THERE ARE 20 MONTHS
UNTIL GRADUATION…
WHAT
WILL I BE DOING
IN SEPTEMBER 2008?
This packet belongs to: ____________________________________
Homeroom: _________
JUNIOR COLLEGE PLANNING TIMELINE
|
October ·
Register for and take the PSAT (10/21) |
November ·
ASVAB 11/18 (Register by
11/10) |
December ·
Parents attend Information night – “The College Selection Process”
(12/13 – 7:00 p.m.) ·
Registration deadline for 1/27 SAT & SAT Subject Test (12/20)
|
January ·
SAT and SAT Subject Tests (1/27) ·
Research SAT Prep Options |
February ·
Visit prospective colleges during February Break ·
|
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|
March ·
Registration deadline for 4/14 ACT (3/9) ·
Registration deadline for 5/5 SAT I & SAT Subject Tests (3/29) ·
SAT (3/10) |
April ·
National College Fair April 1 & 2 – ·
Visit prospective colleges during Spring Break ·
ACT 4/14 ·
Registration deadline for 6/2 SAT I & SAT Subject Tests (4/27)
|
May ·
AP Exams ·
SAT & SAT Subject Tests
(5/5) ·
Registration deadline for 6/9 ACT (5/4) |
June ·
Consider teachers for letters of recommendation ·
Thinking about ROTC or the ·
SAT & SAT Subject Tests (6/2) ·
ACT (6/9) |
July/August ·
Summer Jobs, Volunteer experiences, internships, and job shadows ·
Request applications from colleges ·
NCAA Clearinghouse Forms |
GOAL: By Thanksgiving 2007 – you have applied to
3-5 colleges.
Criteria For College Admittance ……………
Grades and Courses
The
quality of work a student has done in high school is the single most important
factor in college acceptance.
Colleges are interested in grades earned, the level of courses taken,
the variety of courses taken and the trend that the grades indicate.
Standardized Test Scores
Your college admissions testing scores
(SAT or ACT), course grades and other information about your academic
background help college admissions personnel evaluate how well prepared you are
for college level work. Since courses and
grading standards vary from school to school, scores on standardized tests,
such as the SAT and ACT, help colleges compare the ability of students from
different schools.
Some colleges require SAT Subject Tests
which measure your knowledge of particular subjects and your ability to apply
knowledge. Check the requirements of the colleges where you might apply before
deciding which tests to take. It is
recommended that students consider taking SAT Subject Tests near the completion
of AP courses.
Class Rank
Class rank is your academic record
compared to the other members of your class.
Final weighted grades in all courses are used to determine class rank. Class rank is computed once at the end of a
students third year and is included on each student's permanent record.
Recommendations
Many colleges require a
recommendation. They may ask for a
school counselor's recommendation but may also request one or two
recommendations by a classroom teacher, coach, administrator, employer, or
other significant adult. Select adults who are comfortable writing a
recommendation for you. Be sure to give
the person you ask at least 2 weeks advanced notice and give them a “Letter of
Recommendation Request: form from the Counseling Center. A recommendation can help enhance your
chances of admission to the college of your choice.
Activities
and Special Talent
Although your
academic credentials are the primary factors in determining your admission,
your record of involvement in activities can be significant as a supporting
credential. The activity record is a listing of all your clubs, sports, awards,
and jobs. Colleges want to know, for
example, if you have been a school leader, or if you have been working twenty
hours per week after school. They are
not looking for a long list, but rather the level of involvement and
accomplishment in the activities which interest you.
Special talents such as musical or
athletic skills, dramatic or artistic interests, work
with publications or managerial accomplishments are important factors. Admissions officers agree that talent in a
particular area shows evidence of a person's depth of interest, or his
initiative, and ultimately, of his achievement.
Essay and/or Interview
These
may be required by some colleges. Seek
help from knowledgeable adults to prepare for these. They may be open-ended or may answer a
specific question.
http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/sat/about/SATI.html
- The SAT Reasoning Test
http://www.actstudent.org/testprep/descriptions/indes.html
- Test Prep for ACT & Description of the ACT
www.acm.edu
– Preparation for college visits
When they say… …Ask them
Our average class size is _____ What’s your largest freshman class?
What’s the smallest?
How large are classes in required courses?
What percentage
of classes enroll fewer than 20 students?
Our student to faculty ratio Who, precisely, does the teaching?
is _____ to 1 What
are the qualifications of the teaching faculty?
How many have PhD’s or appropriate terminal degrees?
How extensively are graduate student used in
teaching undergraduates? How are they selected? What are their responsibilities? How is excellence in teaching
recognized? How is the quality of
instruction weighted in tenure considerations?
We help our students to
succeed What are three specific sources of
academic support on campus?
academically Do you offer tutoring? In which subjects? Is it free?
What sort of academic support is offered in the residence halls?
Do students study together?
Our campus is safe How do you make sure it stays safe? What mechanisms and policies are being used to ensure safety? Who can get into campus buildings? Is residence hall access regulated or restricted? How?
Are security issues publicized? In other words, do students know about specific areas, situations, or times of day that may be dangerous? How are students kept informed?
We make higher education affordable What is the difference between scholarships and financial aid? How does each form of financial assistance work with or affect the other? What percentage of your students receive financial assistance? What was the total of this year’s average undergraduate financial aid award? What’s the average family income of students receiving financial aid? Are scholarships renewable? How much does the school invest in financial assistance for incoming freshman?
We believe your son or daughter will Where are the students from?
thrive here What percentage of undergraduates live on campus? How many stay around on the weekends? How about athletics? What sports are represented? How many students participate? How popular are sororities and fraternities? How many freshmen return for the sophomore year?
Our minimum SAT (or ACT or GPA) What sort of high school preparation do you advise?
to be considered for admission is _____ What credentials do you consider when evaluating a candidate? In what order? What is the middle range of scores on the SAT or ACT for the most recently admitted freshman class?
Based on my academic credentials, would I be a good candidate?