The College Admissions Process Centennial HS Sophomore Night - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

The College Admissions Process Centennial HS Sophomore Night

Katie Rose Communications Coordinator and Premium Tutor Applerouth Tutoring Services

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ADMISSIONS TRENDS

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ADMISSIONS FACTORS

WHAT ARE COLLEGES LOOKING FOR?

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The admissions process

H.S. GPA in the context of Schedule Strength and Academic Strength of School Teacher/Counselor Recommendations SAT Subject Tests Admissions Essays Activities (Leadership, Depth)

SAT ACT

Academic Index: quantitative components How will they read your application? qualitative components: the packaging of the application: Is there a cohesive story? Demonstrated

Interest

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How Most Colleges Evaluate Applicants

Step 1: Academic Indexing

• Applications are indexed through an algorithm that

typically includes: – Course rigor – Grades in core classes – Test scores – School strength

• Schools assign different weights to these factors, but

core GPA and course rigor often rank higher than testing

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The Academic Index Impacts the “Read” a Student Receives

class size

Is there a compelling reason not to give an

• ffer to these students?

Is there a compelling reason to take a risk

• n these students?

The real work for the admissions committee – the kids in the middle

Top of the index Bottom of the index

Students at the bottom of the index may only receive a cursory read at best, looking for hooks. Academically they are riskier.

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How Most Colleges Evaluate Applicants Continued…

Step 2*: Involvement/Leadership Evaluation

• Student résumé
• Extra Curricular Activities
• Leadership positions (depth) more important than

variety (breadth) *The factors in Steps 2 and 3 are considered only if the student’s academic index justifies a holistic read

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How Most Colleges Evaluate Applicants Continued…

Step 3: Consider Other, Qualitative Factors

• Adversity
• Contributions to the community
• Diversity
• Awards and recognitions
• Personality and voice
• Student’s self-awareness or insights, as demonstrated

through the essays or letters of recommendation

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Life-Time Education Spend

• Most Financial Aid is allocated to undergrads
• Graduate Study (MBA, JD, MS), most everyone is full

pay and must assume debt

• Better bang for the buck to work the financial aid

piece for undergrad

Undergraduate Masters/Advanced Terminal Degree Best chance for value and significant discounts (grants, scholarships, merit aid) Typically most important to your career Vastly diminished chances for aid; most students piling

• n the loans at this point

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Sample Financial Aid Award

Estimated Tuition and Fees $46,000 Estimated Room & Board $13,000 Miscellaneous Costs (e.g.,Books, travel) $4,000 Cost of Attendance: $63,000 Estimated Family Contribution $14,000 Deans Scholarship $15,000 College Grant $15,000 Subsidized Direct (Stafford, *3.76%) $3,500 Federal Work Study (varies) $3,500 Unsubsidized Direct (Stafford, *3.76%) $2,000 Parent PLUS Direct Loan (*6.31%) $10,000 $49,000

EFC

• CO

A = Demonstrated Need Greatly Reduces Family borrowing

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Merit money is not going away anytime soon

• 44 % of admissions directors strongly agree and

an additional 36% agree that merit scholarships are an appropriate use of their institution’s financial resources.

Chronicle of Higher Education Annual Survey, 2015

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Skillful use of Merit Money can transform institutions

• Hope Scholarship has turned UGA from a back-

up to a reach school. Using money to lure talented students is now a widespread strategy

• Alabama system: 3.5 GPA + ACT thresholds

equals discounts all the way to free tuition.

• Mississippi: 3.0 GPA + 26 ACT = In State

Tuition.

• More colleges will use their resources to

recruit scholars who will enhance the student

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ACADEMICS

HOW WILL COLLEGES VIEW MY TRANSCRIPT?

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Curricular strength will be more important than ever

More focus on APs and IB classes and Dual Enrollment College Level Classes

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Balance Course Rigor and GPA Encourage students to take a challenging curriculum in the context of your school

To strike the right balance, consider:

• Past performance
• In-school

commitments

• Other commitments

Getting Cs in advanced courses does not constitute performance. If you are pushing into AP and IB land, As and Bs demonstrate success. More selective colleges want to see more As.

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Grade Trends are Essential

• It is never too late to

improve your grades. It may be tough to change your cumulative GPA first semester senior year, but an upward trend can help with admissions -- especially if you can explain the change with a compelling narrative.

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A 3.5 CGPA can tell different stories

Upward grade trends are your friends: And typically Core GPA has the most weight.

Freshman Year Sophomore Year Junior Year Senior Year 3. 5 3. 5 3. 5 consistent Approaching college level of difficulty

(Easier to forgive) (The Big Show)

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College Admissions Essay

• The personal statement is

the single most important essay most students will write in high school

• Students often need specific

help with essay writing instruction

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Why the Essay Matters

• Offers the student a chance to come alive as a

human being and share something not found anywhere else in the application

• A well-crafted essay can turn an application

reader into a vocal advocate in committee For students on the margin, the essay can be a deciding factor in the admissions decision.

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Tips to Write a Better Essay

1) Write the essay only you could write. 2) Write in your own voice. 3) Keep the scope narrow; focus on a “thin slice”

• f life.

4) Be specific. 5) Hook your reader. Use a dynamic introduction

• r cut the intro altogether.

For some additional thoughts on the college essay, go to www.applerouth.com Resources- Experts Corner- Jed Said- Writing the College Essay

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ACTIVITIES

SHOULD I JOIN EVERY CLUB IN SCHOOL?

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How Do Activities Factor into Admissions?

• Admissions officers look for

continuity, depth, and contribution

• Doing the activity consistently
• ver multiple years is key; do

not switch every year.

It’s good to have involvement beyond sports, if possible. Admissions officers are asking, “what will this student bring to campus?”

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DEMONSTRATED INTEREST

WHY SHOULD I GO ON COLLEGE VISITS?

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Demonstrated Interest May Improve Admissions Chances

• Demonstrated interest helps college manage yield.
• Demonstrated interest is a plus, but it’s not essential

for low SES students.

• DI doesn’t factor into the decision for the Ivies, or
• ther super-high yield schools, who are not remotely

worried about filling their classes. Interact with college admissions

• fficers, even if you cannot visit their

schools.

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College Visits Demonstrate Interest and More

• May help you clarify your interest level and help

you narrow your list

• Can inform your application (why Oberlin?)
• May provide a chance for an on-campus

interview

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Building a College List

• College Fairs (NACAC), visits from college Reps and

virtual tours online

• College Visits, particularly local ones, help you identify

categories of schools that may interest you (e.g., big state school, football school, small liberal arts school, city, burbs)

• Think about personal and financial fit
• Get all the non-negotiables on the table early so there

are no surprises

• Use guide books (Like the Fiske guide) to build overlap

schools

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Some good resources

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Getting more help

• Leverage your school counselor
• Consider hiring an Independent Educational

Consultant

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TESTING

WHAT TEST IS RIGHT FOR ME?

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We will see more Test-Optional schools

800+ and counting

Going test optional gets an immediate admissions bump (more students apply) & increases average reported test scores (lower scores disappear). 41% of admissions directors feel tests should be optional.

Chronicle of Higher Education Annual Survey, 2015

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However, many admissions officers want to keep testing as a valuable selection tool

When highly selective colleges receive 40,000 applications for 1,500 spots, they need an efficient form of screening. Assessments can be most useful here.

40,00 1,50

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SAT/ACT Geographic Origins

1948 Berkeley, CA. First ETS branch 1947 Princeton, NJ. ETS HQ 1959 Iowa City, IA ACT HQ

The ACT claimed the Heartland.

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Today the SAT and ACT are universally accepted

Colleges will accept either test without prejudice.

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The ACT is dominant

SAT ACT Gap 2005 1,475,623 1,186,25 1 289,372 2006 1,465,744 1,206,45 5 259,289 2007 1,494,531 1,300,59 9 193,932 2008 1,518,859 1,421,94 1 96,918 2009 1,530,128 1,480,46 9 49,659 2010 1,597,329 1,568,83 5 28,494 2011 1,647,123 1,623,11 2 24,011 2012 1,664,479 1,666,20 9

• 1,730

2013 1,660,047 1,799,24 3

• 139,196

2014 1,670,000 1,845,78 7

• 175,787

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Structurally the two tests appear nearly identical

Reading Writing Math No Calculator Math Optional Essay Reading English Math Science Optional Essay

SAT

3:0 :5 2:5 5 :4 3:3 5

ACT

Testing Time 3:5

The ACT’s stand-alone science section is one of the key differences

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The amount of time allocated per question is a profound

• difference. The ACT is a speed test; the SAT less so

Seconds Per Question Section ACT SAT Writing 36.0 47.7 33 % Reading 52.5 75.0 43 % Math 60.0 84.2 40 % Science 52.5

Extended time SAT

• ver ACT!

Many of our students prefer the SAT, merely

• n the merits of its more forgiving timing.

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Expect an extremely hard passage on each SAT test, less so for the ACT

Students need to be prepared for the spikes in difficulty on the SAT. ACT is more consistent in its passage difficulty Science (Comparison) Science Humanities Narrative Fiction Humanitie s Prose Fiction Social Science (Comparison) Natural Science Humanities

Tough!

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SAT Reading is also really long!

Reading

65 minutes

Some students have complained about the challenge of staying focused on a reading task for over an hour without a break: mental endurance now trumps speed on the SAT.

Reading

35 minutes

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A tale of two visions of math

Math is the area of greatest divergence. SAT is limiting its focus, emphasizing Common Core skills, while the ACT is expanding its reach into ever harder content

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Comparing SAT and ACT content*

Test Algebra Geometry Arithmetic/ Data Analysis Trigonometr y

ACT 46% 23% 24% 7% SAT

62% 6%

30% 2%

SAT has more algebra and much less geometry. Trigonometry is mostly an afterthought. Algebra dominates the SAT.

*Using SAT categories, slightly different from how the ACT categorizes math items

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SAT math emphasizes conceptual understanding

• Interpreting is often more important than solving.
• Understanding how to build and manipulate functions

and equations is vital.

• It’s more of an applied math test, gauging fluency and

understanding, rather than systematic solving.

• No more immediate roadmap to an answer - students

must be more discriminating and find a path to an answer.

• Overlapping content with fewer items assessing a

solitary concept.

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ACT Math

• Is more straightforward
• Is more heuristic based: see this type of

problem, follow this rule to solve it

• Puts a greater focus on geometry
• Tends to test math concepts in isolation
• Allows a student to always use a calculator
• Pulls from a broader range of topics

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The SAT tests more math in the context of word problems than does the ACT

Test Contextual Conceptual

ACT 36% 64% SAT

53%

47%

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Being able to solve on the SAT is often subordinate to being able to generate an equation or interpret a constant or variable

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ACT math is shifting, integrating more challenging concepts

• Expanding use of matrices (e.g., multiplication)
• Adding more conic sections (e.g., working with ellipses

and parabolic equations)

• Understanding the domain of a function
• Vertical and horizontal asymptotes
• Trig: Using Radians, Terminal Sides and Coterminal

Angles (e.g., 30°, –330° and 390°)

• Monomial factors
• Associative and commutative properties

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May 23 2016: ACT released its new Official Guide with the hardest ACT math we’ve seen.

• Vectors
• Advanced probability
• Advanced sequences
• Permutations using !
• Line of best fit (way more advanced than those on the SAT)

This is a clear and direct move away from the Algebra- heavy SAT revamp towards a broader scope of advanced math skills.

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Science

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The ACT has a rigorous science section, while the SAT has some science items sprinkled throughout

Science fluency examines

• ne’s ability to read tables,

charts, and graphs and science

• texts. Students must see

trends, correlations, extrapolate and interpolate data.

The ACT Science section is a far greater challenge than the “science” tested thus far on the SAT

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ACT Science: many multi-part problems

Students must quickly move between different parts of the passage, the charts, tables and graphs, making connections

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ACT science, like math, is growing increasingly difficult

• Moving from 7 to 6 passages per test allows for a

deeper testing for those passages.

• Science is getting more tricky, with more complex

questions, and fewer simple items.

• Students are more frequently asked to distinguish

between scientific concepts such as independent and dependent variables.

• On recent ACT tests, the science section is assessing

more direct physics knowledge, e.g., potential vs kinetic energy, mass vs weight.

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The optional essays on the SAT and ACT

• They are testing critical

thinking and analytical skills

• They require more skilled

reading and planning

• It will be effectively impossible

to memorize canned essay templates and employ them

• n these new tests.

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The SAT Essay: A document based question

The College Board has modified free response exercises from AP Language and AP Literature exams to create this new SAT essay

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The ACT essay is challenging too

• Evaluates 4 areas: ideas and analysis,

development and support, organization, and language use.

• Students are provided several perspectives and

asked to create their own analysis of an issue

Progressive Conservative Author 3 Author 1

Vs

.

Moderate Author 2

Vs

.

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Citing cost and validity issues, not all schools require the SAT or ACT essays

These new essays should be much more predictive of performance in 1st year English and 1st year GPA

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NUTS AND BOLTS

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Vertical Scaling of PSAT and SAT

As content gets harder, the possible point total increases

PSAT 8 PSAT 9 PSAT 10 PSAT/ NMSQ T SAT 240- 1440 320- 1520 400- 1600 Additional content

• Passport

to advanced math

• Trig
• Science

reading

• Advanced

Texts

+

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There are no historically easy or hard test dates for the SAT or ACT!

Historic SAT Data 2006-2012

Reading Math Total Students October

592 595 1187

1359 November

585 603 1188

522 December

582 593 1175

621 January

588 593 1181

1263 March

585 598 1183

1351 May

580 584 1164

1000 June

584 594 1178

1285 Averages

586 594 117 9

7401

Patterns of easy or hard sections or tests vary from year to

• year. There

is no pattern!

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Score Choice and SuperScoring

• For the vast majority of colleges, students can select

which scores to submit and which to withhold (e.g., send March and June, withhold May). Some 100 colleges (typically highly selective institutions) require students to send all scores

Test Date Verbal Math Composite March 630 670 1300 May 610 630 1240 June 660 650 1310

Send a score if it strengthens the application, top section or top composite

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Superscoring

A majority of colleges will superscore the SAT and many will superscore the ACT, combining the top section scores to form a new composite score, the only score to be used in the admissions process.

March and June contribute to the superscore, May does not. Withhold May unless a school requires all tests

Test Date Verbal Math Composite March 630 670 1300 May 610 630 1240 June 660 650 1310 Superscore 660 670 1330

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You can also permanently expunge any bad ACT scores from your record.

• To delete your scores for a particular test date, you

must submit a written request.

• All scores from that test date will be deleted.
• http://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-

services/the-act/help.html

Write to: ACT Institutional Services P.O. Box 168 Iowa City, IA 52243-0168

This eliminates the ACT scores for the few schools who deny Score Choice (e.g.,Georgetown, Stanford)

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• Summer: Stay involved in extracurricular activities. Show

consistency and depth.

• Aug: Take a challenging schedule. Add as many APs as

you can realistically handle. Junior grades must be solid.

• Oct: PSAT. PSAT prep course if you are a potential

National Merit Scholar or want to jumpstart SAT prep.

• Nov – Jan: Take first SAT or ACT. Prepare 8 to 12

weeks prior to scheduled test date.

Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan PSAT

Fall Semester Junior Year

First SAT/ACT

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Spring Semester Junior Year

• Jan – Feb: Register for spring AP exams (if schools don’t register

the students).

• Dec – May: Explore financial aid/ scholarships/ grants for college.
• May – Jun: Take APs, SAT subject tests, ACT, SAT (prep

courses as needed).

• Jun – Aug

❑ Make a college list and collect applications ❑ Begin applications/essays , set up interviews and college visits

Feb Mar Apr May Jun Testing, Testing, Testing

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Fall Semester Senior Year

• Summer: Stay involved in extracurricular activities.
• Aug: Strong academic schedule. APs are ideal. Keep grades solid.
• Sep – Nov

❑SAT/ACT final push if needed ❑Meet with your guidance counselor for application advice ❑Finish early applications ❑October: ED deadlines

Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Final SAT/ACT Tests for EA/ED, ED/EA Applications Due College Visits

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Spring Semester Senior Year

• Nov – Dec: Complete remaining applications
• Dec: ED responses arrive
• Mar – Apr: Responses from colleges
• May: Deposits due
• Jun: Graduate and send final transcript to your school of

choice!

Feb Mar Apr May Jun Yay!! Dec Jan Finish Apps

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Accommodations

• Both the ACT and SAT offer a range of accommodations

for eligible students, such as extended time, a separate room, and visual/audio aids

• Typically, students must be using accommodations at

school to qualify for testing accommodations

• For the SAT, you must apply once for all testing; for the

ACT, you must apply for each test administration you plan to sit for.

• The accommodations process (even with no appeals)

can take several weeks - get started early!

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Elements to Successful Prep

• Mock tests: testing effects
• Distributed practice
• Starting early
• Time on Task
• Finishing strong
• Having a goal (use Collegeboard.org to

calibrate)

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Prep for the SAT Subject Tests?

• Fewer than 100 colleges use Subject Tests for

admissions

• Timing: May and June are ideal, aligned with APs
• Some schools accept the ACT as a replacement

for the SAT+ SAT subject tests

• Some schools require subject tests for admission

into particular programs/majors (e.g., Math 2 for finance or engineering)

• “Recommended” typically means “take them!”

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Our Services

• SAT & ACT prep (online, private, group)
• SAT Subject and AP prep
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Helping prepare students for higher scores and grades since 2001