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SAT / ACT College Applications The Common App College Search on Naviance Summer Opportunities How to choose a college NEW! Senior student/parent panel College Visits Course selection Financial Aid / Scholarships Lottery Money $ College Philosophy

Step 1: Education, Self-Evaluation, and Preparing to Apply Junior Year Spring and Summer Step 2: Shopping for Colleges Junior Year Spring, Summer and Senior Year Fall Step 3: Choosing and Applying to Colleges Senior Year Fall and Winter Step 4: Making a College Choice Senior Year Fall, Winter, Spring

Educate yourself – Naviance college search can help you! Six Key Issues to Examine: Academic Program Size: College or University Geography/Location School Culture Cost/Financial Aid Selectivity

Humanities History, English, Philosophy, Theology, Languages Math and Sciences Visual and Performing Arts Social Sciences Psychology, Economics, Sociology, Political Science Interdisciplinary Majors: (Interdisciplinary majors allow students to construct a college major with courses from various departments within a college or university) Internet Studies Environmental Policy and Planning Earth and Ocean Sciences African American Studies Non-Profit Management

ACADEMIC PROGRAM: PRE-PROFESSIONAL Nursing Engineering Education Business Physical Therapy Art

LIBERAL ARTS VS. PRE-PROFESSIONAL Liberal Arts Prepares for nothing? Prepares for Everything! Classical Education Develops Skills: Problem Solving Writing Research Pre-professional Prepares for Profession Offers license, credential, and/or state certification Develops Skills Downside? Less flexibility For the Student who is Career Certain

SIZE: COLLEGE VS. UNIVERSITY College One mission Small classes Close student/faculty relationships Opportunities for several interests Research Less diverse University Collection of colleges Diversity More programs More and less flexibility Lots of stimulation Big classes TA’s

Urban vs. Rural Planes, Trains, Automobiles Cost of travel Weather Liberal vs. Conservative Religious Affiliation Highly Intellectual/Party School Commitment to Diversity HBCU’s Single Sex vs. Coed

 GPA and Course Rigor #1! (especially for Honors Colleges)  School reputation  ACT/SAT Scores *Some schools are test optional*  Resume - athletics, activities, community service, work  Essays  Letters of recommendation Question to think about…  How does my academic profile match up to the admitted student profile at those schools I am considering?

(Junior Year Spring, Summer and Senior Year Fall) Junior student/parent meetings to begin in March – l ook for letter to schedule Register for the SAT and/or ACT (3 left for SAT / 2 for ACT) Study for SAT and/or ACT Visit, visit, and visit more colleges! 2 excused absences allowed Do well in class Cultivate teacher relationships – they will be writing your rec. letters! Plan for the summer – see “summer opportunities” on the Guidance webpage

**New courses for 2014/2015 school year** AP Chemistry Honors Physics II

SAT TEST DATES ACT TEST DATES March 8 th Register by Feb. 7 th May 3 rd Register by April 4 th June 7 th Register by May 9 th Where to register: or (Feb. 8 th )(Deadline passed) April 12 th Register by March 7 th June 14 th Register by May 9 th Where to register:

Two Options: School specific applications or Common Application

SCHOOL SPECIFIC APPLICATIONS  Students go to college website and click APPLY  Students will need a copy of their unofficial transcript  Students send their ACT/SAT scores directly to each college  Application may include an essay or short answer. No essay is optional, students should fill out ALL parts of application  Letters of recommendation not required  Examples of School Specific Applications USC, CofC, Clemson, Alabama, Auburn, Georgia

COMMON APPLICATION  Mostly private schools  One application, but each college may have one or more “supplements”  Require letters of recommendation (at least one teacher, one counselor)  Mid year report  Due Dates vary!!!

 Early Action – Early deadlines, with early responses – *CAUTION*  Early Decision – Binding agreement – mostly private schools *CAUTION*  Rolling Admission – window of time, when all spots are filled, window closes  Deferred – means they are waiting on more information – mid year reports, updated SAT/ACT, letter of recommendation

 Naviance serves as a “holding tank” for transcripts, letters of recommendation and counselor forms  Teachers upload letters into Naviance –they do not go through student  Counselors send material in Naviance – either to Common Application or electronically to the school  Naviance is only as good as the student keeps it

STEP 4: MAKING A COLLEGE CHOICE / COLLEGE PHILOSOPHY  Be realistic  Choose 5-6 schools that you can live with. One dream school, two or three mid range schools and one safety  Visit the campuses – ask questions. Be an educated consumer  Talk to graduates, current students  Check out the requirements for the major and general education courses

 Take a look at the Guidance Web Page under “Scholarships”  Never too early to look for $$  FAFSA Form – Free Application for Federal Student Aid – for your students – will be based on 2014 Tax Return (can’t be filed until January 1, 2015)  South Carolina Lottery Money

FINANCIAL AID Cost of Attendance: Tuition, Room/Board, Fees, Books, Living Expenses Financial Aid = Cost of Attendance - Family Contributions Types of Financial Aid: Need Based vs. Merit “Need Blind” vs. “Need Aware” Need Based Aid: Loans, Grants, Work Gapping: Need minus offer Outside Scholarships

FINANCIAL AID EXAMPLE Cost of Attendance$55,000 Est. Family Contribution$10,000 Determined by FAFSA, CSS Profile Financial Aid =$45,000 Questions: What % of $45,000 Loan? Work Study? Grant?

 Palmetto Scholarship: $6,700  Criteria  SAT/ 32 ACT and 4.0 SCUGP  SAT/ 27 ACT, 3.5 SCUGP and Top 6% (Sophomore or Junior Year)  Life Scholarship: $5,000  Criteria:  Must meet 2 out of 3  1100 SAT / 24 ACT, 3.0 on SCUGP, top 30% of class  Hope Scholarship: $2,800  Criteria:  3.0 on SCUGP alone

Ms. GastaldiLast names A-K Ms. SalleyLast names L-Z

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