LAS Counselor's Corner

Financial Aid Information

www.student-aid.com investment programs for parents

www.fafsa.ed.gov the federal financial aid application process (FAFSA)

www.ed.gov financial information on federal programs

www.finaid.org comprehensive collection of financial aid information

www.collegeview.com career, college, and financial aid information

www.salliemae.com nation’s leading provider of educational loans

www.cslp.org Colorado student loan program

www.collegesmart.com free software site to estimate financial aid needs

College Information

www.schoolmatch.com school matches and other information

www.gocollege.com general college information and free college search

www.collegeboard.com descriptions of colleges

www.collegeexpress.com links to colleges based on personal information input

www.collegenews.com opinions from students about their campuses

www.act.org ACT testing information and online registration

www.collegeboard.com SAT testing information and online registration

www.review.com Princeton Review site

www.testprep.com preparation for SAT, ACT, and PSAT

www.kaplan.com Stanley Kaplan test prep company

www.ncaa.org eligibility for athletes

www.applyweb.com electronic application processing for US and world schools

www.compussafety.org non-profit organization providing info about crime on compuses

www.flatirons.org Fairview Post-Graduate Center website

scholarship Information

www.collegeanswer.com scholarship information tied to the sallie Mae C orp.

www.fastweb.com free scholarship search

www.finaid.org/scholarships free scholarship search

www.collegeboard.org free scholarship search

www.scholarship.com general private scholarship source

www.collegenet.com general private scholarship source

www.srnexpress.com general private scholarship source

www.gocollege.com general private scholarship source

www.freschinfo.com general private scholarship source

www.wiredscholar.com general private scholarship source

www.free-4u.com general private scholarship source

This summer is an optimal time to start a first draft of your college essay. You should approach the college essay as a way to create as personal an impression of yourself as an applicant as if you were speaking with admission officers face-to-face. Colleges may require one or more essays. They will read these works to determine your skill in written expression and to gain insight into you–the person within the application. Parents and teachers can be extremly helpful in reading your essay. They may simply offer their opinions of your topic or its development and point out spelling, grammatical, and content tips.

Do: be yourself; be creative; captivate your audience; stress the positive; and pursue perfection.

Don’t: “recycle” essays; adopt a preachy tone; write just one draft; work alone; or try just one version.

” Writing, when properly managed, is but a different name for a conversation.”  Lauren Stern

“TEACHERS WHO HAVE TAUGHT YOU RECENTLY AND KNOW YOU WELL ARE THE BEST CHOICES FOR WRITING A REC LETTER.”

Written recommendations are required by many colleges. Some will require that you obtain recommendations from teachers in specific subjects; others will allow you to make the choice.

Teacher recommendations should support other data submitted with the application regarding academic achievement and personal characteristics. Teachers who have taught you well are the best choices for writing a recommendation. You should request these recommendation as early in the application process as possible.

More information about letters of recommendation will be given to you during the fall of your senior year with specific guidelines regarding Fairview’s process. This information will include both requesting letters from your teachers as well as your counselor.

• Register for and take the SAT in May or June.
• Use the Post-Graduate Planning Center and/ or Family Connection to research schools.
• Request information from colleges.
• Visit colleges during spring and summer 2010-2011
• Read info sent by the colleges so you will know deadlines for admissions procedures, expectations for senior courses, specific programs and their requirements, etc.
• Compile your academic resume, including: honors & awards, extracurricular activities, community activities, and job experiences.
• Refine your personal statement.
• Begin to narrow down your college choices; applications are lengthy! Remember college application fees range from $25-60 each.
• Based on your list of colleges, ask your counselor and up to two teachers if they would write you a POSITIVE Letter of recommendation. Speak with your counselor if you need help in determining whether or not you might need letters of recommendation. Please read on for more info regarding letters of recommendation.

Seniors: Please remember to ask Guidance Counselor to write a recommendation for you. The request must be in writing and also placed into Naviance.
Give at least 2 weeks notice for this request. Thank you.

 

Follow the link below to take a personality test and learn more about yourself.

http://www.las.edu.pk

STEPS IN APPLYING TO COLLEGE FROM LAS