WELCOME TO YOUR HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR YEAR!

This is NOT the time to succumb to senioritis and think, “Whew---I’m outta here---I can just sit back and wait for graduation and the parties…”

NOT YET…On the contrary---this will be a BUSY---LIFE-changing year.… A slip up this year could cost you---but being prepared could pay off HUGE…Are you prepared?

Get Ready….Researching Your Options

How can English class help?

I’m a SENIOR----Can’t I just relax????

PLANNING IS EVERYTHING!!!

HANG BACK AND RELAX????

You’ve heard the rumors---some seniors do this…

BUT DON’T FOOL YOURSELF… …

• You have choices

YOU COULD GET LAZY---

---goof around, let your grades drop, hang out too late at night and miss a few practices, miss deadlines, get on your parents’ nerves, get caught doing wrong…

OR YOU COULD GET BUSY---

• ---be productive, keep up your grades, get some sleep, make all the practices, meet the deadlines, and get on your parents’ good side

KEEP IN MIND: EVERY CHOICE HAS A

CONSEQUENCE

AND SOMETIMES LIFE IS UNPREDICTABLE

THE “TYPICAL” OPTION• These days, teens generally plan to go to college

immediately after high school and live away from home

THAT’S ONE OPTION• Depending on your finances,

grades, interests, and initiative, there are several other options

WILL THIS BE YOU AFTER HIGH SCHOOL?

Living at home, no decent job, Mom or Dad on your back…

OR THIS?

Can you afford to take a Gap Year to travel and help save the planet?

WILL YOU WORK INSTEAD OF COLLEGE…OR TO FINANCE IT?

IS THE MILITARY AN OPTION?

IF COLLEGE IS FOR YOUTHEN WHAT ARE THE POSSIBILITIES? WHAT KIND? WHERE?

• Dream College Out-of-State?• Dream College IN-State?• Local Community College? • Back Up College?• Big University? Small liberal arts?

AND HOW MUCH WILL ALL THIS COST?

• Scholarships?• Athletic Signings?• Loans?• Financial Aid?• Credit Cards?

HOW WILL YOU PAY FOR THIS?

• ma and pa pay and you get to live on campus at whatever college accepts you

• ma and pa pay but put requirements on where, etc• ma and pa pay but you commute• four year or two year• in state or out of state• job• internship • parents take out the loan• you take out the loan

GOALS FOR THIS MONTH

• Keep up GPA---it still counts!• Fill out applications---look up deadlines• VISIT the campus, worksite, military base• Find people for character recommendations• Generate your “brag sheet”• Treasure the moment; appreciate friends and family• Get a part-time job for early-release days

• Work with your parents

• Get one to the counselor

• Include copy to each teacher/coach

employer when asking for letters of recommendation

• One page• Parallelism• Good headings• Spelling/capitalization• All true---facts ONLY• Years/months• References

THE BRAG SHEET

12 A--- THE BRAG SHEET---A.K.A. YOUR RESUME

• Your GPA/Your SAT and ACT scores• Your leadership roles• Your experiences outside of school• Your extra-curricular activities---sports, music, drama,

politics, religious activities, etc.• Your work ethic---job experience• Your character—recommendations• Your triumph over adversity• Your connections

CHARACTER REFERENCES

Have you emailed/phoned/or personally met with the potential reference just to ask ahead of time????…

If yes, then prepare a packet of materials for him or her

If no, do so---and either way, don’t expect a yes

WANT A GOOD RECOMMENDATION? WHAT SHOULD YOU GIVE TO YOUR REFERENCE?

• The name and address of the institution and a STAMPED, SELF-ADDRESSED ENVELOPE

• A typed BRAG SHEET• A brief note thanking the person AHEAD of time• A note afterwards thanking him or her

KNOW EVERYTHING YOU CAN ABOUT THE COLLEGE BEFORE YOU APPLY

• http://mycollegeguide.org/guru/16/understand_the_admissions_process

• --some info on this site includes pointers on packing, picking classes, and planning

WHAT IS THE COMMON APP?• https://www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/FAQ.aspx

How to apply?

How much does it cost?’

How to do it online?

How to recycle applications?

WWW. ECAMPUSTOURS.COM— FIND OUT WHAT THE SCHOOL LOOKS OUT WITHOUT THE LONG TRIP

• http://www.ecampustours.com/pages/SearchResults.aspx?state=VA

• http://www.admiss.vt.edu/apply/freshman/dates_deadlines.php

• http://admissions.gmu.edu/dates/

VIDEOS THAT INFORM:• WVU: http://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlDkGG_xRNs&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active

• ROTC:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEpDHfV7bw8&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active

• NOVA:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwl96jQ_ze0&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active

• VCU:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jT9HPf_o34M&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active

• NYU: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBJ6r23nU_U&safety_mode=true&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active

FACTS AND MYTHS ABOUT ADMISSIONS

• http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/27/top-10-myths-and-facts-ab_n_854263.htm

• http://www.campusgrotto.com/college-admission-myths.html

• http://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/applying/applying-101

THE COLLEGE ESSAY

• If you have a very specific topic, answer the QUESTION.

• • Avoid trying to include a statement like, "and that's why I want to go to _______ College." These attempts are typically awkward and forced, not to mention unnecessary.

• • Use your own language. It's excruciatingly discernible when a pupil endeavors to impress the bibliophile by employing the thesaurus profligately. Teenagers don't talk like that!

THE DO’S

1. Write revealing, concise essays that inform, enlighten and amuse.2. Present yourself as genuinely humble, modest, perhaps even self-effacing.3. Be yourself.4. Answer each and every aspect of the essay question as best you can AND within the character/word limit provided.5. Come across as mature, positive, reflective, intelligent, down-to-earth, curious, persistent, confident, original, creative, hard-working and thoughtful.

MORE DO’S6. Demonstrate evidence of your having real knowledge about a college and its many resources, including courses, programs, activities and students.

7. Write about anything that is counterintuitive about yourself, e.g., you are a football player who is totally into poetry, a young woman who is a computer or physics geek, a macho guy who wants to be an elementary school teacher.

8. Compose an essay, give it to others to read and edit, and then do a final edit before you declare that it is done.

9. Use a variety of words to describe something or someone, e.g., Charley, my friend, my buddy, my schoolmate, he, him.

10. Explain what needs to be explained, as in an illness, a learning disability, a suspension, a one-time bad grade, a family tragedy, a major challenge you have had.

THE DON’TS

1. Write too much, ramble on, thinking that more (words) is better. It is not.

2. Brag, boast, toot your own horn, or come across as arrogant.

3. Write what you think college admissions people want instead of what you really think.

4. Go off writing about what you want to say rather than what the question asks AND ignore the specified character/word counts.

5. Come across as immature, negative, superficial, shallow, a phony, glib, a slacker, insecure, whiney, judgmental or disrespectful.

.

MORE DON’TS

6. Give the impression that you know little about a college by writing trite, inaccurate or inconsequential things about it.

7. Make something up about yourself just to impress the admissions readers.

8. Write an essay and consider it done without looking for punctuation or grammatical errors and having it edited by at least one person.

9. Use the same words over and over, e.g., my friend, my friend, my friend, my friend, my friend.

10. Make excuses for anything, including a bad grade, an infringement of rules, a suspension, whatever.

WHAT’S ALL THIS HAVE TO DO WITH ENGLISH?

•Everything!!• Skillful writing is THE single most useful tool you

can have in your belt for both college and work• And frequent reading is the best way to improve

vocabulary, comprehension, SAT, GRE, and any other exam scores—and overall intelligence quotient