Senior College Night

1
Senior College Night

• Sarah Borish, College Advisor
• Tamara Sole, Career Coach

2
Agenda

• Preparing Yourself
• The Admissions Process
• Financial Aid
• NCHS Resources

3
Preparing Yourself

• Take a rigorous senior course load.
• Visit colleges if you can. If youre not able to
  visit a school, explore websites. Investigate
  possible majors and extra-curricular
  opportunities.
• Take the necessary admissions tests SATs, ACTs,
  and SAT subject tests.

4
Preparing Yourself

• THE SAT
• The SAT is a reasoning test. It tests the way
  you apply things you already know.
• Three sections Critical Reading, Math, Writing
• Highest score 2400
• Fee 45.00
• Students on free or reduced lunch may use a fee
  waiver.

• THE ACT
• The ACT is an achievement test. It tests what
  you know.
• Four or Five Sections English, Math, Reading,
  Science and an Optional Writing Section
• Highest Score 36
• Fee 31.00 without writing, 46.00 with writing
• Students on free or reduced lunch may use a fee
  waiver.

5
Preparing Yourself

• Finalize your list of schools, including at least
  one reach, target, and safety school.
• The Reach School Generally this is a school
  where your grades and test scores put you in the
  bottom 25 of applicants accepted. The most
  competitive schools will be reach schools for
  everyone, (ex Harvard, Yale, Princeton, MIT,
  etc).

6
Preparing Yourself

• The Target School Your grades and your test
  scores place you in the mid-50th percentage of
  accepted students. Schools that meet these
  criteria vary from person to person.
• The Safety School Your credentials place you in
  the top tenth of the colleges applicant pool.
  Find a safety school in which you actually have
  interest dont apply just because you know you
  can get in! There are a lot of great schools
  that accept a majority of their applicants, so
  keep looking.

7
The Admissions Process

• Once you have finalized your list of schools
  review application requirements and admissions
  deadlines as these will vary from school to
  school.
• Admissions Terminology
• Admissions Requirements

8
The Admissions Process- Terminology

• Early Decision A student applies to his or her
  first choice school early, usually in November or
  December. This is a binding application, so if
  accepted you must attend this college. You may
  only apply to one school early decision.

9
The Admissions Process- Terminology

• Early Action This option follows the same
  timeline as early decision applications but is
  non-binding. In other words, students dont
  usually have to accept or decline an offer of
  admission until May 1st.

10
The Admissions Process- Terminology

• Immediate Decision/ On-Site Admissions This is
  an option where students may either go to a
  college or an admissions representative will come
  to NCHS. They will review a students completed
  application and immediately render and admission
  decision. Typically these are non-binding offers
  of admission.

11
The Admissions Process- Terminology

• Rolling Admissions Colleges with rolling
  admission review applications as they receive
  them. Admissions decisions are returned within a
  few weeks of receiving the application. Though
  not always the case, applying early ensures that
  all spaces are still available!

12
The Admissions Process- Terminology

• Regular Decision This is the standard admissions
  process with a specific deadline for all
  applicants. Admissions decisions are typically
  sent out a few months later.

13
The Admissions Process- Application Requirements

• The Application Itself
• Transcript
• Tests
• Letters of Recommendation
• Counselor Recommendation
• Activity Record
• Essays
• Application Fee

14
Financial Aid

• All financial aid starts with the FAFSA or the
  Free Application for Federal Student Aid found at
  www.fafsa.ed.gov
• The FAFSA uses information from both the student
  and parents 1040s, W-2s, and non-taxable income.
• Look out for scams like www.fafsa.com... filing
  the FAFSA is free!

15
Financial Aid

• The FAFSA will be available starting January 1st,
  but if you want a general estimate of how much
  aid will be eligible for go to www.FederalStudentA
  id.ed.gov and visit the FAFSA4caster. This will
  give you an idea as to what your Expected Family
  Contribution, or EFC, will be.

16
Financial Aid

• The EFC is the amount of money the FAFSA
  determines your family can contribute to higher
  education. Schools receive this information and
  subtract it from the Cost of attendance.
• The Cost of attendance includes tuition, room and
  board, books, fees, travel expenses, etc

17
Financial Aid

• Cost of Attendance Expected Family Contribution
  Demonstrated Need
• Schools will meet attempt to meet your
  demonstrated need through grants, work-study
  opportunities, and loans.

18
Financial Aid

• Dont forget to apply for scholarships!
  Scholarships can cover your EFC or your unmet
  need, which is need that institutions dont cover
  with grants, loans, or work-study.
• Right now we have resources available in guidance
  or visit www.fastweb.com
• More scholarships will be available after Winter
  Break.

19
Senior College Night

• Questions?

20
NCHS Resources

• School Counseling Department
• Tracy Goode, Guidance Directortgoode_at_nelson.k12.v
  a.us
• Heather Taress, School Counselor
  A-Khtaress_at_nelson.k12.va.us
• Ricki Perry, School Counselor L-Mrperry_at_nelson.k1
  2.vau.su
• Sarah Borish, College Advisorsborish_at_nelson.k12.v
  a.us
• Tamara Sole, Career Coachtsole_at_nelson.k12.va.us
• Www.nelson.k12.va.us/highschool/guidance