College Preparedness
The Journey Begins….
Remember, you are choosing your college
as much as your college is choosing you.
As long as you seek schools that suit you,
there’s no need to stress.
Going to college……
Terms to know:
College
– An institution that delivers post-secondary education and
grants Associates Degree
– The general term used to define post-secondary courses
– The term used to define a specialized area of study within a
university
University
• An institution of higher learning that grants degrees upon
completion of academic requirements
• Composed of several colleges (i.e. college of nursing, college of
business)
College hours
– The term used to denote the amount of credit one
receives upon successful completion of a class or
course
– A reference for how long a student will spend in the
classroom each week
Diploma – a degree or certificate of completion of learning
requirements for an institution of higher learning
Residency – a determinant in tuition fees for college
students
Developmental classes
– Remedial classes required for students who do not meet the
minimum requirements of knowledge in a subject
– Do not generate college hours that apply to a degree
Financial aid
Monies available to students to help pay for classes
Based on grades, need, financial status and other criteria
Some restrictions may be dictated as to how monies are used
Grants: money that is not repaid to the lender
Scholarships: monies awarded to students based on merit and not
repaid
• Loans: money that must be repaid to the lender
• Payments may be deferred until after completion of the degree or
certification
• Interest rates may be lower than interest rates for other purposes
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Course numbers
– Designate the course and academic level
– There may be several sections of a course
Section numbers – used when more than one time is
available for a course
Instructors/professors
• Individuals hired to teach courses
• Must meet the educational standards of the institution to
qualify to teach
Registration
– The process of selecting classes for a term
– Depending on the institution, this may be done manually, on-line,
or by phone
Course catalog – contains information about requirements for
attending the institution, financial aid, class schedules, fees, etc.
Application form – the form completed when applying to an
institution
THEA
• Texas Higher Education Assessment
• Tests the reading, writing, and math skills of students entering Texas public
colleges and universities
• Required for all entering students
Degree plan – the courses and number of hours
required by the community college or university, that
must be completed, before a degree can be
conferred
Available seats – how many students can attend a
particular class section
Steps in college planning…
Choosing your college: The Basics
Take a moment to consider that college is not just
about getting a great education…
It’s a huge leap into a whole new world of social
experiences, personal growth, and independence.
Not to mention a new level of hard work, studying, and
academic achievement.
Identifying basic college criteria
Start your college search with the basics which will help
identify the colleges that will best suit you academically
and personally.
Think of your values, unique needs, and what is important
to you.
By looking at what is important to you, then you can focus
on the things which make your school a perfect fit.
Things to consider…
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Geography/location
Setting
Size
Type
Cost/scholarships/financial aid
Geography/Location
Geography/Location
Location is important because college is more than
just an education, it’s a journey so consider what
you hope to experience along the way.
Year-round sunshine?
Winter ski season?
Compose essays in the shadow of the Eiffel tower?
Prefer comforts of home?
Setting
Setting: consider the ambience of your
surroundings…
Need nightlife? Think city.
Need great outdoors, grassy areas, open space? Think rural area.
Beaches or Mountains?
Urban vs. suburban area?
Malls and movie theaters?
“Type” of social groups?
Conservative vs. Liberal?
Religious/ Beliefs?
Think about how much of a change in setting from where you grew up
do you want.
There are colleges in every environment you can imagine.
Size
Size: colleges come in all sizes
How far do you want to walk to get from one class to
another?
Transportation needs?
Did you go to a small high school or large one? Did
you grow up in a city or rural area?
Do you like being places where everybody knows you,
or do you like the anonymity of a crowd?
Type: colleges and universities are not all
the same…
What do they devote time and resources to: research,
teaching, or learning.
Do they have a specialty in one specific area or are
they known for providing a broad education?
Are they single sex or co-ed?
Do they have a religious affiliation?
Are they public or private?
Specific ethnic majority?
Large schools typically have large campuses as well
as a healthy selection of student services and
things to do.
Small schools may offer individualized attention as
well as a more intimate and personalized
experience.
Cost/Scholarships/Financial Aid
Cost
Not all colleges have the same price tag and there are
a variety of ways to cut your costs.
1. Financial aid
2. Scholarships
3. Work-study programs
4. Grants
5. Student loans
Cost
Public universities often offer much lower tuition rates
to in-state students but their fees for out-of–state
residents are usually similar to private schools.
Private schools charge everyone the same tuition, but
have privately funded scholarships so it’s worth
applying even if the price tag seems to high.
Cost
A school’s tuition isn’t necessarily what you will pay
because it doesn’t reflect financial aid or extra
expenses like housing, books, and living expenses.
It’s important to check out what’s out there and
compare cost of going to college.
Obtain and complete all financial aid forms by the
deadline!!!!!!
1. generally there is money every semester that
someone could have used if the proper application
process was followed.
2. some funds may be in obscure sources, so get to
know the financial aid office staff!!!
3. be aware that some campuses may have fees fro
security and parking, lab fees, student activity fees, etc.
which are assessed every semester in addition to basic
tuition fees.
Creating your college list: finding the right
balance
large public universities
small private colleges
community colleges
urban universities
small-town colleges
liberal environment
conservative environment
traditional academic
alternative academic
religious colleges
Visit campuses to explore differences
Visit colleges before applying!!!!
Make an appointment with an advisor to discuss
options and opportunities.
Schedule a tour of the campus
Check out the “campus visits” link
Attend future freshman activities
Look at student housing
Look at the town/city itself
Diversify your list geographically
Are you planning on coming home every weekend,
every month, end of semester, end of the school
year, or ??????
Most students attend college within a few hundred
miles from home.
Branch out and visit campuses beyond the “normal
boundary”.
Balance your list by difficulty of admission
How hard is it to be admitted?
Is it very competitive admission process?
Establish the schools that are at the upper end of your
reach group by comparing your high school
curriculum, grades, test scores, class rank, and
other talents to the reported data from colleges that
interest you.
Balance is the key…
Don’t overload your list with schools that are real
stretches.
Similarly, don’t under-apply, seeking only colleges that
won’t reject you.
It’s OK to say “No” to colleges, and to apply to schools
that will say “No” to you.
Often, you may be very well qualified, but due to the large
number of similarly qualified applicants you may not be
among those admitted.
Avoid the usual suspects, easy labels, and
this year’s hot school.
Students at high school tend to establish a classic
clustering pattern around the same group of schools.
When too many students from the same area bunch up at
the same college admission offices, you can be sure
they will reasonably limit the letters of admission they
offer in each area.
That means you may have a harder time standing out
from the crowd.
Be yourself, take the driver’s seat, have
an open mind, and don’t give up!
You will be spending two to four years of your life
pursuing an education..
A major goal is to discover your calling, establish your
credentials, and prepare for a rewarding career.
There is more than one perfect college out there to help
you accomplish these things, and you should build your
list by trying to identify a mix of schools that each could
potentially work well for you personally.
Be open to new ideas and possibilities.
Remain persistent through your senior year.
Balance your list, and establish the goal of opening up
several exciting choices for yourself in the spring of
senior year.
Get a head start on the college application
The earlier you start, the better your opportunity to prepare effectively.
Even if you are not applying to college under Early Decision or Early
Action, getting an early start on your college application is a smart
idea.
Taking your time will help ensure a flawless presentation to your future
alma mater.
Last minute applications have more last-minute mistakes.
When it comes to things like your essay, you want to avoid those at
all cost!!!!
Submitting your application early may help in terms of how it’s
processed.
The real deal on getting your application in early.
Make sure all of your materials are submitted in a
timely fashion so your completed application can be
considered fairly with the rest of the competition.
If you apply early you may get first dibs on cool
digs.
When schools have two-part applications, submit
Part One ASAP!
Remember…
When you hit the “submit” button on your college
application, you can’t take it back.
It’s essential you check and re-check everything
you’ve completed to be sure it’s accurate.
An error could cause a delay in processing which
might jeopardize your chances of getting in.
If you apply online, be sure to contact the college to
confirm they have received everything they will
need to evaluate your application.
It’s is your responsibility!!!!!!
The application…
Complete the application
a. obtain the application form from the web or in hard
copy format
b. use black ink to complete form
c. print legibly – remember you are judged to some
extent by how your paperwork looks
d. pay careful attention to residency requirements
e. double check all information requested is with
the application form before it is sent or turned in to
the admissions office.
1. transcripts
2. scholarship applications
3. registration fees
I
• www.ApplyTexas.org
• www.CollegeforallTexans.com
• Check the college or university website for
admission application procedure and link to their
preferred online application site.
• Check to see the preference of how an application
is to be submitted: online or if a hard copy is
permitted.
100’s of applications blur together over time.
How do colleges/universities decide between
applications when they start to look the same?
Selectivity
Reflects the % of students who are accepted out of all
who apply.
Colleges don’t have room for everyone.
The most difficult schools to get into will likely have
students who were able to meet stringent admission
criteria.
Are you competitive enough to go up against other top
students to get into a more prestigious school?
The college application: Behind the closed
doors…
Let’s begin looking into what goes on after
hitting the submit button…
What happens to your application when it reaches the
admission office? Did it reach the admission office?
Who reads it?
What will they think?
How will they decide?
Answer: It’s not that simple
Colleges and universities use different systems
depending on their applicant volumes, levels of
selectivity, and agendas.
Bottom line: Candidates who meet predetermined
standards are referred to the admission committee
for further review.
How admission decisions are made: an
introduction
Remember: admission professionals are looking for
the right students to ensure a great outcome for
everyone involved so they take their jobs very
seriously.
There are many factors involved in making the
decision.
The paper trail…
Everything you and your high school (and anyone else) sends to
each school is filed into a folder with your name on it.
Every scrap of paper which bears your name on it goes into
your file:
supplemental essays
phone messages
thank you notes
recommendation letters
involvement at the campus: meet with advisor, tours, etc.
Each folder is reviewed and read carefully which takes time.
Big Factors…
There are many things included in your application
and each one of them will be evaluated to
determine who you are and what kind of student
you will potentially be.
Schools require the same basic requirements but
some prefer certain other things in students.
Yes, schools have a “wish list” of the students they
want.
They are looking for just the right mix of students.
Application goes to committee for review
They look at the following things:
Academics
Test scores
Extracurricular activities
Leadership
Essays
Recommendations
Interviews on campus
Other: touring campus, meeting with advisors, involved in
“camps” or programs offered to future freshmen.
Once in committee
Multiple people read an application before any decision is made.
Readers vary from staff hired specifically to read applications
alphabetically to specialists in particular majors or academic
disciplines.
There are more than one person who reviews and reads your
application.
Applications go through any number of different routes.
Remember: It is a competitive process!
What do “readers” do?
1. Review your credentials: Transcript – noting both the
strength of your academic program and your
academic successes relative to other students in your
school.
2. Look at scores, essays, and extracurricular activities:
Noting any “hooks” or points of distinction.
3. Develop a sense of what you have to offer and where
you fit in the competition: “what do we get by admitting
this student?”
4. Scan recommendation letters to look for
validation(evidence that supports the information on
your application).
Admission officers
They are skilled at understanding the discrepancies among
schools and the ways that grades are awarded, recorded,
etc.
Hint:
1. They know that at some schools only students who walk on
water earn “A’s” while at others anyone who hands in their
homework is considered an honors student.
2. They can read between the lines of transcripts and school
profiles to ascertain your school’s strengths, such as what
percentage of graduates to on to four year colleges and what
advanced classes are offered.
Important to remember…
Purpose of admission officers is to create a freshman
class which will further the university’s aims.
In a nutshell…they have their likes and dislikes which
have to meld their priorities with the
college/university’s.
The more selective the institution, the less likely its
selection process is to be “fair” and “logical”.
How admission decisions are made:
Academics
In evaluating your application, your high school transcript
is almost always the most important ingredient.
Obtained from your high school along with your transcript:
Among the many pieces of paper reviewed, admission
officers will probably receive a profile of your high
school detailing the curriculum and grading system. It
may even list average grades for each class.
Apples to apples
Admission officers recognize good students at
challenging, competitive high schools may have
lower grades and class ranks than their
counterparts at easier ones, and that some student
may not be ranked or even graded.
Course choices do matter. These choices affect how
your application is evaluated.
Know what you are up against
It’s important to know early on what sort of college you
hope to attend and what the requirements are and
plan your high school curriculum accordingly.
Minimum courses taken in high school may not even
get colleges to look at your application. Especially
selective and more competitive admission schools.
Minimum vs. Challenging Courses
Minimum (Recommended Plan)
English: 4 full year courses
Social Studies/History: 3years
Math: 3 years
Science: 3 years
Foreign Language; 3 years of 1 language or 2 years of at least 2 languages
Challenging (Distinguished Plan):
English: 4 or more years
Social Studies/History: 4 years
Math: 4 years through calculus (or at least through pre-calculus)
Science: 4 years (including 2 or more lab sciences)
Foreign language: 3 - 4 years of at least one language
How admission decisions are made:
Test Scores
Test scores are strategically listed after your
transcripts.
Sometimes the scores can make or break your
application.
Why do test scores matter?
Admission official prefer students who demonstrate
their ability to perform well in school.
This information will be reflected on your transcript.
Your test scores are important because they help
admission officers get a more focused picture of the
type of student you are.
You may barely squeeze by in the race for a spot if your
test scores are terrific but y our transcript is loaded with
C’s.
On the other hand, your favorite college may never admit
you based solely on poor test scores.
For that reason, it’s a good idea to take your tests
seriously, even if you have stellar grades and don’t
think y our scores matter so much.
Especially at the most selective colleges, the smallest
differences between applications can mean the
difference between and acceptance and a rejection.
Admission officers will be looking at patterns
and indicators to determine the following…
Is your testing pattern consistent?
Did you clearly have an off day?
Are your scores compatible with your academic achievement? If
not, why not?
Do you have strengths in one area but weaknesses in others?
Did you take your tests under special conditions (i.e. extended
time)?
Do you have a diagnosed disability?
Is English spoken at home?
Did you take SAT subject tests close to course completion or a
year or more later? If your language test scores were low, ho
many years of study did you have?
Your application demonstrates your strengths in other
ways than just your overall high school grade point
average.
Solid test scores and GPA is a good indicator to
colleges about your overall ability to achieve.
If there are inconsistencies between test scores and
GPA, the admission committee may peruse your
scholastic history more closely to determine your
potential.
Start Now!
Get a good start by getting out of the gate early.
As tempting as it may be, high school is not the time
to slow down.
It’s time to rev up….Your future is ahead of you!
The bottom line….
Test scores are just one of a number of factors that are taken
into account when you apply to college.
Schools wouldn’t ask to see them if they did not matter.
Check the college/university website to see the minimum
SAT/ACT score for admission along with minimum score
required for admission into specific disciplines (majors).
If your scores aren’t where they need to be, consider re-taking
the necessary tests. You could improve the scores!!!
Put some time into getting ready!!!
How admissions decisions are made:
extracurricular activities and leadership
Colleges are not picky about how you spend your down
time, as long as you are doing something meaningful
outside of the classroom.
Colleges/Universities are on the lookout for students:
*who demonstrate leadership potential and excellence.
*who are diverse
*who participate in extracurricular activities
They won’t know if you spend hours upon hours playing
video games; they will notice a lack of notable activities
on your college application.
You can demonstrate to the admission committee
some level of accomplishment, initiative,
commitment, and leadership.
All of this demonstrates your interests and strengths
and helps them to get a better sense of who you are
and what attributes you may add to the campus.
What colleges look for…
1. Dedication: how significant is your contribution?
Think depth over breadth
2. Leadership : “evidence of leadership” is what
separates you from someone who ends up on the
waitlist.
3. Balance: “well roundedness” and diverse ventures
is more appealing. Not all your eggs in one
basket.
4. True involvement: Real hands-on involvement in
volunteering.
5. Specialization: Being extraordinarily talented in
some area or with a truly off-the-wall interest or
experience.
6. Entrepreneurship: starting or developing something
on your own
According to colleges , “It’s exciting to see unusual
activities on an application – not always student
council, the newspaper, athletics, the yearbook,
etc.”
Important note
You recognize how much effort went into planning the
Pep Rally, how tough it was to sacrifice a season of
soccer for a semester in Germany, or how many
lines you had to learn for One Act Play, but
admission officers have heard it all before.
Be sure you present your extracurricular activities and
accomplishments well, and differentiate between
meaningful and minimal contributions.
Pursue your passions:
Extracurricular activities
Look beyond your high school and into the community
to get involved.
Look past your academic year and into the summer
months.
Look at your personal hobbies and interests.
The college connection?
Colleges ask for you to detail what has been most
meaningful to you.
Be involved with what fits you and your interests.
It makes sense for you to write about your most important
activities or personal hobbies and for these
involvements to flow from your interest and dedication
not from any manufactured effort to impress.
Be able to exhibit commitment, consistency, persistence
and creativity along with having fun doing it.
How admission decisions are made:
Essays
Admission Essays
It’s your admission essays that will set you apart from the
others.
A great essay can really make an admission official sit up
and take notice.
Show your mastery of the English language, but don’t
forget to let your stellar personality and strength of
character shine through.
This is opportunity to market yourself.
Put time and effort (and proofreading) into it.
This may clinch the college acceptance you are seeking!
Writing your college essay
In your college essay, you have an opportunity to
communicate to colleges what is most essential to
you personally, socially, and academically.
Strong essays reveal something intimate and unique
about the person behind the file.
Explore topics and stories that show who you
really are…
Consider your strengths and interests.
Think about what you want colleges to know most about
you.
Explore some topics, stories, and approaches which might
help you show yourself to your readers.
See the essays as puzzle pieces working together to
present who you are more completely.
Keep working at it
To write a great essay, you will need persistence.
Expect to work over multiple drafts.
You may start with sketches of ideas, outlines, or lengthy
stream-of-consciousness prose.
Have others read over your essays and provide input on
content, tone, and form.
Remember: writing should be free from spelling and
grammatical mistakes and be neither too casual or too
formal. ( no slang words)
Make it your own
Read your essay out loud to yourself numerous times.
Does the language sound like you?
Is the essay grammatically correct?
Is it awkward?
Can friends, counselors, teachers, and parents
recognize the essence of you in the essay?
could no one but you have written this particular piece?
Remember: College admission readers note that they are
looking for a student’s voice in the essays.
Does it speak to people?
View your essay as a public document you are presenting
to a large audience, or as a revelation of a personal
confidence.
Break out of your shell and you will be much more likely to
make an important connection with your admission
audience.
Make sure the glimpse you give the admission committee
into your character, background, and writing ability is
the very best possible.
Top 10 application essay tips:
Keep these key application essay tips in mind as
you write…
1. Don’t “thesaurus-ize” your essay. Do use
your own voice.
Admission officers can tell Roget from a high school
senior.
Big words, especially when misused, detract from the
essay, inappropriately drawing the reader’s
attention and making the essay sound contrived.
2. Don’t bore the reader. Do be interesting.
Admission officers are not looking for a new way to
view the world; they are looking for a new way to
view you, the applicant.
You don’t want it to blend in with all the others.
3. Do use personal detail. Show, don’t tell!
A good college application essay is concrete and
grounded in personal detail.
It does not merely assert “I learned my lesson” or
“these lessons are useful both on and off the field.”
The essay shows it through personal detail.
4. Do be concise
Wordiness not only takes up valuable space, but it
also can confuse the important ideas you’re trying
to convey.
Short sentences are more forceful because they are
direct and to the point.
5. Don’t use slang, yo!
Use appropriate language.
Slang terms, cliches, contractions, and excessively
casual tone should be eliminated.
6. Do vary your sentences and use transitions
Use a variety of sentence lengths mixed within any
given paragraph.
Remember that transition is not limited to words like
nevertheless, furthermore, or consequently.
7. Do use active –voice verbs
Passive-voice expressions are verb phrases in which
the subject receives the action expressed in the
verb.
Passive voice employs a form of the verb to be, such
as was or were.
Overuse of the passive voice makes prose seem flat
and uninteresting.
8. Do seek multiple opinions: ask your friends
and family to read it and to keep these
questions in mind:
Have I answered the question?
Does my introduction engage the reader? Does my conclusion provide closure?
Do I use concrete experiences a supporting details?
have I used active-voice verbs wherever possible?
is my sentence structure varied, or do I use all long or short sentences?
Are there any cliché’s such as cutting edge or learned my lesson?
Do I use transitions appropriately?
What about the essay is memorable? What’s the worst part of the essay?
What parts of the essay need elaboration or are unclear?
What parts of the essay do not support my main argument?
Is every single sentence crucial to the essay? This must be the case.
What does the essay reveal about my personality?
9. Do answer the “question” or “prompt”
Many students try to turn a 500 word college
application essay into a complete autobiography.
They fail to answer the question.
Make sure every sentence in your essay exists solely
to answer the question.
10. Do revise, revise, revise
The first step in improving any essay is to cut, cut, and cut
some more!
Following these application essay tips will put you on the
path to writing an essay that will help you stand out
from the crowd.
Remember you have control over the essay – do all you
can to show the admissions committee who you are.
How admission decisions are made:
“Hooks”
A “hook” is any advantage which makes you attractive to
a particular college.
Having a “hook” can give you a higher rating from the getgo or even move your application from the deny pile
into the admit (or wait-list) stack.
If a college has to select one of two students who look the
same on paper and one is the child of an alumnus and
the other is not, the alumni’s child is probably going to
be the one decorating a dorm room in the fall.
However, connections aren’t everything, especially if you
don’t have the grades or the ability to be successful.
In most cases, your connections won’t be enough to
overcome a poor academic record.
A good “hook” is either something unusual, unique, or
something to which you devoted a lot of energy.
So what “hooks” are most revered among admission
officers?
Alumni connections: don’t assume you are a shoo in
just because of family attended the college but it does
mean your file will be reviewed carefully.
Athletics: Playing a sport can give an excellent boost
come decision-making time.
Ethnic heritage and socioeconomic background:
Many colleges recruit students from minority
populations. First person in your family to go to
college.
Talent in the arts: if applying to a more generalized
school, then your talent may balance any weaknesses
in your application.
Geographical diversity: being in-state resident is a great
hook but living in various zip codes a long distance
away may be unique.
Special talent: let them know of your accomplishment
Extracurricular activities: play instrument, dance, sing,
etc.
Leadership qualities: involvement in organizations
Invisible hook: institutional needs which varies from
college to college and year to year.
What is your “hook”?
Think about things you do that you get the most
excited about and of which you’re most proud.
Think about what makes you different from everyone
else you know.
Summary
In general, it makes sense that you stand the best chance
of getting in by working hard throughout high school
and taking part in activities that you enjoy.
However, even top students may be rejected due to
limited space, not deficits in their qualifications.
Making a determined effort is your best guarantee for
success.
Being focused is the key to success in the college
admission process.
Remember
No matter what, it is important to give it the “old
college try!”.
Besides, there’s definitely more than one good college
match for every student.
Go confidently in the
directions of your dreams !
Little tidbits of wisdom
Make connections
Meet people
Tour the campus
Tour dorms and student housing
Drive around the area off campus
Walk the campus
Have a plan
Get involved
Time to re-invent yourself
Give them a reason to want you
Have fun!
Plan your schedule
1. Include how many hours you want to take, when
you want to meet classes, and when you will work
if you need to do so.
2. Keep in mind that not everyone gets to have the
schedule desired.
3. Remember, that you have paid for these classes
so allow enough time in your schedule to complete
class requirements.
Textbooks:
1. Books will be grouped by discipline.
2. Some may be required, while some may be optional
3. some are “new” or “used”
4. When books are sold back to the bookstore at the end
of the course, remember the sell back value will be
much less than the original purchase price.
5. General rule of thumb seems to be that books per
semester will cost about the same as tuition.
Daily living things to think about…
Student housing vs. dorm
Off campus living vs. on campus living
Roommates: potluck vs. friends(s)
Meal plans
Transportation: Shuttle bus vs. drive
Parking
Accessibility
Work vs. Not work
Work on campus: Work study program
Work off campus
Being involved with campus activities or not