MANAGING THE COLLEGE SEARCH & APPLICATION PROCESS
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TIPS FOR STUDENTS & PARENTS

 (last up date 10/29/07)

ACADEMICS COME FIRST:

Remember that colleges are most interested in your academic progress, including your senior year grades.  Be sure that you are taking the time that you need to do well in all of your classes.

RESPECT THE TIME OF THOSE HELPING YOU:

Teachers use their personal time to write recommendations, and counselors have many other students to assist.  Don’t wait until the last minute to ask for a recommendation, or to ask for help.  Follow up, and be sure to thank teachers, counselors and administrators for their efforts on your behalf.  Be sure to complete an autobiography form (provided by your guidance office to help with getting to know you better in order to write the best recommendation possible).

KEEP DOING WHAT YOU ENJOY:

Continue involvement in activities that you are most passionate about.  Avoid pressure to fill your schedule with many new extracurricular activities during your senior year to “pad” your resume; the depth of your commitment is more important.

STAY ORGANIZED AND PAY ATTENTION TO DEADLINES:

Keep a folder for every school in which you are interested.  Use it for brochures, financial aid information, and applications.  Keep photocopies of all admission and scholarship forms.  It is your responsibility to submit materials on time, so write application requirements and deadlines on the outside of your folder, and check off your progress as you go.

FAMILY MATTERS:

Keep in touch with your family as you are embarking on this exciting endeavor.  The application should be the work of the student, but families should talk regularly about the process and the choices and challenges that come with it.  When the good news arrives in the mail, be sure to make time to celebrate together!

TIPS ON YOUR SCHOLARSHIP/FINANCIAL AID SEARCH:

While you are busy visiting and applying to colleges and universities, make sure to take note of opportunities for merit-based scholarships, need-based scholarships/financial aid and other awards.  At many selective institutions you must apply for scholarships by separate application.  You should not assume that test scores, GPA, or extracurricular activities would automatically qualify you for merit or need-based awards.  Families should also not automatically assume that they wouldn’t qualify for need-based assistance.  You need to file the FAFSA (Free Application For Student Aid) provided by the Federal Government.  The guidance office will host an annual Financial Aid night for seniors and their parents in December.  In addition to applying for college or university-sponsored scholarships, you can also seek outside scholarship services available on the Internet AT NO COST.  Two of the most notable are www.fastweb.com (the largest free service on the Internet) and www.srnexpress.com (a free version of the Scholarship Resource Network, which lists mostly merit-based scholarships).  The guidance office here at NCC also has information about grants and scholarships that are available from local and state sources.  It is important not to rule out the colleges with higher costs.  Be sure to recognize the difference between a school’s cost and affordability.  The colleges that are the most significant investment often have the most substantial resources to award when it comes to scholarships and financial assistance.  Don’t hesitate to call the financial aid office and ask for help.  Keep in mind that if you do not apply to an institution and explore the financial options, you will never know what could have been – don’t count yourself out of the game before it starts!

BE ATTENTIVE TO ANNOUNCEMENT, READ HANDOUTS AND SHARE ALL INFORMATION WITH YOUR PARENTS:

There is a variety of communication that takes place between the student and the NCC guidance office.  Daily announcements, student bulletins/handouts, counselors visiting classrooms/homerooms, resources in the school library, field trips sponsored by the guidance department, college representatives visiting NCC, allowing students to visit colleges…………………etc. that students can use to make the college process more manageable.

TESTS AND TEST DATES TO BE AWARE OF:

PLAN  -  The PLAN test is given to ALL SOPHOMORES.  This is a practice ACT.  It measures writing skills, mathematics, reading, and science.  The PLAN also includes an interest inventory and study skills assessment which is used to create a career profile for each student.  This years test date is OCTOBER 10^TH.  It is administered in the gym, students need to bring 2 sharpened pencils and an approved calculator.

PSAT – The PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) is offered to sophomores and juniors.  The PSAT measures critical reading, math problem-solving, and writing skills development.  This test is an optional test that sophomores can take for practice and juniors can take to qualify for the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (scholarship competition).  The guidance department will administer the test in the gym on OCTOBER 17^TH .  Cost is $14.00.  Checks made payable to NCC.  There will be a sign up on the guidance office door.  Students must sign up BY OCTOBER 5^TH  and pay the fee to take the test.  They will need 2 pencils and an approved calculator the day of the test.

ASVAB – (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) is given annually to ALL JUNIORS.  This test is administered by the federal government and the NCC guidance department.  The test measures verbal, math, academic abilities, mechanical/crafts, business/clerical, electronic/electrical and health/social/technology skills.  There is no charge for the test and the results are interpreted to students as a basis for career planning.  Students will receive a career exploration workbook with their results. This years test date for all juniors is November 21^st at 12:00 pm.

ACT & SAT are the “college entrance tests” used to determine college readiness.  These tests are required for college admission.  They are given annually and students can take them as often as they are offered.  The guidance department recommends that college bound students take these tests as early as spring of their junior year.  For information, call the guidance office or check your student planner for dates.  You must register by mail or on-line.  NCC is an ACT test site in Oct., Dec., April & June. 

  NCC’S HIGH SCHOOL CODE FOR ALL COLLEGE TESTING IS 181973