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College Pride Day Tuesday, October 14, 2014 Mr. Ambrose

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Your favorite teachers and administrators… www.misterambrose.com
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NBA, NFL, and NHL superstars… www.misterambrose.com
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Famous entertainers… www.misterambrose.com
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Founders and CEOs of famous companies… www.misterambrose.com
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The Creators of The Ninja Turtles… www.misterambrose.com
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UMass in the Top Ten      Four UMass programs – food science, kinesiology, linguistics, and polymer science and engineering – are ranked among the nation’s best – public or private.
The UMass hospitality program is ranked sixth in the nation – public or private.
The School of Management is ranked tenth in the nation – public or private.
UMass ranked third in the nation for students getting scholarships to study abroad – public or private.
AND UMASS IS THIRD IN THE NATION IN FOOD!!!!
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Location and Vital Stats     UMass Amherst sits on nearly 1450 acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, 90 miles from Boston.
The campus provides a rich cultural environment in a rural setting close to major urban centers.
Enrollment: 22,000 undergraduates • This includes 4,650 freshman students • • • This includes 3,110 honors students This includes 4,500 out-of-state students This includes 3,750 students of color 1,170 full-time faculty, 18:1 student/faculty ratio www.misterambrose.com
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Academic Offerings     8 schools and colleges 6 associate degree programs 86 bachelor degree programs 2,253 undergraduate course sections  You can study whatever you want!
• The “big school” advantage   Average class size: 37 students 63% of classes offered at UMass have fewer than 30 students www.misterambrose.com
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What kind of grades do I need to go to UMass?
   2013 Freshman Class • 36,400 applicants for a class of 4,650 • Mean high school rank: top 20% Middle SAT • Critical Reading 540-640 • Math 570-670 Mean GPA: 3.72 (on a 4.0 scale) • 3.0 = B, 4.0 = A www.misterambrose.com
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How much does it cost?
   Tuition/Fees: $13,258 Room/Board: $9,940 Total: $23,198  Though this sounds like a lot, it is very inexpensive compared to the cost of a private institution!
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Great Opportunities  Commonwealth College • A private school experience at a public school price  The Five-College Interchange • Study at Smith, Amherst, Mt. Holyoke, and Hampshire for the price of attending UMass  Studying Abroad • • • Semester-long experience Year-long experience Shorter experience www.misterambrose.com
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In what academic programs was I enrolled?
   Journalism major English major Music minor    Honors program RAP (Residential Academic Program) Study abroad experience in Italy  Education master’s program www.misterambrose.com
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In what activities was I involved?
          Marching Band Marching Band Staff Concert Band Jazz Band Pep Band Trombone Choir Kappa Kappa Psi Music Service Fraternity Volunteer, Amherst Survival Center DJ, WOCH Student Radio Station Intramural Softball www.misterambrose.com
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What were my favorite classes?
          American Popular Music Biology of Cancer and AIDS Hemingway Major British Writers Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales Diaries, Memoirs, and Journals Newswriting and Reporting Photojournalism Web Design American Identities www.misterambrose.com
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Where did I live?
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Where did I study?
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Where did I eat?
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Where did I have class?
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At UMass, I did some things I couldn’t do elsewhere      I studied photojournalism in Sicily, where I went snow-tubing on an active volcano.
I played my trombone at the Presidential inauguration of George W. Bush in January 2001.
I studied writing with Pulitzer Prize winner Maddy Blais, who capped her classes at 12 students in order to give them individual attention.
I played in a jazz band directed by two-time Grammy award nominee Adam Kolker.
I taught at Springfield Central High School (and chaperoned a prom attended by the rapper Ludacris). www.misterambrose.com
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Mr. Ambrose’s College Method     Create a master list of 6-9 schools.
• 2-3 “safety” schools • 2-3 target schools • 2-3 reach schools Don’t get your heart set on one school.
• Even if you get in everywhere, certain schools might be too expensive.
Decide the “type” of school you like.
• Rural vs. Urban, Public vs. Private, etc.
Decide what you are looking for a school. • Particular majors, sports, drama, Greek life, etc.
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What, in particular, can I do as a junior?
        Take the PSAT in October.
Take the SAT in January. Get the detailed score report and review it with me in class.
Take the SAT again in March, May, or June. See if your scores have improved.
If you are interested in an upper tier private school, take the SAT Subject Tests in May or June.
Write drafts of college essays for my assignments in class.
Create a master list of schools you like.
Visit a school over April vacation.
Ask teachers (like me) for a letter of recommendation before the summer.
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What, in particular, can I do as a sophomore?
       Take the PSAT in October.
Review the PSAT with me in December.
Join my PSAT practice group starting in January and continuing right through the summer. (Work to become a National Merit Scholar like Roger Zurawicki and Nicole Avella.) Go to college fairs and start to see what kinds of schools are out there.
Get an Advanced score on the MCAS in English and Math. (Earn the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship.) Work hard in my class so you can take a more rigorous courseload (standard => honors, honors => AP).
Set going to college as your number one goal.
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Some Useful Sites       www.umass.edu
www.commonapp.org
www.collegeboard.com
www.cappex.com
www.youniversitytv.com
www.princetonreview.com
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Q & A   What do YOU want to know more about?
And don’t forget the college fair next week!
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