Welcome to Hazen Open House SENIOR PARENT PRESENTATION CHRISTI LEICK SCHOOL COUNSELOR A - E BRETT LAYMON SCHOOL COUNSELOR F – LI BRIAN CREELEY SCHOOL COUNSELOR LO - RI ERIN PALMER SCHOOL COUNSELOR RO - Z QUAN NGUYEN CAREER CENTER PROGRAM SPECIALIST

Senior year means...  Mixed emotions for students and parents  Lots of ANXIETY  Don’t ask “Is college X a good college”; ask “Is X a good college for my student?”  WHAT you do in college is a better predictor of future happiness and success than WHERE you go to college!  (New York Times Op-Ed: How to Survive the College Admissions Madness, Frank Bruni, March 2015: bruni-how-to-survive-the-college-admissions-madness.html?_r=0 ) bruni-how-to-survive-the-college-admissions-madness.html?_r=0

What are 4-year colleges looking for?  Course rigor/honors & AP  Leadership  Community service & activities  Positive grade trends  The numbers: GPA/Test scores/Class rank  Participation in programs  Balance!

Choosing the right college How many colleges should my student apply to? Each one costs money! Fee waivers available to Free/Reduced Lunch students. Think about a match, a stretch, and a safety. ◦Need help figuring this out: Big Future ( ) Narrowing it down: ◦Search by majors ◦Career goals ◦Location ◦Cost ◦Talk to teachers/counselors/alumni/family members

Choosing the right college: Considerations Majors & educational programs Location & size Costs & availability of Financial Aid College Religious Affiliation Campus Activities/Student Life Support Services

Choosing the right college: Make connections! College Representatives will visit Hazen throughout the school year. Check the Hazen Career Center Webpage for updated list of Reps & dates. On-Campus Visits: Colleges welcome the opportunity to show perspective students their campus. Contact the college Admissions Office to schedule a tour. Try to go when classes are in session (Oct. 9 th, Nov. 6 th, Mid-Winter Break) National College Fair at the WA Convention Center, Seattle: Fri., Oct. 16 & Sat., Oct. 17 th

Navigating the Admissions process Here’s an example: Western Washington University WWU 2014 Freshman Profile: ◦Average ACT: ◦Average SAT: 1520 – 1820 (Reading, Math, Writing) ◦Middle 50% range GPA: ◦Holistic Review

Essay prompt example: WWU Instructions: Most essay responses are about 500 words, but this is only a recommendation, not a firm limit. Feel free to take what space is necessary for you to tell your story. Choose from one of the following: Option 1: Share a meaningful experience and how this has helped shape you in your preparation for college – this could be related to your passions, commitments, leadership experience, family or cultural background. Option 2: Describe any activities you have been involved in related to diversity or multiculturalism and explain how you will actively contribute to a diverse campus community at Western.

Admissions: Tips for an excellent application Follow the directions! Answer the question that is being asked. Make sure at least one person reviews the application (including essay) before hitting “Submit” Plan ahead and know your deadlines: Give 2-3 weeks for your counselor/teacher to write a letter of recommendation if needed The Common Application (required by many private schools) includes a Counselor Component – need to give us up to 2 weeks to complete!

The SAT (No School Day SAT at Hazen for Seniors this year) Register online at: Cost: $54.50 (Fee Waivers for students on Free/Reduced Lunch available through the Career Center) Upcoming Test Dates: Oct. 3 – Late registration through Sept. 22 (additional fee) Nov. 7 – Register no later than Oct. 9 Dec. 5 – Register no later than Nov. 5

The ACT Register online at: Cost: $54.50(Fee Waivers for students on Free/Reduced Lunch available through the Career Center) Upcoming Test Dates (Hazen is a testing location): Oct. 24 – Register no later than Sept. 18 Dec. 12 – Register no later than Nov. 6

Money, Money, Money University of Washington (Seattle) Estimated Expenses Budget ItemsWashington Resident Tuition & Fees$11,839 Room & Board$11,310 Books & Supplies$1,206 TOTAL Estimated Costs: $24,355

Net Price Calculator This is a new tool on every college website; find it on the Financial Aid page of the college website. Helps families estimate the likely out-of-pocket cost should your student attend that school. Example from Central Washington University:

Financial Aid Apply online at: Create a PIN (personal identification number) before Jan 1. File your FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) after January 1 st. Use your previous year’s tax return info and then update later File early! More aid is available earlier in the year College Bound Scholarship FAFSA deadline is Feb. 1 st Many school scholarships have a FAFSA priority deadline of Feb. 1 st.

Money, Money, Money Renton School District College Fair and “Money Maze” (help with the Financial Aid process!) At Lindbergh High School: Wednesday, Oct. 21 st ◦College Fair 5-7 p.m. in the Commons ◦Money Maze 7-9 p.m. in the Auditorium ◦Call Quan Nguyen in the Career Center for additional information

Benefits of a Community College Annual tuition at a community college for : $4,614 (full-time, 3 quarters) Want smaller classes? Complete an AA degree then transfer Interested in a specialized degree? (nursing, computer programming, aviation, etc.) Don’t have the core classes needed for a four-year university – or the GPA?

Technical Colleges Excellent for pursuing a vocation immediately out of high school Visit the programs you’re interested in Apply for programs early: January of Senior is encouraged ◦Just about every program this year had a waitli!st

Community and technical colleges – how to apply: 1. Visit websites and look under “Freshman Admissions” or “Prospective students”. Start applying January of senior year. 2. Find out what is required – application fee? Transcript? Compass test? Usually you will complete the application, pay the fee, take a Compass test, then register for classes. No SAT or ACT is required. 3. Submit application and fee, then schedule Compass test. You’re ready to register for classes!

Summary timeline Sept: Register for SAT/ACT Oct/Nov: SAT/ACT fall testing Request recommendation letters (Common App.) Dec: Complete college applications: Earliest deadline in WA state is Dec. 1 (UW-Seattle) Jan 1 st : Complete the FAFSA ASAP! Feb. 1: College Bound Scholarship FAFSA deadline; many university scholarship deadlines! Feb: Work on scholarships Mar: Schools mail out acceptance letters Apr: Decide on your school & arrange housing May/June: Work with your school on your financial aid package

Resources: Big Future website Free resource your student has access to through their College Board account. Get information about: College costs and financial aid info Application deadlines College comparison tool Search by majors Live links to applications

Resources Independent Colleges of Washington Community and Technical College resources Washington state scholarship clearinghouse.

Contact us! Last Names A – E: Christi Leick Last Names F – Li: Brett Laymon Last Names Lo – Ri: Brian Creeley Last Names Ro – Z: Erin Palmer Career Specialist Quan Nguyen