From Schoolcraft to Harvard

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From Schoolcraft to Harvard Planning for
Success beyond High School!

• Thomas Kasper
• Past-President Michigan Association for
  College Admission Counseling
• Senior Admission Advisor, Eastern Michigan
  University Office of Admissions

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Were your partners for success!
www.nacacnet.org www.macac.org
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The Facts
The more you learn, the more youll earn!
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Planning for Success

• Options exist for EVERY STUDENT after high school
• It is just like buying a pair of shoes, you will
  have to try a few options on to find the one
  which is the best fit for you
• Make informed decisions
• Know yourself strengths, interests, skills and
  weaknesses
• Research and visit colleges and career programs
• Consider cost and financial aid options
• Start planning now which option will best
  prepare you for your future career goals?

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Start now
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Lots of Options Close to Home
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Four-Year Colleges and Universities

• A Variety and Flavor for Every Student!
• National (most students are from out-of state)
  versus Regional (most students are from in-state)
• Public (state-funded, typically lower tuition)
  versus Private (smaller size, bigger price-tag)
• Athletics Division I versus Division II (fewer
  athletic scholarships) versus Division III (no
  athletic scholarships)
• Single-Sex, Religiously Affiliated, LGBTQ
  inclusion, Veteran-friendly, special program
  focus (Art and Design, Culinary, etc.)

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Four-Year Colleges and Universities

• Most schools accept most applicants 68 of
  applicants in the United States are accepted
• Highly selective schools are well known, but
  small in number (fewer than 100)
• Approximately 150 Schools have more than 20,000
  students
• Most Colleges have less than 2,500 students!

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Four-Year Colleges and Universities What it
Takes

• Study! Study! Study! High school courses, GPA
  and test scores will be the most important part
  of your college application
• Prepare for the ACT and SAT by utilizing test
  preparation resources and by taking real practice
  tests
• Register for the ACT (part of the March MME each
  junior year) and SAT (mostly for out of state
  colleges)

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Four-Year Colleges and Universities What it
Takes

• Try it on by attending representative visits
  at school, going to college fairs, and visiting
  campuses
• Determine which colleges fit your needs based on
• Academic program variety and availability
• Size
• Location
• Scholarship offers and total cost
• Campus life, activities and other fit factors

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Four-Year Colleges and Universities What it
Takes

• File the Free Application for Federal Student Aid
  or FAFSA early for best Financial Aid Offers!
• fafsa.ed.gov
• Student and Parent(s) will need a pin to sign the
  FAFSA
• pin.ed.gov

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Four-Year Colleges and Universities Making the
Right Choice

• Compare financial aid awards
• Calculate financial aid offer versus total cost
• Calculate your total out of pocket cost by
  subtracting scholarships, grants, loans and other
  offers from total cost of attendance.
• Make sure its the best fit!
• Visit campus again
• Meet with faculty in your proposed major, and
  talk with current students
• Sit in on a class or two

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Planning for Success

• Take advantage of the valuable resources
  available to you right now
• Your counselors
• Representatives from colleges, the military and
  career programs (high school visits, fairs,
  campus visits)
• Printed materials
• Web Resources
• When in doubt ASK!

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The Application Process
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Things to Remember

• Take your time
• Ask for help when you need it
• Do it correctly the first time
• Get things in on time
• Have realistic expectations

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Application Strategy

• Apply Broadly
• Reach Your dream college (2)
• Match You meet the minimum
• requirements (2)
• Safety You exceed the minimum requirements
  (2)

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Application Strategy

• What Colleges May Look At
• Academic Record
• Breadth Depth of courses How many, how
  challenging, which ones
• Grades
• Consistency or improvement
• Class Rank
• Standardized Test Scores
• In terms of ranges
• Out-of-Class Activities
• Depth of involvement variety and how long
• Initiative leadership
• Creativity, service or work
• Recommendation

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The Application

• The Application online or on paper
• The Fee do you qualify for a waiver?
• Official high school transcripts
• High school profile
• Official test scores
• Letters of recommendation
• Essay
• Other and miscellaneous

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The Application

• Personal Information Name, Date of Birth, etc
• Mailing Address often used to determine
  residency status
• Can you make use of the Common Application?
• Be complete and honest.

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Fee or No Fee?

• Application fees range from 0 to more than 100
  with the average being 40
• Many colleges offer a free or discounted fee for
  applying online
• Online applications usually require a credit or
  debit card for payment
• Application fees are sometimes waived at open
  house programs or other special events
• Colleges will waive the application fee for
  families with financial need. Fee Waiver
  applications are available through The College
  Board, NACAC, and high school counselors

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Official High School Transcripts

• High school GPA is the best predictor of academic
  success in college
• Many colleges recalculate GPA based on AP or
  Honors courses, core versus elective courses, and
  other factors
• You have to request your transcript!
• When possible, send electronic transcripts!

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Official High School Transcripts

• Official transcripts must arrive at the college
  in a sealed envelope or via Parchment / Docufide
  from your high school request transcripts at
  least a month before your application is due
• Some colleges may accept official hand-delivered
  transcripts from you for faster processing
• Prospective student athletes must submit
  transcripts to the NCAA Initial Eligibility
  Center

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High School Profile

• Your High School Profile is often the Admissions
  Office only view of critical data about your high
  school
• It lists test score averages, course offerings
  and information about your teachers, counselors
  and administrators

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Official Test Scores

• Scores are sent for free to four schools you
  identify when you register for the ACT or SAT
• Most high schools receive official score reports
  which can be attached to your transcript
• Never send your student score report to colleges
  - student reports are not official!
• Which test does your college prefer? ACT, SAT or
  both?

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Recommendations

• Guidance Counselor Recommendations
• Many colleges require a letter of recommendation
  from your high school guidance counselor
• Teacher Recommendations
• How to decide whom to ask?
• How well does the teacher know you?
• Has the teacher taught you for more than one
  course?
• Has the teacher sponsored an extracurricular
  activity in which you made a contribution?
• Do you get along with the teacher?
• Is the recommendation is required/recommended
  from a specific subject-area instructor?
• If you declare an intended major, can you obtain
  a recommendation from a teacher in that subject
  area?

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Recommendations

• What to provide your Recommender
• Request a recommendation at least 2 weeks in
  advance
• Provide the recommendation form and information
  on the college
• Provided a copy of your application
• Provided a copy of your Academic Resume
• Include a stamped, addressed envelope if needed

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Academic Résumé

• What to include in your Academic Résumé
• GPA
• Honors/AP courses (completed and in progress)
• Standardized test scores
• Out-of-School Activities (offices, length,
  contribution)
• Awards, Honors and Recognition
• Special Talents (sports, arts, music)
• Part Time Jobs
• Educational and Career Goals
• Family background, if needed

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Essay

• Some colleges require short essays
• Make sure your essay
• is authentic
• answers the application question
• describes your true self without narrating your
  transcript or résumé
• Is written by the student
• avoids spelling or grammatical errors

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Essay
In other words, your essay is your chance to make
yourself stand out!
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Other requirements

• For Music, Theatre or Art majors a portfolio or
  audition may be part of the application
  requirements

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Are you usingThe Common Application

• Common Application
• Over 450 colleges (including the University of
  Michigan at Ann Arbor) use the Common Application
  form exclusively. All give equal consideration to
  the Common Application and the college's own
  form.
• Additional Application Requirements?
• Application
• SAT Reasoning/ACT, some req. SAT Subject Tests
• Essay
• Teacher Recommendation
• School Report
• Midyear Report
• Supplemental forms
• www.commonapp.org

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Keep it organized

• Have a college binder and use a checklist for
  each school this one from cappex.com or make
  your own.
• Save everything each college sends you in your
  binder
• Make copies of everything you send each college
  and keep in binder

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Final Thoughts

• Give yourself Plenty of time!
• Follow a time line to give your counselor and any
  recommenders plenty of time as well
• Work on the applications in steps, not all at
  once at the last possible minute
• Be patient with your colleges, this process can
  take 3-12 weeks!

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Thank You and Good Luck!
Thomas Kasper President Michigan Association for
College Admission Counseling Senior Admission
Advisor, Eastern Michigan University
Office of Admissions tkasper_at_emich.edu www.nacac
net.org www.macac.org www.collegeisyours.com/ www
.zinch.com www.cappex.com www.collegeboard.org
www.actstudent.org www.fastweb.org www.knowhow2go
.org