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Pathways to College Workshop 2: Presented by: Chauntice Buck, Rick Donahue, Gina Flowers,and Anna Pasch, September 30, 2015 Slide 2 Agenda College Application Essay General Scholarships Hope/Zell Miller Slide 3 The College Application Essay Presented by: Gina Flowers and Chauntice Buck Slide 4 You have filled in all the boxes, plugged in all the numbers, and completed all the lists. Now what? Time to write the essay! Slide 5 Mike Sexton, Vice President for Enrollment Management, Santa Clara University (CA) From BigFuture by The College Board Slide 6 Dos and Donts Do NOT discount the essay. Consider your audience. Answer the question. Now answer the real question. Slide 7 Dos and Donts Choose your topic wisely. NARROW your topic. Tell a story. Pay special attention to the hook (opening sentence). Slide 8 Jeff Brenzel, Dean of Undergraduate Admissions, Yale University From BigFuture by The College Board Slide 9 Dos and Donts Make it sound like YOU. Use humor carefully. Consider using dialogue. Slide 10 Dos and Donts Purpose. Purpose. Purpose. Pay attention to word limit. Proofread backwards for grammar errors. Whichever topic you choose, use details, strong verbs, vivid language, and sensory imagery. Slide 11 Which Would You Like to Read? Item 1 Prompt: Viewing diversity as a characteristic of being different from those around you, please tell us how you feel you can contribute to the overall student body? Diversity is important. It should be like a rainbow, different shades of color everywhere around me. I would like to attend a school with all different kinds of people. I could learn different languages and try different foods. I could learn a lot from people who are different than me. [Goes on to discuss one friend who speaks Spanish, then ends.] Slide 12 Which Would You Like to Read? Item 2 Prompt: Describe a place or environment where you are content. Standing in a sea of sweating bodies, my five-foot frame feels even smaller than normal. Anxiously awaiting the awe-inspiring act, I look up to the enormous sparkling chandelier hanging from the ceiling of Atlantas Tabernacle. The house lights dim, the band takes the stage, and the audience flutters with excitement. The drone of a guitar grabs me, and drags me into a place that is uniquely mine. [Goes on to discuss how live music makes her feel tall, powerful, and confident.] Slide 13 Which Would You Like to Read? Item 3 Prompt: If you could have grown up during any decade, which would you choose and why? Many things pop out at me from the 80s. In the 1980s most people didnt have cell phones or internet. If they did have a cell phone it was as big and as heavy as a brick. The generation that was raised in this decade had the basic technology such as radio and TVs but the society was not overwhelmed by the new TVs or cell phones like it is today. [Goes on to discuss neon colors and Bon Jovi. Ends by saying, The 80s were an interesting decade.] Slide 14 Rate your college application essay: Slide 15 CategoryRate 0 - 10Give an example (or reason) Choice of TOPIC: (is it unique? Narrow enough? How many applicants will write that same essay?) Does the HOOK grab your attention? Does essay use VIVID (sensory imagery) descriptions? Is the essay SPECIFIC with its use of details and examples? Does the essay employ STRONG VERBS? (Avoid be verbs) Is the PURPOSE clear? (Does essay showcase your personality, passion, character trait? exs. perseverance, values, etc.) Does essay have a STRONG FINAL SENTENCE? TOTAL: 63-70 = ready to go! Slide 16 Helpful Websites: Real-life Essays: http://www.collegeconfidential.com/enhancing-your- college-application/ http://www.collegeconfidential.com/enhancing-your- college-application/ Avoiding clich essays: http://qz.com/80136/heres-the-secret-to-cracking- the-college-essay/ http://qz.com/80136/heres-the-secret-to-cracking- the-college-essay/ Light-hearted video advice: http://www.howcast.com/videos/28730-How-Not-to-Write-a-College- Admissions-Essay http://www.howcast.com/videos/468-How-to-Write-a-Foolproof-College- Application-Essay Slide 17 The FAFSA Form is Required for MOST Financial Assistance Including: Academic / Merit ScholarshipsAthletic Scholarships Private ScholarshipsLoans / Grants Work Study Programs 1.For FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) information: www.fafsa.ed.gov 2. Request a pin number for you & parent(s) www.pin.ed.gov 3. Fill out the FAFSA in January 2016 (the sooner, the better) 4. FAFSA must be completed every year you seek Financial Assistance Slide 18 What you and your student need to fill out the FAFSA: Parent and Student Social Security Number Parent and Student Alien Registration Number (if you are not a U.S. citizen) Parent and Student most recent federal income tax returns, W-2s, and other records of money earned. (Note: You may be able to transfer your federal tax return information into your FAFSA using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool.) Parent and Student bank statements and records of investments (if applicable) Parent and Student records of untaxed income (if applicable) Slide 19 Scholarship Information Slide 20 Slide 21 Slide 22 Slide 23 Slide 24 Slide 25 HOPE and ZELL MILLER Scholarships Slide 26 GA College 411 Account Sign In Account Name = Student ID number Password = 6 digit birth dateex: 111359 *If this does not gain you access, please contact your Counselor to research the username and reset the password. Slide 27 Basic Eligibility Slide 28 Slide 29 Hope GPA Slide 30 Slide 31 Upcoming College Events at NHS College Fair Tuesday, November 10 th Georgia Apply to College Day Students must pre-register in counseling department by October 29th Thursday, November 19th Slide 32 Any Questions? A-B: Victoria Poole C-Dia: Jessica Leddin Dib-Gre: Candy McRae Grf-Jon: Phyllis Gerard Joo-Ma: Chauntice Buck Mb-On: Rick Donahue Oo-Roc: Ashley Morris Rod-Thom: Anna Pasch Thon-Z: Joe Culpepper Slide 33