American School of Madrid

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American School of Madrid

• College Admission Preview
• Thursday, February 1, 2007
• Kim Cullen

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Guidance Office/College Counseling

• Kim Cullen, Upper School Guidance and College
  Counselor
• kimcullen_at_asmadrid.org
• Anna Pointing, Upper School Guidance Secretary,
  CAS Coordinator, UCAS support
• annapointing_at_asmadrid.org
• Juan Ortiz, Director Técnico (Selectividad,
  LOGSE)
• juanortiz_at_asmadrid.org

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Purpose

• To preview the 12-month college admissions
  process
• To get students to start thinking about where you
  might like to go to college, and what you might
  like to study
• To highlight what is in the College Admissions
  Handbook
• To encourage parents and students to begin
  working with the Guidance Office on
  college-career plans
• To answer questions

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Self-Assessment

• Do you want to go to College?
• Why? What do you hope to gain personally and
  professionally?
• How do you learn best?
• Do you want to study anything that requires
  special facilities or programs?
• What are your extracurricular interests/needs?
• Alternative Options

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The goal

• As a college-preparatory school ASM Guidance
  Office focuses on helping to identify those
  colleges or universities that most closely
  match the individual students interests,
  needs, abilities, and potential.

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Guidance Office

• Assists students and parents to develop a
  reasonable list of colleges, based on students
  interests, needs, abilities, and potential.
• Assists students through the college application
  process transcripts, records, recommendations,
  etc.
• Coordinates SAT and ACT testing.
• Maintains contact with the various colleges and
  universities in order to help students as much as
  possible to answer questions, get clarification
  on requirements, etc.
• Serves as an advocate for the student, through
  the recommendation letter, and ongoing contact
  with the colleges and universities.
• Serves as a sounding board for both parents and
  students when questions or concerns arise through
  the application process.

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Characteristics of US Colleges types

• Liberal Arts College
• University vs College
• Junior College
• Engineering or Technical School
• Nursing School
• Business School
• Military School
• Hotel Administration/Tourism Schools
• Special interest groups (Historically Black
  Colleges Universities single sex schools)

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Characteristics size

• Small usually under 2,500 students
• Medium generally 2,500 to 10,000 students
• Large any campus over 10,000 students.

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Characteristics selectivity

• Most Competitive
• Accepted students have an A average
• SAT scores between 625 and 800
• Admissions rates under 30
• Highly Competitive
• Accepted students have a B to A average in
  most difficult classes
• SAT scores between 575 and 625
• Admissions rates between 30 and 50
• Very Competitive
• Accepted students general do not have lower than
  a B- in any course
• SAT scores between 525 and 575
• Admissions rates between 50 and 75
• Competitive, Less Competitive, and Non-Competitive

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Standardized Testing the tests

• Standardized testing is an important factor in
  admission of using new procedures at most
  colleges and universities, however, they
  generally count less than the curriculum and
  grades.
• SAT Reasoning Measures aptitude and potential
• SAT Subject Many schools require three SAT
  Subject tests English, Math IC or IIC and a
  3rd of your choice
• ACT Measures actual learned knowledge
• TOEFL Test of English as a Foreign Language
  required of international students by a large
  number of universities

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Standardized Testing which test?

• Different philosophies
• Some colleges are moving toward making
  standardized testing optional (Bates College,
  Bard College, California State University system,
  Dickinson College, Franklin and Marshall College,
  Guilford College, Knox College, Lake Forest
  College, Sarah Lawrence College, Texas AM,
  University of Texas).
• Some will not require SAT or ACT of you submit
  SAT Subject Tests (Hamilton College, Middlebury
  College).
• Most schools will give you a choice SAT or ACT.
• Some scholarship programs will require specific
  SAT or ACT.

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Standardized Testing which test?

• If you are going to do one only, always check
  with the universities first.
• It doesnt hurt to take both.
• SAT Reasoning measures aptitude
• ACT measures acquired knowledge
• Many students who do not test well on
  standardized exams may do better on the ACT.
• Compare school success with success on the SAT.
  If you are an A student but scoring in the lower
  500s on the SAT, you might consider taking the
  ACT as well.
• You can always elect to take the ACT and not send
  your scores.

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Standardized Testing the TOEFL

• A note about the TOEFL
• Increasingly, the more competitive universities
  will want international students to take the
  TOEFL no matter what independently of whether
  the student has studied in an English-language
  school since kindergarten, or whether the student
  is in IB HL English.
• Students are encouraged to take the TOEFL before
  the end of 11th grade. This will take off some
  of the pressure in 12th grade.

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Standardized Testing SAT Prep?

• Should you take an SAT Preparation course?
  Consider the following
• Is the SAT optional?
• How competitive is the university?
• How did you do on the PSAT?
• Add a 0 to your PSAT score to get a rough idea
  of how you would do on the SAT
• Several options
• ASM-based SAT Prep course Alpha Review
• Spring session leads to May exam.
• Fall session is intensive and leads to October
  exam.
• Outside SAT Prep course Kaplan, private
  tutoring

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Typical Testing Plan

• 11th grade
• ACT with Writing April 14, 2007
• SAT Reasoning May 5, 2007
• SAT Subject June 2, 2007
• TOEFL offered monthly take before end 11th
  grade

• 12th grade
• SAT Reasoning October 6, 2007
• SAT Subject November 3, 2007
• SAT December 1, 2007
• ACT December 8, 2007
• TOEFL monthly

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The College Search Process

• Catalogs in Guidance Office
• Online
• Alumni Network
• College Visits

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The College Search Process

• Catalogs in Guidance Office
• Range of catalogs about US, British and Canadian
  universities.
• Advantage compare and contrast schools
• Disadvantage printed books can become quickly
  outdated.

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The College Search Process

• Online
• www.asmadrid.org/guests/departments/guidance/guida
  nce_home.htm
• www.collegeboard.com
• www.princetonreview.com
• www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/rankings/rankind
  ex_brief.php
• www.petersons.com
• https//connection.naviance.com

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The College Search Process

• Alumni Network
• College Connections Program
• Allows ASM student to contact ASM alumni at many
  different colleges and learn more from the unique
  perspective of the ASM graduate.
• http//www.asmadrid.org/alumni/subpages/programs.h
  tmCOLLEGE_CONNECTION_PROGRAM
• College QA Alumni Panel Program

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The College Search Process

• College Visits
• Visits to ASM from college representatives
• Students should attend as many of these as
  possible.
• Visits to college campuses
• Students who have the opportunity to visit a
  campus have a much better idea of the kind of
  school they want.
• There are organizations that offer tours, such as
  The Princeton Review, and College-Visits.com
• The most valuable college visits take place after
  a student begins to formulate his/her list.

Neither ASM nor the counselor have experience
with these organizations. The names are provided
merely as resources that parents may want to look
into.
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Application Breakdown

• When choosing where to apply, you must face the
  toughest question of all Will the college choose
  you? Assessing your own academic record and the
  colleges statistics will enable you to apply
  appropriately.
• In the last two years, the average number of
  colleges to which ASM students have applied is
  around 8.
• It is recommended that you apply to 2-3 in each
  of the following categories
• Reach Schools
• Likely Schools
• Safety Schools

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Application Breakdown

• Reach Schools
• Colleges where your chances of admission are less
  than 50/50
• Likely Schools Realistic (mid-range)
• Colleges that possess the significant features
  you desire and at which the probability of
  admission is 50/50 or better
• Safety Schools
• Colleges that have most of the features you
  desire and at which the probability of admission
  is highly likely to certain. It is important
  that you would be willing to attend one of these
  schools.

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Admissions Plans

• Early Decision and Early Action are programs
  which allow keenly interested and well-qualified
  students the opportunity to apply by November and
  receive a decision early, usually before
  Christmas.
• Early Decision This is a BINDING contract
  between the student and school. Students admitted
  under this plan are obligated to attend and MUST
  withdraw all other applications. Deadlines are
  typically around November 1 or 15.
• Early Action/Priority This is a non-binding
  plan which allows students to keep other
  applications active. Deadlines are typically
  around December 1.
• Regular Decision This is the program through
  which the vast majority of students will apply.
  Deadlines are typically at the end of
  December/early January.

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Financial Aid Terms

• Financial Aid is money for education that comes
  from sources other than the family. It is meant
  to supplement what the family can contribute.
• Merit/Based Aid given to a student in form of
  grants and scholarships.
• Need/Based Aid made available to families who
  cannot pay all of the post-secondary education
  costs on their own.

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Financial Aid

• Financial Aid is available to U.S. Citizens and
  green card holders.
• The important forms are
• The FASFA (Free form for Federal Student Aid)
• CSS/Profile
• Forms are available on-line
• FAFSA www.fafsa.ed.gov
• CSS/Profile www.collegeboard.com

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Financial Aid Continued

• Applications for Financial aid must be filed no
  earlier than January 1, 2008.
• U.S. Federal Tax return (1040) is required for
  financial aid.

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International Financial Support

• To obtain a Certificate of Eligibility (I-20),
  all international applicants must demonstrate
  their ability to pay all tuition, fees and living
  expenses for the first year of study.
• You can obtain these forms from the individual
  colleges or universities to which you are
  applying.
• Families applying for need-based aid must submit
  all of the requested documentation. Most
  colleges will require full disclosure, and
  without that, they cannot grant aid.

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International Financial Support

• For more information on financial aid for
  international students, see the power point
  CIS 06 FA Intl ASM Version.
• Handouts available here, but will also be
  available online at ASMs guidance website.

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British Universities

• An interesting possibility for European Citizens
  is British Universities. Two reasons
• Costs As a EU Citizen, tuition fees are equal
  to those of British citizens.
• Proximity Most British Universities are easily
  accessible by rail or bus to international
  airports.

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UCAS

• What is UCAS?
• University and Colleges Admission Service The
  central application service for full-time
  undergraduate courses in the United Kingdom.
• All students applying to the UK must apply via
  UCAS
• Website www.ucas.com

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Oxford Cambridge

• Application Deadline
• October 15th Deadline for applications to reach
  UCAS at Oxford or Cambridge.
• Students may not apply to both Oxford and
  Cambridge
• In addition to the standard UCAS application
• Oxford applicants must fill out a separate Oxford
  application card.
• Cambridge applicants need to fill out a
  Preliminary application form.

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Medicine and Law in the UK

• Students interested in Medicine must sit the BMAT
  (in 2006 November 1 Marbella, Barcelona,
  Madrid).
• http//www.bmat.org.uk/index.html
• Students interested in Law must sit the LNAT (in
  2006 September 1 - Sevilla, Barcelona)
• http//www.lnat.ac.uk/preparation/practice.html
• Applications must be received at UCAS by 15
  October.

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Spanish Universities

• Selectividad
• May 31 and June 1, 2007
• 2008 dates not yet published
• Upon receipt of combined score of HS grade point
  average and Selectividad test results, the
  student then checks to see what the required mark
  is for the desired university/course.

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Calendar Important Dates

• Spring Junior Year
• Schedule appointment with College Counselor to
  discuss plans ASAP
• SAT Test Preparation?
• Register for May June SAT tests
• Visit colleges in the USA, if possible
• Before you leave for Summer Vacation
• Discuss college essay with your English teacher
• Consider which teachers you might to ask for
  recommendations from, and give them a heads up.
• During your summer vacation
• Visit colleges in the USA, if possible.
• Fill out one college application a day for each
  school to which you plan to apply. This makes
  your senior year MUCH easier!

All college applications are due in the Guidance
Office on the first Monday after Thanksgiving
2007!
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Last but not least

• BE AWARE OF DEADLINES
• College/university deadlines
• ASM deadlines
• SAT/ACT/TOEFL registration deadlines
• UCAS deadlines
• Oxford Cambridge deadlines
• Selectividad deadlines

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Questions?