2. Events Coming Up…
Mock College Admissions
for Gr. 11 students and parents
Tuesday, March 6 and Tuesday, March 13
5:15 – 6:45, Little Theater
College Essay Writing Workshop Part I
for Gr. 11 students only
Tuesday, April 17 and Thursday, April 19
3:00 – 4:30, Lofthouse
3. Our Philosophy
We believe students must be experts on
their colleges
We are encouraging, and we provide
straightforward assessment
We believe college admission is a match to be
made, not a trophy to be won
We seek to help find colleges that fit
We operate with integrity
and confidentiality
5. Tonight’s Program
1. Advice from Class of 2012 and ISM Interns
2. Workshops 5:35 – 6:05
6:10 – 6:40
6:45 – 7:15
Rm. 3051 HSMC Lofthouse 1 Lofthouse 2 Lofthouse 3
3. 7:20 – 8:00
Fine Arts Theater
6.
7. Types of Institutions
• Public
• Private
• Universities: Graduate level research, includes pre-
professional programs
• Liberal Arts Colleges: Undergraduate level
research, broad preparation in academic disciplines
• Community Colleges: 2 years, general education
requirements, vocational training
8. Choosing Universities
• Cost & Financial Aid
• Location
– Rural to Urban
– Jobs/recruitment
– Weather
– Distance to family/friends
• Size: Under 1,000 to 60,000+
• Major
• Special Programs
• Selectivity
– Reach (2)
– Target (4)
– Safety (2)
• Campus Culture
10. Cost
• Total cost from FREE to ~$60,000
– Public: ~$20,000 to ~$52,000
– Private: ~$35,000 to ~$60,000
• Room & Board
– About $10,000+
– Can save money by living off campus years 2-4
• Fees
• Books
• Travel
11. Financial Aid
• US Citizens
– Eligible for
• Federal Aid
– FAFSA
– CSS Profile
• Institutional Aid
• Private Aid
• International Students
– Eligible for
• Limited Institutional Aid
• Limited Private Aid
12. Financial Aid
Terms
– Grants and Scholarships:
• No stipulation of repayment
• Originate from
– Federal or state government
– Private sources
– Institution
• Grants tend to be based on need
• Scholarships based on
– Financial need
– Merit
– Particular talents or skills
– Loans:
• Requires repayment, usually with interest
– Subsidized
– Unsubsidized
– Jobs:
• On campus
– Work Study
• Off Campus
– International students not eligible
14. Where do you want to live?
• City Living vs. The College Town
• Jobs
– Internships
– Recruitment
• FYI: Snow is cold!
• Staying close to family and friends
– Where will you go on holidays?
16. The BIG Schools
• More majors and classes
• Bigger classes
• Research
• Diversity
• International name recognition
• Large scale events, sports
NYU 22,000 students 27 Apps
Berkeley 25,500 students 20 Apps
Michigan 27,000 students 16 Apps
17. The Small Schools
• Intimate community
• Smaller classes
• Easier to know your professors
• Focus on teaching
• Recommendations for graduate school
Claremont McKenna 1,250 students 11 Apps
Wesleyan 2,850 students 9 Apps
Barnard 2,400 students 6 Apps
18. Did you benefit from teaching
at your college?
80.00
Liberal Arts
72
70.00 Private
60.00 Top 50 Public
Public Flagships
50.00
45
Regional Public
40.00
33
29
30.00
25
20.00
10.00
0.00
19.
20.
21. Rankings
• Quality cannot be quantified
• They can tell you, in general terms, about the academic
credentials of the students they attract
24. Perform Well as an Undergraduate
“...nearly every student in our university - and
similar institutions - will pursue career-specific
graduate studies[…] The bachelor’s degree has
become a way station, a preparatory degree; it’s no
longer an end in itself.”
USC President Steven B. Sample
26. Resources
• Counselor
• College Visits
• Internet
– Review Sites
– University web sites
– Naviance
• Friends and Family
• Alumni
• Guide Books
27. Visiting Colleges
• With family, if possible
• Schedule interviews, if offered
• Organized tour:
Trevor Sturgeon College Tours
28. Find Exciting Departments
• Broadcast Journalism – Syracuse University
• Chemical Engineering – U. of Minnesota
• Child Psychology and Social Work – Wayne State University
• Print Journalism – University of Missouri
• Foreign Language – Middlebury College
• Foreign Service – Georgetown University
• Genetics – UC, Davis
• Hotel Management - UNLV
• Economics – MIT
• International Relations – Tufts University
• Meteorology – Iowa State University
• Sociology – University of Wisconsin, Madison
29. Special Programs/Majors
• 3-2 Engineering
• 3-3 Law
• Design Your Major
• Open Curriculum
• Interdisciplinary Programs
• Consortia, cross-registration:
– Amherst, Hampshire, Mt. Holyoke, Smith, UMASS-
Amherst;
– UPENN, Swarthmore, Haverford, Bryn Mawr;
– Claremont Colleges
33. Types of Admission
Early Decision (binding) Regular Decision
ED I: Nov 1, Nov 15 Strict deadlines, usually
ED II: usually January around January 1
You can do both!!!
Early Action (not binding) Rolling Admission
“Single-Choice” Apply any time, quick replies
Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford Apply early, if possible
“Restrictive”
Boston College. Georgetown
35. What Colleges Want to Know…
Can the student do the work?
What evidence do we have?
How does he/she compare?
How will the student contribute?
What will the student take away?
36. From Admissions Officers
“We are looking for people whose egos
won’t get in the way of learning,
students whose investment in ideas and
words tells us - in the context of their
records - that they are aware of a world
beyond their own homes, schools,
grades and scores.”
37. “Students we accept haven't
just gone through the
motions—they've put heart
and soul into the areas that
interest them.”
39. Essays & Activities
• Are you consistently interesting?
• Are you passionate?
• Do you make an impact?
• Counselor Evaluation
– Get to know us
– Give us insight into who you are, dirt and all
– Counselors put you in the context of our school
– Help us advocate for you!
40. Teacher Recommendations
• Attest to you as a person in the context of the classroom
• Powerful characteristics colleges seek:
– Intellectual power
– Curiosity
– Love of learning
– Initiative to learn beyond the classroom
– Insightful in discussion
– Creative
– Willingness to take risks
– Independently motivated
– Collaborative
– Learns from mistakes
• Don’t feel like you have to be all these things
• Ask a teacher who knows you well and can communicate your
strengths
• Teachers need stories to tell
• Recommendations are honest but in a positive tone
42. Where Should I be in the
Process?
• Now: 20-30 colleges
• August: 5-10* colleges
• ISM strictly limits students to 10
applications (UC, UCAS count as one)
43. What to do NOW
• Research
• Junior Meeting
• Meet with parents and counselor
• Senior Profile
• Request letters of Recommendations
– Teacher Rec Data Sheet
– Ask departing teachers soon
• Register for:
– SAT
– TOEFL, if appropriate
