Understanding the College Admission

Process

WHS College NightOctober 7, 2010

Alyson Leatherman, Christine Lindberg and Lyndi Tucker

Evening Agenda

WelcomeAdmissions TimelineFinalizing List of SchoolsCollege Admission ProcessFamily Connection DemoQuestion & Answer

Admissions Timeline

Admissions Timeline

Junior Year• Generate list of schools that you would like to investigate• PSAT in October• Attend the NACAC College Fair in Portland on Saturday,

November 13• Prepare and take SAT or ACT in the spring• Visit with college representatives when they visit WHS • Begin campus visits (perhaps during spring break?)• Prepare for AP exams• Meet with your school counselor to review your transcript

Summer after Junior Year• Register for NCAA Clearinghouse if you plan to pursue college

athletics• Campus visits!• Take advantage of a great summer opportunity (internship, job,

program)

Admissions Timeline, cont.

Senior Year- Fall• Narrow and finalize a list of colleges that you will apply to and

review application requirements by the end of October• Be aware of application timelines for each college you will be

applying to. You need to start the application process at least 4 weeks prior to the deadline

• If necessary, take or re-take SAT and/or ACT no later than December

• If you have an application deadline in early to mid-January, be sure to contact your school counselor before the holiday break!

Admissions Timeline, cont.

Senior Year- Winter• Financial Aid- the Free Application for Federal Student Aid

(FAFSA) is available in January 2011

What you can do now:• FAFSA4caster: Provide you with the experience of

completing the FAFSA and also give you an early estimate of eligibility• www.fafsa4caster.ed.gov/

• Research scholarships on Family Connection• Attend WHS Financial Aid Night on Thursday, November 18• College Goal Oregon offers “FAFSA Fridays”- Webinars on the

last Friday of each month beginning in October• Webinars include an overview of the FAFSA and an

application demonstration and Q & A

Admissions Timeline, cont.

Senior Year- Spring• Scholarship search• Make final decision by May 1st and send in deposit to secure

your spot• Be aware of housing application and housing deposit deadlines

Summer before College• Take any required placement exams• Send a final transcript• Send AP scores and CCC transcript• Have a financial plan– will you have enough spending money

next year?• Attend summer orientation for freshman

Finalizing Your List of Schools

Finalizing Your List of Schools

First, decide if you will apply only to four year institutions or will you also consider community college

Second, categorize your schools as Reach, Good Fit and Safe

Finalizing Your List of Schools

Community College Options:• Transfer Degree (to a 4 Year

College/University)• Associates Degree (2 Year)• Certificate Program (1 Year)

Community College Event in May• Spring application timeline• Application• Placement Tests• Advising Session

Finalizing Your List of Schools

Things to Consider:• Compatibility of your academic profile with

each of the schools• Location and size• Academic majors or programs offered• Costs and financial aid• College affiliation and accreditation• Campus activities• Support services• Housing options

Assessing Majors and Educational ProgramsConsult publications such as U.S. News and

World Report, Peterson’s, Princeton Review and Barron’s for published ratings

Investigate the college or university• What courses are required for specific majors• Number of professors with highest degree in

field• Research institution vs. teaching institution• Number of students seeking higher education,

securing jobs, etc. after graduation• Attend a class• Meet with a professor in that major or program• Meet with a current student in that major or

program

Unsure About a Major?

It’s common for students to be unsure about their major

Inquire about freshman course of studies

Inquire about when you have to declare a major

Consider a liberal arts collegeTalk with your school counselorUse CIS career exploration

Resources to Help Finalize Your ListWHS College Visits• Admission counselors visit WHS regularly and

meet in the College & Career Center• Calendar of visits available on Family

Connection and on the Counseling Calendar• Sign up through Family Connection or see

Mrs. Tucker!

Oregon University System College Night• Monday, October 18th at 7:00 pm• The Pointe

Resources to Help Finalize Your ListCampus Visits/Preview Days• Meet with an Admission Counselor• Take a campus tour• Attend a class• Eat in campus dining hall• Talk with students and faculty• Overnight visit (if offered)

Resources to Help Finalize Your ListCollege webpage for prospective

studentsFacebook, Twitter, BlogsWHS College & Career Center• College catalogs and bulletins• Guide books: The College Handbook,

Barron’s, Peterson’s, etc.

Parents, students, and alumniYour school counselor

College Admission Process

Most Common Application Requirements

Four-year Colleges or Universities • Application and Fees• Transcript (Coursework, GPA and Class Rank)• Test Scores (SAT and/or ACT)• Letters of Recommendation• Essay• Student Activity Profile/Resume • Interview

College Application Deadlines

Regular Decision: is the most common application process. A student sends in their application by a regular deadline which is typically in early winter.

Early Action: is a non-binding early application process. A student sends in their application by a specific early deadline and will receive their decision earlier than regular decision, usually before the end of December.

Early Decision: is a binding early

application process.

Family Connection: New Best Friendhttp://connection.naviance.com/wilsonville orWHS Website/College & Career/Family ConnectionPersonal online college planning and management

softwareStudents will use Family Connection to communicate

where they are applying; to request transcripts; and to request teacher recommendations

Students can also use Family Connection for the following services:• Research colleges• Create activity resumes• Access the WHS scholarship database• Sign-up for college visits• Access college data regarding 2006-2010 WHS graduates

Application

School Specific Online ApplicationCommon Application• Over 400 colleges and universities will accept

the common application• Great way to apply to multiple colleges with

one application

Student Activity ProfileEssay Fees

Application, cont.

Family Connection Demo• Log-in to Family Connection• Complete FERPA Waiver• Add colleges to “Colleges I’m Applying to”• Click the box for “Request Transcript”• Request Teacher Recommendation

Student sends application directly to school electronically

For Common App, students must complete application before WHS can send supporting documents i.e. transcript and recommendations

Transcript

The official transcript includes completed coursework, GPA (weighted and unweighted) and class rank

A School Profile will be provided with each transcript to help the college better understand WHS and our community

All Transcript Requests must be made through Family Connection

When adding colleges to “Colleges I’m Applying to”, click the box for “Request Transcript”

No fee this year

Letters of Recommendation

Find out how many you need and who needs to write them- only ask for and submit what is asked for

All Teacher Recommendation requests must be made through Family Connection

For Teacher Recommendations, the student provides each teacher with:• Online request through Family Connection• Senior autobiography (see WHS college/career website)• At least THREE weeks notice

For Counselor Recommendations, the student provides the counselor with:• Senior autobiography (see WHS college/career website)• At least THREE weeks notice

Remember: Thank you notes are appropriate

Standardized Tests

The SAT Reasoning Test or the ACT should be taken as early as March of the junior year and no later than December of the senior year

It is important to have your scores sent directly from collegeboard.com or actstudent.org to the schools that you are interested in applying to

Schools will generally take your best combined score, so it is advisable to take the exam more than once

SAT= Verbal, Math, Writing• High score = 2400

ACT= English, Reading, Math, Science, Writing• High score = 36

SAT vs. ACTSAT ACT ACT Difference

Writing Writing (optional) The ACT essay is always the last section; the SAT essay is always the first section.

Math Math Covers math through trigonometry, whereas the SAT does not.

Critical Reading Reading Tests similar reading skills. No vocabulary oriented Sentence Completions.

N/A Science No science section on the SAT. Measures interpretation and analysis.

Deduction for incorrect multiple choice problems

No deduction for incorrect answers

Raw Score

200-800 scale 1-36 scale Scaled Score

Scores from all test administrations included on scores reports to colleges

Students can choose to not send scores from specific administrations to colleges

The Interview

Although optional, many colleges and universities recommend a meeting with a member of the admission counseling staff

During this meeting, you may discuss your academic background, high school activities, special interests, and options for financing your education

The interview may be individual or group, and could last between 30 minutes to 1 hour

Parents are often invitedRemember: the interview is your opportunity to

ask questions, so be preparedRemember: the interview is only one piece of the

admission decision

How do Colleges Make Admission Decisions?Since each institution is different, if you

are curious, it is important to inquire with individual schools about their decision making process

Typically, most colleges and universities consider:• Courses taken in 9-11th grades, the grades

earned in those courses, and the strength of senior schedule

• Test Scores• Extra-curricular Activities• Essay• Letters of Recommendation

How do Colleges Make Admission Decisions?

Automatic Admit vs. Comprehensive ReviewOUS Recommended GPAs

• U of O – 3.4 • OSU – 3.0• PSU – 3.0• OIT – 3.0• Eastern, Western, Southern – 2.75

Academic Units• English- 4 years• Math- 3 years• Science- 2 years (2 years must be lab science)• Social Studies- 3 years• World Language- 2 years of same language

Helpful WebsitesWHS: www.wvhs.wlwv.k12.or/college-career.htm www.connection.naviance.com/wilsonville

SAT and ACT: www.collegeboard.com www.actstudent.org

Financial Aid and Scholarships: www.fafsa.ed.gov/ www.getcollegefunds.org www.fastweb.com www.scholarships.com www.collegegoaloregon.org

NCAA Clearing House: www.ncaaclearinghouse.org

Helpful College Websites

College Search: Family Connection: www.connection.naviance.com/wilsonville CollegeBoard: www.collegeboard.com US News Best Colleges: www.usnews.com/rankings Colleges That Change Lives: www.ctcl.com Community and Two Year Colleges: www.community-college.org U. S. Department of Education Information Site for Students and

Institutions: www.students.gov

Career: Oregon Career Information System (CIS):

oregoncis.uoregon.edu/home/

Question & Answer

Thank You for Coming!

Please fill out our evaluation before leaving this evening

Our next College Night is the Oregon University System Night on Monday, October 18th at 7:00 pm. in the WHS Pointe

The following College Night is the Financial Aid Night on Thursday, November 18 at 6:30 pm