Junior Parent Night
College Planning Overview
Alvirne School Counselors

Mrs. Mary Carper

• A - Co

Mr. James Brown
• Cr – Goss

Mrs. Caroline Carbee
• Got - Ll
Mr. Dan Wells
• Lo - Pem
Mrs. Kate Marcotte
Penn - S
 Mr. Bill Hughen

• T-Z
Agenda
Roadmap to College
 College Search Process
 What’s in an Application?
 Standardized Testing
 Naviance
 Financial Aid Overview
 Iamcollegebound.org

Roadmap to College
Be proactive!
 Plan your route to college now!
 Work a bit each month to help prepare for
a smooth senior year

April
Attend a local college fair
– April 16th- Pinkerton Academy-6:00-8:30pm
– April 9th- Boston National Spring College Fair- 6-8:30pm*
 Register for SAT or ACT
 Develop a preliminary list of colleges
 Visit college campuses
 Meet with school counselor
 If considering Div. I or II athletics, register with NCAA
Eligibility Center (www.eligibilitycenter.org)

May
Ask teachers for letters of recommendation
 Don’t let grades slip! This is the last full year of
grades that colleges will see!!!
 Continue visiting college campuses

June
Take SAT/ACT or SAT Subject Tests
 Study for finals
 Continue to research/visit colleges
 Search for meaningful summer job or volunteer
opportunities

Summer Months
Analyze SAT/ACT scores and plan for future
testing
 Create a list of schools with varying admissions
competiveness as well as financially safe options
 Continue to visit schools
 Develop a resume
 Create Common App account
 Apply for FAFSA PIN
 Work on college essay

Fall Timeline







Sign up to meet with college reps
Meet with school counselor to review final college list
and plan for deadlines
Attend SNHU college fair
Attend Senior Parent Planning Night
Follow up with teachers writing your letters of
recommendation
Complete college essays and review them with an
English teacher
Complete and submit applications
The College Search
Process
Begin at the Beginning…





There is a path for everyone. Know your
options!
Do your research- don’t rush the process
Do some self-reflection- what are strengths,
weaknesses, values, interests?
Develop specific criteria for colleges
Utilize an online college search tool to help
create that preliminary list of colleges
– College Board- www.collegeboard.org
– Naviance- http://connection.naviance.com/alvirne
Big Future (CollegeBoard)/College Search (Naviance)
What are the options
for college?
How much training & education am I willing
to get to achieve my career & life goals?
2-year
Technical School or
Community College
4-year University or College
2-Year Technical & Community
Colleges
Affordable
 Transfer Options / Connections Program
 Licensure/Certification

2-Year Admissions Requirements
High School Diploma
 Completion of the Accu-placer exam

Community Colleges of NH
•Provide well-rounded college
experience
•Smaller class sizes
•Campuses offer many of the same
clubs and activities as 4-yr colleges
•Many colleges have intercollegiate
or club athletic teams
•On campus housing available at
NHTI in Concord
4-Year Colleges and
Universities
There are over 2,000 4-year colleges and universities
in the country.
Decide the factors that are important to you to help
narrow down a list of schools that are a good
match.
Location
Far away or close to home?
 Urban vs. suburban vs. rural
 Be sure to factor in the cost of travel if you plan
to go far away

Size/Enrollment
Weigh the pros & cons of a small school vs. large
university
 Do you want to be a big fish in a small pond?
 Do you want to blend in with the crowd in a lecture
hall of 250+ students?

Programs of Study
Not all schools have every academic major
 Undecided? Be sure to look at schools that have
all of your potential areas of interest!

Selectivity/Admission
Requirements





Be realistic
Where do you stack up in comparison to admission
requirements at a particular school?
What factors are important for admission?
What percentage of students are accepted each year?
Make sure your schools fall into one of three categories:
– Reach
– 50/50
– Probable
Cost
The investment of college is expensive. When finalizing
your list of colleges; be sure to include schools which
are “financially safe”.
What’s In an
Application?
Parts of the Application
Application
 Essay
 SAT/ACT scores
 High school transcript
 Letters of recommendation
 Interview (depends on the school)
 Application fee

What are Colleges Looking For?
Classes taken & quality of courses
 GPA
 Involvement
 Standardized test scores
 Essay/Letters of recommendation

College Applications
2
main types of applications
– Common Application
– College-specific Application
Common Application






www.commonapp.org
Accepted by over 300 colleges and universities
One general application & essay
Helps student organize all aspects of their applications
Many schools require a supplemental form- know what
your school’s requirements are!
Letters of recommendation and transcripts are sent by
School Counselors through Naviance
College-Specific Applications
Can apply online or via paper application
 Most colleges have copies of application
available on their website

The Essay
 Choose
topic wisely
 Keep focus on you
 New Common Application writing
prompts- start planning before senior year!
Letters of
Recommendation
 Ask
teacher by May
 What to consider:
– Core academic subject
– Teacher who can speak to your strengths
as a student
– Areas of weakness
Sending Your Materials
Indicates to us to upload
your current transcript to
Naviance and send to
your schools.
 You must fill out 1 per
school.
 Students must send
SATs/ACTs scores
 Tracking forms can be
found on edline or in the
Counseling Office

Types of Deadlines
 Early
Action
 Early Decision
 Regular Decision
 Rolling Admission
 Open Enrollment
Selective Programs

Certain majors are more selective than others
– Nursing, fine/performing arts, music

Additional materials may be required for admission
– Portfolio
– Auditions
Early admission deadlines
 Know your requirements!!!

Standardized Testing
Standardized Tests
 SAT
Reasoning Test
 SAT
Subject Tests
 ACT
Upcoming SAT Dates
Test Date
Registration Deadline
May 2, 2015
April 6, 2015
June 6, 2015*
May 8, 2015
*June SAT is offered at Alvirne!*
$52.50- SAT Reasoning
$26- SAT Subject Tests
SAT is also available in October, November, and
December.
Visit www.collegeboard.com
for updated information!
http://sat.collegeboard.com
Upcoming ACT Dates
Test Date
Registration Deadline
June 13, 2015
May 8, 2015
September 12, 2015
TBA
October 24, 2015
TBA
$54.50 with writing section
Visit www.actstudent.org for updated
information!
www.actstudent.org
Naviance



Manage and track all aspects of the admissions process.
Delivers all of the supporting documents for college applications
Provides valuable insight into the college admissions process with college
search, scatter grams, scholarship information and college application
statistics
Perform a College Search
Choose the criteria you are looking for in your ideal college
Research Schools
How do you Stack Up?
Keep Track of Schools You Are
Considering
Financial Aid
The financial aid process may seem overwhelming,
but you are not alone!!!
Two Types of Financial Aid
 Merit-Based
Aid
– Awarded for academic, athletic, artistic
talents
 Need-Based Aid
– Based upon financial need
– Determined by standard methodology
Sources of Aid
 Federal
 State
 College/University
 Scholarships
awards
Financial Aid Forms
FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student
Aid)
– Required by all colleges
 CSS PROFILE
– Required by some colleges
– Fee associated with application
 Institutional Forms
– Specific to some colleges in lieu of PROFILE

FAFSA
www.fafsa.ed.gov
FAFSA PIN
www.pin.ed.gov
FAFSA

FAFSA4caster can help estimate eligibility for
federal student aid!!!
Financial Aid Resources
New Hampshire Higher Education Assistance
Foundation (NHHEAF)
– www.nhheaf.com
 FinAid
– www.finaid.org
 FAFSA
– www.fafsa.ed.gov
 Fast Web
– www.fastweb.com

Iamcollegebound.org
Through NHHEAF
 Learn about NH
schools, scholarships,
financial aid, and
more
 Win cool
prizes…REALLY!!!

Q&A
One who asks a question is a fool for five
minutes; one who does not ask a question remains
a fool forever.
--Chinese Proverb
Naviance Family Connection
Sign Up
If you would like us to activate your Parent
Account, please list the following in the notes on
the clipboard:
 Student
Name
 Parent Name
 Parent Email