The Montgomery High School Guidance
Department presents…
January 2013
MHS Guidance Department
Ms. Apel
Mr. Glock
Ms. Hampton
Ms. Musial
Mrs. Pino
Mrs. Ritson
Ms. Watson
ext 6168
ext 6164
ext 6165
ext 6166
ext 6167
ext 6172
ext 6163
kapel@mtsd.us
kglock@mtsd.us
champton@mtsd.us
pmusial@mtsd.us
hpino@mtsd.us
jritson@mtsd.us
cwatson@mtsd.us
Make an appointment through email, or speaking with a secretary.
BEGINNING THE COLLEGE
SEARCH PROCESS
The Goal:
Find the
colleges
that are the
right fits
for you!
DECISION FACTORS
Size
Location
Campus personality
Entrance Requirements
Majors available
The school’s commitment
to a particular major
Diversity
Athletics/Activities
Reputation
Cost…
CONSIDERING THE COST OF
COLLEGE
How much can your family afford?
(including tuition, books, travel, spending money, etc)
Compare lower tuition at a public school with
the possibility that a private school may have
more financial resources and be able to offer more aid
Don’t let the initial cost of college dissuade you from applying
Consider applying for scholarships:
www.fastweb.com is a great place to
start
Going to college should
NEVER break the piggybank!
Financial Aid and Scholarships
Federal Student Aid: http://studentaid.ed.gov
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA):
www.fafsa.gov
FAFSA4caster: www.fafsa4caster.ed.gov
CSS/PROFILE: https://profileonline.collegeboard.com
The Smart Student Guide to Financial Aid:
www.finaid.org
MHS Guidance Website
FastWeb: www.fastweb.com
FindTuition: www.findtuition.com
Sallie Mae: www.salliemae.com
TYPES OF COLLEGES
4-Year Colleges and Universities
Liberal Arts Schools
Ivy League Schools
Private Colleges
Public Colleges
Technical Universities


Two -Year Colleges
Two-year private schools
Community colleges
Guaranteed transfer
programs
Specialized Institutions
Music conservatories
Art schools
Culinary schools
Health sciences
Getting Started
Begin in winter of
your Junior year
Talk to older
friends/family about
their experiences
Identify possibilities
Know your resources
Research and visit
YOUR COLLEGE SEARCH
SHOULD ALSO INCLUDE:
College visits!
Best to go when school is
in session
Take a campus tour
Attend an open house
Overnight stays
with a sibling or friend
Visit actual classes while
in session
Interview?
Helpful Websites for the College
Search
CSO College Center:
www.CSOCollegeCenter.org
The College Board: www.collegeboard.com
KnowHow2Go: www.knowhow2go.org
Hobson’s CollegeView: www.collegeview.com
Peterson’s: www.petersons.com
The Common Application Online:
www.commonapp.org
Colleges That Change Lives: www.ctcl.org
College Visits: www.college-visits.com
JUNIOR PLANNING MEETINGS
Counselors present to
juniors in small groups
Counselors meet with
each student individually
Counselors will meet with
students and parents upon
request
Parents and students can
use Naviance at home
What are colleges looking for?
Grades in core academic classes –
strength of program
SAT/ACT tests
Overall GPA
Essay or writing sample
Teacher/Counselor recommendations
Interview/Visits
Activities/Special talents
GIVING THE GIFT OF OWNERSHIP
The college admissions process calls for trust and
a new kind of teamwork “directing” needs to give way to “guiding”
Getting to college,
despite your child’s
inexperience and busy
schedule, is something
she must do for herself
College admissions
officers are eager to
hear about the student
from the student
You have done your job
in that you have brought your child to the point where he can begin
speaking for himself - Now it’s his turn
New Trends …
Rutgers University policy
of self-reporting grades
Admission policies like
Restricted Early Action
Electronic submission of
documents via Naviance
Test optional
schools www.fairtest.com
ACT – much more
popular
Standardized Testing
Know what the colleges on your list are
looking for…

SAT ?
SAT II?
ACT?
REGISTER FOR THE TEST
Register online www.collegeboard.org for the SAT
and www.act.org for the ACT
Websites also have useful
resources such as practice tests,
questions of the day, study and
test-taking tips, college searches,
etc…Take advantage of them
SAT & ACT
SAT
ACT
Scholastic Aptitude Test
Aptitude oriented
3 3/4 hours in length
Score Range 200 – 800
(2400 total)
Critical Reading, Math,
Writing
Essay (scored out of 12)
You choose which scores
will be sent to colleges.
American College Test
Achievement oriented
3 1/2 hours in length
Score Range 1-36
English, Math, Reading &
Scientific Reasoning
Essay optional
You choose which scores
will be sent to colleges
Which test is right for you?
SAT II – Subject Tests
Selective Colleges require Subject Tests for
admission
1 hour in length (take up to three tests on one
test date)
Score Range 200 – 800
All tests are not offered on
all dates –
be sure to plan ahead
SAT TESTING – Dates to Remember
DATE
TEST/S
REGISTER BY
March 9, 2013
SAT
February 8
(February 22 Late)
May 4, 2013
SAT/Subject tests
April 5
June 1, 2013
SAT/Subject tests
May 2
ACT TESTING – Dates to Remember
February 9, 2013
January 11
April 13, 2013
March 8
June 8, 2013
May 3
Test Prep/Coaching
Programs
PSAT Score Report Plus and test
booklet were recently returned and are a
great way to identify specific strengths
and areas of need
CollegeBoard and ACT offer free test
preparation on their websites. Students can familiarize themselves
with the tests and the directions for different sections
Many different individual, small and large classes, handbooks and
computer programs on the market
–
–
–
–
Effectiveness of books and classes is a hotly debated topic
Can be costly and time-consuming
Results vary
Princeton Review and Revolution Prep programs offered at MHS
TESTING – Helpful Hints
Become familiar with the
test
Know how you learn best
and invest time into that
strategy
Take timed practice tests
People who read well –
score well
READ, READ, READ!
YOUR COLLEGE SEARCH
STARTS WITH:
Registering and logging in to
What is it?
Web-based
Supports high
school career and
college planning
Specific to MHS
Available only to
registered users
(student and parent,
and counselors)
Easy registration,
easy to use
How does it help?
Shared resource linking home to school
Organized and efficient “container” to compile a student’s data, experiences,
documents, etc., relevant to college admission with consideration for student
information confidentiality
Greater opportunity for parent participation
in high school college planning

Accurate, complete records about student
outcomes and admission decisions from our
school

Realistic assessments of your chances of
admission to colleges where prior graduates
have applied

Family Connection Login Page
Do a College Search
Scattergrams
See When College Reps are Visiting
MHS
• Registered users sign up to attend meetings online
• Meeting reminders e-mailed a day before college visit
FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE
COLLEGE SEARCH
From all of your research,
make a list of ten to twelve schools
that are potential fits
Do more extensive research
on those schools
Trim that list to eight to
ten by September of your
senior year and begin applying
This is an exciting time!
Good luck!
Remember to have fun
visiting campuses and
learning about what
makes each one unique
Remember that there is
more than one college
out there for you
Try to minimize stress
by keeping all lines of
communication open
and seeing your
counselor often