Effectively Approaching the College Admission Process Junior Counseling Presentation

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Effectively Approaching the College Admission
ProcessJunior Counseling Presentation

• Presented by the
• Guidance and Counseling Department
• April 2009

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• IMPORTANT EVENTS IN THE COLLEGE PLANNING PROCESS

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Attend the College Fair

• Location
• Mission College
• Date April 30th
• 600-800 PM
• Colleges Attending
• List will be passed around. (More copies
  available in the Counseling Center)
• Attend with parents

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College Fair

• Over 150 Colleges
• Meet College Reps-could be the same reps who come
  to Saint Francis to visit next year.
• Let them know you are interested. Give rep Santa
  Clara Valley College Fair Personal Information
  Form (pass around)-copies available in the
  Counseling Center.
• Colleges count contacts.
• Discover new options. Look beyond the schools we
  have all heard about and consider a choice that
  may match your interests.

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Reminder for Case Studies

• For those students and parents registered for the
  CASE STUDIES
• Packets will be picked up by student in the
  Counseling Center this week.
• Attend April 23 at Mitty
• 630 PM arrival time
• A College Fair will follow the CASE STUDIES

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Importance of the Resume

• Used by colleges to access depth of involvement
  and part of a comprehensive review that looks
  beyond grades and test scores.
• Demonstrated Leadership-look beyond leadership
  labels to situations where you took charge.
• Activities/Athletics
• Community/volunteer service
• Special Talents/achievements/awards
• Work/Summer enrichment

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Resume Assignment

• Due April 27 or April 28 in your English
  course-do not be late as this will be worth
  points.
• Modeled after the application sections from the
  Common Application and the UC application.
• All UC, out of state public, and private school
  applications require a resume section.

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Present the whole picture!!

• Be specific about what you did. Emphasize roles
  of leadership and detail what you contributed.
• Use action verbs
• Emphasize your contribution

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Use Active Verbs

• Link to active verbs for resume
• http//www.writeexpress.com/action-verbs.html

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Instructions for Resume Assignment

• Not everyone will have something to insert in
  every category, but all students must include
• Community Service
• Activities/Athletics (may have both)
• Character References.
• In computing the weeks per year remember there
  are 18 weeks in a semester and 36 weeks in a
  school year. Try to compute the hours you invest
  in each activity as accurately as possible.

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Where is Template?

• If you would like to use a Template there is one
  posted on
• the Saint Francis Guidance and Counseling website
  under NEWS on the main Guidance and Counseling
  page
• under Junior College Guidance on the College
  Guidance Page.
• You will need to SAVE it to your own computer and
  then fill in the appropriate section and print it
  for your teacher.
• Keep a COPY in your files so you can update your
  resume next fall.

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Junior College Planning Questionnaire Part II

• Please take the next 20-25 minutes to complete
  this questionnaire. It will be used by your
  counselor to prepare for our next meeting on
  college planning.
• Each junior will meet with their counselor one
  more time before the end of the school year.
  Meetings will begin immediately after Easter.
• Be prepared with questions for your counselors
  and updates on your own college research. If you
  have traveled to colleges be prepared to give
  input.

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Recommendations
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Teacher Recommendation

• This recommendation portrays a picture of what
  type of academic student you have been in the
  classroom.
• This does not have to be a class where you have
  an A, but a class where the you come alive
  because you love the curriculum or a class where
  you feel you have shown your best effort.

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Teacher Recommendations

• Teachers should be from subject areas
• Math
• Science
• Foreign Language
• English
• Social Studies
• Ask one teachers now only if you are applying to
  a college that requires a letter. UC and CSU
  systems do not require letters of recommendation.

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What to say?

• At an appropriate moment (not at the beginning of
  class when the teacher is trying to get the class
  started) approach the teacher and say
• I will be applying to colleges next year that
  require letters of recommendation. Would you be
  willing to write a letter for me?
• If the response is positive,
• Would you like the Teacher Recommendation
  Request Form before the end of the school year or
  next year when I am applying to colleges?

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Use the Teacher Recommendation Request Form

• If teacher requests that the Teacher
  Recommendation Request questionnaire be completed
  before summer
• Use the form passed out to you today
• If you need additional copies
• Download from the Guidance and Counseling website
  under College Guidance.
• You may use the word version on the Guidance and
  Counseling website and save to your own computer
  and type the form.
• Pick up a copy in the Counseling Center.

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Science

• Tarzan does more than learn the material he
  connects topics, makes analytical leaps, and is
  creative and original in his projects. When
  instructed to design and build a roller coaster
  using complicated equations and principles of
  physics presented in class, Tarzan blew the class
  away with a coaster designed to move at three
  times the velocity of a normal student coaster.
  His thoroughness in creating the ultimate study
  guide for the final was also particularly
  impressive.

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Science

• Jane was chief asker of the extremely difficult,
  What if...? questions. Jane would come in
  during any free moment and probe into scientific
  areas barely addressed in class. We argued over
  the mass of neutrinos and whether Stephen Hawking
  or David Johnson were right in their theories.
  She loves particle physics and relativity, and
  although her grade may not be the highest in the
  class, her passion to learn was obvious.

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Math

• Jane stood out in my Algebra II class due to her
  outstanding organizational skills, work ethic,
  and tenacity. Each day I looked forward to
  having Jane in class as she is the queen of
  notes, making sure there is a master set of color
  coded notes for any other student to review.
  Although Jane struggled with some of the more
  difficult concepts, she regularly came to
  Collaboration seeking extra help and a review of
  problems she had thoroughly explored on her own.
  During class it was Jane who asked the questions
  that everyone else needed to ask, but chose not
  to. She was always on task when working alone,
  with a partner, or in small groups.

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Math

• The first thing that comes to mind when I think
  of Jane is her extraordinary work ethic.  In math
  class, Jane was always one of the first to grasp
  a concept and was able to apply the knowledge to
  related problems and to extend the knowledge to
  future topics.  This, coupled with her
  exceptional work and study habits (coming in to
  ask questions when she was confused, preparing
  study packets for herself, and doing extra
  problems), propelled her to the highest average
  of my 100 Algebra II students last year.     

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English

• She was a pleasure to have in class and was a
  positive influence in class discussions,
  especially in situations in which she disagreed
  with me or others around her. During a heated
  debate on Thomas Hardys intended theme for Tess,
  Jane stated an opposing view, yet when challenged
  by many she listened intently and responded with
  clearly thought out arguments, blending some
  knowledge of the politics of the time into her
  position. She handles debate and conflict well,
  and raised the intellectual level of the class
  with her questions and input.

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English

• Incredibly bright and clear thinking, Jane has
  ready opinions about all of our reading
  assignments, and she is able to express them
  eloquently both in her writing and verbal
  responses. Her essays are a pleasure to read-she
  argues logically and uses textual evidence well.
  In groups she adopts the role of a diplomatic
  guide for the group. She instinctively knows how
  to break down tasks and prioritize them. She is
  tactful in helping other students to understand
  their responsibility and in ensuring the quality
  of the groups work.

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English

• Tarzans presence in my British Literature class
  was irreplaceable. Tarzan helped bring a serious
  dedication and youthful exuberance to the class.
  I walked in everyday to meet this wide-eyed
  student, who was always ready to plunge into the
  previous nights reading. Tarzans participation
  in class discussion was both sincere and
  thoughtful. This was great to see after having
  known Tarzan when he was just a shy fourteen year
  old.

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US History

• Her ability to write the critical essay using
  razor sharp analysis separated her from many
  others. Also in writing the DBQ, she repeatedly
  proved that she could synthesize data under
  pressure and write a brilliant essay. Of all her
  writing assignments the one that stands out was
  the outside research paper she was the only
  student to score a 9. Another mark of excellence
  demonstrated often in writing was her ability to
  connect themes and concepts of history from
  different time periods. Most students cannot do
  this very well because they forget a great deal
  after they have been tested, but Jane could use
  the data learned in Chapter 7 and make inferences
  and connections to similar data in Chapter 19.

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Foreign Language

• I must admire a student like Tarzan who struggles
  with foreign language yet never fails to arrive
  in class prepared to review last nights
  homework. Eager to improve himself, even at the
  cost of showing his classmates that he is lost,
  his hand shoots up frequently in a class period.
  His B- in my class reflected A effort.

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Counselor Recommendation

• The counselors job is to paint a portrait of the
  whole student.
• We comment on academics, extracurricular,
  community service, leadership, athletics, work
  experience, internships and Immersions.
• Counselors gather information from parents,
  teachers, coaches, campus ministry and
  moderators.

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Excerpt from Counselor Letter

• Tarzan loves history and admires the leaders
  portrayed in his history courses. He highly
  regards the qualities of heroism and grace under
  pressure and seeks to make his own life an
  example of these impeccable characteristics. On
  his own he reads about politics and military
  history. Last summer I nominated Tarzan for the
  Rotary Youth Leadership camp called RYLA. This
  one week leadership training seemed perfect for
  Tarzans gregarious personality. I also could
  see that a knowledgeable leader lived inside
  Tarzan, but just needed the RYLA experience to
  really flourish. As Tarzan, himself, relates,
  this was a life changing experience and, made me
  a more compassionate person as well as a new type
  of leader.
•  
• Tarzan enjoys music and became a part of a new
  program called Steel Drums. This talented group
  performs at campus events, and it is clear
  Tarzan's enthusiasm drives the band.