1. James Hubert Blake High School senior presentation
Life After High School
THE JOURNEY BEGINS
September 14, 2018

2. Post-Secondary Options
Four year Institutions
Two year Community Colleges
Vocational Schools or Apprenticeship Programs
Arts Institutions
The World of Work
Military
“Gap” Year
AmeriCorps, Study Abroad, Outward Bound

3. How Many Colleges Should I Apply To?
Target
Safe
Reach
No Magic Number
6-8 Colleges is about right
Make arrangements to visit college campuses and meet with admissions reps who visit Blake.

4. Four Year College Applications
Application – Biographical Data
Common Application (
Coalition Application (
Black Common App (
Application Fee – ranges from $0 - $90
Transcript – GPA & Courses
Test Scores – SAT or ACT
– Test optional colleges
Essay – Check prompts carefully
Letters of Recommendation – teacher and counselor
Audition/Portfolio/Interview – specific to certain colleges

5. How are Admission Decisions made?
Highly Selective (GPA, SAT/ACT)
Academic Rigor (course selection)
Recommendations (teacher/counselor)
Extracurricular Activities (resume)
Essay
Needs of the institution
Responses: Acceptance, Defer, Waitlist, Conditional Admit (spring/summer), Denial

6. Score Reporting Send official scores (both*): SAT www.collegeboard.org
ACT
4 free score reports if requested during registration; after test-
$ each
Blake HS does NOT mail/fax test scores.
*Many colleges award scholarships based on SAT or ACT scores as well as GPA.

7. Two Year College Applications (Montgomery College)
Complete MC online admissions application
FREE beginning October 1
Take Accuplacer Diagnostic & Official
MCPS Accuplacer or Accuplacer Diagnostic– Oct 10
No Essay, Recommendations or Transcript
Special application for: MC Scholars, Macklin Business Scholars & scholarships
essay, recommendations, test scores required

8. MCPS Accuplacer October 10, 2018
Apply to Montgomery College ONLINE beginning October 1 for FREE to obtain your “M-Number”
Seniors who have not taken an SAT or ACT will be expected to take Accuplacer on October 10 (unless registered for Oct exam)

9. ASVAB Testing (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery)
Career exploration test that helps students link their skills & aptitudes with related occupations.
The ASVAB is required for entrance in the military, but anyone can take it for career identification purposes without obligation to the armed services.
ASVAB is FREE!
November 13th
7:45-10:45 am
Blake Cafeteria
Permission forms due by November 8.
Score Interpretation meeting - Dec 11, :30-9:30am in AMP

10. Blake Career Center Website
Access College Information, Scholarships, Financial Aid, College Testing and Preparation
Blake H.S. Code
210959
Required for SAT or ACT registration and college applications

11. (See or email your Counselor if you need your password reset)
Use Naviance Student
(See or your Counselor if you need your password reset)

12. College Visits in Career Center
Sign up on Naviance at least one day in advance
Print out the Confirmation Page to be signed by your teacher (subject to classroom teacher’s approval)

13. Benny Bengal considers Frostburg

14. Colleges I’m Thinking About

15. Move colleges to “colleges I’m applying to” once you have applied!
Colleges MUST be posted here to send your transcripts.
Note the submissions type and deadline.
Use the COMMON APPLICATION for all CA schools.

16. How to Request a Teacher Recommendation
Ask the teacher in PERSON
Earlier the better, at a convenient time for the teacher
Provide the teacher with the blue “Request for Recommendation Letter” form with colleges and deadlines.
Addressed envelopes with postage (if college does not accept electronic submissions)
Copy of resume is suggested
Add teacher in Naviance Student.
Check in with teachers closer to deadlines.

17. Teacher Recommendations
AFTER speaking to the teacher in person, you must submit a REQUEST to the teacher on Naviance.
From the Colleges tab in Naviance, click on Letters of Recommendation

18. On the recommendation request page, click on the blue Add Request button to submit requests, one teacher at a time.

19. Step 1: Select a teacher from the drop-down Note: Counselor letters do not fall under this category.

20. Step 2: Review the colleges and check one or more boxes to indicate which schools the teacher should be sending the letter of recommendation.
Note the # of required and # of allowed recommendations for each school.
Colleges are pulled directly from your “colleges I’m applying to” list

21. Step 3: Add a personal note to the teacher
Step 3: Add a personal note to the teacher. Click the SAVE button at the bottom of the screen.

22. See the Registrar Ms. Marks (15 school days in advance)
Transcript Request Form
1-3 transcripts = free
4 or more transcripts = $3 each
Envelopes w/postage stamps (if required)
Addressed to college admissions office
Scholarship transcripts

23. Transcript Request Form (return to Ms. Marks, Registrar)
Complete with Parent’s Signature

24. LET’S REVIEW YOU SUBMIT online: BLAKE Registrar SENDS: Transcript
(Transcript Request Form)
Application
Secondary School Report
SAT/ACT Scores
Counselor Recommendation
(Student/Parent Reflection Forms)
Application Fee
Blake School Profile
Did your teacher send/upload their recommendation letter separately?

25. On-the-Spot Admissions Events
What are on-the-spot admissions?
They are local events for students to apply for admission to certain colleges, face-to-face, and get an immediate acceptance decision.
How do I find out about them?
Students should listen for announcements, check the Naviance website, the Blake website or see Mrs. Prochnow in the College & Career Center for information.

26. Financial Aid Workshop
FAFSA opens October 1st
Financial Aid Workshop
Wednesday
October 3, 7:00 pm
Amphitheater
Bring your
Parent or Guardian

27. Scholarships Start NOW, don’t wait until the Spring
Prepare an ESSAY
Discuss your personal financial need
There is MONEY out there, but you have
to find it
Utilize links on Career Center webpage
Remember to request transcripts & recommendations 15 days in advance

28. Scholarship Transcript Request Form
Request in advance
Provide addressed envelope w/postage and transcript fee.
See registrar if online transcript required.

29. Notify Mrs. Prochnow of all college decisions & scholarships earned!
Bring in copy of acceptance letters
Please report wait-list & denials, too
Acceptance data tracked by MCPS
Scholarship data reported to Superintendent
Provide copy of scholarship award letters