This Whole College Application Thing

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This Whole College Application Thing
Howard High School College Admissions Night

• Chip Saltsman
• Vice-President, Capgemini
• MIT Alumni Interviewer
• Parent

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More education means more earning power
Education Average Annual Earning Power
Didnt finish high school 22,000
High school diploma 31,000
Associate degree (2-year) 38,000
Bachelors degree (4-year) 50,000
Source College Board, Education Pays, 2004
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College lifetime payoff

• (US Census Bureau Day and Newburger study, 2002).

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The value isnt just money

• Longer life-span
• Greater economic stability and security
• More prestigious employment and greater job
  satisfaction
• Less dependency on government assistance
• Greater participation in leisure and artistic
  activities
• Greater community service and leadership
• The self-respect you get from your achievements
• Broad base of knowledge on which to build and
  solve more of lifes problems.
• Much of what you gain in college comes from
  learning outside the classroom, from
  participating in clubs, campus organizations and
  test-driving careers through internships and
  practicums.
• With some jobs, a degree is a requirement. For
  other it is a check mark and door opener.
• It is a ticket to compete that puts you in the
  running for a better futurebut it isnt a
  guarantee. Everything else is up to you.
• For a lot of people, it isnt the destination,
  its the journey!

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Words to know

• Associate Degree (AA, AS, AAT) Two-year degree
  program
• Bachelors Degree (BA, BS) Four-year degree
• A Credit one hour of class two hours of
  other work
• FAFSA Free Application for Federal Student Aid

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Chips Top Ten Rules . . .
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10. There are SEVERAL perfect colleges for you
out there!
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Put together a portfolio

• 1-2 Safety schools (that you would attend)
• 3-4 In your zone
• 1-2 Stretch schools
• The challenge is actually narrowing down the list!

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Narrowing Down the List

• Location
• Setting Urban/Suburban/Rural
• Size
• Diversity
• Activities Sports
• Majors Academic Programs
• Admissions Selectivity Degree of Difficulty
  How much do you want to challenge yourself?
• Cost
• Other specialization

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Narrowing Down the List

• www.collegeboard.com and use College Matchmaker
  tool.
• www.princetonreview.com
• Guidance office reference tools
• Library reference books
• www.kiplinger.com/tools/college - Best values in
  Public Colleges
• Just type college search into Google
  (106,000,000 hits)

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Popular Maryland Four-Year Schools
College Accept Rate Average Reading SAT Average Math SAT
Frostburg Univ. 66 450-550 450-500
Goucher 67 560-670 540-640
Loyola 46 560-650 570-660
McDaniel 79 490-610 500-620
Morgan State 19 880-1050 total
Salisbury 57 520-600 530-610
Towson 64 490-580 510-600
UMBC 71 540-650 570-670
College Park 49 580-670 600-700
Stevenson (used to be Villa Julie) 70 450-560 450-560
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Popular Out-of-State Schools
College Accept Rate Average Reading SAT Average Math SAT
Boston College 30 610-700 640-720
Clemson Univ. 57 550-650 550-670
Delaware, Univ. of 47 550-640 550-650
Elon University 41 560-640 570-650
James Madison 68 530-620 540-630
Lehigh University 41 600-680 640-720
Penn State Univ. 62 530-630 570-670
Virginia Tech 72 540-630 570-660
William Mary 31 630-730 630-710
York College 75 500-600 500-590
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9. They really do consider the whole package

• There are SEVERAL perfect colleges for you out
  there!

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The key rule . . .

• There is no magical combination of attributes
  that will ensure acceptance to any college.

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Were looking for kids who have pursued their
passion, whatever it is, and have become very
good at it while theyve been top-notch students.
There are an awful lot of kids across the
country that fit that outstanding profileone in
nine are accepted. --Martha Homer, Harvard
Senior Admissions Officer
95 of last years 11,300 applicants were
qualified on paper to join the freshman class of
1,000. We are looking for students who are
self-motivated, who are willing to take risks,
who are willing to risk their ego and who are OK
with being wrong. We want the nerdy, very
un-cool kids who live full industrial strength
for their interests and have a passionate
curiosity. --MIT Dean of Admissions
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What are they actually looking for, anyway?

• The Wesleyan checklist (each application is
  reviewed three times)
• Can they do the work?
• Class rank
• They read the essays
• SAT scores as an indicator
• Stand out in two extracurricular activities
• The track record of other students from your high
  school
• Are they living up to their potential?
• Do they match, and can they handle the culture at
  our school?
• Are they interested in us?

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So, how much does the SAT actually matter anyway?

• It is one of 20 things in the whole application
  packet.
• Some schools dont even look.
• It matters when it is out of synch from the rest
  of your story.
• Every year, Harvard rejects people with 800s,
  and every year, MIT admits people with SATs in
  the 500s

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8. Visit. Really VISIT!

• They really do consider the whole package
• There are SEVERAL perfect colleges for you out
  there!

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7. Who needs Harvard?

• Visit. Really VISIT!
• They really do consider the whole package
• There are SEVERAL perfect colleges for you out
  there!

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The Highly Selective Universities

• 7 - Juilliard School
• 8 - Harvard
• 9 - Stanford, Yale
• 10 - Columbia, Cooper Union, Princeton
• 12 - MIT
• 13 - Brown, Dartmouth, Amherst
• 14 - US Naval Academy, US Coast Guard Academy
• 15 - US Military Academy (West Point),
  Swarthmore
• 16 - Pomona, Claremont McKenna
• 17 - Cal Tech, University of Pennsylvania
• 18 - Middlebury, Georgetown
• 19 - US Air Force Academy, Williams, Bowdoin,
  Duke
• 20 - Cornell, CUNY York
• 21 - UC Berkeley, USC
• 22 - Washington University (St. Louis), Rice
• 23 - College of the SouthWest
• 24 - Tufts
• Only 2.6 of schools admit less than 25 of
  applicants!

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What do these colleges have in common?

• Harvard
• Yale
• Michigan
• Columbia
• United States Naval Academy
• Georgetown
• Eureka College
• Whittier College
• Texas State San Marcos

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The studies show When it comes to long-term
success, 75 of the educational benefit is
determined by the students efforts and
abilities. Some of it comes from the school.
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6. Actually, you should apply to Harvard!

• Who needs Harvard?
• Visit. Really VISIT!
• They really do consider the whole package
• There are SEVERAL perfect colleges for you out
  there!

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If it is so hard to get in, why on earth apply?

• Contact with people who are exceptionally bright,
  motivated, interesting, and who come from diverse
  backgrounds. From all over the world.
• Academic depth and breadth in your selected
  fields 
• Academic and administrative flexibility.
• Academic challenge and the highest possible
  standards.
• A professional reputation that opens career paths
  and employment opportunities.
• To learn self-discipline and time management
  skills from having to apply yourself to your
  studies.
• The self-respect that you will gain from your
  achievements.
• To be challenged and grow to meet these
  challenges.
• The chance to be among other students who regard
  learning as fun, rather than a chore.
• Being taught by professors who actually enjoy
  teaching.
• The cultural and artistic environment on campus.
• Prestige.
• To get to know another part of the country.
• To avoid the housing and class scheduling
  problems typical of large state schools.
• Taking freshman classes from Nobel laureates and
  well-known authorities in their fields.

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5. You can probably pay for it

• Actually, you should apply to Harvard!
• Who needs Harvard?
• Visit. Really VISIT!
• They really do consider the whole package
• There are SEVERAL perfect colleges for you out
  there!

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How?!?!?! Some strategies . . .

• FASFA The Expected Family Contribution (EFC)
  at 45,000 is zero
• Go to Community College, then transfer
• State schools are a LOT less expensive than
  private schools.
• Average 4-year private university
  expenses 30,000
• Average 4-year public university expenses
  13,489
• Average 2-year public university expenses
  2,361
• Schools compete for particular students

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The transfer student strategy
Barack ObamaColumbia(Occidental College
transfer)
Stephen ColbertNorthwestern(Hampden-Sydney
transfer)
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How?!?!?! There is more financial aid than you
think . . .

• Hope Scholarship Credit
• Lifetime Learning Credit
• Grants
• Federal Loans
• Coverdell ESA
• Private Scholarships
• Unsecured private loans
• Home-equity loans and lines of credit
• Work-study programs
• 529 savings plans
• ROTC

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Is Community College for you?

• You know where you want to be but need some
  training to get there
• You want to explore different choices before
  settling on a path
• You need to cut the cost of a four-year college
  degree
• Average 4-year private university expenses
  30,000
• Average 4-year public university expenses
  13,489
• Average 2-year public university expenses
  2,361
• You want to sharpen your study skills before
  enrolling at a university
• You want small classes and personal attention
  during your first college years
• You want to continue to work at your job while
  going to college
• You want to live at home

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Timeline Community College

• Registration is 1st come, 1st served!
• Fairly straightforward process
• Accuplacer test
• Meet with advisor
• Create your schedule
• You can register up to the day the class starts
• Most classes fill up sign up early to get the
  best times for you!

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Fastest Growing Professions 2008-2018 (2-year
Degrees)

• Dental Hygienists (36)
• Veterinary Technologists and Technicians (36)
• Physical Therapist Assistants (33)
• Forensic Scientist Technicians (31)
• Environmental Science and Protection Technicians
  (30)
• Occupational Therapist Assistant (30)
• Registered Nurses (22)
• Source US Bureau of Labor Statistics,
  Department of Labor, Dec. 2009

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Associates Degree jobs that pay serious money

• Accounting - 57,020 (average annual income)
• Employment Placement Manager - 42,420 (study
  Business/Human Resources)
• Registered Nurse - 57,280
• Dental Hygienist - 30.19/hour
• Private Investigator - 33,750 (study Criminal
  Justice)
• Paralegal - 43,040
• Chef - 34,370 (study Culinary Arts)
• Fashion Designer - 62,610 (best to go to NYC)
• Computer Systems Administrator - 62,130
• Engineering Technician - 49,440
• (source Yahoo Education web page CNN Education
  web page)

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Community College Grads
Jim LehrerNewscaster Victoria University, TX
Jeanne KirkpatrickUN Ambassador Stephens
College, MO
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Career Profile

• Grew up in Philadelphia.
• Quit high school to help support his family.
• Joined the Navy, worked as a corpsman, finished
  his GED.
• Went to Temple and majored in Phys. Ed.
• Paid for it with a Football and Track scholarship

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Career Profile Bill Cosby

• Grew up in Philadelphia.
• Quit high school to help support his family.
• Joined the Navy, worked as a corpsman, finished
  his GED.
• Went to Temple and majored in Phys. Ed.
• Paid for it with a Football and Track scholarship

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4. Your parents, relatives and friends all have
opinions. So what?

• You can probably pay for it
• Actually, you should apply to Harvard!
• Who needs Harvard?
• Visit. Really VISIT!
• They really do consider the whole package
• There are SEVERAL perfect colleges for you out
  there!

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3. This is your Senior Year long-term assignment

• Your parents, relatives and friends all have
  opinions. So what?
• You can probably pay for it
• Actually, you should apply to Harvard!
• Who needs Harvard?
• Visit. Really VISIT!
• They really do consider the whole package
• There are SEVERAL perfect colleges for you out
  there!

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Dos and Donts

• Do
• Get psyched! A bunch of schools really want you!
• Think about your recommendations.
• Look at the programs they have. Understand their
  educational philosophy. It isnt a resort.
• Get organized. Know the deadlines.
• Dont
• Dont ask, Its December 15. Umm, tell me where
  I should apply?
• Dont pick safety schools you would never attend!
• Dont get hooked on the one and only school.
• Dont get intimidated!

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Timeline Four-Year College

• Take the SAT (March 25 registration deadline for
  May 1, 2010 SAT test)
• Note admissions packet deadlines!
• Many schools Jan 1
• Salisbury Jan 15
• College Park Jan 20
• Stevenson (Villa Julie) rolling, Feb 1
• UMBC Feb 1
• Towson Feb 15
• Admissions packet (they are all slightly
  different)
• Your personal information
• Your essays
• Guidance office forms
• Teacher recommendation forms
• SAT scores forwarded

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About that essay!
The euphemism we use is polished. If you're
paying someone that much money, there shouldnt
be fingerprints. But some essays have that
sheen, that lemony-fresh smell that makes you
wonder. --Parke Muth, Admissions Dean,
University of Virginia on college essay
specialists

• Be honest
• Take a risk
• Write. Re-write. And re-write
• Get a second opinion. And a third.
• Proofread it again
• Dont make the essay too important

The danger lies not in writing bad essays, but
in writing common essaysthe one that admissions
officers will read dozens of. My advice? Ask
your friends what they are writingand then dont
write about that! Scott Anderson, Associate
Director at Mercersburg
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What is the parents role?

• It is not this . . .

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What is the parents role?

• It isnt this either . . .

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The way your parents see it
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What is the parents role?

• You know your student better
• You know the stakes better

WHATS NOT OKAY
WHAT IS OKAY

• Brainstorm with your student about essay topics
• Read the first draft and talk about what works
  in the essay from an adults view
• Encourage a 2nd draft and review by others
• Sit on them (make essay time)
• Keep a log of their accomplishments

• Write the essay (Admissions offices will know if
  you do. Only grownups use semi-colons or words
  like heretofore!)

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What is the parents role?
TO KEEP PERSPECTIVE
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2. I have no clue what I want to major in is an
OK place to be!

• This is your Senior Year fall semester project
• Your parents, relatives and friends all have
  opinions. So what?
• You can probably pay for it
• Actually, you should apply to Harvard!
• Who needs Harvard?
• Visit. Really VISIT!
• They really do consider the whole package
• There are SEVERAL perfect colleges for you out
  there!

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Bachelor's Degree Starting
Accounting 48,020
Business Administration/Mgmt. 46,171
Economics 51,062
Finance 48,158
Business 46,800
Marketing/Marketing Mgmt. 41,506
Computer Science 61,110
Information Sciences Systems 52,322
Chemical Engineering 63,773
Civil Engineering 51,780
Mechanical Engineering 57,024
Electrical/Electronics Engineering 57,603
English Language Literature 35,453
Psychology 34,095
Visual Performing Arts 35,073
Sociology 35,434
(NACE Fall 2008 Salary Survey)
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Fastest Growing Professions 2008-2018 (4-year
Degrees)

• Biomedical Engineer 72
• Network Systems/Data Communications 53
• Financial Examiners 41
• Physicians Assistants 39
• Athletic Trainer 37
• Computer Software Engineers 34
• Environmental Engineers 31
• Survey Researchers 30
• Personal Financial Advisors 30
• Management Analysts 24
• Accountant/Auditor 22
• Elementary School Teachers 15
• Source US Bureau of Labor Statistics,
  Department of Labor, Dec. 2009

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Strong local schools

• Towson top-ranked teachers school, and you can
  get a degree in e-business
• UMBC one of US News the best values in
  education and Newsweek School to Watch
• Stevenson (Villa Julie) a Newsweek School to
  Watch US News 16 Best Comprehensive
• College Park 18 in US News Top Public
  Universities, 18 Best Business Program

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Speech Therapy Major
Jay LenoEmerson (MA)
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Philosophy Major
Phil JacksonNBA CoachUniversity of North Dakota
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Sociology Majors
Michelle ObamaPrinceton
Barbara MikulskiLoyola (MD)
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Electrical Engineering Majors
Judith Resnik(Astronaut) Carnegie Mellon Did
Doctorate at Maryland
Amar Bose(Bose Electronics)MIT
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Roommates at Harvard
Tommy Lee JonesEnglish major (All-Ivy football
player)
Al GoreGovernment major
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English Majors
Julia StilesColumbia University
Stephen KingUniversity of Maine
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Economics Majors
Donald TrumpUniversity of Pennsylvania
Sam WaltonMissouri
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Computer Science Math
Sergey Brin(founder of Google) University of
Maryland
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History Major
Steve CarellDenison University
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Math AND Physics Major
Rear Admiral Grace Hopper(Computer
Pioneer)Vassar
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Dentistry Major
Thurgood MarshallLincoln University (PA)
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Biology Majors
Susan Hockfield (President of MIT)University of
Rochester
Lisa KudrowVassar
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Business Major
Mick JaggerLondon School of Economics
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Education Major
Gene SimmonsSullivan County Community College, NY
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Psychology Majors
Natalie PortmanHarvard
Jon StewartWilliam and Mary
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1. There are ways to increase your chances of
admission!

• I have no clue what I want to major in is an OK
  place to be!
• This is your Senior Year fall semester project
• Your parents, relatives and friends all have
  opinions. So what?
• You can probably pay for it
• Actually, you should apply to Harvard!
• Who needs Harvard?
• Visit. Really VISIT!
• They really do consider the whole package
• There are SEVERAL perfect colleges for you out
  there!

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And what are they, please?

• The best single thing you can do to strengthen
  your application is to take the tougher classes
  and do well in those classes.
• The double-edged sword of Early Decision
• Have an Interview (MIT 2009 admit rate if you had
  an alumni interview 15.4. If you didnt
  4.7)
• Visit the campus, and make sure they know it
• The length of your resume doesnt matter nearly
  as much as quality/value of experience
• Dont do gimmicks

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Parents, I feel your pain. This is what I
learned

• My experience of 25-30 years ago is no longer
  valid.
• I needed to help my kids think as broadly as
  possible early on about all the schools out
  there. Just because you havent heard of a
  school doesnt mean its no good.
• Remember that 75 thing (the value that comes
  from the student, not from the school).
• Dont set your student up to consider they are a
  failure if they didnt get into a
  super-selective school.
• You are the coach and the cheerleading squad.
  Celebrate each step, but they should do the work.

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Here is what really matters in the long run . . .

• Finding the right fit schools that
• Share the same fundamental values and priorities
  as the student
• Are a place where they are comfortable enough to
  take the social and intellectual risks that make
  college really worthwhile

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Supporting Slides beyond here
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Why is college so _at_ expensive?

• Quest to be as good as they can drives up
  per-student cost.
• Reduced state government support
• Its weird, but higher cost increases perceived
  desirability
• Top-talent bidding war for faculty
• Building all those plush amenities
• Cost of providing financial aid
• Plain old supply and demand
• "Basically, if you can pass on your costs, you
  don't care what your costs are!" Joel Naroff,
  MIT Economics Professor