College Admission for 11th Graders and Families

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College Admission for 11th Graders and Families

• Rebecca Rutsky College/Career Counselor for
  Spain Park Hoover High Schools
• Christy Hudgens College/Career Specialist

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Welcome to Senior Year!

• Young adulthood Responsibility
• Students need to do their part themselves.
• Counselors and parents are here to guide and
  encourage.
• Students received handouts this week
• College Planning Handbook
• Senior Packet

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Senior Packet How We Help Make Your Child Look
Good!

• For use in writing recommendations and
  nominating/choosing students for awards,
  scholarships
• DUE March 17 (day before Spring Break)
• Transcript Release Form
• Personal form students
• Parent Insights
• Peer Recommendation
• Teacher Evaluation
• Resumes
• Students should update resumes as needed

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How to Apply to College

• Transcript Release Form must be signed on file.
• Student completes college application - online or
  paper.
• Proofread
• Save copies
• Request in writing that transcript to be sent to
  college(s).
• Request recommendations, if needed
• Allow 3 weeks for college counselors at least 10
  days for teachers

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Deadlines

• Deadlines are crucial. Halloween is the ideal
  deadline for college applications.
• Start earlier than you think you need to.
• Help students to plan ahead.
• Organize. Organize. Organize.
• All paperwork is due to the College Counseling
  Office at least 3 weeks in advance of due date.

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What Colleges Look for When Making Decisions

• Top 3 Most Important Factors
• Strength of curriculum (Honors, Advanced
  Placement)
• Grade Point Average (GPA) and class rank
• College Entrance Examination Scores (ACT or SAT)
• If the college requires them
• Essay
• Interview
• Recommendation Letters
• Resume (leadership, community service,
  extracurricular, talents, etc)

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To Do List Junior Year Spring

• Take at least one ACT and/or SAT I test by June
  (preferably both). Test prep available.
• Strong finish to Junior year These are the
  grades on which colleges will base decisions!
• Register for a challenging curriculum for senior
  year
• Complete Senior Packet by Spring Break
• Research college options
• Begin asking teachers now for recommendations
• Appointment with college counselor during Spring
  or Summer

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Summer

• Keep researching college options
• Visit college campuses interview
• Can begin applying to colleges.
• Appointment with college counselor during Spring
  or Summer
• Read!

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Senior Year Fall

• Retake ACT or SAT if needed do test prep.
• Attend college visits at the high school and
  visit college campuses.
• Complete applications well in advance of
  deadlines Halloween is a good deadline.
• Keep informed about college visits, scholarships,
  etc.
• Senior English classes
• Announcements
• College/Career website

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Stay Informed!College Career Web Site

• www.hoover.k12.al.us/college
• College Handbook
• Senior Packet files
• Scholarship opportunities
• Calendar of upcoming college visits
• Links to many, many helpful web sites
• Frequently asked questions

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College Search 101

• Mary K. Spiegel
• Director
• Undergraduate Admissions
• The University of Alabama
• mary.spiegel_at_ua.edu

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Parents Job

• The senior year by itself is a very exciting
  time for your student and now the College
  Search is going to be added.
• Your job is to keep your student focused
• Focused on academics, extracurricular activities,
  community commitments and the college search
• Choosing the right college can be overwhelming
  and you both need to take one step at a time

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ACT and SAT

• Register for the May SAT and/or the April ACT
• http//act.org
• http//collegeboard.com
• Depending on test results, student may want to
  register for the June SAT/ACT
• If not satisfied with test results
• http//www.actstudent.org/index.html (ACT)
• http//www.collegeboard.com/?student (SAT)
• http//www.kaptest.com/ (KAPLAN)
• http//www.princetonreview.com/home.asp?adcode24
  790
• (Princeton Review)

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ACT

• English (45 minutes) 75 questions
• Math (60 minutes) 60 questions up to
  trigonometry
• Reading (35 minutes) 40 questions
• Science (35 minutes) 40 questions
• Optional Writing (30 minutes)

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SAT

• Writing (60 minutes) one 35 minute section and
  one 25 minute section
• Critical Reading (70 minutes) Formerly Verbal
• Math (70 minutes) up to 9th grade basic
  geometry and algebra II

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Major Purchase

• One needs to do their homework when researching
  colleges
• Just as one would investigate to buy a home or a
  car, one must do this with colleges
• Work with your students guidance counselors
• A college decision should not be based solely on
  a schools reputation
• Common Data Set
• research, research, research

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US News and World Report

• Published each August
• Schools are grouped with similar school
• Divided into different sections
• Provides information about retention, graduation
  rate, student/faculty ratio and class size
• When visiting colleges and universities review
  this magazine to see what other colleges are in
  the same area
• This can broaden your students search

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Campus Tour

• To begin take a virtual tour look for key facts
  of colleges (majors, location size and cost)
• If still interested be sure to read up on the
  colleges prior to registering for a college
  tour/visit
• Tour Registration types
• Web site
• Email
• Telephone
• Always register and not just show up

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Not Just a Campus Tour

• Best time to visit is when classes are in session
• Can you and your student speak with currently
  enrolled students and/or faculty members
• What about attending a class
• Take notes
• residential life (housing tour)
• academic support services
• diversity
• cost
• safety www.securityoncampus.org
• Confirm what college standardized test is
  required (ACT or SAT)
• Is the writing component required and how is it
  used
• GPA requirement (weighted, unweighted, cumulative
  or academic core)
• Observe interactions how do students interact
  with other students, faculty and staff
• Be sure to eat the food

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Find the Right Fit

• Academic Reputation (quality education)
• Availability of scholarship and financial aid
• How and when are scholarship awards made and when
  is notification received
• College Size
• Location
• Majors
• Faculty to Student ratio
• Job Placement success

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Alumni and Parents Association

• During the college visit
• Obtain names of Alums and members of the
  colleges Parents Association from your area and
  contact them
• Are there currently enrolled students from your
  area that your student could contact

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Once you Determine Top Schools

• Established contact with a staff person in each
  admissions office
• Read and understand policies
• Apply and meet deadlines
• Dont procrastinate

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Financial Aid

• Merit Scholarships
• Contact each individual college to find out how
  to apply - procedures vary widely.
• Research employers, community groups, websites,
  etc. for private scholarships
• Need-based aid
• FAFSA (Free Federal Application for Federal
  Student Aid)
• File in early 2007 as soon as you have complete
  2006 income taxes.

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In Closing

• Difficult to let children go because you are
  unsure of exactly what they will encounter
• Remember as you let them go give them advice
  dont hold back
• Young people entering college today need parental
  guidance
• All students will encounter a transitional period
  from high school to college
• the first 6 weeks are the most difficult
• be sure to continue to communicate with your
  student