Class of 2017 College PlanningAdvanced Concepts

Central Bucks High School East

Class of 2017

Walt Sandstrom (A-La)

Melanie Jones(Le-Z)

College Admission – Advanced

• Quick review of previously covered topics

• Creating a refined list

• Application types

• Application deadlines

• Focus on Demonstrated Interest

• Application decisions

• Transcript process

• Financial Aid

Most Important Factors in College Admissions

• Grades

• GPA

• Trend of grades

• Rigor of schedule

• Stays the same or increases

• Standardized Testing (SAT, ACT, SAT Subject)

• Varies in importance at each college

• Test optional - Fairtest.org

Other Admission Factors

• Essays • English Class - This essay is a good first draft• Write the essay to the prompt• Do not try to write one essay and tweak it for

each school

• Extracurricular Activities/Leadership • Athletics, Work, Clubs, Volunteering, Music

• Recommendations• Teachers• Counselor

• Audition/Portfolio (If applicable)

• Demonstrated Interest• Campus visit, Interview, College rep visits at East, Communication with admissions

Recommendations

• Counselor• In order to receive a counselor letter,

student must complete the College Recommendation Questionnaire in Naviance

• Parents/guardians may complete the Parent Recommendation Questionnaire in Naviance

• Once student portion completed, hand in copy to Mrs. Reilly in the house office; we will put you in line to write your letter

• Please do this by June 1, 2016

• Teacher• You should choose 1 to 2 teachers,

preferably from 10th or 11th grade• Ask before the end of junior year

College Application Deadline Overview

• Rolling• Apply early because colleges make their decisions as applications come in• Once the class is full they will stop taking applications• Schools like PSU have a priority deadline, we recommend your application be complete by Halloween

• Early Decision (ED 1 and ED2) November & January• Binding, usually notified of decision by winter break• Only can apply to one school• Brown, Cornell, Dartmouth, Duke, Johns Hopkins, Northwestern, and the University of Pennsylvania.• Colleges with ED I and ED II deadlines include American University, Boston University, Brandeis, Bowdoin,

Colby, NYU, Pomona, Smith, Tufts, Wesleyan, and Vanderbilt.

• Early Action (EA) November• Non-binding Can apply to multiple colleges through EA. Increase chance for admission. • Single-Choice Early Action. Non-binding. Communicates high interest, but only can apply to one college

• Regular January - March• Apply by deadline set and usually find out in March/April• University of Minnesota, Rutgers, Indiana, Pace, Quinnipiac, Alabama, New Haven, Hofstra

Is it really harder now to get into college than it was in the ’90’s?

• Overall – no! The average acceptance rate at 4 year colleges nationwide has remained consistent at 65%

• At particular schools – yes!

• Application inflation has occurred over the past 20 years. In 1990 9% of students applied to 7 or more schools. By 2013, that group grew to 32%.

• As students apply to more colleges, in particular the “brand-name colleges”, acceptance rates at the colleges go down.

• Colleges do their part to entice more students to apply using marketing techniques, VIP apps, Common App, etc.

• As more students apply, acceptance rates go down, selectivity goes up, rankings go up.

Data from: The New York Times , Common Application Saturates the College Admissions Market; Mike McPhate

Class of 2014 & 2015 Sample of Most Selective Colleges

Why does selectivity & yield matter to me?

Yield = % of accepted students who enroll

The Current Trend

Let’s take a closer look at how CB East students faired with getting accepted Lehigh University…

Sample of Less Selective Colleges

• Less selective does NOT equal low quality

• Less Selective means that colleges accept a higher percentage of applicants (generally greater than 60% equates to less selective)• In many cases, the mean GPA and

SAT/ACT scores are strong, but the college may predominantly receive applications from only strong students, just less overall applications than the “brand name” schools.

• Examples: University of Alabama, Auburn University, Duquesne University, Arizona State University, Drew University, Juniata College,

Source: 2016 The Smarter Forbes College Guide

Super Safety Schools

Research indicates…

Students who visit a campus are more likely to attend than those who don't.

Students who express specific reasons for wanting to attend a specific college are more likely to attend than students who submit generic applications and supplemental essays.

Students who apply early are also demonstrating their interest in a significant way.

Put another way, a college is more likely to accept you if you've put in clear effort to get to know the school, and if your application shows that you are eager to attend.

Source: http://collegeapps.about.com/od/glossaryofkeyterms/g/yield.htm

How do I Demonstrate Interest?

• If applications are on the rise, how does a college determine who wants to attend?• Visits to campus – questions to ask:

http://www.collegecosts.com/docs/publications/college-tour-tips.pdf?sfvrsn=7• Attendance at regional fairs• Mailing list• Following on social media• Student email/phone contact with admission rep (ask only questions not easily

answered with a search of their website)• Interview (even if optional)• Contact a professor with legitimate questions about your area of interest• Apply by the Priority or Early Action Deadline• Complete the full application (not VIP or Quick version) • Essays – “Why this school?”

• Use info you gleaned from the various activities above

How NOT to demonstrate interest

• Rule #1 Sending Material the College Did Not Request

• What You Think You're Saying: Look at me and how interesting I am! I'm so eager to attend your school that I sent you a giant envelope full of extra stuff!

• What You Are Actually Saying: Look at me! I don't know how to follow directions! Also, I don't respect your time. I'm sure you can spend an extra 45 minutes on my application!

• Trust me, when schools say they won't consider supplemental materials, they are telling the truth and you should follow their admissions guidelines.

How NOT to demonstrate interest

• Rule #2 Calling to Ask Questions Whose Answers are Readily Available

• What You Think You're Saying: Look how interested I am in your college! I'm taking the time to call and ask questions!

• What You're Actually Saying: Look at me! I don't know how to research and read!

• The admissions folks are remarkably busy people in the fall and winter, so a rather pointless phone call is likely to be an annoyance, especially at selective schools.

How NOT to demonstrate interest

• Rule #3 Harassing Your Admissions Representative

• What You Think You're Saying: Look how persistent and clever I am! I really, really, really, really want to attend your college!

• What You're Actually Saying: Look at me! I enjoy disrupting your day, and I'm also a bit creepy with stalker-like tendencies.

How NOT to demonstrate interest

• Rule #4 Having a Parent Call for You• This one is common. Remember, the college is admitting your child, not you; the

college wants to get to know the applicant, not the parent.

• What You Think You're Saying: Let me ask questions to demonstrate how interested my child is in your college.

• What You're Actually Saying: My kid is so disinterested in college that I'm doing all the work of choosing a school and applying. My child lacks initiative.

• A parent's role in the admission process is a challenging balancing act. You need to be there to motivate, support, and inspire. The application and questions about the school, however, should be coming from the applicant. (Financial issues can be an exception to this rule since paying for school is often more of a parent's burden than the student's.)

How NOT to demonstrate interest

• Rule #5 Applying Early Decision When a College Isn't Your First Choice

• Early Decision (as opposed to Early Action) is a binding agreement. If you apply through an Early Decision program, you are telling the college that it is your absolute first choice school, and that you will withdraw all other applications should you be admitted. Because of this, Early Decision is one of the best indicators of demonstrated interest. You have made a contractual and financial agreement indicating your unquestionable desire to attend.

• What You Think You're Saying: Look, you're my first choice school!• What You're Actually Saying (if you break your ED contract): I'm dishonest

and selfish, and you might want to contact competitor colleges to inform them of my breech of contract.

How NOT to demonstrate interest

• A Final Word

• Everything We’ve discussed here--calling the admissions office, applying Early Decision, sending supplemental materials--can be a helpful and appropriate part of your application process. Whatever you do, however, make sure you follow the college's stated guidelines, and always put yourself in the shoes of an admissions officer. Ask yourself, do your actions make you look like a thoughtful and interested candidate, or do they make you appear inconsiderate, thoughtless, or grasping?

• http://collegeapps.about.com/od/theartofgettingaccepted/fl/Bad-Ways-To-Demonstrate-Interest.htm

Some other helpful tips…

• Don’t wait to see where you get accepted to visit the campus.

• If you have a dream school that is a reach for you – demonstrate interest or consider not applying. (The “I’m just going to apply and see what happens” approach typically does not yield positive results)

• Get serious about a reasonable list of well researched options.

• Spend time personalizing your applications for each school. If you spread yourself too thin this is not a reasonable option.

Rising Cost of Tuition! How Much Will It Cost?!

The cost of your education includes more than tuition and fees. Include room and board, books, supplies, transportation, and personal expenses in planning student budget.

This is usually the biggest cost item & differs greatly depending on the type of school. You can receive the same education at different schools at varying prices. Consider carefully how much you will be able to afford in monthly loan payment once you’ve graduated from college. Keep this figure in mind when choosing your school.

Avg. Student EstimatedClass of 2014 Loan Balance Monthly Loan Pay

Penn State $34,982U of Pittsburgh $33,484Temple University $31,468West Chester $19,838

Rising Cost of College Effects College Options

Important to diversify not only to help get accepted, but to provide financially sound options.

Student should consider a wide range of well researched colleges. This includes competitive/reach schools, mid-range schools, and back-up schools.

For example, a student who has a higher GPA and ACT Score in comparison to the averages of those accepted may potentially be offered more in Merit-Based Scholarship & Grant money (free money).

Mid-range colleges may offer more in scholarship & grant money

When do I begin my application?

• Common App – 600 colleges accept it; opens 8/1/16

http://www.commonapp.org/

• Coalition App (NEW) - 8/1/16 - 90 colleges accept it; opens 8/1/16

www.coalitionforcollegeaccess.org/

• Universal College App – 44 colleges accept it; opens 7/1/16

https://www.universalcollegeapp.com/

• PA State System - 14 state universities in Pennsylvania

https://secure.applynow.passhe.edu/Apply/_default.aspx

• College Specific – electronic or paper – follow college deadlines on website

Steps for next year…

Step 1:

• Student submits:

• application

• application supplement (if applicable)

• essay(s)

• application fee

• resume

• portfolio

Steps for next year…

Step 2:

• Guidance sends– after you’ve applied• Transcript• Counselor Letter of Recommendation• We will begin accepting TR forms on

September 8th

Step 3:• Teachers will send their recs directly to

the college• Be courteous of deadlines!• Waiving your right to see your

recommendations• Our recommendation is that you

always waive your right

Steps for next year…

Step 4:

• Check to see how the college wants your testing sent

• If scores need to come directly from the testing agency

• Student must log into their Collegeboard or ACT account and pay to do this.

• If college scores can come directly from CB East

• Indicate on the TR form that you want your testing included on your HS transcript

Financial Aid

• Everyone fills out the FAFSA based on prior, prior year (2015 taxes) –beginning 10/1/16 (used to be January 1st) Visit StudentAid.gov/fafsa to find out how to fill out the FAFSA and create your FSA ID, what information is needed for the FAFSA, what the deadlines are, and what happens after the FAFSA.

• Some Colleges require CSS Profile –beginning 10/1/16

• CB East will host Fran McKeown from PHEAA for a FAFSA overview program for parents on 10/25/16 at 6:30 PM

• CBSD will host financial aid night, date TBD in November

In closing…

• Questions on note card

• Watch website, Twitter, email blasts