The College Admissions Process
Objectives
1. To learn how to maximize your student’s
chance of finding the “right” college
2. To learn how to access financial aid
resources
3. To find out what your student can do now
to prepare for college, no matter what their
grade level
4. To learn about all of the programs
available through Rutgers University
Decision
Factors
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Size of school
Location
Distance from home
Activities/Athletics
Public/Private
Entrance requirements
• Cost of attendance
• Average financial aid
award
• Reputation of School
• Majors available
• Campus personality
How Many Schools To Apply To
•No “right” number
•“Diversify” your applications
•“Safe” schools
•“Match” schools
•“Reach” schools
•Be sure to adhere to deadlines
•When requesting transcripts allow at least 10
working days before the due date
Naviance
• Students can manage their applications
through the Family Connection area of
Naviance
• Complete the Common App., request
transcripts and teacher recommendations
• Register for the SAT or ACT, FAFSA, and
the NCAA Clearinghouse
• http://connection.naviance.com/burlingtontwn
Benefits to Going on a Campus
Tour or Interview
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Indicates your level of interest
Allows you to get beyond the statistics
Puts a “face” onto the college
Gives the college an opportunity to get to
know you on a more personal level
“Top 10 Questions” to Ask on a
College Visit
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Average GPA/Class
Rank?
Average SAT/ACT
scores?
Other tests required?
Cost of
attendance/average
financial aid package
(grants, loans, work
study)?
Average class size for
major
6.
Number of years housing
is guaranteed
7. Percentage of students
who return after 1 year?
Graduate in 4 years (6
years)?
8. Do professors teach
freshmen/undergrads?
Adjunct or full-time?
9. Campus social life?
10. Career placement
services available?
How Colleges Evaluate Candidates:
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Course selection- level of rigor through all four years of high school
Grades/GPA
Rank in Class
SAT scores
– Take the SAT in the spring of your junior year and the fall of your senior
year- www.collegeboard.com
– Check schools for SAT Subject Test requirements
– Review for the SAT or take an SAT prep course. Scores will improve with
practice (BTHS offers an evening SAT Prep Course three times during the
year at a great rate!) Link on the HS Counseling webpage
• ACT scores
– Accepted by virtually every college in the US in place of SAT
– Tests what you have learned, not your aptitude
– www.act.org
Evaluation Continued
• SAT Subject Tests
– Required by some colleges: math, science, etc.
• Leadership Positions
• Activities- Quality not Quantity
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Sports
Clubs & High School activities
Community/church activities
Volunteer community service activities
Part-time jobs
Evaluation Continued
• Essay
• Recommendations
– ask for letters of recommendation from two teachers
early in the fall
– Supply a résumé
– remember to thank them and let them know where you
have been accepted
• Interview (if offered by the college)
• Your preparation and planning
Hearing From the Colleges
• Regular Decision (April 1)
• Rolling Admission (reviewed as received)
• Early Decision (early application &
commitment)
• Early Action (early application & no
commitment)
Financial Aid Sources
• Three types of financial awards:
1. Scholarships and Grants
2. Loans
3. Work-study
• Primary Source of Financial Aid is the Federal
Government- over $185 billion dollars in grants and
scholarships available
• New Jersey is also an excellent source for scholarships and
loans- www.hesaa.org
How To Minimize College Debt
• Total College Debt over 1 Trillion Dollars
• Average Student Debt around $30,000
Mark Kantrowicz, a financial aid expert who
has been interviewed on NPR and in US
News, recommends the following tips for
minimizing student debt:
Minimizing Student Debt
1. Save before going to college
2. Apply for scholarships
3. Apply for federal loans before applying for private
loans- they’re cheaper
4. Think hard about your major- if your starting
salary after graduation will not match what you
borrowed, consider a less expensive college
5. Double major in a more lucrative field
6. Pay interest on loans while you’re in school
7. Earn college credits while in high school
FAFSA
Get started on applying for financial aid
by:
• Going to www.fafsa.ed.gov
• Student and parent/ guardian apply for a pin
number
• Parents of seniors- download the 2015-2016
FAFSA on the web worksheet- file after 1/1/15
• Use the FAFSA4caster on the FAFSA websiteget an estimate of how much financial aid your
student may be eligible to receive
Where To Go From Here
www.burltwpsch.org
Go to schools – click on the High School then click on Guidance
On the guidance page, scroll down to find the following
• Testing Information- PSAT, SAT, ACT, and ASVAB
• Financial Aid Information- links to sites that will explain how to pay for college,
the types of scholarships that are available, scholarship search engines, and the
Free Application for Federal Student Aid
• Check the BTHS Scholarship Bulletin
http://www.connection.naviance.com/burlingtontwn
• College Information- complete a college search, find out what college may
be the right match for you, check out college rankings and take virtual
campus tours
• Complete a scholarship search
• Follow the Action Plan that has been set up for each grade level
• HS Counseling Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/BTHSGuidance-Department/1444570725800887?ref=bookmarks
Seniors Need to Complete
By December 2014
• Complete applications
• Monitor your applications in Naviance
• Check to see if the schools you are applying to
accept the Common Application
www.commonapp.org
• Take the SAT or ACT by December
• Take the SAT Subject Test if required by college
• Check the Scholarship Bulletin regularly and apply
for any scholarships that you are eligible for
• Register for a scholarship search on a web engine
such as Fastweb www.fastweb.com
Students who wish to compete in
College Athletics (Division I or II)
• Register with NCAA Eligibility Center
(www.eligibilitycenter.org)
• The eligibility center is responsible for certifying all
college-bound student-athletes wanting to compete
in NCAA college athletics. This is done in two
ways:
•Academic Certification & Amateur Certification
•Do you meet the eligibility requirements
•Have you kept your amateur status?
JUNIORS – Things to Do
• Take the PSAT in October (October 15th at BTHS). BOE is
paying for all juniors to take the test this year
• Take the SAT or ACT one or two times between
December and June
• Go to your Naviance account and complete the junior
activities and junior action plan
• Use Naviance, other websites and college guidebooks to
begin college search
• Check the Scholarship and Open House information
• Complete the FAFSA4caster at www.fafsa.ed.gov to get an
estimate of your eligibility for federal student aid
• Register for a scholarship search on a web engine such as
Fastweb (www.fastweb.com)
• Meet with your Counselor often
• Request a fee waiver for the SAT if on free/reduced lunch
SOPHOMORES & FRESHMEN
Things to do
• Take a challenging curriculum and excel in
your
coursework
• Register to take a free practice test on the Redesigned SAT
on October 15th at BTHS
• Go to your Naviance account and complete your
responsibilities and follow your action plan
• Begin to familiarize yourself with colleges, careers and
scholarship opportunities through the various websites
• Complete the FAFSA4caster at www.fafsa.ed.gov to get an
estimate of your eligibility for federal student aid
• Meet with your Counselor often
Redesigned SAT
• Will be launched in the Spring of 2016
• Redesigned PSAT beginning in the Fall of
2015
• New test will be aligned to the Common
Core
• Essay will be optional
• deliveringopportunity.org
UPCOMING EVENTS
• October 15th- PSAT and Redesigned SAT at
BTHS
• October 26th- National College Fair in
Philadelphia-register at:
www.nacacnet.org/ncfstudent
• December 6th - SAT and SAT Subject Test at
BTHS
• January 8th– FAFSA Workshop in the PAC6:30 pm registration, program begins at 7 pm
Are You – Or Would You Like to
be an NJ STAR?
Students in the top 15% of their class at the
beginning or end of your senior year may
qualify you as an NJ STAR!!
• Qualifies you to attend BCC tuition-free for
up to 5 semesters. Program is dependent on
state funding
• Go to www.hesaa.org, click on the
Students/Parents link, then click on the
Scholarship link
Welcome Ms. Brittany McCall
Admissions Counselor
Rutgers University
Thank You For Attending
Please remain seated
the Back to School
Program will begin
momentarily