Welcome. Liberty Common High School College Planning Night

Welcome

Liberty Common High School

College Planning Night

Tonight’s Agenda

» Changes in College Admissions and Finding the Right Fit (Jack Kroll, University of Colorado-Boulder)

» Important Factors In Determining College Admission (Jen Motzer, Lake Forest College)

» Financial Aid and Scholarships

(Eleni Beaty, Colorado State University)

» _{College Admissions Testing and Changes}

(Sandy Stoltzfus, LCHS)

» LCHS Academic and College Advising Program (Sandy Stoltzfus and Marianne Rieb, LCHS)

» Abilene Christian University

» Aims Community College

» Arizona State University

» The University of Arizona

» Augustana College

» Ave Maria University

» Azusa Pacific University

» Ball State University

» Baylor University

» Benedictine College

» Black Hills State University

» Brandeis University

» Brigham Young University, Idaho

» Brown University

» Buena Vista University

» California Institute of Technology

» University of California, Davis

» University of California, Santa Cruz

» Carnegie Mellon University

» The Catholic University of America

» University of Cincinnati

» Coe College

» University of Colorado at Colorado Springs

» Colorado Christian University

» Colorado College

» Colorado Mesa University

» Colorado School of Mines

» Colorado State University

» Colorado State University Pueblo

» Creighton University

» Denison University

» University of Denver

» DigiPen Institute of Technology

» Franciscan University of Steubenville

» Front Range Community College

» Furman University

» Georgia Institute of Technology

» Gonzaga University

» Grand Canyon University

» Hastings College

» Hendrix College

» College of the Holy Cross

» Hope College

» University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

» Illinois Institute of Technology

» Iowa State University

» Johns Hopkins University

» University of Kansas

» Lafayette College

» University of Louisville

» University of Mary

» Michigan State University

» Michigan Technological University

» University of Michigan

» University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

» University of Mississippi

» Montana State University, Bozeman

» Morningside College

» University of Nebraska at Lincoln

» New College of Florida

» University of New Hampshire

» North Dakota State College of Science

» Northern Arizona University

» University of Northern Colorado

» University of Notre Dame

» University of Oklahoma

» Oregon State University

» Pacific Lutheran University

» University of Pennsylvania

» Point Loma Nazarene University

» Portland State University

» University of Portland

» Purdue University

» Quest University Canada

» Regis University

» Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

» Rhodes College

» Rice University

» Seattle Pacific University

» South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

» University of Southern California

» Southern Methodist University

» St. Lawrence University

» St. Olaf College

» Texas A&M University

» Texas Christian University

» Tulane University

» United States Air Force Academy

» United States Military Academy

» United States Naval Academy

» Vanguard University of Southern California

» Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

» University of Washington

» Western Nebraska Community College

» Western State Colorado University

» Western Washington University

» Westmont College

» Whitman College

» Whitworth University

» University of Wisconsin, Madison

» Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Mr. Jack Kroll

Senior Admissions Counselor

University of Colorado Boulder

Changes in College

Admission

and

Finding the Right Fit

Jack Kroll

Senior Admission Counselor University of Colorado Boulder

Changing Landscape of

Higher Ed

O Focus on international students O Focus on out-of-state students O Declining state support

O Students applying to more schools O Student debt

O Movement towards job placement O Parental involvement

How Many Schools Should

I apply to?

O Common Application has fueled an

explosion in the number of schools a student applies to.

O In fact, 77% of students apply to at least 3* O 25% apply to at least seven*

O College Board recommends 5-8

*US News via National Association of College Admission Counseling circa Fall 2011

Good News! You Have Choices

O Common Application allows students to

apply to over 500 different schools in 47 states (plus DC) and 11 countries!

O Nearly 40 fulltime admission officers for

universities/colleges outside of Colorado live and work on the front range year round!

Things to Look for in a College

O Look at the type of school you want to attend

O Trade school (Red Stone, Universal Technical

Institute). Typically for profit.

O Community College (Front Range)

O Small liberal arts (Colorado College, Lake Forest

College). Typically private, a small number of public liberal arts schools (Ft. Lewis).

O Medium sized university (University of Denver) O Large public university (CSU, CU, Metro State)

Things to Look for in a College

O Academics

O Do they have your major? What does the

school specialize in? Do you want to go to grad school?

O Research opportunities, faculty to student

ratios

O Location

O Big city (DU) vs small city/rural UNC O Climate

Things to Look for in a College

O Net cost of attendance

O Scholarships are a discount of tuition

O Economics of higher education tend to be

irrational. Price does not strongly correlate with quality

O Calculate the true cost of attendance, including

interest on loans, and travel costs.

O National average between $26-28k. Does not

include private loans or parent loans. Student debt has surpassed all non-mortgage debt types in the US. Debt payments at standard 6.8%

interest will double (not accounting for inflation) the nominal dollar amount borrowed.

How to Search for a College

O Come to things like this… O College fairs

O High school visits O Online databases

O Opt in to letting ACT/SAT share your contact

Should I Declare a Major

Ms. Jennifer Motzer

Senior Associate Director

of Admissions

Jen Motzer Lake Forest College Senior Associate Director of Admissions

INSIDE THE COLLEGE

ADMISSIONS PROCESS

What matters most in your

application for admission?



Transcript



Testing



Recommendations



Extracurricular Activities



Essays



Interview



Demonstrated Interest

YOUR APPLICATION



Strength of curriculum



Classroom performance



Number of core academic courses taken-

especially senior year



Reviewed within context of the school a

student attends



ACT vs. SAT



SAT Subject Tests



Test Optional



Superscore

Ask far in advance to give the teacher and

counselor plenty of time to write a thoughtful recommendation

Ask a teacher who knows you well and can

speak about your strengths and weaknesses

Teacher recommendation should be an

academic teacher from junior or senior year

Spend time talking with your counselor about

your accomplishments and plans.

TEACHER AND COUNSELOR

RECOMMENDATIONS

How important is your involvement

outside of the classroom?

Looking for quality, not quantity!

The essay is a chance to use YOUR voice. This

is an opportunity to show something about yourself that doesn’t come across elsewhere in your application.

Demonstration of your writing ability - Use

correct grammar, punctuation and spelling.

Have a strong opening to capture the reader’s

interest.

WHAT COLLEGES LOOK FOR IN

YOUR PERSONAL ESSAY

1 . Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

2. The lessons we take from failure can be fundamental to later success. Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it af fect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

3. Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again?

4. Describe a problem you've solved or a problem you'd like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research quer y, an ethical dilemma -anything that is of personal impor tance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.

5. Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.

 What does #YOLO mean to you? (Tufts)

 “Winston Churchill believed ‘a joke is a very serious thing.’ Tell us your favorite joke and try to explain the joke without ruining it.” (University of Chicago)

 What matters to you, and why? (Stanford)

 What makes you happy? (Tufts)

 “Pick one woman in history or fiction to converse with for an hour and explain your choice. What would you talk about?” (Barnard)

 What’s your favorite word and why? (University of Virginia)

 What do you hope to find over the rainbow? (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

 “You’ve just reached your 1 millionth hit on your YouTube video. What is the video about?” (Lehigh)



You are more than just a GPA and test

score!



If offered, take advantage of the

opportunity to interview



Tips for a great admissions interview

Bring questions with you

Do your research on the college before your interview

Practice interviewing

 Why are you interested in X College and why do you

feel you are a good fit?

 What classes have you enjoyed most in high school?  What do you want to major in?

 Tell me about the extracurricular activities you’ve

been involved with.

 What has been your proudest achievement so far?  How would you describe yourself?

 What do you do in the summertime?  What about you is unique?



Campus Visit



Admissions Interview



College Fair



High School Visit



Rolling



Early Action (EA)



Restrictive Early Action(REA)



Early Decision (ED)



Regular Decision (RG)

GPA GAME

Jen Motzer

Lake Forest College

Senior Associate Director of Admissions Regionally Based in Denver

303.838.0818

jmotzer@lakeforest.edu

Ms. Eleni Beaty

Assistant Director

Student Financial Services

Financing

Your College

Education

Colorado State University Student Financial Services

What We’re Covering Today

•

Determine Costs

•

Determine Resources

•

How to Apply

Determine Costs

•

Direct Costs

•

Tuition and Fees-4 years minimum

•

Room and Board (dorm and meal plan)

•

Books and Supplies (also an indirect cost)

•

Student Health Insurance-varies by school

•

Indirect Costs

•

Personal and miscellaneous

Determine Costs

Also referred to as Cost of Attendance or Budget Tuition and Fee Calculators

Example: 4 year estimated cost tool:

http:/ / sfs.colostate.edu/ Cost-Of-Attendance-Estimate

 Scholarships/Grants  Academic based  Need based  Loans  Federal  Student Loans  Parent Loan  Private  Work-Study

 College Savings Plans (529 Plans)  Family savings

 Summer job savings

Determine Resources-Putting the

Pieces Together

Where to Begin

…

•

Apply for Admissions

•

Colorado residents should Apply for

the College O pportunity Fund

•

Look for Scholarships

•

Complete Financial Aid applications

required by college or university

Where to Begin…

•

Determine the cost of paying for

a college education

•

Evaluate all financial resources

Take IB, AP or college credits

while in high school

•

Complete all required information

Start saving

College O pportunity Fund

(CO F)

• Undergraduate Colorado Residents

• Public Colorado Colleges & Universities • Stipend will pay directly to school

– amount per credit determined yearly

Scholarships

Where to Begin…

 Start your search in November every year

_Naviance

College/ University websites

_{Free Web searches}  Avoid scams

Where to Begin…

• High School Counselor

• College Fairs

• Financial Aid Office

• Admissions Office

• Web Searches

• Outside donors

Where to Begin…

• Local Library

• Local TV Channel & Newspaper

• Magazines & Products

• Personal/ Family Network

• Local/ Regional/ National Business

Western Undergraduate

Exchange (WUE)

•

Reduced tuition rate through WUE

•

1

time, non-resident freshmen who meet

certain academic criteria set by the

individual college.

•

Be a resident of a participating state

–

Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho,

Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North

Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah,

Washington, Wyoming

Q ualifications

•

Admitted to a degree-seeking

program

•

US Citizen or permanent resident

Any income level

•

Enrolled at least half-time

FREE

Application for Federal

Student Aid (FAFSA)

www.fafsa.gov

Can do the FAFSA4 caster

FREE

Application for Federal

Student Aid (FAFSA)

• Annual Process: apply after January 1 st

• Some schools may require additional forms and/ or applications.

• Examples:

• Institutional aid applications (CSU) • CSS/ College Board Profile

• Deadlines and Priority Dates:

CSU priority submission date: March 1 st

Apply! Apply! Apply!

Don’t assume you won’t receive

financial assistance

Free Application

N o commitment

Gives options

Income Affected By:

• Death of Parent

• Separation/ Divorce

• Loss of Income

Parent information is required on the FAFSA each year, unless a student is:

• 2 4 years old

• Married/ or has legal dependents

• a veteran of the United States Armed Services

• a graduate/ or professional student

• a ward/ dependent of the court or both parents are deceased

• Meets foster care, emancipated minor, or unaccompanied youth who are homeless requirements

FREE

Application for Federal

Student Aid (FAFSA)

Parent of record:

 Both parents, if married

 O ne parent, if single or widowed

 Divorced or separated parents

- Parent student lived with the most during the last 1 2 months - or -

- Parent who provided the most financial support during the last 1 2 months

- Note: If parent of record is remarried, must use parent and

step-parent information

FREE

Application for Federal

Student Aid (FAFSA)

FAFSA Assistance

Attend College Goal

Sunday!

 Sunday after Super Bowl  Locations across

Colorado & the US  Bring your current

federal tax information

Other Financial Resources

• 1 0 hours/ week @ $ 8 .0 0 / hour = $ 2 ,5 6 0 / academic year

• RAMweb

• Student Employment Services

Earnings from employment

Job Postings

• Work-Study

• N eed-based from FAFSA

• Merit-based

• Campus Hourly

• Off campus Types:

College Savings Plans

• Contact Financial Advisor

• When can use funds

Important Dates

 Fall - Apply for Admissions

 February/ March - Most scholarship application are due

 February/ March - Priority submission date to submit

Important Dates

 February/ March/ April – Many schools begin notification

of financial aid for next academic year

 May 1 - Many schools require attendance confirmation

 June/ July – Recommended time to accept loans and complete all financial aid requirements

For More Information:

• Visit School’s website

– Financial Aid Information – Costs

– Policies

– Scholarships

– Programs of Study

Mrs. Sandy Stoltzfus

Academic Dean

»

Replaced the PLAN as a practice ACT for

sophomores

»

Introduced in Fall 2014

»

No Change to the ACT scoring

• 1–36 Score Scale for Subject Tests and Composite Scores

• English, Math, Reading and Science

»

Online testing is being introduced slowly

»

Paper version will continue to be offered for state

and national exams

»

Additional reporting categories in 2016

• STEM and English Language Arts scores, and Text Complexity Progress and

Career Readiness Indicators

• Used for educational purposes (students, parents, high schools)

»

Scoring Changes to ACT Writing:

»

Complete Redesign of the PSAT and SAT

» PSAT and SAT will include a Reading Test, a Writing and Language Test, and a Math Test.

» The SAT will have an optional essay component, which some colleges will require.

» Change: No Penalty for Wrong Answers

» Fewer Answer Choices: Instead of 5 answer choices per multiple-choice question, the new SAT questions will only have 4 answer choices.

» Scoring: New Score scale range, 400-1600

» 200 to 800 for Evidence-Based Reading and Writing » 200 to 800 for Math

» 2 to 8 on each of three traits of writing » Essay results reported separately

»

Timeline of PSAT/SAT Changes

˃ October 2015: The new PSAT will be given for the first time (National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test for the Class of 2017).

˃ January 2016: The current SAT will be administered for the last time.

˃ March 2016: The new SAT will begin

˃ Computer-Based Testing: The new SAT will be available in

paper booklets at every testing location, but the SAT will begin to offer computer-based tests in select cities.

»

Naviance

˃

Student and Parent Use:

» Academic and College Planning Portal

˃

School Use:

» College Applications: Transfer Electronic Student Records

»

Group Advising: 9

-11

Grade

»

College Center

»

College Visits

»

Website

˃ LCHS > Academics > College Prep/Info

»

Who is responsible for college planning and

college applications?

˃ The Student

˃ The Family

»

LCHS is here to support and assist you:

˃ Mrs. Stoltzfus, Academic Dean

We want all LCHS students to find the “best fit” colleges:

A good college fit is one that will:

1. Offers a program of study to match your interests and needs. 2. Provide a style of instruction to match the way you like to learn.

3. Provide a level of academic rigor to match your aptitude and preparation. 4. Offer a community that feels like home to you.

5. Value you for what you have to offer.

» _{Prepare, Compete, Win by Peter Van Buskirk}

» College That Change Lives

» _{The Hidden Ivies}

» _{The College Finder: Choose The School That’s Right For}

You

» _{Fiske Guide to Colleges 2015}

» _{Rugg’s Recommendations}

» NACAC: National Association for College Admission Counseling – Student and Parent Resources (website)