GET SET FOR
College
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© 2010 by ACT, Inc. All rights reserved.
Planning for
college
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TYPICAL REASONS FOR
ATTENDING COLLEGE
Take responsibility
for your future
■ Increasing earning power
■ Career preparation
■ Learning opportunities
■ Studying new and different subjects
■ Involvement in extracurricular activities
■ Meeting new and interesting people
■ Achieving a personal goal
■ Influence of family and friends
3
focus
college
Let’s
on
Remember—
decision making is a
process, not an event.
4
organize
You can
the college planning
process in
simple steps
5
STEP
yourself
Know
and
your reasons for attending college
 Recognize your strengths and






weaknesses
Analyze your interests and values
Achieve a personal goal
Increase your earning power
Prepare for a career
Participate in extracurricular
activities and social life
Consider the influence of family
and friends
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STEP
Consider college
characteristics
 Majors and educational programs
 Type of school and degrees offered
 Admission policy
 Location and size
 Costs and financial aid
 College affiliation and accreditation
 Campus activities
 Support services
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STEP
List, compare, and
visit colleges
 Compile information from several resources:
– Internet/Websites
– College catalogs, viewbooks,
–
–
–
–
videos, and computer-based
services (DISCOVER®)
College representatives and
college fairs
Counselors and teachers
Parents, students, and alumni
Directories and ACT score report
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Checklist for a
campus visit
 Meet with an admission counselor
 Verify admission requirements
 Determine actual college costs
 Ask about financial aid opportunities
 Take a campus tour
 Investigate your academic program(s)
 Attend a class
 Talk with students and faculty
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STEP
Apply for admission
and meet all deadlines
 Narrow your choices
 Review college admission test requirements
(including the optional Writing Test)
 Know application fees and deadlines
 Submit application materials (paper/electronic)
– Application for admission
– High school transcript
– Recommendations
– Admission test results
 Know scholarship requirements
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STEP
plan
Develop a
to
pay for your education
 Determine college costs
 Investigate ALL possible resources
–
–
–
–
Parents
Savings
Summer earnings
Financial aid: scholarships, grants,
loans, and work-study
– Other sources
 Secure necessary forms and note deadlines
 Apply for financial aid as early as possible
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STEP
Review and
finalize your plans
 Show initiative and be assertive
 Talk with your parents and
counselor
 Select a college that meets
your needs and preferences
 Follow up with colleges to
which you have applied
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College
success factors
 Study habits
 Motivation
 Course selection
 Placement
 Interests
 Commitment
Keep in mind . . . Making sound
decisions will lead to satisfying
and successful experiences.
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 Why Should You Go To College? (Overview)
1. College is the pathway to success and a better
life
2. College graduates earn more money and get
better jobs
3. Unemployment rates are lower for college
graduates
4. College will help you help your family
5. College is a lot of fun!
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Pathway to Success and a
Better Life
 College opens doors to opportunity and expands
your horizons. You will experience new points of
view.
 Graduating from college will be a source of pride
because it is a great accomplishment.
 You get to follow your dreams and determine
your future!
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College Graduates
Earn More Money
Average Lifetime Earnings
Professional Degree
$5,612,760
Doctorate (Ph.D.)
$4,449,440
Master's Degree
$3,337,800
Bachelor's Degree
Associate's Degree
Some College, No Degree
High School Graduate
High School Dropout
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$2,742,160
$1,920,680
$1,863,040
$1,531,400
$1,102,120
College is Required for a
Better Job
 All of the highest paying jobs require a college
degree.
 Jobs for college graduates include better benefits,
such as health insurance and retirement plans.
 College graduates have half the unemployment
rates of high school graduates and better job
security.
 There are many more jobs available for college
graduates than high school graduates.
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College Helps You
Help Your Family
 You will be able to support your family with a
larger salary.
 You will pave the way for your brothers and
sisters and other relatives to go to college.
 You will be able to help your children with their
homework and give them a better life. As a result,
they will be more likely to attend college.
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College is a Lot of Fun!
 You get to do amazing things and to train for a
job you will enjoy. There are many activities on
college campuses.
 You will meet smart and interesting people and
make lifelong friends.
 At college, it is cool to be smart. You will learn
how to think and express yourself more clearly
and solve important problems. You will become
more confident.
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College is a Pathway to
Opportunity
In a global economy where the
most valuable skill you can sell
is your knowledge, a good
education is no longer just a
pathway to opportunity – it is a
prerequisite.
– President Barack Obama
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Famous College Graduates
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 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – UCLA
 Jay Leno – Emerson College
 Bill Clinton – Georgetown
 David Letterman – Ball State
 Hillary Clinton – Wellesley
 Bill Nye – Bridgewater State
 Bill Cosby – Temple University
 Shaquille O'Neal – LSU
 Gloria Estefan – Univ. of Miami
 Barack Obama – Occidental
 Jodie Foster – Yale
 Natalie Portman – Harvard
 Louis Gossett, Jr. – NYU
 Colin Powell – CUNY, GWU
 Hugh Hefner – Univ. of Illinois
 Ronald Reagan – Eureka
 Magic Johnson – Michigan St.
 J. K. Rowling – Univ. of Exeter
 Tommy Lee Jones – Harvard
 Sonia Sotomayor – Princeton
 John F. Kennedy – Harvard
 Julia Stiles – Columbia
 Martin Luther King Jr. – BU
 Sigourney Weaver – Stanford
 Spike Lee – Morehouse, NYU
 Oprah Winfrey – Tenn. State