Junior Parent Night College Planning Overview
Junior Parent Night College Planning Overview. HHS Guidance Counselors Mrs. Tracy Encarnacao, District Director of Guidance Mr. Bruce Powers A - Castillo.
Dec 18, 2015
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Junior Parent Night
College Planning Overview
HHS Guidance CounselorsMrs. Tracy Encarnacao, District Director of Guidance• Mr. Bruce Powers• A - Castillo
• Mrs. Heather Brunner• Castro - Des
• Mrs. Susan Beaudoin• Dev - Her
• Mrs. Bonnie Levine• Hey – McC
• Mrs. Jami Dion• McG – Pare
• Mrs. Melinda Cripps• Park - Rom
• Mr. Andy Alsup• Ros - Z
• Ms. Stacey O’Brien• Early College
Agenda•Roadmap to College•College Search Process•What’s in an Application?• Standardized Testing•Naviance• Financial Aid Overview
Roadmap to College• Be proactive!• Plan your route to college now!•Work a bit each month to help prepare for a smooth senior year
March/April• Attend HHS college fair • March 13th- HHS Gymnasium - 6:30-8pm
• Register for SAT or ACT• Develop a preliminary list of colleges• Visit college campuses• Meet with guidance counselor• If considering Div. I or II athletics, register with
NCAA Eligibility Center (www.eligibilitycenter.org)
May• Attend a local college fair• May 1st- 6-8:30pm- Boston National College Fair• May 29th- 6:30-8:30pm- NEACAC Regional
College Fair at Merrimack College• Don’t let your grades slip! This is the last full year
of grades that colleges will see!• Think about which teachers you would want to
write you a letter of recommendation• Take SAT or ACT• Continue visiting college campuses
June• Take SAT/ACT or SAT Subject Tests• Meet with your guidance counselor to confirm
that graduation requirements are all set• Think about the criteria that are important to you
as you consider colleges• Get comfortable using Naviance• Search for meaningful summer job or volunteer
opportunities
Summer Months• Analyze SAT/ACT scores and plan for future
testing• Create a list of schools with varying
admissions competiveness as well as financially safe options• Continue to visit schools• Develop a resume• Create Common App account• Apply for FAFSA PIN• Work on college essay
Fall Timeline• Sign up to meet with college reps• Meet with guidance counselor to review
final college list and plan for deadlines• Attend Senior Parent Night• Follow up with teachers writing your
letters of recommendation• Complete college essays and review them
with an English teacher• Familiarize yourself with college
admission deadlines
The College Search Process
Begin at the Beginning…• There is a path for everyone. Know your
options!• Do your research- don’t rush the process• Do some self-reflection- what are strengths,
weaknesses, values, interests?
• Develop specific criteria for colleges• Utilize an online college search tool to help
create that preliminary list of colleges• College Board- www.collegeboard.org• Naviance-
http://connection.naviance.com/haverhill
Big Future (CollegeBoard)/College Search (Naviance)
What are the options for college?
How much training & education am I willing to get to achieve my career & life goals?
• 2-year Technical School or Community College
• 4-year University or College
2-Year Technical & Community Colleges
•Affordable• Transfer Options / MA Transfer Program• Licensure/Certification
2-Year Admissions Requirements High School DiplomaCompletion of the Accu-placer exam
Community Colleges of MA
• Provide well-rounded college experience
• Campuses offer many of the same clubs and activities as 4-yr colleges
•Many colleges have intercollegiate or club athletic teams
• Smaller class sizes
•MA Transfer
4-Year Colleges and Universities There are over 2,000 4-year colleges
and universities in the country. Decide the factors that are important
to you to help narrow down a list of schools that are a good match.
Location• Far away or close to home?•Urban vs. suburban vs. rural •Be sure to factor in the cost of travel if you plan to go far away
Size/Enrollment•Weigh the pros & cons of a small school vs. large university• Do you want to be a big fish in a small pond?• Do you want to blend in with the crowd in a lecture hall of 250+ students?
Programs of Study•Not all schools have every academic major •Undecided? Be sure to look at schools that have all of your potential areas of interest!
Selectivity/Admission Requirements• Be realistic• Where do you stack up in comparison to
admission requirements at a particular school?• What factors are important for admission?• What percentage of students are accepted
each year?• Make sure your schools fall into one of three
categories:• Reach• 50/50• Probable
CostThe investment of college is
expensive. When finalizing your list of colleges; be sure to include
schools which are “financially safe”.
What’s In an Application?
Parts of the Application•Application•Essay• SAT/ACT scores•High school transcript• Letters of recommendation• Interview (depends on the school)•Application fee
What are Colleges Looking For?•Classes taken & quality of courses•GPA• Involvement • Standardized test scores•Essay/Letters of recommendation
College Applications•2 main types of applications•Common Application•College-specific Application
Common Application• www.commonapp.org• Accepted by over 500 colleges and
universities• One general application & essay• Helps student organize all aspects of
their applications• Many schools require a supplemental
form- know what your school’s requirements are!• Letters of recommendation and
transcripts are sent by Guidance Counselors through Naviance
College-Specific Applications•Can apply online or via paper application•Most colleges have copies of application available on their website
The Essay•Choose topic wisely•Keep focus on you•Common Application for Fall 2015 is available in August- start planning before senior year!
Letters of Recommendation•Ask teacher by May/June•What to consider:•Core academic subject• Teacher who can speak to your strengths as a student•Areas of weakness
Types of Deadlines•Early Action•Early Decision•Regular Decision•Rolling Admission•Open Enrollment
Selective Programs•Certain majors are more selective than others• Nursing, fine/performing arts, music
•Additional materials may be required for admission• Portfolio• Auditions
•Early admission deadlines•Know your requirements!!!
Standardized Testing
Standardized Tests
•SAT Reasoning Test
•SAT Subject Tests
•ACT
Upcoming SAT Dates
Test Date Registration Deadline
May 3, 2014 April 4, 2014
June 7, 2014 May 9, 2014SAT is offered at Haverhill
$51- SAT Reasoning$24.50 + $13 for each test- SAT
Subject Tests
SAT is also available in October, November, and December.
Visit www.collegeboard.org for updated information!
Upcoming ACT Dates
Test Date Registration Deadline
April 12, 2014 March 7, 2014
June 4, 2014 May 9, 2014
September 13, 2014 TBA
October 25, 2014 TBA
$52.50 with writing section
Visit www.actstudent.org for updated information!
Naviance
• Manage and track all aspects of the admissions process.• Delivers all of the supporting documents for college
applications• Provides valuable insight into the college admissions
process with college search, scatter grams, scholarship information and college application statistics
Take A Career Interest Survey
Research Career Options
Perform a College SearchChoose the criteria you are looking for in your ideal college
Research Schools
How do you Stack Up?
Keep Track of Schools You Are Considering
Financial Aid
The financial aid process may seem overwhelming, but you are not alone!!!
Two Types of Financial Aid•Merit-Based Aid•Awarded for academic, athletic, artistic talents
•Need-Based Aid•Based upon financial need•Determined by standard methodology
Sources of Aid•Federal•State•College/University awards•Scholarships
Financial Aid Forms• FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)• Required by all colleges
•CSS PROFILE• Required by some colleges• Fee associated with application
• Institutional Forms• Specific to some colleges in lieu of
PROFILE
FAFSA• FAFSA4caster can help estimate eligibility for federal
student aid!!!
Financial Aid Resources•Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority• www.mefa.org
• FinAid• www.finaid.org
• FAFSA• www.fafsa.ed.gov
• Fast Web• www.fastweb.com
Questions?
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