Kenmore West College Planning Night Kenmore West College Night April 29, 2019 Kenmore West College Planning Night October 4, 2017

Many decisions are necessary when planning for college Two or four year college? Local school or go away? What do I want to major in? How will I afford college? What kind of career am I thinking about? How much money do I want to make? Where do I see myself in 5-10 years?

What are colleges looking for? Kenmore West College Night April 29, 2019 What are colleges looking for? GPA Strong transcript Standardized test scores (SAT, SAT Subject test, ACT) College essay Letters of recommendation Community service, clubs and activities Involvement in athletics, arts, music, etc.

Grade Point Average Grade Point Average (GPA) is calculated in the fall of senior year. The GPA includes all grades for any high school class for which the student earned credit in grades 8 – 11 Courses of higher levels (IB, AP, Honors) carry weighting with them for the purpose of computing GPA. IB = 1.10, AP = 1.10, Honors = 1.05, Regents = 1.0 Students receive their GPA/rank in fall of their senior year

Strength of Transcript Colleges have “recommended” minimum academic requirements for applicants. Look at college websites under the Admissions section for requirements or Naviance college page Students are always encouraged to achieve more than the minimum required high school requirements. We recommend challenging yourself as much as possible in order to stay competitive: Honors & AP courses Articulated courses Other advanced courses Challenging electives Full high school schedule

Standardized Tests Register for SAT and/or ACT tests SAT – To register: www.collegeboard.com ACT – To register: www.actstudent.org **If you are a special education student with testing accommodations planning to take either of these tests, you MUST see your IEP teacher and counselor before you register Standardized tests are NOT required for admission to two-year community colleges

ACT Four parts to the test: English, Math, Reading, Science writing section is optional Each section is scored separately, with a total composite score of 36. The cost of the ACT is $46, with writing section is $62.50 Both include sending scores to 4 schools at no additional cost. Next test date: December 9 Registration deadline: November 3 (October 28 test – registration deadline passed) Fee waivers are available to students who receive free or reduced lunch Check the ACT website or KW Counseling Center website for 2017-18 dates & information

SAT Three parts to the test: Reading, Math, Writing & Language optional essay Each section is scored out of 800 points The cost of the SAT with Essay is $60 The cost without the Essay is $46 (this includes sending scores to 4 schools at no additional cost) Next test dates: November 4 – October 5 deadline December 2* – November 2 deadline (December 2 at Kenmore East, not West) Fee waivers are available for students who receive free or reduced lunch Check the College Board website or KW Counseling Center website for 2017-18 test dates & information

SAT Subject tests SAT subject tests are one hour long, content-based tests which allow you to showcase achievement in specific subjects. Students choose the test(s) that best show achievement & interest. Certain schools will require a SAT subject test for specific majors Subject tests are offered in the following areas: Literature, US History, World History, Math, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, French, Spanish, Latin, Italian, German, Latin, and modern Hebrew Recommended that students take these in June of junior year (after AP exams) Cost of a subject test is $26, each additional test is $21 Please check with college of interest to see if these are required.

Sending your scores Many colleges prefer you send your SAT and/or ACT scores directly from the testing company (for security purposes) When you register for either test, you can send your scores to FOUR colleges for free ACT and College Board will charge a fee to have your scores sent to additional colleges SAT & ACT score report fee: $12 per school

Gathering Information Look at college and university websites under Admissions or Prospective Students Use Naviance, the S.U.N.Y. website, & Common Application website for information on colleges (admission requirements, financial aid, etc.) Attend college fairs this Fall & Spring Meet with college representatives in Career Center this Fall Visit schools - you won’t know if it’s a good fit for you until you step foot on campus

Information about Careers Use online resources such as: Naviance – website for career and college information Bureau of Labor Statistics www.bls.gov U.S. Department of Labor www.careeronestop.org N.Y. Department of Labor www.labor.ny.gov Look for more resources on the KW Counseling webpage → Career Planning

Naviance Naviance is a website used by KW for all students to research college information & careers, manage applications, create a resume, & more Students log in by using their KW username and password Parents can also access their own account. Please contact your student’s counselor for a registration code. All current students are registered for Naviance.

Transcripts are now only sent electronically Students must use their Naviance account to request transcripts be sent to the colleges they’ve applied to. From Naviance, their transcripts will be sent electronically to the colleges. Transcripts are now only sent electronically from Kenmore West to colleges. Colleges do not notify us when an application is submitted online. Students must be sure their list of college applications in Naviance is accurate. Colleges will NOT review a student’s application until he/she has submitted all required documents (transcript, SAT/ACT scores, letters of recommendation, essay, etc.) Counselors will hand out more specific information about the college application process during individual Senior Review meetings.

Common Application The Common Application is used by over 700 colleges and universities Complete one Common Application online, and it can be sent to numerous member schools Students must MATCH their Common Application account with their Naviance account There is a separate section in Common App for each individual school if they require different documents (essay or the number of required letters of recommendation) An application fee is still required for each school you apply to

College Acceptance Students should know whether they have been accepted by early Spring (every college has a different timeline) Applicants may either be accepted, wait listed or denied admission Once all offers are on the table, weigh the pros and cons of each school, together with the financial packages offered & make the best decision for you

Senior Review appointments Your school counselor will make an appointment for your Senior Review in September or October. During the Senior Review, students will review all credits earned & needed for graduation, and diploma type. Students will also discuss post-high school plans with their counselor and explain the college application process. Counselors will follow up with Seniors through the year as needed

Letters of Recommendation & Essay Some colleges may require letters of recommendation and an essay. Ask 1-2 people to write a recommendation letter for college applications or scholarships and begin working on college application essay. Be sure to give your recommenders enough time so the letter will get to the college on time. Complete the resume section on Naviance so recommenders can write a quality letter. You may be able to use a general essay you’ve already written, but some colleges may want you to write an essay on a specific topic. Ask your current English teacher for help with your essay.

Mid year report requests must be submitted to your counselor. Mid Year Reports Some colleges may require a mid year report to check on your 12th grade classes and grades. Mid year report requests must be submitted to your counselor. If the college requires these, KW will send a copy of your 2nd marking period report card.

Other application materials: Some schools may require additional materials (ie. art schools may require submitting a portfolio) Check websites or contact admissions offices for more information. Students interested in a health or medical field must apply early because these programs are competitive and fill up quickly.

NCAA If you plan on participating in Division I or Division II athletics during college, you must register with NCAA Clearinghouse, prior to senior year. It is the student’s responsibility to register. www.ncaa.org

Scholarships Check the Scholarship file on a regular basis in the Counseling Center. The Scholarship Bulletin is also available on the Kenmore West Counseling Center website. Talk to parents about scholarship opportunities through their employers. Look online for Scholarship opportunities. Obtain scholarship information through www.fastweb.com Scholarships require most of the following: application, transcript, essay, or letter of recommendation Pay attention to deadlines

Kenmore West College Night April 29, 2019 Financial Aid File FAFSA Form after October 1, 2017 www.fafasa.ed.gov *Do not let the tuition cost of a private college prevent you from applying. Private colleges often offer comparable financial aid & scholarship packages for students vs. public colleges

Please call or email us at any time with questions or concerns Last name Mr. Gourlay: A-De Mrs. Sedita: Di - Hr Mrs. Serio: Hu - Mol Mr. Panepinto: Mom - Sci Mrs. Handley: Se – Z Mr. Lorentz 8th graders, A – Li Mrs. Sullivan 8th graders, Lo - Z Use our website for additional help: www.kenton.k12.ny.us Kenmore West → Services → Counseling & Career Ctr