Francis Howell North
College Counseling
Resource Book
Updated 15/16
This College Counseling Resource Book is designed to anticipate many of the questions you will have concerning admission to college.
When consulted faithfully, you will find the process of applying to college simplified. The following pages contain information and suggestions on:
· preparing your college applications
· campus visits
· how and where to research and compare colleges that interest you
· preparation for interviews
· appropriate testing, financial aid, scholarships and much more
Above all, please take responsibility, be organized, ask questions, and be aggressive in planning your future.
Table of Contents
College Counseling at FHN….…………………………………………………………………………………………4
College Planning Calendar: Junior Year…………………………………………………………………………...5
College Planning Calendar: Summer …….………………………………………………………………………..6
College Planning Calendar: Fall/Winter/Spring – Senior Year…………………………………………….7
Standardized Testing at FHN………………………………………………………………………………………….8
The Six Major Types of Tests…………………………………………………………………………………………9
ACT Contents…………………………….……………………………………………………………………………….10
A Resource List for Test Preparation Services…………………………………………………………………11
College Admission Competition Selector………………………………………………………………………..12
Researching Your College Choices……………………………………………………………………………13-15
College Representative Visits to FHN………………………………………………………………………..….16
Student Visits to Colleges………………………………………………………………………………………………17
Things to Consider During your Visit…………………………………………………………………………….18
FHN Post-Secondary Planning Visit Form………………………………………………………………………19
Criteria for Making College Comparisons………………………………………………………………….20-22
College Comparison Worksheet……………………………………………………………………………………23
Components of the Application………………………………………………………………………………..……24
Admission Plans Explained…………………………………………………………………………………………..25
Financial Assistance………………………………………………………………………………………………………26
Three Categories of Financial Assistance……………………………………………………………………27-28
The Basics of Financial Aid…………………………………………………………………………………………..29
Comparing Aid Awards Worksheet……………………………………………………………………………….30
Maximize Your Need-based Scholarship/Financial Aid Eligibity……………………………………….31
College Counseling at Francis Howell North:
An Overview
The preparation for college actually begins upon entering FHN as a ninth grader. Each student’s program is carefully planned every year to establish a foundation that will enable them to fulfill their post secondary goals. The members of the faculty, the administration, and the counselors assist the students at each stage.
Communication is the key to effective planning. The guidance department attempts to keep parents and students informed in a variety of ways. College Information Nights, Financial Aid Nights, the school newsletter, FHN Guidance Website, and student announcements provide the basis for ongoing communication.
It is recommended that students visit colleges either during the spring break of the junior year, summer before their senior year, or fall break of their senior year. It is important to allow enough time for planning such a visit and to prepare for the information session or interview. Students should conduct online research, talk to graduates, and, most importantly, think about the particular reasons for being interested in each college. To facilitate such visits, students are permitted to take 3 excused absences for college visits.
Beginning in early September, college representatives descend on the counseling office at FHN. Meeting with these representatives affords students the opportunity to have their individual questions addressed. These visits are announced over the intercom and are listed on e-news. Often the college or university will also notify the prospective student when they will be at FHN. It is the student’s responsibility to sign up in Guidance to meet with college reps.
During the fall of the senior year, students apprise their counselor of the results of their college search and inform them of where they will be actually applying. Generally speaking we would like for all applications to be completed by Thanksgiving.
FHN has, over the years, achieved an impressive college acceptance record. While we cannot guarantee a student acceptance by their first choice school, we do our best to provide thorough counseling and support to each student during the college admission process.
College Planning Calendar: Junior Year
Month Activities & Meetings Testing Information Thought of the Month
September St. Charles College Fair September: ACT Keep the future in
mind through all of
Participate in one ‘Project your endeavors.
Plan Ahead’ meeting
‘Offered throughout the year’
ACT Cambridge Review
October Meeting with Juniors See ACT packet for
October: ACT / SAT dates
PSAT
SLU College Fair
Look for Junior
College Planning Wrkshp Scholarships on
Enews / fastweb.com
Collegeboard.com
November November: SAT
December: SAT
December FHN Financial Aid Night December: ACT
January: SAT
scheme for all of your
college related material;
including resource book,
February Visit colleges February: ACT school information, test
score reports, etc.
Begin to think about
your summer plans.
How will they reflect
on your applications
next fall?
March/April College Fair at FHN April: SAT
April: ACT
May May: SAT
College Planning Calendar: Summer
Month Activities & Meetings Testing Information Thought of the Month
June : SAT /ACT
June Work to earn money Plan for a productive
summer.
Register Eligibility for
July Sports:
D1 and D2 www.eligibilitycenter.org
NAIA www.playnaia.org
If your summer plans
include any travel,
consider visits to
colleges
August Plan itinerary of fall www.collegeboard.com
visits; paying particu- is an excellent resource
lar attention to any for searching colleges
inclinations toward Missouri Connections
early action or early Plan for fall testing.
decision.
College Planning Calendar: Fall/Winter/Spring – Senior Yr.
Month Activities & Meetings Testing Information Thought of the Month
September Search for scholarships Make arrangements
A+ Deadline to Enroll September: ACT early for any overnight
campus visits.
October
Meet with counselors
College representatives to discuss college
visit FHN. Attendance is October: ACT Test plans. College application
important, remember to requests.
ask questions.
Meet with counselor to
review college plans, Deadlines are fast
alter your list, and approaching for early
consider applications. action and decision.
November Attend evening and Teacher recommenda-
weekend receptions tions: Give your teach-sponsored by colleges ers lots of lead time.
and universities. Provide them with
stamped addressed
Some colleges have early envelopes.
admissions date (Truman)
December All completed applica- December: ACT Copy all documents
tions, including transcripts before submitting
and recommendations are
to be submitted to the Apply for FAFSA pin
College office by
December 1st.
January Submit FAFSA Now is the time
Feb *Attend FAFSA workshop for Financial Aid:
March *Look for housing deadlines FAFSA
Jan. 1 Deadline for A+ Register for AP Exams
Tutoring Hours Student
Aid (FAFSA) is
available after Jan 1.
April Make your final Men 18 and older must Apply at:
college choice. Respond register for selective service www.fafsa.ed.gov
to all acceptances once to receive financial aid. Look for deadline you have made a decision
(see Post Office) Look for SAR (student
aid report) in mail and
May Common reply date of AP Exams submit to the
May 1. financial aid office
Standardized Testing at FHN
Know your School Code: 262-844
Standardized Testing results supplement the FHN Secondary School Report by providing naticnal norms. For some colleges, test results become a most important piece of information which “level the playing field” among applicants.
Although most colleges accept ACT and SAT, the ACT is most preferred by Midwest colleges. College bound students should begin taking the test sometime during the 2nd semester of their Junior year. FHN’s average ACT score is 22.3
The best preparation for standardized tests is consistent work in FHN’s core curriculum. We emphasize the importance of READING. Vocabulary building and reading comprehension are emphasized across our curriculum. Mathematics and scientific reasoning skills are developed through the math and science curriculum.
National Testing Timeline
Grade 10 September PLAN (practice ACT test for sophomores)
October PSAT (practice SAT test for sophomores)
Grade 11 October* ACT/ PSAT / NMSQT (National Merit)
December* ACT
February ACT
April ACT / Possible SAT date
June ACT date
Grade 12 September* ACT
October* ACT and SAT I retakes
November Possible SAT I or SAT-II
December Possible ACT, SAT I, or SAT-II
(*) Recommended dates
The Five Major Type of Tests
I. PLAN – The ACT Testing Program. Given in October to Sophomores, the PLAN provides an excellent base of information on: career exploration and study skills, along with a diagnostic section related to the student’s four tests of educational development. The PLAN score report provides the same information as the ACT report, but on a different scale (1-32), and serves as “practice” for the ACT. The exam’s primary purpose is to aid in future course selection.
II. PSAT/NMSQT – Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test is given to Sophomores and Juniors in October. The 10th grade test is used exclusively for practice. The 11th grade results serve as the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT) which is owned and operated by the National Merit Foundation and co-owned by the College Board. Only the junior score is used for National Merit consideration.
III. SAT-I Reasoning Exam – A three hour test in two sections that measures verbal and mathematical reasoning ability. According to the College Board these tests can indicate levels of attainment at a particular point in one’s development. To help you prepare for the SAT-I, TAKING THE SAT-I, a descriptive booklet prepared by The College Board is provided to all students along with the registration materials. Offered on several dates throughout the year: January*, March, May, June, October*, November*, December. (*) Preferred test dates.
IV. ACT American College Testing Program – The test of four 35 to 60 minute sections and measures achievement in four areas: English usage, mathematics usage, reading comprehension, and science reasoning. Each subject is scored from 1-36 and the composite is the rounded average for the four sub scores. The test is curriculum based. Commonly required by public colleges and some private colleges in the Midwest, west, and south. Most colleges across the country accept the ACT. (See page 14 for more info)
V. AP – Advanced Placement – These three hour examinations are based on full-year college level course in high school. Juniors and seniors sit for these exams in May.
Having said what these tests are, we must remember what they are not. They do not provide information on motivation, self-discipline, concern for others, or willingness to take risks, which are important when a college is selecting a freshman class.
ACT Contents
English: 75 items, 45 minutes
13% Punctuation
16% Grammar & Usage
24% Sentence Structure
16% Strategy
15% Organization
16% Style
Reading: 40 items, 35 minutes
25% Social Studies
25% Natural Science
25% Prose Fiction
25% Humanities
Mathematics: 60 items, 60 minutes
40% Pre & Elementary Algebra
30% Intermediate Algebra & Coordinate Geometry
23% Plane Geometry
7% Trigonometry
Science Reasoning: 40 items, 35 minutes
38% Data Representation
45% Research Summaries
17% Conflicting Viewpoints
ANSWER EVERY QUESTION
NO PENALTY for WRONG ANSWERS!
A Resource List for Test Preparation Services
The ACT Cambridge Review Test Preparation Courses
At St. Charles Community College
922-8233
Act Test Prep Resources
www.actstudent.org
Learning Library Express
www.learninglibraryexpress.com
(under College Preparation link)
Study Island
ZAPS Test Prep
College Admission Competition Selector
This selector is not a RATING, it is an attempt to describe in GENERAL TERMS, the situation a prospective student will meet when applying for admission. When referring to the Selector, please remember that colleges consider several or all of the following factors when determining admission eligibility: difficulty of high school coursework, grades in academic courses, GPA, test results, leadership roles, athletic ability, related career exploration, and evidence of exceptional motivation.
Admission CompetitionCategories / Educational
Opportunities / Rank / Grade
Average / ACT/SAT
scores
1. Most Competitive:
Superior students
encounter a great deal
of competition in this
category. Most admit
fewer than ¼ of their
applicants / Less than 50
colleges. For
example, Ivy
League,
Stanford, Duke,
Rice / In general,
require a high
school rank in
top 10% and a
Commensurate
Program / a grade
average of
A to A- / Median
Freshman test
score:
30+
1350-1600
2. Highly Competitive:
Generally admit 1/3 to
½ of their applicants,
but may accept fewer
than ¼ who apply. / Approximately
100 schools / Accept most of
their students
from the top
20%- 25% / a grade
average of
B+ or better / Median
Freshman test
score:
28
1250-1310
3. Very Competitive:
Generally accept ½ to
¾ of their applicants,
although some schools
in this category may
accept fewer than 1/3 of
their applicants. / Approximately
250 schools / Accept most of
their students
from the top
30%-40% / Whose grade
average is
no less
than B- / Median
Freshman test
score:
25+
1110-1200
4. Competitive:
A very broad category.
Generally accept 75% or
more of their applicants.
in some cases, may
accept fewer than ½ of
their applicants / More than 700
schools / Prefer students
in the top 40%-
60% of their
graduating
class / Some colleges
require a grade
average of B-
or better.
Others state a
minimum of
C average. / Median
Freshman test
score:
22
950-1050
Researching Your College Choices
College guides offer information about colleges and universities. While educational references may vary in format, most include information on enrollment, curriculum, faculty, majors/programs offered, campus life, financial aid, cost, selectivity, and profile of the most recent entering class.
The following sampling of references are available at the local library or bookstores. If interested in purchasing guides for home use, we recommend that you consider several styles before you buy. The following is a sampling of the college guides available for your use.
General Information:
These guides specialize in statistical information and are updated yearly:
Barron’s, Profiles of American Colleges
Barron’s Guide to The Most Competitive Colleges
Cass and Birnbaum’s Guide to American Colleges
College Board’s The College Handbook
Lovejoy’s College Guide
Peterson’s Guide to Four Year Colleges
Special Guides:
These guides offer a more subjective view. Be sure to question whatever you read. These narrative descriptions when used in combination with statistical information provide an excellent “check and balance” system to your college search.