Senior Parent NightFalls Church High School

2013-2014

Senior Parent Night Agenda

• Renee’ Foster, College & Career Center Specialist,

-Career Center Resources

-Family Connection

-SAT vs. ACT

• College Representatives will discuss College Admissions:

-Jeanine Lalonde, University of Virginia;

-Lauren Snyder, Marymount University;

-Amanda Darr, Northern Virginia Community College Pathways Counselor

• Camilo Cardona & Patti Welch, Senior Lead Counselors

-In House Application Procedures

Career Center Resources for Post-Secondary Options

College Apprenticeship

Military Gap Year Program

• View and exchange information about your plans with school counseling staff through this extensive resource!

• About Me-Develop plans-Record activities -Identify skills & interests (Interest Surveys)

• About College-Search for colleges-College Visit Schedule-See College acceptances (Scattergrams)

• From Your School

-Messages from Mrs. Foster & School Counselors

All colleges will accept either or both exams.

SAT ACT Length 3 hours, 45 minutes 3 hours, 25 minutes (includes optional 30-

minute Writing Test) Sections 10 Sections: 3 Critical Reading, 3 Math, 3

Writing (including Essay), 1 Experimental (not scored)

4 Sections (plus optional Writing Test): English, Math, Reading, Science, Writing

Subjects Critical Reading Math Writing

English Math Reading Science

Writing (optional) Reading Reading passages with questions pertaining to

comprehension and sentence completion 4 passages, 10 questions per passage

Science N/A Science (analysis, knowledge, problem solving)

Math Arithmetic, geometry, algebra, and algebra II Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and trigonometry

Essay Required Optional (final section) Score Composition 1/3 Math

1/3 Reading 1/3 Writing

¼ English ¼ Math ¼ Reading ¼ Science

Scoring Aggregate score 600 – 2400 based on total of 3 scores 200- 800 (Reading, Math, Writing)Score of 0-12 for Essay

Composite score 1-36 based on average of 4 sections (English Math, Reading Science) Score 0-12 for Optional Essay.

Penalties Penalties (typically ¼ point deducted) for wrong answers

No penalties for incorrect answers

Sending Scores to Colleges

Student decides which scores are sent Student decides which scores are sent

Additional Information www.collegeboard.org www.actstudent.org

College Admissions Guest

• Jeanine Lalonde, Senior Assistant Dean of Admissions

College Admissions Guest

• Lauren Snyder, Assistant Director of Admissions

Pathways Program-NVCC

• Amanda Darr , NVCC Pathways to the Baccalaureate Counselor

Parents…….

FCHS School counselors and the College & Career

Center Specialist are always available to

answer your questions and provide

support! This is a team effort!

Important advice we share with your kids…

• Choose what’s important to you, not your friends.

• Try to visit campus while

schools are in session.

• Attend College Info Sessions held @ FCHS

• While it’s great to go where all your friends are going this is your education and your future depends on your choices.

Additional Advice…….

• Secure teacher, coach, and employer letters of recommendation early

• Keep your grades up!!• If you have recently

become a US Citizen, please update your status with the Social Security Administration

The In-House Application Process

•Transcript Request Form

•Recommendations•Secondary School Report

Transcript Request Form

Then$5 each

First 3 Are Free

RecommendationsDid you know?

1. Some colleges only want a letter of recommendation from a counselor

2. Some ask for a teacher and a counselor recommendation.

3. And there are even a few that don’t ask for one at all!

Things to Confirm

4. Do I need a recommendation? (research the college admission page)

5. Who will I ask to write my letters of recommendation?

Please give Teachers/Counselors 2-3 weeks to complete recommendations!!

Secondary School Report• NACAC Secondary School report is accepted by all universities/colleges in the U.S.

• Common App Report will be used for all Common App Schools

RE: Social Networking Sites

THINK!! Before Posting!!

Stay Up To Date…..

www.facebook.com/fchsjaguars

@FCHSCareerCtr

Calendar Events• Wednesday, 9/25 7 PM @ Falls Church HS: Senior Parent Night

Representatives from several colleges and FCHS counseling department give

an overview and insight on the college application and aid process.

• Saturday, 9/28 1-5 PM @ James Lee Community Center: Fall Festival

Our AVID counselor (Joanne PerduOuimet) will have a booth where she will

have flyers and answer any questions

• Tuesday, 10/1 6:30-8:30 PM @ Falls Church HS: College Applications and Aid w/ Andrea Ashton. Ms. Ashton is a professional college planner that will offer information and insight into paying for college

• Wednesday, 12/18 7 – 8 PM @ Falls Church HS: Financial Aid Workshop w/ Renee Foster & Department of Education Rep. Our very own College and Career Counselor Renee Foster and a representative from the US Department of Education will walk you through the Aid process and have a Q & A afterwards.

Before you know it….

Which path will your student choose?

Questions??