12/8 Agenda

We have one last meeting after today before the holiday break, so we want to focus on finishing up loose ends. This includes:

• Finalize college essay(s)
• Work on applications for schools with deadlines before Jan. 15
• Send/follow up on requests for transcripts, recommendations and fee waivers to your counselor and teachers
• Complete resume
• Complete college list (on google doc) and requests for information
• Complete school profiles for all schools on your college list
• Complete student profile

12/1 Agenda

Welcome Back!

Goal for today: Finish essay 1! You are getting close.

If you finish early, you will work on supplemental essay questions, begin essay two draft or work on completing one of your college applications.

11/24 NO CLASS

See you all back in class on December 1st!

11/17 Agenda

Revise essay 1!

If you finish early, you will work on supplemental essay questions, begin essay two or work on completing one of your college applications.

11/10 Agenda

Finish draft 1. Peer edits with other students who finish early.

11/3 Agenda

Continue writing essay 1.  Discuss point and conflict and review introductions. 

10/27 Agenda

1. Complete resume draft. Be sure to share with Willa on google docs.

2. Review sample college essay, discuss elements of a strong essay, and begin to brainstorm ideas for personal essays. Begin essay 1. Everyone must have decided on an essay topic and have started typing it to share by next Satruday, Nov. 3

Common Topics for College Essays (250-500 words)

• Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.
• Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international concern and its importance to you.
•  Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence.
• Describe a character in fiction, a historical figure, or a creative work (as in art, music, science, etc.) that has had an influence on you, and explain that influence.
• A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences adds much to the educational mix. Given your personal background, describe an experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college community or an encounter that demonstrated the importance of diversity to you.
• Topic of your choice.

10/20 Agenda

1. Completed list of 6-8 schools, including reason for each school choice, due to Willa via google doc by the end of class. 

• Be sure each school is labeled as safety (approx. 3 schools), target (approx. 2 schools) or reach (approx. 1 school). See 9/29 agenda for definitions of these terms. 
• Look in the "applying" tab for all schools to see how your gpa and test scores match up (check out the "What is my GPA tab?" under General College Resources on this blog). 
• Be sure all of your school choices are also in the "My Colleges" section of your College Board account. 
• From this list we will determine which make sense for you to submit applications.

2. As you search schools, contact each school of interest to request information (there is usually an online link for this). Complete "College Profile" worksheet for all schools and turn in to Willa.

3. Resumes! We will review a few sample resumes and discuss their strengths and weaknesses, then each student will complete their own resume....on google docs of course!

10/13 Agenda

1. Complete Student Profile (see 9/29 agenda for details). I will edit these once they are completed. 

2. Submit completed list of 6-8 schools, including reason for each school choice, to Willa via google doc by the end of class. Be sure each school is labeled as safety, target or reach (see 9/29 agenda for definitions of these terms). Be sure all of your school choices are also in the "My Colleges" section of your College Board account. From this list we will determine which make sense for you to submit applications.

3. As you search schools, contact each school of interest to request information (there is usually an online link for this). Complete "College Profile" worksheet for all schools and turn in to Willa.

9/28/13 Agenda

1. All students must have a gmail account and understand how to use google docs.

2. Students will create a Student Profile, and then begin using college search engines to find schools that match what you are looking for. Share your document with Willa on google docs. Use willa.reinhard@gmail.com.

3. All students will register for an account with College Board, go to "Make a Plan", then to "Find Colleges" and begin to research schools.  A list of 6-8 schools of interest, including safety, target and reach schools (see descriptions below) is due to Willa (shared via google docs) at the end of class on Oct. 5. Students must complete information for each of the schools on their submitted list and request information from each of those schools.

Reach - Target - Safety (from www.chooseyourfuture.org)

Aim to apply to five colleges and to complete five scholarship applications and the FAFSA by the end of January of your senior year.

Why five? When you apply to only one or two schools, you take a risk. You might be turned down, or you might close off your options too soon. The five schools you apply to should include reach, target, and safety schools.

Reach:
Your top choices, the most academically challenging schools on your list. You should include a couple of long shots, you might be pleasantly surprised.

Target:
Schools where you would be very happy and are likely to be admitted. These are your realistic choices.

Safety:
Schools where you are almost certain to be admitted and where you think you would be happy and get a good education.