College Planning Packet
This packet contains:
The Role of the College Counselor
College Planning Checklist Brochure
Action Sophomore Year
Initial Meeting Fall of Junior Year Questionnaire
College Check List: Junior Year
College Check List: Senior Year
What is the Difference Between the ACT and the SAT?
Testing Dates for the SAT & ACT
Financial Aid and Scholarship Websites
The Role of the College Counselor
The college guidance program aims to help the student formulate appropriate
post-secondary plans. The college counselor works with juniors early in the year to assist the students with their higher educational plans. Meetings between the guidance counselor, the student, and the parents are focused mainly on college applications, College Board testing and financial aid information. The college counselor is available for appointments with the students and parents during regular school hours. Parents must be active participants in the college search and
application process. An initial meeting between the college counselor and students will take place at the beginning of junior year. A meeting will take place between the college counselor and parents after the PSAT scores are received in December.
The college counselor provides the following guidance:
Provides a college-planning packet to students at the beginning of 11th grade.
Conducts a meeting with juniors in the fall, winter, and spring and with seniors in the fall and winter of the academic year to discuss students’ college search, the college
application process, college entrance exams. Organizes college fair field trip for the spring.
Organizes several college admissions representatives to visit the school and speak to students about college planning, financial aid, college admissions, college academics, and college life.
Registers 11th graders for the PSAT upon confirmation from the student that he/she would like to take the test.
Directs college-bound athletes to the appropriate NCAA/NAIA information sites. Administers the PSAT in October, and the SAT in fall and spring at The
Waldorf School of San Diego High School.
As the college counselor, I am available to meet with students and parents to discuss the college admissions process during school hours. Appointments may be made via my office phone or via e-mail.
Contact Information: Gayle Ansel
Phone # 619-287-3054
E-mail Address: [email protected]
Initial Meeting Fall of Junior Year Questionnaire
In preparation for meeting with Ms. Ansel to discuss the college search process, college applications and college entrance exams, please complete the following questions.
Are you planning on attending college? If so, is it a community, trade school, or traditional 4-year university?
What are you interested in studying?
Why are you interested in studying the above field?
What are the main criteria you have when choosing a university/college?
Do you want to live in an urban or rural setting?
Would you like to live where there are seasonal changes?
Would you like to live by the ocean, lake or in the mountains?
How about student body size?
What specific academic program are you interested in?
NCAA/NAIA athletics?
Cost?
Are there any colleges/universities you are currently interested in? If so, why are you interested in this college/university?
What activities are you currently involved in that will reflect positively on your character in your college application? Volunteer work, employment, sports, and theater/music?
Do you have any concerns about the college application process, college entrance exam, and/or attending college in general?
College Check List: Junior Year
Take PSAT in October
Schedule a meeting with Ms Ansel to discuss your college search, the college application process and college entrance exams
Research colleges/universities
o Create a collegeboard.com student account
o Use Ms Ansel’s college Quickstart through collegeboard.com (access after receiving PSAT results)
o Use books o Use the internet o Attend college fairs
Fill in the college calendar provided by Ms Ansel
Register online at collegeboard.com to take the SAT.
Become familiar with college applications and begin to think about your college application essay
College Check List: Senior Year
Schedule a meeting with Ms. Ansel to discuss your college search, the college application process and college entrance exams.
Fill in the college calendar provided by Ms. Ansel.
Narrow your list of prospective colleges/universities to 5-10 schools.
Sign up by September to take the SAT/SAT Subject Tests.
Sign up to take the SAT/SAT Subject Tests. For early decision applicants please note the deadline for early decision and the proximity of it to this test date.
Complete a rough draft of your college application essay and ask teachers to edit the draft and provide comments. Allow a minimum of 3 weeks for teachers to edit your essay.
Ask teachers for recommendations. Allow a minimum of 3 weeks for teachers to complete the recommendation.
Contact Mrs. Garratt to ask for your transcript to be sent to the colleges/universities you are applying to.
Complete early decision and UC applications in early November.
Complete regular decision applications before the winter break.
Submit the (FAFSA) Free Application for Student Aid, though the Collegeboard.com website as soon as possible.
What is the difference between the ACT and the SAT?
The ACT is an achievement test, measuring what a student has learned in school. The SAT is more of an aptitude test, testing reasoning and verbal abilities.
The ACT has up to 5 components: English, Mathematics, Reading, Science, and an optional Writing Test. The SAT has only 3 components: Critical Reasoning,
Mathematics, and a required Writing Test.
The College Board introduced a new version of the SAT in 2005, with a mandatory writing test. ACT continues to offer its well-established test, plus an optional writing test. You take the ACT Writing Test only if required by the college(s) you're applying to. The SAT has a correction for guessing. That is, they take off for wrong answers. The ACT is scored based on the number of correct answers with no penalty for guessing.
2012-2013 SAT, ACT and PSAT TEST DATES
Test Date Test Registration Deadline *
January 28, 2012 SAT and Subjects Tests December 30, 2012
(12/31 - 1/13, with late fee)
February 11, 2012 ACT January 13, 2012
(1/14 - 1/20, with late fee)
March 10, 2012 SAT February 10, 2012
(2/11 - 2/24. with late fee)
April 14, 2012 ACT March 9, 2012
(3/10 - 3/2, with late fee)
May 5, 2012 SAT and Subjects Tests April 6, 2012
(4/7 - 4/20, with late fee)
June 2, 2012 SAT and Subject Tests May 8, 2012
(5/9 - 5/22, with late fee)
Sep 8, 2012 ACT Aug 17, 2012
(8/18 - 8/24, with late fee)
Oct 6, 2012 SAT September 24, 2012
Oct 27, 2012 ACT Sep 21, 2012
(9/22 - 10/5, with late fee)
Nov 3, 2012 SAT and Subject Tests Oct 4, 2012
(10/5 - 10/19, with late fee)
Dec 1, 2012 SAT and Subject Tests Nov 1, 2012
(11/2 - 11/16, with late fee)
Dec 8, 2012 ACT Nov 2, 2012
(11/3 - 11/16, with late fee)
Jan 26, 2013 SAT and Subject Tests Dec 28, 2012
(12/29 - 1/11, with late fee)
February 9, 2013 † ACT Jan 11, 2013
(1/12 - 1/18, with late fee)
Mar 9, 2013 SAT Feb 8, 2013
(2/9 - 2/22, with late fee)
April 13, 2013 ACT Mar 8, 2013
(3/9 - 3/22, with late fee)
May 4, 2013 SAT and Subject Tests Apr 4, 2013
(4/5 - 4/19, with late fee)
June 1, 2013 SAT and Subject Tests May 1, 2013
(5/2 - 5/17, with late fee)
June 8, 2013 ACT May 3, 2013
SAT October 6th, November 3rd, March 9th and May 4th testing dates are offered on The Colina Campus. Please sign up early we have limited testing space!
Financial Aid and Scholarship Websites
1. www.finaid.org
Aid estimator and scholarship search
2. www.fastweb.com
Database of private-sector scholarships, grants, and loans
3. www.fastaid.com
Largest and oldest private sector scholarship database
4. www.collegenet.com/mar25
Database contains over 600,000 awards totaling over $1.6 billion
5. www.collegeboard.org
Scholarship search and financial planning resource
6. www.grantsandfunding.com
Government information services/education funding
7. www.mappin-your-future.org
Student site for aid and scholarships
8. www.easi.ed.gov
Locate federal, state, and private sources of grants 9. www.faam.org
Financial aid calendar, selecting a college, financial aid 10. www.collegequest.org
Financial aid and scholarships 11. www.plato.org
Suggested questions to ask admissions representatives: What programs are particularly strong?
What are the academic profiles of admitted students? (SAT/ACT/GPA) Are extracurricular activities considered in the admissions decision? Does the institution offer career-planning services?
Is residence housing guaranteed? Is it required to live in the residence halls? What percentage of classes are taught by professors and by teaching
assistants?
What are the deadlines for applications and for financial aid? What percentage of students receive financial aid?
What is offered in an average financial aid package?
What percentage of the freshman class return for sophomore year? What is the student to faculty ratio?
What kinds of academic assistance are offered?
What are the study abroad opportunities offered? Is studying abroad encouraged?
Are there general education or distribution requirements? If so, how many units do these courses account for?
If I take a full course load every semester am I guaranteed to graduate in 4 years?
What types of extracurricular activities are offered? What type of student does the institution look for?
Items to include in your college calendar:
Test dates and registration dates for the PSAT/SAT/SAT Subject Tests/ACT When to begin your college application essay
When to turn in a rough draft to your teacher(s) When to finish your college application essay
College application deadlines for your top 5-10 schools. This should be determined in the fall of your senior year. Make sure to include early decision deadlines as well.
When to ask for recommendations
When to ask for transcript to be sent to colleges/universities FAFSA and CSS/Financial Aid Profile submission date
