PRELUDE TO THE JUNIOR CONFERENCE

Transcript review Are you on track for graduation? Have you fulfilled college/university entrance requirements? Review senior year course selection

Testing ACT/PSAE (Prairie State Achievement Test) April 24 and 25 No cost Register on campus No Writing Portion Offered Take the ACT at least twice (Writing Portion Encouraged) SAT Optional SAT subject tests May be required by specific colleges/universities

Post High School Options Work Trade, tech, career school Military Gap year Two year college Four year college/university

Putting All the Pieces Together The 5 P’s The Person The Place The People The Price The Program Where can I go to tie it all together? FAMILY CONNECTION

THE PERSON Who is this person and what are my numbers? Do I have special needs? Am I looking forward to four more years of school or do I want to be more career directed and attend a career school? Game Plan in FC Resume in FC

THE PLACE How far away do I want to go? Do I want a specific location (city, state, region)? Am I looking for honors classes, study abroad, specific athletics? How much individual attention do I want? Have I ever been away from my family for an extended period of time? How often would I like to see my family during the school year? How much can I afford to pay for tuition? Do I want to go where my friends are going or do I want to make a fresh start? College Search in FC

THE PEOPLE What kind of people do I want to be around? People of the same religious beliefs, gender, ethnicity? College Search in FC

THE PRICE Learn about the types of financial assistance Merit-based scholarship vs. Need-based Aid Scholarships Private organizations, schools, community service organizations, local and state governments FAFSA Grants, college-work study, loans Scholarship list on CCC Website and in CCC Office

THE PROGRAM What are my favorite classes? What do I want to be when I grow up? Think about people whose careers you admire, what careers come to mind? What degree am I aiming for? Do What You Are in FC Career Interest Profiler in FC

REALITY CHECK What are my qualifications? GPA, ACT, SAT, AP or honors classes Have I followed the recommended prep path of high school courses? Scattergrams in FC

APPLYING First semester of senior year Most schools prefer on-line applications READ THE DIRECTIONS Pay attention to dates and deadlines Priority, early admission, early decision Be aware of counselor signature page Complete transcript request form in guidance office Have ACT/SAT scores sent directly from testing agency Include 5 to 7 schools in your final application list Keep in mind that there is no “perfect” school- you want to find the best fit for you

COLLEGE REPRESENTATIVES Next best thing to the visit Make contact Schedule is available in Family Connection & CCC Website Passes available in Student Services

COLLEGE VISITS Spring, summer, fall Meet with admissions staff Make an appointment Be prepared with questions Get full experience Classes, library, residence halls, student services College visit checklist Drive by college and get a sense of the different types of campuses

COLLEGE FAIRS College Fair at Barrington High School April 9, :00 pm to 8:00 pm New York Times College Life Fair May 31, :00am to 8:00 pm College Fair at MCC October 2012 National College Fair September 29, 2012 in Chicago at Navy Pier September 30, 2012 in Milwaukee Visual and Performing Arts College Fair October 2012 at Roosevelt University in Chicago

CAREER CENTER To be open during the evening of April 11th from 5:30 pm until 7:30 pm Resource for students and parents Summer Checklist for Juniors (soon to be seniors)

DO NOT….. let this search consume every dinner conversation at home. bow out of the conversation and let others take the driver’s seat forget to recognize that cost is a factor forget that this search must, must, must include some colleges to which you are admissible. You need a safety school- a school to which your chances of admission are very high, and you need to love it!