Century High SchoolPost Secondary Planning

Century High School Counseling Staff

• Counselors– Julie Austinson 328-5002– Darren Couillard 328-5004– Brett Ness 328-5005– Eileen Strabala-Backus 328-5003

• Transitions Coordinator from RCTC:– Jamie Johnson (Jamie.Johnson@roch.edu)– Available in the Career Center every Tuesday

When should I start thinking about the future and college planning?

• Now!• 9th Grade

– Explore interests, get involved– Create a 4-year academic plan– https://mncis.intocareers.org/– Consider scholarship opportunities, like raise.me

• 10th Grade – PLAN test – Begin campus visits– Remember colleges consider grades 9-11 on the

transcript!

Planning for College During the Junior and Senior Years

Semester What to do Who can help

Fall SemesterJunior Year

Take PSAT/NMSQT. Think about the type of college you want to attend and the things you want to study.

Talk to your counselor, parents, and teachers about your plans for after high school.

Spring SemesterJunior Year

Take ACT (and/or SAT, if necessary.) Develop a list of schools you are interested in attending. Tour one or more campuses to find out if it would be the right fit for you.

Check with your counselor and the career center for information about colleges that interest you. Talk to admissions counselors from those colleges to get more information and to take a tour.

Fall SemesterSenior Year

Apply to one or more schools. Retake the ACT (or SAT) Consider the SAT Subject Tests

Continue to consult with your counselor and college admissions counselors.

Spring SemesterSenior Year

Apply for financial aid after Jan. 1st. After you have been accepted, decide which school you want to attend by May 1st.

Talk to the financial aid office for help determining the cost of college. See Jamie Johnson or your counselor if having difficulty with FAFSA. 

Upcoming Events

•Financial Aid Information Night December 7 6:30 PM here in the Forum•Regular visits from college and military recruiters in the career center•PSEO Night at RCTC Fieldhouse February 18, 6:30 PM

Can I earn college credit while in high school?

• Yes!• Advanced Placement classes (AP)• Post Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO)• Technical Prep College Credit (TPCC)• Project Lead the Way• College in the Schools• CLEP• Transfer classes from other programs

Wor

kW

ork MilitaryMilitary Trades

Trades

Apprentice Apprentice ProgramProgram

Proprietary Proprietary SchoolsSchools

COLLEGECOLLEGE

Options After High School

Century Profile

• Mid 50% GPA: 2.39-3.76

• Mid 50% ACT Composite: 21-30

• Last 5 years 61-74% intended to go on to 4 year college when surveyed at end of senior year, most of the rest to a 2 year college (usually RCTC)

Types of College

• 2 year• 4 year • Public • Private• Trade schools• Career and Proprietary Schools and Colleges• Online

How hard is it to get into college?• Most four year colleges are not highly selective institutions• Many will not fill their freshman class this year and will have space

to admit students even up to the week before classes begin – Note this is a particularly poor way to plan for financial aid!

• There are public universities in our tuition reciprocity area which are open admission or nearly so– This “nearly so” includes some within the state of Minnesota– Additionally, most two year colleges are open admission by design

• If you want to go to a four (or two) year college or university, we can help find you one that you can get into; you have to decide if it is the right choice for you!

• Some colleges are substantially more competitive to get into…

Levels of (High) Selectivity Examples

Most selective: Acceptance rate below 15% (Harvard, Princeton, Yale)ACT Mid 50%: 31-35; Top 10% of HS Class: 95%

Highly selective: Acceptance of 15 - 30% (Carleton, Emory, Georgetown)ACT Mid 50%: 29-33; Top 10% of HS Class: 79%

Moderately selective: Acceptance of 31 - 60% (Boston University, Lehigh, Macalester)ACT Mid 50% 27-31; Top 10% of HS Class: 58%

Selective: Acceptance of 61 - 90% (Drake, Hamline, Purdue, University of Minnesota, University of St. Thomas, University of Vermont)ACT Mid 50%: 25-30; Top 10% of HS Class: 44%

The following chart is based on college admission recommendations

What is your goal?

Example

Vocational/Technical;

Certificate, Diploma, AAS

RCTC, Dunwoody

Community College or Associate Degree

RCTC, Normandale Community College

Traditional(4year);

College/University;

Bachelor’s Degree

U of M, WSU, Iowa State

“Selective”(4Year);

College/University;

Bachelor’s Degree

Carleton, Northwestern University, Ivy League

English 4 years 4 years 4 years 4years

(Advanced Levels)

Social Studies 3 years 3 years 3 or more years 4 years

(Advanced Levels)

Mathematics 3 or more years 3 or more years 3 or more years

Now 4 years at U of M

4 or more years

Science 2 or more years 2 or more years 3 or more years 4 or more years

Physical Education 2 semesters 2 semesters 2 semesters 2 semesters

Health 1 semester 1 semester 1 semester 1 semester

Fine Arts 1 year 1 year 1 year 1 year

World Languages No Recommendation Specified

No Recommendation Specified

2 or more years of a single language

3-4 years of a single language

Electives Choose electives that will prepare for a career or broaden your interest

Choose electives that will prepare for a career or broaden your interest

Choose electives that will prepare for a career or broaden your interest

Choose as many AP classes as possible

Course Planning Guide for College

Recommended coursework for a four-year college:

Math Intermediate Algebra, Geometry, and Algebra Advanced Functions

Fourth Year Math Strongly Recommended

English Four years, including speech

Science Three years, including at least one of Biology and one of Chemistry or Physics

Fourth Year Science Strongly Recommended

Social Studies Three years, including at least one of U.S. History and one of World History or

Geography

Foreign Language

At least 2 years for selective colleges, some require less

What Colleges Look ForIn approximate order of importance

• Coursework completed– College Prep Courses Completed?– Did Student take advantage of AP and Honors opportunities?

• Grades in College Prep Courses• Grades in all subjects• Admission Test Scores• Class Rank• Essays/Writing Sample

– Sometimes a good idea to answer the “optional” questions too

• Counselor Recommendation• Teacher Recommendation• Interview• Other factors

• Also, don’t neglect making a personal connection with the college or university (demonstrated interest)

What is the Common Application?

16© 2015 The Common Application

Diverse colleges, one application

17© 2015 The Common Application

Parchment and Transcripts

• We use Parchment to send transcripts• Parchment can also be used to do research on

schools and on probabilities of getting into different colleges and universities

• http://century.rochester.k12.mn.us/ • Or directly at https://www.parchment.com/

REQUESTING A TRANSCRIPTOfficial transcripts available through a secure website

Have credit card and “college friendly” email address ready to use

Login to transcript website

http://www.parchment.com/

Create student account

Select colleges requiring a transcript

Complete process with credit card payment

Have credit card available when requesting transcript

$5.03 fee for each transcript ordered

TESTS• PSAT

• October 28 - 7:40 a.m.

• ACT• Dates – Dec. 12, Feb. 6, Apr. 9, June 11• March 15 Mandatory ACT test day for all Juniors www.actstudent.org

• SAT• Dates – Old SAT: Nov. 7, Dec. 5, Jan. 23 • Dates – New SAT: March 5, May 7, June 4www.collegeboard.org

The ACT or SAT Writing tests are required for many MN Universities; only need to take once

TESTS CONT.

AP EXAMS • Dates - May 2 - 13 • Register in March • Cost varies with number of tests taken

SAT Subject Tests• Given on SAT Test Dates• Required or suggested by some selective

colleges

TEST PREPARATION

• Community Education class – ACT/PSAT/SAT – offered different times throughout the year

• Kaplan, Sylvan, Huntington, Princeton Review Costly $$$

• MCIS Academic Practice Test Package-FREE• March 2 Success – More FREE online test prep• ACT/SAT/PSAT Test Preparation books, videos, discs -

available in Library and bookstores

Test prep…

• www.mncis.intocareers.org • www.methodtestprep.com • www.makingitcount.com• www.march2success.com• www.shmoop.com

Narrow college choices

• Does the college have the desired major, minor, and sometimes back-up major?

• What is the admission policy (do you fit)?

• Consider location and size• Consider campus activities• Consider cost and financial aid

– See www.collegescorecard.ed.gov See Career Center or MCIS school sort

CAREER/COLLEGE INFORMATION

• MCIS Software Programs - careers, colleges, financial aid - available on-line www.mncis.intocareers.org

Username: century Password: panthers

• Catalogs, books, videos – Career Center, library, and bookstores

• College representatives and military recruiters in Career Center

• School website under counseling office

New US Government Website

• “College Scorecard”• Meant to show picture of true cost, financial

aid, and educational outcomes of attendance at variety of institutions

• Check out https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/

$ FINANCIAL AID $• F.A.F.S.A. (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) Apply online at

www.fafsa.ed.gov

• Check out net price calculators ahead of time on college websites to estimate aid packages

• Example: https://augsburg.studentaidcalculator.com/survey.aspx • College Merit Scholarships, National and Local Scholarships • Reciprocity - WI, ND, SD, Manitoba and Midwest Student Exchange Program• Financial Aid night at Century in December with Director of Financial Aid from

Luther College

NCAA – Division I/II Athletics• NCAA requires NCAA Eligibility Center application

online at www.eligibilitycenter.org • ACT/SAT scores must be sent directly to NCAA -

NCAA Code 9999• Request transcript to be sent on after registering with

NCAA on-line

Questions???