college prep handbook - studentathleteinc.com

Dsol and Associates Inc. College Prep Handbook

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COLLEGE PREP HANDBOOK

for Students, Parents and Guardians

WELCOME…

Students, parents, family members, teachers and all those in the community who support student success. Planning for college involves a series of activities that begin well in advance of high school graduation. Families who plan and start the process early will have the greatest variety of opportunities, for both college admission and financial aid.

We hope this Handbook helps you to put the pieces together.


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Contents I. Courses Needed to Enter College ................................................................................................. 3

II. Eleventh and Twelfth Grade Years .............................................................................................. 4

a. Selecting a College ........................................................................................................................... 4

b. Requesting Information ............................................................................................................... 5

c. Organizational Skills ...................................................................................................................... 5

d. Campus Visit ...................................................................................................................................... 5

e. Admission Representative Interview .................................................................................... 7

f. Unable to Visit? ................................................................................................................................. 8

III. Junior Year Timetable ................................................................................................................... 9

IV. Senior Year Timetable ................................................................................................................ 11

V. The College Essay .............................................................................................................................. 14

VI. Parental Involvement ................................................................................................................. 15

VII. Planning for College Costs:....................................................................................................... 17

VIII. Financial Aid ................................................................................................................................... 18

IX. Private Scholarships.................................................................................................................... 20

X. College Resources ............................................................................................................................. 21

XI. Glossary of Terms ......................................................................................................................... 22


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I. Courses Needed to Enter College To be considered for admission to most four-year colleges, students will need to have completed specific high school courses. Remember, even if you are not sure about a college education, these courses will keep your options open. If you decide later to apply to a four-year college, you will be prepared.

College Preparatory Courses English: Four years of college preparatory English. Mathematics: Three years of college preparatory mathematics, including

Algebra I and II and Geometry. Science: Two years of college preparatory science (with laboratory)

such as Biology, Chemistry, or Physics. Social Science: Two years of college preparatory Social Science, including one

year of U.S. History and Government. Foreign Language: Two years of single foreign language. Electives: Students generally may select additional courses from the

categories listed above, as well as computer science, visual performing arts, and humanities courses.


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II. Eleventh and Twelfth Grade Years a. Selecting a College

The process for choosing a college is challenging. There are many factors for you to consider. Some areas to consider when narrowing your college choices are: 1. Where would you like to study – what part of the country (near or far)?

2. Would you like to attend a 2 or 4-year college?

3. Do you want to attend a large or small school?

4. Would you like to attend an urban or rural school?

5. Would you like to attend a co-ed or single sex school?

6. What do you want to major in—does the school offer that curriculum?

7. How much can your family afford for your education?

8. Are you interested in extracurricular activities?

9. Do you want to attend a selective or less selective school?

10. Should the school be religiously affiliated?

11. Would you like to attend a predominantly white, historically black, or

multicultural school?

12. What are the admissions requirements? Answering these questions and talking with individuals familiar with college will help you to make an informed decision. Remember, the sooner you can narrow your choices the quicker you can begin your campus visits.


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b. Requesting Information As you compile a list of colleges and universities that interest you, send for information immediately. You can find the addresses in the college guidebooks, at your high school’s guidance office and local library. Request information on academic programs, extracurricular activities, or whatever interests you. Include your full name and address, telephone number, the name of your high school and your expected date of graduation.

c. Organizational Skills To keep track of all the information you receive from colleges, develop a filing system for each college, separating the material by financial aid, admissions, and general information. As you receive the college material, thoroughly study it, and ask yourself:

1. Does the college have the academic programs that I want?

2. Does it have the extracurricular activities that interest me?

3. Can I meet the admission requirements? With answers to these and other questions you will be better prepared when it comes to making your final college selection.

d. Campus Visit Most colleges encourage campus visits, and many publish special brochures to help you plan one. When you have decided to do a campus visit, write, or call the admissions office. Tell them the date you expect to arrive. While visiting, have someone from the admissions office take you on a tour of the campus. Talk to students, have a meal in the cafeteria and attend a class. Introduce yourself to the professor if time permits.


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When you talk to students, ask…

1. Are campus jobs available?

2. Are faculty members accessible during non-class time?

3. Do many students go home on weekends?

4. Do you eat in the student cafeteria? If so, how is the food? If not, why?

5. Is the residence hall and library conducive to studying?

6. How extensive/state-of-the-art are the library’s resources?

7. What do you like most/least about this college?

8. Do freshman classes fill up quickly?

9. On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your college experience?

10. Why did you choose this college? While touring the campus, ask yourself:

1. Are the buildings in good repair?

2. Are the grounds well kept?

3. Do the students seem happy?

4. Are the residence halls someplace I would like to live?

5. Are there laundry and kitchen facilities in the residence halls?

6. Is the cafeteria clean? Is the food fresh and of good quality?

7. Are the atmosphere and setting appealing to me?

8. What is the surrounding town or city like? Would I feel comfortable here?


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e. Admission Representative Interview During your campus visit you may be asked about or you can request an interview with an admissions representative. Here are some questions you may wish to ask:

1. What do you look for in a prospective student?

2. Does your college have academic programs that fit my interests?

3. Will I have easy access to computers? Will I have to pay extra for computer

time?

4. What is the percentage of freshmen that return for their sophomore year?

5. What is the percentage of freshmen that graduate in four years?

6. What extracurricular activities are there on campus? What are the facilities

like?

7. If I qualify for work-study can I work off campus?

8. Are there new programs or facilities that will be available in the next couple

of years?

9. Is it likely that I will be admitted? Write down your impressions of the visit. Once your visit has concluded, immediately write down your thoughts while they are fresh in your mind. Some areas to think about are:

1. Were the people you met friendly and did they answer your questions fully

and candidly?

2. Did you feel that the students were the kind of people you would like to get

to know?

3. Did you sense that the college was interested in having you as a student?

4. Did you like the social atmosphere?

5. Did the campus itself impress you in any way?

6. What do you feel about the academic demands and atmosphere?

7. Would you like to spend more time there?


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f. Unable to Visit? If you are unable to visit a campus, participate in as many college fairs as possible. You can also ask a college’s admission office to give you the names and phone numbers of current students and recent alumni in your area. Contact those students and ask them about their experiences at that school. Make sure that you ask what they liked and disliked. In addition, you can ask the school to send you any videos they may have produced of their campus. A video could prove quite helpful.


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III. Junior Year Timetable

SUMMER—RISING JUNIORS

• Gather information on possible career options.

• Identify types and characteristics of postsecondary education programs.

• Complete at least one college search activity to generate a list of 10-20

possible schools.

• Identify general criteria for admission and develop a plan to meet those

criteria.

• Begin to develop a college timeline (include dates for tests, application

deadlines, financial aid application deadlines, etc.)

• Talk with your parents about your college plans.

FALL—JUNIOR YEAR

• Register for SAT/ACT

• Contact colleges to request view books, catalogs, and other materials.

• Plan to attend at least two college fairs and two open houses at local

campuses.

• Refine your college search and explore additional options based on personal

research.

• Utilize Internet resources to find additional information about colleges and

programs.


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SPRING—JUNIOR YEAR

• Take ACT/SAT

• Review college publications and materials and begin to refine pool of

selected schools.

• Review specific admissions criteria.

• Research summer, internship, and enrichment activities

• Begin researching private scholarship resources; identify specific criteria and

make plans to meet them.

• Plan to visit colleges (to the extent possible); find out about college tours.

• Attend additional college fairs and on-campus activities.

• Attend financial aid information session with parents/mentor/guardian.

• Begin requesting college admission applications.

SUMMER—RISING SENIORS

• Gather basic information for college admissions applications (list of courses

taken, honors, extracurricular activities, career goals, work experience, etc.)

• Develop college essays based on information requested on admission

applications.

• Visit college campuses.

• Record and track admissions materials received; prepare timeline with all

admission and financial aid application deadlines.

• Prepare for SAT/ACT (if needed)

• Continue search for private scholarships.

• Research scholarships at your high school, local library and on-line. There

are also certain low-interest federal loans available to help finance college

costs beyond the financial aid programs available through many colleges.


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IV. Senior Year Timetable

The following timetable is designed to keep you on track for applying to college(s) in your senior year. You may find that colleges have different deadlines, so be sure to keep track of each school individually.

SEPTEMBER ________________________________________________________________________

• Request application for admission (and other information such as academic

programs, housing, transportation, jobs, extracurricular activities) from the

colleges you have listed as possible choices. (Note the application fees.)

• Visit the guidance office to establish a “working” schedule with your

counselor for the application process.

• Register for November SAT or ACT tests.

• Create two files to organize admission and financial aid information for your

college(s).

OCTOBER

• Attend a college fair and collect information about colleges that offer your

desired major.

• Check college catalogs for admission and financial aid application deadlines.

• Visit colleges that interest you. Be sure to meet with someone in both the

admissions office and the financial aid office.

• Determine if you want to apply for early admission (process by which a

student can be accepted in the fall of their senior year in high school) to a

particular college. Check necessary deadlines. There is a risk to early

admission if you do not receive adequate financial aid.

• Obtain application fee waivers (if applicable) from your high school

counselor.


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NOVEMBER

• Obtain any personal recommendations required by college applications.

• Send in admission applications. Do not miss deadlines!

DECEMBER

• Pick up a financial aid packet at your high school guidance office.

• Collect information needed to complete financial aid application packet

(parents’ income, tax information, personal savings, etc.).

JANUARY

• Complete the financial aid packet. Use estimated income figures, if necessary,

to be sure application deadlines are met.

• Scholarship applications should be in process. Watch for deadlines!

FEBRUARY

• Receive Student Aid Report (SAR) from the Federal Student Aid Programs.

Make copies and send to all schools. Be sure to save the original for the

college you will attend. Remember to make copies of all correspondence for

your financial aid file.

MARCH

• Follow-up with the colleges that you have requested information from.


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APRIL

• Receive financial aid award letters from colleges and make comparisons.

• Contact the Financial Aid Officer at the college(s) you have applied to

determine how outside aid (such as scholarships or grants) will affect each of

your awards.

• Investigate remaining need.

• Investigate payment options with each college.

• Return acceptance letter.

• Many schools require commitments to attend by May 1. While deposits will

be required, do not commit if you have not received all your award letters. If

you have not received all award letters, contact the various colleges, and

request an extension.

MAY

• Send deposit to college.

• Finalize loan arrangement(s).


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V. The College Essay The college essay is the one part of the application process that gives students the opportunity to inform admissions officials about their special abilities, interests, and qualities or about any significant factors that might set them apart from qualified students. As many colleges begin to doubt the usefulness of standardized test scores, college essays are being given more weight than ever in the admissions process. While a superb essay will not cancel out a poor high school record, a well-written essay can make a student with decent grades stand out from the other applicants. Colleges that ask students to write essays really do want to know the person behind the numbers. The essay helps the admissions officer reading the application know the student in a way that four years of statistics, scores, and grades will not. A good essay can present the student as an interesting and valuable person, worth knowing, who is genuine, thoughtful, engaging, and able to handle life, including the next four years at college. It conveys part of who the student is and what he or she has accomplished. As essay can also comment on any setbacks the student has suffered or explain any gaps in the academic record.

In general, essays are evaluated on three basic criteria: • The student’s ability to use standard written English that is correctly written,

punctuated, and contains correct grammar, usage, and syntax. • The content, substance, and depth of insight which reflects the student’s

ability to think about him or herself and to convey authentic feelings or opinions about a topic.

• Creativity and originality which shows an individual who would bring qualities such as intellect, initiative, energy, and a fresh viewpoint to the college community.

Examples of college essay questions: 1. Describe your most significant personal experience. Why is it significant

and how has it influenced you? 2. Identify and discuss a significant problem facing your generation. 3. What have you read that has had a special significance for you? Explain

why. 4. Please describe the reasons that influenced you in selecting your

intended major field of study. 5. If you could travel through time and interview a prominent figure in the

arts, politics, religion, or science, for example, whom would you choose and why?

6. Describe your experience in living in an ethnically diverse environment; what do you expect to need to know to live successfully in the multicultural society of the future?


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VI. Parental Involvement

A Message for Parents and Guardians Parental involvement is one of the most overlooked aspects of American education

today. The fact is many parents do not realize how important it is to get involved in their children’s learning. When families get involved, the children tend to get better grades and test scores. They graduate from high school at a higher rate, and they enroll more often in higher education. According to studies, parents’ support can influence performance even more than their income or educational background.

Your Child Can Succeed in College Your child does not have to be the class genius to go to college. Just as in high school, colleges have many different academic levels. Also, there are different types of colleges with different requirements for admission. Some colleges are extremely competitive, while others are less so. Many colleges offer resources such as tutorial programs or study skills courses. Your child’s guidance counselor can help your child select the school that is best for him/her. Guidance counselors and teachers also can help you and your child make informed academic decisions. Friends and family members who have been to college can offer advice, and you can visit your local library or community agencies for more help.

Parents can assist their children if they: • Communicate the importance of school. Let your children know you expect

them to learn.

• Encourage them to enroll in challenging courses. This reinforces the sense of

high expectations.

• Establish a scheduled daily homework time.

• Check homework every night. It is a great opportunity to make sure they

understand the material.

• Read together regularly.

• Keep an eye on the TV your children watch, both amount and type.

• Communicate often with the teachers.

• Get involved in the P.T.A.

• Vote in school board elections.

• Help your school set challenging academic standards.

• Insist on high standards of behavior for children.


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Your Children’s Study Skills

It is no secret: the key to a better report card lies in good study skills. For any child, developing these skills takes plenty of practice and a suitable environment. You can help with both—by putting these tips to work for you: Decide together on a time and place for study—specifically, a time when your children are most productive and a place that allows them to concentrate. Late afternoon and early evening are good choices. Check physical conditions. Good lighting, the right temperature, a neat table or desk, and a comfortable straight-back chair set the stage for a good study atmosphere. (Research has shown, however, that some students study better in more relaxed physical conditions, with low lighting and soft music.) Keep the schedule. To make good study skills a habit, your children should study at their chosen time and place at least four days a week. If they have no homework, encourage them to use the time for review. Eliminate distractions. If the study areas are free of undue noise, TV, phone calls, and other distractions, your children can motivate themselves more easily. Help with prioritizing. Before your children begin studying, they should rand their assignments from most difficult to easiest—and do them in that order. Such a schedule will make their work go faster and seem easier. Provide the right tools: dictionary, atlas, thesaurus, pens, paper, tape, scissors, stapler, whatever they need to get the job done. Encourage breaks. Help your children determine how long their breaks should be; neither too long nor too short.

Keep Your Child’s Options Open You may not know if your child will pursue higher education, but you can still plan a high school program so that later he/she will have the widest range of choices. By taking English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies and a foreign language, your child will be prepared for education after high school. And even if your child decides not to go to college right away, he/she will have learned to speak well, to write clearly and to use mathematics effectively. These are valuable skills that will help your child in all aspects of life. For students with solid high school preparation, there are many options available after graduation.


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Higher Education Options

Career or Technical School Offer training for a specific career. Programs generally range in length from three to eighteen months.

Two-Year Colleges Offer an associate degree or a certificate and prepare students either from a skilled job or for transfer to a four-year college.

Four-Year Colleges and Universities

Offer a bachelor’s degree and prepare students for a variety of professional careers and graduate school programs.

Graduate/Professional Schools

Offer advanced training for highly specialized careers such as law, medicine, or architecture. Once a student receives a bachelor’s degree, he/she can go on to graduate school.

VII. Planning for College Costs:

College can be affordable—the key is planning.

It is important for you and your parents to plan how to finance your college education as soon as possible. Savings, loans, earnings, and awards from colleges may all be considered.

Do not rule out college as one of your options because of costs.

Financial aid is available which can provide money to help you pay for tuition and fees, room and meals, books, personal expenses, and transportation while you attend college.


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VIII. Financial Aid People will tell you all kinds of things about financial aid. Unfortunately, many of those things are not quite true. Here are some of the facts:

• You must apply for financial aid every year. File as soon after January 1 as possible because some aid is limited.

• Sometimes indirect costs such as books, travel and personal expenses are not included, but they really are part of a total college budget.

• Financial aid is based on family need and is awarded to make up the difference

between the family’s contribution and the total college budget.

• Parents’ and student’s income and assets are considered to determine the family contribution.

• Financial aid is not only for low-income people. All students can borrow

money through low-interest loan programs.

• You are responsible for knowing what financial aid you receive, what you did to get it, what you need to do to retain it, and how to get it again. Read all the material sent to you. Ask questions if you’re not sure.

• Private scholarships are available from a wide variety of sources. Often you

must do some research to find them.

• If you work and save money for your education, you will not have as much debt in the future. However, your income and savings may reduce the amount of financial aid you receive.

• Think carefully about how much money you want to borrow. Review the actual

college expenses of tuition, fees, room, board, and books.

• Financial aid is initially based on the last tax year. If your family situation has changed since then—or if there are unusual circumstances—notify each financial aid office to which you apply.

• Most colleges have job opportunities for students along with the financial aid

program called Federal Work-Study. If you are not offered Work-Study, ask about other part-time jobs.


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Types of Financial Aid Grants: Based on your financial need Do not have to be paid back. Unrelated to school performance Loans: Available for students and parents Student Loans are:

• Low interest • Repaid starting six months after graduation. • May be paid back over a period of up to ten years.

Work Study: A student employment program • Student works part time for the college. • Does not have to be paid back.

Scholarships: Based on ability: high grades, athletic skills, and other special

talents Do not have to be paid back.


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IX. Private Scholarships Scholarships from private organizations provide an additional source of funds for students. Private scholarships are not part of the financial aid system, as we generally define it, but are sponsored by a wide variety of foundations, corporations, professional organizations, clubs, civic groups, churches, and others. Amounts and application procedures vary and are generally different for each scholarship. A thorough scholarship search takes time and energy. Plan to review several books and print resources in addition to using computerized searches. Scholarship resources generally provide contact information, eligibility criteria, amount of funding and deadlines. Keep in mind that the deadline refers to the date by which the completed application must be received. Do not be shy about letting friends, family, coworkers, etc. know that you are seeking funds for college. They may have information about scholarships or special programs that would help you finance your education. Avoid scholarship search services that charge fees and guarantee results. Remember to say, “thank you.” If you receive a scholarship, a brief note enables you to express your appreciation and may help keep you in mind if additional funds become available.


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X. College Resources

United Negro College Fund (http://www.uncf.org) Supports college readiness for African-American students College Board (http://www.collegeboard.org) A good place to get SAT information and financial aid information. College View ((http://www.collegeview.com) An online college search service with profiles of over 3,500 colleges and universities, virtual tours, electronic applications, financial aid info, career planning tool, and more. fastWEB Financial Aid Search (http://fastweb.com) Free, up-to-date scholarship search service. FinAid—The Financial Aid Information Page (http://www.finaid.org) Not sure how you can afford college? This cool Web site gives you the scoop on financial aid. Through a link to a fast WEB, a free searchable database, you’ll find over 180,000 scholarships, info on federal student aid programs, a scholarship scam alert section, financial aid need calculations, and more. Mapping Your Future (http://mapping-your-future.org) This site provides information to help you plan your career, select a school, and pay for your education. Peterson’s Education and Career Center (http://www.petersons.com) A computerized version of Peterson’s Guide to Colleges. Also contains financial aid and scholarship information. SallieMae (http://salliemae.com) One of the nation’s largest financial services companies which provides funds for higher education loans.

http://www.uncf.org/

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XI. Glossary of Terms

ACT Assessment

A three-hour college admission examination that consists of tests in English, Mathematics, Reading and Science Reasoning. The test is primarily multiple choice.

Alumni/Alumna Alumni refers to a male graduate of a particular school and can be used for male or female. Alumna refers to a female graduate of a particular school.

Associate Degree Degree students receive after graduating from a two-year college.

Bachelor’s Degree Degree students receive after graduating from a four-year college.

Campus Administrative Offices Some of the campus offices most dealt with during the admissions process: Admissions—has admissions guidelines, application forms and catalogs and evaluates whether or not to accept students into the school. Financial Aid –has financial aid information guidelines, financial aid forms and determines the level of financial aid the school will provide. Registrar—handles class registration, scheduling of classes, grades, and transcripts. Resident Life—places students in on-campus housing/dormitories and often handles on-campus meal plans. Student Accounts—handles payments of tuition and fees.

Expected Family Contribution (EFC) An amount you and your family are expected to contribute toward your education.

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) You must complete and submit this application to apply for Federal Student Aid.


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Financial Aid Money or help to pay for college expenses. This includes:

Grants or scholarships—these are gift funds and do not need to be repaid. College work-study—a form of aid in which students work part-time while attending college. Loans—these must be repaid when the student leaves school.

Financial Need Education beyond high school. This includes: Career or technical schools that offer training for specific careers.

Two-year colleges that prepare students for a skilled career or for transfer to a four-year college. Four-year colleges and universities that prepare students for a wide range of careers. Graduate/professional schools that offer advanced training for highly specialized careers such as law, medicine, or architecture.

Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) I A three-hour college admission test of verbal and mathematical reasoning abilities. The test is primarily multiple choice.

Student Aid Report (SAR) Reports the information that was supplied on your application. If there are no problems or questions with your application, the SAR will report your Expected Family Contribution (EFC).

Track The program of courses a student takes in high school. The most common are:

College preparatory (college prep)—prepare students to enter college after high school. Business/career—prepares students for secretarial/clerical positions Vocational/trade—prepares students for entry-level position in a trade such as auto mechanic or chef. General—meets basic high school graduation requirements.

Transcript The record of a student’s courses and grades received in grades 9-12.


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“And Still I Rise” Maya Angelou

You may write me down in history With your bitter, twisted lies,

You may trod on me in the very dirt But still, like dust, I’ll rise

Just like moons and like suns,

With the certainty of tides. Just like hopes springing high,

Still, I’ll rise

You may shoot me with your words, You may cut me with your eyes,

You may kill me with your hatefulness, But still, like air, I’ll rise.

Out of the huts of history’s shame

I rise Up from a past that’s rooted in pain

I rise I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide,

Welling and swelling I bear in the tide, Leaving behind nights of terror and fear

I rise Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear

I rise Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, I am the dream and the hope of the slave.

I rise I rise I rise.

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