College Caretaker/Parent Workshop

Navigating the College Application Process

Caretaker Workshop

Start

Overview

• Brief tour of counselor Canvas resources
• Preview a sample college application – what to expect
• Tips for students when completing the college essay
• What makes a student stand out on a college application?

• Impact of community activities (quality vs. quantity)
• Explore CommonApp and Naviance College SuperMatch
• Evidence of readiness factors + helpful tips
• Students need to own the process
• Read all emails from the colleges

• Only apply to colleges you actually want to go to & have realistic expectations

Understanding College Applications

• College applications are your opportunity to showcase your achievements and potential​
• Key components:​
• Personal information​
• Academic records​
• Standardized test scores​
• Extracurricular activities​
• Letters of recommendation​
• College essay​
• Each college may have unique requirements, so research carefully!

• Begin drafting your college essay
• Build your résumé by job shadowing, volunteering, or attending an academic camp

College Application Timeline

Spring of Junior Year

Summer before Senior Year

August 1st before Senior Year

• Plan Senior year courses to take any needed classes for college admittance (e.g. Algebra 2)
• Register and plan for SAT/ACT tests, if needed
• Plan college visits -- in person or virtual
• Begin requesting letters of recommendation

• College applications typically open around August 1 for the following Fall semester (e.g. August 2024 for Fall 2025 admission)
• At this time, you'll be able to view the current application materials and most up-to-date requirements

August to August

• Most college applications open on August 1st each year.
• Rolling Admission is usually from August to August, with admission decisions coming within 4-6 weeks.

December 1st

• Currently the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) opens on December 1st and must be completed no later than June 20th, though colleges have earlier deadlines.

November to April of Senior Year

College Application Timeline

Depending on the type of application, application deadlines will vary:

• Early Action and Early Decision deadlines are between Nov. 1 and Nov. 15
• Regular Decision deadlines are between December and April, usually between Jan. 1 and Jan. 15

Sneak Peek into prompt handout

What is the purpose of thecollege appessay?

• Bragging
• Rambling and repeating
• Negativity and playing the victim

• Being offensive
• Being disingenuous or 'fake'
• Being too general
• Sameness: avoid things that happen to everyone, unless your experience is wildly unique
• Using AI

Avoid:

Sneak Peek into the brainstorm handout

Tell them who you areBEYOND the app.

• Take the time to brainstorm

• Make an outline

• Write honestly and openly

• Write in your own words

• Address the prompt directly

• Use specifics and details

• Get feedback from teachers and counselors

• PROOFREAD AND REWRITE!

Do:

Crafting Your College Essay

Brings reader into the author's world

Show insight and growth

Jumping right in!

Being Vulnerable and Authentic

A thoughtful title

What makes a college app essay stand out?

Handouts!

+ info

Websites and Resources

College Essay Guy

College Covered

+ info

PrepMaven

+ info

Grammarly

+ info

Factors to Consider When Choosing a College

Cost

Location

School/class sizes

Choice of Major

Naviance is a college and career readiness platform​ that all Reach students already have accounts for!Naviance can be accessed through Clever. SuperMatch College Search feature:​

• Helps find colleges that match your preferences​
• Considers factors like location, size, majors, and more​
• Provides detailed college profiles and admission statistics

Naviance College SuperMatch

The Common App is a single application accepted by over 900 colleges​!

• One application for multiple schools​
• Essay prompts that can be used for multiple colleges​
• Ability to track deadlines and application status

Common Application Preview

Choose all that apply:

Recommendation Request Form

Share the Details

Complete the recommendation survey to share details about you that you want to be included

Letters of Recommendation

Choose Wisely

Choose reommenders who know you well (teachers, counselors, coaches, bosses)

Ask Early

At least a month before the deadline, but the earlier the better

Where To?

Know where/how recommendations should be submitted

*See the school counselors Canvas page for FASFA guides and scholarship information!

JOIN US FOR WORKSHOP #2 IN JANUARY FOR MORE INFO!

Financial Aid

Complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)​Research and apply for scholarships:​

• School-specific scholarships​
• National scholarships​
• Local community scholarships​

• Grants​
• Loans​
• Work-study programs

Don't Forget...

• Start your applications early​
• Visit college websites and attend virtual tours​
• Reach out to admission offices with questions​
• Use school resources: counselors, teachers, and alumni​
• Stay organized and meet all deadlines​

• collegeboard.org​
• scholarships.com
• fastweb.com

• ​nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator​

There's many steps to this process, so be sure to stay organized!

How comfortable are you with Canvas?

• Each counselor (and teacher) has their own page with lots of resources and information.

• Each page may look slightly different, but with the same concept that includes buttons and links to various resources (ex: letter of recommendation form).

• There will soon be a button that says "Caretaker Workshop Resources" that will link all of this information.

Counselor Canvas Course Tour

+ifo

Please Click Here to Complete Our Feedback Form

Tell us more!

Upcoming Sessions! Session 2: Understanding FAFSA and Financial Aid (January 2025)Step-by-step guide to completing the FAFSAOverview of federal and state financial aid optionsCommon mistakes to avoid Session 3: Paying for College: Loans, Grants, and Work-Study & How to Find Scholarships (February 2025)Overview of student loan options (federal and private)Tips for writing strong scholarship essaysKey deadlines and application requirementsExploring Post-Secondary Options

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING OUR WORKSHOP!

Do you have an idea?

With Genially templates, you can include visual resources to leave your audience speechless. You can also emphasize a specific phrase or fact that will be etched in the memory of your audience, and even embed external content that surprises: videos, photos, audios... Whatever you want!