Home > TABLE of CONTENTS
THG’s North Hills Prep School’s
Post High School College and Career
Planning Guide
TABLE of CONTENTS
Introduction 1
The Five P’s: Person, People, Place, Program, Price 3
Options after High School 6
Community College
Information 7
Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, & Senior Year Timelines 8
Getting Started: The College Search 18
Choosing the “Right” College 20
Visiting with College Representatives 21
The Campus Visit 22
Sample Questions to Ask During the Campus Visit 24
The College-Bound
Student in Performing or Visual Arts 25
College Entrance/Placement Tests 33
Schedule of Testing Dates 34
Admission Categories – General Guidelines 35
Checklist for the Application Process 36
Counselor/Teacher Recommendations 37
The Essay 38
The College Interview 40
Making the Final Decision 41
The World Wide Web 43
Steps to Financial Aid 44
Nine Survival Skills 48
College Comparison Worksheet 49
College Application Worksheet 50
Glossary 51
Dee Brown
Director of Education
Elin Bradley
Director of Administration and
Enrichment
Dear THG’s North Hills Prep Students
and Parents,
We have compiled this planning guide
to help alleviate the anxiety associated with the daunting task of gathering
information regarding your options after high school. This information,
which is at the core of the decision-making process, can be clearly
overwhelming for many students and their parents. The search for
a post high school plan is understandably confusing and can become quite
stressful. Each student’s needs and goals are different.
Our intended purpose is to help THG’s North Hills Prep School’s
students and parents gain a better understanding of the vocational program,
community college and university admission process and to assist you
in finding a successful match. This is an exciting time in all of your
lives, please enjoy it!
Sincerely,
Elin Bradley
Director of Administr
ation and Enrichment
The Five P’s
(Person, People, Place,
Program, and Price)
An easy and systematic way to start your college search is to understand the 5 P’s. Remember, the earlier you start your search, the more prepared you will be in your senior year.
THE PERSON
Who is this applicant? What classes has s/he taken in high school? What activities? Having a good sense of self is a great place to start the college selection process!
How would I observe you learning while in a classroom?
THE PEOPLE
With whom are you going to learn? You will spend a great deal of time with these people. They will help you network for success; they will mentor you, and challenge your vision of the world.
People concerns:
Based on this developing picture of the people/community at the school you want to attend, you need to look for a school community where you will fit in and will be comfortable. A campus visit is an important part of researching this piece.
THE PLACE
There are 168 hours in a week. You will spend about 100 hours in class, studying, or sleeping. What are you going to do with the other 68 hours?
Place concerns:
THE PROGRAM
Career/Major
The old question was, “What are you going to be?” because people generally worked at one job until retirement. The new question is “What do you want to be for the first five years after college? The second five years?” The US Department of Labor says that today’s high school students will have five to eight major job changes in their lives. Your choice of major should prepare you for your immediate career path as well as prepare you with a broad set of transferable skills that will widen your world vision and help you prepare for an uncertain future. Beware of rankings! Your job is to find the school that is best for YOU; YOU should rank the schools – don’t let other choose for you!
Program Concerns:
Undecided? That’s OK! It’s the most popular choice, and often the wisest. However, even if you are undecided, you should still investigate options that interest you now. You can continue to re-evaluate them as you learn more.
THE PRICE
The cost of a college experience can have a significant affect on where you go. Generally, the price of a college education is the second most expensive purchase in your life!
Price concerns:
Options after High School
What path after high school will best meet your needs and help you reach your goals? Besides a four-year college, the following are other options some students may want to consider.
Career and Technical Schools: These types of schools are usually privately owned and the programs they offer vary greatly from several months to two years or more. There is an emphasis on career-related education, technical skills and hands-on training. Some fields in which you can receive training at a vocation school are: medical assistant, automotive technology, air conditioning and refrigeration, travel and tourism, electronics, engineering, technology, dental assistant, and business data processing. Because these schools advertise extensively in the media, some schools have achieved a high level of name recognition. Programs vary a great deal in quality; thus parent and students should practice good consumer skills when investigating and contracting for vocational education. When considering a business, technical, or trade school, check carefully into its accreditation, employer recognition, and costs. To help judge the quality of a school, check with the California Department of Consumer Affairs - Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (www.bppve.ca.gov) or the Better Business Bureau. Also, ask for names of employers of former students, check with these employers to see how they regard the school.
Art & Design Schools: Programs offered at fine arts schools vary considerably. Some require exceptional talent and skills and may lead to direct job placement. The programs at art and design schools may include writing, film, dance, music, musical theater, and the visual arts. Majoring in one of the arts will teach students how to pursue with discipline and dedication, an interest or activity s/he enjoys. Again, be sure to thoroughly research the school to be sure you will be getting the experience you expect.
Military: Enlistment in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, or Coast Guard is at least a two-year commitment. On-the-job training is available in a wide variety of careers, including computer programmers, aircraft mechanics, medical service technicians, etc. In addition, the leadership and management training you receive prepares you for your future career. Financially, the military helps pay for your education in several ways and, in return, you fulfill your obligation. Representatives of the branches visit each high school on a monthly basis during lunch periods.
Apprenticeships: On-the-job training is provided and you are hired as a trainee to learn a craft or trade from an experienced craftsperson. It is for students whose personal preferences lie in working with both their heads and their hands. You will receive real-world training and experience, as well as entry into difficult-to-break-into trades, such as plumbing or electrical work. In an apprenticeship program, you literally earn while you learn. Sometimes previous training from a trade school or the military may be helpful in becoming a good candidate for an apprenticeship.
Employment: Employment is an appropriate option for some high school graduates. Students who choose employment as their post-high school option should have a three to five year plan. This will help ensure that they do not get trapped in a dead-end job. Students should realize that they can go back to school anytime, even if it is only to take a course or two.
The Career and Transition Counselor is a great resource to help you explore and find out more about these options.
Community College/CLC
Community colleges are the “open door” to higher education for all of us. The mission of the community college is far different from the traditional four-year college. Community colleges exist to afford every high school graduate the opportunity to further his/her education, whether that individual be an 18-year-old grad, a 42-year-old mother returning to the work force, or a veteran re-tooling skills to advance in a career.
The resources of a community college are utilized by many kinds of students. Among those are students who did not perform well in high school, either due to lack of motivation, or behavioral or social difficulties. These students are often not quite sure if they want to go on to college, or if they have the ability or motivation to succeed. They use the community college as “undecided” for one semester, take general courses, and then decide whether they want to enter either a vocational or transfer program.
Community colleges offer students different types of degrees. The Certificate Program is a one-year career program designed to prepare students for immediate entry into a specific job. The Associate of Arts and Associate in Science are two-year degrees designed for students who will transfer to a four-year college or university to complete a bachelor degree. The Associate of Applied Science degree is awarded upon completion of a two-year career program designed to prepare the student for the immediate entry in to a specific career field.
Some Advantages to Attending a Community College
If you are interested in attending Community College, talk with your Career & Transition Counselor. We work very closely with the local community colleges to help high school students apply, register, and transition to their program.
PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE BEGINS NOW
Freshman Year College Planning
Welcome to high school. There are some things you should keep in mind during your freshman year in order to stay on track and prepare for your educational future.
PREPARING FOR COLLEGE
Sophomore Year
Objective: Concentrate on academic preparation and continue to develop basic skills and co-curricular interests.
September
MAKE THIS YEAR COUNT
Junior Year College Prep
Objective: Begin college selection process. Attend college fairs, financial aid seminars, general information, sessions, etc., to learn as much as you can about the college application process.
September
October
November
December
January
February
March
April
May
June
FINALIZING PLANS FOR THE FUTURE
Objective: Apply to colleges. Make decisions. Finish high school with pride in yourself and your accomplishments.
September
Getting Started
At first, trying to decide which college is going to fit your needs seems overwhelming. Anyone who picks up one of the college guides for the first time without a clue as to which college to attend usually encounters a great deal of anxiety. There is strategy. If you start early and don’t leave things to the last minute, it can be fun…really!
Evaluate yourself: What are your strengths and weaknesses? Look at your transcript; do your grades represent your best effort? What were your favorite courses? What are your interests? Any ideas about what career you might pursue? Use the college and career interest surveys to help you focus on your likes and dislikes and to explore career options. Utilize your resources through www.careercruising.com.
Take your ACTs and/or SATs: Use your scores, along with your grades, to help you determine the level of college competitiveness that would be most comfortable for you. Be careful that you don’t place too much importance on the test scores. While they are important, what classes you take and how well you do in them, as well as your extracurricular involvement and community service, are considered greater indicators of your potential for success in college.
Talk to college reps: Important! They have a good source of information about their schools, both the strengths and weaknesses. They often bring applications and viewbooks and can become your advocate if you decide to apply. See page 21 for questions to ask college reps and the procedures you need to follow to visit with them.
Talk to parents, other students, counselors, teachers and the college counselor; it helps you sort through the information, so you can decide what is important to you in college selection.
Use page 49 to help develop a list of schools that will fit your needs. You begin by identifying criteria that are important to you such as location, size of school, setting, interesting major(s), athletic, or music programs, etc. You can repeat this as often as you wish; it is the very process that helps you begin to make decisions.
(Continued)
Remember to do careful research. The issue is not just getting into a good college, but receiving a diploma from that school. What is the most important is that you find a school that is a good match for you. There is more than one college at which you can be happy and meet your educational goals.
Research your college list: Visit the Career & Transitional Counselor; use the catalogs, files, and CDs/DVDs to find out more about your colleges. Be sure to check entrance requirements carefully. Talk with people again. Visit with representatives from schools, and ask lots of questions. Write to colleges for catalogs, applications for admission, financial aid and scholarship information.
Plan a campus visit: See pages 22-24 for details for what to get out of a visit. Use pages 55-56 to keep notes on each visit. Some colleges also sponsor local events to market their schools. These are great opportunities to get acquainted with these institutions.
Apply to college in the fall of senior year: If you have done thorough research, you should be able to narrow down your choices to no more than four to six college to which you will apply. It is a good idea to apply to schools in the three categories: clear admits, probables (pretty sure of admittance), and reaches (wishful hope for admittance).
Seek a college that is an ACADEMIC fit: You want to be challenged academically but not overwhelmed or in over your head.
Choosing the “Right” College
The process of choosing the “right” college is often very difficult. What is it that I’m looking for in a school? How many students are on campus? Do I want to stay close to home? Can we afford a private school? And soon…making a college choice is an important decision that may be a challenge. Until you find a place to begin, or a method to organize your thoughts and ideas into smaller, more manageable pieces, it may seem almost impossible to make any decision, let alone a good one. Many students going through this process are under the impression there is only one school which will fit their needs. In reality, there are more than 3,000 accredited institutions in the higher learning in the U.S. – and a good many of those would be equally suitable for you. The final selection of a college rightfully belongs to the student, but parents and the counseling staff can provide much insight. Here are a few suggestions you should remember. Always keep in mind, “A good school is a school that meets YOUR needs.”
Visiting with College Representatives
Each year, The Help Group’s NHP hosts an annual college and career fair. Area vocational programs, junior colleges, and California State University, Northridge are invited to attend. The representative you see here may be the one who will process your application!
This on-campus fair is very important as it is your opportunity to meet the representative and learn more about the programs they offer.
Questions to Ask College Representatives
Admission
What are the admission requirements?
Do you admit students on GPA? Class rank? Test scores? Academic units required?
How important are recommendations and personal statements? Is there a counselor
Print-out page with the application?
Academics
Does the school offer majors of interest to you?
What opportunities are there for research or study abroad?
Are there internships or co-ops?
Application
When should I file for admission?
What percentage of applicants is admitted?
Tests
Do you accept both the ACT and the SAT as college admissions?
What is the average range of test scores for entering college freshmen?
Do I need to take the SAT II?
Financial Aid/Cost
What is the estimated annual total cost?
What are the sources of financial aid and scholarships?
Housing
How difficult is it to get on-campus housing?
How and when do I apply?
What percent of students live on campus?
Are there separate residences for freshmen?
The Campus Visit
There is no better way to learn about a college, its faculty, facilities, academic and social climate, and physical environment than to visit the school. It is your best resource, and just being on a college campus for a few hours will tell you much about both you and the college.
While it’s true that the best time to visit a college is when classes are in full session, many families use their summer vacations to explore college choices. You can meet with some students and tour the campus, but keep in mind there will just not be as much activity during the summer. If possible, students should try to re-visit their top choices in the fall of senior year or after they’ve been admitted. Regardless of when you visit, general guidelines always apply.
The College Visit Continuum
Convenience Visits: Freshmen & Sophomores should visit schools as often as they can. Visit nearby schools or plan to visit a school while on vacation. The more schools you visit, the better your sense of fit.
Strategic Visits: During your Junior and early Senior years, visit the schools which meet your criteria. Do they look as good as they do on paper/internet?
Surgical Visits:
During your Senior year…you have applied, and maybe even been accepted! You have until May 1st to re-visit, compare, and make a decision as to which school you will attend.
Things to Do During a Campus Visit
~Ask them about the academic and social life on campus
Things to Look For During a Campus Visit
a
Sample Questions
Questions to Ask During a College Visit
College-Bound Student in Performing or Visual Arts
Tips for Performing Visual Arts Students
(reprinted for the NCAC website, www.nacanet.org
)
Students who wish to study visual or performing arts have some unique challenges and options during their college search. If you are considering a major in music, art, dance, or drama, read on from some advice from the experts.
A Difference of Degree
Prospective arts majors have two degree options: a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree with a major in the arts and a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) for artists/performers or Bachelor of Music (BM) for musicians. The BA degree is the typical liberal arts degree – students who major in English, history, and other humanities majors also earn BA degrees. The BFA or BM degree is more focused and intense. “There is a world of difference between a BA in music and a BM in music,” says Anthony Celentano, school counselor/military advisor at Pope John XXIII High School (NJ), who holds a BM and MM (master of music.). “A BA in music will be pretty much like any other BA degree – lots of courses outside your major with approximately 12 or so courses in your major. That’s not a lot of music for the student who is looking for an intense musical experience. A BM in music essentially is a professional degree. Within my 120+ credits for my BM, only 36 were liberal arts courses. The remainder were music or degree-related courses: private lessons, conducting classes, music history, music theory, etc.”
Which degree you choose depends on your college and career goals. If you have a high degree of commitment to your art and desire an intense, often competitive college experience, a BFA or BM might be right for you. If you would rather study a variety of subjects along with your arts major, a BA may be the way to go.
Types of Colleges
Visual and performing arts students have several types of colleges to consider. Conservatories and stand-alone arts schools offer an immersion-type experience for students earning BM or BFA degrees. All of the students you meet at this type of school will be artists, and the atmosphere is often highly competitive.
Some larger universities offer BFA/BM degrees as well as BA degrees in the arts. You may find somewhat self-contained music or arts schools within the larger university. In this atmosphere, you could pursue the more specialized degree while still keeping the door open to taking a few liberal arts courses (which would be unavailable at specialized music or arts school). In addition, a university-based arts program might give you the option of pursuing a double degree, such as a BM in music and a BA in history. (A double degree would require more than four years, however.
The Application Process
In addition to completing a typical college application, students in the visual or performing arts should prepare a portfolio or audition. Each arts program has different requirements, so you should contact the schools as early as possible to obtain their portfolio or audition requirements.
Although your portfolio or audition is an important part of the application, arts programs consider your academic record and test scores.
“Some [colleges] place greater value on academics, while others lean more twoard the student’s portfolio or audition,” according to a workshop on arts programs presented at several NACAC meetings (compiled by Kavin Buck, UCLA; Jane Buckman, Cornish College of the Arts; Ed Schoenberg, Otis College of Arts and Design; and Jenny Woo, UCLA). “Most colleges balance the student’s creative talent with their academic achievements.”
Assessing Your Abilities
If you’re interested in pursuing an arts major and career, now is the time to seek objective opinions of your abilities in the field.
James Gandre, Dean of Chicago College of Performing Arts, Roosevelt University (IL), offers this advice to young musicians: “In addition to asking for honest advice and evaluation from high school ensemble and private teachers, students can get outside assessment from musicians at a local symphony, dance company, theatre, etc. Of course, everyone doesn’t live in a big city, so this may require driving one to two hours or more to get this advice, but it’s worth it.”
Visual arts students can receive portfolio evaluations and college information at one of the Nation Portfolio Days sponsored by an association of art schools and art departments at universities. For more information, talk to your guidance counselor or art teacher, or visit www.npda.org
.
Other Considerations
All students benefit from visiting the colleges which interests them and asking questions about academics, student life, and other facets of college life. As an arts student, you may have different or additional things to consider.
Written by Jennifer Gross
Finally, don’t forget…
Some helpful websites:
So you want to be a “music” major. Now what?
First things first, you need to talk to people. Anyone who might have some insight into music schools including your band, choir, or orchestra director, your private lesson teacher, your youth orchestra conductor, your peers, and former classmates who are in a music school. The music world is a relatively small one yet it is still fairly unknown to you, so gather as much information as possible.
Performance vs. Education
If you are absolutely sure that you are willing to enter the extremely difficult field of being a professional musician, then a performance degree is for you.
If you are like the majority of people who enjoy playing and want to become the best musician they can be, but aren’t absolutely sure of what you’ll be doing, then an education degree might be a better choice.
Here are some things to consider.
In the world of music, you rarely get jobs based on your diploma or your resume. Instead, it is almost always based on an audition, an audition in which anyone, someone with a music degree, or someone with an engineering degree can take and potentially win.
Most education degrees, on the other hand, also come with certification to teach, usually K-12 music courses. Performance majors, if they decide later that they want to teach, have to go back to school and pay more money to get certified.
The number of full-time orchestral jobs is very small in comparison to the number of people who audition for those spots. The positions are essentially lifetime appointments and therefore do not open up frequently. The vast majority of professional, performing musicians earn their income doing a multitude of things, mainly private teaching and playing with community orchestras.
Performance-wise, you don’t have to give up anything as an education major. You can participate in all of the same ensembles, continue taking lessons and otherwise become as strong a musician as a performance-only major. In fact, many schools will let you complete the requirements and earn both majors. This is something that should be checked into at any school you are considering.
Most high school students have not had the opportunity to lead groups, especially musical ensembles in rehearsal, and most assume that they would not be good at it. This is an unnecessary negative attitude that could potentially cut-off a career. Leading a group is one of the many things you are taught in an education program, and again, you are not required to be a teacher with an education degree, but it’s an available option; an option you wouldn’t otherwise have as a performance-only major.
Things to consider for a music degree:
Big vs. Small Schools
Big schools can be as big or small as you make them. If you are in a music school of a large university, the vast majority of your time is going to be spent around the few hundred students in that school, not in the general university population. However, if you want to meet more people and have a big school experience once you are more comfortable, that option is available to you.
As a music or music ed major, your first two years of classes are generally going to be filled with music theory, music history, aural skills, lessons and ensembles. All of those classes, with the exception of music history, will be sizes similar to what you
have had in high school. You will also have some general education required courses to take, for example Psychology 101, and these may be large lectures. But these are general ed classes, not your main focus.
Below is a list of conservatories and universities with music schools.
Conservatories
Cincinnati Conservatory of Music Cleveland Institute of Music
Curtis Institute of Music (Philadelphia)
Oberlin Conservatory (Ohio)
Julliard SOM (School of Music)
Manhattan SOM (New York City)
New England Conservatory (Boston)
Eastman SOM (Rochester, NY)
Peabody U. (Baltimore)
Mannes College (New York City)
Berklee College of Music (jazz only)
Colburn School (Southern California)
Larger Schools that have strong Music
Performance programs
Northwestern U.
De Paul U. (Chicago)
U. of Illinois – Urbana
Indiana U. (Bloomington)
U. Of Michigan (Ann Arbor)
Michigan State U. (East Lansing)
U. of Iowa (Iowa City)
U. of Wisconsin – Madison
Boston U.
Rice U. (Houston)
Eastman SOM (Rochester, NY)
Hartt College of Music (Hartford, CT)
Oberlin Conservatory
North Texas U. (Denton)
Michigan State U. (East Lansing)
U. of Texas - Austin
Arizona State U. (Tempe)
U. of Colorado – Boulder
U. of Southern California (Los Angeles)
U. of Texas – Austin
Vanderbilt U. (Nashville)
Florida St. U. (Gainesville)
U. of Missouri – Kansas City
Augustana U.
Illinois Wesleyan U.
Lawrence U. (Appleton, WI)
St. Olaf College (Northfield, MN)
Butler U. (Indianapolis)
U of Wisconsin – Milwaukee
Roosevelt U. (Chicago)
Simpson College (Idianola, Iowa)
Luther College (Decorah, Iowa)
Concordia College (Moorhead, MN)
Music Education Schools – Wind and Percussion Education
Northwestern U.
U. of Illinois – Urbana
U. of Iowa (Iowa City)
Michigan State U. (East Lansing)
St. Olaf U. (Northfield, MN)
North Texas U. (Denton)
U. of Wisconsin – Madison
Illinois State U. (Bloomington)
Augustana U. (Rock Island)]
U. of Miami (Florida)]
De Paul U. (Chicago)
Ohio State U. (Columbus)
Music Education Schools – String Education
Northwestern U.
U. of Illinois – Urbana
U of Wisconsin – Madison
Ohio State U. (Columbus)
Florida State U. (Gainesville)
Music Education Schools –
Vocal Education
Illinois State U. (Bloomington)
Millikin U. (Decatur)
Augustana U. (Rock Island)
U. of Missouri – Columbia
U. of Oklahoma (Norman)
College Entrance/Placement Tests
College Admission Tests: Most colleges require an ACT or SAT. Some of the more highly selective colleges also require the SAT II subject tests. It is your responsibility to know which tests each college requires.
Every time you take an ACT or SAT I, you should take advantage of the “pre-paid” reports (four for ACT, four for SAT I) and send your scores to colleges of interest to you. These scores are not part of your transcript and will not be sent when you apply to colleges senior year. If a college you apply to does not have a copy of your tests scores, you will need to pay approximately $9 for each college you want your ACT scores sent to. It may take up to seven weeks for ACT and SAT to process these.
Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT):
This is a practice test of the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT I) and the first step in qualifying for the National Merit Scholarship Program. It is given to juniors in October. This is not an admission test.
American College Test (ACT): This is one of two test options which may be used for college admission. Juniors MUST take the ACT in the spring of their junior year as part of the state-mandated Prairie State Examination. The writing component is included with this test date. The test must be taken to qualify for the Illinois Student Assistance Commission’s Honorary Illinois Scholar Award. The ACT is given on six Saturdays during the school year.
Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT I): This is one of the two test options that may be used for admission. Most schools will accept either the SAT or the ACT for admission. Juniors are encouraged to take the SAT I in May or June of their junior year. The SAT now includes a writing section. The SAT is administered on seven Saturdays during the school year.
SAT II subject tests: These tests are given in subjects such as English, Foreign Languages, Science, History and Mathematics. Many selective colleges usually require up to three subject tests for admission and/or placement. They are given on most corresponding dates as the SAT I testing.
Advanced Placement (AP) Tests: These are offered in May in various subject areas. Participants are enrolled in specific AP or honors courses in their high school to prepare for these tests. Students scoring well in theses (usually 3, 4, or 5) may receive college credit and/or placement in the corresponding academic discipline. Each test is a three-hour comprehensive examination.
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Admission Categories
General Guidelines
Please note, this is a subjective analysis of categories based on data used by college guidebooks. Remember colleges and universities use many different factors to determine admission eligibility. These many include any or all of the following factors:
Recommended High School Academic Subjects
4 Years English
4 years Advanced math
3 years Lab science
4 years International language
3 years Social \studies
Honor and AP course work recommended
4 years English
4 years Advanced math
3 years Lab science
3 years International Language
3 years Social Studies
Same as above with possibly one year less in math and international language
4 years English
3+ years Advanced math
2+ years Lab science
2+ years Social Studies
Same as above
General College Prep Curriculum
Vocational Students: Diploma/Specialty requirements plus courses in the area of interest or career.
Admission Competition SAT/ACT Scores
Categories
Most Competitive:
(Selective, Difficult)
May only admit under 20% 1300-1600
of applicants 29-36
Highly Competitive
(Selective, Difficult)
May only admit 20-30% 1220-1300
of applicants 27-29
Very Competitive: 1140-1220
(Selective, Difficult) 25-27
May only admit 33%
Of applicants
Moderately Competitive 950-1140
(Selective, Difficult) 20-25
Competitive:
(Selective, Difficult) 910 or less 17-19
Open Admission Not required
Specialized
Admission criteria and competition Not available
Check List for the Application Process
www.actstudent.org
www.collegeboard.com/?student
Counselor/Teacher Recommendations
Colleges seeking information on your motivation, abilities, creativity and academic strengths may request up to two teacher recommendations. Choose teachers to write who know you well, preferably 11th and 12th grade teachers. Highly selective colleges will require recommendations from teachers as well as counselors. Most public universities do not require recommendations except for special circumstances. If you are foreign born, have been ill or had other events in your life which may have affected your academic record, it could be to your advantage to share this information with the Admissions office. A recommendation will have more credibility if you have signed the waiver of right to see the recommendations.
The Essay
The importance of the college essay varies from college to college. Many private and some highly competitive state universities require an essay. Typically, the more selective the school the more important the essay. Colleges ask for an essay for two reasons: They want to see how well you write and communicate, and more importantly, they want to see you as an individual. Think of the essay as a “story” which elicits an emotion from the reader.
There is no formula, no format necessary for a perfect essay, but it can be one of the most carefully considered and influential parts of your application. Yours will be read; write it well – it is a significant way to help you in the evaluation process. It is your chance to show the real you and another way to make your application come alive.
Essay Topics
For the most part, essays will fall into three categories: the “You” question, the “Why us” question, and the “Creative” question. The goal of all three types of questions is the same; to gather more personal and revealing insights into you as an individual for the admissions committee to consider.
Tell us about yourself – the “You” question
This open-ended question requires that you write about your best subject, YOU! Think about your personality and accomplishments and what best illustrates your strong points: who are you, what do you think and do, and what are your goals? Strive to show how your experiences have shaped you as an individual. If you write about adversity, like an illness or a death, accent the positive and emphasize what you’ve learned from the experience (how it affected you personally). Use details, not generalities.
Tell us why you want to come here – the ‘Why Us” question
Respond to this question by considering why you want a higher education and what you hope to accomplish with a college degree. Tell why you think that particular school is the right place for you. Use examples after you’ve read about the college, hopefully visited, and talked with students on campus. Be as specific as possible in your examples.
The Creative Questions
Here you may be asked to respond to work of a particular author, a quotation, an important issue, how someone or something has influenced your life, or a humorous incident. Be sure to illustrate with examples how a book, quotation, or idea you discuss reflects your outlook and aspiration.
The Essay
(Continued)
Essay Tips
| Answer the question. | Stick to the length that is requested. |
| Write about something you care about; your passions. | Don’t use the essay to justify weaknesses in grades or test scores. Special pleading should be done in a separate letter. |
| Use vigorous language – strong verbs and precise nouns. | Don’t wait until the last minute. Get started during the summer after junior year. |
| Write in your own “voice” and style. Be yourself. | Follow the five C’s of essay writing. CONCISENESS, CLARITY, CANDOR, COMPLETENESS AND CONTRIBUTION. |
| If humor is part of your style, feel free to use it. | Check and re-check for correct grammar, punctuation and spelling. |
| Make sure you have one GREAT idea. Use specific details to make your writing come alive. | Keep your audience in mind. |
| Make sure the essay represents your own work. The idea should be yours. | Be honest. |
Sample Essay Questions
The College Interview
Few colleges actually require a college interview. It is used to make personal contact with an admissions counselor to put a face with your application. So take the interview seriously, but don’t over-rate its importance. Here some suggestions for the college interview.
Questions you might anticipate in an interview
Making the Final Decision
After a year or more of working and worrying, it’s done: you’ve received word from all the colleges to which you applied. All that remains in your college quest is making the final decision. Which college will you attend?
This decision may be easy for students who were accepted to their first-choice college. But for the majority of students - those who first choice denied their application or those who never had a clear first choice- that final decision can be difficult. If you’re agonizing between two or more colleges, read on for help in making that big decision with confidence.
Back to Basics
Before you look at the colleges themselves, go back to where you started – yourself. Think about what you want out of college. Have your priorities changed since you began the college search? Some students find that their preference and goals change somewhat over the course of their college search, as they learn more about college and about themselves.
Take a few minutes to jot down the top five (or more) things you want out of your college experience. If you’re feeling more ambitious, write a description of your ideal college. What do the classes look like? What kind of things do you envision yourself doing on the weekends? What interests do you plan on pursuing (academic or otherwise) while at college? The more details you can think of, the better.
Then sit back and look at what you’ve written. Do one or more of the colleges you’re considering match your description? Is there one college that has most of the characteristics that interest you?
Dare to Compare
Every college has different strengths and weaknesses. One college might have a better reputation in your preferred major – but not the extracurricular activities you want. Another may have a strong program in your favorite extracurricular activity – but also a higher price tag. A third may seem like it has everything, except for the fact that it is much farther away from home that you’re really comfortable with.
It’s easy to start thinking in circles when you try to compare two or more colleges that you genuinely like. Here’s one way to help get your thoughts in order.
“Spread out all the acceptance letters and financial aid offers out on the dining room table,” Laurice Sommers, coordinator for college partnerships and curricular enrichment for the Los Angeles Unified School District, said. On one blank sheet of paper for each college, make two columns – “like” and dislike” (or “pro” and “con”). Then list the positive and negative aspects of each college.
“This exercise helps students to look at the colleges objectively and provides a starting place for the family conversation,” Sommers said.
On the Road
One of the best ways to clarify your choices is to visit the colleges, even if you’ve been there before.
During these visits, spend as much time as possible talking to people – current students, faculty members, coaches, and others. Many colleges allow prospective students to stay overnight in a residence hall to get a taste of student life. Read the student newspaper, attend a class or two, and work out in the gym. Stand in the middle of campus, look around, and try to imagine yourself spending the next few years here.
“A visit can go a long way towards helping a student feel that the fit is right,” Dave Fletcher, associate director of admission at Barry University (FL), said.
Financial Check
If you need financial aid to afford college, cost may become the deciding factor.
Compare financial aid offers carefully. If you’d be paying about the same at each college, look at what kind of aid each college offers. Colleges can vary widely in how much of their packages are grants (free money) versus loans (that you pack back).
Also, discuss with your parents the real cost of attending each college. Two colleges may have similar costs, but you may end up spending more to travel to a distant college versus one nearer home; or you may spend more at an urban campus, since living in a city is usually a bit more expensive initially may wind up being a reasonable, if you can graduate on time!
But don’t feel obligated to go to the least expensive school just because it is the least expensive. It may be worth it to you and your family to pay a bit more if the college is a better match for your needs.
Consult with Others – but Make Your Own Decision
Talk about your options with your family, friends, high school counselor, and teachers. Often just discussing your choices and your thought about them can help you make up your mind.
But don’t let others make up your mind for you. What’s right for your friends or impressive to your teachers is not necessarily right for you.
“Although [others] shouldn’t tell you where to attend, they can often offer insight you haven’t thought about,” Shere said.
The Gut Factor
When it comes down to that final decision, many experts advise students to go with their gut feeling – that indefinable confidence that a particular college just “feels right.” After all, you’ve done the research, you’ve put in the work of applying, and several admission offices have given you their vote of confidence. So go with the college that you feel comfortable with, the one that you’re excited about – the one that makes you think, “This is THE college!”
Don’t Stress
You may feel that there’s only one “right” choice, and that choosing “wrong” dooms you to four years of misery. In reality, you chose the colleges you applied to very carefully – and you’d probably be happy at any of them. Remember, too, that your choice is not necessarily final: a good number of students transfer every year. Of course, many more students don’t transfer – which is a good sign that the majority of college students are happy with their choice.
Jennifer Gross, National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC)
The World Wide Web
The Internet contains a staggering amount of information related to the college selection process. There is just as much information out there on choosing careers, majors and finding financial aid. There are so many web sites out there and some are better than others. How does one choose the best sites? We have lots of information here to answer the most frequently asked questions.
We recommend you to use our web service, Career Cruising . Families should definitely become familiar with it as it has been designed with one goal in mind: to help your students plan their future. With exceptional assessment tools, detailed occupation profiles and comprehensive post-secondary education information, students can move through the career exploration and planning process. Check out their website at www.careercruising.com.
Steps to Financial Aid
Be sure to work very closely with the College Financial Aid Officers. Make sure your parents read this sheet with you because much of the information will involve them too. Start early and note important deadlines.
In your Junior year:
In your Senior year:
Three good, general rules that apply to all financial aid application situations are:
Plan Ahead
Steps to Financial Aid
(Continued)
A statement designed to drive parents and students crazy is: “Hundreds of millions of dollars in scholarship money go unclaimed each year.” The truth is, most what goes unused is really employee tuition remission benefits, not miscellaneous scholarships for which students have not applied.
In your senior year (cont.)
A mistake some families make is not applying for financial aid. It can never really be predicted whether or not you will qualify, and many schools require the FAFSA in order to award scholarships – even those not based on financial need.
Be aware of some SCHOLARSHIP SCAMS! Scholarship and financial aid offers that show up in the mail on the Web may be the tools of con artists designed to bilk parents and students eager to find ways to pay college expenses. Beware of the following phrases: “you’ve been scheduled to participate” or “chosen” or “specially selected,” May I have your credit card or bank account number to register you or hold this scholarship?” Or, “This scholarship will cost some money.” Be wary of “being selected by a national foundation” or “you’re a finalist” in a scholarship contest you never entered! Check with your counselor prior to scheduling or paying for anything.
One of the most frequently asked questions by students and parents during the college search is, ‘Where can we get information about financial aid and/or scholarships?” Fortunately, there are many resources available to research. The following scholarship sources are available for students and parents to explore.
Resources for Financial Aid
Colleges/Universities: Most colleges offer scholarships and are the best sources for possible academic, athletic and special talent scholarships. Many of the scholarships can be found in the college files in the CRC.
Scholarship Bulletin: includes a current list of scholarships sent directly to the high school. The list includes private and local scholarships like Rotary, MacLean Fogg, and the Lions Club Scholarship. This information can also be found on the Career Cruising website.
Books: There are a multitude of books available in your local library.
Organizations: Companies/business often offer scholarships for employees or children of employees. Some churches offer scholarships for persons of that faith.
The search for scholarships can be extremely time consuming. The summer between junior and senior year is a great time to begin this demanding process.
MORE HELP WITH FINANCIAL AID…
Two important questions to ask college reps/admissions:
My family and I have discussed the cost of my education:___________________
On my list of schools I have:
Private___________________________________________________________
Public In-State_____________________________________________________
Public Out-of-state__________________________________________________
Financial aid is available through many sources:
U.S. Department of Education (ED) is federal agency, which provides college funding in the form of grants, scholarships and educational loans.
Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) is the state agency that administers state and federal scholarships and grants, college saving and prepaid tuition programs, and educational loans.
The four types of financial assistance are:
Scholarships Grants
Work-Study Loans
These funds many be merit-based or need based.
Forms to be aware of:
FAFSA (available in December)
CSS Profile (available in September)
INSTITUTIONAL FORM (available from the institution)
SCHOLARSHIP NOTIFICATIONS at NHP:
Bulletin Boards (Guidance Office, Halls, Internet)
College Career Resource Center
FREE SCHOLARSHIP SEARCHES: www.fastweb.com and www.finaid.org
BEWARE OF SCAMS: Check them out on: www.ftc.gov or scholarships.com
Although you may still have questions and concerns about financing your education, do no let the cost of school keep you from applying. Investigate all school opportunities and complete the necessary financial aid forms before making your final decision.
Nine Survival Skills
Survival Skills for College Admission
College Comparison Worksheet
The criteria to be used when making college comparisons will vary according to student need. Add other criteria as appropriate before comparing colleges.
Name__________________________ACT/SAT_________Rank_____/_____GPA________
Comparative Criteria College A College B College C College D
| Enrollment – Undergraduate | ||||
| Location | ||||
| Campus setting: urban/rural, residential | ||||
| Cost-tuition, room & board | ||||
| Admission requirements/ACT/SAT, class rank | ||||
| Freshman average class size | ||||
| Application procedure deadline | ||||
| Application fee | ||||
| Academic atmosphere (competitiveness) | ||||
| Academic Program (major) | ||||
| Activities or special interests | ||||
| Percent returning freshmen | ||||
| Athletic programs | ||||
| Type of housing available | ||||
| Percentage of students receiving financial aid | ||||
| Financial aid form required/preferred | ||||
| Personal Impressions (distinctive characteristics) | ||||
| Parent Opinion | ||||
| Your order of preference |
College Application Worksheet
The criteria to be used when making college comparisons will vary according to student need. Add other criteria as appropriate before comparing colleges.
Name__________________________ACT/SAT_________Rank_____/_____GPA________
Questions/Tasks College A College B College C College D
| Paper app or online? | ||||
| Application fee paid? | ||||
| Essay required or N/A? | ||||
| Test scores: ACT or SAT? | ||||
| Date scores sent from test company – scores sent from test company – scores are NOT on your transcript! | ||||
| Teacher rec required? | ||||
| Names(s) of Teacher(s) asked to write recs | ||||
| Will teacher give rec to counselor/CRC or send directly to college? | ||||
| Transcript release completed | ||||
| Counselor part of app submitted or N/A? | ||||
| Date all parts of the application procedure completed. Hooray! |
| Notes: |
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Glossary
ACT – American College Testing, Examination used for admission to and/or placement in college.
Admission Policies
Admit/Accept – A college has officially notified you of your acceptance. You have until May 1st to formally commit to attending.
Application Fee – A non-refundable fee usually charged for making application to a college.
Bachelor’s Degree – See “Degree” below.
College Career Day – Brings representatives from a large number of college and universities into a single, concentrated environment.
College Representative – An admissions counselor or representative from the Office of Admissions at a particular school.
College/University – These two words both refer to the same thing: a place where you can continue your education beyond high school. A college typically refers to a small (50-3,500 students usually) school awarding undergraduate degrees; different fields of study are separated by a department structure.
A university typically refers to a larger (2,000+ students) school awarding both undergraduate and graduate degrees (beyond the bachelor degree); different fields of study are separated by a college structure. (For example, the University of Illinois has several different colleges: Liberal Arts and Sciences, Business, Education, Engineering and Fine/Applied Arts.)
Common Application – (informally known as the Common App) is an undergraduate college admission application that applicants may use to apply to any of 392 member colleges and universities in the U.S.
Community College – A college that offers two-year programs rather than four-year. Students can earn the Associate of Arts degree and complete general education requirements for a Bachelor’s degree.
Deferred – The college has decided not to make an application decision at this time. They will make a decision to admit or deny you by April. You should have enough time to make your decision by the May 1st Universal Reply Date.
Degree – After attending four years of college, or completing from 120-128 semester hours of coursework, you receive a Bachelor’s degree. There are various Bachelor degrees, depending upon your major:
B.A. – Bachelor of Arts (most majors in liberal arts areas – English, Language, Education, etc.)
B.S. – Bachelor of Science (includes Engineering, Business)
B.B.A. – Bachelor of Business Administration (only at some schools)
B.M. – Bachelor of Music
B.F.A. – Bachelor of Fine Arts
After you successfully complete the course requirements at a community college, usually from 60-62 hours of coursework, you receive an Associate’s degree. The two most common Associate degrees are:
A.A. – Associate of Arts
A.A.S. – Associate of Applied Science
Deny/Reject – College admission office notice of non-acceptance to their school.
FAFSA- Free Application For Student Assistance. This federal form must be completed to receive financial aid from a college. It must be completed after January 1st of a student’s senior year in high school. An EFC (Expected Family Contribution) is determined by FAFSA, and the student and college is notified of that amount.
Financial Aid – Monetary support to defray the costs of a college education. This could include Federal aid, state aid, university awards/scholarships, and several forms of need-based aid. In order to receive financial aid, you must complete the FAFSA (and/or CSS, if your school requires it).
Graduate Assistant/Teacher Assistant (GA or TA) – An assistant to the professor in a college course. Typically, a graduate student completing work in a specific area related to the course with which s/he is assisting.
Grant – Money that does not have to be paid back and is awarded to an incoming student.
Honors Program –A program designed to encourage superior students to engage in a more challenging program than is commonly required in their area of concentration. Students completing the stringent requirements are usually granted ‘honors’ degrees.
Hours – In college, credits are awarded on the basis of semester or quarter hours of class attendance, instead of units. Most schools require 120-128 hours for graduation. Most classes meet three hours per week, and most students take five classes. 5 classes X 3 hours = 15 hours of credit that would be awarded each semester. (Remember, for every hour of class time, you are generally expected to spend from one to two hours on outside preparation, or 15-30 hours per week of study minimally…)
Housing Deposit – Refundable OR non-refundable deposit made with a college to confirm and guarantee student residence.
Letter of Intent – Formal and binding arrangement between a DI-II student-athlete and a college, mutually agreeing on the student’s intention to enroll at the school and participate in the recruited sport.
Liberal Arts – Refers to the study of general knowledge in the humanities including sciences. Liberal arts majors include literature, the arts, the social sciences, and education. Also refers to college curriculum (plan of study), which requires you to take one or more courses in each of the humanities as well as science and math; provides a broad base of knowledge before you specialize in one area. If you are undecided about a major, a liberal arts college or major is an excellent choice!
Major/Minor – a major is a concentration of related courses in a field of study, generally consisting of 24-50 semester hours; some majors may require a minor concentration.
MAP Award – Monetary Award Program. This program is administered through the State of Illinois.
Matriculation – Formal enrollment in a college or university.
Merit Award – Scholarship or grant awarded by the college to reward superior students. The awards are usually renewable through the college, if the student maintains a certain GPA.
NAIA – National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. Intercollegiate association regulating college athletics. See pages ______
NCAA – National Collegiate Athletic Association. Intercollegiate association regulating college athletics. See page _____
Private college/university – An educational institution which is not supported by public taxes. These schools may either have a religious affiliation or be independent.
Quarter System – Division of the academic year into four sections; fall, winter, spring, and summer quarters; each quarter is ten to eleven weeks in duration.
Registration – The process, prior to the beginning of each semester/trimester/quarter whereby students select courses, pay fees, and develop their class schedules for the term.
Rights & Responsibilities – See inside back cover of this workbook.
ROTC – Reserve Officer’s Training Corps. Many colleges have units which offer two and four year programs of military training culminating in an officer’s commission.
Rush Week – A period set aside, with the approval of the college, for fraternities and sororities to issue invitations to prospective members. ‘Delayed rush’ indicates that this is held just prior to, or at the beginning of, the second semester.
SAT – Scholastic Aptitude Test. Examination used for admission to and/or placement within a college.
SAT II – Subject Area Tests. Tests administered through the College Board. Topic areas are: English, History, Mathematics, Science, and Language.
Scholarships – Financial support provided by either a private or public source. Funds are generally awarded either through a competitive process or are need-based.
Semester – A division of the academic calendar into two separate units of equal duration.
Transcript – An official record of a student’s academic performance from the time of entrance to the last semester. Test scores are not included on this official document.
Trimester – Academic calendar divided into three separate units of equal duration.
Tuition –The charge for instruction. Generally designated for either a year or a semester for a full-time student; part-time students are designated by the credit hours of the courses in which they are enrolled.
Wait Listed – The college admission office has placed your name on a list. You have neither been accepted or denied. If you continue to have interest in the school, you need to notify them of your interest. Wait listing can be compared to an “admissions limbo.” Often, selective schools have more qualified students than they have placed in their admitting pool, so they create a wait list. Typically, students are admitted from a wait list by the end of June, after the May 1st Universal Reply Date. Students who are waitlisted should contact their counselor immediately to determine action to be taken.
NOTES
NOTES
Students’ Rights & Responsibilities in the Application Process
Your RIGHTS entitle you to:
Receive full information from colleges and universities about their admission, financial aid, scholarship, and housing policies. If you consider completing an early decision application, you should obtain complete information from the college regarding its process and policy.
Wait to respond to an offer of admission and/or financial aid until you have heard from all college and universities to which you have applied or until May 1, whichever comes earlier.
If you think your rights as a student have been infringed upon or denied, see Mrs. Boyle or Ms. Donovan first, and then contact the college or university immediately to request additional information or the extension of a reply date.
Your RESPONSIBILITIES are:
Notify each college or university that accepts you whether you are accepting or rejecting ifs offer of admission. You should make these notifications as soon as you have heard from all the colleges to which you have applied or by May 1, whichever is earlier. Also, if you are accepted under an early decision plan, which requires you to attend that institution, you must withdraw applications submitted to other colleges or universities at the time of that acceptance and make no additional applications. If you are an early decision candidate and are seeking financial aid, the previously mentioned withdrawal of other applications presumes you have received notification about financial aid.*
Confirm your intention to enroll and submit a deposit to only one college or university by its required notification date, May 1. If you are put on a Wait List by a school and are later admitted by that institution, you may choose to accept the offer and send a deposit. However, you must immediately notify any other school to which you had previously indicated your intention to enroll.
Letters to withdraw your application from a college should include your address, the date, your signature (with your name printed clearly underneath), your social security number, the fact that you had to withdraw your application, and (optionally) the name of the school you plan to attend. This information can be placed on a postcard and mailed as soon as you are sure which college you will attend. This is a courtesy to fellow students on housing and wait lists, as well as to the school.
*Any violation of the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) Statement of Students’ Rights & Responsibilities will be reported by District 128 to all concerned colleges and universities.
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