THE COLLEGE APPLICATION PROCESS MHS Seniors Class of 2019 - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

THE COLLEGE APPLICATION PROCESS

MHS Seniors Class of 2019

Presented by the Mills Counselors

Are you feeling… Stressed?

Confused?

We are here to help you!

Today’s Agenda

➢ Comparison of College Application Requirements ➢ ACT & SAT ➢ Additional Requirements for Private Colleges ➢ Community Colleges ➢ Financial Aid & Fee Waivers ➢ Upcoming Events ➢ Transcript Distribution ➢ Naviance Activity: Senior Survey & more...

A Healthy Approach to College Admissions

➢ Apply to colleges that would be a good fit for you! ➢ Broaden the scope of the colleges to which you apply ○ 3 Reach, 3 Target, 3 Likely ➢ Do NOT apply to only Reach Schools ○ 8 Reach, 2 Target, 0 Likely

A Healthy Approach to College Admissions

➢ Apply to at least one financial aid safety school (a college your family is likely to afford) ➢ Don’t rule out any colleges based on cost yet! Wait to see how much Financial Aid they offer you...

College Application Requirements

Comparison of College Application Requirements*

Online Application ACT or SAT scores Personal Statements Letters of Rec Official Transcript

Community Colleges

X

CSU’s

X X

UC’s

X X X

Private Colleges

X X X X X

* See Comparison of College Requirements handout for more details. ** Requirements vary for out-of-state public colleges.

College Application Deadlines

➢ CSU & UC Application Deadline: November 30th ➢ Private College Deadlines: ○ Early Application varies (Oct. to Nov.) ○ Regular Application varies (Dec. to Jan.) ➢ Community Colleges: Priority Enrollment begins February 2018

Private Colleges

➢ Early Action = Non-Binding ➢ Early Decision = Binding

The DUE date is not the DO date!

Recommended College Application Timeline

SEPTEMBER ❏ Finalize college list ❏ Work on college application essays ❏ Request letters of recommendation* ❏ Complete Letter of Rec survey* OCTOBER ❏ Submit FAFSA financial aid application ❏ Request official transcripts* ❏ Refine college applications… ❏ Continue to monitor deadlines NOVEMBER ❏ Submit CSS Profile financial aid application* DECEMBER ❏ Last chance to take the ACT/SAT

* Private colleges only. Deadlines for early applications may be sooner.

California State Universities (CSU’s)

➢ Minimum 2.0 GPA to apply ➢ SAT or ACT scores required ➢ Application window: October 1st to November 30th ➢ Apply online: Cal State Apply

University of California (UC’s)

➢ Minimum 3.0 GPA to apply ➢ SAT or ACT scores required ➢ Four Personal Insight Questions

○ Answer four of eight questions that tell your story in 350 words or less ○ Check out the writing Guide for Freshman Applicants on the UC Office

• f Admissions website

➢ Application available now - Submit between November 1st to 30th ➢ Apply Online:University of California Admissions

Private Colleges

➢ Each college sets their own application requirements and Due Dates

○ ACT/SAT scores ○ Personal Statement & supplemental essays CA Essay Tips ○ Letters of Recommendation (1 counselor, 2 teachers)

○ Official Transcript, Mid-year transcript, Final transcript

➢ Only apply to colleges you would seriously consider attending if accepted ➢ Apply online: Common Application, or check college website

ACT & SAT

ACT/SAT Concordance Table

ACT & SAT

If you’re applying to a 4-year college & haven’t taken the ACT or SAT, SIGN UP NOW!! ➢ Upcoming ACT Dates

○ Oct. 27th – Register by Sept. 28th

○ Dec. 8th – Register by Nov. 2nd

➢ Upcoming SAT Dates

○ Oct. 6th – Late registration available

○ Nov. 3rd - Register by Oct 5th

MILLS HIGH SCHOOL CEEB CODE FOR SAT/ACT: 051972

Sending ACT/SAT Scores

** Students must send ACT/SAT score reports to colleges themselves! **

○ CSU’s: Send SAT/ACT scores to any one CSU

campus, and it will be shared with the rest

○ UC’s: Send SAT/ACT scores to any one UC

campus, and it will be shared with the rest

○ Private Colleges: Send ACT/SAT scores

individually to each school

ACT & SAT – Sending Scores

Money-saving tip:

You can send scores to up to 4 colleges for free if you request them BEFORE taking the ACT/SAT!

ACT & SAT – Sending Scores

➢ SAT Subject Tests

○ Optional for most colleges ○ Some colleges and/or majors

may require subject test scores

• - Check individual colleges

○ UC’s have list of which

colleges/majors recommend subject tests:

SAT Subject Test Recommendations

Private College Applications

The Common Application

Over 700 private colleges, one application. 1) Register at www.commonapp.org 2) Add at least one college 3) Submit the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) waiver 4) It is recommended for students to waive their right to view letters of recommendation 5) Sync Naviance account to Common App -- REQUIRED for colleges to receive necessary documents from Mills

The Common Application

Need step-by-step instructions? PLEASE refer to the Mills “Applying to Private Colleges” handout! (BLUE handout)

Alternative Private College Applications

Coalition App

• Some colleges now use the Coalition App, which is an

acceptable alternative to the Common App Free “Priority” Applications

• Some colleges offer a free alternative to the Common

App that allows students to apply directly to the university (e.g. Univ. of the Pacific, Univ. of Portland)

• Please use the Common Application anyway… you can

still apply for free, but counselors are better able to process your paperwork through Naviance

Letters of Recommendation

How many rec letters do students need? ○ Most private colleges require 1 to 2 teacher letters of recommendation ○ Students may request letters from a MAXIMUM of 2 teachers ○ Some colleges also require a counselor rec letter - Check each college’s admissions website

○

Requesting letters of Recommendation are not necessary for the UC’s and CSU’s

*please see your counselor for more information

Letters of Recommendation

When should students request letters? ➢ Counselors and teachers needs 6 weeks to write a letter of recommendation. Ask early!! ☺ ○ September 25th: Deadline to request letters for Early applications ○ November 1st: Deadline for Regular decision applications ➢ How to Get a Great Letter of Recommendation Article

Letters of Recommendation

Requesting Teacher rec letters: 1) Ask teacher in person 2) Use Naviance to submit requests to each teacher

Letters of Recommendation

Requesting Counselor rec letters: 1) Ask counselor in person 2) Complete the Letter of Rec Survey in Naviance (REQUIRED!) 3) Schedule an appointment to discuss colleges (link

• n Mills Academic Counseling website under

Contacts) ○

• Ms. Mack (A-He): meetme.so/Mack

○

• Ms. Vasquez (Hi-M): meetme.so/Vasquez

○

• Mr. Stillman (N-Z): meetme.so/Stillman

IMPORTANT: IF you request letters of rec and later decide NOT to apply to private colleges, PLEASE INFORM YOUR COUNSELOR AND TEACHERS ASAP!! Also, keep your Naviance college list up-to-date!

Letters of Recommendation

○ Request official transcripts for private colleges through Naviance (instructions in today’s handout “Applying to Private Colleges”) ○ Private colleges require mid-year transcripts, which will be automatically sent ○ The college you choose to attend will require a final, official transcript in June ○ NO transcript required of CSU’s & UC’s until requested - check email & portals regularly!

Transcript Requests

➢ If you took any community college or online courses

• utside of Mills (Skyline, CSM, etc.), you must also

request official transcripts to be sent from those schools. ➢ Mills cannot send grades earned from other institutions

* See Applying to Private Colleges handout for detailed instructions

Transcript Requests

Do senior grades and academic rigor count for:

➢ CSU’s? ➢ UC’s? ➢ Private colleges?

QUESTION

After applying, seniors MUST notify colleges of changes in schedule or senior year D’s/F’s...

Senior Grades

Community Colleges

I’m on the fence…what do I do?

4 Year University Community College

Community colleges offer: ➢2-year transfer program to UC/CSU and some local private colleges ➢ 2-year Associate Degrees/Vocational Training

Over 50 Certificate & Associate Degrees offered, including Art, Broadcasting, Computers, Landscaping, Cosmetology, Automotive and Fire Technology

I’m on the fence… what do I do?

3 advantages of community college:

• 1. Lower tuition & living costs (save $$!)
• 2. First priority for transfer to UC/CSU (check
• ut transfer guarantee programs)
• 3. Certificates/Associates degrees enable

students to enter workforce sooner

I’m on the fence… what do I do?

Community Colleges

➢ Requirements: 18 years old or H.S. Diploma ➢ No SAT/ACT required ➢ Registration Workshop at Mills in February → Apply for Priority Enrollment Program (PEP)!!

Financial Aid & Fee Waivers

Financial Aid

➢ The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is an online financial aid application that EVERY college-bound student should complete (incl. community college) ○ Students should apply online at www.fafsa.ed.gov starting OCTOBER 1st (Deadline for UC/CSU/CC is March 2nd, 2019)

Financial Aid - Private Colleges

○ Financial aid application deadlines for private colleges are often MUCH EARLIER! (November - February) ○ Check each college’s financial aid website for deadlines ○ Many private colleges also require the CSS Profile financial aid application ○ Register at: student.collegeboard.org/css-financial-aid-profile

Financial Aid

➢ Scholarships = FREE MONEY!!

○ www.fastweb.com ○ www.unigo.com ○ MHS Counseling website – List of scholarships

➢ Equal Opportunity Program (EOP)

○ Admission & financial assistance for low-income

students at CSU’s, UC’s & Community Colleges

○ Low-income students are encouraged to apply

for EOP when submitting applications

Fee Waivers

➢ Qualifying students may request free or reduced fees for:

○ ACT/SAT registration & score reports ○ College application fees ○ NCAA Eligibility ○ CSS Profile (financial aid application)

➢ Sign up for Free or Reduced Lunch on SMUHSD website if you might qualify for fee waivers ➢ For more info, see Ms. Murtagh (College & Career Advisor) or your counselor

Upcoming Events

Upcoming Events

➢ Senior College Info Night next Tuesday, Sept.18 at 6:30 PM ➢ Students AND parents should attend → Give this flyer to your parents tonight! ➢ Information, prizes and fun!

Upcoming Events

➢ College & Career Fair ➢ Monday, Oct. 15th from 6:30 PM to 8:30pm (at MILLS!!!) ➢ Students and parents should attend ➢ Highlights: ➢ Representatives from UC’s, CSU’s, private colleges, community colleges ➢ Financial Aid Info & workshops ➢ Apprenticeship programs, Trades & Military

Need help?

○ Creating Your College List Workshop– Get help choosing which colleges to apply to! Tuesday, Sept 25 during FLex & Lunch in Career Center ○ College Application Help sessions every Tuesday in November during 1st & 7th periods in the Career Center Contact your counselor or Ms. Murtagh if you need additional help!

Important Dates

Senior College Info Night

• Tues. 9/18 @ 6:30 PM

College T-Shirt Day

• Mon. 10/1

UC Personal Insight Questions Workshop

• Wed. 10/3 @ 8AM

Common App Essay Workshop TBA College & Career Fair at Mills

• Mon. 10/15 @ 6:30 PM

Cash for College Workshop (FAFSA help)

• Tues. 10/23 @ 6:30PM

Additional workshops (Dates to be announced): CSU Application Workshop, UC Application Workshop, Common App Workshop, Community College Workshop

Check Mills College webpage for updates!

College Visits

➢ Sampling of Upcoming Visits: ○ Mon, 9/24 – University of Chicago ○ Wed, 9/26 – Boston University ○ Mon, 10/1 – UC Santa Cruz & Dartmouth ○ Tues, 10/2 – University of San Francisco ○ Wed, 10/3 - UC Berkeley and Chapman Continually check Naviance for times & updated list! ➢ 3 steps to sign up:

• 1. Register on Naviance
• 2. Pick up an In-House Field Trip Form from the Career Center &

have your teacher sign it in advance

• 3. Bring field trip form to the college visit

How do I select a major?

YouScience is a powerful career assessment tool that uses proven science to help students find the right career path. Most juniors took the assessment last spring. View your results to help you select a major! If you did not have an opportunity to take YouScience, see your counselor for a registration code.

Things to Keep in Mind...

Check Your Portals!

➢ Once you apply, colleges will provide a portal (or account) that allows you to check the status

• f your application

➢ Colleges use these portals to notify you if they need more information ➢ After applying, log into your online portal for each college at least every 2 weeks ➢ Remember to check your email regularly too!!

(Students have had applications denied due to missing info!)

Thinking of playing a sport in college? ❏ Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center at www.eligibilitycenter.org ❏ Submit ACT or SAT scores to the NCAA Eligibility Center (Code “9999”) ❏ Send an official transcript to the NCAA Eligibility Center ❏ Send athletic profile to college coaches TALK TO YOUR COUNSELOR ASAP if you hope to play a college sport!!

Student Athletes

What if I need help or forget this stuff?

Check out our Mills Counseling webpage, College Application Info!

Worried about missing deadlines?...

Sign up for text messages reminders!! Text Your Name in this Format: Last Name, First Name

Transcript Distribution

Naviance Activity

Naviance

How will seniors use Naviance?

All students:

1. Research careers, colleges, scholarships, etc. 2. Complete Senior surveys 3. Communicate to counselor which colleges you’re submitting applications

Students applying to private colleges:

4. Request transcripts (also final transcripts for CSU/UC) 5. Request Letters of Recommendation 6. Link Naviance & Common App accounts so counselors can send materials to Common App 7. Complete Letter of Recommendation Survey

Naviance

1) Log into Naviance:

○ Go to millshigh.org → Student Portal & click on Naviance icon ○ Use the same email & password that you used last year (might be your former @millshighsch.org address) ○ Optional: After logging in, you may change your username or password (“About Me” tab → “My Account” → Security)

What you will work on today…

2) All seniors must complete the Senior Survey today under the About Me tab

What you will work on today…

3) Update your college list under “Colleges I am applying to.” Students applying to community college should also add CSM/Skyline/Cañada so they don’t miss out on the spring application workshop!

AFTER completing the survey…

If applying to private colleges:

❏ Complete FERPA waiver in Common App & link your Naviance account -- Refer to Applying to Private Colleges handout for instructions ❏ Complete the MHS Letter of Rec/Scholarship Survey

If NOT applying to private colleges:

❏ Under the About Me tab, finish any inventories under “My Assessments” that you haven’t completed, or log into YouScience to review your results ❏ Use the results to research careers, majors, colleges,

• etc. Add to your list of favorite careers.

Make the Most of Your Time with Your Counselor

Make the Most of Your Time with Your Counselor

College application season is an especially busy time for high school counselors. You can help your counselor help you by staying on top of the application process. Here’s how. Be early. If you start doing tasks — researching colleges, collecting ideas for application essays, making requests for recommendation letters — well ahead of time, you’ll make it easier for your counselor to give you timely answers when you need help. Be organized. Figure out a system for keeping track of application components and deadlines

• yourself. Read Applying to College: FAQs for tips.

Be responsible. Your counselor can help in many ways, but this is your project and your

• responsibility. It’s up to you to ask your counselor for the help you need. Schedule appointments

when you need to talk to him or her. Be prepared. When you do meet with your counselor, have a list of questions ready and know what you want to discuss.