Seniors: Planning for Life After High School!

Seniors:Planning for Life After High School!

Agenda • Options for Life After High School – Quick Review • The College Application & Briar Woods High School Procedures • Advice & Information

Materials • An “Electronic-Index” will be emailed to you, includes • NACAC Guide • Transcript release form • Senior Information Packet • Additional forms & resources • BWHS Website • “College & Career Guidance” Page • Let your counselor know if you need hard-copies

Options for Life After High School • Trade-schools/Apprenticeships • Military • Community College • 4-Year College or University

College Degrees • College Degrees • Associates Degree: 2-year degree (typically earned at a community college or a junior college) • Bachelor’s Degree: 4-year degree • Master’s Degree: Typically 2 additional years after earning a bachelors • Doctoral Degrees & Professional Degrees: PHD, JD, MD, DC

Community College • Community College • Certificate programs • 2-Year Associates Degree • First year or two of a 4-Year Bachelors degree

Community College • Benefits of community college • NOVA is one of the best community colleges in the country • Relatively inexpensive • Close to home • A “small step” into higher education • “Open” admissions

Community College • NOVA’s Guaranteed Admissions (incomplete list) • Christopher Newport University • George Mason University • George Washington University • Georgetown University • James Madison University • Liberty University • Longwood University

Community College • NOVA’s Guaranteed Admissions (incomplete list) • Marymount University • Norfolk State University • Old Dominion University • Radford University • University of Mary Washington • University of Virginia • Virginia Tech

Community College • Pathways Program – Apply in November • Start at NOVA • Transition to a 4-year university • Individual meetings with NOVA Pathways counselors • Assistance applying for financial aid • Early placement testing and priority course registration • No minimum GPA required to apply

College Visits at BWHS • College representative visits to BWHS • Sign-up in the Career Center • Limit visits to 5 • Avoid missing the same class twice • Your teacher is not obligated to release you from class • There is no substitute for a campus visit as a way to assess a school

The Application “Folder” • Each college application requires seven pieces of information (more or less!)

The Application “Folder” • Application • Essay • Student Resume • Secondary School Report • Test Scores • Transcript • Letter/s of Recommendation

The Application • Applications are submitted electronically over the internet • Print and review before submitting it! • You are responsible for completing and submitting their own applications (not mom & dad!) • You should make copies of all applications they submit for your records • Many colleges use the “Common Application”

The Application • You are responsible for being aware of application deadlines (see NACAC Guide) • Regular Admission – traditional deadline • Early Decision – binding • Early Action – non-binding • Rolling Admission – applications accepted based on space availability until the institution is “full”

The Application • Early Decision & Early Action • Is it binding? • Dates? • Can I get out of it? • Is the competition tougher or easier? (+ 2-3%) • If I am not accepted, will I be considered for regular admissions? • Can I afford it without financial aid?

The Essay • Not all colleges require an essay • Essays are submitted electronically along with the application • You should make sure they you understand the essay topic • You should print out and review (with help!) their essays before submitting them

The Essay • English teachers are more than happy to help students with essays; teachers incorporate this into their curriculum • You should save all essays because they may be modified and reused – but be careful! • Essay resources – BWHS library, BWHS Career Center, public library, book store, internet resources

Student Resume • Many colleges accept student resumes • Resumes can highlight your accomplishment both in and outside of school • Resumes can be sent to the college electronically along with the application and essay • An effective resume is EASY TO READ!

Student Resume • Use resume templates and samples to format your own • Information on resumes must be 100% accurate • Use email, Facebook, YouTube, etc. appropriately (if you wouldn’t put it on a resume…)

Secondary School Report • Some colleges provide the student with a Secondary School Report form for the counselor to complete and send in • We will automatically send a comprehensive “universal” Secondary School Report for all seniors with their transcripts. This is now common practice

Test Scores • Seniors are responsible for having their test scores sent to the colleges they are applying to. LCPS does not send scores! • Seniors can request their scores be sent when they take the tests; or they can have their scores sent after the test date by contacting the CollegeBoard ( for SAT) or ACT

If you haven’t taken the SAT or ACT yet… do so NOW! • SAT Reasoning Test (“aptitude” test – designed to predict success the freshman year in college) • Critical Reading • Math • Writing • ACT (“achievement” test – designed to test “what you have learned”) • English • Math • Science • Optional Writing section

Plan & Prepare for the Admissions Tests SAT Subject Tests (your parents might remember these as “SAT Two’s”) • Usually used for placement purposes only • Not used for admissions • Subject test requirements vary greatly among different colleges

2013-2014 SAT Dates • October 5 • November 2 • December 7 • January 25 • March 8 - BWHS • May 3 • June 7

2013-2014 ACT Dates • September 21 • October 26 • December 14 - BWHS • February 8 • April 12 • June 14

Plan and Prepare for theAdmissions Tests • Hard copy registrations materials are available in the Career Center, or • Register for the SAT at www.collegeboard.com • Register for the ACT at www.act.org • Register early! • See the BWHS Guidance website for details

Preparing for the Tests • Long-term v. Short-term preparation • Get free practice tests for the SAT & ACT in the Career Center – Don’t just take it… have a “dress rehearsal” • Free online CollegeBoard SAT course • BWHS SAT course - .5 credit, pass/fail

Free SAT Prep at CollegeBoard.Com • Official SAT Question of the Day • SAT Skills Insight • My SAT Study Plan • SAT Essay strategies • Math and Writing reviews

SAT/ACT Prep – Private Sources • Books & Manuals – look for materials created by the testing companies themselves • Private courses (PTSO) • Other outside private courses

The Transcript • You must submit a Transcript Release Form signed by a parent. Forms can be obtained in guidance and are online • Seniors must submit the form in person to the counselor

The Transcript • We ask that seniors submit transcript requests a minimum of two weeks before the college application deadline (last year we sent over 3000 transcripts) • We now use the National Transcript Center to “send” transcripts • We track the process date and send date – posted on Family Connection

The Transcript • We include a school profile with transcript • Transcript requests must be made before December 2nd in order to be sent before winter break • All LCPS students are charged $3.00 per transcript

The Transcript • Please only request transcripts to be sent to colleges you are actually applying to • Mid-year and end-of-year transcripts are sent automatically • There are no costs for mid-year and end-of-year transcripts

Letters of Recommendation • Counselor Letter • If a you need a letter of recommendation from the counselor, you can request it when you request the transcript • Every senior will be provided with a Senior Information Packet to be turned into the counselor • The Senior Information Packet is posted online and contains a parent “brag” section • The counselor will “send” the letter with the transcript

Letters of Recommendation • Teacher Letter: • If a letter of recommendation is requested from a teacher, you should make the request directly to the teacher and provide the teacher with a postage-paid envelope addressed to the college • Think about who you are asking… they may need more time!

Letters of Recommendation • Seniors should allow counselors and teachers a minimum of two weeks to write a letter • Please only request letters to be sent to schools you are actually applying to • If you send more letters than the college requests, you can’t control which ones they choose to read

The Application “Folder” - Summary • Senior submits application electronically to the college • Senior submits the essay electronically to the college (if there is one) • Senior may submit a resume electronically to the college • Senior has test scores sent directly to the college by the CollegeBoard (for SAT) or the ACT • Senior meets with counselor directly to request a transcript by submitting a Transcript Release Form • BWHS will automatically send a universal Secondary School Report to the college with the transcript • Senior may request letter of recommendation (if needed) from their counselor and/or teachers

Keeping Sane!!! • Complete one college application “folder” at a time • Trying to work on several applications at once = confusion for all! • Use a checklist for each application!!!

Keeping Sane!!! • Complete applications one at a time • One by Halloween • One by Thanksgiving • The rest by Winter Break • Pay attention to deadlines!

Interviews • Some colleges interview applicants • Process, procedures, and guidelines vary • Resources can be found on the E-Index

Seniors: Planning for Life After High School!