POSTSECONDARY
ADMISSIONS
Postsecondary Education
 Bachelor’s Degree
 Associate Degree
 Apprenticeship Certificate
 Skill Training Certificate
 Private Career School
 Military Skill Training
 On-the-Job Training
 Secondary Vocation Program
Bachelor Degree: 4-Yr College
Bachelor of Arts (liberal arts)
Bachelor of Science (training in a specific field)
Residential colleges
Commuter colleges
Public colleges
Independent colleges
Research College
Comprehensive College
Liberal Arts College
Elite Liberal Arts College
Kinds of Colleges
RESEARCH COLLEGES
• primary mission is research
• large campuses
• fairly competitive admissions
• beginning courses taught by graduate students
• nationally known professors
COMPREHENSIVE UNIVERSITIES
• primary mission is teaching
• fairly competitive, students from top ½ of class
• large amount of academic support
LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGES
• primary mission is teaching
• great deal of personal attention
• curriculum focused on science, language, fine arts, social science, humanities
• small campuses
ELITE LIBERAL ARTS
• 2/3 of students from top 20% of class
• Extracurricular activities encouraged
Choosing A College
 College Board College Search
http://www.collegeboard.org/csearch/
 What to consider
 Type of school - size? coed? religious? private/public?
 Admission - % admitted? / range of GPA’s? / range of SAT’s?
 Location?
 Sports?
 Majors?
 AP and CLEP accepted?
 Cost?
 Financial aid?
 Campus Visits
 Visit classes
 Stay on campus for a weekend
 Hang out in the student union and library
Choosing A Postsecondary Major
PERSONAL INTERESTS & MOTIVATION
• Related to career interests?
• Related to extracurricular activities?
• Desire to excel?
• Likelihood of success?
• Advice of others?
ENROLLMENT / FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS
• How many years of college does it take to be employed in
this field?
• Can you afford this much education?
• Does this major lead to your desired income level?
• Are you likely to be accepted into this major?
College Admission Essay
WHAT YOUR ESSAY
TELLS ABOUT YOU
• Your preferences
TYPES OF ESSAYS
SHORT ANSWER
• List
• Paragraph (mini-essay)
• Your values
• Your thought-process
• Your writing ability
ESSAY
• Individualize your essays
• Read questions carefully
• Use wit and humor
• Keep it simple
WRITING SAMPLE
• 3-5 pages
• School assignment ok
• Original w/ teacher comments
Types of Essay Questions
“YOU” Question
• Select one aspect of
yourself
• Back it us with real
and vivid events
• Avoid an
autobiography
“WHY US” Question
• School concrete
knowledge of the
school
- names
- course offerings
- professors
- facilities
• Make a clear
connection between
the school and you
- interests
- preferences
“CREATIVE” Question
• Consider risky
topics (readers get
tired of “safe” essays)
• Only answer issues
questions if you’re
very informed
• Write about a
genuine concern,
not “what they want
to hear”
• Include substance
Recommendations Letters
1ST PARAGRAPH
• Relationship to the candidate
2ND PARAGRAPH
• Academic Accomplishments
• Extracurricular Accomplishments
3RD PARAGRAPH
• Personal Qualities
• How they the candidate works
with people
• Teacher statement (quote)
4TH PARAGRAPH
• Summary
• Clear recommendation
• Contact information
TIPS
• Include quotes from teachers
- teacher statements
- from report cards
• Back up statements
concerning personal qualities
and team work with examples
• Never be negative – use
different degrees of being
positive
• Let the student and parent
“proof” the letter if any of
the information is personal or
sensitive
Associate Degrees: 2-Yr College
 Prepares student for a specific careers
 Takes two years or less to complete
 Associate Degree in Applied Science
 Non-transferable / may not apply to bachelor degree
 Technical training
 Associate in Science / Associate in Arts
 Combines general education with technical training
 Transferable
 May be applied to a bachelor’s degree
 Many “four-year” colleges offer associate degrees
Ivy Tech – 2+2 Program
 Students earn a transferable associate degree
at Ivy Tech or Vincennes
 Complete bachelor’s degree at the same campus
through distance education
 Bachelor’s degree awarded by Indiana State University
Apprenticeship Programs
 BAT Registered - Bureau of Apprenticeship Training
 On-the-job training (2000+ hours, supervised by skilled craft worker)
 Related instruction (144 hrs per year)
 Sponsored by joint employer and labor groups
 Apprenticeship agreement (contract - apprentice and employer)
 Paid a progressively increasing schedule of wages
 Eligibility requirements
 16 yrs old (18 in hazardous occupations)
 Many programs also seek strong academic preparation
 1,000 BAT registered apprenticeship programs in Indiana
 Other things to consider:
Training facility / qualifications of instructors / transferability to
an associate degree program
Private Career Schools
 For Profit Skill-Training Schools
 Qualifying a Private Career School:
 Indiana Commission for Proprietary Education – Licenses
 Accredited by national organization
 Member, Indiana Association of Private Career Schools
 Qualify for 21st Century Scholars or VA funds
 Job Placement Rate
Military Skill Training
 SERVICE ACADEMY
- US Military Academy, New York
- US Naval Academy, Maryland
- US Coast Guard Academy, Connecticut
- US Merchant Marine Academy, New York
 RESERVE OFFICER TRAINING (ROTC)
- Civilian College + Officer Training
- Four hours per week
- Military obligation after two years
 MILITARY ENLISTMENT
- 17 yrs / physically fit / most HS diploma / ASVAB /
moral character / no single persons with dependent
- Training for 152 occupations
On-the-Job Training
 Training by an employer to a paid participant while working
- knowledge and skill gained by the employee
- reimburses employer for up to 50% of wage
- limited in duration
 381 VA approved OJT programs in Indiana
- Institutions of Higher Learning (degree programs)
- Non-college degree programs (certificate programs)
- Beauty and barber schools
- Police academies
- Flight schools
- Apprenticeship programs
- Law enforcement programs
- Private institutions of higher learning (degree programs)
- Private institutions for non-college degree programs (certificates)
Indiana College Network
 Distance learning
- Television via satellite
- Videotaped lesson with minimal meetings
- Internet / CD ROM / computer disks
 Participating Campuses:
Ball State University
Independent Colleges of Indiana
Indiana State University
Indiana University
Ivy Tech State College
Purdue University
University of Southern Indiana
Vincennes
 Students get credit from their home university
 Several campuses offer degree programs via distance education
Postsecondary Credit
Prior to HS Graduation
AP EXAMS
DUEL CREDIT
 22 HS courses based on
College Board curriculum
 Students may receive college
credit if test at a certain level
 Indiana will pay for:
- calculus
- biology
 Students enroll in
postsecondary courses
during HS
 Receive HS credit and
postsecondary credit
- chemistry
- physics
ARTICULATION AGREEMENTS
 Exams given by College
Board on various topics
 HS and postsecondary school
negotiate competencies and
achievement standards for a
HS course
 Students may receive college
credit if test at a certain level
 Students receive HS and
postsecondary credit
CLEP EXAMS
ICPAC Website
 Hotline 1-800-992-2076
 Guidance Report
 Information Series
 Planners (8th, 9th, 11th)
 Special Publications
- Career Profiles
- Study Skills
- College Profiles
- Indiana College Network
- Major Lists
 Infostore
 Website