Why Volunteer?
“The curriculum is strong, the grades are excellent, and the resume is impressive; but her application does not
reflect a social consciousness in her activities!”
(Georgetown University Admissions Counselor)
How Can I Help?
Be a tutor – read to children – help out at an animal shelter – shovel snow – raise funds – visit nursing homes –
beautify your community – shelve books – feed the homeless – volunteer at a thrift store – collect items for the
less fortunate – help build affordable housing - volunteer at a homeless shelter – organize a toy drive – coach a
little league team – share musical talents – run errands – work with special needs students – help a teacher –
repair homes – organize a toy drive – deliver meals and friendship – create and maintain a website – or…
See a need in your local community and develop a way to address it!
Six Elements of Service Learning
Authenticity:
Intentionality:
Curricular Connections:
Opportunities for Reflection:
Impact:
Application:
My SERVICE meets a real need in the community.
My SERVICE is thoughtful and well planned.
My SERVICE brings classroom learning to life.
My SERVICE is important to me.
My SERVICE makes a difference in the community.
My SERVICE is a part of me and will continue to grow.
Local Opportunities
Alternative House
www.thealternativehouse.org
Alzheimer’s Family Day Center
www.alzheimersFDC.org
American Red Cross
www.redcross.org
Arlington/Alexandria Coalition for the Homeless, Inc.
www.aachhomeless.org
Arlington Food Assistance Center
www.afacinfo.org
Arlington Street People’s Assistance Network
www.a-span.org
Clock Tower Thrift Shop
www.nvfs.org
Community Resource (Paint Crews, Admin. Work)
www.comres.org
ePals Foundation
www.in2books.com
Fairfax County Library
www.fairfaxcounty.gov/library
Goodwin House Inc.
www.goodwinhouse.org
Greenbrier Learning Center
www.gblc.org
Habitat For Humanity of NOVA
www.hfhnv.org
Lift Me Up (Therapeutic Horseback Riding)
www.liftmeup.org
Music Therapy
www.virginiahospitalcenter.com
National Multiple Sclerosis Society
www.MSandYOU.org
NOVA Therapeutic Riding Program
www.NVTRP.org
Our Daily Bread
www.ourdailybread.org
Reading Connection
www.thereadingconnection.org
Relay for Life
(South Lakes HS)
www.restonrelay.org
Tutoring (After School)
www.wesleyhousing.org
Special Olympics
www.specialolympics.org
Volunteer for Peace
www.vfp.org
Find your own opportunity at www.volunteermatch.org or www.volunteerfairfax.org
What do Colleges Want to See?
Academically Competitive Curriculum

Colleges look to your transcript
o Consider Types of Courses (AP, Honors, and electives that make sense)
o Core academic courses considered first
o First semester performance is considered in your senior year
Good Grades – In all classes
Test Scores
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
SAT and/or ACT- colleges take the highest scores
You should take both
Upward Trend – This includes a gradual increase in rigor as appropriate each year
Intellectual Curiosity – What motivates you to learn?
Creativity – This is not just an art thing: Creative thinking, problem solving, questioning, etc.
Commitment to Activities, Service, and Family
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
Activities in school AND the community
Honor and respect for family time and traditions
Leadership – Not just elected positions!
 Take the lead when appropriate
 Leadership in class discussions and/or group projects.
Respect for and an Interest in Cultural Differences – Do you celebrate and embrace differences?
Personal Maturity and Integrity - Do you do the right thing when no one else is watching?
Ability to Contribute to and Benefit from their School – What do you have to offer? Why should
College X select you over others with a similar transcript and scores?
POTENTIAL- Are you just beginning to tap your potential? Do you set high goals? Are you just getting by?
What Can I Do?
Step 1:
Download a copy of the Common Application online at www.commonapp.org and look
at what colleges require in their applications. This includes your activities,
awards/honors, and counselor and teacher recommendations.
Step 2:
Many students get letters of recommendation from teachers that they have in the
junior year. Think about what type of student you are in your classes – are you
engaged? Do you contribute to class discussions? What do you do when things get
hard? When things are easy? This is the year to develop – or maintain – your
relationships with a teacher that could be writing on your behalf.
Step 3:
Answer the question WHY? Why do you choose the activities, friends, classes, jobs,
hobbies, community service endeavors that you do? Hopefully because they reflect
who you are, what you are passionate about, what you value, etc.
Step 4:
Do your homework. Spend time researching schools that are a best match for you, and
be able to articulate WHY they are a best match. How do you learn best? What are you
interested in studying?
What do Colleges Want to See?
Academically competitive curriculum
Good grades
Upward trend
Intellectual Curiosity – What motivates the student to learn?
Creativity
Commitment to activities, service, and family
Leadership
Respect for and interest in cultural differences
Personal maturity and integrity
Ability to contribute to and benefit from their school
POTENTIAL
Questions that you want addressed in a counselor recommendation!
1. What stands out about this student and/or what are her most definitive personal qualities?
2. How has this student taken advantage of the challenging curriculum and/or opportunities available to her at
Chantilly High School?
3. What stimulates this student’s enthusiasm? How does she spend her free time?
What does the student choose to learn on her own time?
4. How has this student contributed to the school or local community? Has she shown leadership ability?
5. Describe how this student demonstrates strong character and maturity.
6. Has this student shown special talent or originality in any field such as art, music, athletics, science,
literature, mathematics, etc?
7. Considering this student’s interests, intellectual and life goals, what is your assessment of the chances that the
student will be motivated to take advantage of the opportunities available in college?
8. Is there anything else we should know about this student?
Understanding Transcripts and GPA
Supplemental Activity: The College Admission Game
The purpose of this activity is to demonstrate to students that most colleges look at more than grades to determine which
students to admit.
Prior to the activity, prepare eight student profile cards by putting GPA in large lettering on the front side and the student
profile on the back.
4.1 GPA
You took a strong academic program.
You forgot to
change the name of the college when word-processing the essay that was sent to several different schools.
4.0 GPA
You attended an enriching summer program between your junior and senior years. You decided not to
take AP or IB classes (even though your school offered them) because you wanted to protect your grade
point average.
3.7 GPA
The topic of your essay was sports (as a metaphor for life).
Scout.
basketball.
3.5 GPA
Your intended major is Greek.
in NO extracurricular activities.
You attended an enriching summer program between your junior and senior years.
3.3 GPA
You applied early decision to your first-choice college.
major is psychology.
You plagiarized an American history paper and got caught.
3.1 GPA
Your intended major is psychology or pre-med.
You wrote an
essay that was passed around the office because it was so good.
You’re the first in your family to
attend college.
You’re a varsity athlete.
You made a “D” in your junior year but wrote to the college to explain extenuating circumstances.
You’re an Eagle
You’re all-region in
You participated
Your intended
You’ve taken a strong academic program.
2.9 GPA
You direct the gospel choir at your church.
You are quiet and don’t know your teachers well enough to ask for a recommendation.
You’ve participated in community service.
You’re taking a strong academic program.
You’re from a single-parent household and must work to help with expenses.
2.8 GPA
You’re a legacy at the college to which you’re applying.
You did not write the optional essay for your college application.
You’ve participated in some community service.
Your last name is Kennedy and the college library is named after your grandfather.
Activity Directions
Ask for volunteers to be each student and have them line up in order of GPA from highest to lowest. They
should hold up the card with the GPA side facing the other students (the audience). Then, read the following
instructions.
1.
If you have taken an exceptionally strong academic program, move up two spaces.
2. If you direct the gospel choir at your church, move up one space.
3. If you clearly stated that this college is your first choice by making an early decision application and
commitment, move up two spaces.
4. If your intended major is psychology or pre-med, move back one space.
5. If your intended major is Greek, move up one space.
6. If you do not know any of your teachers well enough to feel comfortable asking for a recommendation,
move back two spaces.
7. If, when you word-processed your college essay, you forgot to change the name of the college you were
applying to, move back three spaces.
8. If you are a legacy, move up two spaces.
9. If you did not write the optional college essay, move back one space.
10. If the topic of your college was sports as a metaphor for life, move back one space.
11. If you wrote the “Essay of the Year,” the one that was passed around the office, move up two spaces.
12. If you plagiarized an American history paper and got caught, sit down – you’re out of the competition
entirely.
13. If you will be the first in your family to attend college, move up two spaces.
14. If you attended an enriching summer program between your junior and senior years, move up two
spaces.
15. If you have participated in no extracurricular activities, move back three spaces.
16. If you have participated in a significant community service project, move up one space.
17. If you are an Eagle Scout, move up two spaces.
18. If you are a varsity athlete, move up one space. If you’re all-region in a sport, move up another space.
19. If you got a “D” in an academic course at the end of your junior year, move back three spaces.
20. If you wrote a letter to the college admission officer and explained the extenuating circumstance
surrounding a grade of “D,” move up one space.
21. If you decided to protect your GPA by not taking AP or IB classes offered at your school, move back
two spaces.
22. If you come from a single-parent household and must work part-time to help with expenses, move up
two spaces.
23. If your last name is Kennedy, and the name on the college library is Kennedy, and it’s not a coincidence,
move all the way to the front of the line and stay there.
4.1
4.1 GPA
You took a strong academic schedule.
You forgot to change the name of the college when
word processing the essay that was sent to several
different schools
4.0
4.0 GPA
You attended an enriching summer program between
your junior and senior years.
You decided not to take AP or IB classes (even though
your school offered them) because you wanted to
protect your grade point average.
3.7
3.7 GPA
The topic of your essay was sports (as a metaphor for
life).
You’re an Eagle Scout.
You’re all-region in basketball.
3.5
3.5 GPA
Your intended major is Greek.
You participated in NO extracurricular activities.
You attended an enriching summer program between
your junior and senior years.
3.3
3.3 GPA
You applied early decision to your first-choice college.
Your intended major is psychology.
You plagiarized an American history paper and got
caught.
3.1
3.1 GPA
Your intended major is psychology or pre-med.
You wrote an essay that was passed around the office because it
was so good.
You’re the first in your family to attend college.
You’re a varsity athlete.
You made a “D” in your junior year but wrote to the college to
explain extenuating circumstances.
You’ve taken a strong academic program.
2.9
2.9 GPA
You direct the gospel choir at your church.
You are quiet and don’t know your teachers well enough to
ask for a recommendation.
You’ve participated in community service.
You’re taking a strong academic program.
You’re from a single-parent household and must work to
help with expenses.
2.8
2.8 GPA
You’re a legacy at the college to which you’re applying.
You did not write the optional essay for your college
application.
You’ve participated in some community service.
Your last name is Kennedy and the college library is named
after your grandfather.
Chantilly High School Department of Student Services
Presents
a College Admissions Panel for Juniors and Their Parents
Monday, January 10, 2011
7:00pm
Opening Remarks & Moderator
Robyn Lady, Director of Student Services
Family Connection & Money for College
Alice Robertson, Career Center Specialist
Admissions Panel
University of Alabama: Elizabeth Dugas, Regional Recruiting Counselor
Beginning the College Selection Process & Student Self-Assessment
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How does a student begin to develop a list of colleges that will fit their needs?
What factors are most important to consider (location, size, cost, public/private, special needs, other)?
What admission statistics are important to consider when considering my chances of admission?
How important is it to apply to a range of schools (reach, target, probable)?
How can students get the most out of college visits or college fairs?
What is the best way for parents to be involved in the process?
University of Virginia: Amy Jarich, Senior Associate Dean of Undergraduate Admissions
Presenting the Best Possible Application Package
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
How do admission departments make decisions? How can a student find out what is most important to a particular
school?
How important is the essay? Should students submit essays, if the application is “essay optional”?
Do special talents or choice of major influence decisions? Does the timing of the application matter (i.e., Early
Action/Early Decision)?
How much weight is placed on recommendations? Are extra recommendations read?
How do colleges view Fairfax County students (differences between schools, grading scale, etc.)?
Are social networking sites (MySpace, Facebook, etc.) used in the admission process?
Virginia Commonwealth University: Katherine Beck, Admissions Counselor
Making the Final Decision & College Preparation
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Once accepted, how do students best evaluate options?
What does it mean to be wait-listed? How long should a student “wait”? Does it help to call or provide additional
information?
What happens if grades drop after a student is accepted?
How do you prepare for college after the final choice has been made?
What supports are available to students with disabilities in college? What general support is available to all students?
What is the procedure for students who plan to transfer from a two-year college to a four-year college?
Question & Answer Session
Based on Available Time
Thank you for taking the time to attend this evening’s program.
Please complete an evaluation and leave it in the box in the lobby.