The College Application Process

Welcome!

¡Beinvenidos!

Soo Dhowow!

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PEOPLE TO KNOW!

• Counselors Students With Last Name:
• Clinton Ferguson A-Fl
• Herb Crowell Fo-La
• John Pemberton Le-Ra
• Natalee D’Amore Re-Z

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• CCC Coordinators
• Hana Sato All Students
• Erica Lebens-Englund All Students

AGENDA

• 6:00-6:25 Welcome and Introductions
• 6:30-6:55 Breakout Session #1
• 7:00-7:25 Breakout Session #2
• 7:30-7:55 Breakout Session #3
• U of M & Madison Admissions ONLY 1ST SESSION (Auditorium)
• Highly Selective Schools ONLY 2ND SESSION (Auditorium)
• General Counselor Questions ONLY 3RD SESSION (Auditorium)
• Finding the Best College Fit (Room 115)
• MN State Schools & Transfer Pathways (Room 104)
• Common App: Erica & Hana from CCC (Room 107 - CCC)
• Writing an Effective Essay: Ms. Mennitt (Room 108G)
• Información Universitaria en Español (Room 106C)
• Information College af Soomaali (Room 106A)

CAREER AND COLLEGE CENTER (CCC)

• Open Mon-Thurs @ 8:00am-4:00pm in room #107
• The CCC can help students with the following:
• Create a post-secondary plan
• Take inventories to increase self-awareness
• Research careers/resume development
• Scholarship search and assistance
• Financial aid
• College admission test information
• Summer/community/volunteer/job opportunities/building resumes
• Washburn college access networks (TRIO Upward Bound, Project Success & Genesys Works)

COLLEGE & SCHOLARSHIP REP VISITS �

• Students sign up ahead of time in Naviance
• Rep visit pass will be delivered to 1^st hour class the day of the visit
• Must get teacher permission to miss class to meet with rep
• Shows engagement with a college

Spring College Visits @ WHS:

• MN State Mankato
• Aurora University
• Dunwoody College of Technology
• Montana State University
• St. Louis University
• Kansas State University

Career Exploration Speakers

• First Responders
• Social Services
• The Arts
• Culinary Arts
• Real Estate
• Cosmetology
• Business & Marketing
• Dental
• The Trades
• Medical

FOLLOW ALONG WITH US

If you’d like to follow along with our PowerPoint presentation, you can access it on the Washburn Website. It’s located in the top story with the College Planning Night info!

https://washburn.mpls.k12.mn.us/

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At the end the evening, please take our brief survey to give us feedback on the event. Link located on the schedule sheets.

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POST-SECONDARY FOCUS: 11TH GRADE� �

• Tools for finding career pathways
• Trends in post-secondary education
• 4 and 2 year options, tech programs, gap years, apprenticeships, international options
• The college search process
• Focus on the fit and not the sweatshirt
• Primary & secondary factors in college admissions and the relative importance of each
• Applying to schools in different categories
• Priorities & financial realities
• Preparing for fall application season

�POST-SECONDARY MLP FOCUS: 12TH GRADE �

• Fall presentations
• Understanding application requirements
• Applications do’s and don'ts
• The Common App
• Essay Writing
• Financial Aid applications
• Understanding Financial Aid awards
• Scholarships
• Individual meetings with the counselor
• Using the Career & College Center

POST-SECONDARY PLANNING: KEY EVENTS

• ACT-For-All: April 25 here at WHS (students automatically registered)
• ACT Offerings: June 10, July 15, Sept. 9, Oct. 21, Dec. 9
• September (TBD): Senior Family Planning Night at WHS
• Application Nuts & Bolts
• Use of Naviance for planning and document transmission
• Financial Aid and Scholarships
• October: National College Fair at Convention Center
• October: College Knowledge Month (Some Free Applications!)
• September-January: College Reps visit @ Washburn

GET ORGANIZED & DEVELOP A LIST

You will be making a leap into your future. You can do it!

• Make informed choices & engage with the process
• Use your resources well – do research!
• Manage stress by creating a plan & organizing dates/deadlines
• A good school is one that is a good fit for you!
• Look for schools where you will be happy, engaged & grow
• Academic fit
• Personal fit
• Social fit
• Financial fit
• Geographical Fit

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“Finding a Good Fit School” is a session offered tonight!

BUILDING A DIVERSE LIST

• Likely Schools – realistic
• Your profile is SIGNIFICANTLY stronger than the typical freshman
• 70-90% chance of admission
• Financially feasible (Minnesota school?)

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• Target Schools – selective
• Your profile is similar to the typical freshman
• 30-70% chance of admission

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• Reach Schools – more selective
• Your profile is not as strong as the typical freshman
• less than 30% chance of admission

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ADMISSION FACTORS

• Primary factors:
• GPA
• ACT*
• Other
• Gender
• Ethnicity
• Geography
• Unique talent
• Legacy factor

• Secondary factors:
• Rigor
• Essays
• LOR’s
• Activities
• Interviews
• Level of interest

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FAMOUS LONGITUDINAL STUDY

“Using the College and Beyond data set and National Longitudinal Survey of the High School Class of 1972, we find that students who attended more selective colleges earned about the same as students of seemingly comparable ability who attended less selective schools.”

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TLDR: It’s not where you go to school, it’s what you do while you’re there!

SCATTERGRAMS - TOOL IN NAVIANCE

University of Washington - Seattle

WHS Student

STUDENT PLANNING TIMELINE: �PRIOR TO SENIOR YEAR

• Start developing your list of colleges
• Use Naviance and other resources
• Take June or July ACT if desired
• Must notify Ms. Mennitt if applying for accommodations
• Review ACT Prep Material
• Athletes register through NCAA Eligibility Center (Potential Division I and II)
• Using Net Price or Cost Calculators
• Brainstorming extracurricular activities (not too late to join this year!)
• Go on college visits
• Review 11th Grade Planning Checklist

VISITING COLLEGES

• Set up your visit through a school’s admissions office.
• Either call their visit line or book online!
• If you are unsure of what you want– visit a variety of schools!
• Project Success offers free college tours in the fall and winter
• Visiting schools now is the best�(visit schools while in session)!

STUDENT PLANNING TIMELINE: SENIOR YEAR

• Determine application deadlines
• Be aware of any Priority, Early Action, Early Decision, Regular deadlines
• MEA college visits
• Typical Early Action deadline is Nov 1^st (aim for early deadlines!)
• If letters of rec needed, give teachers at least 3 weeks notice
• Meet with your counselor (required)
• Transcript transmissions are not available until about mid-September
• FAFSA opening will be delayed– tentatively opens in January 2024
• Admission decisions arrive February-March
• Financial Aid award letters arrive in March/April
• More college visits over Spring Break?
• May 1^st deadline for declaring enrollment

UNDERSTANDING DEADLINES & TERMINOLOGY

• Rolling Admissions (review apps as sent in)�
• Early Decision (binding contract; only can submit one application using Early Decision)�
• Early Action/Priority Deadline (will be notified before other applicants)�
• Regular Deadline

PLANNING ROLES

• Student
• Research
• Fills out the application
• Essays, requesting recommendations
• Sends test scores to colleges
• MUST use Naviance to make sure WHS counseling staff has sent materials to requested schools and that teachers have sent their recommendations.
• Counselor
• Advising and guidance
• Uses Naviance to send transcripts, sends school forms, writes letters if needed, and ensures teachers have the tools to send the recommendations through Naviance

SESSIONS – ALL ON FIRST FLOOR