Welcome Back Seniors

Thanks for completing the surveys 1. Summer Accomplishment Survey 2. Senior College Recommendation Survey

Where are you in the college admissions process?! I’ve visited a zillion colleges and know where I will apply I’m all set: the Harvard rep calls me daily I’m pondering over a long list of colleges and am confused I’m nowhere

Come See Your Counselor She can make life much easier for you. Counselors have some special advice for students applying to the most selective colleges. Before you see your counselor, go to Naviance and complete: 1. Game Plan 2. Checklist 3. College Search 4. Colleges I’m thinking about

Naviance Homepage

Colleges I’m Thinking About Why should I add colleges to “colleges I’m thinking about”: Makes your counselor love you You can see college admission deadlines and other important info Makes requesting a transcript easy Gives you the opportunity to apply for scholarship nominations You get an when your college is coming to LSMSA or hosting an event

Colleges I’m Thinking About

What should I be doing now? Researching prospective colleges and scholarships Building and editing a list of prospective colleges (“colleges I’m thinking about”) Seeing your counselor for help with this Using Naviance as a resource

Applying to College Most colleges prefer that you use an online application 1. Go the college’s website 2. Go to the Common Application Applications online will not be processed without an application fee If you must apply by a paper application, request an application now

Why Use the Common App? The Common App allows you to apply online to over 415 colleges using the same application and essays Caveat Most colleges require supplemental materials

Accessing the Common Application Go to or use the link from Naviancewww.commonapp.org Set up an account If a college is on the CA, you must use the Common Application How do I know if a college is on the CA?

Completing Your Application Applications begin with two parts: 1. Your part--biographical information, extracurricular, short answer, and essay 2. School/counselor/teacher part--Supporting information that you request Read the instructions carefully so that you can so you can properly secure your supporting documents in a timely fashion

Supporting Information 1. Transcript 2. Secondary School Report 3. Counselor Letter of Recommendation 4. Teacher Letter of Recommendations 5. Test Scores

Before supporting documents are sent….. You must: Go to “colleges I’m applying to” and Waive your right to see your letters of recommendation Give permission for the school to send your records If you are applying to CA schools, enter your user name and password from your CA account

Transcripts Make sure your transcript is correct before it is sent Transcripts to colleges vs. transcripts to scholarships and other programs Detailed tutorial on each of these processes is now on the right-hand menu of your Naviance homepage Transcripts must be requested one month before the application deadline. See the deadline schedule on the left-hand side of your homepage Sending your counselor a link from a college (Tulane) does not request your transcript or SSR

Deadlines to request supporting info

Secondary School Reports and Counselor LOR Most selective schools and all CA schools require a SSR Mailed or sent electronically with transcript Gives info about LSMSA and about student Counselor must comment on discipline on this form Includes a LOR from the counselor Requests for supporting documents from counselors must be made one month before the admissions deadline Put paper forms directly in the counselors hands

Requesting Supporting Documents from Teachers Request a LOR from a teacher at least one month before the application deadline. Give your teacher the “helper form” when you talk to him/her about writing the letter. When requesting a paper LOR, provide: 1. an envelope addressed to the college with a stamp on it 2. any form that should accompany the letter

Teacher LOR’s and Naviance Go to “colleges I’m applying to” and click on “add requests” under the Teacher Recommendation section Naviance will send your teacher an informing her that you have requested a LOR Do not send your teacher or counselor a link for the Common App site requesting a LOR

Remember……….. DEADLINES ARE VERY IMPORTANT!!! Most admission deadlines are postmark deadlines, but it is your responsibility to know if this is the case Deadlines are the same for your application and all supporting documents Some deadlines are early. For example, early decision, early action, and priority admissions at LSU and NSU.

Test Scores Test scores belong to you and the testing company. Test scores do not appear on the LSMSA transcript You are responsible contacting ACT and/or College Board and requesting that the company send your scores to colleges

Applying to LA Public Universities These universities are not on the Common App All applications are on-line Most, including LSU, DO NOT require an essay Your transcript will be retrieved from the STS Some deadlines are early, including LSU, (11/15) Some have a separate scholarship application and deadline

How will I know… ……. ………………… when colleges visit LSMSA? You will get an if the college is in your college list on Naviance Publicized on school TVs Publicized in Naviance 1. Upcoming College Events 2. What’s New

When Students Visit Colleges Visit during LSMSA holidays and extended weekends If you need to miss school for a college visit, see Ms. Istre During your visit ask the college for documentation of your visit Bring documentation to the registrar's office when you return

Testing Consider retaking ACT and SAT I Links are on left-hand side of Naviance homepage SAT II See your counselor if you think you might qualify for a fee waiver Fee waivers for college apps Test prep

TOPS Qualifications Opportunity Award--ACT of 20 or SAT equivalent; GPA of 2.5 Follow the appropriate curriculum How do I Apply? File the FAFSA by April 1; put a university in LA as the first college to receive your financial information Send ACT or SAT to LOSFA ACT code is 1595; SAT code is 9019

TOPS—What do I get?  The basic TOPS award covers tuition and some fees.  The Performance Award and the Honors Award carry an extra stipend of $400 and $800 a year respectively.  TOPS does not cover room and board. Unless you are awarded other scholarships in addition to TOPS, you should expect to pay for room and board which varies from school to school. TOPS does not mean that your college education will be free, just less expensive.

Where can I use TOPS? At any college or university in Louisiana At a public university you can get tuition and some fees. At a private institution, you will get about $3ooo per year

Scholarships 90% of the scholarships our students get come form the colleges themselves and are based on GPA and scores Go to the scholarships and financial aid sections on the college’s website Scholarship applications and deadlines may differ from admission applications and deadlines To research via Naviance go to “Scholarships and money” from the “colleges” tab Other search engines include fastweb.com and scholarships.con Counseling newsletter

Financial Aid By filing the FAFSA you become eligible for need-based aid such as: Pell Grants Work Study Stafford Loans Your parents will fill this out after Jan. 1 using their 2010 tax forms Counseling Center will host a financial aid and scholarship workshop on the Sat. of Parents’ Weekend

1. For next year create new slides, one for ED,EA, rolling, etc. and one showing the common app application.