Published by College Counselor Theresa Wright 773-881-6700 ext. 233
IMPORTANT UPCOMING
College Counseling Newsletter
DATES:
W I N T E R
twright@morganparkacademy.org
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Jan. 8: Young Alumni College Advice Panel Jan. 14: Practice ACT for Juniors Jan. 14: College Search Workshop for Junior and Sophomore Families, 6:30PM Jan. 14: Last Day to Sign up for Kaplan ACT Prep Course Jan. 31: First Day of Kaplan Test Prep Course
Individual College Meetings with Juniors have begun and will continue through March. Once I have met individually with your student, I welcome parents to schedule an appointment for a Junior Family College Planning meeting where we will discuss your child’s search specifically. Please call or email me to set that up.
Waiting for Admission Decisions: Next Steps By now, you’ve likely heard back from some of your schools with news of your admission status. Hopefully, you’ve heard affirmatively and can confidently move forward with some offers in your back pocket. For those of you still waiting due to a deferral or a regular decision plan, you should take steps during this time of year to advocate for yourself. First, your mid-year transcripts will automatically be sent to all the schools in your Naviance account (with the exception of U of I, UC schools, Iowa, all of whom do not request tran-
scripts be sent until the time of admission). Next, draft an update letter or email to your admission counselor. This letter should include the following: a reaffirmation of your interest in the school, a list of any new activities that were not included in your application, a list of any new honors/awards/ leadership roles you’ve received, new test scores, and you can list your new 7th semester GPA. If you drop any core academic courses for second semester, you need to let your colleges know that as well. Minimally, for your first
and second choice schools, a quick message about how passionate you are about attending their school can only help demonstrate your interest. Congrats to those who have received offers of admission! Don’t forget to turn in copies of all admission and scholarship offers!
Scholarship Search: Now is the Time! Sometimes, seniors wait until April when they’ve received admission decisions to think about scholarships only to find out that Spring is too late for most scholarship application deadlines. Now is the time for students to be searching for outside scholarships
offered through community organizations, employers, churches etc. While the task may seem overwhelming with thousands of scholarships out there, diligence and commitment to this part of the process can literally pay off. If scholarship applications re-
quire transcripts or letters of recommendation, please see your college counselor to request those documents. Check out these websites for scholarship information: www.fastweb.com www.scholarships.com www.collegeanswer.com
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Filing for Financial Aid: FAFSA and CSS Profile The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the main document that students and parents need to file to be considered for financial aid. The form goes “live” on January 1 with most schools posting deadlines for FAFSA completion in early February. It is best to have your 2014 taxes complete prior to filing a FAFSA however it is okay to estimate
tax return data if you will not have your tax returns filed by the February deadlines. The CSS profile is an additional form that some schools require so they can ask questions that relate to finances that are not included in the FAFSA. You can visit css.collegeboard.org for a link to the CSS profile and list of colleges that require it.
Even if f you feel you will not qualify for assistance via the FAFSA, you are still advised to complete the FAFSA. Filing the FAFSA will qualify you for lower interest, federally backed loans rather than taking out personal loan. Anybody who files a FAFSA can apply for a Federal Unsubsidized Loan. Another reason to file the FAFSA is that life circumstances can abruptly change in the midst of a student’s academic year. Be prepared for unforeseen circumstances and
file the FAFSA. Use a NetPrice Calculator to get an early estimate of your eligibility for financial aid. NPC’s can be found on the colleges’s individual websites.
Expected Family Contribution (EFC)
The Importance of Campus Visits in the Search and Selection Process Many seniors have checked off “campus visit” on the list of things to do prior to applying for admission while others have waited to find out if they have been admitted before investing in a tour of a college. Regardless, as decisions roll in, consider making another round of campus visits to your top choices before submitting that tuition deposit.
The amount the government determines you can afford to
pay for your For sophomores and juniors just embarking on the college search, campus visits are critical in opening our minds to what life is really like on a college campus. Beyond glossy brochures and polished blog posts lies a student’s college campus, a place where college students live and learn. The sun is not always shinning on college campuses education. and the trees are not always adorned with beautiful fall leaves. So what exactly is an ordinary day like at college? Walking the sidewalks on a Saturday morning will reveal more than you might expect. Hopefully, it will tell you whether the campus will be a good fit for you and whether it “feels” like home away from home.
There are several school holidays approaching in the second semester which provide a great opportunity to visit a campus without having to miss school. Make sure you set up an appointment with the admissions offices in advance and make the most of your time by observing a class, eating in a dining hall, and if possible, arranging an overnight visit.
11th Graders: Something to Ponder Get the creative juices flowing by pondering these sample college essay questions: Vanderbilt University It is said that something as small as the flutter of a butterfly’s wing can cause a typhoon halfway around the world. History is filled with such linchpins— small events or decisions that
have huge effects on the future. Make your own change somewhere in history, and show us the effects on the world. University of Chicago Were pH an expression of personality, what would be your pH and why? (Feel free to respond acidly! Do not be neutral, for that is base!)
Harvard College Write a letter to your future college roommate.
NYU: What intrigues you?
Stanford University Stanford students are widely known to possess a sense of intellectual vitality. Tell us about an idea or experience you have had that you find intellectually engaging.
Common Application: Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what lessons did you learn?
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