PRESENTED BY THE WHS SCHOOL COUNSELORS Senior Parent Night 2014

Topics to Cover Naviance Senior College Planning Timeline Standardized Testing/AP Information College Visits On-Site Days Application Process College Essay and Letters of Recommendation Scholarship/Financial Aid Information NCAA Clearinghouse

NAVIANCE! WHS’s College and Career Planner What is Naviance?  Comprehensive Online Program providing access to both students and parents  Each student has a personal account  Increases communication among student, parent, and counselor  Tracks every college application that enters and leaves the office  Provides admissions data from previous years  Also offers a very comprehensive college search and college match function, as well as interest inventories and a career search engine.  Provides scholarship information

How do I access Naviance? Website: The link is also on the main page of the Watertown High School Webpage If you cannot remember your username and/or password, see your counselor.

What can I do on Naviance? Search for careers and colleges that fit your interests Manage your college application list Sign up to visit with college representatives that visit our school Sign up for On-Site Decision Days  WCSU- 11/17  Post University- 12/3  University Of Hartford- 12/9  NVCC- 12/11 Request letters of recommendation from school staff Search our most updated list of scholarships

Senior College Planning Timeline Fall of Senior Year  Go to the WHS Counseling Website and download the “Post Secondary Planning Guide”.  Students will have a senior meeting with their assigned counselor in September/October. If you would like to attend, please contact your child’s counselor.  Take the SAT and/or ACT again, and check to see if any of the schools you are applying to require SAT Subject Tests  Sign up on Naviance to meet with college representatives at WHS  Attend open houses/information sessions at your schools of choice  Secure teachers who will be writing recommendation letters  Finalize college essay  APPLY!  Start to think about scholarships and financial aid

SAT AND SAT SUBJECT TESTS ACT TEST ADVANCED PLACEMENT EXAMS Standardized Testing Information

SAT Register online at All test dates are offered at Watertown High School. The next test is on November 8 th, the deadline to sign up is October 9 th. When you register, please be sure to take advantage of the four free score reports by entering in the colleges you wish to send your scores to. It is your responsibility to send your official scores to all schools you are applying to; the WHS Counseling Department does not forward these scores.

SAT Subject Tests Required by some selective colleges for admission and/or for placement purposes once the student enrolls It is very important that you check college websites for requirements Students can take up to three subject tests on one test date Register at

ACT Tests on four areas: English, Math, Reading, and Science (an additional section that is not tested on the SAT) The writing portion of the ACT is optional Schools will accept either the ACT or the SAT Some students do better on the ACT, and vice versa- it’s a personal preference Register and prepare online at actstudent.org. The test is offered at WHS on October 25 and April 18. The deadline to sign up for the December 13 th test is November 7 th.

AP Information Students enrolled in Advanced Placement courses will be taking AP Exams during the month of May. Many colleges accept AP exam scores (typically 4 or higher) for college credit. Please check with your specific school(s) for more detailed information. It is your responsibility to send your AP exam scores to the colleges of your choosing.

The College Application And now for the fun stuff…!

The Application Process Where do I begin??  Organize yourself! Create a folder or file with all pertinent information. Naviance is a very helpful organization tool.  Decide on a variety of schools that you want to apply to  We suggest at least 2 target schools (typically better than a 50/50 chance of being accepted)  At least 2 safety schools (schools you are somewhat overqualified for and have a very good chance of being admitted)  At least 2 reach schools (Schools that you are somewhat under- qualified for and will be difficult to get into)

What materials are typically included in an application packet?? All schools will have different requirements, but these are typically the basics… Application Application Fee Transcript Standardized Test Scores (these are sent by the student through the testing agency) Essay (essay question(s) can be found on the application) Letters of Recommendation (typically 2-3) Activities Resume (optional) Optional, any other materials you would like to include (newspaper articles, special awards, writing samples, portfolios etc.)

Applying Basics The Common Application  First, check to see if the schools you are applying to are members. Many schools are members and this is an easy way to complete one application for all schools you plan on applying to. The Common Application is an easy and streamlined way of organizing your college applications.  If a school accepts The Common Application, you must use this form to apply. If one or more of your schools do not accept the Common Application, check their individual websites for requirements. The website will typically have an online link to their application.

Early Action Vs. Early Decision Many schools will offer one or both of these options. It is important to check these deadlines, as many of them fall very early in senior year.  Early Action: Recommended for schools you are very interested in. You can apply early action at as many schools as you wish. This is a non-binding contract and if you are accepted you do not have to attend the school.  Early Decision: Typically not recommended unless you are absolutely positive of the school you want to attend. You can only apply early decision at one school. This is a binding contract and if you are accepted you must attend regardless of financial aid, scholarships, etc. This should only be used for your TOP CHOICE school.

The College Essay Your essay is about YOU- not a generic high school senior. Be creative! Pretend you are meeting with an admissions representative- what do you want them to walk away knowing about you? Follow the directions: adhere to page requirements, minimum word requirements, not required=not required Make sure you proofread! It is often helpful to have your high school english teacher and/or your counselor review your essay.

Letters Of Recommendation Letters can come from teachers, counselors, bosses, coaches, club/activity advisors, etc. It is important to ask for recommendations AT LEAST three weeks prior to applying. It is your responsibility to mail any recommendations that you have received from people that do not work in the school building. For recommendations within the school: You must ask the recommender in person. Once he/she accepts you must go onto Naviance and add him/her as a recommender.

The WHS Application Process  Students will have a senior meeting with their counselor in September/October and they will go over all of the pertinent information together. If parents would like to attend please contact your child’s school counselor to set up a date and time.

Transcript Request Forms Students will be bringing home “Transcript Request Forms” to be signed. Please return as soon as possible. The signed form authorizes the counseling department to release transcripts to Colleges/Universities, Scholarships, and NCAA

The Student’s Job… Once a student submits an application he/she must come into the counseling department the next day and fill out a blue appointment slip with the phrase “College Application” in the subject line. Once the counselor receives the pass, he/she will schedule an appointment with the student as soon as possible to ensure supplemental materials are sent out. Students must repeat this process for all applications that are submitted

The Student Sends… College Application(s): This includes the application, essay, supplemental materials if required, and the application fee (if your child qualifies for free/reduced lunch, he/she may qualify for an application fee waiver. See the assigned counselor for details) SAT/ACT/AP Scores: These scores MUST be sent directly through the testing agency (Login to your testing account to forward these scores). WHS does not send these scores.

The Counselor Sends… School Profile Current Transcript First Marking Period, Mid-Year, and Final Grades Teacher School Reports and Secondary School Report from counselor Letters of Recommendation

A quick word about college athletics… If playing a Division 1 or Division 2 sport is top on your list:  It is absolutely mandatory that you sign up with the NCAA Clearinghouse at  Students will create an account and provide information about courses, grades, athletic history, etc.  Once you have created an account, see your counselor to let him/her know that you have done so.

Now onto the important stuff…..! Scholarships and Financial Aid!

Scholarship Information Scholarships start to become available in the counseling office in the early winter. Check Naviance frequently for the most up to date list. Students will receive the Local Scholarship Booklet in March, which includes MANY scholarship opportunities Online websites such as and are helpful scholarship search sites. Be very careful of online scholarship websites other than these- there are many that are SCAMS! As a general rule, any site that asks you to pay to apply for scholarships is probably not legitimate.

Free Application for Federal Student Aid The FAFSA form can be completed online as soon after January 1 st, 2014 as possible. The earlier that you apply, the more money that will be potentially available for you! Stay tuned for more information following this presentation.

Questions Questions??