Class of 2017Junior Parent Night

June 8, 2016

Agenda

• Overview of post-secondary options

• Creating a great college application

• Timeline for senior year

• Dominion High School process

Post-Secondary Options Overview

• 4-year college and universities

• Community colleges NOVA Pathway to the Baccalaureate Program Guaranteed Admissions Agreements

• Junior colleges

• Military Academies (be aware of earlier timeline) ASVAB

• Gap-Year programs

• Accredited specialized career institutes & colleges

Creating a Great College Application

NACAC Important Factors in College Admission Decisions

0102030405060708090

100

Considerable Importance

Moderate Importance

Strength of Curriculum

Senior Year Course Selection

• Consider AP and honors level courses in conjunction with teacher recommendations

• Select an appropriately challenging schedule based on individual strengths

• Consider long-term interests and future goals

What do admissions reps say about strength of curriculum?

“Students are always advised to take the strongest curriculum that they can reasonably handle while pursuing opportunities for academic and extracurricular opportunities for which they have a passion.”

Jerome Lucido, Vice ProvostUniversity of Southern California

SATs & ACTs

• Required for most 4-year colleges & universities

• Encouraged to take the SAT and/or ACT twice

• Consider Early Action/Early Decision deadlines

• Check CollegeBoard.org for update on when to expect fall scores

• Register online at:

www.sat.org

www.actstudent.org

• Fee waiver if student receives free/reduced lunch

Redesigned/ “New” SAT

• Sections include Evidenced-based Reading & Writing and Mathematics

• Score range is 400-1600

• Less ambiguous, more everyday words

• Science and social studies content is embedded into sections

• Math Section:

60% “Heart of Algebra” (Algebra 1 & 2)

30% Quantitative literacy (ratios, percentages,

& statistics)

10% Geometry

• Optional Essay (15 min.) includes reading passage with prompt focused on analysis of author’s writing

• No penalty for incorrect answers

Old vs. New/Redesigned SAT

Check with college & university admissions to see if the New SAT is required

No “super-scoring” between Old and New SAT

• PSAT/NMSQT from October was based on New SAT

Free review through Khan Academy

ACT

• Tests Achievement

• 4 sections: English, Math, Reading, and Science

• Tests math up through Trigonometry

• 30-min writing section optional on test day, but most colleges require it

• Score given as composite – out of 36

• Colleges and universities typically accept both the SAT and ACT

More similarities to the new SAT compared to the old

DHS Partnership with Kaplan Test Prep

Register online at: www.kaplanatschool.com/dominion

SAT Subject Tests

• Subject-specific tests Literature, Math 1 & 2, US History, World History,

Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Foreign Languages

• Check with the college admissions office regarding whether it’s required or recommended

• Register at www.collegeboard.org

The Subjective Components

• Essay and personal statements

• Activities

• Letters of recommendation

The College Essay

Allows the college admissions committee to:

• Assess student’s ability to communicate effectively in writing – clarity of thought, organization & creativity

• Learn about student as a person Attitudes, values, & opinions Personal story & background Approach to life & challenges Goals & aspirations

The College Essay: Advice for Students

• Own your essay and allow it to show your unique voice and personality

• Your chance to “speak” to the admissions committee

• Avoid the temptation to edit too much or to insert what you think admission representatives would like to read

• Be sure to address the specific question/prompt if a college provides one

2016-2017 Common Application Essay Prompts

1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

2. The lessons we take from failure can be fundamental to later success. Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

3. Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again?

4. Describe a problem you've solved or a problem you'd like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma - anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.

5. Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.

http://www.commonapp.org/whats-appening/application-updates/common-application-announces-2016-2017-essay-prompts

Activities & Community Service

• Provides a glimpse into student’s interests, passions, and leadership

• Quality over quantity

• Steady, consistent involvement that shows your commitment

• How & why is more important than what

Students need to attach meaning to their involvement

What was most important to you, and why?

What defined your high school experience, and why?

Letters of Recommendation

• Provides a perspective of who student is

• A good, effective letter shows:

How a student contributes to the learning environment

How a student overcomes academic and personal challenges

The quality of a student’s work

The student’s distinctive qualities

The student’s academic strengths by example

A convincing potential for the student to succeed in college and contribute to its academic life

Completing the College Application

Apply Online!!!• Visit each college’s website for specific instructions on how to access

the application

• Students should remember their log-in information – keep it in a safe place for future reference

• Students should ensure e-mail address is appropriate• Encouraged to develop a e-mail for all college/scholarship info

• Students should be sure to complete supplemental information for each college (see application requirements)

• Common Application – www.commonapp.org

Completing the College Application

Follow Instructions & Proofread!

• Complete all required sections

• Carefully follow all instructions

• Proofread before submission

Application Fee

• Must be paid before the deadline or it’s considered incomplete

• Students should see school counselor if they need an application fee waiver

Completing the College Application

Deadlines, deadlines, deadlines!• Best to check individual college admission

websites for the deadline

• Must submit college applications before the deadline

• Highly recommended to submit applications early, so that you have time to verify that the college has received all components of the application

Timeline for Senior Year

Developing a College List

Students should narrow down the list of colleges to which they intend to apply to 5-7 schools:

Safety Schools (1-2): typically accept students with lower GPA/test scores than yours

Target Schools (2): typically accept students with similar GPA/test scores to yours

Reach Schools (1-2): typically accept students with higher GPA/test scores than yours

• Encouraged to develop this list in Naviance by end of junior year

Considerations in finding a good college “fit”

Location Size Career goals Academic majors Financial aidH.S. course requirements

and recommendationsAcademic profile of

admitted students Student life

Diversity of student body Appearance of facilities Athletic programs Extracurricular interests Study abroad programs ROTC Dorms/residence halls Available support services The “feel” of campus Cost (don’t rule out private

or out-of-state colleges)

College Campus Visits

• Finding the “right fit” is very important – can only do this if student has actually stepped onto the campus

• May require advance scheduling to make the most of each visit

• Arrive early for scheduled visits & make arrangements for parking ahead of time

• Try to visit nearby schools or develop a route that allows you to visit many colleges on one trip

• Visiting is a way to show interest, which can be a factor in admissions decisions

“Traditional” College Application Deadlines

Early Action: November 1st or 15th, non-binding

Early Decision: typically November 1st or 15th, binding

Regular: most common deadlines are December 15th, January 1st, January 15th, February 1st

Rolling: as soon as possible, applications are reviewed as they are received

Priority Filing Dates: some colleges set this deadline for students who wish to be considered for scholarships and financial aid

Important FAFSA Changes

• FAFSA: Free Application for Federal Student Aid (see handout)

• Starting with the 2017–18 application cycle, the following changes will be put in place:

Students will be able to submit a FAFSA® earlier. Students will be able to file a 2017–18

FAFSA as early as Oct. 1, 2016, rather than beginning on Jan. 1, 2017. The earlier submission date will be a permanent change, enabling students to complete and submit a FAFSA as early as October 1 every year.

Students will use earlier income information. Beginning with the 2017–18 FAFSA, students will be required to report income information from an earlier tax year. For example, on the 2017–18 FAFSA, students (and parents, as appropriate) will report their 2015 income information, rather than their 2016 income information.

https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/about/announcements/fafsa-changes

Responsibilities

Students will:

• Complete application (on college website)

• Sending Test Scores: SAT and/or ACT tests

• Requesting Letters of Recommendation & Transcripts

• Submitting Supplemental Information to Colleges

School counselor’s will:

• Transcript

• Secondary School Report

• Counselor Letter of Recommendation

Standardized Tests

• You must send your official score reports to each colleges directly from College Board or ACT

• Select score report recipients when you register online (4 free)

• Must pay a fee per score report if you request to send to college after you take the test

• Send to NCAA (9999) if you want to play NCAA sports in college

Teachers Submit Recommendations Online

• First, Request teacher letters face-to-face & ensure letter is required/accepted by each school.

• In September, students will receive instructions on how to formally request teacher letters through Naviance (required 3 weeks prior to deadline) Naviance requests must state name of college/university, application deadline, and if

applying through Common Application

Students should provide teacher with resume

• Teachers are responsible for uploading and sending students’ letters of recommendation directly to colleges/universities

• Thank you notes

Counselor’sLetter of Recommendation

• Sent with the student’s transcript, school profile, and Secondary School Report

• Must indicate on Transcript Request Form whether you need or would like a Counselor Letter of Recommendation

Due to counseling secretaries at least 3 weeksprior to application deadline (does not include holidays- see handout)

Student Insight Sheets

• The Insight Sheet is an opportunity for students and parents to highlight students’ strengths, awards, achievements, and obstacles overcame

• Student Insight Sheet required for all counselor letters of recommendation requests

• Optional parent insight sheet

Academic Transcript

The School Counseling office sends student’s official transcript to each college:

• Within 3 weeks of receiving transcript request form

• Mid-year transcripts automatically sent to all colleges once initial transcript request is submitted (no need to submit another request)

• At the end of the year – final transcript is automatically sent to the college you plan to attend

PINK Transcript Request Form

• Students should pick up in school counseling office

• Print legibly

• Be specific! Do not use abbreviations for the college name

List the city/state in which the college is located

List the specific deadline (ASAP and “Rolling” are NOT acceptable deadlines – exact dates please!)

• Indicate any additional documents you would like us to include (e.g. counselor letter of recommendation or supplemental forms)

• Student & parent must sign each request form

• Must be submitted at least 3 weeks before college admission deadline

PINK Transcript Request Form Deadlines

COLLEGE DEADLINE

REQUEST FOR TRANSCRIPT & COUNSELOR LETTER DUE TO THE SCHOOL COUNSELING OFFICE

November 1 October 11

November 15 October 25

December 1 November 7 (to account for Thanksgiving Break)

December 15 November 21 (to account for Thanksgiving Break)

January 1 December 1 (to account for Winter Break)

January 15 December 15 (to account for Winter Break)

February 1 January 11

February 15 January 25

March 1 February 8

March 15 February 22

• Students should update e-mail address so that they receive important college & scholarship info

• Create a resume

• Sign up for college or military visits during Titan Time (print out confirmation as your pass)

• Check status of transcript requests

Students, check your e-mail frequently!

Why?

• Updates on colleges visiting DHS

• Information on scholarships, honors, recognitions, special programs (some with short notice)

• A great way to communicate with your school counselor about applications after earning early release from Titan Time

• COLLEGES USE E-MAIL AS THEIR PRIMARY FORM OF COMMUNICATION WITH YOU RE: YOUR APPLICATION!

Now through end of Summer

College exploration and research

Campus visits

Narrow down list of schools

Brainstorm ideas for college essays

Refine resume

Gain valuable, meaningful experiences – volunteer, work, internships, travel, academic study and research programs

Make informal request to teachers for letters of recommendation

Late Summer & Early Fall

Register for and take SAT/ACT

Create organized way to track deadlines and progress

Write essays for college admission

Make official request for letters of recommendation from teachers

Begin college applications

Fall & Winter

Complete FAFSA (opens October 1st)

Continue to monitor deadlines and progress

Submit college applications

Request transcripts from School Counseling

Track receipt of supplemental materials

Winter & Spring

Apply for scholarships

Attend admitted student days & campus visits

Review financial aid packages

Review college decisions (typically by April 1st if regular decision application)

Decide where to attend by May 1st

Questions?