1. Junior Parent College Information Night 2.0
March 5th, :30 p.m.

2. Topics for Tonight: Current trends Your college list Campus visits
The application process
Financial Aid 101
Free Resources

3. Trends in College Admission:
Earlier Process
Students applying to a greater number of schools
Demonstrated interest a factor
Admission to public institutions now more competitive
Has become a parent-driven rather than student-driven process.

4. Developing a College List: (Self- Reflection)
Location
Campus life
Cost
Majors
Learning Environment

5. Do Your Homework!!!
Helpful Resources student.naviance.com/Marshfield Collegexpress.com mefapathway.org CollegeNavigator.gov Cappex.com Chegg.com CollegeScorecard.ed.gov Niche.com Bigfuture.collegeboard.org/college-search

6. Develop a final list with colleges of each type:
Probable (Safety): your chances for admission are strong
Likely: your chances for admission are very good (75%)
Possible: your chances for admission are 50/50
Reach: your chances for admission are less than 40%
Start with as many options as you’d like- by fall of
Senior year should be down to 2-3 in each category.

7. College Visits Informal Visits Formal Visits Size Academics Setting
Campus Culture
Student feedback
Academics
Activities
Housing
Q & A

8. College Application Plans:
Regular Decision (Jan.1– Mar. 15)
Early Decision (Oct. 15- Nov. 15) Binding
Early Action (Oct. 15- Nov. 15)
Rolling Admission
Open Admission
Deadlines are important! Stay organized!

9. What do College Admissions Officers Look For?
Transcript & GPA (recalculated by college)
Activities outside of school
SAT/ ACT
Letters of Recommendation
Personal Essay
Special Talents / Status

10. Mass Transfer Program: mass.edu/masstransfer
Mass State Colleges and Universities Minimum Eligibility Requirements- 3.0 GPA
Attend Mass Community College in Mass Transfer program, maintain a 2.0 > guaranteed admission to any MA state college or university as a junior.
Higher GPAs get additional financial incentives
New England Regional Student Program

11. Financial Aid Basics- What you can do now
Remember- no one ever pays sticker price
Don’t eliminate a college because of the price; more expensive colleges have more money to give in financial aid and merit scholarships.
Net Price Calculator- guides students through relevant questions to determine what a college will really cost.
FAFSA4caster- calculates Expected Family Contribution (EFC); compare schools by changing factors.