SERVITE HIGH SCHOOL
Junior Parent/Student
College Info Night
Hilary Recknor – Sara Williams
March 4th, 2015
SERVITE HIGH SCHOOL
Contact Information
Servite High School
• Ms. Hilary Recknor
• Mrs. Doreen Moore
• Mrs. Megen Anspach
• Mrs. Sara Williams
714-774-7575
A-D
E-K
L-Q
R-Z
*1156
*1133
*1457
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• Mrs. Deborah Blashaw, Support Services *1146
• Ms. Lila Dulac will be filling in for Sara Williams
while on leave.
SERVITE HIGH SCHOOL
College Search: What are you looking for?
• Identify the factors that are important to your son
and to your family.
• What are your goals for the next four years?
• What do you hope your college experience holds?
• Suggestion: Select your most important factors
and write a summary statement.
SERVITE HIGH SCHOOL
Some factors to consider
• Majors, Programs, Minors
• Location, Size & Setting
• Large Research University, Small Liberal Arts College
• Public, Private, “For Profit”
• Art, Conservatory, Culinary
• Academic Reputation
• Religious Affiliation
• Activities, Clubs, School Spirit, Athletics
• Special Support Programs, “Combined” Programs
• Housing Options, Commute
• COST, Merit Aid, In-State Tuition, WUE
SERVITE HIGH SCHOOL
Finding the Fit: Where do Servite grads go?
• UC (9%) – UCLA, UCI, UCR, Berkeley, Davis, UCSB
• Cal State (22%) – CSUF, CPSLO, CPPomona, SDSU
• Catholic (24%) – LMU, USD, ND, Portland, Gonzaga
• Other Private & Public Out-of-State (32%)
•USC, Geo Washington, Vanderbilt, Chapman, Emory, TCU
•Arizona, Nevada Reno, Washington, Purdue, Boulder, Iowa St
• Community College (13%)
(Percentages are approximate)
SERVITE HIGH SCHOOL
Some Selective Public Universities
• UC Campuses
• Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
• San Diego State
• Long Beach State
• U Michigan
• U North Carolina, Chapel Hill
• U Texas, Austin
• U Washington
• U Virginia
• Penn State
• U Connecticut
SERVITE HIGH SCHOOL
Some Selective Private Schools in California
• Stanford University – Palo Alto, CA
• California Institute of Technology – Pasadena, CA
• Claremont McKenna College – Claremont, CA
• Harvey Mudd College – Claremont, CA
• Occidental College – Los Angeles, CA
• Pomona College – Claremont, CA
• University of Southern California – Los Angeles, CA
SERVITE HIGH SCHOOL
Some Selective Private Out of State Schools
• Notre Dame – Notre Dame, IN
• Boston College – Chestnut Hill, MA
• Brown University – Providence, RI
• Dartmouth College – Hanover, NH
• Georgetown – Washington, DC
• U Penn – Philadelphia, PA
• Vanderbilt University – Nashville, TN
• NYU – New York, NY
• Tufts University – Medford, MA
• Emory University- Atlanta, GA
• Rice University – Houston, TX
SERVITE HIGH SCHOOL
“Colleges Worth Considering in the West”
•U of Denver (CO)
•Colorado College (CO)
•Santa Clara U (CA)
•Seattle U (WA)
•Regis U (CO)
•U La Verne (CA)
•St. Mary’s College (CA)
•Whitman College (WA)
•Linfield College (OR)
•U Portland (OR)
•Sonoma State (CA)
•U Puget Sound (WA)
•U of the Pacific (CA)
•Gonzaga U (WA)
•Notre Dame de Namur (CA)
•U San Francisco (CA)
•U Redlands (CA)
•Concordia (CA)
•Point Loma U (CA)
•Lewis & Clark College (OR)
SERVITE HIGH SCHOOL
What is an effective strategy?
• Consider Middle 50% ranges of GPA and SAT/ACT
•Use Profiles of college’s most recent class
• Use Scattergrams in Naviance
• Apply Broadly
•Reach
•Target
•Safety
SERVITE HIGH SCHOOL
College Search
• NAVIANCE
• Advanced Search
• Scattergrams & Admission Stats
• Direct Links to the college websites
• www.calstate.edu (Cal States)
• www.universityofcalifornia.edu (UC)
• www.aiccu.edu (Private CA)
• www.cccco.edu (CA Community Colleges)
• www.catholiccollegesonline.org (US Catholic Colleges)
• www.commonapp.org (500+ Colleges & Universities)
SERVITE HIGH SCHOOL
CSU - Cal State University
• 23 CSU Campuses
• Must complete 15 “core” courses with a grade of “C” or
better
• Must meet minimum Eligibility Index
•Formula for Elig. Index based on GPA and SAT or ACT
•Many Campuses require higher Index for admission
• Apply via www.csumentor.edu
• Must Apply during Priory Filing Period
•October 1st thru November 30th
SERVITE HIGH SCHOOL
CSU “a-g” Subject Requirements
15 one-year Courses with a grade of “C” or better
a. 2 yrs Social Science/History (including 1yr US History)
b. 4 yrs English
c. 3 yrs Mathematics (Alg I, Geom, & Alg II)
d. 2 yrs Science w/Lab (1 yr Biological & 1 yr Physical)
e. 2 yrs Foreign Language (same language)
f.
1 yr Visual & Performing Arts (Art, Theatre, Music)
g. 1 yr College Prep Elective (from the subject areas listed above)
SERVITE HIGH SCHOOL
UC – University of California
• 9 UC Campuses (Undergraduate)
• Must complete 15 “a-g” courses with a grade of “C” or
better
• Must have 3.0 minimum GPA for Eligibility
• Apply via www.universityofcalifornia.edu/apply
• Must Submit November 1st thru 30th ONLY
- Can now begin filling out application on October 1st
SERVITE HIGH SCHOOL
UC “a-g” Subject Requirements
15 one-year Courses with a grade of “C” or better
a. 2 years Social Science/History (including 1year of U.S. History)
b. 4 years English
c. 3 years Mathematics (4 recommended; Alg I, Geometry, & Alg II)
d. 2 years Science w/Lab (3 recommended; Must have 2 of these 3:
Biology, Chemistry, Physics)
e. 2 years Foreign Language/LOTE (3 recommended; same
language)
f. 1 year Visual & Performing Arts (Art, Theatre, Music)
g. 1 year Elective (chosen from the subject areas listed above)
SERVITE HIGH SCHOOL
Private Schools
Wide range of options
Highly selective (Harvard, Georgetown, Stanford, Penn)
Accessible (La Verne, Hawaii Pacific, Concordia, Whittier)
Most use Common App
Most require
Official High School Transcript
Essay(s)
Letter(s) of Recommendation
Secondary School Report (Counselor Report)
Mid Year Report
SERVITE HIGH SCHOOL
Naviance
• A comprehensive software/database that
students & parents can use as a tool in planning
for college
• Counselors will use Naviance to assist in
managing the college application process and
submitting forms on the students behalf. We
cannot submit transcripts. letters of rec, etc. if
the college list is not updated!
SERVITE HIGH SCHOOL
Naviance
• Search for Colleges
• Build Prospective College List
• Manage College Applications (Must keep list current!)
• Career Exploration & Interest Inventory
• Learning Style Inventory
• Communicate with Counselor
SERVITE HIGH SCHOOL
Naviance
SERVITE HIGH SCHOOL
Naviance
•Identify the factors that are important to your son
and to your family.
•What are your goals for the next four years?
•What do you hope your college experience holds?
•Suggestion: Select your most important factors and
write a summary statement.
SERVITE HIGH SCHOOL
Naviance
•Identify the factors that are important to your son
and to your family.
•What are your goals for the next four years?
•What do you hope your college experience holds?
•Suggestion: Select your most important factors and
write a summary statement.
SERVITE HIGH SCHOOL
Naviance
SERVITE HIGH SCHOOL
Writing an Outstanding College Admissions
Essay
Take It Personally!
Ms. Pat Ahern, M.A.
Writing Coach
strongwriting@gmail.com
Colleges Want Students with…
• Proven academic abilities in challenging
classes.
• Involvement in school activities and
community service.
• Leadership and interpersonal
experience.
• SAT and ACT scores.
• goals for the future.
Essays They’re Tired Of . . .
• The Story of My Education (I forgot you
have my transcript)
• The Trip (how I broadened my horizons)
• My Favorite Things (a list of fluffy things
•
that tell you I’m a nice person)
Miss America (how I’ll work for World
Peace)
• The Jock (how I learned to be part of a
team, how I learned to deal with defeat)
What the Experts Say”
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“Tell us about an experience that doesn’t show on
your transcripts: your passions and
commitments, your hopes, a personal challenge
faced, a hardship overcome, or the cultural
awareness you’ve gained.”
---UW
“Stand out from the swarm of applicants by being
offbeat and daring, as long as you stay in control
of your writing.”
“Write as you would in a journal or a letter to a
friend.”
---Essays That Worked
What the Experts Also Say…
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Do research on the college. Mention school
colors, the mascot, and majors or programs you
are interested in.
Determine whether the college is liberal or
conservative.
State or imply how the incident you are writing
about has added to your ability to succeed in
college.
Stay away from controversial topics and avoid
direct persuasion.
Tell a Story Only You Can Tell
• a specific event in your life that changed
the way you think
• one person who helped shape your
character
• a specific challenge that demonstrates
who you are and what you value
• a specific event that caused you to
“walk in someone else’s shoes”
Your Primary Goals
• Make your essay stand out by making it
unique.
• Make your admissions officer want to
meet you and welcome you to the
campus.
• How do you do all this?
ADD VOICE!
• Write about something for which you
have a passion….and let that passion
show
Draft One ~ Hook Options
• Begin with an in medias res scenario.
• Begin with a rhetorical question.
• Begin with a shocking statement.
• Begin with a refutation of conventional
wisdom.
• Begin with a contrast ~ “There are two
types of students…”
• Begin with a confession.
• Begin with what you learned.
Writer’s Tricks
Magic 3
Three examples in a series can create a
poetic rhythm or at least add support for
a point, especially when the three items
have their own modifiers.
• The terror in his eyes, his trembling
hands, and the hoarse words “Run!” all
made me realize I was in danger.
Figurative Language
Connotative comparisons such as similes,
metaphors, and personification add
spice to writing and make thoughtprovoking connections.
• “My thoughts teetered around in my
head like acrobats losing their balance.”
Repetition for Effect
Repeat strategic words or phrases to
make a point or emphasize an idea.
• As I stood in front of the entire student
body and raised the mike to my mouth, I
knew this was the day. The day to end
all days.
Expanded Moment
Emphasize an important moment by “expanding” the
actions and making it slow-motion.
•
The finish line slid closer and I realized I would
never catch up to number 10. At that moment,
the memories of sweat, pulled muscles and
countless practices faded away and I stopped
thinking of cross country as work. As I lost the
final race of the season, I felt the hands of my
teammates on my shoulders, I saw my friends
still smiling and I realized that cross country, all
along, had been fun.
Humor
•
Humor can turn an ordinary piece into
an interesting one.
When I set the basement on fire, I
learned a valuable lesson: spider webs
are very flammable. I’m sure there are
no spiders in the dorms at West Point.
Full-circle Ending
Repeat an idea, word, image, or phrase
from the beginning of the piece for a
memorable, “feels complete” ending.
• “Anyone else letting out a screech like
Andrew’s would have annoyed me, but I
knew this little autistic boy was having
the time of his life…”
• Last topic sentence: “Although Andrew
can’t explain what he gets from the
experience, I can…”
Re-envisioning
•
•
•
•
•
Put your essay away for awhile to let it “ripen.”
Be sure you are using description that helps your
reader enter into your story
Apply past learning to your future in your
conclusion.
Add transitions between paragraphs.
Be sure your tone isn’t whiney, maudlin,
accusatory or boastful. Stories about challenges
should end with a solution. Sad stories should
end with redemption.
Cut the Deadwood
• Needless restatements.
• Qualifiers: clearly, somewhat, rather,
kind of, seems, sort of
• Extras: who, what, which, that
• Vague words: good, bad, nice
• Vague verbs: get, do, have, went
• Count to three: if you have three
sentences in a row that start with “I,”
reword one.
Common Conventions Errors
• Its (a possessive pronoun) and it’s (it is)
• Effect (the result) and affect (changes)
• There, they’re, their
• Choose/chose & loose/lose
• Semicolon misuse.
• Sentences run together without proper
punctuation
• Commas misused.
Final Touches
•
•
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•
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Read your essay out loud.
Does this sound like you? If it does, good!
Ask yourself “What does this essay prove?” Do
you make the impression you want to make?
Proofread!
Then proofread again.
Show your essay to as many people as you can.
Good luck!
Ways Parents Can Help
• Assure your son he can do this!
• Encourage him to begin his essay
• Suggest he seek advice when/if
comfortable
• Be sure whoever is helping him
understands the role of the essay in the
process
• Ensure you have not helped too much!
Common App Topics
(250-650 words)
•
•
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•
•
Tell us about your background
Recount one of your failures and what it
taught you
Reflect on a time when you challenged a
belief
Describe a place in which you are
perfectly content
Discuss an event that moved you into
adulthood
Help Available
• Pat Ahern, M.A.
• Published author
• Experienced English teacher
• Knowledgeable, encouraging advisor
• Email address:
strongwriting@gmail.com
SERVITE HIGH SCHOOL
What’s next up in the process?
• Counselors will be visiting Classrooms on 3/9/15
• Continue to build Prospective College list (Colleges tab)
• Build Resume in Naviance (About Me tab)
• Complete Junior Self-Report form (About Me tab)
• Visit colleges
• Schedule and take SAT/ACT/Subject Tests
SERVITE HIGH SCHOOL
Continuing to look ahead…
• Please communicate with your Counselor and set
meeting
• Look for Summer Application Workshop Series
• Invest NOW
• Organize summer
• Visit more colleges
• Write your essay
• Early Action/Early Decision?
• Register for Fall SAT/ACT
Orange County
SERVITE HIGH SCHOOL
Mark your calendars…
• Military Academy Night
• Buena Park City Hall – Chamber Room
• Monday March 16, 2015; 7:00 PM
• Host by Congressman Ed Royce
• Tri-School Admissions Panel Night
•Cornelia Connelly High School – Auditorium
•Tuesday March 10th, 2015; 6:30 PM
•RAAC – Regional Association of College Counselors
Orange County
SERVITE HIGH SCHOOL
Mark your calendars…
• National College Fair
• Anaheim Convention Center
• Sunday, April 26, 2015; 1:30 - 4:30 PM
• Over 225 Colleges & Universities
• Senior Parent/Student College Info Night
• Early Fall 2014
• School Forms, Transcripts & Recommendations
• Naviance!
• Tri-School College Fair
• Monday October 19, 2015