CAVALIER NATIONClass of 2013

Senior Seminar

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Lake Travis High School

I’M DONE WITH SCHOOL

• I don’t have money for college…

• My grades aren’t that great and I don’t think I can get in…

• I don’t have a clue how to apply

• I don’t like school and don’t want to take any more classes.

• But consider this…

• You are going to work 40 – 50 hours per week for a long time…

• $7.25 p/h X 50 = $362.50 per week

• $17.25 p/h X 50 = $862.50 per week

• $57.25 p/h x 50 = $2862.50 per week

A BIG difference

• $7.25 X 50 = $362.50 X 50 weeks =

• $18,125.00

• $17.25 X 50 = $862.50 X 50 weeks =

• $43,125.00

Hourly Wages based on Educational Attainment

• $486 mdn wkly Less that high school diploma

• $710 mdn wkly High School, No College

• $845 mdn wkly Some College, Tech Cert

• $1330 mdn wkly Bachelors or Higher

U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Bureau or Labor Statistics, July 2011, Report 1031

So now….

• The college application process is your personal business. Counselors are here to help you, answer questions, walk you through the process but you must tell us what you want to do…where you want to go.

Where To Begin?Making a list, where to apply

• There is plenty to learn at every college but if you are not happy with the environment you risk

not being successful in your classes. • North or South – the weather does matter!

• Big City or Rural environment – do you need a mall to be happy? A place to fish or hike?

• Public or Private – a big difference in cost.• Big School or Small School – what college life

do you want?

Begin with four or five college or universities that you

might like to attend.

Explore location, cost and entrance

requirements.

Go visit the campus.

Where Did the Class of 2013 Go?

• TX State - 47

• TAMU - 38

• TX Tech - 33

• UT - 20

• Blinn Team - 18

• UTSA – 15

• St Eds - 14

• TCU - 13

• UT Dallas – 11

• Baylor - 9

• TAMU CC – 7 29 In State Schools

Where Did the Class of 2013 Go?

• 48 Out of State Schools• Cornell U/Ariz St Johns

• BYU U/Colo/Boulder Winthrop Col

• NorthwesternU/Colo/Col Spr Columbia/NY

• Vanderbilt Ole’ Miss Okla State

• SCAD U/Alabama Kansas St

• Arizona State U/Mo Florida

• U/Okla Rhodes Florida State

• U/Arkansas LSU Iowa

• Iowa State U S Cal UC Santa Barbara

• U/Georgia U/Montana Cal Poly

Collegeforalltexans.com

Great interactive map…

www.collegeforalltexans.com

College Visits• Each senior may take two days each school year

to visit a college without attendance penalty.• For the absence to be counted as excused you

must bring 1. a letter from the university dated and signed by a university official. You will also need 2. an LTHS form signed by the college. The form is on our website. Take it with you!

• If possible, stay on campus in student housing. Contact the admissions office to make an appointment with an admission advisor. Plan to tour the campus and sit in on a class.

One down….We would like to see every Senior

have at least one application submitted

by November 1.

How nice to have one acceptance by the end of the semester…

Pick a safety school, one that you have a strong chance of being admitted to.

Once….

You have a list of 5 to 7 colleges to which you will apply……

Begin the applications process…

Auto or Assured Admission

http://www.ltisdschools.org/Page/12559

Three Main Components

Application

Transcript

Test Scores

Each component is submitted separately.

• ONLINE

• ONLINE

• ONLINEONLINEONLINEONLINE

• Did I say ONLINE!!

First,

let’s look at applications.

Three Main Sources of Applications

APPLY TEXAS all Texas public universities and colleges

Common Application private universities and colleges

Out of State Public Universities

APPLY TEXAS

www.applytexas.org

COMMON APPLICATION

www.commonapp.org

OUT OF STATE PUBLIC UNIVERSITY APPLICATIONS

www.ou.edu

www.uark.edu

www.colorado.edu

Your Transcript

This is an official record of

your high school academic

career.

It must be sent from LTHS directly to the university to be considered

“Official”.

Transcripts

We may not send a transcript to any school without a written request from you. Phone calls and email will not suffice. You must tell us in writing to send these

official transcripts to the universities you are applying to.

Order Official Transcripts from Mrs. Wise in the Counseling Office. The first 2 are free; each additional copy is $3.

Transcripts are sent either electronically through TREX (Texas public) or electronically through Common

Application (private) or by mail (you provide stamped and addressed envelope).

The Transcript Order Form is available at the Counseling Website.

TEST SCORESSAT and ACT

• All universities require test scores as a part of the application process.

• MOST schools expect to see a variety of (improving) scores from students.

• Generally the more times you take a test the better your scores will be. We suggest 3 times.

• You may choose the scores that you want to submit.• If scores are sent to LT let us know if you do not want

them sent with transcript. Test scores go on the back of a mailed transcript. Transcripts sent electronically will not include test scores.

Test Scores

SAT a 500 or better in Critical Reading and Math for a total of 1070 or better.

ACT a 19 or better with a composite score of 23 or better.

TAKS Texas Success Initiative / TSI must make a 2200 or better in ELA, Math, and a 3

in Writing or you must take Accuplacer.

The Next Available Testing Date

SATTest Date: October 5

Registration Deadline: September 6

ACTTest Date: October 26

Registration Deadline: September 27

Application Fees

• Universities require that you pay a non refundable application fee when you submit your application.

• Under some circumstances those fees can be waived. Ask your counselor if you qualify.

What is in a complete application?

The ApplicationAn Official Transcript*Official Test Scores*

And possibly

EssaysLetter(s) of Recommendation (LOR)*

Resume

Universities prefer electronic files.If they receive paper from you they will scan the

documents into your file. This take time. Electronic files are faster.

Under Review

• In the Review Process a University will look at more detail before they decide to offer you admission.

• You will need to send more information if your application will be reviewed:

Essay, Letters of Recommendation, additional Test Scores, Resumes

The Essay

• Topics vary but regardless of the prompt, this is your chance to tell the university about you. Bring your application to life.

• Your essay shows the admissions officer how you think and communicate.

• It is your chance to explain…everything!

Resumes

A resume is a document that you create that tells about your activities, honors, and jobs.

You will need a resume for many things in the coming years so save the data to a flash drive.

There are sources for creating a resume online. Career Cruising also has a resume section.

http://www2.careercruising.com/default/cplogin/11307C5D-8B11-447B-9B36-CAA02E4B038F

Letter of Recommendation• From whom should you request a letter of

recommendation? • Teacher Volunteer Coordinator• Employer Coach

• Request teacher LORs at least two weeks in advance.

• Provide the writer with a copy of your resume and a parent brag sheet.

• If the LOR will be mailed provide the writer with a stamped and addressed envelope.

• Write a note of thanks to each writer. • For Common Application, Counselor will write.

DEADLINES!!!

Universities are serious about their deadlines.

And counseling offices and counselors need time to meet your deadline. We

recommend that you request both transcripts and LOR’s a month in advance.

4 Steps and You’re In!

• College Connection is an award-winning program that assists high school seniors with college enrollment preparation. Seniors are guaranteed lifetime admission to Austin Community College, the number one transfer institution in the area and the primary trainer and re-trainer of the Central Texas workforce.

• No matter what your immediate goals are – attending college, going into the military, or going straight to work -- participating in College Connection will ensure an opportunity for lifelong learning.

ACC staff comes to the high school during the school day

• 1) Admissions – Seniors fill out an ACC admission application through Apply Texas, which may be downloaded to apply to other colleges and universities.

• 2) Assessment – Texas requires that seniors show their level of college readiness with test scores. SAT, ACT, and TAKS scores may exempt them from taking another test, but some will need to

take an ASSET or COMPASS test. ACC gives the test for free, a savings of $29.

• 3) Advising – ACC advisors meet one-on-one with each senior about college plans, majors, and the college courses they should start with.

• 4) Financial Aid – ACC financial aid staff hold information sessions about how to pay for college and are available for one-on-one help with financial aid forms. Plus, seniors are eligible to apply for the $2,500 one-year College Connection scholarship.

Scholarships There are two types of scholarships

1MERIT - based on something you do well such as grades or athletics

2. NEED Based – based on financial need

Merit Scholarships

• Some college applications have a section or suppliment that allow a student to apply for that university’s merit scholarship at the time the application is submitted.

• This is important!!!!! Early submission of applications is essential to qualifying for these specific college scholarships. (November 30)

Need Based Scholarships FAFSA

You may apply for a FAFSA pin number any time prior to January 1.

www.fafsa.ed.gov

All universities want the completed FAFSA applications if you will be considered for scholarships

Complete the FAFSA in January once income for the prior year is complete.

If you do not have a social security number then you can complete a TAFSA to qualify for need based scholarships for schools in the State of Texas.

SCHOLARSHIPS

A list of available scholarships is available on the Counseling Office website.

Scholarships are added each week as those scholarships become available.

Check often. http://www.ltisdschools.org/Page/10693

Watch the Deadlines for submitting the scholarship application.

Web AddressesCollege for All Texans www.collegeforalltexans.com

Texas Public Colleges and Universities https://www.applytexas.org

Common Application www.commonapp.org

FAFSA https://fafsa.ed.gov

ACC www.austincc.edu/collegeconnection

Questions???

Now that you know the basics….

Talk with your counselor about the next steps for you.

Thank you for coming!

Let us know what you think and

how we can better communicate this

information to you.