Objectives
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PSAT Scores: College Board
Test Timeline
Test Prep
Preparing for a College Search
NCAA Eligibility Center
Scholarships
Next Steps for Juniors
PSAT Scores
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PSAT Scores on collegeboard.org
Purple graph icon (middle of screen)
Click on arrow in lower right corner
Log in or Create an Account
NOTE: If you don’t provide correct information, it will give you a
message that they don’t have you on file as having taken the PSAT.
About College Admissions Tests
• ACT (American College Test)
– Predominantly used by schools in middle-U.S. states
– Consists of four tests: English, Math, Reading, Science,
and Writing
– Writing component is optional
– Top composite score is 36
• SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test)
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Predominantly used by east and west coast schools
Consists of two tests: Verbal, Math
Writing component is optional (scored separately)
Each test is scored on a scale of 200-800
Logical
Test
Timeline for Class of
2017
ACT
New SAT
March 2016 (scores in May)
June 2016 or Sept 2016
Updated ACT Overview
Category
Features
Scoring
No changes to 1-36 scoring
Math
More probability & statistics
Reading
New paired passages
Essay
Requires analysis of 3 different
perspectives
New SAT and ACT: 5 Key Differences
1. New SAT has a greater focus on History & Social
Studies passages
2. Both focus on Algebra/Algebra II, but the New
SAT has a greater emphasis on Data Analysis &
Problem Solving (Refresh Algebra Knowledge!)
3. The ACT requires more Science reading
4. New SAT has a No Calculator Math Section
5. The New SAT has grid-in questions and an
“extended thinking” grid-in question.
Schools Requiring Writing Test
13% or Colleges Will Require the New SAT Essay
Anderson University (IN)
California Institute of Technology
Claremont McKenna College
College of Southern Nevada
Dartmouth College
Duke University
Harvard College
Howard University
Marlboro College (VT)
Pennsylvania College of Technology
Prince George’s Community College
Princeton University
Rice University
Stanford University
Texas A&M University
University of California Schools
University of South Florida
University of St. Andrews (UK)
University of Texas (Austin)
Yale University
Practice and Potential
• Practice test sites:
– All Tests
– www.examfocus.com
– www.majortests.com
– ACT
– http://www.actstudent.org/testprep/
– New SAT
– https://www.khanacademy.org/sat
– PSAT/NMSQT
– https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/psat-nmsqtpsat-10/practice
• Where your scores could take you:
AP Tests
• Credit at UA:
– http://catalog.arizona.edu/2014-15/policies/apexam.htm
• Credit at other colleges:
– https://apstudent.collegeboard.org/creditandplacement/s
earch-credit-policies
Preparing for a College Search
Colleges…Select Wisely
Without knowing what to
study, how can you know
where to study?
Use this semester and
summer “to find your
purpose in life.”
*Explore AzCIS & MyNextMove.org
*Volunteer
*Get a job
*Arrange job-shadowing opps
Know Yourself
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Interests
Academic Strengths
Achievements
Values
Ambitions
Your Standout Talents
Types of Colleges
Type
Description
Tuition
Admission
Requirements
Four year
Degrees offered:
Bachelors and beyond
State: Typically
under
$15,000/year
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Provides: A well-rounded
college experience that
includes an academic area
of study.
Private:
Typically more
than
$20,000/year
SAT or ACT
GPA
Class rank
Essay
Extracurricular
activities
• Letters of
recommendation
• Transcripts
Types of Colleges
Type
Description
Two year
Degrees offered: Associates Typically around
$4,000/year
Provides: A way to ease into
college / take general
college classes for credit.
Typically have agreements
with four year colleges to
transfer credits.
Tip: The closer the
community college is to the
4 yr college you want to
attend, the better!
Tuition
Admission
Requirements
Open-door
admission policy
What you’re looking
for…
What is important to you?
• Location
• Academics
• Size
• Campus Appeal
• Social Life
• Total Cost – Including aid
What college admission officers are looking
for…
•Grades / Overall GPA
•Strength of high school course selections
•Admission Test Score
•Essay
•Teacher and counselor recommendations
•Class rank
•Student’s demonstrated interest
•Personal accomplishments
•Personality characteristics
•Courses in progress Junior and Senior year
Sports in College
• NCAA Eligibility
– http://web3.ncaa.org/ECWR2/NCAA_EMS/NCAA_
EMS.html#
Don’t sweat it
Relax! You will get
accepted… somewhere…
70% of colleges accept an
average of 70% of their
applicants.
Elite schools have
acceptance rates below
10%
(application fee waivers available!)
Should you stay or go?
90% of high school
students in AZ go to
college in AZ.
If you want to go to an
out-of-state college,
consider WUE schools for
lower tuition.
Consider Germany for NO tuition.
Not interested in Germany?
Apply for Scholarships
Merit Scholarships & FAFSA Tips
Merit scholarships are where the money is.
• There is more than $11 billion in merit scholarships
available to students from colleges each year
• Not just for “A” students
• Many awards emphasize leadership or school involvement
• Nearly all colleges offer merit aid scholarships
• The average merit scholarship is $5,000
• Many awards can be renewed year after year
FAFSA
• Free Application for Federal Student Aid (Grants & Loans)
• $110 billion each year
Selecting Scholarships
• Begins with selecting your schools
–Automatic: School and FAFSA
–Additional Application
–Scholarship Databases
–Departmental
–Outside Scholarships
Scholarship Resources
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Big Future – www.bigfuture.collegeboard.org
Scholarship Universe – After acceptance to UA
Pima STARS – Students attending PCC (some automatic)
Arizona Community Foundation – 2 & 4 yr college
TUSD http://www.tusd1.org/contents/distinfo/scholarships/general.asp
• Sabino Website – Sabino HS Counseling – Scholarships
• Twitter - https://twitter.com/SaberBucks
• FAFSA! – https://twitter.com/FAFSA
Collecting College Information – Where to go
•Cappex.com - College search made simple. Your first
stop to kick-start your college and scholarship search
•nacacnet.org - National Association for College
Admission Counseling. Offers national college fair
information and articles about the college process
•collegeboard.com - Information about the SAT
•act.org - Information about the ACT test
Next Steps
Next Steps for Juniors
In School
 Stay focused on academics
 Do not lighten your academic load for senior year
 Meet with your school counselor
 Stay involved in school activities
Standardized Testing
 Prepare for and register for ACT / SAT tests
 Register for AP tests as appropriate
College Exploration
 Explore colleges on the Web
 Visit colleges this summer, if you can
 Meet with college representatives (dozens come each year to Sabino!)
 Attend college fairs