COLLEGE PLANNING SEMINAR Class of 2015 · 2020. 11. 18. · Jomaira Rincon UCONN. Resources In Your Folder •Planning Calendar for Junior-Senior Year •SAT & ACT Test Dates & Registration

C O L L E G E P L A N N I N G

S E M I N A RThursday, November 18, 2020

Presented by the Tolland High School

Counseling Staff

Class of 2022

Program Agenda

PART I: COLLEGE ADMISSIONS VIDEOS

PART II: THE COLLEGE SEARCH PROCESS

*INFORMATION AND PLANNING*

ADMISSIONS PANEL

We welcome video submissions from:

Raena Beetham ECSU

Jeanette Rivera Epps Manchester CC

Jomaira Rincon UCONN

Resources In Your Folder

• Planning Calendar for Junior-Senior Year

• SAT & ACT Test Dates & Registration Information

• Naviance Student Information

• New England Regional Tuition Break Program

• Paying for College

• Tips for Parents

• NCAA Eligibility

• Program Evaluation

Part II:College Search Process

*Information and Planning*

Planning

Spring

2021

Fall

2021

Winter

2020

Summer

2021

Graduation

2022

PLAN PREPARE PLAN PREPARE

Winter, Junior Year

• Review PSAT scores (CT scores will be available Dec.8, 2020). Use results to determine how to best prepare for the SAT in the spring.

• Think carefully about course selections for senior year. Colleges expect that you will continue to challenge yourself.

• Begin to think about what type of college is best for you. Consider factors such as academic programs, size, location, activities, cost.

• VISIT

Virtual College

Fairs

VIRTUAL OPPORTUNITIES• Virtual Tours

• Virtual Open House

• Virtual Information Session

• Virtual Interviews

**Visit the ADMISSIONS pages of college/university websites.**

A Good Decision Requires Information

• Gather information about yourself

o Strengths, weaknesses, abilities, interests

• Gather information about colleges

o Admission statistics

o Location

o Size

o Majors/programs

o Financial aid

o Retention and graduation rate

o Student to faculty ratio

o Clubs/organizations

o Internship opportunities

o Etc.

Junior Registration Meeting( Counselor and Student)

• Review transcript and graduation requirements.

• Review course selections for senior year.

• Individual planning regarding post THS plans.

oUpcoming College Fairs/ Virtual or In Person

o Testing

oVisiting

o Potential schools

o Thoughts about a major

SAT – March 2021CONNECTICUT SAT SCHOOL DAY

The test date will be Wednesday, March 24, 2021, during the school day. This SAT will NOT include the Writing component.

FOR THIS TEST DATE ONLY – students will be registered by THS.

Students will have the opportunity to send their scores from this test date to up to four colleges at no cost. Students must select the colleges on the day of the test in order to receive free score reports.

Standardized Test Scores

Tolland High does NOT include SAT or ACT scores on official transcripts.

Students must have their standardized test scores sent directly from the testing agency (College Board, ACT) to the colleges they are applying to as well as other organizations as needed (NCAA, scholarships, etc.)

THS SCHOOL CODE: 070792

KHAN ACADEMY

The College Board is partnered with Khan Academy to provide free, personalized, focused practice resources for all students.

Students who took the PSAT will be directed to Khan Academy when they receive their score reports.

Visit the Khan Academy website at

www.khanacademy.org

Spring, 2021

• Begin your college search.

oUse search engines in Naviance

oVISIT colleges – April break is a great time, as college students are in class

oCollege Fairs –

• At this time, NACAC has not scheduled in person college fairs. https://www.nacacfairs.org/virtual/

• Complete your RESUME in Naviance.**

Spring, 2021 cont.

• Pursuing Division I or II athletics? Become familiar with the requirements by going to the NCAA Eligibility Center web site.

• Register for the SAT or ACT (or both). All registrations for these tests are done on-line, and have strict deadlines.

• Investigate requirements for SAT Subject Tests or AP tests

Summer 2021• Register for the fall SAT/ACT/SAT Subject Tests.

• Continue to research and visit schools.

• Update your list of schools.

• Update your resume.

• Begin to brainstorm and draft your college essays.

Creating AccountsStudents must create their own accounts for many of the sites that they will use in the college application process, including:

• The Common Application

• The College Board (SAT)

• The ACT

• Khan Academy

Students must remember their own user names and passwords --- school counselors do not have access to this information, so cannot assist students who do not know how to log-in.

Types of College Applications

In general, students will use one of three types of applications:

• The Common Application

• An Institution’s Application

• The Coalition for Access, Affordability & Success Application

All of these are ON-LINE applications.

PACT Program and the CT Community Colleges

• PACT covers the gap between the federal and state grants you receive (Pell and Roberta Willis grants), and the cost of attending community college (tuition and mandatory fees).

• In order to be eligible, students must:Graduate from a CT high schoolBe a first-time college studentAttend full time (12 credits).Participate in a degree or certificate program.Complete the FAFSA and accept all awards.Complete application and FAFSA by July.

• Funds are issues on a first come, first served basis.

TRANSFER TICKET PROGRAMS

Transfer Tickets are degree programs for Connecticut Community College students that transfer to Connecticut State Universities and Charter Oak without either losing any credits or being required to take extra credits in order to complete a bachelor's degree in that same discipline.

FAFSA(Free Application for Federal Student Aid)

• The FAFSA now uses “prior-prior year” (PPY) tax data, which means students and parents of the Class of 2022 will use tax data from the 2020 calendar year on the FAFSA.

• Be sure to attend our Financial Aid Seminar next fall for more information on the financial aid process.

Admissions Terminology• Early Decision- Binding if admitted

• Early Action – Early deadline, early notification. Not binding.

• Rolling Admission- Applications are read and decisions are made continuously throughout the fall, spring.

• Regular admission- Deadlines will vary. Response usually received in Spring.

• Priority Deadline – Considers priority application in advance of regular admissions. ( ex. UCONN- Dec.1)

• Deferred

• Waitlisted

THS Counseling Webpage

www.ths.tolland.k12.ct.us

Contains links to :

• Naviance Student

• College Board (SAT) and ACT

• Common Application

• Presentations to students and parents

• Updated with current news & information

For more on Naviance Student

see the handout in your folder

THS Webpage

THS Counseling Webpage

Video Tutorials

Naviance Student

Career Interest Inventory Do What You Are College Search

Miscellaneous(suggestions from program evaluations)

• Get organized

• Sign up early for SAT/ACT to get site of choice

• Freshman class profiles

• Service hours

• Recommendation form

• Resume

• Demonstrated interest

• Net price calculator/ calculating fees

Upcoming THS Planning Events for Parents/Students

• Individual planning /Junior Registration

• Senior Advisory regarding college/THS process overview

• College Application Workshop for Parents

• Individual planning sessions for each senior with their counselor

• College Representative Visits??

• Financial Aid Seminar

THS School Counseling Department

Counselors:

• Caitlin Foran A-Fe

• Jim Shea FI-Mc

• Michelle Grady Mi-Re

• Meghan Durham Rh-Z

Counseling Secretary: Cherie Richards

Working as a Team

Students, Parents and Counselors all have a role to play in the college search and application process!!!!

Communication is the key!

Program Evaluation

Please complete the evaluation and place it in the box at the back of the auditorium.

We gain valuable information that allow our programs to better meet the needs of our

students and parents .

Thank you for sharing your

evening with us.