A Guide to College Applications, Financial Aid & Acceptance
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
College 101 A GUIDE TO COLLEGE APPLICATIONS, FINANCIAL AID & ACCEPTANCE Page 1 of 23 TABLE OF CONTENTS Passwords Worksheet Page 3 Junior Year Timeline Page 4 Senior Year Timeline Page 5 Application Overview Page 6 College Types Page 7 College Admissions Pyramid Page 8 Naviance Page 9 How to Request Recommendation Letters Page 10 CUNY – City University of New York Pages 11-12 SUNY – State University of New York Pages 13-14 NYS Opportunity Program Information Page 15 Private Schools Pages 16-17 Test Optional Colleges Page 18 Application Helpline & Tech Support Page 19 Financial Aid: Timeline Page 20 Financial Aid: FAQ Page 21 Financial Aid: Glossary & Pell/TAP/Excelsior Info Page 22 Financial Aid: Websites, Phone #'s, Scholarships Page 23 Page 2 of 23 PASSWORDS WORKSHEET STUDENT NAME: _______________________________________ GPA: _______ SAT (CR): _______ SAT (Math): _______ SAT Total: _____ / 1600 ACT: _________ MY INFORMATION My Mailing Address: DOB: ___ /____ /____ _______________________________ _______________________________ OSIS: _____-_____-_____ _______________________________ Social Security #: ___-____-______ School Email Address Username: @LehmanHS.com Password: (Default PW is 123456789) MY SCHOOL INFORMATION Naviance Username: @LehmanHS.com School CEEB Code: Password: (Default PW is OSIS) 330533 CUNY School Address: Username: Herbert H. Lehman High School Password: 3000 E Tremont Ave Bronx, NY, 10461 SUNY Username: College Counselor Information: Mr. Bonacorsi Password: Guidance Counselor Phone: 718-904-4200 ext._____ College Board Email: [email protected] Username: Password: Common App Username: Password: FAFSA Student: PW: Parent: PW: TAP Username: Password: Page 3 of 23 JUNIOR YEAR TIMELINE January/February Memorize your Social Security Number, Parent Birthday’s, Parent’s Marriage or Divorce Date Research summer programs at colleges, summer jobs, and/or summer internships Individual meeting with Counselor SAT prep – Khan Academy February 27th - Registration Deadline for March 9th SAT March/April March 9th – SAT Exam Research colleges by location, and by major (on college’s website or Naviance) Attend a college fair SAT School Date: Wednesday, March 27th, 2019 Prepare a challenging schedule for 12th grade (Yes, colleges will look at your senior year courses) Apply for summer jobs/internships (Use your Lehman Gmail for EVERYTHING!) April 24th – Registration deadline for May 4th SAT May/June May 4th – SAT Exam Start to narrow down your college list Start working on college essay Request letters of recommendation from at least two teachers in person – then request in Naviance Create summer college visit schedule Schedule appointments and/or visits with colleges of interest through their website Study for regents exams May 22nd - Registration deadline for June 1st SAT June 1st – SAT Exam Summer Visit colleges (at least three) Work on your college essay/Brag sheets August 24th SAT Exam Page 4 of 23 SENIOR YEAR TIMELINE SEPTEMBER Prepare tax documents for FAFSA Determine eligibility for SEEK/HEOP/EOP o Request parents income to determine eligibility for Opportunity Programs Follow up with Teachers and Counselors regarding letters of recommendation Provide the College Counselor with an updated list of Colleges Register for the November SAT Exam Schedule meetings with your college counselor Take the September ACT (optional) Finalize your college essay & activity resume OCTOBER Complete FAFSA (Available on October 1st) (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) www.fafsa.ed.gov Complete TAP (Tuition Assistant Program) Application for New York State Schools. You must complete the FAFSA first. Participate in college visits at high school Complete CUNY Application - $65 for application up to 6 schools - See College Counselor for CUNY Fee-Waiver Codes Research/Apply for scholarships (Petersons.com, CollegeBoard.org) Attend College Fair Complete the SUNY Application ($50 for each school unless you receive free lunch – can waive fee for up to 7 schools) Participate and network during college visits and rep visits Attend College Open Houses – Look on their websites for dates and RSVP Take the October SAT, SAT II or ACT exam NOVEMBER Complete Common App for Out-of-State Public and Private school applications o Follow up with teachers/counselors regarding recommendation letters Take the November SAT, SAT II or ACT exam (optional) All components of the applications including: Letters of Recommendation, Resume, Supplements and Essays should be completed by before Thanksgiving break DECEMBER Letters of recommendation due to most colleges (January 1st) Take the December SAT, SAT II or ACT exam (optional) JANUARY/FEBRUARY Mid-Year Transcripts will be submitted to your colleges as requested Share any information received from colleges with your college counselor o Acceptance letters, scholarship awards, financial aid packages, etc. MARCH/APRIL Please inform your college counselor of all contacts with the potential schools Submit all college decisions to the College Office Submit all financial aid packages & scholarship information to your college advisor MAY MAY 1ST is (usually) the deadline for students to inform colleges of their decision to attend Follow up on any financial aid document requests Submit immunization/health records to your college Take CUNY Placement tests (if applicable) or inquire about SUNY and private school placement tests JUNE Graduate!!! Page 5 of 23 APPLICATION OVERVIEW Components of College Application Must Send to All Four-Year Colleges Not Required at All Colleges Application Test scores - (CUNY, SUNY, CommonApp, Coalition, etc.) - Only at test optional schools (see page 18) College Essay (personal statement) Interview High School transcript - Phone, In person Test scores (SAT, ACT) Portfolio Recommendation letters - Art/Music List of activities / resume Audition - Art/Music SAT II (Subject test) AP Exams Who Submits What? You Counselor Teacher Application High School transcript Recommendation letter Essay / Personal statement Recommendation letter Test scores (SAT, ACT) School profile List of activities / resume AP exams scores SAT II (Subject test) Portfolio Application Deadline Terms Early Decision (earliest deadline) o Binding agreement to attend that school (only one selection) o Shows extreme interest in school Early Action (next deadline) o Receive earlier decisions o Shows high level of interest in school Regular Decision Rolling Admission o No deadline, application closes once determined number of students have been accepted *Please note that deadlines are not universal they are different at every single college! Letters of Recommendation At least two (2) teachers Academic teachers preferred o Better if it’s in a related subject area to what you want to study in college Ask them in person first Distribute brag sheet Request them in Naviance A teacher you have a good relationship with, not just the popular teacher Before the end of June Follow up with them in September o One (1) Counselor Recommendation Page 6 of 23 COLLEGE TYPE DEFINITIONS & HOW TO APPLY Type of Definition Examples How will I apply? college Pace, Mercy, College of Mostly funded by tuition dollars and alumni donations. Common Application, Westchester, Daemen, Costs the same regardless of state residency. Admission Coalition Application, Gettysburg, NYU, Columbia, requirements and financial aid varies a lot, but this is OR Private Cazenovia, St. Bonaventure, the type of school that generally offers the most $$ if Syracuse, Rochester, MIT, St. you match carefully. Their website Lawrence, Ithaca, Eugene Lang A group of eight of the oldest private colleges in Harvard, Brown, Princeton, America, they are some of the most prestigious in the Dartmouth, Yale, Columbia, Common Application or world. They offer amazing programs and have the Ivy League Cornell, University of Coalition Applicaion money for full financial aid. Very selective, all accept Pennsylvania fewer than 10% of applicants. Public university system located only in NYC’s 5 Lehman, Hunter, City College, boroughs. Cheapest option. Some have housing. Can be Brooklyn, LaGuardia CC, BMCC, CUNY Application CUNY most frustrating (very bureaucratic). Funded mostly by City Tech, Baruch, Queens, NY State $. Guttman Public university system located throughout NY State. Binghamton, Albany, Stony SUNY Application Funded mostly by NY State $. Broad range of schools – Brook, Purchase, Morrisville, SUNY OR lots of options. Average total cost for 4-yr SUNY is Oswego, Tompkins Cortland $21,000 per year. CC, Canton Common Application Every state has public colleges and universities that are Temple, University of Virginia, Their website funded by those states (similar to SUNYs). Tuition is Out of State Rutgers, University of OR always cheaper for in-state students with public Connecticut, University of Public colleges. You are only in-state for NY unless your legal Maryland, Penn State Common Application guardian(s) live in another state. These are businesses that have been accredited to operate as schools. They offer degrees, but for more Berkeley, DeVry, ASA, Monroe, than you would pay at most of the above schools. University of Phoenix, ITT Tech, Their website For Profit Transferring credits from a for-profit school to a non- Art Institutes, Wood-Tobe profit can also be an issue. Consider these schools only Coburn for programs you can’t get elsewhere. Page 7 of 23 THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS PYRAMID This is