Junior/Senior College Handbook

Everything you need to know to navigate the college search and admission maze!

Table of Contents

College Preparation Timeline ………………………………………………………………Page 3

SAT/ACT Test Dates……………………………………………………………………….....Page 6

Choosing a College Major…………………………………………………………………....Page 7

How to Choose a College…………………………………………………………………..…Page 9

College Comparison Chart……………………………………………………………..…….Page 11

Questions to Ask During the College Visit…………………………………………….....Page 12

Campus Visit Checklist…………………………………………………………………….…Page 14

Tips for Writing a Great College Admissions Essay………………………………….…Page 15

Pointers for Acing Any College Interview………………………………………………....Page 17

Sample Resume…………………………………………………………………………………Page 18

Glossary of Important College Terms…………………………………………….………..Page 19

Helpful Websites………………………………………………………………………………..Page 21

Resources…………………………………………………………………………………...……Page 22

College Preparation Timeline – Junior Year

All Year

· Continue with challenging course work. Keep working hard to get good grades.

· Stay active and involved in your school and community.

Fall

· Sign up for and take the PSAT.

· Note: some important scholarships are based on this test.

· Start researching colleges online and by talking with their representatives and alumni.

· Start searching for scholarships.

· Attend a college fair to find out more about different college options.

· Contact graduates of your high school who have attended or are currently attending the colleges you're considering. Ask for their impressions of the colleges.

April

· Take the ACT and/or the SAT

· Note: this test is often offered in June as well.

May

· Review with your counselor your course schedule for your senior year to make sure you have or will have taken courses required by the colleges you are considering.

July/August

· Make a college list. The list should include only schools that meet your most important criteria.

· Check to see if the colleges have online applications, if not, write, email or call colleges for applications.

· Begin visiting colleges. You will want to visit as many of the colleges you are seriously considering as possible.

· Decide whether you will re-take the ACT and/or SAT and register for the tests if need be.  

College Preparation Timeline – Senior Year

All Year

· Continue with challenging course work. Keep working hard to get good grades.

· Stay active and involved in your school and community.

September

· Begin narrowing your college choices, if you haven’t already. Try to pick schools that best meet your educational needs.

· Make a list of all the admissions, financial aid, and testing deadlines that you will need to meet.

· Start working on applications for these institutions. 

· Meet with your counselor to discuss ALL of your options.

· Take the ACT.

October

· Take the SAT.

· Talk to your teachers and counselors about any necessary letters of recommendation.

· Attend a college fair and visit with college representatives when they attend your school. Invite your parents to join you.

· Schedule campus visits at the colleges in which you are most interested. Try to visit on a weekday when classes are in session. Also, many colleges host open houses that are designed to provide prospective students and parents with information – attend these if possible.

· Finalize and submit applications for admission to your top college choices.

· Note: this may be done at varying times depending on the particular college.

· Obtain a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form or complete online.

· Note: be sure to include the codes for the colleges you are considering.

November/December

· Act on the results of early decision applications.

· Follow up with your counselor on the status of all college applications.

· Submit financial aid forms.

· Continue scholarship search.

· Visit any colleges that you may have missed on your initial visits.

January

· Submit mid-year grade reports to any colleges that may require them.

· Prepare to re-take any ACT or SAT tests that you feel you need.

February/March

· Weigh all options if you are put on a weight list.

· Note: Talking to your counselor could help with examining all of your options should a situation like this occur.

April

· Compare financial aid options.

· Make your final college decision!

· Note: this is usually due by May 1.

· Don’t forget to notify your counselor of your decision!

May

· Take Advanced Placement Tests if applicable.

· Take any SAT or ACT tests that still need to be taken (or re-taken).

June

· Return necessary forms to the college you will attend, e.g., housing contracts, medical forms, admission deposits, residence hall/roommate selection forms.

· GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL!

SAT/ACT Test Dates

(Fall 2013 & Spring 2014)

Date ofTest

Test

Registerby

Get Scores By:

Web

Mail

Sep. 21,2013

ACT

Aug. 23(9/06 with late fee)

Oct. 7

Oct. 12

Oct. 5

SAT & SAT Subject

Sep. 6 (9/20 with late fee)

Oct. 24

Nov. 2

Oct. 26

ACT

Sep. 27(10/11 with late fee)

Nov. 11

Nov. 16

Nov. 2

SAT & SAT Subject

Oct. 3 (10/18 with late fee)

Nov. 21

Nov. 30

Dec. 7

SAT & SAT Subject

Nov. 8 (11/22 with late fee)

Dec. 24

Jan. 4

Dec. 14

ACT

Nov. 8(11/22 with late fee)

Dec. 30

Jan. 4

Jan. 25,2014

SAT & SAT Subject

Dec. 27(1/10 with late fee)

Feb. 13

Feb. 22

Feb. 8

ACT

Jan. 10(1/24 with late fee)

Feb. 24

Mar. 1

Mar. 8

SAT only

Feb. 7 (2/21 with late fee)

Mar. 27

Apr. 5

Apr. 12

ACT

Mar. 7 (3/21 with late fee)

Apr. 28

May 3

May 3

SAT & SAT Subject

Apr. 4 (4/18 with late fee)

May 22

May 31

June 7

SAT & SAT Subject

May. 9 (5/23 with late fee)

June 26

July 5

June 14

ACT

May 9(5/23 with late fee)

June 30

July 5

Choosing a College Major

The following is a list of useful tips to help you choose the college major that is right for YOU!

1. Get to know yourself. Ask yourself some important questions including:

· What do you like to do for fun?

· What are your strengths as a person?

· What subjects in school are your favorite? Which subjects do you excel in?

2. Talk with family and friends about what they majored in or are majoring in at college.

· If they have a job in a related field, do they enjoy what they do?

· If they are still in school, what do they like and dislike about the major?

3. Consider job shadowing for a day.

· If you think you want to major in veterinary science, is there a local veterinarian that you could spend a day with?

· Ask your counselor for help in setting up a job shadowing day.

4. Consider taking a few classes in different areas once you get to college to determine which you like best and which would be the best fit for you.

5. Remember that you are not locked in to a major. Seek out guidance from a college academic advisor for additional help or visit your college’s career resource center.

6. Complete the ‘Career Interest Project’ on the next page for additional guidance. Feel free to discuss the results with your counselor.

CAREER INTEREST PROJECT

Use http://www.mynextmove.org/explore/ip to determine your Holland Code. To find out more about your code and what it means, go to https://careerzone.ny.gov/views/careerzone/index.jsf, then click, “Assess Yourself”.

R=Realistic I=Investigative A=ArtisticS=Social E=EnterprisingC=Conventional

Write down your top three career codes:

Click “View Occupations”. From the list, write down two occupations that sound interesting to you:

Click each occupation. Scroll down to the green “wages” tab and write down the average entry level wage:

Scroll down to the green “Job Outlook” tab and write down the employment prospects for each occupation:

Scroll down to the “School Programs” tab. Click “Search Colleges”. Write down three colleges offering a related major:

How to Choose a College

Below are some tips to help you choose a college that is the best fit for you.

Academic questions to consider:

· Determine if the school(s) you have in mind offers the major(s) you are most interested in.

· Determine if the school has alternate major(s) that interest you if you decide to change majors.

· Does the college offer study abroad programs, if this is something you think you may be interested in doing in the future.

Financial questions to consider:

· Determine if the school fits into your budget.

· You may want to discuss this with your parents or guardians to get their take on your financial situation.

Other questions to consider:

· Is the school located in an area that you are happy with?

· Is the school close or far enough away from your home town?

· Consider rural, urban, and suburban locations and which you prefer.

· Are you happy with the size of the school?

· Consider small college vs. Large university.

· Does the school have enough diversity for you?

· Does the school have extracurricular activities that you are interested in?

· Consider DI, D2, D3 sports.

· Consider extracurricular activities such as intramural activities and clubs.

· What are the living arrangements at the school?

· Are dorms available?

· Do most students live on or off campus?

COLLEGE SEARCH PROJECT

Choose one of the following college search engines to identify potentially compatible colleges that match your preferences. Begin by using this form to identify what factors are important to you.

1) The College Board's College Matchmaker - https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/college-search

2) CollegeNET search - http://cnsearch.collegenet.com/cgi-bin/CN/index

3) National Center for Education Statistics college search - http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/

4) College View search tool - http://www.collegeview.com/collegesearch/index.jsp

5) CTI college search  - http://www.citytowninfo.com/education

6) NextStep search - http://www.nextstepu.com/college-search/

7) SUNY search - http://www.suny.edu/Student/search_campus/search_campus_start.cfm

Location: Do you want to stay local or move out of town? Indicate the geographic area you are considering.

Campus Setting: Would you prefer to live in a busy URBAN area, a SUBURB, or a quiet RURAL area? Circle one.

Campus Size: Would you prefer a campus size that is SMALL, MEDIUM, or LARGE? Circle one.

Major: Based on your previous Career Interest Project results, do you have in mind a particular intended major?

List what majors you are considering: _____________________________________

Other: What other factors are important to you? Consider the following:

Selectivity, Cost, Athletics, Activities, Housing, Diversity, Public vs. Private

After identifying your preferences and selecting a search engine, enter your choices into the filters. Adjust filters if your result list is too long or too short. List 5-10 colleges that match the preferences you entered:

1)

2)

3)

4)

5)

College Comparison Chart

Let this handy chart guide you determine which school is best for YOU!

1. Give each college a number rank of 1 though 10 (10 is the best, 1 is the worst).

2. Add up totals in each column to determine which college has a “higher score”.

3. The college with the higher score is the school that has more favorable options to you.

4. Discuss the results of your comparison with a parent, guardian, or counselor to help you with your final decision.

 

Criteria

College 1

College 2

1

Strength of academic programs

 

 

2

College has my major of choice

 

 

3

College is within my budget

 

 

4

College is the size I prefer

 

 

5

College has athletic programs that I like

 

 

6

Good food…on campus and off

 

 

7

Campus housing available

 

 

8

Campus housing nice

 

 

9

Campus "strictness"

 

 

10

Access to technology

 

 

11

Diversity

 

 

12

Guy:Girl ratio

 

 

13

Local atmosphere

 

 

14

Social scene

 

 

15

Availability of parking

 

 

16

Access to transportation

 

 

17

Weather

 

 

18

Campus proximity to home town

 

 

 

Total

 

 

Questions to Ask During the College Visit

Read through this list of questions prior to visiting a college to determine which questions are most important to you.

Admission requirements

· Do you have an enrollment deadline?

· What standards do you use for acceptance?

· What are the minimum SAT or ACT score required for admissions?

· What is the average GPA of students who are admitted?

· Do I need to take an admissions exam?

· How does the college accept and apply AP, IB and transfer credits?

Financial aide

· What is your average financial aid package?

· What is the typical breakdown of loans versus grants?

· What percentage of financial need does the school typically meet?

· What is the average merit award?

· What percentage of students receive college grants?

· What is the average college debt that students leave with?

· What work-study opportunities are there?

Housing options

· What kind of dorm choices are there?

· What percentage of student live on campus?

· How long are dorm accommodations guaranteed?

· How many students live on campus?

· Do most students go home on the weekend?

Student Life

· What percentage of the study body belongs to a sorority or fraternity?

· What activities are offered to students?

· What clubs do you have on campus?

Academic Environment

· How much time do students typically spend on homework?

· How much writing and reading are expected?

· What is the average class size of introductory classes?

· How widely used are teaching assistants on your campus?

· What is the average class size of upper-division courses?

Academic Perks

· What opportunities are there for undergraduate research?

· How many students participate in undergraduate research?

· Is there a culminating senior year experience?

· Do you have an honors college?

· Do you have a learning community or other freshman experience?

Academic Support

· What type of tutoring program do you have?

· How do you provide academic advice to students?

· Do you have a writing center and how do I access it?

· What kind of learning disability resources do you have?

 Outside Opportunities

· How many students at the college get internships?

· What percentage of students study abroad?

· What type of career services do you have?

Campus Visit Checklist

A comprehensive list of things to see and do when visiting colleges.

1. Take a campus tour.

2. Prior to the visit, schedule a meeting with one of the college’s admissions counselors. Talk with the counselor about any questions you may have.

3. Be sure to see the dorms or on campus housing.

4. Visit the classrooms, you will be spending just as much time here as in your dorm room…hopefully more!

5. Check out the dining hall. Visit preferably when it is open for operation so you can taste test the food.

6. Talk to students walking around. If you are shy, have the admissions counselor match you with a student or ask your tour guide when you are on the tour.

7. Set up a meeting with the chair of the department for your major. This may seem intimidating, but they may be able to provide you with real insight as to what you can expect from the academic perspective.

8. Take a trip to the bookstore. It is always nice to know where it is before you have to scramble to find it in the first week of classes.

9. Locate the gym or athletic facilities…it is a good place to go to avoid the freshman 15!

10. Visit popular student hang out areas such as quads, coffee shops, or a student union. Chances are you will become very familiar with these places as the school year progresses.

11. Locate the health center. It is better to be prepared and know where this is should sickness strike when you are away from home. Also, your parents and guardians will sleep better knowing you are well taken care of.

12. Read a student newspaper. This is a good way to familiarize yourself with news and exciting events that may be going on at the campus and in surrounding communities.

13. Attend a sporting event, concert, play or art show. These are good ways to familiarize yourself with extracurricular that interest you and to give you a head start on getting involved in campus life.

14. Visit the surrounding town and familiarize yourself with the area. Find out where the local grocery store, mall, hairdresser, pharmacy, etc. are located.

15. Take some time to just wander. This will help you to see things that were not included on the tour or in any other part of this list. This will help you get a better feel for the college and what it may feel like once you have had some time to adjust to it.

Tips for Writing a GREAT College Admissions Essay

· Be yourself and be genuine· Start early · Remember that writing a quality essay takes time. Don’t expect to sit down and write a perfect essay on your first try. If that happens, great. If not, realize that you are in the same boat as 99% of other college applicants.· Have a clear voice · You want the reader to feel a that a real, identifiable person has written the essay.

· Do write in your own voice. For the above example, you could write about a real experience that you had and how it made you feel you had to take action.

· Do share your personal story and thoughts, take a creative approach and highlight areas that aren’t covered in other parts of the application.

· Don’t rely on phrases or ideas that people have used many times before. These could include statements like, “There is so much suffering in the world that I feel I have to help people.” Avoid overly formal or business-like language, and don’t use unnecessary words.

· Don’t focus on the great aspects of a particular college, the amount of dedication it takes to be a doctor or the number of extracurricular activities you took part in during high school.

· Engage the topic · Don’t just stand in the middle of the road, choose a lane!

· Do include specific details, examples, reasons and so on to develop your ideas. For the example above, describe a situation when you were surrounded by various types of people. What were you doing? Whom did you talk with? What did you take away from the experience?

· Don’t simply state a fact to get an idea across, such as “I like to surround myself with people with a variety of backgrounds and interests.”

· Be specific

· Use anecdotes, descriptions, narratives or character sketches to make the topic come alive.

· Demonstrate your awareness of the world

· Let the reader know that you know that there is more to the world than just what you have seen/experienced.· Provide a vision of growth and maturity · Use thought that shows that you are capable of thinking like a mature college student; don’t be afraid to use humor.· Write about a topic that is important to you· Choose something you care deeply about…just make sure you don’t sound cliché (ie. you don’t want to be Miss America talking about world peace)

· Keep Your Focus Narrow and Personal

· Don’t try to cover too many topics. This will make the essay sound like a résumé that doesn’t provide any details about you.

· Do focus on one aspect of yourself so the readers can learn more about who you are. Remember that the readers must be able to find your main idea and follow it from beginning to end.

· Ask a Teacher or Parent to Proofread

· Don’t turn your essay in without proofreading it, and don’t rely only on your computer’s spell check to catch mistakes.

· Do ask a teacher or parent to proofread your essay to catch mistakes. You should also ask the person who proofreads your essay if the writing sounds like you.

Pointers for Acing Any College Interview

Arrive early.

--Being on time is a must. Give yourself plenty of time to get to the interview.

--Plan to arrive at least 10 minutes early to review what you already know and to collect your thoughts before the interview.

Research the school prior to the interview.

--Interviewers will ask why you want to attend the college and it is good to have a general idea of what you want to say.

--Have a list of questions about the school prepared in case there is time for you to ask questions of the interviewer.

Know yourself.

--If and when you are asked about yourself, you should have a good answer.

--Common questions you may be asked are:

1) Tell me about yourself…many adults have trouble answering this question, make sure you have a 30 second “elevator pitch” ready to go.

2) How can you make our school a better place?

3) What can you contribute to the school?

Make a list of possible questions that you may be asked in an interview and… Practice, practice, practice.

--Practice the answers to your questions with a family member or even your pet.

Dress appropriately.

--When in doubt, ask the interviewer or someone in the admissions department prior to the interview.

Send a Thank-You note to your interviewer(s).

--Make sure to reference some discussion that you had in the interview to make it personal.

Sample Résumé

MEGHAN MERCURIO Home: 555-123-4567 Cell: 555-867-5309mercurio@gmail.com100 School StreetSmall Town, NY 12345

Education

High School, Small Town, NY, June 2013Overall GPA 3.4Honors: Spanish Honors Society, National Honors SocietyClubs: Political Science, Show Choir, Theater, Spanish ClubAthletics: Varsity Soccer Captain

Work Experience

Cashier, Joe's Cafe, Small Town, NYFall 2011 - present

· Was selected employee of the month for efficient, friendly service

· Promoted to Barista in September, 2012

Tutor, Student Tutor, Small Town, NYJanuary 2009 – June 2011

· Helped elementary school students apply mathematic and scientific concepts to their homework assignments

· Helped coordinate a day trip to the Buffalo zoo each season and designed a packet of math and science questions related to the animals and exhibits children encountered there

· Became a pen-pal to one student throughout the three and a half years, encouraging and assisting him with studies and adjusting to different grade levels

Volunteer Experience

Volunteer Soup Kitchen, Small Town, NYFall 2008 - present

· Serve meals to individuals each year at Thanksgiving time

· Created a brown bag lunch program collecting donations to pack bags of food for individuals to take home with them

Other Experience

· Lead role in The Music Man, Spring 2011

· Named MVP after leading soccer team to state finals victory in 2011 fall season

Glossary of Important College Terms

1. EARLY ACTION - Early action is non–binding, meaning a student is not bound to attend if accepted. Early action deadlines usually fall at the same time as early decision. The obvious advantage of early action over early decision is the opportunity it gives you to apply to, and ultimately compare financial aid packages from several schools.

2. EARLY DECISION - Early decision is binding, meaning that if a student is accepted through early decision, they are "bound" to attend that school. You may not apply to more than one college under early decision. If you are not accepted, you will either be rejected or deferred. Rejected applicants may not apply again that year. Deferred applicants will be reconsidered during the regular admission period, and are free to apply to other schools. Early decision deadlines are often in November, and students are typically notified of the decision in December.

3. ROLLING ADMISSIONS - Rolling admissions is a term you will encounter at schools which have no fixed admissions deadline. Instead of having a firm admissions deadline of January 15, for example, a school with rolling admissions fills its places on a first come first served basis during an applications window of many months. There is usually a start to the window specified. The window stays open until all places are filled.

4. GRADE POINT AVERAGE (G.P.A.) -Most colleges use both letter grades and GPA’s in determining students’ grades. Grades at most colleges are figured using the following method: As are worth 4 points Bs are worth 3 points Cs are worth 2 points Ds are worth 1 point Fs are worth 0 points To figure a GPA, simply multiply the number of hours a course is worth by the number of points for the letter grade, then add up the totals for each course and divide by the number of credit hours. The result is the grade point average.

5. FAFSA -Free Application for Federal Student Aid. FAFSA is the almost universal application for financial aid, including loans, grants, college work-study and other federal and state programs. FAFSA is often required before a student can be considered for scholarships.

6. TUITION - Tuition is the amount paid for each credit hour of enrollment. Tuition does not include the cost of books, fees, or room and board. Tuition charges vary from college to college and are dependent on such factors as resident or out-of-state status, level of classes enrolled in (lower, upper or graduate division), and whether the institution is publicly or privately financed. 

7. REGISTRAR - The registrar of an institution is responsible for the maintenance of all academic records and may include such duties as: maintenance of class enrollments, providing statistical information on student enrollment, certification of athletic eligibility and student eligibility for honor rolls, certification of the eligibility of veterans, administering probation and retention policies and verification of the completion of degree requirements for graduation.

8. PREREQUISITE COURSES - A prerequisite course is a course taken in preparation for another course. For example, Accounting 1 is a prerequisite for Accounting 2. 

9. MAJOR/MINOR - A major is a student’s chosen field of study. It usually requires the successful completion of a specified number of credit hours. A minor is designated as a specific number of credit hours in a secondary field of study. 

10. CREDIT HOURS - Courses taken in college are measured in terms of credit hours. To earn one credit hour, a student must attend a class for one classroom hour (usually 50 minutes) per week for the whole semester (usually 16 weeks). Classes are offered in 1 - 5 credit hour increments, and sometimes larger amounts.

11. ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE - The Associate Degree is granted upon completion of a program of at least two, but less than four years of college work. The Associate Degree usually requires completion of a minimum of 60 credit hours, exclusive of physical education activity courses or military science courses, with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 (a "C" average).

13. BACHELOR'S DEGREE - This is the undergraduate degree offered by four-year colleges and universities. The Bachelor of Arts degree requires that a significant portion of the student's studies be dedicated to the arts - literature, language, music, etc. The Bachelor of Science degree requires that a significant portion of the studies be in the sciences - chemistry, biology, math, etc. Generally, the minimum credit hour requirement for a Bachelor's Degree is 120 hours.

14. CATALOG- College catalogs provide all types of information parents and students need to know about a school. It lists, for example: the institution's history and philosophy, policies and procedures, its accreditation status, courses of study, degrees and certificates offered, physical facilities, admission and enrollment procedures, financial aid, student life activities, etc.

15. ACADEMIC ADVISOR/COUNSELOR - This person will help you select the correct courses, review the course requirements in the field you have selected to pursue and help you with any academic problems you may encounter.

Helpful Websites

Use these websites to help you make tons of college related decisions.

1. SUNY

· http://www.suny.edu/

2. College Board

· http://www.collegeboard.org/

3. Common Application

· https://www.commonapp.org/Login

4. NCAA

· http://www.ncaa.org/

5. FAFSA

· http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/

6. The Princeton Review

· http://www.princetonreview.com/

7. Fast Web

· http://www.fastweb.com/

8. Unigo

· http://www.unigo.com/

9. College Insight

· http://college-insight.org/

10. College Majors 101

· http://www.collegemajors101.com/

11. College Navigator

· http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/

12. Zinch

· http://www.zinch.com/

13. Cappex

· http://www.cappex.com/

14. Project on Student Debt

· http://www.projectonstudentdebt.org/

15. eCampus Tours

· www.ecampustours.com

Resources

Choosing to apply early. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.princetonreview.com/college/choosing-to-apply-early.aspx

College terminology. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.collegeprep101.com/college-terminology.html

Fundamentals of College Admissions Counseling, 3rd Ed., NACAC, 2012.

O'Shaughnessy, L. (2010, October 19). 36 questions to ask on a college visit. Retrieved from http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/the-college-solution/2010/10/19/36-questions-to-ask-on-a-college-visit

Tips for writing an effective application essay. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/get-in/essays/tips-for-writing-an-effective-application-essay-college-admissions

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