High School Guidance

"In the book of life, you won't find the answers in the back."

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U.S. COLLEGE INFO AT A GLANCE

• College Selection
  
• College Planning Time-Line
  
• The New SAT
  
• College Application Evaluation
  
• Financial Aid
  

College Selection

Types of Colleges/Universities

• Two-Year
  
• Four-Year
  
• Liberal Arts
  
• Technical/Professional
  

What to Look for in a College

• Average GPA of incoming Freshman
  
• Middle 50% Range of SAT Scores
  
• Rank colleges based on your fit
  
  • Safety, Good Fit, and Reach
    
    
    

College Planning Time-line

Standardized Testing

• SAT I in June 2005 at ASA
  
  • Take again Fall of Senior Year
• New SAT for Class of 2006
  
  • SAT II in May 2005 at ASA
    
    • 3 Subject Tests required at the most select colleges
      
    • Take 1-3 in May 2005, and/or 1-3 in Fall of Senior year
      
  • Take the TOEFL in May 2005 at CCPA
    
    
  • May also take the ACT Test at ACA
    
    • Many colleges will substitute the ACT for the SAT I
      
    • Be sure to clarify this with the College
      
• During Winter Break (July)
  
  • Visit campuses which you are interested in
    
  • Attend Summer School
    
  • Helps clarify your final list
    
  • Shows "demonstrated Interest"
    
• Senior Year
  
  • Clarify a final list of 6-7 Colleges
    
    • 2 safety, 3 good fit, 2 reach
      

Take the SAT I, SAT II, TOEFL if needed
Start application process

The New SAT - Class of 2005

Verbal

• Name will be changed to critical reading
• Analogies will be eliminated
• Short paragraph reading passages will be added to existing long reading passages
  

Math

• Math content will be enhanced to include additional topics and will include some content from third-year college-preparatory math (typically called Algebra II)
• Math content on the PSAT/NMSQT will also be enhanced, but it will not include Algebra II because most students will not be familiar with that level of math
• Quantitative comparisons will be eliminated
  

Writing

• Multiple-choice grammar and usage questions
• Student-written essay
  
  
  

College Application Evaluation

What do Colleges Evaluate?

• Transcript Quality
  
  • How many AP Courses are offered?
    
  • How many AP Courses did you take?
    
• Academic Performance
  
  • GPA in standard courses
    
  • GPA in AP Courses
    
• SAT/ACT Test Scores
  
  • Score compared to middle 50% of the prior’s year incoming class
• Class Rank
  • Only 45% of high schools report this
  • ASA does not report class rank
    
• Extra-Curricular Activities
  
  • Depth is better than breadth
    
• Other
  
  • Personal essay
    
  • Letters of recommendation
  • Depends of college as to which they look at more closely
    
    
    

Financial Aid