The College Admissions Process

Objectives

1. To learn how to maximize your student’s chance of finding the “right” college

2. To learn how to access financial aid resources

3. To find out what your student can do now to prepare for college, no matter what their grade level

4. To learn about the new partnership between BCC and Rowan University

Decision Factors

• Size of school • Location • Distance from home • Activities/Athletics• Public/Private • Entrance requirements

• Cost of attendance• Average financial aid

award• Reputation of School • Majors available• Campus personality

How Many Schools To Apply To• No “right” number

• “Diversify” your applications

• “Safe” schools

• “Match” schools

• “Reach” schools

• Be sure to adhere to deadlines!

• Don’t rule out a school because of cost alone

• When requesting transcripts allow at least 10 working days before the due date

Naviance

• Students can manage their applications through the Family Connection area of Naviance

• Complete the Common App., request transcripts and teacher recommendations

• Register for the SAT or ACT, FAFSA, and the NCAA Clearinghouse

• http://connection.naviance.com/burlingtontwn

Benefits to Going on a Campus Tour or Interview

• Indicates your level of interest• Allows you to get beyond the statistics• Puts a “face” onto the college• Gives the college an opportunity to get to

know you on a more personal level

“Top 10 Questions” to Ask on a College Visit

1. Average GPA/Class Rank?

2. Average SAT/ACT scores?

3. Other tests required?4. Cost of

attendance/average financial aid package (grants, loans, work study)?

5. Average class size

6. Number of years housing is guaranteed

7. Percentage of students who return after 1 year? Graduate in 4 years (6 years)?

8. Do professors teach freshmen/undergrads? Adjunct or full-time?

9. Campus social life?10. Career placement

services available?

How Colleges Evaluate Candidates:• Course selection- level of rigor through all four years of high school• Grades/GPA• Rank in Class• SAT scores

– Take the SAT during the winter/spring of your junior year and the fall of your senior year- www.collegeboard.com

– Check schools for SAT Subject Test requirements – Review for the SAT or take an SAT prep course. Scores will improve with

practice (BTHS offers an evening SAT Prep Course three times during the year at a great rate!) Link on the HS Counseling webpage

• ACT scores– Accepted by virtually every college in the US in place of SAT– Tests what you have learned, not your aptitude– www.act.org

Evaluation Continued

• SAT Subject Tests– Required by some colleges: math, science, etc.

• Leadership Positions• Activities- Quality not Quantity

– Sports– Clubs & High School activities– Community/church activities– Volunteer community service activities– Part-time jobs

Evaluation Continued

• Essay• Recommendations

– ask for letters of recommendation from two teachers early in the fall

– Supply a résumé– remember to thank them and let them know where you

have been accepted

• Interview (if offered by the college)• Your preparation and planning

Hearing From the Colleges• Regular Decision (April 1)• Rolling Admission (reviewed as received)• Early Decision (early application &

commitment)• Early Action (early application & no

commitment)

Making Your College Decision

• May 1st- Commitment Day• How to handle being wait-listed• Financial Aid Packages• Selection of courses- why 15 credits a

semester is the “magic number”

Financial Aid Sources

• Three types of financial awards:

1. Scholarships and Grants

2. Loans

3. Work-study• Primary Source of Financial Aid is the Federal

Government- over $185 billion dollars in grants and scholarships available

• New Jersey is also an excellent source for scholarships and loans- www.hesaa.org

How To Minimize College Debt

• Total College Debt over 1.2 Trillion Dollars• Average Student Debt around $30,000

Mark Kantrowicz, a financial aid expert who has been interviewed on NPR and in US News, recommends the following tips for minimizing student debt:

Minimizing Student Debt1. Save before going to college

2. Apply for scholarships

3. Apply for federal and state loans before applying for private loans- they’re cheaper

4. Think hard about your major- if your starting salary after graduation will not match what you borrowed, consider a less expensive college

5. Double major in a more lucrative field

6. Pay interest on loans while you’re in school

7. Earn college credits while in high school

FAFSA

Get started on applying for financial aid by:• Going to https://fafsa.gov• Student and parent/ guardian apply for a FSA ID

(no longer a pin)• Parents of seniors- download the 2016-2017

FAFSA on the web worksheet- file after 1/1/16• Use the FAFSA4caster on the FAFSA website- get

an estimate of how much financial aid your student may be eligible to receive

• Every family who completes a FAFSA will receive financial aid

RCBC CAP Program

• Partnership between BTHS and Rowan College at Burlington County (RCBC)

• Professors at RCBC review the curriculum of BTHS courses to see if they meet the college standards

• Students pay a $150 fee per 3-4 credit course• Request a transcript from RCBC when applying to

college• Twenty nine BTHS courses currently approved

Redesigned SAT

• Administered Beginning in March, 2016• Aligned with the Common Core• More closely reflects what is taught in the

classroom• Essay will be optional• No penalty for guessing• Free personalized practice through Khan Academy• collegereadiness.collegeboard.org

Where To Go From Here

• Testing Information- PSAT, SAT, ACT, and ASVAB• Financial Aid Information- links to sites that will explain how to pay for college,

the types of scholarships that are available, scholarship search engines, and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid

• Check the BTHS Scholarship Bulletin

http://www.connection.naviance.com/burlingtontwn• College Information- complete a college search, find out what college may

be the right match for you, check out college rankings and take virtual campus tours

• Complete a scholarship search• Follow the Action Plan that has been set up for each grade level• HS Counseling Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/BTHS-

Guidance-Department/1444570725800887?ref=bookmarks

www.burltwpsch.org Go to schools – click on the High School then click on Guidance

On the guidance page, scroll down to find the following

Seniors Need to Complete By December 2015

• Complete applications • Monitor your applications in Naviance• Check to see if the schools you are applying to

accept the Common Application www.commonapp.org

• Take the SAT or ACT by December• Take the SAT Subject Test if required by college• Check the Scholarship Bulletin regularly and apply

for any scholarships that you are eligible for• Register for a scholarship search on a web engine

such as Fastweb www.fastweb.com

Students who wish to compete inCollege Athletics (Division I or II)

• Register with NCAA Eligibility Center (www.eligibilitycenter.org)

• Dec. 10th- Recruiting Realities workshop at BTHS• The eligibility center is responsible for certifying all

college-bound student-athletes wanting to compete in NCAA college athletics. This is done in two ways:

• Academic Certification & Amateur Certification• Do you meet the eligibility requirements• Have you kept your amateur status

JUNIORS – Things to Do• Take the Redesigned PSAT in October (October 14th at BTHS). BOE is

paying for all juniors to take the test this year• Take the SAT or ACT one or two times between December and June.

The Redesigned SAT will be offered in March, 2016.• Go to your Naviance account and complete the junior activities and

junior action plan• Use Naviance, other websites and college guidebooks to begin college

search• Begin to visit colleges• Check the Scholarship and Open House information• Complete the FAFSA4caster at https://fafsa.gov to get an estimate of

your eligibility for federal student aid• Register for a scholarship search on a web engine such as Fastweb (

www.fastweb.com)• Meet with your Counselor often• Request a fee waiver for the SAT if on free/reduced lunch

SOPHOMORES & FRESHMEN Things to do• Take a challenging curriculum and excel in your

coursework• Sophomores-consider registering to take the PSAT on

October 14th at BTHS ($15 registration for sophomores)• Go to your Naviance account and complete your

responsibilities and follow your action plan• Begin to familiarize yourself with colleges, careers and

scholarship opportunities through the various websites• Complete the FAFSA4caster at https://fafsa.gov to get an

estimate of your eligibility for federal student aid• Meet with your Counselor often

UPCOMING EVENTS

• October 14th- PSAT and Redesigned SAT at BTHS• October 29th- National Performing and Visual Arts

College Fair in Philadelphia• November 8th- National College Fair in

Philadelphia- for both fairs register at: www.nacacnet.org/ncfstudent

• December 5th - SAT and SAT Subject Test at BTHS

• January – FAFSA Workshop – date TBD• Winter- Grade 9/10 parent workshop- date TBD

Are You – Or Would You Like to be an NJ STAR?

Students in the top 15% of their class at the beginning or end of your senior year may qualify you as an NJ STAR!!

• Qualifies you to attend RCBC tuition-free for up to 5 semesters. Program is dependent on state funding

• Go to www.hesaa.org, click on the Students/Parents link, then click on the Scholarship link

Welcome Ms. Zaneb Ghanem, Assistant Director of Enrollment Services- Rowan College at Burlington County

Thank You For Attending

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