1. Welcome to Junior Night! Presented by Kelly Hahs and Heidi Freeney
Objectives:
Understand the college application process
Review what juniors should be doing right now
Explore resources that can help with the college and scholarship search
Review SAT/ACT information
Answer Questions

2. Reading Your Transcript
Cumulative Grade Point Average
Ranking
8 Semesters of grades
Sending transcripts
Typical College Admissions Requirements:
Transcripts
SAT/ACT scores
Application (Fee)
Additional Requirements: Essay, Recommendations, Interview

3. Steps to apply to college
1. Finalize your college selection.
Check the admission standards. Do you meet the criteria?
Check the deadlines to apply! The earlier, the better. Most applications are a first come, first serve basis, so give your application priority status by getting it in early! This especially applies to scholarships!!!!!
Find out what kind of financial aid and scholarship packages you are eligible for. Pay close attention to deadlines (which are different than regular admission deadlines!!!) Schools offer school-based scholarships that students are awarded once a student applies. For the most part, these scholarships do not require a separate application. The application to the school makes you eligible—most of the time, but you need to check with the financial aid and admission office to be sure!)
2. Fill out the application. Most applications are done on-line. Have your parents or another set of eyes check for accuracy before submitting!

4. Steps to applying for college, continued…
3. Have your transcript sent to the school you are applying to. You need to go to the office and fill out a transcript request form and give it to Mrs. Peterson or place it in your counselors tray. YOU WILL NEED TO REQUEST A FINAL TRANSCRIPT AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
4. Have your official SAT and/or ACT scores sent directly to the schools you are applying to. TIP: make sure when you are registering for the tests, you select the schools you want your scores sent to. If you have to ask the testing companies to send the scores after you have already taken the test, there is a fee for every score sent!
5. Many competitive schools require two letters of recommendation as part of the application. If this is the case with the schools you are applying to, make sure you select relevant people to write your letters. Give them a MINIMUM of two weeks notice. Providing a brag sheet is an excellent way to give your teacher/counselor information that will help them write a good letter for you.
6. Many schools and scholarship applications require a personal essay. If this applies to you, make sure you begin early. Have at least three people review your essays for accuracy and content. It is okay to get suggestions, but make it your own and personal. Make sure you stay within the guidelines and answer what is being asked.
7. Check the status of your application a few weeks after you send it (or earlier) to make sure they have received your application and that it is complete.

5. Get ready Juniors! Here are some important things you need to spend time on over the summer and first semester of your senior year:
Do some extensive post secondary (careers, colleges, etc.) exploration
(username: voyager1 pass: renaissance1)
Review course requests: Consider graduation, NCAA, and University requirements, IB, AA
Research colleges and begin essays. Create a list of your top 3 to 8 schools you would like to apply for admission. Research the admission and scholarship process and deadlines for your top schools. Begin the applications. If there are essays involved for the application or for scholarships, write at least three rough drafts. Have parents, friends, coaches, etc. read your essays. Be prepared to start your senior year with a final draft of all essays to be reviewed in September by your counselor and/or two teachers.
Check out the Common Application and find out if the schools you are interested in use the Common Application. View at
Review for the SAT/ACT: collegeboard.org, act.org school code:
Take practice tests, access word and questions of the day, review math, grammar, etc.
Have your scores sent to all schools you are considering!!!
Possibly job shadow
Get set up for scholarships: Do a comprehensive search of scholarships. Organize a list of scholarships you can apply for and file them by deadline month. Begin filling out the applications. Start writing the essays that might be involved with the application. Talk to adults, friends, teachers, etc. about what to write about. Have others read your essays. Keys to scholarships: leadership, community service and involvement, school involvement, grades
Participate in community service/service learning or take a summer class
Go on school visits
Create an academic resume

6. Sources: Princetonreview.com and Petersons.com
SAT vs. ACT
Sources: Princetonreview.com and Petersons.com
ACT
SAT
ACT focuses on grammar and punctuation
Has a science section
Tests more advanced math concepts
ACT writing is optional (additional cost)
ACT is more “big picture” exam
College admissions more concerned with composite score
Scores determined after throwing out incorrect answers-only correct responses count, so guessing is advised. The four areas (English, Math, Reading, and Science) are averaged together to come up with your composite score.
Stronger emphasis on vocabulary
No science section
Writing Essay section required/included
SAT is designed to evaluated your general thinking and problem solving abilities.
College admissions care about how you did on each section
Same time allotted, but SAT has 140 questions compared to 215 on the ACT
SAT has multiple-choice areas, but also has a part in the math section where you’ll be required to produce answers-no chance of guessing from a set of multiple choice. Also, unlike the ACT, the SAT doles out a slight penalty for wrong answers on multiple choice, so guessing is NOT advised.

7.
Students who qualify for free or reduced lunch could qualify for fee waivers and should let your counselor know ACT Cost- $36.50

8. SAT: www.collegeboard.org
SAT scores for juniors who took the April 16th test are available at this time online
130398
School Code
Online SAT Practice Course
Go to
Students must create an account with college board to access
the free online SAT course
SAT Helpline (866)

9. College Visits:
Attend College Days scheduled by the colleges that are free and are designed to orientate you and your family to the college!
Make an appointment to do an actual visit of the campus you plan to attend. Even if you are a Boise resident, do a campus tour at Boise State, the College of Western Idaho, the College of Idaho, and the Northwest Nazarene University. You will be surprised how much you will learn about the campuses in your back yard!
When you travel, make a point to visit campuses along the way. Don’t just walk around, make an appointment with the admissions office. Make a point to also check out dormitories, honors schools, career center, work out facilities, etc.. Go inside a few classrooms and sit down. Imagine yourself on the campus, in the class. Does it feel right?
Many colleges have admissions representatives that come to Renaissance. Go talk to them! Attend at least 5 school visits even if you know you will not be attending there. It will help you get a feel of the differences between the different types and sizes of colleges.

10. Living at home vs. on campus
Researchers consistently have found that living on campus, and more specifically living in residence halls, positively impacts students in a variety of ways including higher GPAs, higher retention rates, and higher matriculation rates (Anderson, 1981; Astin, 1977, 1982; Blimling, 1993, 1999; Nicpon, Huser, Blanks, Sollenberger, Befort, & Kurpius, 2006; Pascarella and Chapman, 1983; Thompson, Samiratedu, & Rafter, 1993; Tinto, 1987; and Velez, 1985). Considering that between percent of college students drop out without obtaining a college degree (Consolvo, 2002), higher education officials are increasingly being asked why these figures are acceptable. The greatest period of retention risk for students is during the first year. In fact, almost 57 percent of all dropouts from four-year institutions leave before the start of their second year (Tinto, 1996). This makes the first-year experience critically important to institutional retention and graduation rates. (Ray Gasser, University of Idaho, 2008)

11. Planning out your Senior Year
September
October
November
December
January
Attend senior conference with your academic counselor.
Register early for SAT/ACT/SATII.
Finalize College List (5-7 colleges).
Use CIS to explore schools and obtain applications.
Begin organizer for each college.
Photocopy applications and begin to fill out draft.
Organize list of essays and outline or re-write.
Get off to a good start academically.
Meet with college reps that come on campus.
Arrange campus visits
Search for scholarships and ways to pay.
Stay organized. File copies. Update your calendar.
Keep track of all application and scholarship deadlines.
Take ACT and/or SAT.
Work on college essays.
Be sure to keep all papers neatly organized by college (have a folder for each college).
Plan college visits and interviews (remember to send a thank you letter).
Attend Boise College Fair Boise Center on the Grove..
Narrow college list.
Begin asking teacher, employers or counselor for letters of recommendations (include in admissions and scholarship applications). Be prepared to provide letter of recommendation give the writers a resume and/or student profile.
Begin to send applications dependent upon early deadlines.
Verify that your transcripts are accurate.
Early Decision or Early Action Applications are due.
Submit secondary school/counselor evaluation forms as soon as they arrive if required for college. (Don’t forget stamped, addressed envelopes.)
Keep college organizer up to date.
Send applications to colleges dependent upon early deadlines.
Continue browsing for and filling out scholarship applications.
FAFSA available late November-
Go to to obtain your FAFSA pin.
Check out FAFSA website for financial aid information ( to make sure you have a PIN number for FAFSA and are familiar with the site.
Have you taken the ACT/SAT/SATII (if required)?
Follow up with letters of recommendation (supply addressed envelopes and stamps). Don’t forget to write thank you notes to those who gave recommendations.
Finish up applications and essays. Go over with parent, counselor, or teacher. Complete college applications ideally by December 1.
Transfer final drafts onto official applications.
Spend time filling out and mailing in as many applications as possible before Christmas break.
Proceed with scholarship searches.
File estimated FAFSA as soon after January 1 as possible because some student aid programs award funds on a first-come, first-served basis. (Keep copies).
Send seventh semester transcripts to colleges if required.
Have you taken the ACT/SAT/SATII? Are you satisfied with your scores? Sign up to retake if necessary to increase your score(s).
Send in any additional information to colleges.
Continue scholarship search.
February
March
April
May
June
Check that colleges have received FAFSA and ACT/SAT results.
Check that colleges have all necessary financial aid papers.
Check that all application documents have been received. Respond quickly to college requests for additional information.
College acceptance and financial award letters will begin to arrive.
Check the mail for your Student Aid Report (SAR). Read results carefully!
Keep checking on scholarships!
Look for response from some colleges.
Last chance to send any additional information to colleges.
Possible college visits in spring.
Look over your Student Aid Report (SAR) (you will get this in the mail from FAFSA.)
Attend Boise State College Fair
Last chance to apply for most scholarships.
All colleges should respond regarding acceptance.
Decide where you wish to go. Many colleges request a reply by May 1 and send your tuition deposit.
Write “thanks, but no thanks” letters to colleges you will not attend.
If you are on a wait list, send any supporting material you can. Ask teachers and coaches to help out.
Finalize housing plans.
Make final decision-send deposit by May 1st.
Fill out dorm or housing forms.
Register for courses that fit your personalized education/career plan.
Request a final transcript to be mailed to your college you will be attending.
Finalize summer school and/or summer plans.
Register & attend a college orientation (often during summer).
Confirm housing and meal plans
Check on summer opportunities at your college.
Contact roommate and coordinate what to pack
Talk with friends who are home from college about what it takes to be successful.
Send thank you notes to those who helped you get into college.
GRADUATION! Congrats!
Open a bank account near campus
Review cell phone plan

12. Scholarships!!!! Western Undergraduate Exchange:
Students who are residents of WICHE states are eligible to request a reduced tuition rate of 150% of resident tuition at participating two- and four-year college programs outside of their home state.
The WUE reduced tuition rate is not automatically awarded to all eligible candidates. Many institutions limit the number of new WUE awards each academic year, so apply early!
WICHE states include: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming.
idahocis.org…two websites that are great scholarship search engines. The key to remember is to NOT pay for a scholarship search program, pay for a scholarship application fee, or any other costs associated with scholarships. Anything that has a fee attached is, in my opinion, reason to be skeptical of whatever the program/company is offering. You should also never provide your social security number to scholarship programs!
Announcement postings! Pay attention to the announcements!!! There will be new scholarships posted all of the time. If you hear an announcement that may apply to you and it is not either available on-line or in the career center, see your counselor for help.
Idaho College and University Websites have great lists of scholarships for in-state residents!
Big Future (

13. Scholarships continued…
BSU Scholarships: (priority deadline is Feb. 15 (one month before the regular application deadline!...but the earlier you turn your application in, the better your chances!)
Capital Scholars, Honors College, and more (financialaid.boisestate.edu/honors/HowTo Apply.shtml)
Idaho Scholarships: (window to apply is Nov. 15-Jan. 15)
Robert R. Lee Promise (Category A : 3.5 GPA and at least a 28 ACT or equivalent), Governor’s Cup
University of Idaho Scholarships: Awarding process from September to January. Apply for admission to automatically be considered. December to February: Go Idaho and Discover Idaho merit-based scholarships awarded to early admits whose academic records meet requirements.
Idaho State University: Application Due February 15
School, community, business, and program based scholarships are completely separate from federal financial aid.

14. Tips to applying for scholarships:
Don’t complete the application alone. Have your parent, teacher, counselor, neighbor look over the scholarship too. Extra eyes for accuracy and advice is always beneficial.
Start early!!!!! Don’t wait until the week the scholarship is due to start. Plan ahead!
Apply for as many scholarships as you can find that you are eligible for! Think of it this way, if it takes you an hour to search for scholarships and three hours to apply and write an essay (many times you can write one essay and tweak it for other scholarships), and you get even a $200 scholarship, that is a pretty good wage!

15. Essay writing: Have at least 3 people edit your work Make it personal.
Do NOT make it an elaborate resume.
Choose your words carefully. Be precise and concise!
Leave your mark. Connect to the reader
Brag!!!! This is NOT a time to be humble. Let your assets shine!!!!
Select a topic that reflects significance in your life.
Don’t be gimmicky or make jokes.
Provide details that provides color, the spice, and the life of the essay.
Actually answer the question they ask. Many people just list off their accomplishments and never relate it to the theme of the question.
Capture your audience right away. If the first paragraph does not capture attention, then the reader skims the rest.
Be unique. Make the reader feel like they truly got to know you and how special you are.
Be honest!
Make a positive impression. Avoid going into your weaknesses. Stick to your goals and intentions as a college student.

16. Helpful websites Essay writing advice Scholarship search engines  
Scholarship search engines
idcis.intocareers.org
(user: voyager1, password: renaissance1)
Also useful for College sorts and searches, interest inventories, career information, financial aid, etc.!
Career and Job Information
Common Application:
Federal Financial Aid Website  
 Western Undergraduate Exchange  
National Student Exchange info  
College Test Registration and Prep
SAT: collegeboard.org
ACT: act.org
March2success.com
College Planning and Searches  
Collegecost.ed.gov
careersandcolleges.com
Also useful for scholarship, financial aid info and more

17. Closing Words of Advice
Begin your exploration process NOW
Stay organized:
get an agenda and start marking important dates for this year and next.
Make a file folder with scholarships and colleges to apply for in each month.
Start on college and scholarship essays!!!! Do MANY edits, have several sets of eyes review your essays.
Go do campus visits this summer as you travel and have extra time. Get a feel of the different kinds of campuses
Apply Early
Let your parents help you with this process! Involve them!!!!
Remember your actions now play a huge part in your college and scholarship selection!!!!!!
Create a professional sounding account
Create a professional sounding message on your cell phone
Keep an open mind, don’t limit your options to one avenue!!!
Remember, this is the EASY part!
CHALLENGE yourself
Do TONS of community service
Take care of yourself and the people you love, don’t stress the small stuff