CVHS 11TH GRADE COLLEGE PREPARATION MEETING

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CVHS 11TH GRADE COLLEGE PREPARATION MEETING
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SAT vs. ACT

• Math counts 50 goes up to Alg. 2
• ¼ point penalty for wrong answers
• 3 Main Sections (Critical Reading, Math
  Writing)
• Score 200-800 per sect. Added for score
  600-2400 212 for the essay
• Costs 41.50

• Math counts 25 goes up to Trig.
• No penalty for wrong answers
• 4 Main Sections (Eng., Math, Reading, Sci.)
  Writing optional
• Score 1-36 each subtest then avg. for composite
  212 for Writing test
• Costs 29.00

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SAT and ACT

• Register online
• Include school code of 443541
• Results placed on the back of your transcript.
• Some schools require scores be sent directly from
  the testing agency.
• Waivers available for students on free or reduced
  lunch.
• www.collegeboard.com
• www.act.org

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Grade Point Average

• CVHS reports GPA on a 4.0 weighted scale.
• This means all PAP, AP, and Honors courses from
  MS and HS get a bonus point.
• If you must report an unweighted GPA, then all
  courses are assigned the following A4, B3,
  C2, D1. Add courses and divide.
• GPAs are available on PrepHq for 11th 12th
  only

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College Choices

• Do your research (college web sites, PrepHq,
  www.collegeprowler.com, www.collegeconfidential.co
  m, www.collegeboard.com, etc.)
• Go to College Fairs, College Nights, or Visit
  with Representatives that come to CVHS
• Schedule a Campus Visit
• Look at each schools acceptance rates, costs,
  academic and social programs, etc.

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College vs. University

• Usually smaller in size
• Smaller class sizes
• A professors primary responsibility is teaching

• Usually very large in size
• There are colleges located within the university
• Professors involved in research TAs may teach
  some classes

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Early Decision

• Apply early (by the end of Oct. get an early
  admissions decision
• You can only apply ED to ONE school.
• If accepted, commit early, sign agreement, send
  deposit and withdraw apps to other schools.
• If accepted, you may decline their ED offer, but
  will also forfeit any regular decision
  acceptance.
• This is a Binding Agreement
• When applying ED, be working on other college
  apps in case your ED school declines to offer
  admission.
• ED is great if you know without a shred of doubt
  that a particular school is the one you must
  attend.
• PITFALLYou will never know what other schools
  would have offered you and wont be able to
  compare financial aid packages.

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Early Action

• Apply early
• Get early admissions decision
• Non Binding
• Single Choice EA means EA to only 1 school and no
  ED
• Multi Choice EA means EA to as many schools as
  you choose.

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www.applytexas.org

• Apply Texas application for all public Texas
  colleges and universities.
• APPLY ONLINE and once you totally complete 1
  application and submit it to a school, you can
  then copy many parts of the application to the
  rest. Not every part of the application will be
  submitted to all schools. These schools do not
  have an official EA, but you may still submit
  your application earlier than the deadline.
• Check for separate scholarship applications that
  will have an earlier deadline than admissions.
  ADHERE TO DEADLINES
• Stay organized and write down your IDs for each
  school. Use PrepHq
• NO Letters of Recommendation or School Reports
  are required.
• Once you apply, complete a Request for Transcript
  form and the transcript and school profile will
  be sent.

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www.commonapp.org

• The Common Application used for about 320 private
  colleges and universities across the country.
• APPLY ONLINE and once you totally complete 1
  application and submit it to a school, you can
  then copy many parts of the application to the
  rest.
• Check for separate scholar applications that will
  have an earlier deadline than admissions. ADHERE
  TO DEADLINES
• Stay organized and write down your IDs for each
  school
• Letters of Recommendation, School Reports, and
  Essays will be required for all schools.
• This application is much more labor intensive and
  requires organization and follow up.

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www.commonapp.org

• Once you apply, complete a Request for Transcript
  form. Submit the form to Mrs. Chapman along
  with
• School Report (submit only one report)
• Senior Data Form
• Envelopes
• Once approved, give Request for Transcript form
  and payment to registrar
• Mrs. Chapman will send within 2 weeks
• Common App School Report
• Letter of Recommendation
• Current Schedule
• Transcript
• School Profile
• Teacher Recommendations sent separately, by
  teacher

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Other School Applications

• Other schools such as HBU, Univ. of St. Thomas,
  UCLA, USC, Univ. of (MI, WI, OK), Ohio St., Cal
  St., etc.
• Most schools will require some sort of counselor
  report, but others may not.
• Do your research and proceed with Transcript
  requests the same as you would with an ApplyTexas
  or Common App school.
• If you apply to several types of schools (TX,
  Common, Other) then please make sure you specify
  in writing which school gets which report or sit
  down w/ Mrs. Chapman to clarify what you want.

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Mid Year Reports

• Submit Mid Year Reports with envelopes to Mrs.
  Chapman after the winter break.
• A MY Report, unofficial transcript and current
  schedule will be sent.
• MY Report is not a requirement of Apply Texas
  Schools.
• If you have been accepted, you may not have to
  send a MY Report. Communicate with the schools
  and their representatives.

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Request for Transcript

• Transcripts cost 1.00 (first 2 are free)
• Complete form for all transcripts needed
• Please give us TWO WEEKS to process (a
  transcript alone typically will take only a few
  days, but may take two weeks when also requesting
  an initial letter of recommendation) (take
  holidays into account)
• Give form to Mrs. Chapman for approval
• Once approved, give form and payment to
  registrar.
• No transcript for college will be approved or
  processed without the proper documents attached.
• Transcripts for scholarships, personal use, etc.
  can be obtained without approval.

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Letters of Recommendation

• Please give us (counselor, teacher, etc.) at
  least TWO WEEKS to write your letter. (please
  take holidays into account)
• When requesting, give the recommender, stamped
  addressed envelopes for each letter you request.
  (Correct Postage)
• You may want to give a teacher a copy of your
  senior data form.
• REMEMBER, letters of recommendation are a
  courtesy.

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ENVELOPES

• Addressed to college
• Do not put CVHS or Home address on upper left
  corner
• Make sure you have correct postage
• Must be presented with Request for Transcript and
  Request for Letters of Recommendation
• No envelope required for personal transcripts.

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Admit, Deny, Withdraw, Waitlisted

• If admitted or waitlisted, please provide a copy
  of acceptance letter and any verification of
  scholarship awards to Mrs. Chapman.
• If you are denied admission or decide to withdraw
  your application, please inform Mrs. Chapman.
• Each transcript sent, must be tracked.

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Denial Admission Review

• For some Texas colleges and universities, a
  denial is only good until that student provides
  new information such as
• Increased SAT or ACT scores (many Texas public
  schools use a matrix retake test for a better
  score is best option)
• Letters of Recommendation
• Essays
• Interviews
• Corrected information
• If you are denied admission to U of H, Texas
  State, North Texas, Texas Tech, etc., please see
  Mrs. Chapman for assistance. One way to possibly
  avoid this situation is to apply early before the
  bulk of applications get to the schools and show
  that youre not slacking in Senior year.

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Essay Questions

• Evaluate a significant experience, achievement,
  risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have
  faced and its impact on you.
• Discuss some issue of personal, local, national,
  or international concern and its importance to
  you.
• Indicate a person who has had a significant
  influence on you, and describe that influence.
• Describe a character in fiction, a historical
  figure, or a creative work (as in art, music,
  science, etc.) that has had an influence on you,
  and explain that influence.
• A range of academic interests, personal
  perspectives, and life experiences adds much to
  the educational mix. Given your personal
  background, describe an experience that
  illustrates what you would bring to the diversity
  in a college community, or an encounter that
  demonstrated the importance of diversity to you.
• Many students expand their view of the world
  during their time in college. Such growth often
  results from encounters between students who have
  lived different cultural, economic, or academic
  experiences. With your future growth in mind,
  describe a potential classmate that you believe
  you could learn from either within or outside a
  formal classroom environment.

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Colleges Accepting Students from the Class of
07Allegheny College, American University,
Antioch College, Austin College, Bates College,
Baylor University, Beloit College, Bennington
College, Bowdoin College, Carleton College,
Centenary College of Louisiana, Chapman
University, Clark University, Coe College,
Colorado School of Mines, Connecticut College,
Cornell University, Dillard University, Drake
University, Drexel University, Earlham College,
Eckerd College, Emerson College, Emory
University, Florida Southern College, Grinnell
College, Guilford College, Hampden-Sydney
College, Hampshire College, Haverford College,
Hendrix College, Hollins University, Houston
Baptist University, Illinois Institute of
Technology, Jacksonville University, Juniata
College, Kalamazoo College, Knox College, Lamar
University, Lawrence University, Lewis and Clark
College, Loyola University New Orleans,
Macalester College, Mary Baldwin College,
Millsaps College, Morehouse College, Occidental
College, Oglethorpe University, Otterbein
College, Pepperdine University, Rensselaer
Polytechnic Institute, Rhodes College, Roanoke
College, Rollins College, Saint Edward's
University, Saint Joseph's University, Saint
Mary's University of San Antonio, Sam Houston
State University, Santa Clara University, Sarah
Lawrence College, Seattle University, Skidmore
College, Smith College, Southern Methodist
University, Southern University and AM College,
Southwestern University, Stephen F. Austin State
University, Texas AM University, Texas AM
University at Galveston, Texas Christian
University, Texas State University-San Marcos,
Texas Tech University, The College of Wooster,
The Pennsylvania State University--University
Park Campus, The University of Scranton, The
University of Texas at Austin, The University of
Texas at San Antonio, Trinity University, Tulane
University, University of Dallas, University of
Evansville, University of Houston, University of
Miami, University of MissouriRolla, University
of Northern Colorado, University of Saint Thomas,
University of Southern California, University of
WisconsinMadison, University of the Pacific,
University of the South, Ursinus College, Vassar
College, Wells College, Wesleyan University,
Wheaton College, Willamette University, Xavier
University of Louisiana
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Upcoming College Events

• Duke, Georgetown Harvard, Penn, Stanford
• May 9th 730PM The Westin
  Galleria 5060 West Alabama
  713-960-8100
• May 10th 730PM Marriott Houston N. _at_
  Greenspoint 255 N. Sam
  Houston Pkwy E. 281-875-4000

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Upcoming College Events

• COLLEGES THAT CHANGE LIVES
• Saturday, August 25th from 1000---1230 _at_
  Omni Houston at
  Westside
  13210 Katy Frwy
  281-558-8338
• Agnes Scott College, Allegheny College, Antioch
  College, Austin College, Beloit College,
  Birminham-Southern College, Centre College, Clark
  University, College of Wooster, Cornell College,
  Denison University, Earlham College, Eckerd
  College, Emory Henry College, The Evergreen
  State College, Goucher College, Guilford College,
  Hampshire College, Hendrix College, Hiram
  College, Hope College, Juniata College, Kalamazoo
  College, Knox College, Lawrence University,
  Lynchburg College, Marlboro College, McDaniel
  College, Millsaps College, New College of
  Florida, Ohio Wesleyan University, Reed College,
  Rhodes College, Southwestern University, St.
  Johns College, St. Olaf College, Ursinus
  College, Wabash College, Wheaton College, Whitman
  College

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Upcoming College Events

• CVHS Annual College Fair
• Co-Hosted by Challenge Early College HS
• Wednesday, October 24th, 2007 79PM 5601
  West Loop South

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Scholarships Summer Programs

• Please go to PrepHq for a listing of many
  scholarships and summer programs.
• Other Sites www.fastweb.com , www.aie.org ,
  www.collegeguidanceconsultants.com ( user
  houston password scholar07 (for 06/07 only)
• Students must adhere to the deadlines and note if
  the deadline states Postmarked or Received by.
• Many university scholarship apps are due BEFORE
  the admission application. PLAN AHEAD and STAY
  ORGANIZED!!!

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General Information

• Organization is Key Use PrepHq
• Adhere to deadlines (Ideally, you should be
  finished w/ college apps by Thanksgiving and no
  later than BEFORE Winter Break) (The Spring
  semester should focus on scholarships)
• Pay attention to scholarship deadlines that are
  BEFORE application deadlines
• Dont Slack on your Senior Schedule!!!!!
• Follow Up w/ counselor, teachers, and colleges
  (check your status often)
• Start your Essays this summer
• Use PrepHq to keep notes, plans, online IDs
• Ask for assistance

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Contact Information

• Mrs. Chapman
  College Guidance Counselor vchapman_at_houstonisd.o
  rg
• Mrs. Maxey
  Registrar Counselor emaxey_at_houstonisd.org
• Mrs. Robinson
  Administrative Assistant lrobins1_at_houstonisd.org