College Admissions

Stop the Cycle

Overview

College Admissions

Student Inventory Form

Majors and Careers

Choosing the Right School

Admissions Criteria

The College Application

Understanding Financial Aid

Different Types of Aid

Final Decisions

Moving Forward

College Admissions

The ultimate purpose of the Stop the Cycle program is for all of our students to matriculate to 2 or 4 year colleges.

The admissions process is stressful, frustrating and sometimes disappointing for students.

Students must always be aware of the end result of the admissions process.

How We help

Students contact us via text, facebook, email or phone with questions.

We contact students bi-weekly to check up.

Once students complete their application, We approve it and send it in.

Senior Calendar

August-December: Apply to Colleges

January 1: Earliest date to complete FAFSA

February: Upward Bound Financial Aid Workshop

March 15: Maryland deadline for FAFSA

March-April: Acceptance/ Rejection letters sent out

May 1: National College Decision Day/ Deposit due

June: Submit final transcripts to schools

June- August: Orientations/ Class Schedules/ Move out

Student Inventory Form

All Seniors filled out a student inventory form

These forms contain:

Contact information

College choices

Desired major

Desired career choice

Awards/ honors/ clubs

Majors and Careers

A major is a course of study taken in college in which a student gets a degree

Majors usually consist of 30-45 credits (10-15 classes)

Majors do not always turn into careers

Most students know what career they want

Encourage them to research internships and special programs

They have until the end of sophomore year to declare a major

Choosing the Right School

Do they have my major?

Do I like the location?

Will I like student life?

Do they have career placement?

Will they offer the support I need?

Do they have decent housing/ meal plans?

Do they have a good financial aid package?

Things to consider

School size

Campus setting

student: teacher ratio

SSS/ LRC/ Tutoring centers

Internship/ co-op placement

Student organizations/ greek life

Housing options/ meal plan options

Tuition increase

Room and board

Financial aid

Admissions requirements

Admissions Criteria

GPA (cumulative)

SAT/ ACT scores

Difficulty of classes

Extracurricular activities

Recommendations

Progressive improvement

Essay

Interview (optional)

The College Application

Application Form

Recommendations

Transcripts

SAT Score Report

Essay

Application Fee/ Fee Waiver

Financial Aid

ALL students must complete the FAFSA form.

This is separate from the college application process.

The FAFSA is used to determine how much aid a student is eligible for.

Students must verify this information with the school they decide to attend.

All students are dependent unless they have a child or are in foster care.

Parents income must be reported on FAFSA.

Different Types of Aid

Scholarships

Need based

Non need based (Merit and Athletic)

Work study

Grants

Government

School Aid

Loans

Final Decisions

Visit the school with your student

Review the financial aid award BEFORE making a decision

Housing and admissions deposits are due at this time

Return all paperwork by deadlines

Moving Forward

Senior year is expensive!!!!

Start saving now for cost of moving and dorm needs

Have a back up plan in case student does not get into choice school

Don’t forget the care package!