103918318 College Counseling Sourcebook

If you have trouble printing this PDF, call 1-800-323-7155.

College Counseling Sourcebook Advice and Strategies from Experienced School Counselors 6th Edition

The College Board, New York

The College Board The College Board is a not-for-profit membership association whose mission is to connect students to college success and opportunity. Founded in 1900, the association is composed of more than 5,600 schools, colleges, universities and other educational organizations. Each year, the College Board serves seven million students and their parents, 23,000 high schools, and 3,800 colleges through major programs and services in college readiness, college admissions, guidance, assessment, financial aid, enrollment, and teaching and learning. Among its best-known programs are the SAT®, the PSAT/NMSQT® and the Advanced Placement Program® (AP®). The College Board is committed to the principles of excellence and equity, and that commitment is embodied in all of its programs, services, activities and concerns. For further information, visit www.collegeboard.com. Copies of this book may be ordered from College Board Publications, P.O. Box 869010, Plano, TX 75074-0998. The cost is $49.95; the item number is 080772670. A PDF of this book may be ordered online through the College Board Store at store.collegeboard.com. The item number for the PDF version is 080532661. The price is $25. Every August look for updates in PDF and printed form at the College Board Store. Subject to your payment of all applicable fees, the College Board grants you a limited, nonexclusive, nontransferable, revocable license to use the College Counseling Sourcebook in this Portable Document Format (PDF) solely to print one copy for your own personal use. You may make an additional copy of the College Counseling Sourcebook PDF solely for backup, archival, and quality assurance purposes. Additional copies of the College Counseling Sourcebook may be obtained from the College Board upon purchase pursuant to then current College Board policies, prices, and procedures. Except as expressly prescribed herein, you may not reproduce, republish, sublicense, loan, sell, rent, lease, share, distribute, or otherwise transfer the College Counseling Sourcebook (or any portion thereof) in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, to third parties, make the Sourcebook available for use by third parties, or use the College Counseling Sourcebook for the benefit of any third party. Furthermore, you may not modify, adapt, translate, or create any derivative works from the College Counseling Sourcebook. The College Counseling Sourcebook is copyrighted and cannot be modified or transferred without the permission of the copyright owner. Any unauthorized copying may constitute a violation of the United States Copyright Law. Material in handouts 10E and 10H is adapted from Advising Student Athletes Through the College Recruitment Process, © 1996 by Michael D. Koehler. Reproduced by permission of Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. © Pearson Education, Inc. For any further copying of this material, please contact Pearson Education, Inc., for permission. Library of Congress Control Number: 2004109694 © 2009 The College Board. College Board, Advanced Placement Program, AP, AP Central, CollegeCredit, CLEP, CollegeEd, College-Level Examination Program, College Times, College Scholarship Service, CSS, CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE, SAT, Search NOW, SSS, Student Search Service, and the acorn logo are registered trademarks of the College Board. AP Potential, College Board Standards for College Success, inspiring minds, MyRoad, SAT Preparation Booklet, SAT Preparation Center, SAT Reasoning Test, SAT Subject Tests, ScoreWrite, SpringBoard, The Official SAT Online Course, The Official SAT Question of the Day, and The Official SAT Study Guide are trademarks owned by the College Board. PSAT/NMSQT is a registered trademark of the College Board and National Merit Scholarship Corporation. ACT Assessment is a registered trademark of ACT, Inc. All other products or services may be trademarks of their respective owners. Any handout in this book, unless otherwise noted, may be reproduced for educational purposes.

iii

Contents Preface and acknowledgments.........................................................................................................xv Editorial advisory board. .................................................................................................................... xvii How to use this book...............................................................................................................................xx

Chapter 1: College counseling: One dimension of school counseling Overview......................................................................................................................................................... 1-1 The counselor’s role. ................................................................................................................................ 1-1 Understanding your role................................................................................................................................... 1-2 Competencies of the college admissions counselor . ................................................................................... 1-3 Job descriptions................................................................................................................................................ 1-3 Chart: Sample public school counselor job description.................................................................................1-5 Chart: Sample private school counselor job description...............................................................................1-6

Month-by-month calendar of college counseling activities. ....................................... 1-7 Resources...................................................................................................................................................... 1-13 Professional organizations............................................................................................................................. 1-13 The College Board...................................................................................................................................... 1-13 The National Association for College Admission Counseling............................................................... 1-15 The American School Counselor Association......................................................................................... 1-16 Books.................................................................................................................................................................1-17 Web sites..........................................................................................................................................................1-17 Chart: Top 10 survival skills for school counselors...................................................................................... 1-18

Chapter 2: Helping students prepare for college Overview......................................................................................................................................................... 2-1 The counselor’s role. ................................................................................................................................2-2 Chart: Advocating for students.......................................................................................................................2-3

High school courses and college-prep requirements.......................................................2-4 Chart: Sample high school requirements and college requirements...........................................................2-5 Community college requirements...................................................................................................................2-6 Student athletes and high school course work..............................................................................................2-6

Key research on the importance of high school course work..................................... 2-7 The Toolbox Revisited...................................................................................................................................... 2-7 The Bridge Project............................................................................................................................................ 2-7 The Education Trust.........................................................................................................................................2-8

iv

College-level curriculum in high school....................................................................................2-9 Advanced Placement Program® (AP®)............................................................................................................2-9 Chart: Sample AP policy at a large university............................................................................................. 2-12 Community college courses ......................................................................................................................... 2-13 Chart: CLEP®................................................................................................................................................... 2-14

Extracurriculars........................................................................................................................................ 2-15 Working with parents........................................................................................................................... 2-15 The senior year. ........................................................................................................................................ 2-15 Resources...................................................................................................................................................... 2-16 Web sites......................................................................................................................................................... 2-16 Publications..................................................................................................................................................... 2-17 Curriculum....................................................................................................................................................... 2-17

Chapter 2 handouts. .............................................................................................................................. 2-19 2A. Create a solid academic portfolio 2B. FAQs about the Advanced Placement Program (AP) 2C. How best to utilize the services of the school counselor

Chapter 3: Helping students research colleges Overview......................................................................................................................................................... 3-1 The counselor’s role. ................................................................................................................................ 3-1 How counselors can learn about colleges ..............................................................................3-2 Visits from college representatives...............................................................................................3-3 Chart: Strategies for learning what colleges are really like..........................................................................3-5

Organizing a college fair......................................................................................................................3-6 Organizing a presentation on college majors. .......................................................................3-8 Creating newsletters and handbooks.........................................................................................3-9 Advising students on “fit”................................................................................................................. 3-11 Working with parents........................................................................................................................... 3-13 Explain admissions factors............................................................................................................................ 3-13

Creating a list of colleges................................................................................................................... 3-14 Resources for counselors.................................................................................................................... 3-15 Web sites......................................................................................................................................................... 3-15

v

Chapter 3 handouts. .............................................................................................................................. 3-17 3A. College planning: How to get started 3B. A planning list for parents of ninth- and 10th-graders 3C. College planning calendar for juniors 3D. College planning calendar for seniors 3E. Questions to ask college representatives 3F. How to get the most out of a college fair: Tips for students from the Associated Colleges of the Midwest 3G. How to make the most of a college interview 3H. College questionnaire for students 3I. Assessing your list of colleges 3J. College questionnaire for parents or guardians 3K. Tips for parents on finding a college match 3L. College resources for students and families

Chapter 4: The college application process Overview.........................................................................................................................................................4-1 The counselor’s role. ................................................................................................................................4-1 Different approaches to handling applications.....................................................................4-2 The application form. ..............................................................................................................................4-3 Online applications...........................................................................................................................................4-4 The Common Application................................................................................................................................4-4 State and other universal applications...........................................................................................................4-5

The transcript..............................................................................................................................................4-5 GPAs...................................................................................................................................................................4-5 Transcripts and the law (FERPA)................................................................................................................... 4-6 Transcripts for student athletes......................................................................................................................4-7

The school profile.......................................................................................................................................4-7 Chart: Components of a typical school profile................................................................................................4-8 Format of a school profile..................................................................................................................................4-9

Test scores. ....................................................................................................................................................4-9 Other components of the application..........................................................................................4-9 Recommendations and essays .......................................................................................................................4-9 Secondary school report form........................................................................................................................ 4-10 Midyear report................................................................................................................................................. 4-10 Portfolio/audition............................................................................................................................................. 4-10 Supplemental information.............................................................................................................................. 4-11

Early Decision (ED) and Early Action (EA)............................................................................ 4-11 Resources...................................................................................................................................................... 4-12 Books................................................................................................................................................................ 4-12

vi

Chapter 4 handouts. .............................................................................................................................. 4-13 4A. College application checklist 4B. Tips for undertaking the application process 4C. College application FAQs: Students ask, counselors answer 4D. Some typical admissions policies 4E. Transcript release form 4F. Application ethics: What students need to consider 4G. Should you apply under an Early Decision program? 4H. Online application dos and don’ts

Chapter 5: Recommendations Overview.........................................................................................................................................................5-1 The counselor’s role. ................................................................................................................................5-1 Counselor recommendations.............................................................................................................5-2 Teacher recommendations. ................................................................................................................5-2 Chart: Advice from a college admissions dean on the counselor recommendation..................................5-3 Chart: Letters of recommendation: Advice from the Minnesota Office of Higher Education...................5-4

How counselors and teachers obtain the information they need. ..........................5-5 How students request recommendations................................................................................5-6 Students’ right to see the recommendations.........................................................................5-6 Article: Counselor and Teacher Letters of Recommendation, by William C. Hiss.....................................5-8 Chart: Recommendations chat room............................................................................................................. 5-10

Chapter 5 handouts .............................................................................................................................. 5-11 5A. Brief outline of a teacher recommendation 5B. Suggestions regarding teacher recommendations from Middlebury College 5C. Teacher recommendations: What to say and how to say it 5D. Recommendation basics 5E. Recommendations: Student self-assessment 5F. Counselor’s request for teacher information 5G. Recommendations: Brief questionnaire for parent or guardian 5H. Guidelines for students requesting recommendations 5I. Letters of recommendation: How to stand out from the crowd

Chapter 6: The application essay Overview.........................................................................................................................................................6-1 The counselor’s role. ................................................................................................................................6-1 The essay: Purposes and types. .....................................................................................................6-1 General and specific purposes........................................................................................................................6-1 Two types of essays..........................................................................................................................................6-2

vii

Similarities and differences...............................................................................................................6-3 How many essays should a student write?.............................................................................6-3 Chart: How colleges use admissions essays..................................................................................................6-4

Who should help students with their essays?.......................................................................6-5 How counselors can help.................................................................................................................................6-5 How teachers can help.....................................................................................................................................6-6 How parents can help.......................................................................................................................................6-6 Chart: Suggestions for helping seniors on the essay.....................................................................................6-7

Resources for counselors......................................................................................................................6-8 Books..................................................................................................................................................................6-8

Resources for students...........................................................................................................................6-8 Books..................................................................................................................................................................6-8

Chapter 6 handouts ................................................................................................................................6-9 6A. Sample college application essay questions 6B. Dos and don’ts on writing the college application essay 6C. How to write a college application essay 6D. Choosing an essay topic: Advice from member colleges of the Associated Colleges of the Midwest 6E. Excerpt from “In the space provided: The college application essay”

Chapter 7: Tests Overview......................................................................................................................................................... 7-1 The counselor’s role. ................................................................................................................................ 7-2 Preliminary SAT®/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®). ................................................................................................7-4 When is the test given?....................................................................................................................................7-4 When should students take the test?..............................................................................................................7-4 How is the test used by schools?....................................................................................................................7-5 How is the test used by colleges?...................................................................................................................7-6 Test format . ......................................................................................................................................................7-6 Scoring ..............................................................................................................................................................7-8 Preparation........................................................................................................................................................7-8 How schools share results with students and families.................................................................................7-8 Costs and fee waivers.......................................................................................................................................7-9 Accommodations for students with disabilities............................................................................................7-9 Chart: Strategies for distributing PSAT/NMSQT® scores.......................................................................... 7-10 How the PSAT/NMSQT is used by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation..................................... 7-11 For more information ..................................................................................................................................... 7-11

The SAT® ..................................................................................................................................................... 7-12 Format and scoring......................................................................................................................................... 7-12 How colleges use the SAT............................................................................................................................. 7-13 Who should take the test and when it is given............................................................................................ 7-13

viii

Practice............................................................................................................................................................ 7-14 Registration, fees and fee waivers................................................................................................................ 7-15 Accommodations for students with disabilities.......................................................................................... 7-16 Reports............................................................................................................................................................. 7-16 Free online information for SAT takers......................................................................................................... 7-17

SAT Subject Tests™............................................................................................................................. 7-19 What the tests cover....................................................................................................................................... 7-19 Format.............................................................................................................................................................. 7-19 How colleges use the Subject Tests............................................................................................................. 7-20 When should students take the Subject Tests?........................................................................................... 7-20 Practice............................................................................................................................................................ 7-21 Fees.................................................................................................................................................................. 7-21 Chart: Student Search Service®: Connecting students to college............................................................. 7-21

Resources...................................................................................................................................................... 7-22 Publications..................................................................................................................................................... 7-22

Chapter 7 handouts .............................................................................................................................. 7-23 7A. Frequently asked questions about the PSAT/NMSQT 7B. SAT FAQs 7C. The SAT at a glance 7D. Strategies for success on the SAT essay 7E. Helping students use the SAT Online Score Report 7F. Approaches to taking the SAT Subject Tests

Chapter 8: Financial aid Overview.........................................................................................................................................................8-1 The counselor’s role. ................................................................................................................................8-2 How financial aid helps families.....................................................................................................8-2 College costs: Adding it all up.........................................................................................................8-3 Financial need: How it is determined........................................................................................8-4 Chart: The College Board and financial aid...................................................................................................8-5 Expected family contribution..........................................................................................................................8-5 Federal Methodology and Institutional Methodology...................................................................................8-5 Independent students.......................................................................................................................................8-6

The application process: Keeping an eye on the calendar...........................................8-7 Deadlines and priority dates............................................................................................................................8-8 FAFSA................................................................................................................................................................8-9 CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE®.........................................................................................................................8-9 Chart: The two main forms at a glance........................................................................................................ 8-11

Types of financial aid............................................................................................................................ 8-11 How aid is awarded............................................................................................................................... 8-13 Chart: Two colleges, two different awards................................................................................................... 8-13 ix

What award letters look like. ........................................................................................................... 8-16 Appealing an award....................................................................................................................................... 8-16

Maintaining scholarship files and administering local scholarships................. 8-17 ROTC................................................................................................................................................................ 8-17

Students in foster care......................................................................................................................... 8-18 Chafee Educational Training Vouchers........................................................................................................ 8-18

How to conduct financial aid events: One school’s approach . ............................... 8-19 Resources for counselors....................................................................................................................8-21 Web sites.........................................................................................................................................................8-21 Scholarship search engines...........................................................................................................................8-22 Books................................................................................................................................................................8-22

Chapter 8 handouts. ..............................................................................................................................8-23 8A. Financial aid glossary 8B. Twelve myths about paying for college 8C. Why go to college? 8D. Senior-year calendar for students applying for financial aid 8E. Financial aid checklist for students and parents/guardians 8F. Tracking your financial aid applications 8G. Federal student aid application process 8H. What you should know about FAFSA: The Free Application for Federal Student Aid 8I. Creative avenues of financial aid 8J. Comparing financial aid award letters: A worksheet 8K. Avoiding scholarship scams 8L. ROTC FAQs 8M. Tips for foster youth for completing the FAFSA 8N. Twenty questions to ask about financing college 8O. Financial aid resources for students and families

Chapter 9: Counseling first-generation students about college Overview.........................................................................................................................................................9-1 The counselor’s role. ................................................................................................................................9-2 Identifying and communicating with first-generation students. ............................9-3 Chart: Snapshot of first-generation students..................................................................................................9-3 Chart: Early awareness resource list...............................................................................................................9-4

Working with parents.............................................................................................................................9-5 Chart: Some specific school programs for first-generation students...........................................................9-7

Undocumented students......................................................................................................................9-8 Working with students in foster care........................................................................................ 9-10 The college choice and application process......................................................................... 9-10 Self-assessment............................................................................................................................................... 9-10 College search and selection......................................................................................................................... 9-11 x

Applications for admission and for aid......................................................................................................... 9-12

Paying for college. ................................................................................................................................... 9-13 Making the case for the value of college...................................................................................................... 9-13 Helping students apply for financial aid....................................................................................................... 9-15 Helping students assess financial aid packages......................................................................................... 9-16 Money management....................................................................................................................................... 9-16

Giving advice about registering for college classes....................................................... 9-16 Explaining what college will be like.......................................................................................... 9-17 Working with other organizations............................................................................................... 9-18 Middle schools ............................................................................................................................................... 9-18 Local community colleges............................................................................................................................. 9-19 Community groups and outreach organizations..........................................................................................9-20 Programs for first-generation and other “at-risk” students.........................................................................9-20

Resources......................................................................................................................................................9-22 Chapter 9 handouts. ..............................................................................................................................9-25 9A. Education and lifetime income 9B. Using the junior year to prepare for college and/or employment 9C. Is community college for you? 9D. Financial aid overview for parents 9E. Ayuda financiera 9F. College loan repayment estimator 9G. How financial aid works and how it makes college affordable 9H. En qué consiste la ayuda financiera 9I. 10 questions for the financial aid office 9J. 10 preguntas acera de la oficina de ayuda financiera 9K. Thinking about college: A checklist for parents of middle schoolers 9L. Cosas que hay que recordar: Lista de verificacíon 9M. Saving for college

Chapter 10: Counseling student athletes Overview....................................................................................................................................................... 10-1 The counselor’s role. ..............................................................................................................................10-2 Overview of the athletic associations.......................................................................................10-3 Chart: Sports governed by the NCAA, NJCAA and NAIA 2009-10...........................................................10-4

National Collegiate Athletic Association...............................................................................10-5 Amateurism.....................................................................................................................................................10-6 The NCAA Web sites.....................................................................................................................................10-6 Academic eligibility requirements................................................................................................................ 10-7 Core courses.................................................................................................................................................... 10-7 Chart: How the NCAA uses test scores..................................................................................................... 10-10 Recruiting...................................................................................................................................................... 10-11

xi

National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics........................................................... 10-11 Academic eligibility requirements.............................................................................................................. 10-12

National Junior College Athletic Association. .................................................................. 10-12 Academic eligibility..................................................................................................................................... 10-12

Working with your school coach. ............................................................................................... 10-13 Working with student athletes beginning in grade 9................................................. 10-14 Strategies for working with ninth- and 10th-graders................................................................................ 10-14 How some high schools provide information to student athletes............................................................ 10-15

Athletic scholarships. ......................................................................................................................... 10-15 “Walk-ons”.................................................................................................................................................. 10-16 Letters of interest. ................................................................................................................................. 10-17 Topics to cover when discussing the college application process..................... 10-17 The college application process for athletes. ..................................................................... 10-19 Registering with the NCAA........................................................................................................................ 10-19 The athlete’s résumé.................................................................................................................................... 10-19 The videotape................................................................................................................................................ 10-19 Spring sports athletes ................................................................................................................................. 10-19 Early Decision................................................................................................................................................10-20 Coded applications.......................................................................................................................................10-20 Postgraduate year.........................................................................................................................................10-20 Transfer.......................................................................................................................................................... 10-21 Scouting and recruiting services................................................................................................................ 10-21

Resources....................................................................................................................................................10-22 Publications...................................................................................................................................................10-22 Web sites.......................................................................................................................................................10-22

Glossary. ......................................................................................................................................................10-23 Chapter 10 handouts...........................................................................................................................10-25 10A. Student athlete’s high school four-year plan 10B. Overview of NCAA amateurism bylaws 10C. The student athlete letter of interest 10D. Getting yourself recruited for college sports 10E. Questions for student athletes to ask during the college visit 10F. Sample thank-you note to the college coach after a college visit 10G. The student athlete’s résumé 10H. Making highlight tapes

xii

Chapter 11: Counseling students with special needs Overview....................................................................................................................................................... 11-1 The counselor’s role. .............................................................................................................................. 11-2 Relevant disability laws...................................................................................................................... 11-3 Chart: Overview of 504, ADA and IDEA...................................................................................................... 11-4 High School...................................................................................................................................................... 11-6 College............................................................................................................................................................. 11-7

Helping students become self-advocates............................................................................... 11-8 How counselors can learn what colleges offer students with special needs.............................................................................................................................................. 11-8 College research and college choice.........................................................................................11-11 Housing...........................................................................................................................................................11-13 Registration....................................................................................................................................................11-13

Foreign language, math and other course requirements...........................................11-13 The college application. .....................................................................................................................11-14 Disclosure.......................................................................................................................................................11-14 Documentation...............................................................................................................................................11-15 The essay........................................................................................................................................................11-15 Standardized tests.........................................................................................................................................11-15 Separate applications....................................................................................................................................11-16

Advising students who do not want to request accommodations in college. .....................................................................................................................................................11-16 Standardized tests accommodations.......................................................................................11-17 Financial aid..............................................................................................................................................11-19 The transition to college................................................................................................................... 11-20 Resources.................................................................................................................................................... 11-21 General disabilities....................................................................................................................................... 11-21 Autism spectrum, Asperger syndrome, pervasive developmental disorders (PDD).............................. 11-22 Blindness/visual impairment....................................................................................................................... 11-22 Deafness and hearing difficulty.................................................................................................................. 11-22 Learning disabilities and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)........................................... 11-23 Psychiatric disorders.................................................................................................................................... 11-23

Glossary. ...................................................................................................................................................... 11-24 Chapter 11 handouts........................................................................................................................... 11-27 11A. Know your disability 11B. Student readiness checklist for students with special needs 11C. College accommodations and services for students with special needs 11D. Types of college accommodations and services available for students with special needs 11E. Questions that students with special needs should ask and questions that the college might ask 11F. The college-choice process for students with special needs 11G. Transition tips for parents of students with special needs xiii

Appendixes A: B: C:

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).............................................................................. A-1 Glossary.........................................................................................................................................................B-1 Activities for grades 9-12............................................................................................................................ C-1

xv

Editorial advisory board 2008 Jim Montague Program Director, Guidance and Support Services Boston Latin School Boston, Mass.

Angel Wagner School Counselor Desert Hot Springs High School Desert Hot Springs, Calif.

2007 Vivian Jo Fiallo Guidance Resource Specialist Freedom High School Tampa, Fla.

Carol Lemmon Counselor DeSoto High School DeSoto, Texas

David Forecki Guidance Counselor Rufus King International Baccalaureate High School Milwaukee, Wis.

Laura Malmstrom School Counseling Program Facilitator Christina School District Wilmington, Del.

Peggy Hock Co-Director of College Counseling, Notre Dame High School, and independent college consultant San Jose, Calif.

Sue Ullram School Counselor Pomperaug High School Southbury, Conn.

2006 Debra M. Aplin Guidance Resource Specialist Chamberlain Senior High School Tampa, Fla.

Allen Tinkler Educational Consultant for Students with Special Needs Syosset, N.Y., and Monroe Township, N.J.

Mike Bair College Counselor Basic High School Henderson, Nev.

Anita Young Secondary Counseling Specialist Fairfax Public School District Fairfax, Va.

Sandy Farris Counselor Indian Hills High School Cincinnati, Ohio

xvii

2005 Carroll Davis Counselor North Central High School Indianapolis, Ind.

Carlene Riccelli College Advisor Amherst Regional High School Amherst, Mass.

Connie Decker Counselor John W. North High School Riverside, Calif.

Alejandra Rincón Immigrant Students College Coordinator Austin Independent School District Austin, Texas

Kathy Dingler Counselor Rich East High School Park Forest, Ill.

Susan Rusk Counselor Coordinator Washoe County School District Reno, Nev.

Karen Gengenbach Counselor Blair High School Blair, Neb.

Susan Staggers Counselor Cary Academy Cary, N.C.

Tim Lucas Counselor Stonebridge High School Ashburn, Va.

Linda Sturm Counselor South Portland High School South Portland, Maine

Lesli Myers Coordinator, Student Support and Enrichment Greece Central School District North Greece, N.Y.

Scott White Counselor Montclair High School Montclair, N.J.

Nancy Nitardy GEAR UP Director McCallum High School Austin, Texas

xviii

2004 Joy A. Ahmad Counselor Del City High School Del City, Okla.

Gary Meunier Guidance Coordinator Daniel Hand High School Madison, Conn.

Nancy Boyd District Director of Guidance and Counseling Plano Independent School District Plano, Texas

Pat Rambo College and Career Counselor Springfield High School Springfield, Pa.

Kathy Dingler Counselor Rich East High School Park Forest, Ill.

Carlene Riccelli College Advisor Amherst Regional High School Amherst, Mass.

Eileen Doctorow College Counselor North Hollywood High School North Hollywood, Calif.

Susan Rusk Counselor Robert McQueen High School Reno, Nev.

Cynthia K. Doran Director of College Counseling Oregon Episcopal School Portland, Ore.

William Yarwood Guidance Services Administrator Moorestown High School Moorestown, N.J.

Linda Mays Jones College Advisor and School Administrator Jefferson County International Baccalaureate School Birmingham, Ala.

xix

How to use this book Each chapter begins with an overview of the topic and a summary of the counselor’s role. There’s no need to read chapters sequentially. The key headings are listed in the outside margin of the chapter. We have left plenty of room for notes. We have kept the text as succinct as possible and have used lots of headings (all listed in the table of contents) so you can find what you need quickly. Special topics and articles are in boxed text. Resources specific to each chapter appear at the end of each chapter; a general glossary of terms is in an appendix.

Handouts Each chapter (except Chapter 1) ends with handouts. The handout number is in small type at the bottom of each handout page. Tabs at the top of each handout indicate the primary audience. Some handouts, however, have multiple audiences (for example, students and parents). In some cases there are multiple handouts for a given purpose: Use the one that you feel best suits your student body. All handouts, unless otherwise noted, may be reproduced and distributed to students, teachers and parents. The College Board has obtained permission to reprint the material from the handout creators and to give purchasers the right to copy the material and hand it out. You may write your school name on it. We ask that when photocopying, the copyright line and creator information be retained.

Updates The Sourcebook will be updated each August with supplemental pages that will be available for purchase in a downloadable (and printable) PDF format. Because each chapter is paginated as a freestanding entity (and begins with the chapter number and page 1), it is easy to add updates and new materials to the binder. Upcoming chapters will be described in College Board catalogs and on our Web site: store.collegeboard.com.

xx

College Counseling Sourcebook Order Form

To be reminded to order updates to the 7th edition (available July 2010), send an e-mail to [email protected]

Important: • Do not use P.O. box numbers; abbreviate where possible. • Payment must accompany all orders.

Mail This Order Form To: College Board Publications, CPP0209A P.O. Box 869010 Plano, TX 75074

• For the PDF version: Your e-mail order confirmation will contain detailed instructions on how to access your electronic document. Please remember to include your e-mail address on this form.

Or Phone (operator CPP0209A) 800-323-7155, M–F, 8 a.m.–9 p.m. ET (credit card orders only).

Orders of five or more of a single item will receive a 20 percent discount. College Board members receive a 15 percent discount on selected items (unless otherwise specified).

Or Fax Anytime To: 888-321-7183 (institutional purchase orders and credit cards only).

Prices and discounts are subject to change without notice. Tax-exempt schools should enclose a copy of their exemption certificate with order.

Institution_______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Attention_ ___________________________________________Title________________________________________________________ Address_ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ City________________________________________________ State_________________________ Zip____________________________ E-mail address (must be provided when purchasing PDF version)__________________________________________________ Item Number

Title

Quantity

Price

080772670

College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition 500 pages in 3-ring binder; includes tabs

$49.95

080532661

College Counseling Sourcebook PDF* 6th Edition 500 pages; customer prints out Customer 3-ring punches and puts in a binder; no tabs

$25.00

080532662

Updates to the 5th Edition Print; includes tabs, without binder

$12.95

080532668

Updates to the 5th Edition PDF; no tabs

$6.00

080532663

Deluxe Update: Chapters 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11, and Activities 150 pages; PDF only

$15.00

Subtotal

Subtotal

Method of payment ❑ Enclosed is my check made payable to The College Board ❑ An institutional purchase order (above $25) ❑ Please charge my (circle one) MASTERCARD VISA AMEX DISCOVER

Less Discount, If Applicable Postage & Handling* Subtotal Sales Tax (CA,DC,FL,GA,IL,MA,NM,PA,PR,TX,VA,Canada)

Grand Total Credit Card Number Cardholder’s Signature

Exp. Date (MM/YY)

Telephone Number

Fax Number

Shipping Charges Subtotal Amount

Charge

$20.01–$40

$6.00

$40.01–$70

$7.00

$70.01+

ADD 10% of total order

Allow two weeks from receipt of order for delivery. Additional shipping is charged on all orders requesting faster shipment than UPS ground rate.

* Postage does not apply to PDF purchase.

Chapter 1 College counseling:

One dimension of school counseling Whether you are a designated “college counselor” or not, you should understand the best approaches to college counseling. At some schools, college counseling is a dimension of every counselor’s job; at others, some counselors focus on college counseling exclusively. This chapter includes information on professional resources for all counselors who advise students about postsecondary options. Names for this function vary from school to school. Some call these activities “college advising” in the belief that the term advising implies that the student is in the driver’s seat, with the counselor providing support and guidance. For the sake of simplicity, the generic term school counselor is used throughout this book.

Inside this Chapter … Overview The counselor’s role Month-by-Month Calendar of College Counseling Activities Resources

Overview This chapter provides a short overview of some of the key dimensions of college counseling: The responsibilities you may have

■

Monthly activities related to college counseling

■

Professional associations that assist counselors and the offerings that counselors find particularly valuable

■

Useful books and Web sites related to college counseling

■

The counselor’s role School counselors “assist students in developing a sense of awareness and self-worth, and in the acquisition of personal exploration, decision-making, and goal-setting skills needed to facilitate their educational development” (National Association for College Admission Counseling, Statement of Principles of Good Practice).

College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved.

1-1

Chapter 1 College counseling: One dimension of school counseling

Whether your school sends many students to college or only a small number, you need to know how to put students on the path to college. As you counsel students, you will emphasize the development of strong academic and personal skills as the bases for sound educational planning. You will advocate for students who other school staff may not consider to be “college material.” The college counseling you provide will help students acquire the skills needed for college and for life after college; encouraging your students to enhance their abilities in reading, writing, listening, speaking and thinking should enable them to achieve their goals more quickly.

Understanding your role Tip “I always encourage new counselors to establish a personal committee of mentors who can provide timely and accurate advice. One of these professionals should be a college financial aid administrator, another a college admission officer, and the third an experienced college counselor in a nearby high school. Keep the private phone numbers and e-mail addresses of several mentors to use for special cases. Shadow an experienced counselor for a day — ask for handouts and templates for the admissions process, as needed.” — Carlene Riccelli, Amherst Regional High School, Massachusetts

1-2

In schools that have more than one counselor, duties can vary among the counseling staff. If you’re unsure what your responsibilities are, the best thing to do is to get clarification. In some cases, you should discuss the question with the principal or school head; in other situations, an agreement might be made among the counseling staff. Frequently, the best solution is to have a written description of everyone’s role. To provoke discussion and yield clarification, you might ask some of the following questions: ■ Will all counselors be responsible for some aspect of college counseling? ■ Will the same counselor be called on to provide college information, schedule classes, and give personal/crisis counseling? ■ Will the job of writing comments to accompany college applications be solely the responsibility of the counselor? ■ Who will meet and greet college representatives when they visit the school? ■ What is the relationship between the school registrar and the college counselor? ■ Who will keep data on college admissions results (by college) over time? ■ Who will design and print the school profile? ■ Who will be the liaison to administrators on college admissions issues? ■ Will large groups of students be divided alphabetically among several counselors? Or divided by year/cohort?



■ Will each counselor assume responsibility for a single area of information — becoming, for example, the office expert on financial aid forms or test preparation?

Competencies of the college admissions counselor The National Association for College Admission Counseling (described later in this chapter) has developed competencies for school counselors and for college counselors. These competencies, developed by the NACAC membership (which consists of high school and college admissions professionals), is a useful touchstone for new and experienced counselors. The complete Statement on Counselor Competencies was last reviewed and approved in 2000 and can be found on the NACAC Web site (www.nacacnet.org).

Job descriptions You may have a written job description, but it might be a good idea to create or refine your job description with the counseling office supervisor or the principal. The following college advising responsibilities could be included in a counselor job description: ■ Schedule individual counseling sessions with students to help them focus on personal needs and goals. ■ Hold group guidance sessions to discuss the college exploration process and procedures, including the role of testing. ■ Meet with parents to discuss college planning. ■ Maintain a library of resource information (guidebooks, college catalogs and videos). ■ Use computer software to help in decision making, college choice and career planning. ■ Welcome individual visits by college admissions representatives to talk with students and to update counselors; in turn, secondary school counselors will interpret the school and its curriculum to college counselors. ■ Host panels or workshops with college admissions and financial aid counselors to present general information.

Tip “I find that the easiest way to see every student is to go through appropriate classes (I am assigned the 10th grade, so sophomore English classes are a good place to start). The teacher sends four or so students to me initially, and as one returns to class, another is sent to me. This is somewhat of an assembly-line approach, but it does allow me to see everyone without keeping a great number of students waiting.” — Beverly L. Childs, Cooper City High School, Florida


1-3


Tip “Here are the four things I would tell a new counselor to remember above all else: 1. Recognize the fact that each student is a unique individual, living in a complex time and in a competitive environment.

■ Sponsor a local or regional college night (or day) and participate in a national college fair, bringing hundreds of college admissions representatives to the area. ■ Invite recent graduates to return to the school and discuss their college experiences. ■ Prepare school materials (transcripts, recommendations and profiles) to be sent to colleges on behalf of students. If you do need to create a job description, on the following pages are two samples that might help you craft your own task list — one is from a public school and one is from a private school.

2. Provide students and families with reliable, accurate and current information about all postsecondary opportunities so that appropriate application decisions can be made. 3. Help students develop research, problemsolving, critical thinking and evaluation tools that can be applied to the college admissions process as well as everyday life experiences. 4. Support each student’s sense of dignity and self-worth through the college process so that a student will remember that one’s value as a person is neither enhanced nor diminished by any college admissions decision.“ — Tina Segalla-Grant, St. Margarets-McTernan School, Connecticut

1-4


Sample public school job description Position: high school counselor Primary function: To provide guidance and counseling services to students at the high school level. Major responsibilities: — — — — — —

Provide counseling for students with personal concerns. Provide academic counseling for students. Provide informational services for students and parents. Assist students with college and career planning. Serve as a consultant to parents of assigned students. Collaborate with and serve as a resource person to faculty, staff and administration. — Contribute to the continual promotion of an educational climate in which students can grow intellectually and emotionally.

Examples of key duties: • Provide counseling for students with personal concerns. — Counsel students individually and/or in small groups. — Provide appropriate referral information to students and parents.

• Provide academic counseling for students. — Disseminate information on course selection and academic program planning in relation to student ability, course demands and rigor, high school graduation requirements and college admissions requirements. — Advise students on strategies for academic success at the high school level. — Identify and assist students experiencing academic difficulty.

• Provide informational services for students and parents. — Disseminate information concerning such topics as career exploration, college planning, course selection, financial aid, job opportunities, summer enrichment programs, etc.

• Assist students with college and career planning. — Offer a developmental program designed to guide students through the college search and career exploration process. — Provide a college planning and career planning timeline. — Help students to assess strengths and areas in need of growth in preparation for colleges and careers. — Create opportunities for students to gain firsthand educational and job information through contacts with career speakers and college representatives.

• Serve as a consultant to parents of assigned students. — Assist parents in understanding and meeting the educational, family, and personal/social needs of their sons and daughters. — Communicate with parents via telephone, mail, e-mail, newsletters, Web sites, publications and meetings.

• Promote an educational climate in which students can grow intellectually and emotionally. — In conferences with members of the professional staff, work toward a cooperative effort on the part of counselors, teachers and administrators to achieve the objectives of the guidance and counseling program. — Demonstrate a commitment to the individual student and to a student-centered approach to learning and development. — Function as a facilitator of good human relations between students and their parents, their teachers and all others who make up the school community. — Assist students in gaining a sound knowledge of themselves and in developing a positive self-image.

Qualifications: • Education — Graduate of a master’s degree program with a specialization in guidance and counseling.

• Certification — Appropriate certification for the state in which the counselor will practice.

• Knowledge, skills and abilities — Ability to relate effectively to both high school students and professional staff members. — Skill in employing a variety of counseling strategies. — Ability to communicate effectively, including reading, writing, speaking and listening. — Knowledge of current college admissions and career planning trends relevant to student interests and aspirations. — Knowledge of college, university, specialized school, and military programs and opportunities. — Knowledge of and ability to implement standardized testing programs as they relate to state standards, advanced placement, college admissions and career aspirations. — Skill in writing college, scholarship and employment recommendation letters.

• Organizational relationships — Ultimate accountability to the high school principal. — Day-to-day accountability to the guidance department chairperson or supervisor. — Staff accountability to the director of student services at the school district level.

• Collaborate with and serve as a resource person to faculty, staff and administration. — Engage faculty, staff members and administrators in regard to the educational and emotional needs of students and parents.

Source: William Yarwood, Moorestown High School, New Jersey College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved.

1-5

Sample private school job description Position: College placement and 11-12 counselor Under the supervision of the director of guidance and counseling and of the high school principal, the college placement and the 11th- to 12th-grade counselor will complete the following duties: 1. Counsel and schedule 11th- and 12th-grade students in academic and social areas. Serve as the case manager for each student and monitor the student’s academic progress. Hold comprehensive counseling sessions with each 11th- and 12th-grade student. 2. Coordinate and direct all aspects of college placement and career guidance services. This includes the following: • Meet with individual students and parents regarding posthigh school placement. • Publicize relevant information regarding post-highschool placement (dates of college admissions tests, scholarships, etc.). • Function as information and resource center on colleges and careers. • Conduct college and career guidance advisory groups. • Write an individual counselor recommendation for each applicant. • Review and process students’ college applications. • Give workshops on college essay writing, test-taking skills, etc., in English classes and advisory meetings. • Conduct college-night programs. • Serve as liaison to universities, the College Board, ETS and other relevant organizations and institutions. • Coordinate college fairs and visits from university admissions officers. • Assist with career-day or career-speaker programs. • Help students identify their strengths and the relevance of these attributes to their future. • Develop and update college counseling publications distributed to students and families dealing with all aspects of the college admissions process, essay writing, financial aid, test-taking practices and other topics.

4. Oversee the scheduling process for each student and individually schedule each student; each spring, meet with teachers and students to plan schedules for the coming year. 5. Meet with 11th-graders regularly to discuss issues pertaining to students’ futures (careers, college selection). 6. Oversee the grading process by reviewing report cards and progress reports written by teachers and by producing dean‘s lists each grading period. 7. Maintain updated records for all 11th- and 12th-grade students to monitor their progress toward graduation; include updated transcripts and credit sheets. 8. Initiate parent contact when appropriate. 9. Serve as the Advanced Placement Program® Coordinator. This includes ordering AP ® Exams and materials; providing teachers and students with relevant AP information; maintaining contact with the College Board; organizing the setting, scheduling and proctoring of the AP Exams. 10. Supervise and coordinate PSAT/NMSQT® testing. 11. Serve as a member of the team that coordinates delivery of services to students with special needs. 12. Coordinate and use the services of specialists and agencies when appropriate. 13. Serve as a member of the crisis response team. 14. Perform other duties as assigned.

3. Coordinate and oversee the admissions process for all new 11th- and 12th-grade students in the school. This includes interviewing all new students, meeting with new parents, administering placement testing, gathering all relevant information from previous schools and records, assuring that new student records and pertinent information are received from previous schools, making recommendations for admissions, and implementing an orientation program for new students. Source: Porter-Gaud School, South Carolina

1-6



Month-by-month calendar of college counseling activities This calendar represents all the college-related activities that a counseling office might undertake during the year and indicates the months in which the events are tackled. It’s a long list, and most schools do not try to do everything mentioned. At most schools, you would share responsibility for many of these activities. ■ Revise and print student handouts.

August ■ Review students’ schedules to ensure proper academic course selection. ■ Return calls to colleges and military recruiters to set up fall visitation dates. ■ Order rubber stamps to be used on college applications (signature stamp and college contact info stamp).

■ Prepare admission test materials — remind seniors of early September deadline for October SAT. ■ Plan dates for SAT review preparation course with teachers, and publicize. ■ Organize senior folders and do graduation credit checks.

■ Order financial aid forms.

■ Update guidance Web pages.

■ Add dates of professional conferences (NACAC, etc.) to calendar.

■ Schedule career center visits.

■ Prepare career and counseling center. ■ Organize and plan parent volunteer activities. ■ Prepare remarks for parent orientation. ■ Send introduction letter to parents and seniors with the following materials:

■ Meet with English department to discuss college essay writing, the time for you to go into their classes, and the college portfolio assignment. ■ Register eligible students for Services for Students with Disabilities. (continued on next page)

■ Calendar of college planning activities and events (including college visits). ■ Test dates and registration deadlines. ■ Senior college planning schedule. ■ Set up scholarship committee. ■ Update school profile (if possible, complete before college representatives visit).


1-7


Month-by-month calendar of college counseling activities September ■ Check that PSAT/NMSQT materials have arrived; reorder (or order more) if necessary. ■ Distribute senior and junior calendars. ■ Have seniors submit updated résumés with spring term and summer information, along with any other information forms needed for recommendations.

■ Visit classrooms regarding PSAT/NMSQT.

■ Attend NACAC conference.

■ Distribute school-created college-career planning guides.

■ Gather information from faculty, coaches and club advisers on students for recommendations.

■ Set up parent conferences. ■ Attend local counselor activities hosted by colleges.

■ Organize admission test prep classes.

■ Hold senior class meeting (reserve auditorium) to review procedures for testing, college application process, financial aid, scholarships, etc.

■ Prepare tutoring list. ■ Set up college day/night program. ■ Set up senior meetings. ■ Set up group meeting with students who are considering applying under Early Decision/Early Action plans. ■ Meet with coaches on NCAA eligibility requirements. ■ Set up an NCAA meeting with all potential college athletes (grades 9-12) and their parents to discuss expectations. ■ Visit classrooms regarding senior planning, essay writing, etc. ■ Distribute calendar of high school visitation days to college campuses. ■ Announce SAT and/or ACT registration; remind seniors to register for the November SAT.

1-8

■ Meet with finalists in the National Merit Scholarship program, Achievement Scholarship Program for Black Students, National Hispanic Recognition Program, National Scholarship Service and Fund for Negro Students, and/ or Telluride Association; ensure that deadlines are met.

■ Meet with visiting college representatives. ■ Distribute guidelines to teachers for writing student recommendations. ■ Emphasize to seniors that they should be getting applications now — either by downloading or by mail. ■ Check the list of SSD students to make preparations for PSAT/NMSQT. ■ Arrange for proctor(s), room, etc., for the SAT and SAT Subject Tests™ administered at school for SSD students. ■ Set up logistics of PSAT/NMSQT with English and math departments.



Month-by-month calendar of college counseling activities November

October ■ Set up scholarship files. ■ Coordinate testing: PSAT/NMSQT. ■ Present senior parent nights. ■ Host college day/night program. ■ Standardized admission testing. ■ Mail National Merit Scholarship semifinalist information to National Merit. ■ Prepare for Early Decision/Early Action applications; remind students to have scores from test organizations sent to colleges. ■ Attend activities hosted by colleges. ■ Registration for the SAT and SAT Subject Tests. ■ Write letters of recommendation, with priority to students applying under Early Decision/Early Action plans. ■ Announce college fairs. ■ Remind seniors to register for the December SAT. ■ Remind ESL students to register for the TOEFL — Test of English as a Foreign Language. ■ Continue meeting with seniors; discuss how to fill out applications and give feedback on essays. ■ Meet with college representatives.

■ Arrange for proctor(s), room, etc., for the SAT and SAT Subject Tests for SSD students. ■ SAT and SAT Subject Tests. ■ Early Decision/Early Action deadlines. ■ Senior reminders: testing, recommendations, transcript requests. ■ Write letters of recommendation and remind teachers to complete letters of recommendation. ■ Conduct financial aid seminars or workshops. ■ Review senior grades at end of grading period. ■ Remind students to request college housing applications. ■ Hold special programs for athletes, service academy applicants and students with disabilities. ■ Review college choices with seniors to ensure that there is an adequate number of “safety” colleges on each list. ■ Remind seniors to register for the January SAT. ■ Remind foreign citizens to complete Certification of Finances and obtain multiple copies, with original signatures to be sent with each application. ■ Review student transcripts. ■ Attend the College Board Forum.


1-9


Month-by-month calendar of college counseling activities December ■ Prepare for applications due in January — ensure that all recommendations are completed; remind seniors to have scores sent from testing organizations to colleges. ■ Host financial aid night for parents (English and Spanish). Remind parents and students to complete the FAFSA as soon after Jan. 1 as possible; also remind them to complete all necessary financial aid forms. ■ Standardized admission testing. ■ Selective-college deadlines for applications. ■ Early Decision and Early Action letters arrive. ■ Invite recent high school graduates to discuss their college experiences at the school during their winter break. ■ Conference with first-generation students to ensure that they are on track. ■ Write letters of recommendation. ■ ROTC scholarship deadline.

■ Update and send letter to parents of sophomores and juniors regarding PSAT/NMSQT results (junior letter contains a reminder about February college night). January ■ Prepare for applications due in February — ensure that all recommendations are completed; remind seniors to have official scores sent from test companies. ■ Tell seniors to contact universities by either e-mail or phone to make sure their applications were received. Also, check postcards to determine which have been received. ■ Prepare for college night for parents of juniors; send final reminders/invitations to parents. ■ Publicize scholarship opportunities. ■ Prepare midyear report forms and send to colleges. ■ Arrange for proctor(s), room, etc., for standardized admission tests for SSD students.

■ Arrange for proctor(s), room, etc., for the SAT and SAT Subject Tests for SSD students.

■ Set up junior timelines and meetings.

■ Arrange for speaker(s) at college night for parents of juniors to be held in February (covering college application process, testing, financial aid, etc.).

■ Complete any unfinished letters of recommendation.

■ Remind students to submit financial aid applications.

■ Review PSAT/NMSQT results with students. Let each student know what he or she can do to improve scores.

1-10



Month-by-month calendar of college counseling activities March

February ■ Finalize all plans and materials for college night for parents of juniors (have extra materials available for divorced/ separated parents in attendance).

■ Hold faculty workshops on recommendation guidelines.

■ Attend the College Board Regional Forum.

■ Hold practice college admissions testing workshops for ninth- and 10th-graders.

■ Respond to students’ notifications of rolling decisions. ■ Review midterm grades; meet with atrisk seniors. ■ Begin meeting with juniors and their parents; discuss after-graduation plans and the college admissions process; remind students to register for the March and May SAT tests. ■ Publicize scholarships. ■ Set up community college nights/days/ visits. ■ Promote college visits. ■ Encourage juniors to gather information about service academies. ■ Prepare letter to parents of eligible SSD juniors and include a copy of the College Board letter for SSD students, with instructions for registering for the spring and fall SAT tests.

■ Promote registration for standardized admission tests and AP® Exams.

■ Have a community college day for students, night for parents. ■ Hold military days. ■ Schedule statewide testing program. ■ Arrange for proctor(s), room, etc., for SAT and SAT Subject Tests for SSD students. ■ Discuss summer plans with students; offer advice on activities and internships in which they can participate. ■ Continue meetings with juniors; discuss teacher recommendations and plan appropriate steps to meet the students’ goals. ■ Meet with seniors to discuss college admissions decisions; remind students to notify each college of their decisions (only after receiving all financial aid offers); discuss alternative choices and wait-list strategies, when appropriate. ■ Send forms to teachers/coaches/advisers for information about juniors (for letters of recommendation). ■ Update core course information for the NCAA for the coming year.


1-11


Month-by-month calendar of college counseling activities April ■ Provide financial aid counseling. ■ Hold parent conferences (grades, admissions and junior testing). ■ Promote and attend college fairs. ■ Promote college visits over spring break. ■ Continue meeting with juniors and their parents, and remind them to ask their teachers for recommendations (many teachers will write the recommendations after the junior year). ■ Continue senior meetings to discuss admissions decisions. ■ Remind students to send their letter of intent to register to one and only one college by May 1. May ■ Distribute summer program information and applications. ■ Hold transition workshops for seniors. ■ Hold scholarship committee meetings. ■ Meet with nongraduating seniors. ■ SAT and SAT Subject Tests given. ■ Continue meeting with sophomores and juniors. ■ Schedule dates for next year’s guidance events. ■ Generate college acceptance list and senior plans list for school board.

June ■ Hold awards ceremonies to recognize students receiving scholarships, service academy appointments and other academic awards. ■ Submit final SSD eligibility forms for students. ■ Send final transcripts to colleges. ■ Review summer school applications, especially for students who will be graduating. ■ Survey seniors to gather postgraduation plans. ■ Promote college visits over the summer break. ■ Remind junior athletes to send NCAA release form to NCAA Clearinghouse. ■ Prepare map or list of college acceptances. ■ Prepare scholarship report. July/August ■ Attend professional conferences. ■ Visit colleges. ■ Take a vacation where there are no phones and no mail to open. ■ Pamper yourself for a week or two. ■ Take a deep breath and get ready to begin the process all over again.

■ Order PSAT/NMSQT materials for fall. ■ Arrange for proctor(s), room, etc., for SAT and SAT Subject Tests for SSD students. Source: Adapted from materials developed by the Western Association for College Admission Counseling

1-12



Resources Professional organizations School counselors are supported by numerous state and national associations. National organizations that can provide valuable resources include the College Board, the National Association for College Admission Counseling and the American School Counselor Association. Each organization convenes membership meetings, provides professional development activities, and is active in Washington on behalf of school counselors. Individuals may join NACAC and ASCA; schools or districts may become members of the College Board. The College Board www.collegeboard.com In the organization’s own words: The College Board is a not-for-profit membership association whose mission is to connect students to college success and opportunity. Founded in 1900, the College Board is composed of more than 5,600 schools, colleges, universities and other educational organizations. Each year, the College Board serves seven million students and their parents, 23,000 high schools, and 3,800 colleges through major programs and services in college readiness, college admissions, guidance, assessment, financial aid, enrollment, and teaching and learning. Among its best-known programs are the SAT®, the PSAT/NMSQT® and the Advanced Placement Program® (AP®). The College Board is committed to the principles of excellence and equity, and that commitment is embodied in all of its programs, services, activities and concerns. Of special interest to counselors: Fall Counselor Workshops: Each year the College Board conducts live and informative workshops throughout the United States to update counselors on changes to its products used by schools, such as the PSAT/NMSQT, the SAT Reasoning Test and SAT Subject Tests, and the Advanced Placement Program. These free half-day workshops are open to College Board members and nonmembers. The schedule for the workshops is posted on the College Board Web site in the spring. Web site: The College Board Web site (www.collegeboard.com) has a wealth of information on just about every aspect of college counseling. Some highlights: College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved.

1-13


■ Extensive information about the PSAT/NMSQT, the Advanced Placement Program, CLEP®, the SAT and CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE®, much of it in PDF format for easy download. ■ Important dates for counselors: This comprehensive list provides key dates for tests, deadlines for filing SSD accommodation appeals, and more. ■ Robust, free college and scholarship searches. ■ PDFs in Spanish: Spanish language publications are available on a range of topics, including a guide for juniors and seniors on the college process, and information for families on the PSAT/NMSQT, the SAT, the AP Program and the CSS/ Financial Aid PROFILE. ■ Various easy-to-use financial aid-related tools and calculators, among them the Estimated Family Contribution calculator, the college savings calculator and a Compare Your Aid Award tool for use in comparing financial aid awards from colleges. ■ Counselor Resource Center with a PowerPoint presentation of the college planning process. Counselors can customize the Professional section to bring them to a K-12 counselor home page each time they visit the site. Regional and national forums: Members may participate in the regional forums (held in all six regions in February) and in the national Forum (held in late October or early November). The National Office for School Counselor Advocacy promotes the value of school counselors as leaders in advancing school reform and student achievement. NOSCA works with preservice training programs and K-12 schools and systems to: ■ Build capacity of school counselor leaders and practicing school counselors to contribute to major districtwide goals for student achievement. ■ Transform districtwide school counseling programs and practices. ■ Help districts define, structure and implement strategies for counselors’ roles in advancing the academic agenda so that greater numbers of students graduate college ready/work ready. ■ Establish a framework for accountability for transformed work that can be expressed in measurable outcomes. 1-14



The office hosts an annual conference in April at which those in the school counseling profession and other educators get a national perspective on the impact of school counselors on equity in education and education reform in the 21st century. The National Association for College Admission Counseling www.nacacnet.org In the organization’s own words: The National Association for College Admission Counseling, founded in 1937, is an organization of 9,000 professionals from around the world dedicated to serving students as they make choices about pursuing postsecondary education. NACAC is committed to maintaining high standards that foster ethical and social responsibility among those involved in the transition process, as outlined in the NACAC Statement of Principles of Good Practice. Of special interest to counselors: College fairs: NACAC sponsors college fairs in major cities throughout the United States in the spring and the fall. Fairs are free to the public, and you can easily find the upcoming fairs on the NACAC Web site and alert your students to dates and locations. The Performing and Visual Arts College Fairs bring together colleges of interest to students who would like to pursue performing or visual arts in college. Statement of Principles of Good Practice: This statement of ethical guidelines lays out the principles that govern the actions of the NACAC membership; you may print a copy from the NACAC Web site. The statement, now organized into Mandatory Practices, Interpretation of Mandatory Practices, and Best Practices, covers admissions promotion and recruitment, admissions procedures, standardized admissions testing, financial aid, and advanced standing of students and the awarding of credit. State of College Admission: This annual publication has good information on admissions benchmarks and trends. The 94-page PDF can be printed from the NACAC Web site. Electronic discussion group (EDG): Members may participate in an online discussion group. The EDG allows counselors to get advice on global, national and local issues related to college counseling.


1-15


Guiding the Way to Higher Education: Families, Counselors and Communities Together. Formerly called PACT, this manual provides materials for counselors to use in working with families on college awareness and planning. Activities cover five facets of the process. Web site: NACAC has an easily navigated Web site, with much information available to members and nonmembers alike. Numerous articles for students can be downloaded. Application fee-waiver form: NACAC members can make use of a college application fee-waiver form. The form provides income guidelines for the counselor’s use in determining which students qualify for an application fee waiver. List of professional development activities: The Web site has an upto-date listing of professional development activities nationwide. Summer institutes, regional and national conferences, and college tours sponsored by numerous organizations are listed here. The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) www.schoolcounselor.org In the organization’s own words: ASCA’s Vision The American School Counselor Association is the foundation that expands the image and influence of professional school counselors through advocacy, leadership, collaboration and systemic change. ASCA empowers professional school counselors with the knowledge, skills, linkages and resources to promote student success in the school, the home, the community and the world. ASCA’s Mission The mission of ASCA is to represent professional school counselors and to promote professionalism and ethical practices. Of special interest to counselors: ASCA National Model: ASCA has developed the National Model for School Counseling, a comprehensive approach to program foundation, delivery and management accountability. When implemented, the program not only answers the question “What do school counselors do?” but also allows schools to respond to the question “How are

1-16



students different as a result of what we do?” Nonmembers can download an executive summary at no charge; the book is $39.95. Position statements: ASCA has easily accessed position statements on a range of topics counselors confront, among them dealing with at-risk students, test preparation, special needs students, and much more.

Books American School Counselor Association. The ASCA National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs. Alexandria, VA: ASCA, 2003. Gives a detailed explanation of each element of the ASCA National Model for School Counseling programs.

Avery, Christopher. The Early Admissions Game: Joining the Elite. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2004. Provides an analysis of early admissions, based on more than 500,000 college applications to 14 elite colleges, and hundreds of interviews with students, counselors and admissions officers. The 2004 edition includes a new chapter.

Web sites American School Counselor Association; www.schoolcounselor.org The College Board; www.collegeboard.com The Education Trust; www.edtrust.org Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA); www.ed.gov National Association for College Admission Counseling; www.nacacnet.org

Center for Higher Education Policy Analysis. Getting There — and Beyond: Building a Culture of College-Going in High Schools. University of Southern California Rossier School of Education. Los Angeles, CA: 2007. This slim brochure lays out the challenges to building and sustaining a college culture, and provides a road map for creating one. The PDF can be printed from the University of California Web site: www.usc.edu/dept/chepa.

Matthay, Eileen R. Counseling for College. Princeton, NJ: Peterson’s Guides, 1991. Out of print, but an excellent resource for college counseling.

Mayher, Bill. The College Admissions Mystique. New York: Noonday Press, 1998. Covers practical issues, including discovering colleges, narrowing down the search, finding financial aid and using college counselors to the best advantage.

National Association for College Admission Counseling. Fundamentals of College Admission Counseling, 2nd edition. Alexandria, VA: NACAC, 2008. A textbook for practicing counselors covering college counseling in chapters written by respected practitioners.

Rainsberger, Richard. FERPA and Secondary Education. Washington, DC: AACRAO and NACAC, 1997. A useful reference when dealing with issues concerning the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974.

Steinberg, Jacques. The Gatekeepers: Inside the Admissions Process of a Premier College. New York: Viking Press, 2002. Over the course of nearly a year, Steinberg accompanied a Wesleyan admissions officer on a tour to assess and recruit the most promising students in the United States. The Gatekeepers follows a diverse group of prospective students as they compete for places in the nation’s most elite colleges.

Thacker, Lloyd. College Unranked: Ending the College Admission Frenzy. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2005. Essays by numerous admissions deans who want colleges and students to rediscover what college is really for — a chance to explore new worlds of knowledge.


1-17


Top 10 survival skills for school counselors 1. Read professional journals and attend workshops even when you don’t think you have time. 2. Don’t make difficult decisions in isolation. Consult with your colleagues. 3. Become familiar with the Web sites of the College Board, ACT, NACAC and ASCA. These are wonderful tools for you and your students. At least once a month, spend some time online growing as a professional. 4. Develop a habit of sending notes of encouragement to students prior to their taking admission tests. 5. Always be truthful — even if you make a mistake. Think of yourself as a role model for your students. 6. Be open to changes in the profession. You can’t always do things the way they’ve always been done. 7. Visit a college campus at least once a year. Can you really be an effective school counselor if you haven’t been on a college campus recently? 8. Look to your professional organizations for support and for answers. Join! 9. Remember that professional judgment and good common sense are usually the bases for the right decision. 10. Don’t ever forget why you entered this profession. Source: Nadine Maxwell, former coordinator, Guidance Services for Fairfax County Public Schools, Virginia

1-18


Chapter 2 Helping students prepare for college Overview

Inside this Chapter…

Which criteria do admissions officers consider to be the most reliable indicators of success in college? In the College Board’s Annual Survey (Fall 2006), 1,946 four-year colleges rated six factors as “very important or important.” The percentages are based on the number of institutions identifying the factor as a priority:

Overview The counselor’s role High school courses and college-prep requirements Key research on the importance of high school course work

School achievement

89%

Test scores

85%

Recommendations

48%

College-level curriculum in high school: Advanced Placement ®, and community college courses

Essay

43%

Extracurriculars

Interview

31%

Working with parents

Activities

30%

The senior year

School achievement — grade point average and the rigor of courses taken — has been the single most important factor in college admissions since the College Board began tracking this information in the early 1980s. Counselors, as academic advisers and class schedulers, need to understand the vital importance of encouraging all students to take college-level courses. And students and parents need to understand that colleges look at the transcript of all high school course work and that students need to choose collegepreparatory course work starting in ninth grade. Not only that, new research (summarized later in this chapter) indicates that the rigor of high school course work is directly connected to college graduation as well. Specific guidance for students is available in a handout at the end of this chapter. See Handout 2A: Create a solid academic

Resources Handouts

portfolio.


2-1

Chapter 2 Helping students prepare for college

The counselor’s role Your primary goals and responsibilities in preparing students to apply to college include the following: Make sure students know the importance of taking collegepreparatory classes starting in ninth grade, even if they are not sure they will go to college. Algebra in particular is key to college entrance and college success.

■

Schedule students into college-prep courses; help all students keep their options open.

■

Know the course work requirements for the state institutions and other colleges to which your students may apply, and ensure that students know what these requirements are.

■

Explain the difference between high school graduation requirements and college entrance requirements.

■

Explain what community colleges require.

■

Encourage all students — even those who are not sure they will go to college — to take the most challenging courses available to them.

■

Advocate for a policy that allows any interested student who has completed the prerequisites open access to the Advanced Placement Program® (AP), honors and other challenging courses.

■

Analyze course enrollments to see whether the diversity of your school population is reflected adequately in advanced courses. Work with faculty members to ensure that all students, regardless of their economic, cultural or linguistic backgrounds, may take challenging courses.

■

Stress that you want students not only to be accepted into college but also to succeed when they get there: That’s why they need to take the most challenging course load they can handle.

■

Provide teachers with relevant and timely information about college preparation and college requirements so they can provide students with accurate information, too.

■

Provide a schoolwide mechanism for academic assistance, tutoring or teacher-monitored “extra help” for those students struggling to meet academic course requirements.

■

2-2



Advocating for students When working with students: Behave as if you expect all students to achieve at a high level.

■

Actively work to remove barriers to learning.

■

Teach students how to help themselves (e.g., teach them organizational skills, study skills and test-taking skills).

■

Teach students and their families how to successfully manage the bureaucracy of the system (e.g., teach parents how to enroll their children in academic courses that will lead to college).

■

Teach students and their families how to access support systems for academic success.

■

When working with the school system: Use local, regional and national data to promote system change.

■

Work collaboratively with all school personnel.

■

Offer staff development training for school personnel promoting high expectations and high standards for all students.

■

Challenge the existence of low-level and unchallenging courses.

■

Highlight information that negates myths about who can and who cannot achieve success in rigorous courses.

■

When working with the community: Organize community activities to promote supportive structures for high standards for all students.

■

Help parents and the community organize efforts to work with schools to institute higher standards for their children.

■

Work as a resource broker within the community to identify all available resources to help all students achieve.

■

Source: Reese M. House and Patricia J. Martin, “Advocating for Better Futures for All Students: A New Vision for School Counselors” ( Education 119, 284-91).


2-3


High school courses and college-prep requirements For starters, most colleges have certain requirements for the collegepreparatory curriculum. College-prep courses differ from state to state and from school to school but usually include the following:

Tip “I visit life skills classes, which all ninth-graders must take. I tell them what they need to do to graduate and point out how the requirements parallel what they need to do to get into college. And I tell them that the more highly selective the college they hope to attend, the further beyond the minimum they need to go in each academic area.” — Eileen Doctorow, North Hollywood High School, California

Tip “We meet all ninthgraders and plot their course work for all four years. We stress the importance of keeping their options open. Each student leaves the meeting with a written plan showing the academic subjects he or she will take each year of high school.” — Linda Sturm, South Portland High School, Maine

2-4

8 credits (4 years) of English

■

6 credits (3 years) of math, including Algebra I, geometry and Algebra II

■

2 additional credits (1 or more years) of math beyond Algebra II (trigonometry or calculus)

■

6 credits (3 years) of laboratory science, such as biology, chemistry, physics or earth science

■

6 credits (3 years) of social studies, such as U.S. history, world history, government or economics

■

4 to 6 credits (2 to 3 years) of a second language

■

(If your school offers integrated math, you can assume that colleges know that Integrated Math I, II and III correspond to Algebra I, geometry and Algebra II.) Counselors should stress the differences between fulfilling high school graduation requirements and taking college-prep classes (for example, most colleges expect applicants to have taken at least two years of a foreign language, but few high schools list foreign languages as a necessity for graduation). You might prepare a handout that shows high school graduation requirements, the requirements for admission to colleges your students often attend and admissions requirements for highly selective institutions (you can adapt the following sample chart). There is no one definition of “selective” or “highly selective.” Most four-year colleges (more than 80 percent) accept more than half of their applicants, and in fact nearly half of all colleges accept more than 75 percent of applicants. In general, selective colleges consider course work, grades, test scores, recommendations and essays. At very selective colleges, these factors are considered very carefully by the admissions committee, and more students are rejected than are accepted.



SAMPLE HIGH SCHOOL REQUIREMENTS AND COLLEGE REQUIREMENTS SUBJECT

High school graduation requirements

Minimum college preparation

State universities and other selective college requirements

Highly selective college recommendations*

English

4 years

4 years, with emphasis on essay/theme writing

4 years, with emphasis on written/oral communications and literature

4 years at the honors/AP level when possible

Math

2 years

3 years, including algebra, geometry and advanced algebra

3 years, including algebra, geometry and advanced algebra

4 years, including trigonometry and precalculus

Social studies

2 years

2-3 years, including 1 year of U.S. history and 1-2 years from other social sciences

2-3 years, including 1 year of U.S. history and 1-2 years from other social sciences

3-4 years, to include 1 year of U.S. history and 1 year of world or European history

Science

1 year

2 years of lab science: biology, chemistry or physics

3 years of lab science: biology, chemistry or physics

3-4 years of lab science, with 1 year each of biology, chemistry and physics

Foreign language

Recommended but not required

Some programs require 2 years of one language

2 years of foreign language

3-4 years or more of one language

Academic electives

Varies

1 unit

3 units

3 units

* Students seeking admission to highly selective institutions should take as many courses at the honors and/or AP level as the schedule permits, complete four years of the same foreign language, pursue calculus, and take advanced course work in science. Source: Gloria Mueller, Glenbrook South High School, Illinois


2-5


Tip “It matures a student to participate in activities and maintain good grades. This demonstrates good organizational skills, the ability to prioritize, leadership skills, and so on. Time management issues are crucial for success in college.” — Linda Sturm, South Portland High School, Maine

Tip “Counselors can reassure students that a passion unrelated to school counts: The avid equestrian or ice skater does not need to add on a school activity to look well rounded.”

Community college requirements Many students have the misconception that general education requirements prepare them for community college work. In fact, students intending to go to a community college will need to take the classes in high school that prepare them to do well on standardized admission tests or community college placement exams.

Student athletes and high school course work Counselors need to know the course work requirements established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Ninth-graders who hope to play college sports need to be informed of NCAA core course requirements and need to complete 16 core courses in four years in order to be eligible for NCAA Division I participation. Lack of appropriate course work more often keeps students out of NCAA play than inadequate test scores: It is important that potential student athletes take the right courses starting in ninth grade. See Chapter 10, Counseling Student-Athletes, for extensive information on working with this group.

— Dorothy Coppock, Evanston Township High School, Illinois

2-6



Key research on the importance of high school course work Some valuable research illustrates the effects of course-taking on college access and college success. Here are descriptions of some important recent studies.

The Toolbox Revisited

Tip

www.ed.gov

“New counselors can get into a bind if they don’t recognize the importance of rigorous high school course work. A ninthgrader might say he wants to drop algebra. The counselor should say, ‘Let’s get you tutoring’ or ‘Stick it out — get the D. Retake it in summer school. But keep at it — algebra is important.’ ”

This 2006 report by researcher Clifford Adelman examines factors enabling students to complete a bachelor’s degree. It follows a national cohort of students who graduated from high school in 1992. It builds upon an earlier study that found that the intensity of the academic program predicts graduation from college more than any other factor. Key findings in The Toolbox Revisited: The longer students wait to enter college, the less likely they are to finish a degree

■

Part-time attendance is “hazardous” to degree completion health.

■

Formal transfer from a two-year college to a four-year, and from one four-year to another, were positively associated with degree completion, but wandering from one school to another was not.

■

In college, earning grades in the top 40 percent of first-year GPA is a strong contributor to completion.

■

And to summarize key findings from his first study: Finishing a course beyond Algebra II (for example, trigonometry or precalculus) more than doubles the odds that a student will graduate from a four-year college.

■

Taking AP courses is more strongly correlated with the completion of a bachelor’s degree than with college access.

■

The Bridge Project www.stanford.edu/group/bridgeproject The Bridge Project, undertaken by Stanford University, has found that even though educators stress to students that most good jobs require a college degree, unnecessary barriers exist between high school and

— Susie Rusk, counselor coordinator, Washoe County School District, Nevada

Tip “The counselor needs to advocate for students who are not performing well in college-prep classes. I advocated for the creation of learning labs in our school, which students use during study hall. The labs are in the library and are staffed with teachers and National Honor Society students.” — Linda Sturm, South Portland High School, Maine


2-7


Tip “I ask students to imagine that they are a college admission representative and have two candidate files in front of them. One applicant has taken a course called ‘Fun with Numbers’ and has received an A. The other has taken Algebra II and received a C. I ask them which student is likely to be admitted. We then spend several minutes talking about minimum requirements of fouryear colleges, methods for pursuing reasonable challenges in high school, and ways to improve study skills.” — Carlene Riccelli, Amherst Regional High School, Massachusetts

college — especially the lack of continuity in course work. Many applicants and parents do not know what is expected of students when they enter college. In the five states that the Bridge Project surveyed, for example, fewer than 12 percent of the students were familiar with the course requirements for admission to the specified colleges. (For an activity intended to build awareness of college requirements, see Appendix C, Activity 1.) Other findings: ■

■

■

The six-year graduation rate at all four-year colleges is 52 percent, and has been about that for more than 15 years. Keep this in mind when using the College Results Online feature at the Ed Trust Web site.

Students are generally unaware of the content of postsecondary course-placement exams. The distribution of information to parents about college preparation is inequitable.

Key recommendations of this report (which is easily downloaded from the aforementioned Web site): ■

■

■

Tip

Teachers play a major role in helping students prepare for college, yet many do not have the resources they need to give students accurate information.

Provide all students, their parents and educators with accurate, high-quality information about, and access to, courses that will help prepare students for college-level work. Focus on the institutions that serve the majority of students. Shift the attention of the media, policymakers and researchers from the nation’s elite schools to the colleges and universities attended by most students (approximately 80 percent). Emphasize the fact that getting into college is not the most difficult part of earning a bachelor’s degree.

The Education Trust www2.edtrust.org A wealth of research indicates that all students, even those who don’t plan to attend college, need college-prep courses in high school. The Education Trust, a nonprofit organization that seeks to close the achievement gap, believes that all children will do well in school when they are exposed to challenging material. The organization has done extensive research on this topic and has many useful reports on its Web site. The Ed Trust Web site has many useful handouts, PowerPoint presentations and data tools. One new tool is College Results Online,

2-8



which lets users research the six-year graduation rates at colleges nationwide. One can research individual college graduation rates (by total student body, ethnic group and gender) or create customized groups of colleges for comparison purposes.

College-level curriculum in high school: Advanced Placement® and community college courses Colleges favor students who have participated in the most challenging academic program available to them. In general, honors courses, AP courses, and/or community college course work on a transcript indicate that the student is likely to succeed in college. Admissions officers will use the school profile (discussed in Chapter 4) to determine how many advanced courses a high school offers and to what extent a student took advantage of those classes. This section provides information on ways in which high schools can offer highlevel courses (in addition to their own honors courses).

Advanced Placement Program® (AP®) www.collegeboard.com This College Board program offers more than 30 college-level courses in a wide variety of subject areas. More than 60 percent of U.S. high schools participate in the AP Program. AP courses are designed by teams of college professors working with expert secondary school teachers; the courses are taught by high school teachers in high school. Teachers have the flexibility to design their courses using the AP Course Descriptions to guide them. AP Exams are administered worldwide in May and are scored on a scale of 1 (low) to 5 (high), with a score of 3 considered the equivalent of a C in a comparable college course. College faculty members and secondary school teachers score the exams. Counselors often serve in the role of AP Coordinator, administering the program (ordering exams, and arranging for exams to be given) on behalf of the school.


2-9


AP Course Audit The AP Course Audit is an annual, collaborative effort among secondary schools, colleges and universities, and the College Board to confirm that courses labeled “AP” provide an appropriate level and range of college-level course content, along with the resources needed to deliver that content. All schools wishing to label a course “AP” must complete and submit documentation for each teacher of that AP course. Each fall, college and university admissions offices and the public will be provided with a ledger listing all schools offering authorized AP courses, as well as the names of all courses authorized at each school. For more information about the AP Course Audit, visit apcentral.collegeboard.com/courseaudit. Certification Teachers do not need any formal professional certification to offer AP courses, but teachers are urged to attend AP Summer Institutes and workshops. The AP Central® Web site (apcentral.collegeboard.com) has extensive information (including sample lessons) for AP teachers. Cost to students

Tip “Not long ago, our school made a big push to encourage our Hispanic students, who make up more than two-thirds of our population, to take the AP Spanish Language class or the exam after completing a year or two of Spanish for Spanish speakers. This gave the students the confidence to look for challenges in other academic areas as well, and was probably the greatest factor in building our very large AP program.” — Eileen Doctorow, North Hollywood High School, California

2-10

Students do not pay a fee to take an AP course but do pay an exam fee ($86 in 2009). Fee reductions are available; many states and districts subsidize AP Exam costs. Benefits to students There are numerous benefits to students in taking AP courses: Students may earn credit, advanced placement, or both, in college.

■

Admissions officials know that an academically impressive high school record is a good indicator of college success.

■

AP courses prepare students for the rigor of college.

■

Students enjoy the insightful discussions and challenging course work. They also learn good study skills.

■

Students may sit for an AP Exam even if they haven’t taken a course designated as AP if the school is willing to administer the test. At some schools there are rigorous courses that prepare students for AP Exams. A handout at the end of this chapter answers common questions about AP. See Handout 2B: FAQs about the Advanced Placement Program (AP).



How colleges view AP Most of the colleges and universities in the United States, and several universities in more than 45 other countries, have a policy for granting incoming students credit, advanced placement or both if they receive qualifying grades on AP Exams. That is, through acceptable grades on the exams, students may earn credits toward their college degree, or they can skip introductory courses and be placed directly into higher-level courses. Decisions on credit and placement are made by individual colleges and universities (there is an AP policy search tool at www.collegeboard.com/ap/creditpolicy). On the following page is an actual AP policy for a large research university. AP course work is used by admissions staff as well. The three main ways admissions staff use information about a student’s AP participation and performance are: as an indication of a student’s motivation to challenge himself or herself

■

in evaluating how prepared a student is for the rigors of college

■

in evaluating candidates’ credentials within the contents of their high school

■

Admissions staff often do not see AP Exam grades, so much of this insight is provided by the information on the transcript about the courses taken and the grades earned.


2-11


Sample AP Policy at a Large University Area

AP Exam

Credit awarded for these university courses ENGL 101 ENGL 101, 102 ENGL 101 ENGL 101, 102 ENGL 101, 102

Credit hours

Both tests

Qualifying grade(s) 3, 4 5 3, 4 5 3, 4 on each

English

Composition and Literature

History

U.S. History European History

3, 4, 5 3, 4, 5

HIST 101,102 HIST 173

6 3

Humanities

Music Theory Art History Studio Drawing General Studio

3, 4, 5 3, 4, 5 3, 4, 5 3, 4, 5

MUSC 205, 206 AAH 210 ART 210 ART 103

6 3 3 3

Languages

French Language French Literature

3, 4, 5 3 4 5 3, 4, 5 3 4 5

FR 101, 102 FR 101, 102 FR 101, 102, 201 FR 101, 102, 201, 202 SPAN 101, 102 SPAN 101, 102 SPAN 101, 102, 201 SPAN 101, 102, 201, 202

8 8 11 14 8 8 11 14

Language and Composition

Spanish Language Spanish Literature

3 6 3 6 6

Math

Calculus AB Calculus BC Statistics

3, 4, 5 3, 4, 5 3, 4 5

MTHSC 106 MTHSC 106, 108 MTHSC 203 MTHSC 101, 203

4 8 3 6

Psychology

Psychology

3, 4, 5

PSYCH 201

3

Science

Biology

3 4, 5 3, 4, 5 3, 4, 5 3, 41 5 3, 4, 5 3, 4, 5 3, 4, 5 3, 4, 5

BIOL 103, 104 BIOL 110, 111 CH 101 and 102 or 112 CPSC 101 CPSC 101 CPSC 101, 102 EN SC 200 PHYS 207, 208 PHYS 122, 124 PHYS 221, 223

8 10 8 4 4 8 3 8 4 4

Chemistry Computer Science A Computer Science AB Environmental Science Physics B2 Physics C, Mechanics Physics C, E, & M

1. Students earning a grade of 4 on Computer Science AB may request a personal interview with a departmental representative to determine whether credit will be given for CPSC 102. 2. Students enrolling in curricula requiring calculus-based physics (PHYS 122, 221, 222, 223, 224) but who earn a grade of 5 on Physics B will be asked to meet with a departmental representative for further evaluation and placement counseling.

2-12



Community college courses Community colleges can be an invaluable resource in enriching the high school academic experience. Your school may already have a relationship with a local community college; if not, it would be worthwhile to investigate linkages. There are several models for enrolling high school students in community college courses: In some cases, the professors come to the school to deliver the course; in other models, the students travel to the college. Cost to students Students ordinarily pay the cost of taking the course and any related fees. In some states, costs are reduced for high school students; in some school districts, the district pays for the course. Benefits to students Taking community college courses enables students to: ■ ■

■ ■

■

Realize that they can do college work. Take courses not offered in their school’s honors or AP program. Experience college and become comfortable with it. Learn that community colleges are an affordable way to begin college. Start their college curriculum while completing high school.

Tip “I hang this sign over my office door: Attention Juniors! If you want to get into the most competitive college that is right for you, then as a SENIOR you want to take English, history, math, science and a foreign language. See your counselors for details. “It’s propaganda, but it works!” — Bev Taylor, Massapequa High School, New York


2-13


CLEP® The College-Level Examination Program® of the College Board, commonly known as CLEP®, is a widely accepted credit-by-examination program. About 2,900 accredited colleges and universities award credit for qualifying scores on CLEP exams; 1,500 administer the exams. CLEP offers 34 exams in composition and literature, foreign languages, history and social sciences, sciences and mathematics, and business. Students of all ages use CLEP to demonstrate competency in a subject area and to earn college credit. All exams (listed below) are computer based. Students who are interested in CLEP can find a list of test centers at www.collegeboard.com/clep and the specific CLEP policies for each exam, at every participating college, in the College Search section on www.collegeboard.com. Business

History and Social Sciences

Science and Mathematics

Financial Accounting

American Government

Calculus

Information Systems and Computer Applications

Human Growth and Development

College Algebra

Introduction to Educational Psychology

Precalculus

Principles of Macroeconomics

College Mathematics

Principles of Microeconomics

Biology

Introductory Psychology

Chemistry

Composition and Literature

Introductory Sociology

Natural Sciences

American Literature

Social Sciences and History

Analyzing and Interpreting Literature

U.S. History I

English Composition (with or without essay)

U.S. History II

Introductory Business Law Principles of Management Principles of Marketing

English Literature Freshman College Composition

Western Civilization I Western Civilization II

Humanities Foreign Languages French Language (Levels 1 and 2) German Language (Levels 1 and 2) Spanish Language (Levels 1 and 2)

2-14



Extracurriculars To create a vibrant campus atmosphere, colleges seek to attract a diverse student body, one that includes athletes, musicians, artists, community leaders and others with special interests, talents and skills. As they examine applications, colleges look for quality, commitment and depth in students’ nonacademic pursuits rather than a scattershot approach (e.g., a short-term, casual involvement in several activities). Admissions officers also use participation in extracurricular activities to gauge how a student has balanced academic, cultural, recreational, social and other interests.

Working with parents “The more I reach out to students, the more I realize I need to reach out to parents.” — Eileen Doctorow, North Hollywood High School, California Parents’ understanding of the importance of college-prep courses and extracurricular activities varies significantly. Some parents are very knowledgeable about college entrance requirements, whereas others may not be familiar with those requirements or even view their child as college material. Counselors should have several strategies for working with parents and should be able to direct them to useful resources both within and outside the school. When working with a largely low-income, first-generation population, you’ll have to increase parents’ awareness of college entrance requirements. In particular, you may want to reach out to feeder schools and begin educating parents of middle school students. Your goal is to assist families in encouraging their children academically early on and to get these students started on a collegebound track. You might want to prepare a handout for parents. See Handout 2C: How best to utilize the services of the school counselor.

The senior year As a counselor, you are responsible for alerting students to the importance of the senior year. Many students would like to take a light course load, but you should urge them to continue their enrollment in high-level courses. You need to remind students that colleges will require a final transcript at the end of the senior year,

Tip “It’s important to let parents know what the counseling office provides and when and how they can talk with you. We have a brochure that we hand out at eighth-grade parent night. Our goal is to make parents feel comfortable contacting us to talk about their child.” — Linda Sturm, South Portland High School, Maine

Tip “We don’t have a studyskills program, but our counselors talk to parents about when to study, where, and how parents can monitor their children’s study habits. For example, many kids have computers in their rooms, but then parents don’t know if students are doing homework or are in chat rooms. I suggest that parents bring the computer into the family room so they can monitor whether homework is getting completed.” — Linda Sturm, South Portland High School, Maine


2-15


and will expect students to maintain the rigor and academic success they have previously achieved. In addition, students should begin college well prepared to do college-level work.

Tip “I keep a copy of a letter revoking an offer of admission that was sent to one of our seniors who, despite counseling, had developed a case of terminal senioritis. All identifying information about the student was removed from the letter. Our counselors show this letter to seniors who are considering any major changes to their academic program in the senior year. Additionally, if any changes are made in the senior year after midyear reports are sent to colleges, we send an academic update to offices of admission. This policy has reduced the number of requests we receive from students to lighten the academic load in the second half of the senior year.” — Carlene Riccelli, Amherst Regional High School, Massachusetts

2-16

Even students planning to attend a community college and then transfer to a four-year institution should be encouraged to take as challenging a course load as possible: first, because they may be able to fulfill requirements (for a foreign language, for example) now and not have to address them later and, second, because they will still have to pass placement tests in math and English. They need to stay in shape in order to keep their academic skills sharp. Colleges can revoke offers of admission if senior-year grades indicate a slump. The point is well stated in a letter the University of Illinois sent to admitted students recently: “We remind everyone of the obligation that goes with our admission offer: Your senioryear courses are part of the admission decision. A final high school transcript is required. . . . [W]e will see your final transcript and we do rescind admission when our high expectations for our students are compromised by a bad senior year.” Associate Provost Stanley E. Henderson goes on to offer excellent advice that you might want to pass on to your students: Yes, the quality of the work you do at Illinois will be determined in no small part by your tremendous talent, but it will also be determined by the strength of your academic habits. Just as you would want to be in top condition for the start of an athletic season, so, too, do you want to be in top condition for the academic season that begins in August. The habits you form now — your academic strength conditioning — will either help or hurt you in your transition from high school to college. Keep in shape for the rest of the year. We’re counting on your success — next fall and beyond.

Resources Web sites The Education Trust: www2.EdTrust.org Pathways to College Network. Provides research-based information and resources for improving college preparation, access and success for underserved populations, including low-income, underrepresented minority, and firstgeneration students. Site has profiles of successful programs that increase college access. www.pathwaystocollege.org.



Occupational Outlook Handbook. This online publication, found at the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics Web site, is a good source of career information. Describes employees’ duties, working conditions, the training and education needed, earnings and expected job prospects for hundreds of occupations. Revised every two years; www.bls.gov/oco and http://online.onetcenter.org. Department of Education Web site. Highlights No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation, including a section about guidance and regulations on parent involvement. Other features include: • information for parents, teachers, students and administrators • information centers for financial aid, policy, programs, and research and statistics • links to state departments of education, K-12 schools, school districts, and colleges and universities; libraries; and education organizations All information can be found at www.ed.gov/index.jhtml.

Publications Haycock, Kati. “Closing the Achievement Gap,” Educational Leadership 58, no. 6 (March 2001). Article summarizes research indicating that all students must have a challenging curriculum.

Rigol, Gretchen. Admissions Decision-Making Models: How U.S. Institutions of Higher Education Select Undergraduate Students. New York: The College Board, 2003. Venezia, Andrea, Michael W. Kirst, and Anthony L. Antonio. “Betraying the College Dream: How Disconnected K−12 and Postsecondary Education Systems Undermine Student Aspirations.” Policy Report from the Bridge Project: Stanford University, 2004. Can be downloaded as an Adobe Acrobat file at www.stanford.edu/group/bridgeproject/betrayingthecollegedream.pdf.

Curriculum CollegeEd® is an innovative college-preparation course designed to motivate and prepare all students for a college education. The high school edition of CollegeEd provides materials for each grade 9-12, empowering students through gradeappropriate knowledge and information, as well as through self-exploration and skill building. The program, which is aligned to ASCA National Standards for School Counseling Programs and NCLB goals, includes: • Instructional units (in English and Spanish) that allow for flexibility in scheduling and implementation • Access to MyRoad™ and MyRoad.com, an interactive Web site that includes a validated personality assessment, in-depth profiles of more than 175 majors and 3,500 colleges • A comprehensive teacher’s guide that offers lesson direction, as well as “advisory options,” making the program a perfect fit for advisories or guidance curricula. For more information, and to download samples, go to www.collegeboard.com/collegeed.


2-17

Chapter 2 handouts Number

Title

Brief Description

2A

Create a solid academic portfolio

Specific information about what classes college admissions officers look for on a transcript.

2B

FAQs about the Advanced Placement Program (AP)

Explains how colleges award credit and placement for AP courses.

2C

How best to utilize the services of the school counselor

Advice on ways to use the high school counseling office for help with college admissions and other issues.


2-19

Students

TITLE Create a solid academic portfolio TITLE Your course schedule may seem like a random selection of classes to you, but college admissions officers see it as the blueprint of your high school education. They’re looking for a solid foundation of learning that you can build on in college. Take at least five solid academic classes every semester. The following subjects and classes are standard fare for success in high school and beyond, whether you plan to attend a four-year, twoyear, or technical school. English (Language Arts)

Social Studies

Take English every year. Traditional courses such as American Understand local and world events that are happening now and English literature help you improve your writing skills, by studying the culture and history that has shaped them. reading comprehension and vocabulary. Social sciences round out your core curriculum. • Literature

• Two semesters of U.S. history

• Writing/composition and/or speech

• One semester of U.S. government

Math

• One semester of economics

• One semester of world history or geography To succeed on college entrance exams, in college math classes, and in most careers, you need algebra and geometry. • One additional semester of these or other areas Take them early on, and you’ll be able to enroll in advanced science and math in high school — and you’ll show colleges Foreign Languages you’re ready for higher-level work. Solid foreign language study shows colleges you’re willing to stretch beyond the basics. Many colleges require at least • Algebra I two years of foreign language study, and some prefer more. • Geometry • Algebra II

The Arts

• Trigonometry and/or calculus

Research indicates that students who participate in the arts often do better in school and on standardized tests. The arts help you recognize patterns, discern differences and similarities, and exercise your mind in unique ways, often outside of a traditional classroom setting.

Science Science teaches you to think analytically and to apply theories to observations of the natural world. Laboratory classes let you test what you’ve learned through hands-on work. Six semesters are recommended. • Biology • Chemistry and/or physics

Computer Courses More and more college courses and jobs require at least a basic knowledge of computers. Computer skills also can help you do research and schoolwork better and faster.

• Earth/space sciences, advanced biology, advanced chemistry or physics Source: collegeboard.com

Handout 2A College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

Students

FAQsTITLE about the Advanced Placement TITLEProgram® (AP®) More than 90 percent of four-year colleges and universities in the United States award placement or credit or both for a qualifying grade on an AP® Exam. What’s the difference between credit and placement? Some colleges award credit for qualifying AP Exam grades. This means that you actually earn points toward your college degree. Others award advanced placement. This means that when you’re in college, you can skip introductory courses, enter higher-level classes and/or fulfill general education requirements. Can I earn college credit or placement just by taking the AP course? Colleges and universities give credit or placement only for qualifying AP Exam grades, not AP course grades. Without a corresponding AP Exam grade, they can’t verify that the AP courses you take are true college-level courses. What can I do with college credit or placement? College credit or placement can allow you to move into upper-level courses sooner, pursue a double major or a combined bachelor’s/master’s degree program, gain time to study and travel abroad, and complete your undergraduate degree in fewer than four years. You can receive credit for equivalent courses worth thousands of dollars at colleges and universities. Why should I take the AP Exam if I’m not looking to earn credit or placement? The AP Exams provide colleges and universities with additional information about your ability to succeed in college-level study.

■

Some scholarship awards consider AP Exam grades.

■

Many colleges use AP Exam grades to place students into honors classes.

■

The AP Exams give you a clear understanding of what you need to succeed on a college exam.

■

Source: The Value of AP Courses and Exams. © 2007 The College Board.

Handout 2B College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

Parents

TITLE the services How best to utilize TITLE of the school counselor Meet with the school counselor to discuss your child’s strengths, weaknesses, interests and goals.

■

Make an appointment with the school counselor to create a program of study, grades 9-12, that matches your child’s academic strengths, interests and future plans.

■

Contact the school counselor to set up a parent/teacher conference.

■

Call the school counselor with any concerns about recent changes in behavior, attitude and/or academic performance.

■

Use the expertise of the school counselor, along with resources in the counseling office and/ or career center, to assist your child in postsecondary (after high school) planning.

■

Ask the school counselor for resources within and outside the school to assist with social/ emotional issues.

■

Seek information from the school counselor about standardized test results.

■

Attend evening programs sponsored by the counseling office.

■

Read any information sent from the counseling office to your home; there will be valuable information for you and your student.

■

Source: Linda Sturm, South Portland High School, Maine

Handout 2C College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

Chapter 3 Helping students research colleges Overview


As a counselor, your goal is to help students learn to research colleges on their own (and to keep records of the information they collect) — you will not be responsible for advising students on a final college selection. Included in this chapter are suggestions to counselors who have large caseloads and may not have the time to work individually with students undertaking the college search, as well as strategies for counselors who do have the time. The chapter describes the basic tools that will launch students on the college selection journey in a rational, thoughtful way — and will help them decide which college would be most suitable for them. The chapter contains a one-page information sheet on how you can learn about colleges (see How counselors can learn about colleges later in this chapter). Three handouts are ideal for distribution to students. See Handout 3A: College planning: How to get started; Handout 3B: A planning list for parents of ninth- and tenth-graders; Handout 3C: College planning calendar for juniors; and Handout 3D: College planning calendar for seniors.

Overview The counselor’s role How counselors can learn about colleges Visits from college representatives Organizing a college fair Organizing a presentation on college majors Creating newsletters and handbooks Advising students on “fit” Working with parents Creating a list of colleges Resources for counselors Handouts

The counselor’s role Provide your students with the tools for researching colleges — books, Web sites, lists of resources.

■

Emphasize to your students that the first step in researching colleges is to examine their own interests, goals and plans for the future.

■

Communicate often with students and, if possible, with parents — through newsletters, e-mails and parent nights.

■


3-1

Chapter 3 Helping students research colleges

Conduct college fairs or participate in local fairs organized by other schools or organizations.

■

Distribute handouts and calendars that will help guide students along the college search.

■

Employ various means of learning as much as you can about the colleges to which many of your students will apply: Talk with the college representatives, study the college catalogs, observe the admissions process and take campus tours.

■

Include parents in the college search whenever possible.

■

How counselors can learn about colleges There are 3,800 accredited, degree-granting undergraduate institutions in the United States. In this Sourcebook, the word college refers to all of them, but there are important distinctions among the institutions. Here are some strategies to help you gather specific information about colleges that may interest your students: College tours. Most experienced counselors agree that the best way to familiarize yourself with a college is to make an inperson visit. In addition to contacting schools in your area to arrange a tour, you can ask college reps if their schools have counselor tour programs. Reps may not offer the information, but they should have it available if you ask. You can also check the Professional Development sections of the National Association for College Admission Counseling Web site (www.nacacnet.org, which has links to NACAC’s regional affiliate organizations). Note: Individual college Web sites are usually not a good source of information on campus tours.

■

Visits by college representatives and college fairs. You can make use of the resources your school provides for students to research colleges. Many counselors suggest that you sit in on as many college rep visits to your school as you can. Not only will you be able to assist students with information they missed or didn’t understand, you can help them distinguish between the marketing hype and the useful facts. College fairs also offer counselors (as well as students) the opportunity to talk to several reps in one night.

■

3-2



Counselor days/reverse college days. Some colleges and counseling organizations sponsor programs that bring the school counselors to the college rather than the college representatives to the high schools. Counselors spend the day at various colleges talking to admissions deans. New and experienced counselors often like these programs because you can learn about quirks in a specific college’s admissions requirements. Also, local colleges sometimes ask school counselors to sit in on a typical admissions session to observe how the application packet is reviewed.

■

Join NACAC’s electronic listserv. There, college admissions professionals and counselors post questions and discuss information related to the college admissions process. To read the purpose and ground rules of this listserv, and to sign up, go to www.nacacnet.org, and find “Professional Resources” and then “Elist.”

■

Visits from college representatives

Tip

College representatives will visit your school in the fall to meet with interested students. As more and more students apply to college early in their senior year, it is a good idea to allow juniors and even sophomores to meet with college reps so they can sail into their senior year having made a personal connection to some colleges. The reps meet with students in small-group sessions and discuss academic programs, campus life, financial aid and admissions procedures.

“I meet with every student every year (310 students). Many have special needs. For several years we have gone to the local community college and used computers there to research colleges — it’s an all-morning activity. And, of course, the college wants us there! This year the community college decided to bring its new mobile lab to our school. Every junior is required to participate. Of course, some students forget what they learned about colleges within a week, but for many, it’s a great way to start this exploration.”

If your students are interested in a college that does not traditionally have a rep visit your school, call the admissions office and ask if a visit can be scheduled. Colleges are eager to meet prospective applicants.

— Pat Rambo, Springfield High School, Pennsylvania


3-3


A counselor should be available, whenever possible, to greet the college rep. In a recent discussion on the NACAC listserv on the topic of whether college Web sites have reduced the need for college rep visits, many college representatives said not only did they value the visit, but a chief goal was to meet the counselors, and to create or perpetuate a relationship with them. Students should be encouraged to meet with a number of college representatives. Quite often, the rep will be a reader of their application, and putting a face to a name is always helpful. Students might decide a college is not right for them after the rep visit — that helps them better define the type of school they are looking for. If possible, sit in on the rep’s presentation. Often, students are shy, and the counselor can ease the tension by asking a few questions to get the discussion going. In addition, attending presentations is an excellent way to know what a college is really like. Be sure to get copies of recent materials from the rep to update your files. Make sure all college reps receive each of these items: A school profile

■

A college statistics list (colleges that students from your school have attended in recent years)

■

Your business card

■

Directions to other local high schools

■

Finally, make sure the representative feels welcome and appreciated. If possible, provide a quiet location in which they can meet with students (not the cafeteria during lunch). A convenient parking spot should be arranged if possible, and lunch or a snack should be provided if they are coming at midday. All of this can go a long way toward leaving reps with a positive impression of the school and its students. You and your students can prepare for a rep’s presentation. See Handout 3E: Questions to ask college representatives.

3-4



strategies for learning what colleges are really like “If at all possible, sit in on every college rep’s visit to your school.” — Steve DiPietro, former school counselor

“I go on college tours (usually the counselor pays the air fare, and the colleges provide transportation, housing and meals). And whenever I’m near a college, I take the student tour. If it’s a college my students are typically interested in, I contact the person in admissions who will be reading the applications from my school and talk with them.” — Peggy Hock, co-director of college counseling, Notre Dame High School, California

“Combine brief college visits with your family vacation plans. If you are on a tight budget over the summer, ask about an overnight stay in a dormitory. Many colleges will be happy to accommodate you and your family in return for an hour or two of your time.” — William Yarwood, Moorestown High School, New Jersey

“When I was a new counselor, I read the big college directories to learn about the colleges my kids had an interest in. And of course, I visited the local colleges.” — Pat Martin, head of the National Office for School Counselor Advocacy of the College Board and a former counselor

“It’s really important for counselors to visit colleges. They learn a lot about one college specifically, but they also learn about colleges in general, even from a single visit. And, of course, the bonding that occurs with the other counselors is of lasting value.” — Lynda Molyneaux, Central High School, Nebraska

“If there is a college that you need to learn more about because your students are applying or plan to apply there, call the admissions office and schedule a visit. You are all in the same business — they want to get to know counselors and prospective students.” — Susie Rusk, counselor coordinator, Washoe County School District, Nevada


3-5


Organizing a college fair A college fair features a variety of college reps who have traveled to a school or another location to meet with students and their parents. A school may conduct its own college fairs, collaborate with other local schools, or inform their students and parents of college fairs being hosted by the National Association of College Admission Counseling, which presents more than 50 college fairs throughout the nation (for a current list, go to www.nacacnet.org). In addition, corporations or other organizations in your area may sponsor college fairs that you can publicize to your students. Most fairs are evening events lasting several hours, although some are held during the day. Some schools hold fairs for seniors in the fall and fairs for juniors in the spring. State counseling organizations and some colleges now suggest collaborating with other high schools in your area and using the state counseling association to put together a college fair. This approach helps avoid conflicts with other fairs and ensures that more colleges will send reps. These suggestions for conducting a fair are from Jan Cannon, Maine Township High School, Illinois: Choose the date early. Counselors who hold their own college fairs suggest a lead time of nine months. (In January, choose the date for a mid-September fair.)

■

Work with your state counseling association and register your fair with NACAC to avoid conflicts with other key events. College reps schedule their lives in early summer. If you wait until the last minute to invite reps, you won’t get the college participation you would like.

■

Tip “In my experience, parents don’t read letters, but they read postcards. One important postcard I send has the dates and locations of all local college fairs. We mail that out early in the fall.” — Pat Rambo, Springfield High School, Pennsylvania

3-6

Coordinate scheduling with all other events and activities at your school. You’ll probably need to use the entire building for a fair at your school. Make sure there will be no athletic events, night classes or other extracurricular events during your fair. Careful planning ensures that you’ll have enough parking and enough room in the building.

■

Set up a budget immediately. Allow for table rental if you are planning on hosting the fair at your school. In many areas, it is standard to provide food and bottled water for the college reps. If your budget is tight, look for help from the community (e.g., from restaurants or caterers).

■



Before inviting colleges, determine how much space you have available. Remember that the more popular colleges might need a larger space (you might position them at the end of a row). Some may even request a separate room. Expect a response rate of approximately 75 percent.

■

Decide which colleges to invite. Include colleges in your immediate area, ones that have sent reps to your school, colleges you have visited and colleges that the students are applying to (you can survey students to see which colleges they are interested in learning more about).

■

Send invitations to colleges four months before the fair (end of May for the mid-September fair). Note that some colleges will send alumni rather than college staff. Your school must decide beforehand if this policy is acceptable. Some high schools allow alumni to represent colleges at their fairs, but others want only colleges that are willing to send employees. It is helpful to provide suggestions if you know that alumni are coming and to give them an idea of how many students they may see, so they will have enough materials to hand out.

■

When the college responds that it would like to participate in the fair, it usually sends the contact information for the rep who will attend; you can then communicate directly with the rep. Ask reps to come an hour early, so they can get a good parking spot and unload their materials. Have student volunteers on hand to help set up the tables.

■

Make announcements about the college fair at college planning nights in February and in your newsletter (if you issue one). Send a reminder to parents in June. Send formal invitations approximately three weeks before the event. (Postcards work well, too.) If you are collaborating with several schools, you might use other community resources (newsletters, marquee at the local arena, local newspaper) to get the word out.

■

Provide signage for colleges that don’t have proper identifying banners.

■

Tip “I devised an exercise that makes kids really investigate the schools they’re applying to. . . . I ask them to go through the entire catalog and viewbook of one college and describe a course, major, minor, club or special experience that is not available at any of the other colleges they’re considering. Some go as far as calling a department to speak with professors. (Obviously, those are the ones who’ll be looking at lots of fat envelopes in the spring.) I’m amazed at what they find, and I always learn something new about what the schools have to offer. ” — Marcia Rubenstein, Edufax.com


3-7


Have a guidebook/directory for families when they arrive. List each school and its location at the fair. Be sure to point out if a particular school is in its own room. Give a detailed description of each school, including size, location, religious affiliation (if any), most popular majors and mid-50 percent admission test. Distribute a list of suggested questions for the students and families to ask of the reps (you can use Handout 3E).

■

Provide an evaluation form so that college reps, students and families can give you feedback to use in planning the next fair.

■

A handout can help your students prepare for the fair. See Handout 3F: How to get the most out of a college fair: Tips for students from the Associated Colleges of the Midwest.

Organizing a presentation on college majors “Major Mania” is a program created by the counselors at Plano West Senior High School (Plano, Texas) to help students and parents get a better understanding of college majors. The program, held annually in the fall, begins with a 30-minute general assembly presentation covering the basics of selecting a major. After that, there are two breakout sessions, each 20 to 25 minutes long, with a five-minute break between them. This schedule gives students and parents the opportunity to attend presentations on two majors. Department heads from several universities are invited to give a presentation about the major. Presentations about each major cover the following information: academic strengths needed for success in the area of study

■

a list of courses required in the first two years of a typical program — such as general education courses and prerequisites for the major

■

the kinds of jobs the major frequently leads to, and with which types of companies or other employers (including government agencies) it is associated

■

employment forecast for graduates in the area of study

■

the variety of career paths that graduates in the major can pursue

■

personal experiences of the presenter that would be helpful to a student considering this major

■

3-8



Pat Clipp, director of guidance at Plano West, offers these tips for schools that might conduct similar events: Survey students to find out the majors in which they are most interested. Include others that students may be interested in but haven’t considered.

■

Research colleges in your area to determine which ones have programs for the majors you would like to include.

■

Include community colleges. They have excellent programs.

■

Query department heads at least six months before the program. Provide them with the type of information (listed above) to include in the presentation. Let them know how often they will be giving their presentations during the evening.

■

Determine the audiovisual requirements three months in advance.

■

If possible, open the program to the families of ninth- and 10th-graders as well. This will give them a head start on picking the right major and will help them choose high school courses wisely.

■

Prepare students by giving them a list of appropriate questions to ask the presenters.

■

Have students sign in at each session they attend to determine which majors attract the most interest.

■

Survey students, parents and presenters for their feedback.

■

Creating newsletters and handbooks Many schools create handbooks and newsletters as a means of informing students about college choice and college planning activities. A typical handbook includes: Information on the counselors and others in the counseling office and how to work with them.

■

A timetable for the college-choice process.

■

General college-choice information (how to research colleges).

■

College preparation: minimum requirements, requirements at selective colleges.

■

Tip “I make good use of viewbooks in advising activities. Early in the exploration process, I send a set of five to seven viewbooks, representing a range of college opportunities, to each junior-class advisory group. The students are divided into small groups, each of which is given a viewbook. They use it to answer a set of questions and then ‘market’ the college to the whole group. This activity seems to be effective at broadening horizons.” — Peggy Hock, co-director of college counseling, Notre Dame High School, California


3-9


College admissions policies: in general and for colleges frequently attended by your students.

■

College testing information.

■

Financial aid: explanation of need and of types of aid (scholarships, loans, work-study programs).

■

Key resources: useful Web sites and books.

■

Handbooks are updated annually; most run between 30 and 60 pages. Some schools prepare handbooks on special topics, including: Advice for student athletes.

■

Services for students with special needs (e.g., learning disabilities).

■

Parent information.

■

The college interview.

■

Tip “We publish a guidance newsletter each marking period. A four-page newsletter may not look as if it requires much effort, but you need to start several weeks before your deadline. I try to line up volunteer parents to fold and mail it. Bulk mailing is the way to go if money is tight, but you will get fewer complaints about delays if you can mail it firstclass. Moorestown was already communicating very effectively with e-mail and a Web site, so I wasn’t sure they’d want a newsletter. As it turns out, parents love it. They put it on their refrigerators and find it pretty useful.” — William Yarwood, Moorestown High School, New Jersey

3-10

Applying to highly selective colleges.

■

The transition to college.

■

Many counseling offices also issue newsletters. Some are geared to students, others to parents. Newsletters for parents are generally mailed home, whereas newsletters for students are distributed in homerooms or classrooms. A typical newsletter is two to eight pages and covers topics such as: Important upcoming events.

■

Local scholarship information and deadlines.

■

Detailed information on tests and test preparation.

■

Dates and times of visits from college reps.

■

Dates and times of local college and financial aid events.

■

Information on avoiding scholarship scams.

■

Tips for preparing a high school résumé (list of activities, interests and special circumstances).

■

Tips for preparing the personal essay or statement.

■

Guidelines on planning college visits.

■

Deadlines for key points in the application process (e.g., when requests for recommendations must be in the counseling office).

■

National and school award announcements.

■

Recognition of outstanding student achievement.

■



Summer programs, camps, internships.

■

News about outstanding alums or kids in college.

■

If your guidance office has limited resources (time, money), consider piggybacking college counseling information on the school’s general newsletter or working with another department that issues newsletters. You can also distribute handouts on these topics.

Advising students on “fit” If possible, talk with your students about the importance of finding a college that is right for them, where the goals and personality of the student are well matched with those of the college. Although there are probably many colleges that a student would find acceptable, applicants who think first about who they are and what they want from college are more likely to choose a school that is right for them. Counselors should discourage students from creating lists of colleges that their parents or friends attended, or that the publishers of college directories deem the best. The most important thing you should convey to students is that they need to reflect on who they are and what their goals are. About rankings: Help your students understand that those who rank colleges use certain criteria — endowment, student-faculty ratio, admit rate and other measurable factors. But these factors may have little or no significance to an individual student. Students should realize that no ranked list of colleges can indicate which college is best for them. Experienced counselor Dorothy Coppock develops an awareness of her students’ goals this way: “First I ask students what is important to them — major, activities, types of students they want to be with, what they’ve enjoyed. The key thing is to start the discussion with what interests them — instead of starting the discussion with colleges. I usually ask an open-ended question about their parents’ education. If the student says, ‘My dad went to Harvard and my mom to Yale,’ there’s a message there for me. I know this family will have high expectations.

Tip “E-mail communication can be cumbersome at large schools. We use the Web site for all announcements of college visits, scholarship information and all forms and newsletters.” — Carlene Riccelli, Amherst Regional High School, Massachusetts

Tip “If you give students a list of useful Web sites, be sure to devote some time each summer to updating that list. Not only will many sites have new Web addresses and new features, but some sites go from good to bad, and you will not want to direct your students to those. It takes another counselor and me many hours during the summer to update our list of Web sites.” — Kathy Dingler, Rich East High School, Illinois


3-11


“I spend a whole period having this conversation. I insist on meeting first with the student alone, no parents. Then I send a letter to parents saying that I’ve met with their child and this is what she said was important to her.” Several handouts are designed to help students think carefully about their long-term plans and their dreams, and to assist them in choosing the college that will best help them achieve their goals. See Handout 3E: Questions to ask college representatives; Handout 3G: How to make the most of a college interview; Handout 3H: College questionnaire for students; and Handout 3I: Assessing your list of colleges.

My College QuickStart™ is an easy-to-use, online, personalized college and career planning kit available free of charge to all students who take the PSAT/NMSQT. This useful tool incorporates student responses that were provided when they took the test, and it presents their data back to them in four main parts: My Online Score Report

■

My SAT Study Plan™

■

My College Matches

■

My Major & Career Matches

■

3-12



Working with parents Most counselors will need strategies for working with parents at every point on the spectrum of awareness of college requirements. Some parents will need to be encouraged to view their children as college material and to support them in the course work they choose; others will have high expectations for their children and may have goals for their children that do not mesh with their offspring’s own goals and talents. Because college requirements change frequently and because many colleges have higher requirements than they did when your seniors’ parents were in college, you may need to educate parents about the current competition for space in selective and even in-state institutions. “Most schools are a little more selective than they were maybe 10 years ago,” says Joan Isaac-Mohr, vice president and dean of admissions at Quinnipiac University in Connecticut. Colleges are receiving more applications than in the past, and experts predict that applications will continue to rise more quickly than openings at most colleges through 2010. The result is more pressure for students and parents going through the application process.

Explain admissions factors To help parents develop a more realistic view of how their child matches up with other applicants at a college, you can explain some of the factors that selective colleges consider in making admissions decisions: courses taken

■

ethnicity

■

geographic location

■

grade point average

■

alumnus relationship (if any)

■

rank in class

■

activities outside the classroom

■

major/college applied to

■

admission-test results

■

special talents and skills

■

At Cary Academy, counselors ask students and parents to fill out brief questionnaires that describe the parents’ and the students’ ideas about College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved.

3-13


Tip “In the college-choice process, there is some degree of mediation between what the student wants and what the parents desire. It’s important to help parents understand what is realistic and whether the student is a good candidate for a particular school. Often, students are more open to accepting the truth than the parents are. It’s good to use historical data from the college to show the student what that college has decided with students of a similar background. Directories that show acceptance rates and mid50 percent test scores are helpful. It is best to wait until the fall of senior year to discuss this, because things can change over the summer between junior and senior years.” — Teri Tippitt, The Kinkaid School, Texas

college and to return both to the counselors before the counselors’ first meeting with juniors. The questionnaires included in the handouts for this chapter can be used for this purpose. See Handout 3J: College questionnaire for parents or guardians. (At Cary Academy, completed forms are due in January — that way the family can work on them over the holiday break.) Among the benefits, says counselor Susan Staggers, is that “sometimes this is the first time the parents realize that their child is going to leave home.” The key thing is to urge students, when applying and when dealing with acceptance letters, to focus on their own interests and goals and to choose the college that is the best fit. See Handout 3K: Tips for parents on finding a college match.

Creating a list of colleges Early in their senior year, students should prepare a list of colleges to which they are going to apply. Students are filing more applications now than 10 years ago, and with good reason: The cohort of 18-yearolds will continue to grow until about 2010, so competition for space in colleges is often fierce. Students should have on their list: One or two safety colleges: colleges to which they will almost certainly be admitted.

■

Some “probables”: colleges where their GPA, test scores and other features look very similar to those of recent entering classes.

■

A reach (or two): colleges where they meet the criteria for admission but may not have the stellar qualifications of most first-year students.

■

“I still tell students to have safeties, ‘likelies,’ and a reach college on their list, but they don’t listen. Most students think they will be the exception. But parents listen.” That’s the experience of Nadine Maxwell, former coordinator of guidance services for Fairfax County Public Schools, Virginia. Students (and parents) can use college guidebooks to assess the statistics of first-year students at a number of colleges and can compare their grades, course work, test scores and other features with those of applicants who have been admitted. 3-14



The last handout in this chapter provides a useful listing of Web sites and printed materials. See Handout 3L: College resources for students and families.

Resources for counselors Web sites Campus Tours. www.ecampustours.com The College Board. www.collegeboard.com National Association for College Admission Counseling. www.nacacnet.org

Tip “I use ‘peer college counselors’ to get college information out. I train juniors and seniors to help in this capacity. Teachers are willing to let them make announcements in class. When kids hear information from other kids, they take it seriously.” — Eileen Doctorow, North Hollywood High School, California


3-15


Title

Description A one-pager that will jump-start selfassessment and provide a road map to the process; good for juniors or seniors.

3A

College planning: How to get started

3B

Ideal handout for the parents; covers A planning list for parents of ninth- and the basics of getting on and staying on a 10th-graders college-bound course.

3C

College planning calendar for juniors

Detailed, chronological listing of college-search tasks; useful for students and parents.

College planning calendar for seniors

Detailed, chronological listing of college-search tasks; useful for students and parents.

3E

Questions to ask college representatives

Helpful for students preparing for a rep’s visit to your school, or preparing for a college interview.

3F

How to get the most out of a college fair: Tips for students from Associated Colleges of the Midwest

Includes questions to ask and follow-up dos and don’ts.

3G

How to make the most of a college interview

Have on hand in counseling office for students preparing for an interview.

College questionnaire for students

Detailed form that students can complete before a one-on-one planning meeting with you.

3D

3H

continued on next page


3-17

Chapter 3 handouts (page 2) Number

Description

Assessing your list of colleges

For students who have compiled a list of colleges that interest them and now must hone in on their preferences.

3J

College questionnaire for parents or guardians

Ideal for parents to complete in winter of student’s junior year; you should review the information before you meet with a student alone or when you meet with a student and parents for an initial discussion of college choices.

3K

Tips for parents on finding a college match

Useful in promoting communication between parents and child.

3L

College resources for students and families

Lists reputable publications and Web sites for general college information and financial aid information.

3I

3-18

Title


Students

TITLE College planning: How to get started TITLE Get started. Assess your strengths, weaknesses, goals, passions, learning style and social skills. What is most important to you in the college-search process? What do you hope to gain from the process? Make some basic decisions. Where do you want to live? Will you go to college full-time? Part-time? Do you want to attend a single-sex school, a technical college, a public or private college, a large university, a small liberal arts college, or a historically black or religiously affiliated college? How important to you is the cultural/ideological diversity of the student body? Enlist help. Who do you want to assist you in this process (parents, teachers, siblings, relatives, friends)? Consult references. Look at college directories (College Board College Handbook, Barron’s, Peterson’s) and use college searches (www.collegeboard.com). Talk with your teachers and your school counselor about your dreams and goals. Discuss your plans with your parents. Ask for their advice. Meet with college representatives when they visit the school. The guidance office will post information on upcoming visits. Have questions ready. Visit campuses every chance you get. Take a tour, meet with an admissions representative and ask students what they think of the college. Source: Amherst Regional High School, Massachusetts


Parents

A planning TITLE list for parents of TITLE ninth- and 10th-graders It may seem early to start thinking about getting your child ready for college, but it really isn’t — important groundwork should take place in ninth and 10th grade. Here’s a list to help you make sure your child is on the right track: Grade 9 1. Create a four-year high school plan. Once your child is settled into ninth grade, introduce the idea of preparing an overall plan for high school that relates to his or her goals. ■ Make sure you and your child know what high school courses are required by colleges, and that your child’s ninth-grade courses are on the right track. ■ Map out when these courses should be taken. ■ Familiarize yourself with the various levels of courses offered by your child’s school. 2. Start your child thinking about careers. Encourage your child to develop a tentative career goal. Of course it will change — often — but it’s the thought process that counts. ■ Help your child to identify interests — likes and dislikes — not just in academics but in all areas. This will help your child focus on goals. ■ Encourage your child to discuss career options with others, such as the school counselor, teachers, recent college graduates who are working, professionals in the community, etc. 3. Suggest extracurricular activities. Encourage your child to actively take part in a sport, school club, music or drama group, or community volunteer activity. ■ Remember that colleges would rather see real involvement in one activity than a loose connection to several activities. ■ If your child may want to play sports in college, research the National College Athletic Association eligibility requirements. The NCAA requires completion of certain core courses; you can find the specifics at www.ncaaclearinghouse.net. 4. Meet with the school counselor. The school counselor knows how to help your child get the most out of high school. Make sure your child has an opportunity during the school year to discuss post-high-school plans with the school counselor. ■ You should participate in this meeting, too. 5. Save for college. It’s still not too late to start a college savings plan, if you haven’t already. Every little bit helps! ■ Investigate state financial aid programs and 529 plans. 6. Obtain a social security number for your child if you don’t already have one. This is often required for applications, testing, scholarships and other opportunities. Handout 3B page 1 of 2 College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

A planning list for parents of ninth- and 10th-graders (page 2) Grade 10 1. Meet with the school counselor — again. Make sure your child meets with his or her school counselor to ensure that he or she is enrolled in college-preparatory courses. ■ Check to see that your child is taking any prerequisites to advanced-level junior- and senior-year courses. 2. Ask if the PSAT/NMSQT® is offered to 10th-graders. While this test is usually taken in the 11th grade, it is also often offered in the 10th. That’s because it provides invaluable feedback on the Student Score Report; 10th-graders can then work on any disclosed academic weaknesses while there is still ample time to improve them. 3. Is your child interested in attending a U.S. military academy? If so, he or she should request a precandidate questionnaire and complete it. 4. Attend college and career fairs. These often take place in the fall, at your school or in your area. 5. Support your child’s participation in a school activity or volunteer effort. Extracurricular activities help students develop time-management skills and enrich the school experience. 6. Tour college campuses. If possible, take advantage of vacation or other family travel opportunities to visit colleges and see what they’re like. ■ Even if there is no interest in attending the college you are visiting, it will help your child learn what to look for in a college. Source: The College Board

Handout 3B page 2 of 2 College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

Students

TITLE College planning calendar for juniors TITLE Fall Start with you: Make lists of your abilities, social/cultural preferences and personal qualities. List things you may want to study and do in college. Learn about colleges. Look at their Web sites (www.collegeboard.com has links). Talk to friends, family, teachers and recent grads of your school now in college. List college features that interest you. Resource check: Visit the counseling office and meet the counselors there. Is there a college night for students and families? When will college representatives visit your school? (Put the dates in your calendar.) Examine catalogs and guides. At school, sign up early to take the PSAT/NMSQT®, which is given in October. If you plan to ask for testing accommodations (because of a disability), be sure your eligibility is approved by the College Board. Check with your school counselor. Make a file to manage your college search, testing and application data. If appropriate (for example, if you’re interested in drama, music, art, sports, etc.), start to gather material for a portfolio. With your family, start to learn about financial aid. Read the Department of Education’s Funding Your Education (about federal aid programs). Use Getting Financial Aid published by the College Board and the financial aid calculator at www.collegeboard.com to estimate how much aid you might receive. Winter Make a family appointment with your counselor to discuss ways to improve your collegepreparation and selection processes. Sign up to take college admission tests (e.g., the SAT) at least once in the spring and again next fall. Register online or through your school. Fee waivers are available for students with financial need. To prepare, download practice booklets from admission test Web sites. Begin a search for financial aid sources. National sources include the College Board Scholarship Handbook and electronic sources. Don’t overlook local and state aid sources (ask a counselor or check your public library).

Handout 3C page 1 of 2 College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

College planning calendar for juniors (page 2) Ask a counselor or teacher about taking the SAT Subject Tests™ in the spring. You should take them while course material is still fresh in your mind. You can download “Taking the SAT Subject Tests,” which offers test-prep advice, from www.collegeboard.com. If you’re in Advanced Placement Program® (AP®) classes, register for AP Exams, given in May. You can earn college credit for courses not given in the AP Program by taking CLEP® tests at a college test center. See www.collegeboard.com to learn more. Spring Visit some local colleges — large, small, public and private. Get a feel for what works for you. Attend college fairs, too. Scan local newspapers to see which civic, cultural and service organizations in your area award financial aid to graduating seniors. Start a file. Develop a list of 15 or 20 colleges that attract you. Request viewbooks and information about financial aid and academic programs that interest you. Visit some colleges over your spring break. If you are considering military academies or ROTC scholarships, contact your counselor before leaving school for the summer. If you want a four-year ROTC scholarship, you should begin the application process the summer before your senior year. Summer If you are an athlete planning to continue playing a sport in college, register with the NCAA Eligibility Center (www.ncaaclearinghouse.net). Find a full-time or part-time job, or participate in a camp or summer college program. Visit colleges. Take campus tours and, at colleges you’re serious about, make appointments to have interviews with admissions counselors. Create a résumé — a record of accomplishments, activities and work experiences since you started high school. Download applications (or request paper copies) from colleges to which you’ll apply. Check application dates — large universities may have early dates or rolling admissions. Source: The College Board


Students

TITLE College planning calendar for seniors TITLE September Narrow your list of colleges to 5 to 10. Meet with a counselor about them and, if you’ve not yet done so, download college applications and financial aid forms. Plan to visit as many of these colleges as possible.

■

Create a master list or calendar that includes:

■

■ tests you’ll take and their fees, dates and registration deadlines. ■ college application due dates. ■ financial aid application forms required and their deadlines. (Note: Aid applications may be due before college applications.) ■ other materials you’ll need (recommendations, transcripts, etc.). ■ your high school’s own application processing deadlines. If you can’t afford application or test fees, a counselor can help you request a fee waiver.

■

If you have not had your test scores sent to the college to which you are applying, be sure to contact the appropriate test organization to have your scores sent.

■

October Try to finalize your college choices.

■

Prepare Early Decision, Early Action or rolling admissions applications as soon as possible.

■

Ask for counselor or teacher recommendations if you need them. Give each teacher or counselor an outline of your academic record and your extracurricular activities. For each recommendation, provide a stamped, addressed envelope and any college forms required.

■

If you’re submitting essays, write first drafts and ask teachers and others to read them. If you’re applying for Early Decision, finish the essays for that application now.

■

If you have not had your test scores sent to the college to which you are applying, be sure to contact the appropriate test organization to have them sent.

■

November November 1-15: For Early Decision admissions, colleges may require test scores and applications between these dates.

■

Complete at least one college application by Thanksgiving.

■

Counselors send transcripts to colleges. Give counselors the proper forms at least two weeks before colleges require them.

■

Handout 3D page 1 of 2 College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

College planning calendar for seniors (page 2) December As you finish and send your applications and essays, be sure to keep copies.

■

If your college wants to see seventh-semester grades, be sure to give the form to your counselor.

■

January If you apply to colleges online, be sure to have your high school send a transcript — it goes to colleges separately, and by mail.

■

February No senioritis, please! Accepting colleges do look at second-semester senior grades.

■

March Keep active in school. If you are wait-listed, the college will want to know what you have accomplished between the time you applied and learned of its decision.

■

April You should receive acceptance letters and financial aid offers by mid-April. If you’ve not done so yet, visit your final college before accepting. As soon as you decide, notify your counselor of your choice.

■

If you have questions about housing offers, talk to your counselor or call the college.

■

May May 1: Colleges cannot require a deposit or commitment to attend before May 1. By that postmarked date, you must inform every college of your acceptance or rejection of the offer of admission and/or financial aid. (Questions? Talk to your counselor.)

■

Send your deposit to one college only.

■

Wait-listed by a college? If you will enroll if accepted, tell the admissions director your intent and ask how to strengthen your application. Need financial aid? Ask whether funds will be available if you’re accepted.

■

Work with a counselor to resolve any admissions or financial aid problems.

■

June Ask your high school to send a final transcript to your college.

■

Source: The College Board


Students

TITLE Questions to ask college representatives TITLE College reps, as well as college students, admissions counselors and faculty, genuinely enjoy talking to high school students. They like to share their ideas about their college, and they all appreciate students who have thought about the college and want to know more than is in the course catalog, in the viewbook, or on the Web site. They like thoughtful questions, and their answers can help you make a good college match. Ask questions of interest to you in the following categories: Students How would you characterize the majority of students?

■

From what economic background are the majority of students?

■

Are there clubs, activities or housing that are minority related?

■

What do students like most about the college? Like least?

■

Has the student government made any real contribution to the school? How do you get into student government?

■

What political, social or academic issues concerned students last year? How did the administration react? What was the resolution?

■

Social life and campus activities What do students do for fun?

■

What is the role of fraternities and sororities on campus? If I didn’t want to join, could I have a satisfactory social life?

■

What are the dominant social groups on campus? Do the groups get along with one another? Have there been any problems?

■

What role do team sports play in the social life of the college? What happens on football or basketball weekends? If I didn’t want to join in, would I find kindred spirits?

■

Is there a good balance of academics, social life and extracurricular activities?

■

What were the social or cultural highlights last year?

■

What is the role of the campus newspaper?

■

Is there an alcohol problem and, if so, how is the college handling it? What is the incidence of binge drinking? Do students feel safe on campus?

■

Campus facilities Housing and dining ■ Is there something I should know about housing that would help me in my choice? ■ What are the types of food plans? All you can eat? Vegetarian? Kosher? Handout 3E page 1 of 2 College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

Questions to ask college representatives (page 2) Activity centers and athletic and recreational facilities ■ What kinds of facilities does the student center have? Is it a magnet for student activities? Are there other hangouts? ■ Do you think the college pays attention to its appearance? ■ How would you rate the fitness center? Health, career counseling, special student services and security ■ Is there a doctor, nurse, psychologist or career counselor on campus? What is the waiting period for appointments? ■ Is the office for special services adequate to the demand? ■ How good is the security on campus? Library ■ What have been students’ experiences with the library? Have there been complaints? ■ Is the library well equipped with computers and copy machines? The community off campus What is there to do in town? How would I get there?

■

Academics and faculty What is distinctive about education here? What is the educational philosophy of the college? Has it changed much in recent years?

■

Is the honor code working? How widespread is cheating?

■

What is the most popular major on campus? Why?

■

Do you think that students are generally enthusiastic about their classes? Do people talk about their courses outside of class?

■

How would you characterize the academic pressure and workload?

■

Are there research possibilities with the faculty? In what areas?

■

What are the strengths and weaknesses of the advising system?

■

What is the quality of student and faculty relationships? Is the faculty interested in and accessible to students after class? Do faculty members participate in student activities?

■

Are curriculum changes in the works? How will that affect my college years?

■

Are any departments being cut back or discontinued? If so, why?

■

Are any new programs scheduled for the next four years?

■

Source: Adapted from Campus Visits & College Interviews by Zola Dincin Schneider (College Board, 2002). This book has many more questions you might ask of college representatives, plus chapters on every aspect of the interview and campus visit. Handout 3E page 2 of 2 College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

Students

How to get the most out of a college fair: TITLE Tips for students TITLE from the Associated Colleges of the Midwest Going to a college fair Take along a pen and a small notebook.

■

Take a bag to carry the brochures you pick up.

■

Print out some address labels with your name, address, phone number, e-mail address, high school and year of graduation. Spend your time at the college tables asking questions, not filling out contact cards!

■

When you arrive, check out the floor plan and find out where the tables for your top-choice colleges are located so you can go directly to them.

■

Write your most important questions down in advance so you don’t forget them.

■

Check on whether any information sessions, such as financial aid, are being offered. Interested? Budget your time accordingly.

■

Jot down notes about a college while your memory is fresh, such as right after visiting the table.

■

Pick up the business cards of any representatives you talk to, so you can contact them if you have any more questions.

■

After you get home Make a point of going through the materials and your notes within one week after the fair. You’ll probably remember more about your conversations with college representatives while the memories from the fair are still fresh.

■

Follow up with any college that interests you by contacting the admissions office to ask further questions, and, if possible, plan a visit to the campus.

■

Source: Associated Colleges of the Midwest (www.acm.edu)

Handout 3F College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

Students

TITLE How to make the most of a college interview TITLE The interview is primarily for you to learn about the college and to allow the interviewer to learn about you. Use it as a tool to assist your college selection. The interview can have a positive effect on your admission — rarely a negative one.

■

When you schedule an interview, check to see if it is evaluative (used as a factor in admissions decisions) or informational (used in helping an applicant learn more about the college). Knowing the purpose will help you prepare for the interview. In most cases, even if the interview is evaluative, it is not one of the most important criteria used by the college. Relax and be yourself!

■

Your interview will usually be with an admissions staff member, but it may be with a student, alumnus or a professional interviewer. Keep this person’s perspective in mind. Don’t write off the college just because you think you had a bad interview. Interviewers have bad days, too.

■

The interviewer is eager to get to know you and is almost always on your side. An experienced person knows that you may be new at interviewing and will try to put you at ease. The interviewer will answer your questions but will be more interested if you have helpful questions that show you’ve done some research on the college already.

■

An important part of preparation is self-assessment. In what kind of environment do you work best? Would you take advantage of class discussions or would you rather learn by the lecture method? Know your rank, your test scores and your present areas of interest. If you are undecided about your career, feel free to say so (half of college students change their intended major). You should, however, recognize that you are going to college primarily to learn. Think through some areas you would like to explore, competencies you would like to develop and projects or situations that intrigue you.

■

Don’t go unprepared. Do your homework about the school to get the obvious questions answered. You don’t want to be silent when asked, “What would you like to know about our college?” Questions or comments like, “What if I can’t decide between two majors?” “What kinds of internships are there, and how often do students take them?” or “I’ve liked art, but don’t wish to major in it” show more maturity in your thinking than asking about the number of books in the college library.

■

Interviewers may ask questions about your interests, extracurricular activities/jobs, books you’ve read, meaningful experiences, reasons for applying to this college, life at school and similar topics. Be ready to talk about these subjects.

■

Be honest. Everyone has strong and weak points. College will help you with some of the latter and promote the former.

■

Handout 3G page 1 of 2 College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

How to make the most of a college interview (page 2) Plan to have your interview alone. Most admissions officers prefer to speak with your parents after talking with you, rather than during the interview.

■

Dress neatly and comfortably.

■

When you return home, write a thank-you note to the person who interviewed you.

■

Source: Adapted from material prepared by Gloria Mueller, Glenbrook High School, Illinois


Students

TITLE College questionnaire for students TITLE Name of student: 1. Do you want to be: able to come home in an hour or so every weekend? able to come home in a half-day’s drive? able to come home only on vacations? 2. Do you have a geographical preference? Southeast

Northwest

Southwest

Midwest

West Coast

Northeast

3. Do you prefer certain states? If so, list them.

4. Which do you prefer?

Large city

Suburb

Small town

5. Do you have a sense of what size college/university might suit you best? If so, please indicate below.

6. Do you think you know what you want to study in college? If you checked “yes,” what is your intended area of study?

Yes

No

7. Are there any other general preferences you have at this point? Fraternities and sororities? No frats or sororities? Colder climate? Warmer climate? Other?

Handout 3H page 1 of 4 College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

College questionnaire for students (page 2) Questions About You The following questions can help you focus the college selection and admissions process where it belongs — on you! An honest and thoughtful self-evaluation can reveal what you should look for in the colleges. It will also prepare you for statements you will be asked to make about yourself on essays and, perhaps, in interviews when you apply to colleges. Please answer the questions on a separate piece of paper and attach it to the questionnaire. There are, of course, no right or wrong answers. Your Goals and Values 1. What aspects of your high school years have you enjoyed the most? If you could live them over again, would you do anything differently? If so, what?

2. What values are most important to you? What do you care about most?

3. How do you define success? Are you satisfied with your accomplishments to date? What do you want to accomplish in the years ahead?

4. What kind of person would you like to become? Of your unique gifts and strengths, which would you most like to develop?

5. If you had a year to go anywhere and do whatever you wanted, where would you go and what would you do?


Students

College questionnaire for students (page 3)

6. What events/experiences have shaped your growth and way of thinking?

Your Education 1. What are your academic interests? Which courses have you enjoyed the most and which have been the most difficult for you?

2. What do you choose to learn when you can learn on your own? Consider interests pursued beyond class assignments: topics chosen for research papers, independent projects, reading on your own, job or volunteer work, etc.

3. How do you learn best? What methods and styles of teaching engage your interest and effort the most?

4. How would you describe your high school? Has the environment encouraged you to develop your interests, talents and abilities? What would you preserve and/or change about the school if you had the authority and money to do so?

5. What has been your most stimulating intellectual experience in recent years?


College questionnaire for students (page 4) Your Personality and Relationships with Others 1. How would someone who knows you well describe you? Your finest qualities? Your most conspicuous shortcomings? How have you grown or changed during your high school years thus far?

2. Which relationships are most important to you and why? Describe the people whom you consider your best friends, your best critics, your best advocates.

3. How do you make decisions for yourself? What are the best decisions you have made recently? How much do you rely on direction or advice from others?

Source: Susan Staggers, Cary Academy, North Carolina


Students

Assessing your list of colleges As you develop a list (mental or otherwise) of colleges that interest you, be sure you can answer these questions about them. The basics Where is the college? Can you locate it on a map? Is it too close to home? Is it too far? Is it too cold or too hot there?

■

Have you taken the course work the college requires for admission?

■

What size is the college? How many students are undergraduates?

■

What is the college’s selectivity ratio (what proportion of applicants were admitted last year)?

■

Does the college offer majors that interest you?

■

Is the college coed or single sex?

■

What percentage of students live off campus?

■

How many of the students graduate in four years? Five years? Six years?

■

How many first-year students return for their sophomore year?

■

How much does the program cost? What is the total per-year expense?

■

What type of financial aid is available?

■

Where would you fit in? What are the admission test scores at the colleges that interest you? Where does that place you?

■

What were the high school GPAs of most of the freshmen last year?

■

Are freshmen guaranteed on-campus housing? If not, where do they live?

■

Are there extracurricular activities that interest you?

■

Visit the colleges’ Web sites, read the guidebooks and look at their literature What are their strong academic programs? (Ask a college representative, students, graduates and teachers.)

■

What courses are required for graduation?

■

Are the courses you need/want available each semester? At convenient times?

■

Are there special programs that interest you (study abroad, internships, etc.)?

■

What is the social life like? What percentage of students join fraternities or sororities?

■

Do the pictures and the language the college uses to describe itself attract you?

■

What is your general impression of the college?

■

Handout 3I page 1 of 2 College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

Assessing your list of colleges (page 2)

Is the school accredited?

■

If professional certification is required for employment in the field that interests you, how many students enrolled in the school’s program pass the certification exam?

■

Admissions process When are applications due?

■

Does the college accept the Common Application? If so, does it require supplemental forms?

■

What does the application contain? Are essays required?

■

Is an interview suggested or required? Is an interview available from staff or alumni?

■

When may you visit the college? What is its policy regarding campus visits?

■

What are the financial aid deadlines? What financial aid forms are required?

■

Now answer these questions Am I a strong candidate for admission to this college?

■

If I am not a strong candidate, what are my chances?

■

Do I want to visit this college?

■

What additional information do I need?

■



Parents

TITLE College questionnaire for parentsTITLE or guardians Name of Student: _______________________________________________________________

1. Do you have a preference for how far from home your child’s college is located? 2. Do you have a preference for an urban, suburban or small-town campus? 3. Indicate any preferences you have for the location of your child’s college: Southeast

Midwest

Southwest

Northeast

West Coast

No preference

Northwest 4. Do you have a specific preference for: a public college/university?

a private college/university?

a college with a religious affiliation?

no preference

5. Please list specific colleges/universities you would like your child to learn about.

6. What particular area of study interests your child?

Handout 3J page 1 of 2 College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

College questionnaire for parents or guardians (page 2)

7. How do you view your child’s actual academic progress so far?

8. What do you believe are your child’s strengths in applying for college? a. Academic strengths:

b. Other strengths:

9. You are invited to write a letter to the college counselor describing your child, specifically narrating events or anecdotes that characterize or illustrate your child’s personality. What would you like us to know about your son or daughter? What experiences have shaped his or her personality? What makes your child special? Are there special circumstances you would like the college adviser to know about that would help with the college search? What do you hope your child will gain from the college experience?

Parent/Guardian Name(s):_ ____________________________________ Date: _______________ _____________________________________________________________________________ Source: Susan Staggers, Cary Academy, North Carolina

Handout 3J page 2 of 2 College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

Parents

TITLE Tips for parents on finding a college match TITLE How can your child find colleges that match specific needs? First, identify priorities. Next, carefully research the characteristics of a range of schools. Finally, match the two. Here are some college characteristics to consider. Size of student body Size will affect many of your child’s opportunities and experiences: range of academic majors offered

■

extracurricular possibilities

■

amount of personal attention your child will receive

■

number of academic resources (e.g., books in the library)

■

In considering size, your child should look beyond the raw number of students attending. For example, perhaps your child’s considering a small department within a large school. Your child should investigate not just the number of faculty members, but also their accessibility to students. Location Does your child want to visit home frequently, or is this a time to experience a new part of the country? Perhaps an urban environment is preferred, with access to museums, ethnic food or major league ball games. Or maybe it’s easy access to the outdoors or the serenity of a small town. Academic programs If your child has decided on a field of study, your child can research the reputations of academic departments by talking to people in the field of interest. If your child is undecided, as many students are, your child may want to choose an academically balanced institution that offers a range of majors and programs. Students normally don’t pick a major until their sophomore year, and those students who know their major before they go to college are very likely to change their minds. Most colleges offer counseling to help students find a focus. In considering academic programs, your child should look for special opportunities and pick a school that offers a number of possibilities.

Handout 3K page 1 of 2 College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

Tips for parents on finding a college match (page 2)

Campus life Your child should consider what college life will be like beyond the classroom. Students have to maintain a balance between academics, activities and social life. Before choosing a college, your child should learn the answers to these questions: What extracurricular activities, athletics, clubs and organizations are available?

■

Does the community around the college offer interesting outlets for students?

■

Are students welcomed by the community?

■

Is there an ethnic or religious group in which to take part?

■

How do fraternities and sororities influence campus life?

■

Is housing guaranteed?

■

How are dorms assigned?

■

Cost In considering cost, look beyond the price tag. For most students, today’s college costs make finances an important consideration. At the same time, most colleges work to ensure that academically qualified students from every economic circumstance can find financial aid that allows them to attend. Diversity Your child should explore what can be gained from a diverse student body. The geographic, ethnic, racial and religious diversity of the students can help students learn more about the world. Investigate which student organizations or other groups with ethnic or religious foundations are active and visible on campus. Retention and graduation rates One of the best ways to measure a school’s quality and the satisfaction of its students is to learn the percentage of students who return after the first year and the percentage of entering students who go on to graduate. Comparatively good retention and graduation rates indicate that responsible academic, social and financial support systems exist for most students. Source: www.collegeboard.com

Handout 3K page 2 of 2 College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

Students

TITLE College resources for students and families TITLE General Web sites Campus Tours: Virtual College Tours. Virtual tours with still pictures and descriptions, webcams, campus maps and videos of hundreds of colleges throughout the United States. Provides a first look at colleges. www.campustours.com. The College Board. A complete site, with college and scholarship searches, information about the SAT® and SAT Subject Tests™, and other material pertaining to the college search and application process. Easy-to-use college search feature. www.collegeboard.com. Collegiate Choice Walking Tours Videos. A site run by a group of independent counselors in New Jersey who offer videos of walking tours of more than 350 colleges, providing “an unedited recording of an actual student-guided campus tour offered at that college.” www.collegiatechoice.com. eCampusTours.com. Virtual tours of colleges. Useful for its 360-degree views of dorm rooms and other buildings. www.ecampustours.com. NCAA Eligibility Center. Official NCAA Web site that gives details of student-eligibility requirements to play NCAA sports. Watch this site for changes in eligibility; students can print the “Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete.” www.ncaaclearinghouse.net. Peterson’s Education Portal. An all-purpose site including a college search, as well as information about summer programs, summer camps and jobs. The site asks you to register before using some of the search engines and other resources, but there is no registration fee. There is a charge for some of the services provided. www.petersons.com. U.S. Department of Education. The federal government’s Web site is easy to use and an excellent source of information on financial aid, much of it in Spanish as well as English. www.ed.gov.

Financial aid Web sites The College Board. Has a scholarship search, a loan calculator and an online application form for the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE® form, which is required by some colleges. www.collegeboard.com. FAFSA on the Web. The Web site for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. This form must be submitted in the senior year (after January 1 and by June 30) for families applying for need-based aid. Students may complete it electronically at this site. www.fafsa.ed.gov. FastWeb. Extensive information on merit- and need-based scholarships and aid. www.fastweb.com. FinAid! Good site for information about types of financial aid and applying for financial aid. www.finaid.org.

Handout 3L page 1 of 2 College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

College resources for students and families (page 2)

Books Comprehensive objective directories Barron’s Profiles of American Colleges. New York: Barron’s Educational Series, Inc. Updated every two years. The College Board College Handbook. New York: The College Board. Published annually. Peterson’s Guide to Four-Year Colleges. Princeton, NJ: Peterson’s Guides. Published annually. Peterson’s Guide to Two-Year Colleges. Princeton, NJ: Peterson’s Guides. Published annually. Subjective guides Fiske, Edward, and Robert Logue (contributor). The Fiske Guide to Colleges. Naperville, Ill.: Sourcebooks Trade. Updated annually. Greene, Howard, and Matthew W. Greene. Greene’s Guide to Educational Planning: The Public Ivies. New York: HarperCollins, 2001. Greene, Howard R., and Matthew W. Greene. The Hidden Ivies: Thirty Colleges of Excellence. New York: HarperCollins, 2000. Pope, Loren. Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools You Should Know About Even If You’re Not a Straight-A Student. New York: Penguin, 2006. Staff of Yale Daily News. The Insider’s Guide to the Colleges. New York: St. Martin’s Press. Updated annually. Specialized topics Aaron, Scott. Jewish U: A Contemporary Guide for the Jewish College Student. New York: Urj Press, 2002 College Board Book of Majors. New York: The College Board. Published annually. Detailed descriptions, written by professors, of more than 180 popular majors, plus lists of 900 majors and the colleges that offer them. Getting Financial Aid. New York: The College Board. Published annually. Mathews, Jay. Harvard Schmarvard: Getting Beyond the Ivy League to the College That Is Best For You. New York: Prima Publishing, 2003. Good insights on the college choice process from the education columnist for the Washington Post. Nelson Reference. Nelson’s Complete Guide to Colleges & Universities for Christians. 2002. Princeton Review et al. (eds.). The Hillel Guide to Jewish Life on Campus. 14th ed. New York: Random House Information Group, 1999. Princeton Review et al. (eds.). K&W Guide to Colleges for Students with Learning Disabilities or Attention Deficit Disorder. 8th ed. New York: Random House Information Group, 2005. Schoem, David. College Knowledge: 101 Tips for the College-Bound Student. University of Michigan Press, 2005. Practical advice on how to become engaged in college intellectual and cultural life. Windmeyer, Shane L. The Advocate College Guide for LGBT Students. Boston: Alyson Publications, 2006.


Chapter 4 The college application process Overview


This chapter, which describes each component of the college application process, focuses on the counselor’s role in preparing and submitting the application form and related materials to colleges. No matter what your school’s policy regarding responsibility for processing applications, you will have some involvement in helping students apply to college. Counselors should advise students on how many colleges to apply to; three to eight is typical. If you multiply the number of college-bound seniors in your school by an average of five colleges for each student, you will get a sense of the paper that can flow through your office. The typical application includes the following materials:

Overview The counselor’s role Different approaches to handling applications The application form The transcript The school profile Test scores Other components of the application

the application form

Early Decision (ED) and Early Action (EA)

the transcript and the school profile

Resources

standardized test scores

Handouts

■ ■ ■

recommendations (see Chapter 5)

■

essays (see Chapter 6)

■

supporting documents (if needed)

■

The counselor’s role Acquainting yourself with the counselor’s main tasks in the application process can make your work easier: Be familiar with the application process (forms, related materials, and other requirements) of the colleges that are popular with your students.

■


4-1

Chapter 4 The college application process

Develop calendars and procedures to keep your students on task during the application process.

■

Create a school profile that effectively describes your school to admissions personnel (see pages 4-8 and 4-9).

■

Learn the application procedures for students who hope to play National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) sports. (See Chapter 10: Counseling student athletes, for detailed information on this.)

■

Explain to teachers the purposes of teacher recommendations and application essays (see Chapters 5 and 6); assist teachers in writing meaningful recommendations; give teachers useful advice on helping students prepare their essays.

■

Tip “For many students, planning for college may be their first experience with an application and selection process. As adviser, you must not view your role as merely that of arming students with information; you must acknowledge your responsibility as a teacher of skills that will help the students negotiate a process. Selfawareness, research, following directions, meeting deadlines, preparing high-quality documents and making decisions are fundamental skills needed across a life span. Do not assume that the skills are well developed in adolescents or adults.” — From Counseling for College by Eileen R. Matthay

4-2

Different approaches to handling applications Schools have a number of approaches to marshaling all the pieces of the application from their students to the colleges. Here are the three most common approaches: 1. The school mails all the materials to the colleges (except official reports of standardized test scores, which must always be sent by the testing agency). 2. The school mails the transcript only; the student is responsible for sending the other materials. 3. The school mails the transcript, recommendations and school profile and/or secondary school report; the student is responsible for sending the other materials. Some schools feel that with the increasing popularity of electronic applications, a division of labor in the application process makes sense: Students handle their part and the school does the rest. Counseling offices may review application materials fully before sending them, but most do not have the resources to do so. Many include a postcard with the school’s address for the colleges to return, indicating that the institution received the materials. Generally, schools ask students to give them two or three weeks of lead time to process their part of the application — whether they are responsible for sending all the documents or only the transcript. Two handouts for students will be useful. One can serve as both a reminder and a record of the process, and the other provides step-by-step instructions



covering the basics. See Handout 4A: College application checklist and Handout 4B: Tips for undertaking the application process.

For the task of sending application materials to the college, some schools ask students to supply large envelopes with adequate postage; other schools charge a flat fee for each application processed (one school charges $5). Many schools charge for sending transcripts — for example, some schools charge $1 or $2 per transcript; at other schools, the first five are sent for free, and each additional transcript costs $2; at still other schools, the first three are sent for free, and additional ones are $1.50 each. The transcript charge covers the cost of sending midyear reports and final transcripts as well.

The application form Counselors should be very familiar with the applications and requirements of the colleges attended by the majority of their students. Many colleges update their applications over the summer and have current versions by September (if not earlier). Most colleges now have downloadable (PDF) versions of their applications online, and downloading the forms is probably the fastest and easiest way for you and your students to obtain them. If you or your students want paper copies, they can be obtained by calling or writing to the college admissions office. In Cary Academy’s student information brochure, it says that “the actual application normally runs from two to six pages, depending on the information the school requests and the number and types of essays it requires. At larger universities and at many regional state or public universities, the application is purely factual, asking only for biographical information, addresses and other statistics. Statesupported universities also ask for certification of address and other residency information. A college with personalized admissions (e.g., where staff review each application carefully) is more likely to have a longer application and to request a more detailed list of activities and involvements.” A college may have different applications for different types of students (Early Decision, for example) or for different colleges within the university (College of Engineering, College of Architecture); students should be sure they complete the right application.


4-3


A handout provides useful information on the process from two experienced counselors. See Handout 4C: College application FAQs: Students ask, counselors answer.

Online applications Most colleges are getting the majority of their applications online. Colleges prefer online applications as they cut down on processing time, but colleges do not give preference to applicants who apply online. There are pros and cons to online applications. First, the pros: Some colleges waive the fee for online applications. An online application is processed more quickly than a paper application — sometimes more than a month sooner than the paper application. (On the other hand, the college has to wait to accurately match to the application the test scores, school transcript and letters of recommendation — items that might accompany a paper application.)

■

Many online applications have electronic checks that ensure that the student has provided all mandatory data. If a paper application is missing mandatory information, processing of the application can be delayed by weeks.

■

There is no problem reading the text in an online application, whereas handwriting can pose challenges for even the most experienced admissions committees.

■

Tip “In the fall I give all juniors and their parents a copy of the Common Application. I think that it helps to see the kind of information required for applications and, also, the detailed information required on school report and teacher evaluation forms.” — Linda Mays Jones, Jefferson County International Baccalaureate School, Alabama

4-4

On the downside, students sometimes apply electronically without having someone review their work and, even more problematically, fail to alert the guidance office about each college to which they have applied electronically so that transcripts and recommendations can be sent. See Handout 4H: Online Application: Dos and Don’ts; this will help students avoid the pitfalls of online applications.

The Common Application The Common Application, sponsored by the National Association of Secondary School Principals, is currently accepted by nearly 350 postsecondary institutions, some of which use this form exclusively. Member colleges of the Common Application group encourage the use of the form and make no distinction between its use and the use of the college’s own form when making admissions decisions.



One advantage of the Common Application is that it need be completed only once; photocopies or additional printouts may be sent to any number of participating colleges. The same is true of the school report and the teacher evaluation portions (those sections are automatically printed with the application). Some member colleges of the Common Application group do require supplemental forms. Students should research whether the colleges to which they are applying need such a form in addition to the Common Application. The Common Application can be obtained through the mail or by downloading it from www.commonapp.org. It may also be filled out online.

State and other universal applications Many states and large college systems have their own “common” applications. These can save you and your students time. The Universal College Application (www.universalcollegeapp.com) is accepted by more than 80 colleges. See Handout 4D: Some typical admissions policies.

The transcript Grades in academic subjects are the single best predictor of success in college, and colleges look for evidence that the student has undertaken rigorous course work. The transcript must clearly indicate AP, IB or honors course, as these are key indicators of rigorous course work. So for most students, the transcript is the most important document in the college application process. Do what you can to ensure that the names of courses are clear to colleges. You don’t want a college admissions committee wondering why a student took “Youth Conflict” in his senior year instead of English, when that happens to be the name of the English class he took.

GPAs Most colleges recalculate GPAs. In her monograph Admissions DecisionMaking Models, Gretchen Rigol explains: Because there is no uniformity in the way high schools calculate a student’s overall grade point average (GPA), many institutions recalculate the GPA. In some cases, the GPAs are “weighted,” with extra points being given for honors or Advanced Placement courses. In other cases, the GPAs are all “unweighted,” with all courses treated equally and no extra points given for more challenging courses. Some institutions simply count the number of honors, AP, IB and other advanced-level courses. And still others simply

Tip “A lot of times, students don’t list their part-time job in their résumé or in their applications. I point out that a parttime job explains a lot to a college admissions committee: It teaches you time management and responsibility — things colleges value.” — Anne Heinzeroth, Director, Upward Bound, St. Francis College, Pennsylvania


4-5


reorganize the transcript information so that it’s easy to see coverage by subject and/or trends over the student’s school career. . . . Although labor intensive, this customization helps institutions evaluate all applicants on a similar basis. It also has the advantage of making the information easily available for use in other forms, such as in an academic index and for placement reports for individual applicants, and for general summaries of the preparation of the applicant pool as a whole.

Transcripts and the law (FERPA) Tip “We have a Student/ Parent Authorization Form for Release of School Documents that must be completed by all students and signed by them and their parents. We hand it out in early September and keep it on file for the year. We also require students to complete an application-processing information list, which asks for the names of colleges to which the students are applying, the application deadline, whether they are applying Early Decision or Early Action, and whether we need to send unofficial test scores to the college.  There is also a space for my secretary to note when our materials were sent, when the transcript acknowledgment postcard was returned, and what the eventual admission decision was.” — Tina Segalla-Grant, St. Margaret’s-McTernan School, Connecticut

4-6

Be sure to follow the law in releasing transcripts. Richard Rainsberger has written a book about the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), passed in 1974. According to Rainsberger, transcripts cannot be released to a “third party” (colleges or scholarship programs) without a written request from a student who is 18 or older, or from a parent in the case of students under age 18. Your school should have a method of distributing and then collecting release forms so that your office can send transcripts to colleges. Schools need to send a midyear report in January, and a final transcript to the student’s selected college. Some schools have parents and students sign a form that authorizes release of documents, waives the rights to see recommendations, and asks them to acknowledge their understanding of school policies. Here is the language used on a Student/Parent Authorization form used by a private school and signed by all students and parents: I authorize the release of my school transcript and other relevant school records to the colleges and universities to which I will apply.

■

I understand that teacher and counselor recommendations are confidential documents and hereby waive access to them.

■

I understand that it is the policy of (name of school) to inform colleges of serious disciplinary matters (i.e., those resulting in probation, out-of-school suspension, or dismissal) and authorize the release of that information.

■

I acknowledge my obligation to be honest with my college counselor and with the colleges to which I am applying.

■

You might include some or all of these statements on your document release form.



A transcript release form is included in the handout section. See Handout 4E: Transcript release form. A FERPA overview is included in Appendix A.

Transcripts for student athletes Students planning to play NCAA Division I and II sports must meet eligibility requirements and must have their transcripts released through the NCAA Eligibility Center. Students must register on the NCAA Eligibility Center Web site after the completion of their junior year in high school. At this time, a transcript, which includes six semesters of grades, should be sent to the center from the high school. (Note: The NCAA transcript release form is not required by the NCAA. It is provided as a resource to schools that do not have their own process for leasing the transcript.) Additionally, students should have their admission test scores forwarded directly to the center whenever they take the exam. Each high school must assign a staff person to update the school’s list of approved core courses and to submit transcripts to the NCAA. For information, go to www.ncaaclearinghouse.net and read the material under “High School Administration.” (See Chapter 10 for more information on working with student athletes.)

The school profile The school profile is the document that describes your school to colleges and that helps admissions staff put student transcripts in context. You should update your school profile annually, and while it’s a good idea to post it on your school’s Web site, you should enclose a copy with every application: Many college admissions staff read applications at home or while traveling and need your school profile in the folder. The chart “Components of a Typical School Profile” on the next page outlines what a profile should contain.

Tip “If you have questions about FERPA, e-mail the Family Policy Compliance Office at [email protected]. They are prompt and thorough in responding to queries.” — Scott White, Montclair High School, Montclair, New Jersey


4-7


Components of a typical school profile The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) publishes Guidelines for Designing a School Profile ($5 for members) that includes numerous examples of school profiles. Here are the components of a school profile as outlined in that guide. 1. School and Community Facts 1.1 Name, address and telephone number of school

4. Recent College Admissions Test Scores

1.2 Type of school (public, private boarding, etc.) 1.3 Grades or school years included 1.4 Total enrollment and size of 12th grade (if private, give criteria for admission) 1.5 Six-digit College Board and/or ACT code number 1.6 Accreditation or license 1.7 Pattern of the school year (semester, trimester, quarter, etc.) 1.8 Brief description of the school community 1.9 Web address 1.10 Directions to school 1.11 Visitation policies 2. The Staff 2.1 Name of principal/headmaster 2.2 Name of the director of guidance 2.3 Names of counselors (area of responsibility, if applicable) 2.4 Appropriate phone and fax numbers and e-mail addresses

Tables should show in summary: 4.1 Percent of students taking admission tests 4.2 Score bands reflecting middle range of scores on the tests mentioned in 4.1

5. Further Schooling of Graduates

This can be adequately presented by a table showing the percent of graduates in the last two or three years who have enrolled in various types of postsecondary educational institutions.

6. Special Curriculum Features 6.1 Honors course, AP offerings, college study, etc., and coding used to identify level of difficulty 6.2 Independent and off-campus study 6.3 Other special features of the curriculum 7. Other Information About the Curriculum 7.1 Complete program of studies with credit values, or 7.2 Courses grouped by subject designations, or 7.3 Unusual characteristics of particular instructional areas or individual courses 7.4 Interpretation of computerized abbreviations 7.5 Special recognition of school or programs

3. Marking and Related Procedures 3.1 The marking/grading system 3.2 Method of computing GPA and class rank (if computed) 3.3 Grade weighting policy, if employed 3.4 Policy on reporting class rank to colleges 3.5 Graduation requirements 3.6 Exceptions, if any, that may be made to these procedures — e.g., special education students, ESL, not in rank Reprinted with the permission of NACAC.

4-8



Format of a school profile Here are some suggestions from colleges on what the profile should look like (from discussion on the NACAC listserv): Make sure your six-digit College Board and/or ACT code is clearly indicated.

■

Many colleges scan profiles for their imaging systems, so make sure that there is high contrast between ink and background color — preferably light background and dark ink. Dark backgrounds and low contrast do not image well.

■

The profile should be 8.5 x 11 inches — either a single sheet or folded. Ideally, it should have no odd-size folds at the top or side.

■

Test scores Colleges require official score results. Results are sent directly from the testing organizations. Some schools include copies of test results in the application packet in order to give an unofficial glimpse of a student’s test scores, but these are indeed unofficial. Students can arrange for the scores to be sent to a certain number of colleges when they take standardized admission tests. Most schools make it the student’s responsibility to have test scores sent, by the deadline, to the colleges to which they are applying. The College Board recently introduced Score Choice™ for SAT® and SAT Subject Test scores. This program gives students the option to choose which scores they send to colleges. For information, go to www.collegeboard.com. Remember: If your transcripts contain other test scores, you need to secure permission to release them on the transcripts you are sending to colleges.

Other components of the application Recommendations and essays These components of the application are covered in Chapters 5 and 6 of this sourcebook. Your counseling office should have a policy covering whose responsibility it is to gather teacher recommendations

Tip “We include the names and addresses of nearby schools on our school profile because it encourages colleges to visit us too.” — Kathy Dingler, Rich East High School, Illinois


4-9


Tip “I write one letter of recommendation for each student. I have a school-generated ‘school report form’ that is a composite of all the forms I have seen. I attach our school report form and my narrative to the college’s form — this helps the colleges see that we have sent the proper documentation. I do not fill out checklists that evaluate students — that’s the college’s job.” — Carlene Riccelli, Amherst Regional High School, Massachusetts

Tip “When students sign the original release to send transcripts and recommendations to colleges, the form also states that they are requesting a midyear report. This saves time and covers our responsibility to get a signature release.” — Carlene Riccelli, Amherst Regional High School, Massachusetts

4-10

on time; while it should be the student’s responsibility, schools that mail all parts of the application sometimes find that students assume that the office will follow up with teachers to obtain their recommendations on time. Colleges report that applicant files are more often marked as complete in the tracking system and moved along for review in a timely fashion when recommendations and the secondary school reports come in one mailing with the transcript.

Secondary school report form Many colleges include a secondary school report form with their application, for the counselor’s use in providing a recommendation and other pertinent information about a student. The form often requests information on which classes are included in the GPA, what is weighted, which courses were taken in each grade, and so on. Some counselors fill out the colleges’ individual forms, but many have created their own standard school report, providing the information requested by most colleges, and submit that to all colleges.

Midyear report Most colleges require a midyear report, which reflects senior grades at the end of the first semester or second trimester. This is not an official transcript, but it can help admissions officers reach a decision about a student. It is also required of the students who have already been accepted. Some schools use a form that NACAC has developed, which can be found on www.nacacnet.org; others create their own form. (If you develop your own, be sure it is clearly labeled “Midyear report.”) Some schools send a midyear report to every college to which a student has applied; others ask the students to tell them which colleges require a midyear report; still others ask students to let them know which colleges do not require the report. You may want to calculate rank and GPA at this time and put the information on the form, but doing so slows down the mailing of the forms.

Portfolio/audition Some colleges accept a portfolio — of a student’s paintings, poems, or other creative work — for admission. Students who are musicians or dramatic artists may need to audition. College Web sites will tell students whether auditions are required either for admission or for a



scholarship. It’s important to be aware of the deadlines for auditions, which may be different from application deadlines.

Supplemental information Sometimes, students wish to include supplemental information in their application, in order to strengthen their chance for admission. Advise students that the supplemental information must illuminate something that is not covered in any other part of the application, and not simply add bulk to the application. An extra recommendation may add an important dimension; a short letter may help explain a dip in grades or other weaknesses in the school record. Students should ask the college admissions staff if it will accept supplemental materials: Some simply will not, and the student should abide by that policy.

Early Decision (ED) and Early Action (EA) At almost any meeting of school counselors, Early Decision and Early Action are topics of discussion, and at almost every one of these discussions, a counselor tells of the student who announces (usually in September): “I don’t know where I want to go to college, but I know I need to apply for Early Decision!” Early Decision and Early Action plans can be beneficial to students — but only to those who have thought through their college options carefully and have a clear preference for one institution. The student who expresses both uncertainty about college choice and the necessity to be an ED candidate is probably either misinformed about ED or under peer (or perhaps parental) pressure. For students who don’t understand that ED represents a commitment on the part of applicants and their families, the handout on application ethics will be helpful. See Handout 4F: Application ethics: What students need to consider.

Early Decision plans are binding — a student who is accepted as an ED applicant must attend the college. Early Action plans are nonbinding — students receive an early response to their application but do not have to commit to the college until the normal reply date of May 1. However, colleges have developed a variety of riffs on these plans. If any of your students are considering an early plan, find out how the program works at the colleges to which they will College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved.

4-11


be applying. A college’s Web site is a good source of information on the school’s interpretation of the plans. Students, too, must research and understand the policy at the colleges they would like to attend. Colleges may change their ED or EA policies, so students should always use current information. Students who apply under ED are avowing that the college is their top choice and that they will attend if admitted. More and more students, aware that at some colleges many applicants are admitted under an early plan, feel that they, too, should apply early to increase their chances of acceptance. You must emphasize to these candidates that an ED application is binding and should not be made solely in an effort to maximize their likelihood of admission. Handout 4G: Should you apply under an Early Decision program? can help students decide whether early plans are right for them. Handout 4H: Dos and Don’ts of online application.

Some Early Decision application forms require a counselor’s signature, and some include forms that parents or guardians are required to sign. When you, as a counselor, sign, you are averring that the student is filing only one Early Decision application. Parents who sign should also understand what they are affirming. Colleges take such declarations very seriously.

Resources Books Matthay, Eileen R. Counseling for College. Princeton, NJ: Peterson’s Guides, 1991. Out of print, but an excellent resource for college counseling.

Rainsberger, Richard. FERPA and Secondary Education. Washington, DC: AACRAO and NACAC, 1997. A useful reference when dealing with issues concerning the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974.

Rigol, Gretchen W. Admissions Decision-Making Models. New York: The College Board, 2003. Using college admissions professionals as the primary source, this book looks at how postsecondary institutions make admissions decisions.

4-12



Title

Brief Description

4A

College application checklist

Provides structure for students’ record keeping of documents, interviews, etc.

4B

Tips for undertaking the application process

Helpful advice for students early in their senior year.

4C

College application FAQs: Students ask, counselors answer

Offers advice to students from two experienced counselors.

4D

Some typical admissions policies

Brief descriptions of rolling admissions, early action and other common admissions policies.

4E

Transcript release form

Convenient way to obtain permission from parent/guardian.

4F

Application ethics: What students need to consider

Highlights some common ethical lapses; good for students and families.

4G

Should you apply under an Early Decision program?

Lays out the pros and cons of ED; suitable for juniors and seniors.

4H

Online application dos and don’ts

Helpful list of things to avoid, and be sure to do, when filing online.


4-13

Students

TITLE College application checklist TITLE Use this checklist to help you stay on top of your application tasks, paperwork and deadlines. College 1 Application Checklist

College 2

College 3

 

 

Applications Request info/application forms

 

 

 

Regular application deadline

 

 

 

Early application deadline

 

 

 

Request high school transcript sent

 

 

 

Request midyear grade reports sent

 

 

 

Send test scores (e.g., SAT)

 

 

 

Send SAT Subject Test scores

 

 

 

Send AP ® scores

 

 

 

Request recommendations

 

 

 

Send thank-you notes

 

 

 

Write essay(s)

 

 

 

Proof essay(s) for spelling and grammar

 

 

 

Have two people read essay(s)

 

 

 

Interview at college

 

 

 

Alumni interview

 

 

 

Send thank-you note(s) to interviewer(s)

 

 

 

Grades

Test Scores

Letters of Recommendation

Essays

Interviews

Handout 4A page 1 of 2 College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

College application checklist (page 2) College 1 Application Checklist

College 2

College 3

 

 

Send and Track Your Application Make copies of all application materials

 

 

 

Apply online

 

 

 

Include application fee

 

 

 

Sign application

 

 

 

Confirm receipt of application materials

 

 

 

Send supplemental material, if needed

 

 

 

Priority financial aid deadline

 

 

 

Regular financial aid deadline

 

 

 

Mail FAFSA

 

 

 

Submit CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE®, if needed

 

 

 

Mail institutional aid form, if needed

 

 

 

Mail state aid form, if needed

 

 

 

Receive admissions letter

 

 

 

Receive financial aid award letter

 

 

 

Send deposit

 

 

 

Send final transcript

 

 

 

Financial Aid Forms

After You Send Your Application



Students

TITLE Tips for undertaking the application process TITLE Getting started Set up a folder for each application. Keep all material relevant to each college in its own folder.

■

If you are filing online applications, be sure to save drafts to a disk.

■

Review all application materials as they arrive. Set up a schedule for completing them. Completing applications is not much fun, and you may be inclined to put off this task as long as you can. Procrastination is risky. There is a lot to do, especially if you have several essays to write. You may not do the application (and yourself) justice if you leave it until the last minute. Remember: Leave enough time for correcting and revising.

■

Make two or more copies of the whole application to use as rough drafts and extras in case you make a serious error and ruin the original.

■

Completing the application process Review the application and its directions completely before you start to work on it.

■

Work on your rough draft in pencil so that you can make changes easily.

■

Be accurate, honest and neat. Spell correctly and use correct grammar.

■

It may be better to type the factual sections of your application form, though typing is not required. If you believe you can do a neat, legible and accurate job completing it by hand, go ahead. Be sure to print legibly in ink. Black ink is preferred because it photocopies clearly.

■

If possible, type your essay question responses.

■

At your request, the College Board and ACT send the official records of your test scores directly to the colleges. Do not send a photocopy of your own test score report unless requested to do so. Sometimes, a college accepts a photocopy as a means of obtaining preliminary information, but it will need the official report to make an offer of admission.

■

When you have completed your application, ask someone to review it and check it for errors. Keep a blank copy on hand in case you need to redo the application.

■

If you are applying electronically, print a copy of the completed application before you send it. Your counselor will be happy to look it over before you push the “send” button.

■

If you file an online application, be sure to tell your counselor when you have submitted the application and which materials the school needs to send to the college (such as recommendations or the transcript).

■


Tips for undertaking the application process (page 2) Tips for online applicants Make sure a person whose opinion you trust reviews the application for errors before you send it.

■

Use standard spelling and grammar — not e-mail-ese: Treat this like a paper application.

■

Spell your name the same way on the online application and on other components that are sent via mail; this will help the colleges match the components of your application in a timely way.

■

Have your test scores sent to the colleges to which you are applying, if you haven’t already.

■

Print out a paper copy for your records.

■

Do not apply electronically and send a paper copy in the mail: Wait for confirmation that the electronic copy was received (you should get that within three or four days, if not sooner).

■

Tell your counselor of every online application you send, so he or she can send transcripts and letters of recommendation.

■



Students

TITLE College application FAQs: Students ask, TITLE counselors answer Do I have a better chance of getting in if I apply early? This can vary from school to school and year to year and may depend on the applicant pool at the school to which you are applying. Check to see what percentage of students in the previous graduating classes at your high school were admitted as Early Decision to a specific college. Are you qualified to apply for Early Decision? If you are, and this is a school you really wish to attend, then apply for Early Decision. How much time should I give my teachers to write letters of recommendation for me? Teachers should always receive a minimum of two weeks’ notice before the postmark date. Be sure to ask in a way that allows a teacher to decline comfortably if he or she does not have time to do an adequate job. For example: “Do you feel you know me well enough, and do you have enough time, to write a supportive letter of recommendation for me?” Give the teacher a stamped envelope addressed to the college, along with any recommendation form provided by the college. How many times should I take the SAT®? Some students are satisfied with their SAT scores the first time they take the test. Students who have taken the PSAT/NMSQT® more than once may feel well prepared for the SAT and take it only once. Most students will take the SAT in the spring of their junior year and the fall of their senior year. Some students will take it three times. My SAT scores are very low, and my grades are very high. Will this affect my chances of admission? While SAT scores are an indicator of success in college, admissions staff look at many different factors when making a decision about whether to admit a student. One of the main things they are looking for is to see if your high school academic profile indicates that you have the potential for academic success on their campus. What kind of courses have you taken? Have you taken rigorous courses such as honors or AP® courses? Have you taken AP Exams so that there are scores to indicate how you may perform in a college-level course? My parents don’t make a lot of money — will colleges hold this against me? Colleges should tell you whether they have a “need-blind” admissions policy. Those that do never consider ability to pay as an admissions requirement. Other schools, which are “need conscious,” may consider ability to pay, but only for a very small proportion of the admitted group. My advice is always: Don’t worry about this. Handout 4C page 1 of 2 College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

College application FAQs: Students ask, counselors answer (page 2) How can I improve my chances of getting in from the wait list? If a college is your first choice, let the college know that — although the college may not ask for this information. Write a letter to the director of admissions expressing your continuing strong interest and updating the admissions office with any new information that enhances you. In addition, you may wish to ask your counselor to make a call on your behalf. Many colleges keep track of these kinds of contacts, and students who are enthusiastic and persistent will get looked at first. Colleges want to admit students off the wait list who will accept the offer of admission. Do colleges really care about your senior-year grades? Absolutely! Many colleges will not make a decision until receiving seventh-semester grades. They expect to see a performance that indicates you are ready for college-level work. The college at which you make your enrollment deposit will ask for a final transcript at the end of the senior year. (Admissions letters often say something like, “Your admission is contingent upon your continued successful performance.”) It is not at all rare for a college to withdraw an offer of admission when grades drop significantly over the course of the senior year. (I have a folder full of copies of these letters.) Answers provided by Mary Lee Hoganson, a former counselor at Homewood-Flossmoor High School, Illinois, and Nadine K. Maxwell, a former coordinator of guidance services for Fairfax County Public Schools, Virginia. Source: The College Board


Students

TITLE Some typical admissions policies TITLE Early Action Students who apply under a college’s Early Action plan receive a decision before the standard response date but are not required to accept an offer of admission or to make a deposit prior to May 1. Most Early Action deadlines are in November, December or January, with notification some weeks later. Approximately 200 colleges have Early Action plans. Students should be sure to read the college policy carefully. Some colleges have “single choice Early Action” plans. In these plans, colleges place some restrictions on the applicant’s right to make applications to other Early Decision or Early Action plans. Early Decision Students who apply under Early Decision commit to enroll at the college if they are admitted and offered a satisfactory financial aid package. Application deadlines are usually in mid-November, with a mid- to late-December notification date. Approximately 230 colleges have an Early Decision plan. Some colleges have both an Early Decision and an Early Action plan. Open Admissions Under this policy, a college admits students without regard to conventional academic qualifications, such as taking appropriate high school subjects and receiving suitable high school grades and admission-test scores. Virtually all applicants with high school diplomas or the equivalent are accepted. Most community colleges practice open admissions, although many have requirements for certain programs — for example, nursing. Rolling Admissions In this frequently used procedure, a college considers each student’s application as soon as all the required credentials, such as school record and test scores, have been received. The college usually notifies an applicant of its decision without delay. At many colleges, rolling admissions allow for early notification and work much like nonbinding Early Action programs. Candidates Reply Date Agreement A college subscribing to this agreement does not require applicants offered admission as first-year students to notify the college of their decision to attend (or to accept an offer of financial aid) before May 1 of the year the applicants apply. The purpose of the agreement is to give students time to hear from all the colleges to which they have applied before having to make a commitment to any of them. Source: The College Board Handout 4D College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

Students

TITLE Transcript release form TITLE I hereby give permission for my son’s/daughter’s transcript of academic work undertaken at ________________________________________________ (school) to be sent to colleges, universities or scholarship programs to which he/she is applying. It is the student’s responsibility to notify the counseling office of those colleges and programs for which a transcript is needed and to do so at least three (3) weeks before the due date at the college, university, or scholarship program. Student name:__________________________________________________________________ Parent/guardian name:___________________________________________________________ Parent/guardian signature:________________________________________________________ Date:_ _______________________________

College/scholarship

Student initials

Due date at college/ scholarship

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Handout 4E College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

Students

TITLEethics: Application TITLE What students need to consider In recent years, college admissions officers and college counselors have seen a growing number of students and parents who, in an attempt to manipulate the system in their favor, are crossing the boundary between helping ensure a desired outcome and taking inappropriate actions. The admissions process is not a game to be won at any cost. It is a complex process that demands a great deal of integrity on everyone’s part, especially the school’s. Here are some examples of what we consider crossing the boundary: Applying to binding Early Decision programs at more than one college or university. The whole point of a binding ED program is to make a contract: “If you accept me, I will withdraw all my other applications and attend your university.” Many colleges now require that the college adviser sign the application along with the student and parents. The school will not send transcripts to more than one ED school or to any other schools once a student has been admitted under a binding ED program.

■

Failing to withdraw your applications to other colleges when you have been admitted under a binding ED program. It isn’t fair to those colleges or to the students who have applied to them for you to continue in the process just to see what happens.

■

Attempting to gain release from an ED decision because you have changed your mind. The only acceptable reason for requesting release from your contract with your ED college is the inability to work out appropriate financial aid. You and your parents should discuss the cost factor when you are deciding whether to apply for ED in the first place.

■

Having someone else write or heavily edit your essays. When you sign an application, you are indicating it is your work. If it is not, then you may be subject to the school’s honor code.

■

Submitting deposits to more than one college. If you are admitted to a college that requires a deposit by May 1 and wait-listed at your favorite college, call the college that admitted you and discuss the matter before you send your check. Your counselor can advise you how to conduct this conversation and what the appropriate behavior is.

■

Stating an intended major that you have no intention of pursuing, because you think it might help your admission chances.

■

Inaccurately describing your activities and accomplishments. Putting things in the best light is one thing; fabrication is something else.

■

Stating to more than one college that it is your first choice.

■

Source: Adapted from material provided by Cary Academy, North Carolina


Students

Should youTITLE apply under an TITLEprogram? Early Decision What is Early Decision? Some colleges have an Early Decision (ED) plan. Under this plan, a student submits his or her credentials early (usually by Nov. 1 or Nov. 15) and signs a statement (binding) that he or she will accept the college’s offer of admission. Who should apply for Early Decision? Ideal candidates for ED should fit both of these profiles: You have researched colleges extensively (visited at least three or four) and are absolutely sure that College X is your first choice. If you are accepted under an Early Decision program, you have committed yourself to attending that college and must withdraw all other applications.

■

You meet or exceed the admissions profile of students at College X (i.e., your SAT® scores, GPA, and class rank should be comparable to students at College X). You should have completed one round of the SAT and SAT Subject Tests™ by October of your senior year. Some colleges, however, will accept November test scores if the scores are rushed to the admissions office. You have an academic record that has been consistently solid over time.

■

If you know that your senior-year grades will be much better than your grades in previous years, you may wish to apply under the regular admissions program and allow the college to evaluate your improvement. What are the advantages of Early Decision programs? Your application is reviewed early and you receive notification of your admissions status by Dec. 15. If you are accepted, you avoid having to complete other applications. Your application is reviewed against a smaller applicant pool. (However, it is usually a much stronger pool than the group of candidates for regular admissions.) What are the disadvantages of Early Decision programs? Obviously, you could be rejected early. And next April, when other students receive their acceptances, you may end up wondering, “Could I have been accepted to Y University?” You might change your mind, but you are bound by contract to attend College X.


Should you apply under an Early Decision program? (page 2) What are some of the mistakes students make in choosing to apply for Early Decision? applying to a college for ED when they have not researched/visited any other colleges

■

applying early to a college just to avoid the paperwork and stress

■

applying early because a friend is doing so

■

What about financial aid? When applying under an ED program, you fill out a preliminary financial aid form from the college. (Some colleges use the CSS Financial Aid/PROFILE® form available on the Internet at www.collegeboard.com.) You will be notified of your financial aid package at the time of your acceptance. The package will be determined by the college based on an assessment of your family’s economic needs. If financial aid is an essential factor for you in selecting a college, you may not wish to apply under an Early Decision program because you will not be able to compare your aid package with financial aid offers from other colleges. Questions Direct your questions about Early Decision programs to your college of choice. Institutions can and do vary in their implementation of early programs. There are also numerous Early Action programs, which are nonbinding. Contact the colleges about the regulations of each program, as they can vary widely. Source: Carlene Riccelli, Amherst Regional High School, Massachusetts


Students

Online application Dos and Don’ts Do create user names, PIN numbers and passwords that you’ll remember easily. Write them down and keep them in a safe place. Don’t treat an online application casually — it’s an important document that reflects on you. So never use “e-mail-ese” as if you were instant messaging. Don’t be too quick to click. Take your time, follow all directions and complete each step with care. Scroll each page from top to bottom and read every pop-up to be sure you don’t miss any information. Don’t forget to periodically save your work. You might get “timed out” if you don’t enter anything for a while (usually 30 minutes). If you need to take a break, use the save/log-out feature to store your application, then log back in. Don’t compose your essay or personal statement in the space allotted online. Draft (and redraft) these separately in a word-processing application, such as Microsoft Word, then copy and paste the final draft into the online application. Do print and save a hard copy of the completed application. Proofread it before you hit the “send” button — sometimes your information in text boxes can get cut off. Do ask someone else to review the application for errors before you send it. Two sets of eyes are always better than one. Do print and save a copy of the confirmation page that should appear after you submit the application, so that you’ll have a record of your application ID number. Do tell your school counselor about every online application you submit. Better yet, give your counselor a hard copy printout. This is critical because your application won’t be complete until your counselor forwards your transcript and any other material the college may require. Don’t apply online and then send a paper copy in the mail. That will just confuse things. Do call or e-mail the college if you haven’t received an e-mail confirmation of receipt within 48 hours. Online submissions do get lost occasionally (that’s why it’s so important to print and save). Don’t apply online the week before the application deadline. Because of high volume, application Web sites tend to get slow and cranky at this time. It’s also the most likely time for a system failure. If you’re up against the deadline, it’s safer to apply through the mail. Source: Get It Together for College. The College Board, 2008 Handout 4H College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

Chapter 5 Recommendations Overview


Letters of recommendation are read in conjunction with the student’s transcript, test scores and information provided by the student on the application. Recommendations from counselors and teachers can bring the student to life for the admissions committee. Usually, a college admissions office requires, for applicants, one of the following:

Overview

a letter of recommendation from a counselor; or

■

a letter of recommendation from a counselor and one from a teacher; or

■

a letter of recommendation from a counselor and two from teachers.

■

In addition, colleges may ask for a personal recommendation from someone not connected with the applicant’s school (e.g., an employer or a minister).

The counselor’s role Counselor recommendations Teacher recommendations How counselors and teachers obtain the information they need How students request recommendations Students’ right to see the recommendations Handouts

Recommendations can play a pivotal role in the application process. In particular, students with mediocre grades or low scores on college admissions tests can benefit from an honest presentation of their potential for success in college. A clearly written, informative assessment can go a long way in establishing the student’s credibility with the admissions office.

The counselor’s role There are several steps to take before you begin the recommendationwriting process: Understand the difference in function between the counselor recommendation and the teacher recommendation.

■

Educate teachers on how to write effective recommendations.

■


5-1

Chapter 5 Recommendations

Develop a way of obtaining information from your students — through questionnaires, one-on-one meetings or other techniques — so that you can write a complete, honest assessment.

■

Tip In junior year, we gather the following: a student questionnaire, a peer recommendation, a résumé and a parent letter. We ask each parent to tell us what they would like a college to know about their child. I may get a string of adjectives or a four-page letter, but it’s always invaluable, as is the peer letter, when it comes time to write recommendations. — Leigh Martin Lowe, Roland Country Day School, Maryland

Tip “I have my students write résumés at the end of ninth and 10th grade. By 11th grade, when it’s time for me to write recommendations, students may have forgotten some of their earlier accomplishments. I prefer a detailed list of information on the résumés: academic achievements, extracurricular activities, athletic preparation, participation in religious activities (if any) and community service.”

Establish procedures to ensure that students provide the information in time for you to meet college deadlines for submission.

■

If you need more information about the student, be prepared to ask teachers or the student’s parent or guardian.

Counselor recommendations Colleges expect assessments from counselors to provide an overview of the student — to discuss his or her academic, extracurricular and volunteer activities, and personal life if it is relevant. Two charts on the following pages, “Advice from a college admissions dean on the counselor recommendation” and “Letters of recommendation: Advice from the Minnesota Office of Higher Education,” should help you write effective recommendations.

Teacher recommendations As a counselor, you may have to emphasize to teachers the importance of the recommendation process and explain to them what colleges expect in an evaluation. You can point out the specific role of the teacher recommendation: It is intended, primarily, to convey the teacher’s classroom experiences with the student — to give colleges an idea of how the student is likely to perform academically. You can provide teachers with one or more of the handouts developed for them. See Handout 5A: Brief outline of a teacher recommendation, Handout 5B: Suggestions regarding teacher recommendations from Middlebury College, and Handout 5C: Teacher recommendations: What to say and how to say it. Handout 5D: Recommendation basics is a useful checklist for teachers and counselors.

— Linda Mays Jones, Jefferson County International Baccalaureate School, Alabama

5-2



Advice from a college admissions dean on the counselor recommendation Remember: The purpose of your recommendation is to help the admissions staff make an accurate, fair assessment of the applicant. DO

DON’T

• Support your points with examples and details.

• Underestimate the impact a compelling letter can have at selective colleges.

• Place the student in the context of the class or the school. • Help us understand your situation and how well you know the student — e.g., you have a very large counseling load; you are new to the school. • Address attitude/character as well as academic ability. • Address growth if you have known the student over a significant period of time. • Be candid and comprehensive; include negatives if you are comfortable doing so. • Explain any unusual circumstances that may have affected the student's performance (within your rights given confidentiality constraints). • If you don't know the student very well, state that fact, and explain the source of the information you used in writing your letter. • Keep your letters to one to two pages; a shorter, more specific letter is preferable to a long, general one. • Feel free to write a note to a specific college on a copy of a standard letter. • Proofread — be sure your pronouns are the same gender as the student. • Write legibly if handwriting a letter; make clear copies if photocopying a letter. • Attach your letter to the counselor evaluation form of the application; if your school has its own form, attach that as well. • Realize that the college accepts at face value what you say: Don’t be surprised if someone you support is admitted and someone for whom you wrote a less supportive letter is denied.

• List all the student’s activities or courses; that information is available elsewhere in the application. • Assume that high grades are sufficient for selective colleges to admit a student — most of their applicants have high grades. • Use the same paragraph or even the same sentence in more than one recommendation, unless you are doing so to provide a description of the school or the class; otherwise, the boilerplate approach hurts your credibility. • Comment on the student’s appearance. • Use one college’s name in the first paragraph and a different name in the closing paragraph.

• Be concerned if you prefer to ignore check boxes or if your school prohibits rating students • Realize that the counselor recommendation is sometimes used as a road map to in this way. Colleges will work interpret the transcript — if there are blunders on the transcript, address those in with what they receive. the letter. Other points to ponder • Students who can be most helped by a compelling recommendation include merit scholarship candidates at any college, borderline admissible candidates at any college, and competitive candidates at the most selective colleges. • Explain why you think a student is a good match for a particular college — and especially so for Early Decision candidates and for borderline candidates. • The more history your school has with a college, the more important your letters become. In sorting through candidates from your school, colleges rely on your candor and your assistance. • Your recommendations will be read thoroughly by at least one person evaluating the application. It will help that person, as well as subsequent readers, if your opening sentence commands attention and your closing paragraph summarizes your evaluation. Source: Terry Cowdrey, St. Lawrence University, New York


5-3


Letters of Recommendation: Advice from the Minnesota Office of Higher Education Admissions counselors at four-year schools rely on letters of recommendation from teachers and counselors when evaluating a student's application. These recommendations provide: • A context in which to evaluate a student's academic preparation • A cross-reference for verifying a student's strengths and current limitations • Additional insights into a student’s character and potential to thrive at the school Each letter of recommendation should be individualized, accurate and truthful. While you should always advocate for the student, keep in mind that references containing only glowing support for a student may be discounted. Recommendation letters should be kept to one page. Remind the student to allow people plenty of time to write recommendations. Encourage them to send each a thankyou note. Counselor Recommendations An effective counselor recommendation includes a school and student profile. The school profile helps the admissions officer understand your school and includes: • • • • • •

Name and address of the school Name and telephone number of the counselor Number of students Grading scale The size of the previous year’s graduating class Number of students from the previous year’s graduating class who attended postsecondary schools • Counselor’s signature

To help you identify an appropriate topic for the recommendation, ask the student to respond (verbally or in writing) to the following questions: • What do you find difficult or challenging in school? What is easy? • What do you think is the best measure of your potential success at college? • Has anything affected your academic performance? If so, what? • Are you proud of any personal accomplishment? • What do you like to read or do in your spare time? • What five adjectives would you use to describe yourself? When writing a recommendation for a student, keep in mind each of the following: • Remain objective. The best recommendations present information in a passionate way, but try to avoid becoming too subjective. • Make every student profile unique by talking with the student to gain information and inspiration. Generic letters and cliché phrases should be avoided. • Keep your writing brief and to the point. A clean and concise recommendation is better than a long letter using flowery language. • Use present voice and active verbs whenever possible, especially since the student has not yet graduated. • Focus on one or two specific activities or anecdotes that illustrate an important aspect of the student’s character. Avoid long lists of any type. • Check for “red flags” in the student’s record or anything you would question if you were an admissions officer.

This school profile also should contain a section about the student as it relates to your school’s demographics: • • • •

Name of the student Ranking and percentile in the class Grade point average Difficulty of student’s course selection

Source: Minnesota Office of Higher Education 2008-2009 Counselors’ Guide.

5-4



How counselors and teachers obtain the information they need Schools may differ in their approach to the recommendation-writing process. In general, a counselor needs to know a student well enough to create a one- or two-page letter that portrays the applicant honestly and adequately. At schools where counselors work with a relatively small number of students, counselors can get to know students over a few years; for these counselors, the task doesn’t require much research (although the letters may still take several hours to write). But counselors who have heavy student loads or are new to the school may have to prepare assessments for applicants they know only in passing. If you are one of these counselors, ask students to complete the student self-assessment handout and return it to your office. See Handout 5E: Recommendations: Student self-assessment.

If you still feel you don’t know the student well enough to write an evaluation, don’t hesitate to ask a teacher. There is a form for this purpose. See Handout 5F: Counselor’s request for teacher information.

There’s another source, one you may not have thought about. Some schools — even big public schools where counselors have large caseloads — obtain the most useful information from parents. A parent questionnaire is included; see Handout 5G: Recommendations: Brief questionnaire for parent or guardian. You can send the form home with the student or mail it. (Parents are not required to respond to the questionnaires, of course.) A number of students will be applying to colleges that require evaluations from teachers as well as counselors. These students can remind teachers of specific projects they did in class, or summarize challenges they faced in class, to help the teacher write an effective recommendation. Some schools ask students to create academic résumés (including classes taken and grades received) and share them with teachers; other schools ask teachers to keep notes on student achievement, as an aid in writing assessments when the time comes. Teachers and counselors alike should benefit from the good-natured, supportive advice of a pro. As a former secondary school teacher and dean of admissions at Bates College, William C. Hiss has worked on

Tip “One of our English teachers keeps folders containing writing samples by each of his students. In preparing to write a letter of recommendation, he meets with the students individually. During the interview, he asks the student to choose his or her favorite writing sample from the folder. This discussion can lead to a wealth of anecdotal information, quotations and examples that the teacher often uses in his assessments.” — Carlene Riccelli, Amherst Regional High School, Massachusetts


5-5


both sides of the college application process. His perspective appears in this chapter. (See the article “Counselor and Teacher Letters of Recommendation: An Experienced Perspective.”)

How students request recommendations You should let students know how much lead time you need in order to meet college deadlines for recommendation letters — several weeks is usually the minimum. Students applying for Early Decision or Early Action will need recommendations in October or early November. Students should ask teachers if they will write a recommendation. Teachers also require several weeks’ lead time. And students must tell teachers what to do with the assessment: mail it to the college, hand it to the student in a sealed envelope or give it to the guidance office. There are two forms for students to use in requesting teacher recommendations (or, with modifications, recommendations from people not connected with the school). See Handout 5H: Guidelines for students requesting recommendations, and Handout 5I: Letters of Recommendation: How to Stand Out From the Crowd.

Tip “Many colleges prefer to have teacher recommendations arrive with the counselor assessment and the transcript. Otherwise, teacher recommendations may not be placed in the applicant’s file. If they are sent separately, the teacher assessment should include the student’s full name and date of birth.” — Carlene Riccelli, Amherst Regional High School, Massachusetts

5-6

Students’ right to see the recommendations Schools have varying views on how the regulations under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act come into play in the writing of student recommendations. According to Ferpa and Secondary Education: Statements made by a recommender which are made from the recommender’s personal observation or knowledge do not require a written release from the parent of a student who is the subject of the recommendation. However, if personally identifiable information obtained from a student’s education record is included in a letter of recommendation (grades, GPA, etc.), the writer is required to obtain a signed release from the parent, or eligible student, which (1) specifies the



records that may be disclosed, (2) states the purpose of the disclosure, and (3) identifies the party or class of parties to whom the disclosure can be made. Source: Ferpa and Secondary Education (AACRAO and NACAC, 1997)

School policies vary widely: Some ask students to waive their rights to see a copy of their recommendations, in the belief that doing so allows teachers to write honestly about the student. As one school explains to students: “Most teachers are not comfortable writing a recommendation — no matter how glowing it may be — for a student who has not waived the right to see his or her file.” Another school advises teachers to consult with students while writing recommendations and to ensure that students have a chance to see and comment on all teacher recommendations. You will need to know your school policy and convey it to students. There is a brief overview of FERPA in Appendix A. Extensive information about FERPA is at www.ed.gov.


5-7

Counselor and Teacher Letters of Recommendation: An Experienced Perspective By William C. Hiss

S

ome years ago, after sixteen years as dean of admissions at Bates, I spent a few playful moments with a calculator and realized that I had read about 250,000 teacher and counselor recommendations. So, from a literally graybeard dean, here are some thoughts on the usually very different functions of counselor recommendations and teacher recommendations.

Perspective, or Lighting A good deal of the reading of student applications is like theatrical lighting. The students are out front on center stage for a few months while the applications are being read, and their job is to turn on all the lights that apply. Some students take in more or less the whole stage as an area flood, while others focus on the particular angle of an actor like a pin spot. The counselor recommendation is a kind of area floodlight that broadly illuminates the student’s academic record, extracurricular and community achievements, and character and personality, all in the context of the school and the community. It explains the depth of the student’s academic program; the social, political and community commitments that may be normal or profound; the student’s high and low experiences over time, subject matter or maturation; and, if appropriate, even family issues, with the student’s and family’s permission in areas involving confidentiality. In contrast, the teacher recommendation is far closer to a pin spot, focusing on the particular skills in the class, or classes, in which the teacher has taught the student. When the teacher has direct personal knowledge, the recommendation may extend to some of the issues that counselors must normally cover. For example, many teachers are coaches or advisers to extracurricular organizations and thereby may have insights into leadership, maturity, commitment or unique gifts that may not be apparent in the classroom. Colleges welcome these comments. But the teacher’s first and often sole responsibility is to explain the student’s competence in the discipline. To that

5-8

end, teachers should be quite specific, supplying precise anecdotal details to illustrate their points.

Format Preferences Recommendations often have an introductory paragraph, one or more substantial content paragraphs, and a conclusion. For the counselor, the format of the recommendation can be quite varied. Some counselors will start with an introductory set of strong statements about the student’s particular or unique strengths and then lay them out in more detail in subsequent paragraphs; others have a more organized if formulaic approach, with a paragraph for academic discussions, another paragraph for extracurricular and community work, and then some type of summary. In contrast, the teacher often lets the first paragraph explain how he or she knows the student and in which courses. If the course does not have a recognizable name, this is the place to explain it. In the following paragraph (or paragraphs), the recommendation outlines the details of the student’s strengths: grammatical skills, scientific curiosity, term papers of interesting challenge or scope, class communication, attitudes toward learning, intellectual ambition, and the like. Quotations from students can be quite helpful, and teachers sometimes keep copies of good work so that they can cite a few sentences or a short paragraph, to support an analysis of writing ability; thought processes; ability to move back and forth between complex, concrete; and metaphorical language; or a sense of humor. Beware of a string of unsupported adjectives without anecdotal detail.

Be Careful of Red-Flag Information Teachers who think sensitive information should be shared with the colleges should always raise the issue with the counselor and let the counselor make the decision about what to do. For the counselor, these red-flag recommendations can be a problem. Since the 1990s, the strategy has been to consult school counsel before including any such information, and almost certainly to involve the student and family. In some cases, it may be wise to include the


Counselor and Teacher Letters of Recommendation: An Experienced Perspective (page 2) information, particularly when there is an obvious roller coaster in the student’s record that may be understandable once the circumstances have been explained. Many college deans will prefer the devil they know to the devil they don’t know and make allowances for a student who has overcome a dreadful situation. But it is important that all appropriate legal issues be respected, from the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to state statutes on confidentiality of discipline records.

Advice for Teachers and Counselors Acknowledge obvious peaks and valleys. Schools should try to explain the highs and lows of a student’s application, especially if they are visible in the academic record. A school will earn trust if its faculty and its counselors acknowledge a low point. A counselor might start a recommendation for a student with a thin extracurricular record by saying, “While Susan is not one of our extracurricular leaders or stars,” and then go on to describe her strengths. Writing for the nice, medium kids. College admission officers should acknowledge that sometimes the toughest recommendations to write may be for middle‑of‑theroad students, who don’t have a lot of peaks and valleys. Having written a good number of those recommendations myself when I was a secondary school teacher, I remember reading the drafts and thinking they seemed unexciting — pretty thin gruel. A thoughtful, reflective but perhaps only moderately dramatic recommendation for a very nice but middle‑of‑the‑road young person is not a failure of communication. This is particularly so given the fact that applications from each high school are usually read together and compared against each other, not with any notion that there is a quota from any one high school but so that the decisions, taken as a group, will make sense. That practice seems fine to most admission officers: It honors the opinions and reflected judgments of teachers and counselors who have known the student on a more extended and personal basis than the admission officers.

month later to request that the recommendation be sent to another college. If you have particular comments for a certain college, write them on the bottom of the recommendation copy as a postscript. Do my recommendations count in the final decision? In many cases, both teacher and counselor recommendations will influence final decisions. It is very unlikely that recommendations will get a C student admitted to a college that accepts only A and B+ students. In many cases, the recommendation will confirm information contained in other parts of the application. Given the compression of range in most college applicant pools, it is likely that recommendations will be for students who are broadly qualified for the colleges to which they are applying. That is precisely where recommendations count the most — in the close calls — by highlighting students’ intellectual qualities and by illuminating the facets of other personality and character traits that will add to the college community. Perhaps more to the point, both teacher and counselor recommendations provide human, professional and evaluative comments that are unique information. Unlike numerical information — grades, scores, rankings — recommendations can describe nuances about a student that are often based on years of contact. Unlike essays or other materials submitted by the students, they have professional distance and judgment. They help us form communities as well as evaluate academic potential and, perhaps most important, they establish a continuum of caring and commitment about students from high schools to colleges. William C. Hiss is vice president for external affairs at Bates College in Lewiston, Maine.

A time saver for teachers. College deans are only modestly interested in the literary qualities of teacher recommendations, but they are profoundly interested in the thoughtfulness and information contained therein. Acknowledging that writing recommendations is a major time commitment for faculty and counselors, we want to help you to use your time effectively. Put your time into the careful, thoughtful composition of one recommendation for the student, on school stationery; then copy it as many times as needed. Staple it to our form (a big time saver is largely to ignore the college form) and send it in, always saving a copy for the file in case the student comes back a


5-9

recommendations chat room Here are some excerpts from a recent discussion on the National Association for College Admission Counseling listserv about recommendations: Questions posed by a high school: How much lead time do you give your teachers to fill out the recommendations?

Some answers: I suggest that students remind teachers of specific work assignments or projects they did for that teacher’s class, or of things they learned, challenges they had, etc. Students should give teachers as much time as possible, but no less than two or three weeks.

■

We have a blue teacher recommendation form that students must complete, listing all colleges applied to and deadlines. They must attach the teacher recommendation forms from the colleges, as well as college-addressed, stamped envelopes to the blue form. Students are told to ask teachers at least one month in advance. The form has cleared up a lot of confusion. Teachers now feel they can prioritize recommendations more effectively. — Jean Rutherford Wall, director of college counseling, Tampa Preparatory School, Florida

■

What type of form (if any) do you have your students fill out to give to teachers as help in writing recommendations? Questions posed by a high school: How much weight do you put on a teacher recommendation? Do you prefer to have two paragraphs detailing the student’s accomplishment in one class or a full page highlighting the student’s overall achievement? Would you prefer to see a teacher recommendation from the student’s chosen discipline or an English teacher’s recommendation? Do you prefer to have all the student’s materials sent directly from the guidance counselor, or is it okay to have teachers send recommendations separately?

Some answers: References are a major piece of the evaluation at Clark, and applications are considered incomplete without the counselor recommendation and one letter from a teacher. We prefer only academic, classroom performance information from teachers. The only exception is if the teacher also knows the student extensively through a nonacademic activity (e.g., a club or sport). It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that all parts of the application are received on time. — Maria Furtado, director of admissions, Clark University, Massachusetts

■

I encourage applicants to get two different kinds of recommendations: (1) from people who can attest to how hard the student works academically; (2) from people who can attest to how hard the student works — period. Teacher recommendations can hit both areas: they can show me that the C the student received in a class does not reflect his or her effort or that the B obtained in a class could easily be an A if the student made more of an effort.

■

Shorter recommendations are better than longer ones — teachers should not address anything that will be in some other part of the application. — Roy “Fuji” FuIgueras, director of admissions, Massachusetts Maritime Academy Teachers do not need to describe students outside of the world in which they know them — the classroom. They should not have to ask a student for a résumé, because we’ll hear about extracurricular and other nonacademic activities from the counselor and the students themselves. If the teacher does know the student outside of class, he or she is welcome to talk about the applicant in that capacity, but I would much rather have one well-written, specific recommendation based on a student’s role in a teacher’s class than three general paragraphs telling us that the student volunteers in the community. Examples of how students tackled a project or dealt with an obstacle are always welcome. When it’s clear the teacher knows the student fairly well, these recommendations can mean a great deal. — Thyra Briggs, dean of admission, Sarah Lawrence College, New York

■

Teachers can certainly make reference to activities to highlight qualities they are emphasizing, but what we are interested in are the teacher’s judgments, based on personal observation, of a candidate’s capabilities and traits. We ask for two recommendations — we’d prefer one from the chosen discipline and one from another discipline. It is okay to have the recommendations sent separately, though occasionally one is lost in the mail. — Ben Jones, Bennington College, Vermont

■

5-10


Chapter 5 handouts Number 5A

5B

5C

Title

Description

Brief outline of a teacher recommendation Suggestions regarding teacher recommendations from Middlebury College Teacher recommendations: What to say and how to say it

Suggests details to include, paragraph by paragraph, as well as general tips. Offers specific guidelines on how to write a focused evaluation. Another form with examples of specific language to use.

5D

Recommendation basics

A brief list of expectations of admissions staff.

5E

Recommendations: Student self-assessment

Requests information from students about activities, awards and goals.

5F

Counselor’s request for teacher information

Asks teachers to comment on specific areas, such as student’s character and talents.

5G

Recommendations: Brief questionnaire for parent or guardian

Requests anecdotal information about student, and parent’s idea of most suitable college for student.

5H

Guidelines for students requesting recommendations

Gives step-by-step instructions for students to follow.

5I

Letters of recommendation: Provides students with a guide to getting letters How to stand out from the of recommendation. crowd


5-11

Teachers

Brief outline of a teacher recommendation Paragraph 1: Who you are; when you had the student in class; what you teach; (briefly) what is covered in the class; and grading or unique requirements, if important. Paragraph 2: How the student is performing; assessment of written and oral work, thought processes, group work, observable leadership and/or motivation/passion; examples of work or description of performance; outstanding strengths; and description of how student solves problems. Paragraph 3: Character description: how well the student relates to others, peer opinion, humane qualities that make a difference, and/or viewpoint. Is there a quality that stands out? Paragraph 4: Description of anything that would indicate potential for success on campus, or comparison with similar students who have been successful at the institution to which the student is applying. Keep in mind: It is okay to ask students what they would like you to emphasize in the recommendation.

■

If you have a problem, see the counselor sooner rather than later.

■

Do not agree to write the letter and then not write it.

■

If you do not wish to write a letter for a student, the student has the right to know why. Your honesty could provide a learning experience for the student and could help him or her find a teacher who will write a recommendation.

■

Be wary of giving copies of your letters to students. The copies may turn up in places you did not expect.

■

Source: Kathy Dingler, Rich East High School, Illinois


Teachers

Suggestions regarding teacher recommendations from Middlebury College Do: Write a personal and anecdotal recommendation

■

Qualify your adjectives

■

Provide specifics, not so much on a Civil War paper but rather on how the student bounced back after a bad test or helped out a sick student

■

Make the recommendation more evaluative than descriptive

■

Tell us what the student is like outside of class, based on your observations

■

Tell us how the applicant stacks up in the class or in your teaching career

■

Relay their involvement in class discussions and what role they play — do they take discussions to the next level? Do they play devil’s advocate?

■

Give us a reason why we should admit the student

■

Maintain your credibility by not going overboard

■

Include a couple of weaknesses (to make the student sound real!)

■

Take the time to write at least a page

■

Feel free to add a handwritten line at the bottom of the letter, specifically addressing the candidacy for this college

■

Don’t: Spend half the letter telling us about your course or your credentials

■

Mention the physical appearance or attractiveness of the student

■

Send the same letter for many kids

■

Merely provide a list of adjectives

■

Write three pages

■

Report the applicant’s activities, since we know them already from the application

■

Include sweeping generalizations — they don’t help us much

■

Source: Middlebury College


Teachers

Teacher recommendations: What to say and how to say it Teacher recommendations should be frank appraisals of a student’s academic performance and intellectual promise. Colleges need your help in deciding if a student has the character and ability to function successfully at their institution. Remember that you can assist admissions officers by describing more than just the student’s classroom work. Consider the nature of the mind at work, and the student’s style, manner and/or interaction with other students.

1. List the course(s) you taught the candidate (include level and the grades received). 2. Provide an evaluation of the candidate’s academic work, especially motivation, originality of approach, intellectual depth or breadth, and capacity for independent thought. Specific examples are most helpful. 3. How do others view him/her? Describe any special personal problems or strengths. Take into account level of maturity, leadership skills and ability to handle pressure. 4. Offer an assessment of the candidate’s chance for success in a competitive environment. 5. Anecdotal reports are the most helpful. Cite an example of the work done for you: “Tim’s comparison of Edith Wharton and Alfred E. Newman showed a fine grasp of….” 6. Avoid global superlatives — unless you really mean them; more convincing are evaluations limited to specific areas. Rather than, “Merida is the best English student I have ever had,” you might write, “Merida is an unusual English student in that both her creative and analytical work show a penetrating understanding of human nature,” or, “Her questions are incisive, often getting to the essence of an issue.” 7. Characterize the nature of the mind at work: assimilative, speculative, analytical, original, perceptive, inventive, pragmatic, quick, careful, deliberate, whimsical, incisive and/or precise. 8. Characterize the nature of the work rather than just praising it: intuitive, detailed, creative, thorough, engaged, objective, original, savvy, intellectual, mundane and/or sketchy. 9. Characterize the student’s style, manner, or interaction with other students: nonchalant, offbeat, conventional, humorous, detached, friendly and/or tolerant. 10. Be credible: Admissions officers say that many recommendations are meaningless because they add nothing or they portray idealized versions of kids. Be honest. If a student got less than an A, you can still help him by highlighting noteworthy aspects of his character and work. Recommendations are about more than just grades. Sometimes, the reasons why John did not get an A are admirable or can be turned to his advantage.

Source: Connie Decker, John W. North High School, California


Counselors

TITLE Recommendation basics TITLE Form: Letters should be typed and on letterhead, signed and dated. If there is no school letterhead, type the name and address of the school on the recommendation. Letters should be addressed simply to the Admissions Committee; there is no need to address them to a specific individual. Include your phone and e-mail. Use a basic font — Times Roman or Arial. Keep the recommendation to a page. Content: Do not mention the student’s ethnicity. A lot of students don’t identify their ethnicity in the application, and counselors and teachers should not reveal it. When explaining a student’s personal problems, it is sufficient to say “he was having difficulty at home.” There is no need for greater detail. The same goes for health problems: The admissions committee needs to know only that there were health issues that were a factor in the student’s performance. Do not include a physical description of the student. Do not talk about the student’s social life — we do not need to know how popular he or she is. Do mention jobs outside of school — that can explain a lot about a student. Do let us know if a student is first generation.

Source: Ebony Grisom, Providence College, Rhode Island

Handout 5D College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

Students

TITLE Recommendations: Student self-assessment TITLE This form assists your college counselor in writing your recommendation. The more specific details you can give us, the more thorough your college recommendation will be. This form will also help you with the entire college application process, especially in preparing for interviews and writing admissions essays. Expect to spend three or four hours on this task, which should result in a document of three to eight pages. Name: ___________________________________________ Date: ____________________________________________ 1. School activities: List the activities in which you have participated, the number of years and the amount of time per week you spent, and what you have gained or learned from each activity. Consider artistic, athletic, literary, community service and leadership positions.

2. Which activity was most important to you? Why?

3. What do you consider your most important activities outside of school? List jobs, paid or voluntary; religious activities; hobbies; travel; music; art; and drama. Include the number of years of your involvement and the amount of time you spent on the activity weekly, and explain why this activity was significant to you.

Handout 5E page 1 of 2 College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

Recommendations: Student self-assessment (page 2)

4. In or out of school, which awards and honors have you received? Which elected offices have you held?

5. What book(s) have had the greatest impact on you? Why?

6. Describe the academic accomplishment (major paper, science experiment and/or artistic project) you are most proud of, and tell why you take pride in it.

7. What kind of learner are you? Which academic setting or assignments make you thrive? What interests you?

8. List your three most distinguishing or most admirable qualities. Explain each in several sentences.

9. What do you hope to accomplish in college and after? Consider your career goals and your broader goals.

Source: Jim Bell, Lick-Wilmerding High School, California Handout 5E page 2 of 2 College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

Counselors

TITLE Counselor’s request for teacher information TITLE Teacher: _ ________________________________________________________ Date needed: ____________________ ____________________________ has asked me to write a letter of recommendation to/for ____________________________. To provide a more complete picture of this student, I need your assistance. Please briefly assess the student in the following areas: Academic achievement:

Character:

Personal qualities:

Promise/aptitude:

Maturity:

Integrity/values:

Motivation:

Special talents:

Please cite specific events and unusual circumstances whenever possible. Thank you for your help. Return form to: Source: Joy Ahmad, Del City High School, Oklahoma


Parents

Recommendations: Brief questionnaire TITLE for parent or guardian TITLE Student’s name: _ ______________________________________________________________

Your name:_ __________________________________________________________________ Please feel free to type out your answers on a separate sheet or write on the back of this sheet if you need more space. The words that first come to mind to describe my son or daughter are:

I’d like you to know the following information/anecdote about my daughter or son:

I think he or she would do best in the following college setting (describe location, size, cost, etc.):

Please return this form no later than _________________________________________ . Thank you for your help. Source: Jim Bell, Lick-Wilmerding High School, California Handout 5G College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

Students

Guidelines TITLE for students requesting recommendations TITLE 1. Think about who knows you and can attest to the quality of your work. If you need a recommendation from a teacher, request one from a teacher in an academic subject who knows your strengths. That may be a teacher in whose class you’ve gotten top grades, but it could also be a teacher who knows how hard you’ve worked to get B’s and C’s.

If you need three recommendations — one from a counselor, an academic teacher and another person — consider requesting one from someone who knows you well: a coach, employer, adult co-worker, or religious or youth-group leader, or an adult in the community with whom you have had regular and positive contact.

2. Ask the person if that individual would be willing to write a letter for you. Remember, the person is doing you a favor. 3. Submit information about yourself (résumé, brag sheet), the recommendation form (if there is one) and other pertinent information to the writer at least two weeks before it needs to be completed. Remember, the deadline is the last possible day the letter/application may be received by the admissions or scholarship committee, not the day you put it in the mail. 4. Set your own deadline at least one week before you need to mail your application letter. 5. If the writer is to send your letter separately, provide a stamped, addressed envelope with a note attached listing a deadline for mailing that is at least five days before the application deadline. Politely check with the writer to be certain your letter was mailed (“How’s my letter coming? Do you need any more information?”). 6. Write a brief thank-you note to the writer. 7. If you receive the scholarship or are accepted to the college for which the letter was written, let the writer know. 8. Copy all parts of your application, essay, letters and other materials for your own records. 9. Let the guidance office know when you have a response from the college or scholarship committee, one way or the other.


Handout 5H College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

Students

Letters of recommendation: TITLE How to standTITLE out from the crowd How to stand out from the crowd Most college applications request two or three recommendation letters from people who know you in and out of the classroom. Whom should I ask? Read the application carefully. Often colleges request letters of recommendation from an academic teacher (sometimes a specific discipline), your school counselor, or both. If a non-specified academic teacher is requested, your English or math teachers usually make good candidates. Also, you should use a teacher from junior year, or a current teacher if they have known you long enough to form an opinion. It is best not to go back too far, as colleges want current perspectives on their potential candidates. All the better if you get a recommendation from a teacher who’s also been involved with you outside the classroom, but unless a college specifically requests it, don’t use a coach or someone who can’t speak to your academic achievements and potential. When should I ask? Make sure to give your recommendation writers plenty of time — at least one month before letters are due — to complete and send your recommendations, but as with anything, the earlier the better. Many teachers like to have the summer to write recommendations, so if you asked last spring, you’re doing great. If you apply under Early Decision or Early Action plans, you’ll need to ask at the start of the school year, if you didn’t request one last spring. How can I get the best possible recommendations? Talk to your recommendation writers. For teachers, it’s important that they focus on your academic talents and accomplishments within their classroom, because that’s what colleges are looking for in teacher recommendations. Talk to them about what you remember about their class and your participation in it. Highlight a particular incident, paper or anything else that might help them provide anecdotal information and specific examples of your achievement, rather than just vague praise. It’s also important that you spend time talking with your counselors and ensure they know about your plans, accomplishments and involvements. You may want to provide them with a brief resume of your activities and goals; a resume can provide the best overview of your high school involvement and contributions. Also, if there is some aspect of your transcript that needs explaining — perhaps low grades during sophomore year — it’s helpful to talk with your counselors to explain why and how you’ve changed and improved.


Letters of Recommendation: How to stand out from the crowd (page 2) Helpful Tips Don’t be shy. Teachers and counselors are usually happy to help you, as long as you respect their time constraints.

■

Include addressed and stamped envelopes for each school to which you’re applying.

■

Provide teachers and counselors with deadlines for each recommendation that you are requesting, especially noting the earliest deadline.

■

On the application form, waive your right to view recommendation letters. This gives more credibility to the recommendation in the eyes of the college.

■

Typically, you know your teachers well enough to know who can provide favorable reviews of your accomplishments. If in doubt, don’t hesitate to ask if they feel comfortable writing a recommendation. In some cases, you may have no choice as to who to use, but when you do, make the best choice possible.

■

Follow up with your recommendation writers a week or so prior to your first deadline, to ensure recommendations have been mailed or to see if they need additional information from you.

■

Once you have decided which college to attend, write thank-you notes to everyone who provided a recommendation and tell them where you’ve decided to go to college. Be sure to do this before you leave high school.

■

Source: The College Board.

Handout 5I page 2 of 2

College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

Chapter 6 The application essay Overview


Many colleges require an essay or personal statement as part of a student’s application. (For the most part, colleges employ the terms application essay and personal statement interchangeably.) Counselors should understand what the general purpose of the essay or statement is and, as much as possible, what the colleges to which your students are applying expect on a student’s essay. You also need to explain, to students and teachers alike, the similarities and differences between the college essay and other writing assignments.

Overview The counselor’s role The essay: Purposes and types Similarities and differences How many essays should a student write? Who should help students with their essays? Resources for counselors

The counselor’s role Learn how the colleges to which your students are applying use the essay, and be aware that the role of the essay at any one college may change significantly from year to year.

■

Resources for students Handouts

Explain to teachers what admissions officers are looking for when they read the essay; inform teachers about materials that can help them advise students on the essay.

■

Emphasize to students the importance of following the directions for writing the essay — in particular, of sticking to the topic at hand and of providing all the information the college requests.

■

The essay: Purposes and types General and specific purposes The personal statement can tell admissions officers something about a student that may not be evident from lists of courses taken, grades received, extracurricular activities engaged in, or even letters of recommendation. In general, the essay can help the college assess the student’s critical thinking and writing abilities; it may describe the student’s special interests or experiences, as well as values, attitudes


6-1

Chapter 6 The application essay

and expectations of the future; and it may shed light on the student’s view of self and of others. More specifically, some colleges may want to determine how creative and resourceful the student can be. Bennington College, for instance, has assigned this topic: “Design an experiment that attempts to determine whether toads can hear…. There are many imaginative ways to approach this problem; you do not need to be a scientist or to do any special research in order to respond well.” One handout provides a list of current essay topics and will give students an idea of the wide range of topics colleges may specify. See Handout 6A: Sample college application essay questions.

Two types of essays Basically, there are two kinds of application essays. One is the openended essay, which invites students to write creatively. For example, Lehigh University instructs students to “step out your front door and tell us what you would change about what you see.” The other kind asks students to describe themselves and their reasons for wanting to attend college. “It’s neither an English assignment nor an exercise in creativity. The bottom line is for students to tell us who they are,” says Angela Skrivanich, an admissions and outreach officer at the University of California at Berkeley.

Tip “If you get a chance, ask college representatives about the role of the essay at their colleges. At some colleges, the essay is used to determine fit, and at others it may be used to assure the college that the student can do the work. At any rate, find out from the rep how essays are weighted and used in their admissions process.” — Sarah Myers McGinty, a former English teacher and author of The College Application Essay

6-2

In fact, students should be encouraged to write about themselves in the essay. “Many kids don’t appreciate the opportunity the Common Application offers them to tell which of their extracurricular activities has had the most meaning for them,” says Cynthia Doran of Oregon Episcopal School. “These essays provide another chance for them to get some extra, personal stuff into their application.” For a close look at the way college admissions officers read the personal statement, see “How Colleges Use Admissions Essays” later in this chapter. Whatever the subject or the approach, however, students need to address the topic squarely. If the college asks students to explain, in the personal statement, any deficiencies in their records (a low grade or a bad semester, perhaps), students must provide a straightforward, reasonable response. In all cases, as noted, the essay is a demonstration of writing ability, and students should apply principles of good composition to the task. In particular, the essay should “show, not tell”; it should express ideas and information that give the reader a vivid, clear impression of the writer, rather than offer broad,



unsupported statements about the writer. And the essay should allow the reader to draw his or her own conclusions. There are several good handouts for students preparing to draft their personal statements. See Handout 6B: Dos and don’ts on writing the college application essay; Handout 6C: How to write a college application essay; and Handout 6D: Choosing an essay topic: Advice from member colleges of Associated Colleges of the Midwest.

Similarities and differences The application essay is like other writing assignments in several ways. Among the similarities are that students must narrow the topic so they can handle it within the allotted time and space, must stick to the topic, must provide compelling details and examples, and must revise and proofread. The major difference is the purpose of the statement: to help admissions officers decide whether the student should attend their college. You can encourage teachers to discuss the similarities and differences with students before they begin writing.

How many essays should a student write? Many students will be able to write a single essay that, with usually minor adjustments, will be suitable for some or all of the colleges to which they are applying. “I tell my students if one essay fits all of the colleges’ instructions, then one essay will do the trick,” says Carlene Riccelli of Amherst (Massachusetts) Regional High School. “However, students should not force a fit. They must follow instructions.”

Tip “We create a list of current essay topics and give it to our juniors during their individual academic conferences [at the end of the year]. Most students won’t actually write over the summer, but we impress upon them that these topics contain the essence of what colleges want to know about them. It’s thought provoking. It not only helps them shape ideas, but also helps them focus when they visit campuses and meet with college reps.” — Nancy Boyd, Plano Independent School District, Texas


6-3


How colleges use Admissions essays Increasing numbers of colleges and universities are asking students to submit personal statements and/or essays as part of their applications. At some institutions, particularly the most selective, these writing assignments are required and are an integral part of the application. Supplemental essays are also generally required for consideration for honors programs and special academic scholarship programs. But more and more institutions, of all levels of selectivity, invite students to submit a personal statement or essay as an optional component of the application. There are also a number of short-answer questions on applications that require students to write several paragraphs about their experiences, aspirations and other issues. The personal statement tends to be either open ended or about a choice of topics that asks students to discuss how an individual, work of art, event or other situation has influenced them. Occasionally this statement asks students to discuss how and why they are interested in that particular college or their intended field of study. If essay(s) are required, there are often lists of topics that students may choose from, although some institutions have unique required topic(s) and others invite students to submit an essay on any topic they wish. Personal statements and essays serve two primary purposes — to measure the student’s writing ability and to provide readers with information about the student’s personal background beyond the biographical information from the application and the student’s academic and extracurricular credentials. In most cases, the writing assignments are used for both of these purposes, but some institutions focus primarily on elements of writing, and others encourage readers to look beyond the student’s writing skills to seek out personal and contextual information about the applicant. At some institutions, the essay is evaluated holistically, often according to guidelines similar to those used by the Educational Testing Service in grading AP Exam essays, and a single rating (often on a 5- or 6-point scale) of the student’s writing ability is given. Generally this reading is part of the review of the overall application, but at least one institution has a separate, trained group of readers who only evaluate the essays. In other situations, readers evaluate the essay on content, style and originality. Admissions officers generally believe that writing is an essential component of the application, although some express concern about not knowing if the student received substantial assistance in preparing the essay. One director noted that readers… cannot be 100 percent certain that the applicant wrote a superb essay, but they can be quite sure that the applicant was responsible for a mediocre one. And most note that the essay and personal statement need to fit the other information they have about an applicant and that a bogus essay is likely to jolt.…At least one institution asks students to describe the process they used in preparing their essays, including whose advice they sought and whether suggestions were incorporated. Many institutions also ask students to sign a statement indicating that the essay submitted represents their own work. Source: Adapted from Gretchen W. Rigol, Admission Decision-Making Models (New York: The College Board, 2003), pages 23-24.

6-4



Who should help students with their essays? Most students receive some form of help with their essays. In a study of how students, counselors, teachers and college admissions officers weigh essays and value various features of the application essay, Sarah Myers McGinty of the Harvard School of Education learned that parents were the most common source of help. Source of help

Percent of students

Parent

70%

English teacher

60%

School counselor

58%

Friends

51%

Other teacher

28%

Other (sibling, class adviser, etc.)

15%

Private paid counselor

4%

School program

1%

Source: A Shoal Along the Way: The College Application and Issues of Access (Alexandria, VA: NACAC, 2003).

Colleges expect students to get advice on their essays, but the finished product must be in the student’s words. The University of California at Berkeley’s advice is to “consult a friend, teacher, parent, or counselor for comments, and ask this person, ‘What worked? What didn’t? What sounds like me? What doesn’t? If you didn’t know me, would this essay tell you enough about me? Is it clear and understandable?’”

How counselors can help Counselors may offer to read essays or to help students get started. As more and more students file applications electronically, counselors will see fewer and fewer essays. Some counselors read student essays even if the student has not asked them to do so, and may see material that could adversely affect the student’s chance of admission (poorly used humor, flashy effects, overly negative comments). Clearly it’s easier to give feedback if a student has asked for your suggestions, but it is a service to the student to read the essay, and comment, even if your reading was not requested. According to William Yarwood, who has been a counselor at various public schools, “The students could be hurting themselves, and the counselor will do them a service by alerting them to features in their essay that should be revised.”

Tip “Students are intimidated because this essay asks them to think about who they are. Adults can help kids with this, but kids are usually reluctant to show anyone their essays. I tell students to get something on paper. I give them the option of showing me their essay. I tell them I’ll be happy to read it, but I’ll be critical, so they should be prepared to accept criticism. Ask for revision — lots of revision. The truth is, there are some kids whose initial essays aren’t very good, but they keep revising them and eventually they have a really good essay.” — Scott White, Montclair High School, New Jersey


6-5


How teachers can help Many counselors suggest that students seek essay advice from teachers who know them well. Counselors should make sure that teachers understand the role of the essay in college applications. Teachers must be aware, also, of the importance of answering the question. You might want to share with them the excerpt from Sarah Myers McGinty’s article on the essay from English Journal. Although the article is addressed to English teachers, it has valuable advice for other teachers as well. See Handout 6E: ”In the space provided: The college application essay.” See also Sarah McGinty’s suggestion for how teachers can work with seniors on the essay (next page).

How parents can help Parents can be an invaluable source of help to students in the writing of the essay, but they can also become too involved and take over ownership of the essay. As a counselor, you’ll learn to recognize what level of parental involvement is useful and what level would result in an essay that any admissions officer could identify as parent written.

Tip “I tell them that if looking at a blank page is too overwhelming, they should put words and thoughts on Post-it notes. It makes getting started easier for some, and can help in organizing the information into three or four clear paragraphs. I find it helpful at times to read essays out loud to the student, who will keep only the sentences that say something pointed. This helps weed out filler — the next attempt is always so much better.”

Sarah Myers McGinty urges counselors to note the significance of the role of parents: Even students whose parents may not speak English, even parents who themselves have not attended college, can contribute to the process. Increase communication about the application process with parents. Parents are an irreplaceable resource in helping their children think about their lives, talents, goals and experiences. Where discourse doesn’t happen, essays suffer. Students appear to turn to people who “know” them — in some schools, their counselors, but in others, their teachers. For many people, the person who really knows them is a parent. If parents are absent from the essay process, an enormous reservoir of insight is lost. Source: A Shoal Along the Way: The College Application and Issues of Access (Alexandria, VA: NACAC, 2003).

Of course, it’s one thing to urge parents to help their child brainstorm about essay topics or the student’s strengths as a person; it’s another to have parents writing and editing essays. Counsel accordingly!

— Kathy Dingler, Rich East High School, Illinois

6-6



Suggestions for helping seniors on the essay Sarah McGinty, a former admissions dean and Harvard professor, offers some suggestions on how teachers can help students write their application essays: I would encourage counselors and teachers to get involved with their seniors, in classes and in large groups, early in this essay process (that’s Sept. 1, these days!) with a sequenced approach that begins with a shared list of typical application questions. Students should then: • make a “nomination list” of ideas and possible topics • choose two to three they have plenty to say about • converse with a teacher (or counselor) about the topics and their angle or strategy for responding. This is a good time to help students see that the topic is not as important as their ability to open the event or circumstance for the readers, take them to the place, abide there a bit, show what happened, and wallow around in the thoughts the event inspired. Teachers and counselors should then: • encourage a draft that emphasizes this exploring tone • suggest the writer consider adding a few lines about other, newer thoughts or ways this idea, event or issue still percolates • remind writers that their first paragraph is often completely dispensable • smile, be positive; say “You take it from here!”

Tip “The essay must be the student’s work and in the student’s voice. Admissions staff can tell the difference between a student voice and that of a 47-year-old mother. I tell students that if they have an essay in betterthan-draft form, I will be happy to read it and make general comments. If something is vague or needs amplification, I will point that out. But I don’t correct grammar or typos.” — Dorothy Coppock, Evanston Township High School, llinois

• reiterate the policy that teachers are happy to help writers in process with early and verbal interventions but that they cannot do last-minute line editing of finished work


6-7


Resources for counselors Books McGinty, Sarah Myers. A Shoal Along the Way: The College Application and Issues of Access. Alexandria, VA: NACAC, 2003. Rigol, Gretchen W. Admissions Decision-Making Models. New York: The College Board, 2003. Using college admissions professionals as the primary source, this book examines the way postsecondary institutions make admissions decisions.

Resources for students Books Bauld, Harold. On Writing the College Application Essay. New York: Harper & Row, 1987. Witty, well-written advice from a former Ivy League admissions officer.

McGinty, Sarah Myers. The College Application Essay. New York: The College Board, 2004. McGinty shares essays that worked and provides critiques that help students learn not just what worked, but why. Includes a chapter for parents.

6-8



Name

Description

6A

Sample college application essay questions

A list of essay topics in recent use. Could be given to juniors so they know what lies ahead.

6B

Dos and don’ts on writing the college application essay

Examples of good and poor writing styles.

6C

How to write a college application essay

Covers topic choice and such basics as being specific and narrowing the topic.

6D

Choosing an essay topic: Advice from member colleges of Associated Colleges of the Midwest

Tips for juniors and seniors on choice of topics.

6E

Excerpt from “In the space provided: The college application essay”

Provides useful advice on how teachers can help students with the application essay.


6-9

Students

TITLE Sample college application essay questions TITLE University of Notre Dame: Sir Isaac Newton wrote, “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” As you consider your own academic pursuits for your collegiate career, whose work, past or present, would you choose to continue, and why? Middlebury College: Middlebury values a sense of place and community in all forms. Please tell us about where you have grown up. How has it influenced you and your vision about the kind of college community you would like to join next year? University of Virginia: Discuss something you secretly like but pretend not to or vice versa. Morehouse College: Please write a brief essay about the person, place or event that has had the greatest influence on your life, and what influence you expect Morehouse College to have on your life. Southern Methodist University: Please share with us your definition of diversity and the role it has played in your own learning and development. Colgate University: What would the title of your autobiography be, and why? University of Michigan: Describe a setback that you have faced. How did you resolve it? How did the outcome affect you? If something similar happened in the future, how would you react? Common Application: Choose one of the topics. 1. Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and describe its impact on you. 2. Discuss some issue of personal, local, national or international concern and its importance to you. 3. Indicate a person who has been a significant influence on you, and describe that influence. 4. Describe a character in fiction, a historical character or a creative work (as in art, music, science, etc.) that has had an influence on you and describe that influence. 5. A range of academic interests, personal perspectives and life experiences adds much to the educational mix. Given your personal background, describe an experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college community, or an encounter that illustrated the importance of diversity to you.


Sample college application essay questions (page 2) Other commonly asked essay questions: If you could travel through time and interview a prominent figure in the arts, politics, religion or science, whom would you choose, and why? Tell us about a teacher who has had a significant impact on your intellectual growth, and discuss that impact. Ask and answer the one important question that you wish we had asked. Explain why a particular day in the recent past continues to be important to you.


Students

TITLE Dos and don’ts on writing the college TITLEessay application A great application essay will present a vivid, personal and compelling view of you to the admissions staff. It will round out the rest of your application and help you stand out from other applicants. The essay is one of the only parts of your application over which you have complete control, so take the time to do a good job on it. Check out these tips before you begin.

DOs Keep your focus narrow and personal Your essay must prove a single point or thesis. The reader should be able to find your main idea and follow it from beginning to end. Ask someone to read just your introduction to see what he or she thinks your essay is about. Essays that attempt to be too comprehensive end up sounding watered down. Remember, it’s not about telling the committee members what you’ve done — they can pick that up from your list of activities — but about showing them who you are. Prove it Develop your main idea with vivid, specific facts, events, quotations, examples and reasons. There’s a big difference between simply stating a point of view and letting an idea unfold in the details: Okay: I like to be surrounded by people with a variety of backgrounds and interests.

■

Better: During that night, I sang the theme song from Casablanca with a baseball coach who thinks he’s Bogie, discussed Marxism with a little old lady, and heard more than I ever wanted to know about some woman’s gallbladder operation.

■

Be specific To avoid clichéd, generic and predictable writing, use vivid, specific details. Okay: I want to help people. I have gotten so much out of life through the love and guidance of my family, I feel that many individuals have not been as fortunate; therefore, I would like to expand the lives of others.

■

Better: My mom and dad stood on plenty of sidelines until their shoes filled with water or their fingers started to freeze or somebody’s golden retriever signed its name on their coats in mud. I think that kind of commitment is what I’d like to bring to working with fourthgraders.

■


Dos and don’ts on writing the college application essay (page 2) DON’Ts Don’t tell your readers what you think they want to hear Most admissions officers read plenty of essays about the charms of their university, the evils of terrorism and the personal commitment involved in being a doctor. Bring something new to the table, not just what you think they want to hear. Don’t write a résumé Don’t include information that is found elsewhere in the application. Your essay will end up sounding like an autobiography, travelogue or laundry list. Yawn. Overloaded: During my junior year, I played first singles on the tennis team, served on the student council, maintained a B+ average, traveled to France and worked at a cheese factory.

■

Don’t use 50 words when 5 will do Eliminate unnecessary words. Okay: Over the years, it has been pointed out to me by my parents, friends and teachers — and I have even noticed this about myself, as well — that I am not the neatest person in the world.

■

Better: I’m a slob.

■

Don’t forget to proofread Typos and spelling or grammatical errors can be interpreted as carelessness or just bad writing. Don’t rely on your computer’s spell-checker. It can miss spelling errors like the ones below. After I graduate form high school, I plan to work for a nonprofit organization during the summer.

■

From that day on, Daniel was my best fried.

■

Source: www.collegeboard.com, based on information from The College Application Essay, rev. ed., by Sarah Myers McGinty (New York: The College Board, 2004).


Students

How to write a college application essay By Margaret Metzger Brookline High School, Massachusetts

M

any colleges require a short essay as part of the application process. The directions for the essay vary from college to college. Most colleges offer some variation of the topic. “Tell us more about yourself.” Like most students, you might hate this subject and dread writing the essay. You know that it is a crucial piece of writing and that it must be done, but secretly you hope somehow to avoid the task. Like most tasks, the tension created by procrastinating is worse than the work itself — in this case, just sitting down and writing the essay.

You can use the college essay to strengthen your application. In fact, your essay can be the strongest part, presenting you as a thoughtful, sincere, interesting applicant. You can use the college essay to explain mistakes of the past — failed courses, low SAT® scores or few extracurricular activities. Best of all, you can demonstrate that you know how to write well, an ability all colleges value.

Find a topic Colleges genuinely want to know who you are. Although it is difficult to believe, they do not have an “ideal student” in mind. They want a variety of students. They understand that they can’t know everything about you by your grade point average and your SAT scores. They want to know what kind of person you are, what aspirations you have, what struggles you have gone through, what is important to you. They ask you to write an essay about yourself because they want more personal information. Before you write, think about how you may be different from other applicants. What unusual experience would you bring to the college? What interests, activities, travel, struggles or situations have had a particular impact on you? You are probably thinking, “Nothing is special about me; I’m just an average kid.” That’s what most students think. Sometimes it helps to ask other people what they think is unique about you. If you know exactly what you want to write about, you are lucky. Use that topic. Be sure to consider the traditional, but appropriate and effective, topics, such as academic achievements, extracurricular activities, travel and work experiences, and life-changing events. Also think of more subtle accomplishments. What kind of student are you? In which class did you learn to think, to

study? What do you do with your free time? What have you done for the past two summers? What words would you use to describe your personality? Do you belong to any organizations outside high school? What jobs have you held? What have you learned about organizing your time? Who is your most unusual friend? What magazines, newspapers, columnists or authors do you like to read? What are some of the failures or disappointments in your life? What kind of plans do you have for the future? Who has been influential in your life? What responsibilities do you have at home? What do you do for other people? What does music (particularly playing or composing) mean to you? How have you changed (besides physically) in the last four years?

Be specific Remember that the admissions board is reading hundreds of applications, and you must make yours memorable. Some students resort to gimmicks: 8-inch-by-10-inch glossy pictures of themselves hang gliding, or a videotape or a cartoon book about themselves. You may have heard stories about an ordinary student getting into an exclusive college by taking a creative or startling approach. But gimmicks are high risk. Maybe the admissions board doesn’t have the time or the equipment to play the videotape of your band. Maybe you will seem egocentric or cute or, more likely, as though you are dodging the difficult task that everyone else has done: writing an essay. You can make yourself stand out from the crowd and stress your individuality by a less risky method. Your English teachers have been telling you for years to use specifics when you write. Specifics make a piece of writing memorable. This basic principle of good writing applies, as well, to writing the college essay. Be specific. Tell the truth about yourself as specifically as possible. If you claim that you like school, say exactly what you like: “I like biology and got particularly interested in a three-month project I did about algae on the teeth.” Always be as specific as possible.

Narrow your topic You have only one-and-a-half to two pages for this essay. You can’t write about everything that has ever happened to you. You need one to three topics for this paper. You must pick a few of the most important aspects of your identity. If you cover too much, you will be forced to be superficial. Don’t say, “I like school. I am a leader. I play basketball.


How to write a college application essay (page 2)

I’ve traveled to Sri Lanka, Alaska, Iowa and South Africa. I play the violin. I work every weekend. I believe in responsibility. I want to be famous.” Pick one, two, or at the most, three important things about yourself and concentrate on them.

Show, don’t tell You need to know and apply the writing principle of “show, don’t tell”: Give the readers such convincing evidence that they draw the conclusion you want them to draw. If you provide all the evidence of your fine qualities, you don’t have to list them. Besides, the college will be much more likely to consider you sincere if you give examples rather than a list of glorious adjectives about yourself. For instance, you might be embarrassed to say, “I am extremely responsible.” Instead you could say, “Last summer, I was put in charge of 12 ten-year-old girls for a three-day hike.” When the college admissions board members read your example, they will come to the conclusion, “Ah, some adult must have felt this applicant could be responsible for a dozen children’s health and safety for several days. This sounds like a responsible person.” Give your readers the evidence and examples, and they will reach the right conclusions.

Describe what you have done You don’t need a long list of flashy experiences. What you have experienced is not as important as what you have done with the experience. Real maturity depends on how you understand what has happened to you and whether you let your experiences change your perceptions. Colleges want to know how you have reacted to your experiences. For example, many students have failed some test or course. Colleges would like to know what you did with that failure. Did you mope? Blame the teacher? Quit doing homework because you were angry at the failure? Did you see the failure as a warning, an impetus, a challenge? Even if you write about something exotic, you must say what you did and what you learned. One student went to Israel for two weeks; her only observation was that the Israeli women wore longer skirts than the Americans. Her trivial description revealed her immaturity and poor powers of observation.

You want to show colleges that you will change and grow through a college education.

Focus on yourself If you feel self-conscious writing the essay, you may be tempted to dodge the task of writing about yourself and write, instead, about something related to you, such as a group or an organization you belong to. Avoid this approach.

Work on the first sentence There are two opposing approaches to making a strong opening sentence. The first suggestion is that you spend hours on the first sentence because it sets the tone and direction of the essay. The reasoning is that you need to know where you are going before you begin. The problem with this approach is that students become paralyzed trying to find the perfect beginning. The second suggestion is that you begin anywhere and write the first sentence last. The reasoning is that you need to get started, and you don’t know what you will end up saying until you have finished the essay. You may discover that your essay really begins in the middle of the second or third paragraph, and you can cut out all the preliminaries. Then you can start with a sturdy statement. The problem with this approach is that you might begin an essay without a sense of direction and wander too much. You may go back and forth between trying to write a perfect beginning and just trying to get started. No matter what you do, when you finish the essay, go back to the beginning and work on the first sentences. Cut out all wordiness. Make it specific. Check the grammar.

Final bit of advice Millions of students before you have written college essays. They hated the task, too. But it must get done. Of course, it is better to write it long before the deadline. The real problem for most students is how to get started, what topic to use and how to avoid procrastination. The solution is simply to begin.

When you are explaining what you learned, do not say, “I learned a lot.” Be specific. Tell exactly what you learned. Handout 6C page 2 of 2 College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

Students

Choosing an essay topic: TITLE Advice from member colleges of Associated TITLE Colleges of the Midwest The essay personalizes your application. The essay is your chance to use your voice. The essay is the living, breathing part of your application to a college. In the essay, you can speak in your own voice and personalize your application. Here’s your opportunity to show something about you that doesn’t really come across elsewhere in your application. So, step back and be reflective. Think about who you are as an individual. How do you view the world? What do you care about deeply? What experiences and people have been important in shaping you as a person? What are your aspirations in life? It is in such reflection that you can find your own unique voice. That’s the voice that will help you write an interesting essay that only you could have written. Why do colleges require essays? A college application includes a lot of information about you, such as grades, recommendations, lists of your extracurricular activities, and test scores. All of that information is very important and helps admissions officers form a picture of your accomplishments and abilities. However, while it tells about how other people see you, there isn’t much about how you see yourself. It’s that inside view — how you see yourself — that colleges hope to find in your essay. The essay performs other functions, as well: The essay can be a way of showing that you have researched and thought carefully about the college to which you are applying. It shows, in your own words, why you and the college would be a good match.

■

An essay demonstrates your writing ability, a key component of success in college.

■

In your essay, you can show that you are willing to put yourself into what you do. That kind of commitment is an important part of effective learning in college. And it shows the admissions committee that you are willing and able to be a contributing member of a community of learners.

■

For selective colleges especially, the essay helps admissions committees draw distinctions and make choices among applicants. An essay will rarely take an applicant out of consideration at a college, but it certainly can elevate an applicant in an admissions committee’s eyes.

■


Choosing an essay topic: Advice from member colleges of Associated Colleges of the Midwest (page 2) Choosing and handling a topic Show your command of the basics of good writing. Here are some key points that admissions officers look for in an essay: Make sure to answer the essay question and to follow all the instructions.

■

Start off with a strong opening paragraph that captures the reader’s interest.

■

Use a style that you find comfortable and that is appropriate for the subject matter.

■

Use correct grammar, punctuation and spelling.

■

Make a point and stick to it; develop your argument or narrative.

■

Check all your facts. Do you mention a date, a place or an event in your essay? Make sure it’s correct.

■

Give your reader complete information, so he or she won’t be confused.

■

In general, be succinct. If there is a recommended length for the essay, pay attention to it.

■

The essay should be neatly typed.

■

Remember that mistakes, especially sloppy mistakes, make it look as if you don’t take the essay (and, by extension, the application) very seriously.

■

Good sources of essay topics Does the application ask you to choose a topic? There are as many good topics as there are applicants. Look for a topic among your interests, or among causes or events that touch you personally: Do you have hobbies and nonschool pursuits that engage your heart and mind? Writing about your out-of-classroom interests can help reveal a part of you that’s not covered — or not covered to your fullest advantage — elsewhere in your application.

■

Is there a social cause that you hold near and dear? Remember, an essay is not an academic paper; however, a cause that you feel passionately about may be the basis for a strong essay.

■

Perhaps there is an event (local, national or international) that has touched you in a personal way.

■

Is there an academic subject that sparks your interest? Why does that subject excite you? Has it led to experiences or study outside of school?

■


Students

Choosing an essay topic: Advice from member colleges of Associated Colleges of the Midwest (page 3) How to handle a topic Often, you will be asked to write about an experience you’ve had, an achievement in your life, or a person who has been significant to you. Go beyond the what or who and dig into the how and why: This is a personal essay, not a travelogue. So if you’re writing about a trip to another country, describe how your experiences affected you and why they were interesting or meaningful to you. The people reading the essay are interested in what makes you tick and how you got the way you are, not in how the trains run in Paris.

■

Are you writing a tribute to your grandparents and their influence on your childhood? Be personal and specific, not just sentimental. Explain how the particular things your grandparents did or said were important to you.

■

Did you overcome an athletic injury and recover to perform well? A description of the type of cast you wore and your rehab routine won’t make a compelling essay. But a reflection on what it felt like to watch your teammates, instead of playing alongside them, just might be the ticket.

■

Tips on avoiding possible pitfalls Writing a poem or making a videotape in place of an essay is probably not a good idea, unless you’re applying to a specialized school that encourages such a submission.

■

Humor can be risky, so be careful how you use it.

■

Honor code rules are in effect when you write an essay, so do your own work and don’t make things up. As a practical matter, other items in the application, such as letters of recommendation, make it likely that you’d be found out if you tried to give misinformation.

■

Some final tips Leave yourself time to rewrite and revise. For most people, this is not an easy assignment. You need to give yourself weeks, not days, and certainly not hours, to rework your essay.

■

If your essay is longer than three pages (unless the instructions call for something longer), then it had better be interesting! Think hard about what you really want to focus on, and take out whatever distracts from your central point.

■

The admissions committee will take your essay seriously. You should, too. You have a lot to gain by putting in the time and effort to write a good essay.

■

Source: Associated Colleges of the Midwest (www.acm.edu)


Teachers

Excerpt from “In the space provided: The college application essay” By Sarah Myers McGinty

T

ime and reflection have brought me to the belief that it is neither the questions nor the writing skills that make the application essay a mighty challenge. Rather it is the level of thinking required that causes so much trouble for the writers and so much fatigue for their audience in admissions. The true challenge of the application essay is the demand it makes on young writers to think objectively about subjective experience....

Helping students write application essays How can we help? Certainly all language arts teachers have a stake in preparing their students for the writing tasks before them. Nor do I discredit the values of assuring students that an application essay is similar to other work in their school courses. But assigning a lot of “Tell us about yourself” themes or talking about the parallels between personal and academic writing — while not without value — won’t fully bridge the gap. What follows are my suggestions for how to help students over the cognitive hurdle and into the required unembedded condition of reflection about their application topics. These suggestions should help young writers construct a self for the space provided. 1. As it isn’t just telling a story that’s difficult — students spend most of their nonclass time in this activity — a September assignment might ask for a specific and vivid retelling of a personal event. Stress the need for detail, but do not allow students to assign a meaning to, or draw conclusions from, their story. This is just a telling, and revisions should stress the showing rather than the meaning.

believe the incident means. The idea is to give the writer five or six possible constructions of meaning for the event. • From the suggestions, writers set out now to build their own meaning from the story. Time and peers’ contributions should broaden the choices; they also maintain the appropriate passive intervention of the teacher in this particular writing assignment, leaving students free to frame the result in their own words.... • You must leave students to fine-tune things on their own. You have framed the process, established a distance for them about their material, and encouraged them to look carefully and from a variety of points of view. All this should be a first step toward the reflective mode the college essay requires. The rest must be up to them. 2. An alternative is to ask for a short essay on a topic with built-in reflectiveness: questions about a change of mind • a good friend who isn’t a friend anymore • something you believed once but don’t believe now • a decision you’d like to make over again • a choice you’ve regretted questions with a built-in double vision • a time something or someone misled you or you acted on a misperception

• When finished, these narratives should sit in your desk or in the students’ writing folders for several weeks. Authors will mull over their choice of incident, even if in a passive way, and enforced distance of time will generate some disengagement.

The application essay

• In October or early November, return to this assignment and provide a photocopy of each student’s narrative to each member of a peer-writing group. Group members should read each other’s incident and then write several thoughts about what they

High school English departments can do more to help college applicants and all writers. It is, moreover, in the service of their own programs that they show students how able they already are for the task....The application essay is meant to nudge students toward a collegiate frame

• a time you tried to learn something and didn’t learn it • something you were but aren’t anymore


Excerpt from “In the Space Provided: The College Application Essay” (page 2) of mind. A little help in framing the challenge, applying known skills, developing a voice of objectivity, and working on the revision of vision will make Thanksgiving Monday a safer and easier holiday for teachers, the March reading season more pleasant for admissions counselors, and April 1 a happier day for students. We are all working together in the business of teaching, learning and growing; encouraging applicants to disengage from adolescence and move into the sense of reflection and voice that college and adult work require. This transformation takes place in the space provided…either on the application page, or later, in the quad. But it begins in the secondary classroom.

Sarah Myers McGinty was English department chair at Milburn High School, New Jersey, and associate director of admissions at Sarah Lawrence College. She is the author of The College Application Essay (The College Board, 2004). This article originally appeared, in slightly different form, in English Journal, March 1995. Reprinted with permission of English Journal.


Chapter 7 College Board tests Overview


This chapter provides an overview of the College Board tests that many of your students will take as they move along the road to college. Each test description includes key information: Who should take the test and when; how schools and colleges use the test; what is covered on the test; and what accommodations are available for students with disabilities. This chapter will be of use to counselors, as well as teachers, who need to know the content and format of the tests. (Advanced Placement Program and CLEP exams are discussed in Chapter 2, “Helping students prepare for college.”)

Overview The counselor’s role PSAT/NMSQT The SAT SAT Subject Tests Resources Handouts

Other organizations also offer tests that your students may take as they plan and prepare for college. You can obtain updates and indepth information about those tests from those organizations’ Web sites. Although the key item in a student’s file is the academic record, or transcript, standardized tests are an important part of the college admissions process. The question always arises: How do college admissions officers evaluate the rigor of a student’s high school curriculum, assess the differences between teachers of the same course in the school and make fair decisions about applicants despite the wide variety of grading systems in U.S. high schools? In fact, transcripts, which represent a record unique to the high school or its school district, can be perplexing to admissions readers. Standardized tests have been heralded as one way to introduce some consistency into the admissions process, although the influence of the tests can be difficult to determine. For the vast majority of fouryear colleges, though, the tests play an integral part in the admissions process. According to college admissions officers, they are used to verify what the transcript says and help the staff spot overachievers and underachievers. However, a few colleges no longer require them. Others refrain from giving the tests too much weight; they rely,


7-1

Chapter 7 College Board Tests

instead, primarily on an analysis of the transcript and other factors. (In addition to admissions, some colleges use standardized tests for course placement of enrolled students, for academic advising and in awarding scholarships and loans.) At most four-year colleges, then, the tests represent an additional tool in making predictions about an applicant’s likelihood of academic success in the first year of college. (Community colleges may not require admissions tests in general but may require them for certain programs, such as nursing.) The tests are useful because they apply the same standard to all applicants who take them, regardless of high school curriculum and grading practices, or personal experiences. Even so, the transcript remains the most significant document in a student’s file because it records his or her academic progress from grades 9 through 12. Examining the transcript along with the standardized test results, however, enables admissions officers to forecast with greater accuracy how well the student will perform academically on their campuses. Scholarship programs, both those awarded by the colleges and those administered by private organizations, frequently use standardized tests as one factor in their selection process. Because certain programs have established minimum requirements, some students take standardized tests more often than their classmates do in an effort to make or surpass the qualifying score.

The counselor’s role “New counselors must understand all the college tests. Even if they never had to take the SAT Subject Tests themselves, they need to understand them. And they need to understand that some tests may have changed since they took them. It is important that counselors educate teachers in what these tests measure. We can’t administer tests without understanding them.” — Anne Lewis, director of guidance, Loudon County Public Schools, Virginia Following are guidelines published by the College Board in Guidelines on the Uses of College Board Test Scores and Related Data. These guidelines are relevant to all standardized tests discussed in this chapter.

7-2



Counselors should: Advise students on what tests they may need to take in pursuing their educational objectives; when and where they might conveniently take the tests in view of institutional requirements, testing schedules and their own personal schedules; and how to interpret their scores in the context of their own situations.

■

Explain the limitations, as well as the intended purposes, of standardized tests; that the results are not precise and should not be treated as though they are; and that admissions test scores are useful as one means of predicting academic performance in college when considered with other relevant information.

■

Inform students that admissions test scores are intended to be used by colleges and universities as supplementary to secondary school records and/or other relevant information, with the scores providing a useful uniform measure for all students. In contrast, school records may vary widely because of different grading practices.

■

Inform students with disabilities who have been receiving accommodations in school that they may be eligible for accommodations for testing.

■

Use data from standardized tests to provide information to students about course selection, college majors and careers.

■

Release the scores and other information derived from a test only with the student’s explicit written consent (or parent’s consent if the student is under 18), if the student could be identified from the released information.

■

Encourage all potential college-bound students to take appropriate admissions tests without regard to the possibility that some students may significantly raise or lower the school or district average.

■


7-3


Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®) www.collegeboard.com The Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), which is cosponsored by the College Board and National Merit Scholarship Corporation, has several purposes. It provides preparation for the SAT; is the qualifying test for the National Merit Scholarship Program, which is open to all high school students who meet entry requirements, and the National Achievement Scholarship Program, in which only black American students participate; offers insight, through comprehensive reports, into students’ readiness for college; helps identify students for Advanced Placement Program (AP) courses; and provides college and career planning tools. When students take the PSAT/NMSQT, they are asked if they would like certain information sent to colleges, universities and scholarship programs that request it from the College Board. This is the function of the Student Search Service®. See the chart later in this chapter that describes that College Board service.

When is the test given? The PSAT/NMSQT is a school-based test and it is given once a year; schools select one of two test days in October. The basic schedule formula is that the test is administered the third Saturday and the preceding Wednesday. (Sometimes, due to circumstances beyond a school’s control — such as a weather closing — the test must be administered on an alternate date.) Total testing time is 2 hours and 10 minutes.

When should students take the test? Students take the test in October of their junior year to prepare for the SAT and to enter the National Merit Scholarship Program and the National Achievement Scholarship Program. (Some scores may be reported to the National Hispanic Recognition Program, the National Scholarship Service, and/or the Telluride Association. See the PSAT/ NMSQT Official Student Guide for more information.)

7-4



In recent years, the number of students taking the PSAT/NMSQT in ninth and 10th grades has increased significantly (more than half of all students taking the test now are below 11th grade). The PSAT/NMSQT Score Report provides comprehensive information to help students identify academic skills that need improvement while there is still time to make a difference. Students receive score reports and other tools to encourage them to learn from this assessment. To prepare for the SAT and planning for college, PSAT/NMSQT participants can go to www.collegeboard.com/quickstart to access My College QuickStart™, a free personalized planning kit based on their test results. With access until they graduate high school, students are able to take the next steps toward college with these features: An online PSAT/NMSQT Score Report, including projected SAT score ranges, state percentiles and the power to sort answer explanations by difficulty and question type.

■

A customized SAT study plan.

■

Personalized lists of colleges, majors, and careers.

■

Access to MyRoad™ — the College Board’s online major, college and career exploration program.

■

Many different tools to support students’ use of My College QuickStart are available for free at collegeboard.com/psatdownloads. There is an implementation guide for counselors describing how the tool can be used; lesson plans for teachers that they can use to engage students in the different features of QuickStart and MyRoad; and flyers, brochures and letters to parents (available in English and Spanish) describing the valuable college and career planning tools that are available through QuickStart. Students who take the PSAT/NMSQT before their junior year should be advised that they must take it again in the junior year to participate in scholarship and recognition programs.

How is the test used by schools? The PSAT/NMSQT provides critical reading, mathematics, and writing skills practice. The student score report has useful diagnostic information and suggestions for improvement. Schools also learn how their students compare with their counterparts in the rest of the country. The free Summary of Answers and Skills (SOAS) report provides a snapshot of how students did on each question, compared College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved.

7-5


with state, national and a comparable group. This report, especially when used with the optional Student Data File ($50), gives teachers a thorough review of students’ performance in many skill areas. High schools can also use the PSAT/NMSQT results to identify students who should be encouraged to enroll in Advanced Placement courses. AP Potential™ is a free Web-based tool available to all schools (www.collegeboard.com/appotential). This tool makes it possible to identify promising students whose PSAT/NMSQT scores indicate that they may be prepared for the challenge of AP courses. Each winter schools receive access to AP Potential data for students in their schools who took the PSAT/NMSQT the previous fall.

How is the test used by colleges?

Tip “I see the role of the counselor as an educational leader of the faculty on the value of the PSAT/NMSQT. The counselor should not be the sole source of PSAT/NMSQT information for students — the entire faculty should help. At my school, math and English teachers conduct brief reviews in ninth- and tenth-grade classes in which they explain the importance of working on skills that are tested on the PSAT/NMSQT. This motivates most of our students to take the test.”

Colleges do not receive or use PSAT/NMSQT scores for admissions decisions. High schools should not put PSAT/NMSQT scores on transcripts. If an athletic recruiter, or any other college representative, requests PSAT/NMSQT scores, the student, parent or guardian must make a written request to the high school to send the scores.

Test format The PSAT/NMSQT includes five sections:

Two 25-minute critical reading sections

Two 25-minute mathematics sections

One 30-minute writing skills section

— Linda Mays Jones, Jefferson County International Baccalaureate School, Ala.

7-6



Critical Reading

PSAT/NMSQT Item Types

Covers

13 sentence completions 35 critical reading questions

Ability to: • Recognize logical relationships among elements of a sentence • Read, understand and interpret reading passages

Math

28 multiple choice • Numbers and operations 10 student-provided responses • Algebra and functions (but not third(grid-ins) year math that may appear on the SAT) • Geometry and measurement • Data analysis, statistics and probability

Writing

14 identifying sentence errors 20 improving sentences 5 improving paragraphs

• Ability to express ideas effectively in standard written English • Usage and structure • Use of language with sensitivity to meaning

The test mirrors the SAT with some differences. Since the SAT now includes topics from third-year college-preparatory math, which most people know as Algebra II, the math content level of the PSAT/NMSQT has been raised, although not to the same degree. It is not reasonable to test juniors and sophomores on subject matter they have not yet taken. The SAT includes an essay, but the PSAT/NMSQT does not. Here’s why: More than 3.5 million students take the test, and not enough readers are available to grade this number of essays with sufficient speed to allow timely delivery of score reports to students and schools. Also, the additional time it would take on test day for students to write an essay (80 percent of schools test on the Wednesday test date) could seriously disrupt instructional schedules in the secondary schools. And finally, the cost of scoring an essay would significantly increase the cost of this currently inexpensive test. To help schools prepare teachers and students for the essay on the SAT, each school can download ScoreWrite™: A Guide to Preparing for the SAT Essay. ScoreWrite includes all the materials that teachers will need as they prepare students for writing a 25-minute essay, as well as administer and holistically score practice essays. A new practice topic is available every fall. Used as a complement to the PSAT/NMSQT, ScoreWrite enables students to prepare for the essay on the SAT.

Tip “Here’s how I suggest discussing PSAT/ NMSQT results with students who have done poorly: 1. Help students identify their areas of weakness and realistic goals for improvement. 2. Brainstorm, then suggest what can be done to improve. Offer options available at the school. 3. Encourage critical reading, not just what is required for school. 4. Stress that students must practice, practice, practice. 5. Suggest that students visit Web sites of colleges in which they are interested to identify how their results compare with admissions requirements.” — Joan Murphy, North Rockland High School, N.Y.


7-7


Scoring Each section is scored on a 20-80 scale. The scores are a good indicator of how a student will perform on the SAT. (Though students could add a zero to arrive at an approximation of an SAT score, the projected SAT score range is reported on their online PSAT/NMSQT report.)

Preparation Rigorous course work is the best preparation for the PSAT/NMSQT. Taking the complete practice test found in the Official Student Guide to the PSAT/NMSQT (provided to schools in early fall) will familiarize students with the test expectations and question types. (For information on ordering PSAT/NMSQT materials for your school, go to www.collegeboard.com/school.)

How schools share results with students and families The Official Educator Guide to the PSAT/NMSQT, sent to schools in August, contains everything that schools need to know and do before, during, and after test day. It includes a list of the various tools and resources available to schools that explain PSAT/NMSQT test results to students, parents and staff. These resources are also available to download at www.collegeboard.com/psat/downloads. Two copies of PSAT/NMSQT Score Reports are sent to schools in December. One copy should be filed at school. One copy should be distributed to students with their test books so they can see the questions when they review their score reports. There are any number of ways that test performance information can be shared with students and their parents. The first thing students want to see is their score and, frequently — unless their attention has been directed to the vast amount of data to be gleaned from the score report — it is likely that the score will be the only item of information they will read. For that reason, counselors should go over the information in a general way. A sample score report that is provided to schools may be used in discussing each section with students before the individual score reports are distributed. A good opportunity for this presentation would be an English class, or other

7-8



class meeting, in which the students receive their test booklets and score reports at the end of the session or shortly thereafter. Some schools mail a copy of the score report and an accompanying letter to parents, or sponsor a parents’ night to share PSAT/NMSQT results. These approaches ensure that parents see and understand the score report and can go over the information with their student. If parents have questions about the test results, they have a copy they can refer to when discussing them with the counselor or the teacher.

Costs and fee waivers The PSAT/NMSQT costs $13 per student. Some schools add a fee to cover administrative costs. Schools may request fee waivers for eligible eleventh-graders at the same time they order test materials online.

Accommodations for students with disabilities All testing accommodations for students with disabilities must be approved by the College Board before the test administration. Eligibility forms are mailed to schools in the spring and must be completed and returned to the College Board well in advance of the test date. For complete information, go to www.collegeboard.com/ssd. The same form can be used to request accommodations for students for the PSAT/NMSQT, the SAT and AP Exams. The College Board recommends that schools submit SSD eligibility forms at the end of a student’s first year of high school.


7-9


Strategies for distributing PSAT/NMSQT scores “Teachers were the driving force behind our approach to returning scores. Day 1, we give the score sheets to all language arts teachers, along with the College Board PowerPoint presentation. The teachers go over the results with the students and discuss what students need to work on and how the teachers will be helping them. The Score Reports are then handed back to the guidance staff, who sort everything for the math teachers. Day 2, the math teachers go over the results in class, and then give the students their Score Reports to take home. Shortly afterward, we have a parent evening. We go over the results, while showing the College Board PowerPoint.” — Laura Malmstrom, Christina School District, Del.

“We set aside a class period for the distribution of scores. We call the students to the auditorium and give a presentation about how to read the PSAT/NMSQT scores and talk about what they should do before taking the SAT. We then break the group into three groups of about 40 kids each, and a counselor returns their scores to them. Students are told to read the results and to ask the counselor any questions. Students who did worse than expected are encouraged to make an appointment with their counselor to discuss results.” — Joan Murphy, North Rockland High School, N.Y.

“We mail PSAT/NMSQT results home to avoid having students compare themselves to their peers before they’ve even digested what their performance on the test means. Our mailing for nonjuniors includes the tutorial from the College Board for ninth- and 10th-graders; the mailing for juniors includes the parent tutorial.” — Teri Tippit, The Kinkaid School, Texas

“When the PSAT/NMSQT results come in, I discuss the results with the small group of students who appear to fall in the National Merit, National Achievement and Commended Students range. I also call their parents individually. That way, when I discuss test results with the entire grade, usually in their English classes, I don’t need to discuss the National Merit questions or results with the entire class. This eliminates discussions that could make the average student feel as if he or she has fallen short.” — Linda Mays Jones, Jefferson County International Baccalaureate School, Ala.

7-10



How the PSAT/NMSQT is used by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation The National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) uses the PSAT/NMSQT as an initial screen of more than 1.5 million entrants in each year’s National Merit Scholarship Program, an academic competition for recognition and scholarships. To designate the approximately 50,000 entrants who receive program recognition, NMSC uses the Selection Index, which is the sum of scores from the test’s critical reading, math and writing skills sections. About 16,000 entrants are named semifinalists on a state representational basis. NMSC determines an allocation of semifinalists for each of the 50 states based on its percentage of the national total of high school graduating seniors. The Selection Index scores of all program entrants in a state are arranged in descending order, and entrants who have a Selection Index score at or above the level that fills the state’s allocation become semifinalists. This method ensures that academically able students from all parts of the nation are included in the semifinalist talent pool. Although qualifying scores vary from state to state and from year to year, the scores of all semifinalists are extremely high. In addition, some 34,000 entrants are named Commended Students on the basis of a Selection Index score that is nationally applied and also may vary from year to year. This score is usually within the 96th percentile of college-bound juniors who take the PSAT/NMSQT but below the level required for participants to be named semifinalists in their states. For additional information, see the Guide to the National Merit Scholarship Program, which NMSC sends to high schools each fall, or visit NMSC’s Web site at www.nationalmerit.org.

For more information The College Board mails the Official Educator Guide to the PSAT/NMSQT brochure to all schools in August. This publication includes just about everything you need to know about the test. In addition, various PSAT/NMSQT tools and resources are available online at www.collegeboard.com/psatdownloads. Helpful information in the form of FAQs is provided here in a handout. See Handout 7A: Frequently asked questions about the PSAT/NMSQT.


7-11


The SAT® www.collegeboard.com The SAT, made by the College Board, is a measure of the critical thinking skills students need for academic success in college. The SAT assesses how well students analyze and solve problems — skills learned in school that are needed in college. The SAT is typically taken by high school juniors and seniors. Virtually all four-year colleges in the United States accept the SAT for admissions purposes. Three handouts are ideal for sophomores and juniors who will be taking the test. See Handout 7B: SAT FAQs, Handout 7C: The SAT at a glance and Handout 7D: Strategies for success on the SAT essay.

Format and scoring The SAT takes 3 hours and 45 minutes. The essay is the first part of the test. The critical reading section measures a student’s ability to identify genre, relationships among parts of a text, cause and effect, rhetorical devices and comparative arguments. Questions assess such reading skills as identifying main and supporting ideas, determining the meaning of words, understanding authors’ purposes and understanding the structure and function of sentences. Reading passages are taken from different fields, including natural sciences, humanities, social sciences and literary fiction.

Tip “I urge my students to take the SAT well in advance — preferably in the spring of their junior year — so they can take it again if they need to.” — Vivian Fiallo, Freedom High School, Tampa, Fla.

7-12

The mathematics section measures a student’s mastery of mathematical concepts and reasoning skills. It includes topics typically covered in three years of college-preparatory math, such as exponential growth, absolute value, functional notation, linear functions, manipulations with exponents and properties of tangent lines. Students are asked to apply concepts they have learned to solve unfamiliar problems in flexible ways, often with real-world applications. The writing section measures a student’s mastery of developing and expressing ideas effectively. The essay, which is always the first question on the SAT, measures a student’s skill in developing and expressing a point of view on an issue. The multiple-choice section assesses the ability to use language in a clear, consistent manner and to improve a piece of writing through revision and editing. Students



are asked to recognize sentence errors, to choose the best version of a piece of writing and to improve paragraphs.

How colleges use the SAT The majority of four-year colleges require an admissions test such as the SAT for admissions purposes, and use the test to reach “an overall judgment about admissibility” for incoming freshmen (Trends in College Admission, 2000). The SAT is one factor in the admissions decision. Some colleges (about half) use the SAT for placement as well. Colleges have the option of accessing images of the essays from the writing section of the test. Those that choose to view the essays can use them in the admissions process, for placement or for both. Students need to check with each college to find out how it will use the essay.

Tip “I tell my students that colleges look at their best scores. There is no reason not to send scores from their first SAT. And in fact, they should not waste the opportunity to send those scores to four colleges for free.” — Vivian Fiallo, Freedom High School, Tampa, Fla.

Who should take the test and when it is given The SAT is administered seven times during the year in the United States (six times a year internationally). Typically, students are encouraged to take the SAT at least once in the spring of their junior year and again in the fall of their senior year if they are not satisfied with their spring scores. Taking the test early in the spring of the junior year enables the student and the counselor to see the results while conversations about college are going on. It also means that the student has the information while researching and visiting colleges over the summer. The College Board recommends that students first take the SAT in the spring of their junior year and take the test a second time in the fall of their senior year, if they feel they can improve their score. Research shows that students receive little benefit from repeating the SAT multiple times. Students receive, on average, a 40-point increase in their scores across all three sections of the SAT when they take it a second time. Score increases are lower on subsequent retests.


7-13


Practice Students can visit the SAT Practice Center at www.collegeboard.com/srp. There are a range of options there: The Official SAT Question of the Day™ — a question and its answer (with explanation) are posted daily, from one of the three sections of the SAT. Students can also sign up to receive The Official SAT Question of the Day by e-mail.

■

The Official SAT Practice Test — a full-length test students can download, take and score.

■

The Official SAT Online Course™ — an interactive course with 18 lessons covering all SAT sections and the PSAT/NMSQT. The student version is $69.95; a school version with robust reporting features is also available at www.collegeboard.com/srp.

■

The Official SAT Study Guide™— The new edition has 10 official practice tests. $21.99.

■

SAT Skills Insight™ is a free online tool that demonstrates the skills students know and highlights those they need to know better, including:

■

Skills tested on the SAT

■

Skills typical of students who score within a particular score band

■

Suggestions for how to sharpen those skills

■

Real SAT questions and answers

■

Tip Remind students that when it comes to the SAT essay: • They must write in pencil, not pen. • They must write in English, not another language. • They must address the topic. Off-topic essays will receive a score of zero.

7-14

The Question and Answer Service (QAS) is available for some administrations of the test. It gives students a chance to review a copy of the test version they took, and provides a record of their answers, the correct answers and scoring instructions. The service also includes information about the types of questions and the level of difficulty of each question. Students can order this service when they register or up to five months after they register. The Student Answer Service (SAS) provides students with a computer-generated report that indicates the difficulty of each SAT question and whether it was answered correctly, incorrectly or omitted. The service also includes information about the types of test questions. Actual test questions are not included. Students can order SAS when they register for the SAT, or up to five months after the test date. SAS is available for all test dates for which QAS is not available.



Registration, fees and fee waivers Students are encouraged to register for the SAT (and SAT Subject Tests) online at www.collegeboard.com, although paper registration forms are sent to all high schools. If students are unable to take the SAT or SAT Subject Tests on a Saturday for religious reasons, they are eligible to take the test the following Sunday if they submit their registration with a letter from a cleric explaining the religious obligation. The fee for the SAT is $45. The College Board grants approximately 300,000 fee waivers each year. School counselors determine eligibility based on family income (commonly based on who received free or reduced-price lunches under federal guidelines) and distribute the waivers to students who cannot afford the fees. There are specific criteria for eligibility for fee waivers. Each year, detailed information on fee waivers is sent to counselors from the College Board, and it is available at www.collegeboard.com. A student who is eligible for fee waivers can receive the following services free or at a reduced price: Two fee-waiver cards for SAT registrations

■

Two fee-waiver cards for SAT Subject Tests registrations (for up to three tests per registration)

■

Four additional flexible score reports, which can be ordered at no charge at any time after registering for the test(s), including after scores have been reported. (These flexible score reports may be used after a student has taken an SAT or for a previously taken SAT or SAT Subject Test.)

■

Question and Answer Service (QAS) or the Student Answer Service (SAS), if ordered at registration

■

A discount on The Official SAT Online Course, with any online registration using a fee waiver

■

Snack policy: Students are encouraged to bring snacks to the test to be eaten during breaks. Snacks must remain in the students’ book bags or backpacks under their desks during the test. Marking answer sheets: The following guidelines are published in SAT test and practice materials and are given to all test-takers: Use a No. 2 pencil and a soft eraser. Do not use a pen or mechanical pencil.

■


7-15


Make sure you fill in the entire circle darkly and completely.

■

If you change your response, erase as completely as possible.

■

Accommodations for students with disabilities All testing accommodations for students with disabilities must be approved by the College Board before the test administration. Eligibility forms are mailed to schools in the spring and must be completed and returned to the College Board well in advance of the test date. When a student is approved for accommodations, both the student/parent and the school official representative are sent Eligibility Approval Letters. For complete information, go to www.collegeboard.com/ssd. The same form can be used to request accommodations for students for the PSAT/NMSQT, the SAT and AP Exams. The College Board recommends that schools submit SSD eligibility forms at the end of a student’s first year of high school.

Reports The SAT Program score report contains detailed information about a student’s performance, comparing it with that of millions of graduating seniors in the previous year who took the SAT at any time during high school. Score reports include a breakdown of the students’ scores and information about what those scores mean. Counselors can use these reports to guide students as they make decisions about taking high school courses, applying to college and choosing a major. Paper score reports are mailed approximately five weeks after the test is administered. They are sent to the student and to the student’s high school if the student entered the correct high school code number on the Registration Form. Any college, university or scholarship program listed on the Registration Form or the Correction Form attached to the Admission Ticket or listed during online registration will also receive the score report. Student Reports Student reports contain the students’ scores and responses to the student background questionnaire. Data are sent after each test administration. High schools use the information to assist students in college planning, to counsel students on their scores and to 7-16



maintain accurate score records on their students. High schools receive a copy of the same report a student receives, as well as rosters and labels after each SAT administration. Students will have access to an online score report and a copy of their essay online. To help your students understand and use their online score reports, view the article available under “Resources” in the K-12 counselor section of collegeboard.com.

Free online information for SAT takers My SAT Online Score Report My SAT Online Score Report is available free to every student who takes the SAT, whether they registered online or by mail. My SAT Online Score Report helps students to: Understand specifics about how the test is structured and scored.

■

Get detailed insights into how they performed on each section of the test, including responses by question type and difficulty.

■

See how their scores compare to those of other test-takers.

■

Work to improve their scores on a future test through targeted preparation.

■

View a printable copy of their actual essay response and see sample essays that received various scores.

■

Search for the right colleges, majors and careers based on their scores.

■

SAT Skills Insight™ Students can link from their online score report to a skills map that identifies the type of skills that are tested on the SAT so students can improve those skills. The report includes skill descriptions, suggestions for improvement by score band and sample questions for many of the skill descriptions. Sending scores online Delivery information: Students can go online to see approximate delivery timeframes for their score reports to each institution they designated, based on the delivery method used by each institution. Score Choice™. Designed to reduce student stress and improve the test-day experience, the College Board has approved Score Choice, an College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved.

7-17


important change to the current SAT score-reporting policy. This new policy will give students the option to choose the SAT scores by test date and SAT Subject Test scores by individual test that they send to colleges (in accordance with an institution’s stated score-use practice). This will allow students to put their best foot forward on test day by giving them more flexibility and control over their scores. Score Choice is optional, and if students choose not to use it, all scores will be sent automatically. Colleges will continue to set their own test requirement policies. These policies may vary from college to college. The College Board is working with colleges to provide them with best practice information and guidance on how best to formulate, clarify and/or communicate test requirements policies, given the new SAT score-reporting policy. Students are encouraged to follow the different score-reporting requirements of each college to which they apply. Customized score reports: When ordering score reports online (or by phone), students can select specific test dates to appear on their score reports sent to institutions. Only scores from the selected dates will be reported. For SAT Subject Tests, scores from all tests taken on a selected date will be sent.

■

The ability to select only applies to past scores — if ordered as part of a registration, score reports automatically include scores from the related test date.

■

By submitting different orders, students can select different test dates to send to various colleges. This does not add anything to the cost of sending score reports.

■

If no selection is made, colleges will receive a cumulative report of all scores from the last six dates for the SAT and the last six dates for SAT Subject Tests.

■

SAT College-Bound Seniors Reports/Summary Reporting Service The SAT College-Bound Seniors Reports provide mean scores for your entire school, district or organization, as well as mean scores by gender and ethnicity. Information on the number of test-takers, their course work, GPA and many other variables are also included. Performance data over a five-year period are provided for analyzing trends. 7-18



These reports provide a wealth of information in a manner that is clear and user-friendly. Visit www.collegeboard.com/cbs. See Handout 7E: Helping students use the SAT Online Score Report.

The College Board conducts more than 200 Fall Counselor Workshops throughout the country in September and October to inform counselors about new features of College Board programs such as the SAT.

SAT Subject Tests™ What the tests cover SAT Subject Tests are the only national admissions tests that measure students’ knowledge and skills in particular subject areas, and their ability to apply that knowledge. They are closely linked to the high school curriculum and have a proven track record of providing colleges with a highly reliable, objective assessment of student readiness for college-level work. The SAT Subject Tests give students an additional opportunity to distinguish themselves and showcase their skills in a particular subject area. There are 20 SAT Subject Tests covering 16 core subjects in five areas: English, history, mathematics, the sciences and languages. Like the SAT, the SAT Subject Tests apply one standard to all students taking the test in a given subject, regardless of variations in preparation and, combined with other factors, are a good predictor of achievement in a subject and of future success in college.

Format The tests are one-hour, primarily multiple-choice, curriculum-based assessments of knowledge and skills in particular subject areas. A list of colleges that require or recommend SAT Subject Tests appears in The College Board College Handbook. The exams offered in each area are as follows: English: Literature

■

History: U.S. History, World History

Tip “We encourage students who have taken honors or AP courses and received a B or better to consider taking the SAT Subject Test at the conclusion of the course. Our teachers advise students on areas of the test that the student will need to study independently, if the course does not cover all content areas of the test.”

■

— Carlene Riccelli, Amherst Regional High School, Mass.


7-19


Mathematics: Mathematics Level 1, Mathematics Level 2

■

Sciences: Biology E/M, Chemistry, Physics

■

Languages:

■

— Reading Only: French, German, Modern Hebrew, Italian, Latin, Spanish — Reading and Listening: Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Spanish (all offered in November only) Students may take up to three SAT Subject Tests on the same date, but they may not take the SAT and SAT Subject Tests on the same day. It is important to check the dates on which each SAT Subject Test is given because not all are administered on all seven annual testing dates. This information, as well as a description of each test and sample questions, can be found in the SAT Subject Tests Preparation Booklet or at www.collegeboard.com/subjecttests.

How colleges use the SAT Subject Tests Some colleges require the results of one or more SAT Subject Tests. Colleges should explain to students whether the results are used for admissions and/or for placement purposes once a student enrolls. If a college requires a particular SAT Subject Test for placement purposes only, students may delay taking that test until the spring of their senior year, especially if it is not in their area of academic strength. Because there is so much variation in which exams are required by colleges, students must be responsible for checking college Web sites, catalogs and similar sources to be sure they have the most up-to-date information.

When should students take the SAT Subject Tests? Students should take SAT Subject Tests as near as possible to the completion of their studies in a given discipline at the high school level. Thus, a ninth- or 10th-grade student who is taking biology and does not expect to take a more advanced biology course in high school may want to take the SAT Subject Test in Biology in May or June of that year. Likewise, a student taking Spanish III in 11th grade who does not plan to take Spanish IV as a senior can take the SAT Subject Test in Spanish in May or June of the junior year. 7-20



Some colleges require and others recommend that you take the SAT Subject Tests. For that reason, taking a few SAT Subject Tests in grades 9 to 11 is a good strategy.

Practice Students can go to the SAT Subject Tests preparation center at www.collegeboard.com for test-taking approaches. Among the options there: SAT Practice Booklet — an overview of the SAT and SAT Subject Tests, plus sample test items from each. Students can download this PDF. The Official Study Guide for All SAT Subject Tests: This book has 20 SAT Subject Tests, plus an audio CD for the six language tests. $18.95

Fees For 2009-2010, the fees are as follows: $20 — Basic registration (add to individual test fees below) $20 — Language Tests with Listening

$9 — All other SAT Subject Tests

A handout provides tips for students who will be taking SAT Subject Tests. See Handout 7F: Approaches to taking the SAT Subject Tests.

Resources Publications Guidelines on the Uses of College Board Test Scores and Related Data. New York: The College Board, 2002. Trends in College Admission, 2000: A Report of a National Survey of Undergraduate Admission Policies, Practices, and Procedures. Jointly published by ACT, Inc.; the Association for Institutional Research; The College Board; Educational Testing Services; and the National Association for College Admission Counseling, 2002.


7-21


Student Search Service®: Connecting Students to College When students take the PSAT/NMSQT and register for the SAT, they are asked if they would like certain information about themselves sent to colleges, universities, nonprofit educational opportunity organizations and some scholarship programs that request it from the College Board. This is the function of Student Search Service®, a program dedicated to serving students by providing the means for them to indicate an interest in receiving information about admissions, financial aid and other postsecondary opportunities without being solicited by commercial entities. Benefits of the SSS® program • Students enjoy the advantage of having a diverse group of colleges provide information about educational opportunities and financial assistance at an early, but appropriate, stage of the post-high school planning process. • Colleges and universities can expand their outreach efforts to be more inclusive geographically and reach out to students who otherwise would not have much contact with the broader array of postsecondary opportunities. Things to consider • Students’ participation is completely voluntary and they pay no fees for participating in the SSS®. • Scores, course grades, telephone numbers and Social Security numbers are not released. • Students may request that their name, their e-mail address or both be removed from the service at any time by calling 800-626-9795. • The SSS does not release names to other list vendors or third parties and prohibits its collegiate users from doing so. • Only strictly eligible colleges, universities and consortia of colleges and universities; scholarship agencies; governmental agencies; and nonprofit organizations may participate in the SSS program. • The College Board monitors compliance with its eligibility rules for each and every participant. • Names are used only to identify potential students and are not divulged to third parties or used to conduct market research or for discriminatory purposes. • The College Board monitors messages sent to students. • Absolutely no commercial advertising of any sort is permitted in information sent to students by participating institutions. Student Search Service works for students • More than 1,500 four-year colleges and universities, 501(c)3 scholarship organizations and nonprofit organizations whose mission and offerings supplement the path to higher education employ SSS to reach out to students. • More than 90 percent of student test-takers participate in SSS. • Colleges and universities report that SSS helps them find the right students for their programs, scholarships and special activities. • Students consistently report that they enjoy receiving information about colleges and universities they know, but that they especially enjoy hearing from colleges and universities with which they were previously unfamiliar. This is particularly the case for students currently underrepresented in higher education and students from first-generation college families.

7-22



Title

Brief Description

7A

Frequently asked questions about the PSAT/NMSQT

Good handout for students and parents.

7B

SAT FAQs

Answers to commonly asked questions about the SAT.

7C

The SAT at a glance

Describes the SAT in chart form.

7D

Strategies for success on the SAT essay

Advice on approaching the SAT essay.

7E

Helping students use the SAT Online Score Report

Overview of what is in the Online Score Report and how students can access it.

7F

Approaches to taking the SAT Subject Tests

Good handout for students who will be taking SAT Subject Tests.


7-23

Parents

FrequentlyTITLE asked questions about theTITLE PSAT/NMSQT® 1. Why should students take the PSAT/NMSQT®?

The PSAT/NMSQT is great preparation for the SAT®, and juniors who take the test and meet other program entry requirements may enter National Merit Scholarship Corporation programs. Most important, the PSAT/NMSQT is a comprehensive educational tool that gives valuable feedback to the student and the school. Students will receive scores in critical reading, mathematics and writing skills and can compare their scores with those of sophomores or juniors across the country. A question-by-question review of answers enables students to see which answers they got right and wrong and to refer to the original test booklet for additional practice. Best of all, with their Score Report, students receive a personalized statement of specific academic skills that need attention, along with suggested steps to improve those skills. Students who take the PSAT/NMSQT will also receive online access to My College QuickStart™, a free personalized college and career planning kit, with access until they graduate high school.

2. Who should take the PSAT/NMSQT?

Students take the PSAT/NMSQT in their junior year to qualify for National Merit Scholarship Corporation competitions. It is also beneficial for sophomores and younger students to take the test because it provides comprehensive information to help improve academic skills needed for success in college and life beyond college. In 2008, more than half of all testers were sophomores and younger.

3. What should students do to prepare for this test?

The Official Student Guide to the PSAT/NMSQT contains plenty of useful information, including a full-length practice test. Students should review the guide and take the practice test to be sure they understand the directions and know the types of questions that will be asked. Classroom learning is the basis for test questions, so the best way students can prepare is to take a rigorous course of study.

4. If students don’t do well on this test, will their chances of getting into college be diminished?

Absolutely not. If anything, taking the PSAT/NMSQT will improve their chances of going to college since the test provides information on the skills that need improvement in preparation for the SAT and college. PSAT/NMSQT scores are not sent to colleges.


Frequently asked questions about the PSAT/NMSQT (page 2) 5. How many times may a student take this test?

Only once a year, but there is no limit on how many years a student may participate. It is important for juniors to take the test in order to enter National Merit Scholarship Corporation competitions, as well as to prepare for the SAT. For younger students, the main benefit is to gain valuable feedback on improving their academic skills and start thinking about college at an earlier age.

6. When may schools expect to see results from the PSAT/NMSQT?

Schools will receive Score Reports in early December and will notify students regarding when, where and how to get their individual reports. Schools also receive an extra copy for the student’s file.

7. What is the PSAT/NMSQT Score Report?

The Score Report includes not only scores and feedback on test questions but also an “Improve Your Skills” section. For each section of the test — critical reading, mathematics and writing skills — students will receive personalized feedback on skills in need of improvement based on their performance on the PSAT/NMSQT, as well as suggestions for improvement. The Score Report also shows whether students meet entry requirements for National Merit Scholarship Corporation competitions.


Students

SAT® FAQs 1. Why should you take the SAT?

The SAT® is the nation’s most widely used college admissions test, a distinction that it has held for more than seven decades. The SAT is taken by more than two million students every year and is accepted by virtually all colleges and universities. The SAT measures knowledge of subjects learned in the classroom, including reading, writing and math — and how well you can apply that knowledge outside of the classroom. The SAT helps colleges get to know you better by giving them insight into how you think, solve problems, and communicate.

2. When should I take the SAT?

The College Board recommends that you take the SAT in the spring of your junior year and again in the fall of you senior year, if you feel you can improve your score. Research shows that students receive little benefit from repeating the SAT multiple times. Students receive, on average, a 40-point increase across all three sections when they take it a second time. Score increases are lower on subsequent retesting.

3. How is the SAT developed?

Meticulous care goes into developing and evaluating each test. Test developers write the questions for the SAT, sometimes incorporating questions submitted by high school and college teachers from around the country. A test committee made up of high school and college faculty and administrators reviews each test before it is administered. To ensure that the SAT is a valid measure of the skills and knowledge specified for the tests, as well as fair to all students, the SAT Program maintains rigorous standards for administering and scoring the tests and for reporting test scores.

4. What else does the SAT provide?

The SAT experience does not start or end with the test. The College Board is there for you at each step on your path to college. From the moment you register for the test, you can take advantage of the College Board’s free online practice materials and many useful tools, including SAT Skills Insight™, which helps you understand what skills are tested on the SAT; a college search tool; financial aid and scholarship information; and a profile of several careers and majors. The College Board also helps you understand the details of your scores with My Online Score Report.

5. How fair is the SAT?

The SAT is carefully designed to be a fair test for all students. It is also the most rigorously researched and analyzed standardized test in the world. Each question on the SAT goes through an in-depth pretesting and review process to ensure that every single question is fair to all students across genders and ethnicity groups. Handout 7B page 1 of 2 College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

SAT FAQs (page 2) 6. How valid is the SAT in predicting college success?

The SAT, along with high school grades, is the best predictor of success in college. The SAT gives you an opportunity to show colleges what you know and what you know you can do. Taking the SAT is the first step in finding the right college for you — the one where you’ll best succeed and discover the tools necessary to pursue your passions and achieve your career goals.

7. How many questions must I answer correctly to get an average score on the SAT?

The average score on the SAT is about 500 on the critical reading section, 500 on the writing section, and 500 on the mathematics section. Some of the questions are easy, and some are hard, but the majority are of medium difficulty. Medium difficulty questions are answered correctly by about onethird to two-thirds of students. The SAT is designed so that a student who answers about half the questions correctly will receive an average score.

8. How do colleges use the writing score?

Different colleges use the writing score in different ways. Writing scores may be used for admissions decisions, and possibly for placement in English composition courses. Some colleges may choose to use writing scores for research purposes only, and not for decisions about admissions or placement. In addition to the raw writing score, colleges that are sent a student’s SAT score will also be able to access the student’s essay.

Recent studies show that the writing section, of all three sections, is the best predictor of a student’s academic success in college.

9. How should I get ready? There are many ways to practice for the test. Here are some ideas: Study hard, read outside of the classroom and take challenging classes.

■

Take the PSAT/NMSQT®. It is great practice for the SAT.

■

Take advantage of the College Board’s free online readiness/practice tools, which include a free official practice test, sample questions, The Official SAT Question of the Day™ and other low-cost tools.

■

Know that research proves that you don’t need expensive test-preparation courses to prepare you to do well on the test.

■

If you’ve already taken the SAT once, consider taking it again. There’s a good chance that you’ll improve your score.

■

Source: www.collegeboard.com


Students

TITLE The SAT® at a glance TITLE Critical Reading Content/items

Multiple-choice items, including sentence completions and passage-based reading, measuring: • Extended reasoning • Literal comprehension • Vocabulary in context

Score

200-800

Time

70 minutes (two 25-minute sections, one 20-minute section)

Mathematics Content/items

Multiple-choice items and student-produced responses measuring: • • • •

Numbers and operations Algebra I and II and functions Geometry and measurement Data analysis, statistics and probability

Score

200-800

Time

70 minutes (two 25-minute sections, one 20-minute section)

Writing Content/items

• Multiple choice: identifying sentence errors; improving sentences; improving paragraphs • Student-written essay: effectively communicating a viewpoint; defining and supporting a position

Score

• 200-800 • Multiple-choice subscore: 20-80 • Essay subscore: 2-12

Time

• 60 minutes • Multiple choice: 35 minutes (one 25-minute section, one 10-minute section) • Essay: 25 minutes



Students

TITLE Strategies for success on the SAT® essay TITLE It seems like everybody has a different opinion about how to do well on the SAT® essay. Some people say you should write a strict five-paragraph essay, with an introduction, a conclusion and three specific examples. Some people say you should read well-known books like The Great Gatsby or The Scarlet Letter and refer to them as often as you can. Some people say that the real key is to write as much as humanly possible. Some say you should do all of these at once! We want students to know that there are no shortcuts to success on the SAT essay. The high school and college teachers who will score your essay have seen it all before. These teachers are not going to give high scores to an essay just because it is long, or has five paragraphs, or uses literary examples. The scorers are experts at identifying truly good writing — essays that insightfully develop a point of view with appropriate reasons and examples and use language skillfully. So what can you do to write a successful SAT essay? Here are some strategies the College Board would like you to consider: Read the entire assignment. It’s all there to help you. Every essay assignment contains a short paragraph about the issue, usually from a specific author or book. Don’t ignore this important information in your rush to answer the question. Imagine that you are talking to the author of the paragraph about the issue. What would you say to him or her? Would you argue or agree? What other ideas or examples would you bring up? Answering these questions will help you develop your own point of view. Don’t oversimplify. Developing your point of view doesn’t mean coming up with as many examples as you can. Sometimes students cut a great example short to move on to something else, and end up oversimplifying. Take the time to really explain an example; that’s the best way to fully develop your point of view. An essay with one or two thoughtful, well-developed reasons or examples is more likely to get a high score than an essay with three short, simplistic examples. There’s nothing wrong with “I.” You are asked to develop your point of view on the issue, not give a straight report of the facts. This is your opinion, so feel free to use “I,” and give examples that are meaningful to you, even ones from your personal life or experiences. Of course you need to support your ideas appropriately, and show that you can use language well, but remember: The essay is an opportunity for you to say what you think about an important issue that’s relevant to your life. So relax and be yourself, and you will do just fine. Source: The College Board


Counselors

Helping students TITLEuse the SAT® Online TITLE Score Report Your students’ SAT® Online Score Reports offer practical, personalized feedback on their scores. Students should use their online score report as a jumping-off point to develop their skills. They can use the SAT Online Score Report to review: SAT scores online

■

A printable copy of their actual essay response

■

Useful information about their scores

■

The SAT Online Score Report is available free to every student who takes the SAT, whether they registered online or by mail. To access the online report, all a student needs is a collegeboard.com account. Detailed Score Information Students can navigate the score report using the three tabs to access detailed score information for each section: critical reading, mathematics and writing. Students can click Your Score Details and Compare Your Score to learn about: Score ranges

■

Percentile ranks

■

Average scores

■

Score details

■

How their scores might change if they retake the SAT

■

The Writing Section On the writing tab of the SAT Online Score Report, students can view their multiple-choice writing and essay subscores and receive detailed information about how the essay was scored. From here, students can easily view and print a copy of the actual essay they wrote to share it with their counselor, their teachers or their parents. Helping Students Access the SAT Online Score Report 1. Sign in to collegeboard.com and go to My SAT Study Plan™. 2. My SAT shows all the SATs the student is registered for (or where registrations are in progress), plus scores from all previous SATs taken. 3. Select View My Score Report next to a test date to see the SAT Online Score Report. Source: The College Board

Handout 7E College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

Students

TITLE Approaches to taking the SAT Subject Tests™ TITLE 1. Know when to take the Subject Tests. Take them when the content is fresh in your mind — often at the end of the course for subjects like biology, chemistry and world history. It could also be after you have studied a subject for several years (a language, for example). Your teacher or counselor can help you decide. 2. Know what to expect. Become familiar with the organization of the tests in which you are interested, the types of test questions, and test-day procedures. Download the SAT Subject Tests Preparation Booklet from www.collegeboard.com, which includes sample questions and sample test directions to help you prepare for the tests (or get a free copy from your counselor’s office). 3. Know the test directions. For every five minutes you spend reading directions, you will have five fewer minutes available to answer questions. Learn the directions now. 4. Do the easier questions first. The easier questions are usually at the beginning of a grouping of questions. You can earn as many points for easy questions as you can for hard questions. 5. Know how the tests are scored. You get one point for each right answer and lose a fraction of a point for each wrong answer. You neither gain nor lose points for omitting an answer. 6. Make a smart guess. If you can rule out one or more answer choices for a multiple-choice question as definitely wrong, your chances of guessing correctly among the remaining choices improve. If you have no clue as to the correct answer, random guessing is not to your advantage. You should omit questions only when you really have no idea how to answer them. 7. Use the test book for scratch work to cross off answers you know are wrong, and to mark questions you did not answer. Be sure to mark your answers on the separate answer sheet because you won’t receive credit for any answers you marked in the test book. 8. Don’t make extra marks on the answer sheet. The answer sheet is machine scored, and the machine can’t tell an answer from a doodle. 9. Become familiar with the SAT Subject Test answer sheet. A copy appears in the back of The Official Study Guide for all SAT Subject Tests™. Your school library should have a copy of this publication. 10. You may use a calculator on the Mathematics Level 1 and Mathematics Level 2 tests only. 11. Take an acceptable CD player (a list can be found at www.collegeboard.com) and extra batteries to the test center if you are registered for any of the listening tests. Test centers will not have extra CD players or batteries for your use. Source: www.collegeboard.com


Chapter 8 Financial aid Overview


The good news: Although you need to understand some basics about college costs and financial aid (and yes, you should know a few key terms and acronyms), you don’t need to be an expert on the subject. In fact, many counselors invite college financial aid administrators, usually from nearby colleges, to attend financial aid events at school and provide families with information. And to help you and your students with the terms, there’s a glossary at the end of the chapter.

Overview

See Handout 8A: Financial aid glossary.

The counselor’s role How financial aid helps families College costs: Adding it all up Financial need: How it is determined The application process: Keeping an eye on the calendar

You do need to know what financial aid is and how to direct your students to authoritative sources of information on costs, aid applications, scholarships and loans. The word authoritative is key: There are many less-than-reputable Web sites and aid services just waiting for unsuspecting families.

Types of financial aid

You can keep several sources of information in your office to help students and their families learn about financial aid. A two-page handout dispels some of the common myths about paying for college. See Handout 8B: Twelve myths about paying for college. Another handout shows the financial benefits of getting a postsecondary degree. See Handout 8C: Why go to college?

Students in foster care

How aid is awarded What award letters look like Maintaining scholarship files and administering local scholarships

How to conduct financial aid events: One school’s approach Resources for counselors Handouts

If your school doesn’t already work with local colleges to conduct financial aid events, this chapter provides details on how one school puts on its annual financial aid evening. You’ll learn about the benefits of inviting college aid experts to meet with families and caregivers, explain the aid process and even help them complete the necessary forms. Many school counseling offices maintain files of local scholarship information. In this chapter you’ll also find tips from counselors on how they maintain the files, keep students informed of new scholarship opportunities and report on how much aid their students received.


8-1

Chapter 8 Financial aid

The counselor’s role Understand the financial aid process in general and be able to explain key points to students and families.

■

Direct families to valid sources of information on costs, applying for aid and paying for college: state agencies, Web sites and books, and college financial aid offices.

■

Dispel myths about financial aid by learning the major sources of aid and how it is awarded.

■

Hold financial aid events at which administrators from local colleges discuss completion of the FAFSA and CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE (discussed in this chapter), and help families and independent students complete the forms.

■

Make available FAFSA worksheets and other free federal publications.

■

Be familiar with major state financial aid sources and the processes for obtaining that aid.

■

Make sure that families who feel they need aid apply for it early in the application process. Stress that colleges themselves are the best sources of financial aid (by packaging federal and college aid, and loans, for each student). Private scholarships are the smallest part of the pie (although local private scholarships will be the most fruitful source of private scholarship aid for your students).

■

Learn the overall calendar for obtaining financial aid forms and applying for aid.

■

Tip “See if your state association of financial aid administrators holds workshops for high school counselors, and if they do, be sure to attend them.” — Peggy Hock, Notre Dame High School, Calif.

8-2

Communicate key dates and other information in newsletters, e-mails, bulletins or other methods.

■

Help students compare their financial aid packages.

■

How financial aid helps families In the United States, the family is the primary source of funds for college, and the student is the primary beneficiary of their investment. All colleges, government agencies and private student aid programs expect the family to pay a share of the costs of attending college. No matter what their financial circumstances are, most families will contribute some amount. However, very few families are expected to pay the entire amount. Financial aid often makes up the difference between the costs of going to college and the amount a family can afford to contribute.



College costs: Adding it all up Counselors play a role in helping students understand the full cost of attendance at the colleges they are exploring. Aid is awarded on the basis of the difference between expected family contribution and total college costs (not just tuition). The cost of attendance generally includes the following: Tuition and fees

■

Room and board

■

Books and supplies

■

Transportation

■

Personal expenses

■

Increasingly, there is some flexibility in what are sometimes called fixed costs, like tuition and fees and room and board. For example, colleges have many dormitory room options and many meal plans. At private institutions, tuition is usually the same for all students, but at public institutions it can depend on a student’s course load or state of residence. (Many states have consortia that charge students from neighboring states the same amount as in-state students.) Students should consult reputable guidebooks (such as Getting Financial Aid by the College Board) and the colleges’ Web sites to determine the cost of tuition and room and board. The invaluable Counselors and Mentors Handbook on Federal Student Aid, published by the U.S. Department of Education, explains how a college determines cost: “The law specifies that the cost of attendance includes tuition and fees and an allowance for living expenses such as room and board, books and supplies, miscellaneous personal expenses (including a reasonable allowance for renting or purchasing a personal computer), and transportation costs. The law also provides limited allowances for loan fees, dependent-care costs, and expense for diabled students. The financial aid administrator at a school usually develops an average cost of attendance for different categories of students. Some programs of study might have lab fees or higher charges for books and supplies than other programs; and students living off campus might have slightly higher allowable costs for room and board and transportation expenses than students living on campus.”

Tip Be sure to explore www.fsa4counselors. ed.gov There you will find: Counselors and Mentors Handbook ED Toll-Free and Hotline Numbers English-Spanish Glossary Glossary of Terms Network and Potential Partnerships Publications and Ordering Training and Satellite Broadcasts TRIO Programs and Locator Links to Related Resources

Unfixed costs can be high. Colleges themselves estimate that books and supplies range from $800 to $900 or more a year, and students College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved.

8-3


in fields requiring special equipment (such as architecture and engineering) will spend more. Transportation costs can only be approximate. Finally, personal expenses. Colleges estimate that students spend between $1,000 and $2,000 a year on personal expenses. The amount may shock some families, but you can help them put the figure into context: Do their children eat snacks, go to the movies, get their hair cut and buy CDs and clothes now? They will continue to do so in college!

Most families think college is more expensive than it really is. As you can see from Figure 1, 56 percent of students go to colleges that charge under $9,000 in tuition and fees.

$33,000 and Over

Tuition and Fees

FACT

Figure 1. Distribution of full-time undergraduates at public and private fouryear institutions by published tuition and fees, 2008-2009. 6%

$30,000 to $32,999

3%

$27,000 to $29,999

3%

$24,000 to $26,999

5%

$21,000 to $23,999

5%

$18,000 to $20,999

4%

$15,000 to $17,999

5%

$12,000 to $14,999

5% 8%

$9,000 to $11,999

24%

$6,000 to $8,999

31%

$3,000 to $5,999 Under $3,000 0%

1%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Percentage of Full-Time Undergraduates

Source: Trends in College Pricing (The College Board, 2008).

Financial need: How it is determined Most financial aid today is awarded according to need. Colleges gather information from families about their income and assets and determine what their share of the total costs should be. According to guidance counselor Jim Montague, there is often a significant difference between what a family feels it can contribute toward college and what the college thinks the family can afford to pay.

8-4



The College Board and financial aid

The College Board is proud to have shaped financial aid policy in this country. In the 1950s, some colleges began to use merit aid to attract students; as a result, fewer funds were available for needy students. This situation troubled College Board member institutions, so in 1953 they asked the Board to sponsor a symposium on student aid. Participants discussed the development of a uniform method of assessing financial need and awarding funds. In 1954, the Board established the College Scholarship Service® (CSS®), which has remained a visible participant in the national policy and delivery arenas, with these ideals a constant: • Access to higher education for all students is paramount. • Aid should be awarded on the basis of financial need. • Financial need should be determined through a consistent, comprehensive and reliable economic method.

Expected family contribution Colleges use various approaches to determine a family’s estimated contribution to their child’s education. The amount of the expected family contribution (EFC) depends on which approach a college uses. Counselors do not have to discuss finances with students or families, but you should understand EFC and how it is determined.

Federal Methodology and Institutional Methodology Colleges rely on two basic methods to calculate the expected family contribution. The Federal Methodology is a formula established by Congress to determine EFC and federal financial aid eligibility. The formula takes into consideration income, assets, expenses, family size and other factors to help evaluate a family’s financial strength.

Tip Juniors and their families interested in assessing their eligibility for federal student aid can access the new FAFSA4caster by visiting www. fafsa4caster.ed.gov. This free tool can instantly calculate an estimated EFC, inform students of potential Pell Grant eligibility and reduce the time needed to complete the FAFSA.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is the online form used in reporting the information that determines EFC under the Federal Methodology. All students applying for need-based federal aid should complete the FAFSA. (In general, most students applying for financial aid from other sources will also want to file a FAFSA.) Many colleges and aid-granting programs use a more comprehensive formula, referred to as the Institutional Methodology, to determine student need for nonfederal aid (such as institutional scholarships and grants). Many colleges think that Institutional Methodology provides a better gauge of a family’s ability to pay than FM. IM takes home equity and other assets into account and includes a minimum College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved.

8-5


expected contribution from most applicants. It also permits more generous treatment of medical/dental expenses, efforts to put money aside for education, emergencies and other special circumstances. Because many colleges use IM for the purpose of awarding their own money, the formula can vary from college to college. For example, some colleges offer additional funds to parents who are paying for private school tuition or who live in areas of the country with a higher-thanaverage cost of living. Most colleges that use an alternative formula to award their funds require families to complete an application form in addition to the FAFSA — frequently the form is the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE. (See the definition of this form later in this chapter.) The Federal Methodology EFC serves as an “eligibility index” used to determine the student’s potential qualification for federal and, sometimes, state funds. With the exception of the Federal Pell Grant, the college determines the amount of federal aid to award a student based on the college’s federal funding allocation and available dollars. The Institutional Methodology EFC helps some colleges determine the student’s eligibility for nonfederal institutional funds. (Some colleges use the Federal Methodology EFC to determine eligibility for federal as well as nonfederal funds.)

Independent students Tip “Have a financial aid buddy at a private college and one at a public college. Then when you have really unusual situations, you can call someone who can help you. The administrator will welcome the opportunity to counsel you and your students.” — Carlene Riccelli, Amherst Regional High School, Mass.

8-6

Some of your students may be independent students. If so, their parents’ finances are not taken into account by colleges. The chart on the next page shows questions that determine if a student is condidered to be independent for federal aid purposes. For these students, their ability to contribute to college costs is evaluated on the basis of their own income, assets and expenses. Special expenses such as child care may be considered by the college. Sometimes a student under age 24 can be treated as independent when there are unusual circumstances (e.g., he or she is living independently as a result of estrangement from parents). In these cases, the student must provide documentation (usually including letters from clergy or from counseling agencies) to a financial aid administrator who may approve a “dependence override.” However, such exceptions are made on a limited basis.


Am I Dependent or Independent?


When I fill out the 2009–10 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSASM), will I have to provide information about my parents?

It depends. Answer these questions: Were you born before Jan. 1, 1986?

Yes

No

Are you married? (Answer “Yes” if you are separated but not divorced.)

Yes

No

At the beginning of the 2009–10 school year, will you be working on a master’s or doctorate degree program (such as an M.A., M.B.A., M.D., J.D., Ph.D., Ed.D., or graduate certificate, etc.)?

Yes

No

Are you currently serving on active duty in the U.S. armed forces for purposes other than training? (If you are a National Guard or Reserves enlistee, are you on active duty for other than state or training purposes?)

Yes

No

Are you a veteran of the U.S. armed forces?*

Yes

No

Do you have children who will receive more than half of their support from you between July 1, 2009, and June 30, 2010?

Yes

No

Do you have dependents (other than your children or spouse) who live with you and who receive more than half of their support from you, now and through June 30, 2010?

Yes

No

At any time since you turned age 13, were both your parents deceased, were you in foster care, or were you a ward or dependent of the court?

Yes

No

Has it been decided by a court in your state of legal residence that you are an emancipated minor or that you are in a legal guardianship?

Yes

No

At any time on or after July 1, 2008, were you determined to be an unaccompanied youth who was homeless, as determined by (a) your high school or district homeless liaison or (b) the director of an emergency shelter or transitional housing program funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development?

Yes

No

At any time on or after July 1, 2008, did the director of a runaway or homeless youth basic center or transitional living program determine that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless or were self-supporting and at risk of being homeless?

Yes

No

* Answer No (you are not a veteran) if you (1) have never engaged in active duty in the U.S. armed forces, (2) are currently a Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) student or a cadet or midshipman at a service academy, (3) are a National Guard or Reserves enlistee activated only for state or training purposes, or (4) were engaged in active duty in the U.S. armed forces but released under dishonorable conditions. Also answer No if you are currently serving in the U.S. armed forces and will continue to serve through June 30, 2010. Answer Yes (you are a veteran) if you (1) have engaged in active duty in the U.S. armed forces (Army, Navy, Air Force,

Marines, or Coast Guard) or are a National Guard or Reserves enlistee who was called to active duty for other

than state or training purposes, or were a cadet or midshipman at one of the service academies and (2) were released under a

condition other than dishonorable. Also answer Yes if you are not a veteran now but will be one by June 30, 2010.

See also “Students in foster care” on page 8-18.

Did you answer Yes to any of the questions? If so, then for federal student aid purposes, you’re considered to be an independent student and do not have to provide information about your parents on the FAFSA. Did you answer No to every question? If so, then for federal student aid purposes, you’re considered to be a dependent student, and you must provide information about your parents on the FAFSA. Not sure who counts as your parent? See the instructions on the FAFSA or check out “Who Is My ‘Parent’ When I Fill Out the FAFSA?” at www.FederalStudentAid.ed.gov/pubs.

The application process: Keeping an eye on the calendar

If you have no contact with your parents and don’t know where they live, you should discuss your situation with

Virtually should forschool aid, you andplan most of them the financialall aidstudents office at the college apply or career to attend. Thewill financial aid administrator will help youeligible figure outtowhat to do at next. be receive least some funding. Not all applicants are offered all the money they need. As the following data indicate, many Fill out apply the FAFSA www.fafsa.ed.gov. students for aid,atand most of those (73 percent at four-year colleges) are determined by the college to have demonstrated need. Download this fact sheet at www.FederalStudentAid.ed.gov/pubs Of those, the majority are offered aid, but few (34 percent at four-year 2009–10 colleges) are offered the total amount of aid they need.


8-7


Table 8.1 First-year students aid picture First-year students Applied for aid Applied for aid and were found to have need Had need and were offered aid Had need met in full

Four-year colleges Two-year colleges 73% 45% 74% 78% 97% 35%

93% 18%

Source: College Board Annual Survey of Colleges 2006-07.

For the “regular decision” admissions cycle, the aid application process starts in January. (Colleges that use the Early Decision cycle may ask for documents to be completed the previous fall.) January: Students begin completing FAFSA and institutional application forms. (Students should file PROFILE earlier; the application is available Oct. 1.)

■

February: Many colleges have priority dates and deadlines this month.

■

Late February and March: Colleges may call you with questions about students in special circumstances.

■

End of March: Admissions and financial aid notifications are mailed.

■

April: Students weigh offers of admission and compare aid awards.

■

May 1: Students must tell all colleges yes or no and make deposits.

■

Tip “Be sure to tell students and families that filling out the FAFSA is the starting point in applying for aid. They may need to fill out other forms colleges require, and they need to be aware of college financial aid priority dates and make sure they’ve submitted all necessary information by those dates.” — Jack Joyce, former college financial aid director

8-8

There are several handouts that will help students move through the process. See Handout 8D: Senior-year calendar for students applying for financial aid; Handout 8E: Financial aid checklist for students and parents/guardians; Handout 8F: Tracking your financial aid applications; and Handout 8G: Federal student aid application process.

Students may ask you which financial aid forms the colleges require. A good source of information is Getting Financial Aid (published annually by the College Board); it explains which forms are required and when they are required. College Web sites will also list the required forms and deadlines.

Deadlines and priority dates Many colleges have a priority date but no firm deadline for applying for financial aid (many priority dates are in February and March). Urge students to apply by the priority date. This is the date by which



the college needs the application in order to award the most attractive aid package. After this date, funds may be limited or depleted, and students may not get as much aid as they need. Getting Financial Aid lists priority dates for each college.

FAFSA Any student applying for federal aid must complete the FAFSA on the Web at www.fafsa.ed.gov. And, in general, most students applying for aid will want to complete the FAFSA. The federal government annually publishes an excellent booklet — the Counselors and Mentors Handbook on Federal Student Aid. This easy-to-use reference (in English and Spanish) provides information to help counselors advise students about financial aid, with an emphasis on federal student aid programs. If you need a copy, call 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243) or download it from www.fsa4counselors.ed.gov. FAFSA has an easily navigated Web site (www.fafsa.ed.gov) where families can register for a PIN (the password is necessary for applying online) and find out everything they need to know about FAFSA. The FAFSA online (called “FAFSA on the Web”) edits information as it is entered to ensure an error-free submission that will get results much more quickly. A pdf version of the FAFSA is available in Spanish as well as English. There is a handout at the end of this chapter that addresses FAFSA. See Handout 8H: What you should know about FAFSA: The Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

Warning: www.fafsa.com is not a federally sponsored site. It is a Web site that offers assistance in the completion of the FAFSA to the tune of $79.99 and up. Be sure to explain this to your students.

CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE® For purposes of awarding their private funds, some colleges and universities require the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE. This fully Web-based financial aid application service is available at www. collegeboard.com. PROFILE provides students with extensive online “help” sections; customer support is available via e-mail and by phone during normal business hours. The PROFILE application is customized to the individual needs of each student. Application customization occurs after the student has completed the PROFILE Registration process. Once the registration

Tip “Some colleges have financial aid deadlines, and most have priority dates for applications. I urge my students to apply for aid by the priority date. They are more likely to get the aid they need early in the process, when the colleges have ample money to award.” — Lauri Benton, Columbia High School, Ga.


8-9


process is completed, the PROFILE application will only present questions that are relevant to the unique financial and family circumstances of each student. The PROFILE Student Guide provides important information about the process and should be reviewed prior to registering for PROFILE. The Guide includes an important section for applicants to review with parents prior to completing the Registration process. Once the PROFILE registration step is complete, students can also review and print the Customized Pre-Application Worksheet, which can help them gather information about the unique PROFILE questions that they will be asked. For students who do not have a computer at home, the customized Pre-Application Worksheet can be reviewed with parents, and the information entered online on a library or school computer. The CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE section of the College Board Web site includes a list of the colleges and scholarship programs that require it. Fee waivers PROFILE uses the financial aid data provided by the family to determine who is eligible for a fee waiver. PROFILE fee waivers are available to entering dependent applicants from families with very low incomes and few assets. Students must also be U.S. citizens or eligible noncitizens. Generally, students who qualify for the federal reduced-price or free lunch program are also eligible for the PROFILE fee waiver. The fee waiver covers the cost of registration and up to six school or program reports.

8-10



The Two Main Forms at a Glance FAFSA

CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE

Sponsor Federal government www.fafsa.ed.gov

College Board www.collegeboard.com

Purpose Establishes eligibility for federal aid Establishes eligibility for institutional aid Assets

Doesn’t consider equity in the home Considers home, business and farm but does consider other assets such equity and offers more generous as a family farm or small business allowances for reserve savings and educational savings

Dates

Complete after January 1 (and preferably before February 1)

Complete after Oct. 1. Colleges may require the PROFILE as early as Oct. 15 for Early Decision or Early Action.

No fee for FAFSA

$25 for first college; $16 for additional colleges

Fee

FAFSA Fee waiver

CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE

There is no fee.

Determined by PROFILE, based on family finances

Online? Yes

Yes

Paper?

No

Yes— on a limited basis

Contact www.fafsa.ed.gov 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243) www.pin.ed.gov (for obtaining PIN)

www.collegeboard.com

Types of financial aid In 2007-2008, $106.7 billion in financial aid was available to undergraduates, most of it from federal sources. The pie chart below shows specific sources. Figure 2. Estimated undergraduate aid (in billions) by source for academic year 2007-08 Undergraduate Aid

Private and Employer Grants ($7.5) 7%

Federal Grant Programs other than Pell ($3.5) 3% 14%

Institutional Grants ($22.8)

Pell Grants ($14.4) Federal Work-Study ($1.0)

23%

1%

8%

State Grants ($7.8)

6%

41%

Federal Loans ($43.8)

Education Tax Credits and Deductions ($6.0)

Source: Trends in Student Aid (The College Board, 2008). College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved.

8-11


Counselors should become familiar with the three main types of financial aid. Grants and scholarships This is money that does not have to be repaid. A scholarship or grant may be awarded on the basis of need, or it may be given for academic achievement or a talent. Students who seek private scholarships need to search for them on their own using Web sites and scholarship guides; college scholarships and grants are included in college financial aid packages and do not need to be applied for separately. Loans This is money that is paid back with interest. Most education loans have a lower interest rate than commercial loans and do not have to be repaid until college is completed. There are a variety of commercial sources for loans that are based on ability to repay. These are sometimes called private alternative loans or loans of convenience. Work-study Many colleges participate in the Federal Work-Study Program under which students are employed 10 to 15 hours a week; other colleges have campus jobs for students. Many students find jobs in the community, but that employment is not called work-study. A look at the numbers Right now, according to the College Board’s Annual Survey of Colleges 2006-07, colleges award aid this way: Table 8.2 How colleges package financial aid

Aid in the form of grants Aid in the form of student loans Aid in the form of parent loans Aid in the form of work-study jobs Total

Four-year colleges 44% 41% 12% 3% 100%

Two-year colleges 59% 36% 2% 3% 100%

Of course, each student’s package is unique. Clearly, however, grant money is no longer the lion’s share of most packages.

8-12



For additional ways to help students make college affordable, see the handout that lists several popular options. See Handout 8I: Creative avenues of financial aid.

How aid is awarded Colleges send out financial aid award letters in the spring. You should urge students to compare awards carefully: What matters is the “bottom line” — their net cost to attend each college. Many counselors use or direct students to use the Compare Your Aid Awards tool (in the Students and Parents sections of www. collegeboard.com). Students and their parents can fill in the information from each college and analyze the mixture of loans, grants and work-study at each college. One handout provides an easy way to sort out the awards and determine the net cost to attend each institution. See Handout 8J: Comparing financial aid award letters: A worksheet.

A financial aid package will often consist of (you guessed it!): grants

■

Tip “I tell families not to use the word ‘negotiate.’ If an aid package is much lower than what’s being offered by similar institutions, families should call and ask if there is additional information that may make a difference. They might say ‘I would love for my son (or daughter) to go to your school. Can you give me some financing options? Were you aware of this medical expense?’ Colleges do store data in different ways — they may have simply missed something important in your financial picture.” — Carlene Riccelli, Amherst Regional High School, Mass.

loans

■

work-study

■

You may need to help students understand that they must compare awards carefully. For example, a $14,000 financial aid package awarded by one college may look like a better deal because it is twice as large as a $7,000 financial aid package offered by another college, but actually the larger package may leave the family with a much greater burden — a larger loan and unmet need. This is illustrated in the chart below. Two colleges, two different awards College A

College B

Cost of attendance

$14,000

$26,000

Family contribution

$ 7,000

$ 7,000

Financial need

$7,000

$19,000

College grant

$5,000

$10,000

Work

$1,000

$0

Loan

$1,000

$4,000

0

$5,000

Unmet need


8-13


Blue

U

Office of Financial Aid

Actual Award Letter

Dear Potential Student, Based on the information you submitted on your FAFSA and to our office, Blue University can offer you the following TENTATIVE awards. This package is based on an award period from 09/10/XX to 06/06/XX. Cost of Attendance: $28,706.00 Tentative financial award notification AID AWARD

ACCEPT AWARD Yes NO

OFFERED AMOUNT

FEDERAL PERKINS LOAN

________ _______

$1,143

STATE WORK-STUDY BLUE EDUCATIONAL GRANT

________ _______

$2,400

________ _______

$3,538

UNIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIP

________ _______

$2,000

RESIDENCE HALL GRANT

________ _______

$2,000

FEDERAL DIRECT LOAN — SUB.

________ _______

$2,625

Finalize your financial aid award as soon as possible by forwarding to our office the forms listed on the Missing Documents Form included with this letter. Sincerely, Office of Financial Aid

phone: 555-555-1212 • fax: 555-555-5785 • [email protected] • www.blueu.com 8-14



Green University Office of Student Financial Planning

Actual Award Letter

Dear Potential Student, Cost of Attendance: $26,005.00 Circle A for Accept or D for Decline for each individual award where indicated below:

Presidential Freshman Scholarship Green University Grant

Fall

Spring

Total

Accept / Decline

$3,250

$3,250

$6,500

A/D

$705

$705

$1,410

A/D

Total Grants and Scholarships Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan

$7,910 $1,313

$1,312

Total Student Loans

$2,625

A/D

$2,625

Federal College Work-Study Federal PLUS Loan and/or

$330

$330

$660

$7,405

$7,405

$14,810

A/D

Green Partnership Loan

Sincerely, Office of Financial Aid

phone: 555-555-9999 • fax: 555-555-1111 [email protected] • www.greenuniversity.com


8-15


What award letters look like College award letters are by no means standard, and it is often not immediately apparent what the “bottom line” is. The chart on the previous page shows two actual, recent award letters. The family whose child was trying to decide between Blue U (his top choice) and Green U at first found the awards to be wildly different, and the Blue U offer to be inadequate.

TIP “High schools with limited resources should not reinvent the wheel but rather point their kids to what’s already out there like collegeboard.com.” — Susie Rusk, counselor coordinator, Washoe County Public Schools, Nev.

Fortunately, they showed the letters to their school counselor, who helped the family see that Blue U was actually making the better offer. First, the grants and scholarship from Green U only looked bigger because they were presented as a total. Second, the student loans offered by Blue U (Stafford and Perkins) were unsubsidized, while the Stafford loan offered by Green U was not. That meant at Green U the student would have to pay interest on the loan while in college. And third, the $14,810 Green U was “offering” as a parent PLUS loan wasn’t really aid at all, but just an option for how the family could pay for their contribution. Bottom line, the true cost to the student would be about the same at both colleges, even though Blue U is more expensive. Imagine comparing awards from five or six or more colleges and how challenging it can be to determine what the college is offering. Urge families to study award letters carefully.

Appealing an award Students may ask you to help them appeal what they regard as an insufficient aid award. It is best for the family to deal directly with the college but, in some cases, students might want the counselor to help make their case. If you are aware of a change in family circumstances since the student’s financial aid application was submitted, or of information that was not reported on the original application, you can be an important advocate for the student. Students, parents and school counselors should understand colleges’ appeal policies before contacting the financial aid office for such requests. Of course, all parties should understand the distinction between “appeal” and “negotiation” of an aid award.

8-16



Maintaining scholarship files and administering local scholarships Local scholarships are a valuable source of money for your students. At many schools, oversight of the scholarship application process is handled by the counseling office, which may simply post information about local scholarships or head up a committee that awards scholarships. As they investigate local scholarships, though, students and families should be wary of false claims. See Handout 8K: Avoiding scholarship scams.

Common ways of sharing scholarship information are newsletters, bulletin boards, files open to students, Internet announcements and e-mail postings. Many schools use a combination of methods to get information out to students. At some schools, a key end-of-year report is a tabulation of the scholarship money awarded to the senior class.

ROTC Students interested in military careers might want to investigate Reserve Officers’ Training Corps programs at the colleges in which they are interested. Handout 8L: ROTC FAQs answers common questions about ROTC.


8-17


Students in foster care Some of your students may be in foster care. Include foster students’ foster parents, social worker or independent living staff in discussions of financial aid and college. Foster students are wards of the court and viewed as independent for federal financial aid purposes. It is very important that these students check off question 55 on the FAFSA: At anytime since you turned 13, were both of your parents deceased, were you in foster care or were you a dependent/ward of the court? Note that the guidelines for determining eligibility for independent student status were recently revised. Updated information about the expanded definition that will benefit orphans, wards of the court, foster children and emancipated minors will be posted at www.fafsa. ed.gov or at www.ifap.ed.gov.

Tip “I call college international student offices to ask about year-round housing, as international students, like foster students, may need housing 12 months of the year, and those offices know the options.“ — Carlene Riccelli, former college counselor, Amherst Regional High School, Mass.

8-18

Students in foster care will have no parent contributions to help pay for college costs. Most will qualify for the maximum Pell grant, state need grants and targeted college scholarships. In many states, the cost of college attendance at public institutions can be completely covered by these options. Students, their caregivers or their social workers may not be aware of these financial aid option — informing them about all resources and helping them to apply can provide an important incentive to engage in college preparation and enrollment. Arranging for students and their advocate to meet with a college financial aid counselor to identify additional financial aid options is important. A growing number of states have tuition waiver programs, targeted scholarships and other programs to assist students in going to college. To find out what your state offers, consult the National Child Welfare Resource Center for Youth Development’s state-by-state guide (www. nrcys.ou.edu/yd/state_pages.html). Encourage students to review this information early and often in their secondary school experience.

Chafee Educational Training Vouchers Chafee ETVs can provide up to $5,000 per student per year for many youth currently in foster care who are participating in qualifying postsecondary education and training programs. For information,



students should work with their social worker or look for information online. Students need to reapply each year to be considered for continuation of Chafee ETV funding. For comprehensive information on working with students in foster care, visit the Casey Foundation’s Web site, www.casey.org. Handout 8M: Tips for foster youth for completing the FAFSA provides information on assisting foster care students.

How to conduct financial aid events: One school’s approach From Carlene Riccelli, Amherst Regional High School, Mass.: Amherst Regional is a large public school with a diverse population. We have a three-pronged approach to presenting financial aid information in the senior year. However, we also integrate a discussion of financial aid into every event we plan for parents, whether it’s a junior-year parent night, individual meetings with counselors, a workshop on Early Decision, or a college fair.

Phase 1. October workshop on the college admissions process (1½ hours) We invite college admissions deans from a range of two- and fouryear colleges for a panel discussion on various admissions and financial aid topics. open admissions and transfer options (from a community college dean)

■

rolling admissions (from a major public university)

■

highly selective admissions (from a dean at a highly selective college)

■

essays on application forms

■

students with special talents or learning-style needs (music, athletics, art portfolios, documentation of a learning disability or special need)

■

financial aid preparation and how financial need affects admissions decisions

■

The handouts used in this workshop that relate to financial aid are:

Tip “Families should discuss college costs, family budget and financial aid/ financing options at the beginning of the college application process, not at the end. Parents and students need to be aware of the resources for financial help, the procedures to follow and the importance of financial aid deadlines. Students should have a range of colleges on their short list (for example, colleges with possibilities of merit aid in addition to needbased aid, and at least one college that will be affordable with family resources and aid).“ — Carlene Riccelli, former college counselor, Amherst Regional High School, Mass.

Twenty questions to ask about financing college (Handout 8N)

■


8-19


“Choosing the College That’s Right for You” (Education Loan Program/College Board materials on comparing aid offers)

■

Our school’s financial aid information sheet (prepared and updated annually)

■

To publicize events, we send press releases to the local newspaper and include announcements in all our newsletters and on our Web site. We post the information in Spanish as well.

Tip “We ask parents to come to the school to pick up first-semester report cards. Before they can get them, they have to go to our computer lab, where I show them how to apply for a FAFSA PIN. I’ve already led the students through a financial aid workshop and gotten them PINs, so by December, all parents and students have PINs and the students are fairly knowledgeable about the financial aid application process — they can educate their parents.” — Charles Anderson, Westinghouse Academy, Chicago Public Schools

This event is a one-and-a-half-hour evening workshop specifically geared to seniors and their parents or guardians. We welcome anyone who wishes to attend, including students or parents from other districts.

Phase 2: November financial aid workshop (1½ hours) This program is usually held in mid-November. We invite two financial aid professionals — one from a public college and one from a private college that is a PROFILE user. (We call our speakers in June to line them up for the fall, but you can contact them in the early fall as well.) During the first 30 to 40 minutes of the program, the speakers give an overview of the aid process — how aid is determined, packaged and awarded under Federal Methodology and Institutional Methodology. The speakers then give a line-by-line overview of the FAFSA (using a draft copy of the FAFSA from the Web site) and the PROFILE (using the preapplication worksheet of the PROFILE available on the College Board Web site). The speakers emphasize the importance of completing all items and give suggestions for avoiding errors. Next, the speakers address special cases/circumstances, such as divorce, joint custody, who should file and independent students. Finally, they provide general advice on how to compare aid awards, the pros and cons of “negotiating,” and how to communicate to colleges any changes in your financial status. The second half of the program is devoted to participants’ questions.

8-20



Phase 3. Individual help for students/ parents completing the FAFSA (January) We schedule this event late in January, after most people have received their W-2 forms (or last pay stubs) and before Feb. 1 (to meet most FAFSA filing deadlines for state colleges and universities). Three or four volunteer aid administrators from a local university participate in this help session. Parents or students come to the session (which is held from 3 to 7 p.m. to accommodate working parents) with a FAFSA or FAFSA worksheet (completed to the best of their ability), a copy of their W-2 forms (or last pay stubs) and photocopies of their prior-year tax forms. We hold this session in a large room with three or four private stations. Parents or students meet individually (first-come, first-served) with the aid administrators, who check over the forms and answer any questions the students or parents may have. The sessions are useful for students or parents who have special circumstances or who need individual help in understanding the forms. We provide light refreshments and drinks for all participants and provide dinners for the aid administrators. Throughout January and February, I also work with families who need help completing FAFSA or PROFILE. I would recommend that all counselors take the time to complete a FAFSA online for yourself (just don’t submit it!) and help at least one student with the PROFILE online. This exercise is a wonderful teaching tool for assisting the families who need your help the most. Note: Some schools offer workshops covering admissions and financial aid to juniors as well as seniors. Handout 8N: Twenty questions to ask about financing college would be an ideal handout at the workshop. For a handout of reputable sources of financial aid information for families, see Handout 8O: Financial aid resources for students and families.

Resources for counselors Web sites www.casey.org Web site sponsored by the Casey Foundation, which supports foster students. There are many useful downloads, including It’s My Life: Postsecondary Education and Training.

Tip Materials related to the Federal Student Aid “Only a Dream” campaign, which alerts families that $80 billion in aid is available to fund college, are available for download at www.federalstudentaid. ed.gov/psa. Schools are urged to help get the word out.

Tip “I recommend that students check off that they are interested in work-study and subsidized loans. Selecting this option does NOT require them to participate in workstudy or take out loans; it merely allows the financial aid office to use these options as part of the financial aid package. A student can always decline either part in the award letter when they receive it.” — Christopher S. Penn, Producer, the Financial Aid Podcast


8-21


www.collegegoalsundayusa.org Information about the events held nationwide in February, sponsored by NASFAA and various federal organizations, that help families fill out financial aid forms and get advice from experts on obtaining financial aid. www.ed.gov Memorize this address! It is the portal to the U.S. Department of Education Web site, which has invaluable information for teachers, administrators, parents, and students. www.fafsa.ed.gov Everything you and your students need to know about FAFSA and federal financial aid programs. www.collegeboard.com Source of CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE information and online applications. Complete college costs are listed for each college; online calculator helps students estimate EFC and compare aid awards; useful and timely articles on financing college under the “Parents” and “Students” home page icons. www.nasfaa.org The Web site of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators includes many useful PDFs for students that easily printed, including Cash for College and more. www.ed.gov/directloan Use to calculate federal loan repayments. www.fsa4counselors.ed.gov Web site sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education with financial aid training materials in the form of videos, DVDs, and PowerPoints. www.irs.gov Provides information on Hope and Lifetime Learning tax credits. www.statevoucher.org Education and training voucher information by state.

Scholarship search engines www.collegeboard.com Lists 2,300 private scholarships, contests, internships, and loans for undergraduates.

Books Getting Financial Aid. New York: The College Board. Published annually. College Board Scholarship Handbook. New York: The College Board. Published annually. Counselors and Mentors Handbook on Federal Student Aid. U.S. Department of Education. Updated annually. Meeting College Costs. New York: The College Board. Updated annually. Trends in College Pricing. New York: The College Board. Published annually and available as a PDF at www.collegeboard.com.

8-22



Title

Brief Description

8A

Financial aid glossary

Defines a number of terms that students and families need to know.

8B

Twelve myths about paying for college

Clarifies misconceptions about financial aid; helpful for students and families.

8C

Why go to college?

Chart showing economic benefits of higher education.

8D

Senior-year calendar for students applying for financial aid

Provides a month-by-month action plan.

Financial aid checklist for students and parents/ guardians

Gives step-by-step instructions on the aid application process.

8F

Tracking your financial aid applications

Helps seniors keep track of their aid application materials; emphasis is on meeting deadlines.

8G

Federal student aid application process

The seven steps to applying for federal money.

8H

What you should know about FAFSA: The Free Application for Federal Student Aid

Explains five key steps in filing the FAFSA.

8I

Creative avenues of financial aid

Suggestions for ways to reduce the cost of attending college.

8J

Comparing financial aid award letters: A worksheet

Paper version of a worksheet available at www.collegeboard.com.

8K

Avoiding scholarship scams

Alerts students and families to unscrupulous business practices.

8L

ROTC FAQs

Answers to questions students might have about ROTC programs.

8M

Tips for foster youth for completing the FAFSA

Information on how foster youth should fill out certain questions on the FAFSA.

8N

Twenty questions to ask about financing college

Good handout at parent nights; suitable for juniors and seniors and their families.

8O

Financial aid resources for students and families

Lists reputable Web sites and books related to college financing.

8E


8-23

Parents

Financial aid glossary Award letter. A means of notifying students of the assistance the college/university has offered. The letter describes the type(s) and amount(s) of aid, and lists specific information on the students’ responsibilities and the conditions that govern the award. Generally, the award letter gives students the opportunity to accept or decline the aid. The letter also includes a deadline date by which to respond. Cost of attendance (also known as cost of education or budget). The student’s cost of attendance, covering not only tuition and fees (including loan fees), books and supplies, but also the student’s living expenses while attending school. The cost of attendance is estimated by the school, within guidelines established by federal regulations. The difference between the cost of attendance and the student’s expected family contribution determines the student’s need for financial aid. CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE® A Web-based application service offered by the College Board and used by some colleges, universities and private scholarship programs to award their own financial aid. Students register for and complete the PROFILE at the College Board Web site (www.collegeboard.com). CSS® provides a customized application for each registrant, based on the student’s registration information and the requirements of the colleges and programs to which he or she is seeking aid. Students complete the online application and supplements, if required. CSS processes and reports the application data to institutions. CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE may not be used to apply for federal aid. Students pay a fee to register for PROFILE and for the reports sent to institutions and programs that use it. Expected Family Contribution (EFC). The total amount students and their families are expected to pay toward college costs, from their income and assets, for one academic year. The amount is derived from a need analysis of the family’s financial circumstances. The Federal Methodology is used to determine a student’s eligibility for federal and state student aid. Colleges and private aid programs may use a different method to determine eligibility for nonfederal financial aid — frequently, the Institutional Methodology, developed and maintained by CSS. FAFSA on the Web. An electronic option for completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (www.fafsa.ed.gov). Federal Methodology (FM). The process of analyzing the student’s household financial information on the FAFSA to calculate an expected family contribution and the student’s eligibility for federal and state aid. Financial need. The amount by which your family’s contribution falls short of covering your expenses. Assessments of need may differ, depending on the need-analysis method used. The Federal Methodology is used to determine the student’s eligibility for federal and state financial aid. Many private schools use the Institutional Methodology to determine the need for their private sources of funds. (See also Expected Family Contribution.) Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). A form completed by all applicants for federal aid. The FAFSA is available on the Web at www.fafsa.ed.gov. In many states, completion of the FAFSA also establishes a student’s eligibility for state-sponsored aid programs. There is no charge to students for completing the FAFSA. The FAFSA may be filed anytime after Jan. 1 of the year for which the student is seeking aid.


Financial aid glossary (page 2) Grant. See Scholarship. Independent student. Students who are either at least 24 years old, enrolled in a graduate or professional program, married, a veteran, an orphan or have legal dependents (not including spouse). Independent students do not need to provide parental information to be considered for federal aid programs. However, private institutions may require independent students to provide parental information in order to be considered for nonfederal funding. Need-analysis form. The starting point in applying for financial aid. Students must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid to apply for federal financial aid programs. For many colleges, FAFSA may be the only need-analysis form a student must file. For other schools, particularly private colleges, additional forms, such as the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE, may be required. Students applying for state financial aid programs should check with their state agency to find out if they must file other application forms in addition to FAFSA. Need-based financial aid. Financial aid (scholarships, grants, loans or work-study opportunities) given to students who have demonstrated financial need, calculated by subtracting the student’s expected family contribution from a college’s total costs. Need-blind admissions. The policy of determining college admissions without regard to a student’s financial need or financial aid status. Need-conscious admissions. A policy that considers financial aid status for at least some of its applicants in making admissions decisions. Parents’ contribution. The amount the student’s family is expected to pay toward college costs from its income and assets. The figure is derived from a need analysis of the parents’ financial situation. The parents’ contribution and the student’s contribution together constitute the total family contribution, which, when subtracted from the college expense budget, equals financial need. Generally, students are eligible for financial aid equal to their financial need. Scholarship or grant. A type of financial aid that doesn’t have to be repaid. Grants are often based on financial need. Scholarships may be based on need, on need and other criteria, or solely on other criteria such as academic achievement, artistic ability or talent in the performing arts. Section 529 plans. State-sponsored college savings programs, named for the section of the Internal Revenue Code that provides the plan’s tax breaks. Self-help. Student financial aid, such as loans and jobs, that requires repayment or employment. Student Aid Report. A report produced by the U.S. Department of Education and sent to students who have filed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The SAR contains information the student provided on the FAFSA as well as the federally calculated result, which the financial aid office will use in determining the student’s eligibility for a Pell Grant and other federal student aid programs. Work-study. An arrangement by which a student combines employment and college study. The employment may be an integral part of the academic program (as in cooperative education and internships) or simply a means of paying for college (as in the Federal Work-Study Program).


Students

TITLE Twelve myths about paying for college TITLE Billions of dollars in financial aid are available to those who need help paying for college. Yet a lot of misinformation clouds the facts about what type of aid is available and who is eligible. Here are some myths dispelled for those confronting the process of securing financial aid. College is just too expensive for our family ■ Despite the media hype, a college education is more affordable than most people think, especially when you consider that college graduates earn an average of $1 million more over the span of their careers than high school graduates. The average yearly tuition for in-state students at a four-year public college in 2008-2009 was just $6,585. There are some expensive schools, but high tuition is not a requirement for a good education. There’s not a lot of financial aid available ■ In fact, more than $106 billion in student financial aid is available for undergraduates. Most students receive some form of aid. Less of this aid now comes in the form of grants, however; most aid is awarded through low-interest loans or institutional and other grants. You should carefully consider the financing packages you’ve been offered by each college to determine which makes the most financial sense. My family’s income is too high to qualify for aid ■ Aid is intended to make a college education available for students of families in many financial situations. College financial aid administrators often take into account not only income but also other family members in college, home mortgage costs and other factors. Aid is awarded to many families with incomes they thought would disqualify them. My parents saved for college, so we won’t qualify for aid ■ Saving for college is always a good idea. Since most financial aid comes in the form of loans, the aid you are likely to receive will need to be repaid. Tucking away money could mean that you have fewer loans to repay, and it won’t make you ineligible for aid if you need it. A family’s share of college costs is based mostly on income, not assets such as savings. I’m not a straight-A student, so I won’t get aid ■ It’s true that many scholarships reward merit, but most federal aid is based on financial need and does not even consider grades. If I apply for a loan, I have to take it ■ Families are not obligated to accept a low-interest loan if it is awarded to them. One financial aid administrator recommends applying for aid and comparing the loan awards with other debt instruments and assets to determine the best financial deal.


Twelve myths about paying for college (page 2) Working will hurt my academic success ■ Students who attempt to juggle full-time work and full-time studies do struggle. But research shows that students who work a moderate amount often do better academically. Securing an on-campus job related to career goals is a good way for you to help pay college costs, get experience and create ties with the university. Millions of dollars in scholarships go unused every year ■ Professional scholarship search services often tout this statistic. In fact, most unclaimed money is slated for a few eligible candidates, such as employees of a specific corporation or members of a certain organization. Most financial aid comes from the federal government, although it is a good idea to research nonfederal sources of aid. My folks will have to sell their house to pay for college ■ Home value is not considered in calculations for federal aid. Colleges may take home equity into account when determining how much you are expected to contribute to college costs, but income is a far greater factor in this determination. No college will expect your parents to sell their house to pay for your education. I should live at home to cut costs ■ It’s wise to study every avenue for reducing college costs, but living at home may not be the best way. Be sure to consider commuting and parking costs when you do this calculation. Living on campus may create more opportunities for work and other benefits. Private schools are out of reach for my family ■ Experts recommend deferring cost considerations until late in the college selection process. Your most important consideration is to find a school that meets your academic, career and personal needs. In fact, you might have a better chance of receiving aid from a private school. Private colleges often offer more financial aid to attract students from every income level. Higher college expenses also mean a better chance of demonstrating financial need. We can negotiate a better deal ■ Many colleges will be sensitive to a family’s specific financial situation, especially if certain nondiscretionary costs, such as unusually high medical bills, have been overlooked. But most colleges adhere to specific financial aid award guidelines and will not adjust an award for a family that feels it got a better deal at another school. Source: www.collegeboard.com


Students

Why go to college?

Unemployment rate in 2007 (percent)

Level of education completed

Median earnings in 2007 (dollars)

1.3

Professional degree

74,204

1.4

Doctorate

77,844

1.8

Master’s degree

60,580

2.2

Bachelor’s degree

51,234

3.0

Associate degree

38,480

3.8

Some college, no degree

35,516

4.4

High school graduate, no college

31,408

7.1

Less than a high school diploma

22,256

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, 2008.


Students

Senior-year calendar TITLE for students applying for TITLE financial aid September When you write or e-mail colleges that interest you, ask for financial aid info, including what forms to file and their due dates. Put this data on your calendar and to-do list. Note:

■

■ All colleges ask you to fill out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) not just for grants/scholarships, but also for college loans. See November. ■ Some colleges require the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE®. Click on the Pay for College link at collegeboard.com to complete the application online. You can do so as early as Oct. 1. ■ Ask if your colleges require their own aid forms, too. If you plan to apply for Early Decision, ask whether your college offers an early estimate of financial aid eligibility and which forms to file.

■

October Research aid opportunities using your library, financial aid guidebooks and Web sites, including Scholarship Search on collegeboard.com. Your counselors may have other resources, too. Look for the following:

■

■ federal financial aid sources; ■ private scholarships; ■ state and local programs; or ■ scholarships, including merit and departmental scholarships, offered by colleges to which you’ll apply. Reference materials include books (The College Board Scholarship Handbook) and search engines (e.g., collegeboard.com); both report on national sources of aid. For local and state aid sources (often overlooked!), see your counselor and the public library. Begin work on aid applications. Private scholarship programs may have very early deadlines.

■

Ask a counselor if there will be a family financial aid night at your school or elsewhere in your area this fall. Be sure to attend: The event may be your single best source of information.

■

Use financial aid calculators like those at collegeboard.com to estimate your family’s college costs.

■


Senior-year calendar for students applying for financial aid (page 2) November Visit www.pin.ed.gov and get a personal identification number (PIN). You will need a PIN to use as an electronic signature when completing the FAFSA online at www.fafsa.ed.gov (not at www.fafsa.com, which is a Web site that charges at least $79.99 for its services).

■

December You and your family may want to save final pay stubs for the year. On aid forms that you’ll file early in the new year, use the stubs to estimate income.

■

January Submit your FAFSA as soon as you can after (but not before) Jan. 1. Men 18 or older must register for the Selective Service to receive federal financial aid. To register, complete a check-off box on your FAFSA, or register at any post office.

■

February Parents and students are encouraged to complete and file income tax returns as soon as possible. Colleges may request copies of your tax returns to finalize aid offers.

■

March As you receive letters of acceptance, check with aid offices to see if additional documentation must be submitted. Some colleges may request copies of your family’s income tax forms, W-2 forms and other materials.

■

April Use the online Compare Your Aid Awards tool at collegeboard.com to help you understand and compare financial aid award offers from two or more colleges. Talk with financial aid officers if you have questions. If you get no aid (or not enough), ask whether other financing plans are available.

■

May If you’ve been offered aid from your chosen college, be sure to accept the offer as instructed in your award letter. (Note: You’ll need to reapply for financial aid every year.)

■

If you’ve received aid from other schools, let them know that you won’t be attending.

■



Students

Financial aid checklist for students and parents/guardians Use this sheet as a personal record and as a reminder of the steps to take to obtain financial aid. Check off each step as you complete it. For you and your parents or guardian If you are in doubt as to whether or not to apply for aid, apply! Obtain a social security number if you do not have one. Do not wait for college acceptance letters before filing for aid. File in January or February — the earlier the better. You do not have to have completed your tax returns prior to filling out the FAFSA or the PROFILE. An estimate of income is adequate. You cannot file the FAFSA until after January 1, but complete it before February 1 if at all possible. Fill the FAFSA out online. Get worksheets to fill out prior to filing the FAFSA at www.fafsa. ed.gov. Filing online is much faster than by mail, and the Web site has prompts that help you avoid making mistakes. You will need a PIN, or electronic password, before completing the form — available at www.pin.ed.gov. Get your PIN well in advance of your deadline because it must be assigned and e-mailed back to you before you can begin. If you are applying to colleges that require PROFILE, try to file that form in late November or early December — as soon as you know the colleges to which you plan to apply. If you are applying under an Early Decision plan, complete your PROFILE in October or early November. Income tax forms should be filed as soon as possible (preferably in January) in order to provide accurate data on financial aid forms. Some colleges have early February deadlines. Inform each college about your interest in applying for aid. Make a list of the financial aid priority dates and deadlines at the colleges to which you are applying. Ask each college if it requires supplemental forms, and obtain them as needed. Apply for federal and state funds by completing the appropriate questions of the FAFSA. Check for scholarships for which you might be eligible: each college/postsecondary institution (your best source) those posted in the counseling office local and state scholarships Begin your Stafford student loan application by checking appropriate boxes on the FAFSA. Details to remember In all written communications to financial aid offices, put the student’s name and Social Security number on every page. Keep your financial aid worksheets. Always make photocopies for your records. Handout 8E page 1 of 2 College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

Financial aid checklist for students and parents/guardians (page 2) If you have questions about an item, do not guess. See your counselor or an accountant, or speak with the college financial aid officer directly. Do not leave blank spaces on the forms. Use zeros instead. Proofread! And again, make copies of everything! After you’ve filed the forms If you properly complete the FAFSA, you will receive a Student Aid Report that will give you your eligibility index for federal and state aid. If there are errors or incorrect information on the SAR, you can make corrections online. Financial aid offers are sent by colleges either with, or shortly after you receive, a letter of acceptance. You will be asked to sign an acceptance of the amount received, and the money will be sent to the college/postsecondary institution. Ask your counselor for assistance if you have general questions. Specific questions should be directed to the college financial aid officers. Sources: Glenbrook High School, Illinois, and Amherst Regional High School, Massachusetts


Students

Tracking your financial aid applications

Required forms

Priority date/deadline

Date completed

College

FAFSA

PROFILE

College forms

Tax forms

Other

College

FAFSA

PROFILE

College forms

Tax forms

Other

Handout 8F page 1 of 2 College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

Tracking your financial aid applications (page 2) Required forms

Priority date/deadline

Date completed

College

FAFSA

PROFILE

College forms

Tax forms

Other

College

FAFSA

PROFILE

College forms

Tax forms

Other


Students

Federal student aid application process

Step 1

Get a PIN, a personal identification number. A PIN lets you apply, “sign” your online FAFSA, make corrections to your application information and more — all online. Go to www.pin.ed.gov.

Step 2

Collect the documents needed to apply, including income tax returns and W-2 forms (and other records of income). A full list of what you need is at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Tax return not completed at the time you apply? Estimate the tax information, apply and correct information later.

Step 3

Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid between Jan. 1, 2009, and June 30, 2009 (no exceptions to either date!). BUT, apply as soon as possible after January 1 to meet school deadlines (see note at bottom of page). Apply online (the faster and easier way) by going to www.fafsa.ed.gov.

Step 4

ED will send you your Student Aid Report — the result of your FAFSA. Review your Student Aid Report. If necessary, make changes online. Your complete, correct SAR will contain your Expected Family Contribution — the number used to determine your federal student aid eligibility.

Step 5

If you are selected for verification, your school’s financial aid office will ask you to submit tax returns and other documents, as appropriate. Be sure to meet the school’s deadline, or you will not be able to get federal student aid.

Step 6

Whether you’re selected for verification or not, make sure the financial aid office at the school has all the information needed to determine your eligibility. All students: Contact the financial aid office if you have any questions about the aid being offered.

Step 7

First-time applicants: Review award letters from schools to compare amounts and types of aid being offered. Decide which school to attend based on a combination of (a) how well the school suits your needs and (b) its affordability after all aid is taken into account.

Note: You also might be able to get financial aid from your state government, your school or a private scholarship. Research nonfederal aid early (ideally, start in the spring of your junior year of high school). Be sure to meet all application deadlines! Source: U.S. Department of Education

Handout 8G College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

Students

What you should know TITLE about FAFSA: The Free Application forTITLE Federal Student Aid Read the form Many questions on the FAFSA are straightforward, such as asking for your social security number or your date of birth. But many require you to read the instructions to make sure you answer the question correctly. Words like household, investments and even parent all have common meanings but are specifically defined for purposes of student financial aid. So be sure to read the instructions. If you have a special family situation, you may have additional questions. You should ask for clarification from a financial aid administrator at a college you wish to attend. Apply early Deadlines for aid from your state, school and private sources tend to be much earlier than deadlines for federal aid. To make sure that any financial aid package your school offers you will contain aid from as many sources as possible, apply as soon as you can after January 1 of your senior year or the year you apply to college. The U.S. Department of Education will process your FAFSA right up until June 30 of the year you will enroll in college. However, for you to actually receive aid, your high school must have your correct, complete information before your last day of enrollment as a high school student. So it is important to apply early to make sure you leave enough time for your high school to receive your information and make any necessary corrections. Your family doesn’t need to file a tax return before you submit your FAFSA Filling out a tax return first will make completing the FAFSA easier. However, your parent or guardian does not need to submit a tax return to the IRS before you submit your FAFSA. Once the tax return is filed, you must correct, on your FAFSA, any income or tax information that may have changed. Inaccurate information on your FAFSA may delay your receipt of federal student aid. Also, you will be required to return federal aid you improperly received based upon incorrect information. You can file your FAFSA electronically The fastest way to apply for financial aid is to fill out and submit a FAFSA over the Internet. Also, your information is edited before you submit it, so if you made errors or left out any information, you can make the necessary corrections before you submit the form. This reduces the chance that your data will be rejected and makes it less likely that you will have to correct your information later. To submit your application using FAFSA on the Web, go to www.fafsa.ed.gov. Handout 8H page 1 of 2 College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

What you should know about FAFSA (page 2) There may be additional forms The FAFSA is the one application for federal student aid. Many schools and states rely solely on this information. However, the college or state may require you to fill out additional forms. These additional forms may have deadlines that are earlier than the federal student aid deadlines, so be sure to check with the financial aid office at the college you plan to attend. Source: U.S. Department of Education


Students

Creative avenues of financial aid Credit through testing Students can earn college credit by taking an examination. Through programs such as the College-Level Examination Program® (CLEP®), and the Advanced Placement Program® (AP®), you may receive college credit for a course by passing a standardized test. The more courses a student tests out of, the fewer courses he or she pays for and more time is available for other interests or other courses. There are usually requirements for testing out of courses before college credits may be earned. Cooperative (co-op) education Co-op programs are a blend of classroom study and work experience related to the major. During the undergraduate program, co-op students alternate work assignments with college studies. The college arranges the job and work schedule, but the employer pays for the time worked. The money earned on the job helps cover college costs. Accelerated graduation Students may take the maximum course load, to earn more credits for the same price and thus graduate earlier. Some colleges offer a “time-shortened degree option” for students who want to graduate in three years, thereby saving a year of college costs. This accelerated option should be considered only by students who believe they can manage the heavy academic load. Ask the admissions counselor for advice on this option. Two years, then transfer Because costs at a community college generally are lower than at four-year colleges, students can attend a community college for the first two years, then transfer to a four-year college. Students who do well at the community college are likely to qualify for a financial aid package at the four-year college. Two years at a community college can save a bundle on room, board and transportation costs. The military If a student is bright and physically fit, the armed forces will definitely be interested. The armed forces can offer an array of attractive educational benefits to help pay for college. Full college scholarships, education assistance plans, and career experience are just a few of the benefits students can enjoy courtesy of Uncle Sam. Students will be required to complete the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery to qualify for certain careers. The high school counselor can arrange for students to take the test and can also suggest materials that will help them prepare for the test. Handout 8I page 1 of 2 College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

Creative avenues of financial aid (page 2) Part-time employment Recent studies show that more than half of all college students work part-time to help cover college costs. Keep in mind that a student’s first priority is to stay on top of his or her studies. Students should not jeopardize course work by taking on more work hours than they can handle. Research shows that more than 20 hours of part-time work a week may have negative effects on a student’s grades. Apprenticeships Apprenticeships provide structured, on-the-job training under the supervision of a qualified member of a profession. Of the 20,000 occupations listed in the Dictionary of Occupational Titles, the Bureau of Apprenticeship Training considers only about 800 to have apprenticeship opportunities. Federal regulations prohibit anyone under 16 to be considered as an apprentice. Apprenticeship programs have different requirements. For example, some require a high school diploma, some require specialized course work, and some have few requirements except motivation. If you are considering an apprenticeship, check with your school counselor, local state employment office, or the Bureau of Apprenticeship Training in your area. AmeriCorps AmeriCorps is a network of national service programs that engage volunteers to meet critical needs in education, public safety, health and the environment. AmeriCorps members are eligible to receive an education award after successfully completing a term of service. The amount of the award depends on the program in which you participate. For more information, go to www.americorps.org.

Source: Frederick County, Maryland, Public Schools


Students

Comparing financial aid award letters: A worksheet Note: Students can compare award letters online at www.collegeboard.com. College 1

College 2

Step 1. List the name of each college you want to consider attending, the award deadline, and the total cost of attendance. This figure should be in your award letter. If not, refer to the college catalog or the college financial aid office. Name of college Award deadline date Total cost of attendance Step 2. List the financial aid awards each school is offering. Don’t forget that grants, scholarships and work-study do not have to be repaid, while all loans must be repaid. Grants and scholarships • Pell Grant (federal) • SEOG (federal) • State • College • Other Total grants/scholarships Percent of package that is grant/scholarship Work-study opportunities Loans • Stafford-Direct (federal) • Perkins (federal) • Other Total loans Percent of package that is work or loans Total financial aid award Grants and scholarships + work-study + loans Step 3. Calculate what it will cost you to attend each college you are considering. For each college, enter the total cost of attendance. Then, subtract the total financial aid award from the total cost of attendance. That number is the net cost, or what it will cost you to attend that college. a) Total cost of attendance b) Total financial aid award c) Net cost to attend (a minus b) Source: Meeting College Costs. The College Board. Published annually.

Handout 8J College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

College 3

Students

Avoiding scholarship scams Scholarship scams have been around for years. According to the Federal Trade Commission, if you hear these lines from a scholarship service, you may be getting duped: “The scholarship is guaranteed or your money back.” No one can guarantee that you’ll get a grant or a scholarship. Refund guarantees often have conditions or strings attached. Get refund policies in writing, and read the fine print.

■

“You can’t get this information anywhere else.” There are thousands of scholarships you can research through free means. It’s highly doubtful that a company would have an exclusive list of scholarships that you can’t find through another source.

■

“I just need your credit card or bank account number to hold this scholarship.” Don’t give your credit card or bank account number without getting information in writing first. You might become the victim of an unauthorized withdrawal from your account.

■

“We’ll do all the work.” Don’t be fooled. You must apply for scholarships or grants yourself.

■

“The scholarship will cost money.” Don’t pay anyone who claims to be “holding” a scholarship or grant for you.

■

“You’ve been selected” by a “national foundation” to receive a scholarship, or “You’re a finalist” in a contest you never entered. Before you reply to a scholarship offer you didn’t initiate, check it out. Make sure the foundation or program is legitimate.

■

What to do if you suspect an offer is a scam Start with your school counselor. Also, the following organizations can help you decide if an offer is legitimate. They will tell you whether they have received any complaints about the company, or whether the company is currently under investigation. Look for these organizations online or call for more information: Better Business Bureau in the city where the scholarship service is located

■

Federal Trade Commission, 1-877-FTC-HELP or www.ftc.gov/scholarshipscams

■

State bureau of consumer protection

■

State attorney general’s office

■

National Fraud Information Center (NFIC), www.fraud.org

■

For more information about scholarship scams, visit www.finaid.org. For more information about college costs and financial aid, visit the Pay for College section at www.collegeboard.com. Source: The College Board

Handout 8K College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

Students

ROTC FAQs Are you attracted to the idea of military service? Are you also looking for ways to finance college on your own? The answers below will explain how to achieve both: What is ROTC? The Reserve Officers’ Training Corps prepares young men and women to become military officers while they attend college. There are both scholarship and nonscholarship programs available for each branch: Army, Navy (and Marines), and Air Force. While you attend college you’ll take some military courses each year for credit and attend training sessions. After you finish college, you must complete a period of service in the military. Who is eligible for an ROTC scholarship? You can apply for a four-year ROTC scholarship while in high school, or a two- or three-year scholarship once you’ve started college. The scholarships are based on merit, not need. To qualify for a ROTC scholarship, you must: Be a U.S. citizen

■

Be between the ages of 17 and 26

■

Have a high school GPA of at least 2.5

■

Have a high school diploma

■

Meet physical standards

■

Agree to accept a commission and serve in the military on active duty or in the Reserves after graduating

■

Achieve a qualifying score on a standardized admissions test

■

How much money do ROTC scholarships offer? Scholarship amounts vary by program, but can go up to full tuition and fees. Room and board are not covered. You also receive money each year for books and a monthly allowance. How much time do I owe the military after I complete ROTC? Most cadets incur a four-year, active-duty commitment, but the amount of service time you incur can vary depending upon the military path you pursue. For example, pilots in the Air Force incur a 10-year active-duty service commitment after successfully completing their training.


ROTC FAQs (page 2) What if I don’t like ROTC? If you’ve been awarded an ROTC scholarship, but decide this path is not for you, you can quit the program after your first year without any obligations. After that you’ll have to pay the money back. What kinds of courses and training does ROTC offer? It varies by branch, but generally you take one military science course per semester to obtain the specialized knowledge needed to become an officer. In addition, you’ll wear a uniform once a week during military labs, drills and other practical training activities. Most programs also require participating in at least one summer program — such as midshipmen cruises in Naval ROTC — to round out your military training. Will I have a choice of major? Most ROTC students can choose any major they want. But sometimes a particular branch of the military may only offer scholarships in those majors that meet the needs of that branch. Where is ROTC offered? It varies college by college. You can find schools that have the ROTC program you want on collegeboard.com or in the The College Board College Handbook. Where can I find more information about ROTC? Each branch of service has its own Web site: Army: www.goarmy.com

■

Air Force: www.afrotc.com

■

Navy: https://www.nrotc.navy.mil

■

Marines: www.usmc.mil

■


Students

Tips for foster youth for completing the FAFSA Questions on the 2009-2010 FAFSA, which may cause difficulty for wards of the court or foster youth, are listed below. Question numbers refer to the FAFSA on the Web Worksheet. Question #47 FAFSA Step 2 Welfare benefits, TANF

Question #47 Welfare benefits, TANF

Q: My foster parents get Temporary Assistance for Needy Families or welfare benefits for me because I am a ward of the court. Is this my income? A: No. These benefits are income for the person receiving them. Do not include as part of your income any TANF or welfare benefits received by another person even if they are designated for your support or care. Q: My grandmother (aunt, etc.) gets TANF or welfare benefits for me because I am a ward of the court. Is this my income? A: No. These benefits are income for the person receiving them. Do not include as part of your income any TANF or welfare benefits received by another person even if they are designated for your support or care.

Question #47 Section 6 Free child care

Q: I am a single mom with one child and will get free day care for my child (from a grandmother, aunt or free day care center) while I go to college. Does this “free” income have to be reported on the FAFSA? A: No, this service is not income, and the information is not collected on the FAFSA. However, note that you need to let your school know that you are receiving free dependent care; an allowance for dependent care may not be added to your cost of attendance.

Question #53 FAFSA Step 3 “Do you have children who receive more than half of their support from you?”

Q: I have a child who will be living with me and my income will be from TANF. Do I answer “yes” to Question #53? Are TANF or welfare benefits considered to be like earned income? A: You would answer yes to this question as long as you provide more than half of the child’s support. Note: Although you answered yes for Question 53, don’t include TANF or other welfare benefits.

Question #55 FAFSA Step 3

Q: I am a ward of the court but graduated from high school and then went to live with my mother for two months. Did I lose my independent status?

“Are (a) both of your parents deceased, or (b) are you (or were you until age 18) a ward/dependent of the court?”

A: A student is considered to be independent if the student is a ward of the court, or was a ward of the court when 13 or older. If your ward of the court status changed before you reached age 18, you may be considered dependent on your parent. In that case, you should talk about your situation with the financial aid administrator at your college.

Question #55 At any time since you turned age 13, were both your parents deceased, where you in foster care or were you a dependent or ward of the court?

Q: I am a dependent child of the court of my county. Is this the same as a “ward” of the court? A: The term “ward” is used to mean “dependent” of the court. You are a ward of the court (regardless whether this status is determined by the county or state) if the court has assumed custody of you. You should have court-ordered documents that designate you a ward of the court. Handout 8M page 1 of 2

College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

Tips for foster youth for completing the FAFSA (page 2) Question #55 At any time since you turned age 13, were both your parents deceased, where you in foster care or were you a dependent or ward of the court?

Q: I am no longer under the court because my foster parents took legal guardianship of me a few years ago. However, my foster parents do not support me with their own financial resources. They still get a foster care check each month for me. How do I answer question #55? A: You can still be a ward of the court if you have a legal guardian or foster parents; check with the court to determine your current status. Note: Neither legal guardians nor foster parents are considered parents when completing the FAFSA.

Question #55 At any time since you turned age 13, were both your parents deceased, where you in foster care or were you a dependent or ward of the court? Question #53 Section 2 At any time since you turned age 13, were both your parents deceased, where you in foster care or were you a dependent or ward of the court? Question #96 Section 4 Number in household

Question #106 Signatures

Q: My parents died when I was very young. My grandparents are my court-appointed, legal guardians. They have provided support for me all my life. How do I complete the FAFSA? A: You must complete the FAFSA as an independent student. A legal guardian is not considered a parent for purposes of completing the FAFSA. Q: I turned 18 and graduated, so my court case was closed. My college is saying I am no longer an independent student because I’m no longer a ward of the court. Am I considered dependent or independent? A: You should check “yes” to this question if you are or were in foster care or were a dependent/ward of the court when you were age 13 or older.

Q: I live with my foster parents and their children. Are they my “family members”? A: No. If you are considered independent (for example, because you are a ward of the court), and you have no dependent children of your own, you are a family of one (yourself). Q: I have filled out this form as an independent student because I am a ward of the court. Do I need my father’s and/or mother’s signature(s)? I don’t live with them, but I see them sometimes. A: No. Because of your status as a ward of the court, you are considered an independent applicant; parental signatures are not required.

Chafee applicants

Q: I think I might meet the qualifications for a Chafee grant for foster youth. Do I need to file the FAFSA? Where can I find the Chafee application? A: Chafee applicants must file a FAFSA. If the applicant does not have a Social Security number, and therefore cannot file a FAFSA, the applicant should call the Student Aid Commission’s Specialized Programs Branch at 1-888-294-0153.

Source: National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators

Handout 8M page 2 of 2 College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

Students

Twenty questions to ask about financing college Phase 1. Questions to ask during the application process

1. What are the average costs for tuition and fees, books and supplies, room and board, transportation, and other personal expenses for the first year? What are the ranges of room costs (single, double), board costs (21 meals?) and special tuition rates (flat rate for 15–18 credits, etc.)? By how much will total costs increase each year? (A three- to five-year printed history of tuition and fee increases, as well as room and board increases, should be available.)

2. Does financial need have an impact on admissions decisions?

3. Does the decision to apply for Early Decision affect financial aid?

4. Does the institution offer financial aid programs as well as merit or other scholarships that do not include consideration of financial need? How and when should applications for need- and merit-based aid be completed?

5. What noninstitutional sources of aid and information are available? (Check with the financial aid office regarding fee-based sources.)

6. What application forms are required for completing the financial aid process? What is the priority deadline for applying for financial aid? When will I be notified about financial aid decisions?

Phase 2. Questions to ask as you decide which college to attend

7. How much financial aid will I receive? Will I be billed for my share of the costs? Are there any other costs not accounted for in the aid offer that I should plan for, such as expenses for books, room and board, transportation or personal needs?

8. If I and/or my family cannot meet the financial responsibilities with our current income or assets, what financing options are available to help us pay our share?

9. Will the financial aid office provide me with an explanation of how my expected family contribution, financial need and award package were determined?

10. If the financial award package is insufficient, then under what conditions, if any, will the aid office reconsider its offer?

11. What are the terms and conditions of the aid programs included in my award package (e.g., treatment of outside scholarships, loan repayment policies, renewal criteria)? Regarding renewal, what are the academic requirements or other conditions for the renewal of financial aid, including scholarships?

Handout 8N page 1 of 2 College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

Twenty questions to ask about financing college (page 2) 12. How will my aid package change from year to year? Will loan amounts increase? What impact will cost increases have on the aid package? What will happen if my financial situation changes? What will happen if my or another family member’s enrollment status changes? 13. What amount of student loan debt does your typical student borrower have once he or she finishes college? Phase 3. Making sure you understand the financial obligations of college 14. When can I/my family expect to receive bills from the college? How many times a year will bills be sent? If the bill is not paid by the deadline, will there be penalties? Does the college accept payment by credit card? Is there an option to pay monthly? 15. Is all financial aid credited to my account, or will I receive checks for some or all of the financial aid awarded? What about student employment earnings? If the aid exceeds billed charges, how do I receive the funds? 16. How much money will I need during the first week of school for necessities such as books and a parking permit? Can I use financial aid to pay for books and supplies? Can books and supplies be charged to my account? What typical out-of-pocket expenses do most students have during the year? 17. Is information provided to students regarding budgeting resources, money management and credit card usage? 18. Are there banking services with no-fee ATMs and/or check-cashing facilities on or near campus? Does the college have a debit card? 19. Will the college be responsive to midyear changes in family financial situations? 20. Regarding student employment, including the Federal Work-Study Program: How are jobs assigned? How many hours per week will a student be expected or allowed to work? How often and in what manner will I receive earnings payments? Will earnings be automatically credited to my account? Source: The College Board

Handout 8N page 2 of 2 College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

Students

Financial aid resources for students and families Web sites AmeriCorps. AmeriCorps is a network of national service programs that connects more than 70,000 Americans each year in intensive service to meet our country’s critical need in education, public safety, health, and the environment. Full-time AmeriCorps members who complete their service are eligible to receive an education award. Members who serve part-time receive a partial award: www.americorps.org. Casey Foundation. This site offers excellent information on helping students in foster care apply for and obtain adequate financial aid: www.casey.org. College Board. Here you’ll find a scholarship search, and various tools in the Financial Aid Easy Planner. You will also able to apply online for CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE®, which is required by some colleges: www.collegeboard.com. FAFSA on the Web. The Web site for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. This form must be completed in the senior year (after Jan. 1) for families applying for need-based aid. Students may complete it electronically: www.fafsa.ed.gov.

Finding Education Beyond High School: The Guide to Federal Student Aid. This is a comprehensive resource on financial aid from the U.S. Department of Education. Grants, loans and work-study are the three major forms of aid available through the department’s Federal Student Aid office. Updated annually. Available in English, Spanish and Braille. Go to www.studentaid.ed.gov and type Student Guide into the search engine. FYI3.com. This is a site for foster children, with an easy search for state offerings, including scholarships, for these students: www.FYI3.com. Internal Revenue Service. Get information on Hope and Lifetime Learning tax credits: www.irs.gov. Mapping Your Future. Here you’ll find general information about scholarships, financial aid, planning a career, selecting a college and paying for it: www.mapping-your-future.org. Student Aid on the Web. Get general information from the U.S. Department of Education: www.studentaid.ed.gov.

Handout 8O page 1 of 2 College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

Financial aid resources for students and families (page 2) Books Getting Financial Aid. New York: The College Board. Published annually. Fully explains the financial aid process and the types of aid available; gives information on costs and available aid (including special merit scholarships) at each college; provides worksheets. College Board Scholarship Handbook. New York: The College Board. Updated annually. A no-nonsense guide to more than 2,100 college scholarships, internships and loan programs for undergraduate study at U.S. colleges. Meeting College Costs. New York: The College Board. Published annually. A workbook that guides families through the complexities of funding a college education.

Handout 8O page 2 of 2 College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

Chapter 9 Counseling firstgeneration students about college Overview


Students whose parents, caregivers or siblings have not gone to college pose a particular challenge to counselors. Often these students do not know what their options are, have fears about attending college or have unfortunate misconceptions about college (for example, that college costs much more than it does, that there is no financial aid available, or that talent in sports is all that is needed for admission).

Overview

The term first generation may include a wide array of students. Many come from low-income families. They come from every ethnic group. Many are middle class, with parents who did not need a college education in order to find good jobs. Some were born outside the United States and may be undocumented. Some have parents who have urged them to do well in school but may not know how to help them plan for and apply to college. Other parents may rely on the income their children make in part-time jobs, and value their entry into the workplace more than the long-range payoff of a higher education. Some students have had very difficult lives, ranging from homelessness or foster care to shuttling between parents and friends, with little stability, support or encouragement. Some may be responsible for the care of younger siblings or extended family members.

The counselor’s role Identifying and communicating with first-generation students Working with parents Undocumented students Working with students in foster care The college choice and application process Paying for college Giving advice about registering for college classes Explaining what college will be like Working with other organizations Resources Handouts

This chapter lays out some strategies for working with first-generation students without repeating information covered in other chapters. These young people will require more of your time than students who know something about college, but the rewards of working with them can be great.


9-1

Chapter 9 Counseling first-generation students about college

The counselor’s role Reach out as early as possible to students who have not grown up in a college-going culture: Speak with them often about college and opportunity.

■

Ensure that these students are academically prepared (if they don’t think college is possible, they may not be predisposed to take academic courses). Talk to them about honors and Advanced Placement Program® courses.

■

Break down the college selection and access process into manageable chunks; learn to use simple descriptive words when talking about college with first-generation students and parents. If you are bilingual, conduct sessions in the language of the parents.

■

Meet families or caregivers of first-generation students. Learn about their ideas regarding college so you can correct misperceptions. For students in foster care, find out who their educational advocate is and include him or her in planning.

■

Extend the scope of the counsel you offer. In addition to details about college selection, the application process and financial resources, you can provide information on self-assessment and the connection between college and careers. For students who have been accepted by a college, be prepared to help explain how registration for classes works and what college will be like. For those who are in foster care or homeless, be sure to address housing issues. Plan and lead field trips.

■

TIP “Develop programs that hit all students and that assume that all students are being prepared for education after high school. Whether in presentations, college visits, or meetings with juniors, the word all is important.” — Linda Sturm, South Portland High School, Maine

9-2

Devote even more energy than usual to explaining financial aid to first-generation families and students, and to helping them move through the process. Conduct hands-on workshops about filling out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form.

■

Work with middle schools to create college awareness programs.

■

Learn what resources your community offers in the form of college outreach programs, religious and community organizations, and multicultural and ethnic associations. Work with those groups to provide college information to students and parents.

■



Identifying and communicating with first-generation students There is no easy way to learn who in your school does not come from a college-going family. Some counselors meet with all students as ninth-graders and ask at that time if anyone in the family has attended college; some counselors do not meet with students until the junior year. You should make every effort to identify, as early in their high school careers as possible, students who are first generation. Early identification will enable you to talk with them and their family members more frequently about college and to ensure that they understand what high school course work will prepare them for college. As with all students, you need to help first-generation students think deeply about their goals and aspirations, but sometimes you will have to work with them on the basics: Students who tell you they

Snapshot of first-generation students ■ First-generation students are an important segment of the population of college-bound seniors, accounting for 36.8 percent of the 2005 SAT® cohort and 33 percent of the total increase in the number of students in the SAT cohort from 2000 to 2005. ■ Minority students make up a large share of first-generation students in the SAT cohort (46 percent) and drive the growth of the segment, increasing 30 percent from 2000 to 2005, compared to 7 percent for white first-generation students. ■ First-generation students are more likely to come from lowincome households: 29 percent report household incomes of $30,000 or less, compared to 7 percent of non-first-generation students. ■ 76 percent have taken a core high school curriculum, versus 83 percent of their peers. ■ They are more likely to seek academic help in college (65 percent), and to report plans to seek study skills help (49 percent), math help (41 percent), and writing instruction (33 percent). ■ First-generation students are less likely than non-first-generation students to plan to live on campus during their first year of college (66 percent versus 83 percent). The percentage of first-generation students who indicate plans to live at home (269 percent) is twice as high as that of their non-first-generation peers (12 percent). ■ 74 percent plan to work part time, versus 60 percent of all students. Source: The College Board

Tip “Kids have learned a response (‘I’m going to be an engineer’) that is designed to get adults to stop asking questions. Having an answer doesn’t mean it is well considered or has anything to do with their own interests, aptitudes or abilities. We need to probe.” — Susie Rusk, Washoe Public Schools, Nev.


9-3


Early Awareness Resource List ABC’s of Early Awareness (www.nasfaa.org/subhomes/abcs/index.html) Provides a step-by-step guide for counselors and community leaders in setting up and launching an early awareness program. Building Toward a Better Future (www.science.doe.gov/Program_Offices/ Workforce_Development.htm) The U.S. Department of Energy provides a 40-page guide for counselors and parents that has basic information on financial aid, guidance on preparing a child for a college education, suggested reading lists for elementary school students and timelines for college applications and test taking. The College Access Center (www.collegeaccesscenter.org/studentcenter/about.asp) Covers money and time management, organization, and finding financial aid. Also has information on self-assessment for college, writing essays and the application process. College: Making It Happen (www.certicc.org/collegemakingit.aspx) The California Education Round Table provides materials for families and educators. Its brochure Futures: Making High School Count is available in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Hmong and Khmer. Brochures, as well as an informational videotape, can be ordered through the Web site or downloaded there. Dream to Reality (www.collegezone.com/media/DreamtoReality.pdf) Step-by-step guide and activity packet for middle school students encouraging them to seriously consider the question, “What do I want to be when I grow up?” The packet takes students from sketching their dream to mapping out action steps for getting there, including interviewing people about their careers. ECMC Foundation (www.ecmcfoundation.org) Higher education and financial aid information as well as downloadable lessons and workshop materials for promoting early awareness to students and parents. Education Now (www.ednow.org) A catalog of Education Now’s college prep guides, exercises, and organizing tools for counselors to use with students in order to get them into the right mindset for college. Products can be ordered through this Web site for various prices. Get Ready for College (www.getreadyforcollege.org) The Minnesota Office of Higher Education’s Web site has an extensive section of downloadable handouts, including The Great College Mystery and What Will I Be?, which are focused on early awareness. KnowHow2Go (www.knowhow2go.org/middle.php) Media-friendly Web site directed at middle and high school students. Provides information on why students should go to college, how they can prepare themselves, who to talk to, and financial aid. Also has information for mentors/counselors on how to talk to teens about college options. USA Funds (www.usafunds.org/access_and_outreach/early_awareness/index.htm) This student loan company makes attractive early awareness packages available free. “USA Funds Unlock the Future” provides the instructor with workbooks for students, a step-by-step guide for parents, and a DVD. “USA Funds Consejos” covers the same information in Spanish.

9-4



want to be a pediatrician may not know what a pediatrician does or what kind of education the profession requires. “It is easy to say ‘fine, here’s a list of colleges with premed programs,’” says Scott White of Montclair High School in New Jersey. “But that is a disservice.” These students may need extra help learning about the many college paths and determining which is right for them. With first-generation students, you may find yourself going beyond college counseling to help them think about what they want to do with their lives and to show them how their interests and skills can connect to a career choice and higher education options. All students appreciate straight talk, and none more so than students who may not be hearing a lot about their options after high school. Kids can tell when you are “just doing your job,” says Lesli Myers of the Greece Central School District in New York State. You must be honest about where students are and what they should focus on. Myers urges counselors to support but not coddle them. At the same time, avoid putting too much pressure on them. Telling students that they are carrying the hopes and fears of their family on their shoulders puts a burden on them that no one needs.

Working with parents It is essential to get parents and other caregivers involved in their children’s plans for the future and to communicate with them frequently. Yet, getting parents to meet with you can be a challenge. Some counselors set up appointments with all students and their parents (or advocate) and have a high percentage of parents attending these meetings. Other counselors may have difficulty attracting some parents to one-on-one or group meetings because parents cannot make arrangements to visit or don’t see the benefit of discussing their child’s post–high school plans with a counselor. Be prepared for a wide range of attitudes. Some parents will be intimidated by the college process but eager for their child to have opportunities that they did not have. Others may question why their child’s entry into the workforce should be delayed. Still others will expect their child to go to a particular college they’ve heard of, often a well-known institution, whether or not that school is right for their child. And some parents will have the mistaken belief, for example, that if a college wants their child, it will give him or her a full scholarship.

TIP “We go to where parents are. We go to apartment complexes and talk with them about college and the importance of rigorous course work. We’ve noticed that more parents turn out to watch their kids in athletic events and in concerts than attend a curriculum night at school, so we capitalize on those moments: We go to the events and set up a booth. It’s usually the only booth there, and we put out lots of information on college and course work and financial aid.” — Lesli Myers, Greece Central School District, New York State

TIP “Lack of child care makes coming to school difficult for some parents. I have toys in my office, and I encourage parents to bring their younger children with them when they meet with me.” — Carlene Riccelli, Amherst Regional High School, Mass.


9-5


TIP “Parents are very, very busy. We find that the best time to meet with them is in the morning when they drop their kids off at school. We set up 30-minute appointments with them then.” — Nancy Nitardy, McCallum High School Gear Up, Texas

TIP “Use ‘parent or guardian’ in all written communication. Know that parents or advocates may not be available to meet with you at school, and never require them to.” — Lisa Sohmer, Garden School, N.Y.

Many low-income families depend on the money their children make from part-time jobs. You might guide those students to a community college where class schedules are flexible, and young people can continue to work while going to school. Parents may be more willing to allow their children to attend a two-year (or even a four-year) college if they can see the economic benefit of a higher education. See Handout 9A: Education and lifetime income. It provides a compelling demonstration of the financial rewards of college. Some students may be on their own after high school and assume that working is the only viable option for them. For example, students in foster care are usually legally emancipated at age 18 without any family support. Remember that parents have not been through the process. You may need to cover material obvious to families who already know about college — for example: Why students must take college admissions tests.

■

That colleges have different admissions criteria and offerings.

■

That colleges in the United States may differ from those in other countries whose systems parents may be familiar with.

■

That there are advantages and disadvantages in living at home and in living away from home.

■

That colleges offer support — counseling, tutoring, academic advisers, residence hall advisers — at no extra cost.

■

That colleges offer a wide variety of academic and career opportunities.

■

TIP “Help families feel smart. Provide resource materials in advance. Use handouts that families can review at home and at their own pace.” — Lisa Sohmer, Garden School, N.Y.

9-6

That it is acceptable (in fact desirable) to submit applications online.

■

If possible, have an interpreter present when you meet with families who do not speak English. Having written materials in their language is ideal, but be aware that some of the parents cannot read or write in their spoken language. Do not assume that they will understand printed materials. Parents who lack documentation to be in the United States pose a specific challenge, which is addressed in the section on undocumented students (below).



Some specific school programs for first-generation students

Plano East High School, Texas, has created Panther U. for juniors and seniors. The program, which is advertised through school announcements and flyers, is geared to first-generation students. Students meet in the career center during lunch eight times a year. The teachers and counselors create information sessions on college search, testing, the application, financial aid, majors, managing your money, living in the dorm and the registration process (a hot topic!). South Portland High School, Maine, offers a course for all sophomores called Real Life. Students take an interest inventory, do a college search and visit a local community college. Amherst Regional High School, Mass., has a workshop for juniors and their parents in March. In the session, a number of seniors and their parents discuss what the college admissions process was like for them. The panelists are asked to address the topic, “What I Would Do Differently If I Could Do It Again.” A recent panel included a student who applied for Early Decision, a learning-disabled student, a single parent and a student who has been accepted at a community college. The audience leaves with the feeling that “if they can do it, I can do it.” Plano Senior High School, Texas, developed Generation Go. The program was initially for Hispanic students. In its third year, the program decided to include anyone who wants to be the first in his or her family to attend college. Now Generation Go serves hundreds of juniors and seniors. The counseling staff creates a calendar of activities for the whole year and gives it to the students at the beginning of their junior year. Sample activities during the year include fall lunch meetings at which counselors go to the cafeteria and make themselves available to help students complete college applications; a spring financial aid night; and a FAFSA workshop with college representatives. Each student receives an introduction to college packet. The city of Houston, Texas, holds a career day, organized by the Hispanic Forum. This annual event takes place in a convention center to accommodate the 10,000 to 15,000 students who come. There are dozens of presentations about careers and higher education that rotate every hour for four hours. There is always a session about college opportunities for undocumented students.


9-7


TIP “We have referred undocumented students to local lawyers who do pro bono work, at least to look into the student’s individual situation.” — Carlene Riccelli, Amherst Regional High School, Mass.

TIP A student with a green card is not considered undocumented or international. A student with a green card is, for purposes of FAFSA, a permanent resident, a noncitizen eligible for federal aid.

If the student is in foster care, having their social worker or independent living worker present will be important. Use simple descriptive vocabulary. Avoid acronyms. Words that may need explanation for first-generation students and their families: degree

Financial aid terms:

certificate

dependent student

undocumented

financial aid

credit hours

FAFSA

major/minor

independent student

associate/bachelor’s

scholarship

public/private

grant

proprietary

loan

liberal arts

PROFILE (CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE®)

university

sibling

college

spouse

premed/prelaw syllabus

Undocumented students The term undocumented refers to students whose parents are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents (green card holders). The terms illegal alien and illegal immigrant are politically charged and should be avoided. School personnel cannot inquire about the immigration status of students or their parents (under the Supreme Court decision Plyler v. Doe [1982]). Thus, by law, a counselor may learn that students are undocumented only if they choose to share this information. Some students who are undocumented are unaware that they fall into this category; they may know their parents’ status, but assume that they themselves are documented. And some students may know that they have a green card, but do not understand what legal status the card confers on them. Lack of a Social Security number may be an indication that a student is undocumented. Because undocumented students may assume that they can’t be admitted to any college in the United States, they may not be prepared academically. A school culture in which all students are encouraged to think of themselves as college material, whether they

9-8



ultimately choose to attend or not, helps every student envision and prepare for college. Federal financial aid (including work-study programs) is not available to undocumented students. In addition, most colleges classify these students as foreign and expect them to pay out-of-state tuition, even if they live in the state. Finding funds for undocumented students is therefore extremely challenging. The following states have passed laws providing in-state tuition benefits to undocumented students who have attended high school in the state for three or more years: California

New York

Illinois

Oklahoma

Kansas

Texas

Nebraska

Utah

New Mexico

Washington

FinAid.org provides a summary of state laws, and the National Immigration Law Center (www.nilc.org) tracks activities related to state funding of higher education for undocumented students. Be sure to follow changes in your state regarding undocumented students. When discussing financial aid at parent meetings or other group sessions, you should explain the requirements for federal financial aid: Recipients must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. You can inform students and parents of the requirements without asking about their immigration status. There are success stories of very bright undocumented students receiving full scholarships. Behind those success stories are counselors, other school officials and community leaders who have devoted enormous energy to tapping the resources available in making the case for these students. Private colleges tend to provide more generous funds than public universities, and counselors should network with college admissions staff to learn which colleges may be willing to fund undocumented students.

TIP “We meet all ninthgraders and plot their course work for all four years. We stress the importance of keeping their options open. Each student leaves the meeting with a written plan showing the academic subjects he or she will take each year of high school.” — Linda Sturm, South Portland High School, Maine

TIP “Make sure you give college information to everybody — not just to the ones you think will be going to college.” — Lesli Myers, Greece Central School District, New York State

Currently, there is no official role a school can play in helping students become documented. But if an application for citizenship is in the works, school officials can help determine where the paperwork is in the bureaucratic backlog of applications. You can refer students to an immigration lawyer from a list you maintain of qualified attorneys.


9-9


Working with students in foster care There are more than 500,000 foster children in school, many of whom face challenges to educational success at all levels. Too few continue to postsecondary education. Many, in addition to impermanent home situations, have changed schools frequently. Postsecondary education planning often takes a back seat to paying bills, figuring out where to live once out of foster care (age 18 in most states), and surviving in an adult world.

TIP “I conduct an assessment with families both on paper and verbally to learn what they know about college. Often, the parents’ tone helps you understand their concerns — which can be missed on paper.” — Monica L. Solis-Hoefl, Incarnate Word High School, Texas

TIP “I deal with lots of Hispanic parents. When they say, ‘My daughter is expected to be a mom and wife,’ I say, ‘I totally understand and respect that. However, in this society, the income of two people is necessary. What is your situation?’ Often they have two incomes.” — Mel Garcia, Bayshore High School, N.Y.

9-10

Identifying students in foster care is the first step. Establishing contact with state, county, or local child welfare administrators to establish an identification and outreach system is useful, as is asking students who they live with. If possible, designate one counselor to be the foster care liaison, so that he or she can learn about child welfare resources and contacts, and offer assistance to other counselors and teachers on foster care issues. Advocate for their early involvement in a support program like GEAR UP, TRIO and college bridge programs. Investigate state financial aid programs for foster students and publicize them. Some colleges have specialized support for students coming from foster care: If you learn of colleges with these support services, be sure to get the word out to your students. See the financial aid chapter for information related to foster students’ financial aid options. Resources can be found at Casey Family Programs (www.casey.org) and the American Bar Association (www.abanet.org/child/education).

The college choice and application process This section looks at ways to help first-generation students move through the college choice and application process. It does not duplicate information provided in other chapters of the College Counseling Sourcebook.

Self-assessment There are many challenges in working with students who have given little thought to college or who believe that they can’t be admitted



— or, if admitted, can’t possibly afford to attend. Such students may not have taken the necessary course work; they may still be learning English. They are likely to have little knowledge about the educational requirements that are needed for certain professions, and they may have very vague knowledge of the world of work in general. “Sometimes, they don’t know the difference between a doctor and someone who draws blood. You have to educate them about the different professions and how their skills and interests play a role in making appropriate choices,” says Scott White of Montclair High School in New Jersey. Plan to spend time educating first-generation students about educational preparation for the world of work. Try to do aptitude assessments with these students early, in ninth grade if possible. Talk about which career paths seem appropriate for them in the light of their skills and interests. Probe. If a student indicates a desire to be an architect, for example, ask what he or she thinks architects do and how much education the profession requires. See Handout 9B: Using the junior year to prepare for college and/or employment. The handout should help students who are weighing various post-highschool options.

College search and selection If possible, spend more time in one-on-one meetings with firstgeneration students than you do with other students. Describe the different types of colleges in the United States, and remember that many people don’t understand terms such as liberal arts college or public/private university. Some colleges seek first-generation students — you can learn which ones by getting to know the admissions officers at the colleges popular with your students. Be on the alert for students’ preconceptions that they can’t afford college at all, or the reverse — that it will be paid for in full with scholarships. Help families move beyond an obsession with colleges with name recognition. Many students will assume that they have to go to a public university because of cost. You should tell them that private colleges often have more funds available and that a private college might be less expensive than a public one because of the grant aid that private colleges may offer to low-income and/or firstgeneration students.

TIP “Many low-income urban students tend not to travel out of their neighborhoods, so if there is a college fair in town, realize that you may have to arrange to get them there — going to a strange part of town, and paying the bus fare there, can be a significant issue for many students.” — Beverly Tedesco, Counselor, Simon Gratz High School, Pa.

TIP “When a student has high aspirations, such as medical school, but a poor GPA, I avoid saying ‘but you’re a D student!’ Instead, I point out that he or she can journey for a while, take a solid undergraduate program, perhaps spend some time at a community college — professional school is four years off.” — Kathy Dingler, Rich East High School, Ill.


9-11


TIP “For translators, we sometimes use faculty. For languages we can’t cover, we might hire local college students. In most cases, the student can translate for the parent.” — Carlene Riccelli, Amherst Regional High School, Mass.

TIP “The day my Gear Up students get into college, I put their photo and the name of the college on a bulletin board reserved for this purpose — the kids love that. The teachers and parents do too.” — Nancy Nitardy, McCallum High School GEAR UP, Texas

Encourage students to visit colleges, and organize school-led trips, if possible. Be sure to take students to campuses where they will see students with whom they can identify; escorting a group of minority students to a college with lots of minority students will help them become excited about college. Have minority representatives welcome your students to campus. For many of these students, a community college is an ideal launching pad into higher education. However, some students may feel that the suggestion that they consider a community college indicates a lack of confidence in their academic ability. Point out the benefits of a community college and let students determine whether that option works for them. Are they uncertain what they want to be or to study? Do they want to live at home and/or continue in a part-time job? Do they want to improve their academic skills? Save money? Take some technical/vocational courses? If they answer yes, that may indicate that a community college makes sense. See Handout 9C: Is community college for you? The information is designed to help students think about the community college option.

Applications for admission and for aid Although the application process is pretty much the same for all students, there are a few areas that merit special attention when working with first-generation students. First-generation students are often low income and may qualify for waivers of test fees and college application fees. Alert your students to this possibility early in the process, so that the prospect of $50 fees does not lessen their interest in applying to appropriate colleges. In general, if a student qualifies for a fee waiver for an admissions test, a college that offers reduced application fees will extend that offer to the student, usually based on a letter from the school counselor. For information on whether fees will be waived or reduced, see college guides such as The College Board College Handbook. Make sure that students who are eligible for reduced-price or free lunches at school sign up to receive the benefits of this federal program. Counselors report that many students decide to go without lunch because there is a stigma attached to being in the program. But you can explain that it is through this program that students will qualify to save what might be a significant amount of money on test fees and application fees. As a result of your

9-12



discussion, students and their families should see the advantages in filling out the school-distributed form that gets young people into the federal lunch program. Educate students, too, about college deadlines. Missing a deadline in the college application process can have more serious consequences than, say, handing in an English paper a day or two late. Firstgeneration students may not understand that if they miss a deadline in the application schedule, they may lose the opportunity to apply to college or to request financial assistance. In particular, students should mark “priority dates” — the dates by which they must send in financial aid forms in order to be eligible for the maximum assistance — on their calendars. Counselors report that first-generation students are more hesitant than other students to apply online. If they file paper forms, you can stress the importance of neatness and of making copies of all parts of an application. Remind them to use their full name consistently, and not to use a nickname. (And if they apply online, they should have an appropriate e-mail address: When it comes to college applications, funky e-mail addresses may be detrimental.) Make an effort to review the forms with students before they send them to colleges. Students in foster care are classified as “independent” students. (“At any time since you turned 13, were both your parents deceased, were you in foster care or were you a dependent/ward of the court?”) By answering “yes” to question 55 of the FAFSA, they will qualify for state and federal funds available to independent students (e.g., state need grants, Chafee Education and Training vouchers, Pell grants, etc.)

Paying for college

Tip “No student should let the cost of college deter them. Everyone can finance college. But money may be a factor: Students may need to stay local, or start out at a community college.” — Lesli Myers, Greece Central School District, N.Y.

TIP “I get online with kids and show them the FAFSA. And we have parent nights when we show parents how to access the FAFSA. We think that gets them over a hurdle, and is more effective than just giving them the Web address. We have five or six kids in the room to help the parents sign on.” — Susie Rusk, Washoe Public Schools, Nev.

A general overview of financial aid is provided in Chapter 8 of the College Counseling Sourcebook. First-generation students need even more explanation, guidance and counseling than the average collegebound student.

Making the case for the value of college For low-income, first-generation students, the biggest perceived barrier to a college education is the cost. These young people may not understand what financial aid is or how to apply for it. When they investigate college financing, they will see that most likely they College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved.

9-13


will incur debt, and their families may be uneasy about owing large sums of money. See Handouts 9D and 9E: Financial aid overview for parents (in English and in Spanish).

TIP “We create a list in English and Spanish of the forms parents should bring in and we conduct Financial Aid Saturdays in the spring, so they can complete their financial aid forms with our assistance.” — Alejandra Rincón, Austin Independent School District, Texas

TIP “The people who answer 1-800-4-FED-AID are wonderful. They helped one student’s mother for a full hour. The staff speak many languages and are available seven days a week.” — Jana Hancock, Plano East Senior High School, Texas

Plan on devoting a lot of energy to describing the benefits of a college education and to making a complex process understandable. Try to involve parents and other caregivers as much as possible and to encourage a dialogue between them. Parent nights that focus on analyzing costs and understanding financial aid are a good starting point; if possible, have translators on hand for non-Englishspeaking parents. You may have to illustrate the economic benefits of college for some families. Handout 9A indicates the lifetime earning power of individuals according to their highest level of education. As the handout demonstrates, someone with a two-year (associate) degree earns, over a lifetime, significantly more than a high school graduate. The financial compensation of the holder of a bachelor’s degree, in turn, can outpace that of a high school graduate by almost a million dollars. Information of this sort can help put the idea of college debt into perspective. See Handout 9F: College loan repayment estimator. It shows the monthly repayment figures for college loans of varying amounts. You can point out to parents and students that seemingly enormous amounts of borrowed money can in fact be paid off with modest monthly outlays. In particular, emphasize the combined effect of the student’s increased earning power — especially for college graduates who become professionals, managers and the like — and the low interest rates of government loans over the 10-year payback period. (Interest rates can, of course, fluctuate.) Other families will not be aware that some institution — a college, or the federal or state government — would give their child money to attend college. They will be perplexed by the sources of aid and will be unclear about who they may need to pay back. Remember, too, that some students may be emancipated from their parents and will not have their support at this important time of transition. Many of these students are working part time, and their families may depend on their earnings. “For many of my Hispanic families, work is associated with honor, and often all the children and both parents work,” says counselor Susie Rusk of Washoe Public Schools in Nevada. Your task, then, is to explain that going to college may pay off in the long run, and also to suggest options, such as a nearby community college, that allow students to continue to work.

9-14



Helping students apply for financial aid College costs are a concern to the vast majority of parents and students in the United States. Even the nation’s CPAs and captains of industry approach the process of applying for aid with some trepidation. Families with no experience of college will need even more encouragement and information while they move through the process. “I always start the conversation by asking if the family has saved anything for college,” says Scott White. “Usually the answer is no. I then tell them what the maximum Pell and the maximum Stafford are. We deduct that from the cost of the college they are looking at and look at what’s left. Often this comes as a shock.” Of course, the starting point is filling out the FAFSA. Tell parents that by filling out the FAFSA, they will be eligible for both state and federal programs for low-income students. The federal Educational Opportunity Fund program is designed to help these students. The program, which goes under different names in different states, provides academic and financial assistance for students whose economic background makes it difficult for them to pursue a college education without aid. The FAFSA form determines who qualifies for these funds. Some students will need to complete the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE, which is required by several hundred colleges. The form must be submitted online. For families who do not have a computer at home, you will have to provide a computer at school for their use in filing this form. You can print out a draft of the PROFILE, explain unfamiliar terms, and send it home, where the student can complete as much of it as possible with the parent. Then have the parent come in with the draft and key documents (W-2 form, any statements of welfare or disability benefits, income from child support, etc.) and complete the PROFILE at school. Many schools have financial aid workshops in January and invite parents to complete their FAFSA at the school. College financial aid representatives and experienced counselors should be on hand to answer questions and to help explain the various paper and online forms. At every juncture, stress that these families should not pay anyone to help them find scholarships, fill out the FAFSA, or handle any other

TIP “To put parents’ fears at rest about sending their child to college, connect them with an adult on the campus whom they can put their questions to. A resident advisor or staff in a support program are good candidates.” — Angel Wagner, Counselor, Desert Hot Springs High School, Calif.

TIP “We offer a workshop in April in which we go over students’ financial aid packages. Many students do not understand the award letter. In fact, I had a very bright student initially turn down a college because she misread the award as a bill for $18,000. We have them bring their award letters, and we explain each feature. We invite the parents as well.” — Nancy Nitardy, McCallum High School Gear Up, Texas


9-15


TIP “We go where the kids are. We will drop by the public playground and talk with them about their plans, about their courses, about college.” — Lesli Myers, Greece Central School District, New York State

aspect of the financial aid process. Families unfamiliar with college financing are easy targets for scam organizations. You can distribute several other handouts to students and their families. See Handouts 9G and 9H: How financial aid works and how it makes college affordable (in English and in Spanish). These useful items describe financial aid in general, including the family contribution and the major types of assistance. See Handout 9I: 10 questions for the financial aid office, and Handout 9J: 10 preguntas acerca de la oficina de ayuda financiera. The information is ideal for the parents of juniors and seniors, as students and their families begin to meet with college representatives and to arrive at decisions.

Helping students assess financial aid packages Families may not understand the financial aid packages they receive from the colleges. If possible, conduct workshops in April for seniors who have packages and want to discuss them. Go over the terms used in financial aid packages, and invite parents to ask questions about their awards.

Money management If possible, build information about money management into your discussions or presentations. Alert your students that they will begin to receive many offers for credit cards. Talk with them about interest rates and managing debt. Describe debit cards, which may be a better option than credit cards for students living on tight budgets. Debit cards allow students to draw on their checking account but not go into debt.

Giving advice about registering for college classes Talk with students about registering for college courses. Here are some knowledge gaps reported by experienced counselors:

9-16



Students don’t realize that they need to register for college classes. They think the process is like high school — when they show up, they will be told which courses to take.

■

They may not understand college schedules: Such abbreviations as “M/W” and “T/TH” (or the more common “T/R”) for days of the week, may need explanation.

■

Let students know that unlike high school, it will be their responsibility to choose their courses and sign up for them. Alert them that, in another big difference, they will spend only 15 to 20 hours a week in class (a boon if they are going to work part time). And be sure they know that they will have to devote at least that amount of time to studying.

Explaining what college will be like Research shows that first-generation students report being challenged by their lack of experience with time management and with money management; by the economic realities of college; and by the impersonal nature of institutions of higher learning (Richardson and Skinner, New Directions for Community Colleges, no. 80, 1992). Talk with your students about what college will be like. Especially if they are going away from home and living on campus, they may feel more adrift than most first-year college students. Let them know that there are support systems on campus — their adviser, counseling services, a residence hall adviser — and that the tuition and fees they pay gives them free access to these services. First-generation students should be strongly encouraged to take advantage of summer bridge programs at their selected colleges. “College success” classes are also important, if offered. Make students aware of options designed to pave their way into college, and help them apply to them.

TIP “We hold a ‘transition to high school’ night at our middle school. We cover planning, testing and financial aid. I enlist parent volunteers to call homes and invite people to this event. Parents are impressed by that. We always serve refreshments and last year we served dinner — that helps bring people out.” — Linda Sturm, South Portland High School, Maine

TIP “Keep in touch with alumni so you can connect current students with someone who actually attends college.” — Angel Wagner, Counselor, Desert Hot Springs High School, Calif.

Students who plan to start at a community college and then transfer need to understand the importance of taking transferable courses. Explain they must meet with their academic adviser frequently to make sure they are taking courses that will facilitate the transfer.


9-17


Working with other organizations Middle schools Many schools develop college-awareness events with the local middle schools. The programs offer opportunities to reach out to younger students who may become the first in their family to go to college. For example, at college-awareness days, the middle school teachers wear hats or T-shirts from their colleges and talk with students about their college experiences; or a college night is presented by high school teachers and staff to middle school students and parents. Here are some activities that high schools sponsor with middle schools: South Portland High School, Maine, conducts “transition to high school” nights in January at each feeder middle school. Parents learn about researching colleges for their child’s future, college admissions testing and financial planning. The high school and middle school counselors work jointly on these events.

■

Bayshore High School, Long Island, N.Y., feeder middle schools have college activities for each grade level. Faculty and counselors discuss types of colleges, conduct interest inventories and answer questions about careers. Students in each grade of middle school get lots of information about college. In addition, there is a college-awareness day in which each sixth-grader is given a college T-shirt; the shirts, donated by local colleges, make a big impact.

■

Freeport High School, Ill., has an AVID program (see below), serving 10 percent of students in grades 7 to 12. The program sponsors three bus trips a year — to a large public university, a medium-size university and a small private university — for each grade level. Middle school students focus on what the campus looks like, where students eat, where they live, what they’re doing, what they look like. When they return to school, the staff leads them in discussions about students’ responses and about the maturity, self-reliance and responsibility that college requires.

■

TIP “If students don’t keep their junior-year college planning appointment with me, I go get them out of study hall or gym. I talk with every junior. And I keep snacks in my office.” — Carlene Riccelli, Amherst Regional High School, Mass.

9-18



Katy, Texas, ISD uses the College Board’s CollegeEd® curriculum in its seventh-grade Texas history classes (there are more than 4,000 seventh-graders in the district). CollegeEd is a college and career planning curriculum for grades 7 through 12 that provides students with the information they need to get on the college path and understand the impact a college education may have on their life choices and opportunities.

■

Since many Katy students take high school credit courses as eighth-graders, the district adopted CollegeEd to present an overview of how high school course decisions affect opportunities for college admission. The district has been using the program for six years, and has seen an increase in enrollment in courses that prepare students for AP; fewer absences; and improvement in conduct and grades for many struggling students. Charlie Barthelemy, who teaches Texas history at the seventhgrade level in the district, says that seventh-graders love the program because it starts from their interests, skills, strengths and weaknesses, and provides a structured approach to career and college decisions. Students have said, “Ah, this sort of begins to make sense as to why I should take more courses that prepare me for AP” and “It looks like I better get more serious about my science class!” Many students have parents who are working and unavailable for conversations about their child’s talents, dreams and future. “College Ed gives teachers the opportunity to have those types of conversations,” observes Ms. Barthelemy. “Through CollegeEd, many of our students begin to believe in themselves, to value themselves and to set goals for themselves.” Two handouts are appropriate for middle school families. See Handouts 9K and 9L: Thinking about college: A checklist for parents of middle schoolers (in English and in Spanish). They provide a simple to-do list for families. Also see Handout 9M: Saving for college. It

illustrates the power of saving modest amounts over time.

Local community colleges Community colleges offer an ideal means for students to get exposure to college and to begin earning credits. Through dual enrollment agreements, students can take community college courses (on the

TIP “We take even the kids who are failing classes when we visit colleges. We need to get them interested in college.” — Nancy Nitardy, McCallum High School Gear Up, Texas

TIP “A lot of our Hispanic boys want to work with cars. We take them to the local community college and visit the auto repair classes. But we also take them next door to the engineering program, and we drop in on the welding classes. This opens their eyes to other options.” — Nancy Nitardy, McCallum High School Gear Up, Texas


9-19


college or high school campus) and earn both high school and college credits. Their first taste of college can help secure students on the path to higher education.

Community groups and outreach organizations Develop relationships with organizations in the community that provide academic and other types of assistance to young people. Local colleges may have TRIO programs, federally funded outreach groups that support educationally disadvantaged students. In addition, some not-for-profit groups, such as the Urban League, sponsor activities for cultural or ethnic minority groups. Several of the organizations work directly with schools. The programs described here take place at colleges, high schools or middle schools. For example, bridge initiatives are offered by colleges to give an academic boost to less-well-prepared students they have admitted.

Programs for first-generation and other “at-risk” students AVID. Advancement Via Individual Determination is a school-based academic support program for grades 5 through 12 that prepares students for college eligibility and success. It focuses on minority, rural, low-income and other students who do not have a college-going tradition in the family. Implemented schoolwide (or districtwide), AVID places academically average students in advanced classes. Schools submit proposals to participate in AVID and, if accepted, make at least a four-year commitment. Teacher training is a key feature of an AVID program, and teachers must agree to mentor students. For more information: www.avid.org. CollegeEd. This middle and high school college and career-planning program supports students and schools by helping students make the critical connection to learning and college. This College Board program engages, inspires and motivates students and fosters a college-going culture in the school. CollegeEd offers student workbooks, teacher’s guides and family handbooks that engage each party in working toward the student’s future. It helps students make the critical personal connection to learning and college planning, and involves parents in the process as well. English and Spanish versions of all materials. For information, call 800-323-7155. 9-20



National Urban League. The goal of the National Urban League is to help African Americans attain economic self-reliance, parity and empowerment, and civil rights. As part of this mission, the 100 Urban League affiliates throughout the United States offer educational programs. For more information, visit www.nul.org. Summer Bridge Programs. Many colleges have summer bridge programs, intended to smooth the transition of “at-risk” students who have been admitted to the institution. The programs offer four to six weeks of academically intense workshops that are held during the summer before students matriculate at the college. Many bridge initiatives include tutoring, cultural events, academic and financial aid counseling, and other services. The goal is to provide students with the skills necessary to succeed in college. Many programs give college credit. Students apply directly to these programs, usually after acceptance by the sponsoring college. For information, go to the colleges’ Web sites. Talent Search. The federally funded Talent Search program identifies and assists individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds who have the potential to succeed in higher education. The program provides academic, career and financial counseling to its participants and encourages them to graduate from high school and continue on to the postsecondary school of their choice. Talent Search also serves high school dropouts by encouraging them to reenter the educational system and complete their education. The goal of Talent Search is to increase the number of youth from disadvantaged backgrounds who complete high school and enroll in the postsecondary education institution of their choice. Upward Bound. This federal program provides basic support for students preparing for college. Participating students are given opportunities to succeed in precollege performance and, ultimately, in college. Upward Bound is intended for high school students from low-income families and/or families in which neither parent holds a bachelor’s degree, as well as for low-income, first-generation military veterans who would like to pursue a postsecondary education. The courses are usually offered by colleges and must include instruction in math, laboratory science, composition, literature and foreign languages. Many institutions provide other services, such as help in preparing for college entrance exams, completing applications and similar assistance. College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved.

9-21


Resources Brochures First in the Family: Advice About College From First-Generation Students. This booklet has advice from college students who were the first in their families to go past high school. It has practical and encouraging advice from students at every type of college. The booklet is available as single copies or in bulk from www.nextgenerationpress.org.

Internet sources AP Potential™. This free, Web-based tool enables schools to generate rosters of students who are likely to score a 3 or better on a given AP Exam. Based on research showing strong correlations between PSAT/NMSQT and AP Exam results, AP Potential is designed to help schools increase access to AP classes and to ensure that no student who has the chance of succeeding in an AP class is overlooked. For more information, visit www.collegeboard.com. The College Board. www.collegeboard.com The organization provides a great deal of information for students and parents about every aspect of planning for college. Education Planner. www.educationplanner.com This site has very useful information in English and Spanish. It is operated by American Education Services, a financial aid services corporation. “FirstGeneration Students” and “Guide Your Child to Success” are just two of the many useful selections you can download. Use the site map to find these quickly. Financial Aid Web site. www.finaid.org This Web site provides extensive information on scholarships and other aspects of financial aid for college. Pathways to College Networks. www.pathwaystocollege.net This is the Web site of a national alliance of organizations committed to using research-based knowledge to improve postsecondary education access and success for the nation’s underserved students, including underrepresented minorities, low-income students, those who are the first in their families to go to college and students with disabilities. It provides easy access to publications, tools, online newsletters, outreach organization databases and much more. State Web sites. All states and U.S. territories have education department Web sites, and some of these sites are excellent sources of information for counselors, students and parents. U.S. Government Web site. www.ed.gov The Web site of the U.S. Department of Education offers extensive information, in English and in Spanish.

9-22



Publications for professionals Gonzales, Roberto G. Young Lives on Hold: The College Dreams of Undocumented Students. New York: The College Board, 2009. This new report looks at the demographics of undocumented students in this country, examines what has transpired in the states that have allowed undocumented high school graduates to qualify for in-state tuition, and makes the argument that welcoming undocumented students to college would have a positive economic benefit that would far outweigh the investment to be made in providing a college education to these students. Luna De La Rose, Mari, and William G. Tierney. Breaking through the Barriers to College: Empowering Low-Income Communities, Schools, and Families for College Opportunity and Student Financial Aid. Los Angeles: University of Southern California Center for Higher Education Policy Analysis. This slim brochure lays out six challenges to accessing college and provides bulleted recommendations for what community organizations, colleges, schools and students can do to overcome them. Available in PDF format at www. usc.edu/dept/chepa. McNaught, K. Mythbusting: Breaking Down Confidentiality and Decision-Making Barriers to Meet the Education Needs of Children in Foster Care. American Bar Association, Center on Children and the Law, 2005. At www.abanet.org/child/education/. Sue, Derald Wing, and David Sue. Counseling the Culturally Diverse: Theory and Practice. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2002. Tierney, William G., Zoe B. Corwin, and Julia E. Colyar (eds.). Preparing for College: Nine Elements of Effective Outreach. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 2005.


9-23



Title

Brief Description

9A

Education and lifetime income

Shows the differences in average earning potential according to individual’s level of education.

9B

Using the junior year to prepare for college and/or employment

Information to help students get a head start in planning for the future.

9C

Is community college for you?

Explains when a two-year college may be a student’s most suitable choice.

9D

Financial aid overview for parents

Reassuring advice on an often bewildering topic.

9E

Ayuda financiera

Spanish version of 9E.

9F

College loan repayment estimator

An easy-to-understand graph showing amounts of monthly repayments of college debt over a 10-year period.

9G

How financial aid works and how it makes college affordable

Discusses how families can make the most of the various types of student aid.

9H

En qué consiste la ayuda financiera

Spanish version of 9G.

9I

10 questions for the financial aid office

Provides specific questions for parents to ask, so they can make informed decisions about paying for their children’s college education.

9J

10 preguntas acerca de la oficina de ayuda financiera

Spanish version of 9I.

9K

Thinking about college: A checklist for parents of middle schoolers

Ways for parents to help their children get an early start in planning for college.

9L

Cosas que hay que recordar: Lista de verificación

Spanish version of 9K.

9M

Saving for college

Emphasizes the importance of starting sooner rather than later to save for college.


9-25

Students Earnings

TITLE Education and lifetime income TITLE Education, Earnings, and Tax Payments Figure 1.1: Median Earnings and Tax Payments of Full-Time Year-Round Workers Ages 25 and Older, Median Earnings Tax Payments of Full-Time Year-Round Workers Ages 25 and Older, by Education Level, 2005 by Education Level,and 2005 Professional Degree

$74,500

Doctoral Degree

$59,500

Education Level

Master's Degree

$19,900

$46,600

Bachelor's Degree

$14,700

$11,900

$39,000

Associate Degree

$31,500

Some College, No Degree

$9,100

$29,000

High School Graduate

$8,100

$24,900

$100,000

$25,500

$79,400

$61,300

$50,900

$40,600

$37,100

$6,600 $31,500 $4,600

Not a High School Graduate

$18,800

$0

AFTER-TAX INCOME

$23,400

$20,000

$40,000

$60,000

TAXES PAID

$80,000

$100,000

Earnings and Tax Payments

Note: Taxes paid include federal income, Social Security, and Medicare taxes, and state and local income, sales, and property taxes. Sources: U.S. Census Bureau,Bureau 2006, PINC-03; Internaland Revenue Service,Pays 2006;2007, McIntyre et al., 2003; calculations by the authors. Source: U.S. Census 2006, PINC-03 Education The College Board (New York) The bars in this graph show median earnings at each education level. The lighter segments represent the average federal, state, and local taxes paid at these income levels. The darker segments show after-tax income.

Higher levels of education lead to both higher levels of earnings for individuals and higher tax revenues for federal, state, and local governments.

•

In 2005, the typical full-time year-round worker in the United States with a four-year college degree earned $50,900, 62 percent more than the $31,500 earned by the typical full-time year-round worker with only a high school diploma.

•

Those with master’s degrees earned almost twice as much, and those with professional degrees earned over three times as much per year as high school graduates.

•

Median earnings for those with some college but no degree were 18 percent higher than those for high school graduates, and adults with associate degrees earned 29 percent more than high school graduates.

•

The typical college graduate working full-time year-round paid 134 percent more in federal income taxes and almost 80 percent more in total federal, state, and local taxes than the typical high school graduate.

•

Those who hold professional degrees paid almost $19,000 more in total taxes in 2005 than high school graduates.

Also important: • •

All of the differences in earnings reported here may not be attributable to education level. Education credentials are correlated with a Handout 9A socioeconomic status and some personal characteristics. variety of other factors that affect earnings including, for example, parents’ While the average high school might not increase his or © her earnings to the levelAll of rights the average college graduate simply by Collegegraduate Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. 2009 The College Board. reserved. earning a bachelor’s degree, careful research on the subject suggests the ﬁgures cited here do not measurably overstate th e Permission granted to copy this forthat educational purposes. ﬁnancial return of higher education (Carneiro et al., 2003; Rouse, 2005; Harmon et al., 2003).

Students

TITLE Using the junior year to prepare for college and/or TITLE employment 1. Take advantage of workshop and testing opportunities offered by the school (check with the guidance office for scheduled events). 2. Meet with your school counselor to identify interests and find ways to develop those interests. Some possibilities: ■ Take an interest inventory questionnaire and explore careers and colleges that match your goals and personal qualities. ■ Investigate internships, community service or volunteer projects. These self-initiated experiences provide greater opportunities and responsibilities than most local job opportunities. ■ Work. Any type of employment is helpful because it indicates a sense of responsibility, time management skills, etc. Employer references are helpful, as well, for college or future jobs. ■ Become involved in extracurricular activities in school or in the community. Depth or leadership in a smaller number of activities is better than superficial involvement in many. ■ Use vacation periods to sit in on classes at local colleges. This is helpful in identifying careers or subject areas for further study. You may even be able to sign up for summer institutes or courses at colleges. ■ Shadow (spend a day with) a person in an occupation or activity that interests you. 3. Explore alternatives and keep your options open.

In your junior year, try to expand your range of possibilities. Do not narrow your focus or specialize too soon. Whether you are heading for college or for work, discuss with your school counselor what your choices are. For example, during your college search, look at large, medium and small schools; two-year and four-year colleges; public and private institutions; coed, single-sex and/or historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs); colleges that are nearby, near relatives or away from home. If your interest is the military, investigate all service branches, ROTC and the military academies. If you are planning to enter the job market, consider your willingness to relocate, and look for positions with growth opportunities and good employee benefits (health insurance, training/educational programs, etc.). If you plan to take a year off before going to college, explore with your school counselor how you can use your time productively. Ideas include volunteer service, an apprenticeship, travel or work.


Using the junior year to prepare for college and/or employment (page 2) 4. Always have a fallback plan — in college admissions, this refers to safety schools (academic and economic safeties). The college admissions process is stressful, but it can be less so if you have at least two affordable sure things. For instance, you might apply to a community college or to a state school (in or out of state) or a less competitive private school. If you prefer to go to work, you could ask a relative or a friend for a job that will allow you to get started while you continue your search or training. 5. Keep the focus on academics. Continue studies in all major/core disciplines and challenge yourself. Meet with your school counselor to review your transcript, credits toward graduation and college requirements. Success in college admissions or employment is directly related to the academic record. 6. Develop a résumé. A résumé can be useful for your job or college interviews and for college applications in your senior year. Your school counselor can help you organize a list of your activities and accomplishments for your résumé. Source: Adapted from material provided by Amherst Regional High School


Students

TITLE Is community college for you? TITLE ☐ 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 ☐ 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 If you checked even one box on the quiz, you may want to check out a community college. You won’t be alone — 45 percent of all first-year college students start at a community college. These institutions offer two kinds of education: 1. If your goal is a four-year degree, you can earn a two-year (associate) degree at a community college, then transfer to a four-year college as a junior. 2. You can earn an occupational degree or certificate in two years or less, then start working immediately in a high-demand field. Many community college students have jobs and family responsibilities. Scheduling classes may be a big challenge. So community colleges tend to offer courses during the day, in the evening and on weekends. They have pioneered new teaching methods, too. Some offer courses online (distance learning), combine Internet and classroom learning, give interactive TV courses, condense semester courses into shorter time frames and more. Interested? You don’t have to wait. Consider taking a community college course during high school. You will learn what college work is like, and rack up some college credits, too. Source: The College Board


Parents

TITLE Financial aid overview for parents TITLE Understand Your Options Finding the money to pay for college is a concern of many parents because they think they can’t afford it. It’s important to know that families with lower incomes will have plenty of options for assistance. Even middle-income families have financial aid options. Families will be expected to pay as much as they can toward the cost of college, but are encouraged to apply for financial aid to cover what they can’t pay for. Keep in mind that the most important thing families can do to plan financially for college is to start saving for college early. Having savings or assets will not exclude you from financial aid. When you apply for federal financial aid, the government determines how much you need, and their estimate is usually conservative. College costs add up when you consider tuition, fees, cost of books and other supplies, and either room and board or transportation expenses. Although most colleges try to meet each family’s needs, they aren’t always able to do so. Saving for college helps considerably. Where’s the Money? Financial aid comes from a number of sources and includes grants and scholarships, student loans, and work-study programs. Most colleges offer some form of financial aid, and the more expensive colleges tend to have the most aid available. Financial aid also comes from many types of government and private organizations. Many people are surprised to learn that not all scholarships are based on academic or athletic achievement. There are many scholarships and grants available for students from various backgrounds and with various special needs and interests. Money from scholarships and grants does not have to be paid back. Money from loans does have to be paid back but, in most instances, not until after a student graduates. While many parents feel overwhelmed with the prospect of seeking financial aid, remember that both the school counselor and the www.fafsa.ed.gov Web site can provide information. Don’t allow yourself to be swayed by services that charge money to find you aid; this information is available for free. Consider asking at your local bank about low-interest college loans and about your state’s 529 College Savings Plan. It is never too late to start saving for college, and whatever savings you have will not prevent your child from receiving scholarships. Once your child has chosen a particular college, that college will probably be the best resource for finding aid. Source: CollegeEd®, 3rd Edition, The College Board


Parents

TITLE Ayuda financiera TITLE Entiendan las opciones que tienen Encontrar dinero para pagar la Educación Superior es una preocupación de muchos padres y de muchos estudiantes que temen no poder continuar con su educación porque su familia no puede pagarla. Es importante saber que las familias de bajos ingresos tendrán muchos opciones de ayuda. Aun las familias de ingresos medios tienen opciones de ayuda financiera. Durante este curso, ustedes recibirán materiales que explican estas opciones y las diferentes clases de ayuda financiera disponible. Se espera que las familias paguen los costos que puedan, pero se les anima a solicitar ayuda financiera para cubrir lo que no pueden pagar. Tengan presente que la cosa más importante que las familias pueden hacer para sus planes financieros de la Educación Superior es empezar a ahorrar con anticipación. Tener ahorros o activos no los excluye de ayuda financiera. Cuando solicitan ayuda financiera federal, el gobierno determina cuánto necesitan y su cálculo suele ser conservador. Los costos de la Educación Superior se acumulan cuando se consideran colegiatura, cuotas, costo de libros y otros útiles, y vivienda y comida o gastos de transportación. Aunque la mayoría de las instituciones de la Educación Superior procuran responder a las necesidades de cada familia, no siempre pueden hacerlo. Ahorrar para la Educación Superior es una ayuda considerable. ¿Dónde está el dinero? La ayuda financiera proviene de múltiples fuentes e incluye subvenciones y becas, préstamos a estudiantes y programas de trabajo/estudio. La mayoría de las instituciones de la Educación Superior ofrece alguna forma de ayuda financiera, y las más costosas tienden a ofrecer la mayor cantidad. La ayuda financiera proviene también de muchos tipos de organizaciónes gubernamentales y privadas, las cuales se recomienda a ustedes que exploren durante el curso CollegeEd®. Muchas personas se sorprenden al saber que no todas las becas se basan en mérito. Se dispone de muchas becas y subvenciones para estudiantes de variados antecedentes y de diversas necesidades e intereses especiales. El dinero que proviene de becas y subvenciones no tiene que pagarse después. El dinero de préstamos sí tiene que pagarse, pero no antes de que el estudiante se gradúe. A muchos padres les abruma la idea de buscar ayuda financiera. Recuerden que tanto el consejero escolar como el sitio de la red www.fafsa.ed.gov pueden ofrecerles información. No se deje cautivar por servicios que cobran dinero por buscarles ayuda financiera: esta información es gratuita. Piensen en consultar con su banco local sobre préstamos para la Educación Superior de


Ayuda financiera (page 2) baja tasa de interés, y en el Plan de ahorro 529 de su estado, para la Educación Superior. Nunca es demasiado tarde para empezar a ahorrar para la Educación Superior, y los ahorros que ustedes tengan no impedirán que su hijo reciba becas. Una vez que su hijo haya elegido una institución determinada de la Educación Superior, lo probable es que esa institución sea el mejor recurso para buscar ayuda.

Source: CollegeEd®, 3rd edition, The College Board


Students

TITLE College loan repayment estimator TITLE A quick illustration of what monthly payments over 10 years look like for college debt at various levels. 5%

5%

5%

6%

6%

6%

Debt balance

Monthly payment

Months

Interest over life of loan

Monthly payment

Months

Interest over life of loan

$6,000

$63.64

120

$1,636.72

$66.61

120

$1,993.48

$8,000

84.85

120

2,182.29

88.82

120

2,657.97

$10,000

106.07

120

2,727.86

111.02

120

3,322.46

$20,000

212.13

120

5,455.72

222.04

120

6,644.92


Parents

TITLE and how it makes How financial aid works TITLE college affordable Financial aid is intended to make up the difference between what your family can afford to pay and what college costs. More than half of the students currently enrolled in college receive some sort of financial aid to help pay college costs. In a nutshell The financial aid system is based on the goal of equal access — that anyone should be able to attend college, regardless of financial circumstances. Here’s how the system works: Students and their families are expected to contribute to the cost of college to the extent that they’re able.

■

If a family is unable to contribute the entire cost, financial aid is available to bridge the gap.

■

Who decides how much my family is able to contribute? The amount a family is able to contribute is frequently referred to as the Expected Family Contribution, or EFC. The figure is determined by whomever is awarding the aid — usually the federal government or individual colleges and universities. The federal government and financial aid offices use “need formulas” that analyze the family’s financial circumstances (things like income, assets and family size) and compare them proportionally with other families’ financial circumstances. What the EFC figure means for most families First, most families can’t just pay the EFC out of current income alone. But, not to worry — the formulas assume that families will meet their contribution through a combination of savings, current income and borrowing. Second, financial aid is limited. The formulas therefore measure a particular family’s ability to pay against other families’ ability to pay. Three main types of financial aid Financial aid is any type of assistance used to pay college costs that is based on financial need. 1) Grants and scholarships Also called gift aid, grants don’t have to be repaid and students don’t need to work to earn them. Grant aid comes from federal and state governments and from individual colleges. Scholarships are usually awarded based on merit.


How financial aid works and how it makes college affordable (page 2) 2) Loans Most financial aid comes in the form of loans, aid that must be repaid. Most loans that are awarded based on financial need are low-interest loans sponsored by the federal government. These loans are subsidized by the government so no interest accrues until students begin repayment after they graduate. 3) Work Student employment and work-study aid help students pay for education costs such as books, supplies and personal expenses. Work-study is a federal program that provides students with part-time employment to help meet their financial needs and gives them work experience while serving their campuses and surrounding communities. Don’t rule out colleges with higher costs Say your family’s EFC is $5,000. At a college with a total cost of $8,000, your child would be eligible for up to $3,000 in financial aid. At a college with a total cost of $25,000, your child would be eligible for up to $20,000 in aid. In other words, your family would be asked to contribute the same amount at both colleges. Source: www.collegeboard.com


Parents

TITLE En qué consiste la ayuda financiera TITLE Y cómo logra que la universidad sea asequible Las ayudas financieras pretenden compensar la diferencia entre lo que su familia puede permitirse pagar y lo que cuesta la universidad. Más de la mitad de los estudiantes actualmente inscritos en la universidad reciben cierta ayuda financiera para cubrir los gastos universitarios. En pocas palabras El sistema de ayudas financieras está basado en el objetivo de acceso igualitario — que dicta que cualquiera tendría que poder ir a la universidad sin importar las circunstancias financieras. Así funciona el sistema: Se espera que los estudiantes y sus familias contribuyan al pago de la universidad hasta donde puedan permitírselo.

■

Si una familia no puede aportar el costo total, las ayudas financieras están disponibles para compensar esa carencia.

■

¿Quién decide cuánto puede pagar mi familia? El monto que su familia puede aportar suele ser llamado Expected Family Contribution (Contribución Familiar Esperada, EFC). La cifra está calculada por aquel que otorga la ayuda — generalmente el gobierno federal o las universidades. El gobierno federal o las oficinas dedicadas a ayudas de las universidades utilizan «formulas de necesidad» que analizan las circunstancias financieras de la familia (aspectos como ingresos, activos y tamaño de la familia) y las comparan proporcionalmente con las situaciones financieras de otras familias. Lo que el monto de EFC signfica para la mayoría de las familias En primer lugar, la mayoría de las familias no pueden pagar la EFC recurriendo sólo a sus ingresos. Pero no se preocupe — las formulas asumen que las familias podrán aportar la cifra requerida combinando ahorros, ingresos actuales y préstamos. En segundo lugar, las ayudas financieras son limitadas. Por esa razón las formulas calculan la capacidad para pagar de una familia en concreto con respecto a otras. Tres tipos de ayudas financieras Se considera ayuda financiera cualquier tipo de ayuda que se utilice para pagar los costos universitarios que se base en necesidades financieras.


En qué consiste la ayuda financiera (page 2) 1) Donaciones y becas También llamadas ayudas regaladas, las donaciones no tienen que ser devueltas y su hija no tiene que trabajar para obtenerlas. Las donaciones provienen de los gobiernos federal y estatales, así como de las universidades. Las becas se suelen otorgar basadas en los méritos académicos. 2) Préstamos La mayor parte de las ayudas financieras se otorgan en calidad de préstamos, es decir, dinero que tiene que ser devuelto. La mayoría de los préstamos que se dan, que, son de bajo interés patrocinados por el gobierno federal y están basados en las necesidades financieras. Estos préstamos están subsidiados por el gobierno de tal forma que el interés no se incrementa hasta que su hijo comience a devolverlos después de graduarse. 3) Trabajo El trabajo para estudiantes les ayuda a pagar por costos de educación como libros, materiales y gastos personales. El trabajo-estudio es un programa federal que ofrece a los estudiantes empleo a tiempo parcial para ayudarles a subsanar sus necesidades financieras y les otorga experiencia laboral mientras colaboran con el campus o las comunidades de los alrededores. No descarte universidades de más alto precio Digamos que la EFC de su hija es de $5,000. Si la universidad cuesta en total $8,000, sería candidata a obtener hasta $3,000 en ayuda financiera. En una universidad que costara $25,000, podría obtener hasta $20,000 en ayudas. En resumen, se pediría a su familia que aporte la misma cantidad en las dos universidades. Source: www.collegeboard.com


Parents

TITLE 10 questions for the financial aid office TITLE Each college has its own financial aid policies — how outside scholarships are treated, whether or not aid awards can be appealed, etc. — information that may or may not appear in materials they send your child. Make the most of your next campus visit and schedule an interview with a member of the financial aid staff. He or she will be able to answer specific questions about costs, the financial aid process and options for financing your child’s education. Here are 10 questions to get you started: 1. What’s the average total cost — including tuition and fees, books and supplies, room and board, travel, and other personal expenses — for the first year? 2. By how much will total costs increase each year? How much have tuition and fees and room and board increased over the last three to five years? 3. Does financial need have an impact on admissions decisions? How is financial aid affected if my child applies for Early Decision? 4. Does the school offer both need-based and merit-based financial aid? Are there other scholarships available that aren’t based on financial need? Does my child need to create a separate application for merit-based scholarships? 5. What is the priority deadline to apply for financial aid? 6. When will we be notified about financial aid award decisions? 7. If the financial aid package isn’t enough, under what conditions, if any, will the aid office reconsider the offer? 8. How will the aid package change from year to year? What will happen if my family’s financial situation changes? What will happen if my child’s enrollment status (or that of a family member) changes? 9. What are the terms and conditions of the aid programs included in the aid package? What are the academic requirements or other conditions for the renewal of financial aid, including scholarships? 10. When can we expect to receive bills from the college? Is there an option to spread the yearly payment over equal monthly installments? Source: www.collegeboard.com

Handout 9I College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

Parents

10 preguntas acerca de la oficina de ayuda financiera Cada universidad tiene sus propias políticas de ayuda financiera — cómo se consideran las becas externas, si se puede o no apelar a las decisiones de ayuda, etc. — y esa es una información que puede o no figurar en los folletos enviados al estudiante. Aproveche al máximo la visita al campus y solicite una entrevista con un miembro de la oficina de ayuda financiera. Esta persona podrá responder a preguntas específicas acerca de costos, el proceso de entrega de ayudas y las opciones disponibles para financiar la educación de su hijo o hija. Estas son 10 preguntas por las que empezar: 1. ¿Cuál es el costo total promedio — incluyendo matrícula y gastos, libros y material didáctico, hospedaje y comidas, viajes y otros gastos personales — para el primer año? 2. ¿Cuánto se incrementarán cada año los costos totales? ¿En cuánto se han incrementado los gastos educativos y de alojamiento en los últimos tres a cinco años? 3. ¿Influyen las necesidades financieras en la selección de alumnos? ¿En qué cambia la ayuda financiera si el estudiante se presenta bajo el programa de decisión temprana? 4. ¿Ofrece la universidad ayuda financiera basada en las necesidades y los méritos académicos? ¿Existen becas que no estén basadas en necesidades financieras? ¿Necesita el estudiante presentar una solicitud distinta para las becas basadas en méritos académicos? 5. ¿Cuál es la fecha máxima para solicitar ayuda financiera? 6. ¿Cuándo se nos informará de las decisiones acerca de ayuda financiera? 7. Si el paquete de ayuda propuesto no es suficiente, ¿con qué condiciones, si es que existen, estaría la oficina de ayuda dispuesta a reconsiderar la oferta? 8. ¿Cómo cambiará cada año el paquete de ayuda? ¿Qué pasaría si cambiara la situación financiera de mi familia? ¿Qué pasaría si cambiaran las condiciones de aceptación del estudiante (o de un familiar)? 9. ¿Cuáles son las condiciones impuestas por el paquete de ayuda? ¿Cuáles son los requisitos académicos u otras condiciones para la renovación de la ayuda financiera, entre ella las becas? 10. ¿Cuándo tenemos que esperar las facturas de la universidad? ¿Se puede dividir el costo anual en pagos mensuales? Source: www.collegeboard.com

Handout 9J College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

Parents

TITLE A checklist for Thinking about college: parents of TITLE middle schoolers Help your child start planning for college now. By beginning academic and financial planning for college while your child is still in middle school, you help ensure your child’s success after high school graduation.

■

Help your child explore interests and possible careers. Understand that your child is likely to have a change of mind as you explore opportunities and options. By continuing to support your child in education and career decisions, you help your child gain confidence and achieve goals.

■

Speak to your child’s school counselor to learn about important courses and how your child can choose courses and qualify for advanced placement. Make sure your child meets the academic requirements for high school graduation and admission to college.

■

Stay in touch with your child’s teachers throughout middle school and high school, not only on parent conference dates but also on open school nights. Stay informed of your child’s academic progress, and ensure that your child has tutoring or help with test preparation and other skills, if needed.

■

Help your child explore colleges by visiting their Web sites or by scheduling visits with colleges of interest. Use The College Board College Handbook to gain information about different colleges and what they require.

■

Begin to plan financially for college as early as possible. Save as much as you can. Learn about your state’s 529 College Savings Plan.

■

Remember to rely on your school counselor for information, and use www.collegeboard.com to learn more about how you can steer your child toward a successful future.

■

It’s important to note that your personal background will not affect your child’s admission to college.

■

Source: CollegeEd®, 3rd Edition, The College Board

Handout 9K College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

Parents

TITLE Cosas que hay que recordar: Lista deTITLE verificación Ayuden a su hijo a empezar a hacer planes para la Educación Superior ahora mismo. Empezando la planeación académica y financiera mientras su hijo está en la escuela media, ustedes contribuyen a asegurar su éxito después de su graduación de la secundaria.

■

Ayuden a su hijo a explorar sus intereses y posibles carreras. Comprendan que es posible que él cambie de opinión mientras ustedes exploren oportunidades y opciones. Al intervenir activamente en este curso y seguir apoyando a su hijo en decisiones de su educación y su carrera, ustedes le ayudan a fomentar confianza en sí mismo y a lograr sus metas.

■

Hablen con el consejero de su hijo para conocer cursos importantes y el modo como su hijo puede elegirlos y optar a cursos de Colocación avanzada. Asegúrense de que su hijo cumple con los requisitos académicos para graduación de la secundaria y para admisión a la Educación Superior.

■

Manténganse en contacto con los maestros de su hijo durante la escuela media y la secundaria, no sólo en las fechas de conferencias, sino también en las noches de escuela abierta. Manténganse informados del progreso académico de su hijo y asegúrense de que reciba tutorías de preparación para la prueba y del desarrollo de otras destrezas si se necesitan.

■

Ayuden a su hijo a explorar instituciones de la Educación Superior visitando sus sitios de la red o programando visitas a las instituciones de interés. Usen el College Handbook del College Board para informarse de varias instituciones y de lo que requieren.

■

Empiecen la planeación financiera para la Educación Superior tan pronto como puedan. Ahorren todo lo que puedan y estén al corriente de los préstamos a baja tasa de interés disponibles en su banco. Entérense del Plan de ahorro 529 de su estado, para la Educación Superior.

■

No dejen de apoyarse en su consejero escolar para información, y usen las publicaciones del College Board para saber más sobre el modo de dirigir a su hijo hacia un futuro exitoso.

■

Es importante notar que los antecedentes personales de ustedes no afectan a la admisión de su hijo a la Educación Superior.

■

Source: CollegeEd®, 3rd Edition, The College Board

Handout 9L College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

Parents

TITLE Saving for college TITLE Two reasons to save for college: For most of us, a college education has gone from the dream of a few to an economic necessity.

■

A college education is expensive. The student and family will have to pay for at least some of the cost, and the earlier you prepare for that, the better off you will be.

■

The cardinal rule is: save whatever you can for as long as you can. Time, and saving regularly, can be more important than the amount. How much — How long? Parents can find almost any excuse for not saving. The simple fact is that saving will help, and the sooner you start, even if it’s only a small monthly amount, the better off you will be when the first college bill arrives. The important thing is to start early and stick with your savings plan right up to college admissions. Even small amounts, over time, add up! Total Saved plus Earnings (of 5%) Over Time Monthly Savings

At 1 Year

At 5 Years

At 10 Years

At 15 Years

$10

$123

$683

$1,559

$2,684

$25

$308

$1,707

$3,898

$6,710

$50

$617

$3,415

$7,796

$13,420

$75

$925

$5,122

$11,679

$20,130

$100

$1,233

$6,829

$15,593

$26,840

Here are some important points for you to consider: You do not have to save enough to pay the whole college bill. When the time comes, you can still pay part of the cost from current income, future income and other family assets.

■

A reasonable savings objective might be 25 percent of the college bill.

■

Whatever you save will give you security and flexibility in paying for education over time. If you borrow, the savings can be used to help pay student loans back.

■

Your child will pay a significant part of the cost from his or her own earnings and from readily available student loans. Typically, students pay 25 percent or more of the entire cost of education from these sources, even at high-cost colleges.

■

Financial aid is available, and may cover a lot of the cost.

■

Source: The College Road Map of the MES Foundation Handout 9M College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

Chapter 10 Counseling student athletes Inside this Chapter…

Overview This chapter outlines the basics that counselors need to know in order to assist student athletes as they apply to college. The text covers the process and the terminology (in an end-of-chapter glossary), describes the three major athletic associations (also called conferences), and provides tips from experienced counselors. You’ll find the material worth reading even if your school has few potential college athletes. After all, you should be prepared when an intercollegiate prospect comes along. The chapter focuses on the college application process; it does not discuss how student athletes cope with the pressures of balancing sports and academics, or how they deal with the demands placed on them to excel in their sport. Note: You might consider reading the handouts first; they provide a useful look at the main features of the college application process for student athletes. Helping student athletes can be one of the most challenging aspects of counseling. First, more people are involved — the high school coach and his or her college counterpart, as well as parents, the school counselor and the admissions office. And second, the high school coach may be providing the student with more guidance on the college admissions process than you, the counselor — especially if the student is being recruited, or sought after, by a college. As the chapter stresses, a spirit of cooperation should be fostered between you and the coaches, so that — as a team — you can each do your job for the benefit of the student.

Overview The counselor’s role Overview of the athletic associations National Collegiate Athletic Association National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics National Junior College Athletic Association Working with your school coach Working with student athletes beginning in grade 9 Athletic scholarships “Walk-ons” Letters of interest Topics to cover when discussing the college application process The college application process for athletes Resources Glossary Handouts

The application process timeline that recruited athletes must follow can also differ from the one for students in general. Students seeking to play an intercollegiate sport must signal their interest in a college before their senior year. Note, in particular, that nationally


10-1

Chapter 10 Counseling student athletes

ranked, highly desirable players may need to commit to a college in November (spring sports participants) or February (other athletes) of their senior year. Student athletes tend to focus on one dimension of the search and application process: which college will give them the most playing time. Your task is to encourage these students to look at all the factors that go into finding the right school — in terms of location, size, major, and other factors. See Handout 10A: Student athlete’s high school four-year plan.

The counselor’s role Make sure that student athletes understand that they must meet academic requirements established by athletic associations in order to play intercollegiate sports — being a good athlete is not enough to gain admission. Repeat this message often.

■

Know the academic requirements and eligibility rules for college athletics as determined by the major athletic associations (described below). Recognize that the rules (and the sports offered) change. Turn to these organizations’ Web sites for current information.

■

Develop a strong working relationship with your school’s athletic director and the individual coaches; maintain open lines of communication. Coaches play a key role in advising students on the college application process, and counselors need to know how good an athlete is in order to counsel effectively. Keep coaches up to date on changes in college admissions policies — they may not be aware of shifts in the regulations at colleges to which they have historically sent many athletes.

■

TIP “Go meet with your athletic director. Go to the office and let him or her know that you are a resource on college admissions and are more than willing to talk with students and parents at student athletic assemblies.” — Carroll Davis, North Central High School, Ind.

10-2

Be sure that students know that admissions decisions are ultimately made by the admissions committee, not by the college coach. A student’s eligibility to play a sport doesn’t guarantee acceptance to college.

■

Remind students that the availability of a sport is only one factor to consider in applying for college, even if it’s a significant factor. Some students won’t participate in athletics for all four years. They should look for colleges where they will fit in even if they cease their involvement in sports.

■



Overview of the athletic associations Colleges fielding intercollegiate teams are organized into various associations. These groups seek to ensure that teams playing against each other are from institutions with similar commitments to promoting and funding sports. For example, most members of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics are small colleges. And in the National Collegiate Athletic Association, whose members include large colleges and universities, Division I schools allocate significantly more dollars to sports than do Division II and III schools. Each athletic association has academic eligibility criteria that reflect the organization’s commitment to keeping the “student” in “student athlete.” Therefore, students and parents need to understand that prospective college athletes must meet minimum scholastic requirements if they are to be considered for admission to college. The associations’ standards are entirely in the interests of students: colleges want good athletes, and they are also committed to accepting athletes who can graduate from their institutions. The next sections describe the three largest intercollegiate athletic organizations — the NCAA, the NAIA and the National Junior College Athletic Association. There are a few other such groups, including the National Christian College Athletic Association and the Association of Christian College Athletics. The athletics covered by the associations vary somewhat. The chart on the next page lists the sports governed by the NCAA, NAIA and NJCAA in academic year 2009-10. Note: Colleges offering NCAA sports are listed by sport and state in the back of The College Board College Handbook. The individual college descriptions in the Handbook also show all sports a particular college offers at both the intercollegiate or intramural level. Colleges that offer athletic scholarships are listed by sport and state in Getting Financial Aid, published by the College Board.


10-3


Sports governed by the NCAA, NJCAA and NAIA 2009-10 (M) = restricted to men; (W) = restricted to women. NCAA championship sports

NJCAA

NAIA

Baseball (M)

Baseball (M)

Baseball (M)

Basketball

Basketball

Basketball

Bowling (W)

Bowling

Cross-country

Cross country

Cross country

Football (M)

Fencing

Football (M)

Golf

Field hockey (W)

Golf

Softball (W)

Football (M)

Half marathon

Soccer

Golf

Ice hockey (M)

Swimming and diving

Gymnastics

Lacrosse

Tennis

Ice hockey

Soccer

Lacrosse

Softball (fast pitch) (W)

Track and field (indoor and outdoor)

Rifle

Swimming and diving

Rowing (W)

Tennis

Skiing

Track and field (indoor and outdoor)

Soccer Softball (W) Swimming and diving

Volleyball (W) Wrestling (M)

Tennis Track and field (indoor and outdoor) Volleyball (W) Water polo (M) Wrestling (M)

10-4


Volleyball (W) Wrestling (M)


National Collegiate Athletic Association The best known, and the most influential of the conferences, is the National Collegiate Athletic Association: NCAA Eligibility Center P.O. Box 7136 Indianapolis, IN 46207-7136 877-262-1492 www.ncaaclearinghouse.net The NCAA, the largest athletic association, offers or oversees the most athletic scholarship money. The conference is governed by committees of college and university personnel who set recruiting standards and student eligibility requirements in order to prevent the abuse of student athletes and to ensure that athletes will be able to perform in the college classroom as well as on the field. The committees also establish rules regarding the athletic scholarships at Division I and Division II colleges (although college coaches themselves determine who receives the financial aid). The NCAA has more than 1,280 members, who offer 23 championship sports. The intercollegiate athletic program is regulated by one of three divisions (four for football), and colleges sometimes have sports in different divisions. Division I. The most competitive athletically, Division I colleges can offer full scholarships and partial scholarships to their athletes. Students must meet academic eligibility guidelines to play (discussed on page 10-7). Exception: The eight Ivy League schools (Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Cornell, Columbia, University of Pennsylvania, Dartmouth and Brown) field Division I teams but do not provide NCAA scholarships.

■

Division II. Less competitive athletically than Division I, colleges in Division II have different eligibility guidelines as well. Member colleges are typically somewhat smaller than Division I schools. Athletic aid is available in lesser amounts than for Division I sports.

■

Division III. Less competitive than Division II, these colleges have no academic eligibility requirements. No NCAA financial aid is provided, although these colleges may offer athletic scholarships of their own.

■

TIP “I have had to call the NCAA frequently over the years to ask very basic questions and to sort out core-course issues, and they are always very helpful.” — Susan Staggers, Cary Academy, N.C.


10-5


Not only must students meet academic requirements to be accepted into Division I and II colleges, they must maintain scholastic standards in order to continue participating in intercollegiate sports.

Amateurism There is a new amateurism certification process students must undergo if they plan to participate in Division I or II athletics. Students will answer a series of questions when they register online. Handout 10B: Overview of NCAA amateurism bylaws, explains what factors the NCAA will look at and indicates which would prevent a student from playing Division I or II sports.

The NCAA Web sites There are two Web sites supporting the NCAA. www.ncaa.org describes the organization itself. The site www.ncaaclearingnouse.net is where students will find answers to their questions. The Guide for the College-Bound Student Athlete can be printed out here (it can be found under the “Library” tab). The guide includes the following: description of academic eligibility requirements;

■

coverage of core courses, GPA, tests and special conditions (such as requirements for students with disabilities, or the admissions process for homeschooled students);

■

complete instructions on how students register with the NCAA Eligibility Center;

■

worksheets for keeping track of courses and grades;

■

information for parents and guardians;

■

questions students should ask during the college search process;

■

information for high school counselors;

■

a summary of recruiting regulations; and

■

a glossary

■

This is also where high schools will update their list of core courses. General information about the NCAA and a list of member institutions can be found at this Web site.

10-6



Academic eligibility requirements For Division I: Students in the class of 2010 who want to participate in athletics or receive an athletic scholarship must: graduate from high school;

■

complete 16 core courses (see chart);

■

present a minimum required grade point average in the core courses; and

■

achieve a specific combination of SAT or ACT scores and GPA in core courses; the index for scores and GPA is provided on the NCAA Web site.

■

Students who intend to enroll at NCAA Division I and Division II institutions must supply ACT or SAT scores to the Clearinghouse directly from the testing agencies. Test scores on an official high school transcript will no longer be usable for NCAA purposes. The NCAA does not currently use writing scores from the SAT or ACT in determining eligibility. See “How the NCAA Uses Test Scores,” page 10-10. Students who want to play Division I or II sports must register with the Eligibility Center after their junior year, when a transcript showing six semesters of work can be evaluated. Through this process, students learn whether they are academically eligible to play in Division I or II. A final transcript, with proof of graduation, must be submitted by a student’s high school to the Eligibility Center before the student can participate in college athletics.

Core courses The NCAA is committed to ensuring that the student athletes they admit are likely to succeed in the classroom as well as on the team. The NCAA therefore assesses the high school transcripts of prospective Division I and II athletes to be certain that these students have taken an adequate number of academic courses, which the NCAA calls “core courses.”

TIP “I meet with the athletic director each year and review the process of gaining NCAA eligibility. The coach has to determine who is Division I or II material. Then I have to make sure they are in the right classes.” — Connie Decker, John W. North High School, Calif.


10-7


Core course requirements, Division I and II, class of 2009. Units are years of study. Division I

Division II

English

4

3

Mathematics

3

2

Natural/physical science

2

2

Additional English, math or natural/ physical science

1

2

Social science

2

2

Additional academic courses (from English, math, science, social studies, nondoctrinal religion, foreign language, philosophy)

4

3

Total

16

14

Division II has a minimum SAT requirement of 820 (critical reading and math) or an ACT sum of 68. For NCAA Division I, only courses completed in grades 9 through 12 prior to graduation may be used to meet the core course requirements. However, for Division II, and for students with disabilities playing in either Division I or Division II, core courses taken after high school graduation can be used, provided the courses are completed before full-time enrollment in college. Your school should maintain a list of core courses with the NCAA. Core courses must be: an academic class in one or a combination of these areas: English, math, natural/physical science, social science, foreign language, nondoctrinal religion, philosophy

■

TIP “Your school may have courses that count toward graduation but do not count toward NCAA requirements. Make sure students and parents have a list of the NCAA-eligible courses and are enrolled in those.”

four-year college preparatory

■

at or above the high school regular academic level (no remedial, special education or compensatory courses). You may include courses designed for students with disabilities.

■

The list you provide helps the NCAA assess the transcripts of student athletes from your school. Your school will receive a letter each fall asking for an update. You will be given several months in which to make changes. In the words of the NCAA:

— Karen Gengenbach, Blair High School, Neb.

10-8



The primary responsibility of a high school in relationship to freshman athletic certification is to make sure your school’s List of Approved Core Courses is accurate and up to date. It is the high school’s responsibility to have an administrator check the content of each course for compliance with NCAAdefined standards of acceptability. If you wish to add new courses to the NCAA list, it is important to review their content and, if appropriate, submit them to the Clearinghouse for potential inclusion.

There is often some back-and-forth between the NCAA and schools. Keep in mind that the goals are the same: ensuring that athletes are, first and foremost, academically prepared for college, and that they have taken academic courses in high school. Some insights from counselors:

TIP “I print out all the NCAA eligibility requirements (grade and test score requirements) for the coaches and give it to them so they have a visual they can show kids.” — Susan Staggers, Cary Academy, N.C.

Course titles have to be provided to the NCAA exactly as they appear on the transcript, so be sure that the transcript reflects the wording approved by the NCAA. For example, the NCAA would consider “Principal Issues in Economics” and “Principles of Economics” to be two different courses.

■

Don’t delete the names of courses too soon. If a course is on a ninth-grade transcript, don’t delete it until all ninth-graders have graduated.

■

Your principal will have to click the “send” button to transmit your information to the NCAA, so make sure he or she is available to perform this task.

■

You may need to have several conversations with the NCAA about your courses. For instance, counselors report that it can be challenging to convey that a college-preparatory math course is in fact college preparatory in nature. You must also inform the NCAA of how you weight core courses, if you do: Weighted courses can improve a student’s core-course GPA. To review or update your list of core courses, go to www.ncaaclearinghouse.net and click on High School Administration, then click on List of Approved Core Courses.


10-9


How the NCAA uses test scores The following interpretations apply to the combination of test scores from more than one national testing date that athletes may use when qualifying for the NCAA Clearinghouse standards. Note that the formulas listed below may not be used for regular college admission. 1. For students utilizing the SAT, the highest scores achieved on the critical reading and mathematics sections of the SAT from two different national testing dates may be combined in determining whether you have met the minimum test-score requirements. 2. For students utilizing the ACT, the highest scores achieved on the individual subtests of the ACT from more than one national testing date may be combined in determining whether your composite score has met the minimum testscore requirement. 3. Students whose combined composite test score from more than one ACT results in a fraction may round up from a minimum of 0.5 to the next whole number (e.g., 16.5 is changed to 17.0, but 16.2 is counted as 16.0). 4. Students may take the ACT and the SAT as many times as they wish. To meet the NCAA eligibility index, a student may choose to mix and match subscores from various testing dates. For example, an English score from an April ACT exam can be combined with a math score from an October ACT exam to calculate an index score. Source: Adapted from material developed by Deerfield High School, Ill.

Tip “More often, lack of adequate grades, rather than low scores on the SAT or ACT, prevents students from being eligible to play NCAA sports.” — Howard Everson, The College Board

10-10



Recruiting The NCAA has very detailed recruiting rules, which vary by sport and league and are too complex to describe here. A good date to remember, however, is July 1. On July 1 prior to a student’s senior year, Division I and II coaches may begin having official contact with high school athletes they hope to recruit (for football players, contact begins September 1). The NCAA Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete has a three-page summary of recruiting guidelines, and the Web site has guidelines for each sport. Students should study the recruiting guidelines for their sport.

TIP “Counselors don’t need to know the recruiting deadlines. But they do need to realize that a lot happens before senior year for recruited athletes.” — Kathy Dingler, Rich East High School, Ill.

For information on sports-related financial aid, provided by NCAA member colleges, see the section “Athletic scholarships” later in this chapter.

National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Another important conference is the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, or NAIA. NAIA 1200 Grand Boulevard Kansas City, MO 64106-2304 816-595-8000 www.naia.org There are nearly 300 colleges affiliated with the NAIA, offering 13 sports. Most are small colleges, and members are in every region of the United States. As in the NCAA, students must meet eligibility requirements to remain in college and to continue to play (students must remain in good academic standing and make progress toward graduation), but the regulations are simpler and fewer than those of the NCAA. The NAIA lists these advantages to playing in the conference: maximum opportunity to participate in regular season contests and national championships;

■

flexibility to transfer without missing a season of eligibility;

■

fewer recruiting restrictions; and

■

focus on the education and character development of the student athlete.

■


10-11


Academic eligibility requirements Students entering college must meet two of these three requirements: achieve 18 on the Enhanced ACT or 860 on the SAT (tests must be taken on national testing dates)

■

have a minimum overall GPA of 2.000 on a 4.000 scale

■

graduate in top half of high school senior class

■

NAIA colleges do have athletic scholarships. Each college determines how much scholarship money each coach will be allowed to offer.

National Junior College Athletic Association 1755 Telstar Drive, Suite 103 Colorado Springs, CO 80920 719-590-9788 www.njcaa.org There are 510 junior and community colleges that are members of this athletic association. Colleges can compete at the Division I, II or III level. Division I colleges may offer full athletic scholarships.

■

Division II colleges are limited to awarding tuition, fees and books.

■

Division III schools may provide no athletically related financial assistance.

■

Academic eligibility Students must have graduated from high school or received a high school diploma or its equivalent. Non-high school graduates can establish eligibility by completing one term of college work earning 12 credits with a 1.75 GPA or higher. Beyond that, the association recommends that students discuss their academic eligibility with the athletic staff at the NJCAA college they will be attending. Many students who are not academically eligible to play at an NCAA college can start their college careers at an NJCAA college, and then transfer.

10-12



Working with your school coach Student athletes may get most of their advice from a coach. You may have little involvement in some athletes’ college selection and application process. At some high schools, the coaches are well informed about NCAA or other conference eligibility requirements, the school’s core courses, the admissions policies of the colleges in which their athletes are interested and the NCAA recruiting rules regarding college contacts with students. But many counselors report that their school coaches are uninformed about some of these areas, even the recruiting rules. It’s essential that you work with your school coaches and keep them informed of college admissions policies and of your school’s NCAAapproved courses. Coaches need to urge students to take the right classes and to do well in them. Keeping in touch with the coaches will enable you to find out if students have made reasonable assessments of their athletic ability and have realistic expectations and aspirations. Working with coaches who are not on your school staff can pose challenges. Sometimes these coaches do not understand the importance of course work, do not know what core courses are, ask students to devote more time than is reasonable to the sport, and are hard for you to contact. Ask your school’s athletic director to keep open the lines of communication with nonschool coaches.

TIP “The high school coach needs to know where a student is applying, and have the phone, e-mail, and address of the coach at those colleges.” — Scott White, Montclair High School, N.J.

TIP “College coaches can’t possibly know of every athlete that might be interested in their college. High school coaches can be proactive and send out a team profile with a list of all varsity team members, including their athletic stats, physical stats, academic info, addresses and phone numbers. That helps college coaches find good student athletes.” — Nancy Nitardy, McCallum High School GEAR UP, Texas


10-13


Working with student athletes beginning in grade 9 Your number-one role as a counselor is to inform all potential student athletes of the importance of taking the right courses, starting in ninth grade, and maintaining a good GPA. You must work with the athletic director and coaches at your school to make sure they know the eligibility requirements and will emphasize to students the necessity of taking the right courses. One of the difficulties is that ninth-graders may have trouble seeing four years down the road. They may fail to meet with their counselor to make sure they’re taking the NCAA-approved courses your school offers.

Strategies for working with ninth- and 10th-graders Speak at ninth- and 10th-grade assemblies about the NCAA academic eligibility requirements.

■

Make sure that all high school coaches know the current NCAA academic eligibility requirements and which courses at your school meet those requirements.

■

Bring in guest speakers, such as the athletic director at a local college, to talk about requirements and options.

■

Give ninth-graders the NCAA worksheets (from the Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete), in which they can maintain their course and grade information.

■

Make sure potential athletes know that the NCAA looks at their GPA in core courses only — that’s what counts, not their overall GPA.

■

TIP “Sophomores who participate in spring sports should send letters of interest to colleges at the end of their sophomore year.”

Reach out to parents. Parents tend to be very involved in the choices made by student athletes so it’s important to let the adults know what the academic requirements are.

■

■

Work with the athletic director to create a manual for student athletes. Update it annually, since rules and regulations change often.

— Nancy Nitardy, McCallum High School GEAR UP, Texas

10-14



How some high schools provide information to student athletes At Blair High School in Nebraska, the athletic director requires all students who are going to participate in sports and their parents to attend student athlete night during the first week of the fall semester. He takes attendance. The school brings in a speaker, sometimes a motivational speaker; a school counselor talks about academic eligibility requirements for the NCAA and the NAIA. Blair High School gets 100 percent attendance at this event. At student athlete nights, Amherst Regional High School in Massachusetts has panels with coaches from colleges with different levels of play. The coaches provide advice to students who want to bring their skills to the attention of colleges. Often, students are not able to turn out for these events because they are busy practicing or competing, but parents come. The school leaves plenty of time for questions. The college counselor also meets with students during a practice; the coaches allow 15 minutes for a discussion of college choice and academic eligibility requirements.

Putting athletic awards in perspective Recently released NCAA data show that scholarships are usually only a portion of the total cost of college attendance. Excluding football and basketball, the average NCAA scholarship is $8,707. With football and basketball, the average scholarship is $10,409. Source: NCAA 2003-04

Many high schools have breakout sessions during their fall college nights and invite local college coaches and the college athletic directors to speak to interested students and their parents. For NCAA colleges, the compliance officer is the best source of eligibility information. Schools may also host student athlete nights and feature these speakers. Counselors can distribute useful material at college nights and student athlete nights. See the Handouts at the end of this chapter.

Athletic scholarships Most families have an unrealistic notion of the money available for athletic scholarships. Few students receive partial athletic scholarships, and even fewer receive full scholarships. It helps to have college athletic directors talk with students about financial aid availability. College coaches, not the financial aid office, award athletic scholarships, and they use their scholarship money judiciously. Here is how the NCAA describes the source of its scholarships:

TIP “It’s an excellent idea to have a college coach come in and put the scholarships into perspective: most students are thinking ‘scholarship,’ but only a handful will get any money.” — Scott White, Montclair High School, N.J.


10-15


TIP “You should have three goals: You need to know where your students can play, and so you’ll need to talk with their coaches to understand how good they are. You have to encourage students to be their own advocates — the college coaches will be awash in tapes and letters of interest. And finally, you have to help parents be realistic.” — James White, College Counselor, Belmont Hill School, Mass.

Athletic scholarships for undergraduate student athletes at Division I and Division II schools are partially funded through the NCAA membership revenue distribution. About $1 billion in athletic scholarships are awarded each year. More than 126,000 student athletes receive either a partial or a full athletic scholarship. However, these scholarships are awarded and administered directly by each academic institution, not the NCAA. The materials that the NCAA gives to students are very clear about which divisions offer scholarships, but provide little guidance on what a student can expect. “If a student is getting tons of calls from college coaches after July 1, prior to senior year, then the student probably has some athletic scholarship money in his or her future,” says Scott White of Montclair High School in New Jersey. Some further insights: “I find that students are often surprised by the amount of practice time the schools expect in return for a scholarship.” — Susie Rusk, Counselor Coordinator, Washoe County School District, Nev.

“Students should be sure to apply for need-based aid. Most athletic scholarships are partial.” — Kathy Dingler, Rich East High School, Ill.

“All athletic scholarships awarded by NCAA institutions are limited to one year and are renewable annually. There is no such award as a four-year athletic scholarship.” — Scott White, Montclair High School, N.J.

“Walk-ons” TIP “I tell kids they may not get money from Division III colleges but that they might get lots of playing time, they will travel, there are cheering squads — it’s real.” — Kathy Dingler, Rich East High School, Ill.

10-16

Students who do not receive an athletic scholarship but wish to play an intercollegiate sport may be given permission to do so. Such students are known as “walk-ons.” Walking on means the student may try out for a position on the team, and may be eligible to earn a scholarship in the future. Students considering walking on must keep in mind, however, that in all other respects they are subject to the same rules and requirements as scholarship athletes — they must complete a Clearinghouse form, pay the fee and submit the necessary materials to be certified as eligible.



Letters of interest Students ought to have a candid conversation with their coach during the junior year to determine what level of play they can aspire to. Counselors need to talk to coaches to understand how good a student athlete is and whether his or her talent meshes with his or her college goals. In their sophomore and junior years, students should send letters of interest to colleges they think are a good fit both academically and athletically. Only rarely do college coaches reach out to express interest in a student: Their chief job (and love), after all, is coaching, not recruiting. Make sure even your star athletes know that they cannot wait for colleges to come to them; the process starts with their letters of interest. The letter of interest is, in fact, the most important step in getting recruited. Students must keep track of their contacts with coaches. A coach will provide information about the college he or she represents. Keeping a written record of every meeting with a coach will help students remember where they stand with each college. Several handouts are related to the college application process for athletes. See Handout 10C: The student athlete letter of interest; Handout 10D: Getting yourself recruited for college sports; Handout 10E: Questions for student athletes to ask during the college visit; and

TIP “Despite Title IX, colleges may not devote as many recruiting dollars to recruiting women as men. Women may have to do more to get a coach’s attention outside their own region.” — Carlene Riccelli, Amherst Regional High School, Mass.

Handout 10F: Sample thank-you note to the college coach after a college visit.

TIP

Topics to cover when discussing the college application process ■

■

Make sports only one part of the decision: Some athletes make the possibility of playing sports the primary consideration in their search. It’s important that they envision how they would feel about a college if they were injured and couldn’t play, or if they decided for other reasons not to play. Students should look at colleges where they can be admitted. Make sure students understand that being eligible to play a sport doesn’t necessarily mean that they will be accepted. Ultimately, the admissions decision is made by the admissions committee, not by the college coach.

“I had a goalie who wasn’t hearing from her topchoice Massachusetts college. We went on the Web site and saw that the team had six goalies, three of them freshmen. That’s why my student wasn’t hearing — they didn’t need another goalie.” — Scott White, Montclair High School, N.J.


10-17


■

Recruitment. Students may be unsure whether they are being recruited. If students are unclear where they stand with a college coach, tell them to ask three questions: 1. Are you recruiting me? 2. Will you urge the admissions committee to accept me? 3. Am I likely to be admitted?

■

Summer camps. For some sports, summer camps are the best way to be visible to college coaches. In most cases, a student’s coach will work with the student to choose the right camp. Attending a summer sports camp at a college of interest is a very good idea; the coach will see the student play, and the student can check out the feel of the campus.

Review college sports rosters. Most colleges have their team rosters on their Web sites. The roster can be a useful research tool for students. They can compare their athletic stats with those of the teams they are considering; and they can see how many players a team has for each position, what year they are, and even how tall they are!

■

TIP “You have to explain that just because the coach wants you doesn’t mean that the admissions staff will accept you. Admissions has the final say in admitting an athlete.”

■

— Linda Sturm, South Portland High School, Maine

TIP “Sometimes students choose a college because of a sport, and overlook the most basic college admissions factors. We need to encourage them to think about how they’d like the college if they weren’t playing the sport.” — Karen Gengenbach, Blair High School, Neb.

10-18

■

■

Athletic graduation rate. Students should look at the graduation rate of athletes at the colleges they plan to attend. They will see a wide range — at some colleges the graduation rate for athletes is well below that of other students, but at some colleges athletes graduate in higher numbers than nonathletes. A lower graduation rate may indicate that the college accepts student athletes whose academic abilities aren’t up to par with the rest of the student body, or that the life of the athlete on that campus is not conducive to successful participation in academic pursuits. Number of athletes on campus. While, in general, the large universities have the highest percentage of athletes, at some small colleges the percentage of athletes is large — 30 to 40 percent. Students should consider whether they want to attend a school where the sheer number of athletes flavors the campus, or a college where athletes are in the minority. Rapport with the college coach. For many college athletes, their coach will be the person they spend the most time with during their four years on campus. Students should feel a rapport with the coaches at the colleges to which they are applying.



The college application process for athletes Registering with the NCAA Students who want to play NCAA Division I or II sports need to register with the NCAA Eligibility Center (www.ncaa.org/mailbox/ clearinghouse), or 877-262-1492. They may register online or by paper. Students should register after they complete their junior year — after a transcript with six semesters of work is available. They will be instructed to ask their school counselor to release their transcript to the Center. When the student graduates from high school, the school needs to send a final transcript, confirming high school graduation.

TIP

The athlete’s résumé Students interested in playing college sports need to prepare a sports résumé, which has three parts: basic information about the student, sports statistics and academic record. Students should keep track of athletic statistics starting in ninth grade, and they should prepare upto-date résumés by the end of their junior year. See Handout 10G: The student athlete’s résumé.

The videotape Many students will need to submit a tape of their athletic participation. For most sports, the tape should portray the athlete in a competitive contest, and also contain footage showing skills. Remind students to accompany the tape with a statistics summary. See Handout 10H: Making highlight tapes. It provides advice on preparing the tape. Although the video is a helpful part of the application, it does not replace a listing of the student’s statistics or the coach’s recommendation.

Spring sports athletes Students playing spring sports face a complex process if they hope to participate in NCAA Division I or II events. Division I and II coaches can’t contact students until July 1 before their senior year. Therefore, spring sports participants must reach out to college coaches early enough in their junior year to ensure that the coaches can watch them play during the spring of their junior year. In addition, the signing

“Students should not communicate solely with the college coach. In most cases the office of admissions plays the strongest role in admitting students. Students should communicate their interest to an admissions rep and understand all admissions requirements.” — Carlene Riccelli, Amherst Regional High School, Mass.

TIP “I tell parents to become handy with a video camera. There’s no reason they can’t make their child’s video, and a parent production is just fine with colleges.” — Scott White, Montclair High School, N.J.


10-19


TIP “Our school has frequent visits from college recruiters. We meet with our varsity coaches early each year and give them transcript release forms for their athletes. The athletes can then sign a waiver to release their transcript to any recruiter who requests it or just to recruiters from specific schools. These release forms are kept in the students’ permanent files. For our “blue chip” athletes, we go ahead and run 10 or so transcripts and attach them to the form. When the recruiters show up, we have the transcript ready to hand over.” — Carl Lemmon, DeSoto High School, Texas

date for some spring sports is November. So students must make college plans early because they may need to commit to a college in November of their senior year. Spring sports athletes should seriously consider participating in a sports camp the summer between junior and senior year — the peak recruiting time for their sports.

Early Decision Many athletes will be urged by the colleges recruiting them to consider applying for Early Decision. College coaches want to secure their athletes as soon as possible. The Ivy League schools in particular use the ED tool to bring on good players who may be offered athletic scholarships by other colleges. As always, students who apply for Early Decision should be aware that they must attend the college if admitted and that they won’t be able to compare financial aid awards from multiple colleges.

Coded applications A student may be given an application by the college athletic department with a code indicating to the admissions office that the department has a keen interest in the student (the code may be the coach’s initials, a red A or another identifier). Students given such an application must be sure to file that form, not an uncoded version of the application.

Postgraduate year Some student athletes delay college entrance by a year. A 13th year or postgraduate program in high school can allow them to mature mentally, bring grades and test scores up to speed, and gain desirable weight and strength. Institutions offering postgraduate school are private; students considering this option should ask college coaches which schools they recommend. Students wishing to play NCAA Division I sports need to amass their 16 core courses in the first eight semesters after a student enters ninth grade. Grades from a postgraduate year do not count toward the core course GPA for Division I.

10-20



Transfer Students may transfer from a two-year or four-year college to an NCAA college. These students must meet certain requirements before being eligible for practice, competition, or financial aid at that college. The NCAA Transfer Guide may be downloaded from the Web site (www.ncaa.org).

Scouting and recruiting services There are numerous scouting and recruiting services that offer to “package” students for maximum appeal to colleges. The NCAA does not sanction or endorse any of these firms.

TIP “I send the actual application to admissions, not to the coach. I will send the coach a copy if it’s requested, but admissions and only admissions gets the complete application.” — James White, College Counselor, Belmont Hill School, Mass.

TIP “Contact the athletic director at colleges offering different levels of play and find someone who will talk with you about what happens during recruitment, what you need to know. Most of them are very generous with their time.” — Carroll Davis, North Central High School, Ind.


10-21


Resources Publications College Board College Handbook. New York: The College Board. Updated annually. Lists all intercollegiate and intramural sports offered by all twoyear and four-year colleges, as well as the relevant conference information. Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete. Available as a PDF at www.ncaaclearinghouse.net. A 37-page guide offered by the NCAA that is essential reading for counselors, as well as students who may wish to play NCAA sports. Killpatrick, Frances, and James Killpatrick. The Winning Edge: The Student-Athlete’s Guide to College Sports. Seventh ed. Alexandria, VA: Octameron, 2002. A useful, concise book (136 pages). Koehler, Michael D. Advising Student Athletes Through the College Recruitment Process: A Complete Guide for Counselors, Coaches and Parents. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1996. Out of print, but contains helpful information. Lincoln, Chris. Playing the Game: Inside Athletic Recruiting in the Ivy League. White River Junction, VT: Nomad Press, 2004. Provides useful insight into recruiting by some of the most competitive colleges. The National Directory of College Athletics. Available from www.collegiatedirectories.com. Cleveland, OH: National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics. An annually updated list of all coaches’ contact information at more than 2,090 colleges participating in intercollegiate sports. Shulman, James L., and William G. Bowen, The Game of Life: College Sports and Educational Value. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2001. Ivy League deans look at the impact of college athletics on the tenor of Ivy League life. Good source for statistics on the grades and test scores of athletes versus nonathletes.

Web sites National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics www.naia.org National Christian College Athletic Association www.thenccaa.org National Collegiate Athletic Association www.ncaa.org and www.ncaaclearinghouse.net National Junior College Athletic Association www.njcaa.org

10-22



Glossary Blue-chipper. A highly capable student athlete — one who will be recruited by many colleges. Club sports. Student organizations formed for competitive intercollegiate play. Most of these groups have coaches and do not receive funding. See also Intramural sports. Core courses. Courses that are academic, college preparatory and meet high school graduation requirements in one of the following areas: English, mathematics, natural/physical science, social science, foreign language, nondoctrinal religion, philosophy. Core GPA: GPA in the courses the NCAA counts when determining eligibility. Eligibility requirements. Academic standards that students must meet in order to participate in collegiate sports. See the description of each athletic conference (NCAA, NAIA, NJCAA) for current requirements. Eligibility standards change; an association’s most recent requirements can be found on its Web site. Grayshirt. An individual who is recruited out of high school but who delays enrollment in college for one or more terms. Impact player: An athlete who is good enough to play during all four years. Intramural sports. Teams organized by students (or faculty members) for recreational play. Teams are put together by a captain and compete with other teams in the same institution. National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. A conference of nearly 300 small colleges. The NAIA promotes academic eligibility requirements, and some member colleges provide athletic scholarships. National Collegiate Athletic Association. A conference with more than 1,250 member colleges, offering 23 sports. Students must meet academic eligibility requirements in order to play in Division I or II (not Division III). NCAA Division I teams offer athletic scholarships to some students. National Junior College Athletic Association. A conference of 510 two-year colleges. Students may transfer from an NJCAA college to a four-year NCAA college with no loss of eligibility or playing time. National Letter of Intent: A legally binding contract in which the prospective student athlete agrees to attend a specified college for one academic year. In return, the college agrees to provide the individual with athletics financial aid for the academic year. The NLI is a voluntary program administered by the Collegiate Commissioners Association, not by the NCAA. Information can be found at www.national-letter.org.


10-23


Nonqualifier. An individual who doesn’t meet the academic eligibility requirements for NCAA Division I and therefore may not participate in athletic competition or practice during the first year of college, cannot receive athletic financial aid for the first year in college and, ordinarily, may play only three seasons. Students become eligible by completing the academic requirements. Partial qualifier. A term that is used in Division II only and refers to a student who has met some of the academic requirements. A partial qualifier may practice on campus and receive institutional financial aid but can’t compete for one academic year. Postgraduate year. A 13th year of high school. Athletes may avail themselves of this option in order to gain weight or strength or to bring their academics up to speed. Postgraduate years are offered only by private high schools. Qualifier. A prospective student athlete who meets NCAA initial eligibility requirements (core courses, GPA). A qualifier is eligible for four years of practice, competition and athletic financial aid. Recruiter. A college coach or representative who identifies student athletes and encourages them to attend and play for the college. A recruiter must follow certain rules described in the NCAA Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete. Redshirt. A student who is recruited to play NCAA sports but is held out of competition for a season so that he or she remains eligible for a fifth year. A redshirt cannot play in any college game or scrimmage in the given academic year. Sports camps. Summer camps at which students develop their skills with experienced coaches and students from throughout the nation or a region. For some sports, camps are where college coaches identify the talent they may want to recruit. School coaches can direct students into appropriate camps. Title IX. A provision of the Education Amendments of 1972 stipulating that federally supported institutions should not discriminate against women in sports and should provide adequate opportunities for them to participate. Walk-on. An individual who does not receive sports-related institutional financial aid (scholarship) but is a member of a college team. If a team has money available, a walk-on can ultimately receive an athletic scholarship.

10-24



Title

Description

10A

Student athlete’s high school four-year plan

Simplified, detailed instructions, especially useful for ninth-graders and their parents.

10B

Overview of NCAA amatueurism bylaws

Summary of the new amateurism requirements of the NCAA.

10C

The student athlete letter of interest

Instructions to help students describe their athletic and academic abilities to college coaches.

10D

Getting yourself recruited for college sports

Further information for students on alerting recruiters of their interest in intercollegiate sports.

10E

Questions for student athletes to ask during the college visit

How students can make the most out of a visit to campus.

10F

Sample thank-you note to the college coach after a college visit

An adaptable model for a student letter of appreciation after a campus tour.

The student athlete’s résumé

Details that students should provide about their academic and athletic records.

Making highlight tapes

Detailed instructions for students on preparing a video showing their performance ability and skills level.

10G

10H


10-25

Students

TITLE Student athlete’s high school four-year plan TITLE A. Freshman Year

1. Talk to your counselor about core class requirements.

2. Get to know all the coaches in your sport.

3. Work on your grades.

4. Attend sports camps.

5. Start thinking about a realistic analysis of your ability.

6. Start thinking about your academic and career goals.

7. Start a sports résumé.

8. Know the NCAA rules, regulations and academic requirements for playing sports.

B. Sophomore Year

1. Keep your grades up.

2. Take the PSAT/NMSQT®.

3. Talk to your coaches about your ability and your ambitions.

4. Check on NCAA requirements and admissions requirements and plan your high school academic schedule accordingly.

5. Research and make preliminary inquiries about colleges that interest you.

6. Update your sports résumé.

C. Junior Year

1. Talk with your counselor about career goals and core course requirements.

2. Ask your coach for a realistic assessment of which college level you can play.

3. Attend college and career fairs.

4. Take the PSAT/NMSQT, a college admissions test.

5. Refine your list of possible college choices. Know the colleges’ entrance requirements.

6. Update your sports résumé.

7. Produce a skills video with the assistance of your coach.

8. Send a letter of interest to college coaches with an unofficial transcript of your grades.

9. Return completed questionnaires to college coaches.

10. Obtain letters of recommendation.

11. Register with the NCAA Clearinghouse at the end of your junior year.

12. Attend sports camps (your last chance). Handout 10A page 1 of 2 College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

Student athlete’s high school four-year plan (page 2) Senior Year

1. Make sure you will complete all graduation requirements and core courses.

2. Make sure you have registered with the NCAA Clearinghouse.

3. Read the NCAA Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete available at www.ncaa.org.

4. Retake college admissions test in the fall, if necessary, either to satisfy NCAA eligibility or to improve your chances of receiving an academic scholarship.

5. Attend college/career center nights and financial aid workshops.

6. Narrow your college choices to a manageable list.

7. Make sure your applications for admission and transcripts are sent to the colleges in which you are interested.

8. Apply to at least one school that will meet your needs if you don’t participate in athletics.

9. Follow recruiting rules regarding campus visits.

10. Send in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form for analysis.

11. Make copies of all forms.

12. Sit down with your parents or guardian and coach and list the pros and cons of each school you are considering.

13. Send an updated letter of interest (with your athletic résumé and the season schedule) to coaches.

14. Be sure of your final choice before signing any papers.

15. Let coaches know when their school is no longer in the running. Thank them for their help.

Sources: Adapted from materials provided by Rich East High School, Park Forest, Ill., and Deerfield High School, Ill.


Students

TITLE Overview of NCAA amateurism bylaws TITLE Permissible in Division I?

Permissible in Division II?

Enters into a contract with a professional team

No

Yes

Accepts prize money

Yes. If it is an open event, and does not exceed actual and necessary expenses

Yes

Enters draft

Yes

Yes

Accepts salary

No

Yes

Receives expenses from a professional team

No

Yes

Competes on a team with professionals

No

Yes

Tries out with a professional team before initial collegiate enrollment

Yes

Receives benefits from an agent

No

No

Enters into agreement with an agent (oral or written)

No

No

Delays full-time collegiate enrollment and participates in organized competition

Tennis and Swimming and Diving: Have one year after high school graduation to enroll fulltime in a collegiate institution or will lose one season of intercollegiate competition for each calendar year during which you continue to participate in organized competition.

All Sports: Must enroll at the next opportunity (excluding summer) immediately after the date that your high school class normally graduates (or the international equivalent) or you will use a season of intercollegiate competition for each calendar year or sports season (subsequent to that date) in which you have participated in organized competition.

[If you are charged with season(s) of competition under this rule, you will also have to serve an academic year in residence at the NCAA institution.]

All Other Sports: Any participation in organized sports competition during each 12-month period after the student’s 21st birthday and prior to initial full-time enrollment in a collegiate institution shall count as one year of varsity competition.

Source: NCAA


Counselors

The student athlete letter of interest Your letter can be very simple. A coach needs to know your academic ability and athletic level. Your letter should include this information if you want to receive a realistic response from a coach. Send the letters during your sophomore or junior year. Get on coaches’ recruiting lists early. You can send the same letter to the coaches at all the colleges that seem like a good fit for you academically and athletically. Be sure, of course, to make the appropriate changes in each letter to reflect the correct college and coach name. Suggested items to include: 1. your test scores 2. your GPA and class rank 3. athletic abilities (events, times, positions, stats, etc.) 4. your goals and aspirations (be realistic) 5. current team, coach’s name and telephone number 6. birth date, height, weight (optional — depends on the sport) 7. interest in scholarship (if this is a priority for you) 8. whether a videotape is available Appropriate things to request: 1. application form 2. college catalog 3. media guide or team brochure Additional things to mention: 1. if a parent or relative is an alumnus/alumna 2. if you are new to the sport 3. other sports you currently compete in and the level you’re at Attachments: 1. résumé 2. recommendation letters (optional) 3. competition schedule Source: Adapted from material provided by Nancy Nitardy, former NCAA Division I swimming coach


Students

TITLE Getting yourself recruited for college sports TITLE Do you feel that you have “what it takes” to participate in collegiate athletics? Perhaps the program of your dreams doesn’t even know that you exist! The starting point is to send information about yourself to prospective colleges. Here are some tips to help you get started: ■

■ ■

■

■

■

Have an honest talk with your coach about your athletic ability. Your coach can give you some suggestions as to the size and type of program for which your talents are best suited. Treat this like a job search. Write a cover letter and résumé. Be certain to obtain the name of the college coach to whom you are writing. Most colleges have Web sites that will provide the information. Do not send impersonal mass mailings or information that is false or misleading. Research the colleges’ athletic and academic programs. Do not contact colleges for which you cannot meet the stated athletic and academic standards. If you receive profile forms or questionnaires from coaches, complete and return them as soon as possible. Send a letter with athletic and academic information to coaches at schools that interest you, and let them know you have a video available.

■

Follow up with a telephone call from you, not your parents.

■

Be patient.

Source: Rich East High School, Park Forest, Ill.


Students

TITLE Questions for student athletes to ask during TITLE visit the college Before you make your first visit to a college campus, you should think carefully about the kind of information you will need during the college admissions process. Once you have decided what information you need, you’ll be able to ask the right kinds of questions. The following are some good ones to get you started. Ask the recruiter:

1. What position (event) do you want me to play (perform), and how many students are you recruiting for the same position?

2. What is your philosophy of offense? Defense? Are you considering any changes?

3. Will I be redshirted (that is, held out of competition for a season in order to remain eligible for a fifth year)?

4. If I need a fifth year, will the college finance it?

5. What happens to my scholarship if I’m injured or become ineligible?

6. Who do I see if I have academic problems?

7. Has drug use been an issue at your school or in the athletic program?

8. Are all injuries handled by a team insurance policy?

9. If injured, may I use my family doctor? Who determines my fitness to compete after an injury?

10. What is expected of players during the off-season?

Ask the players at the school:

1. What does your typical daily schedule look like? In-season? Off-season?

2. Approximately how many hours a night do you study?

3. What are the attitudes of professors in different fields of study? In my field of study? Toward athletes?

4. How do you like the living arrangements?

5. Do you have an academic adviser? Is he or she helpful?

6. Are the coaches available to help if you have academic problems?

7. Has drug use been an issue at your school or in the athletic program?

Handout 10E page 1 of 2 College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved.

Questions for student athletes to ask during the college visit (page 2) Ask nonathletes at the school: 1. What do you think of the quality of the education you are receiving at this school? 2. If you had to do it again, would you choose to attend this school? Why or why not? 3. What is the general opinion of athletes on this campus? Ask school officials or admissions officers: 1. Are my scores and high school records adequate to project success at this college? 2. What is the graduation rate for athletes? 3. About how long does it take someone in my sport to earn a degree from this school? 4. What is the eligibility for additional financial aid? From: Advising Student Athletes Through the College Recruitment Process by Michael Koehler. © 1996 by Prentice Hall, Inc. Reprinted with permission.

Handout 10E page 2 of 2 College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved.

Students

Sample thank-you TITLE note to the college coach after aTITLE college visit

Steve Downs Soccer Coach Athletics Department Strong College Springfield, MA 00000

Dear Coach Downs,

Thank you very much for meeting with me last Tuesday and going over the academic and athletic programs at Strong College. My parents and I were very impressed with the campus, the athletic facilities and you as a coach. Your ambitions for the upcoming season are awesome — we were swept up in victory fever just walking those grounds with you. Needless to say, the trip was everything I expected it to be, and more. I’m not surprised that your school and athletic program enjoy such widely recognized reputations. Although you seemed familiar with my credentials, I have enclosed a brief résumé outlining my academic and athletic accomplishments to date. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask. Thank you again, Coach Downs, for the opportunity to meet with you and see the Strong College campus. Go Nighthawks!

Sincerely,

Source: The College Board.


Students

TITLE The student athlete’s résumé TITLE The résumé should have all pertinent data, including your grade point average, admissions test scores, the sport you play, awards and honors received, personal statistics and references (such as your high school coach, who will either call or e-mail the college coach to offer a recommendation). Where appropriate, include your time for sprints and longer distances. A field hockey coach, for example, may be impressed to know that you can handle a stick, but the coach may be even more impressed to learn how well you move — and how long you can continue moving. The idea behind the résumé is to give coaches a quick idea of who you are, what you’ve done and what your potential may be. If you play a sport such as tennis, by all means include your ranking. A college coach who is unfamiliar with the caliber of your competition probably won’t be impressed to know that in your junior year you won most of your matches. The same coach will be impressed, however, to know that you were highly ranked and made it to the county or the state finals. Statistics to include in a résumé, listed by sport

Baseball and Softball Batting average Fielding average Earned run average, or ERA (pitchers) Win-loss record (pitchers) Runs batted in (RBI) Stolen bases

Football Tackles (defensive player) Assists (defensive player) Sacks (defensive player) Interceptions (defensive/back/ linebacker) Fumbles recovered Yards rushing (running back) Receptions — yards, average, touchdowns Attempts, completions, total yards passing/rushing (quarterback) Punts — attempts, longest, average Kickoff returns — attempts, longest, average Points scored — touchdowns, extra points Field goals — attempts, longest, average total points scored

Basketball Assists (per game) Rebounds Free-throw percentage Field-goal percentage (2 point and 3 point)

Cross-Country, Track and Field Distance in field events: Shot put, discus, long jump, triple jump Height in field events: high jump and pole vault Time and distance Golf Conference, invitational or state Scores places Handicap

Field Hockey Goals Assists Blocked shots

Gymnastics Events and scores Conference, invitational or state places

Soccer Goals Assists and blocked shots

Swimming Event and times Dives, difficulty, scores Major conference, invitational or state places

Tennis Record and ranking Major conference, invitational or state ranking

Volleyball Blocks Assists Kills Aces

Wrestling Individual record and at what weight Season takedowns Season reversals Season escapes Season 2-point and 3-point near fall points Falls Conference, invitational or state places

Source: Adapted from material prepared by Libertyville High School, Illinois Handout 10G page 1 of 2 College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

The student athlete’s résumé (page 2) Sample Résumé

Student’s name 1701 Independence Parkway Plano, TX 75075 972 555-5555 [email protected] Current School: Plano Senior High School 2200 Independence Parkway Plano, TX 75075 469 752-9300 Expected graduation: May 2010 SAT® Scores: 510 (critical reading) 630 (math) 540 (writing) GPA 3.8 (4.0 scale) Class Rank: 101/1170 Expected field of study: Engineering Personal statistics Date of Birth: Height: Weight: 40-yard time: 100-yard time: Mile time:

November 12, 1992 5´9˝ 164 lbs. 4.95 secs. 10.9 secs. 5.12 mins.

Athletic History: • Soccer, freshman: left wing, junior varsity; 11 goals, 21 assists. Team finished second in league, 12–4. • Soccer, sophomore: right wing, varsity; 9 goals, 24 assists. Team finished first in league; named Honorable Mention All-County. • Soccer, junior: right wing, varsity; 23 goals, 19 assists. Team reached state quarter finals; named to third team All-State. Elected team captain for senior year. • Track, sophomore year: quarter mile, best time, 52.8 References: M. Weir Varsity Soccer Coach Plano Senior High School P. Goldwater Director All-American Soccer Camp

Sources: Adapted from materials prepared by Plano Senior High School, Texas, and Libertyville High School, Ill.


Students

TITLE Making highlight tapes TITLE The development of highlight tapes — regardless of the sport — involves a few important considerations. It’s a good idea to provide two kinds of highlight tapes for college coaches. Ask your coach for suggestions. He or she will probably be able to help you secure various tapes of games in which you’ve played. 1. A performance video, showing the athlete in a contest, usually against formidable competition. Accompany a performance tape with a player information or stat sheet (see sample below) that identifies the player and describes the competition. 2. A skills video. This type is especially important for sports like ice hockey and field hockey, track, tennis, gymnastics — even basketball and football. These tapes show the athlete executing the kinds of skills required in the sport: stick handling in ice and field hockey, beam routines in gymnastics, high jumping in track or passing in football. Avoid lengthy tapes, whether performance videos or skill videos. In general, the video should be no more than five minutes. Unless they are particularly interested in a prospect, most college coaches won’t take the time to watch all the tapes submitted to them. Ask your coach if the school has video editing equipment that you can use to edit your tape. There may also be local companies with editing rooms available for rent (look in the Yellow Pages under “Video”).

Sample Player Information Sheet The accompanying videotape illustrates the athletic ability of _______________________________________

Relevant Game/Contest Statistics

The video is a: ☐ highlight tape ☐ skills tape ☐ other

________________________________________

Relevant Information (As Appropriate)

________________________________________

Player’s position:___________________________

________________________________________

Player’s number:_ __________________________

Academic/Career Information

Offense:_____________________________

Test score(s):________________________________

Defense:_____________________________

________________________________________

_ ____________________________________

Color of jersey:_ ___________________________

Class rank number____________ in a class of _______

Player size:_ ______________________________

Cumulative grade point average on a 4.0 scale:_ ______

Height:______________________________

Educational and career goals:____________________

Weight:_____________________________

________________________________________

From: Advising Student Athletes Through the College Recruitment Process by Michael Koehler. © 1996 by Prentice Hall, Inc. Reprinted with permission. Handout 10H College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved.

Chapter 11 Counseling students with special needs Overview


More and more students with special needs are going to college: In 2003-04, 11 percent of undergraduates reported having a disability (NCES 2006).

The counselor’s role

In many ways, working with these students — those with learning, physical or psychological disabilities — is the same as working with most other students during the college-choice process. You begin by assisting the students in determining what kind of college they want — for example, by location or curriculum or sports programs. For students with special needs, however, there are often other dimensions to the college-choice process, and counselors should understand how best to advise both these students and their families. This chapter focuses on what counselors need to know about the college-choice process for students with special needs and what accommodations colleges offer these students. The relevant laws are summarized briefly. The bulk of the chapter deals with issues related specifically to counseling and encouraging students. There is an excellent new resource for counselors, available for free from the George Washington University HEATH Resource Center. The 192-page Guidance and Career Counselor’s Toolkit: Advising High School Students with Disabilities on Postsecondary Options, available as a PDF at www.heath.gwu.edu, covers this topic thoroughly.

Overview

Relevant disability laws Overview of 504, ADA and IDEA Helping students become selfadvocates How counselors can learn what colleges offer students with special needs College research and college choice Foreign language, math and other course requirements The college application Advising students who do not want to request accommodations in college Standardized tests accommodations Financial aid The transition to college Resources Glossary Handouts


11-1

Chapter 11 Counseling students with special needs

First, some statistics from the U.S. Department of Education. About 9 percent of undergraduates reported having disabilities in 1999-2000, and 22 percent of these students reported not receiving the services or accommodations they needed. About half of these students were enrolled at public two-year colleges, and another 26 percent were enrolled in public four-year colleges. Of those undergraduates with disabilities: 29 percent had an orthopedic or mobility impairment 17 percent had mental illness or depression 15 percent had a health impairment 12 percent had a visual or hearing impairment 11 percent had a learning disability or attention deficit disorder 15 percent had some other type of disability.

The counselor’s role Assure students with special needs who are qualified for college that they definitely can attend and succeed in college.

■

Explain to students and families the differences between what high schools must, under the law, provide to students with special needs and what colleges must provide — the differences are significant.

■

Help students learn to voice their needs and to take charge of their educational plans.

■

Know the details of the psychoeducational reports, the Individualized Education Programs or the 504 plans (these are defined below) of any students you counsel.

■

Encourage students to attend their own annual IEP meeting. The meeting provides an opportunity for the student to be more of a self-advocate and to begin, in earnest, the process of transition.

■

Attend annual IEP and 504 meetings with your students.

■

Learn what colleges may provide to students with disabilities.

■

Help students ask the right questions when looking for postsecondary options.

■

Discuss the transition to college, which can be even more challenging for a senior with special needs than for other seniors — and more challenging for their parents as well.

■

11-2



Relevant disability laws Three laws cover the provision of services or accommodations for individuals with disabilities: Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 — a civil rights law to prohibit discrimination

■

Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 — a civil rights law to prohibit discrimination

■

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act — an education entitlement act for students up to age 21

■

Concise definitions of these three laws appear on pages 11-4 and 11-5. The IDEA was revised in July 2005 and is now called IDEA 2004 (for information, go to http://idea.ed.gov). Note: Both high school and college students with disabilities are covered by provisions of the two civil rights laws — ADA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. But only high school students with special needs are eligible for services under IDEA, which is an education entitlement law. When students attend college, they are no longer covered under IDEA; coverage ends with the student’s graduation from high school, or age 21, whichever comes first. The education laws and the civil rights laws differ in their definitions of disability. Therefore, when students go to college, they (and their parents) have different rights and responsibilities from those that apply when they are in high school. Further, students are not guaranteed any of the services or the same accommodations they received in high school. Counselors have the challenge of making a complex subject clear to parents who may not realize how different the college experience can be for their child.


11-3


Overview of 504, ADA and IDEA Source: Kelly Henderson, ERIC Digest Update, 2001. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

Type/Purpose

A civil rights law to prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability in programs and activities, public and private, that receive federal financial assistance.

A civil rights law to prohibit discrimination solely on the basis of disability in employment, public services and accommodations.

An education law to provide federal financial assistance to state and local education agencies to guarantee special education and related services to eligible children with disabilities.

Who Is Protected?

Any person who (1) has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, (2) has a record of such an impairment or (3) is regarded as having such an impairment. Major life activities, include walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, working, caring for oneself and performing manual tasks.

Any individual with a disability who (1) has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more life activities, (2) has a record of such an impairment or (3) is regarded as having such an impairment. Further, the person must be qualified for the program, service or job.

Children ages 3-21 who are determined by a multidisciplinary team to be eligible within one or more of 13 specific categories of disability and who need special education and related services. Categories include autism, deafness, deaf-blindness, hearing impairments, mental retardation, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairments, other health impairments, serious emotional disturbance, specific learning disabilities, speech or language impairments, traumatic brain injury and visual impairment.

Responsibility to Provide a Free Appropriate Public Education?

Yes. An “appropriate” education is comparable to that provided to students without disabilities. It may be defined as regular or special education services. Students can receive related services under Section 504 even if they are not provided any special education.

Not directly. However, (1) ADA protections apply to nonsectarian private schools but not to organizations or entities controlled by religious organizations; (2) ADA provides additional protection in combination with actions brought under Section 504 and IDEA. Reasonable accommodations are required so that eligible students with a disability can perform essential functions of the job. This applies to any part of the special education program that may be community based and involve job training/placement.

Yes. FAPE is defined to include special education and related services. Special education refers to “specially designed instruction, at no cost to the parents, to meet the unique needs of the child with a disability.” Related services are provided if students must have them in order to benefit from specially designed instruction. States are required to ensure the provision of “full educational opportunity” to all children with disabilities.

No, but limited tax credits may be available for removing architectural or transportation barriers. Also, many federal agencies provide grant funds to support training and to provide technical assistance to public and private institutions.

Yes. IDEA provides federal funds under Parts B and H to assist state and local education agencies in meeting IDEA requirements to serve infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities.

Section 504 does require development of a plan, although this written document is not mandated. The Individualized Education Program of IDEA may be used for the Section 504 written plan. Many experts recommend that a group of individuals knowledgeable about the students convene and specify the agreed-on services. Federal Funding to Implement Requirements?

11-4

No. State and local jurisdictions have responsibility. IDEA funds may not be used to serve children found eligible only under Section 504.


IDEA mandates the development of an Individualized Education Program document with specific content and a required number of specific participants at an IEP meeting.


Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

Procedural Safeguards

Section 504 requires notice to parents regarding identification of the disability and evaluation and/or placement of the student. Written notice is recommended. Notice must be made only before a “significant change” in placement. Following IDEA procedural safeguards is one way to meet Section 504 mandates.

The ADA does not specify procedural safeguards related to special education; it does detail the administrative requirements, the complaint procedures and the consequences for noncompliance, related to both services and employment.

IDEA requires written notice to parents regarding identification, evaluation and/or placement. Further, written notice must be made prior to any change in placement. The act delineates the required components of the written notices.

Evaluation/ Placement Procedures

Unlike IDEA, Section 504 requires only notice, not consent, for evaluation. It is recommended that districts obtain parental consent.

The ADA does not specify evaluation and placement procedures; it does specify provision of reasonable accommodations for eligible students across educational activities and settings. Reasonable accommodations may include, but are not limited to, redesigning equipment, assigning aides, providing written communication in alternative formats, modifying tests, redesigning services to accessible locations, altering existing facilities and building new facilities.

A comprehensive evaluation is required. A multidisciplinary team evaluates the child, and parental consent is required before an initial evaluation. Reevaluations are to be conducted at least every three years. A reevaluation is not required before a significant change in placement.

The ADA does not delineate specific due process procedures. People with disabilities have the same remedies that are available under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended in 1991. Thus, individuals who are discriminated against may file a complaint with the relevant federal agency or sue in federal court. Enforcement agencies encourage informal mediation and voluntary compliance.

IDEA delineates specific requirements for local education agencies to provide impartial hearings for parents who disagree with the identification, evaluation or placement of a child.

Like IDEA, evaluation and placement procedures under Section 504 require that information be obtained from a variety of sources in the area of concern; that all data be documented and considered; and that decisions be made by a group of individuals knowledgeable about the student, evaluation data and placement options. Section 504 requires periodic reevaluations but does not specify any timelines for placement. Section 504 requires that students be educated with their nondisabled peers to the maximum extent appropriate. Section 504 does not require a meeting for any change in placement. Due Process

Section 504 requires local education agencies to provide impartial hearings for parents who disagree with the identification, evaluation or placement of a student. Parents must have an opportunity to participate in the hearing process and to be represented by counsel. Beyond this, due process details are left to the discretion of the local education agency. Districts should develop policy guidance and procedures.

For evaluation and placement decisions, IDEA requires that more than one procedure or information source be used; that information from all sources be documented and carefully considered; that the eligibility decision be made by a group of individuals who know about the student, the evaluation data and placement options; and that the placement decision serves the student in the least restrictive environment. An IEP review meeting must be held before any change in placement.


11-5


High school The school district is responsible for evaluating students who need assistance doing schoolwork and creating either an Individualized Education Plan or a 504 plan. An IEP is created for students with a disability in one of 13 categories, who need special education and related services: Autism

■

Deaf-blindness

■

Hearing impairment, including deafness

■

Emotional disturbance

■

Hearing impairment

■

Mental retardation

■

Multiple disabilities

■

Orthopedic impairment

■

Other health impairments

■

Specific learning disability

■

Speech or language impairment

■

Traumatic brain injury

■

Visual impairment, including blindness

■

Tip “Students need to know that they’ll be admitted to college on their abilities, not on the basis of the disability. They must meet the same standards of admission as their nondisabled peers.” — Pat Rambo, Springfield High School, Pa.

11-6

Depending on the severity of the disability and their strengths and needs, students with an IEP may be in special education classes only, a mixture of special education and regular classes, or all regular courses. Counselors do not ordinarily help craft an Individualized Education Program, but they should sit in on the regular meetings of the student, parents, and educational team, and they need to be aware of each student’s specific disabilities and strengths. Students with an IEP are the primary responsibility of the special education department and pupil personnel services. A 504 plan is created for students who have a disability that affects a major life function, such as learning, but do not qualify under IDEA. These students take regular high school classes but receive accommodations. Major life functions include caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, working and learning. In many schools, after the determination is made that a student needs a 504 plan, it is developed and overseen by a counselor. Students with a 504 plan are the



responsibility of the entire school staff, as is any student; they are not the responsibility of the special education department. Students on either an IEP or a 504 plan receive appropriate accommodations to help them complete their schoolwork. Examples of accommodations on a 504 plan: Diabetic child is allowed to eat in class.

■

Student with a learning disability that affects information processing receives extended time on tests.

■

Tip “Sometimes schools do a disservice by providing too many accommodations and handholding ... more than the college will. However, parents drive the bus: They want what they feel they are entitled to.” — Sue Ullram, Pomperaug High School, Conn.

College There is a significant difference between the assistance that schools must, under the law, provide to students with special needs and what colleges must provide. The ADA/504 and IDEA have different definitions of disability. Once in college, students are no longer covered under IDEA (even if they have not yet reached age 21). According to Elizabeth Evans Getzel and Paul Wehman, “the ADA protects those who meet one part of the following threeprong definition: a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities;

■

a record of such an impairment;

■

being regarded as having such an impairment.

■

It is important to know that accommodations are only provided under the first prong of this definition.” (Elizabeth Evens Getzel and Paul Wehman, Going to College, p. 31)

In fact, when students enter college, the accommodation process begins anew: Students must decide if they want to request accommodations. If so, they have to document their disability, based on the college’s documentation requirements and to the college’s satisfaction, and they must work with the college disabilities office to determine what accommodations are needed and will be granted. The college’s goal is to enable the student to succeed by providing equal access or by leveling the playing field — but not to give the student an unfair advantage over other students. During the admissions process, colleges cannot ask about a disability (but students may choose to disclose their disability; see below). Colleges need only provide reasonable accommodations to students: College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved.

11-7


They are not required to provide the same accommodations the student received in high school. Determination of what accommodation the college will actually approve may happen after the admissions decision and might not involve you, the counselor, but you should help families understand that a new phase in accommodating the disability begins when the student enters college.

Helping students become selfadvocates Throughout high school, many students with special needs receive a great deal of support from teachers, parents, friends and counselors. When they are in college, students alone bear the responsibility for describing their needs, obtaining accommodations and advocating for themselves. By the junior year of high school, students should be able to articulate clearly what their disability is and what they need in order to succeed academically. They should take charge of their IEP or 504 meetings. Do what you can to reduce parents’ involvement in their child’s decision making and representation: Parents need to let their children become independent, capable decision makers.

Tip “There has to be a transition in junior/ senior year to more responsibility. You have to stop doing stuff for them. They need to look information up, take charge of their IEP or 504 meetings, and be independent by the junior year at latest.” — Beth Robinson, former director of guidance, Region 15 Schools, Conn.

When students decide which college they will attend, advise them to hand deliver documentation to the college office that provides accommodations for students with special needs. After K-12, it’s time for students to take the responsibility of articulating their needs. Having another source provide the documentation perpetuates the student’s dependence on others to handle what is appropriately their responsibility. See Handout 11A: Know your disability and Handout 11B: Student readiness checklist for students with special needs.

How counselors can learn what colleges offer students with special needs The college search should put the student first and the disability second: Students with special needs should start the college-choice process by thinking about career goals and personal preferences; they

11-8



should look for institutions in appealing locations, with majors that interest them and sports or other activities that engage them. For some counselors, in fact, the college search isn’t much different for students with special needs and for all others. Still, the more you know about what various colleges offer and what support is available, the more you can help your students. Just as some colleges put more emphasis on building great sports or theater programs than others, colleges have different approaches to providing accommodations or services for students with disabilities. Under federal, state and local laws, colleges that receive any form of tax support (such as a financial aid loan to a student) must follow antidiscrimination laws and must accommodate students with disabilities. Accommodations level the playing field so that education is equally accessible. Beyond that, the range of services offered, the campus attitude toward students with disabilities and the extent of physical access can differ markedly from campus to campus. At the high school level, the terms programs and services are used interchangeably. At the college level, however, they have different, and specific, meanings. Basic services, found at virtually all colleges, include such accommodations as note taking, extended testing time and taped textbooks. Some colleges have programs with services that exceed the reasonable accommodations necessitated by the law. Programs that are run by full-time staff members who have special training might offer support groups, a learning center with a disabilities professional on staff, extra tutoring and one-on-one support. An additional cost for these services is not uncommon. See Handout 11C: College accommodations and services for students with special needs and Handout 11D: Types of college accommodations and services available for students with special needs.

Some colleges have special programs for students with disabilities that may require a separate application, limit the number of students in the program and impose additional fees. There are guides that list colleges with these programs, as well as colleges with comprehensive services. Develop your knowledge of campuses you visit or that are popular with your students. Review the questions students should ask the disabilities office. See Handout 11E: Questions that students with special needs should ask and questions that the college might ask. College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved.

11-9


Tip To get a flavor of policies and offerings, visit the disabilities pages of the Web sites of colleges with which you are familiar. Keep in mind that what a college actually offers may be better or worse than its depiction on the Web.

Here are some other ways to learn what colleges offer and how they work with this population: Explore college Web sites. You may need to dig a bit, but many colleges have a wealth of information about their disabilities services and their approach to accommodating students. These offices go by different names: The fastest route to the information is to type disabilities into the word search.

■

When you visit a college, call ahead to request time with the disabilities coordinator. The admissions staff may not be completely informed about the services offered to students with special needs.

■

Find out if there are college fairs that specifically focus on students with special needs. Your state counseling association will know if such events are held in your area.

■

Become familiar with college-choice literature and guidebooks for students with special needs (see Resources at the end of this chapter).

■

When you meet college disabilities coordinators, here are questions worth asking: What is the background of the person responsible for accommodations? In most cases, the head of the disabilities office has some background in special education, psychology, counseling, social work or rehabilitation; sometimes, however, the coordinator does not, and this should raise a red flag. Membership in the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) is a plus.

■

Tip “Do not recommend a particular college because you happened to hear of a student with a certain disability who did very well there. Drawing conclusions based on one student’s experience is unwise.” — Allen Tinkler, educational consultant for students with special needs, N.Y.

11-10

What level of service is provided? Do staff members have training in study skills? In learning disabilities? Are trained counselors available?

■

What does the college require in terms of student documentation for a learning disability, attention deficit disorder or other impairment?

■

How many students with special needs are registered with the disabilities office? A figure of at least 7 percent of total enrollment probably indicates a superior level of support for students. A lower percentage might suggest that the office does not reach out to students or is not viewed as offering enough assistance.

■



What is the retention rate (from freshman year to sophomore year) for students with disabilities? What is the graduation rate?

■

What special facilities or assistive devices does the office make available for students? Does it charge for these aids? Is a feefor-service program available?

■

Who runs the writing center or other support centers? Does the staff include professionals experienced in working with students with disabilities?

■

What is the advising system for students? Do advisers help students choose appropriate courses?

■

College research and college choice Students with special needs should start their college search process the way every student should: by assessing their interests, their goals and their dreams, and then looking for colleges that seem like a good match. In many ways, the college search is no different for students with special needs.

Tip “I meet with the family and ask what the student’s expectations are. If the student wants to move on to higher education, I ask if they want to live away from home, and if they want to attend a college that has a separate program for students with special needs, as opposed to services.” — Sandy Farris, Indian Hill High School, Ohio

See Handout 11F: The college-choice process for students with special needs.

After coming up with a list of colleges that interest them, students should take some additional steps to ensure a good fit at the colleges to which they will apply. Make certain they understand they will be admitted based on their ability to do the level of academic work expected by the college. It is very important to reach out to students with disabilities who want to continue their education, and their parent(s) or guardian, to discuss life after high school and the postsecondary path that makes sense. Some options include the following: A postgraduate year. Students take a fifth year in high school in order to strengthen academic, social and emotional skills. There are private schools throughout the country that offer a 13th year.

■

Tip “Students and parents should be made aware that colleges with programs for students with special needs do not have special classes. Assignments, tests, reading level of books and other requirements are the same as for all other students at the college.” — Allen Tinkler, educational consultant for students with special needs, N.Y.


11-11


Transition or bridge program. These college-sponsored programs usually occur in the summer after high school graduation. The programs focus on improving basic skills in reading, math, writing, computer skills, study skills and time management. The focus is usually on helping students gain a deeper understanding of their learning disability and of their strengths and weaknesses.

■

Tip “I encourage students to meet with the director of support services on their first visit to a campus. It’s tough when kids fall in love with a college and later discover that the services they require are not available.” — Sandy Farris, Indian Hill High School, Ohio

College with a structured program. Students must apply to the program in addition to the college, and doing so may require a second application. Separate admissions decisions are made; of course, to be in the program, a student must also be admitted to the college. However, it is possible for a student to be admitted to the college but denied admission to the program. There is usually a cap on the number of students in a program. Students who require more support would benefit the most from a structured program, which offers extensive one-on-one assistance. Generally, the programs charge a fee and are thus referred to as “fee for service programs.”

■

Colleges with comprehensive services. For some students, comprehensive services may work as well as a program. The big difference is that students are under no obligation to meet with the coordinator or disability specialist on a regular basis or even occasionally.

■

Colleges with basic services. These institutions offer minimum, mandated accommodations but rarely provide services pertaining directly to the disability. Schoolwide services such as a writing center, math center and tutoring center are available, as they are to any student. A disability coordinator assists the student in arranging for accommodations such as extended time, a note taker and taped texts. The student meets with the coordinator as needed and is under no obligation to do so.

■

Tip “If your school has a ‘returning graduate panel’ in which graduates come back and talk about their college experiences, try to include a student with special needs to be part of that event and talk about his or her experiences.” — Anita Young, secondary guidance specialist, Fairfax County, Va.

11-12

Many students with special needs are attracted to community colleges. Some students may not have a strong high school record, and since most community colleges have an open enrollment policy, they can provide a college experience to almost all high school graduates. There can be many benefits: small classes, the opportunity to live close to home and a way to begin independent living while keeping some ties to home. Because community colleges are publicly supported, they must abide by civil rights disability laws offering appropriate accommodations.



Housing Students with sensory, physical or medical disabilities should look at the available housing options to determine which ones best suit their needs. Some students with these disabilities may require a single room, and this situation should be discussed with both the disability coordinator and the housing office. Students with mobility issues should explore the availability of transportation provided to nondisabled students. A college is not required to provide special transportation to or from residence halls or buildings on campus unless they provide transportation for nondisabled students.

Registration Students should inquire about the accommodation of priority registration or assistance in registering for classes that are accessible. They should ask the disabilities services coordinator about the registration options because the admissions staff may not be aware of all the possibilities.

TIP “Though I usually meet with the student and his or her parents when discussing life after high school, I look at the student, not at the parents. That signals that I want the student to express his wishes and to tell me what he wants. The parents are in a supporting role.” — Mike Bair, Basic High School, Nev.

Foreign language, math and other course requirements Depending on the disability, some students may have trouble meeting high school and college foreign language or math requirements. Students need to understand the two ways in which this situation can affect their college choice: Admissions requirements: Virtually all colleges require two or more years of college preparatory math, and most colleges require one or more years of a foreign language for admission. If a student has an exemption from the high school for math or a foreign language, most colleges will honor it, but a college has a right not to honor the exemption. Before they submit an application, students who have not completed a foreign language or the requisite math courses should find out how the admissions committee will deal with the situation.

■

TIP “We have local colleges come in and describe their disability services in a panel presentation. All juniors and seniors with special needs attend this February event.” — Mike Bair, Basic High School, Nev.


11-13


College graduation requirements: Students should carefully research the course work requirements of the majors in which they are interested to see if there is a requirement that will be difficult to meet. Some colleges require successful completion of one or more years of a foreign language to obtain a degree, and many majors require completion of some math courses. Students should not count on getting waivers; most colleges won’t exempt students from foreign language, math or other requirements. Students should find out if they will be able to substitute another course. For example, culture courses, American Sign Language or study abroad may satisfy a foreign language requirement. Students should discuss their options with the disabilities coordinator.

■

Tip “A student with a physical disability must visit the colleges to see what access is really like. He or she should ask to have a tour by a student with a physical disability — that guide can be honest about the experiences they’ve had at the college.” — Beth Robinson, former director of guidance, Region 15 Schools, Conn.

The college application Disclosure One of the issues uppermost in the minds of families is whether to disclose the disability to the college before the institution makes its admissions decision. The disclosure choice is entirely up to the student, but counselors may be called on for advice. Experienced counselors have different opinions on the matter, which take two forms: 1. There is no reason not to disclose. This information about the student is important, and colleges cannot discriminate in an admissions decision because of a disability. How the student has worked with the disability can be a positive aspect of the application. 2. Disclose after the admissions decision and before matriculation. Once admitted, the student can visit the disabilities office and learn how to obtain the assistance needed for success in college. More counselors are of the first opinion, and many point out that having worked to overcome a disability is evidence of commitment, focus and hard work — all traits valued highly by colleges — but, in the end, when to disclose is the student’s decision.

11-14



Documentation As a general rule, do not send documentation of the disability along with the application for admission. If the student is admitted and requests accommodations, then the IEP or 504 plan, psychoeducational test reports and other related materials should be sent to the disabilities office. You may be able to learn from the college Web site how it wishes to receive documentation. Some colleges want the documentation mailed; others may prefer that the student schedule an appointment and bring it then. You must have a signed release form from the student and parent before you can send documentation to the college. If a student is applying to a structured special needs program (as described above), documentation must be provided at the time the student applies. It generally consists of the IEP or 504 plan, psychoeducational test reports and other materials related to the disability. Tests and reports should be current, generally within three years. It is best to check with each disabilities office to learn what it requires in order to provide accommodations (assistance). After a student is admitted, documentation must be provided to the office in order to receive accommodations.

The essay The essay may be more intimidating for students with disabilities, particularly LD students, than for others. Students who want to make their disabilities known prior to admission may choose to discuss their experiences in the essay. For example, students can explain how they have worked harder or differently because of the disability, or explain their academic transcript or test scores in light of the disability.

Standardized tests Students who have received accommodations on high school tests (distraction-reduced location, extended time, etc.) may want to request the same accommodations when taking the standardized admissions tests. The process for requesting accommodations is described in brief below, and at greater length on the Web sites of ACT and the College Board, sponsor of the PSAT/NMSQT, SAT, Advanced Placement Program (AP) and SAT Subject Tests. College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved.

11-15


Separate applications Colleges with structured programs specifically for disabled students may require separate applications to the program. These applications usually ask students to list the services and accommodations they are receiving in high school and the accommodations they anticipate needing in college. Students are usually asked to write a short essay articulating their strengths and weaknesses, courses in which they have had greater success and those that have presented greater challenges, and their general learning style. The application, documentation and possibly a special interview can help the disabilities coordinator decide if the student would make good use of the structured program and benefit from it.

Advising students who do not want to request accommodations in college After years of receiving special education or attending a resource room or learning center, high school seniors frequently decide that they will not seek disability services in college. They go to college thinking, “I am going to do this on my own, without help”; they do not submit documentation or make their presence known to the disabilities services office; and all too often they find themselves in serious difficulty or even failing. “My recommendation to all eligible students is ‘start with all of the accommodations for which you are eligible. If you don’t need them, you don’t have to use them,’” says Joan Fisher, past director of support services at Cornell University (quoted in The K&W Guide to Colleges for Students with Learning Disabilities or Attention Deficit Disorder, 9th ed., 2007). Encourage students to have their paperwork on file in the disabilities office so that they have options — of getting support or not.

11-16



Standardized tests accommodations Students with disabilities may qualify to take college admissions tests with accommodations that “level the playing field” for them. In general, students should ask for the test accommodations that have been extended to them in high school. The test organizations will need documentation indicating what accommodation is requested, substantiating the need for the accommodation on standardized tests, and the student’s history with that accommodation. The College Board asks the applicant to do the following when requesting nonstandard testing accommodations on the PSAT/NMSQT, SAT, SAT Subject Tests and AP Exams: 1. state the specific disability, as diagnosed; diagnosis should be made by a person with appropriate professional credentials, should be specific and, when appropriate, should relate the disability to the applicable professional standards; 2. be current (in most cases, the evaluation and diagnostic testing should have taken place within five years of the request for accommodations); 3. provide relevant educational, developmental and medical history; 4. describe the comprehensive testing and techniques used in arriving at the diagnosis (including results with subtest scores [standard or scaled scores] for all tests); 5. describe the functional limitations (for example, limitations to learning that result from the diagnosed disability); 6. describe the specific accommodations being requested on College Board tests; and 7. establish the professional credentials of the evaluator (for example, licensure, certification, area of specialization). The four major categories of testing accommodations are: Presentation (e.g., larger print, auditory amplification)

■

Responding (dictating to scribe, using a tape recorder)

■

Tip “Prepping more is the key. If students go in and read directions, it slows them down too much. If they have practiced, they know exactly what to do just by looking at the page.“ — Debra Aplin, Chamberlain Senior High School, Tampa, Fla.

Thinking/scheduling (frequent breaks, extended time)

■

Setting (small-group environment, adaptive furniture)

■

The College Board requires each school to have a test coordinator; often the coordinator is a school counselor. The coordinators submit College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved.

11-17


Tip “Standardized testing is often different from classroom testing. Students may not need their approved extended time in a standardized test. Have them do a practice test and have someone time them: This is when standard time would end; this is when a 50 percent extension ends. See if they really feel they need extended time. It’s a long time to sit if they don’t.“ — Beth Robinson, former director of guidance, Region 15 Schools, Conn.

Tip “Parents may think that if their child didn’t finish the PSAT/NMSQT, they need extended time. But the PSAT/NMSQT is designed to be finished by only 80 percent of students. The inability to finish the test doesn’t mean a student needs extended time.“

the necessary paperwork to the organizations and learn from them if more information is needed and what specific accommodations are granted. All counselors need to know the testing organizations’ requirements for test accommodations. For information, check their Web sites: Counselors should be proactive and inform every student on an IEP or 504 plan well in advance of test registration deadlines. Often, students requesting accommodations need additional time to complete the registration process. Alert your students that they must register for tests before the regular deadline if they will be requesting accommodations and that all necessary documentation needs to be filed and approved by the testing organizations well before the registration deadline. When a student receives accommodations from the College Board for its tests (PSAT/NMSQT, SAT, SAT Subject Tests and AP), the accommodation is good for the entire school year as long as the student stays in the same district. The monthly guidance calendar in Chapter 1 includes monthly tasks related to testing of students with special needs. Students who feel that extended time will help them would be well advised to practice taking the tests and timing themselves on each section: They may need extended time on only a few sections. Extended time may be a disadvantage: Students can lose focus or become fatigued or distracted. Students should take at least one practice test in order to familiarize themselves with the directions and the format, and more test preparation will often serve them well. You might suggest that students take the PSAT/NMSQT in the 10th grade to determine if accommodations are necessary.

— Sandy Farris, Indian Hill High School, Ohio

11-18



Financial aid The process for applying for financial aid is virtually identical to that for all students (see Chapter 8). Some students have costs related to their disability that will make attending college more expensive than estimated by the institution. They should describe their needs — special equipment, personal assistants (note takers, readers), guide dog food, for example — so that the costs can be included in the budget during the financial aid process. Students considering part-time attendance or a reduced course load should understand that such an option may reduce the amount of aid awarded to them under federal programs, which give more aid to full-time students than to part-time. For students without any documentation of a disability, taking fewer than 12 credit hours will affect their financial aid, housing and health insurance. A student taking fewer than 12 credits because of the serious effects of a disability, however, may be considered full-time, depending on the policy of the college. The college’s financial aid adviser is the student’s best source of information. Students should explore whether the state vocational rehabilitation agency will provide any financial assistance. Since the main goal of this agency is to help people become employed, it will view educational plans from the perspective of future employment. The list of state agencies is at www.rehabnetwork.org/directors_contact.htm, which provides useful “quick links” to a variety of Web sites that have information for people with disabilities. Numerous free searches on the Internet allow students to indicate their backgrounds and their plans (for example, intended major) and be matched to appropriate scholarships. A small number of scholarships are awarded for specific disabilities. A good summary of financial aid options and an overview of the application process can be found at the HEATH Resource Center: www.heath.gwu.edu. The 20-page financial aid overview is updated annually.

Tip Every state has an Office of Vocational Rehabilitation charged with enabling all citizens to find employment. Many offices provide career assessments, postsecondary education advising and joint programs with local colleges. Some make assistive technology available. Learn what your state office offers your students.


11-19


Tip “Students with special needs should seek the advice of the disability coordinator in addition to their regular adviser when selecting classes and professors. Disability coordinators will assist students with planning a class schedule that will work best for them.“ — Allen Tinkler, educational consultant for students with special needs, N.Y.

The transition to college Counselors should help students understand that — for just about every new college student — the experience of going to college may be perplexing and difficult at first. Students with special needs will be more on their own than they were in high school. Therefore, they should go to college armed with strategies for identifying and obtaining what they need. Some topics to cover: Become familiar with the services offered by the college disabilities office. It will probably provide information about support services of the college and the community, how to register students with disabilities and how to coordinate requests for accommodations with professors. It might also provide workshops (on self-advocacy, study skills, and more), handle special parking permits, advise on employment and so on.

■

All colleges have numerous facilities designed to help students function in college, from the counseling office to the tutoring center to the computer lab. Students should learn which resources exist and what they provide.

■

Most students are paired with an adviser, but they must take the initiative to meet with the professor and get his or her guidance.

■

Students will need to choose a mixture of general education courses and electives. Most colleges have a standard load of four or five courses a semester. Advise students, especially in their first semester, to work closely with their advisers in choosing courses they believe they can handle successfully.

■

Tip “I suggest they not take the hardest courses the first semester. Take one class that will be a challenge and some electives. Otherwise they get discouraged.“

See Handout 11G: Transition tips for parents of students with special needs.

— Debra Aplin, Chamberlain Senior High School, Fla.

11-20



Resources

Tip

General disabilities Association on Higher Education and Disability. www.ahead.org This organization publishes numerous pamphlets that are inexpensive and useful. You can get an overview of each pamphlet and place your orders at AHEAD’s Web site. Here are just a few of the pamphlets: The Americans with Disabilities Act Section 504: The Law and Its Impact on Postsecondary Education Confidentiality and Disability Issues in Higher Education College Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing College Students with Learning Disabilities

“I encourage students with special needs to start college in the summer — that gives them time to get used to the college, and to learn where the offices are that offer support and services they need.“ — Debra Aplin, Chamberlain Senior High School, Florida

College Students Who Have ADHD College Students Who Have Chronic Diseases or Medical Conditions Ready, Set, Go: Helping Students with Learning Disabilities Prepare for College DO-IT. www.washington.edu/doit This Web site, funded by the National Science Foundation, the state of Washington, and the U.S. Department of Education, provides resources for K-12 educators, students with disabilities, librarians, employers, parents and mentors. HEATH Resource Center. www.heath.gwu.edu The center is the National Clearinghouse on Postsecondary Education for Individuals with Disabilities. Among its resource papers, extensive resource directory, and useful fact sheets are the 192-page Guidance and Career Counselors’ Toolkit (pdf). U.S. Department of Education. http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/publications.html Section 504 The federal government has information on applicable laws and offers several pamphlets, among them Students with Disabilities Preparing for Postsecondary Education: Know Your Rights and Responsibilities (also on the Web). National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities. http://nichcy.org This center provides information on the following: disabilities in children and youth (focusing on birth to age 22); programs and services for infants, children and youth with disabilities; IDEA, the nation’s special education law; No Child Left Behind, the nation’s general education law; and research-based information on effective practices for children with disabilities. NICHCY offers free publications, federal updates, research highlights and more. Getzel, Elizabeth Evans, and Paul Wehman (eds.). Going to College: Expanding Opportunities for People with Disabilities. Baltimore: Brookes Publishing Co., 2005. Excellent overview for educators who work with the disabled.


11-21


Johnson, Kendra D., and Trudie N. Hines. 100 Things Every College Student with a Disability Ought to Know. Williamsville, NY: Cambridge Stratford, 2005. Very informative small-format book for college students.

Autism spectrum, Asperger syndrome, pervasive developmental disorders Treatment and Education of Autistic and related Communication-handicapped CHildren. www.teacch.com A useful site, based at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, for those working with students with autism and Asperger syndrome. Harpur, John, Maria Lawlor, and Michael Fitzgerald. Succeeding in College with Asperger Syndrome: A Student Guide. London: Jessica Kingsley, 2004.

Blindness/visual impairment American Foundation for the Blind. www.afb.org The AFB works to broaden access to technology; elevate the quality of information and tools for professionals; and promote independent, healthy living for people with vision loss by providing them and their families with timely resources. AFB Press publishes Raquel Feeney and Ellen Trief, College Bound: A Guide for Students with Visual Impairments: Expert Advice and Information Students Need to Succeed in College (New York, 2005). Best Practices Model for Blind and Low Vision Students in Higher Education. http://www.umt.edu/dss/ahead This University of Montana site has college personnel as its chief audience, but it assists all users seeking accommodations in college.

Deafness and hearing difficulty Postsecondary Education Programs Network (PEPNet). www.pepnet.org PEPNet is the national collaboration of four regional education centers for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. The goal is to help postsecondary institutions attract and serve the deaf. PEPNet publishes many free publications, which are described on its Web site.

11-22



Learning disabilities and attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. www.chadd.org Learning Disabilities Association of America. www.ldaamerica.org This site has very useful information, including strategies for teachers to use. LD Online. www.ldonline.org A comprehensive Web site on learning disabilities for parents, educators, and kids; it has a very useful FAQ section and “College” section. Koehler, Michael, and Marybeth Kravets. Counseling Secondary School Students with Learning Disabilities. New York: Center for Applied Research in Education, 1998. Comprehensive work on the topic. Colleges for Students with Learning Disabilities or ADD. Lawerenceville, NJ: Peterson’s, 2007.

Psychiatric disorders Your Education — Your Future. www.cmha.ca/youreducation


11-23


Glossary Accommodations. At the high school level, provisions made to classified, or eligible, students, usually along with modifications and services. In theory, accommodations are provided only to students with a 504 plan. Examples of accommodations include removing educational barriers, foreign language waivers, and extended time for testing. At the postsecondary level, there is a greater distinction between accommodations and services. See also Services. Documentation. Paperwork that provides appropriate information showing the existence of a specific disability. For students with learning disabilities, documentation usually includes an intellectual assessment (“IQ test”), achievement tests results, an IEP or a 504 plan. For students with ADHD, documentation may consist of these items plus a report from a doctor who is prescribing medication or treating the student. For a student who is deaf, documentation may consist of auditory-testing reports. 504 plan. A legal document falling under the provisions of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. It is designed to plan accommodations to assist students who have an impaired major life function and who are in a regular education setting. However, at the postsecondary level only qualified persons with disabilities supported by appropriate documentation must be accommodated. If a person does not meet the academic and technical standards for admission or participation in a postsecondary institution’s program or activities, a college does not have to provide accommodations. For example, students with extremely low intellectual ability (borderline and developmentally disabled) are precluded from receiving accommodations at college because of their inability to benefit from the curriculum. Free Appropriate Public Education. The federal mandate that applies to all children with disabilities. To comply with FAPE standards, a school district must provide special education and related services at no cost to the child or his or her parents.

11-24



Individual Education Plan. The basic tool in designing and delivering supports and services for students with disabilities. The IEP is the cornerstone of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA), which ensures educational opportunity for students with disabilities. The IEP is a legal, quasicontractual agreement, developed by the school district and the parent or guardian to guide, orchestrate and document specially designed instruction for a student with a disability, based on his or her unique academic, social, physical and management needs. LD program. For college students with learning disabilities, a support system that usually requires an additional fee and separate application. Colleges draw a distinction between programs and services. Programs usually place a cap on the number of students they can enroll and require students to attend the learning center or disability office on a regularly scheduled basis. Direct one-on-one assistance, in addition to the standard accommodations, is provided to the student. Learning disability. As defined under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, “a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding or in using language, spoken or written, which may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write or spell, or to do mathematical calculations, including conditions such as perceptual disabilities, brain injury, minimal brain dysfunction, dyslexia and developmental aphasia [a severe language disorder].” Modifications. At the high school level, procedural or other alterations provided for the benefit of classified students, usually along with accommodations and services. Although program modifications help level the playing field at the high school level, they are rarely offered at the postsecondary level. Examples of modifications include adjustments in the curriculum, shortened tests, reduced attendance requirements and pass/fail assessment in lieu of letter/numerical grades.


11-25


Services. At the high school level, direct individualized assistance provided to classified, or eligible, students by the special education department, along with accommodations. Services are available only to students with an IEP. Examples are tutoring, help in organizing a notebook and assistance in preparing for a test. At the postsecondary level, there is a greater distinction between services and accommodations (see Accommodations), and personal services are not required by law. Services above and beyond the statutes are provided to students enrolled in designated LD programs available at some colleges, usually for an additional fee. Services for Students with Disabilities. Assistance and accommodations for students with disabilities, provided by the College Board. These services and accommodations include a special application procedure and subsequent review (eligibility) process to allow students with disabilities to take the PSAT/NMSQT, SAT, SAT Subject Tests and Advanced Placement Program (AP) Exams with accommodations. Special education. Services and accommodations provided to students who are classified under IDEIA as having a specific disability. All students receiving special education must have an IEP. Vocational rehabilitation services. Assistance provided by every state to people with disabilities to pursue, obtain and maintain satisfactory employment. Some state offices of VR may offer jobrelated educational training.

11-26



Title

Brief Description

11A

Know your disability

Discusses how students can get the most from their IEP meetings.

11B

Student readiness checklist for students with special needs

Provides prompts for student selfassessment.

11C

College accommodations and services for students with special needs

Describes what accommodations students may expect in college.

11D

Types of college accommodations and services available for students with special needs

Lists specific forms of assistance colleges may provide.

11E

Questions that students with special Covers both general and specific types needs should ask and questions that the of information. college might ask

11F

The college-choice process for students with special needs

Offers questions on student selfassessment and on facilities colleges may provide.

11G

Transition tips for parents of students with special needs

Gives practical advice to parents during college-choice process.


11-27

Students

TITLE Know your disability TITLE Review your case file with your parents and Individual Education Plan team to better understand your disability and its effect on your learning. Ask the following questions: What is my disability? How does it affect how I learn? What are my academic strengths? How do I learn best? You might also consider meeting with the doctor or school psychologist who performed your assessment (testing). However, individual appointments with a doctor or psychologist can be expensive. Become a “self-advocate” while still in high school A “self-advocate” communicates his or her needs with logical and positive language. To be an effective self-advocate, you must understand your disability, know how it impacts your learning and become comfortable with describing your disability and your academic-related needs to others.At the college level, you are responsible for identifying and requesting support services. Parents aren’t normally involved with your education at the college level, and most colleges prefer working directly with you, the student. Practice self-advocacy now Participate in discussions at your IEP meetings. Understanding your learning strengths and weaknesses gives you valuable knowledge that can influence your IEP planning. Listed below are ideas on how you can actively participate in your IEP meetings. Your parents and teachers can help you take these important steps. Before each IEP meeting: Understand the purpose of the meeting.

■

Know who will be there and each participant’s role at the meeting.

■

Review the report from your last IEP meeting. Understand the goals listed on the report. With another person, practice saying how you accomplished the goals.

■

Establish new goals and be prepared to state them.

■

At the IEP meeting: Summarize your past goals and accomplishments.

■

State your new goals.

■


Know your disability (page 2)

Ask for ideas and feedback from other members.

■

Know what support and help you will need in order to accomplish your goals — and ask for it.

■

Ask questions when you don’t understand something.

■

Source: College Planning for Students with Disabilities (Supplement for EducationQuest Foundation’s College Prep Handbook.) EducationQuest Foundation and University of Nebraska, Lincoln.


Students

TITLE for students with Student readiness checklist TITLE special needs Student: Counselor: Case Manager: Date: As I begin this process of planning for “life after high school,” I feel: (check as many as apply)

Excited

Uneasy

Scared

Worried

In charge

Confident

Ready to go

Other: please specify

The quality of my academic record so far will:

Let me have many choices that are very acceptable to me

Mean that I have to plan carefully to ensure that I have choices

My strengths are:

My weaknesses are:

The reason I am receiving special ed services is:


Student readiness checklist for students with special needs (page 2) I have already participated in the following as it relates to post-high-school planning: (check as many as apply)

Met with my parents, college counselor and case manager

Conferred with my counselor

Conferred with a career consultant and case manager

Met with career representatives

Met with college representatives

Did a career search

Did a college search

Talked things over with my parents

I need help with: (check as many as apply)

Getting started

Understanding what I’m supposed to do next

Knowing how to use resources

Understanding class rank, test scores and college options

Planning my junior or senior year course work

Signing up for admissions tests (e.g. SAT®)

Knowing my interests

Planning ahead

Knowing about financial aid

Understanding where my parents fit in

Other: Please specify

Source: Developed for Deerfield High School by Marybeth Kravets


Students

TITLE and services for College accommodations TITLE students with special needs Colleges are not required to follow an IEP or high school 504 plan. Colleges draw a distinction between accommodations and personal services, and yet there is a fine line between them. Accommodations are guaranteed under Section 504 and the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act). Their purpose is to place a student with disabilities on a level playing field — to have the opportunity to compete with students who do not have disabilities. Personal services are not guaranteed or mandatory. Services are special procedures or devices that a college may provide to help students. Some services are accommodative, such as note taking. Others are considered personal services, such as typing or personal care assistance. Many colleges do not provide personal services because of the extra expense, staffing and administrative burdens involved and because they are not required to do so. Students may have to negotiate with the coordinator or director of accommodative services or the 504 coordinator to arrange for what they feel is needed. Colleges have no legal obligation for students with disabilities to “do better.” However, they do have an obligation to level the playing field and to provide students with accommodations so they will have equal access to an education. You can ask for anything if it is reasonable and if it is justified because of the effect the disability has on you. It is not the disability — it is its effect — that determines your eligibility for assistance. In other words, a deficient reading skill would not automatically qualify a student for extended time for tests. Extended time would be allowed because the disability has a definite, strong effect on the student’s ability to take the test in the same amount of time as students without the disability. Points to remember 1. A college does not have to provide any accommodation or service that would fundamentally alter the nature of a course or core academic requirements. 2. A college does not have to provide any accommodation or service if it would place an administrative or financial burden on the institution. 3. A college does not have to provide any accommodation or service of a personal use nature. 4. A college has the right to offer an accommodation in place of the one requested. Although colleges generally try to honor the preferences for a specific accommodation requested by a student, a college may provide an accommodation other than the one preferred by the student if the institution can show that its choice is just as effective.  5. A college is not required to follow an IEP or high school 504 plan. Source: Allen Tinkler, educational consultant for students with special needs, N.Y. Handout 11C College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

Students

TITLE Types of college accommodations and services TITLE available for students with special needs The following is a list of accommodations and services, found at colleges in varying degrees, for students with documented disabilities: accommodation letters to professors alternate distraction-reduced location for tests assistive listening devices or systems books on tape, CD or the Internet (such as www.bookshare.org) braille calculators, printers, typewriters calculators or keyboards with large buttons calculators, talking calculators when not usually permitted captioning, real time, open and closed change of format on exams, including oral exams class relocation closed-captioned decoders computer-assisted reading programs and devices (JAWS, Kurzweil, WYNN Literacy Software Solution, Reading Edge, Arkenstone/Freedom Scientific, Omni) computer-assisted writing programs and devices (Dragon Naturally Speaking) counseling or advising, special course substitutions (usually for foreign languages, possibly for math and other subjects) disability specialists, assistance of document conversion (audio, braille, enlarged text) electronic readers elevator access keys extended time for tests interpreters, sign language or oral laboratory assistance laptop computer use on tests or in class lead time for assignments lenient attendance policy mind mapping or concept mapping such as Inspiration modified exams monitoring by LD specialists or office of services for students with disabilities staff if student is in a program noise blockers, earmuffs, white-noise machines note taker Handout 11D page 1 of 2 College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

Types of college accommodations and services available for students with special needs (page 2) preferential parking preferential seating in the classroom priority registration proofreading by learning specialists raised-line drawing kits reaching device for library use readers reduced course load if under 12 credit hours screen (television and computer) enlargers scribes single dorm room if not usually available special foreign language course specialized gym, swimming pool equipment special orientation special seats, desks, tables spelling waived support group taped or digitally recorded texts tape-recorded (digitally recorded) classes/lectures telecommunications devices for persons who are deaf telephone handset amplifiers test questions read videotext displays voice synthesizers The following accommodations are usually available to all students and should have additional value for students with disabilities: math center proofreading available in writing center quiet dorm reduced course load to 12 credit hours tutoring center, subject

Source: Allen Tinkler, educational consultant for students with special needs, N.Y.


Students

Questions that students TITLEwith special needs should ask and questions TITLE that the college might ask General 1. Is there a specific office that serves students with disabilities? 2. Do full-time professionals staff the program? 3. What documentation must I bring to document my disability? How current must it be?  4. Who decides if I qualify for accommodations? 5. Who should or would be notified of my disability? 6. Who is responsible for arranging accommodations? 7. What is the advisement system for students with special needs? Will advisers help with course selection and course load options? 8. What are my responsibilities for making sure I receive the services I need? 9. Is there an active support group on campus for students with disabilities? 10. How well-informed are faculty members regarding students with disabilities? Are they willing to work with these students? 11. Are the classrooms/buildings physically accessible? 12. How many accessible dorm rooms are available? Specific 1. What accommodations are available — for example, tape recorders, taped texts, note takers? 2. What is the procedure for getting textbooks recorded on tape? 3. Are waivers or substitutions granted to students who, because of a disability, cannot pass certain courses such as foreign language or statistics? 4. Does the college provide adaptive equipment for student use? 5. Where do students go to take tests with modifications? How is this service arranged? 6. How is the need for class notes met for qualifying students? Are note takers trained? Paid? 7. Does the college provide printed materials in alternative format? 8. What kind of tutoring is available? Are the tutors peers or staff? Is tutoring available in all subjects? Is there a limit to the amount of tutoring I may receive? Is there a fee? 9. Does the college offer courses or workshops in study skills or writing skills? 10. Is adaptive software such as voice recognition software or writing support software available on campus? Is training in the use of the software provided?  


Questions that students with special needs should ask and questions that the college might ask (page 2) 11. May students with disabilities take a reduced course load and still be considered fulltime? Will this affect their financial aid? Questions the college might ask you The college disabilities office may ask these questions. Write down your answers and review them with someone familiar with your academic strengths and difficulties, such as your IEP manager, a teacher or a school counselor, before you visit the campus. 1. What is your disability? 2. How does it interfere with your learning? 3. How comfortable are you in discussing your disability with teachers? 4. What are your academic strengths? 5. In what areas do you have difficulty or problems? 6. What accommodations will you need? 7. What kind of support services have you used in high school? 8. Which were the most helpful? 9. Are you willing to work harder than other students to be successful in college? 10. How do you manage your time?

Sources: University of Southern Maine, University of Nebraska at Lincoln, University of Washington


Students

TITLE for students with The college-choice process TITLE special needs All students — and especially students with a learning disability — need a supportive, understanding environment, one that recognizes interest and skills while remedying weaknesses. Assessing needs and abilities is a crucial first step in getting ready for college. Therefore, students need to ask themselves the following questions: 1. What are my strengths? 2. Where do my interests lie? 3. What are my particular deficiencies and problem areas? 4. What is my learning style, and under what conditions do I learn best? 5. What is my level of independence? 6. What are my coping skills? 7. What academic preparation have I had and what additional preparation will I need? College Selection When selecting a college, all students should consider factors such as the following: Location

■

Cost

■

Size

■

Student life

■

Competitiveness

■

Academic preparation

■

Housing

■

Admissions policies

■

Type of college:

■

Two-year

Four-year

Liberal arts

Vocational/technical

Private

Public

Once you have decided which colleges seem best suited to your interests, needs and abilities, plan to visit the campuses. Planning these trips may allow you to set up a meeting with the director of Handout 11F page 1 of 2 College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

The college-choice process for students with special needs (page 2) the learning disability program in conjunction with your visit. You may also be able to attend a class and talk to a student with a learning disability already taking courses at that college. There are a wide variety and range of support services that colleges may offer students with a learning disability. The following are basic services that any college should have: 1. Study skills training 2. Tutoring services 3. Provisions for alternate testing 4. Availability of taped textbooks 5. Course load modifications 6. Preregistration for courses 7. Taping of lectures 8. Specialized study aids Some colleges may also offer individual diagnosis, assessment and testing. In addition, colleges may have a learning center with a learning disabilities specialist present. Peer support groups may also be present. Visiting these resource centers will give you the best feel for the quality of services present at the school. Here are questions to ask about learning centers: 1. Is the center easy to access? Is it bright, cheery and well lit? 2. How is it staffed? What resources are available? 3. Is the center open to all students or specifically to students with learning disabilities? 4. Is the director of the center a member of the school’s faculty or a separate entity?


Handout 11F page 2 of 2 College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

Parents

Transition tips for TITLE parents of students with TITLE special needs Encourage your child to attend his or her Pupil Evaluation or 504 meetings. Make sure your son or daughter understands the Pupil Evaluation/504 process and is an active participant in the discussions, particularly when transition plans are being developed.

Review the relevant documentation with your child. Colleges frequently have specific guidelines for documenting different types of disabilities. Make sure your child’s documentation meets these guidelines.

Assist your child in understanding what his or her disability is and how it impacts on learning. Parents and students should have a strong working knowledge of the nature of the disability. Students must be able to articulate the information in the college setting.

Encourage your child to self-advocate. It’s time for you to step back and let your child be articulate about special needs.

Start the admissions process early. Some of the anxiety will be diminished if the process is unhurried and well researched.

Make contact with the college’s disability support office prior to graduation. The office will be a great resource. Starting the disability registration and accommodation process early allows any problems with documentation to be resolved in a timely manner. It also helps to ensure that complex accommodation requests, such as print materials in alternative formats, can be arranged before classes begin.

Support your child’s desire for independence while encouraging the use of any necessary accommodations. Some students with disabilities do not want “special” services and would prefer to try on their own. Some students, having felt stigmatized by “special education” in high school, may resist registering for disability services at college.

Use your influence wisely. If your child experiences academic difficulty, your first instinct may be to call the college. Students should be encouraged to avail themselves of the supports and services readily available on most campuses, such as learning assistance, tutoring and counseling. Colleges want students to succeed, and students need to initiate contact with the available services. Talk with your child about any difficulties and encourage problem solving and use of resources.

Understand that this is a significant transition for you as a parent as well as for your child. Talk to other parents of students with disabilities. Be good to yourself. Pat yourself on the back and be proud of the work and success of your child’s high school graduation.

■

■

■

■

■

■

■

■

Source: University of Southern Maine

Handout 11G College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved. Permission granted to copy this for educational purposes.

Appendix A Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act Family Policy Compliance Office (FPCO) Home

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) is a federal law that protects the privacy of a student’s education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education. FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children’s education records. These rights transfer to the student when he or she reaches the age of 18 or attends a school beyond the high school level. Students to whom the rights have transferred are “eligible students.” Parents or eligible students have the right to inspect and review the student’s education records maintained by the school. Schools are not required to provide copies of records unless, for reasons such as great distance, it is impossible for parents or eligible students to review the records. Schools may charge a fee for copies.

■

Parents or eligible students have the right to request that a school correct records that they believe to be inaccurate or misleading. If the school decides not to amend the record, the parent or eligible student then has the right to a formal hearing. After the hearing, if the school still decides not to amend the record, the parent or eligible student has the right to place a statement with the record setting forth his or her view about the contested information.

■

Generally, schools must have written permission from the parent or eligible student in order to release any information from a student’s education record. However, FERPA allows

■


A-1

Appendix A Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

schools to disclose those records, without consent, to the following parties or under the following conditions (34 CFR § 99.31): — School officials with legitimate educational interest; — Other schools to which a student is transferring; — Specified officials for audit or evaluation purposes; — Appropriate parties in connection with financial aid to a student; — Organizations conducting certain studies for or on behalf of the school; — Accrediting organizations; — To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena; — Appropriate officials in cases of health and safety emergencies; and — State and local authorities, within a juvenile justice system, pursuant to specific state law. Schools may disclose, without consent, directory information such as a student’s name, address, telephone number, date and place of birth, honors and awards, and dates of attendance. However, schools must tell parents and eligible students about directory information and allow parents and eligible students a reasonable amount of time to request that the school not disclose directory information about them. Schools must notify parents and eligible students annually of their rights under FERPA. The actual means of notification (special letter, inclusion in a PTA bulletin, student handbook or newspaper article) is left to the discretion of each school. For additional information or technical assistance, you may call 202260-3887 (voice mail). Individuals who use TDD may call the Federal Information Relay Service at 800-877-8339. Or you may contact us at the following address: Family Policy Compliance Office U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20202-5920 Source: www.ed.gov

A-2


Appendix B Glossary Note: There is a glossary of financial aid terms at the end of Chapter 8, a glossary of athletics-related terms at the end of Chapter 10 and a glossary of terms related to special needs issues at the end of Chapter 11.

A accelerated program. A college program of

study completed in less time than is usually required, most often by attending classes in the summer or by taking extra courses during the regular academic terms. Completion of a bachelor’s degree program in three years is an example of acceleration.

accreditation. A process that ascertains that

a college meets acceptable standards in its programs, facilities and services. Colleges are not required to seek accreditation but most do, and some are accredited by both regional and specialized accrediting bodies. Programs within a college, such as engineering or business, may be accredited as well. Accreditation alone is not a guarantee of high standards, but the lack of accreditation may be a warning that credits from that institution would not transfer to other institutions.

ACT Assessment. A college admission test

given at test centers in the United States and other countries on specified dates. Please visit the organization’s Web site. admit-deny. A policy whereby a college admits

students through a need-blind process but denies financial aid to some students even though they qualify.

advanced placement. Admission or

assignment of a first-year college student to an advanced course in a certain subject on the

basis of evidence that he or she has already completed the equivalent of the college’s course in that subject. Advanced Placement Program® (AP®). A

program of the College Board that provides high schools with course descriptions of 35 college subjects and end-of-course examinations in those subjects. High schools offer the courses and administer the examinations to interested students, who are then eligible for advanced placement, college credit or both on the basis of satisfactory grades. Most colleges and universities in the United States accept qualifying AP® Exam grades for credit, advanced placement or both.

articulation agreement. A formal agreement

between two higher education institutions, stating specific policies relating to transfer and recognition of academic achievement, to facilitate the successful transfer of students without duplication of course work. associate degree. A degree granted by a

college or university after the satisfactory completion of a two-year full-time program of study or its part-time equivalent. In general, the associate of arts (A.A.) or associate of science (A.S.) degree is granted after students complete a program of study similar to the first two years of a four-year college curriculum. The associate in applied science (A.A.S.) is awarded by many colleges


B-1

Appendix B Glossary

on completion of technological or vocational programs of study.

C

AVID. The Advancement Via Individual

Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant Program, the Federal Perkins Loan Program, and the Federal Work-Study Program. These three programs are called “campus based” because the funds are administered directly by the college’s financial aid office, which awards these funds to students using federal guidelines.

Determination is a school-based academic support programs for grades 5 through 12. It focuses on minority, rural and low-income students and provides teacher development and other services. award letter. A means of notifying admitted

students of the financial aid being offered by the college or university. The award letter provides information on the types and amounts of aid offered, as well as specific program information, students’ responsibilities and the conditions that govern the awards. Generally, the award letter gives students the opportunity to accept or decline the aid offered. The letter includes a deadline by which to respond.

B bachelor’s degree. A degree received after the

satisfactory completion of a four- or five-year full-time program of study (or its part-time equivalent) at a college or university. The bachelor of arts (B.A.) and the bachelor of science (B.S.) are the most common bachelor’s degrees. In general, a program of study that results in a B.A. requires more liberal arts courses than one resulting in a B.S. College catalogs describe the types of degrees awarded in each major. budget. The estimated cost of attendance

at a college or university. The cost usually includes tuition and fees (including loan fees), books and supplies, room and board, personal expenses, and transportation. Other living expenses may be included.

B-2

campus-based programs. The Federal

Candidates Reply Date Agreement. A College

Board–sponsored arrangement under which the subscribing institutions will not require any applicants offered admission as firstyear undergraduates to notify the college of their decision to attend (or to accept an offer of financial aid) before May 1 of the year the applicants apply. The purpose of this agreement is to give applicants time to hear from all the colleges to which they have applied before having to make a commitment to any of them.

CB code. A four-digit College Board number

that students use to designate colleges or scholarship programs to receive their SAT® score reports. certificate. An award for completing a

particular program or course of study, sometimes given by two-year colleges or vocational or technical schools.

church-related college. A private college that

is financially supported and whose policies are influenced to a degree by a church. class rank. The relative numeric position

of a student in his or her graduating class, as determined by the secondary school. Rank is calculated according to grade point


Appendix B Glossary

average and/or other measures of scholastic achievement.

submit to any of the organization’s nearly 300 members.

CollegeEd®. CollegeEd® is a middle and high

community/junior college. A college that

school college and career planning program that supports students and schools by helping students make the critical connection to learning and college. CollegeEd fosters a college-going culture in the school. The program offers Student Workbooks, Teacher’s Guides and Family Handbooks that engage each party in working toward the student’s future. College-Level Examination Program (CLEP ). ®

®

A series of examinations in undergraduate courses that provides students of any age an opportunity to demonstrate college-level achievement, thereby reducing costs and time to degree completion. The examinations, which are sponsored by the College Board, are administered at colleges year-round. All CLEP® exams are delivered on computer, providing test-takers instant score results. College Scholarship Service® (CSS®). See CSS/

Financial Aid PROFILE®.

combined bachelor’s/graduate degree.

offers only the first two years of undergraduate study. Community colleges are public institutions, whereas junior colleges are privately operated on a not-for-profit basis. Both usually offer both terminal (or “vocational”) programs and transfer programs.

consortium. The joining of several colleges

and universities within close geographical proximity. The advantages of attending a college that is a member of a consortium are that students have the resources of many libraries, they have the chance to take courses not available at their own college and they can take advantage of many combined cultural and educational opportunities. cooperative education. A program that

provides for alternative class attendance and employment in business, industry or government. Students are typically paid for their work. Under a cooperative plan, five years are normally required for completion of a bachelor’s degree, but graduates have the advantage of about a year’s practical work experience in addition to their studies.

A program in which students complete a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree or first-professional degree in less than the usual amount of time. In most programs, students apply to undergraduate study and begin the graduate program in their fourth year of college. Successful completion results in awarding of both bachelor’s and graduate degrees.

areas of the arts and sciences, designated by a college as one of the requirements for a degree. Some colleges have both core curriculum requirements and general education requirements.

Common Application. The Common

cost of attendance (also known as cost of

Application is a not-for-profit organization that serves students and member institutions by providing an admission application — online and in print — that students may

core curriculum. A group of courses, in varied

education or budget). A number of expenses,

including tuition and fees, books and supplies, and student’s living expenses while attending school. The cost of attendance is estimated by


B-3

Appendix B Glossary

the school, within guidelines established by federal regulation. The cost of attendance is compared with the student’s expected family contribution to determine the student’s need for financial aid. Coverdell Education Savings Account.

A federal income tax provision formerly referred to as the Education ERA that enables taxpayers to establish a college savings plan. A maximum of $2,000 may be contributed annually to the account on a tax-free basis. The annual eligible amount is determined according to income and taxpayer status. credit by examination. Academic credit

granted by a college to entering students who have demonstrated proficiency in collegelevel studies through examinations such as those sponsored by the College Board’s Advanced Placement Program and CollegeLevel Examination Program. It is a means of cutting college costs by reducing the number of courses needed to earn a degree. cross-registration. The practice, through

agreements between colleges, of permitting students enrolled at one college or university to enroll in courses at another institution without formally applying for admission to the second institution.

CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE®. A Web-based

application service offered by the College Board and used by some colleges, universities, and private scholarship programs to award their private financial aid funds. Students register for and complete the PROFILE at the College Board Web site: www.collegeboard.com. CSS provides a customized application for each registrant, based on the student’s registration information and the requirements of the colleges and programs to which she or he is

B-4

seeking aid. Students complete the online application and supplements, if required. CSS processes and reports the application data to institutions. CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE is not a federal form and may not be used to apply for federal student aid. Students pay a fee to register for PROFILE, and for the reports sent to institutions and programs that use it.

D deferred admission. Postponing enrollment,

usually for one year, after acceptance to college. dependent student. For financial aid

purposes, the status that includes students who are under the age of 24, attend an undergraduate program, are not married or have children of their own, or are not orphans, wards of the court, or veterans of the armed services. The term is used to define eligibility for certain financial aid programs, regardless of whether or not the student lives with a parent, receives financial support from a parent, or is claimed on a parent’s tax return. If a student is defined as dependent according to the definition, parental financial information must be supplied on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and institutional aid applications.

direct loan program. See William D. Ford

Federal Direct Loan Program.

distance learning. An option for earning

course credit off campus via cable television, the Internet, satellite classes, videotapes, correspondence courses or other means.

double major. Any program in which a

student completes the requirements of two majors concurrently.


Appendix B Glossary

dual enrollment. The practice in which a

student enrolls in college courses while still in high school, earning both high school and college credit for their work.

F FAFSA. See Free Application for Federal

Student Aid.

FAFSA on the Web. An electronic option for

E Early Action. A program in which the student

receives a decision earlier than the standard response date but is not required to accept the admissions offer or to make a deposit before May 1.

Early admission. The policy of some colleges

of admitting certain students who have not completed high school — usually students of exceptional ability who have completed their junior year. These students are enrolled fulltime in college. Early Decision. A program that commits

participating students to enroll at the college if admitted and offered a satisfactory financial aid package. Application deadlines are usually in November or December, with a mid- to late-December notification date. Some colleges have two rounds of Early Decision. elective. A course, not required for one’s

chosen major, that is selected to fulfill credit hours required for graduation.

expected family contribution. The total

amount students and their families are expected to pay toward college costs from their income and assets for one academic year. The amount is derived from a need analysis of the family’s overall financial circumstances. The Federal Methodology is used to determine a student’s eligibility for federal and state student aid. Colleges and private aid programs may use a different methodology to determine eligibility for nonfederal financial aid.

completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (www.fafsa.ed.gov). Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education. FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children’s education records. These rights transfer to the student when he or she reaches the age of 18 or attends a school beyond the high school level. federal code number. A six-digit number

(formerly known as the Title IV number) that identifies a specific college to which students want their Free Application for Federal Student Aid form submitted. Federal Family Education Loan Program. The

subsidized and unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loan, Federal Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students, and Federal Loan Consolidation programs. Funds for these programs are provided by lenders, and the loans are guaranteed by the federal government. Federal Methodology. The process of

analyzing the student’s household and financial information on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid to calculate an expected family contribution and eligibility for federal and state aid. Federal Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students. A program that permits parents of

undergraduate students to borrow up to the full cost of education, less any other financial


B-5

Appendix B Glossary

aid the student may have received. The interest rate is variable and is reset each July. Federal Pell Grant Program. A federally

sponsored and administered program that provides need-based grants to undergraduate students. Congress annually sets the dollar range. As of 2009-10, a Pell Grant cannot exceed $5,350 per year. Eligibility for Pell Grants is based on a student’s expected family contribution, the total cost of attendance at the college, and whether the student is attending the college full-time or part-time.

Federal Perkins Loan Program. A federally

funded campus-based program that provides low-interest loans, based on need, for undergraduate study. The combined cumulative total of loan funds available to an individual for undergraduate and graduate education is $40,000. Repayment need not begin until completion of the student’s education, and may be deferred for limited periods of service in the military, Peace Corps or approved comparable organizations. The total debt may be forgiven by the federal government if the recipient enters a career of service as a public health nurse, law enforcement officer, public school teacher or social worker. Federal Stafford Loan. A program that allows

students to borrow money for educational expenses from banks and other lending institutions (and sometimes from the colleges themselves). Subsidized Stafford loans are offered by colleges based on need. The federal government pays the interest on subsidized loans while the borrower is in college. Unsubsidized Stafford loans are non-needbased; anyone may apply for one regardless of ability to pay for college. The interest on unsubsidized loans begins accumulating

B-6

immediately, so the amount borrowers repay after graduation will be more than what they originally borrowed. For both programs, the amounts that may be borrowed depend on the student’s year in school, and the interest rates are variable. Federal Work-Study Program. A form of

financial assistance that allows students to work in on- or off-campus employment sites while attending school. The wages earned are used to help pay the student’s educational costs for the academic year. Job opportunities vary from campus to campus. The time commitment is usually 10 to 15 hours a week. financial aid application form. A form

that collects information on the student, the student’s income and assets, and (for dependent students) the parents’ income and assets. All students must file the FAFSA to apply for financial aid; some colleges and states also require the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE or their own institutional or state form.

financial aid award letter. See award letter. financial need. The difference between the

total cost of attending a college and a student’s expected family contribution. Financial aid grants, loans and work-study will be offered by each college to fill the student’s need. free and reduced-price school meals program.

A federal program that offers free and reduced-price breakfast and lunch to students who qualify based on income and other factors. Schools receive a letter and application that they are required to send to households to determine eligibility for the program.

Free Application for Federal Student Aid. A

form completed by all applicants for federal


Appendix B Glossary

student aid. The FAFSA is available on the Web at www.fafsa.ed.gov. In many states, completion of the FAFSA is also sufficient to establish eligibility for state-sponsored aid programs. There is no charge to students for completing the FAFSA. The FAFSA may be filed any time after January 1 of the year for which one is seeking aid (e.g., after Jan. 1, 2009, for the academic year 2009-10).

G gapping. A practice by which a college does

not meet the full financial need of an admitted student, leaving a gap that must be filled by the student’s own financial resources.

GEAR UP. The acronym for the federal

early awareness initiative for middle school students entitled Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs.

General Educational Development. A series

of tests that individuals who did not complete high school may take through their state education system to qualify for a high school equivalency certificate.

general education requirements. Courses

that give undergraduates a background in all major academic disciplines: natural sciences, social sciences, mathematics, literature and language, and fine arts. Most colleges have general education requirements — students usually take these courses in their first and second years, getting the chance to sample a wide range of courses before selecting a major. At some colleges, general education courses are referred to as the core curriculum; at others, a few courses within the general education requirements are core courses that all students must take.

gift aid. Scholarships and grants, which do not

have to be repaid.

grade point average. A system used by many

schools for evaluating the overall scholastic performance of students. Grade points are determined by first multiplying the number of hours given for a course by the numerical value of the grade and then dividing the sum of all grade points by the total number of hours carried. The most common system of numerical values for grades is A = 4, B = 3, C = 2, D = 1, and E or F = 0.

grant. A financial aid award that is given to

a student and does not have to be paid back. The terms “grant” and “scholarship” are often used interchangeably to refer to gift aid, but often grants are awarded solely on the basis of financial need, while scholarships may require the student to demonstrate merit.

H HOPE education tax credit. A federal income

tax credit of as much as $1,500 per dependent student annually. It is available to eligible taxpayers based on out-of-pocket tuition and fee expenditures, according to income eligibility guidelines.

I independent student. For financial aid

purposes, the status that generally includes students who are either at least 24 years old, married, a veteran, a foster child, an orphan or have legal dependents (not including spouse). Independent students do not need to provide parental information to be considered for federal financial aid programs. However, private institutions may require independent students to provide parental information


B-7

Appendix B Glossary

on their institutional forms in order to be considered for nonfederal sources of funding.

M

Institutional Methodology. A need-analysis

formula that takes into account family assets such as home equity to determine a family’s expected contribution.

is accepted, pays fees and enrolls in classes, officially becoming a student at the college. This term is applied only to first-year students and to a transfer student’s first enrollment.

Institutional Student Information Record. A

military academies. See U.S. Service

federal output record, sent to the school, that contains the expected family contribution and all the information provided by the student on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

International Baccalaureate. A high school

curriculum offered by some schools in the United States and other countries. Some colleges award credit for the completion of this curriculum. Please visit the organization’s Web site for further information.

internship. Any short-term, supervised work,

usually related to a student’s major, for which academic credit is earned. The work can be full- or part-time, on or off campus, paid or unpaid. Some majors require the student to complete an internship.

matriculation. The process whereby a student

academies.

My College QuickStart™ is an easy-to-use,

online, personalized college and career planning kit available free of charge to all students who take the PSAT/NMSQT®. This tool incorporates student responses that were provided when they took the test, and presents their data back to them in four sections: My Online Score Report, My SAT Study Plan™, My College Matches and My Major & Career Matches. My College QuickStart is available using the access code printed on the student’s paper score report. The tool can be utilized throughout high school.

N National Hispanic Recognition Program.

L liberal arts. The study of the humanities

(literature, the arts and philosophy), history, foreign languages, social sciences, mathematics and natural sciences. Study of the liberal arts and humanities prepares students to develop general knowledge and reasoning ability rather than specific skills. Lifetime Learning tax credit. A federal income

tax credit of as much as $1,000 per household annually. It is available to eligible taxpayers based on out-of-pocket tuition and fee expenditures according to income eligibility guidelines. B-8

A College Board program that identifies outstanding Hispanic high school students and shares information about these academically well-prepared students with subscribing colleges and universities. In order to be considered, students must be at least onequarter Hispanic and take the PSAT/NMSQT in their junior year. need analysis. The process of analyzing the

student’s household and financial information provided on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid to calculate the expected family contribution and student’s eligibility for financial aid.


Appendix B Glossary

need-based financial aid. Financial aid

(scholarships, grants, loans or work-study opportunities) given to students who have demonstrated financial need, calculated by subtracting the student’s expected family contribution from a college’s total costs. The EFC is derived from a need analysis of the family’s overall financial circumstances, using either the Federal Methodology to determine a student’s eligibility for federal student aid, or the Institutional Methodology to determine eligibility for nonfederal financial aid. need blind. A college policy of determining

admission without regard to a student’s financial need or financial aid status.

need conscious. A college policy that

considers student need or financial aid status for at least some portion of its applicant pool in making admissions decisions.

O open admissions. A college admissions

policy of admitting high school graduates, and other adults generally, without regard to conventional academic qualifications such as attainment of high school subjects, good high school grades and acceptable admissions test scores. Under open admissions, virtually all applicants with high school diplomas or their equivalent are accepted.

together constitute the total expected family contribution. Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students.

See Federal Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students. Personal Identification Number. This number

— sometimes determined by an institution, sometimes self-selected — is used to protect the student’s personal and financial security when performing electronic transactions and completing electronic forms. The PIN acts as an electronic signature and therefore should not be shared with anyone. Both FAFSA and the National Collegiate Athletic Association Clearinghouse require students to have PINs before registering through their Web sites. placement test. A battery of tests designed

to assess a student’s aptitude and level of achievement in various academic areas so that the student can select the most appropriate courses. preferential packaging. A policy that awards

financial aid based on a student’s desirability. A more desirable student may receive a higher percentage of grants and scholarships in the financial aid package than another student who demonstrates the same financial need.

prerequisite. A requirement that must be met

before a certain course can be taken.

private college/university. An institution

P parents’ contribution. The amount a student’s

parents are expected to pay toward college costs from their income and assets. It is derived from need analysis of the parents’ overall financial situation. The parents’ contribution and the student’s contribution

of higher education not supported by taxes. The school or other public funds may be independent or church related. proprietary college. A private institution

operated by its owners as a profit-making enterprise.


B-9

Appendix B Glossary

PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test). A

shorter version of the SAT, with a diagnostic component providing skills feedback. Administered by high schools to sophomores and juniors each year in October, the PSAT/NMSQT aids high schools in the early guidance of students planning for college and serves as the qualifying test for scholarships awarded by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.

public college/university. An institution of

higher education supported by taxes or other public funds.

Q quarter. An academic calendar period of

about 12 weeks. Four quarters make up an academic year, but at colleges using the quarter system, students make normal academic progress by attending three quarters each year. In some colleges, students can accelerate their progress by attending all four quarters in one or more years.

R remedial course. A noncredit course taken

to help students with weak backgrounds in a particular area. The course prepares the student for a credit course in that area.

Reserve Officers’ Training Corps. Programs

conducted by certain colleges in cooperation with the U.S. Air Force, Army and Navy. Naval ROTC includes the Marine Corps (the Coast Guard and Merchant Marine do not sponsor ROTC programs). Local recruiting offices of the services themselves can supply detailed information about these programs, as can participating colleges.

B-10

residency requirements. Requirements

at most colleges and universities that a student spend a minimum number of terms taking courses on campus (as opposed to independent study, transfer credits from other colleges or credit by examination) to be eligible for graduation. Residency requirements can also refer to the minimum amount of time a student is required to have lived in a state to be eligible for in-state tuition at a public (state-controlled) college or university. rolling admissions. An admissions procedure

by which the college considers each student’s application as soon as all the required credentials, such as school record and test scores, have been received. The college usually notifies an applicant of its decision without delay. At many colleges, rolling admissions allows for early notification and works much like nonbinding Early Action programs.

S SAT. The College Board’s test of developed

language skills and mathematical reasoning abilities, given on specified dates throughout the year at test centers in the United States and other countries. The SAT is required by many colleges and sponsors of financial aid programs. SAT Question and Answer Service. A service

of the College Board that provides students with a copy of their SAT test, their answers and the correct answers, scoring instructions and information about the questions. The service is available only for certain test dates.

SAT Subject Tests™. College Board tests in

specific subjects, given at test centers in the United States and other countries on specified


Appendix B Glossary

dates throughout the year. The tests are used by colleges not only to help with decisions about admissions but also to assist in course placement and exemption of enrolled first-year students.

provided on the FAFSA as well as the federally calculated result, which the financial aid office will use in determining the student’s eligibility for the Federal Pell Grant and other federal student aid programs.

scholarship or grant. A type of financial aid

student expense budget. A calculation of the

that doesn’t have to be repaid. Grants are often based on financial need. Scholarships may be based on need, on need combined with other criteria, or solely on other criteria, such as academic achievement, artistic ability and talent in the performing arts.

Section 529 plans. State-sponsored college

savings programs that are commonly referred to as “529 plans” after the section of the Internal Revenue Code that provides the plan’s tax breaks.

annual cost of attending college that is used in determining the student’s need. Student expense budgets usually include tuition and fees, books and supplies, room and board, personal expenses, and transportation. Sometimes additional expenses are included for students with special education needs, students who have a disability, or students who are married and/or have children.

student’s contribution. The amount the

Colleges on a semester system offer two semesters of instruction a year; there may also be a summer session.

student is expected to pay toward college costs from the student’s income, assets and benefits. The amount is derived from need analysis of resources. The student’s contribution and the parents’ contribution constitute the total family contribution, which, when subtracted from the student budget, equals financial need. Generally, students are eligible for financial aid equal to their financial need.

Services for Students with Disabilities. A

study abroad. Any arrangement by which a

self-help. Student financial aid, such as

loans and jobs, that requires repayment or employment.

semester. A period of about 16 weeks.

College Board service that assists disabled students by providing services and reasonable accommodations appropriate to the student’s disability and the purpose of the exam the student is taking. SSD provides Advanced Placement Program Exam, PSAT/NMSQT and SAT testing accommodations for students who have documented disabilities.

student completes part of the college program — typically the third year, but sometimes only a semester or a summer — studying in another country. A college may operate a campus abroad, or it may have a cooperative agreement with another U.S. college or an institution of the host country.

Student Aid Report. A report produced by

on the basis of financial need. The federal government pays the borrower’s accrued interest during some significant periods, such as during the time the student is in school, thereby subsidizing the loan.

the U.S. Department of Education and sent to students in response to their having filed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The SAR contains information the student

subsidized loan. A loan awarded to a student


B-11

Appendix B Glossary

T taxable income. Income earned from wages,

salaries, and tips, as well as interest income, dividends, alimony, estate or trust income, business or farm profits, and rental or property income. Title IV number. See federal code number. TOEFL. The Test of English as a Foreign

Language, which helps students demonstrate their English language proficiency at the advanced level required for study in colleges in the United States. Many colleges require that their applicants from non-Englishspeaking countries take the test as part of the admissions process.

total cost for the student’s attendance at an academic institution. unsubsidized loan. A loan that is not need

based; the borrower is responsible for accrued interest throughout the life of the loan. U.S. service academies. The Military

Academy (West Point, N.Y.), the Naval Academy (Annapolis, Md.), the Air Force Academy (Colorado Springs) and the Coast Guard Academy (New London, Conn.). Students’ tuition, books, board, and medical and dental care are all fully paid for all four years. Graduates receive a bachelor of science degree and a job as a junior officer in the military. There is a minimum service obligation of five years after graduation.

transcript. A copy of a student’s official

academic record, listing all courses taken and grades received.

V

transfer program. An option in a two-year

accredited institution wherein all courses are delivered by distance learning, with no physical campus.

college (or four-year college that offers associate degrees), primarily for students who plan to move to a four-year college or university.

trimester. An academic calendar period of

about 15 weeks. Three trimesters make up one year. Students normally progress by attending two of the trimesters each year and in some colleges can accelerate their progress by attending all three trimesters in one or more years.

U undocumented. Students whose parents

are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents (green card holders).

unmet need. The difference between a

virtual university. A degree-granting,

W wait list. A list of students who meet the

admissions requirements but will be offered a place in the class only if space becomes available. William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program.

A program that allows participating schools to administer subsidized and unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loans and Federal Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students programs directly to student and parent borrowers. Direct loans have mostly the same terms and conditions as those under the Federal Family Education Loan Program loans. Funds for

student’s total available resources and the

B-12


Appendix B Glossary

these programs are provided by the federal government. work-study. An arrangement by which a

student combines employment and college study. The employment may be an integral part of the academic program (as in cooperative education and internships) or simply a means of paying for college (as in the Federal Work-Study Program).


B-13

Appendix C

Activities for grades 9-12 The following activities have been developed by counselors. They can be used as described or modified to suit the size of your school. As much as anything, they will provide ideas for activities of your own. Grade levels and time needed are suggestions only.

Activity 1

Transcript review

Ninth grade

Activity 2

Test-taking tips

Ninth grade

Activity 3

Time management

Eighth or ninth grade

Activity 4

Early college planning quiz

Ninth grade and 10th grade

Activity 5

College visits

Tenth grade

Activity 6

Raising Aspirations Program

Grades 10 through 12

Activity 7

College exploration Web quest

Eleventh grade

Activity 8

College viewbook quest

Eleventh grade

Activity 9

Compare two colleges

Eleventh grade

Activity 10

Mock admissions committee

Eleventh grade

Activity 11

Avoiding common errors on college applications

Eleventh grade and 12th grade

Activity 12

How well do you know your student?

Twelfth-graders and their parents

Activity 13

The great sorting game

Eleventh- and 12th-graders and/or their parents


C-1

Appendix C Activities

Activity 1: Transcript review Audience: Ninth-graders Purpose: To help students understand what a transcript actually is, and how colleges use it in making admissions decisions. Time required: 30 minutes Materials: 1. A blank school transcript for each student. 2. Copies of an actual student transcript for grades 9-12 (with identifying information blacked out) for each student. Choose a transcript that shows academic progress. Activity: 1. Give each student a copy of a blank school transcript and an actual student transcript (with identifying information blacked out). Discuss the components of a transcript. Show them that as ninth-graders they have a blank slate: no bad marks. 2. Then look at the actual student transcript. Ask the students to share their observations. Discuss honors courses, absences and grades in hard classes. 3. Explain that college admissions staff will be looking at their transcripts to see what they have taken, how they’ve done and whether they’ve challenged themselves more (or less) over four years, etc. Options: Give students a brief description of the admissions criteria at an imaginary college. Ask if they think the college would have admitted the student whose transcript they have. Source: Amherst Regional High School, Amherst, Mass.


C-3


Activity 2: Test-taking tips Purpose: Students will review and discuss test-taking strategies. Audience: Ninth-graders Time required: 30 minutes Materials: 1. Pens and pencils 2. Handout: Test-taking tips (next page) Activity: 1. Ask students the following questions: What are tests used for?

■

What problems do you have in taking tests?

■

2. Write three to four tips to use during the test on the board (or create a handout). 3. Invite students to discuss the importance of each. 4. Then ask students to recall a time when they used test strategies. 5. Encourage students to listen to each other. 6. Then ask the following discussion questions: Which one of the strategies has been difficult for you to use?

■

What can you do to remember some of these strategies?

■

Which of the strategies have you practiced?

■

Options: Coordinate with a teacher. Go over a test the students have taken earlier and ask if any of these tips would have helped them on that test.


C-5


Test-taking tips Tips to use during the test ■ Read all directions carefully before starting the test. Budget your time.

■

Make a special effort to be neat.

■

Clearly mark your answers.

■

If you have extra time, go back and check your answers.

■

Your first response is probably your best response. Do not change an answer unless you have a good reason to do so.

■

Tips for multiple-choice tests ■ Make educated guesses. If you can eliminate one or two of the choices, then guessing will be more profitable. If the question is confusing, look at the answers. They often explain the question.

■

Don’t spend too much time on any of the questions.

■

Fill in answers on machine-scored test sheets accurately and carefully.

■

Tips for essay tests ■ Look over all the questions quickly before you answer them. Underline key words in the questions, especially those that indicate how the teacher wants the question to be answered; for example, words such as analyze, compare, list, explain, summarize, etc.

■

If the question asks for a comparison, be sure you do that.

■

Make a brief outline.

■

Source: Chicago Public Schools

C-6



Activity 3: Time management Audience: Eighth- or ninth-graders Purpose: To introduce time management skills. Time: Two classes Materials: 1. Pads of paper for each group 2. Flip charts 3. Copies of time logs for each student (below) 4. Copies of time management sheets for each student (below) Class 1: Ask the students to form four groups. Assign each group one of the strategies listed below. Time Management Strategies 1. Organize your time 2. Prioritize your activities 3. Organize your home environment 4. Organize your school environment Tell each group to brainstorm to come up with specific behaviors they can think of that might help students address that strategy. Give them at least 20 minutes to brainstorm. Ask the group with strategy 1 to post its list on a flip chart. Discuss the suggestions that the students have come up with. Liberally underline, star and number selected strategies to prioritize and reinforce them. Follow the same procedure for each of the other strategies. Below are some key behaviors to add if the students have not thought of them. Strategy 1: Organize your time ■ Keep a planning calendar. Record all the things you must do.

■

Check your calendar first thing every morning.

■

Strategy 2: Prioritize your activities ■ Decide what’s most important, second most important and so on. Do the most important things first.

■


C-7


Strategy 3: Organize your home environment ■ Have a place to study and a surface (or computer) to write on. Reduce or eliminate distractions.

■

Keep materials and equipment handy.

■

Strategy 4: Organize your school environment ■ Keep an orderly locker, backpack and notebook. Hold a clean-up, throw-out and get-organized session each night.

■

Make sure you have all supplies and assignments ready for the next day.

■

Distribute the time logs. Explain to the students that keeping a time log for a few days will help them recognize where they need to make changes in their use of time. Class 2: After they have maintained their time logs for a week or so, ask them the following questions and discuss these issues: 1. How satisfied are you with your use of time? 2. Where do you most need to get organized? 3. How do you usually waste time? 4. How can you reduce or eliminate wasted time? 5. Why is it important to find time for work and relaxation? 6. How many hours do you spend watching TV a week? Do you have any desire to change this figure? Why or why not? 7. What have you learned from these activities?

C-8



Keeping a Time Log Experience Sheet Directions: Keep track of your time for one week. Every day, in each square of the log, write the code that stands for the activity you did during that time period. Make up your own codes for activities that are not listed. Codes: CL FM HO ET FR

Class time Family activity Hobby Eating Time with friends Mon.

ST SH SL SP TE

TV TR CH RE

Studying Shopping Sleeping Sports Telephone

Tues.

Wed.

Thurs.

Television Traveling to and from Chores Relaxing

Fri.

Sat.

Sun.

6 a.m. 7 a.m. 8 a.m. 9 a.m. 10 a.m. 11 a.m. 12 p.m. 1 p.m. 2 p.m. 3 p.m. 5 p.m. 6 p.m. 7 p.m. 8 p.m. 9 p.m. 10 p.m. 11 p.m.


C-9


Time Management Tips 1. Learn to say “no.” If someone wants you to do something you aren’t interested in doing, it’s okay to turn down the offer. In the same way, assert your rights when someone is wasting your time. You have the right to make good use of your time and energy. Do things that you really enjoy and benefit from. Spend time with people who add joy to your life. 2. Make decisions. Low energy and confusion sometimes result from failing to act when decisions need to be made. By making decisions and following through on them, you spend your time on important tasks instead of wasting it on worry or confusion. 3. Look ahead and set goals. Everyone should have short-term and long-term goals. You can set goals as far ahead as you choose. Stay flexible but start preparing now for the future. 4. Get your body and mind in shape. Budget some time for exercise and make sure you eat right and get enough sleep. When you feel rushed or stressed during the day, take a break and relax. 5. Tackle the toughest part of any job or assignment first. Don’t start with the easy stuff. Take advantage of your freshness and enthusiasm when you begin work. Accomplishing the tough part will spur you on to complete the rest of the task. 6. Don’t put things off. Procrastination is the biggest obstacle between you and increased effectiveness. Start now and take each project one step at a time. Keep moving and strive to eliminate procrastination from your life. 7. Be flexible. Things are always changing. Be willing to adapt and switch directions if new circumstances or information arise. Be open to new possibilities. Source: Adapted from materials created by Memorial Middle School, Conn.

C-10



Activity 4: Early college planning quiz Audience: Ninth-graders and (the following year) 10th-graders Purpose: To create early awareness of what is required for college; to assess what students know and do not know about college. Materials: Printouts of the quiz for all students Time required: One class session in ninth grade; another class session in 10th grade Activity: For ninth-graders: 1. Give the quiz on the next page, modified for your school and state, to ninth-graders. (You will have to give the quiz in an academic class in order to reach all ninth-graders.) Have students hand in the quiz, which you will score and use as a baseline for their performance in 10th grade. 2. Ask the following questions: What is a transcript?

■

What is a GPA?

■

What are requirements for the state four-year colleges?

■

For 10th-graders: Administer the same test at the beginning of 10th grade and determine whether college knowledge has grown, and see what areas students are unclear on. Option: Combine this with Activity 1, Transcript review.


C-11


College Requirements Quiz Name: _______________________________________________________ Grade: _ _________ We want to learn what you know about college admissions requirements and high school academic records. We will use your answers to plan guidance programs that will help all students know more about academic planning for college. Thank you for participating!

1.

For admission to college it is more important to have high admission test scores than to do well in my classes.

_____ True

_____ False

2.

For admission to college it is better to have all A’s in easy courses than to take harder classes and get lower grades.

_____ True

_____ False

3.

If I take an honors-level course or an AP® course, this is listed next to the course grade on my transcript.

_____ True

_____ False

4.

My high school transcript shows the final grades that I receive in each class, not the progress report grades.

_____ True

_____ False

5.

My total number of absences and tardies for each year are listed on my transcript.

_____ True

_____ False

6.

My grade point average is an average of all my courses except physical education.

_____ True

_____ False

7.

State colleges and universities calculate my grade point average the same way that the high school does.

_____ True

_____ False

8.

Which of the following is NOT required for admission into state four-year colleges: 4 years of English

_____ True

_____ False

3 years of college-prep math (Algebra I, geometry, Algebra II)

_____ True

_____ False

3 years of science (earth science, biology, chemistry, or physics)

_____ True

_____ False

2 years of social studies

_____ True

_____ False

4 years of physical education

_____ True

_____ False

2 years of one world language

_____ True

_____ False

2 years of elective courses (i.e., arts, music, computer, business)

_____ True

_____ False

Source: Amherst Regional High School, Mass.

C-12



Activity 5: College visits Audience: Sophomores Purpose: To introduce students to college campuses; to demonstrate that colleges come in many varieties, and there is something for everyone. Materials: Buses, food, chaperones Time required: A full day Activity: All sophomores are taken to three different colleges in a single day, typically a private, a public and a community college. Students don’t choose which colleges they visit; the point is to see how colleges are different from one another. Arrange for a campus tour at each college. If possible, arrange for students to visit a classroom, a student center, and a dorm. Option: Prior to the college visits, discuss with students what questions to ask, what to look for and how to compare colleges. Notes: ■ This activity was developed by a school with approximately 250 sophomores. Consider applying for a grant to fund the visits. Local businesses may be willing to fund them, too. The approximate cost for one year (with five buses) is $3,500.

■

Try to get the college to provide lunch; if not, the grant needs to cover food.

■

To make the activity exciting, rent comfortable buses (i.e., not school buses).

■

■

Tap parents for help organizing and chaperoning this activity.

Teachers may not support this at first, but they will see that students develop enthusiasm for college as a result of these visits.

■



C-13


Activity 6: Raising Aspirations Program Audience: Students in grades 10 through 12 Purpose: To provide in-depth college preparation to students who need additional support. Materials: Various Time required: Extensive time over three years Activity: At the end of ninth grade, counselors ask teachers which students could benefit from additional future-planning support, or seem disengaged. First-generation students are the target group, but the program is not limited to them. The program usually serves about 30 students. Sophomore year: In the first semester, there is a weekly class, led by the school counselor. It focuses on team-building, personal development, learning styles and college exploration. In the second semester, students continue with career exploration activities but also have the opportunity to take Introduction to College Studies at the local community college. The students take the course with college students. The school provides the bus that transports the students to the college for this evening course. They also visit different colleges during their sophomore year. College students at a small local liberal arts college serve as mentors and spend a day at the high school with the student they are mentoring. The Raising Aspirations students also go to the college for a day and shadow their mentor. Junior year: Students will attend weekly classes at the high school that are focused on college planning. Students can also take a course at the community college free of charge if they complete Introduction to College Studies. They go on a two-day field trip to colleges throughout the region. They also visit the state student financial aid association and talk about financial aid. Parent meetings share college-preparation information, and also involve fun after-school activities like rowing and bowling. Senior year: Students work individually with their counselor to complete college applications. Notes: The Community College of Vermont provided courses free of charge. Grants covered the other expenses (of approximately $3,500 per year, per grade level). The first cohort (25 students) graduated in 2005. Of those, 19 went to college — a higher percentage than for the school as a whole. One went into the military, and the rest pursued vo-tech training. Source: Helen Neidermeir, Director of Student Services, Champlain Valley Union High School, Vt. College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved.

C-15


Activity 7: College exploration Web quest Audience: Juniors Purpose: To introduce students to ways of researching colleges. Materials: Computers with Internet access for all students Time required: One class period Activity: 1. Divide students into groups of three or four. Assign each group a college to research. 2. The students are to use the college’s Web site to answer the questions on the worksheet (see next page). Suggest that students begin by looking for links labeled “prospective students” or “admissions.” Additional helpful links include “student life” and “academics.” 3. Allow 10 to 15 minutes for research and a few additional minutes for the group to organize a presentation to the class. The students can work together at one computer or, if space permits, work on individual computers and then compile their results. Source: Peggy Hock, Notre Dame High School, San Jose, Calif.


C-17


College Exploration Worksheet Name of College:________________________________________________________________ College Web Address:____________________________________________________________ Location of College:______________________________________________________________ Type of college (two-year, four-year, public, private):_ ___________________________________ How large is the college? How many undergraduate students? How many graduate students? _____________________________________________________________________________ What are the average grades and test scores of freshmen admitted to this college? _____________________________________________________________________________ What is the application deadline for undergraduate students? _ ___________________________ Does the college encourage students to apply online?____________________________________ Is it in a small town, city, suburb or the countryside?____________________________________ List two news items from the Web site. These might include guest speakers, athletic events or announcements about new academic programs. 1.____________________________________________________________________________ 2.____________________________________________________________________________ Find the Web page for one academic department. List one course that is required in that major. _____________________________________________________________________________ What is the college’s mascot?_ _____________________________________________________ List the names of three clubs or activities: 1.____________________________________________________________________________ 2.____________________________________________________________________________ 3.____________________________________________________________________________ How do students look in the pictures (diverse, preppy, alternative)?_________________________ Why might you recommend this college to a friend?____________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________

C-18



Activity 8: College viewbook quest Audience: Juniors Purpose: To develop college research and assessment skills. Materials: At least one current college viewbook for every four students and a printed work sheet (see next page). Choose viewbooks that represent a range of college choices. Time required: One class period Activity: 1. Divide students into groups of four to five. Give each group a viewbook and a work sheet. 2. Ask each group to answer the worksheet questions using the viewbook and then briefly present “their” college to the class. They should have at least 10-15 minutes to prepare. Have each group select a reporter to present their findings to the class. Notes: ■ After each group has introduced its college, ask the class what else they would want to know about the college if they could talk to someone who goes there. Record the questions on the board. After all colleges have been presented, ask the students which questions could be answered by reading the viewbook more closely. Are the remainder of the questions appropriate to ask on a visit to a college or at a college fair or high school visit?

■

Make a class list of good questions to ask college admissions representatives.

■

Source: Peggy Hock, Notre Dame High School, San Jose, Calif.


C-19


College Viewbook Worksheet Name of college:_ _______________________________________________________________ Location of college:______________________________________________________________ Type of college:_ ________________________________________________________________ How large is the college? How many undergraduate students? How many graduate students? _____________________________________________________________________________ What are the average grades and test scores of the students admitted to this college? _____________________________________________________________________________ Is it in a small town, city, suburb or the countryside?____________________________________ How does the college advertise that it takes advantage of its location (outdoor activities, community service opportunities, internships)?________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ What did you learn about the classroom environment? Lectures? Small seminars? Independent study? What is the range of class sizes? _ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ Who teaches classes: full-time faculty, part-time faculty or graduate student TAs? _____________________________________________________________________________ What academic programs are emphasized in the viewbook?______________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ How do students look in the pictures (diverse, preppy, alternative)?_________________________ Why might you recommend this college to a friend?____________________________________

C-20



Activity 9: Compare two colleges Audience: Juniors Purpose: To help students learn how to research colleges when attending college fairs. Materials: Paper Time required: This activity occurs over several days Activity: Have students research at least two colleges when they attend college fairs: one that they are considering applying to and one that they aren’t. Ask them to write a short paper comparing and contrasting the colleges on three dimensions: 1. Academic offerings 2. Life on campus 3. Location Students should share their findings with their classmates (in homeroom or advisory, for example) so that other students can “discover” their colleges. Source: Charles Anderson, Westinghouse Academy, Chicago Public Schools


C-21


Activity 10: Mock admissions committee Audience: Juniors Purpose: To create awareness of how admissions committees assess applications. Time required: 45 to 60 minutes Materials: Copies for each student of two actual applications to one college (with identifying information blanked out). The application should include the transcript, essay and letters of recommendation. (A college that accepts many of your students will be able to share applications with you.) Note: Use applications that pose a challenge to your mock committee: a student who played sports but had middling grades, and a student with great grades but an uninspired essay, for example. Activity: 1. Divide students into groups of six to eight. Give each student a copy of the two applications; tell each group it must choose one of the two applicants for admission. 2. Give each group 20 minutes to read each application and come to a consensus on whether to admit or deny. If they cannot reach a consensus, they may go with the majority. 3. Ask them to select one group member to serve as reporter. After 20 minutes, each group must tell the whole class if it reached a verdict. Note: You will have to tell the students what the college is like and what kind of students it seeks to admit. Source: Amherst Regional High School, Amherst, Mass.


C-23


Activity 11: Avoiding common errors on college applications Audience: Juniors and seniors Purpose: Help students avoid common mistakes on college applications through awareness and an assessment of mock applications. Materials: Copies of 6-10 mock college applications for each small group of students; these need to reflect a range of common mistakes Time required: At least an hour Activity: Part 1: Discuss common mistakes General mistakes: Inappropriate e-mail addresses

■

Sloppiness (spills, etc.)

■

Using current year as the date of birth

■

Sending extra components that aren’t requested

■

Including a report card instead of an official transcript

■

Not mentioning part-time work, academic camps or volunteer work, if relevant; colleges understand the value of work

■

Essay mistakes: Duplicating other parts of your application, such as your activities, in the essay

■

Being cute: listing “hanging out with friends” or “IM-ing” as extracurricular activities

■

Thinking spell-check will catch all errors

■

Part 2: Assess 10 mock applications Give small groups copies of all of the mock applications. Tell them the college they represent can accept only a few applicants. Give them at least 45 minutes to go over the applications. Then ask each group to present to the larger group who it chose and why. Note: You will have to tell the students what the college is like and what kind of students it seeks to admit. Source: Anne Heinzeroth, Upward Bound director, St. Francis University, Pa.


C-25


Activity 12: How well do you know your student? Audience: Seniors and their parents or guardians Purpose: To start or deepen the conversation between parents and their children about education and life goals. Materials: Two different rooms; paper for every participant Time required: One hour; can be done with up to 300 people Activity: 1. Put all parents in one room, and all students in another room. 2. Ask each to write the answers to five questions (allow 5 to 10 minutes for this).

(For parents): What is your child’s GPA?

■

What is your child’s admissions test score?

■

What do you want your child to be doing in five years?

■

What college(s) is your child planning to attend?

■

How many scholarship applications will your child fill out?

■

(For students): What is your GPA?

■

What is your admissions test score?

■

What do you want to be doing in five years?

■

What college(s) are you planning to attend?

■

How many scholarship applications will you fill out?

■

3. Bring everyone into one room and ask the parents to pair up with their child. 4. Choose four or five parent/child pairs to sit in front of the rest of the group like a panel. 5. Ask each pair to share their answers. Ask the audience to discuss why there may be discrepancies. 6. Ask the pairs in the audience to share their answers with each other. Allow 10 minutes or so for discussion. 7. Discuss the need for parents to understand their children’s goals so they can help achieve them. Notes: Typically the parents and students are pretty accurate about the GPA and the test scores, but often parents have no idea what their child wants to be doing in five years. Also typically, the child is not expecting to apply for as many scholarships as the parent expects. They will begin to discuss a game plan for working through scholarship applications. Source: Charles Anderson, Westinghouse Career Academy, Chicago Public Schools College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved.

C-27


Activity 13. The great sorting game Audience: Juniors, seniors and/or parents of juniors and seniors Purpose: To gain insight into selective college admissions. Time required: 15 to 45 minutes, depending on how much time is spent after each move explaining the rationale Materials: Nine Student Profile cards (instructions below) per group Activity: Making the Student Profile cards: Take nine differently colored pieces of construction paper. On one side write the applicable GPA in large numerals. On the same side, and on top of the GPA, tape a page (tape only on the top edge) with the GPA at the top and the qualities possessed by the student with that GPA underneath. For example, centered at the top of the page: 4.0 GPA; underneath, the following qualities: You have participated in no extracurricular activities, you did not write the optional essay for your college application, etc. The other side (the side that will face the audience) should be blank so that those in the audience will lose track of who has what GPA during play. Getting started: You need nine volunteers to be candidates for admission. With smaller student groups, get a volunteer “director of admissions” to read the qualities and tell students whether to move up or down in the competition. With parent groups, you will want to read the instructions. Hand out the GPAs in random order and then instruct volunteers to organize themselves in GPA order from highest to lowest. This takes a couple of minutes and provides comic relief because it takes groups (especially parents) some time to get organized. This is part of the fun. Starting the play: The audience is told that they are the admissions committee from a “highly prestigious university” (you might want to make up a funny name). The committee is at the end of the admissions cycle, has nine great applications and can admit only three students. Before them are the candidates, in GPA order from highest to lowest. You tell the admissions committee that all are great candidates, so the committee will have to decide based upon their personal qualities and qualifications. Point out that if the committee were to decide only on academics, the three with the highest GPAs would get in. You (or the student “director”) then read the personal qualities/qualifications (see below). The volunteers move up or down in the order based upon the instructions. Important note: If more than one student is moving down at the same time, the lowest student must move first, and vice

Copyright: Mary Lee Hoganson, former college counselor, Homewood-Flossmoor High School, Ill. Used with permission. College Counseling Sourcebook, 6th Edition. © 2009 The College Board. All rights reserved.

C-29


versa — if more than one student is moving up, the highest student must move first. You may choose to alter the qualities and the qualifications, and the weight given to each. After each quality is read, discuss it with the audience. You might ask, “Why do you think it might not be helpful to declare your major as premed or psychology?” Be sure to generate discussion. In parent meetings, you should try to offer explanations rather than solicit discussion. The end of the activity: After all the qualities have been read and the candidates have been sorted, the candidates turn over their top sheet to reveal their GPA and then turn the sheet around to reveal it to the audience. Read the GPA order aloud and note which three candidates are going to be admitted. Comments: You will need to ask for volunteers, and in large parent meetings it can be difficult to get volunteers. Ask some parents ahead of time to volunteer. Though the final sorted order should always be the same, mistakes happen (people move the wrong number of spaces, for example), and the results are not always the same. It doesn’t matter — the point is still made.

Nine Student Profiles 4.0 GPA

You did not write the optional essay for your college application You have participated in no extracurricular activities You are a legal resident of Idaho

3.9 GPA

Your intended major is premed You wrote your essay on “What I learned from playing sports” You participated in an enriching summer program between your junior and senior years

3.8 GPA

You have taken an exceptionally strong academic program Your intended major is psychology You forgot to change the name of the college to which you were applying when you word processed your college essay You plagiarized an AP U.S. History paper and got caught

3.7 GPA

You play the viola You do not know any of your teachers well and had trouble finding someone to write your college recommendation You did not write the optional essay for your college application You never gave your counselor any personal information for use in writing your college recommendation

C-30



3.6 GPA

You clearly stated that this college was your first choice by filing an Early Decision application and commitment The topic of your college essay was “My Trip to France” You have been involved in a significant community service project You attended the college information session at your high school and introduced yourself to the representative

3.5 GPA

You play the oboe You plan to major in Greek You do not know any of your teachers well and had trouble finding someone to write your college recommendation You are a legacy You participated in an enriching summer program between your junior and senior years

3.4 GPA

You have taken an exceptionally strong academic program You will be the first in your family to attend college You have been involved in a significant community service project You are a varsity athlete

3.3 GPA

You wrote the essay of the year — the one that was passed around the entire admissions office, it was so remarkable You are a varsity athlete and took second place at regionals in your sport You got a “D” in an academic course at the end of your junior year You attended the college information session at your high school and introduced yourself to the college representative (and offered an explanation of your “D” grade)

3.2 GPA

You are a legacy You are an Eagle Scout Your last name is Kennedy — the name on the library is Kennedy — and it’s not a coincidence


C-31


Personal qualities/qualifications (to be read aloud) Position volunteer moves up or down 1 If you have taken an exceptionally strong academic program +2 2 If you play the oboe or viola +1 3 If you clearly stated that this college was your first choice by filing an +2 Early Decision application and commitment 4 If your intended major is psychology or premed -1 5 If your intended major is Greek +2 6 If you do not know any of your teachers well and had trouble finding -2 someone to write your college recommendation 7 If, when you word processed your college essay, you forgot to change -4 the name of the college you were applying to 8 If you are a legacy +2 9 If you did not write the optional essay for your college application -1 10 If the topic of your college essay was “My Trip to France” or “What I -1 Learned from Playing Sports” 11 If you wrote the essay of the year — the one that was passed around +3 the admissions office, it was so remarkable 12 If you plagiarized an AP U.S. History paper and got caught — sit down, you’re out of the competition entirely 13 If you will be the first in your family to attend college +2 14 If you participated in an enriching summer program between your +2 junior and senior years 15 If you have participated in no extracurricular activities -3 16 If you have participated in a significant community service project +1 17 If you are an Eagle Scout +2 18 If you are a varsity athlete +2 18.5 If you are a varsity athlete and took second place at regionals in your +1 sport 19 If you got a “D” in an academic course at the end of your junior year -3 20 If you came to the college information session and introduced +1 yourself to the college representative (and in the case of the student who just got the “D,” explained the extenuating circumstances) 21 If you are a legal resident of Idaho +3 22 If you never gave your counselor any personal information for use in -1 writing your college recommendation 23 If your last name is Kennedy — the name of the college library is Kennedy — and it’s not a coincidence, move all the way to the front and stay there

C-32


103918318 College Counseling Sourcebook

Recommend Documents