REASSURANCE

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Welcome
Magnet College Information Night
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Let's Start by...

• Taking a deep breath...
• This can be an anxiety-provoking process and we
  are here to help you through it
• The two most important things you should take
  away tonight are that...
• All of you, parents and students, will survive
  this processWE PROMISE!
• All of you applying to college WILL GET INTO
  COLLEGE

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Points to remember about the college process

• A student's grades in college prep courses are
  the most important factor in the process
• SAT scores are just one piece of the process
• The students who have the best outcomes in the
  process expand beyond the usual suspects to
  find colleges that fit them well
• Ms. Ross and Ms. Taylor, as well as our Career
  Center staff, are here to support you and your
  son/daughter through this process

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Factors currently affecting admissions

• A peak in the number of students applying to
  college
• Economic factors
• An increase in the number of colleges students
  are applying to due to several factors
• Ease of online applications
• Ease of using the Common Application to apply to
  multiple colleges
• More students typically are applying to more
  colleges due to anxiety about getting in

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Some Data to Consider

• Extremely selective schools have huge numbers of
  highly qualified applicants for very few spots.
  A few numbers to consider from last year's
  applicants
• Princeton had 21,369 applicants and 1,976
  students were offered admission
• Stanford had 25,298 applicants and 2,400 students
  were offered admission
• MIT had 13,396 applicants and 1,554 students were
  offered admission
• Harvard offered admission to only 7.1 percent of
  the 27,462 applicants -- or, put another way, it
  rejected 93 of every 100 applicants

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The Good News

• There are more than 2500 four year institutions
  in the United States.
• The average admission rate for 2500 colleges
  across the country is about 70--similar to what
  it was 20 years ago
• Student surveys have shown that after the
  freshmen year 2/3 of students couldnt imagine
  being at any school other than the one they are
  at (National Survey of Student Engagement)
• Students who take the time to find colleges that
  are right for them, rather than going for popular
  brand names or where their friends are applying
  tend to do very well in the admissions process

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More Good News

• Magnet students can obtain great scholarship
  opportunities by expanding their search beyond
  the usual suspects
• For over a decade the number of qualified
  applicants applying to the most selective
  colleges has increased. Schools cannot accept all
  qualified applicants, thus less selective schools
  are filled with high-quality students.
  Universities have responded to this reality and
  have strengthened their academic programs, hired
  prestigious faculty, improved their
  facilitiesall to attract your children!

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Things for Parents to Remember

• This is the last developmental task your son or
  daughter has to complete before they leave home
• College is a place for students to develop
  intellectually, personally, and towards a future
  career
• What a student does in college is a better
  predictor of future success and happiness than
  where he or she goes to college
• An admission decision, test score, or GPA is not
  a measure of a student's worth

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Responsibilities of Parents

• Allow your child to take responsibility for the
  college application process. Support them in the
  process, but don't try to control it
• Resist doing for your student what he or she is
  capable of doing for his or herself
• Listen to, encourage and believe in your child.
• Keep this process in perspective. Remember that
  student skills, self-confidence, curiosity, and a
  desire to learn are some of the most important
  ingredients in quality education and successful
  college admissions. Do not sacrifice these by
  overemphasizing getting into the best college.

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Responsibilities of Students

• Know Yourself Who are you and what are you
  about? What are your goals and ambitions?
  Applying to college involves thoughtful research.
  Plan to make well-considered applications to the
  most suitable colleges.
• Remember that choosing a college is an important
  process, but resist the notion that there is one
  perfect college. Great education happens in many
  places.
• Limit your applications to a well-researched and
  reasonable number. Generally, we recommend that
  you apply to 5-7 schools.

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Starting your Research
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Choosing a College/UniversityThings for Students
to Consider

• Location
• Size
• Urban/Rural
• Co-ed/Single sex
• Facilities
• Cost
• Public/Private
• Religious affiliation

• Types of programs
• Approaches to learning
• Availability of professors
• Research possibilities, internships, co-ops, job
  placement
• Non-academic needs and wants

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Campus Visits

• Tour the campus preferably when classes are in
  session
• Attend an information session
• Interview if possible
• Attend a class (arrange two weeks ahead)
• Talk with students and faculty about special
  interests
• Ask Questions about Dorm Life and Internships
• Pick up a copy of campus newspaper.
• Students are permitted 3 excused absences for
  college
• visits. However, they must get pre-approval from
  Mr. Heidler.

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Tips for A College Interview

• Be Prompt Call if you find youll be
  unavoidably late
• Dress appropriately
• Take along a handwritten summary of your grades
  or an unofficial transcript
• Avoid asking questions clearly answered in the
  catalogue (you should have read it)
• Be prepared with meaningful questions
• Be ready to talk about yourself, your interests,
  accomplishments, goals
• Ask questions you want to interview the college
  to make sure it is right for you
• Send a thank-you note!

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College List

• Reach Schools These schools possess the
  majority of the features the student desires but
  admissions is very, very competitive or the
  student is slightly below the SAT/GPA range of
  students typically admitted.
• Target Schools Schools that possess the
  majority of the features a student desires and at
  which the probability of admission is slightly
  better than even and student is within the
  SAT/GPA range of students typically admitted.
• Safety Schools Schools that possess the
  majority of the features a student desires and at
  which the probability of admission is highly
  likely and students are at the high end of or
  above the SAT/GPA range of students typically
  admitted.
• Musts
• Students should be happy to attend any school on
  their list.
• Families should openly discuss financial
  considerations before a student creates a final
  college list.

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Most Common Types of Admissions Programs

• Regular Decision
• Early Decision--Binding
• Early Action--Non-binding
• Priority Consideration--UMCP
• Rolling Admissions

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STANDARDIZED TESTING

• SAT Reasoning Test
• SAT Subject Tests
• Most took Math Level 2 at the completion of
  Precal C or Functions
• Research specific requirements for particular
  collegesnot all colleges require Subject Tests,
  but those that do will not require more than 3
• Sometimes colleges request a specific Subject
  testfor example for Engineering they may require
  the Physics test
• ACT Includes English, Reading, Math, and Science
  sections
• The Official SAT Online Course as well as an
  online course through Triumph College Admissions
  are free to Blair students. If students are
  interested in either course, they can pick up
  information in the Career Center.

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Trailblazer Packet

• Includes
• (1) Handouts with important college/career
  planning information
• (2) Getting Ready Career/College Planning Guide
• (3) Forms to complete by June 1st so counselors
  can begin working on recommendations over the
  summer
• Yellow Authorization Card (with parents
  signature)
• Student Information Compatibility Checklist
• Student Self-Evaluation
• Four-Year Summary of Activities Experience
• Parent Questionnaire (by parent)
• Three blue teacher checklists (by teacher)

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Teacher Recommendations Tips

• Some colleges do not require teacher
  recommendations, but many require one or two
• We recommend you ask for your teachers'
  commitment now for recommendations.
• Both recommenders should be junior year teachers.
  If this is not possible, please discuss other
  options with your counselor.
• One teacher should be a science, math, or
  computer science teacher
• The other should be a humanities teacher
  (English, social studies, or possibly foreign
  language if the student has continued through
  junior year)

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College/Career Conference With Counselor

• We offer a college conference to all families.
  If you have not yet scheduled one, now is the
  time. Please see us at the end of the evening if
  you would like to schedule one tonight.
• During this conference, we meet with parent/s and
  the student to discuss college/career options and
  answer questions you have regarding the college
  application process
• Prior to the conference, students should have
  completed a preliminary college search either
  through the Career Center or through any of the
  various online searches

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Career Center Resources

• Human ResourcesMs. Kearney and Ms. Partlow are
  excellent resources for students and parents
• College Fairs
• College Selection and Guide Books
• Blair Notes on Information from Visiting College
  Representatives
• College/Career Inquiry Software including Bridges
  Interest Inventory
• College/University Brochures
• Computers for College and Career Searches
• Job Information and Work Permits
• Internship Information

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FAMILY CONNECTIONS

• The Family Connection is a valuable web-based
  tool available to both students and parents that
  can help students
• Search for colleges
• Locate scholarships
• Use scattergrams to see how other Blair students
  fared at specific colleges
• Practice for standardized tests
• Find out which colleges are visiting Blair
• Stay up to date on current information through
  the Career Center Notes
• All students have a FC account. If students have
  any questions about FC login, they should go to
  the Career Center. Parents can also obtain an
  account by calling the Career Center at
  301-649-2819.

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2009 MONTGOMERY COUNTY NATIONAL COLLEGE FAIR

• Day for Blair Juniors Thursday, April 16, 2009
  at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds. Students
  should have already registered for the fair.
• Over 300 colleges, universities and technical
  schools will be present. Students received a
  list of participating schools with their
  permission slip. You can also obtain a list
  through a link on the MCPS website.
• If your student did not register, there is also a
  session for parents and students on Wednesday,
  April 15th 630-830 pm, and this session
  includes information on financial aid.

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Research Financial Aid Scholarships

• Do your research and take advantage of the
  resources available to you!
• FAFSA File only after Jan. 1st of the student's
  senior year deadline March 1st for State of MD
• CSS Profile
• College and University Scholarships
• Family Connections Scholarship List
• Other Sources religious groups, private
  organization, work related
• www.FAFSA4caster.ed.gov
• Important Know the difference between need
  blind admissions and need aware admissions

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Tips for the Summer and Fall
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The College Essay

• The one place in a student's application where
  his or her voice is heardwho the student is
  beyond the transcript and test scores. Do not
  underestimate the importance of it.
• The more selective and/or smaller the school, the
  more important it tends to be
• Essay prompts are available over the summer and
  students should begin to work on essays then.
• Have at least one or two adults (other than a
  parent) look over your essay
• Your counselor
• Career Center staff
• Your English teacher

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Extra recommendations and other materials

• Sometimes students include a mentor or coach
  recommendation
• Sending extras with your application
• Be careful college admissions officers only
  have a few minutes to spend on each application
• Admissions officers don't necessarily have the
  training to meaningfully evaluate things like
  musical performances
• We encourage you to discuss any extras you might
  like to include with ussometimes it might make
  sense for your counselor to incorporate the
  information into the counselor letter of
  recommendation

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Transcripts

• In the fall, counselors will meet with seniors to
  go over the specifics of requesting transcripts
  and recommendations for colleges
• For now, keep in mind that we will require a
  month turn around time for sending out
  transcripts and recommendations. So, for a
  school that has a November 1st deadline, a
  student will turn in their transcript request by
  October 1st.
• Students will only be able to request transcripts
  from the registrar's office if all of their
  Trailblazer forms are complete.
• Students should also give teachers at least a
  month notification prior to their college
  deadlines.

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Final Words

• We hope this information has been helpful to you
• Feel free to contact us if you have any questions
  at ANY point in this process either by phone at
• 301-649-2810 or by email
• Ms. Ross (A-K) Tia_S_Ross_at_mcpsmd.org
• Ms. Taylor (L-Z) ms.jennifer.taylor_at_gmail.com