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College Planning for
Juniors
Jan Nolan - School Counselor
Christopher Christy - School Counselor
January 15, 2019
LHS School Counseling Office
School Code: 221-195
Agenda
Goals for tonight’s program
•College Exploration
•Campus Visits
•College Selectivity
•Types of Admissions
•Standardized Testing
• Financial Aid
Goals of this Program
•To inform students and parents about the process of college admissions.
•To outline responsibilities and emphasize the importance of collaboration between students, parents and school counselors.
College Exploration
• A time of personal growth, discovery and planning.
• The process is sometimes overwhelming, but there is a lot of help available from your counselor.
• Research is an essential part of the process.
• Students must be committed to the college planning process.
The 3 C’sCommunication, Cooperation,
Collaboration
• You are not in the college planning process alone.
• Seek the support of the school counseling staff and put forth your best effort in the process.
• Ask questions. There is no question that is too big or too small.
• Attend Junior and Senior guidance seminar.
• Visit/call/email your counselor regularly.
Your Junior Year
• Register for SAT Reasoning Test/ACT
• Register for SAT Subject Tests if appropriate
• Meet with your Counselor
• Attend Junior Guidance Seminar / complete forms
• Confirm graduation requirements with course
selection for senior year
• Set up your College Board account
• Utilize your Naviance account
• Develop List of Colleges of interest
• Visit Colleges
Your Senior Year• Register and re-take SAT and ACT
• Check credits for graduation.
• Attend Senior Guidance Seminar
• Attend Senior College Planning evening in the fall. Attend Fin. Aid workshop in the Fall.
• Narrow the list of colleges to which you will apply.
• Visit with the college reps at LHS.
• Visit the colleges you haven’t seen.
• Submit applications well in advance of deadlines.
• Notify your school counselor after submitting applications so the may send transcripts.
Factors To Consider When Choosing A College
•Academic Programs
•Geography
•Size
•Selectivity
•Special Programs/Athletics/Activities
•Cost
•College Major
Naviance
• Internet based program.
• All junior students and their parent/guardian will have access to this account by completing a simple registration process.
• Through Naviance, you will have the ability to research colleges, scholarships, make a resume, complete personality interest inventory and download all required forms.
The College List
• Reach: This group includes highly selective schools that the student aspires to. These will be your “reach” schools.
• Target: This group includes schools at which the probability of admission is likely. These are categorized as “target” schools.
• Safety: This group includes schools at which the probability of admission is “highly likely” to “certain.” We refer to schools in this category as a student’s “safety” schools.
Campus Visits
• February/April vacation
•Open Houses/Tours/ Information sessions
•Sign up on line
•Parent Information Sessions
•Overnight Visits
College Fairs
Littleton High School College Fair for Juniors
Littleton High School Gymnasium
Wednesday, March 20, 2019 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Springfield National College Fair
Eastern States Exposition (Big E) Young Building
Monday, April 8, 2019 9:00 am – 11:30 am
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Boston National College Fair
Boston Seaport World Trade center
Thursday, April 4, 2019 9:00am – 12:00 pm and 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Friday, April 5, 2019 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Providence National College Fair
Boston Convention & Exhibition Center
Tuesday, April 9, 2019 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm
VISIT: www.nacacfairs.org and neacac.org for more information
College Acceptance Rate
• Yale 7%
• MIT 7%
• Harvard 5%
• Princeton 6%
• Columbia 6%
• Stanford 5%
• Amherst 13%
• Brown 9%
• Northeastern 27%
• Holy Cross 40%
• UConn 48%
• Stonehill 72%
• UMass Amherst 57%
• UMass Lowell 69%
• UNH 77%
• Assumption 79%
College Comparison
University of Massachusetts
Lowell
Tufts University College of the
Holy Cross
Average SAT range
1130-1310
Test Optional (+3.25 GPA)
Average SAT range
1370 – 1520
ACT 33
Average SAT range
1270-1410
ACT 29
Test Optional
21% in top 10% 80% in top 10% 57% in top 10%
69% of applicants
Admitted
15% of applicants admitted
40% of applicants
admitted
College Comparison
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Northeastern University
Brown University
Average SAT range
1180 – 1360
ACT 28
Average SAT range
1330 – 1480
ACT 33
Average SAT range
1370 – 1570
ACT 33
34% from top 10% of class
75% from top 10% of class
94% from top 10% of class
57% of applicants admitted
27% of applicants admitted
9% of applicants admitted
College Comparison
Worcester Polytechic Institute (WPI)
Wentworth Institute of Technology
Stonehill College
Average SAT range
1280 - 1440
ACT 30
Average SAT range
1080 - 1270
ACT 25
Average SAT range
1080 - 1270
ACT 25
68% from top 10% of class
13% from top 10% of class
22% from top 10% of class
48% of applicants admitted
92% of applicants admitted
72% of applicants admitted
Universities of Massachusetts
SAT Admission Requirements
• Minimum 3.0 GPA
• SAT/ACT on sliding scale if GPA is below minimum
Example: University of Massachusetts
GPA SAT ACT
2.51 – 2.99 950 20
2.41 – 2.50 990 21
2.31 – 2.40 1030 22
2.21 – 2.30 1070 23
2.11 – 2.20 1110 24
2.00 – 2.10 1150 25
MA State Colleges/Universities Admission
Requirements
• Minimum GPA 3.0
• SAT/ACT on sliding scale if GPA is below min.
Example: Worcester State University
GPA SAT ACT
2.51 – 2.99 920 19
2.41 – 2.50 960 20
2.31 – 2.40 1000 21
2.21 – 2.30 1040 22
2.11 – 2.20 1080 23
2.00 – 2.10 1120 24
Commonwealth Commitment
• Start at one of 15 Massachusetts Community Colleges in a new MassTransfer “A2B Mapped” program.
• Finish within 2 ½ yrs
• Maintain a 3.00 GPA or higher
• Transfer to a State University or UMass campus and continue full time.
• A freeze on mandatory student fees for up to 4 ½ yrs.
(continued)
Commonwealth Commitment
• A MassTranfers tuition credit worth an average of $1,200 at your State University or UMass.
• A 10% rebate after each completed semester.
• An associate degree and a bachelor’s degree within 4 ½ yrs.
• Average savings of 40% on the cost of your State University or UMass bachelor’s degree.
John and Abigail Adams Scholarship
• Tuition waiver at MA state colleges and universities
• Awarded to students who score in the top 25% of 10th grade MCAS in their district
• Notification from the MA state DOE will be received senior year
MCAS Certificate of Mastery
• Awarded to students who meet all of the following 3 requirements
• Score of advanced in at least 1 10th grade MCAS subject and proficient or advanced in the other 10th grade MCAS tests.
• 2 additional academic accomplishments in additional to their qualifying MCAS scores.
• Students must submit an application to receive this.
MCAS Certificate of Mastery
• 2 AP exams with a score of 3 or higher
• 2 SAT Subject Tests
• 1 AP exam and 1 SAT Subject Test
• 1 AP exam and 1 other accomplishment
• 1 SAT Subject Test and 1 other accomplishment
New England Regional Student Program
• NRSP offers New England residents reduced tuition rates when they enroll in approved degree programs at out of state public colleges and universities in new England.
• Approved programs must not be offered at MA state colleges and universities.
• www.nebhe.org (see handout)
Types of Admission
• Early Decision
• Early Action
• Regular Admission
• Rolling Admission
Early Decision vs. Early Actionhttp://www.collegeboard.com/collapps/early/html/states.html
• Early Decision:
• Binding –You are obligated to attend if you are accepted.
• Submit applications early fall, usually Nov 1 or Nov 15, check with college.
• Notification Nov./Dec.
• Early Action:
• Non-binding/allows for other regular decision apps. and review of financial aid pkgs.
• Decision by Dec. or Jan for Early Action.
• You may wait until 5/1 to accept.
Required Forms
• Transcript release form to school counselor (college list)
• Student Activity Sheet to school counselor
• Parent Response Form to school counselor
• Teacher Recommendation Request Form to faculty members (2) Forms
Forms available in the school counseling office.
College Applications
• Applications can be done on-line or downloaded from the college website.
• The Common Application (over 800 colleges)
• www.commonapp.org
• Be thorough when completing applications
Recommendations
• Counselor Statement
• Faculty Recommendations
• Most colleges require 1-3 recommendations. Some colleges do not require recommendations.
• Find out early on what each college requires.
Essay
• The essay is an opportunity to present the personal side of the student.
• College essay lesson
• Choose a topic that will show what kind of person you are.
• Start to prepare during the summer months.
• Work and re-work draft
• English teacher meeting to review final draft
(see attached page for college essay topic examples)
Standardized Testing
Which test is the best fit for me?
Going from the PSAT to the SAT
• 95+ percent of the same type of content.
• There are only three differences between the PSAT and SAT:
• The SAT is slightly harder
• The SAT has a 50 minute essay (optional)
• The SAT is much longer (3 hrs. +50 minutes additional with optional essay)
SAT vs ACT
SAT Sections:
• Evidence Based Reading & Writing
• Math
• Score 200-800 on each section for total of 1600
• Essay (50 minutes- optional)
• 3 hrs, 50 minutes total time w/ essay
• Take an SAT practice test at: www.collegeboard.com
www.khanacademy.org
ACT Sections:
• English
• Math
• Reading
• Science
• Essay - optional
• Score 1-36
• Sign-up for ACT with writing
• ACT shows how much you have learned in High School
• 3 hrs, 40 min (w/ essay)
• 2 hrs, 55 min (w/o essay)
• Take an ACT practice test
at: www.actstudent.org
SAT Subject Tests
• The SAT Subject Tests are one-hour tests in specific subjects.
• Some colleges require one or more of these tests for admission or placement purposes. The more competitive colleges often require 2-3 of these tests.
• Juniors who plan on applying to competitive colleges should take the SAT subject in the spring, especially if they are enrolled in AP courses.
• A list of colleges that require or recommend the SAT Subject Tests is posted at collegeboard.com. You can also check individual college web-sites.
How Students Can Prepare
Students should:
• Challenge themselves throughout high school by taking rigorous courses, including at least 3 years of math
• Read and write as much as possible—both in and outside of school
• Familiarize themselves with the SAT/ACT so they know what to expect on test day
• Familiarize themselves with the different types of questions on the SAT/ACT, the directions for each type of question, and how the test is scored.
• Access personalized study plan, based on PSAT results, by linking PSAT results to Khan Academy.
Test Prep Programs
• Khan Academy – khanacademy.org (free)
• Jantzi Test Prep – 4setprep.com
• Kaplan – www.kaplantest.com
• Princeton Review –
• www.princetonreview.com
• Summit – www.summittestprep.com
• Sylvan Learning Center – Acton
• Huntington Learning Center – Acton
SAT / ACT DATES – 2018/2019
Examining the Applicant’s File
• High School Transcript
• Level, rigor and number of courses
• Grades and grade point average
• SAT Subject Tests
• Recommendations
• School Counselor and Faculty
• College essay
• Interview
• Activities, interests, talents and abilities
LHS PROFILE
• HS requirements
• College placement rate
• Levels of Instruction
• Mean National, State and LHS SAT scores
• NHS requirements
• Extracurricular Activities
• College Matriculation
8% 6% 12% 12% 17% 17% 12% 16%
LHS PROFILE (Example)
Financial Aid
•Merit Aid/Scholarship
•Need based aid
•Outside Scholarships
• Financial Aid Night – October 2019
College Planning for
Juniors
THANK YOU
