college? i’m not ready for college! mary beth buttweiler cindy cutts
TRANSCRIPT
College? I’m not ready for
college!
Mary Beth ButtweilerCindy Cutts
Week 2 – October 1st Be Prepared! Common Aps & how they work SAT & ACT Activities, service, awards, employment,
Does it matter and how much? How maximize your personal history The college essay High school resume Letters of recommendation Financial Aid Scholarships
How to find them How to win them
How could a college not want me?
A better question
Why do I want to attend college?
What is the goal?
Fit the education to the goal Fit the college to the education goal Fit the student to the college
Where will the student thrive and succeed?
It’s more important to get out of college than to get into it
How many schools?
Reach School
Confident School
Safety School
In today’s competitive college applicant pool, confirm your back up plan.
Take advantage of on-the-spot admission or service area options.
Public or Private?In State or Out of State?
Cost is not definite
Federal and State aid
Institutional aid
Western Undergraduate Exchange WUE
Recruiting Incentives
Prestigious Schools
Highly ranked schools are extremely competitive.
Be realistic when setting college goals.
Compare your profile to the profile of the current freshman class
Everyone needs a backup plan. The UC is NOT a backup plan.
Is this a good fit for me? How competitive am I when I apply? How will I reach my goals here? What if I change my major? Do I fit in here? Does the climate matter to me? What will I do if I need someone from
home? Will the area distract me from studying? Will I find internships here? How hard will I have to work to achieve
my degree here?
Choosing a College
First – visit the website – Can you meet your goals here? Talk to reps at college fairs Visit the campus to explore and ask questions Take a guided tour Then take your own tour Students need to spend at least 30 minutes alone to
“breathe the air of a campus.”
Common AppUSED BY OVER 800 COLLEGES
SUPPLEMENTAL APPLICATION OFTEN REQUIRED
NAVIANCE – TRANSCRIPT, COUNSELOR, TEACHER
FOLLOW UP ON ALL OF THE STEPS
ASSUME NOTHING
OPENS JULY 1 – DEADLINES DETERMINED BY INDIVIDUAL COLLEGES
SAT & ACT MUST BE SENT TO SCHOOLS INDIVIDUALLY
University of California
Common Ap for all 9 UC campuses
2 Essays – which go to all campuses
SAT or ACT – goes to all campuses Campus specific majors
Majors
Colleges
Scholarships
Opens August 1 – Closes November 30
CSU Mentor
23 Campuses
Minimal Data Required
ACT - to one CSU and it goes to all
SAT - Use CSU Mentor Code 3594
Opens October 1
Closes November 30
Coalition for Access, Affordability and Success
Online alternative to Common App
52 private and 31 public schools. More to come.
Ivy League, Stanford, Duke, other highly selective liberal arts colleges and research universities, and public flagship campuses in states such as Florida, Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia.
Similar component to pre-app options such as CSU Mentor or Naviance
So what stuff do I need to be a competitive applicant?
Supporting evidence that you can succeed at college
GPA
Test Scores
Activities (Leadership)
Community Service & Employment
Recommendations
Essay or Personal Statement
Resume’
Portfolio (for some majors)
SAT & ACT
Fall or winter junior year
Spring junior year
Improvement options fall dates of senior year
December is the final date for seniors
Some schools take only October or November senior year scores.
ACT
Subject area exam Maximum score 36
Reading Math Science Social Studies Writing
SAT New SAT begins in March
Juniors can take both “old” and “new” test
Current SAT is Logic & Reasoning
New SAT is “Relevant to classroom curriculum”
SAT Subject Exams
Take them at the end of the course Sophomores & Juniors in Spring
Take them in subjects relative to your major
Take them in subjects that you know well
SAT or ACT?
All colleges use either exam if ACT includes optional Writing exam
All colleges use the higher of the two
Some colleges power score the SAT while very few schools power score the ACT
Take BOTH - twice
The College Essay orPersonal Statement(s)
Purpose - This is your opportunity to tell about yourself -- your hopes, ambitions, life experiences, inspirations.
This is NOT an essay – this is your interview with the university!
Reveal something NEW about you
Paint a picture to explain things
Give your application a theme
Depth
Clarity
Be specific
Set yourself apart with your passions
Admissions Use
Admissions officials are friendly professionals who are looking for ways to admit you.
Provide them with details to help them connect the application to you as a person.
They already know how great their school is – don’t waste your words.
Pick a prompt
ANSWER IT! Frequently students write eloquent essays that do
not reveal new information or provide depth or clarity to the application.
Answer the prompt in one sentence –
“dress it up” into an essay.
Show, Don’t tell
Take the reader to the scene, event, experience, accomplishment or place where you can demonstrate your personal quality, talent or accomplishment
Write to create and share the emotions of your passion
Be succinct
Reveal new qualities about yourself not already evident on your “lists” on the application
Tips
Write in your voice Show - don’t tell as you write Be sincere Write as if this is a college paper (it is) No fluff. Every sentence should have
meaning and provide information germane to the topic (you).
Use active verbs, and adjectives that create emotion
Confirm the theme of your application
Caution to Parents
Do not write your student’s essay.
College admissions personnel read thousands of essays each year. They can spot a parent-written essay within the first paragraph.
You might sabotage the application
Continue in a new Presentation Part 2