College Planning Guide - Amazon S3€¦ · COLLEGE PLANNING GUIDE - AUGUST 2018 6 January Schedule retakes of SAT or ACT if you think retaking the exams might be beneficial. If required,

COLLEGE PLANNING GUIDE - AUGUST 2018 1

College Planning

Guide Preparatory for Early College High School

College and Career Adviser: David Canseco

144 FM 3167

Rio Grande City, TX 78582

p. 956-352-6349

f. 956-352-6387


Table of Contents

I. Decisions – Pg. 3

a. Why go to college? (pg. 3)

b. SAT and ACT Test Dates (pg. 4)

II. Guide – Pg. 5

a. Semester planning guide for seniors (pg. 5)

III. Research – Pg. 6

a. Factors to consider (pg. 6)

b. Types of admission (pg. 7)

c. Questions to ask college recruiters (pg. 8)

d. Housing (pg.10)

IV. Application – Pg. 11

a. Online application process (pg. 11)

b. Application essays (pg. 12)


Decisions

Welcome to your final year at Preparatory for Early College High School. It is a very exciting time in your lives

however, this year promises to be both exciting and stressful. During this year you will make decisions that

will have an effect on your future. I want to let you know that my door will always be open and rest assure

that I am here to assist you in any way necessary for you to accomplish your admission into a higher

education institution. Throughout the year I will be providing you with opportunities to attend college fairs in

order to inform you and guide you of the steps you need to take to get into the college or university of your

choice. I will also be assisting you with college application process, scholarship application process, and

registering for college entrance exams. I look forward to working with you don’t forget to stay focused and

well organized. Remember to keep your goals a priority and work hard to be successful.

A. Why go to college?

Learn More, Earn More!

In today’s world it is becoming very challenging to get hired without a college degree. A college

education is an investment in your future. The more time you invest in school, the more money you will be

able to make.

Earning a college degree not only gives you more career options, it exposes you to new ideas, teaches you

new ways to think, and helps you develop a better understanding of the world around you. As a college

graduate, you will be able to contribute more to your family and your community.

EARNING A COLLEGE DEGREE IS ONE OF THE BEST THINGS YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR FUTURE!

I just graduated from high school can’t I get a good job now?

Yes, maybe you can but a college degree will increase your chances of landing your dream job. Check

out the following statistics about annual earning of young adults in the United States.

Young adults with an associate's degree earn an

average of

$5,000 more per year than workers

with only a high school diploma.

Young adults with a bachelor's degree earn an

average of

$19,900more per year than workers

withonly a high school diploma.

Young adults with an advanced degree earn an

average of

$29,100 more per year than workers

with only a high school diploma.


B. ACT & SAT Test Dates

Why Take the SAT and/or ACT?

Your university admission application is not complete until you submit an official SAT or ACT Test Score

Report. You may take the test as many times as you wish, but be warned, your score is expected to improve

with every retake. Do not take these exams lightly.

Testing Fee Waivers

Students who participate in the National School Lunch program (free or reduced lunch) are eligible for free

SAT test and ACT test fee waivers (limit is two per school year). Use your fee waivers wisely. Mr. Pratt and Mr.

Canseco have the waivers in the counselor’s office.

Score Reports

When you register for the SAT and/or ACT, you will be asked to select the schools that will receive your

scores. (Normally, you get 4 choices.) These score reports are FREE! After you do this, you will have to pay

approximately $12 to send your ACT or SAT scores to each additional school. There are no fee waivers

available for sending additional SAT or ACT score reports. Choose your schools wisely!


Senior Semester Guide – Fall and Spring

August Request admission and scholarship applications and information from

colleges. Visit schools and/or plan fall visits to help narrow your choices.

Set up a college file for the information you requested and receive

from colleges as well as copies of the information you send to them.

Explore college and scholarship information online.

Register for the ACT or SAT given in September, October, and

November.

September Mark your calendar for college fairs and admissions representative

visits.

Look into overnight and weekend college visitation program during fall.

Meet with Mr. Pratt to verity that all High school and STC graduation

requirements are being met.

Meet with Mr. Canseco to develop a college admissions plan.

Register for Oct. or Nov. SAT, ACT or TSI Exams.

Consider early decision or early action admission programs. Get

admission application fee waivers from Mr. Pratt.

Inquire about on campus housing availability at your target school.

All Male students must register for the selective service by their 18th

birthday to be eligible for federal and state financial aid.

October Create a schedule of admission and scholarship deadlines.

Search scholarship and apply to all applicable to you.

Review the Free for federal student aid at www.fafsa.gov and organize

the information you will need to complete it. Obtain income tax

information to complete FAFSA.

Complete, photocopy, and submit the FAFSA. Save the file for your

personal records.

Obtain any other financial aid forms that may be required to complete

by your target schools.

Request transcripts and letters of recommendation.

Take the October SAT or ACT if you registered.

ATTEND FAFSA NIGHT AT ECHS. Location: ECHS Library, Date: TBA

November Follow up to ensure you have collected letters of recommendations.

Watch the mail or emails closely for financial aid award letters.

Submit applications for Early Decision programs. Applications are

typically due November 1st.

Discuss college costs with your patents.

Register for or take the SAT or ACT if you haven’t done so.

UNIVERSITIES must receive your scores by December 31st DO NOT

DELAY!

December Complete and submit your university admissions applications by

December 1st to at least 3 different universities.

Review your transcripts at the end of the fall semester. Ensure you are

passing all your high school and college courses.

Meet with Mr. Pratt to ensure you do not lack any credits. If you are

deficient, ensure you enroll in credit recovery.

Apply, apply, apply, apply, apply to all scholarship applicable to you

during the winter break.

http://www.fafsa.gov/


January Schedule retakes of SAT or ACT if you think retaking the exams might be

beneficial.

If required, schedule personal interviews at your target schools.

Review all your classes and ensure you are on target with your high

school credits and college classes for your associate’s and high school

degree.

February Make sure you have submitted all required financial aid forms to your

target schools.

Watch the mail or email for request or responses from colleges

regarding financial aid packages, and admission decisions.

Turn in copies of any and all financial aid offer to Mr. Canseco! If

you receive scholarship offers turn those in to Mr. Canseco as

soon as you have an award email or letter.

March If selected for FAFSA verification, send copies of required forms to

financial aid offices.

Watch the mail of your email for your Student Aid Report (SAR).

Take some time to review your files and follow up on submission and

rests to and from colleges and financial aid offices.

Look for summer employment to save money for books purchases in the

fall or to help pay the cost of moving expenses!

April Compare financial aid awards to the cost of attendance at your target

schools.

Make your financial enrollment decision and submit the enrollment

deposits if requested. There are deadline for enrollment deposits! Check

your selected school.

Notify the schools you will not be attending as soon as possible.

Sign and return award letters and any other required financial aid forms.

May Study for finals

Contact financial aid office at your selected college to check your

status. Ensure all financial aid documents are in.

If you are pursuing a student loan, make sure to complete our Master

Promissory Note (MPN).

Finalize college housing plans, if you plan to live on campus.

Find and pre lease an apartment if you are planning to live off campus.

Research-Choosing a college or University

A. FACTORS TO CONSIDER

1. LOCATION: The location of a university and its proximity to home are important. Consider

whether you will want to visit home often. Is it important to you that your family can visit you

throughout the year? Think about the weather in the city that you are considering.

2. STUDENT BODY SIZE: Universities and colleges exist in every size. Although most schools have

both large classes and small classroom settings, the number of students that attend the university

is important. Do you want a small school of 4,000 students? Will you be OK in a large school of


40,000 students? Consider also the size of the community (rural, mid-size, urban) where the school

is located.

3. AREAS OF STUDY: Look for a school that offers the areas of study that interest you. Consider the

opportunity for internships in your field or for study abroad opportunities if you want them.

4. COST OF ATTENDANCE: Every school is required to have a Cost Calculator feature on their

website and to list costs of attendance. Use these tools to calculate how much money you’ll

need to secure to attend the school. Remember that cost should not be a deterrent when

applying for a school; financial aid and scholarships are available to help you and your family

offset the cost of school.

5. ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS: Universities list the admission requirements and application process

on their websites. Learn what they expect from you in terms of GPA, SAT or ACT scores, class

ranking, etc.

6. CAMPUS LIFE: The school that you select should be a good fit for you. You should choose a

school where you will earn the degree that you want in the most competitive environment for

you. You should also be able to do the extra-curricular activities that you like. Consider special

programs, clubs, housing arrangements, etc. before choosing.

COMPETITIVE UNIVERSITY—A competitive university is one that historically receives more

applications than the available slots for students. These universities have a rigorous application

process and review a student’s academic record closely before offering admission. Competitive

universities turn applicants away if their qualifications do not meet the standards set by the

university

B. TYPES OF ADMISSION

Competitive universities have various types of admission. The different admission types have

individual deadlines and sometimes have particular requirements. The most common type of

admission is Regular Admission.

EARLY ACTION/EARLY NOTIFICATION—This non-binding program allows students to submit an early

application (usually by November) and to be notified early (usually in December rather than

April). Students have until approximately May 1st to express their intent to enroll.


EARLY DECISION—Under this binding program, students are allowed to apply to only one college

through an early decision program (usually by November with decisions received in December

rather than April). Students who are admitted under Early Decision must withdraw all other

applications and agree to attend this school.

ROLLING ADMISSION—Colleges with Rolling Admission review applications as they are received.

Students apply at any time within the admission window with notification made within 4-6 weeks.

Space availability at some schools may become an issue the longer a student waits to apply.

REGULAR ADMISSION—Students apply before the regular deadline, usually by December or

January, and receive notification of the decision by March or April. Students have until May 1st to

respond to the offer of admission.

WAIT LIST—When there are too many qualified applicants for a particular institution, some students

may be waitlisted. The “waitlisted” letter will report the number of students on the wait list, the

number of students historically offered admission, as well as the availability of financial aid and

housing. Students may remain on the wait list for a final decision or they may choose another

school. Some selective schools may have already offered admission to more students than they

can enroll; hence, there is no guarantee of moving from the wait list to the admit list.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Early Decision and Early Action plans are best suited for a student who has

researched universities extensively, is absolutely sure that the college is their first choice, has found

a university that is their “perfect match,” meets or exceeds the admission profile for the university

for SAT/ACT scores, GPA, and class rank, and has an academic record that has been consistently

solid over time.

C. QUESTIONS TO ASK REPRESENTATIVES. GENERAL QUESTIONS

1) What academic elements are considered in the admissions process? For example: courses,

grades, test scores, rank, interests, institutional needs, essays, recommendations, and

interviews? How important are each of these factors?

2) Is the college/university accredited?

3) How many students return after their freshman year?

4) What percentage of students graduate in four years or less?

5) Which academic programs on campus are the most popular?

6) Does this college offer the major that interests you?

7) Will your STC college credits transfer?

8) What are the largest classes you could have as a freshman or sophomore? How many

large classes can you expect?

9) Who teaches the freshman classes? Teaching Assistants? Graduate Assistants? Will you get

enough contact with and/or attention from them?

10) How easy is it to get the courses you want at the times that are convenient for you?


11) (If this applies to you) Are there any special support services if you are a special needs

student (ADD, ADHD, LD, etc.)? How do these support services function and is there any

additional cost charged for these services?

12) Is there an Honors Program for talented students? How do you qualify?

13) What does the school do to help graduates find jobs?

14) What percentages of graduates find jobs within a few months after graduating?

15) What percentages of graduates find jobs in the field they studied for?

STUDENT LIFE AND SOCIAL/RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

1) How diverse is the campus?

2) What portion of the student body lives on campus? What portion of the student body

remains on campus for the weekends?

3) What activities do the students participate in during their free time both on campus (school

sponsored) and in the community:

4) Does the campus have a Greek system of fraternities and sororities? If so, what percent of

the student body participates in Greek life? Are parties open? How do students who elect

not to participate in the Greek system fit in?

5) What are the most popular extracurricular activities?

6) What student organizations are active on campus?

7) What intramural sports are on campus?

8) Where is the central gathering place for students?

9) Can freshmen have cars on campus? What is the fee for having a car on campus?

AUXILIARY SERVICES

1) Where do students go if they have a medical emergency?

2) What tutoring, counseling, and support services are available on campus and how are

they accessed?

3) What computer access will you have? Do you need to bring your own computer? Are the

dorms wired for Internet/e- mail services?

4) What recreational facilities does the campus offer?

5) What are the safety issues on campus? How are they addressed? Ask for a crime report.

Federal law requires schools to provide safety information to students.

HOUSING & FOOD SERVICES

1) How much does housing cost? Is it easy to get on-campus housing?

2) Am I required to live in a dorm my first year?

3) What housing options exist? (Honors? Themed? Single sex? Co-ed? Greek?)

4) What meal plans are available? Are freshmen required to purchase a specific type of meal

plan?

5) Do the meal plans provide menus for special diets? (vegetarian, kosher, ethnic, etc.)

6) What hours may students access food services?

PAYING FOR THE UNIVERSITY EXPENSES

1) What is the yearly cost of attendance, including books, tuition, fees, housing and meal

plans? In other words, what is the all-inclusive cost?

2) Does your ability to pay the full cost of attendance have any impact on the college’s

decision to admit you?

3) Which financial aid forms are required? (The most common are the FAFSA and the CSS

PROFILE, but some schools have institutional or school-specific forms and some states have

special forms.)


4) What percent of entering freshmen receive aid? What was the average freshman aid

package? Is there a way aid is packaged (loans first, for example)? If you are unhappy

with your aid package, is it negotiable?

5) If you demonstrate need, will the school be able to prepare a financial aid package that

will meet 100% of your demonstrated need?

6) Will outside scholarships affect the amount of aid the school will offer you

D. HOUSING

Where to live? Part of the decision-making experience is finding a place to live which best suits

your needs and preferences. Some colleges have strict rules for single, under 21-year old students.

Other colleges have absolutely no regulations regarding student living arrangements. So again,

you must refer to the college materials for the rules and regulations regarding living arrangements.

UNIVERSITY RESIDENCE HALLS (DORMS): Typically, this is a university-owned facility which is reserved

for freshmen and sophomores. The plans are flexible in terms of people per room or suite, number

of meals per week, bed linen rental, refrigerator rental, air conditioning, computers, etc.

PRIVATELY-OWNED, CERTIFIED HOUSING: Ordinarily, this facility is owned by someone other than

the university, but is approved by the college for fire codes, curfew hours, meals per week, etc.

SORORITIES OR FRATERNITIES: Living in these facilities is by invitation only. A student is invited to

pledge to the organization and then is permitted to live in the house, as space is available.

OFF-CAMPUS HOUSING : Often, these facilities are apartments with renting arrangements like

renting apartments anywhere. These facilities may, or may not, be university-approved.

It is the student’s responsibility to request housing contracts. Colleges do not automatically send

the information. Every institution has an Office for Housing. Contact the office at the same time

you request your application for admission and financial aid.

If you are accepted at several schools but have not decided which school to attend, you may

need to place a deposit on housing at more than one school. This will ensure a place for you until

you make your final choice. However, this could be expensive since deposits are usually non-

refundable.

Please be aware that even if you send in several housing deposits, you may only accept

admission to ONE university. Admission officers consider it unethical if you notify more than one

college by May 1st that you will be attending. Sending acceptances to more than one school

can keep another student from attending and impact scholarship awards.


HOUSING SCHOLARSHIPS: Some universities offer scholarships to cover the cost of housing. Look

into them early in the semester. You should have your housing scholarship ready to submit on the

day that you receive your acceptance notification from the university

Application Process

A. ONLINE APPLICATION PROCESS

APPLY TEXAS-Most colleges and universities in Texas can be accessed with one application.

www.applytexas.org

COMMON APPLICATION-Many private and out of state universities can be accessed with this

application.

www.commonapp.org

COALITION APPLICATION-This application seeks to facilitate the college application process.

www.coaliationforcollegeacess.org

*Top 10% rule in Texas: Each university sets its own admissions standards, but all Texas public

colleges or universities automatically admit applicants who rank in the top 10 percent of their high

school class. Some also automatically admit those who graduate in the top 25 percent of their

high school class. All students must submit an application for admission and have a high school

diploma or its equivalent.

*Except the University of Texas at Austin. (Top 6% only)

Online applications are available for you to use during the application process. The three most

frequently used applications are the Apply Texas Application (for public schools in Texas), the

Common Application (for many schools in the U.S.), and the Coalition Application (selective

schools in the U.S.). Some schools have their own online applications.

STEPS TO FOLLOW

1) Set up an email account to be used solely for college correspondence. Be conservative with

the address (no nicknames or anything inappropriate). Create a username and password that

you’ll remember easily. Never create more than one account on any online application.

2) Before you begin the online application, you must disable the pop-up blocker on your

computer. Save your application often.

3) Don’t treat the online application casually. It is an important document that reflects who you

are as a person and as a student. Do not use casual speech, nor language used in text-

messaging or emailing.

http://www.applytexas.org/

http://www.commonapp.org/

http://www.coaliationforcollegeacess.org/


4) Do not compose your essays online. Instead, use a program such as MS Word for composing

and editing. Once your essay is edited and ready to be submitted, copy it onto the online

application.

5) You will be applying as a First-year College Freshman. Your STC college credits will be

evaluated after you are admitted to a university. If your classification needs to change to being a

college sophomore or junior, the university will change it. Always apply as a freshman; NEVER

apply as a transfer student.

6) Submit your application only after it is reviewed carefully.

7) Fax, email, or mail the required supporting documents. Do not mail a copy of your application

with the supporting documents. Doing so may cause confusion. All supporting documents must

be received by the university before the application deadline.

8) Pay the application fee unless you qualify for an application fee waiver. If you do qualify, follow

the instructions for sending them.

9) Record the date and time of your submission in your calendar. This will help you determine

when you can expect a response from the school. Print the confirmation page. If no confirmation

page appears on the application, call the college or university to verify that the application went

through.

10) Submit your application AT LEAST one week before the deadline. Application websites slow

down to a crawl when the deadline approaches. Remember to send all your supporting

documentation. This usually includes SAT and/or ACT scores, transcripts, letters of

recommendation, résumé, supplement to the Common Application, art portfolio, etc.

11) If technical problems arise, contact the help desk at the college or university. There is usually a

simple solution to technical problems.

FEE WAIVERS

Students who receive free or reduced-price participation in the National School Lunch Program

may qualify for fee waivers to submit in place of university application fees.

B. APPLICATION ESSAYS

The college application includes information about you, your grades, recommendations, lists of

extracurricular activities and test scores. All of that is important and helps admission officers form a

picture of your accomplishments and abilities. However, while the application packet tells about

how other people see you, it does not say much about how you see yourself. The application

essay helps admission officers see how you view yourself and how you view the world. Therefore,

competitive universities require at least one application essay.

The essay personalizes your application. It is your chance to use your voice. The essay is a “living,

breathing” part of your application to a college. It can speak in your voice and personalize your

application. It is your opportunity to show something about you that doesn’t come across

elsewhere in your application.


STEP ONE: REFLECTION

Take a step back and be reflective. Think about who you are as an individual. Think of what

qualities exist in you that you want the university to understand.

• How do you view the world?

• What do you care about deeply?

• What experiences and people have been important in shaping you as a person?

• What are your aspirations in life?

It is in such reflection that you can find your unique voice. That’s the voice that will help you write

an interesting essay that only you could have written.

STEP TWO: KNOW THE PROMPT

Essay prompts vary little between schools. Most prompts are a variation of one of the following:

1) Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you

have faced and describe its impact on you.

2) Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international concern and its importance to

you.

3) Indicate a person who has been a significant influence on you and describe that influence.

4) Describe a character in fiction, a historical character, or a creative work (as in art, music,

science, etc.) that has had an influence on you and describe that influence.

5) A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences adds much to the

educational mix. Given your personal background, describe an experience that illustrates what

you would bring to the diversity in a college community, or an encounter that illustrated the

importance of diversity to you.

6) If you could change one thing about your community, what would you change and why?

STEP THREE: WRITE

Admission officers want to read about you, who you are, what you’ve experienced, what’s

important to you, and who you want to become later in life. A good way to organize your

admission essay is to use 15% of the essay space to describe background information, anecdotes,

and situations. The remaining 85% of your essay should be about how you have changed

because of your experiences and about how you plan to live your university and career life.

STEP FOUR: REVISE

Have someone read your essay and give you an opinion. It may be necessary to rearrange, add,

delete, etc. to improve your essay. Make sure your essay has these parts:

• Details of your past experiences

• Information of who you are right now

• Your goals and aspirations

• A strong opening line/paragraph

• Information of your qualities

• A clear answer to the question asked in the prompt

• A strong closing

Documents

College Planning Guide - Amazon S3€¦ · COLLEGE PLANNING GUIDE - AUGUST 2018 6 January Schedule retakes of SAT or ACT if you think retaking the exams might be beneficial. If required,