navigating the college selection process lakeville north high school october 5th, 2015

Navigating the College Selection Process

Lakeville North High School

October 5th, 2015

Post Secondary Education

Types of degrees awarded

• Certificate Programs• Associate’s Degree• Bachelor’s Degree• Master’s Degree• Doctoral Degree

Kinds of Schools

• Technical Colleges• Community Colleges• Colleges• Universities• Military Academies• Proprietary Schools

College Selectivity

• Open Admissions Colleges

• Selective Colleges

• Highly Selective Colleges

College Selectivity

Open Admission Colleges

• Accept virtually all applicants who have a high school diploma or it’s equivalent.

• ACT scores generally range from 16-22.

College Selectivity

Selective Colleges

• Offer admission to all or most applicants who meet minimum admission requirements.

• ACT scores generally range between 20 and 26.

College Selectivity

Highly Selective Colleges

• On average these colleges admit less than 60% of their applicants.

• ACT scores are usually above 24.

Evaluate Yourself

• What do you really like to do?

• How do you learn best?

• What have you been involved in?

Evaluate Yourself

• What are your strongest and weakest subjects?

• What is your high school rank?

• Have you taken a college prep class schedule?

Evaluate Yourself

• What “kind” of college would you like to attend?

• How well did you do on College Admission Tests?

Evaluate Yourself

The Ultimate Questions

• Do your expectations and preparation match?

• I don’t know what I want to do?• Where can you be most successful?

How do colleges differ?

• “Kind” of school• Majors and Programs• Location• Size• Cost

How do colleges differ?

• Financial Assistance programs

• College Affiliation• College Accreditation• Reputation• Placement statistics

Sources of Information

• Catalogs, viewbooks• Admission representatives• Currently enrolled students• Alumni• High School

Counselors/Teachers

Sources of Information

• Radio/Television• College Guides• Search mailings• Newspaper articles• World Wide Web• Blogs and Chats• IM, Facebook, Twitter

How do I decide?

• Checklist/What’s important to you?

• Gather information• Weigh the differences• Contact Admission Offices• Visit Campus

The Campus Visit

Things to do

• Picture yourself as a student• Eat the food• Talk to current students• Participate in campus events

The Campus Visit

Things to do

• Take a campus tour (Million dollar tour)

• Talk to faculty members• Visit the academic department• Sit in on a class

The Campus Visit

Things to do

• Determine the actual costs• Visit with admission counselor• Verify admission requirements• Evaluate your chances of

success

The Campus Visit

What should I evaluate?

• Selectivity of the school• Chances of admission• Location information

• Rural, suburban, urban• Opportunities

The Campus Visit


• Study abroad programs• Internships• Graduate school opportunities• Placement information• Weekends

The Campus Visit


• Student body makeup• Sports/Intramural facilities• Library• Athletic programs• Honors programs

The Campus Visit


• Faculty• Computer facilities• Special talents/programs

College Prep Curriculum

Minimum List of High School Classes to take

English 4 yearsMathematics 3 yearsScience 3 yearsSocial Science 3

yearsForeign Language 2 years

College Prep Curriculum

Additional classes to take• Any additional math, science, or

social science classes you can get• Fine Arts• IB - AP - Honors classes• Post-Secondary options classes• Will these credits transfer?

Applying for Admission

• Check your high school courses• College prep curriculum• Additional courses beyond requirements

• Take Admission Tests• Send “official” results• ACT / PACT• SAT / PSAT• AP / CLEP

Applying for Admission

• Know about deadlines• General deadline• Specific program deadline

• Complete application form• Double check for completeness• Make sure you sign the application

• Send required materials• Follow up

Admission Decisions

How are they made?• Academic performance in high

school• Grade point average• Rank in class• Course distribution / Rigor

• Test Scores• ACT• SAT• PSAT/NMSQT

Admission Decisions

How are they made?• High school courses• Interview

• Admission Officer• Alumni• Student

• References• Who will write your recommendations?

Admission Decisions

How are they made?• Personal Qualifications

• Skills• Motivation• Leadership

• Essays and Applicant Statements• Proofread, Proofread, Proofread


Let’s take a short break

College Costs2015 costs for one year (MN Resident)

College Costs

Additional costs to consider• Books and supplies• Spending Money• Additional fees

• Athletic events• Computers• Internet/Cable/Laundry

• Transportation

Financial Assistance

Types of assistance available• Pell Grants• College Work Study• Institutional Aid• Loans - Public vs. Private


Application procedures• Fill out the FAFSA form• Release data to the schools you are

considering• Apply early (Before mid March)• Tax returns may be required


Application procedures• Release the data to colleges• Check on your status• Provide documents• Accept or refuse offer

College Planning Timeline

Sophomore Year

• Enroll in college preparatory classes• Evaluate yourself


Fall of Junior Year

• Consider reasons for attending college

• What type of education would you like

• Attend College Fair• Begin campus visits• PSAT test


Winter of Junior Year

• Collect information• Review your high school courses• Continue visits to campuses


Spring of Junior Year• Take ACT Test

• February• April• June

• Begin comparison process• Continue Visits


Fall of Senior Year• Apply to 2 or 3 colleges

• Ultimate• Choice

• Make housing plans• Schedule “intensive” visit to the

schools you have applied to


Winter of Senior Year• Apply for Financial Assistance• Confirm housing plans• Check on placement testing

requirements• Scholarship applications


Spring of Senior Year

• Reciprocity forms• Registration procedures


You be the Admissions Officer!!!

You Decide!! Case #1

• White male from IL public school• 2.68 GPA 208/358 58%• Test scores: ACT = 26 SAT = 1160• Interview comments: “He’s a bright

kid. He probably could be successful here, but he’s screwed around a lot in school.


• White female from CO public school• 2.5 GPA overall but 3.6 in SR year• Test scores ACT = 19 SAT = 710• Comments: Submitted a short story

and good essay on her Outward Bound experiences.


• Hispanic female from ME public school

• GPA: B average Rank: 27/69 39%• Test Scores: SAT 710• Comments: Spanish spoken at

home: she’s concerned about financial aid: Interested in this college because it has students from 47 states and 40 countries


• White female from AL boarding school

• GPA: 2.0 A’s in French and Music but D’s in math

• Test Scores: ACT 28 SAT 1220• Comments: “She can probably make

it, but she really hasn’t gotten it together until this year.

How to Choose a College

Tough Questions

What should I Do? Case #1

• John is a HS junior interested in computer science.

• He has one year of foreign language and is trying to decide whether to take another year of language or take a computer programming class.

• He has room for only one more class.

What should I do? Case #2

• Julie is a JR selecting her SR classes.• She currently has 2 yrs of

mathematics.• She is interested in architecture.• Should she take drafting or

mathematics?• If she takes mathematics, should it

be regular track or honors?


• Jimmy wants to attend an east/west coast “prestigious” school

• Mike wants to attend a school in the Midwest.

• Which college admission test should they take?

• ACT or SAT


• Krista does well in school. She ranks high in her class and has very high test scores.

• She spends a great deal of time studying and has little time for extra-curricular activities.

• Should she take a community service class? Should she volunteer as a tutor or worry about keeping her grades up?


• Scott is worried about finances for college. He currently has a job after school and has the option to increase his hours and thus make more money.

• Should he take a seven hour class schedule in school and keep his work hours the same so that he has time to do his homework?

• Should he take a six hour schedule with a study hall and increase his work hours to save more money for college?


• Amy is a SR who has been admitted to “Ideal College”

• She is having a personality conflict with her English teacher during the last nine weeks of school.

• Since she is already admitted to “Ideal College” she decides not to turn the final term paper in. Ideal College will never know anyway.

• Was this a good decision? Why?


• Gary has several friends attending “State School”. These friends tell Gary that it’s a good school and he would fit in really well. Gary has spent several weekends on campus with his friends and has a good time whenever he has visited.

• The school has a “party” reputation which Gary likes. Gary’s parents are concerned about the “quality” of this school.


• Gary’s parents feel he should at least visit the campus during the week and talk to some professors, and admissions officer and other staff members on campus.

• Gary thinks his parents are pressuring him and feels he should be able to make his own decisions.

• Should the family visit campus?

Thank you for attending!


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navigating the college selection process lakeville north high school october 5th, 2015

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