+ Junior College Planning

February 2, 2017

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Inside the Numbers: College Admissions Facts for the Class of 2016

2708 applications sent 378 students in class of 2016 91.27% of students went on to further education 81.48% of students went on to a four year program 9.79% went on to a two year program 1.32% joined the armed forces 6.61% went directly into the workforce 172 students are attending school in MA; 137 = 4 year and 35 = 2 year 162 applications were submitted to UMass Amherst, 30 students are attending, the most of any public college ● 64 students applied to Northeastern University, 5 students are attending, the most of any private college ● 10 students attended the University of Vermont, the most of any school outside of Massachusetts ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

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Factors to Consider when Choosing a College Weigh

Your options

Campus Setting

Size

Location

Majors and Programs

Academic Reputation

Tuition & Fees/ Financial Aid

+ Spring Calendar ■

FEBRUARY

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MARCH

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2 – Jr. Parent College Program

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3 – Reg. deadline for April 8th ACT

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10 – Reg. deadline for March 11th SAT

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11 – SAT not @ NHS

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20: AP Registration closes

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23 – TEC College Fair @ Westwood High

■ APRIL ■ ■ ■ ■

Meet with counselor 7 – Reg. deadline for May 6th SAT 9 – ACT @ NHS 17 – 21 – College visits

■ MAY ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Meet with counselor Ask teacher to write recommendation 5 – Reg. deadline for June 10th ACT 6 – SAT @ NHS 6 – Reg. deadline for June 3rd SAT 22-23 – NACAC College Fair in Boston

+ Summer Calendar ■

JUNE ■

Meet with your counselor

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Ask a teacher to write your recommendation before leaving for the summer break

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3 – SAT @ NHS

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10 – ACT’s not @ NHS

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JULY/AUGUST ■

Visit colleges and request application materials

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Schedule SAT/ACT’s for Fall ■

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Test prep

Other things you could do: ■

Review essay

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Common Application available Aug. 1st

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Work, attend camps or academic programs

RELAX – find some time for you!

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Things to Know… ■

Athletics & recruiting

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School activities

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Teacher recommendations

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College contact points

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www.eligibilitycenter.org

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Determine how many “Teacher” rec’s you need ■

Most schools require 1 teacher & 1 counselor

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Most want a core academic teacher, not an elective

Ask the teacher, in person, before the end of junior year ■

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Follow up senior year

Students learn the “nuts and bolts” of this process in both junior and senior Guidance Seminars.

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~Contact Points~

● Campus Tours ● College Fairs ● College Admissions Visits to NHS

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New SAT

■ Current Junior class is the first class to use both the new PSAT and SAT

■ These scores do not correlate directly with the “old” scores that may be posted on colleges’ websites ■ Colleges’ average SAT scores posted in Naviance (scattergrams, etc.) are still based on “old” scores ■ Use the conversion chart as necessary ■ SAT Score Converter website

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SAT/ACT http://www.collegeboard.com http://www.actstudent.org

SAT Test Date

SAT Registration Deadline

ACT Test Date

ACT Registration Deadline

March 11, 2017

February 10, 2017

February 11, 2017

January 13, 2017

May 6, 2017

April 7, 2017

April 8, 2017

March 3, 2017

June 3, 2017

May 9, 2017

June 10, 2017

May 5, 2017

August 26, 2017

TBD

+ ■ Math

Key Differences: SAT/ACT

■ ACT: ¼ overall score. Calculator allowed on ALL sections. ■ SAT: ½ overall score. Calculator NOT allowed on one section.

■ Science ■ ACT: Science section. Analysis, interpretations, evaluation, basic content and problem solving. ■ SAT: No science section (science subscore among math, reading and writing questions). ■

Essay: Optional. Encouraged. ■ ACT: 40 minutes. Evaluate/analyze perspectives on contemporary issues. ■ SAT: 50 minutes. Analyze passage, support explanation with evidence.

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Scoring ■ ACT: 1-36 composite score. Each section scored 1-36. ■ Writing: 4 dimensions scored 2-12 ■ SAT: 400 – 1600 total score. Each section scored 200-800. ■ Essay: 3 Dimensions scored 2-8

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SAT Subject Tests ■

Why?: Some colleges recommend or require subject tests.

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Which?: You’ll want to take the tests that are required or

recommended by the colleges that you’re interested in. Also consider subjects where you excel or that relate to your intended major. This can be an opportunity to showcase your strengths and interests. ■

When?: Often during junior year or following the completion of the course you wish to test in.

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SAT SUBJECT TESTS

List of schools that require/recommend Subject Tests or accept ACT with Writing

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SAT/ACT Test Prep ■

Khan Academy + College Board Partnership ■

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College Board SAT Question of the Day ■

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Kaplan for Natick High School Students

Catalyst Prep ■

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SAT Question of the Day

Kaplan SAT/ACT Practice Tests and FREE SAT/ACT Online Prep ■

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Free Khan SAT Prep

SAT/ACT Bootcamps

Chyten Practice Tests and Prep ■

Chyten for NHS Students

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Test Optional Schools ■

Over 900 colleges/universities do not require SAT/ACT scores.

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Determine whether or not schools on your son’s/daughter’s list require SAT/ACT scores by visiting http://www.fairtest.org and the college admissions’ website.

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Pay close attention to specific details (e.g., certain majors may still require you to send scores).

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NHS TRANSCRIPT

+ College GPA – 4.0

+ Natick High GPA – 5.0

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UMASS SLIDING SCALE HS GPA

SAT SCORE

ACT SCORE

2.51 – 2.99

1030

20

2.41 – 2.50

1070

21

2.31 – 2.40

1110

22

2.21 – 2.30

1140

23

2.11 – 2.20

1180

24

2.00 – 2.10

1220

25

Schools reserve the right to adhere to higher standards and practices

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STATE University SLIDING SCALE HS GPA

SAT SCORE

ACT SCORE

2.51 – 2.99

990

19

2.41 – 2.50

1030

20

2.31 – 2.40

1070

21

2.21 – 2.30

1110

22

2.11 – 2.20

1140

23

2.00 – 2.10

1180

24

Schools reserve the right to adhere to higher standards and practices

Using Naviance An Online Resource for Planning & Advising Overview for Parents

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Overview - Key Questions ?

What Is it? How do I access it? How do I register? What can I do with it? What are the best features?

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What is it? Web-based resource that supports course, career, and college planning. Contains data that is specific to Natick High students.

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How is it Accessed? Both parents and students have separate accounts. An email will be sent tomorrow with information on how to login.

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How do you register? Dear !firstname, The Natick High Guidance Department is pleased to introduce Family Connection – a comprehensive website that you and your student can use to make plans about colleges, and careers. We use Family Connection as a tool in Guidance Seminar to assist students in meeting and creating goals for their future. Connection is linked with Naviance, a service that we use in our office to track and analyze data about college and career plans, so it provides up-to-date information that is specific to our school. Family Connection allows your student to: ● Get involved in the planning and advising process – Build a resume, complete online surveys, and manage timelines and deadlines for making decisions about colleges and careers ● Research colleges – Compare GPA, standardized test scores, and other statistics to actual historical data from our school for students who have applied and been admitted in the past ● Research careers – Research hundreds of careers and career clusters, and take career assessments ● Create plans for the future – Create goals and to-dos, and complete tasks assigned by the school to better prepare your student for future college and career goals. Family Connection also lets us share information with you and your student about upcoming meetings and events, scholarship opportunities, and other resources for college and career information. To visit our school’s Family Connection site, use an Internet browser to connect to:

https://connection.naviance.com/family-connection/auth/login/ ?hsid=natick When you visit the site for the first time, enter your personal registration code in the New User box and follow the on-screen instructions to create your own account.

Your personal registration code is: !fc_regcode

+ Main Page

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Matt’s Top 4 Naviance Features! Maps Track deadlines Display Data - Scattergrams Show overlapping applications

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After Sign in

+MAPS

+ Colleges I’m Thinking About CA Designates Common Application

‘Snail Mail ‘

Electronic (Non Common App)

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College Profile

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Admissions

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Admissions Scattergram

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Scattergram Disclaimers

There are limitations to these scattergrams. They ONLY measure GPA and SATs / ACTs. Extracurricular activities, interests, passions, etc. are not measured. Students are more than numbers! Admissions trends change from year to year! Use data as a guide, not as a definite predictor.

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College Profile

+ Overlaps

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How is it helpful? ■

Shared resource linking home to school

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On-line tool for collaboration among counselors, students, and parents

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Accurate, complete records about student choices from our school

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Realistic assessments of your child’s chances of admission at colleges where prior graduates have applied

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Career exploration

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How To Pay For College

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Financial Aid is a separate process

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You Must Apply to Receive Aid! ■

Consider Financial Aid Deadlines

■ Types of Financial Aid Forms: ■

FAFSA – Available October 1, 2017 (FREE) ■ Create your FSA ID - electronic passport to federal student aid ■ Prior Prior: Now uses earlier income information (2016) ■

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EFC = Expected Family Contribution

CSS Profile - $25 for first school and $16 for each additional school Institutional Forms

Packages come in all Shapes and Sizes ■ ■ ■

Grants/Scholarships Work Study Loans

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Financial Aid School A

School B

School C

COST

$15,000

$20,000

$50,000

EFC

$15,000

$15,000

$15,000

NEED

-0-

$5,000

$35,000

Loans

-0-

$3,000

$10,000

Work Study

-0-

$2,000

$2,000

Grants & Scholarships

-0-

-0-

$8,000

GAP

-0-

-0-

$15,000

EFC – Estimated Family Contribution Grants & Scholarships – Money you do not have to repay GAP – Money that you are responsible to cover

+ Financial Aid Resources: ■

MEFA Financial Aid Night: Fall 2017 ■

www.mefa.org ■ My College Cost Calculator ■ your plan for the future

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FAFSA Day - events held in November and January and more

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Institutional Scholarships

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Independent Scholarships: ■ ■

Naviance/Family Connection: Running list of Independent Scholarships Online Scholarship Search (www.cappex.com, www.scholarships.com, www.fastweb.com,https://mycollegedollars.hyfnrsx1.com/, https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/scholarship-search)

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Local Scholarships: released end of January and due appox. end of February

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Net Price Calculator – all Colleges/Universities must provide

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Q&A Thank you for your attention. We look forward to continuing to work with you and your child! Karen Dalton-Thomas – Dept. Head Matt Strother Aimee Cairney Liz Finocchi Randy Garry Alison Gilroy Jane Bruce Sharon Greenholt