Post-High School Handbook

POST-HIGH SCHOOL HANDBOOK

New Tech High @ Coppell 113 Samuel Blvd Coppell, TX 75019

TABLE OF CONTENTS Cover Table of Contents Counselor Letter 4-5. College Admissions Continuum 6.

College Admissions Calendar – Junior Year 7.

College Admissions Calendar – Senior Year 8.

Post High School Options 9.

College Admissions Terminology 10.

Rolling Admission Schools 11-12. Regular Decision Schools 13.

College Admissions Statistics 14.

Steps in the College Process 15.

ACT / SAT 16.

ACT/SAT Testing Dates – Deadlines 17.

Factors in Selecting a College 18.

Getting College Information 19.

Campus Visits 20.

College Interviews 21.

Applying to College 22.

The College Application Process 23.

College Application Responses 24.

Naviance - Junior Year 25.

Naviance - Senior Year 26.

Naviance Features 27.

My Colleges 28.

Student Rights and Responsibilities 29.

Post High School Internet Sites 30.

Financial Aid Terminology 31.

Money 32.

Merit-Based School Scholarships 33.

North Lake Admissions 34.

North Lake Financial Aid 35.

NCAA Division I and II Eligibility 36.

Gap Year 37.

The Work Option 38.

Careers Without A Four-Year Degree 39.

The Military Option 40.

Frequently Asked Questions 41.

Frequently Asked Questions 42.

Frequently Asked Questions 43.

Frequently Asked Questions 44.

Frequently Asked Questions 45.

Frequently Asked Questions

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New Tech High @ Coppell NTH@C Students,

GUIDANCE DEPARTMENT

College: A match to be made, not a prize to be won. That simple adage is an excellent guide as you move through the college application process. Finding the right fit for you is what is important. That could be one school or several. We have created this handbook to help you achieve that goal. Read it thoroughly and use it as a guide as you explore your various options.

Where do you start? Talk with your family. Have discussions as to what will be feasible options for you. A caveat, don’t eliminate colleges at the beginning of the process based on money. You want to have options as to cost, but apply to schools that you feel are a good fit and see what financial aid packages they offer to help you attend their school.

Secondly, be sure and pay attention to College Admission Continuum calendar on pages 4 and 5.

It is a good overview of what you need to be doing each year of high school to be ready to take the next step. There are over 4,000 colleges/universities. You will not be able to explore each and every one but following that calendar and using this guide will help you narrow those down to find a good fit.

During this whole process, use Naviance. Under the colleges tab are three valuable tools to help you conduct an organized search. Start with using the “Supermatch college search” then list possible schools in “colleges I’m thinking about” and lastly the summer before your senior year move those schools to which you are actually applying to “colleges I’m applying to.” Both the “thinking about” and “applying to” screens have a lot of application information including letting you know which application to use for which school. Naviance has a lot of other features that will be detailed later in this handbook that can be great resources for you as you explore the various colleges.

Please contact us if there is anything we can do or questions we can answer.

We look forward to working with you.

9-12 Counselor A–Z

Mr. Michael Kennington

mkennington@coppellisd.com

COLLEGE ADMISSIONS CONTINUUM Freshman

College Search

Fall Spring 1) Visit colleges as you travel 2) Register on-line with colleges to receive info, brochures, etc.

3) Look for summer programs in areas of interest and/or schools you are interested in 4) Attend college fair

Sophomore Spring 1) Look for summer programs 2) Take career / interest inventories in Naviance

Fall 1) Visit colleges 2) Attend college representative visits at school and in area 3) Attend college fair

Oct – PSAT Nov – Aspire (practice ACT)

ACT / SAT if you want to bolster junior year PSAT score and/or you are anxious about the test

Oct – PSAT, great practice for SAT – Student must pay to take it

Testing

CHS pays for both

Financial Aid and Scholarships

College Application Deadlines

Academics/ Additional Factors

Junior

Fall 1) Visit colleges 2) Register online with colleges to receive info, brochures, etc.

3) Attend college fair

Build Your Portfolio Many private scholarships request information about community service, school involvement, grades, leadership, and work experience – the same categories for which colleges are looking.

Senior

Spring 1) List possible colleges in Naviance 2) Visit colleges 3) Do Common App. for practice 4) Look for summer programs 1) ACT – April, at NTH@C 2) SAT (Save June date for SAT Subject Tests if needed)

Fall 1) Visit colleges 2) Finalize list in Naviance 3) Attend college rep. visits at CHS and in area 4) Attend college fair 5) Apply ACT / SAT if want to try for higher score for admissions or for some school scholarships

Spring 1) Visit colleges

1) Do practice scholarship search in Naviance & on web (fastweb.com) 2) Research college scholarships

1) October – Complete the FAFSA.ed.gov 2) College scholarships 3) Fastweb.com & Naviance sch. searches 1) Aug thru Nov Rolling Admission 2) November Early Action / Early Decision

1) Local scholarships, (Naviance – colleges tab / scholarship list)

ACT / SAT – higher score may be useful for some school’s scholarships

1) Jan 1 to 15 Many Regular Decision due 2) May 1 Reply date to colleges

Academics: Take as rigorous a class load with which you can be successful. The first thing colleges look at is what you took versus what you could have taken, and then how well you did. It is very important to do this throughout high school including a strong senior year.

Additional: Extracurricular Activities / Community Service / School Involvement can also be important. For activities and clubs it is not just being a member of a group but what did you do and were you involved over a length of time, i.e. more than one year.

COLLEGE ADMISSIONS CALENDAR JUNIOR YEAR September 1. Attend the CISD College fair held at CHS. The 2017 fair will be Thursday, September 14 from 6:00 – 8:00. Over 200 colleges annually attend the fair. It is a great place to research schools and meet college representatives.

October 1. Take the PSAT. The 2017 test will be given on October 11 at NTH@C. December 1. PSAT results along with the actual test book are usually distributed prior to winter break. (In 2016-17 a student’s first look was on-line in early January with a hard copy handed out in late January.) Use this information to evaluate what you need to work on to score your best on the SAT this spring. The correct answer will be on the results sheet along with an access code (upper right-hand corner) that lets you get on-line and receive further information about your results.

2. Research possible college choices – start this if you have not already done so. Juniors will have individual meetings with their counselors starting in February. This is the perfect time to ask questions about the college process. Naviance has a college search engine called “SupermatchTM college search.”

January 1. All students should take the SAT + Writing and ACT + Writing in the spring with additional benefits if taken in January and/or May. Students will need to register and pay for the SAT themselves. The ACT + Writing is being given at NTH@C during the school day to all juniors and is paid for by CISD. See the page in this handbook on ACT / SAT to see the benefits of taking the SAT at certain times in the spring.

February 1. Junior conferences – Be prepared to ask any questions about colleges and/or the college process. The conferences will run through March.

2. Visit colleges – You have two excused college visit days each year. The form you need to take with you is on your Naviance homepage. It does not need to be signed off on by NTH@C prior to going but must be returned to the office immediately upon your return.

April – May 1. Take the ACT + Writing given during the school day at NTH@C and paid for by CISD. 2. Some select out-of-state schools will want you to take one or more SAT subject tests as part of the admissions process. Look at taking a subject test or tests in June, if needed, while the material is still fresh in your mind. Register now for those.

3. Take AP tests for any AP course. Registration for AP tests is done on-line and starts in the fall. College credit may be awarded based upon scores of these exams. Each college will have their own rules as to what scores are needed.

June – August 1. Visit college campuses 2. If you are considering playing Division I or II sports in college, register with the NCAA Clearinghouse at www.eligibilitycenter.org. See the page “NCAA Division I and II Eligibility” in this handbook for more information on what all needs to be done which includes sending a six-semester transcript to the NCAA. 3. Narrow your college list to those that you will actually apply to in the fall of your senior year.

COLLEGE ADMISSIONS CALENDAR SENIOR YEAR September 1.

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If applying to a Common App school in November your Counselor Recommendation Packet is due no later than September 15. The packet is on your Naviance home page.

Check for scholarships at school(s) in which you are interested.

You and a parent get a Federal Student Aid ID at www.StudentAid.gov/fsaid so that when you complete the FAFSA in October for federal aid you’ll be able to sign the application electronically.

Register for fall ACT/SAT if you need to improve your scores for admission and/or scholarships.

Attend College Night at CHS. Attend college representative sessions here on campus for colleges that interest you.

Attend college open houses at their campuses when possible. You have two excused college visit days each year. The form you need to take with you is on your Naviance homepage. It does not need to be signed by NTH@C prior to your visit just return the form signed by your college to your attendance office when you return.

October 1.

Complete the FAFSA at www.fafsa.ed.gov. This is the basis for all federal aid such as Pell Grants and Work Study. Make sure you use this website because others that end in .com will charge money for this free service. This form in previous years was not available until January; doing now will help greatly.

November 1.

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If applying to a Common App school in January your Counselor Recommendation Packet is due no later than November 15. The packet is on your Naviance home page.

Register for CSS Profile at www.collegeboard.org if required for financial aid by a school you may be attending. You will not fill it out at this time but you must register with College Board ahead of time with at least one school that will require it.

December 1.

Look for chances to talk to college students home for the holidays, especially if they attend a school in which you are interested.

January 1.

Make sure you are meeting all financial aid and scholarship deadlines. Most larger universities will have a financial aid deadline in February/March. Be sure to research each school to which you are applying so you don’t miss any deadlines.

February – March 1.

Many local scholarships are available at this time. Check with churches, civics groups, places of employment, Naviance, etc. In Naviance they will be in the scholarship list as “local…..”.

April 1.

Most regular decision college admission letters will arrive.

May 1.

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Reply to college acceptance letters no later than May 1. Let all the colleges that accepted you know whether or not you will be attending.

If your first choice college places you on their waiting list, do not lose all hope. Some students are admitted at a later date from waiting lists. Go ahead and accept another offer, then if you are selected off the wait list you can make a decision at that time.

Take AP tests for any AP course. Scores on the test range from 1–5. A score of 3 or higher will earn a student college credit at many universities. Google AP Credit Policy to search colleges for their list of credits awarded.

You may send one final NTH@C transcript to a college – the one you will attend. Also be sure to send that school a North Lake and/or TWU transcript if you have any credits from them.

June – July 1.

Register for classes – many schools will have you do that on-line, some will have summer orientation programs for you to attend and others will have you register in the fall.

POST HIGH SCHOOL OPTIONS 1. Colleges offer a four-year program in the arts and sciences usually leading to a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in a major field of study such as English, chemistry, business, etc. These schools are usually, but not always, the small liberal arts “regular decision” schools. Colleges may also offer degrees in preprofessional areas such as law, theology and medicine which then require that a student continue with advanced study in a graduate school or a medical school. Students could also move on to a university to obtain a masters or doctorate degree.

2. Universities offer both four-year undergraduate degrees and graduate study. After earning a bachelor’s degree, students may continue their education either at this school or at another by seeking a masters degree and then a doctorate if desired. These schools are usually, but not always, larger public schools, i.e. “University of….”

3. Junior Colleges or Two Year Colleges offer a two-year degree which is the equivalent of the first two years of the regular college program. Students may then transfer to a four-year school, usually as a junior.

4. Community Colleges offer two kinds of programs: “college transfer” and “career.”

Students in the “college transfer” program will take traditional freshman and sophomore college courses and then transfer to a four-year school. This can be a good option as community colleges cost much less than four-year colleges, thus saving money for the first two years. Students in the “career” track study specialized areas such as computers, real estate, nursing, etc.

5. Specialized Schools or Technical Schools offer programs in areas such as hair styling, music, computers, graphics, etc. Students do not receive the liberal arts part of a college curriculum but are trained for a specific career.

6. Military Academies offer a four year course of study leading to a bachelors degree and a commission as an officer in the military. See more information about this later in this handbook under “Military Option.”

7. Military Service in any branch offers a wide variety of training opportunities for qualified persons both while in the service and after the service obligation is completed.

8. Apprenticeship Training is where an employer agrees to teach someone the skills necessary for a certain job and to give on-the-job experience. This program may or may not require related technical instruction at a school. At the end of the apprentice period the trainee becomes a journeyman or a qualified craftsman. Examples of careers in this area are: electrician, plumber, construction, etc.

COLLEGE ADMISSIONS TERMINOLOGY Rolling Admission - Applications are processed as they are received and students are notified of admission status usually within 3-4 weeks. While deadlines for most of these schools may extend well in to the spring or the summer it is important to make sure that a student has at least applied by the school’s financial aid deadline. Schools in this category in Texas will use the ApplyTexas application described later in this handbook with schools outside of Texas usually having their own application. Most of these applications including the ApplyTexas application are available starting August 1.

Regular Decision - Applications are to be filed by a set deadline. These deadlines typically run from November 1 through January 1 with a few as late as March 1. Decisions from these colleges are mailed to applicants by a set date, usually April 1. Students must respond back to each college to which they were accepted by May 1 as to whether or not they will be coming in the fall. Most schools in this category will use the Common Application described later in this handbook. The Common Application is not available until August 1. Don’t fill it out earlier or you will be completing the previous year’s version.

Early Decision (some Regular Decision schools also use this) - This is a binding contract. Only one such application may be pending. If accepted, a student must attend that school. A conference must be held with student, parent and counselor prior to applying. Because of the obligation to attend if accepted, this option is not a very common one for most students, as a student is obligating himself prior to having definitive knowledge about financial aid and potential scholarships.

Early Action (many Regular Decision schools also use this) - Unlike Early Decision, this process is not binding and thus is a very common approach to applying to schools that employ this method. It is the same process with the same results as Regular Decision but a student finds out a decision by winter break instead of waiting until April 1. Students still have until May 1 to reply to colleges just as under Regular Decision. The deadline for Early Action applications is typically November 1. Students may apply to one or several schools using Early Action.

Restricted Early Action (also called single-choice early action) – There are two forms of this.

• Schools that allow students to apply only to their Early Action program. At the time of the printing Yale, Stanford, Princeton and Harvard are the only schools using this method.

• Students may apply to other Early Action programs but cannot apply Early Decision to another school. The two schools using this method are Boston College and Georgetown.

The following chart summarizes the various options described above. Be sure to check with each school to which you are applying to confirm their deadlines.

Apply By Receive Decision You must reply 3-4 Weeks Rolling Admission 5/1 Open Regular Decision 4/1 5/1 1/1 to 2/15 Early Decision 11/1 to 12/1 12/15 When accepted Early Action 11/1 to 12/1 12/15 5/1 Restricted Early Action 11/1 to 12/1 12/15 5/1 1/12/16

ROLLING ADMISSION SCHOOLS The following information is what each school requires for *automatic acceptance to its institution. Students that do not fit these criteria are looked at individually in regards to admissions. Keep in mind that all of the following information is from each school’s website and/ or viewbook and is subject to change. This information is compiled to use as a reference point. Be sure to check each school in which you are interested to verify the information and for possible changes. College G.P.A.’s reported below are on a 4.0 unweighted scale and usually include only a student’s four basic classes plus foreign language.

The Coppell Independent School District does not rank students except for the top 10% as is required by state law. Most highly competitive high schools across the nation, like NTH@C, do not rank. In these situations, colleges will apply their own ranking scale for students based upon a student’s GPA and ACT/SAT along with a history of NTH@C students at that school.

Arkansas Houston Kansas Kansas State Louisiana State Mississippi Nebraska North Texas Oklahoma State Stephen F. Austin Texas - Arlington Texas - Austin Texas – Dallas Texas - San Antonio Texas A & M Texas State Texas Tech • •

ACT 20

SAT 930

21 21 22 22 20

980 980 1030 1020 950

21

980

GPA 3.0

Rank Top 10%

26

1200

3.0 2.75 Top 50% Top 10% 3.0 Top 10% Top 25% Top 7% Top 10% Top 25% Top 10% Top 10% Top 10%

ACT/SAT + GPA Or top 25% with 1000 SAT or 21 ACT; top 50% with 1100 or 24 + 3.25 on 4.0 Kansas core GPA scale + 2.5 overall + 2.50 on 4.0 Kansas core GPA scale + 2.0 overall ACT/SAT + GPA of 19 core courses ACT/SAT + GPA Any one of the items to the left Or top 25% + 20/950, top 50% + 23/1050, top 75% + 26/1180 GPA is from 15 core courses they specify Or top 25% + 17/850 or top 50% + 20/950 Or top 50% + 22 ACT / 1050 Top 7% is for class of 2018, Holistic review beyond top 7% One of the three to the left Or top 50% + 24/1100; committee review after that Or top 25% + 30 or 1300 with minimums on subtests Or top 25% + 20/920; top 50% + 22/1010; top 75% + 26/1180 Or top 25% + 25/1140; top 50% + 28/1230; top 75% + 29/1270

GPA’s are on a 4.0 Scale, Coppell’s are on a 5.0 scale.

Most private (regular decision) schools do not have auto admit guidelines. They review each application and make a determination from that. * This information is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please follow up directly with these schools to confirm this information.

REGULAR DECISION SCHOOLS 1/29/2014 Regular Decision schools don’t have set criteria by which they evaluate applicants. They look at the pool of applicants and then decide which students they want to invite for the coming year. Thus, a student will need to look at things such as the middle 50% of SAT/ACT scores, average GPA’s, etc. to help determine their chances of admission. An additional great resource is to use the Scattergrams in Naviance. The Scattergrams provide students with the last three year’s results of CHS students applying to various colleges and include a student’s GPA and SAT/ACT scores for comparison purposes.

All of the following information is from various sources and is subject to change. First in importance to schools is what coursework a student took versus what he/she could have taken and how he/she did in those courses. Next in importance is performance on the SAT/ACT. Students are also encouraged to consider many other additional factors in the decision-making process. There is much more to consider than just “where can I get in.” An extensive list of factors students might use in evaluating schools is on the page titled Factors in Selecting a College.

State

Austin College Baylor Rice SMU Southwestern TCU Texas Lutheran Trinity U of Dallas Beloit Brown Cornell Emory Goucher Harvard Loyola – New Orleans Macalester Northwestern Ohio Wesleyan Pepperdine Reed Sewanee Vanderbilt Wash U – St Louis Wooster

TX TX TX TX TX TX TX TX TX WI RI NY GA MD MA LA MN IL OH CA OR TN TN MO OH

SAT Middle 50%

Cr. Rdng

Math

Writing

560-660 550-660 660-750 580-680 530-660 530-630 430-550 580-680 550-670 570-700 660-750 630-730 640-730 500-660 690-790 590-630 640-740 670-750 520-650 540-650 660-760 580-690 670-760 690-780 560-670

570-670 570-690 700-780 600-690 550-650 550-650 470-570 590-690 530-670 620-680 680-770 670-770 660-750 500-610 700-800 560-610 620-710 690-780 510-650 560-680 620-710 580-670 690-770 710-780 550-670

530-650 530-650 660-760 560-665 540-655 550-650 410-520 575-675 530-660 670-770 650-740 510-640 690-790 550-660 630-730

560-660 650-740 570-680 660-750 650-740 550-660

Grad Rate %

4 yrs 68 56 84 68 67 58 27 71 60 67 83 87 83 62 87 47 85 86 58 70 59 78 85 86 64

5 yrs 73 73 90 78 74 73 42 79 66 75 94 92 86 93 95 61 87 93 63 80 76 81 90 92 74

6 yrs 75 75 92 79 75 75 45 80 69 77 95 93 87 70 97 62 88 93 63 81 79 81 91 93 75

Student /Faculty Ratio

% Freshmen Returned Soph. Year

12:1 514:1 6:1 11:1 10:1 13:1 14:1 9:1 11:1 10:1 9:1 9:1 7:1 9:1 7:1 11:1 11:1 7:1 12:1 13:1 10:1 11:1 8:1 7:1 11:1

77 87 96 91 86 90 67 89 80 88 98 97 96 81 98 88 96 98 81 93 90 85 97 97 90

COLLEGE ADMISSIONS STATISTICS The following chart is from the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) 2014 State of College Admission report. The numbers refer to the percent of admissions counselors who rated that area either moderate or considerable in its importance in the college admission process. By far, the most important area is how well a student did in college prep classes. Note that the six most important items are all controlled by the student.

One other interesting statistic is the 15% considerable importance class rank receives.

Twenty years ago it was 42%. It has been shown that rank is a very poor predictor of college success. That along with more and more high schools not ranking has led to a continuing decline in its importance.

90.0 80.0 70.0 60.0 50.0 40.0 30.0 20.0 10.0 0.0

Moderate Considerable

The following chart is for those students who may not have a hook to get special consideration for admittance to a college, i.e. athletics, musical talent, legacy, ethnicity, etc.

The percents in the chart refer to the percent accepted. While this particular chart is a bit dated, it is a great illustration that a student’s chances of being accepted at a select school rise dramatically if a student applies to a school in the 100-point range below his/her score. This also applies to institutional scholarships. Schools are much more likely to spend scholarship money on students who will help them raise their average score.

ADMISSION RATES FOR UNHOOKED REGULAR APPLICANTS Applicants College’s Average SAT Score SAT Score 400-1090 1100-1190 1200-1290 1300-1390 1400-1600 400-1090 91% 69% 41% 18% 0% 1100-1190 98% 88% 67% 28% 6% 1200-1290 99% 90% 81% 44% 9% 1300-1390 100% 94% 90% 59% 16% 1400-1490 100% 97% 95% 75% 28% 1500-1600 100% 100% 99% 87% 54% College Admissions Project (1999-2000) Reprinted from The Early Admissions Game 8/8/16

STEPS IN THE COLLEGE PROCESS Spring of Junior Year Take Entrance Exams Take both the SAT and ACT in the spring of your junior year. There is not any way to predict which test will be best for a particular student. You may retake one or both again in your senior year. Schools will use only the highest score you receive. Always send all scores when you take a test. Some schools will “superscore” meaning they use your best score for each section from multiple tests to compile a new total. Others will superscore for scholarships only, and some will use the highest score on an individual section for a scholarship even if they don’t use that test administration for admission purposes.

Gather Information By the middle of summer prior to the senior year, students should have gathered information about several colleges. There are many factors for you to consider which are listed on the “Factors in Selecting a College” page in this handbook. Factors that a college admissions office may consider in evaluating an applicant include: high school curriculum, grades, admission test scores, rank, essay, recommendations, interview, community service, work, summer activities, school involvement and leadership.

Research Money • Federal - www.tinyurl.com/FAFSAEstimate - get a feel for what Pell Grants, Work Study, etc. may be • School – Check their scholarships and do their “Financial Aid Calculator,” every school has one Narrow Your Choices By the beginning of the senior year, students should know what schools to which they are applying; this may include a Dream School (a reach), a Good Bet School (good school/good match), and a Safety Net School (sure thing). It is important to consider the degree of difficulty in getting in to a particular school. Do not apply to only “Dream Schools”; it is important to have other options in case a dream school does not work out. A basic checklist for college selection is: • Does the college offer the program I want to study?

• Do I have a good chance to be admitted?

• Can my family manage the costs?

• Is the location an acceptable distance from home?

Fall of Senior Year Apply for Admission The process of applying for admission varies from one college to another. It is your responsibility to know the steps and deadlines. At a minimum, applying means sending an application form, high school transcript and entrance exam scores to the college. Schools may also request recommendations, a resume, an essay, an interview, etc. Know what is required and be prepared well before any deadlines.

Apply for Money Do this at the same time as you are applying for admission. Over 90% of financial aid comes from either the federal government or from the school you will be attending. Fill out the FAFSA in October to access money from the government. A school’s website will list what they have available; some will have fall deadlines.

Accept Offer of Admission Most colleges have a deadline of May 1 for the student to let them know that he/she is coming. Typically, the student returns a commitment card and sends an admissions deposit as well. You may wait until this date to notify the colleges, but as soon as you do decide, let them know so that you can make your housing deposit.

You must also inform the other schools to which you were accepted that you are not coming.

Apply for Housing Many colleges require on-campus living for freshman students, it is important to know the procedure for housing arrangements at the school of your choice. An application form and a deposit are usually necessary.

The earlier you make the housing deposit, the more housing options you will probably have.

Register for Courses This will be either a registration process on-line in the summer, a summer orientation program during which you will select your fall schedule or during the fall when arrive on campus.

ACT / SAT Always take a picture ID with you When you register for either the ACT or the SAT, you must indicate your high school code. NTH@C's code is 441486. This has to be inputted in order for NTH@C to receive your scores and list them in Naviance. It is strongly recommended that students take both the ACT and SAT. All colleges will accept either and use a conversion chart to compare the two test score results. See which test you score best on and then re-take it if desired. Most students will score better the second time to some degree. Be aware that some schools will superscore for one or both tests meaning they will take your best score for each area and compute a new composite. Some schools will superscore or use a best sub-score for scholarships even if not for admission thus it may be beneficial to send more than one test result to a college; when in doubt send all results. There is not any down side to schools having all test information. They have repeatedly told us they are looking for ways to admit students not exclude them.

Preparation On each student’s Naviance home page is an excellent self-paced test prep program called Naviance Test Prep. It is for the SAT and ACT and can be very helpful in getting use to the format of the two programs and in preparation for their content.

Also for the SAT, the website www.khanacademy.org is also a great test preparation site. The best study books are by the two testing companies - The Real ACT Study Guide and The Official SAT Study Guide. The best test-prep program, however, is taking as strong a course load with which a student can be successful and then doing well in those classes.

ACT What is Tested - Always take the ACT plus Writing as opposed to just the ACT. If you do not take the writing portion and later apply to a school that requires it, you will have to re-take the entire test. The ACT consists of an English, math, reading and science test. You will receive a score for each area plus a composite score.

Scoring - Students and colleges receive your ACT score based upon the 1-36 point scale for the ACT whether or not you take the writing test. If you also take the writing test, it will be reported as a separate score on a 1-12 scale but on the same score report form. There is no deduction for wrong answers (no penalty for guessing).

When to Take - The April and June tests offer the Test Information Release (TIF) (an additional $18) which, in addition to your scores, provide you with the questions and answers from the test which can be used for future preparation. Keep in mind that all juniors will take the test for free during a school day in the spring.

How to Register - Go to www.actstudent.org. Don’t use Internet Explorer to register (you can’t print your picture on the ticket using it and the picture is required) If you are on free or reduced lunch, you may take the ACT twice for free. Your counselor can provide you with a fee waiver form.

Sending Scores – You must pay separately for each teach administration you want sent to each school.

SAT What is Tested – Always take the SAT plus Writing as opposed to just the SAT. If you do not take the writing portion and later apply to a school that requires it, you will have to re-take the entire test.

Scoring – The SAT (Critical Reading & Math) are scored on 200-800 scale with a top score of 1600. The optional (take it) Writing section is also scored on the same scale. Like the ACT, the SAT does not deduct for incorrect answers so if unsure of an answer go ahead and make your best choice.

When to Take - The January and May tests offer their “Question & Answer” services (an additional $18) which will send you the questions/answers for this test to help you study if you retake the test. If you need to take a subject area test for college admissions (small group of selective schools) the best time is June, right when you have completed the courses the tests will assess.

How to Register - Go to www.collegeboard.org. If you are on free or reduced lunch, you may take the SAT twice for free. Your counselor can provide you with a fee waiver form.

Sending Scores – For one fee you may send all scores or just one administration to a school.

Oct PSAT

Jan SAT (if want old version)

Mar SAT (new version)

Suggested ACT/SAT Junior/Senior Time Line Apr May June Fall Senior Year ACT (All SAT SAT Subject Tests If desired, take the test on which juniors take, if want 2nd ACT if want 2nd you scored better for admission CISD pays for) time time and scholarships

ACT / SAT TESTING DATES – DEADLINES Most schools will accept either the ACT or the SAT. It is advisable to take both, regardless of where you are applying. Students may do better on one test rather than the other and there is no way to predict which will be better for an individual student.

If a student takes the ACT and/or the SAT more than once, colleges/universities will use the highest score for admission purposes. A student who scores similarly on a couple of different administrations will probably not score much differently on the next test session unless something has happened in the meantime, i.e. another semester of school, working through one of the study guides, etc.

ACT

Register at www.actstudent.org - NTH@C School code is 441486 Test Date

Registration Deadline

September 9, 2017

August 4

Late Registration Closes (Late Fee Required) August 18

September 22

October 28, 2017 December 9, 2017

October 6

November 3

February 10, 2018

November 17 January 19

January 12

February 27, 2018*^

All juniors take at NTH@C, No registration needed

April 14, 2018

March 9

June 9, 2018

March 23

May 4

May 18

SAT

Register at www.collegeboard.org - NTH@C School code is 441486 Test Date

Tests Offered

Regular Registration Closes

On-Line Late Registration Closes (Late Fee Required)

Aug. 26, 2017

SAT and Subject Tests

Oct. 7, 2017

July 28

August 15

SAT and Subject Tests

Nov. 4 , 2017

September 8

September 27

SAT and Subject Tests

Dec. 2, 2017

October 5

October 25

SAT and Subject Tests

November 2

November 21

Mar. 10, 2018

SAT Test Only

February 9

February 28

May 5, 2018

SAT and Subject Tests

April 6

April 25

June 2, 2018

SAT and Subject Tests

May 3

May 23

Date* = given at NTH@C ^ACT at NTH@C On-Line Account Information (Results can take up to 8 weeks for you to 1. You do not have an ACT account – Wait until after you receive your score report. On it will receive) be an ACT account number which you will use to help set up an ACT account. This will let you see scores on-line and be able to send scores to colleges your senior year. Go to www.actstudent.org to set up.

2. You do have an ACT account – Wait until 3-4 weeks after the test date to log in to check and see if your scores have been posted (could take up to 8 weeks). Once you receive a hard copy of your scores if you don’t see them on your on-line account you will need to call ACT to have the NTH@C ACT score consolidated to your ACT account. 319.337.1270, M-F, 8-8 Central time.

FACTORS IN SELECTING A COLLEGE The following are areas/questions to consider when researching your colleges. They may not all be important to you but decide what is important and find out the answers to those. Use this or make a checklist to ask when visiting a college or when attending a college representative’s visit to NTH@C. A point of emphasis - most students

spend a lot of time researching the statistics on incoming freshmen (SAT scores, G.P.A.’s. etc.). Make sure you also look at what happens as students graduate (second area below).

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Admissions o Early Action or Decision o Dates Graduation o Retention rates from freshman to sophomore year o 6 year graduation percentage o Percent in jobs or graduate school within 6 months o Average size of debt when graduating Financial Aid o Merit scholarships o Separate application o Departmental scholarships o Percent of aid on the average that is loans o Deadlines – priority or otherwise Setting o Surrounding neighborhood o Public transportation o Cars allowed Student Body Diversity o Racial and cultural o Gender o Commuter / residential o States and countries Housing o Guaranteed and for what years o Percent that live on campus o Types of dorms Majors o How many o Can I double major – what percent do this o How hard is it to switch majors o When do I declare a major Advising / Support o Faculty / Major advising program o Tutoring / Academic support program Curriculum o Percent taught by professors o Average class size o What courses or areas are required o Credit for AP o Research opportunities What makes this school distinct o Besides what most will say i.e., small classes, you’ll get to know professors well, study abroad Extracurriculuar o Clubs / Organizations o Weekend activities o Recreation facilities

GETTING COLLEGE INFORMATION College Representative Visits Many colleges will visit NTH@C on recruiting trips. These visits are an important way for you to discover information about a college and to establish a connection with someone at that campus. Often times, the school representative will be the person who will read your application and make admission decisions. It is extremely important that you present yourself in a manner that reflects well upon you and upon Coppell. Upcoming visits are listed in Naviance.

Important Points: • Keep track of the scheduled visits.

• The visits are for you to learn about the school and to demonstrate interest. Gather some information about the school prior to the visit, and ask a question showing that knowledge, i.e., “I’ve heard good things about your business school. What kind of internships do you have available?”

• If the school is one in which you have particular interest, make sure you introduce yourself and thank the representative for coming.

Evening Presentations Some colleges, either individually or in groups, will have presentations in the evenings for students and/or parents. These can be very informational about the individual schools and about the college admissions process in general. When we are notified, they are listed in Naviance.

Internet All colleges will have a website. Most sites are collegename.edu. Look for information on undergraduate or freshman admissions. They will have information about their deadlines, financial aid and how to contact them regarding a campus visit. Naviance has a college search function called SupermatchTM college search. Once you do the search, you can select which schools to put on your “thinking about” list in Naviance. Then, as you make your decisions about where to apply, you can move those schools to “colleges I’m applying to”.

College Fairs August 13 - Colleges That Change Lives (CTCL) is a group of 40 liberal arts colleges from around the country. The 2016 fair is Sunday, August 13, 2017 at the Dallas/Addison Marriott. Info/registration is at www.ctcl.org September 14 - CISD Fair– Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017 Coppell High School will host the annual CISD college fair from 6-8. Over 200 colleges from throughout the country are represented. The person representing each school will be either an alumnus or an admissions representative.

October 18 – A national Visual & Performing Arts Fair is hosted each fall by the National Association for College Admissions Counseling (NACAC) of which NTH@C is a member. The 2017-18 fair is October 18 from 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. at the Irving Convention Center. Students may present portfolios, audition, interview, and gather information. Registration/Info is at www.gotomypvafair.com.

April 9 – A National College Fair is hosted by NACAC each year. The 2017-2018 fair is 4/9/18 from 5:00-8:00 at the Irving Convention Center. You may register at www.gotomyncf.com.

Campus Visits When possible, visit a college prior to accepting its offer to attend. A college may look good on paper but may or may not have the same feel when you are on campus. See the next page for additional information regarding college visits.

CAMPUS VISITS When possible, visit the campuses in which you are interested. The feel of a campus may be different than the impression you have from talking to a representative and reading about it. It is very important to at least visit a school before accepting the offer of admission.

When you visit a college, take notes on your impressions immediately after the visit. Do not let weather conditions on the day of your visit affect your judgement. Pay attention to your feelings about the campus, but also do not judge the college solely on the basis of your visit, remember the information you found before your visit.

Before you go, call the admissions office to arrange a campus tour, an interview (if available), and maybe an overnight stay. An overnight stay can be very beneficial in getting a feel for the campus. Get detailed directions to the campus and to the specific building where you will meet for the tour. It is best to go on a weekday during the school year so that you can see a campus full of people and possibly attend some classes. You may not be able to see all your schools under these conditions, but you will get a better feel for those that you can.

While there, take the tour, but also visit several classes and meet some professors from an area in which you are interested (the admissions office will be able to set that up for you).

Also visit the student center, library, computer centers, academic support center, etc., if not included on your tour. Most importantly, talk to as many students as possible. Get their opinions on campus life, classes, activities, what they like/dislike about the school.

Choosing a college is a big decision. Gather as much information as possible. The following are possible areas through which to evaluate a school. Further information to consider is on the previous page. Decide which are important to you prior to your visit(s) and make sure that you get answers and/or information about those items.

Retention – freshman orientation programs, percent of freshman returning for sophomore year Diversity – diversity of the campus, what cross-cultural experiences are available Technology – connections available in the dorms, what computer labs do they have Academic Challenge – do students get to leave their “comfort zone” Active Learning – when are majors selected, what internships are available Student-Faculty Interaction – availability of faculty, opportunities for research with faculty, average class size of freshman classes Campus Environment – what do students like about the campus, public transportation, academic support, weekend activities (a commuter campus?)

Out-of-Class Experience – community service, leadership opportunities, study abroad, student organizations Post-College – career placement assistance, job placement percentages, will this school help you get to where you want to be

COLLEGE INTERVIEWS College interviews are part of the application process for many selective schools. Very few of these schools require an interview but list it as optional. This is the one area where when schools say it is optional, it probably truly is; but if one is offered then you are expected to do it. When you see comments like Princeton’s below that say “we encourage applicants to accept,” then view those as mandatory. Like the rest of the college process, each school will have different ways of doing this.

The overriding thing to remember about this is that the interview can only help, not hurt. Colleges realize this is such a small slice of you when looking at interviews.

Basic information about college interviews: Why For colleges: add face to the application, may be way to gauge interest, opportunity to engage alumni, when done by alumnus, it is a means to have a third party objective evaluation For students: gain information about the school, another avenue to tell your “story,” opportunity to demonstrate interest, preparation for life skill.

When Some schools will require that you apply first; others will schedule them prior to that, some as early as the spring of your junior year as part of a tour of their campus Who Usually an alumnus conducts the interview, but for some schools it is an admissions officer.

Where Most often it is in the local community. For those schools where the admissions officers interview, it may be on their campus and/or they may set aside time when they visit their recruiting area for those that set up appointments prior to the visit.

How Most colleges have their alumni organization do the scheduling. As a consequence many students are not called for an interview, as there are limited spaces. Colleges want to make sure that students know that if they are not called by an alumnus for an interview it is not due to a lack of interest by the school, the school had nothing to do with the scheduling. They do not tell alumnus to interview this student, but do not interview that one.

Here are some examples of how school interview procedures can vary.

Vanderbilt: (20% of applicants interview) Vanderbilt admissions officers do not conduct interviews, and interviews are not a required part of the admissions process. Vanderbilt does offer interviews with local alumni as an optional component of the application for admissions.

Princeton: (99% of applicants interview) Princeton tries to offer all applicants the opportunity to have a conversation with an alumni volunteer. This is a chance for you to learn more about the Princeton experience, and for Princeton to learn more about you. After you submit your application, a member of the Princeton Alumni Schools Committee in your area will contact you. The admissions committee includes the interviewer’s comments in their review of your application. Interviews aren't required as part of the admission process, but Princeton encourages candidates to accept the invitation.

Washington University in St. Louis: (Do not release percent that interview but say they are truly optional) Although Washington University encourages you to visit campus and have an interview during your visit, it does not require interviews as part of the admission application process. In addition to on-campus interviews, Washington University offers interviews with alumni across the country.

Wellesley College: (40-50% out of state do alumni interviews) Wellesley conducts interviews both on campus and when their admission counselors travel. Students need not have applied for admission to interview.

Things to remember:

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Dress business casual Time for proper etiquette Be on time, if not a bit early No resumes, transcripts Act naturally

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No eating or drinking Opportunity to gather information, show interest, see how you can get involved on campus Shouldn’t be asked where else applying

APPLYING TO COLLEGE The best thing to remember is to Beat Deadlines, not Meet Them. There is not any forgiveness in the college application process for those who do not meet deadlines. If you are not an organized person, become one! Using the “My Colleges” form in this handbook or something similar is a must in helping you stay organized throughout the year.

Strategy Apply in fall if you’re the best candidate you’ll be – Halloween is a good target date.

Apply to schools of varying selectivity. Do not put all your energy and efforts in to one level of school. Give yourself some options when it comes time to make a decision.

Consider applying early if applying to selective schools. Some studies have shown that applying early is the same as adding 100 points to your SAT score. By applying early, you will have a decision on that school or schools in December. This strategy is the norm, not the exception for most private secondary schools in the northeast.

Apply early to rolling admission schools. You may apply any time to most schools in this category, but they will still have financial aid and/or housing deadlines. They may also have priority deadlines; this means that you will receive first consideration for housing and/or money.

Applications - Always use the Common Application if a school accepts it as it is very difficult to support what you need by other application methods as Common App schools usually require counselor letters of recommendation (OU, Baylor, UNT and Austin College do not – see “Counselor Rec Packet” College Listing page for instructions for these four). The Common Application is only way we can send supporting documents electronically.

1. CommonApp.org – Over 500 schools nationwide (including Austin College, Rice, SMU, Southwestern, TCU, Trinity College, U of Dallas, Baylor and UNT) use this. You complete this one application sending it to any school that uses the Common Application. This saves you, parents, teachers and counselors a lot time. Schools that accept the Common Application do not give preference to this form or their own.

2. ApplyTexas.org - 60 public universities in Texas use this one application. Each school may have different supplements and/or scholarships that you will also complete. Three ApplyTexas schools also use the Common Application and require a counselor letter of recommendation (TCU, SMU, and U of Dallas). For those schools, use the Common Application only as letters of recommendation cannot be sent through the ApplyTexas.

3. School Application – Applications for schools that do not use the Common Application or the ApplyTexas are typically on the school’s website where you may fill them out and submit them electronically.

Tips Colleges may take 4-5 weeks to process your application. Do not be alarmed if their “status check” does not show them receiving your information immediately as they get thousands of pieces of information and update the “status check” manually.

Check your e-mail. Many schools use e-mail to inform you if parts to your application are missing and will also communicate other needed information. Use the same e-mail for all applications, check it regularly and use a “professional” e-mail name. One just for your applications is helpful.

Develop a resume. If you do not have a resume, create one. This will be helpful whenever you fill out college and scholarship applications. Naviance has a great section on developing a resume.

Keep a copy of everything. On occasion, a school may lose part of what you have submitted. Also, you may be able to duplicate portions of one application to another.

THE COLLEGE APPLICATION PROCESS APPLICATIONS First, list your schools in Naviance under “colleges,” “colleges I’m applying to.” There are three types of applications to four-year schools. Use applications in this order.

1. Common Application (www.commonapp.org) – this symbol, , will appear in the “submissions” column when you list your schools in Naviance. If your only Common App school is Baylor, UNT and/or Austin College you should use ApplyTexas. For other Texas schools always use the Common App. 2. ApplyTexas (www.ApplyTexas.org) – Use for any Texas school that does not accept the Common Application (Again, for Baylor, UNT and/or Austin College use ApplyTexas).

3. School’s own application – for any other school • Do Not Use the Coalition App – We can’t send supporting documents for this through Naviance.

• Applications to two-year schools are usually done on-line at their website. North Lake - www.dcccd.edu.

TRANSCRIPTS Official transcripts for college are ordered through Naviance no matter what type of application you are using.

1. Go to the "colleges," then "colleges I'm applying to." List your schools, then click “request transcript.”

2. At the top of your list of schools will be “request transcripts," click it then follow the instructions.

3. If you took a course over the summer you may want to wait to send transcripts until it is posted 10/1.

4. Mid-year transcripts are sent automatically to any school you applied to through the Common Application.

5. You send a final transcript at the end of the year to the college you will be attending. You must order that transcript at the end of the year at www.parchment.com. Instructions on that will be given to you in May. ACT/SAT SCORES You must send test scores if you did not have them sent when you took the Act/SAT; they are not on your transcript. Go www.collegeboard.org to order SAT scores and to www.actstudent.org for ACT scores.

LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION Teacher Letter – Allow teachers a minimum of one month to write a recommendation. Use the same teacher when recommendations are needed for different schools. Each teacher will have his/her own method to complete what you need. See that teacher early and have what is requested to that teacher in a timely manner.

If the teacher is sending a letter to a Common App school add them to your Naviance account as that’s how they will send those. All other schools you’ll need to provide them a stamped, addressed envelope to mail it.

Counselor Letter - Counselors write a letter of recommendation for any school that requires it which are almost exclusively Common Application schools. The schools for which a recommendation is not required are usually the larger public institutions. Acceptance at those institutions is based upon the student’s application including their essay(s), ACT/SAT test scores and the student’s transcript which shows strength of schedule and grades earned. We have conferred with many college admissions counselors at large public schools and have been assured that counselor letters have little to no impact due to the volume of applications they receive.

1. Counselor letters of recommendation are written for schools that require them which are almost exclusively Common Application Schools. You’ll see this symbol, , in Naviance for any school that is a Common Application school.* 2. If a letter is required, complete the Counselor Recommendation Packet that is located both on your Naviance home page and on the NTH@C website under counseling / college admissions.

3. Bring the completed Counselor Recommendation Packet to your counselor by September 15 for November and December deadlines and by November 15 for January deadlines. * Four Common Application schools do not require counselor letters of recommendation: OU, Baylor, UNT and Austin College. For those four follow the instructions on the first page of the packet that details linking your Common App and Naviance, then complete only the next page “College Listing” and turn only that page in to your counselor.

COLLEGE APPLICATION RESPONSES Colleges will respond to an application with one of the responses listed below. If admitted, the school will also send you a Financial Aid Award letter detailing any scholarships, grants, loans, etc. they can award you to help you attend. For most schools this letter will come in the spring after the school receives the results of the FAFSA form you complete. Be sure to pay attention to deadlines each school may have for completing the FAFSA and any other information a school may request.

Students admitted under Early Decision (binding agreement) and who apply for financial aid will receive an estimated financial award letter with the admission decision. Many such colleges will require the student to complete the CSS Profile in the fall to help the school estimate financial aid.

The four responses a college could send an applicant:

Admitted If you are admitted and that is the school you want to attend then let them know and cancel any other applications. The sooner you let a school know you will be attending the earlier in the pipeline you will be for housing, etc. If you have been accepted elsewhere, then let them know you will not be attending.

Denied Students that are denied in an “early action” or “early decision” process may not re-apply for the “regular pool.”

Deferred Students that apply through Early Action may be deferred in to the Regular Decision pool though this is not the usual process. Usually students that apply Early Action receive a definite answer one way or the other. If deferred however, the student will be considered again during the school’s regular application timeline and receive another decision letter around April 1 and then have until May 1 to respond.

Wait Listed Some students applying to a Regular Decision school may be offered a spot on a college’s wait list.

A wait list is a list of students that school will go to if the school ends up having room in the freshman class after students respond by May 1. The wait list is not a ranking of students but just a list from which the school will fill their freshman class if needed. As an example, if the school offered admission to a female Engineering student from Montana and that person decides not to come, the school might go to the wait list to find another similarly qualified student. If a school goes to the wait list for additional students it usually happens from mid-May to mid-June.

The number of students a school pulls from a wait list will vary drastically from year to year depending on how many students accept a school’s initial offer of enrollment on May 1. Schools may take nobody off a wait list one year and a lot another. Past history is not an indication of future likelihood.

What to do if offered a place on a school’s wait list • If you don’t want to be on the wait list o Decline the offer and accept an offer of admission elsewhere.

• If you want to be on the wait list o Go ahead and accept another school’s offer of admission as that is probably where you will attend. If pulled off the wait list later on, you can accept that offer and notify the previous school they will no longer attend. o Let the “wait list” school know you would like to be on the list. They will usually have a card for you to send in. o Write the “wait list’ school a short letter that you would really like to come there if accepted (it’s your first choice, etc.) and include any additional information they might not have, i.e. any new awards/honors, activities. Additional letters are not helpful – the school wants to hear directly from the student.

NAVIANCE – JUNIORS Home Page 1. College Rep Visits to NTH@C, Click colleges, list on right 2. Naviance Test Prep ACT & SAT courses.

3. Post High School Handbook – 45 pages detailing the college app. process 4. College Visit Form Take with you for two excused visits a year.

5. 4.0 GPA How to compute a 4.0 GPA 6. GPA/Rank Info.

Colleges Tab “Thinking About” 1. Add to this list 2. My Interest Let counselor know of interest 3. Application deadlines 4. Scattergrams Results for last three senior classes 5. Supermatch Great college search engine 6. Move to app. list Over summer move school(s) to “colleges I’m applying to” if you will in fall.

1/12/16

NAVIANCE – SENIORS Home Screen 1. Post High School Handbook – 45 pages detailing the college application process 2. Common Application Instructions 3. Counselor Rec Packet (Needed only for Common App Schools) 4. FAFSA – Federal Financial Aid 5. College Visit Form Take with you for 2 excused visits a year.

6. 4.0 GPA – How to compute your grades on a 4.0 scale

Colleges Tab “Applying To” 1. Blue Box Fill out if applying to Common App school. If not, click Not Needed.

2. Add to this list Add schools here 3. Transcripts Request college transcripts here.

4. Submissions – If red CA ( ) it is a Common App school 5. See App Deadlines 6. Teacher Rec. After talking to teacher, add them if writing you a letter for Common App. 1/12/16

NAVIANCE FEATURES COLLEGES •

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SuperMatchTM College Search This will help find a good match for you. You can select what things you are looking for in a college/university and then indicate how important each is in the total picture. As you answer each area, this program will list the schools that most closely fit your preferences. To find out more about a college, click on the college name to see a profile, and then click “more information.” If this school is one you want on your prospective list, click “add to my colleges”. This will put the school on the “colleges I’m thinking about” list. You can also “pin” different schools then up where they are listed click on “compare” to see them side by side.

Colleges I’m Thinking About You can add to your prospective list or look up a college by clicking on “add to this list”. Click on Lookup, where you can search by name or state. You can add or delete schools as you do more research.

Colleges I’m Applying To Use this beginning the summer before your senior year to list those schools to which you are applying. Beginning in August of your senior year you will be able to order your transcripts here and select the teacher(s) writing you a letter of recommendation if one is needed. Only select a teacher here after you have talked to them first. This is for Common App schools. If they are writing a letter for you that is not for a Common App school you will need to bring them an addressed, stamped envelope to mail it in. are not given to students as they lose their validity if not sent in by the teacher.

College Match This lists the most common schools students from around the country applied to who also applied to each of the schools on your list.

Scattergrams Chart of application results by college for Coppell graduates College Maps Map of colleges in the US and Canada listed by various categories Test Preparation Take the SAT preparation course – you can take the two full length tests twice each year.

Enrichment programs A listing of summer programs.

Scholarship List Scholarship information is listed here. It is updated on a weekly basis.

College visits Click on “visit schedule” to find out when colleges are visiting NTH@C or the DFW area. You will receive an email a few days in advance for any visiting school that is on your list of schools you are considering or to which you will be applying.

CAREERS • •

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Personality Type This will help you learn about careers that fit your personality.

Explore Careers You can research careers and career clusters – this can lead to college majors or specialized training or technical schools.

Career Interest Profiler Take the Career Interest Profiler to find out more about careers that match your interests.

ABOUT ME •

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Profile The email address listed here is where we will send out a lot of information. Change it if this is not one you view on a regular basis. Your G.P.A and rank are listed here and updated once a semester.

My Game Plan Completing this provides your counselor with information about your goals and this will help you develop a plan for achieving your goals. The counselors will be able to use this information when they meet with you in January/February. You can always make changes later.

My Resume Many colleges and most scholarships will want a resume. Enter activities you are involved in during high school and honors you receive as they occur.

Test Scores PSAT, AP, ACT, and SAT scores are imported here as they are received.

MY COLLEGES Record the information for each item and then check off when it’s completed.

School Early Action Early Decision Regular Decision Rolling Admission Teacher Rec Counselor Rec Transcript Sent Application Fee Financial Aid FAFSA CSS Profile

National Association for College Admission Counseling

STATEMENT OF

Students’ Rights and Responsibilities IN THE COLLEGE ADMISSION PROCESS An outgrowth of the Statement of Principles of Good Practice, the Students’ Rights Statement makes clear to entering college students those “rights” which are only alluded to by the Principles of Good Practice. It also spells out the responsibilities students have in the admission process.

university regarding application fees, financial aid, scholarships, and housing. You should also be sure that you understand the policies of each college or university regarding deposits that you may be required to make before you enroll.

As You Apply: • You must complete all material required for

WHEN YOU APPLY TO COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES YOU HAVE RIGHTS Before You Apply: • You have the right to receive factual and comprehensive information from colleges and universities about their admission, financial costs, aid opportunities, practices and packaging policies, and housing policies. If you consider applying under an early admission plan, you have a right to complete information from the college about its processes and policies.

When You Are Offered Admission: • You have the right to wait until May 1 to respond to an offer of admission and/or financial aid.

• Colleges that request commitments to offers of admission and/or financial assistance prior to May 1, must clearly offer you the opportunity to request (in writing) an extension until May 1. They must grant you this extension and your request may not jeopardize your status for admission and/or financial aid.

• Candidates admitted under Early Decision programs are a recognized exception to the May 1 deadline.

If You Are Placed on A Wait List or Alternate List: • The letter that notifies you of that placement should provide a history that describes the number of students on the wait list, the number offered admission, and the availability of financial aid and housing.

• Colleges may require neither a deposit nor a written commitment as a condition of remaining on a wait list.

• Colleges are expected to notify you of the resolution of your wait list status by August 1 at the latest.

WHEN YOU APPLY TO COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES YOU HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES Before You Apply: • You have a responsibility to research and understand the policies and procedures of each college or

application and submit your application on or before the published deadlines. You should be the sole author of your applications.

• You should seek the assistance of your high school counselor early and throughout the application period.

Follow the process recommended by your high school for filing college applications.

• It is your responsibility to arrange, if appropriate, for visits to and/or interviews at colleges of your choice.

After You Receive Your Admission Decisions: • You must notify each college or university that accepts you whether you are accepting or rejecting its offer. You should make these notifications as soon as you have made a final decision as to the college that you wish to attend, but no later than May 1. It is understood that May 1 will be the postmark date.

• You may confirm your intention to enroll and, if required, submit a deposit to only one college or university. The exception to this arises if you are put on a wait list by a college or university and are later admitted to that institution. You may accept the offer and send a deposit. However, you must immediately notify a college or university at which you previously indicated your intention to enroll.

• If you are accepted under an early decision plan, you must promptly withdraw the applications submitted to other colleges and universities and make no additional applications. If you are an early decision candidate and are seeking financial aid, you need not withdraw other applications until you have received notification about financial aid.

If you think that your rights have been denied, you should

contact the college or university immediately to request additional information or the extension of a reply date. In addition, you should ask your counselor to notify the president of the state or regional affiliate of the National Association for College Admission Counseling in your area. If you need further assistance, send a copy of any correspondence you have had with the college or university and a copy of your letter of admission to: National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), 1631 Prince Street, Alexandria, VA 22314-2818.

POST-HIGH SCHOOL INTERNET SITES COLLEGE INFORMATION Comprehensive Information http://connection.naviance.com/coppell - the best site for colleges, careers, test-prep and much more www.collegedata.com – great site for college information www.ucan-network.org – a great source for enrollment, student body statistics on most schools www.collegeresults.org – retention and graduation rates for all schools compiled by the U.S. Dept. of Ed. College Links www.ctcl.org – Links to the small liberal arts colleges in the book 40 Colleges That Change Lives http://www.everychanceeverytexan.org/about/scholars/ - Texas colleges and financial aid College Applications www.commonapp.org – The Common Application on line, do the on-line version, not the downloadable one. www.applytexas.org – Common application for public Texas schools, also the scholarship application www.eduinconline.com – Common Black Application, pay one-time fee of $35 and apply to 31 institutions. www.zeemee.com – Website where you can construct a short video that may be attached to many applications.

ACT / SAT /AP / IB www.collegeboard.org – SAT registration and information, AP Information, college search for midSAT ranges and AP scores accepted. www.actstudent.org – ACT registration and information www.collegeboard.com/satskillsinsight - Great tool to help you become familiar with the SAT, free http://collegesearch.collegeboard.com/apcreditpolicy/index.jsp - Colleges and their AP credit policies Other www.freerecruitingwebinar.org – Great information on recruiting and scholarships at all levels www.eligibilitycenter.org – Athletes must register here in fall of senior year to be recruited www.nacacnet.org –college fairs, college space availability listings in the spring, see “student resources” tab FINANCIAL AID www.StudentAid.gov/fsaid – Get your Federal Student Aid ID (student & parent) to sign and send the FAFSA electronically www.fafsa.ed.gov – FAFSA online, basis for all federal financial aid https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa/estimate – Fill out basic form; see the government’s Estimated family Contribution (EFC) for college http://www.everychanceeverytexan.org/about/scholars/ - Financial aid links and many scholarships unique to Texas; click on Scholarships & Aid / Scholarship Index www.fastweb.com - Scholarship search engine, deadlines may be incorrect so look at each scholarship http://connection.naviance.com/coppell - College tab, at bottom of page you’ll see “National Scholarship Search” which is good and also “Scholarship List” which will have local scholarships starting in January http://collegecost.ed.gov – government site to compare college costs, find net price calculators for each college www.collegenet.com/mach25 - Scholarship search engine; can do keyword searches for specific interests http://www.blackexcel.org/200-Scholarships.html - Listing of minority scholarships www.finaid.org - Excellent site answering questions about financial aid www.studentaid.ed.gov - Information about US Government funds for college JOBS/CAREERS http://www.bls.gov/oco - Occupational Outlook Handbook online which includes job descriptions, working conditions, training and required education and earnings www.doleta.gov – Great listing for apprenticeship programs http://online.onetcenter.org - Career exploration: comprehensive information on skills, abilities, knowledge, work activities and interests associated with occupations.

FINANCIAL AID TERMINOLOGY Award Letter – Colleges send each accepted student a letter detailing the financial aid package that they can provide to help you attend. Review such letters carefully as two schools may offer the same amount of money but one may have a lot more loans than another. You do not have to accept the money that is offered if you do not want to (loans, work-study, etc.). Each school will have specific instructions that you will need to follow.

FAFSA – Free Application for Federal Student Aid – This form is the basis for all federal aid (Pell Grants, Work-Study, and Stafford Loans). It should be filled out in October of a student’s senior year. It is filled out at www.fafsa.ed.gov.

FSA ID – For those familiar with the PIN needed to electronically sign the FAFSA it is now called the FSA ID. This ID is needed to access the Federal Aid website, complete the FAFSA and send it electronically. You may obtain a FSA ID at www.StudentAid.gov/fsaid.

SAR – Student Aid Report – a report summarizing the information you submitted through the FAFSA. When a student receives this, it must be checked over for any submission errors that may be noted. A student’s Expected Family Contribution (EFC) will be printed on the document.

EFC – Expected Family Contribution – the amount of money a family is expected to contribute to a student’s education which is determined by the federal government based upon information submitted through the FAFSA. The EFC is sent to schools you tell the government to and is the basis for much of the financial aid the school(s) will award.

FAFSA4caster – To estimate federal aid go to https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa/estimate and complete the form there. The tinyurl for it is www.tinyurl.com/FAFSAEstimate.

CSS Profile – Financial aid application that is required in addition to the FAFSA by some select schools. Register for it in the fall and for most schools you will complete it in the fall as well.

Cost of Attendance – The total cost to attend school for one year. This usually includes tuition, fees, room, board, books, supplies, travel and personal expenses and varies from school to school.

Need Analysis – Process of determining the demonstrated need of an applicant for financial aid Financial Need – The difference between the cost of attendance and the amount you and your family are expected to contribute (the difference between Cost of Attendance and EFC).

Pell Grant – From the federal government through the FAFSA, does not need to be repaid.

Money is sent to the institution a student attends to be credited against expenses that are incurred.

Stafford Loan – Federal loan through the FAFSA which must be paid back. A subsidized loan means the government pays the interest on the loan while the student is in school while for an unsubsidized loan the interest accrues. Both must be paid back usually starting about six months after graduation. To see what your postgraduate payments will look like, go to www.finaid.org.

Work-Study – eligibility is determined through the FAFSA. If eligible, a student has a job on campus that is paid for by the federal government.

Undergraduate Student – Student that is enrolled in a postsecondary institution who has not earned a first degree (this would include all graduating high school students).

MONEY Financial Aid Calculators - Each college/university is required by the federal government to have a Financial Aid Calculator on their website to help determine how much it will cost to attend that school. The “calculators” will vary from school to school so be sure to see what each may include in terms of information they request (generally the more they ask the more accurate) and in terms of types of aid they offer (grants, loans, etc.). The CollegeforAllTexans.com website has a calculator called “States Net-Price Calculator” on the right side of the home page that lets a student compare up to three public Texas colleges at the same time.

Sources of Financial Aid - Ninety percent of the money to help students attend college comes from the Federal government or the school a student attends. Thus is it very important that a student research financial aid / scholarships at the colleges/universities to which the student is applying. The rest of financial aid comes from private scholarships and state aid.

Federal Government • FSA ID - You and a parent will need a FSA ID number to sign electronically the FAFSA form described next. Do that at www.StudentAid.gov/fsaid at any time but doing no later than September will have you ready to sign in October.

• FAFSA – The FAFSA is a form students and parents fill out detailing family finances. The FAFSA form is the basis for all federal aid such as work study, Pell grants and Stafford loans. For the first time, the form may now be done in October which makes it timelier in determining federal aid for college. The form is free and may be accessed at www.fafsa.ed.gov.

• FAFSA 4caster – Go to the following website to receive and estimate of federal financial aid: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa/estimate or www.tinyurl.com/FAFSAEstimate.

School Financial Aid / Scholarships • Need Based – All colleges will offer need-based aid through the FAFSA. You will need to have your FAFSA information sent to each college. Many schools will also award need-based money in the form of grants.

• Merit Based – Some colleges will offer merit money. These schools will often offer two types: o Selective – very competitive with deadlines usually during the fall semester o Automatic – usually based upon G.P.A. and/or ACT/SAT scores Private Scholarships Most will be applied for during the senior year but look ahead of time to see what you may want to apply for as the requirements and process rarely change much from year to year.

•

•

National Scholarships - Many private organizations and companies offer educational assistance through scholarships. These scholarships may be used at any university that a student attends.

Following are the two most complete and thorough databases for national scholarships: • www.fastweb.com • Naviance – click on “colleges,” then scroll down to “national scholarship search.”

Local Scholarships – Check with local organizations/clubs for any scholarships that they may award. Groups that contact CHS with their information will be listed in Naviance as they become available, usually starting around mid-February. Click on “colleges,” then scroll to the bottom and click on “scholarship list.” Look alphabetically for ones starting with “local.”

State Aid Much of state aid is need-based and is contingent upon filling out the FAFSA form. To see a listing of the available state aid go to the College for All Texans website and in particular: http://www.collegeforalltexans.com/apps/financialaid/tofa.cfm?Kind=GS

MERIT-BASED SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIPS Many of the best merit scholarships at colleges/universities will have application deadlines in the fall. This is another reason why it is important to enter the senior year knowing the schools to which you will apply. Scholarships can range from a small amount of money to all expenses covered plus a stipend and may be renewable for four years if a student maintains a certain course load and G.P.A. Most of the scholarships listed below will require an application separate from an admissions application. However, some schools will use their application for admission as their scholarship application. You will need to check with each school to which you are applying to see what its procedure is for scholarship applications. Most schools will list the scholarships they offer on their website. Usually you can click the “prospective student” tab and then click on the tab that indicates information about their scholarships.

Not all schools offer merit scholarships, but all schools will offer need-based aid. Needbased aid can be money from that institution and/or money from federal government and is based upon your family’s finances. If merit aid is a necessity, be sure to research that when looking at schools. The two types of merit aid are selective and automiatic.

Selective - A sample listing of selective merit-based institutional scholarships and the 2017-2018 deadlines are as follows:

School

Scholarship

Baylor University Davidson College Emory University Hendrix College Oklahoma University Southern Methodist University Tulane University University of Arkansas - Fayetteville University of Texas – Austin Washington and Lee Washington University in St. Louis

President’s Gold Bryan Scholars Emory Scholars Hayes Memorial (apply for adm by 11/15) Non-Resident Scholarships Hunt Scholarship Dean’s Honor Scholarship Sturgis & Bodenhamer Scholarships University-wide Scholarships Johnson Scholarships Danforth Scholarship

2017-2018

Approx Deadline

2/1 10/15 11/15 2/22 12/15 1/15 12/5 11/15 12/1 12/1 11/15

Automatic - A second type of merit scholarships are automatic scholarships based upon G.P.A. and/or ACT/SAT scores. A sample listing follows (there are others even at the institutions listed below). The money is for one year and all scholarships are renewable. Each school has other scholarships that may be more than the ones listed.

U of Arkansas U of Alabama Kansas State LSU U of Oklahoma Mississippi St

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In-State Tuition Presidential Purple & White Tiger Excellence Scholarship Non-Resident

24 ACT / 1090 SAT + 3.25 GPA 32-36 ACT / 1400-1600 SAT + 3.5 GPA 24 ACT / 1090 SAT + 3.5 GPA 28 ACT / 1250 SAT + 3.00 GPA 24-25 ACT/1090-1160 SAT + 3.50 GPA 26 ACT / 1170 SAT + 3.0 GPA

$9,974 $26,950 $8,000 $7,600 $3,000 $9,000

NORTH LAKE ADMISSIONS Typically, 20% of the graduating class will enroll at a community college with the vast majority of those attending North Lake. Students are encouraged to start the application process for North Lake at the beginning of February when NTH@C 7-semester transcripts are available so that you will receive the maximum financial aid to which you may be entitled.

There are two types of degrees at North Lake: Associates of Applied Science – This is a degree in which students study specialized areas such as computer, real estate, nursing, etc.

Associates of Arts or Associates of Science – Students take traditional freshman and sophomore college courses and then transfer to a four year school. Students pursuing this track need to make sure that what they are taking will be accepted by the school to which they will be transferring. Obtain the listing of courses required at the four year school and get with counselors at North Lake to make sure you are taking the right courses to set up your last two years at the four year school (basic courses, prerequisites, etc.)

Steps to Enroll 1. Complete admissions application at www.dcccd.edu (they prefer theirs but if you have already completed the ApplyTexas application you may use it) – you may skip this step and step 2 if you have taken dual credit classes this year.

2. Take North Lake’s entrance exam or provide an Exit TAKS, ACT or SAT score that is acceptable – see chart at the bottom of this page for acceptable scores.

3. Provide a 7 semester transcript and have the FAFSA results sent to them.

4. Send final transcript to show them that you have graduated from high school.

5. Attend Freshman Orientation.

6. Enroll for classes – usually starts around the middle of June.

Taking the ACT and/or SAT It is advisable to take the ACT and/or SAT even though you may attend North Lake without taking either if you have a score that qualifies you (see below). The North Lake codes are 4141 for the ACT and 6519 for the SAT. Entering those codes will send your results to them at the same time you receive yours, saving time and money. There are two reasons for taking the ACT and/or SAT. 1. If you transfer to a four year school and do not have enough hours (usually around 30), then that receiving school may require the test.

2. When you apply to graduate school and/or jobs in the future, it is possible they will ask you for your ACT/SAT score.

Minimum Scores to Enroll at North Lake (Accurate as of 2/2014, check their website for any updates) ACT

English—19

Math—19

Composite—23

SAT

Reading—500

Math—500

Composite—1070

TSI (NL Test)

Contact North Lake for minimum scores required)

NORTH LAKE FINANCIAL AID Need Based Aid • US Government aid such as Pell Grants, Work Study and Stafford loans – all are based upon the results of you filling out the FAFSA • North Lake aid – they will also use the results of the FAFSA. Their main program is Rising Star. To be eligible a student must: o Exhibit financial need (information from the FAFSA is used along with a chart of family income) o Graduate with an average of at least 80 or pass the TIS (NL test) Scholarships Northlake has a wide range of scholarship opportunities that are administered through the Dallas County Community College Foundation. They have a great website that spells out what those are and how to apply. The following is a picture of that website. Their web address is http://www.foundation.dcccd.edu. Once there, click on “Students.”

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NCAA DIVISION I AND II Eligibility Junior Year 1. Register at www.eligibilitycenter.org during your junior year 2. Send them a six semester transcript (end of junior year transcript). Once you have registered with the NCAA bring Ms. Poe your NCAA ID number. She will send your transcript at the end of your junior year. If you attended more than one high school and/or North Lake you will need to also send the NCAA those official transcripts directly from those institutions.

3. Send them your SAT and/or ACT score directly from Collegeboard or ACT. End of Senior Year 1. Send final transcript to establish eligibility to play (order by e-mailing Mr. Kennington – use mkennington@coppellisd.com) If you attended more than one high school and/or North Lake you will need to also send them those official transcripts from those institutions.

When taking the ACT and/or SAT, use their code, 9999, for one of your college codes. This will send your results to them.

Use the following as a guide only. If you have questions about NCAA eligibility, call the NCAA Eligibility Center toll-free at 877.262.1492 or go to www.eligibilitycenter.org.

NCAA CORE COURSES Students must meet the core-course rule. Core courses are required to be eligible to practice, play and receive financial aid at a Division I or II school. Division I requires 16 core courses and Division II 14 core courses.

16 CORE-COURSE RULE – Division I (10 must be before 12th grade and are locked in by the NCAA, 7 of the 10 must be Eng, math or natural/physical Science)

4 years of English.

3 years of mathematics (Algebra I or higher) 2 years of natural/physical science (1 year of lab if offered by high school).

1 year of additional English, mathematics or natural/physical science.

2 years of social science.

4 years of additional courses (from any area above, foreign language or non-doctrinal religion/philosophy)

In addition to taking the core-courses a student must meet the GPA, ACT/SAT sliding scale requirements for those courses. The ACT/SAT score is obtained by adding together the subtests (SAT only Critical Reading and Math). The GPA is only for those classes that are used for the 16 core courses.

Core GPA SAT ACT 3.550 & above 400 3.525 410 3.500 420 3.475 430 3.450 440 3.425 450 3.400 460 3.375 470 3.350 480 3.325 490

37 38 39 40 41 41 42 42 43 44

3.300 3.275 3.250 3.225 3.200 3.175 3.150 3.125 3.100 3.075 3.050 3.025 3.000 2.975

500 510 520 530 540 550 560 570 580 590 600 610 620 630

44 45 46 46 47 47 48 49 49 50 50 51 52 52

2.950 2.925 2.900 2.875 2.850 2.825 2.800 2.775 2.750 2.725 2.700 2.675 2.650 2.625

640 650 660 670 680 690 700 710 720 730 730 740-750 760 770

53 53 54 55 56 56 57 58 59 59 60 61 62 63

2.600 2.575 2.550 2.525 2.500 2.475 2.450 2.425 2.400 2.375 2.350 2.325 2.300

780 790 800 810 820 830 840-850 860 860 870 880 890 900

64 65 66 67 68 69 70 70 71 72 73 74 75

NTH@C NCAA Approved Core Courses To see the NTH@C list of courses approved by the NCAA as a Core Course 1) go to www.eligiblitycenter.org 2) Under Student-Athletes click Enter Here 3) Click Resources, then US Students 4) Click List of NCAA Courses 5) Enter our code 441486. You will then see the list of courses. Be aware that all names may not be exactly the same as the NCAA doesn’t want every slightly different name submitted to them.

2/25/16

GAP YEAR GAP year is where students postpone their freshman year one year and set up a program of study/experiences before they enter college. The following article spells out the benefits of such a program for some students.

The following is reprinted with permission by the author, Robert Clagett. He is a former dean of admissions at Middlebury College and former senior admissions officer at Harvard College.

As the cultural significance that we Americans attach to the college admissions process gets ratcheted up year after year, it can frequently seem that where we go to college has become more important than what we actually do with the opportunity once we get there. For some, getting into the perfect college has become an end in itself, rather than a means to an end, and finally having the brass ring in hand can sometimes lead to a sense of letdown and even underachievement once they arrive on campus.

But there are a few positive trends happening out there that may help us re-focus our attention on what should be the educational goals of going to college in the first place. As reported earlier in this space, one of those is the burgeoning interest that some students are demonstrating in taking a gap year between high school and college, voluntarily removing themselves from the lock-step mentality that can too often characterize the high school experience.

It is by no means a new idea, and for university-bound students in some parts of the world, it is practically the norm. But since the convention for most in this country is to graduate from high school in the spring and head off to college the following fall, it has taken time for it to take root.

Gradually, however, this idea is catching on, and more and more students are stepping off the educational treadmill, pursuing interests, talents, or jobs for reasons other than just helping them get into their college of choice, and reminding themselves in the process of what their education is really all about. There has also developed a whole industry of programs, books, gap year fairs, counseling services, and sometimes even financial aid to help students pursue their passions during a year away from their formal education.

The reason for all of this interest is that much evidence has shown that students who take a gap year bring more to their college experiences and derive more from them as well. What often happens is that students end up “re-inventing� themselves during their gap year, discovering where their true interests and talents lie, and helping them bring a more mature outlook to their education in the future.

There is even good news on the academic performance front, with several studies showing that students who take a gap year end up doing better than their non-gap year classmates. At Middlebury College, for example, this was true even when controlling for the academic credentials that gap year students brought with them from their high schools. On average, those students have shown a clear pattern of having higher GPA’s than would otherwise have been predicted, and the positive effect lasts over all four years.

So here, for once, is a college admissions trend that is a win-win for everyone involved. Most students who take a gap year still go through the college admissions process when they are seniors in high school, then request a deferral of their enrollment after they have decided where they would like to matriculate. But as long as those students are proposing something worthwhile for their year off, most colleges are open to approving these requests, since they realize it can only lead to a more focused and mature student body.

And for many students, parents and colleges, that would be a welcome trend indeed.

Resources Books: The Complete Guide to the Gap Year by Kristin White The Gap Year Advantage by Karl and Rae Nelson Test Drive Your Dream Job by Brian Kurth Internet: www.GapYear.com www.teenlife.com Company: Center for Interim Programs, www.interimprograms.com 1/8/15

THE WORK OPTION At some point, almost everyone ends up in the workplace. No matter when you plan to receive that first full-time paycheck, there are some things you will need to do to prepare yourself for the world of work.

As you progress through high school, take courses that will prepare you for college as well as a career.

It is a good idea to take college preparatory courses even if you are not planning on attending college right away because getting a good education always pays off no matter what you decide to do. Work training and work experience in high school will also pay off when attempting to seek employment after high school.

There are five steps in preparing for a career or for college followed by a career: • Take an aptitude test – There are a couple of great resources on Naviance under the “Careers’ tab. The ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) is another good test that can help with understanding your aptitudes and possible careers. You will have an opportunity during the school year to take this during the school day.

• Research various careers –Career books in the library as well as internet websites are great resources for learning about careers. The “Jobs/Careers” section of the “Post-High School Internet Sites” sheet earlier in this handbook has several web sites that you should explore. Job shadow when you get the chance to see first-hand what a job is really like. Do volunteer work in an area of interest to see if that occupation fits your talents and interests.

• Network – Become familiar with people in the industry of interest to you. This can happened through research listed above, contacts through family and friends, and actual job experience.

• Create a portfolio – Have on hand information that will help when seeking employment. This should include items such as a resume, writing samples, transcript, letters of recommendation and portfolio of work that you have done.

• Apply – Once you have an occupation in mind, set up interviews and fill out applications while still in school. Have a plan set for after graduation Writing a letter to apply for a job • Address it personally to a person (not “To Whom It May Concern”) • Be brief • Introduce yourself to the reader • Indicate the position for which you are applying • Mention how you found out about the position (friend, newspaper, etc.)

• Include something about yourself that will arouse interest about your experience and accomplishments • Request an interview • Sign and date The Interview • Arrive early • Look your best and dress professionally • Be yourself – you are both deciding if you and the job are a good match • Speak up and furnish the interviewer with information needed to make an informed decision • Practice with a friend by going over the following common questions: 1. Tell me a little bit about yourself 2. Are you at your best when working alone or in a group 3. What are your career goals 4. What are your questions for me (always have some, show some knowledge of the position)

CAREERS WITHOUT A COLLEGE DEGREE There are many jobs that do not require a college degree. Some require on-the-job training, apprenticeship programs or a relatively small amount of training. However, keep in mind the following statistics from the U.S. Commerce Department.

Degree High School College Degree Master’s Degree Doctoral Degree Professional Degree

Lifetime Earnings $1.2 million ($26,000 a year for 45 years) $2.1 million $2.5 million $3.4 million $4.4 million

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics lists the following careers as some of those that earn above average wages with a small amount of training – from just a few weeks to one year. The wages listed are the median amounts earned August, 2016.

Hourly Professions $28.06 $18.20 $19.70 $20.24 $19.95 $18.23 $24.94 $22.53 $24.34 $25.44 $18.38 $26.88 $23.05 $19.46

Aircraft Mechanics Auto Mechanics Automobile Body Repair Carpenters Chefs / Head Cooks Welders Electricians Firefighters Plumbers and Pipe Fitters Telecommunications Equipment Installers/Repairers Carpet and Tile Setters Rail Transportation Workers Brick Masons and Stonemasons Drywall Installers

Salaried Professions – Some in this group are salaried plus a commission. $35,410 $23,200 $23,120 $51,270 $48,560 $48,350 $57,200 $58,810 $40,990

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Appliance Repair Bank Tellers Cosmetologists Executive Secretaries / Administrative Assistants Food Service Managers Paralegals Postal Service Carriers Police Officers Real Estate Agents

THE MILITARY OPTION The military is an option for a career and/or money for college. Thoroughly research the branches of the military in which you are most interested. Request brochures, talk to recruiters, and visit with family and friends with experience in the military.

Recruiter Information Air Force 972.570.7151 3575 N. Beltline Rd Irving, TX 75062

Marine Corps 972.221.6195 1148 W. Main St Lewisville, TX 75067

Army

Navy

972.242.1710 2150 N Josey Ln, Ste 308 Carrollton, TX 75067

972.436.6527 1108 W. Main St Lewisville, TX 75067

Coast Guard 972.506.3047 2240 Market Pl Blvd #100 Irving, TX 75063 U.S. Service Academies The service academies are four-year degree programs followed by a commitment of service.

Acceptance to a service academy requires a congressional or executive nomination by one of your U.S. Senators or Representatives or the Vice President. Children of career or retired military personnel may seek a nomination through the Office of the President. You are encouraged to pursue any and all of the avenues to increase your chances of securing a nomination. Generally, the timeline to apply to an academy starts in the spring of your junior year.

You will need to apply to the academy in which you are interested and secure a nomination.

Air Force Academy www.academyadmissions.com Naval Academy www.usna.edu West Point www.usma.edu Coast Guard www.cga.edu Senator John Cornyn www.cornyn.senate.gov/ Go to “For Texans, then “Students,” then “Service Academies” Senator Ted Cruz www.cruz.senate.gov/ Click “Services,” then click on “Student Resources,” then scroll down to “Nomination to Attend a U.S. Service Academy.”

Representative Kenny Marchant www.marchant.house.gov Go to “Resources,” then scroll down to “Service Academy Nominations”

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College Admission Questions & Answers

Updated 1/13/16

The following are commonly asked questions about the college application process.

What is Naviance?

Naviance is a web-based program that NTH@C provides to assist students as they plan their posthigh school education. Its primary use is to help students search for and apply to colleges/ universities. Naviance has a lot of features to help students such as career inventories, ACT and SAT prep courses and an excellent college search engine called Supermatch. Each student has an individual account. Naviance features and information on accessing Naviance are on the NTH@C webpage under Counseling/Naviance.

How do I know which schools will award credit for AP scores?

It varies widely as awarding of credit is up to each individual college/university. As an example, a 3 on an AP exam may be awarded credit at one institution while a 5 may be used only for placement purposes at another. Also, awarding of credit may depend on whether that test is part of a student’s major as some majors require students to take their courses to ensure a good foundation. To see college policies for AP exams go to: www.collegeboard.com/ap/creditpolicy.

When is a Student’s GPA updated and put in Naviance?

The guidance office updates the cumulative and rank GPA at the end of each semester for each student in each student’s profile in the “about me” tab. This usually occurs in early February and June.

Also, seniors are updated in October to reflect any credits earned over the summer. The first time a student’s cumulative GPA is calculated is when a student is a second-semester sophomore.

When are a student’s test scores put in Naviance?

SAT, ACT, PSAT, PLAN and AP scores are imported in to Naviance as those scores are received from the reporting agencies. Students must enter the NTH@C CEEB code (441486) when they register for the ACT and SAT in order for us to receive those scores.

What is meant by Automatic Acceptance?

There are two types. Many universities have minimum GPA / SAT or ACT scores by which students are automatically admitted. The second type is the state of Texas law requiring public universities to admit any student who graduates in the top 10% of his/her class, completes the recommended high school program or the Distinguished Achievement Program and applies to a state college or university within two years of graduation.

Why does the U of Texas at Austin use the top 7% (class of 2018) instead of top 10%?

State law allows a university to cap automatic acceptances at 75% of the incoming class. At this time, the University of Texas at Austin is the only school that needs to lower its automatic acceptance percentage to accomplish this and they have determined that capping at that percentage for the University of Texas at Austin’s freshman class of 2017-2018 will meet this goal (7% for class of 2016).

How does NTH@C rank students?

School Board policy states that NTH@C only rank students in the top 10% as is required by state law. The class rank for such students does not appear on the transcript but a Certificate of Rank is attached saying that the student is in the top 10%. The certificate states the student ranks #____ out of _____ which allows the University of Texas at Austin to calculate their top % for their admission purposes.

College Admission Questions & Answers

Updated 1/13/16

Why does NTH@C rank only the top 10%?

NTH@C is such a competitive high school that students with a high G.P.A. often do not have an equivalent high numerical class rank. This relatively low class rank could work against students when their college application is being considered. Without class rank on a transcript, colleges evaluate a student’s G.P.A. in regards to all other applicants and not against other strong students from CHS which the district has decided would be beneficial to our students.

When is the final ranking computed?

The final ranking is made at the end of the fall semester of the senior year. Students’ final G.P.A. will continue to be updated through the end of the senior year.

I transferred to NTH@C. Will the grades from previous schools be on the NTH@C transcript? Yes, all courses that count for high school credit are placed on the NTH@C transcript.

How is a transcript ordered?

Students order all college application official transcripts through Naviance. To order a student goes to “colleges I’m applying to,” list their schools, click “request transcripts” and then follow the instructions on the next screen. More information on college, scholarship, NCAA and unofficial transcripts are on the CHS website under counseling/transcripts.

What transcripts are required for the NCAA Eligibility Center?

Students wanting to play Division I or Division II should register for the NCAA during the junior year and then send a transcript at the end of that year (they want a six semester transcript, nothing any earlier). At the end of the senior year, send a final transcript. If a student attended more than one high school, or took courses from more than one program, the Eligibility Center needs an official transcript from each high school or program. Transcripts are ordered through www.parchment.com.

The website to register with the NCAA is www.eligibilitycenter.org and their toll-free number for questions is 877.262.1492 When should a student take the SAT and/or ACT? A student may take them at any time, but usually taken early in the spring of their junior year. This allows time to re-take them again later in the spring if a student feels he/she could score better.

The ACT is given to juniors in the spring during the school day at NTH@C and is paid for by CISD; students do not need to register for it. For most colleges, students can retest again in the fall of their senior year, but be sure and check with the schools of interest for the last test administration date they will accept. In addition, many schools will use a higher ACT/SAT for scholarship purposes even if taken after being admitted. Check with the school you will be attending to see if it is true for your school.

Should a student take the SAT or the ACT? It is recommended that a student take both. There is not any way to predict which test would be best for a particular student. Take both, see how you score and then if you want to retest, concentrate on the one on which you scored the best. Colleges have a comparison chart for the two tests and will use the best test scores for admission purposes. Always take a picture ID with you.

Is it okay to take the SAT or the ACT more than once?

Yes, colleges will use the best test score that a student has whether that is the first test they took or any one after that.

College Admission Questions & Answers

Updated 1/13/16

Should a student send all of their test scores or select which ones to send?

The best advice is to send all of a student’s scores with the one exception discussed in the next section. As mentioned previously, a college will only use the best score a student has. Colleges look for ways to help students gain admittance rather than reasons not to admit. Most schools will use a student’s best scores from one sitting. However, some schools will “superscore,” meaning that they will look for the best score on each portion of a test from multiple sittings. Also, some schools, while they don’t superscore for admissions, may for scholarships. Another possibility is that a university or a college within the university will use one sitting for admissions and then for a particular scholarship look for the best score on one portion of any exam. Thus, with all the different methods schools use, it is best to send all scores. College representatives have assured us on multiple occasions that sending all scores will not disadvantage a student in the admissions process.

What are SAT/ACT Optional Schools?

More and more schools are making the SAT/ACT test optional for admissions. For those schools, students may be better advised to wait until they receive their scores to decide whether to send them for admission purposes. A good website for information on test optional schools is www.fairtest.org.

How do colleges receive SAT/ACT scores?

Colleges must receive official score reports directly from SAT and ACT. A student’s scores are not on the NTH@C transcript and cannot be sent by the high school. When registering for the SAT or ACT you can have your scores sent to as many as four schools for no additional charge. You can also order results sent to colleges at a later time for an additional fee. Be sure to enter our high school code (441486) when you register so we will receive the scores and be able to import them in to a student’s account in Naviance.

What if test scores arrive before the application?

An application file is begun when the first piece of the application arrives whether it is test scores or the actual application. The college will not review the file until it is complete.

Will fall testing scores be available for early application deadlines?

If a student is applying early decision or early action and is taking the SAT or ACT in the fall, most schools will still be able to use the ACT taken in September and/or the SAT taken in October. Later dates are possible but be sure to check with the school(s) to which you are applying for any of the fall dates.

What are Subject Tests?

Subject Tests are hour-long, content-based tests administered by Collegeboard that are in specific subject areas. Most colleges that request them are selective schools in the northeast. Students will need to research the schools to which they are applying to see if any are required. Due to the fact that they are subject-specific the best time to take them, if needed, is the June administration at the end of the junior year’s classroom instruction. The student chooses which ones to take (though some colleges may want you to take particular ones depending on intended major). Up to three may be taken in one sitting. The dates are the same as for the SAT and may be ordered at www.collegeboard.com. Naviance provides information on which colleges require SAT Subject tests on each college’s individual profile page under the “admissions” tab. However, it is always recommended that students verify all information on a college’s website.

College Admission Questions & Answers

Updated 1/13/16

When should a student apply to college?

It is recommended that students complete their research by the beginning of the senior year and be prepared to apply in the fall. There is some advantage to the student in having colleges read their applications early in the process. Also, many of the better scholarships will have deadlines in the fall which means that the application will need to be submitted in the fall. The above is true if a student is going to be the best applicant they can be in the fall. A student, however, may want to wait and apply under the regular decision process in the spring if a student had a difficult semester somewhere along the way and a strong fall senior semester will help bolster an application.

What are Regular Decision, Early Action and Early Decision?

Regular Decision colleges are ones with a set deadline by which to apply, usually in January or February, with students receiving a decision on admittance by April 1. Students must reply back by May 1 to let schools know of their decision of whether they will attend. Most of these colleges will also do one or both of the “early” processes with a deadline usually of November 1. Early Action is where a student applies by the early deadline (no limit to the number of schools a student applies to under this), receives a response in December and then can wait to respond May 1 just as if he/she applied under Regular Decision. Early Decision is the same as Early Action except that it is binding and a student may apply Early Decision to only one school. A student must attend the school if accepted under the Early Decision process and withdraw all other applications. Because this is such a restrictive process, CHS requires a conference with student, parent and counselor before applying Early Decision.

What is the recourse if a student changes his/her mind after being accepted under the Early Decision process?

First of all it is important to honor one’s commitment. The schools will let a student out of this “contract,” but it is usually February before that occurs which makes applying to other schools difficult. In addition, it can be difficult for other students to be accepted at that school from NTH@C if a student withdraws from Early Decision. At NTH@C, very few students choose this option because of the limitations. Early Decision should never be entered into without careful consideration.

Is it important to complete the “optional” part of a college application?

“Optional” is not optional. Any time that word is seen, automatically change that in your mind to “mandatory.” Colleges feel that if a student is truly interested in attending their school a student will complete the entire application neatly and with evident care. The exception to this would be letters of recommendation to Texas public universities. While some such schools say they will accept them, the only letters that receive consideration are ones that explain a unique situation or give insight to a particular circumstance. They will however give consideration to a letter submitted on behalf of a student is who is denied admittance and is appealing that decision if that letter contains new information. Thus, NTH@C does not submit letters of recommendation to Texas public universities unless it is part of the appeal process.

How do I construct a good resume?

Naviance has a great resume builder. It is in the “about me” tab and can be tailored to a college application, summer internship, job or any other area where a resume is needed. Naviance will ask a series of questions which the student answers and this information is put in to a format that the student chooses.

College Admission Questions & Answers

Updated 1/13/16

What do colleges want to see in essays?

This is a chance for a student to let a college know him/her in a more personal way. Write about yourself in your own voice. If you write about an event or personal experience, be sure that you spend most of your essay on what you did as a result of that. Colleges want to see how you might have reacted, grown, etc. An essay is not the most important part of the application, but it is a chance for a college to get a good feel for the student. Have others review it for grammar, sentence structure, etc., but make sure it is still written in your voice. Also, make sure you give good thought to any other essay/short answer questions that may be on an application. Colleges know the time students spend on the main essay and look at the others to see if they are done well also.

What is FAFSA? FAFSA is the acronym for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. College financial aid offices use the information provided through this application to determine a student’s eligibility for federal financial aid such as Pell Grants, Work Study and Loans. The application is available at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/ in October of the senior year. Be sure to use that site as other similar looking sites charge a fee for the same thing that can be done here for free.

Where can money be found to help fund college?

90% of the money to help a student attend college is either the result of filling out the FAFSA or money that is available from the school a student attends. So, priority one is to research college scholarships and fill out the FAFSA when it becomes available. Secondly, Naviance has a section called “scholarship and money” under the “colleges” tab. The “national scholarship search” listed there is a great national database search engine for scholarships. Also in that section is “scholarship list” which will have some national scholarships and is where local scholarships are listed in the spring. Lastly, a great internet database for scholarships is www.fastweb.com.

What is the Common Application?

It is an application for college that is accepted by over 450 colleges/universities. The website is www.commonapp.org. Students fill out one application that can be sent to each of the colleges. Most colleges will have a supplement they want in addition but for any schools that accept this it can be a great time saver. When students list their schools they are “thinking about” or “applying to” in Naviance, this symbol will appear next to any Common Application school.

What is Apply Texas?

It is the same thing as the Common Application except that it is for Texas schools. Most Texas schools accept the Apply Texas application. It is at www.applytexas.org. If a school uses both Apply Texas and the Common Application, always use the Common Application, as counselors can only send materials electronically that may be needed through the Common Application.

How many college applications are recommended?

There is not a recommended number. Many students have one school in mind that has automatic acceptance guidelines; they know they meet these and apply early in the fall and are done. Others have several in which they are interested and will apply to those and wait for the results. The most important thing is to research schools and find ones that are a good fit. Sending out 20 applications is probably an indication that the student hasn’t done enough research.

College Admission Questions & Answers

Updated 1/13/16

Why does a college’s status check show items haven’t been sent in when they have?

When materials are sent to a college either by a student or by NTH@C they usually take two to three weeks before the schools “status check” is updated. If, after that time period, they still don’t show as being received, send an email to the admissions representative as a double check. Also, sometimes a student receives an email or notice from a school stating that there are missing items shortly after you know they have been sent. Again, it can take two to three weeks for their various systems to be aligned.

When do college representatives visit NTH@C? Colleges visit early in the fall and then again in the spring when they are through reading that year’s applications. As colleges are scheduled the information is entered in Naviance. Most colleges will be in the cafeteria during all three lunches. Some selective schools will visit with interested students in a small group in the Media Center. See Mr. Kennington in the guidance office to sign up for those.

How many teacher recommendations are needed and who should write them?

Colleges will vary in this regard. Most large public universities do not request any as they have too many applications to evaluate. When needed, colleges want to have a junior year teacher from the four basics or foreign languages write the recommendation. This is because they have the most current knowledge of you, your work and your growth during a school year. If a letter is needed, ask the teacher early, at a minimum of four weeks in advance, preferably towards the end of the junior year. If the teacher is submitting a letter to a Common App school you’ll need to add them in Naviance under the “colleges” tab, then at the bottom of “colleges I’m applying to” you see where that may be done. For other schools if they don’t have a system where you can invite them electronically you’ll need to provide the teacher with an addressed, stamped envelope for them to mail your letter. Use the same teacher for all your applications.

If a student is applying to multiple schools, will the teacher send the recommendation letter to all schools?

Yes, the student should give a list of colleges to the teacher indicating where they need to be sent along with the college deadlines. If the school is a Common App school it will be sent electronically.

If the school is not a Common App school the letter must be mailed with the student supplying addressed, stamped envelopes with NO return address. Students can find what schools use the Common Application in “colleges I’m applying to” in Naviance.

What are the deadlines to request letters of recommendation?

For teachers - students must give teachers at least four weeks to write recommendations. This deadline would include any materials that the teacher requests a student submit to them.

For counselors – students must submit to their counselors the College Recommendation Packet (available on the Naviance home page) by September 15 for colleges with deadlines in November or December and by November 15 for deadlines in January. The process of writing a letter and coordinating everything is very involved and time consuming thus the required deadlines. The key for this as is everything to do with this process is to beat, not meet, deadlines.

For all questions about Plan II Honors or other honors programs at the University of Texas, we recommend that you contact those offices directly. The contact information can be found at www.bealonghorn.com.