The College Application Process

For State College Area High School

Class of 2016

September 2015

Patty Devecka (A-K), Suzanne Lyke (L-Z), Susan Marshall, Karen Wolanski

& Kathy Dodson

Provide details about the process of submitting college applications

Provide preliminary information about applying for Financial Aid and Scholarships

Goals For This Meeting

YOU MUST CHECK YOUR SCASD EMAIL

FREQUENTLY !!!!

THIS IS THE WAY WE WILL CONTACT YOU AND SHARE INFORMATION WITH YOU ABOUT COLLEGE APPLICATIONS, UPCOMING EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES, GRADUATION INFORMATION, ETC.

IMPORTANT!!!

Are ultimately in charge of your college applications and making sure that you meet all

of the requirements and due dates for each one.

Communication, research, and following directions will be the key to success.

GOOD LUCK!

YOU (and your family)

Have you taken the SAT or ACT? (Check out www.fairtest.org

for a list of over 850 schools that allow alternative options for acceptance, like graded work)

Do you have a list of schools of interest?Have you visited some of the schools?Have you looked at their websites & researched their

application procedures and deadlines? (are SAT Subject tests required, etc?)Do you fit their profile?

Have you registered with the NCAA ELIGIBILITY CENTER and requested your transcript to be sent if you plan to play sports at the collegiate level?

If you are completely overwhelmed by these questions, then read your College Planning Booklet and start with 1 application.

Where are you now?

Penn State/Schreyer Honors College

Common ApplicationOther – SendEdu, PASSHE Schools, paper

TYPES OF APPLICATIONS

Go to admissions.psu.edu – “Apply”Create a MyPennState Profile – if you

already have a Penn State user id, use thatComplete online applicationYou must choose a major; or DUSSelect Fall or Summer admission – check

“yes” to accept summer admission if you don’t qualify for fall UP (after the Campus Choice screen)

Choose a campus – only list an alternate if you are willing to attend that campus

Regular PSU Application

Functions & Trig or higher required for Smeal, Eberly, IST, Engineering, E & MS,

Advanced courses are equivalent to HonorsShort personal statement and activities list

strongly recommendedHit “Submit” after payment is made ($50)Print and bring Web Application Counselor

Form to Mrs. WolanskiSign a transcript request form

Penn State Admission (cont’d)

Complete application by October 31st to be safe

Make sure your SAT and/or ACT scores are sent directly to Penn State from the testing agency (it takes 2-3 weeks)

Check your MyPennState account regularly – you will be notified there if anything is missing.

Admissions decision will be made by January 31st, if application is submitted by November 30.

Penn State Admission (cont’d)

Complete regular PSU application on-lineIndicate that you want to complete the Schreyer on-line

application when promptedReminder: Have your counselor’s and teachers’ emails

handy for requesting recommendations.Recommendations need to be requested 3 working

weeks before due date—Counselor Composite must be complete at that time for recommendation to be written by counselor.

Complete Transcript Request form w/ Mrs. Dodson in the Counseling Office.

This application is a tremendous amount of work.Here are the stats from 2014: 70 applied, 19 were offered acceptance and 13 are attending. That means 49 were rejected but 34 of those are still attending PSU. Two students withdrew due to early action at another university.

Schreyer Honors College

The “Common App” is an online college admissions application that may be used to apply to any of over 600 colleges in the US and around the world. Application information need only be completed once, then it is sent electronically to the schools you apply to.

To complete the application you will need: copy of HS transcript; list of activities/sports/jobs/volunteer hours; test scores and dates; parent/guardian information; recommenders names and email addresses

Go to www.commonapp.org to beginRead all directions regarding Common Application.Check for supplements your college(s) may require

Common Application

Get teachers’ permission before submitting their names as recommenders.

Invite your recommenders online (usually 1-2 teachers and a counselor)

Waiving your right to read recommendations is strongly recommended.

Print out a hard copy for your records.Complete a Transcript Request Form for each

Common Application School – See Mrs Wolanski.Complete Counselor Composite information for

counselors—must be in to Counseling office 3 working weeks before due date.

We do not rankThere are 534 students in the class of 2016; we

have a 4.0 grading scale and always give your weighted GPA

Common Application (cont’d)

SendEdu, PASSHE Schools (Lock Haven, Bloomsburg, etc.) and other online applications

PaperMake sure you print out all forms for teachers and counselors

and give them to the appropriate people. (Usually found under a “secondary forms” section on the application)

Each application is a bit different, follow the directions carefully and take your time.

If you bring in your entire application to be mailed you need to bring in a large envelope with 4 stamps and addressed to the college.

Sign a Transcript Request form for each college!Flow charts available for each different “kind” of application.

Other Types of Applications

If you receive free or reduced lunch, please see your counselor (or Mrs. Wolanski) for fee waivers for college applications, SAT’s, etc.

For Penn State, stop and save your application when you get to the payment screen – see Mrs. Wolanski before submitting if you qualify for a fee waiver.

Fee Waivers

Many colleges require essay(s).You may want to seek help from your English

teacher.Read the College Planning Book about the

essay on pages 15-20 or go to educationplanner.org or collegeboard.com or use resources in counseling office.

Schreyer Honors College of PSU requires three essays - begin them now!

Have at least one person proof your essay. Make sure that you are coming across the way you intended.

Application Essay

PSU does not require recommendations, with the exception of Schreyer Honors College.

Teacher recommendation—any 9th through 12th grade teacher may write a recommendation. Teachers write about you in their classroom, counselors write a composite recommendation about you.

Some colleges will require specific subject teachers.

Counselor recommendation – Patty Devecka, Suzanne Lyke, Jill Campbell, Jen Rand (or any counselor/LE teacher you have been working with).

If you need a Counselor letter of recommendation, you will need to fill out the Counselor Composite and complete the Evaluators Request Form.

Recommendations

Some colleges want to receive recommendations and transcripts together. If this is what the college requires, then all documents must be sent from the counseling office (you provide the 9x12 self-addressed stamped envelope with 4 stamps).

Other colleges that require recommendations state that teachers and counselors may mail/upload recommendations separately.

Waive your right to read the recommendation.

Recommendations continued…..

Counselor Recommendation Packet – pick this up in the Counseling Office

If you need a counselor recommendation for any college you are applying to, make sure that you have completed these forms at least 3 weeks before the recommendation is due

CollegeApplication

To-DoList Information

ForLetter

Of Recommendation

Evaluator’sRequest

Form

Apply online if possible.Apply to at least one “safety” school that is

both academically and financially safe.Try to limit your applications to 4 - 6 colleges.

The average application fee is $50 per application

Many colleges waive the application fee if you apply online or while visiting the school.

Make a detailed checklist for each college application – this is critical to help keep track of deadlines and the various parts of each application.

Make sure you meet all deadlines for maximum consideration.

General Application Information

Mrs. Wolanski & Mrs. Dodson

Counseling Office Team

* Treat them well *

Transcript Request FormWhen you come in to request your transcript, please have the following information: your due dates, names of recommenders and envelopes if necessary.

You must complete a transcript request form for each college/institution that needs your transcript with Mrs. Wolanski in the North Counseling Office in order to have your transcript submitted. (transcripts are free for current students)

THE ONLINE FORM IS ONLY FOR GRADUATES OF STATE HIGH. Do NOT use this online request form.

Make sure your request is in at least 3 weeks before it is due.

Transcript Request Form (cont’d)

Paper Applications 9x12 envelope, addressed with 4

stamps

Transcript/Mid Year Report A regular legal size envelope, addressed with 1 stamp

is required to send all transcripts unless it is being sent to PSU, for the Common App, or through SENDedu

Envelopes and Stamps

Early Decision Agreement – you must clearly understand your obligations

Mid Year ReportSchool Report Forms (Counselor fills out)College Specific Financial Aid FormsAthletic SupplementArts SupplementFinal Report/Transcript

Additional Forms You May Need

Rolling admission – decisions are made on a “rolling” basis as applications are received

Early decision – if accepted, applicants are obligated to attend a school to which they apply under this plan. Decisions are made earlier than under other plans

Early action – admission decisions are made early, but applicants are NOT obligated to attend

Regular decision – there is a single deadline and all decisions are made at the same time

Admission Plans

Note: For both transcripts and recommendations, make sure that you give the counseling office and your counselor at least 3 weeks notice. PSU App should be submitted by Oct. 31st to be safe

Early Decision and Early Action applications that are due November 1st must be submitted to us by Oct. 10th to be on time

December 31st or January 1st due dates must be submitted to us by December 2nd due to the holiday break.

Jan. 15th due dates must be submitted to us before the holiday break.

Feb. 1st due dates must be submitted by Jan. 9th to our office.

DEADLINES:

You apply to a college and never come to the counseling office to request your transcript to be sent from our HS to the college.

You apply to a college and forget to send your SAT/ACT scores to the college.

You apply to college and forget to download all the necessary forms.

You miss a deadline.

You forget to ask for teacher and/or counselor recommendations.

You forget to hit the submit button.

Common Mistakes On College Applications

Become familiar with the financial aid process – review the Financial Aid section in the College Planning Guide pages 24-32.

Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) soon after Jan 1st, 2016 to apply for grants, loans and work/study.

Create a FSA ID at https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa/filling-out/fsaid

Fill out CSS Financial Aid Profile if required by the college (many private colleges require this).

Financial Aid

PSU students should complete their FAFSA on the web by March 1st 2016 for maximum financial aid consideration.

Make sure you meet deadlines for other schoolsVisit http://www.finaid.org/ for a preliminary

financial aid estimate.Use the Net Price Calculator for each school to

estimate costsAttend financial aid nights:

- Penn State Financial Aid Night – November 30@ 7pm - North Aud.

- PHEAA Webinar – December 7 @ 6 pm

Financial Aid (cont’d)

Comprehensive Scholarship Information - www.fastweb.com

Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency - www.pheaa.org

State High Senior Scholarships –applications available online in March of 2016

Resources in North Counseling OfficeEmployment/religious affiliations/militaryMany colleges award significant merit financial

aidCollege specific scholarships can be found on

the college websites sometime in mid-fall/early winter

Scholarship Search

Go to www.scasd.orgGo to the high school main page In the middle of the page (in maroon), click

on “Headlines” Click on “College Visits” and/or “Scholarship

Opportunities”

College Visits at State High & Additional Scholarship Information

Please check your transcript in HAC to make sure that it is accurate and that you meet high school graduation requirements. It’s important to insure that transcripts are accurate before we send them out to colleges.

22.5 credits needed to graduate:

- 4 credits in English and History - 3 credits in Science and Math - 1.8 credits in Phys. Ed. - 1.0 credits in Health -.20 credits in Driver’s Ed. - 5.5 credits in Electives - Graduation Project (pass/fail) - 20 Community Service Hours (pass/fail)

TRANSCRIPTS

QUESTIONS ????