Senior Parent Night Senior Parent Night Class of 2012Class of 2012

Clyde A. Erwin High SchoolClyde A. Erwin High School

Presenters:Presenters:

Russ Harris- Project Discovery Russ Harris- Project Discovery WCUWCU

Jeanne Nagel- Counselor A-GJeanne Nagel- Counselor A-G

Carl Firley- Counselor H-OCarl Firley- Counselor H-O

Michele Ferry-Winne P-ZMichele Ferry-Winne P-Z

Be Organized

Keep a folder of important college informationUsernames and passwords

FAFSACFNCCollege Application Portals

DeadlinesApplicationScholarshipsSAT or ACT

College ExplorationCollege Exploration

Use CFNC …..it is your friendUse CFNC …..it is your friend

www.cfnc.orgwww.cfnc.org

CLICK HERE

CLICK

HERE

YHyperlink

CFNC College CFNC College Application WeekApplication Week

Here at ErwinHere at Erwin

November 13November 13thth

All Day!!!!All Day!!!!

We will be pulling Seniors by We will be pulling Seniors by homeroom to apply.homeroom to apply.

Application EssaysApplication EssaysLet the fun begin!!Let the fun begin!!

Start early so you can take your Start early so you can take your time.time.

Save everything to a hard drive.Save everything to a hard drive.

Utilize CFNC or Common Application Utilize CFNC or Common Application so you can do multiple applications so you can do multiple applications at the same time.at the same time.

Application EssaysApplication EssaysContinuedContinued

Proof read and re-proof Proof read and re-proof read….this is your first read….this is your first impression.impression.

Ask a teacher to proof read.Ask a teacher to proof read.

Follow instructions to the T.Follow instructions to the T.

Sample UNC Chapel Hill Essay Sample UNC Chapel Hill Essay PromptsPrompts

250-500 words250-500 wordsEvaluate a significant experience, Evaluate a significant experience,

achievement, risk you have taken, or achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you. impact on you. 

Discuss some issue of personal, local, Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international concern and national, or international concern and its importance to you.its importance to you.

Indicate a person who has had a Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and significant influence on you, and describe that influence.describe that influence.

UNC Chapel Hill Essay UNC Chapel Hill Essay PromptsPrompts

Describe a character in fiction, a historical Describe a character in fiction, a historical figure, or a creative work (as in art, music, figure, or a creative work (as in art, music, science, etc) that has had influence on science, etc) that has had influence on you, and explain that influence.you, and explain that influence.

A range of academic interests, personal A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences adds perspectives, and life experiences adds much to the educational mix. Given your much to the educational mix. Given your personal background, describe an personal background, describe an experience that illustrates what you would experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college bring to the diversity in a college community or an encounter that community or an encounter that demonstrated the importance of diversity demonstrated the importance of diversity to you.to you.

Second UNC Chapel Hill Second UNC Chapel Hill PromptPrompt500 words.500 words.

You just put a message in a bottle and You just put a message in a bottle and threw the bottle out to sea. What is the threw the bottle out to sea. What is the message?message?

If you could design and teach your own If you could design and teach your own course, what topic would you cover? course, what topic would you cover? What texts, assignments, projects, field What texts, assignments, projects, field trips, or other resources would you use in trips, or other resources would you use in teaching this course?teaching this course?

What is your comfort food and why?What is your comfort food and why?

Second UNC Chapel Hill Second UNC Chapel Hill PromptPrompt

You just made the front page of the New You just made the front page of the New York Times for doing something important York Times for doing something important that no one before you has ever thought to that no one before you has ever thought to do. What did you do and why did you do it?do. What did you do and why did you do it?

Carolina encourages students and faculty Carolina encourages students and faculty to solve problems. What problem are you to solve problems. What problem are you trying to solve, and why is it important to trying to solve, and why is it important to you?you?

Tell us about a time when you changed Tell us about a time when you changed your mind about something that mattered your mind about something that mattered to you. What led to that change? to you. What led to that change? 

What are Readers looking for?What are Readers looking for?

Show, don’t tellShow, don’t tell. .

For example, rather than just For example, rather than just telling telling “I am an adventurous person,” why “I am an adventurous person,” why not not show show your adventurous spirit by your adventurous spirit by recounting your latest adventure recounting your latest adventure with colorful details and descriptive with colorful details and descriptive language. language.

Showing is always more persuasive Showing is always more persuasive and interesting than telling. and interesting than telling. 

What are Readers looking for?What are Readers looking for?FocusFocus

Don’t try to tell your entire life story Don’t try to tell your entire life story (it’s impossible).(it’s impossible).

Think about how you can Think about how you can communicate one little slice of life. communicate one little slice of life.

Can you tell a story that will illustrate Can you tell a story that will illustrate one aspect of your personality? one aspect of your personality?

Can you zoom in on an idea that you Can you zoom in on an idea that you find compelling? find compelling?

Can you incorporate details that will Can you incorporate details that will be memorable to your reader? be memorable to your reader? 

What are Readers looking What are Readers looking for?for?

Remember it doesn't have to be Remember it doesn't have to be all about youall about you. Some of the best . Some of the best essays are about people or ideas essays are about people or ideas outside the writer's own life--these outside the writer's own life--these essays can still tell us a lot about the essays can still tell us a lot about the person who did the writing. person who did the writing. 

Be conciseBe concise. Don’t use 10 words . Don’t use 10 words when five will do the trick. when five will do the trick. 

What are Readers looking What are Readers looking for?for?

Don’t feel strictly tied to the Don’t feel strictly tied to the essay promptsessay prompts. Use them as . Use them as jumping off places, and feel free to jumping off places, and feel free to let your creativity take you where it let your creativity take you where it may. may.

Be yourselfBe yourself. Instead of trying to . Instead of trying to figure out what people want to hear, figure out what people want to hear, ask yourself how you can portray ask yourself how you can portray your unique voice and personality. your unique voice and personality.

Letters of Letters of RecommendationRecommendation

Ask teachers who know your abilities Ask teachers who know your abilities well.well.

Ask if they can write you a good Ask if they can write you a good letter of recommendation.letter of recommendation.

Have teacher save it on a hard drive.Have teacher save it on a hard drive.Give them plenty of time!Give them plenty of time!Fill out student self evaluation found Fill out student self evaluation found

on Erwin High’s website.on Erwin High’s website.

hyperlink

ScholarshipsScholarshipsVisit the Erwin High School website often.Visit the Erwin High School website often.

Avoid paying for “Scholarship services” . Avoid paying for “Scholarship services” .

All of what you need is free!!All of what you need is free!!

www.fastweb.comwww.fastweb.com

www.scholarships.comwww.scholarships.com

https://abt.starsscholarshipsonline.com/https://abt.starsscholarshipsonline.com/stars/stars/

Sample Scholarship EssaysSample Scholarship Essays

An essay of 500 words or less that describes your career goals, future plans, etc. If you are applying for a scholarship that specifies a career (i.e. education or nursing), include why education or nursing is your career goal and discuss any event that has influenced your choice. Also, you may want to talk about a specific person who has been instrumental in your decision. ----Last years prompt for Buncombe County Schools Foundation

Sample Scholarship EssaysSample Scholarship Essays

What are your personal, education, and Professional Goals?

Submit a typed, double-spaced statement of 1-2 pages in length describing your short and long-term goals and how you plan to achieve them.

Prompt for Personal Statement on Community Foundation of Western North Carolina common scholarship application.

FAFSAFederal Application for Free Student Aid

Attend our Financial Aid Night November 27th, at 6:00pm.

DO NOT begin applying now for next fall.

The End