Junior Parent Night

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Junior Parent Night

• Presented by the
• Guidance and Counseling Department
• Spring 2007

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Role of Counselor

• Provide all the information necessary to assist
  the student in becoming an informed participant
• Assist in the selection of courses with college
  choices in mind
• Classroom Presentations
• Testing
• College Admission

• Individual meetings-Counselors call students in
  for in-depth discussion of college choices,
  application procedures, etc.
• Students may also sign up to see their counselors
  for questions
• Review deadlines, procedures
• Write letter of recommendation when needed

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Role of the Student

• Carefully consider course selection with college
  plans in mind
• Register for College Tests
• SAT I
• ACT
• SAT Subject Tests if needed
• Take the tests on time and order scores sent to
  colleges in the senior year

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Role of the Student

• Research colleges
• Create list of reach, target, and safety schools
• Attend college rep meetings-posted on web site
  during fall of senior year
• Follow steps in application process
• Visit colleges
• Attend College Fair May 3 at Mission College
• 600-830 P.M.

• Check on communications with colleges and monitor
  the progress of each application.
• Counselors do not have access to communications
  between students and the colleges they apply to
  and cannot monitor progress.
• Due to privacy issues a student is the only one
  to access information about the status of an
  application

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Role of Parent

• Monitor course selection with college goals in
  mind
• Openly discuss college options
• Financial considerations
• Location
• Balance between reach, target, safety
• Visit colleges if possible,
• Encourage student to attend College Fair
• May 3
• Mission College, 600-830 P.M.
• Attend parent nights
• Senior Parent Night in Fall
• Financial Aid Night in January 2008

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Role of Parent

• Access and review information on Guidance and
  Counseling website
• Monitor communications with colleges after
  applications are submitted.
• Counselors do not have access to communications
  between students and their colleges after the
  application is submitted due to privacy policies.
  

• Monitor test registration deadlines
• Check in with students throughout this spring and
  throughout senior year
• Stay Informed
• Please update email address tonight.
• Letters updating parents on student meetings will
  be sent in May.
• Parent Questionnaire will be sent in Sept-please
  return to counselor

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Scheduling Issues for Students and Parents

• Students are currently meeting with counselors to
  finalize scheduling choices-this will take
  several weeks
• Strength of senior curriculum can make a
  difference in college admissions
• Colleges consider most rigorous electives
• math, science, foreign language
• Next most rigorous electives
• Social science, English

• Elective options to match with the semester of US
  Government-students may select among all offered
  semester electives.
• Continue with foreign language?
• Courses offered in French 4, German 4, and
  Spanish 4 as well as AP level

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Summer Academic PlansD and F Grades

• No four year college will take a grade below a C-
  in academic courses
• Consult with your counselor to determine how
  these grades can be improved and how each college
  will use them in evaluating the scholarship
  record.

• Grades for repeated courses in which you
  initially earned a grade of C or better will not
  be used by the UC system.
• Saint Francis offers a Comprehensive Summer
  School Program

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Planning Calendar for College Admissions

• Testing Plan-
• Register for tests now for this spring
• Register for fall tests beginning in June
• College Admissions Plan
• Financial Aid and Scholarships-learning
  procedures and possibilities

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Making the Match

• Be Realistic
• Self esteem must be considered!!
• More safety and targetmore acceptances
• More reach-must be prepared for deny or wait list
• Be Flexible
• With 3,500 colleges, could there be one you have
  not considered?
• Apply broadly-seniors change by May 1 of senior
  year
• Be Informed
• No regrets, If only I had known

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Priority Board-rank the most important
characteristics
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Have a Conversation

• 3500 schools to choose from
• Look beyond the top 25
• There is more than one match
• Consider the size of classes
• Financial considerations
• Balance of student interest /guidance on choices
• Listening/Open to ideas

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Reach-Target-Safety

• Reach
• GPA and test scores average are above the
  students scores
• Admission rate may make the probability of
  getting in more of a gamble
• Stanford 1600 spots for 22,000 applications
• Admit rate 10.9 for Fall 2006
• Top Tier Schools
• Admission rate below 25
• Admits students in the top 10 of their high
  school class
• If its a very selective college, will it spark
  your competitive side or will it overwhelm you?

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Target

• Students grades and test scores match the
  average student admitted
• Admission rate is above 50
• Educational approach at the school match the
  students
• Large classes vs. small
• Student can be successful without undue stress

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Safety

• Students GPA and test scores are above the
  average student admitted
• Admission rate indicates high probability of
  admission
• Each student should apply to at least two safety
  schools as college admissions changes each year

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Admission PlansCheck the admission plans
available at the college

• Early decision
• Binding-if admitted early, student is contracted
  to commit
• Students must have completed SAT Reasoning Test
  and SAT Subject Tests no later than Oct. of
  senior year
• Usually offered by highly selective schools
• Cal Poly SLO offers a version of this plan

• Early action
• Apply early, be admitted early
• not required to commit until May 1 when all other
  offers are in
• Usually admitted by Jan 15

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• Rolling Admission
• The earlier you apply the earlier you find out
• All public universities in Arizona, Colorado, and
  
• Oregon use this plan.
• Date driven-Common Reply Date
• UC must apply between Nov. 1-30,
• Learn decision between March 1-30
• CSU must apply between Oct 1 and Nov 30,
• Learn decision on rolling basis but no later than
  March 31
• Private schools have last dates for filing
  applications
• i.e. Jan 1, Jan 15

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The University of California
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University of California

• Most Selective UCB, UCLA, UCSD
• More than ½ the applicants to UCB for Fall 2006
  had a weighted 4.00 GPA or higher.
• Not everyone can be admitted to their
  first-choice campus, so apply broadly to more
  than one campus.
• Merced is a growing campus with state of the art
  facilities and opportunities to work with
  professors in a small campus setting.
• The Scholarship Requirement
• defines the grade point average (GPA) you must
  earn in the "a-g" subjects and the test scores
  you must achieve to be eligible for admission to
  UC.
• The minimum GPA is 3.0 for California residents.
• The University uses an Eligibility Index a
  combination of GPA and test scores to determine
  if you meet eligibility for the UC system. This
  is the minimum needed to apply.

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UC Eligibility Index

• To determine eligibility
• Use eligibly sheet available in the Counseling
  Center
• Use eligibility calculator at the UC website.
• Test Scores will be used to determine
  eligibility
• SAT Reasoning Test (best sitting)
• OR
• the ACT with Writing (best sitting)
• AND
• Two SAT Subject Tests in 2 different subject
  areas.

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• Honors and AP Courses
• The University assigns extra points for
  University-certified honors level, Advanced
  Placement taken in the last three years of high
  school
• A5 points, B4 points, C3 points.
• A grade of D in an honors, Advanced Placement
  course does not earn extra points.

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UC Comprehensive Review

• Academic grade point average in grades in A-G
  courses from 10th and 11th
• Scores on the following tests
• SAT Reasoning Test and two SAT Subject Tests.
• ACT Assessment with writing, and 2 SAT Subject
  Tests

• The number and content of, and performance in,
  courses completed in academic subjects beyond the
  minimum specified by the University's eligibility
  requirements.

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Other Comprehensive Review Factors

• Honors, AP, Community College courses
• The quality of the senior year program, as
  measured by the type and number of academic
  courses
• Outstanding performance in one or more specific
  academic subject areas.
• Outstanding work in one or more special projects
  in any academic field of study.
• Recent, marked improvement in academic
  performance, with particular attention given to
  the last two years of high school

• Special talents or leadership
• Significant community service
• Academic accomplishments in light of the
  applicant's life experiences and special
  circumstances.
• This information will be conveyed on the
  application.
• No letters of recommendation will be accepted by
  the University of California
• Students should work to include insight into
  these areas in their application essay.

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Apply Broadly

• When making your selections, keep in mind that
  some campuses and programs are highly competitive
  and can accept only a limited number of students
  each year.
• Berkeley, UCLA, UCSD
• The University encourages you to apply to
  additional campuses that interest you to increase
  your chance of being admitted to one of your
  choices.
• UCR, UCSC, UC Merced

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SF Class of 2006
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The California State University System
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California State Universities

• Index
• Combination of
• GPA 10th and 11thin
• A-G approved courses
• SAT I or ACT
• No SAT Subject Tests required

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Impacted Campuses

• Cal Poly SLO-most competitive of all CSU
  campuses-
• Students must select a major and apply on line.
• Cal Poly Pomona
• Long Beach
• San Diego
• Fullerton

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Private and Out of State Colleges and Universities
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Admissions Criteria for Private Colleges

• Private universities evaluate the same criteria
  as listed for the University of California.
• Although the SAT Subject Tests are not required
  by all private colleges, all other criteria are
  considered.
• Students should check the private schools
  application to determine any unique admissions
  requirements.
• The college essay is an integral part of this
  review.
• Recommendations required
• Teacher
• Counselor

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Factors Considered in Selections

• Depth of involvement
• Leadership
• Service
• Summer Programs, Enrichment Courses, Internships,
• CC course work can enhance a transcript if
  appropriate
• Special talents
• Recommendations
• Teacher
• Counselor

• Similar to UC Comprehensive Review
• Personal Statement or College Essay
• Academic Record
• Grades
• Standardized Test Scores
• Rigor of course selection
• Activities

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Highly Selective

• Criteria
• Top 10-15 of Class
• Students with highest GPA in class-includes
  evaluation of number of honors and AP courses
• High SATs, 2100 and above, 700s or above in
  each area
• Distinguishing qualities/special talents

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Private Catholic CollegesWest Coast

• Santa Clara University
• University of San Diego
• Loyola Marymount
• Gonzaga
• Saint Marys of Moraga
• University of San Francisco
• University of Portland
• Seattle University
• Dominican
• Notre Dame, Belmont

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Public Universities in Western States

• Oregon-
• uses index
• Arizona
• apply early
• Arizona State will accept applications as early
  as July 1.

• Colorado-
• UC Boulder
• Colorado State
• Fort Lewis
• Nevada
• UNLV, UNR
• Washington State
• University of Washington and Washington State
  campuses

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Campus Visits and Interviews

• Plan ahead to interview with an admission officer
  if possible
• Prepare questions you would not find in a
  catalogue
• Take a guided tour
• Sit in a class if available
• Think about the educational approach
• Is it a match?

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NCAA and the College Bound Athlete

• File NCAA Form now, Division I, II, and walk on.
• Create an athletic resume and send to athletic
  offices or coaches
• After July 1
• Make up D grades in required courses this summer
• Realize this process is not predictable
• If a college contacts a student, the student
  should write or call back.

• March 5
• A Night for Students and Parents Interested in
  Participating in College Athletics.
• 700 Malcolm Center

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Financial Aid and Scholarships

• Public Universities
• FAFSA
• Private Universities
• Profile
• FAFSA
• Institutional Form
• Beware of Scams!!!

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• Be Aware of Opportunities
• Upcoming scholarships for juniors-posted in
  announcements and Counseling Center in March
• Boys State
• Girls State
• Youth Environmental Conference

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• Check for Summer Opportunities
• Updated file in Counseling Center
• Check Guidance and Counseling Website
• Planning to Take a College Course -check handout
• If considering a community college course, be
  sure to check if it is UC and/or CSU
  transferable.
• See ASSIST web site linked to the Guidance and
  Counseling Web Site.

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Electronic Assistance

• Saint Francis Guidance and Counseling Web Site
• College Search Subscriptions paid for by SF
• Family Connect-instructions on the Guidance and
  Counseling website
• Virtual Tours

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Upcoming Events

• March 5
• A Night for Students and Parents Interested in
  Participating in College Athletics. 700 Malcolm
  Center
• March 14
• Guide to the College Admissions Process for
  Student with Learning Issues 700PM Rooms 501-502
• April 26
• Case Studies for Junior Parents -information to
  follow