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Senior SummitClass of 2020
Counseling Staff
Our Alphabets Have Changed just a little…
• Wes Upton, Lead Counselor
• Michelle Mayfield, A-Carr
• Joanie Hudel, Cas-Fis
• Sean Stanton, Fit-I
• Benann Turnley, J-Maz
• Mardochée Gaston, Mc-Pos
• Misty Phy, Pot-Sti
• Kelli Woodruff, Sto-Z
• Mandy Ebner, Intervention Counselor
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Counseling Staff
One of us is new!
Mandy EbnerIntervention Counselor
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Counseling Staff
• Marcia Sturz – Registrar
• Terra Peters – Office Manager
• Sarah Goodwin– Assistant Principal over ACT/STAAR/EOC
• Briana Holt– Assistant Principal over SAT/College Board Testing
KHS Counseling Center(817) 744-1411
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Social Media
Become a FAN of our Social Media pages! We post great information about events at KHS and important college/scholarship information.
Facebook:
• Search for “Keller High Counselor Corner”
• Like (you can unlike us after your child graduates…and it won’t hurt our feelings)
Twitter:
• Follow us @Counseling_KHS
Instagram:
• Follow us @Counseling_KHS
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Social Media
• Did you know that colleges (as well as companies and organizations) are using Facebook and Twitter to help market themselves to potential students (and customers)?
• Go to colleges that you are interested in and “like” their Facebook page or follow them on Twitter – you will find GREAT information from social media.
• Monitor your student’s social media posts…admissions officers check them and can use positive/negative posts for acceptance, denials, AND THEY CAN RESCIND YOUR ACCEPTANCE.
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Check-In
Where are you in the process?
• Do you already have a mostly finalized list of the colleges that you plan to apply to?
• Have you started researching schools but don’t have a finalized list of schools yet?
• Are you at the beginning of the process?
• Have you already sent in all of your applications?
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Check-In
Things to Look Out for…
• “All of my friends already have their acceptance letters but me”
• Higher than normal anxiety due to “not knowing”
• Self-Sabotage out of fear of leaving
How to Help…
• Remember that May 1st is National Decision Day – there is plenty of time
• Remind them that it will work out, but it takes time to make the right decision
• Start getting them ready; remind them that it will be okay; tell them how they will be supported while away from home
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Information Covered
• College Choice
• Applications (including Essays and Rec. Letters)
• Transcripts
• Financial Aid
• Scholarships
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College Choice
• Did you know that 84% of KHS seniors attend college right after high school? (2 year and 4 year combined)
• Within the first 2 years post-high school, 89% of our students attend college!
• Most of the other 11-16% (an average of about 70-100 of our seniors) go to technical schools or the U.S. Military.
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College Choice
• 92% of all KHS graduates who attended college right after high school return for their sophomore year of college!
• However…only 57% of KHS graduates graduate from college in 6 years.
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College Choice
What keeps students going back? How can we ensure that our students graduate?
Choose Your College Carefully!
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College Choice
Choose your college based on:
• Majors Available
• Student Opportunities
• University Graduation Rate
• Student Life/Dorm Life
• Feeling that it FITS!
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College Choice
You’ll have a better idea of fit if you
VISIT the CAMPUS!
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Applications
Completed 4 Year Applications Include:
1. Application
2. Application Fee ($40-$90; average about $60)
3. Official High School Transcript (sent from KHS)
4. ACT/SAT Scores (sent from ACT/Collegeboard)
Completed 2 Year Applications Include:
1. Application
2. Application Fee (most of the time)
3. Official High School Transcript
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Applications
Optional Items Include:
1. Recommendation Letters
2. Essays
3. Secondary School Report Forms (private schools mainly)
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Applications
Specialized Schools/Programs May Also Need:
1. Portfolio or Audition
2. Interview
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Applications
Three types of Applications:
1. ApplyTexas – Texas public universities; one application for all Texas public universities and some private universities as well (like TCU)
2. Common App/Coalition for College – Many private and out-of-state universities; one application for many private and out-of-state universities
3. Institution Specific Applications – smaller universities, in-state and out-of-state
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Apply Texas
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www.applytexas.org
Common App
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www.commonapp.org
Other Apps
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Application Options
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• Early Decision: If you apply Early Decision, you are committing yourself to attend
that college if admitted. You file the application early in senior year and are notified of
the college’s decision around the end of the fall semester. You may have only one
active Early Decision application filed at a time. COMMITMENT IS BINDING.
• Early Action: You apply to the college during fall of your senior year and the college
notifies you well before their Regular Decision deadline as to their decision. You are
not obligated to attend the school. You may submit Early Action applications to
multiple college. COMMITMENT IS NON-BINDING.
Application Options
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• Single Choice Early Action or Restrictive Early Action: This is the same concept as Early Action, BUT the colleges that use this form will restrict your ability to apply Early Action or Early Decision to other colleges. COMMITMENT IS NON-BINDING.
• Rolling Admission: A college will make its decision soon after an application is completed. Decisions are released on a “rolling” basis. COMMITMENT IS NON-BINDING.
• Regular Decision: A college has a specific deadline by which all applications must be completed. All of the applications are evaluated, all decisions made, and notification letters are then mailed to all applicants. COMMITMENT IS NON-BINDING.
Applications
• Once you turn in your application, a “file” is created for you.
• The file is “pending” until all pieces of the application are in the “file”.
• Do NOT send in any additional materials – they won’t include them in your application packet.
• If you need assistance with application fees, come to the Counseling Center.
• You pay the application fees online…for each school.
• Go over the application before you click “submit.” You only get ONE shot to submit so double and triple check it before you send it in!
• REMEMBER DEADLINES – THEY WILL NOT BE EXTENDED FOR ANYONE!
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Applications
• Some universities will waive the application fee for early applications or for certain ACT or SAT scores.
• ACT/SAT scores must be sent straight from the testing company:
www.actstudent.org
www.collegeboard.org
• Some schools “superscore” – or take the best subscores from different administrations
• REMEMBER DEADLINES – THEY WILL NOT BE EXTENDED FOR ANYONE!
• Make friends with the Admissions people!
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Transcripts
• Transcripts can ONLY be ordered online
• Go to https://kellertx.scriborder.com/
• Transcripts are free this year! Still a processing fee for the security of transmission of information.
• GPAs on transcripts are on the 100-point weighted GPA scale. There is no other way to print it on the transcript, but we can write an official letter for a 4.0 weighted or 4.0 unweighted GPA – please see Mrs. Sturz for more information.
• We will send transcripts from KHS to the university – transcripts going to schools in Texas will be sent electronically. If you request a transcript to be sent home, it will be unofficial…and you can get one free on HAC!
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Transcripts
• Check deadlines! It takes up to 3 days to get a transcript ready. AND it gets crazy around deadlines! Remember that a DECEMBER 1 deadline will be right after Thanksgiving and a JANUARY 1st deadline is while we are all on Winter Break…no one will be here to fulfill your transcript request…
• NCAA will require an official final transcript
• Your college may use SendEdu or Common App for transcripts and Secondary School Reports. We CAN electronically send them through these programs. Be sure to provide us with information and deadlines.
• You will receive 2 free FINAL transcripts at the end of the school year. You will fill out a form at graduation practice to tell us where you want the 2 transcripts sent. We will let you know when they will be available at graduation practice in May.
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Essays
• Most schools require essays, but some do not.
• ApplyTexas has Essay “A,” Essay “B,” and Essay “C.” Some schools will require 2 of the 3.
• Sometimes there are “custom” questions for scholarships.
• If a school “suggests” doing an extra essay DO IT! Don’t even THINK about NOT doing it.
• REVIEW your essays before you send them in. Please. Pretty please!
• Admissions personnel want to see individuality and want something that stands out.
• If you have overcome adversity or have a special situation, tell them about it!
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Essays
• If you are writing about someone who is your role model, talk about how you are like them, not just about the person – they will want to admit that person and not you.
• Write from your heart – using your head (and your grammar).
• Avoid being vague or bland. Err on the side of specificity.
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Recommendation Letters
• If you NEED a recommendation letter, please fill out a Student Profile available here or in the Counseling Center.
• Be sure to give the counselor or teacher 2 weeks to do your recommendation letter!
• If you NEED both a counselor and a teacher recommendation, we can provide a copy of the Student Profile to the teacher.
• Be sure to include a résumé.
• Universities requesting a Secondary School Report require a Recommendation Letter from your counselor.
• Letter can be emailed or hand delivered.
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Recommendation Letters
• The more information we have, the more details we can write! The purpose of a Recommendation Letter is to make you SHINE! Not write about your transcript.
• Provide envelopes, address, and stamps for your teacher. If you have no idea what those are, talk to your parents.
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Recommendation Letters
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Remember…
No Pie Until You Apply!
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Financial Aid
• You may feel like you won’t get any financial aid because you make too much money…and you may not get any money straight from the government
• However, you may qualify for funds from the university
• EVERYONE MUST fill out a FAFSA Form
• FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid
• In order to get university scholarships, you MUST have a FAFSA on file
• FAFSA opens October 1st
• Go to www.fafsa.ed.gov
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Financial Aid
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Financial Aid
• Remember, the first word in FAFSA is FREE!! Don’t give anyone your personal information.
• You must create a FSA ID to apply for aid.
• You can use last year’s tax information, or “prior-prior” and use the year before last’s information.
• If your financial situation has negatively changed THIS year, contact the financial aid office at the various universities you are considering.
• You can “forecast” your aid on the website as well.
• This is FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED. Turn in your financial aid application early!
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Financial Aid
• Your Student Aid Package will give you:
Your EFC – Expected Family Contribution
Your Financial Aid from the Government
Your loan options (how nice of them)
• Colleges will use this information to help create an aid package specific to their institution. They will ask about your scholarship offers to see the entire financial picture for your student and to help other students applying to their school.
• Negotiate! Make friends with the Financial Aid people.
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Scholarships
• There are 2 basic types of scholarships:
Institutional Scholarships: Straight from the university; based on need, academics, ACT/SAT, or special programs like athletics, fine arts, or volunteer hours.
Independent Scholarships: Straight from companies; can be based on need, or specifics to the organization. Check with your work, church, or community organization for available scholarships for your student.
• Some universities will have one application for all freshman scholarships.
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Scholarships
• Students have the option to continually get scholarships while in college!
• Some scholarships are spread out over 4 years
• Some scholarships are renewable
• Most BIG scholarship monies are from the universities
• Community Colleges have scholarships too! Any outside scholarships can apply to community colleges.
• Most scholarship awards will be sent directly to the college – make sure they know where to send the money!
• Write THANK YOU NOTES!
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Scholarships
• You can apply anytime – START NOW!
• Go to www.collegeguidanceconsultants.com for up to date scholarships with local, state, and national scholarships (username/password: keller) or go to the KHS website under Students & Families > Counseling > Scholarships
• There will be local scholarships available in the spring EXCLUSIVELY for our KHS students. (Smaller pool of people applying = more chances at $$$$)
• Some scholarships will require a transcript (official or unofficial), an information form (GPA/rank, etc.), and even an essay.
• Getting your student to fill out scholarship applications will probably be the hardest thing you do this school year…good luck!!
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Questions?
What questions do you have?
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Thank you for
joining us!
