college planning night for juniors january 7, 2020 · christopher christy, school counselor l –z....

College Planning Night for Juniors

January 7, 2020

Jan Nolan, School Counselor A -K

Christopher Christy, School Counselor L – Z

AGENDA

Goals for tonight’s program

• College Exploration• Campus Visits• College Selectivity• Types of Admissions• Standardized Testing• Financial Aid

Goals of this Program

•To inform students and parents about the process of college admissions.

•To outline responsibilities and emphasize the importance of collaboration between students, parents and school counselors.

College Exploration

• A time of personal growth, discovery and planning.

• The process is sometimes overwhelming, but there is a lot of help available from your counselor.

• Research is an essential part of the process.

• Students must be committed to the college planning process.

The 3 C’sCommunication, Cooperation, Collaboration

• You are not in the college planning process alone.

• Seek the support of the school counseling staff and put forth your best effort in the process.

• Ask questions. There is no question that is too big or too small.

• Attend Junior and Senior guidance seminar.

• Visit/call/email your counselor regularly.

Your Junior Year•Register for SAT Reasoning Test/ACT

•Register for SAT Subject Tests if appropriate

•Meet with your Counselor

•Attend Junior Guidance Seminar / complete forms

•Confirm graduation requirements with course

selection for senior year

•Set up your College Board account

•Utilize your Naviance account

•Develop List of Colleges of interest

•Visit Colleges

Your Senior Year•Register and re-take SAT and ACT

•Check credits for graduation.

•Attend Senior Guidance Seminar

•Attend Senior College Planning evening in the fall, attend Financial Aid workshop in the Fall.

•Narrow the list of colleges to which you will apply.

•Visit with the college reps at LHS in the fall

•Visit the colleges you haven’t seen.

•Submit applications well in advance of deadlines.

•Notify your school counselor after submitting applications so they may send transcripts.

Factors To Consider When Choosing A College

• Academic Programs

• Geography

• Size

• Selectivity

• Special Programs/Athletics/Activities

• Cost

• College Major

College Searches

• tcci.naviance.com/littletonhs

• www.collegeboard.org

Naviance

•Internet based program.

•All junior students and their parent/guardian will have access to this account by completing a simple registration process.

•Through Naviance, you will have the ability to research colleges, scholarships, make a resume, complete personality interest inventory and download all required forms.

The College list

•Reach: This group includes highly selective schools that the student aspires to. These will be your “reach” schools.

•Target: This group includes schools at which the probability of admission is likely. These are categorized as “target” schools.

•Safety: This group includes schools at which the probability of admission is “highly likely” to “certain.” We refer to schools in this category as a student’s “safety” schools.

Campus Visits

•February/April vacation

•Open Houses/Tours/ Information sessions

•Sign up on line

•Parent Information Sessions

•Overnight Visits

College FairsLittleton High School College Fair for Juniors

Littleton High School Gymnasium

Wednesday, March 18, 2020 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm

Springfield National College Fair

Eastern States Exposition (Big E) Young Building

Monday, April 6, 2020 9:00 am – 11:30 am 6:30 – 8:30 pm

Boston National College Fair

Boston Convention and Exhibition Center

Thursday, April 30, 2020 9:00am – 12:00 pm and 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Friday, May 1, 2020 9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Providence National College Fair

Rhode Island Convention Center

Tuesday April 7, 2020 5:30 – 8:30 pm

VISIT: www.nacacfairs.org and neacac.org for more information

College Acceptance Rates

• Yale 6%

• MIT 7%

• Harvard 5%

• Princeton 5%

• Columbia 6%

• Stanford 4%

• Amherst 13%

• Brown 8%

• Northeastern 19%

• Holy Cross 38%

• UConn 49%

• Stonehill 72%

• UMass Amherst 60%

• UMass Lowell 72%

• UNH 77%

• Assumption 81%

College ComparisonUniversity of Massachusetts

Lowell

Tufts University College of the

Holy Cross

Average SAT range

1150-1320

ACT 24-29

Test Optional

(+3.54 GPA)

Average SAT range

1380 – 1530

ACT 33-34

GPA – 4.05

Average SAT range

1270-1420 (SAT optional)

ACT 28-32

GPA – 3.81

25% in top 10% 90% in top 10% 61% in top 10%

72% of applicants

Admitted

16% of applicants admitted

38% of applicants

admitted

College Comparison

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Northeastern University

Brown University

Average SAT range

1130 – 1380

ACT 27

GPA – 3.83

Average SAT range

1360 – 1540

ACT 32-34

Average SAT range

1420 – 1550

ACT 35

34% from top 10% of class

76% from top 10% of class w/ 4.0 GPA

92% from top 10% of class

GPA – 4.08

60% of applicants admitted

19% of applicants admitted

8% of applicants admitted

College Comparison

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI)

Wentworth Institute of Technology

Stonehill College

Average SAT range

1300 - 1460

ACT 29-33

Average SAT range

1175 - 1270

ACT 25

GPA – 3.1

Average SAT range

1130 - 1300

ACT 24-29

GPA – 3.3

65% from top 10% of class

GPA – 3.8

70% from top 10% of class – N/A

20% from top 10% of class

42% of applicants admitted

71% of applicants admitted

70% of applicants admitted

Universities of Massachusetts Admission Requirements•Minimum GPA – 3.0

•SAT/ACT on sliding scale if GPA is below minimum

Example: University of Massachusetts

GPA SAT ACT

2.51 – 2.99 950 20

2.41 – 2.50 990 21

2.31 – 2.40 1030 22

2.21 – 2.30 1070 23

2.11 – 2.20 1110 24

2.00 – 2.10 1150 25

*No Applicant with a high school GPA below 2.0 may be admitted

MA State Colleges/Universities AdmissionRequirements

•Minimum GPA 3.0

•SAT/ACT on sliding scale if GPA is below min.

Example: Worcester State University

GPA SAT ACT

2.51 – 2.99 920 19

2.41 – 2.50 960 20

2.31 – 2.40 1000 21

2.21 – 2.30 1040 22

2.11 – 2.20 1080 23

2.00 – 2.10 1120 24

*No Applicant with a high school GPA below 2.0 may be admitted

Commonwealth Commitment

• Start at one of 15 Massachusetts Community Colleges in a new MassTransfer “A2B Mapped” program.

• Finish within 2 ½ yrs

• Maintain a 3.00 GPA or higher

• Transfer to a State University or UMass campus and continue full time.

• A freeze on mandatory student fees for up to 4 ½ yrs.

(continued)

Commonwealth Commitment

• A MassTranfers tuition credit worth an average of $1,200 at your State University or UMass.

• A 10% rebate after each completed semester.

• An associate degree and a bachelor’s degree within 4 ½ yrs.

• Average savings of 40% on the cost of your State University or UMass bachelor’s degree.

John and Abigail Adams Scholarship

• Tuition waiver at MA state colleges and universities

UMASS - $1,418 - $1714

State Universities - $910 - $1030

• Awarded to students who score in the top 25% of 10th grade MCAS in their district

• Notification from the MA state DOE will be received senior year

MCAS Certificate of Mastery

•Awarded to students who meet all of the following requirements:

Minimum score on ONE of the following MCAS High School tests:

Grade 10 ELA – minimum score 501

Grade 10 mathematics – minimum score 504

High School STE (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, or Technology/Engineering) – minimum score 260

Minimum score on the remaining TWO MCAS high school tests

Grade 10 ELA – minimum score 472

Grade 10 mathematics – minimum score 486

grade 10 STE – minimum score - 240

MCAS Certificate of Mastery

2 AP exams with a score of 3 or higher

2 SAT Subject Test exams (with qualifying scores)

1 SAT Subject Test exam and 1 AP Exam OR

1 SAT Subject Test exam and 1 other achievementOR

1 AP exam and 1 other achievement

Qualifying students must complete an application (available in guidance).

Awarded to students who fulfill additional requirements through ONE of the combinations listed below:

New England Regional Tuition Break Program

NRSP offers New England residents reduced tuition rates when they enroll in approved degree programs at out of state public colleges and universities (in New England).

Approved programs must not be offered at MA state colleges and universities.

www.nebhe.org

Types of Admission

• Early Decision

• Early Action

• Regular Admission

• Rolling Admission

Types of AdmissionsEarly Decision vs. Early Action

•Binding – You are obligated to

attend if you are accepted.

•Submit applications early fall, usually Nov 1 or Nov 15, check with college.

•You will be notified in Dec. or Jan. well before the usual notification if you’ve been accepted.

Non-binding/allows for other regular decision apps. And review of financial aid pkgs.

Decision by Dec. or Jan. for EA.

You may wait until 5/1/18 to accept.

College Applications

• Applications can be done on-line or downloaded from the college website.

• The Common Application (over 800 colleges)

www.commonapp.org

• Be thorough when completing applications

Recommendations

• Counselor Statement

• Faculty Recommendations

• Most colleges require 1-3 recommendations. Some colleges do not require recommendations.

• Find out early on what each college requires.

College Essay•The essay is an opportunity to present the personal side of the student.

•College essay lesson

•Choose a topic that will show what kind of person you are.

•Start to prepare during the summer months.

•Work and re-work draft

•English teacher meeting to review final draft• (see attached page for college essay topic examples)

Standardized testing

Which test is the best fit for me?

Going from PSAT to SAT• 95+ percent of the same type of content.

• There are only three differences between the PSAT and SAT:

• The SAT is slightly harder

• The SAT has a 50 minute essay (optional)

• The SAT is much longer (3 hrs. +50 minutes additional with optional essay)

Testing

SAT Test

SAT Subject Tests

ACT

Advanced Placement Exams

Test Optional School

www.fairtest.org

SAT

The SAT Test:

Evidence-Based Reading & Writing (200-800)

Math (200-800)

Optional Essay (separately scored)

Score Option

Sending scores www.collegeboard.org

SAT Subject Tests

•The SAT Subject Test are one hour tests in specific subjects (20 exams in 5 disciplines).

•Some colleges require one or more of these tests for admission or placement purposes. The more competitive colleges often require 2 or 3 of these tests or the ACT.

•Score: 200 – 800

•www.collegeboard.org

ACT

•ACT:

•English

•Mathematics

•Reading

•Science

•The Writing Test (optional) (Required by many colleges)

•Score: 1 – 36

•Score Option

•www.actstudent.org

How Students Can PrepareStudents should:

• Challenge themselves throughout high school by taking rigorous courses, including at least 3 years of math

• Read and write as much as possible—both in and outside of school

• Familiarize themselves with the SAT/ACT so they know what to expect on test day

• Familiarize themselves with the different types of questions on the SAT/ACT, the directions for each type of question, and how the test is scored.

• Access personalized study plan, based on PSAT results, by linking PSAT results to Khan Academy.

Test Prep Programs

•Khan Academy – khanacademy.org (free)

•Jantzi Test Prep – 4setprep.com

•Kaplan – www.kaplantest.com

•Princeton Review –• www.princetonreview.com

•Summit – www.summittestprep.com

•Sylvan Learning Center – Acton

•Huntington Learning Center – Acton

Examining the Applicant’s File

• High School Transcript

• Level, rigor and number of courses

• Grades and grade point average

• SAT Subject Tests

• Recommendations• School Counselor and Faculty

• College essay

• Interview

• Activities, interests, talents and abilities

LHS PROFILE

•HS requirements

•College placement rate

•Levels of instruction

•Mean National, State and LHS SAT scores

•NHS requirements

•Extracurricular Activities

•College Matriculation

LHS PROFILE –Example

GPA DISTRIBUTION %

10

5

10

12

2726

21

5

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

2.19Below

2.592.20

2.992.60

3.393.00

3.793.40

4.193.80

4.594.20

5.004.60

Nu

mb

er

of

Stu

de

nts

Weighted G.P.A.

Weighted Grade Point Average Distribution

9% 4% 9% 10% 23% 22% 18% 4%

Financial Aid

•Merit Aid/Scholarship

•Need based aid

•Outside Scholarships

“College is a match to be made not a prize to be won.”

There is no clear cut formula for college admissions.

Perspective is very important.

Which colleges will help you continue your academic, personal, athletic, social and philosophical development?

Treat every college as though it is your first choice

College Planning for Juniors

THANK YOU