 September 22, 2014

 Kinds of Schools  Checklist Information  The College Environment  Admissions Requirements  Prep Curriculum  Application Checklist  Cost of College

 Technical Colleges  Community Colleges  Colleges  Universities  Military Academics  Propriety Schools What are the differences? What does this mean for my student?

 Open Admission Colleges o Accept virtually all applicants who have a high school diploma or its equivalent o ACT scores generally range from  Selective Colleges o Offer Admission to all or most applicants who meet minimum admission requirements o ACT scores generally range between  Highly Selective Colleges o On average, these colleges admit less than 60% of their applicants o ACT score are usually above 24

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 What do you really like to do?  How do you learn best?  What have you been involved in?

 What are your strongest and weakest subjects?  What is your high school rank?  Have you taken a college prep class schedule?

 What kind of college would you like to attend?  How well did you do on your College Admissions Test?

The Ultimate Questions  Do your expectations and preparation match?  Are you being honest?  Do your answers make sense?

 Majors and Programs  Location  Size  Cost  Reputation  Assistance  Accreditations

May sound cliché, but a checklist will be very useful!  Gather information from all colleges your student is interested in  Weigh the differences between each of the colleges  Contact Admissions Offices & ask questions!  Visit Campus  How much?

Additional costs to consider  Books and supplies  Spending Money  Additional fees o Athletic events o Laptops/Tablet o Library  Transportation

Types of assistance available  Pell Grants  College Work Study  Institutional Aid  Loans - Public vs. Private

Application procedures  Fill out the FAFSA form  Release data to the schools you are considering  Apply early (Before mid March)  Tax returns may be required  This is FREE!!

Let your student experience the college experience!  Be student  Eat the food  Talk to current students  Participate in campus events

 Take a tour  Take to faculty members  Visit the academic departments  Make a list of questions and ask them Encourage your student to participate in these activities at all schools he/she is interested in. BIG It does make a BIG difference when choosing a college!

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Minimum List of High School Classes to Take: English 4 Years Mathematics 3 years Science 3 years Social Science 3 years Foreign Language 2 years Additional classes to take:  More math, science, or social science classes  IB, AP, and/or Honors classes  Post-Secondary classes

 What is Needed: The ‘right’ curriculum Admission Tests ACT/PACT, SAT/PSAT, AP/CLEP Know the deadlines General deadline and specific program deadlines Complete application form Double check to ensure completion ‘Sign’ the application Send required materials Follow up!

 Academic Performance in High School o GPA, Class Rank, Course Distribution/Rigor  Test Scores o ACT, SAT, PSAT  High School Courses  Interview o Admission Officer, Alumni, Student  References o Who will write a recommendation letter for your student?  Personal Qualifications o Skills, Motivation, Leadership  Essays and Applicant Statement o Proofread, Proofread, Proofread

 Summer/Winter of Junior Year: o College Information, review your high school courses, and continue to visit campuses  Spring of Junior Year: o Take ACT (Feb, April, and June), Begin comparison process, and continue visits  Fall of Senior Year: o Apply to 2 or 3 colleges, make housing plans, and schedule an ‘intensive’ visit to the schools applied to  Winter of Senior Year: o Apply for Financial Aid, Confirm housing plans, check on placement testing requirements, and check on scholarship applications  Spring of Senior Year: o Reciprocity forms, and registration procedures

 Your turn! You be the admissions officer!!

 Female Student  3.4 G.P.AACT 26 H.S Rank 30/200  Involved in Theatre and Soccer program at school. Received a letter of recommendation from Biology Teacher as a hard working student.

 Male from IL. Big School  2.8 GPA 208/358 58%  Test scores: ACT = 26 SAT = 1360  6 credits of PSEO classes  Interview comments: “He’s a bright kid. He probably could be successful here, but he’s screwed around a lot in school.

 Male student  G.P.A 2.9ACT 19 No HS Rank  Upward Bound student  Jr/Sr in HS 3.6 G.P.A  IB classes throughout  Strong student in Science and Math.  Comment: Student struggled first 2 years of H.S. First generation student. He has worked 25 hours a week while still being involved in upward bound.

 Female Student  G.P.A 2.3ACT 29 HS Rank 110/175  Comments: Student took all AP classes. Did well in English but D’s in Math and Science.

 Any questions???

 Thanks for listening! Pedro Renta, Admissions Counselor, University of Wisconsin - River Falls