COLLEGE COUNSELING HANDBOOK 2019-2020 - University Prep
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COLLEGE COUNSELING HANDBOOK 2019-2020
DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
Choosing the right college? Is there really a college for everyone? How does one start and complete the task of
applying to, and selecting, a college? As we look to find answers to these and countless other college-related
questions, UPrep’s College Counseling Office has compiled the following handbook for juniors, seniors, and their
parents. Written with the intent to minimize the pressure associated with the college application process, this
“how to” manual strives to guide students and families through an exciting educational milestone.
While embarking on the college selection process, it is important to remember that the college counseling program
at UPrep is an extension of our educational program. We believe strongly that students should carry the responsi-
bility for as much of the process as possible because it is the student who is the candidate. Collecting information,
soliciting recommendations, and organizing components of the application are all good learning experiences for
college-bound students.
You can expect from the College Counseling Office a well-developed college counseling program that will not only
assess a student’s college options but also has methods in place for:
• addressing a student’s search for identity;
• dealing with the many facets of separation anxiety;
• coping with the expectations that students and families bring to the table; and
• confronting the feelings of vulnerability and apprehension with which students and families wrestle.
The College Counseling Office is an office that:
• helps create a college list for each student;
• hosts admissions representatives from more than 200 colleges and universities;
• provides pertinent information regarding application responsibilities;
• holds individual meetings with students from the second semester of their junior year through
their senior year;
• presents college informational evenings throughout the year; and
• offers ongoing support and advocacy.
The exciting task of the College Counseling Office is to remain alert to the issues and trends facing our students,
provide clarity about the pressures of the college process, and support each student in his or her college search.
We are confident that all students will come through the process feeling that they have succeeded and have a
range of options. We feel most fortunate to work with you during this very exciting period.
Warm regards,
Kelly Herrington
Director of College Counseling
2 COLLEGE COUNSELING AT UNIVERSITY PREP 2019 – 2020CONTENTS
DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE ................................... 2 RESUME ........................................................ 24
Why a Resume?....................................................24
ANATOMY OF A CANDIDATE ........................ 4
Resume Examples........................................... 26-28
COLLEGE SEARCH .......................................... 5
SCOIR—A Dynamic New Online College STANDARDIZED TESTING ............................ 29
The PSAT ............................................................ 29
Counseling Tool ................................................ 5
The SAT .............................................................. 29
SCOIR Student .................................................. 5
The ACT ............................................................. 29
SCOIR Parent .................................................... 6
The Advanced Placement Tests (AP) .................... 29
Naviance: Getting Started with Family Connection. 6
Important Note Regarding Standardized Testing . 29
Colleges ................................................................ 6
Test-Optional Colleges ........................................ 30
Careers ................................................................. 6
About Me.............................................................. 7 ATHLETICS .................................................... 30
My Planner............................................................ 7 Athletics and College Admission ........................ 30
Book Recommendations: The College Search
RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS ........................ 31
Process ............................................................. 7
Learning Services ............................................... 31
College Visit........................................................... 8
African American Students ................................. 32
College Visit Checklist .........................................10
Artistic Students ............................................ 33-34
JUNIOR AND SENIOR YEARS........................ 11 Hispanic/Latino Students ..................................... 33
Junior Year.......................................................... 11 Jewish Students .................................................. 34
Senior Year ......................................................... 11 LGBT Students .................................................... 34
Muslim Students ................................................. 35
THE COLLEGE APPLICATION ........................ 13
Native American Students ................................... 35
Application Options .............................................13
Students with Learning Needs ............................ 35
Applying to the University of California System . ...14
Service Academies .............................................. 36
Glossary of College-Related Terms ........................15
Applying to International Schools..........................15 FINANCIAL AID ............................................. 37
Applying to the University of Washington ............16 Steps in the Financial Aid Process..........................37
Applying to Canadian Schools ..............................16 Financing College.................................................41
Teacher Recommendations ...................................16 Types of Scholarships............................................41
Where to Find Scholarships ................................. 42
THE COLLEGE ESSAY......................................16
Additional Financing Options .............................. 42
Sample Essays ................................................18-21
Glossary of Financial Aid Terms ........................... 43
SUPPLEMENTS .............................................. 22
MAKING A FINAL DECISION ........................ 44
THE COLLEGE INTERVIEW ............................ 23 Wait List ............................................................. 44
Why an Interview?................................................23 Making a Final Decision Worksheet .................... 45
Preparing for the Interview ...................................23 Final College Decision Worksheet ....................... 46
The Interview .......................................................24 Book Recommendations: Transitioning from
After the Interview ...............................................24 High School to College .................................... 47
The Interview Sheet..............................................25
Front Cover Art: Hand-Made Book Cover: Ruth L., Grade 9
COLLEGE COUNSELING AT UNIVERSITY PREP 2019 – 2020 3ANATOMY OF A CANDIDATE
Student’s
Candidacy
Actively
Helpful Wild Cards
Harmful
Strength of Athletics/Arts Unsolicited Contact
Academic Program Service/Leadership from Parents
Objective Too Many
Standardized Testing Extracurricular Ungrounded
Excellence Recommendations
School Demonstrated Interest Overly Aggressive
Recommendation in the School School Lobbying
Teacher
Child of Alumnus/a
Recommendations
Limited and Polite
Diversity
Additional Information
Development
Financial Need
4 COLLEGE COUNSELING AT UNIVERSITY PREP 2019 – 2020COLLEGE SEARCH SCOIR Student
The student page consists of three areas related to the
The first and most important task to complete when
college search: My Profile, College Search, and
starting your college search is to decide what is impor-
My Colleges.
tant to you in a school. Search for a school that fits you
well academically, socially, and culturally. Don’t eliminate My Profile
a school solely because it’s outside of your comfort zone. After you have logged into SCOIR, you will arrive
The challenge of dealing with the unfamiliar can help at the My Profile page. This is also known as the
you grow as a person. Landing page. This is where you will find all of the
The University Prep Website personal information linked to you. In addition
to academic stats, standardized test scores, and
This is a gateway to information about the college
parent information found in the My Profile section,
counseling program at UPrep. The site also has addi-
SCOIR gives students the ability to upload web
tional information on gap year programs, summer op-
links, social media posts (that are college relevant),
portunities, and test prep information, https://www.
and important documents (transcripts, resumes, a
universityprep.org/academics/college-counseling.
graded assignment that you might need for a col-
School-Specific Websites lege application) into a “My drive” portal. Students
can also share activities they are involved in and
Individual college and university websites have a pleth-
achievements they are proud of in this section.
ora of information for students and parents. These sites
provide you with detailed information on a variety of College Search
topics ranging from planning a campus visit to depart-
SCOIR’s college search engine empowers students
mental information.
to find colleges that best meet their individual needs
College Representative Visits to University Prep and preferences. Students can search for schools
using the drop down menus. There are over ten
UPrep hosts more than 200 college representatives
choices for search criteria: Name, Personal Interest
throughout the fall. All juniors and seniors are encour-
& Activities, Academic, Undergraduate Degrees,
aged to attend.
Location, Number of Undergrads, Acceptance Rate,
A list of visiting colleges can be found in Naviance School Type, Campus Setting, ROTC Programs, and
and on the bulletin board outside of the College Application type.
Counseling Office. You will need a permission slip with
teacher approval to attend. My Colleges
Once a list of colleges is created, students will
SCOIR—A Dynamic New Online College choose to “follow” a school so that it remains on
Counseling Tool their prospective college list. Students can save and/
or share the schools they’re following with other
The college counseling office is excited to introduce
stakeholders (parents or counselors) in the college
SCOIR, a new online college counseling platform, to
process. SCOIR provides comprehensive information
students and parents beginning with the class of 2021.
and analysis about each college on a college list.
SCOIR is a dynamic and visual college search, selection,
The in-depth information is found in three areas:
and application tool for students, parents, and college
Overview which includes many of the nuts and
counselors. Each stakeholder in the college process will
bolts (Academic, Admission, Student Life) infor-
have their own individual accounts in SCOIR as there
mation about a school, the Wall which is a visual
are features in the program that are uniquely tailored
representation of the school through photos, social
to the student and parent role in the college process.
media posts and school websites, and Analysis
Students and parents will receive an email to “invite”
where students can compare their academic back-
them to initiate their SCOIR account, giving them ac-
ground to students who have previously applied.
cess to this powerful and fun resource. Members of the
class of 2021 will receive their SCOIR login information
in the fall of 2019.
COLLEGE COUNSELING AT UNIVERSITY PREP 2019 – 2020 5SCOIR Parent mend that your username be the email address you
Parents are an integral part of the college search pro- use most frequently) and password. If you lose your
cess. SCOIR provides each parent with their own login password, simply send us an email and we can easily
information to access to SCOIR’s interactive college reset it.
search tools. Parents can assist their student in discov- If, at any time, you forget your password, you can
ering schools that may be of interest to them by sug- enter via the “Guest Entrance” window. Enter “puma”
gesting schools to Follow; Students decide whether or as your password (all lower case) and you will have
not to “Accept” this suggestion. SCOIR also provides a access to the “Colleges” section of Naviance.
comprehensive Net Price Calculator to assist families in Naviance provides a range of services for students,
seeing the cost of attendance at each school a student parents, and college counselors. Users can:
is Following. • view individualized displays of their personal aca-
The parent page consists of three areas: College, demic information and test scores;
College Search, and Profile. • send and receive email from the college office and
get automatic email reminders about colleges
College
visiting University Prep;
Here you will find the Net Price Calculator (NPC) • search for colleges and start a list of potential
tool. The more detailed financial information a fami- schools to explore more in depth.
ly can provide, the more accurate information about
• Additionally, the College Counseling Office uses
the cost of attendance at each school is found.
Naviance to submit application materials to most
Families only need to fill out the NPC once; the in-
colleges online.
formation is stored and applied to each school in the
student’s Following, Applying, and Applied list. • Once logged into the system, there are four tabs at
the top of the page: Colleges, Careers, About Me,
College Search and My Planner.
Parents will have full access to college search crite-
ria. Parents can complete their own college search, Colleges
independent of their student. If a student has saved My Colleges: Students, parents, and the college
their last college search, parents will have the ability counselors can create both prospective college lists
to see the schools on this list. (“colleges I’m thinking about”) as well as an active list
of college applications (“colleges I’m applying to”).
Profile There is also a section listing which of those colleges
This is where you will find all of the personal, aca- will be visiting U Prep soon; students can sign up to
demic, and extracurricular activities your student has receive email reminders about upcoming visits.
listed in their SCOIR account. Parents can also view College Research: Here students and parents can
any documents that their student has uploaded into conduct extensive college searches. Start broadly by
MyDrive. limiting your preferences to a few important factors
(size, location, selectivity, major, athletic interest). Later,
Naviance: Getting Started with Family Connection
you can specify more; the pickier you get, the fewer
In the junior year, each student and parent is assigned the matches. You can also visit the Scattergrams, where
a personal password-protected account through you can see charts that show how recent U Prep
Naviance Family Connection, a web-based program students have fared when applying to specific colleges.
that supports the College Counseling Office. To access Under Enrichment Programs, you can see a variety of
University Prep’s Naviance Family Connection, go to: different summer and school year programs to enrich
https://student.naviance.com/universityprep. your co-curricular and academic studies.
New users should click on “I need to register” and in- Scholarships and Money: Students and parents
put the password distributed by the College Counsel- can search for local scholarships, view scholarship
ing Office; after the initial visit to the Naviance web- applications, and conduct national scholarship searches.
site, the password can be personalized. Returning
users simply log on with their username (we recom-
6 COLLEGE COUNSELING AT UNIVERSITY PREP 2019 – 2020Careers
Explore Careers: Students can search for information Book Recommendations:
on various careers and potential related fields to help The College Search Process
identify potential majors in colleges.
Antonoff, Steven R. and Friedemann, Marie.
What are my interests? Students can take person-
College Match: A Blueprint for Choosing the
ality quizzes to learn more about their learning style,
Best School for You. Alexandria, VA: Octameron
or use the Career Interest Profiler, a tool that can help
Associates, 2014.
you discover the types of work activities and careers
that match your interests. The Do What You Are® Barker, Theresa and Thompson, Michael. The
survey will help you learn about your personality, your Pressured Child: Help Your Child Find Success
strengths, your blindspots, as well as suitable careers. in School and Life. New York: Random House
The Learning Style Inventory™ will help you under- Publishing Group, 2004.
stand your learning and working style. These are all
helpful tools to find out which types of colleges and Bruni, Frank. Where You Go is Not Who You’ll
careers might be the best fit for you and your learning Be. New York: Grand Central Publishing, 2015.
style.
Delahunty, Jennifer. I’m Going to College – Not
You: Surviving the College Search With Your
About Me
Child. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2010.
Interesting Things About Me: Allows students to
access and share surveys with the College Counseling Ferguson, Andrew. Crazy U: One Dad’s Crash
Office, upload documents, create resumes, and orga- Course in Getting His Kid into College. New
nize checklists. York: Simon and Schuster, 2011.
Official Things: Is where information on grades, stan- Fiske, Edward. The Fiske Guide to Colleges.
dardized tests scores, and the student profile are kept. Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks, 2018.
My Planner Lythcott-Haims, Julie. How to Raise an Adult.
New York: St. Martin’s Griffin, 2016.
Create a calendar of goals and tasks, and enter due
dates for college applications. Mathews, Jay. Harvard Schmarvard: Getting
Beyond the Ivy League to the College That Is
Best for You. New York: Prima Publishing, 2003.
Robbins, Alexandria. The Overachievers:
The Secret Lives of Driven Kids. New York:
Hyperion, 2006.
Steinberg, Jacques. The Gatekeepers: Inside
the Admission Process of a Premier College.
New York: Viking Penguin, 2008.
COLLEGE COUNSELING AT UNIVERSITY PREP 2019 – 2020 7College Visit impressions will help you distinguish schools from
one another. Remember, a picture is worth a
One of the most important parts of your college search
thousand words!
is the campus visit. Visiting colleges on your list will give
you a firsthand impression of the students, faculty, staff, • Contact former UPrep students you might know
facilities, and programs. On a visit you can learn what at the school before you plan to visit. They’ll give
the admissions office is looking for in its applicants, gain you an insider’s look at the campus.
a feeling for the academic and social atmosphere, see • Before you go, make a list of items that are
the study/living/recreation facilities, talk with students, important to you so you know what to evaluate:
and get a sense of the surrounding community. We en- Start thinking about location, size, diversity, aca-
courage college visits starting in the spring of junior year. demic programs, social atmosphere.
Why Visit? What to Do When You Visit
A college website, catalog, or view book can only show Keep these things in mind:
you so much. To get a feel for the school, you need 1. Focus on the people, place, and programs. Engage
to walk around the campus, sit in a class, and visit the as many people as possible in conversation about
dorms. It’s also an opportunity to see and experience the school.
everyday life on campus. 2. Look at campus publications to get more informa-
When to Visit? tion about the community at large. A college news-
paper will give you a sense of what the students are
Admissions offices are open all year, but visiting when concerned about—something a tour guide is not
classes are in session is best. Check a school’s website likely to share.
for visit information; many ask you to sign up online for
3. Wander through the student center, cafés, and
tours and information sessions.
bookstore and observe how students interact with
• One of the best times to visit is spring break of your each other.
junior year. At UPrep we suggest you visit one large, 4. Go on an admissions tour and attend an informa-
one medium, and one small school to get a feeling tion session. Think about questions that you may
for each. If possible, include a large state and a want to ask. Listen to the tour guide, but don’t
small private school on your tour for comparison. jump to conclusions about a school based solely
• Some schools offer special visit days. These are on your experience with the tour guide.
usually day-long programs that will introduce you
to many areas of the school. Sit In a Class:
Planning Your Visit 1. Do the professors seem knowledgeable? Are they
Things to do or consider in your plan: accessible for questions or concerns?
• A good campus visit takes 2-4 hours, including 2. What is the roll of a Teaching Assistant (TA) in the
time to get a sense of the surrounding town or classroom? Do they replace the professor or assist
area. Don’t try to visit more than two schools in the professor?
one day. 3 Are the students participating in classroom
• Contact the admissions office or visit the school’s discussion? Are they engaged? Disengaged?
website for tour information. 4. What kinds of work are the students doing?
• In addition to a campus tour and information Are they conducting advanced research?
session, you may want to include an admissions Doing group projects?
interview, a meeting with a faculty member in your
5. What size are the classes? Is this representative of
area of interest, a meeting with a coach, and attend-
all classes on campus (or do intro courses tend to
ing a class (allow extra time to schedule these).
be bigger than advanced)?
• Take lots of pictures. You’ll be amazed by how
much information you’ll collect from photos. Speak With Current Students:
Having a camera and jotting down a few notes and 1. What is their opinion of the professors? Do they
8 COLLEGE COUNSELING AT UNIVERSITY PREP 2019 – 2020find that they can approach their professors? • Write a thank you note to any admissions persons
2. Do the professors spend time with students to be you met during your visit. This makes a valuable
sure they understand the material? impression.
3. How much time is expected for studying and other Student and Parent Roles and Responsibilities
work outside of class? During the College Process we encourage students and
4. What do they like most/least about the school? parents to abide by the following precepts.
5. How do they spend their free time? Ask a student Student Roles and Responsibilities
what he or she did the previous weekend: Was it • Know thyself
balanced between social activities and academics?
• You are in the driver’s seat
Did he or she remain on campus?.
• Be an informed consumer
Speak With an Admission Counselor: • Do your research
1. Does the school offer Early Action (EA) or Early • Don’t let this process affect your self-esteem
Decision (ED) options to students? • Focus on your needs
2. Do I need to declare a major on my application? • Avoid the “rumor mill”
3. What unique programs does the school offer? Is • Be mindful of deadlines
there an honors program? • You represent more than yourself in this process
4. Are internships available? In the community? For • Communicate
credit during the school year? During the summer?
Parent Roles and Responsibilities
5. Based on my academic information, do I fit within
the range of your profiled students? • Be realistic
• You are in the passenger seat
6. Are there any unique admissions requirements? Is
• Focus on the right fit
the Common Application accepted? Is there a
supplement? • Use many sources to research colleges
• Help your student think about who he/she is
Speak With a Financial Aid Counselor:
• Avoid the “rumor mill”
1. Are there any school-specific scholarships available? • Avoid pronoun confusion (“We are applying”)
How do I apply? • Value and celebrate these last two years
2. What is the total cost of attendance, including • If you went through the college process, recognize
tuition, room and board, books, supplies, inciden- that both schools and the process are different
tals, parking, travel, and health insurance?
• Where your student is admitted to college is not a
3. When is tuition due? Is there a payment plan? reflection of your parenting
4. What types of financial aid do you offer? Is financial • Communicate
aid need-based, merit-based, or both? What per-
centage of aid is in the form of loans? Grants? Schol-
arships? Work-Study awards?
5. What financial aid forms and/or scholarship applica-
tions do you require?
6. What is the average financial aid award?
7. When do you notify families about their financial
aid award?
After the Visit
• Fill out the college comparison worksheet on the
following page to help you remember the school.
COLLEGE COUNSELING AT UNIVERSITY PREP 2019 – 2020 9COLLEGE VISIT CHECKLIST
COLLEGE: ______________________________ DATE: ____________________
TO DO CHECKLIST: CITY/STATE:
Size: Rural Small City Big City
talk to professors
visit the library ADMISSION CRITERIA:
ACT: eng: read: math: sci: comp:
tour campus
SAT: ebrw: math: comp:
sit in a class
SAT Subject Tests Required?
eat at the cafeteria
Acceptance Percentage?
talk to admissions Admissions Rep:
read the college Email/Phone:
newspaper
EXPERIENCE: Rated: 1 = Low / 5 = High
talk to students
People: 1 2 3 4 5 Social Life: 1 2 3 4 5
visit student housing
Classrooms: 1 2 3 4 5 Dorms: 1 2 3 4 5
read bulletin boards Campus Food: 1 2 3 4 5 Town: 1 2 3 4 5
check out rec facilities
ASK A STUDENT:
check out student
activities What is the best part of this college?
tour area around What is the worst part of this college?
campus
What is a typical day like?
eat at an off-campus
hang out What do students do on weekends?
picture yourself How are classes structured?
living here
Why did you choose this college?
MY IMPRESSIONS:
Best features of this school?
Best part of my visit?
Worst part of my visit?
10 COLLEGE COUNSELING AT UNIVERSITY PREP 2019 – 2020JUNIOR AND SENIOR YEARS Responsibilities for the Senior Year
• Complete in Naviance (by July 1, prior to the start
Junior Year of your senior year) your senior inventory and
The goal of the junior year is to begin to develop a rela- parent questionnaire.
tionship between the student and the college counsel- • Narrow your choices.
ing staff. By learning more about each student, we help • Meet with your college counselor. Visit often;
them define areas of interest and figure out subject we like to know how the college process is pro-
areas that they would like to pursue. It’s a starting point gressing.
for the conversations we’re going to have about college. • Complete your applications on time.
It’s a time of tremendous growth and self-discovery • Complete financial aid information by
when the students begin to see themselves as emerging November 1.
adults.
• Present yourself in the most positive fashion
Responsibilities for the Junior Year to the colleges of your choice. At UPrep, virtually all
applications and supplemental application materials
• Complete junior questionnaire in Naviance.
(transcripts, letters of recommendation, etc.) are
• Meet with your college counselor during spring submitted electronically via Naviance. Although
semester. Parent meetings are scheduled after your there are some schools that maintain their own
initial student meeting. individual application, they still offer students the
• Determine criteria for colleges. ability to complete the application online.
• Participate in college admission testing programs: • Plan to attend college representative visits
PSAT, SAT reasoning test, SAT subject tests, ACT, held at UPrep as well college fairs in Seattle,
AP exams. We encourage all students to take the especially if you can’t meet with representatives
SAT and the ACT with writing during the second at UPrep. Remember that the representatives who
semester junior year. come to the Northwest are the ones most likely to
• Attend college representative meetings at school. read your application and to be your advocate on
• Sign (you and your parents) and return your Release their admission committee. Therefore, it is to your
of Records form. advantage to get to know these representatives.
• Attend college fair programs in Seattle (National A list of visiting colleges can be found in Naviance
College Fair and the Seattle Area Independent and on the bulletin board outside of the College
School Fair). Counseling Office.
• Avoid senioritis. Colleges always predicate
Senior Year acceptance upon satisfactory completion of the
senior year. Students are urged to consult with the
It’s not where a student goes to college; it’s the
director of the College Counseling Office about any
journey that should be memorable. The goal of the
substantial changes in senior year courses or
senior year is to help students on their journey. We
grades. If a student’s academic situation changes at
guide students and parents in the college process and
any time during the senior year, colleges will be
assist them every step of the way; we communicate
notified. Self-disclosure by the student of any
with and advocate for each student during our con-
academic inconsistencies is the preferred way for
versations with college admissions colleagues; and we
colleges to learn of these changes.
celebrate each student’s accomplishments. We wish
them success and happiness in their college choice as Communication with Colleges
they complete the journey. We know many parents will help with certain aspects
of the admissions process. Parents are encouraged to
support students but to refrain from contacting ad-
Reminder:
mission offices except under unusual circumstances. It
You are responsible for checking your college deadlines! is the students’ responsibility to communicate directly
with admission offices to make their own tour and
interview appointments, to request information, and to
COLLEGE COUNSELING AT UNIVERSITY PREP 2019 – 2020 11check on the status of their files. It is incumbent upon • any suspension from school lasting one week or
each student to complete his or her senior year with more occurred during the freshman and sophomore
the same (or better) commitment to studies and re- year;
sponsibilities as in past years. Each student’s academic • any suspension from school longer than three days
transcript will be reported to colleges at the following occurred during the junior or senior year.
times during senior year: First quarter for EA/ED candi-
dates, mid-year, and end of senior year.
Many college applications now ask the student and/or Myth:
counselor whether the applicant has ever been sus-
Grades are the most important factor in college
pended or taken a leave of absence from school. To
admissions.
avoid integrity issues during the college admission pro-
cess, students should self-disclose disciplinary records Reality:
when asked by colleges. The College Counseling Office
The quality of the curriculum, not grades, is the most
is obligated to report disciplinary actions when:
important factor in admission decisions. Most colleges
• asked specifically to report a student’s discipline like to see four years of all five academic majors: Math,
record; Science, English, History, and a Foreign Language on an
applicant’s transcript.
• any pattern of violations of UPrep’s Community
Expectations occurred during a student’s Upper
School career;
THE COMMON APPLICATION
FOR UNDERGRADUATE ADMISSIONS
Filling out a College Application?
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions:
• UPrep School Code: 48-1169. UPrep Address: 8000 25th Avenue NE, Seattle, WA 98115
• You enrolled in high school in August 2016. You anticipate graduating June 14, 2020.
• There are 83 students in your class. Your grades are on a 4.0 unweighted scale, and there is no
class rank.
• Kelly Herrington, Director of College Counseling, kherrington@universityprep.org, 206-832-1226
• Britten Nelson, Associate Director of College Counseling, bnelson@universityprep.org, 206-832-1111
• Attend college fair programs in Seattle (National College Fair and the Seattle Area Independent
School Fair).
• There are 52 weeks/calendar year, roughly 9 weeks/quarter, 19 weeks/semester, 38 weeks/school year.
• Each sports season lasts approximately 11-12 weeks.
12 COLLEGE COUNSELING AT UNIVERSITY PREP 2019 – 2020THE COLLEGE APPLICATION communicate admission decisions via web portals, so
you will need these to check your application status.
The College Counseling Office stands ready to assist
you with advice and answers to questions to make this Application Options
a positive experience. You can contact us at any time: Early Action (EA): A process whereby a student can
Kelly Herrington: submit an application by a designated date (typical-
kherrington@universityprep.org 206.832.1226 ly in November or December) and receive a decision
one month later. The EA student, if accepted, is not
Britten Nelson:
bound to enroll. Students are not required to notify the
bnelson@universityprep.org 206.832.1111
college of their enrollment decision until May 1. They
Wendy Robbins: can also apply to other colleges early action or early
wrobbins@universityprep.org 206.832.1127 decision as well.
Here are some practical suggestions to ensure that you Restrictive Early Action (REA), sometimes referred
have a successful college application process. to as Single Choice Early Action(SCEA): An early appli-
cation process used by a few Ivy League universities
Register early for SATs and ACTs. If you do not adhere
and Stanford where students typically apply by mid-
to this suggestion, it is possible you could be assigned as
November and receive a decision by mid-December.
far away as Tacoma, Bremerton, or Centralia on popular
Students are not required to notify the college of their
test dates.
enrollment decision until May 1. Under the SCEA poli-
Fill out your test applications for SATs and ACTs cy, students are not allowed to apply to other colleges
the same way every time. For example, inserting a under ED or EA programs. They can, however, apply to
middle initial in the second application for a test can other colleges through regular decision programs.
confuse the computers and make it difficult to recover Early Decision (ED): A process whereby a student
your scores. can submit an application by a designated date (typi-
Make copies of everything you send colleges, finan- cally in November or December) and receive a decision
cial aid offices, ETS (the testing arm of the College Board), one month later that carries a binding commitment to
and ACT. enroll, if accepted, to the college. Student and parent
must sign a statement of intent that, if admitted, the
Read and act on school announcements about student will attend the college/university regardless
college visits, deadlines, and meetings. of financial aid award. Colleges will share ED lists, so
Check your email! This is how colleges communicate all other applications must be withdrawn. Students
with you about upcoming deadlines, programs, events, not admitted under ED are either denied or deferred.
scholarships, and interviews. Deferred applicants are reconsidered with the regular
decision applicant candidates. Students and parents will
Be visible in the College Counseling Office; the not be informed of financial aid prior to admission. A
better we get to know you, the better we can repre- small number of colleges have a second round of this
sent you to colleges. process called Early Decision II. This deadline is usually
Make appointments for college interviews and around January 15 with notification one month later.
tours early. This is especially true if you are visiting in Regular Decision (RD): The most common application
the Northeast. A two-to-three-month lead time is not process in this country. Most colleges offer some form
unusual. of RD among their application choices. Students usually
apply to colleges between January 1 and January 15, are
Missing school for college visits and interviews is
notified of the decision by April 1, and then must let the
not advised, but sometimes cannot be avoided. Be
college know whether they will matriculate by May 1.
sure that you complete all assignments and meet all
school deadlines despite any interruptions caused by Candidate Reply Date: May 1 is the date by which all
the college admission process. colleges require an admitted student to commit
to attending their school. This commitment usually
Write down all your user name and passwords. requires an enrollment deposit. Students can only
You will be asked to use them frequently. Most schools commit to one school.
COLLEGE COUNSELING AT UNIVERSITY PREP 2019 – 2020 13Fast Applications/Priority Applications/ * These applications often create more of a logistical
Pre-Applications*: In an effort to increase the headache for you. We encourage you to avoid these
number of applications received (which helps colleges “fast track” offers—an EA (or RD) application submit-
reduce their admission rate, which makes them ap- ted through the Common Application will actually be
pear more selective), many colleges are offering “Fast easier for you in the long run.
Apps.” These alternative applications often waive the
application fee and/or an essay requirement.
Thinking about applying to one of the schools in the University of California System?
Nine Campuses: One Application. University of California system includes over 200,000 students attending one of nine under-
graduate campuses at:
• Berkeley • Irvine • Merced • San Diego • Santa Cruz
• Davis • Los Angeles • Riverside • Santa Barbara
While each campus is unique, students submit one application to the UC system as a whole, indicating which specific
campus(es) he or she is applying to. Applications for the fall term are due between November 1 and November 30.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
Before a student applies for admission to any of the campuses within the University of California system, he or she must
first determine if the minimum eligibility requirements for admission in three areas have been met:
1. Scholarship Requirement: Non-California residents MUST HAVE A 3.4 CUMULATIVE GPA in classes taken in 10th
and 11th grade, and no grade lower than a C in the courses listed below in section 2:
2. Subject Requirement: Students must complete a minimum of 15 college preparatory courses, with at least 11
finished prior to the beginning of the senior year. These courses are the traditional courses required for graduation
from University Prep, including our history, English, math, lab science, and foreign language requirements. HOWEV-
ER, it is also a requirement of one full year of Visual and Performing Arts, which is different than UPrep’s graduation
requirement. Some UPrep students aren’t eligible to apply to the UC system because they have two semesters of
visual or performing arts from different disciplines (for example, Photography I in one semester, and Stagecraft in
another), instead of two consecutive semesters in one discipline (Photography I in the fall, Photography II in the
spring). Please talk to your college counselor if you suspect that you have not satisfied the Visual and Performing
Arts requirement.
3. Examination Requirement: You must take the ACT + Writing or the SAT Reasoning Test by December of your senior
year. The UC System doesn’t require the SAT Subject Tests, but certain programs on some campuses recommend them.
For more information, visit: http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/freshman/requirements/index.html.
NON-RESIDENTS
Because non-residents pay more for tuition, the UC System has seen an increase in admission for out-of-state and inter-
national applicants, even as the overall admit rate has decreased. However, the California state legislature recently capped
out-of-state enrollment at 18%, which means that UPrep students will be at a disadvantage at a few of the more com-
petitive UC schools (Berkeley, UCLA, San Diego, and Irvine, which all had out-of-state enrollment above 18% last year).
Furthermore, four-year graduation rates on UC campuses range from 40% to 70% and six-year graduation rates range
from 65% to 90%. If admitted, you may want to anticipate paying out-of-state tuition (which is significantly higher than
in-state tuition), for more than four years; it is very difficult to gain residency. For more information on applying to the
UC System, visit: http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu.
14 COLLEGE COUNSELING AT UNIVERSITY PREP 2019 – 2020Glossary of College-Related Terms A regular academic year includes the fall, winter, and
spring quarters. Example: University of Washington.
Admissions Index: A system of ranking applicants for
The fourth or summer quarter is usually optional. If
automatic admission to a university. SAT/ACT scores are
only three terms are offered, the system is usually
often the only factors in an index. This practice for
referred to as a trimester schedule. These three terms
admitting students is not common; it is used primarily
are usually twelve weeks each. Example: Carleton
by large public universities.
College, Minnesota.
Block Plan: A curriculum based on one course at
Semester System: The organization of the college
a time for periods of three to seven weeks each.
year into two periods of approximately eighteen weeks
Example: Cornell College, IA; Colorado College, CO;
each. A regular academic year includes the fall and
Quest University, Canada.
spring semesters. Example: Colby College, Maine.
Coalition for Access, Affordability, and Success:
SSD: Services for Students with Disabilities is a branch
A group of 130 colleges and universities across the U.S.
of the College Board that oversees extended time and
that offers college planning tools and an online applica-
special accommodations for students with learning
tion for admission. The University of Washington is an
differences or physical disabilities.
exclusive user of the coalition application. For informa-
tion, visit www.coalitionforcollegeaccess.org/. 3/2 Programs: An opportunity for students who wish
to combine a professional program with a liberal arts
College Board: The “umbrella” organization that
education. Students attend a liberal arts college for
produces high school, college, and graduate assessment
three years and a professional program, such as engi-
tests, proposes educational policy, and works on
neering or architecture, for two. Example: Whitman’s
curriculum reform. Visit www.collegeboard.com
3/2 program with Duke University for forestry.
for more information.
Common Application: More than 750 colleges and Applying to International Schools
universities participate in the Common Application
program whereby a student fills out one application The United Kingdom and Europe have become popular
and can use it for more than one college. The Com- destinations for college-bound Americans. You will
mon Application is available in the College Counseling probably find that most colleges require a high school
Office or online at www.commonapp.org. diploma, a minimum of 600 on each of the two sections
of the SAT, and 2 or 3 SAT Subject Tests with a minimum
CO-OP Program: A study and work system that allows of 600 on each.
students to gain practical experience related to their
course work. Example: Northeastern University, • Oxford, Cambridge, and the London School of
Massachusetts. Economics are not very realistic choices for Ameri-
can students, as their programs are not chronologi-
Educational Testing Service: The Educational Testing cally in synchrony with ours. Better choices are the
Service is responsible for the creation and administra- Scottish universities. The University of St. Andrews
tion of the SAT Reasoning Test, SAT Subject Tests, has the longest history of recruiting Americans and
TOEFL, and APs. has by far the highest proportion of them in its
Liberal Arts: College studies comprising the arts, undergraduate population. The Universities of
natural sciences, mathematics, social studies, and Aberdeen, Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Stirling are
humanities, as distinguished from applied studies in other prominent names, as well as Trinity in Dublin.
such specialized areas as pharmacy, engineering, Fortunately, many schools in the UK, including the
agriculture, home economics, etc. Universities of St. Andrews, Aberdeen, Stirling, and
NCAA Clearinghouse: The National Collegiate Strathclyde, now accept the Common Application,
Athletic Association’s agency that processes academic which makes it easier for students from the US to
qualification forms for all Division I and II athletes. apply for admission. Prices are about $36,000 per
Visit https://www.athleticscholarships.net for more year, including tuition, room, and board, with little
information. financial aid available.
• On the continent, the primary option is the net-
Quarter System: The organization of the college year
work of American-style institutions such as the
into four periods of approximately twelve weeks each.
American Universities in Paris and Rome. There is
COLLEGE COUNSELING AT UNIVERSITY PREP 2019 – 2020 15a newer one in Bremen, Germany, with ties to Rice • Once a teacher has agreed to write your recom-
University in the U.S., and several places in Switzer- mendation, please add their name to Naviance. This
land. Webster University in St. Louis has a number allows them to see your application deadlines and
of campuses abroad. Most of these institutions are your college list. In order to complete this process,
small, with about 1,000 students. students need to log into Naviance Family Connec-
tion and click on “Colleges.” Under “My colleges,”
Applying to The University of Washington click on “letters of recommendation,” then pick the
The University of Washington has a unique application names of the two teachers completing recommenda-
process in which students self-report classes and grades, tions from the drop down list. This allows the teach-
and UW doesn’t want to see transcripts or letters of er to complete their recommendation online (your
recommendation. The University of Washington applica- designated college counselor will automatically
tion is a part of the Coalition Application (http://www. submit your letter of recommendation as well—you
coalitionforcollegeaccess.org), an application plat- do not have to select them). Please have teachers
form comprised of nearly 130 schools. Visit www. selected in Naviance by September 1. Some teachers
washington.edu/admissions/ to apply. may request additional information from you prior to
completing a recommendation letter for you; please
Applying to Canadian Schools provide this information in a timely manner.
• Some teachers have forms they will ask you to fill
More University Prep students are singing “O Canada.”
out before they write your recommendation. It pro-
A recent newspaper article noted: “Today, our quiet
vides them with data regarding why you liked their
neighbor to the north shines as a sanctuary from sky-
class. A copy of your resume or a list detailing your
high college bills.” And so the parents of our alumni
outside activities is also encouraged. This inform-
attending college in Canada are singing “O Canada”
ation is essential to teachers. It will help them
even louder than their children. Most importantly, many
evaluate you in the context of their class and your
Canadian universities are referred to as “ivy among the
other pursuits.
maple.” The educational quality of Canadian universities
is strong. • At the end of the process, write thank-you notes
to all the teachers who wrote recommendations for
you.
Teacher Recommendations
Recommendations from teachers help the admission
committee learn information about you that test scores THE COLLEGE ESSAY
and grades do not reflect. Give careful thought to
Writing Your Essay
which teachers you would like to write your teacher
recommendation as they provide insight and perspective Most college applications require at least one main es-
about your classroom learning style and experience. say, and many also include additional shorter questions
as well. The purpose of this is twofold: colleges want to
• Ask two teachers for a recommendation. You
assess your writing skills, but they also want to learn
should select teachers from two different disciplines
more about you.
(i.e., one from English, foreign language or history,
and one from math or science). Ask late in your • Be as honest and introspective as possible.
junior year if they would be interested in writing a Take this opportunity to tell the admissions
recommendation for you. counselor things about yourself that cannot be
• Always ask the teacher in person, never in learned from any other part of the application
passing or via email, to write your recommenda- you submit. If there are any inconsistencies in your
tion. Teachers are asked by numerous students for academic, athletic or creative record, you can use
recommendations and many limit the number of this space to explain them.
recommendations they agree to write. By doing so, • Application essay topics. Try to discover what
they do not over commit themselves. They want to makes you unique. They also show what you care
give your recommendation the same effort and about and the kind of person you are. Essay topics to
consideration as others. consider: family history, events, or people that have
been important to you and why; a challenging or
16 COLLEGE COUNSELING AT UNIVERSITY PREP 2019 – 2020interesting experience and what you learned from it; Other Words of Advice
an obstacle you’ve faced and how you dealt with or • Focus small, think big. Don’t try to tackle too much
overcame it; your goals, ambitions, or dreams; what in the essay. Stick to one experience, event, or activ-
you hope to learn or gain in college; or what other ity. You’ll be surprised at how much you can reveal.
college students can learn or gain from you; issues of
• Have fun! Sit down and start writing; your opening
personal, local, or national concern.
sentence doesn’t have to be perfect yet (that’s why
• Creating a theme for your essay such as risk we call it a rough draft).
taking, intellectual independence, or love of the
• Have a good opening line that will capture the
outdoors often brings up interesting examples of
reader’s (bleary-eyed admission counselor’s) atten-
your life to support your chosen theme. Specific
tion.
incidents to illustrate general observations are
considered essential. • Ask for advice from the people who know you the
best, but write it yourself.
• The typical length of an essay is about 500 words,
or no more than two double-spaced pages, which • You are different from anyone else. Make admission
means that you will have to choose your words very counselors see that!
carefully. The essay process should encourage good • Humor can help, but don’t force it.
writing, and good writing, by definition, is brief. • Show, don’t tell (i.e., use the senses—smell, touch,
taste, hear, see). Add details, details, details.
Practical Considerations • Enliven your language with descriptive verbs.
Write more than one draft, edit, and revise—this Actual Questions from Colleges and Universities
process takes time and you should not expect to finish
it in one sitting. • Describe an event in your life that either demon-
strates your character or helped to shape it.
• Do not try to be too unique or too creative. Make
• Some students have a background or story that is
sure to use your own voice!
so central to their identity that they believe their
• Check for misspellings and have it proofread by application would be incomplete without it. If this
actual human beings (do not rely on spell check). sounds like you, then please share your story.
Grammar and mechanics do matter. • Recount an incident or time when you experienced
• Keep it to one or two pages. Concise is nice. failure. How did it affect you, and what lessons did
you learn?
• It’s economical to send the same essay to more
than one school (as long as you answer the ques- • Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or
tion asked). idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make
the same decision again?
Potential Topics
• Describe a place or environment where you are
• Avoid overused, trendy, or hot topics, such as perfectly content. What do you do or experience
politics, privilege, sex, and religion. there, and why is it meaningful to you?
• Write about what you know. Be yourself! • Discuss an accomplishment or event that marked
• Keep the topic simple—choose one idea or situa- your transition from childhood to adulthood within
tion (this is one page in your life, not the entire your culture, community, or family.
book).
• Your choice of topic does not matter nearly as
much as your approach.
• Make sure it reflects who you are and what you
know.
• Write about what you have learned, what you have
observed, and how you have changed.
• Highlight an accomplishment.
COLLEGE COUNSELING AT UNIVERSITY PREP 2019 – 2020 17Sample Essay #1 atmosphere, finding comfort in the dark places my
shadow didn’t inhabit, settling into corners I hadn’t
Speaking on Behalf of a Simple Hope claimed as my own during that golden time when
we were one.
The search bar waits, expectant. I only hesitate for a
moment. Three. I’m at my desk, trying to tease useful out-
put from strings of code. The numbers start to swim
“D-E-F-I-N-E,” my fingers tap out. Shift, colon.
as I pull up graph after graph, lost in monotony. Scan
“D-E-P-R-E-S-S-I-O-N.” Click. In 0.21 seconds:
for red. Delete, new input, compile. Scan for green.
de·pres·sion/di`preSHen/
Find the p-values, the correlation coefficients, the
Noun: severe despondency and dejection, feelings
last shreds of my sanity. How much more of me can
of hopelessness and inadequacy.
be lost to Excel?
Zero. The medicine cabinet swung open with a sick-
Each number represents some characteristic of a
eningly quiet squeal, and she was in. Red, yellow,
living, breathing life, an anonymous connection I’ll
blue, white, they spilled into her hands and she
never be able to fulfill. I picture 174b as a troubled
looked at them, slowly, inspecting the integrity of
ballerina; she dances four times a week but has a
her army. Xanax, Ritalin, Prozac. Her fingers close
scarily skewed perception of Ecstasy risk. 1352y is an
over a fistful, scattering the rest in a ripple of men-
introverted Sunday school attendee; a history of good
acing color. Beautiful.
grades and measured social awkwardness. 721_Z is
One. It’s 6:54 AM and I’m already late for the Metro. the perfect child; popular, smart, happy home. But
Halfway down the stairs I realize only one of my she never answered the self-harm questions.
socks is on, something that usually wouldn’t send
My mission is to model adolescent depression, to
me back but does this time. It’s not a wasted trip—I
determine what risk factors drive five- and eight-
grab my badge, along with the phone I forgot. My
een-year-olds alike to suicide. The initial research
best friend left a voice-mail last night, but there’s
puzzled me, intrigued me, scared me. Now, it con-
just no time. Twenty minutes later I’m slumped,
sumes me.
barely lucid, against Plexiglas coolness. Vibrations
swallow me whole, and I barely feel my pocket buzz The last command key stops the program. Finally,
before slipping into oblivion. I hit “CALL.”
In the conference room, my mind keeps wandering Four. BECAUSE I could not stop for Death–
back to the phone. I imagine the orange notification He kindly stopped for me – Emily Dickinson,
light pulsing, blinking slowly in the darkness. “Because I Could Not Stop for Death”
Two. Each action has an equal and opposite reaction. It was her first failure. The stomach pump’s undig-
That’s when the distance starts, a widening chasm nified brutality had cheated death, had delivered
of missed calls and canceled plans. Our presence in her bruised and shaken, but back. “The medicine
someone’s life shrinks and shrinks, until inevitably, cabinet, I saw—I left you a voice-mail, did—I love
it’s not there at all. The girl you rescued earthworms y—I’m sorry. Friends?”
with, the nexus of pinky swears and friendship brace-
I want to fight her demons for her. Instead, I bring
lets, an elementary promise of forever—gone.
more soup.
In a way, I was lucky. I was falling apart but in a
Five. I’m onstage now, heart going one eighty,
closed room, the walls of my research and assump-
mouth going faster. Energy rockets out of me as I
tions boxing me into an uncomfortable safety. But I
invoke tables, graphs, and most importantly, an
had been her safety, and without me she splintered
explanation. I am fighting for her. I am fighting to
apart. What was left of her whirled around the
18 COLLEGE COUNSELING AT UNIVERSITY PREP 2019 – 2020You can also read
