The Wood-Ridge Jr/Sr High School Guidance Department presents:

College Night For Parents

Contact Information Laura Paniagua (last names A-L)

201-933-6777 ex 2471

lpaniagua@wood-ridgeschools.org

Dennis Rowley (last names M-Z)

201-933-6777 ex 5621

drowley@wood-ridgeschools.org

Agenda

⬜ Senior Timeline

⬜ Preparing for the college search

⬜ Naviance

⬜ The Common App

⬜ Scholarships

⬜ Parent Tips

⬜ Final Thoughts

Senior Timeline SEPTEMBER OCTOBER

⬜ Attend Senior Seminar

⬜ Finalize your list of colleges

⬜ Follow up with teachers for recommendation letters

⬜ Register to take the SAT/ACT

⬜ Take your SAT and/or ACT

⬜ FAFSA OPENS 10/1

⬜ Edit and complete college essays

⬜ Watch your deadlines ~ Early Decision and Early Action dates usually start in October

FAFSA Opened - OCT 1, 2019 What Will You Need?

FSA ID - (FSAID.ED.GOV) For Parent + Student

2018 Tax Returns For Parent + Student

Social Security Numbers for Parent + Student

Other Income Information

Driver’s License Number

Please Mark your Calendar - October 29th

Sign up for FAFSA Help Sessions

Senior Timeline NOVEMBER/DECEMBER JANUARY

⬜ Watch your deadlines!

⬜ Continue to submit applications

⬜ Continue working on

applications - Regular

decision / Rolling decision

deadlines

FEBRUARY/MARCH

⬜ Read any decision letters you receive carefully. Be sure to respond when necessary.

Senior Timeline APRIL

⬜ Review admission decisions and financial aid award letters

⬜ Placed on a wait list? Contact the admission office directly if you are still interested

⬜ MAKE A FINAL DECISION

MAY ⬜ Mail in your

enrollment form and deposit check to your chosen school

June

⬜ Graduation!

⬜ Final transcripts will be mailed out to your chosen school at the end of June

JUNIOR YEAR TIMELINE ❏ UTILIZE NAVIANCE AND RESEARCH COLLEGES

❏ ATTEND OPEN HOUSES AT COLLEGES/UNIVERSITIES

❏ ATTEND JUNIOR CONFERENCE IN JANUARY/FEBRUARY

❏ TAKE THE SAT AND OR ACT

❏ SECURE TEACHER LETTER RECOMMENDATIONS

❏ COMPLETE COLLEGE BRAG SHEET IN NAVIANCE

❏ CREATE COMMON APPLICATION (commonapp.org)

STARTING JULY 1ST BEFORE SENIOR YEAR

PREPARING FOR A COLLEGE SEARCH

Types of Colleges TWO YEAR COLLEGES FOUR YEAR COLLEGES

⬜ Degree: Associates

⬜ Provides a way to ease into college and take general classes for credit. Students can transfer credits to a four year college

⬜ Opportunities for to enroll in trade and technical programs that provide a hands-on learning experience

⬜ Degrees: Bachelors and beyond

⬜ Provides a well-rounded college experience that includes an academic area of study

⬜ State vs. Private

⬜ Admissions process is more rigorous

Vocational and Trade Schools

Programs Include

Certificate Programs in a

specific area of study

Shorter time frame (usually 9

months-1 year)

Goal Focused

Automotive/Diesel Technician

Cosmetology

Business Operations

Electrician

Facilities Management

HVAC

Licenced Practical Nurse

Medical Billing and Coding

Welding

Your College Priorities… What is important

to you?

• Location

• Academics

• Size

• Campus Appeal

• Social Life

• Total Cost (including aid)

What information do college admission counselors review?

⬜ Grades/GPA

⬜ Strength of high school course selections

⬜ Admission Test Score

⬜ Essay

⬜ Teacher and Counselor Recommendation

⬜ Student’s demonstrated interest

⬜ Personal accomplishments

⬜ Personality characteristics

⬜ Course progress during senior year

College Admission Tests

SAT ACT

⬜ Consists of three parts: Critical Reading, Mathematics, and Writing

⬜ Each sections is scores on a scale of 200-800

⬜ Changes to the SAT took place in March 2016

⬜ Consists of four parts: English, Mathematics, Reading, Science, and Writing

⬜ Writing component is optional

⬜ Top composite score is 36

SAT TEST DATES (COLLEGEBOARD.ORG)

Test Date Registration Date

November 2nd

December 7th

March 14th

May 2nd

October 3rd

November 8th

February 14th

April 3rd

ACT TEST DATES (not given at WOOD-RIDGE)

TEST DATES REGISTRATION DATE

DECEMBER 14, 2019

FEBRUARY 8TH, 2020

APRIL 4TH, 2020

JUNE 13TH, 2020

NOVEMBER 8TH, 2019

JANUARY 10TH, 2020

FEBRUARY 28TH, 2020

MAY 8TH, 2020

What is Test Optional?

TEST OPTIONAL means that the University or College does not require an SAT and or ACT score for their admissions/application review process. Students SHOULD submit their scores if their score is above the college/university average Students SHOULD NOT submit their scores if their score is below the college/university average

What schools are test optional??

PLEASE VISIT -

FAIRTEST.ORG

College Jargon Continued Early Decision (binding) - A binding contract between a student and ONE college or university. The deadline is usually 11/1 or 11/15. ED candidates are notified by mid-December of their senior year.

Early Action (non-binding) - Students may apply to many schools early action. Student who apply early action are notified by December.

Rolling Admissions - the practice used by some colleges that the college processes a candidate's application as soon as it is complete. The school will notify the students in a timely manner. (2-3 weeks).

Priority decision - The priority application may provide benefits in terms of financial aid and scholarship packages, housing advantages, and/or priority for course registration.

College Jargon Continued

IDD or Instant Decision Day- When a college admissions representative comes to the high school and conducts a one on one interview with the student. If the student is participating, they will apply by a certain deadline, the application fee will be waived, and will be responsible for bringing their college essay and SAT/ACT scores. The guidance counselor will provide their transcript as well as recommendation letters.

Deferred - When a college does not make a decision on a student who has applied under an EA/ED program, and places their application in the regular decision pool. A college may want to wait until additional information is provided (12th grade mid year grades)

Wait List - The application has been given careful consideration but the limit of accepted students has already been reached. Students will be notified after May 1st, if space becomes available

How to Match your College List

Reach schools - Your academic record/test scores fall slightly below the average accepted academic record scores at a specific school.

Match schools - Your academic record/test scores meet with the average accepted student academic record/test scores.

Safety schools - Your academic record/test scores are well above the average accepted student academic record/test scores

Where to go to collect information?

⬜ Naviance- College search engine. The link is located on the W-RJSHS website.

⬜ Collegeboard.org- Information about the SAT as well as a college search engine.

⬜ www.eligibilitycenter.org – for aspiring student athletes.

⬜ College Scorecard - collegescorecard.ed.gov

⬜ PrepScholar- GPA and SAT/ACT comparisson

Naviance

⬜ Make sure you know your Naviance Login information. Students and parents can access Family Connection (the link is on the WRHS website)

⬜ Keep your college list updated under: “Colleges I Am Applying To”. *This is required to ensure submission of your transcript and supporting documents.

⬜ Use Naviance to answer your college questions.

To use the Common App or not to use the Common App....

The Common Application: www.commonapp.org may reduce some application steps.

There are now over 800 member colleges and universities accepting the Common Application.

*You must create Common App account and then sync it with your Naviance account. Remember to sign Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) at Common App.

Teacher Recommendations

By June 1st of your junior year you should bring

your completed teacher recommendation request form to two teachers and ask them if they will write a recommendation letter for you.

If they agree, then you must request them through Naviance. Without a naviance request, they will not be able to upload their letter.

Under the colleges tab on Naviance, select “letters of recommendation,” and then on the following screen select “add request.”

College Contracts

In order for your counselor to release official documents, you must submit an early action/early decision contract and/or a rolling contract depending on your college deadline.

For each school which you apply to, a contract MUST be submitted.

Scholarships 101 MERIT SCHOLARSHIP TIPS

⬜ There is more than $11 billion in merit scholarships available to students

⬜ Not just for “A” students

⬜ Many awards emphasize leadership or school involvement

⬜ Nearly all colleges offer merit aid scholarships

⬜ The average merit scholarship award is $5,000

⬜ Many awards can be renewed year after year!

⬜ Apply to as many as you can or think you are eligible for

Scholarship Resources ⬜ Fastweb.com – private scholarships

⬜ Fafsa.ed.gov – Free Application for Federal Student Aid (must fill out after January 1, 2017)

⬜ Studentaid.ed.gov – The Federal Government’s website with information on how to pay for college

⬜ MeritAid.com - $11 billion in merit scholarships

⬜ Cappex.com – scholarship matching

⬜ Finaid.org – Free student resource for learning about all types of financial aid

⬜ Hesaa.org - The New Jersey higher education student assistance authority website

⬜ CSS Profile - By filling out one form, you can apply online for nonfederal financial aid from almost 400 colleges and scholarship programs

⬜ Individual college website – school based scholarships offered to incoming students

Parent Tips!

10 Things to Remember ⬜ Help your student understand the college search

process

⬜ Be realistic and non-judgmental

⬜ Be in the “back seat”, not the driver

⬜ Be open to dialogue and responsive to questions

⬜ Be aware of deadlines and fees due

⬜ Things change year to year and the process different from your college days

⬜ Don’t overemphasize your own alma maters

⬜ Don’t compare your student with others

⬜ Don’t dwell on disappointments like a rejection letter

⬜ Celebrate success!

Final Thoughts

WORDS OF WISDOM

⬜ Relax…you will get in.

⬜ It’s ok if you don’t have a major.

⬜ You don’t need to go far away.

Things To Do

⬜ Attend Open Houses at the colleges your child will most likely apply

⬜ Prepare information needed for college applications

⬜ Sign up for the SAT

⬜ Be sure to maintain first marking period grades

Applying to College is a Team Effort!

Your child’s Guidance Counselor will submit:

◼ Official Transcripts

◼ The Wood-Ridge Jr/Sr High School Profile

◼ A counselor recommendation

◼ TWO teacher recommendations

◼ Any other forms that need to accompany an application

When it is time to sent materials, you must provide:

◼ A signed Rolling Contract or Early Action/Early Decision Contract

◼ Any additional forms that are a part of the application

Student’s Responsibility

When applying to a school, students must submit:

Their application

Their SAT or ACT scores

Reminders!

WEBSITES TO REMEMBER UPCOMING EVENTS

⬜ Naviance (located at wood-ridgeschools.org under student tab)

⬜ Collegeboard.org

⬜ Commonapp.org

⬜ Fafsa.ed.gov

⬜ www.eligibilitycenter.org

WRJSHS College Fair

October 9th, 2019

Financial Aid Workshops OCTOBER 29TH - Need to Sign Up

Junior Parent Conferences

WIll take place in January