Getting into the College Of Your Choice Presented by Shakopee - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Getting into the College Of Your Choice Presented by Shakopee HIgh Potential & Innovative Programs And Shakopee HIgh School Counseling Department

An Overview of the Evening Introductions: Erin Heilman, High Potential & Innovative Programs Coordinator Sean Hildebrandt, Secondary High Potential Specialist Chris Oxtra, AVID Program Coordinator Erica Lang, Last Names: A-D Mike Jensen, E-Ji Beth Cordes, Jj-Mi & AVID 10 Nicole Drangstveit, Mj-Sc & AVID 11 Jenny Severson, Sd-Z We will end with break-out question/answer sessions targeted towards the college of your choice

Important notes… Our priority in the counseling program at Shakopee High School – helping the student to find the right fit! FIND-YOUR-FIT Our hope – to focus on going to a college that is a good match, not to focus on getting in. Every student is encouraged to follow this admission “mantra” -- “You apply for admission to a college because you would like to go there!”

10 Tips for College Admission:

1. Students/parents need to be on “the same page” for college cost, affordability, and financial plans 2. Take an appropriately challenging course of study, with as much rigor as possible 3. Visit the campus – a great measure of demonstrated interest 4. Connect with an Admissions Rep/Counselor 5. Take special care with any admissions essay

6. Beat the application deadline-- if it’s due on January 1, send in your application by Dec. 1 7. Pick teachers who know you well for your letters of recommendation – and talk to them! In most cases the college wants an academic recommendation, not a character rec. 8. Expand your college list to include ‘reach’, ‘target’ & ‘safety’ schools. 9. Examine closely the early decision/early action options 10. Spend as much time thinking about “going” to a college as you spend thinking about “getting in” to a college.

The College Selection Process ● Finding the right college “match” ○ Public vs. Private ○ In state vs. Out of state ○ Large vs. Small ○ Costs ○ Program quality ● Know your application type and the deadlines ● Early Action/Early Decision vs. Regular Decision ● Common Application, Coalition Application or Institutional ● Scholarship Deadlines ● Financial Aid Application - Start October 1st of Senior year

BREAK OUT Sessions

Admission to Highly Selective Colleges: A Targeted Approach Academic Vitality College Entrance Exams Your “Exceptional Tilt” The College Application Demonstrated Interest & Big Data

“Academic Vitality” & the High School Transcript ● Develop your 4-year course plan - Use Naviance’s Family Connection ● Enroll & excel in Honors, Accelerated & Concurrent Enrollment courses whenever appropriate - Maximizing your GPA & Class Rank ● Rigorous courses are "valued" more by admissions counselors: be aware of weighted courses ● SHS has more Advanced Placement (AP), College in the Schools (CIS), Project Lead the Way (PLTW) & Post Secondary Education Opportunities (PSEO) options than many districts around us! ● Develop your writing skills through coursework and experience!

The World of College Entrance Exams ● There are over 800 “Test Optional” Universities and Colleges ● Tests provide colleges with a national measure using “norms”. ● Know if your prospective college uses “Best Composite” or the “Superscore” ● Know the important tests and which ones prospective colleges require: ○ PSAT - Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test ○ SAT - Scholastic Aptitude Test ○ SAT Subject Tests (can take up to three in a sitting) ○ ACT - American College Test ● NUMATS - Take tests earlier through Northwestern University’s Midwest Academic Talent Search (NUMATS)

College Entrance Exam Test Prep School Provided: ● All sophomores & juniors take a practice ACT on October 11 ● Princeton Review will run score interpretation sessions for juniors ● All juniors take a real ACT in the spring (April). Free Test Prep: ● ACT prep - Naviance/Family Connection test prep ● Khan Academy - free test prep Additional Paid Resources: ● Kaplan, Princeton Review , etc. - Online tutoring or courses ($400-$3000) ● Community Education workshops ( ZAPS ) - October 3rd & 4th, $89 ● Test prep books - practice tests $15-20

Develop your "Exceptional Tilt" ● Continued participation in a few extra activities demonstrates a passion and commitment. Work towards leadership positions. ● Leadership outside of school is just as valuable - Community service, Volunteerism and Outreach is the best. ● Talent Development (band, choir, or drama for example) ● Find Internships, Summer Camps and other Enrichment Opportunities ● Tools used express your “Exceptional Tilt” ○ Letters of Recommendation ○ Personal Statement/Essay on applications ○ Admissions Interview

Prepare a “Rock Star” College Application ● Read Sample College Application Essays Sample Prompt: ● Know the Common Application and look at The lessons we take from failure can be choices for personal statements fundamental to later ● Begin rough drafts of personal statements & success. Recount an essays. incident or time when you experienced ● Ask (beg?) an English teacher or advisor to failure. How did it proof or critique your drafts. affect you, and what did you learn from the ● Identify teachers/coaches that know you experience? best and will write good letters of recommendation (2-3).

Create a history of "Demonstrated Interest" ● Begin taking virtual tours at colleges that interest you ● Meet college representatives when they visit the career center ● Make actual college visits - schedule official campus tours and informational sessions ● Make "Big Data" work to your advantage: ○ Send email Thank You’s to the tour guides, etc. ○ Visit college blogs and post intelligent questions ○ Shut down immature and personal social media platforms

Okay, Breath! Make a plan to focus on a few key areas each year & it’s never too late to start . This journey is just as much about finding yourself as it is about finding a college.

The Ninth Grade Year: Everything counts now!

The Tenth Grade Year: The year to get ahead (or fall behind)

The Eleventh Grade Year: When things get really serious!

The Twelfth Grade Year: Applications, Financial Aid, & College Selection

Other Resources: "Family Connection" List of Test Optional Schools: http://www.fairtest.org/university/optional/state Shakopee High School Counseling Department Mr. Hildebrandt www.connection.naviance.com/shakopeehs Fiske Guide to Colleges Princeton Review: The Best 379 Colleges Barron’s Guide to the Most Competitive Colleges The Insider’s Guide to the Colleges www.bigfuture.collegeboard.org www.nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator

Thank you for coming! Please feel free to reach out to your student’s counselor or Mr. Hildebrandt for help any time!