ASFM College Counseling Newsletter September 2014

College Notes Back to School Edition – Class of 2015

College Fair Preview We still have a few weeks to go, but so far it looks like we will have our largest fair ever! Join us for the ASFM College Fair 2014 on Tuesday, September 23rd in the gymnasium.

Read more – Page 3

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you’ve imagined.

- Henry David Thoreau

Ms. Loring is incredibly happy to be upstairs and more accessible to students in her new office! Stop by anytime you have questions, or just for a chat - before school, during break or lunch, or after school.

Welcome to the NEW College Counseling Office! In This Edition:

P.1 – New College Counseling Office

P.2 – August & September Calendar

P.3 – College Fair Preview

P.4 – Counselor’s Corner:

I’ve Got Your GPS Right Here!

P.5 – Meet Your Peer College Counselors

P.6 – More upcoming events

Class of 2015 Statistics

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College Notes August 2014

College Counseling Calendar !

September(2014(!

Monday' Tuesday' Wednesday' Thursday' Friday'1!

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2!!

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3!!

Senior'College'Night!!(6PM:Auditorium)'Mandatory!for!seniors!

planning!to!apply!abroad!!Bring!a!parent!!

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4! 5!!!

8!!

(Meetings!with!Ms.!Loring!begin!this!week,!continue!in!October!after!college!fair)!

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10!

College'Application'Workshop''(3PM:Auditorium)!Mandatory!for!all!seniors!applying!outside!Mexico!

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11!!

PCC'Application'Work'Day''

3:20I4:30PM!–!Library!Stop!by!and!work!on!

applications!with!support!from!the!Peer!College!

Counselors!!

!12!Registration'Deadline'for''Oct.'11'SAT'

!Deadline!for!seniors!to!

notify!Ms.!Loring!if!applying!to!any!college!with!a!

deadline!of!Nov.15!or!earlier!

15!!

NO'SCHOOL!Mexican!Independence!

!!!!!

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16!!

NO'SCHOOL!Mexican!Independence!

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17!Conf.'Presentation'

(11th&12th)'Making!the!Most!of!!the!College!Fair!

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TEC'&'UDEM'Application'Workshop''(3PM:Auditorium)!Mandatory!for!all!seniors!applying!to!TEC!or!UdeM!

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18!!

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19!!

Registration'Deadline'for''Oct.25'ACT'

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22! 23!'

College'Fair'P2IWorkshops!for!11th/12th!P3ICollege!Fair!in!the!gym!(Gr.9&10–last!half!of!period)!

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24!!

!25!!

HALF'DAY!!!!!Gym!Conferences,!Progress!Reports!

26!!!!

All'official'Teacher'Recommendation'requests'due'in(Naviance'for'

seniors'applying'abroad'

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ACT EXAM

Sept. 13

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College Notes August 2014

ASFM College Fair 2014 Tuesday, September 23 Period 2 10:35-11:33 Workshops

Period 3 11:38-12:36 Fair Lunch 12:36-1:09 Fair continues (optional) 3:15-4:30pm – Students and parents who want more time are also welcome to attend the Prepa TEC’s Fair

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Here is a list of the universities, summer programs, and organizations that have already registered for the ASFM College Fair 2014 (as of Aug. 27th):

• ACT • Anglo-Latino Education Partnership • Augustana College (SD) • Australia/New Zealand Education • Australian Option • Baylor University • BlueMountains Intl. Hotel Management School • Boise State University • Bryant University • Bucknell University • Business and Hotel Management School - Luzern • University of British Columbia • California College of the Arts • University of California - San Diego • University of California - Santa Cruz • CENTRO • Centro de Estudios Superiores de San Angel • Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas (CIDE) • Chapman University • University of Chicago • Colorado State University • University of Colorado - Boulder • University of Colorado - Denver • Columbia College Chicago • Columbia University • Consulate General of Canada • Instituto Culinario de Mexico (ICUM) • EducationUSA • Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University • European University • Flagler College • Franklin University Switzerland • George Washington University • Hult International Business School • IE University • Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM) • Iowa State University • Kansas State University • Lawrence University • Universidad LCI Monterrey • Lehigh University • Les Roches International School of Hotel Management • Marist College • Media Design School

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• Michigan State University • University of Minnesota - Twin Cities • University of Missouri • MONASH University • Universidad de Monterrey (UDEM) • NABA Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti Milano • National Student Leadership Conference • Universidad de Navarra • NewSchool of Architecture + Design • The New School • New York University & NYU-Abu Dhabi • University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill • Nova Southeastern University • Ohio State University • Oregon State University • University of Oregon • Oxbridge Academic Programs • Paris College of Art • Penn State University • Pepperdine University • University of Redlands • Universidad Regiomontana • Rice University • University of Rochester • University of San Diego • University of San Francisco • Savannah College of Art & Design • University of Southern California • University of Southern Indiana • Southern Methodist University • Study Group • Suffolk University • Swiss Education Group • TEC de Monterrey (ITESM) • Texas Christian University • TOEFL Resource Center • Trinity University (TX) • Villanova University/National Hispanic Institute • University of Virginia • Washington & Jefferson College • Winona State University • York University

Check for updates at tinyurl.com/ASFM-CF2014

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College Notes August 2014

Counselor’s Corner: I’ve Got Your GPS Right Here!

by Sarah Loring de Garcia, ASFM College Counselor (Originally published in CODE Magazine, September 2008)

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Over the course of your lifetime you will stand at the proverbial crossroads many times. The choices we make every day change our lives, often in ways we don’t even understand (if you’ve ever seen the movie “Sliding Doors” with Gwyneth Paltrow, you’ll know what I mean). Some events are seemingly random, more luck than choice – “If I’d left my house five minutes earlier I would not have been on the road with that crazy person, and avoided that car accident.” Other events are indeed choice, although we may not like to see them that way – “If I’d left my house five minutes earlier I would have gotten to school on time and avoided that speeding ticket.” Sometimes the choices we make have big consequences, and sometimes they are relatively small… but one thing is certain: it is rare to stop and be consciously aware that you are standing at a big crossroads. As a child, your parents generally make the big decisions for you. As you approach adulthood, you are about to face a major crossroads – where should I go to college? The decision you make will change your life forever… and for perhaps the first time ever, this very big decision is yours to make.

You might feel overwhelmed by all of your choices. This is not your average crossroads – turn right, or turn left. This is a crossroads with literally THOUSANDS of possible directions to turn. You probably have a bunch of “backseat drivers” (family, friends) telling you which way they think you should go and why. I hope that you’ll think of me, your college counselor, as your GPS. You might not know exactly how to

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get where you want to go, but I’m here to help you. If you give me some basic information about where you want to go, I can show you the way there. The nice thing is that given all those choices, there are probably MANY colleges where you could be happy.

To get started, think about some of these things:

Think about what you might like to study. Know that it’s okay if you aren’t 100% certain!

Make a list of the characteristics of your ideal college – not just academic offerings, but also size, location, co-ed or single-sex, religious or ethnic orientation, academic environment, balance between social and academic life, available activities, availability of financial aid, etc. What do you need to be academically successful? What do you need to be personally/socially successful?

What does your admissions profile look like? Have you done well in school, or will you need to choose less selective colleges? Have you participated in activities? Are you passionate about at least one thing (drama, community service, soccer, guitar, traveling… anything, as long as you can demonstrate that you are passionate about it)? Are you a leader in something?

There are also many resources available for you:

If you’re thinking about applying to schools outside Mexico, take College Prep 11 if you can.

Use my website – there are great resources in the section called “Finding the Right College for You.”

I’ll show you how to use tools in Naviance (like PowerSchool for college counseling) throughout the process

Choosing a college is probably the first true adult decision of your life, but it doesn’t have to be scary. Trust your instincts and own this decision. Like any big crossroads, your GPS and backseat drivers are there for advice and assistance, but you are at the wheel. I can’t wait to see which direction you choose.

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College Notes August 2014

Class of 2015 – Meet Your Peer College Counselors!

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The Peer College Counselors were selected through an application process, and all of them took College Prep 11 last year so they understand what to do this year. They’re here to help you! Each conference period group has a PCC (except Ms. Loring’s group) to help answer questions and assist you throughout the college application process. If you ever have a question and Ms. Loring isn’t available, these students should be able to help!

Here are their names, titles, and conference teachers, so you know who to go talk to:

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Front Row, left to right: • Dany Rut Aguirre, Social Events Chair (Alvarado) • Anilu Ordaz, TEC & UDEM Liaison (Farooq) • Erika Garza, College Fair Co-Chair (O’Dwyer) • Ale Melendez, Workshop Coordinator (Sedas) • Catalina Echeverry, Public Relations (Rogers) • Laura Rodriguez, College Visit Co-Chair (Avila) • Paloma Albo, College Fair Co-Chair (White) Back Row, left to right: • Juan Pablo Torres, Technology Chair (Gerber) • Oscar Escalante, College Visit Co-Chair (Morales) • Adrian Salinas, Partnerships Coordinator (Leal) • Diego Martinez, President (Castañeda) • Renata Villarreal, College Fair Co-Chair (Kliefoth)

MORE UPCOMING EVENTS • October 1 – Exploring College Options @ 7:00pm, auditorium

Duke, Harvard, Georgetown, Penn, and Stanford Register online at www.exploringcollegeoptions.org

• October 2 – College Essay Workshop – 3:20pm @ Board Room

• October 7 – National Student Leadership Conference visit @ HS lunch

• October 9 – Registration deadline for Nov. 8 SAT

• October 11 – SAT Exams

• October 13 – No school (Columbus Day/Canadian Thanksgiving)

• October 25 – ACT Exams

• October 29 – ALL SENIORS: FINAL COLLEGE LIST DUE

• November 3 – UDEM Information Night & Application Collection 6:30pm @ UDEM campus – bring all documents & SAT score reports

• November 4 – UDEM PAA Exam at ASFM

• November 10 – TEC Information Night & Application Collection 6:30pm @ ASFM auditorium – bring all required documents/signatures

• November 11 – TEC PAA Exam at ASFM

If you’re planning to apply to UDEM and/or TEC this year, please follow the process, dates, and deadlines with your generation. This helps to ensure your place, and assists

the universities with document organization.

COLLEGE COUNSELOR

The application asks if I have work experience. Should I put “waitress” or

“nutritional relocation specialist” ?

Just for Giggles Class of 2015 Statistics

PCC Work Days Come to the library after school, and work on your college applications with support from

the Peer College Counseling team!

September 11 October 30 October 7 November 13 October 16 December 2