Agenda 10/11 and 10/18

1. Click here to read the October "to do"list.  Are you thinking about and doing these things? Look ahead to the November "to do" list to make sure you are on track for what's to come.

2. Review types of schools.  What schools are you thinking of?

3. Choosing the right college checklist. What are you looking for in a college experience?  What parts of your high school (and earlier) experience has worked or not worked for you?

4. School research.  Your goal is to come up with a list of schools 5-8 schools for which you are a good "fit" and then organize the application information for those schools. Make a copy of this chart in Google docs and complete the form. If you can provide this information in Naviance, let me know and show me.

Welcome! Agenda 10/4/14

1. Introductions and program overview

2. Group brainstorm: College is.... and read article, "Benefits of College Still Outweigh Costs, Fed Says"

3. Pairs: Discussion of college prep timeline

4. Set up gmail account, Fastweb account, and College Board account

All students will register for an account with College Board. Go to "Make a Plan", and sign up then complete steps. When done, go to "Find Colleges" and begin to research schools. Start to compile a list of 5-6 schools of interest, including safety, target and reach schools (see descriptions below). 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.

5/10 Agenda

Final meeting!  Meet as a group at 9am to complete program evaluation.  Then we will head to breakfast at Austin Grill in downtown Silver Spring.

5/3 Agenda

INDIVIDUAL WORK:
1. Check out the May senior checklist by clicking here. How do you stack up? Be sure you are sending in your final transcript via your counselor (high school seniors), contacting schools you will not attend, and staying on top of school communications.

2. Scholarship search:

www.scholarshipsonline.org  www.fastweb.com   www.scholarships.com

3. MC Students, review these important links and practice Accuplacer:

• 2014-15 Academic Calendar
• Steps to Enrolling
• Information about required assessments
• Accuplacer Info Sheet
• Upcoming Info Sessions at MC Campuses

4. If you haven't yet, use the debt wizard at this link to figure out what your loans mean in terms of repayment and how much you should make after graduation in order to reasonably afford those loan payments.

GROUP WORK:
1. Complete participant evaluation of the Post Secondary Success Program.

2. Discussion of college-level work and what to expect your freshman year. Look at syllabi, grading structures and take learning style assessment.

IMPORTANT:

• Next Saturday, May 10, we will meet at 9am and head to breakfast for our closing ceremony. We will end by 11am and dismiss from the restaurant (TBA).
• Please RSVP by Wednesday, May 7, to let me know whether you will attend so we can make our reservation.
• Through the end of May, I will be available for one-on-one appointments for students needing help after May 10. Students can also always email me with questions.

4/25 Agenda

1. Junior and Senior checklists for April.  Are you thinking about and doing these things?

2. Continue discussion about student loans, PLUS loans and loan repayment.

• Huffington Post article on unemployment rates in specific careers.
• NPR's Most and Least Lucrative College Majors
• Debt/salary wizard: How much can you borrow based on how much you will likely earn?
• Input loan amounts for our hypothetical college-going boy to see how much he'd need to earn based on each college option.

3. Work on scholarships, resumes, summer plans. Anyone applying to Montgomery College should also use time to practice for the Accuplacer.

All are encouraged to apply for the MMYC Summer Jobs/Internship Program.  Applications are due May 15th!

UPCOMING SCHEDULE:

• Saturday, May 3: Regular workshop

• Saturday, May 10: Closing breakfast and final meeting

• I will be available for one-on-one meetings for anyone needing additional help through June

3/15 and 3/22 Agenda

1. Discussion of student loans.

2. Look at student debt scenarios. Click this link.

3. How much would you owe if.....Repayment calculator practice.  Click this link.

4. Individual work on scholarships, FAFSA, applications; resumes.
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ANNOUNCEMENTS:
-- New Futures Scholarship due March 31
-- Let's Get It Started! Youth Job Fair is April 5- get your resumes ready!

3/8 Agenda

Trip to Black College Expo at Bowie State.

3/1 Agenda

1. Announcements: Bowie State trip (3/8), LAYC College Fair (3/12), MMYC Job Fair (4/5)

2. Discussion of student loans.

3. Look at student debt scenarios. Click this link.

4. How much would you owe if.....Repayment calculator practice.  Click this link.

5. Individual work on scholarships, FAFSA, applications.
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DC Black College Expo at Bowie State, March 8, 9am-5pm,

 http://www.thecollegeexpo.org/index.php/shopping-cart/product/37-dc-black-college-expo-march-8-2014

The LAYC College Access Office is putting on the 2nd Annual Post-Secondary Education Fair on March 12, 2014 from 4 pm - 7 pm

 here at our main site!  Please see our attached flyer. On the LAYC homepage, you can find a link to our registration sites where you can register your youth (by March 5th, please) and read more details about the event in English and Spanish.  

The event is free and open to youth, parents, and all community members. The fair will feature dozens of regional colleges, universities, and technical training schools, as well as financial aid (FAFSA and DCTAG workshops).

Let's Get it Started! Youth Job Fair, April 5 (11am-2pm) 

http://www.letsgetitstartedyouthjobfair.com/

2/1 Agenda

1. February check lists: for juniors and for seniors.

2. Financial aid by the numbers--what will those award letters really mean when you receive them?

3. Creating a post-secondary budget and thinking about financial aid.

4. Scholarship applications.

Check it out:
Montgomery College is offering FAFSA help. Click here:
http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/schools/senecavalleyhs/college/FAFSAhelp3-6-14.pdf

And offering enrollment sessions. Click here:
http://cms.montgomerycollege.edu/edu/department2.aspx?id=20661

1/25 Agenda

1. January junior/senior checklists.  Are you on target?

2. Financial aid process overview

3. Delving deeper into financial aid; sample award letters and comparing award amounts.

4. Work on FAFSA, scholarships and applications.