Senior parent/guardian workshop

SENIOR PARENT/GUARDIAN WORKSHOP

• Lexington High School Counseling Department
• September 23, 2014

COUNSELORS REGISTRAR’S OFFICE

• COUNSELORS REGISTRAR’S OFFICE
• Melissa Buttaro Room 152
• Alicia Linsey Jane Aronson
• Chrissy Maloney Karen Hurley
• Matt Medugno
• Stephanie Michael COMMUNITY SERVICE
• Emily O’Neil Room 705
• Stacy Prosowski Joanne Tringale
• Cynthia Tang
• Carrie Thibodeau
• Matthew Willis

• Counseling Go-To Staff

Agenda

• Senior Seminars
• Post-Secondary Options
• Building a Balanced College List
• College Application Process
• Financial Aid
• What Students Can Do
• How Parents Can Help

Senior Seminars

• Post-Secondary Options
• Building a Balanced College List
• The College Application Process
• Naviance/Family Connection
• (Transcript & Teacher Recommendation Requests)

Post-Secondary Options

• College/University (2-year & 4-year)
• Employment
• Gap Year
• Military Service
• Post-Graduate (PG) Year
• Technical/Trade Training

Building a Balanced College List

• Use Naviance/Family Connection to help develop and hone the list
• Strong lists include:
• 6 to 8 carefully selected schools
• A balance of Likely, Target and Reach schools

Important Factors

• Academic Offerings/Majors
• Size of Student Body
• Location
• Residential/Social Life
• Student Organizations
• Athletics/Recreational Sports
• Student Diversity

Types of Admission

• Regular Admission
• Rolling Admission
• Open Admission
• Early Decision (binding)
• Early Action (non-binding)
• Restricted / Single-Choice Early Action

COLLEGE APPLICATION PROCESS – STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES

• STUDENT

• COUNSELOR
• Counselor packet (questionnaire, parent/guardian “brag sheet” (optional)), activities resume

• NAVIANCE/REGISTRAR
• Request transcripts
• $6 per college (payable at the end of the year through MCC eSchool account)*
• * unless you are approved for a fee waiver

• COLLEGE BOARD/ ACT
• Request SAT and SAT Subject Test scores
• Request ACT scores

• NAVIANCE/TEACHER
• Request teacher recommendations through Naviance
• Stay in contact with teachers to provide list of colleges , as well as any other necessary documents.

• COLLEGE
• Application
• Supplements/Essay
• Application Fee

• You should send the materials listed above to LHS personnel by posted deadlines.

COLLEGE APPLICATION PROCESS – WHO SENDS WHAT TO COLLEGES

• COLLEGES

• STUDENT
•  Student portion of the college application including the ED contract when indicated
•  Application fee
•  Supplements
•  Essay/short answers
•  Additional recommendation letters
•  Portfolios

• REGISTRAR
•  LHS profile
•  Official transcript
•  Counselor statement (‘recommendation letter’)
•  Secondary school report forms

• COLLEGEBOARD/
• ACT
•  Official SAT, SAT Subject Test, ACT scores
•  AP scores

• TEACHER
•  Teacher statement (‘recommendation letter’)
•  Teacher Evaluation form

Athletics and Admissions

• Register with NCAA Eligibility Center ASAP
• Division I or II Sports
• Keep in contact with coaches
• Remember: A promise of acceptance is not an official acceptance. A student-athlete is not accepted until they have received a letter from Admissions.

Financial Aid

• Financial Aid Forms
• FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
• CSS Profile
• College-specific forms
• MEFA Financial Aid Night at LHS
• Thursday, November 13, 2014 @ 6:30pm-8:30pm
• College Goal Sunday (www.fafsaday.org)
• January 2015
• Local Scholarships (Naviance/Family Connection)

What Students Can Do

• Be Realistic with Your List
• The goal of the college admission office is to enroll a well-rounded class – a community of individuals who add a unique talent or characteristic to the class. The operative question in selective admissions is: “What will this student add to our college?”
• Make Your Case – why is this college a good match for you?

How Parents Can Help

• Allow Your Student To Drive
• Consider The Source…
• Look Beyond The Most Known
• Keep Your Sense of Humor

Online Resources

• Naviance Family Connection
• connection.naviance.com/lexington
• College Board
• www.collegeboard.com
• CSS profile
• MEFA (MA Education Funding Authority)
• www.mefa.org
• Colleges that do not require SAT/ACT
• Fair Test (www.fairtest.org)
• LHS School Counseling (http://lps.lexingtonma.org/domain/616)

Small Group Q & A

• Small Group Q & A
• Auditorium: Ms. Maloney & Ms. Tang
• Library Media Center: Ms. Thibodeau & Mr. Willis
• Commons I: Mrs. Michael & Ms. Prosowski
• Science Lecture Hall: Mrs. Linsey & Mr. Medugno