College Planning Handbook

Contents

Introduction
Senior Year Calendar
Factors to Consider in Creating a College List
The Admissions Process
Visiting Colleges
Application Procedures
Admissions Standards for State Colleges and Universities
Resources on the Web
SAT and ACT Test Dates – Appendix
Frequently Asked Questions – Appendix

College Application Information

NCAHS SAT School Code 222172
NCAHS ACT School Code 222172
SAT - College Board web site: www.collegeboard.com
ACT web site: www.act.org

School Counselors
Michael Eastwood-ext. 206
Loretta Braverman-ext. 202
Roberta Rogers-ext.203

Jane Wiggin, Director of Student Services – 508-668-0268, ext. 207

Introduction

The process of researching, identifying and applying to college can be a difficult and overwhelming task during this last year of high school. Our goal is to provide you with information, support and advice to make this process a positive part of senior year.

Our role is to provide you with information and tools to assist you in searching for colleges that meet your needs and interests. It is also our role to provide you with information about your progress at our school and the requirements for admission to various colleges and universities.

We will assist with recommendations, filling out applications, answering questions, providing information and any other help we can give within the school setting. We invite parents to play an active role in this process, understanding that family perceptions are an important part of this process. However, it is important to note that the job of looking for, applying to and choosing a college remains the student’s responsibility. It is up to each student to take the lead in this process.

College admissions have changed in the past few years. Increased numbers of applicants have made many colleges more selective. Schools that were once easier to get in to (such as state schools) are now becoming much more selective. The best ways for you to enhance your chances of admission are to take advantage of all that NCAHS has to offer, work hard, be honest about your strengths and weaknesses, and be thorough in your search for the right college.

Senior Year Calendar Timelines

September
•Schedule a college counseling meeting with your school counselor as soon as possible
•Revise and update resume
•Begin to narrow choices for college applications
•Check deadlines for SAT and ACT registration (enclosure)
•Decide on SAT and or ACT and register for the testing

October
•SAT and ACT Testing
•Registration for SAT
•Finalize list of colleges, get applications and begin working on essays
•Request recommendations from teachers and counselors or others as needed
•Visit colleges and/or attend college presentations at NCAHS

November
• Early Action / Early Decision deadlines for many colleges
• SAT Testing
• Registration for SAT and ACT
• Have your essay reviewed by your English teacher, school counselor or other qualified adult
• Gather all materials needed for the application packet
• Complete applications and bring them to your school counselor for review

December
• Early Action / Early Decision Action deadlines for some colleges
• SAT and ACT Testing
• Registration for SAT
• Financial Aid CSS Profile registration for some schools should be submitted

January
• Deadline for many regular college applications
• Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) should be filed no later than February 1
• Begin to search the web for financial aid information
  (see web sites listed under Resources on the Web)
• SAT Testing
• Registration for ACT

February
• Deadlines for many regular college applications
• ACT Testing
• Registration for SAT

March – April
• Most colleges notify applicants of admissions decisions
• Visit colleges during spring break to help make final decisions if necessary
• Register for SAT or ACT
• SAT or ACT testing

May
• Candidate reply date. (May 1st)
• Decide which college you will attend and send in deposit
• DON’T MISS DEADLINES OR YOUR SPACE WILL BE FILLED
• Write brief “Thanks, but no thanks” letters to all other colleges that admitted you,
   but that you have decided not to attend
• Decide if you want to remain on waiting lists
• See your counselor for new applications if necessary
• SAT testing

June
• SAT testing
• ACT testing June

Factors to Consider in Creating a College List
Admissions
What are my grades, GPA, class rank? What minimum requirements does the college need for admission? What tests does the college require (SAT, ACT, SAT II?) How significant are extracurricular activities? Does the college admit by major? How competitive is this college compared to others? What kind of financial aid can I get?

Location
How far away is reasonable? Can I afford to commute to California or Florida? How far do I want to be from my family? How far do I want to travel on weekends if I plan on coming home a lot or to work on weekends? Can I live at home and commute? Do I want to be in a big city or small town? Do I want to be in a rural area or in a town?

Student Body
How big is the student body? Can I adjust to a large population after being in such a small high school? What is the ratio of men to women? Is there diversity and institutional support for this diversity? Do the students act and look like me? Is this important to me?

Faculty – Extracurricular
What is the student-faculty ratio? Are there advisors and counselors available? Can I get extra help if I need it? What sports are there? Are there adequate athletic facilities? Can I participate in some way in sports? Are there fraternities and sororities? What percentage of the student body joins? What is the social life like? What other clubs and activities are there that interest me?

Academic Program
Do they have the major that I am interested in? What degrees are offered? Can I change majors if my interests change? What is the grading system? Can I get the classes that I need to graduate on time? When are the vacations and how is the calendar run – semester, trimester? How many classes will I have to take? What are the electives? How big are the classes? Can I take classes at other colleges nearby?

Other
What is the campus atmosphere? Are people friendly? What is the library like? How are the dorms? Can I get into a dorm? How is the food? Is there a health facility on campus? Is there a career resource center? What is there to do that is fun? How safe is the campus? Could I live here for four years and be happy?

Students with Disabilities Preparing for College

Students with disabilities often face unique challenges as they begin to plan for college, post secondary training and careers. Although special education services end when students leave high school, the right to reasonable accommodations and protection from discrimination continues. The resources listed here provide important post secondary transition information and guidance about a variety of disability-related topics. For more information please contact the Student Services Office.

College Planning for Students with Disabilities
http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content3/college.planning.LD.html

LD Online Colleges and College Prep
http://www.Idonline.org/indepth/college

Transition to Postsecondary Education Community and Practice
http://www.ncset.org/tacommunities/transition/default.asp

The Admission Process

Colleges and Universities decide, usually by committee, who will be admitted. Some students are placed on a waiting list, some are offered admission, and some are not offered admission. Schools place an emphasis on different criteria (please note the minimum requirements for entrance to state colleges and universities listed in this booklet), but generally the important factors are:

High School grades – transcript. Schools will want to see that you have taken college prep courses and how you have performed. They will look at the five major areas – English, math, science, social studies and foreign language (see your counselor for information on the vocational replacements for NCAHS students). Junior and senior years are very importan,t and students should concentrate on getting excellent grades.

Admissions test scores – SAT and ACT. Most colleges require you to take the SAT or ACT. If you do not test well, a strong academic record (transcript) may often offset a three hour testing experience. However, high scores on SATs or ACTs with a poor academic record often arelooked at less favorably by colleges. ACTs or SATs should be taken at the end of the j.

unior year, and/or at the beginning of senior year. Most Aggie students take the October or November SAT. Consider taking the ACT if your SAT scores are not as high as you wished. Study for the SAT or ACT by taking practice tests or going on line for practice. Check with colleges to see if they require SAT II subject tests and be sure to carefully check the dates of these tests.

Essay or Writing Sample. This should be a well constructed and carefully composed essay. Please see your counselor or English teacher for our handout about writing the college essay. Be sure you have the essay proof read by at least a few different people. Make sure that you answer the question, follow the guidelines as required by the school, and check for errors.

The Application. Make your application neat, accurate and impressive. All applications, even on-line applications, must be seen by our counselors prior to sending them.

Teacher or Counselor Recommendations. Ask teachers who know you well and who have a knowledge of your work at our school to write a recommendation for you. Give them at least two weeks notice. Ask them to be specific about a particular skill or incident so that you are distinguished from the other applicants.

Extracurricular Activities and Work Experience. Some colleges value this information particularly if you are applying to a specialty school such as UMass Stockbridge or a specific equine or animal science program. Highlight all volunteer and work experience that makes you stand out in the crowd. Use your resume that you developed at school to highlight your activities in this area.

Visiting Colleges

Students and parents are encouraged to visit prospective colleges and universities. This visit can give you a sense of the school and may be a way to eliminate or solidify your choices about where to apply.

Norfolk Aggie will give you an excused absence for visiting a college as long you get signed out of classes prior to the visit and bring a note from your parents. See your counselor for sign out sheets and for exact procedures.

A great time to visit a college is during high school vacations because they have different vacation schedules. It is important to see the college when students are there, so plan visits accordingly.

Take a tour when you are there. Call in advance to ask for times and dates, and ask if you need to make a reservation. Ask to see a classroom in session if you are really interested in the school and think about some of the factors that are listed in this booklet in creating a college list while you are on the tour.

Schedule an interview if you are really interested in a particular school. Be prepared for the interview by:

being relaxed
dressing appropriately
asking informed questions
being prepared to talk positively about yourself and your interests
being honest about your strengths and weaknesses
having questions you want answered ready (these should not be questions that you can easily get off of the internet site by yourself)

If you cannot arrange a visit to a college that is far away, check to see if a college representative will be in the Boston area and see if you can attend that session.

We will have representatives from colleges at our school. Please come to these sessions and make yourself known to the admissions representative.

Plan ahead for college visits taking into consideration the time you may be missing at NCAHS.

Remember that all work missed while on a college visit must be made up.

Application Procedures and Checklist

• Decide on which colleges to apply to and get applications by in the following ways
• Call to request that an application be sent to your home address
• Request that an application be sent through their web site contact
• Download the application on the computer
• Check to see if we have applications in our college filing cabinet in student services
• Make copies of the applications and begin filling them out as rough drafts
• Ask for and collect necessary recommendations from teachers or counselors
  (remember to give at least two weeks notice)
• Update, review and include your resume from your career development class and possibly
   your portfolio on CD
• Begin your essay and have it reviewed by at least two different people
• Have application fee ready to include – generally a check from your parents
• Give entire packet to counselor for review
• Request a transcript from Mrs. Lemire and give her a list of all of the colleges to which you
   have applied.
• Note deadline for application
• File financial aid forms with colleges and request FAFSA after the Christmas break.
• Relax and enjoy the rest of your senior year!

Norfolk County Agricultural High School

Norfolk County Agricultural High School graduates may meet the Board of Higher Education Admissions requirements by completing:

4 years of English
4 years of Mathematics (Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, Algebra III/Trig. or Pre-calculus)
4 years of Science (Earth Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics)
3 years of Social Sciences (World History I, World History II, U. S. in the 20thCentury)

Additionally, students must complete one or more of the following (depending upon the number of courses taken in the list above) in order to meet the 16 Carnegie Unit Requirement:

Computer Applications I and II
Animal Anatomy and Physiology and Animal Genetics and Nutrition
Marine Biology I and Marine Biology II
Plant Health Care

Students should consult school counselors for specific information regarding
these admissions standards.

State Colleges and Universities

See your counselor if you need financial help.
Register early and online for first choice of locations.
You can’t take these assessments at the Aggie.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Do all of the SAT and ACT tests that I take count – and how are they reported to colleges?
All of the SAT reasoning test scores results are reported to all of the colleges that you send them too, however, the colleges generally only use your highest scores, even if the scores are higher on different times you take the tests. You can choose to send either ACT or SAT scores, and you can choose which ACT scores to send.

2. Which test should I take, the SAT or the ACT?
This is a harder question to answer this year because the SAT is changing. The ACT is generally more subject oriented, and has a writing section. The SAT will continue to assess more reasoning skills such as analogies, but this will change after March when a writing section is added and the math changes. You need to be online to both the SAT and ACT web sites to see which test may be better for you. Take practice tests to see how you do on both of them to help you decide what is best for you.

3. How much do SAT or ACT scores count towards admission to college? How should I study for these tests?
It generally depends on the college, however, the first thing that colleges usually look at are your grades, and the level of classes you are taking. So – get good grades and take the highest level of courses you can handle. The next thing that colleges generally look at are SAT or ACT scores, so don’t take the tests without studying and taking some practice tests. Remember to do some research and pick the test that is right for you. Study for these tests by reading, reading, and reading, and by practicing, practicing, and practicing. Use study guides available online or at local libraries and bookstores. There are even courses you can take to help you, but some of them are expensive. Don’t take the SAT or ACT without practicing first!

4. What colleges should I apply to – and how do I know which ones might be best for me?
You should begin your college search by looking for colleges that offer specific programs that you are interested in studying. If you are not sure about what to study, then you should look through this booklet to decide what other factors may be important to you regarding choosing a college. You can look online for much of the information about certain schools, but you should also visit colleges to get an idea of what the setting and students are like. Make an appointment with your counselor to discuss this issue in detail.

5. Can I register on-line for the SAT and ACT?
Yes. Many students tell us that this is a fast and easy way to register. You must have a credit card handy. Also, if you are applying for accommodations as a special needs student, you will need a special code number in order to register on line. See Mrs. Perez about this.

6. Are there colleges that will take anyone – and do I have to pass the MCAS in order to go to college?
Yes, there colleges that will take anyone – your school counselors will help you with this. Community colleges will admit anyone who applies who has received a high school diploma. However, you must pass the MCAS in order to receive a diploma and apply to community colleges and most other colleges. Some private schools may not care if you passed the MCAS, but this is done on a school- by- school basis, and your first priority should be to work hard to pass the test and work with your school counselor to make post high school plans.

7. Can I visit colleges and is that an excused absence?
Yes, you can and should visit colleges. You can get a sign-out sheet from your counselor and ask your teachers to sign you out for a college visit day. You will need to have a note from your parents in order to do this. This will be an excused absence as long as all of your teachers approve the sign out sheet and you get approval in advance from your school counselor.

8. When are college application deadlines?
Deadlines vary, and you should read for information regarding early decision, early action, and regular decision. Every college is different, so you will need to keep this information organized. Many colleges have moved up their application deadlines for regular decision to January or February. DON’T BE LATE! Colleges will usually not accept late applications.

9. What do I do if I don’t get into the college(s) of my choice?
Don’t panic – go and see your school counselor. Many students decide to start at local community colleges and transfer later if they don’t get into the colleges they applied to. This is a wonderful and affordable option, and could be an option for many students. The Student Services office gets a list in May and June of openings in New England colleges, and sometimes that will give students another option to apply elsewhere. There is a college for everyone; sometimes it just takes a little patience to find the right one for you.