Junior Night College Application Process

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Junior NightCollege Application Process

• Preparing for
• Realities

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Debunking 6 Misconceptions

• Much anxiety and many poor decisions are based on
  rumors and misinformation.
• Be armed and informed with the

truth
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Misconception 1

• Ivy league colleges are the only ones worth
  applying to.
• Truth The 7 Ivy League colleges (Brown,
  Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, U Penn,
  Princeton, and Yale) may not offer what you want
  or need. Consider your best match. The term Ivy
  League is the athletic league like Pac-10.
• Truth The Ivy League schools are known for their
  academic quality but they are not the only
  schools offering quality education.

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Misconception 2

• It is better to go to a big name university that
  everyone has heard of than to a small college
  that only a few people know.
• Truth Generalizations about size are dangerous.
  A large, well-known name may fit some students,
  but others would do better in a smaller, more
  personal environment.
• Truth Individually define the aspects you want
  in a college- understand yourself, and not be
  influenced by others opinions.
• What defines a big name?

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Misconception 3

• I need to apply early action/ decision somewhere
  to improve my chances of admittance, even if I
  dont have a first choice school.
• Truth While some colleges do fill their
  admission enrollment with early applicants, most
  make the majority of their admission offers still
  in the spring.
• Submitting an early application is the way to
  show a college that it is your first choice and
  you are usually competing against other very
  well-prepared students.
• It is a given that the students have stellar
  grades. The students applying early have often
  earned unique regional, state, or national
  achievements.

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Misconception 4

• To increase my chances of college admissions, I
  will increase the number of schools I apply to.

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• Truth Applying to colleges, especially private
  universities, takes focused energy and commitment
  like pursuing a relationship.
• The more schools students apply to lessen the
  individualized attention each college is
  receiving.
• Private school admissions officers want
  individualized personal statements, not recycled
  essays, individualized letters, not generic
  letters.
• The student needs to visit those schools, make
  contacts with the admissions officers, and
  communicate effectively and clearly to their
  teachers and GLA why each of the school is a
  great fit for the student so that information can
  be conveyed directly in the letters.

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Misconception 5

• My family makes less than 100,000. So I will
  receive a full tuition at the college I am
  applying to.
• Truth Financial aid is not parents income.
• It is calculated by completing a need analysis
  form, such as the FAFSA. This form determines the
  Expected Family Contribution (EFC), based on such
  things as income, assets, and dependents, etc

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Example Aid Package

• Cost 52,000
• EFC 15,000
• Need 37,000
• Grants /
• Scholarships 17,000
• Loans 20,000
• Need Met 100

• The financial aid officer will calculate the Cost
  of Attendance (COA), which includes, tuition,
  books, and living expenses.
• The administrator then subtracts the EFC from the
  COA. Your administrator considers other sources
  of aid you are expected to receive, such as
  grants and scholarships, and subtract that from
  the COA.

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Misconception 6

• I must have many varied extracurricular
  activities to impress college admissions people.
• Truth Colleges look for quality of involvement,
  not quantity. They want a well-rounded student
  population, not a well-rounded student per se,
  who is interested in particular activities not
  only at the school but city, regional, state, or
  even national level.
• They want students who display leadership,
  in-depth involvement (multiple years) in the
  activity, and growth/ development from the
  activity.

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Prepare

• You will not become a strong applicant on
  November 29th at 10 pm.
• Get ready now!

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Finalize a College List

• PRIVATE COLLEGES need SSR and Teacher
  Recommendation packets
• Reach/ Stretch 1 college/university
• Reasonable 2 colleges/universities
• Safety 1 colleges/universities
• PUBLIC COLLEGES
• University of California www.universityofcalifor
  nia.edu/apply
• California State University www.csumentor.org
• 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

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Who should apply early?

• Talented, prospective students who have a 1st
  choice school
• Early Decision (binding) if admitted, must
  enroll. Student withdraws other applications.
• Early Action (non-binding) student apply early
  and receive a decision well in advance of regular
  admission.
• Restrictive Early Action (non-binding) May be
  restricted from applying ED or EA or REA to other
  institutions.

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COLLEGE APPLICATIONS

• Most available online starting in late
  August/early September
• Carefully print read all forms make sure
  everything is submitted and complete. Incomplete
  files are not processed.
• Meet the deadlines Students have everything in .
• Common deadlines Early Nov. 1
• UC/CSU
  Nov. 30
• Stanford/USC
  Dec. 10-15
  Other
  privates Jan. 2-15
• Be organized and prompt. Make your teachers and
  GLAs jobs easier.

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What goes in a Secondary School Report (SSR) for
each Private School

• Private school application form filled out by
  student and Grade Level Advisor
• School profile
• Counselor Letter of Recommendation for that
  college
• Official Transcript
• Letter explaining our grading period cycle
• No more test score cards (as students now select
  which scores to share/reveal)

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Transcripts

• Transcripts- make sure yours is complete and
  correct.
• Your first two (2) official copies are free,
  subsequent copies cost 7/each.
• Request transcripts for scholarships early -these
  are always free.
• Request copies to be sent from community colleges
  (when you are done).

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Test Scores

• Test Scores- early decision, finish by Sept., for
  regular decision by Nov.
• SAT 1 or ACT with writing accepted by
  colleges/universities
• SAT II Subjects 2 in 2 different areas for UC.
  Check specific requirement for privates.
• Contact the College Board or ACT organization to
  request and pay for scores. Must be sent
  directly, not by you.
• Make sure scores arrive before application
  deadlines to complete files.

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FINANCIAL AID

• loans, work study, scholarships, and grants
• FAFSA www.fafsa.ed.gov Needs to be completed by
  ALL students. Site opens January 1, 2010
• CSS PROFILE www.collegeboard.com private school
• CAL GRANT
• Responsibility
• Parents expected to contribute based on FAFSA
• Students-expected to work (20 hrs. max) and to
  borrow low interest student loans
• School scholarships and grants

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Summer College WorkshopWho should attend?

• Incoming seniors applying to 4 year college to
  both Part I (Large Group) and II (Individual)
• Part I 50 students per session
• June 29 and 30
• Session 1.1 800 -1000
• Session 2.1 1015-1215
• July 27 and 28
• Session 3.1 800 -1000
• Session 4.1 1015-1215
• Covers marketing self on activity/resume,
  application process, Secondary School Report
  Packet, FAFSA and CSS Financial Aid

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• Part II (30 students per session)
• July 6-8
• Session 1.2 800 -1100
• Session 2.2 1130 -230
• August 3-5
• Session 3.2 800 -1100
• August 10-12
• Session 4.2 800 -1100
• Session 5.2 1130 -230
• Individual attention to finalized activity list
• along with person statement essay
• Sign ups begin May 18 with Sharon
• Fees TBA

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PERSONAL ESSAYS

• Needs to complement your entire package
• Most students mistakenly focus only on essay
  and not the activity resume sheet.
• Show yourself! Be personal. Express a connection
  to the school.
• Individualize essay for each school. Answer the
  question!!!!
• Be sincere and honest. Admissions people check.
• Start now and get lots of help. Truly invest
  some effort in the Summer Workshop.

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Letter of Recommendations

• Ask teachers who know you best
• Ask teachers early- at least a month .
• Give each teacher a complete packet
• 1.autobiographical sketch
• 2. Letter stating what you want teacher to
  emphasize about you- concrete examples of
  projects, anecdotes
• 3. paragraph explanation for each private school
  why that school is a great fit
• 4.resume
• 5. stamped envelope for each school
• Be sure to thank your teachers.

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Panels

• Panel Interviews
• 15 minute interview with a panel of teachers,
  counselors, district community leaders, and
  principals.
• Student is to present his/her choices for college
  and reasons why these are best matched.
• Formal interview attire and format

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TIMELINE

• SENIOR YEAR
• FALL SEMESTER SPRING SEMESTER
• Senior Panel Interviews Attendance
• Ask for letters of rec Keep up grades
• SSR
  College results
• 7th semester grades Keep same classes 2nd Sem
• FAFSA/CSS Profile Senior Obligations
• Graduation

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Reality

• Every year, about 110 students (63) apply to
  both private and public colleges.
• However only 25 attend because of Financial
  Reasons
• 2006 175 Students
• Private 24 Public 66
• 174 Students
• Private 24 Public 66
• 2008 173 Students
• Private 27 Public 64

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GLA Communication

• [phone] x 22305
• Deliana.Park_at_abcusd.k12.ca.us
• Junior and Senior E-newsletters