 February 6, 2016 January 8, 2016 January 9–15, 2016 April 9, 2016 March 4, 2016 March 5–18, 2016 June 11, 2016 May 6, 2016 May 7–20, 2016 If you are eligible for a fee waiver, you must come to the counseling office to get the waiver code prior to signing up for the test. Eligible students can receive up to 2 waivers for the ACT.

9. Early Action vs. Early Decision Early Action: • Simply means early notification • Automatically considered for merit scholarships based on students’ grades Early Decision: • Binding • Only use if students are 100% sure they are attending this school regardless of financial aid at other schools

10. Starting the Application Process Step 1: Research college choices on career cruising and collegeboard.org Step 2: Take or Re-take SAT’s or ACT’s if necessary • Choose colleges to send scores to or NCAA Eligibility Center Step 3: Narrow choices to 3-5 schools based on college admissions requirements Step 4: Begin providing information to teachers for letters of recommendation

11. Application Process (continued) Step 5: Begin completing applications • Write essays and personal statements Step 6: Pay the application fee and apply by the deadline • Pay close attention to all admissions and scholarship deadlines at your school of choice Step 7: Send official transcripts • Request in counseling office or on counseling website

12. Application Process (continued) Step 8: Send SAT or ACT scores through collegeboard.org or actstudent.org Step 9: Research and apply for scholarships Step 10: Continue to check your college account for status notifications Pay Attention and wait: College admissions offices will contact you if they require more information • Be cognizant of application due dates

13. Common Application • The Common Application is an online and print college application that is accepted at hundreds of colleges and universities nationally. • Students can use one application for any schools that accept the common application instead of filling out a separate application for each school. • Some schools require an additional supplement, so be sure to check the admission requirements. • Application fees to each school still apply. For more information and the application, go to commonapp.org • Ohio Schools on Common App: Baldwin Wallace University, Case Western Reserve University, The College of Wooster , Denison University , Hiram College, John Carroll University, Kenyon College, Marietta College, Miami University, Oberlin College, The Ohio State University, Ohio Wesleyan University, Otterbein University, University of Dayton, and The University of Findlay

14. Requesting Transcripts • Current Students must use the link below to Request all transcripts: http://lhscounselors.weebly.com/transcripts.html • Students can also request Transcripts in the counseling office on the Ipad located in the lobby • This helps us to ensure that all requested transcripts are sent instead of students emailing or verbally telling their counselor to send them. • ***THE ONLY exception to this is if the school you are applying to is on commonapp.org or send.edu. These transcripts and recommendations will be uploaded digitally by the students counselor*** • Please allow up to 10 days for a transcript to be sent. If you do not give us this much time, we can not ensure that it will be sent by the colleges deadline

15. Counselor Recommendation Request • Complete Counselor Brag Sheet available in the counseling office or the website. Make sure your counselor gets this information when you are requesting transcripts or it will not be sent with your transcript! • If applicable, attach the specific college/university recommendation form.

16. College Application Week • The goal of Ohio College Application Week is to help all graduating seniors navigate through the college admissions process and ensures that each student submits at least one admissions application. • November 16th-20th • Last year there were admission representatives onsite from 10 colleges and our seniors filled out over 200 applications during this week. • Some colleges last year did waive their application fee if students applied during this event, but this is not guaranteed.

17. Career Cruising Career Cruising is an Internet-based career exploration and planning tool available to students to explore career and college options and develop a career plan. Career Cruising can be accessed from school, from home, or wherever Internet access is available at: http://careercruising.com Features of the program include: • Interest and Skills Assessment - a world-renowned career assessment tool to help people identify suitable career options based on their interests and skills • Career Profiles - thorough and up-to-date information about hundreds of different occupations, including direct links between careers and related college programs • Multimedia Interviews - interviews with real people in each occupation, which add depth and realism to career profiles • College and Financial Aid Information - comprehensive college and financial aid information, with a number of useful search tools to help students find the right college and the right scholarships • Electronic Career Portfolio - available online, so students can develop their education and career plans from wherever they access Career Cruising • Resume Builder - integrated with the portfolio to help students format and print professional-looking resumes quickly and easily

18. Other Post-Secondary Programs • Ohio Means Jobs Fairfield County • Hours of Operation Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. • · The resource is for job seekers, job keepers, and employers.  • · Job seekers and keepers can: •      -Utilize high-speed internet for job searching, career exploration, labor market information and more •      -Helpful handouts on websites, resumes, FAFSA, community services and more •      -Create resumes and cover letters as well as print them on special resume paper •      -Post their resume onhttp://ohiomeansjobs.com/fairfieldfor employers to view •      -Attend GO! Workshops or utilize self-paced tutorials to help sharpen their skills

19. Other Post-Secondary Programs, CONT. • Eastland-Fairfield Adult Workforce Programs- Certificate Programs with Financial Aid Available. Some Programs can be completed in 6 to 9 months. • Full Time Programs: • Basic Police Officer Training • Dental Assisting • Facilities Maintenance • HVAC/R & Controls • Medical Assisting • Medical Office Technologies • Welding

20. While You Are Waiting… • Focus on grades and test scores • Colleges will review mid-year and final grades • Colleges will take highest SAT/ACT sub-score (CR-M-Writing) • Apply for SCHOLARSHIPS • Applications are detailed and may require essays

21. The Search for Scholarships • Check Scholarships page on Counseling Website • Fairfield Foundation scholarships • Register online at fastweb.com for a free national scholarship search • Check Career Cruising! • Check college websites • Contact employer, church and community organizations

22. Beware of Scholarship/College Advising Frauds • Application fee for scholarships • Small “processing” fee for applications • Scholarship lotteries • Guaranteed scholarship money • Paid services with unique information • Free seminars with high-pressure sales • “You need this service to be successful” • “You are a bad parent if you don’t do this”

23. Financial Aid Process Must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to receive any aid • Submit after January 1 • Check the priority deadline at each college • Check with each college for institutional forms Need Based • Grants, Work Study, Loans Non-need Based • Scholarships, Loans

24. For Help with Financial Aid • Talk to college financial aid counselors • Contact United Way • Come to Financial Aid Night later this year • Attend College Goal Sunday – February 2016, TBA. • Complete your FAFSA with help from experts at Ohio University Lancaster

25. Dates to Remember September 24th • College Fair at OU-L November 16-20th • College Application Week at LHS February -TBA • College Goal Sunday May 29th • Graduation at LHS!

26. Fairfield County College Fair Ohio University Lancaster-Gymnasium Thursday, September 24, 2015 6:00pm – 8:00pm Representatives from over 100 colleges and universities, community colleges, and military institutions

27. Make sure to follow us on twitter for updates!!!!@LHS_CounselorsAnd visit our website @lhscounselors.weebly.comThank you for coming out tonight!