The Fundamentals of College
Admission Counseling
ASCA 2006
Bob Bardwell, Director of Guidance,
Monson High School
Andrew Sison, Dean of Admission,
Lewis University
Why teach college
admission counseling?
• 43% of counselors surveyed spend more
than 20% of their time doing college
admission counseling
• More people going to college
– Only 1/3 of HS graduates in 1960 went to college
– Today - More than half do
• 50% of bachelor degree students drop out
• Lots of misinformation is out there
• Under-represented students need help
National Association for College
Admission Counseling (NACAC)
• Networking with over 8000 members
• Premiere organization for professional and ethical
issues facing college counseling
• Access to national conference and professional
development opportunities
• Web site (www.nacacnet.org)
• E-list (Listserv@peach.ease.lsoft.com)
• Newsletters/Journals
Statement of Principles of
Good Practices
• All members must adhere to these ethical
and professional policies
• Reviewed annually
• Two articles
– Promotion and recruitment
– Admission, Financial Aid & Testing policies and
procedures
• Mandatory practices vs. best practices
The role of the secondary school
counselor in college admissions
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Advisor
Information provider
Researcher
Sounding board
Surrogate parent
Advocate
Financial aid expert
Teacher
Working with parents, faculty
and administrators
• What do (some) parents expect?
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You are the expert
Lots of information
Available 24/7
You to do the work for them
• Some parents are not
involved at all
Working with parents, faculty
and administrators (continued)
• What do the faculty expect?
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Letters of recommendation assistance
Course placement information
Grading and test score information
Do they need my course to go to college?
Classroom guidance lessons/presentations
• General college planning (ie: junior seminar)
• Essay writing
• College searching (internet or reference book)
• Primarily serve as a resource
Working with parents, faculty
and administrators (continued)
• What do administrators expect?
– Excellent placements/Where students got in
– Professionalism
– High quality college admission counseling
programs/activities
– Satisfied students and parents
– Good publicity for the school/community
Setting up the College
Counseling Office
• Reference materials
– print
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search guides - Peterson’s, College Board, Chronicle
catalogs/viewbooks
non-fiction books
free materials
– multimedia (Videos, DVD’s, CD-ROM’s)
– online
– maps/guides
Setting up the College
Counseling Office
• Programs
– grade level programs
• junior prep night
• senior financial aid night
• junior/senior seminars
• Newsletters
• E-mail/e-group options
Required college counseling
seminar for juniors
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Introduction to the college search process
Timelines
Identifying needs/self-exploration/values clarification
Testing issues
Exposure to college materials, critical thinking
Dispelling myths, creating awareness, getting kids “on
board”, alleviating anxiety
– Planning for junior spring & summer visits
– The essay
Profiles
• Should accompany every transcript sent
• Tell the college about your school
– School & community facts
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name, address and contact information
type of school (public/private)
enrollment by grade level
accreditation(s)
calendar system (quarter/semester/trimester)
description of the school community
Profiles
(continued)
– Staff
• Name of principal/headmaster
• Name(s) of counseling staff w/contact information
– Grading system
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Grading system
Computation of class rank (if computed) policy
Grade weighting policy
Graduation requirements
Special situations (ESL or special needs students)_
Profiles
(continued)
– Recent college admission test scores
• Percent of students taking ACT/SAT
• Range of scores
– Further schooling of graduates
• chart or table showing percent of graduates
attending various types of post secondary schools
– Curriculum information
• All courses offered
• Designation of honors, AP & IB courses
• Unusual programs or opportunities
Timeline for Conducting the
College Search
• Sophomore year
• Junior year
– Fall
• Take PSAT’s
– Winter/spring
• Research schools; narrow down your list
• Prepare for the SAT/ACT
• Select appropriate senior year courses
– Summer
• Visit Schools
Timeline for Conducting the
College Search (continued)
• Senior Year
– Fall
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Finalize your list of potential schools
Visit schools
Get letters of recommendation
Take SAT/ACT
APPLY
Get financial aid information/forms
Begin to apply for scholarships
Timeline for Conducting the
College Search (continued)
– Winter
• Continue to apply for admission and scholarships
• Apply for financial aid
• If accepted, make sure to let the admissions office
know if you want an extension until May 1
– Spring
• Evaluate acceptances and financial aid offers
• Send non-refundable deposit by May 1
• Send final transcript after graduation
Factors to consider when
selecting a college
• Location, location, location
– Large city
– Small city
– Rural area
• Major
• Size of school
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Extra large 15,000 + (University of Mass.)
Large 5000-10,000 (Boston College)
Medium 1000-5000 (Springfield College)
Small under 1000 (Elms College)
Factors to consider when
selecting a college (continued)
• Type of school
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Liberal arts (Amherst College)
Technological (Worcester Polytechnic Institute)
Health sciences (Mass. College of Pharmacy)
Business (Bryant University)
Art (Mass. College of Art)
Military (Mass. Maritime Academy)
Factors to consider when
selecting a college (continued)
• Type
– Private
– Public
– Religious affiliated
• Lifestyle/Activities
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Fraternities/sororities
Athletics
Clubs/organizations
Special programs - study abroad; co-op
Factors to consider when
selecting a college (continued)
• Selectivity
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Very selective (admits less than 30%)
Selective (admits 30-60%)
Competitive (admits 60-90%)
Open enrollment (admits 100%)
Institution selectivity vs. major selectivity
• Reputation
A word of caution about
rankings/ratings
• US News & World Report & Rugg’s
Recommendations on the College are
helpful, but….
• The best school for a student may not have
the best program
• Check the industry for programs that are
accredited or endorsed
Resources to search for a college
• College Search Books
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Peterson’s Guide
College Board Handbook
College Board Index of Majors
Chronicle Guidance Publications
Barron’s Guides
Lovejoy’s College Guide
• The Fiske to the Colleges
• Rugg’s Recommendations on the Colleges
Resources to search for a college
• Athletic resources
– National Directory of College Athletics
• Honors Programs
– Peterson’s Guide to Honors Programs &
Colleges
• Vocational/Technical Schools
– Peterson’s Guide to Vocational & Technical
Schools
• Christian Schools
– Peterson’s Christian College & Universities
Resources to search for a college
• General Books
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A is for Admission- Hernandez
The College Admissions Mystique - Mayer
Colleges that Change Lives - Pope
Admissions Confidential - Toor
The GateKeepers - Steinberg
The Public Ivys- Moll
Resources to search for a college
• Magazines/periodicals
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US News & World Report
Money Magazine
The Gourman Report
Newsweek - How to Get into College
The Princeton Review
The free stuff
Resources to search for a college
• Placement Reports
– Database (Microsoft Access)
– Make your own program
• Scattergrams
– www.naviance.com
– www.inresonance.com.
College Fairs
• NACAC Sponsored
– Almost 50 national fairs
– 15 Performing & Visual Arts college fairs
• State & Regional ACAC Sponsored
• High School Sponsored
College tours for counselors
• Private
– College Visits, 207 East Bay Street, Suite 304
Charleston, SC 29401, 800-944-2798,
www.college-visits.com
• College sponsored
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College sponsored, usually ones situated close together
Free or inexpensive; you may pay to get there
Several days or part of the day
Overnight programs for counselors and their families
As part of conferences (I.e.: Milwaukee)
College Tours for Students
• Commercial packages
– www.college-visits.com
– www.niep.com
– The College Authority
(949) 371.1111
• Design your own college tour
• Field trip to local college
– College may offset cost of transportation & meals
• Field trip to local college fair
The counselor cycle
• College Planning begins in the middle school
– Middle school early planning program for parents
– Early testing programs - SSAT
• Develop a 4 year plan with incoming freshmen
emphasizing proper course selection and good
grades
• Continue in grades 10 & 11
• Taking AP/Honors courses vs. less challenging
course
The counselor cycle
(continued)
• Fall of junior year
– Program to discuss calendar & resources
available to search for colleges
• Voluntary
• Give out transcript
– PSAT administration
• Third Saturday or Wednesday after Columbus Day
in October
• Given at most high schools nationally
The counselor cycle
(continued)
• Spring of junior year
– Program for students and parents
• Evening
• Panel of admission representatives
– SAT/ACT registration and administration
– College search
– College tours
The counselor cycle
(continued)
• Fall of senior year
– Large group meeting to gather information
• Review calendar & responsibilities
• Review letter of recommendation guidelines
• Deadlines
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Evening program
Small group/individual appointments
Folders
SAT/ACT test administration & registration
Letters of recommendation
Financial aid night
The counselor cycle
(continued)
• Winter of senior year
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Letters of recommendation
Reviewing applications and/or essays
Financial aid deadline reminder
Verification of transcripts sent
The counselor cycle
(continued)
• Spring of senior year
– Follow up with students who have not applied
– Field trip to local community college
– Assisting with financial aid award letter
interpretation and decision making
– Coordinate program to help plan for the
transition to college for parents & seniors
Activity
• Setting up the college counseling office
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What to order?
How to work within a limited budget
How to arrange information/materials
Working with constituencies to meet their needs
Parts of an application
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Application
Fee
Personal statement/essay
Secondary school report
Counselor recommendation
Teacher recommendations
Standardized test scores
Personal Interview
Portfolio
Other requirements for specific majors
How many applications?
• Three to five is the average
– Community standard will determine this
• Sort institutions by selectivity
– Reach - tend to be more competitive
– Likely - a pretty good chance of getting in
– Safety - pretty much a guaranteed admission
• Try to put 1-2 schools in each category to
ensure choices later on
When to apply?
• Most early admission programs have
deadlines around November 1st
• More selective schools have deadlines
around January 1st
• Most schools have February or March 1st
• Less selective schools may continue
accepting students up to May 1st
• Financial aid award may be determined by
when you were accepted (priority deadline)
Counselor letter of
recommendation
• Should provide an overview of the
applicant’s strengths and potential for
success in college
• Don’t repeat what is already in the
application (I.e.: activities)
• Reveal things that are not necessarily
known to the reader
• Make connections, especially with events
which have shaped their goals/choices
Counselor letter of
recommendation (continued)
• Fill in the gaps
• Give insights that most people wouldn’t
know
• Explain problems/issues (assuming you
have the permission of the student)
• Respect confidentiality
• Be positive, yet honest
• Don’t state the obvious
Counselor letter of
recommendation (continued)
• Three parts
– Introduction - context in which you know the
student
– Body - provide specific examples and
documentation; can include teacher comments,
but……
– Conclusion - summary of recommendation
• To show or not to show?
Counselor letter of
recommendation (continued)
• Where to gather information
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From student interactions & past experiences
From faculty
From records/cumulative folder
From parents
• How long should it be?
Teacher Letters of
Recommendation
• Don’t have too many; 2-3 at the most
• Have different disciplines represented
unless specific individuals are needed
• Try to include letters from outside of the
school if appropriate
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Clergy
Coach
Advisor
Employer
Teacher Letters of
Recommendation
• Ideally a student should have had the
teacher for at least two classes
• Choose teachers from junior or senior year
courses
• Student should provide information sheet
• What does the teacher do with it after it is
written?
The Personal Statement/Essay
• This is a personal experience; don’t talk
about other people or if you do, how he/she
impacted you
• Be yourself
• This may be the only subjective information
that the reader has about the candidate
• Should provide reflection about the
individual’s strengths and weaknesses
The Personal Statement/Essay
• Should expand upon the application, not
repeat it
• Should be your best effort, not a last minute
piece
• Don’t write about what you think they want
to hear
• Answer the question(s)
• Follow directions
The Personal Statement/Essay
• Provide concrete, vivid examples Avoid
gimmicks, humor (if you’re not funny) and
preaching
• Avoid controversial topics
• Can be used to “explain” something
• Develop an outline prior to writing
• Don’t use big words or thesaurus words
• Make your introduction memorable
The Personal Statement/Essay
• Demonstrate higher level thinking; make
the connection
• If you are going to mention the school,
make sure to send the correct one
• Revise & rewrite
• Have others proofread it
• How long?
Secondary School Report
• Basic academic information
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GPA
Rank
Strength of curriculum in comparison to others
Ratings/checklists
Statistics about placement rates
List of senior courses/grades
Transcript request
Letter of recommendation/counselor comments
Discipline/suspension issues
Campus visits
• Are a must
• Make an appointment; be sure to get
“credit” for being visiting
• Bring a notebook to take notes
• Ask questions
• Observe students on campus and in the
student center
• Visit a class
Campus visits (continued)
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Don’t schedule more than two a day
Don’t schedule your first choice school first
Visit classrooms and talk with faculty
Eat in the cafeteria if possible
Take part in activities if possible
Campus Interviews
• This is a chance for the student to get to
know the campus as well as the admissions
office to get to know you
• Don’t schedule first choice school first
• Learn as much as you can about the school
before the interview
• Ask questions that are not already answered
in the literature
• Be positive
Campus Interviews (continued)
• Be yourself
• Explain things not already found in your
application
• Dress neatly
• Practice before going
• Don’t try to bluff; if you don’t know say so
• If possible, apply before interviewing
• Send thank you note
Alumni or Off Campus
Interviews
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Make an appointment
Individual vs. group interviews
Have one if far from campus and can’t visit
Do it even if you have been on campus;
shows enthusiasm and interest
• Will give you a different perspective
The Common Application
• Used by 300 institutions
• Provides common form
• May be used in lieu of the school’s
application or may be the only application
• Easily reproduced
• www.commonapp.org
Confidentiality
• Counselor expectations
– FERPA
• Student expectations
• Follow SPGP guidelines
• Be sure to get student permission to send
anything or make contact
Computer Search Resources
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www.myroad.com
www.eguidance.com
www.collegeboard.com
www.act.org
www.nacac.com
– www.nacac.com/p&s_steps.html
• www.neacac.org
Computer Search Resources (continued)
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www.finaid.org
www.fafsa.ed.gov
www.ncaaclearinghouse.net
www.cyberguidance.net
www.commonapp.org
www.counselorstoolbox.com
Standardized Testing
• To test or not to test
• What scores are needed and
who wants them?
• Why even use test scores?
• Do they predict college
success?
ACT Assessment
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Formerly called American College Test
Includes World-of-Work Map
$29.00 basic fee
4 areas
– English
• 75 question, 45 minute test; 2 subscores
• Usage/mechanics
– Punctuation (13%)
– Grammar and usage (16%)
– sentence structure (24%)
ACT (continued)
• Rhetorical skills
– Strategy (16%)
– Organization (15%)
– Style (16%)
– Mathematics
• 60 question, 60 minute test
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Pre-algebra (23%)
Elementary algebra (17%)
Intermediate algebra (15%)
Coordinate geometry (15%)
Plane geometry (23%)
Trigonometry (7%)
ACT (continued)
– Reading
• 40 question, 35 minute test; 2 subscores
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Social studies (25%)
Natural sciences (25%)
Prose fiction (25%)
Humanities (25%)
• Questions ask to derive meaning by referring to
what is explicitly stated and reasoning to determine
implicit meanings
ACT (continued)
– Science Reasoning
• 40 question, 35 minute test
– Data representation (38%)
– Research summaries (45%)
– Conflicting viewpoints (17%)
• Includes biology, chemistry, physics and earth/space
sciences
• Measures the interpretation, analysis, evaluation,
reasoning and problem solving skills required in the
natural sciences
ACT (continued)
– Writing Test
• Optional
• 2 additional scores
– Combined English/Writing score (1-36)
– Writing subscore (2-12)
» Scored holistically by 2 readers (1-6)
• 30 minute test
• Writing prompt with two viewpoints
• $43.00
PLAN
• Practice test for sophomores
• Similar to ACT but less time and fewer questions
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English - 50 questions, 30 minutes
Mathematics - 40 questions, 40 minutes
Reading - 25 questions, 20 minutes
Science Reasoning - 30 questions, 25 minutes
• Can be given at any time from September through
December
• $8.65 - $9.00 per test depending upon # of tests to
score
SAT Reasoning Test
• Formerly called Scholastic Aptitude Test
• $41.50 Basic registration fee
• Mathematics, critical reading and writing
sections
• Scores range from 200-800
• 1 point for every correct answer; no points
for omitted questions; lose a fraction of a
point for each wrong answer
• Calculators permitted on math sections
SAT Reasoning Test (continued)
• Critical reading
– 3 sections; 2 @25 minutes and 1 @ 20 minutes
• Reading comprehension
• Sentence completions
• Paragraph length critical reading
• Math
– 3 sections; 2 @25 minutes and 1 @ 20 minutes
• Multiple choice
– Number and operations; algebra and functions; geometry;
statistics, probability, and data analysis
• 10 student produced responses
SAT Reasoning Test (continued)
• Writing – 2 sections
– 35 minute multiple choice
• Identifying sentence errors
• Improving sentences
• Improving paragraphs
– 25 minute essay
• Always the first section of the test
• Scored from 1-6 by two readers online
• Equating section - math or verbal 25 minutes
– not included in your score
SAT Subject Tests
• Formerly called SAT II’s
• 20 individual subject tests; $18.00 basic
registration fee + $8 per test (Language
w/listening $19)
• Listening tests are only offered in November
• Should be taken at the end of the course
• 1 hour long; can take up to three in one day
• Not offered in the March/April
administration
SAT Subject Tests (continued)
• Required by more selective colleges
– Will indicate if specific tests are required
– Will usually want 2 or 3 tests
• English literature
• Math
• Third in an area of intended study, in an area of
strength or an area of extended study
– New SAT Reasoning test has caused colleges to
change their requirements
PSAT/NMSQT
• Preliminary SAT
• Given the Wednesday after Columbus Day
or 3rd Saturday in October at high schools
nation wide
• $12.00 per test, although administrative fees
can be charged
• Normed for juniors although some
sophomores take it
– Should this be encouraged?
PSAT (continued)
• Register directly with the high school;
online registration not available
• Very similar to the new SAT, except
– No Algebra II will be included
– No essay
• Try to emulate the SAT as much as possible
Standardized Testing
• Comparison from SAT I - ACT
– Can be used to predict scores on the other test
– Based upon scores from previous test takers
who took both tests
– May find different tables depending upon data
used by an individual institution
Test of English as a
Foreign Language
(TOEFL)
• Moving towards entirely internet based test in
2006
• $140
• www.toefl.org
• Measures proficiency in reading, listening,
speaking & writing
• Approximately 4 hours long
• Score is based upon on how well you answer the
questions (0-120)
College Level Examination
Placement (CLEP)
• Over 2900 colleges grant credit or advanced
standing for satisfactory scores
• 90 minutes long
• $55
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Composition & Literature - 6
Foreign Languages - 3
History & Social Science - 12
Science & Mathematics -7
Business - 5
Advanced Placement
• 34 subjects offered
– Art History & Studio Art
– Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science,
Physics B & Physics C
– Calculus AB, Calculus BC & Statistics
– Computer Science A & AB
– English Language & English Literature
– Music Theory
Advanced Placement
(continued)
– Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, European
History, Comparative Government & Politics,
U.S. Government & Politics, Human
Geography, Psychology, U.S. History & World
History
– French Language, French Literature, German
Language, Latin Vergil, Latin Literature
Spanish Literature & Spanish Language
– Coming soon – Italian, Japanese and Chinese
Culture and Literature
Advanced Placement
(continued)
• Tied to standardized curriculum
• Earn credit or waive courses in college
• Tests are given in the first two weeks of
May of each year; set schedule
• Scores range from 1-5
• Exposed to college level material
International Baccalaureate
• The International Baccalaureate
Organization aims to develop inquiring,
knowledgeable and caring young people
who help to create a better and more
peaceful world through intercultural
understanding and respect
• There are 1,595 schools in 121 countries
• Is a non-profit educational organization that
was established in 1968
International Baccalaureate
• 3 program in schools worldwide
 the Diploma Program, for students in the final two
years of school before university
 the Middle Years Program for students 11 to 16
 the Primary Years Program is for students 3 to 12
• The IBO provides IB schools with:
 detailed curriculum guidelines
 teacher training workshops
 online access to 3,000 education resources, subject
area experts, and discussion sessions with teachers
 High School of Commerce, Springfield
Fee Waivers
• Must meet eligibility guidelines set by
testing service based on household size
50,000
45,000
40,000
35,000
30,000
25,000
20,000
15,000
10,000
5,000
0
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
SAT
ACT
Fee Waivers (continued)
• Must be used initially to register for SAT
Reasoning/ SAT Subject Tests or ACT
– Subsequently can be used for application fee
waiver
• Utilize school free/reduced lunch lists
• There is a limit to the number of fee waivers
you can use, so be careful to ensure the
most needy students get them; You can
request more, but…..
Test Prep Thoughts
• Lots of options
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Princeton Review, Kaplan, Sylvan, etc.
Colleges/universities (I.e.: Westfield State)
High schools
Private companies (College Counseling
Services)
• Are they worth the cost & time?
• Access & equity issues
Admission Categories
&Decisions
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Early decision
Early action
Restrictive early action
Wait List
Rolling admission
Denial
Deferment
Early Decision
• Binding contract with the school
• Clearly one’s first choice
• Student promises to withdraw all other
applications from other schools if accepted
• School must provide adequate financial aid
• October 15 - November 15 deadlines
• Early notification, usually within a month
• If denied ED, can have file reviewed under regular
application pool
• Counselor should only send 1 transcript ED
Early Action
• A non-binding admission process by which
a student can apply to multiple schools
• Can have until candidate reply date to
respond if attending
• Early deadline in November or December
• Early notification usually a month later
• Student does not have to withdraw other
applications
Restrictive Early Action
• Recently changed for the 2007-08 admission cycle
• Similar to early action, however institutions may
place restrictions on the student applying to other
early plans
• Restrictions will be part of the written agreement
• Admitted students are not obligated to accept the
offer or submit a deposit until the regular
candidate reply date
Early or not?
• Many students see this as an advantage
since in many institutions a greater
percentage of applicants are admitted early
• Creates havoc in the admissions office
• Seen as a clear advantage for the college gets committed students early; affects yield
• Has gotten away from the original premise
of one’s first choice school
Wait List
– You’re almost good enough…but
– To get on the WL is tied to number of
applicants and strength of applicant pool
– To get off the WL is tied to the number of
students who deposit
– Will not know the status of the wait list until
well after May 1
– Will not likely get any financial aid
– Students must deposit elsewhere or get
permission to have their spot “held”
Rolling Admission
• Process by which students are accepted and
notified anytime after their application is
complete
• Schools usually have a February or March
deadline (or no deadline)
• Majority of these schools are non-selective
with no early deadline
• Usually send financial aid award letters
under separate cover
Denial
• Or rejected? Either way, it is the same
• The thick or thin envelope?
• In some cases, it is to a major and other
options are given, but in most cases it is to
the institution
Candidate Reply Date
• Universally accepted as May 1
• Applicants must pay non-refundable deposit
of at least $200
• The timing of the deposit may be tied to
housing
• Should never deposit until student knows
the status of financial aid
Options after May 1
• Many schools are still accepting qualified
applicants
• May not get financial aid
• New England Board of Higher Education
– www.nebhe.org
• NACAC
– www.nacac.com/survey
Deferment
• Student knows which school s/he wishes to attend,
but is not ready to start school
• Could be for one semester or one year
• Not all colleges participate
• Must have valid reason
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Earn money
Travel
Volunteer work
Family obligations
• Advantage - have the acceptance in place
Taking a Year Off Options
• Explore the world
– Global quest - www.gquest.org - Thailand
– www.ithaka.org - Greece
• Volunteer work
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www.dynamy.org
www.city-year.org
www.americorps.org
www.nascc.org
• www.takingtimeoff.com
13th year
• Opportunity for students with weak
academic credentials to continue their
education; gives them a better shot at
getting into a more competitive college
• Most private prep schools will admit
students for a 13th year
• Sometimes athletes will be encouraged to
participate to improve athletic skills and
become more competitive
What will make the difference
between acceptance and denial?
• Academic performance
• Strength of academic schedule
–
–
–
–
–
–
Test scores
Personal statement
Recommendations
Application
Activities
Interview
Financial Aid
• General Thoughts
– As important as admission
– Student is the applicant, not the parent
– Cost of attendance - Expected Family
Contribution = Financial Need
– Special circumstances should be reported to the
financial aid office directly
Calculating Aid
• Federal methodology
– US Government’s universal standard for
determining aid eligibility from data obtained
from the FAFSA
• Institutional methodology
– Each institution can use whatever criteria they
want to determine aid eligibility from data
obtained by the PROFILE® or other financial
aid information
How financial need influences
admission decisions
• Need Blind
– the admission decision is not influenced by the
family’s ability to pay
• Need conscious or need sensitive
– the admission decision may be influenced by
the family’s ability to pay
Types of Aid
• Loans
– Money that you pay back
– Some are subsidized; others are not
– Student and parent programs
• Grants/scholarship
– Money that you don’t pay back
• Work Study
– Money that you earn on the job; usually
minimum wage
Stafford Loan Program
– Federal Direct Student Loan Program - funds
are dispersed by the federal government
– Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) funds
are dispersed by a bank, credit union or other
lender
– Subsidized - based on financial need
• Federal government pays the interest while you’re in
school and for grace period afterwards (6 months)
– Unsubsidized - not based on financial need
• Borrowers are responsible for all interest that
accrues from the date of disbursement
Stafford Loan Program (continued)
– Limits for dependent undergraduate students:
•
•
•
•
Year 1
$2625
Year 2
$3500
Years 3-5 $5500
Aggregate limit
$23,000
– Variable rates but capped at 8.25%; 2004-05
rate was 3.37%
– Up to 10 years to pay back; extensions can be
arranged
Federal Perkins Loan
– Low interest (5%) loan for students with
exceptional need
– Loan is made through the school’s financial aid
office (school is the lender)
– Can borrow up to $4000 annually, depending
upon need and funding level at the school
– Re-payment is similar to other government loan
programs with grace period of 9 months
PLUS Loans
–
–
–
–
–
Parent loan program
May not borrow more than one’s need
Variable interest rate not to exceed 9%
2004-05 rate was 4.17%
Repayment begins within 2 months after the
final loan disbursement
– No grace period
– Interest accumulates at the time of the first
disbursement
Grants/Scholarships
• Merit based grants/scholarships
– Money for a talent, skill or achievement
• I.e.: academic, athletic or leadership scholarship
• Need based grants/scholarships
– Money based solely on financial need
• Federal government programs
– Pell, FSEOG
• Also called gift aid
Pell Grants
• Automatically considered based on need; do
not apply for
• School will determine if eligible
• For the most needy students
• A standard formula to determine eligibility
is approved by the Congress each year
• $4050 maximum award per year
Federal Supplemental
Educational Opportunity Grants
• Must demonstrate exceptional financial
need
• Awards range from $100 - $4000
• Amount depends on need and how much
money the school has received from the
Federal Government
• More limited than Pell Grant program
Local Scholarships
• Administered by the school or local
agencies/groups
• Guidance office usually serves as
clearinghouse
• Common application form & date
• Regional/state/national scholarships are
often mailed to you directly
Federal Work Study
•
•
•
•
•
Must have financial need
Part-time job, usually on campus
Must be paid at least minimum wage
Will be granted a maximum award limit
Can provide valuable work experience in
your career field
An example - Determining Need
Cost of
Attendance
(-) Expected
Family
Contribution
= Need
College A
College B
$30,000
$15,000
$5,000
$5,000
$25,000
$10,000
An example - Determining Award
College A
College B
Need
$25,000
$10,000
(-) Grant
$5000
$1000
(-) Loan
(-)Work Study
= Unmet Need
or Gap
$2625
$1000
$2625
$1000
$17,375
$5375
Free Application for Federal
Student Aid (FAFSA)
–
–
–
–
Required by all schools
Paper form or online (www.fafsa.ed.gov)
Cannot apply before January 1
Must have custodial parent(s) income listed as
well as stepparent if living with student unless
the student is independent
– Processed within 4 weeks of receipt
– Do not mail anything else with the form as it
will be destroyed
FAFSA (continued)
– Most information can be taken directly from tax
forms
– Online applicants will receive tips and error
messages to avoid making common mistakes
– After processing, student will receive a Student
Aid Report (SAR). This is to verify the
information and make corrections.
– If you are applying for aid at more than 6
schools you will add the additional schools to
the SAR to be corrected.
FAFSA (continued)
–
–
–
–
–
–
Step 1- Basic Biographical information
Step 2 - Student financial information
Step 3 - Dependent student status
Step 4 - Parent(s) financial information
Step 5 - Only for independent students
Step 6 - List Title IV codes for schools to which
you want the information sent electronically; if
not, write in the name of the school
– Step 7 - Sign and date
CSS PROFILE®
•
•
•
•
•
Not required by all schools
Cannot be processed until October 1st
$5 registration fee; $18 for each school
Must be completed online
Will receive a customized application with
common questions and possible additional
questions or forms for a particular school
CSS PROFILE® (continued)
• Will be processed in 1-3 weeks and then
sent to specified schools
• Do Not use Title IV codes
• Fee waivers available
• Be sure to double check if the school
requires this form!
• www.collegeboard.com
• Call 305.829.9793
Financial Aid Resources
• Your financial aid administrator (FAA)
• 1.800.4FEDAID (800.433.3243)
• State agencies
– Mass. Education Financing Authority - www.mefa.org
•
•
•
•
www.fafsa.ed.gov - FAFSA online
www.ed.gov/prog_info/SFA/StudentGuide
www.finaid.org
www.wiredscholar.com
Working with special populations
• These students are in all schools
– Students of various colors, cultures &
ethnicities
– Students of varying socio-economic status
– Students from different religious backgrounds
– Students with learning differences
– Gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgendered students
– Gender
• How do deal with issues of diversity?
Issues of Race
• Supreme Court Rulings
– Regents of Univ. of CA v. Bakke (1978)
• Can use race to determine admission; it is a
compelling interest of the institution
– Grutter v. Bollinger et al. (2003)
• Univ. of Michigan Law School
• Can use race as one factor in determining admission
– Gratz et al. v. Bollinger et al. (2003)
• Univ. of Michigan Undergraduate Admissions
• Can no longer automatically award points for
minorities
Students with Disabilities
• Disclose or not disclose?
• Are supports/services/accommodations
available?
• Is there a cost for these services?
• 504 plans go with a student to college; not
the IEP
Testing Students with Disabilities
• College Board Programs
– Register as early as freshmen year for
PSAT/NMSQT, SAT Reasoning, SAT Subject
Tests, AP
– Must have documentation on file that supports
the need for an accommodation
– Receive and utilize the requested
accommodation on school tests
– Student only has to complete the registration
form once
Testing Students with Disabilities
(continued)
– Center testing vs. school testing
• Center
– regular Saturday exam
– Extended time up to 50% extra (time and 1/2)
• School
– 100% extended time
– All other accommodations
» visual assistance, auditory assistance, scribe, etc.
• ACT has similar accommodation plans
• Each school should have designated testing
coordinator
Student athletes
• Never tell a student which division
they can play at; let the coach do that
• Make sure that students speak to coaches
and ask the important questions; not parents
• Make sure the college coach has your
schedule
• Visit during NCAA approved times
• Don’t give in easily; be persistent but not
pushy
Student Athletes
• NCAA Clearinghouse
–
–
–
–
–
–
For Division I & II schools only
List of Approved Courses (Form 48-H)
Core GPA calculation & Test score
Initial eligibility vs. final eligibility
Register after completion of junior year
Send final transcript after graduation
(continued)
Military Academies
• Naval Academy, Air Force Academy, Military
Academy (West Point) & Merchant Marine
Academy
• US Coast Guard doesn’t require nomination
• Must be nominated by U.S. Congressman, U.S.
Senator, President, Vice-President or military
affiliated nominations
• Maximum of 5 students per academy at one time;
may nominate up to 10 candidates per vacancy
Military Academies
(continued)
• Must be between 17 & 23, U.S. citizen,
single, not pregnant and no dependents
• Very selective admission requirements
• Must meet physical aptitude requirements
• Should complete preliminary application
with the academy in spring of junior year
• Should complete required file with
Congressman by deadline (fall senior year)
Senior Slump/Senior
Slide/Senioritis
• Why?
• Colleges can withdraw acceptances if
serious; most give severe warning or put on
academic probation
• What can you do to motivate these seniors?
• Some schools provide unique senior
programs during the second semester or
final quarter to avoid this problem
Final thoughts…...
• College admission counseling is
an ever changing process which
requires continual professional
development
• Your role as a college counselor
will depend on the community
in which you work
• For some students, you may be
the only help that they have