SSA PARENTSTUDENT COLLEGE INFORMATION NIGHT

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WELCOME

• SSA PARENT/STUDENT COLLEGE INFORMATION NIGHT

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COLLEGE BOUND

• IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR JUNIORS, SENIORS AND
  THEIR PARENTS

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STUDENT ASSESSMENT

• Evaluate your strengths and weaknesses according
  to the four parts of the college application
  listed below.
• Consider any unique interests, abilities, or
  characteristics that you possess-music, art,
  athletic, hobbies.
• Stress the activities that you have participated
  in the longest.
• Colleges are looking for substantial
  involvement-leadership positions.

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FOUR PARTS OF THE COLLEGE APPLICATION

• High School Record-courses, grades, class rank.
• Standardized Test Scores- SAT I, SAT II (subject
  tests), and ACT.
• Activities-these are important because they mark
  you as an asset to the incoming class. Examples
  Robotics, Academic Decathlon, Drama Club, Math
  Counts, Community Service, Volunteer Activities.
• Essays and Recommendations-these personalize the
  application and are an opportunity for the
  student to stand out as an individual.

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STANDARDIZED TESTSSAT AND ACT- BASIC DIFERENCES

• ? The SAT measures academic aptitude in verbal
  and numerical reasoning.
• ? The SAT questions, within a particular set,
  appear in order of difficulty. (not true on the
  ACT)
• ? The SAT tests vocabulary much more than the ACT
  does.
• ? The SAT has a wrong answer penalty the ACT
  does not.

• ? The ACT measures academic achievement in
  English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science
  reasoning.
• ? The ACT math includes trigonometry the SAT
  does not.
• ? The ACT tests English grammar-the SAT does not.

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STANDARDIZED TESTSSAT AND ACT- BASIC DIFERENCES
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SAT Test Dates
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ACT Test Dates
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HOW DO I CHOOSE A COLLEGE?

• Criteria for College Choice
• ?Academic Range-Do the entrance requirements of
  the school match your accomplishments and
  ability? Aim high-but also be realistic.
• ?Type of School-Liberal arts college, state
  university, private university, in-state,
  out-of-state, small faculty/student ratio vs.
  large faculty/student ratio, engineering college,
  art school, medical school, conservative,
  liberal, etc.
• ?Field of Study- Keep your options open!

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Big School, Big Benefits?

• Many degree program choices
• Lots of events, activities, and athletic teams
• Less selective about admissions
• Generally low tuition

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The Small School Advantage

• Focus on undergraduate education
• Small class size
• Undergraduate research access
• Good students, close community
• Diverse Opportunity
• Smaller bureaucracy, fewer registration
  nightmares
• Becoming increasingly affordable

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WHAT SHOULD I DO NOW?

• 11th GRADE
• Take the PSAT in the fall for more practice.
• Take the SAT in the spring. Take SAT subject
  tests directly after finishing the course so it
  is fresh in your mind. If an AP class, take the
  SAT after finishing the AP Exam.
• Collect all the information you can from those
  colleges you are interested in. Check SAT Subject
  test requirements. Every school wants something
  different!
• Attend college open houses if possible or visit
  colleges in your area. Begin to rank the colleges
  you think you would like to attend.
• Start to put together your resume. Organize the
  information that is likely to be requested on
  college applications.
• Check out the college application process. Next
  summer, start to work on any essays you might
  need to write.

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The PSAT

• Wednesday, October 15th
• Cost 13
• Practice for the SAT
• National Merit Scholarship
• More info on Preparing for the PSAT on College
  Board and Princeton Review Website

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11th grade continued

• ? Continue to do your best in your classes.
  Enroll in AP courses in your best subjects if
  these are available. Dont go overboard. Be
  challenged but dont get burnt out. Colleges are
  also looking for healthy students
• ? Search for various scholarship programs.
• ? Learn about the FAFSA ( Free Application for
  Federal Student Aid).
• ? Choose courses for senior year that are
  challenging and that showcase your academic
  abilities.
• ? Look for summer internships or summer programs
  at universities that will provide you with the
  opportunity to explore your interests and gain
  experience.

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Stanfords HS Summer College

• High School Summer College (8 weeks)June 21 -
  August 17, 2008
• You will take undergraduate courses and earn
  Stanford University credit
• Students must be at least age 16 by the start of
  the quarter.
• Participants explore the sciences, humanities,
  arts, and languages.
• Stanford admission officers meet with program
  participants to discuss the college application
  process.
• Credits earned in High School Summer College may
  be eligible for transfer to another college or
  university.
• Students have full access to Stanford's premium
  athletic facilities and libraries. Partial
  Scholarships are available.

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12th GRADE

• In the fall, complete college applications for
  at least 4 to 6 schools you would like to attend.
  
• Complete your college essay, personal statement
  ASAP. Mr. Beech can review them with you.
• Get organized! Set up your own system of tracking
  deadlines for making decisions, finishing tasks,
  and mailing out appropriate materials such as
  test registrations, college applications,
  financial aid forms, etc.
• In the fall, retake the SAT so you can improve
  your scores from last year.

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Retaking the SAT

• Score changes when students test again
• 55 percent of juniors taking the test improved
  their scores as seniors.
• 35 percent had score drops.
• 10 percent had no change.
• The higher a student's scores as a junior, the
  more likely that student's subsequent scores will
  drop.
• The lower the initial scores, the more likely the
  scores will go up.

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12th GRADE CONTINUED

• Attend the Annual College Night at the Tucson
  Convention Center (Just happened on Tuesday)
• Join SSAs college visits to ASU, UA, NAU etc.
• Visit the top schools on your list. Attend
  scheduled open house days so you can take
  advantage of the activities they have scheduled
  to introduce you to the school.
• After January 1st, encourage your parents to
  complete the FAFSA. Submit it before March 1st.

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12th GRADE CONTINUED

• ? Seek out and submit scholarship and grant
  applications from the federal government, state
  agencies, private foundations, and individual
  institutions
• fastweb.com
• College Board's FUND FINDER
• Scholarships.com LLC
• finaid.org
• ? As you begin to receive letters from colleges,
  organize them. Make your final decision.
• ? Enjoy you last year of high school!

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The Cost Is Not As Bad As You Think

• Private schools have more money to give
• They meet a bigger percentage of need
• They're more willing to consider special
  circumstances
• Your child may graduate sooner
• lt60,000 means free tuition at many ivy league
  schools

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SCHOLARSHIP NEWS!

• A great deal of grant money may come from the
  Federal and State Government (FAFSA)!
• Honors Endorsement Scholarship. Students qualify
  through a combination of AIMS test scores, class
  rank, and completion of core courses.  Make sure
  you read this as the eligibility requirements
  have changed in the past year.  Students in the
  graduating class of 2009 will only be able to
  take the
• National Merit Scholarship. Based on scores from
  the PSAT from your junior year.  The test is
  given in October of each year one time a year.

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Flinn Scholarship

• The Flinn Scholarship provides a full-ride for 4
  years at an Arizona public university. 
• Included is travel overseas and other
  professional development opportunities. Each year
  20 students are Flinn Scholarship recipients. 
• Deadline for application is October 24, 2008

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Other Ways to Pay For College

• Federal Aid, Work Study
• Scholarships
• Grants
• Student Loans
• Work
• Accelerate your degree
• Work off your debt with community service

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COLLEGE VISIT

• Call to schedule appointments
• Admissions Office-interview or information
  session
• Campus Tour
• Meet the Athletic Coaches
• Attend a Class
• Talk with a Professor
• Overnight Visit in the Dorm
• Financial Aid Office

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RECOMMENDATIONS

• In order to know the students better, I will ask
  the teachers to evaluate students and provide
  information to be used in the college
  recommendation. A resume must be provided by the
  student.

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THE FOLLOWING TRAITS MAY BE EVALUATED

• General Intelligence
• Motivation
• Independence
• Leadership
• Sense of Responsibility
• Concern for others
• Respect for Classmates

• Intellectual Promise
• Integrity
• Originality
• Reaction to Setbacks
• Warmth of Personality
• Tolerance of Differences
• Respect of Faculty

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WHY GO TO A 4YR-COLLEGE?

• High school dropout- 12,000 a year
• High school graduate- 25,000 a year
• College graduate- 42,000 a year (Bachelors
  Degree)
• Masters Degree- 55,000 a year
• Doctoral Degree- 85,000 a year

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Questions?