The College Application Process

People to Know!

Counselors Works With Loretta Collins A-D Herb Crowell E-La John Pemberton Le-Ra (until 11/1) Amy Webster Le-Ra (after 11/1) Teresa Savage Re-Z

CCC Coordinators Danielle Seifert All Students Eman Abdullahi All Students

MPS Credit Values Re-Scaled

Course Credits Make-up

English 4 credits (4 years) After school credit make-up starts soon. Complete form in counseling office.

Social Studies 4 credits (4 years)

Math 3 credits (3 years)

Science 3 credits (3 years)

Health 1 credit (1 year)

PE 1 credit (1 year)

Fine Arts 1 credit (1 year)

Total Credits 21.5 credits

Take ACT or Accuplacer

My Life Plan Complete all Assignments

From a Director…

Every year thousands of students go through the college search. Every year

thousands of students end up in college. ..

…You will too.

Counselor Advice for Students

Yes, soon, you will be making a leap into your future. You can do it.

Make informed choices Engage with the process Use your resources well Remain calm and organized The “best” school is the one that fits you

best. By the way, there is no one single “best" school for you.

Where Should You Be Now?

Making your list.

Meeting with your counselor.

Roles

Student Project Manager (aka “The Application Doer”, “The

Appointment Maker”, “The Requester of Letters”) Parent

Provide supporting conversations Providing reality checks (financial resources, fit)

Counselor/Career Center Coordinator Answer questions Provide resources Send transcripts and forms/writing letters/assisting

teachers Provide reality checks

General Instructions to Students

Create College List Complete Applications Make Appointment with Counselor Request letters from teachers, if needed Request test scores sent from ACT/SAT, if

necessary Track Application, Transcripts, and Letters Know your deadlines (Regular, EA, ED)

NOTE: Students can send applications in piecemeal

Create Your List

Creating Your List

A good school is one that is a good fit for you

A school where you will be happy, engaged, grow and that meet your needs

Educational Personal Social Financial

Create Your List

Factors in your “Objectively Important Profile” (published)

G.P.A. Class Rank ACT or SAT Test Scores

Factors in your “Subjectively Important Profile” (unpublished)

Rigor of Courses Activities/ Unusual Talent Diversity (Race, Ethnicity, Income,

Geography)

Create Your List

Likely – realistic Your profile is SIGNIFICANTLY stronger than the typical

freshman 60-90% chance of admission

Possible – selective Your profile is similar to the typical freshman 30-60% chance of admission

Reach – more selective Your profile is not as strong as the typical freshman less than 30% chance of admission

Select your best test!

Select the school you’re interested

in!

Use of Scattergrams

College Visits To Washburn

Why Sign Up For College Visit?

Meet College Reps Ask questions Explore colleges without leaving Minneapolis! Help add or remove schools from your list! Learn about summer opportunities Project Success college tours

College Visits

Students must be responsible for getting their own passes if they want to meet with

a college.

Complete Your Applications

Complete Your Applications

Most applications are online…

Common Application www.commonapp.org

Minnesota State Colleges and Universities www.mnscu.edu

University of Wisconsin System https://apply.wisconsin.edu/

Individual College Websites

Common Application

Single application that can be sent to participating schools.

500+ member institutions

Must create an account and communicate with counselor.

Some member institutions require the Common App; Optional for others; Institutional App is sometimes easier

Complete Your Applications: Tips Be Professional!

Appropriate grammar, punctuation Formal language; do not use texting/tweeting

format Professional e-mail address

Student should apply; not the parent Follow all directions Be aware of deadlines; know the meaning

of Early Decision, Early Action, Priority, and Regular Decision

Meet With Your Counselor

Meet With Your Counselor!

Set up your appointment! See Maggie Carlson in the counseling office

Counselors will help you wherever you are in the process.

Meeting with the CounselorStep 1 Develop Potential College ListStep 2 Determine Requirements & Complete Application(s)Step 3 Request test scores sent from ACT/SATStep 4 Initial application meeting (15-30 minutes)

Add schools to which you are applying to Naviance Transcripts, requests for fee waivers, profile, permission to

send data form, student ratings forms all sent. Don’t need college’s form.

Report to counselor who is writing recommendation (if required). Must fill out “Recommendation Form” on Naviance. 2 weeks notice minimum!

Matching Common App with Naviance (if required) $2 per transcript

Step 5 Interview Meeting, if necessary (40-45 minutes) Counselor Interview must be at least two weeks prior to

deadline.Step 6 Follow-up with your Counselor either in person or over e-mail to either add schools to your list or if you have other questions.Remember! All pieces of the app don’t have to be sent at the same

time!

If needed…

Request Letters Of Recommendation

Letters of Recommendation

Check applications carefully to see if you need one Also check how many. Send the appropriate

number. Fill out Rec Forms (Naviance- “About Me

tab”) Request 3-4 weeks prior to when needed Thank you note to teacher

If you haven’t already…

Send Your ACT Scores

Send Your ACT Scores

If you added schools to a previous ACT Make sure they are the schools your are

actually applying to!

If you did not…or if you have added schools… Log into actstudent.org and request you

ACT be sent. $12 per score, per school.

Track Your Applications

Seriously. Do it.

Time for a Deep Breath…

Weekly Rotating Counselor Advisory Presentations

1. Senior Meeting (9/16)

2. Common App (9/23 , 9/30)

3. Essay Tips (10/7, 10/21)

4. Open Q and A (10/28)

5. Broadening Your Search, Financial Feasibility (11/4, 11/11)

6. MNSCU, Community and Tech Ed Schools (11/18,12/2)

7. Financial Aid Overview (12/9, 12/16)

8. Open Q and A (1/6)

9. FAFSA (1/13, 1/20)

10. Local Scholarships (1/27- 2/3)

11. Doing the Math: Comparing Financial Aid Packages (3/23, 4/6)

Fall Timeline

Theme: Applications10/1 CSS Profile available10/3 SAT Reasoning and Subject tests10/5 ALC Starts; Grad status letter #1 sent home10/21-22 National College Fair10/24 ACT (deadline to register 9/18)11/1 Typical Early Decision or Early Action deadlines11/7 SAT Reasoning and Subject tests11/10 Washburn College Fair

Winter Timeline

Theme: Scholarships and Financial Aid12/5 SAT Reasoning/Subject Tests12/10 Financial Aid Night12/12 ACT (Deadline to register 11/6)12/15 U of M, TC application deadline1/1-2/1 Typical regular admissions deadlines1/22 FAFSA Night 2/2 Washburn Scholarship apps distributed3/1 College Application admit decisions start to be

announced3/1 FAFSA “Deadline” to optimize financial aid

Spring Timeline

Theme: Decision Making/Graduation

3/25 Spring Break: Final visits to colleges?

4/8 Grad status letter #2 mailed home

4/15 Financial aid letters sent home

5/1 College Enrollment Decisions Due!

5/1 Washburn Scholarships announced (Date TBD)

6/2 Washburn Graduation (4:30pm)

6/15 Final transcripts mailed to colleges from counseling office

7/1 Be sure to request AP/IB/College credits are forwarded to college

Finally…

Web-based College Search Resources

Naviance- Super College Match Good for sorting schools given individualized

criteria Information comparing oneself to former WHS

applicants Collegeboard.org

Broader information comparing oneself to all applicants

Cross references schools (i.e. “those applying to school A also apply to schools B, C, and D”

Collegeresults.org Groups “similar” schools together for comparison by

varying metrics like demographics, admission rates, financial aid awards

Financial Aid and Scholarships December 10th at Washburn: Merit Aid January 22nd at Washburn: FAFSA Night Net Price Calculators

Any institution that can receive student financial must supply a calculator on it’s website

Several “vendors” of net price calculators so they may look different.

Don’t forget about FAFSA estimators www.finaid.org www.getreadyforcollege.org www.collegeboard.org