The College Process
Bishop O’Dowd High School Junior &
Parent Meeting, January 25, 2012
Four-Year Process
• College Eligibility
– Choosing appropriate
coursework
– Working to ability
– Balancing courses
– Partnering with parents
Junior Year
• PSAT – October
• PSAT – Results back in January
• SPRING –
– Meet with students
– Discuss college options
– Sign-up for testing
(SAT, ACT, Subject Tests)
– Take prep course as appropriate
• College search
• Naviance – college planning tool for the
family
College Questions
• Location
• Interests
• Majors
• City vs. rural
• Weather
• School size
• College type
• Gap year
• Performance to date
= List of schools to start researching
Four Year Colleges/Universities
• 3500 Schools Nationwide
• University of California System
– 9 campuses
• Cal State University System
– 26 campuses
• Catholic/Private Schools
– Generally smaller, more personal
• Out of State – Public Universities
Community Colleges
• Community college advantages
– Save money, raise GPA, participate in sports
• Explore community colleges
– Schedule a visit, consult admissions office
• Applications are usually due in the early
spring of senior year
• Some community colleges have oncampus housing or college-related
housing available
• Community College Night – Spring each
year
College Cost Comparisons
• Community college: around $30 per unit,
plus books and living expenses
• CSU campuses: tuition and fees around
$6,333, plus books, room & board, travel
• UC campuses: tuition and fees $13,970,
plus books, room & board, travel
• Out-of-state public colleges: wide range of
costs – usually more than two times the instate tuition, plus books, room & board,
travel
• Private colleges: $40,000 - $60,000 per
year
Gap Year
• Opportunity for students to explore
– travel, volunteer work, internships, paid
work
• Experience can be an advantage
• May be geared toward interest areas
(e.g. work for a magazine if interested in
journalism)
• Helps students mature
Researching college choices
• Web
• Campus visits
– Start at local schools
– Long weekend/Easter break
– Sign up on-line -Admissions
Office link
– Record impressions in “My
Journal”
• Naviance/Family Connection
• Books
Fiske Guide to Colleges 2011
•
•
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•
Edward Fiske
2011 Edition
Paperback
$15.00 @ Amazon
The Insiders Guide
• The Insiders Guide
to the Colleges
2011
• Yale Daily News
Staff
• Paperback
• $14.95 @ Amazon
Colleges That Changes Lives
• Loren Pope
• Paperback
• $10.00 @ Amazon
Suggested Testing Schedule
• SAT Reasoning – March or May
• SAT Subject Tests – June
• ACT – Feb, April, or June
• Test Prep – February-March
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Summer SAT prep
Private tutoring test prep
College Board SAT test prep
Possible test in fall of senior
year
SAT Tests –
March, April, May, June
• Register at
www.collegeboard.com
ACT Tests –Feb, April, June
• Register at www.ACT.org
SAT vs. ACT
What’s the difference?
SAT
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No science
No Trig
Vocab important
Non-multiple
choice questions
Guessing penalty
No English
grammar
Math = 50% score
Questions go
from easy to hard
ACT
– Science included
– Trig included
– Vocab less
important
– All multiple choice
– No guessing
penalty
– English grammar
included
– Math = 25% score
– Easy and hard
questions mixed
Summer – Senior yr.
• Continue to research
• Check O’Dowd email often
• Complete Senior Questionnaire
(Including Parent page)
• Practice college essay – rough draft
– UC & Common Application essays
• Visit colleges – record impressions
• Enroll in College Boot Camp – 1st week
of August
Senior Year “To Do List”
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Register for additional tests
Complete Senior Questionnaire
Develop fall timeline
Complete applications
Write essays
Get letters of recommendation
Update Naviance consistently
Write thank you note to teachers
Naviance – College Planning
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Online resource
Process management
BOD enters GPA and test scores
BOD now sends transcripts and
letters electronically
• Juniors start in Spring
– Data input
– College planning & tracking
Naviance – College Planning
Naviance – College Planning
Naviance – College Planning
Looking Ahead
• College Fair – Sept
• Senior Questionnaire
• Senior & Parent College
Night - October
• Senior Financial Aid
Night - January
• Community College
Night - February
College Planning
•Q & A