College: The Experience Getting There Defining Goals, Navigating High School Amy Bencomo Prospect High School College & Career Specialist March 2019
OVERVIEW ● FACTS ● TIPS BEFORE YOU GET STARTED ● HIGH SCHOOL YEARS ● USE OF EXTRA TIME ● DEFINING “FIT” COLLEGES ● RESPONSIBILITY ● TYPES OF COLLEGE APPLICATIONS ● FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS ● MANAGING STRESS ● RESOURCES
LIST OF DEGREES OVERVIEW Degree Level Type of Degree Time to Complete Undergraduate Associate's degree 2 years Undergraduate Bachelor's degree 4 years Graduate Master's degree 1 - 2 years Graduate Doctoral degree 5-7 years Graduate Professional degree 5-7 years https://study.com/list_of_degrees.html
● 4,000 colleges in the US ● You do not need to attend one of the top 50 schools to be successful ● If you pass all of your high FACTS school classes, you qualify for admittance to a 4-year college ● California Community Colleges are FREE for 1st year, full-time students
HARDEST COLLEGES TO GET INTO TOP RANKED US COLLEGES #1 Harvard University 5% 1430-1600 #1 Harvard University $69,600 Private #2 Stanford University 5% 1380-1580 #2 Yale University $71,290 Private #3 CalTech 8% 1510-1600 #3 Stanford University $69,109 Private #4 Yale University 6% 1420-1600 #4 MIT $67,430 Private #5 Princeton University 7% 1400-1590 #5 Princeton University $66,150 Private #6 MIT 8% 1460-1590 #6 CalTech $68,901 Private #7 University of Chicago 8% 1450-1600 #7 University of Pennsylvania $71,715 Private #8 Columbia University 7% 1410-1590 #8 Brown University $71,050 Private #9 Vanderbilt University 11% 1420-1590 #9 Dartmouth College $71,827 Private #10 University of Pennsylvania 9% 1380-1570 #10 Duke University $71,764 Private #11 Brown University 9% 1370-1570 #11 Williams College $70,650 Private #12 Duke University 11% 1380-1570 #12 Georgetown University $71,580 Private #13 Northwestern University 11% 1400-1560 #13 Cornell University $70,321 Private #14 Dartmouth College 11% 1350-1560 #14 University of California, Berkeley $65,003 Public #15 Pomona College 9% 1340-1540 #15 Columbia University $74,199 Private #16 Harvey Mudd College 13% 1420-1580 #16 Amherst College $71,300 Private #17 Minerva Schools 2% --- #17 Bowdoin College $68,070 Private #18 Johns Hopkins University 13% 1400-1570 #18 University of Chicago $75,735 Private #19 Claremont McKenna Coll 9% 1320-1490 #19 Pomona College $69,725 Private #20 Rice University 15% 1410-1570 #20 Northwestern University $72,980 Private Source: https://www.forbes.com/top-colleges/list/#tab:rank https://www.niche.com/colleges/search/hardest-to-get-in/
COLLEGES WITH MOST APPLICATIONS School Number of applications rank UC—Los Angeles 102,242 19 (tie) UC—San Diego 88,428 41 UC—Irvine 85,102 33 (tie) UC—Berkeley 85,057 22 (tie) UC—Santa Barbara 80,319 30 (tie) UC—Davis 70,214 38 (tie) New York University 64,007 30 (tie) CSU—Long Beach 61,806 Boston University 60,825 42 (tie) San Diego State University 60,697 127 (tie) https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/the-short-list-college/articles/colleges-that-received-the-most-applications
TIPS BEFORE YOU GET STARTED 1. Agree to only discuss college applications or search just once a week 2. Establish a college budget and stick to it (cost of applications, visits, testing, and attendance)* 3. Visit as many schools as reasonable and possible 4. Use resources available through high school’s college & career center 5. Enjoy the experience ! *fee waivers are available for testing and college apps
Some students take HS level Limited AP courses are Maintain rigorous course load, enter classes their 8th grade year & those available, join a club, consider year with college list complete and should be mentioned on college app, having a job, visit local colleges essays written over summer, sustain but otherwise what you do in middle and walk on campus to get a GPA until graduation (some college school is just for fun “feel” for college life rescind offer if grades dip) 8th Grade Freshman Sophomore Junior Senior Develop study excellent habits, Most important year - want to have have opt to take honors courses, play examples of rigorous coursework, community on a team, not all colleges look involvement, and clearly expressed interest in at freshman grades what you hope to study in college
A. History/Social Science - 2+ years including 1 of World, 1 of US and/or Government B. English - 4 years of college preparatory English UC/CSU C. Mathematics* - 3+ years including topics covered in basic and advanced algebra and two-and three-dimensional geometry Application D. Laboratory Science - 2+ years of laboratory science in at least 2 of the 3 disciplines of Requirements biology, chemistry and physics E. Language Other than English - 2+ years of the (consistent with most college admission & same language (other than English) high school graduation requirements) F. Visual/Performing Arts - 1+ years of dance, music, or visual arts. G. College Preparatory Elective - 1+ years (additional year of any requirement above or Resource:http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/fr other elective) eshman/requirements/a-g-requirements/index.html * CSUs are adding a 4th year of math requirement (for Class of 2025)
Colleges know and understand the rigor of classes offered at each school and what is required to graduate ● UCs/CSUs only look at 10th and 11th grade years ● Most privates look at 9th, 10th, 11th ● UCs/CSUs limit GPA bump consideration to 8 AP classes ● UCs/CSUs will only use A-G classes to calculate GPA ● Besides rigor & grades, testing is part of application review (SAT &/or ACT) ● Extracurriculars are considered for most schools ● Essays/PIQs are opportunities to piece everything together
SUMMER/EXTRACURRICULARS How do you use all of your FREE time? Try using this time to do something toward your collegiate/career goal and start building your resume. Think about opportunities to show Leadership, Initiative, Community Involvement, and Dedication . 1. More school 4. Internship a. Enroll in community college for FREE a. Gain useful experience in your field of b. Academic Camps interest 2. Volunteer b. Make professional connections a. Great for students too young for paid 5. Travel positions a. Exposure to various cultures b. Gain experience in a field of interest b. Unique situations 3. Work 6. Family responsibilities a. Opportunity to test financial freedom a. Any responsibility is valuable b. Develop work experience b. Contribute to success of family c. Measure your potential for success in different environments Parents are tremendous assets of support during this time! For a majority of students, parents are source of transportation and professional connections.
WHAT YOU DO IN HIGH SCHOOL MATTERS When you apply to college, admission officers look at more than just your grades — they also take note of what you have done outside the classroom. Your extracurricular activities, such as jobs, sports, clubs and volunteer work, give colleges a better sense of who you are and show them what you can bring to their campus community. Resource: https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/get-in/your-high-school-record/what-you-do-in-high-school-matters
USE FACTS TO FIND “FIT” COLLEGES ● Application season is fall senior year, ● Colleges have similar deadlines, plan ahead & make use of summer know each and mark calendar clearly ● GPA for college applications is ● Average GPAs of incoming students determined Freshman-Junior years are reported for each college ● Testing (SAT/ACT) is usually done ● Test scores margins for colleges can spring of junior year easily be found ● Do you know what you want to ● Research university or liberal arts study? college? ● Location, location, location ● Know how close or far you want to be from home
USE SELF-ASSESSMENT TO FIND “FIT” ● Disability Considerations ● Atmosphere ● Student Body ● Facilities ● Housing ● Clubs, extracurriculars https://www.collegeraptor.com/find-colleges/articles/questions-answers/how-do-i-know-if-a-college-is-a-good-fit/ https://www.petersons.com/blog/college-admission-requirements-and-tips-for-students-with-disabilities/
THE COLLEGE LIST A well-rounded college list has ~10 schools ● Safe (2-3 schools) ○ Schools you know you will be admitted to and happy attending ● Target (~4 schools) ○ One in which your academic credentials make you competitive for admission. Your GPA, standardized test scores, and class rank fall within the average range for that particular school . You have a very reasonable chance of gaining admission to a target school, but there are no guarantees. ● Reach (2-3 schools) ○ Colleges that are unlikely to offer you admission. A particular college qualifies as a reach school if your high school GPA and standardized test scores are significantly below those of the college's average student. ○ Also, consider a college a reach school if it is one of the most selective colleges. For example, MIT, Stanford, and Ivy League colleges are reach schools for everyone due to their extremely low acceptance rates. https://blog.prepscholar.com/how-many-colleges-should-i-apply-to https://blog.prepscholar.com/target-school-how-to-find-yours
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