Fall College Information Night
for Juniors
Presented by the
Briar Woods High School
Counseling Department,
Fall 2015
Fall College Information Night
for Juniors
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This presentation is online – Counseling
department’s college & career page
Counselors will present similar information to
juniors through English classes
Every junior will be emailed/have access to
an “electronic index”
First of two BWHS presentations – the Spring
program will feature college admissions
officers
Fall College Information Night
for Juniors
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Apologies in advance: I’m going to give you
a lot to do 
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By “you” I really mean your junior, with your
help
Fall College Information Night
for Juniors
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This is NOT an SAT presentation
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LCPS will offer a second CollegeBoard
presentation: October 8 at 6:30pm at BRHS
The CollegeBoard will post a presentation on
youtube
Review the CollegeBoard’s website
Check the counseling department’s career &
college page
Mini-Question/Answer Breaks
Fall College Information Night
for Juniors
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What are colleges looking for?
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What should I be doing right now?
What are Colleges Looking For?
“The College Admissions Funnel”
example: Christopher Newport
Inquiry Pool (PSAT, Search
pieces, campus visit,
college fairs, HS visits)
“Tens of Thousands”
Thousands of
applications
7,492
Accepted students
4,514
Freshman class = 1,150
What are Colleges Looking For?
How does Christopher Newport go from 7,492
applicants to a freshman class of 1,150????
The numbers might be different, but the concept
applies to all colleges!
“Secret to getting into college”
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13,100,000 Google results
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10 Secrets for Top College Admissions
7 secrets of the Ivey League
College Admission’s Best kept Secret
More College Admissions Secrets
The “secrets” of college admissions
Dirty Secrets of College Admissions
What’s the “Secret Sauce” in Gaining Acceptance
What are colleges looking for?
“There is no secret to getting in...
Stop looking for a gimmick.
Tune out the hype.
Study hard.
Take the toughest curriculum that you can.
The heart of the application is
– and has always been –
One’s academic preparation.”
-- UVA Magazine
What are Colleges Looking For?
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
National Association for College Admissions
Counseling’s 2013 State of College
Admission (posted on our website)
Rate factors in the admission decision
1.
2.
3.
4.
Considerable importance
Moderate importance
Limited importance
No importance
Factors in the Admissions Decision,
2012 summary
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Class Rank
Counselor Recommendation
Essay or writing sample
Extracurricular Activities
Grades in All Courses
Grades in College Prep Courses/Challenging Courses
Admissions Test Scores (SAT and/or ACT)
Strength of Curriculum/Types of Classes the Student Takes
Student’s Demonstrated Interest
Teacher Recommendation
Factors of “Considerable Importance”
The Top Four:
 Grades in Challenging Courses, 82%
 Types of Classes the Student Takes, 65 %
 Admissions Test Scores, 56 %
 Grades in All Courses, 50%
Factors of “Considerable Importance”
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Grades in Challenging Courses, 82%
Types of classes the student takes, 65%
Admissions test scores (SAT & ACT), 56%
Grades in all courses, 50%
Essay or writing sample, 20%
Students demonstrated interest, 18%
Counselor recommendation, 16%
Teacher recommendation, 15%
Class rank, 13%
Extracurricular activities, 7%
At the Most Selective Colleges…
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Grades in Challenging Courses, 85%
Types of classes the student takes, 79%
Admissions test scores (SAT & ACT), 62%
Grades in all courses, 47%
Essay or writing sample, 36%
Students demonstrated interest, 23%
Counselor recommendation, 26%
Teacher recommendation, 28%
Class rank, 15%
Extracurricular activities, 11%
Factors of “Considerable Importance”
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A word about…
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Extracurricular activities
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One of the most important second tier factors
Benefits beyond statistics
Demonstrated interest
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Went from 7% to 18% in 9 years
23% at the most selective colleges
What should I be doing
now?
What Should I be Doing Now?
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We start with a goal!
We are going to give you six big areas to
focus on this year >>>>
For each area of focus, we will give you 1 - 3
actions to take immediately!
Take action this week!
This will help you get started and build
momentum!
Goal
Focus
Focus
Focus
Focus
Focus
Focus
Actions Actions Actions Actions Actions
Actions Actions Actions
The Junior Year Goal!
Begin your senior year knowing
where you want to apply to
college!
What Should I be Doing Now? –
Areas to Focus on this year
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Stay on track using checklists & calendars
Concentrate on your academics
Participate in extracurricular activities
Research colleges & narrow your list
Behave appropriately online/Clean-it up
now!
Plan & prepare for the admissions tests
Focus #1: Stay on Track Using
Checklists & Calendars
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Use the a monthly checklist – this is SUPER
IMPORTANT!
Use the resources available on
CollegeBoard.com
ACTION: Print-out a monthly checklist –
BWHS website or CollegeBoard.com
Focus #2: Concentrate on Your
Academics
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Take the most challenging classes you can
reasonably handle.
Work Hard!
You can’t “make up for” poor academics
ACTION: Set goals for the grades you plan to
earn this year
Focus #3: Participate in
Extracurricular Activities
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Participate in the extracurricular activities that are meaningful to
you – not what you think others want to see.
Extracurriculars include activities inside and outside of school!
Community activities are important too!
Don’t be tempted to spread yourself too thin – academics come
first!
Be a leader!
ACTION: If you don’t participate in an activity, sign-up for one.
Get into a leadership position.
Focus #4:
Research Colleges & Narrow Your List
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College search programs – we
recommend two online resources
Big Future
– Family Connection
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Feature Highlights
•
One-stop resource for all the information
and tools needed to help students make the best
college decisions
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All new College Search
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with integrated guidance
“Fit Check” to help find the best college options
Step-by-step and advanced flows
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Profiles on more than 3,9000 colleges
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Integrated Academic Tracker to help students
understand college course requirements
•
Customized Action Plans
Benefits
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Helps guide more students to college
•
Helps motivate students of all backgrounds
•
Helps to get students more engaged in
college planning and to stay on track
•
Helps steer students toward colleges where
they have the best chance of success
•
Provides reliable best practices and effective
tools
Family Connection program
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Family Connection
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College searches
Personality type inventories
Career interest inventories
Resume builders
Colleges where our students have been
accepted/where our students are attending
Scattergrams – GPA’s and SAT scores of
BWHS graduates who are attending specific
colleges
College Compare
33
Scattergram
34
My Applications
35
Research Colleges & Narrow Your List
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College Visits:
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Classes
Students
Campus
Dorms
Dining Halls
Surrounding Neighborhoods
Extracurricular Activities
Take notes!!!
Research Colleges & Narrow Your List
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ACTION: Complete an online college search
using CollegeBoard or FamilyConnection
ACTION: Schedule a visit on your family’s
calendar
ACTION: Contact a college about tours and
programs
Focus #5:
Behave Appropriately Online
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Appropriate email address
All social media
If you wouldn’t put it on a resume, job
application, or college application – don’t
post it online!
ACTION: If you need to clean anything up,
do it now
Focus #6: Plan & Prepare for the
Admissions Tests
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SAT – traditionally an “aptitude test”
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ACT – traditionally an “achievement” test
Plan & Prepare for the
Admissions Tests
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Current SAT – max score 2400
– Critical Reading
– Math
– Writing
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Redesigned SAT (begins March 2016) – max score 1600
– Evidence-Based Reading & Writing
– Math
– Essay (Optional) – not included in the 1600
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ACT – max score 36
– English
– Math
– Science
– Writing section (Optional)
Redesigned SAT
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CollegeBoard presentation – October 8,
6:30pm at Broad Run HS
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The CollegeBoard will post a presentation on
youtube
BWHS webpage
CollegeBoard website
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8 Key Changes to the SAT
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Relevant words in context
Command of evidence
Essay analyzing a source
Math focused on three key areas
Problems grounded in real-world contexts
Analysis in science and social studies
Founding documents and great global conversation
No penalty for wrong answers
10 Things Students Can Do Now to
Get Ready for the Redesigned SAT
1.
2.
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5.
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10.
Create a College Board account
Sign up for the Khan Academy
Know what to expect by visiting
collegereadiness.collegeboard.org
Review sample questions and take a practice test
Use evidence to support your arguments
Put away the calculator
Answer every question on the test
Take the PSAT
Practice on Khan Academy
Find out which colleges require or recommend the SAT with
Essay
Classic Advice From the
CollegeBoard
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CollegeBoard still says that most student
benefit by taking the SAT twice:
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Once in the spring of junior year
Once in the fall of senior year
“Taking the SAT more than twice does not
result in further significant gains” (unless ill or
impaired)
From the mouth of the
CollegeBoard 9/25/15…
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Current seniors should take the current SAT
– October, November, December, January
Current juniors should take the redesigned
SAT – which begins March 2016
Colleges may not accept the current SAT for
current juniors – still not clear!
Colleges will not “superscore” the current
SAT with the redesigned SAT
Concordance tables will be released soon
This is what I would do…
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If my child was already planning on taking the
current SAT before March, and money is not an
issue, I would have her take it
I would have my child take practice tests, utilize the
free CollegeBoard resources, and then decide on
her best additional preparation
I would have my child take the redesigned SAT in
March, May or June
I would have my child take the optional essay
I would have my child take the ACT in the Spring
2015-2016 SAT Dates
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October 3
November 7
December 5
January 23
March 5 – Redesigned version; at BWHS
May 7 – Redesigned version
June 4 – Redesigned version
2015-2016 ACT Dates
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September 12
October 24
December 12 - BWHS
February 6
April 9
June 11
SAT vs. ACT: Which test should
my student take?
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You can do a lot of research, or…
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You can also take both SAT and ACT
practice tests and then decide, or…
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You can take both of the exams and see how
you do!
The SAT Subject Tests
SAT Subject Tests (parents might remember
these as “SAT Two’s”)
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Usually used for placement purposes only
Rarely used for admissions
Subject test requirements vary greatly among
different colleges
Plan and Prepare for the
Admissions Tests
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Hard copy registrations materials are available in the
Career Center, or
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Register for the SAT at www.collegeboard.com
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Register for the ACT at www.act.org
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Register early!
Plan and Prepare for the
Admissions Tests
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Long-term v. Short-term preparation
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Get free hard-copy practice tests for the SAT & ACT
in the Career Center – Don’t just take it… have a
“dress rehearsal”
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Free online CollegeBoard SAT course and
resources
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BWHS SAT course (free!) - .5 credit, pass/fail
SAT/ACT Prep – Private Sources
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Books & Manuals – look for materials created
by the testing companies themselves
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Private courses (PTSO)
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Other outside private courses
Plan and Prepare for the
Admissions Tests
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ACTION: Register for the SAT and/or ACT
exams
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ACTION: Access the free resources
The Junior Year Goal!
Begin your senior year knowing
where you want to apply to
college!
What Should I be Doing Now?
Areas to focus on this year
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Stay on track using checklists & calendars
Concentrate on your academics
Participate in extracurricular activities
Research colleges & narrow your list
Behave appropriately online
Plan & prepare for the admissions tests
What Should I be Doing Now? –
Actions you can take immediately










Print-out a monthly checklist
Create a CollegeBoard.com account
Establish goals for your grades
Register for the SAT and/or ACT
Register for the SAT Online Prep Course
Sign-up for an extracurricular activity
Complete a college search
Schedule a college visit
Contact a college about a tour
Clean-up your online presence
What Should I do Next?

Use the monthly checklist to make sure your
are keeping FOCUS and taking ACTION!
What’s Next?
This Year
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Fall classroom presentations
Revised SAT presentation
Every junior will be emailed an “e-index”
Scheduling & post-secondary
student/counselor conferences in the Spring
Spring junior college night
Career Fair – March 2015
What’s Next?
Senior Year
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Fall College Information Night for Seniors
Senior classroom presentations in early Fall
Individual student/counselor conferences in
the Fall
Senior transcript request policy
Financial Aid Night in the winter (but you are
welcome to attend this year too!)
The Junior Year Goal!
Begin your senior year knowing
where you want to apply to
college!