The Montgomery High School Guidance Department presents…
January 26, 2011
MHS Guidance DepartmentMHS Guidance Department
Ms. DeBowMs. DeBow ext 6168ext 6168 [email protected]@mtsd.us Mr. GlockMr. Glock ext 6164ext 6164 [email protected]@mtsd.us
Ms. HamptonMs. Hampton ext 6165ext 6165 [email protected]@mtsd.us Ms. MusialMs. Musial ext 6166 ext 6166 [email protected]@mtsd.us Mrs. Pino Mrs. Pino ext 6167ext 6167 [email protected]@mtsd.us Mrs. RitsonMrs. Ritson ext 6172ext 6172 [email protected]@mtsd.us Ms. WatsonMs. Watson ext 6163ext 6163 [email protected]@mtsd.us
Make an appointment through email, an appointment card, or Make an appointment through email, an appointment card, or speaking with a secretary. speaking with a secretary.
BEGINNINGBEGINNING THE COLLEGE THE COLLEGE SEARCH PROCESSSEARCH PROCESS
The Goal:The Goal:Find theFind thecolleges colleges that are that are the the
right fits right fits for you!for you!
DECISION FACTORSDECISION FACTORS SizeSize LocationLocation Campus personalityCampus personality Entrance Entrance
RequirementsRequirements Majors availableMajors available The school’s The school’s
commitment to a commitment to a particular majorparticular major
DiversityDiversity Athletics/ActivitiesAthletics/Activities Reputation Reputation Cost…Cost…
CONSIDERING THE COST CONSIDERING THE COST OF COLLEGEOF COLLEGE
How much can your family afford?How much can your family afford? (including tuition, books, travel, spending money, etc)(including tuition, books, travel, spending money, etc) Compare lower tuition at a public school with Compare lower tuition at a public school with the possibility that a private school may have the possibility that a private school may have more financial resources and be able to offer more aidmore financial resources and be able to offer more aid Consider applying for scholarships: Consider applying for scholarships: www.fastweb.comwww.fastweb.com is a great place to is a great place to startstart
Going to college should Going to college should NEVER break the piggybank!NEVER break the piggybank!
TYPES OF COLLEGESTYPES OF COLLEGES 4-Year Colleges and 4-Year Colleges and
UniversitiesUniversitiesLiberal Arts SchoolsLiberal Arts SchoolsIvy League SchoolsIvy League SchoolsPrivate CollegesPrivate CollegesPublic CollegesPublic CollegesTechnical UniversitiesTechnical Universities
Specialized Institutions
Music conservatoriesArt schoolsCulinary schoolsHealth sciences
Two -Year Colleges
Two-year private schoolsCommunity collegesGuaranteed transfer programs
Getting StartedGetting Started Begin in winter of Begin in winter of
your Junior yearyour Junior year Talk to older Talk to older
friends/family about friends/family about their experiencestheir experiences
Identify possibilitiesIdentify possibilities Know your resourcesKnow your resources Research and visitResearch and visit
YOUR COLLEGE YOUR COLLEGE SEARCH SHOULD ALSO SEARCH SHOULD ALSO INCLUDE:INCLUDE:College visits!College visits! Best to go when Best to go when
school is in sessionschool is in session Take a campus tourTake a campus tour Attend an open houseAttend an open house Overnight stays Overnight stays with a sibling or with a sibling or
friendfriend Visit actual classes Visit actual classes
while in sessionwhile in session Interview?Interview?
JUNIOR PLANNING JUNIOR PLANNING MEETINGSMEETINGS
Counselors present Counselors present to Juniors in small to Juniors in small groupsgroups
Counselors meet with Counselors meet with each student each student individuallyindividually
Counselors will meet Counselors will meet with students and with students and parents upon requestparents upon request
Parents and students Parents and students can use Naviance at can use Naviance at homehome
What are colleges What are colleges looking for?looking for?
Grades in coreGrades in core academic classes – academic classes – strength of program strength of program
SAT/ACT testsSAT/ACT tests Overall GPAOverall GPA Essay or writing sampleEssay or writing sample Teacher/Counselor Teacher/Counselor
recommendationsrecommendations Interview/VisitsInterview/Visits Activities/Special talentsActivities/Special talents
GIVING THE GIFT OF GIVING THE GIFT OF OWNERSHIPOWNERSHIP
The college admissions process calls for trust and The college admissions process calls for trust and a new kind of teamwork “directing” needs to give way to a new kind of teamwork “directing” needs to give way to
“guiding”“guiding” Getting to college, Getting to college, despite your child’s despite your child’s inexperience and busy inexperience and busy schedule, is something schedule, is something she must do for herself she must do for herself College admissions College admissions officers are eager toofficers are eager tohear about the student hear about the student from the studentfrom the student You have done your jobYou have done your jobin that you have brought your child to the point where he in that you have brought your child to the point where he
can begin can begin speaking for himself - Now it’s his turnspeaking for himself - Now it’s his turn
Trends in 2010 to Trends in 2010 to Consider…Consider…
Rutgers University policy Rutgers University policy of self-reporting gradesof self-reporting grades
Admission policies like Admission policies like Restricted Early ActionRestricted Early Action
Electronic submission of Electronic submission of documents via Naviancedocuments via Naviance
Test optional schools Test optional schools www.fairtest.comwww.fairtest.com
ACT – much more ACT – much more popularpopular
Standardized TestingStandardized Testing
Know what the colleges on your list are looking for…
SAT ?SAT II?ACT?
REGISTER FOR THE REGISTER FOR THE TESTTEST
Register online - Register online - www.collegeboard.comwww.collegeboard.com for for the SAT and the SAT and www.act.orgwww.act.org for the ACTfor the ACT
Websites also have useful Websites also have useful resources such as practice resources such as practice tests, questions of the day, tests, questions of the day, study and test-taking tips, study and test-taking tips, college searches, etc…Take college searches, etc…Take advantage of themadvantage of them
SAT & ACTSAT & ACT
SATSAT
Scholastic Aptitude TestScholastic Aptitude Test Aptitude orientedAptitude oriented 3 3/4 hours in length3 3/4 hours in length Score Range 200 – 800 Score Range 200 – 800
(2400 total)(2400 total) Critical Reading, Math, Critical Reading, Math,
WritingWriting Essay (scored out of 12) Essay (scored out of 12) You choose which You choose which
scores will be sent to scores will be sent to colleges.colleges.
ACTACT
American College TestAmerican College Test Achievement orientedAchievement oriented 3 1/2 hours in length 3 1/2 hours in length Score Range 1-36Score Range 1-36 English, Math, English, Math,
Reading & Scientific Reading & Scientific ReasoningReasoning
Essay optionalEssay optional You choose which You choose which
scores will be sent to scores will be sent to collegescolleges
Which test is right for you?
SAT II – Subject TestsSAT II – Subject Tests
Selective Colleges require Selective Colleges require Subject Tests for admissionSubject Tests for admission
1 hour in length (take up to 1 hour in length (take up to three tests on one test date)three tests on one test date)
Score Range 200 – 800 Score Range 200 – 800 All tests are not offered onAll tests are not offered on all dates – all dates – be sure to plan ahead be sure to plan ahead
SAT TESTINGSAT TESTING – Dates to – Dates to RememberRemember
DATE TEST/S REGISTER BY
March 12, 2011 SATFebruary 11
(February 24 Late)
May 7, 2011 SAT/Subject tests April 8
June 4, 2011 SAT/Subject tests May 6ACT TESTINGACT TESTING – Dates to Remember – Dates to Remember
February 12, 2011 January 7
April 9, 2011 March 4
June 11, 2011 May 6
Test Prep/Coaching Test Prep/Coaching ProgramsPrograms PSAT Score Report Plus and test PSAT Score Report Plus and test booklet were recently returned and are abooklet were recently returned and are agreat way to identify specific strengths great way to identify specific strengths and areas of needand areas of need CollegeBoard and ACT offer free test CollegeBoard and ACT offer free test preparation on their websites. Students can familiarize themselvespreparation on their websites. Students can familiarize themselveswith the tests and the directions for different sectionswith the tests and the directions for different sections Many different individual, small and large classes, handbooks and computer programs on the marketMany different individual, small and large classes, handbooks and computer programs on the market
– Effectiveness of books and classes is a hotly debated topicEffectiveness of books and classes is a hotly debated topic– Can be costly and time-consumingCan be costly and time-consuming– Results varyResults vary– Princeton Review and Revolution Prep programs offered at MHSPrinceton Review and Revolution Prep programs offered at MHS
TESTINGTESTING – Helpful Hints – Helpful Hints
Become familiar with Become familiar with the testthe test
Know how you learn Know how you learn best and invest time best and invest time into that strategyinto that strategy
Take timed practice Take timed practice teststests
People who read well – People who read well – score wellscore well
READ, READ, READ!READ, READ, READ!
YOUR COLLEGE SEARCH YOUR COLLEGE SEARCH STARTS WITH:STARTS WITH:
Registering and logging in toRegistering and logging in to
What is it?What is it?
Web-basedWeb-based Supports high Supports high school career and school career and college planningcollege planning Specific to MHSSpecific to MHS Available Available onlyonly to to registered usersregistered users(student and parent, (student and parent, and counselors)and counselors) Easy registration, easy to useEasy registration, easy to use
How does it help?How does it help? Shared resource linking home to schoolShared resource linking home to school
Organized and efficient “container” to compile a student’s Organized and efficient “container” to compile a student’s data, experiences, documents, etc., relevant to data, experiences, documents, etc., relevant to college college admissionadmission with consideration for student information with consideration for student information confidentialityconfidentiality
Greater opportunity for parent Greater opportunity for parent participation in high school college participation in high school college planningplanning
Accurate, complete records about Accurate, complete records about student outcomes and admission student outcomes and admission decisions from our schooldecisions from our school
Realistic assessments of your Realistic assessments of your chances of admission to colleges chances of admission to colleges where prior graduates have appliedwhere prior graduates have applied
Family Connection Login Page
Do a College SearchDo a College Search
ScattergraScattergramm
See When College Reps are See When College Reps are Visiting MHSVisiting MHS
• Registered users sign up to attend meetings online
• Meeting reminders e-mailed a day before college visit
Complete SurveysComplete Surveys
FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE COLLEGE SEARCHCOLLEGE SEARCH
From all of your research, From all of your research,
make a list of ten to twelve schoolsmake a list of ten to twelve schools
that are potential fitsthat are potential fits Do more extensive research Do more extensive research
on those schoolson those schools Trim that list to eight to Trim that list to eight to
ten by September of your ten by September of your
senior year and begin applyingsenior year and begin applying
This is an exciting time!This is an exciting time! Remember to have Remember to have
fun visiting campuses fun visiting campuses and learning about and learning about what makes each one what makes each one unique unique
Remember that there Remember that there is more than one is more than one college out there for college out there for youyou
Try to minimize stress Try to minimize stress by keeping all lines of by keeping all lines of communication open communication open and seeing your and seeing your counselor oftencounselor oftenGood luck!