The College Office (7S5)
718-804-6465
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Rosemarie Mazzone, Director
Diana Balsamo: Associate Director
Adam Stevens, Scholarship & Financial
Aid Coordinator
Maryanne Bove, Secretary
Carmela Maggi, Fee Waiver (7E2)
Kathy Carosella, Fee Waiver (7E2)
Diana Balsamo
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The College Search
How to find the right fit
www.cuny.edu/admissions
The Right College
What is the right college?
Someone else’s choice?
The college with the best radio station?
US News & World Report’s #1?
The college I can afford?
Remember:
The answer will be different for each student.
www.cuny.edu/admissions
Making the Match
It’s not about finding the best college…
It’s about finding the right college
The right college is where students can be happy and successful.
Successful students are happy and happy students are successful.
www.cuny.edu/admissions
What is the first step?
Self-Assessment: Discovery and Facing Reality
Who are you?
What do you want to do?
What have you done so far? How hard have you worked in high school?
How involved are you in the life of the school?
What makes you special?
College-Assessment:
Narrowing the field
Creating a working list and a final list.
www.cuny.edu/admissions
College Selection
There are more than 3300 colleges/universities in the U.S. alone
Students generally apply to between 4 and 8 colleges
Research and guidance help students narrow their lists
www.cuny.edu/admissions
What factors should you consider?
Geographic Location: proximity to home, weather and lifestyle
Size and Diversity: student body, average class size and dorm life
Academic Opportunities: what and how your will study
Personal Opportunities: activities, jobs, internships and friends
Reputation
Student Profile: do you have what they want?
www.cuny.edu/admissions
What will you do there?
Do you have a career in mind?
Are there specific majors that interest you?
Is there depth and diversity within the academic programs?
Can you change your major if you change you mind?
Remember:
College is a place to learn, explore and grow as a scholar and an individual.
www.cuny.edu/admissions
What’s in the file?
Transcript: A record of final marks for grades 9-11 and mid-year 12th grade
marks
SAT, SAT Subject Test, ACT, TOEFL and AP scores, if applicable
Teacher recommendation forms/letters
Personal Statement/Essay
Application: Personal information, high school information,
details of extracurricular activities
Notes from campus/alumni interview
Record of student contact
www.cuny.edu/admissions
The Transcript
Colleges look at the transcript as the best indicator of past
performance and future academic potential. It includes:
Student information including name, address, date of birth,
social security number, if applicable.
A complete record of the courses taken and grades received in high school,
including summer school coursework, if applicable.
SAT, SAT Subject Test, ACT, TOEFL and AP test results, if applicable.
Colleges evaluate not only the grades received but also the
courses taken and hope to see that a student has selected a
challenging course-load.
www.cuny.edu/admissions
Standardized Tests
Standardized tests are the great equalizer because, unlike class work,
every applicant has had the same test.
Score Choice is a new score-reporting feature that gives students the
option to choose the SAT scores by test date and choose SAT Subject Test
scores by individual test that they send to colleges, in accordance with each
institution’s individual score-use practice.
Colleges and universities are interested in your best work, so they will
generally use your best scores in the evaluation process.
www.cuny.edu/admissions
Standardized Tests continued…
Prepare for the SAT and/or ACT.
Evaluate your need for SAT Subject Tests
Determine your eligibility for the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign
Language)
Remember:
Be systematic.
Set aside a specific time a few days each week
Get a book or computer program to help you study
Consider a private tutor, a prep course or an on-line resource
Be aware of testing dates and deadlines so you can register for your tests
on time
www.cuny.edu/admissions
Teacher Recommendations
Colleges and universities will often require one or two teacher
recommendations. A secondary school report and counselor
recommendation will also be completed.
Students should select teachers from either the 11th or 12th grade who
know them well. Recommendations are less valuable if they are written by a
teacher from 9th or 10th grades.
Remember:
The letters provide a confidential picture of the student’s life in high school.
Students can have an outside letter of support included in the file.
www.cuny.edu/admissions
Personal Statement
Start Early
Plan & Brainstorm
Ask for feedback from teachers and peers
Write about what motivates you
Write your statement so it reflects your personality
Pay attention to spelling and grammar
Ask yourself, “What do I want the reader to get out of it?”
Ask yourself, “How do I stand out from other applicants?”
www.cuny.edu/admissions
Activities
Co-Curricular Activities (take place in school)
Sports
Clubs
Community Service Projects
Extra-Curricular Activities (take place outside of school)
Jobs (including summer jobs)
Athletic Leagues/Lessons
Art/Music Lessons and Performances
Independent Community Service
Responsibilities at home
www.cuny.edu/admissions
What makes a good list great?
Self-Assessment: Discovery and Facing Reality
Who are you?
What do you want to do?
What have you done so far? How hard have you worked in high school?
How involved are you in the life of the school?
What makes you special?
College-Assessment:
Narrowing the field
Creating a working list and a final list.
www.cuny.edu/admissions
Decision Plans
Early Decision: admit, deny or defer
Apply by Nov.1 or Nov. 15
Decision by mid-December
BINDING if admitted
Early Action Single Choice: admit, deny or defer
Apply by Nov. 1 or Nov. 15 to one Early Action Single
Choice college or university and no other early action or early decision
college or university.
Decision by mid-December
NON-BINDING
www.cuny.edu/admissions
Decision Plans continued…
Early Action: admit, deny or defer
Apply by Nov.1 or Nov. 15
Decision by mid-December
NON-BINDING
Early Decision II: admit, deny or defer
Apply by Jan. 1
Decision by Feb. 1
BINDING if admitted
Regular Decision: admit, deny or wait list
Deadlines can be as early as January 1
Many colleges and universities don’t use application deadlines
www.cuny.edu/admissions
Resources
The Public Library
www.collegeboard.com
www.myroad.com (fee service offered by The College Board)
www.nacacnet.org (Nat’l Assoc. for College Admission Counseling)
www.fastweb.org
www.review.com (Princeton Review)
www.kaplan.com
www.number2.com (free online test prep)
www.cuny.edu/admissions
Owning the Process
Students apply to college and students are admitted.
Students should take ownership of the process – right now.
Students should do their own research, make their own appointments and
fill out their own applications
Remember:
Every college and university on the list should be a school the student would
happily attend. There are more than 3300 choices in the US, so there is no
reason to apply to a school you don’t want to attend.
www.cuny.edu/admissions
What is financial aid?
Financial aid is money received to help pay for college.
Cost of Attendance (COA)
The total cost to attend a college/university for an academic year.
Includes: tuition, room and board, fees, transportation, meals, books and
supplies.
Estimated Family Contribution (EFC)
The amount of money a family is expected to contribute to a student’s
education as calculated by US Federal Government.
Financial Need
COA - EFC = Financial Need
www.cuny.edu/admissions
When filing FAFSA, who is the parent?
Custodial : Student lives with you more than 50% of the time and receives
more than 50% of financial support
Adoptive: Legal adoption via the family court
Step-parent: You married the student’s parent
Foster parents, legal guardians or other relatives do not supply their
information on the FAFSA.
www.cuny.edu/admissions
Types of Aid Available
GRANTS (Money gift to student, not repaid)
Federal Grants (Pell)
Entitlement aid
State Grants (TAP)
SEOG
College/University Grant
Federal Work Study: (Money earned through employment)
Work-study eligibility is noted on the award letter and generally used for
living expenses.
Student obtains a job on campus and gets paid an hourly wage.
www.cuny.edu/admissions
Loans (money that must be repaid)
Stafford Loan
Subsidized :gov’t pays the interest on loan during in-school, grace, and
deferment periods
Unsubsidized: interest accrues during in-school, grace and deferment
periods. Interest can be paid by student or capitalized.
Offered to all students regardless of EFC
Repayment begins 6 months after graduation or when the student stops
attending college.
Federal Work Study: (Money earned through employment)
Gov’t regulated loan that parents can take to fund student up to cost of
attendance minus any other aid.
www.cuny.edu/admissions
Loans continued…
Private Loan
Students are approved based on credit history
May need cosigner
Can borrow up to COA minus other aid
Rate is variable
Colleges certify the loan, receive the funds, then post to a student’s
account.
www.cuny.edu/admissions
Applications
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP)
College Board (CSS) PROFILE
www.cuny.edu/admissions
FAFSA
Free Application For Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
Free federal application
Bases on earnings for the prior year
Available January 1st of each year
Check with each college for their priority filing deadline.
www.cuny.edu/admissions
TAP
NY Residents @ NY Schools
Can apply directly from FAFSA hyperlink or at TAP website www.hesc.org
Must reapply each year
Must complete a FAFSA prior
Award range is $500-$5000
www.cuny.edu/admissions
CSS Profile
Administered thru the College Board
Used at select private institutions and private scholarship programs to
assess financial need for determining awards (local colleges: Fordham,
Barnard, Columbia)
$25 initial application, $16 each additional school
Fee waivers are available for first-time college applicants from low income
families.
Covers up to 6 records.
www.cuny.edu/admissions
Useful Websites
www.pin.ed.gov (FAFSA PIN site)
www.fafsa.ed.gov (www.fafsa.ed.gov FAFSA on the Web)
www.federalstudentaid.ed.gov (FAFSA 4caster)
www.hesc.org (NYS Higher Education Services Corp.)
www.cuny.edu/financialaid (CUNY)
www.cuny.edu/admissions