Berea City School District

Looking Ahead to CollegeBerea High SchoolJanuary 16, 2014

The landscape for college admissions has changed . . .

• College admissions in the late 1970s and early 1980s is very different from today’s admissions

• More students today are expected to be college and career ready when finishing high school

Today . . .

• Students apply to several colleges

• Resumes (brag sheets) start when 8th grade ends

• College admissions is now global in scope; internationals are courted

• College admissions is competitive

and . . • Some students start taking

the ACT/SAT in 6th grade (NUMATS)

• The PSAT is given to younger students

• Some parents pay $$$$ for test prep (books/on-line)

• Web sites can compute “chances” in seconds; Naviance

• Summer is no longer “down time”

add to that . . . • less Federal and state

funding for higher education (the economy & reluctance to raise additional revenues)

• Ohio has cut 28.9% for higher education in state spending per student FY08-FY13

Source: Center on Budget & Policy Priorities

some parents will say . . .

• “Paying for college scares me . . . ”• “My son/daughter is in the top 10, so Harvard (or MIT,

Caltech, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, etc. is a real option.”• “What do you mean Ohio State University is no longer a

safety school?”

some students will say . . .• “I want to go to a top school . . . I don’t care which one.”• “I don’t know where to start.”• “My mom and/or dad is pressuring me to go to School X.”• “I’ll just go where my friends are going.”• “I want to go to school in Florida because of the sun.”

Perfect Storm

Perfect Storm

• HS counseling loads & job descriptions are increasing• Colleges are more expensive• The economy is still struggling; yet college costs are

soaring (OSU $20,810, Columbia is near the top at $64,144)

• Application numbers continue to rise -- acceptance percentages are declining:

Harvard 5.79% [RA 3.76%] Yale 6.72%Stanford 5.69% [RA 4.54%] Cornell 13.47%

• Some schools are no longer able to be “need-blind”

Latest trends in college admissions. . .

• Reduced resources for students, schools and colleges• Increase in students planning to attend public colleges

(more top students attending in-state; test score averages are increasing)

• Students are spending less time evaluating the “fit” of their college options

• Financial aid calculators ; transparency; need to understand the financial aid process

• Colleges are paying more attention to yield rates; students who may actually enroll if offered admission

--National Association for College Admission Counseling, 2011

More numbers and observations . . . The Ohio State University:

Average ACT score in 1995: 22.8Average ACT score in 2013: 28.5

OSU mid-range: ACT 27-31 [25% above and 25% below] Autumn 2013 Freshman class: 7,083 students (35,475 apps) Total undergraduate enrollment at OSU: 50,551 (Columbus =

44,201) Freshman profile: Ohio residents 71.7% trending down

US (outside of OH): 21.2 trending upInternationals: 7.1% steady

Source: Ohio State University (Office of Enrollment Services), 2014

More numbers and observations . . .

Ohio University: OLD: ACT of 32 = may be eligible for free tuitionNEW: Well, it’s complicated

Many schools run scholarship competitions to award merit aid

Some students are starting college later: 1967 - 14% started college at age 19 or older 2011 - it was 29%

Something to think about: There is no race to finish in 4 years; avoid debt

Test Scores

• PSAT: (cut-off for National Merit has ranged from 211 – 215 since 1999); less $$$$ at schools for Finalists

• SAT: different test than ACT; most highly selective colleges prefer it & SAT II’s

• ACT: most popular in the MidwestWhat scores are necessary for readiness for college?R 22 E 18 M 22 Sci 23(scores considered minimal to not need remediation)

Perfect Scores in Ohio: 58 (Class of 2013)Perfect Scores in the Nation: 1,162

Financial Aid – Two definitions

• More colleges are eliminating merit aid and only using need-based

• Most recommendations say “aim low” for better aid packages (schools where your child is overqualified) (Kiplinger’s)

• Apply to different types of schools (private, state, AP credit, etc.)

• Always apply for aid• You can always share what the competition is offering• Look at Financial Aid sites for merit aid (look at test scores

needed for merit scholarships, scholarship criteria)• Some success stories: $1000 @ year for an Ivy; full-rides

because of family need and great students

How Students are Covering the Cost of College

TIME, 10/29/2012

Grants & Scholarships 29%Parental Income/Savings 28%Student Borrowing 18%Student Income/Savings 12%Parental Borrowing 9%Relatives/Friends 4%

Return on InvestmentSource: Payscale.com – 2013 data

RANK COLLEGE 2012 COST – 4 yrs. 30 YR. ROI

1 Harvey Mudd $ 221,700 $ 2,113,000

2 California Institute of Tech. $ 213,000 $ 1,991,000

3 NYU-Poly $ 214,300 $ 1,622,000

4 MIT $ 215,700 $ 1,606,000

5 SUNY- Maritime College $ 90,530 $ 1,586,000

6 Colorado School of Mines $ 107,100 $ 1,574,000

10 Stanford $ 230,000 $ 1,432,000

11 Georgia Tech $ 87,030 $ 1,389,000

A word about rankings . . . • In 1999, US News & World Report named California Institute of

Technology (Caltech) the number one college in America. Due to much criticism, the magazine then changed its criteria to reduce the importance of one measure: expenditures per student.

Source: Daniel Golden, The Price of Admission

• Different rankings emphasize different criteria:

Forbes: post-graduate success, debt & happinessUS News: selectivity, alumni giving and guidance

counselor opinionsPrinceton Review: Dorms Like Dungeons, Dorms Like Palaces,

etc.

Where to Start

Understand the Terminology (use BCSD resources):

Use the BCSD resources:--Acronyms/ Definitions for Navigating the College Process--College Prep Assessment Terminology--Suggested List of Colleges--What College/University is Right for Me?

Where to find resources:

Berea-Midpark HS web site (Guidance)BCSD District web site (Services > Gifted Services) and Office of Academic Affairs

Important Things That People Miss Deadlines (waiting too long to ask

for recommendations, information or missing scholarship deadlines)

SAT II’s and/or not taking both ACT & SAT exams

Looking ahead for the FAFSA, CSS Profile ; timelines

Codes (High Schools, CEEB) 360435

Understanding the differences -- (e.g., Early Action, Early Decision, Rolling Admissions); tracking

changes

Where should students start?

• Look at strengths & weaknesses

• Favorite classes• Undecided or Focused?• Look at criteria: large v.

small, rural v. urban, etc.• Look at applications BEFORE

senior year • Reach/Match/Safety• Engage in honest

conversations with parents

Finding reach, match & safety

• Reach, match, safety – what do they mean?• Some schools are reach schools for everyone• A reach school for one student may be a safety for

another• Use the lists, look at the test score mid-ranges, look

at other students with similar profiles• Maybe start with the lists of schools known to have

strong programs in the interest area then gradually look at the other criteria

What matters to Admissions Offices?

• Grades in college prep courses

• High School Curriculum (strength & rigor)

• Standardized Test Scores

• GPA• Recommendations

Make sure you can get a job!

• Look at “in-demand” majors

• Follow your heart, not your pocketbook

• Do career shadowing• Take classes to help

improve your skills

Hot Majors

Biomedical engineeringBiometrics; Forensic ScienceComputer Game DesignCybersecurityData Science; Business

AnalyticsPetroleum EngineeringPublic HealthRoboticsSustainability (environmental

degrees)

Conclusion

• Start early• Meet with your

counselor• Challenge yourself in

school• Get involved• Use the available

resources