Bright Futures Application is now available!

Seniors,

It is finally time to apply for the Bright Futures.  All seniors should fill out the application since this also serves as the financial aid application for Florida (FAFSA is for the federal govt.)  Apply even if you do not yet have the qualifications.  Bright Futures will continue to update your file until the parameters are met.  The earlier you apply, the sooner you can lock in the scholarship. Apply even if you think you will be attending college out of state.  This will insure that if you decide to come back to Florida, you can then pick up your scholarship and use it. Everyone that fills out an application before February will get some valuable feedback-either you will qualify or we can determine what you will need to do to qualify.

The application can be found at http://www.floridastudentfinancialaid.org/ I have posted step by step instructions on the How to Apply for Bright Futures page to the right.

Palm Beach State College Summer Scholarship Program

Palm Beach State College will be at Boca High next week on Wednesday, Nov 30th, to discuss their Fast Break/Summer Bridge Scholarship for the summer of 2012.  This scholarship is for one free class during the summer.  Students must apply to Palm Beach State and then fill out a separate short application for the scholarship.  If you want more informatioan and would like to attend this presentation, come to the College and Career Center on Monday or Tuesday to sign up.

Boca High College and Career Center Financial Aid Workshop

The College and Career Center will be presenting a financial aid workshop on Wednesday, November 30th, at 6:30 in the Theater.  Discussion will include types of financial aid available, federal formulas for financial aid, and a "how to" on filling out the FAFSA form which becomes available after January 1, 2012, and what you will need to prepare to fill it out.

All are welcome to attend.  This is essential information for seniors and their parents.

Two Large Scholarship Funds Now Open

Applications for The George Snow Scholarship Fund and the Community Foundation of Palm Beach and Martin Counties are now open and available online.  These are two of the largest and most generous scholarship funds that seniors have available to them.  With these two applications, you will be considered for over 150 different scholarships.  Financial need is a consideration for both.  All scholarship details and applications are online:

George Snow Scholarship Fund:    www.scholarship.org
Community Foundation:                 www.yourcommunityfoundation.org


Both applications are due on February 1, 2012.

Scholarship and Financial Aid Presentation at Boca High

Students and parents:

The George Snow Scholarship Foundation in conjunction with Nancy Polin of Educational Excellence will be presenting a program on the Foundation scholarships as well as Federal Financial Aid on Wednesday, November 9th in our Theater.  There will be a mini college fair with reps from some of the state and private universities and community colleges beforehand in the cafeteria.  Open to all.

                      College Fair:   6:00 pm to  6:45 pm
                      Scholarship/Aid Presentation:   7:00 pm - 8:15 pm

UNF and FIU Off Campus On Site Admissions Events

If you have already sent your application materials to UNF, you can make an appointment to talk to the admissions reps at the Embassy Suites, Yamato Road in Boca on November 1st.  At that time, you can either get your admission decision or you will get advice on what you need to do to be admissible. Go to http://www.unf.edu/visitorscenter/Off_Campus_Events.aspx to make an appointment for this event.

FIU will be doing this procedure as well.  Here is the information for this event, on Saturday, November 5th
                                              Marriott Boca Raton at Boca Center
                                              5150 Town Center Circle
                                              10:00am - 2:00pm

For both, if your application is submitted, you can bring $30 or fee waiver, transcript and a copy of your test scores SAT or ACT and you will be able to get a decision on the spot.

Common Application Hints

Students who are applying via the Common Application here are some hints:

You must order one transcript for the Common App schools, no matter how many colleges you are applying to. This transcript will be scanned and uploaded to the School Report by your dean/counselor.  No envelopes or stamps are needed.  Just $3 for the transcript.

You must put in your dean's name in the School Forms to request that he/she fill out the forms for you.  You put in your teacher recommenders' email there as well.  Then they receive an email saying that you have requested them to fill out the recommendation.  All Teachers and Deans must have a resume from you so that they can write the best letter possible.  Do this now so they can start working on this for you.

A new "Future Plans" page must be filled out for each school.  You must check the Supplement page for each school to see if a supplement is provided and needed.

OOPS!

OMG!!!After working all day Sunday, I tried to post quickly and my apologies to Suyash Kumar for mixing up the last parts of his name.  You are the best!!!

College and Career Center Free App Ready to Download

Suyar Kumash, a senior at Boca High, has created a free app to access the College and Career Center information on your I-phone, I-pad, or I-touch.  You can find all my various blog posts and all of the scholarship information and deadlines easily, from anywhere.  Download from I-Tunes under Boca College and Career.  And thanks again to Suyash for digitizing all of this!!!!

Duke University Information Session

Duke admissions officers will present information and answer questions about the university and the admissions process on Sunday, October 16th at 7:00 pm at the Boca Raton Renaissance Hotel, 2000 NW 19th Street.
To register, visit www.admissions.duke.edu 

Dartmouth and Boston College Information Session

Representatives from Dartmouth and Boston College will be presenting a joint information session on Sunday, October 16, 2011 at 6:30 pm at the Miami Science Museum, 3280 South Miami Avenue.  For more information or to RSVP visit the website at www.dartmouth.edu/admissions/nearyou 

Recruitment Fair for HCBU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities)

Students interested in attending an HBCU college or university (FAMU, Howard, etc) Free and open to the public.  Meet with over 50 college recruiters and learn about admissions, financial aid and scholarships.  Thursday, September 29, 9:00 am to11:00 am at the African American Research Library and Cultural Center, 2650 Sistrunk Blvd., Ft. Lauderdale.  Register at hbcu.eventbrite.com or call 954-658-5791.

Harvard, Princeton, UVA Information Session

These three prestigious schools invite prospective students and their parents to an information session on Thursday, October 13th at 8:00 pm at the Pine Crest School at 1501 NE 62nd Street, Ft. Lauderdale.  All are welcome to attend.  RSVP to www.harvardprincetonuva.com

Penn State University Information Session

Representatives of Penn State University welcome prospective students and their parents to an information session on Saturday, October 22, from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm at the Delray Beach Marriott on North Ocean Blvd in Delray Beach.  For registration, contact http://admissions.psu.edu/infoprograms.

Tufts University Presentation

Representatives from Tufts University, located outside of Boston, invite prospective students and their parents to an information session on Monday, October 3, at 7:00 pm at the Marriott Boca Raton at the Boca Center on Military Trail.  RSVP:  http://admissions.tufts.edu/RSVP 

College Fair at Pope John Paul II High School

This one is a college fair right in our own backyard!!  Monday, October 17th from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm.  This is an excellent opportunity to pick up information, applications and speak to reps from many colleges.  No registration required.

District of Palm Beach County College Fair 2011

The School District of Palm Beach County will be holding a college fair on Thursday evening, October 20, from 6 pm to 8 pm at the South Florida Fairgrounds.  Over 200 colleges and universities will be represented.  This is a great way for juniors and seniors to meet with various reps in a short amount of time to explore their college opportunities.

Greater Fort Lauderdale National College Fair

The National Association for College Admission Counseling is hosting a National College Fair at the Broward County Convention Center on Wednesday, October 19, 2011 from 9:00 amto 1:00 pm and from 5:00 pm to 8:30 pm.  This is one of the largest fairs in the state of Florida with hundreds of colleges represented.  It is open to the public and there are not only booths for colleges but also free workshops for students and parents on financial aid, scholarships etc. 

Students are encouraged to register online at http://www.gotomyncf.com/ to obtain  a scanable bar code to save time receiving information from the various representatives.

Washington University in St. Louis

Representatives from the Washington University in St. Louis will be in town on Wednesday, October 5, 2011 from 8:00 to 9:00 pm at the Fort Lauderdale Marriott North.   Address is 6650 N. Andrews Avenue.

No reservation is needed.

FSU Deadlines and Testing Policy

FSU has two application deadlines.  Everyone that applies by October 17th will be notified with a decision in December. Everyone who applies by January 17th will receive notification in March.  It is easier to get in for the first group as all the slots for incoming freshmen are open.  Therefore, all students are encouraged to apply by October 17th.

 If you plan to apply using this deadline, then all required information must be at FSU by the deadline--application, fee, transcript and test scores.  If you are taking additional testing in September and October, there is no guarantee that your test scores will arrive on time to beat the deadline so students must go onto their accounts at Collegeboard or ACT and send a previous score to FSU.  Then you can continue to send updated scores later on and still be counted in the first deadline.

Bowdoin/Carleton/Pomona/Swarthmore Presentation

Representatives from these fine colleges and universities will be presenting a joint informational session on Monday, September 11 at 2:30 pm at the Miami Airport Marriott, 1201 Le Jeune Road.  Phone 305-649-5000 for directions.   No preregistration needed.

Johns Hopkins University Presentation

A representative from Johns Hopkins will be presenting an informational meeting on Saturday, October 15, at 4:00 pm at the Pine Crest School in Ft. Lauderdale.  This meeting is open to the public.  Check the Johns Hopkins website for more information.

Welcome Back!

You can now follow me on Twitter as well as on this blog.  Follow me :

@BobcatCollege

Hope to keep you informed of all the happenings around the College and Career Center.

Common Application Online

Students,

The new Common Application comes online on August 1, 2011.  You can make an account now to take a look at the application but anything you fill in will be wiped out on August 1 and you will have to start again.  Have fun!!

NEW FSU Essay Question!

Hope you are all having a great summer! 

FSU just posted their new essay question (thank goodness they changed it from the Vires, Artes, Mores disaster) and here it is:  


Florida State University is more than just a world-class academic institution preparing you for a future career. We are a caring community of well-rounded individuals who embrace leadership, learning, service, and global awareness. With this in mind, which of these characteristics appeal most to you, and why?

Have fun and let's see your drafts.  Send to me for review via email.

CollegeWeekLive Florida Day Today

Below are the specific details about Florida Day, which will be live at www.collegeweeklive.com today from 2-9 p.m. (EST).


Remember to tell your students to register for free and login TODAY MAY 5 from 2-9 EST!

http://www.collegeweeklive.com/ is the world’s largest college fair and online admissions event website.
It’s free and supported by the U.S. Department of Education Federal Student Aid office. Register now for free!

Text Chat Live With Colleges in Florida Including:

Florida State University
University of Florida
University of Central Florida
Florida Atlantic University
University of Tampa
University of South Florida
Rasmussen College
University of North Florida
University of West Florida
Edison State College
Santa Fe College
Florida International University
Florida A&M University
Florida Gulf Coast University
Florida Institute of Technology
Tallahassee Community College
Pensacola State College
University of South Florida Polytechnic
Miami Dade College
St. Thomas University


Watch The Following Live Video Presentations From Colleges in Florida:

02:30 PM EST Edison State College

03:00 PM EST Florida Gulf Coast University

03:00 PM EST Florida Atlantic University

03:30 PM EST University of South Florida

04:00 PM EST Santa Fe College

04:00 PM EST Florida International University

04:30 PM EST University of South Florida Polytechnic

05:00 PM EST University of Tampa

05:30 PM EST Florida State University

06:00 PM EST University of North Florida

06:00 PM EST Tallahassee Community College

06:30 PM EST University of South Florida

07:00 PM EST Rasmussen College

08:00 PM EST Florida Institute of Technology

Review Materials for SAT II Subject Tests

There is a new link for practice for the SAT II Subject Tests.  Check it out!

http://sat.collegeboard.com/practice/sat-subject-test-preparation

SENIORS: Final Instructions

1.  By May 1, all students must make a commitment to a college or university to which they have been accepted.  If you do not do this, your acceptance will be given to another student who is waiting to get in.

2.  Check your financial aid online at the college to which you applied.  Some colleges will notify you by mail but most expect you to find this information online at their website.  If you have filed the FAFSA and have not received any information regarding your financial aid, call the college and ask.  Time is running and we are close to May 1.

3. Apply for the Bright Futures if you have not done so.  You only have this one opportunity to get this scholarship.  If you do not apply, you cannot get it ever again!!!!  Even if you are going out of state or even if you do not yet have what it takes to receive the award, apply anyway!!!!  If you should come back from your out of state college, you can then use the BF for Florida colleges.  If you should get the test scores or the GPA you need by June 30, you will receive the award.  If you still need a few points on the SAT/ACT to receive the BF, You can still register to test.  SAT is on June 4 and ACT is June 11.  Both registration deadlines are May 6th.

4.  Be constantly checking your account at your prospective college.  They will be adding information constantly-orientation, missing documents, roommate assignments, etc.  This is your responsibility.  You could be missing something important if you are not vigilant.

5.  When you pick up your cap and gown, we will ask you to fill out two forms:  one to let me know what scholarships you have received and one to tell us where to send your final transcript.

6.  Even though we send the final transciript to your college, you must check with them to see if they got it.  You will NOT be able to register for FALL classes if it has not been received.

College Week Live Presents: Florida Day and STEM Day

Log in to College Week Live to hear the following presentations:

April 26-  Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Day

May 5 -    Florida College Day- all Florida Colleges and Universities

These are virtual open houses where you can visit different departments, ask admissions questions, etc.  Just Register at http://www.collegeweeklive.com/

PENN STATE in our area

Representatives from Penn State University will be in our area to make a presentation to prospective students and their families.  If interested in attending, register at www.admissions.psu.edu/infoprograms

Wednesday, April 27, 2011
7:30 -9:00 pm
West Palm Beach Marriott
Okeechobee Blvd. West Palm Beach

SENIORS: What to do next?

  Our friends at the College Planning Network are re-broadcasting this teleseminar for High School Seniors & their Parents...


It will be re-broadcast twice (2x) today (Thursday, April 21st) evening...

**************************************************

Please join us for a Replay of the Senior-only Expert Session on what to be doing now as a Senior!

Our session will include

Evaluating your offers of Admission –as great as it is to have options, a decision this large can be STRESSFUL.

Decision making strategies to lessen the stress.

· Information collection – tips on securing the information that will help move you
in the right direction to making your best College choice.

· The ACCEPTED STUDENT campus visit – how it differs from an earlier campus visit and what you
should be especially tuned in to.

· Taking advantage of early orientation programs – what NOT to miss!

· Starting your brand new relationship with your College or University STRONG!

· Wait Listed – how to negotiate this place of uncertainty

-Plus-

Financial Strategies for Seniors
· The Award Letter - responding and accepting
· Appealing the Award
· The Acceptance Offer
· Loan Paperwork

Date: THURSDAY - April 21st 8:00PM EST and 10:00PM EST Phone Number: 712-338-8065 Participation Code: 6079#

DUKE, PENN, GEORGETOWN, HARVARD, STANFORD

The colleges above will be having a joint information session for students (juniors) and parents in our local area.  Any student interested in applying to one of these highly selective colleges should attend this session to find out more about their application process.  Students can register for the session or get more information at http://www.exploringcollegeoptions.org/   

There are two local sessions:    Tuesday, May 10th, 7:30 pm
                                                Palm Beach Gardens Marriott
                                                561.622.8888

                                                Thursday, May 12th, 7:30 pm
                                                 Westin Ft. Lauderdale
                                                954.772.1331

ALL SERVICE DAY-MILITARY INFORMATION AND SCHOLARSHIPS

All Service Day is Saturday, April 16, 2011 from 8:00 a.m. to noon at the

Opa Locka Coast Guard Station. All Service Day is a great opportunity for
students that are interested in college scholarships provided through the military. The scholarships are to any university in Florida, and 700 colleges and universities around the country. Also, they are to any service Academy--West Point, Annapolis, Air Force and Coast Guard Academies. Free breakfast will be served and visitors will have an opportunity to climb on board military aircraft and ground assets, meet the area's top military officers, and one of the few men still alive from the famed squadron of military WWII pilots--the Tuskegee Airmen.

SENIOR SURVEYS/Graduation Data 2011

Seniors,

Please take the time to fill out online the Senior Survey/Graduation Data for the Palm Beach County School District.  This survey should be completed before May 23, 2011.  You will find the link at.

http://gradsurvey.palmbeachschools.org/

COLLEGE PLANNING NIGHT FOR JUNIORS AND PARENTS

The College and Career Center of Boca High will present a College Planning Night for Juniors and their parents on Monday evening, April 25th at 6:30 pm in the Theater.  All are welcome to attend.  Mrs. Kessler will be presenting information regarding the selection process, the applications, the types of decisions, the timelines for applications and decisions, college essays, letters of recommendation, testing, scholarships, Bright Futures and many other topics related to the college application process that begins next year. There will be a question and answer period following the presentations and you can ask any questions you may have at that time.  Attendance is very important as you (and your student) move into this stressful period.  Individual appointments in the Fall will be understandably limited due to the number of upcoming seniors so we hope you take this opportunity to learn and ask now.

ATTENTION ALL PRE MED STUDENTS FOR FALL 2011 AND BEYOND

The FAU Wilkes Honors College in combination with the new FAU Medical School is now offering an Early Admissions Program to Medical School for qualified high school seniors.  Students will be able to receive theirBachelors Degree and MD degree in 7 or 8 yrs.  Those accepted to this highly competitive program will enter the Wilkes Honors College assured of a spot in the Medical School provided they successfully complete the program requirements and score at least a 29 on the MCAT.

To enter this program you need:  SAT 1350 or ACT 31
                                                   3.75 GPA
                                                   Must apply to FAU and be admitted to Wilkes Honors College

Florida University Admissions for the B Student

There was a great article in the Sun Sentinel last week that every student and parent should read, especially if they think that a Florida University is easy to get into and is nothing more than a safety school.  The number of students graduating combined with the state budget cutbacks and the state of the economy has truly impacted the competitiveness of our Florida Universities.

Read more at :http://tinyurl.com/6bcyxyt

Largest Online College Fair in the World

Students and/or parents can login to CollegeWeekLive from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm on March 23rd and 24th  to visit with over 1,000 admissions representatives, video chat with 100 current college students, attend more than a dozen video presentations with admissions experts discussing  topics such as: college essays, scholarships and picking a major.  Most of the Florida colleges will be participating along with many others from around the country.  See the full list of schools at CollegeWeekLiveSPRING.  Register at http://www.collegeweeklive.com/ to participate.

 

ATTENTION SENIORS: BRIGHT FUTURES STATUS CHECK

Your Bright Futures status will be posted to your Florida Student Financial Aid account starting on March 2^nd.  No email or hard copy will be sent to notify you of your award.  Please access your status at http://www.floridastudentfinancialaid.org/   You will need to look up your user name and pin # using the tools provided there. Come to the College and Career Center if you need further instructions or help.  If your status has not yet been posted, keep checking.  No other notification will be sent.

Information Regarding Community Foundation Deadline Extension

Dear student and parents and educators:  Thank you for your patience while we resolve the problems with our server.

We will extend the deadline until Sunday, February 6 at 12 noon.
I will be available by email until then if you have any questions or concerns. (prowan@cfpbmc.org)

Helpful hints - Before you submit:

If you are trying to upload documents that are larger than one page, you must first scan them into a PDF file (not page by page) and upload. Do not scan color copies.

Please double check your documents after scanning to make sure all information is complete, legible and scanned in the correct direction (page one first, right side up).

Please scan both pages of your 2009 or 2010 1040 (not the W2) and upload. We do not require attachments or schedules now. You may conceal the social security numbers, if you prefer. If you get called for an interview in April, you will be required to bring updated tax forms. If your financial circumstances have changed since you filed last year’s taxes, please explain that to the committee in the “unusual circumstances” field.

Please double check your date of birth (over 40 applicants were born in 2010 or 2011)!

The common application is for current high school seniors in any school in Palm Beach or Martin County, FL, or home schooled students in either county. If you are not a high school senior, please do not complete the common application.

The Davis Scholarship application is for students who have graduated from high school and are now either studying Agriculture/Horticulture in a Florida University/College. Adults returning to a Florida University/College to study these fields may also apply using the Davis Application. High school students, Do Not Use the Davis application!

If you are an adult studying nursing, complete the nursing scholarship application only.

If you are a high school student who will be studying nursing, you are required to complete both the nursing and common application.

Do not insert a note or comment into a required item field, such as “taxes are available upon request”. If you do not upload items that are required, your application will not be considered. Please do not mail, email, or fax any documents.

Again, thanks for your patience. Please email me with your questions.

I wish you much good luck!

Special Scholarship for Girls with close deadline!

2011 Girls Going Places Entrepreneurship Award Program for girls ages 12-18.  Prizes from $1,000 to $10,000.  For girls who are enterprising and community minded taking the first step toward financial independence.  Deadline February 28, 2011

If interested, see http://www.girlsgoingplaces.com/ for application and details

Need Free SAT/ACT Prep?

Join CollegeWeek Live online on February 10th from 2:00 -9:00 PM for the latest videos on Test Prep from the experts.  This is a special one day event.  Sign in at http://www.collegeweeklive.com/ to hear experts in the field talk about Common SAT Mistakes, SAT Tips and Tricks, SAT Math Strategies, Critical Reading and Writing Strategies, ACT Overview and English, Dealing with Test Anxiety, and much more. 

TIME FOR MIDYEAR REPORTS FOR COMMON APPLICATION

Any senior who has applied to any college with the Common Application must now send a Mid Year Report to each college.  Some of you have already given me the form for the report.  If you have not, print out the MR (Mid Year Report-2 pages), sign it and bring it into the College and Career Center.

Then, you must order transcripts for each college.  These cost $2 each.

Large Brown Envelope with three stamps is needed for mailing, one for each college  If you can preaddress the envelope, it will save us time.  If necessary,we can provide the envelope if you can provide the stamps and the address.

Do this now as decision dates are soon!

BEWARE OF FACEBOOK in College Admissions

Students, I have often said that you need to make sure there is nothing negative on your personal Facebook page.  This is an exerpt from the Daily Pennsylvanian, the college newspaper of UPENN.  Please read it and then see if there is anything on your page would portray you in a negative way.

A 2008 Kaplan survey of 320 admissions officers from various high-ranking schools found that one in ten had visited applicants’ Facebook profiles in the decision-making process. Of those who had viewed students’ profiles, 38 percent reported that their opinions of the applicant were influenced negatively.





Furda stressed that, while Penn does not actively seek out personal information that is not already included on an application, the Admissions Office “remains aware in what is an intense and highly public process.”


We don’t use social media systematically in our evaluation process, but if there’s something on a site like Facebook that a student invites us into, that’s one avenue that we might take a look at,” he said. “On the applicant’s part, a lot of it is about common sense.”

National College Fair in Miami

Juniors:  There is a National College Fair in Miami on Sunday, February 20, 2011 from 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm at the Doubletree Miami Mart/Airport Hotel and Convention Center.  Approximately 200 colleges will be attending.  This is your opportunity to look at many colleges in a very short amount of time.  For more information or to register:  http://www.gotomyncf.com/  You will be able to talk to the reps, attend workshops and talk to counselors regarding majors, testing etc. 

TIP:  Before you go, print out some labels with your contact info: name, address, phone, email.  This way you can save time by not having to fill out information cards at each booth you visit.

Need More Help with Financial Aid Forms?

Students and their parents are encouraged to attend College Goal Sunday on February 20th from 2:00-5:00 where experts will help you fill out your FAFSA form for free.  This event will be held at the Urban League, 1700 N Australian Avenue in West Palm.  You will need to bring your financial information with you.  Students are encouraged to register online at http://www.collegegoalsundayflorida.org/ and check the website for details on what to bring. 

Norwich University Event

Any students interested in Norwich University in Vermont may meet with the Vice President of Enrollment and the Director of Athletic Recruiting at an information session on Sunday, January 23 from 1:00 to 3:00 at the Sheraton Suites Cypress Creek Ft. Lauderdale.  Find out about academics, althletics, ROTC scholarships and the Corps of Cadets. 

Register online at http://norwich.gotoextinguisher.com/Event or call 1 800 468-6679

Financial Aid Night at West Boca High

For any seniors or families of seniors that missed our Financial Aid Night in December, you are invited to attend a session at West Boca High on January 19th at 6:30 in their theater.  The FAFSA process will be discussed and there will be a representative from FAU to answer questions regarding FAFSA. 

NO TIME TO SLACK, SENIORS!

The following is from the ACT bulletin this month and is essential reading for all seniors.

No time to slack, seniors


Once you have a college offer in hand, you may get the urge to coast through the rest of the school year, or maybe you've already decided to slack off. It's your senior year and you deserve it, right?

Before you give in to “the easy life,” you should know that your future college may be watching you.

Colleges, especially selective universities, have been known to withdraw offers of admission to students who drop college prep classes or begin earning uncharacteristically low grades. If you've slumped, but not too far, colleges might send you a warning letter and add certain stipulations to your admission, such as requiring a certain grade point average during the first year of college.

Taking an extended breather during your senior year can make your freshman year in college difficult. Sohave fun your senior year, but don't give up on your college preparation. Study hard!