junior parent night 2014
DESCRIPTION
What junior parents need to know to help their students be ready to apply for college during senior year.TRANSCRIPT
Foothill Technology High School
Junior Parent College Night
February 6, 2014
Foothill Technology High School
Spanish Presentation by Juana Vega in D-104
Topic 1: College Timeline and Application Process Debbie Freeman
Topic 2: Standardized Testing for College Admission Steve BoydTopic 3: Financial Aid and Scholarships
Linda Kapala Topic 4: College Choice Strategies
Cecilia Johnston
Foothill Technology High School
College Timeline
And
Application Process
College Options Entrance Requirements
Ventura College High School Diploma
University of California 9 campuses Designed to accept top 12.5% of CA graduates
A – G RequirementsSAT Reasoningor ACT with WritingMinimum GPA: 3.0
California State University 23 campuses Designed to accept top 33% of CA graduates
A – G RequirementsSAT Reasoning or ACTMinimum GPA: 2.0
Private Colleges/UniversitiesVaries depending on institutionLetters of Recommendation from teachers and counselor
Foothill Technology High School
Foothill Technology High School
Grade 11What should we be doing right now??
1. Begin the college search process if not started already. Use spring break/summer vacation to visit colleges/universities and
take campus tours. Peruse college search websites to narrow focus. Meet with your school counselor for further suggestions.
2. Take SAT and/or ACT tests in spring of junior year. Take SAT Subject tests in June 2013 if applying to certain schools and/or programs.
3. Keep grades up. College GPA’s are usually based on grades from sophomore/junior years only.
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Grade 11 Continued…
4. Talk to your counselor immediately if you have below a C in any of your A – G requirements and intend on applying to four year colleges/universities.
5. Use your summer wisely: take a college class, volunteer, attend a summer program, travel, work.
Foothill Technology High School
Grade 12Most important dates to keep in mind…
Early – Mid September: Registration deadlines for October SAT and ACT tests for Cal State Universities. Cal State deadline for taking test is November.
October 1st: UC and CSU application forms available online
Mid October: Counselors visit seniors in English classesSenior Parent Night
Late October: Fall Break – make last minute college visits
November 1st: Application deadline for early admissions to private colleges/universities
November 30th: Application deadline for UC’s and CSU’s
November – April: Ongoing scholarship opportunities
Foothill Technology High School
Grade 12Most important dates to keep in mind…
Early December: Last opportunity to take SAT and/or ACT for UC’s.
December 15th – January 15th:Application deadlines for most private colleges/universities
January 1st: FAFSA available online
Second week of January: Financial Aid Parent Night at FTHS
Late January: FAFSA line-by-line workshops at VC
March 2nd: FAFSA filing deadline
March – April: Receive notifications of admission to colleges/universities
May 1st:Submit intent to register to college/university of your choice
Foothill Technology High School
Factors to consider in choosing a college or university
Location (in-state vs. out-of-state, rural vs. urban setting, weather considerations)
Size (Colleges range in size from 40,000 students to under 1000) Cost (in-state vs. out-of-state tuition, private vs. public) Selectivity (do you meet the admissions criteria for
college/university, how competitive is admission?) Type of College (private, public, community, parochial, etc) Major/Academic Dept. Housing
Foothill Technology High School
Components of the College Application
*Letters of recommendation must be requested from teachers and counselors at least two weeks before they are needed and must be accompanied by a “Brag Sheet”.
Component Applicable to…
Application Form ALL colleges/universitieshttp://www.csumentor.edu/http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissionshttp://www.commonapp.org/
Personal Statement UC’s and private colleges/universities
SAT/ACT scores ALL colleges/universities
Application Supplement Private colleges/universities
*Letter of Recommendation/”Secondary School Report”
Private colleges/universities
Foothill Technology High School
Useful Websites for College Searches www.californiacolleges.edu
Provides college information and search engine for California private and public institutions www.princetonreview.com
Great place to start the college search www.usnews.com
Provides college rankings, college majors, and college planning tools www.campustours.com
Offers virtual tours, campus maps, webcams, videos, general information, tuition costs, enrollment statistics, admission requirements and majors
www.petersons.comHelps students with a timeline starting in 9th grade
www.bridges.comVUSD college and career search program. Students have login and password.
College Application Websites
www.csumentor.eduHelps students plan for attending and apply to a Cal-State University
www.commonapp.orgApplication website for over 300 colleges/universities
www.universityofcalifornia.edu/admissionsProvides information about all UC’s (requirements, deadlines, campus life, etc.)
Foothill Technology High School
Counselors: Mr. Boyd: Last Names A – Gh, ext.
[email protected] Ms. Freeman: Last Names Gi – O, ext.
[email protected] Mrs. Vega– Last Names P – Z, ext.
Your counselors are here to assist you with college planning and admission, fulfilling your A – G requirements, graduating from high school, academic issues AND any personal, social and/or emotional issues you may encounter.
Media Center Specialist: Mrs. Kapala, ext. [email protected]
Mrs. Kapala is our scholarship coordinator as well as the community service coordinator and help with college searches.
Registrar: Ms. Nordin, ext. [email protected]
Ms. Nordin is the point person for official transcripts, VC transcripts, Cal Grant Submissions, and multi-site enrollment forms. Ms. Nordin can also answer many counseling related questions in the event of the counselors’ absence.
Foothill Technology High School
Standardized Testing Requirements for College Admission
Foothill Technology High School
The SATRegister at:
http://www.collegeboard.com/
What does the SAT test cover? SAT Subject Tests? Where do I take the SAT? How do I improve my SAT scores?
Let me suggest some things
Recommended dates for Juniors:
Test Date Registration Deadline
March 8th February 7th
May 3rd April 4th
June 7th May 9th
Foothill Technology High School
The ACTRegister at:
http://www.actstudent.org/
What does the ACT test cover? ACT with Writing? Where do I take the ACT? How do I improve my ACT scores?
Recommended dates for Juniors:
Test Date Registration Deadline
April 12th March 7th
June 14th May 9th
Foothill Technology High School
College Testing Requirements
*The class of 2009 was the last graduating class that must take the SAT Subject tests for UC admission.
UC System SAT or ACT with Writing only.Subject test (?)
All testing completed by December of senior year
CSU System SAT or ACT November or December of senior year depending on campus
Private/Out-of-state schools
Varying requirementsCheck individual websites
Varying requirementsCheck individual websites
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Financial Aid and
Scholarships
Foothill Technology High School
S o m e t h i n g t o t h i n k a b o u t . . .“Education is one of the best financial investments you can make. A bachelor’s degree yields an increase in lifetime earnings potential of nearly a million dollars, according to Census Bureau data. This is equivalent to a 20% annual return on the investment.”
--from the Financial Aid Information Page--
Foothill Technology High School
Common Four-Year University Myths Too expensive Student not ready to go Student can easily transfer
Foothill Technology High School
Advantages of a four-year college experience:
Growth Internship opportunities Relationships with professors Study Abroad Career opportunities
Foothill Technology High School
How much does college cost? COMMUNITY COLLEGES
Approximately $ 4,000 CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY
Approximately $ 18,000 to $ 25,000 California Resident overall full-time fees/tuition for
CSUCI are $6,316 (Academic Year). UNIVERSITY of CALIFORNIA
Approximately $ 20,000 to $ 32,000 PRIVATE COLLEGES
Range from $ 20,000 to $ 60,000
Foothill Technology High School
Basic Equation of Need
COST OF ATTENDANCE – (COA)- EXPECTED FAMILY CONTRIBUTION (EFC)
= FINANCIAL NEED (eligibility)
• The college will attempt to offer FINANCIAL AID to meet your calculated FINANCIAL NEED.
• Not every college meets 100% of your financial need. (GAP)
Foothill Technology High School
Financial NeedUC CSU Private
Community College
Cost 25,000 22,000 35,000 10,000
EFC 10,000 10,000 10,000 10,000
Financial Need
15,000 12,000 25,000 0
Foothill Foothill Technology High School
Financial Help FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
https://fafsa.ed.gov
Profile - Approximately 535 colleges use this additional form to collect information to determine your eligibility for institutional aid You must pay to file this form. A list of schools using this additional application is available at http://student.collegeboard.org/css-financial-aid-profile
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The Middle Class Scholarship (MCS)New program beginning in the 2014-15 academic year that provides undergraduate students with family incomes up to $150,000 a scholarship to attend UC’s or CSU’s Students must be a California resident attending a UC or CSU; be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident or have AB 540* student status; meet certain income and other financial aid standards; maintain satisfactory academic progress; not be in default on a student loan; and, must not be incarcerated.
If your family earns up to $100,000 per year: You may be eligible for a scholarship of up to 40 % of the mandatory system
wide tuition and fees: The maximum award amount is a lesser percentage of mandatory system wide tuition and fees for each academic year beginning in 2014-15 at 14%, 2015-16 (20%), and 2016-17 (30%)
Foothill Technology High School
Middle Class Scholarship continuedStudents whose families earn between $100,001 and $150,000 per year: May be eligible for a reduced scholarship of no less than 10 percent of the mandatory
system wide tuition and fees.
MCS scholarships are not set amounts and may vary by student and institution: The award is determined after you are awarded any federal Pell Grant, Cal Grant and
institutional need-based grants for which you are eligible. The final award amount will be based on the number of students eligible for the MCS statewide and the funding allocated by the State Budget.
The MCS is being phased in over four years: Each academic year, the maximum amount of the scholarship will increase until 2017-18, when the maximum scholarship award will be up to 40 percent of the mandatory system wide fees and tuition.
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SCHOLARSHIPS – WHERE TO START?
1. Check scholarship bulletin on line. New additions frequently appear. www.foothilltechnology.org
2. Ask if your parent’s employer offers scholarships.
3. Check web pages of professional organizations to see if they have posted scholarships e.g. American Geologic Institute – www.agiweb.org/mpp
American Institute of Architects – www.archfoundation.org American Institute of Certified Public Accountants – www.aicpa.org Institute of Food Technologists – www.ift.org
4. Other sites to explore include: www.finaid.org/scholarships; www.FastWeb.com; www.scholarships.com; www.freschinfo.com; www.zinch.com
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Scholarship Tips:Tip 1 Apply only if you are eligible.
Read requirements and directions carefully.
Tip 2 Complete application in full. If a question does not apply, note that on the application. n/a Do not leave a blank.
Tip 3 Follow directions. Provide everything that is required, but do not supply things that are not requested – you could be disqualified.
Tip 4 Neatness counts. Always type the application if you can, or if you must print, do so neatly and legibly.
Tip 5 Make sure your essay makes an impression. Be personal and specific. Include concrete details to make your experience come alive.
Tip 6 Watch all deadlines. Don’t send the materials in late – they will be refused.
Tip 7 Take steps to make sure your entire application gets where it needs to go. Place name on all pages of the application in case it comes apart.
Tip 8 Give it a final ‘once-over.’ Proofread carefully. Ask another person to read it over before you submit it.
Tip 9 Ask for help if you need it. Visit your counselor or Mrs. Kapala
Tip 10 Remember: your application represents you! Your ability to submit a neat, timely, complete application reflects on you.
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OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Check scholarships posted on www.Bridges.com (select Choices Planner and type scholarships in search engine)
2. Create your own scholarship search by using key words e.g. Hispanic + single parent or Hungarian + college scholarship Diabetes + college scholarship
3. Good Resource to check out: FUND YOUR FUTURE WORKBOOK and other booklets are available in English and Spanish on the California Student Aid Commission website. www.csac.ca.gov Copies also available in the Media Center.
4. “Paying for College Without Going Broke” by Kalman Chaney. Answers many of your financial aid questions in a clear and accurate way. Copies available in our library and the public library.
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Now what? Calendar, calendar, calendar or you will miss deadlines. (VCCF
scholarship in mid December, due early January). Complete a Student Profile (often called a Brag Sheet) See fillable form
(www.foothilltechnology.org – select media center) and give to Mrs. K As you search different sites about paying for college, be careful
of scholarship scams, If you read the following lines, be careful:
“The scholarship is guaranteed, or your money back;” Or,
“You can’t get this information anywhere else;” Or,
“I just need your credit card or bank account number to hold this scholarship/” Or, “We’’ do all the work;”
Watch out for “College Financial Planners/Consultants” who are really trying to sell you expensive whole life insurance products or annuities