Ready,  Set,  Go        

A  College  Information  Session  for  Senior  Parents  

Jackson  Preparatory  School  August  20,  2012  

The  Parent’s  Role:    

 

�  Resist  doing  for  your  students  what  they  are  capable  of  doing  for  themselves.    Be  involved  in  the  process  but  don’t  try  to  control  it.  

�  Keep  a  sense  of  perspective  –  it  is  a  stressful  time  for  both  parents  &  students.  

�  Help  your  child  set  deadlines  &  then  step  back  and  let  them  do  the  work.    Help  with  organization.  

�  Love  them  enough  to  let  them  demonstrate  the  independence  you  have  instilled  in  them.  

�  Be  supportive;    talk  to  your  child  about  what  he/she  wants;  listen  to  your  child.  

�  Remember,  we  are  ALL  working  toward  the  same  goal:    a  good  college  match  for  your  child.  

Empower  Independence    

Help  Them  Prepare  But  

Let  Them  Perform      

STAY  COMMUNICATED  –  Check  O>en:    Prep  Website:    www.jacksonprep.net  College  Counseling  Page:  Prep  Calendar  Prep  Daily  Bulletin    

**Check E-mail regularly**

The  College  Counseling  Page  � ACT/SAT/CommonApp/FAFSA/Scholarships  � Naviance/Family  Connection  �  Senior  Forms  and  Information  � TAG  –  The  College  Planning  Blog  

Family  ConnecEon    �  Long  on  to  Family  Connection  :                        https://connection.naviance.com/jacksonprep  � Use  email  address  and  password  set  by  students.  �  Search  for  colleges,  track  applications,  etc.  �  Select  “About  Me”  or  “Colleges”  

Ø About  Me  –  GPA,  Test  Scores,  etc.  Ø Colleges  –  Prospective  colleges,  applications,              transcript  requests,  etc.  

What  students  should  be  doing  right  now:  

�  Meet  with  college  counselor  if  you  have  not  already  done  so!  �  Begin  narrowing  down  your  preliminary  list  of  colleges.  �  Attend  Prep  College  Fair  –  September  11th,    6  –  8  p.m.            Seniors  come  at  6  p.m.    �  Meet    with  college  reps  visiting  on  our  campus.  Parents  

welcome.    See  list  on  Family  Connection.  �  Visit  college  campuses.  �  Begin  working  on  applications,  essays,  scholarships.  �  Complete  all  testing.  (ACT,  SAT  Reasoning  Test  ,  Sat                  Subject  Tests,  if  appropriate)  �  Have  scores  sent    to  colleges  and  to  Prep.  

 

         

ACT/SAT  Scores  are  not  on  the  transcript!  �  Send  to  colleges  directly  from  the  testing  agencies.  � ACT:    Indicate  which  test  score(s)  you  want  to  send.  �  SAT:    Prompt  will  indicate  whether  college  wants  best  single  scores  or  all  scores.    Follow  the  prompt  for  each  individual  college.  SAT  scores  will  be  sent  only  online  unless  you  specify  differently  on  website.  

� New  this  year:    Must  upload  a  picture  when  registering  to  take  ACT/SAT.    Begins  with  October  testing  

CalculaEng  GPA                              PREP  GPA    �  Uses  all  courses  that  count  

toward  graduation  �  Numerical  averages  used  for  

everything  at  Prep  �  Calculated  on  4.0  scale  for  college  

admission  and  scholarships  �  Wt.  added  to  GPA,  not  to  course  

grade  (5  pts./honors;  7.5  pts./AP)  �  Recalculated  at  end  of  first  

semester  and  at  end  of  year  �  GPA  is  posted  in  Family  

Connection  under  “About  Me”  

 COLLEGE  ADMISSIONS  OFFICES  

�  Every  school  calculates  differently  

�  In-­‐state  public  universities  recalculate  GPA  on  4.0  scale,    unweighted,  using  core  courses  only  for  admission,  but  will  use  Prep  GPA  as  shown  on  transcript  for  scholarships  

   

ConEnue  With  a  Strong  Academic  Record  !  

 But GPA and Test Scores aren’t everything in an admission or

scholarship decision

Athletes  � Register  with  NCAA  Eligibility  Center  online  

         www.ncaaeligibilitycenter.com  � Request    online  transcript  be  sent  from  the  counseling  office.    Put  school  code:    

                                   251-­‐398  �  Send  letters  to  coaches  with  athletic  resume.  

ApplicaEon  Process  and  Admission    Depends  on  the  SelecEvity  of  the  College  and/or  Program  

Pyramid  of  SelecEvity  

Admission  Requirements  In-­‐state  Public  UniversiEes  

� College  Prep  Core  Curriculum  � 2.0  GPA  on  4.0  scale  �   18  ACT(minimum)  

CompleEng  applicaEons  for  schools  that  do  not  require  essays  or  recommendaEons    �  Complete  application  on-­‐line.  �  Print  a  copy  for  your  files.  �  Submit  application  fee.  �  Request  transcript  from  counseling  office  through  Naviance/Family  Connection  

�  Request  ACT/SAT  scores  from  testing  agencies  

�  Complete  housing  forms  at  appropriate  time.  

�  Submit  scholarship/financial  applications  by  deadline  dates.  

Mississippi  State  University    v  Admission  application  and  scholarship  

resume  is  used  for  Freshman  Academic  Scholarships  

v  December    1  –  Academic  Scholarship/Honors  College  Priority  Deadline.    Students  must  be  admitted  to  the  university  and  have  a  completed  scholarship  resume.    December  scores  are  the  last  set  of  ACT/SAT  scores    accepted  for  scholarships  

v  Housing  Priority  based  on  date  application  was  submitted  

 

University  of  Mississippi  �  Application  for  admission  is  used  for  

Academic  Excellence  Scholarships.  �  January  15  -­‐Deadline  for  scholarships,  

applications  for  Honors  College,  Croft  Institute,  Lott  leadership,  etc.    

�  Scholarship  Interviews  –  usually  January  �  Housing  priority  based  on  date  of  Admission  �  Housing  application  available  to  first  round  of  

admitted  students  –  ???  

 

For  all  other  schools:  

Check  literature  from  each  college/university  for  a  complete  listing  of  all  scholarships,  eligibility  requirements,  and  deadlines.  

For  selecEve  schools  requiring  essays  and  recommendaEons:  � Make  an  individual  folder  for  each  school,  listing  all  deadlines,  recommendations,  essays,  etc.  

� Most  applications  now  completed  on-­‐line.  �  Visit  college  counselor  to  discuss  deadlines,  essays,  teacher  recs,  etc.  –  bring  all  application  materials.  

 

Most  applicaEons  to  selecEve  schools    will  have:  

� Candidate’s  part  with  essay  � Teacher  Evaluations  (1  or  2)  � Secondary  School  Report  (Counselor’s  Rec)  

� Mid-­‐year  Report  (bring  to  college  counselor)  

 

The  Common  ApplicaEon  � www.commonapp.org  � Can  file  electronically.  �  Fill  out  ONE  complete  application.  � Teachers  write  one  teacher  evaluation.  � Counselor  fills  out  one  secondary  school  report.  �  Student  completes  one  essay  .  �  Save  original.    Send  copies  to  all  schools.  � Most  schools  will  require  an  additional  supplement.  � Electronic  application  can  be  “tracked.”  � Colleges  cannot  “match”  parts  of  the  application  until  they  receive  the  candidate’s  part.  

When  Using  the  Common  App:  �  Student  signs  FERPA  agreement  and  lists  all  common  app  schools  in  Family  Connection  

�  Student  uses  www.commonapp.org  to  complete  application  

� Teachers  and  counselors  use  Naviance  to  send  school  documents  

�  Save  a  copy  of  everything  you  send  out!  

For  Common  App  Schools  

Use    only  the  On-­‐line  Common  Application!!    Using  other  applications  (“Fast  App,  Snap  App,  etc.)  will  result  in  a  delay  of  your  supporting  documents  because  they  cannot  be  sent  electronically.  

 DO  NOT  USE  ANY  OTHER  APPLICATION  FOR  A  

COMMON  APP  SCHOOL!  

LeSers  of  RecommendaEon  �  Request  early  (give  3-­‐4  weeks  notice).  �  Usually  should  be  teacher  of  academic  subject  in  junior  or  senior  year.  

�  Provide  resume  or  profile  to  teacher.  �  Provide  information    in  writing  on  purpose  of  letter  (admission,  scholarship)  and  to  whom  it  should  be  addressed.  

�  Give  clear  instructions  on  how  letter  should  be  sent  (mail,  Naviance,  internet,  etc.)  

�  Give  definite  deadline  for  submission.  � Write  a  thank-­‐you  note  afterwards.  �  Common  App:    Teachers  will  use  Naviance                              to  submit  electronically  

                                       

How  Many  ApplicaEons  Should  I  Send?  �  1-­‐3  “reach”  schools  

 

�  1-­‐3  “appropriate”  or  “target”  schools  

 �  1-­‐3  “safety”  schools  

The  “Dreaded”  Essay  �  Start  early.    Most  good  essays  require  several  drafts.  � Ask  someone  to  read  and  edit.  � Tell  them  something  the  colleges  won’t  already  know  from  reading    the  other  parts  of  your  application  and  resume.  

� Tell  a  story  unique  to  YOU.  �  Follow  directions!    Stay  within  the  length  guidelines.    Answer  the  question  asked.  

�  Short  answer  questions  are  also  important  and  often  overlooked.  

Types  of  Admission  �  Rolling  (apps  read  as  they  come  in)  �  Early  Decision/Early  Action  (~  Nov  l,  Nov.  15))  

�  Early  Decision  (Binding)  �  Early  Action  (Non-­‐binding)  �  Early  Action  Single  Choice  (Non-­‐binding)  

�  Regular  Admission  (~Jan  –  Feb)    Candidates  are  notified  on/before  April  1  Must  decide  and  reply  by  May  l  

Admission  Decisions  Early  Decision/Early  Action      *Admitted      *Rejected      *Deferred  

Regular  Decision      *Admitted      *Rejected      *Wait-­‐Listed  

   

Reply  by  May  1  

Scholarships/Financial  Aid  � Financial  Aid  Meeting  for  Jr.  and  Sr.  Parents:    November  13,  6:30  p.m.,  Guyton  Lyceum  

� Representative  from  Education  Service  Foundation  (ESF)  will  present  program  

 

Scholarships  � Merit  Based  (academic,  talent,  community  service,  athletics)  

�  Institutional  (Colleges  &  Universities)  �  Usually  are  the  largest  awards  �  Some  require  separate  applications;  some  use  admission  

application  �  Check  for  scholarship  deadlines.    Important!!  

�  Corporate,  Organizational  (Rotary,  Coca-­‐Cola,  etc.)  �  Check  websites,  bulletin  daily  �  Some  are  based  on  financial  need    

MTAG/MESG    � All  Seniors  should  apply!  �  Apply  on-­‐line  in  February  2013                      (www.ihl.state.ms.us)  �  Prep  will  send  in  GPA’s  for  all  students,  on  4.0  scale,  calculated  on  all  subjects  that  count  toward  graduation.  

�  ACT  scores  will  be  sent  directly  from  the          testing  agency.  �  If  using  SAT  for  eligibility,  send  a  copy        of  SAT  score  report.  

MTAG:    Mississippi  TuiEon  Assistance  Grant  

�  15  ACT  � 2.5  GPA  � $500  first  2  years  � $1,000  last  2  years  

MESG:    Mississippi  Eminent  Scholars  Grant  

� 29  ACT  or  1280  SAT  � 3.5  GPA  � $2,500  per  year,  renewable  for  4  years  

� Must  maintain  3.5  GPA  in  college  

Financial  Aid  � Loans,  Grants,  Work  Study  

� Must  complete  FAFSA  (based  on  2012  tax  return)  

� Some  require  CSS  Profile  &  an  institutional  form  

How  Financial  Aid  is  Calculated  FAFSA  determines  ESTIMATED  FAMILY  CONTRIBUTION  (EFC)  

     Total  Cost  of  Attendance    (varies  by  school)      –  EFC    (stays  the  same  for  all  schools  

                       Amount  of  Financial  Need    Need    eligibility  will  vary  according  to  the  cost  of  attendance.      

Financial  Aid  Comparison  Public  University   Private  University  �  Cost  of  Attendance      $15,000  

�  EFC  (constant)                      $14,000  

�  Financial  Aid                            $  1,000  

�  Cost  of  Attendance        $45,000  

�  EFC  (constant)                        $14,000  

�  Financial  Aid                            $31,000  

Statement  of  Students’  Rights  and  ResponsibiliEes