Michigan College Guide

ABOUT

In just one year, planning spring break, along with prom and graduation parties, will top your senior "to do" list. But before you begin thinking beach and bash supplies, you have an even more important task to complete.As a junior, its time to consider college.

College is about more than vocational training. Its an experience that will shape your life and self-identity. Finding the school that will best help you grow can be overwhelming. That's why we created this guide.

Use our list of Internet resources to find helpful information and answer your questions. We've even created a time line to keep you on track through the decision process.The pages that follow not only list important details about Michigan schools, but they offer advice and tips for each step you'll take to get to your college of choice, from researching and applying to packing and living away from home.

2006 introduces a notable change for college-bound students.The SAT and ACT entrance exams have been re-formatted to include different features.The scores reflected in each school's individual listing reflect numbers based on the old tests, as new scores can't be determined until next year. Please read our breakdown on page 7 that tells you what you need to know to prepare for the new SAT/ACT.

Collect as much knowledge as you can before making your decision. Consult counselors, teachers, parents, friends and even current college students. Listen to their advice, but make the final choice your own. Use your head and follow your heart - they will take you to the right place.

Most importantly, though, enjoy the rest of your high school experience and look forward to the next chapter. The college years are some of the best in life.We want to make sure you that you find the right school in 

http://www.michigancollegeguide.com/

COLLEGE TIMELINE

This is a general time line for college planning. Please contact each school and/or consult individual listings for more specific information regarding admissions, housing, financial aid and deadlines.

JUNIOR YEAR

Spring

• Assess your reasons for going to college. What are your goals?
• What learning opportunities are most important to you?
• Do your college plans include career plans? What are your career interests? Discuss with counselors, teachers, parents and friends.
• Make a list of factors that are important to you in choosing a college, including two-year vs. four-year, location, cost, atmosphere and variety of programs offered.
• Consult Web sites and college guidebooks.
• Attend fairs and college-night programs in your area. Collect information on colleges that interest you.
• Take college admissions tests (ACT/ACT Plus Writing Test, SAT Reasoning Test/SAT Subject Test).

Summer

• Start visiting campuses. Note important features, such as class size, campus size, extracurricular activities, housing, deadlines, and contacts for admissions and financial aid.
• Work on drafts of admissions applications, especially the essay portion. Craft a resume.
• Prepare for fall standardized tests (if you're disappointed with your spring scores or have not taken them yet).
• Begin your scholarship search. Research Web sites, books and within your community.
• Talk with parents about scholarships that may be available through their employers.

SENIOR YEAR

Fall

• Continue visiting colleges, and revisit the ones you feel need a second look.
• Consider sitting in on a class and talking to current students.
• Organize your notes into a detailed comparison chart; weigh the pros and cons of each institution.
• Apply to your top three to five choices.
• Make sure to observe all deadlines.
• Submit your transcript and test scores, plus letters of recommendation and other required documents.
• Schedule required or recommended interviews.
• Take/retake ACT/SAT if necessary.
• IMPORTANT DEADLINE: October-December: Early-action and early-decision application deadlines
• IMPORTANT DEADLINE: Deadlines for admissions and private aid
• Confirm application plans: Make sure transcripts and recommendations have been sent by guidance counselors.

Winter

• IMPORTANT DEADLINE: Early-admission decisions delivered in December
• IMPORTANT DEADLINE: Meet deadlines for private aid; admissions deadlines begin.
• IMPORTANT DEADLINE: Apply for Federal Aid. Deadlines vary. To ensure your aid package includes as many sources as possible, apply as soon as you can after January 1. Consult financial aid offices andwww.fafsa.ed.gov for necessary forms.
• If early admission has been denied, it's time to re-group and apply to other schools - the chances you'll get in through regular admission at that same college are not great. Confer with parents, counselors and friends, and be sure to meet spring general admissions deadlines.
• Keep up second-semester grades, and stay active in sports and the community - many colleges ask for mid-year grade reports and/or state that acceptance is contingent on continued successful performance. Just because you're accepted, doesn't mean you're in.
• Apply for a summer internship to get a taste of a career you're interested in.

Spring

• IMPORTANT DEADLINE: Deposit deadlines. Many deposits are due May 1 to secure your spot. Meet this deadline or risk forfeiting your spot to waitlist students.
• Reply to all decision letters with intent to attend or not attend.
• IMPORTANT DEADLINE: Study for those Advanced Placement exams in May. Success on these tests (resulting in college credit) can save you time and money once you get to college.
• Most acceptance and denial letters should arrive by April 15.
• Last chance for tours. Make sure to check out campuses at schools that have accepted you.
• Make your final decision. Consult counselors and parents one last time.

Summer

• IMPORTANT DEADLINE: Attend orientation programs.
• Get ready for the dorms. Talk to future roommates and current students, and scour garage sales for supplies.
• Work an internship to keep your mind stimulated and decide if that path is something you'd like to explore in college.
• Attend a class at a local community college to help prepare you for college-level course work.

WEB SITES & TIPS

There's a lot to think about when choosing a college, but you don't have to do it alone. There are many resources available to help ensure a smooth transition into this new life adventure:

GENERAL HELP

These sites provide information on an array of topics, and can help guide you from your research to your first college experiences.

www.collegeboard.com
Created by the College Board, a nonprofit association dedicated to preparing students for college. Includes a financial aid estimator; a college search; tips on planning, preparing and applying for college; information on SAT and AP testing; and more.

www.ed.gov
Maintained by the U.S. Department of Education. Includes college search, financial aid assistance, college planner/time line and other useful tips for college-bound students.

www.mapping-your-future.org
One-stop site for advice on career planning, financial strategies and choosing a college. Sponsored by participants in the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP).

www.nacac.com
Site of the National Association for College Admission Counseling. Offers information on college fairs and financial aid seminars.Archived newsletters offer parents and students tips on preparing for college,ways to maximize resources for scholarships, career development, college searches and more.

RESEARCHING SCHOOLS

Tip #1: Ask admissions offices for current freshmen's e-mail addresses.

Ask what they like or dislike about the school, and what they wish they knew when they were applying for admission. Meet a current student for coffee on campus - it's a great way to make a new friend and find out more about the school from someone firsthand.

Tip #2: Attend college fairs early in the decision process.

College fairs are a great way to meet admissions staff from different colleges one-on-one.Ask questions, collect materials, and use this opportunity to narrow down early which schools you might consider and which ones don't seem like a good fit. Don't miss the 2005 Michigan College Fair, on April 7, at the Macomb Expo Center in Warren.

Tip #3: Check out a copy of the Princeton Review's Best 357 Colleges from your local library.

Published yearly, this in-depth guide contains valuable information that most college Web sites don't provide, such as student narratives, what the typical student wears and drives, the most popular student activities, and what the campus atmosphere is like.

www.campustours.com
Operated by CampusTours, an organization that works with more than 800 colleges and universities throughout the United States to build and offer students virtual college tours.

www.macac.org
Site of the Michigan Association for College Admission Counseling. Includes local college fairs' calendars and online registration forms, plus a link to nacac.com.

www.michigancc.net
Site of the Michigan Community College Network. Provides contacts for and links to community colleges throughout Michigan.

www.nces.ed.gov
The National Center for Education Statistics provides a college search by state or region, as well as pertinent information for each school, including campus crime stats, tuition costs, and student diversity and enrollment.

www.usnews.com
Site of U.S. News & World Report. Features college rankings and guides, discussion forums, college search based on your specifications, college comparison worksheets, articles, standardized testing calendar, financial aid planner and more.

FINANCIAL AID, SCHOLARSHIPS

Tip #1: Don't eliminate any college because of costs.

Develop a plan on paper to finance your education. Investigate all possible resources, including parents, savings, summer earnings, financial aid (scholarships, grants, loans,work-study) and any other sources you can think of.

Tip #2: Consider less expensive options.

Because public universities receive money from state and local governments, these schools offer lower tuition (especially for in-state students).Attending somewhere close to home also will save on expenses, such as dorm living.

Tip #3: Fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

You'll need this financial aid application form to apply for federal and state student grants,work-study and loans. Complete income tax returns before filling out the FAFSA - much of the information requested is the same. But you don't have to file your income tax return with the IRS before you fill out the FAFSA. Submitting your FAFSA online reduces processing time and costly errors.To get your PIN (which you'll need as an electronic signature and to access information about your application), fill out the brief application at www.pin.ed.gov.You can complete the form a year early if you want to see for what you will qualify.

www.fafsa.ed.gov
Site of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).Walks you through getting organized for the FAFSA application (documents you need, etc.), filling the form out and following up on your application status online.

www.michigan.gov
Operated by the State of Michigan; offers information on Michigan-based scholarships, as well as choosing a college, planning a career and more.

TEST TAKING

Tip #1: Stay on schedule.

Your first round of the ACT or SAT should be in March/April of your junior year, and your second go around in May/June.These dates are suggested for fall application deadlines. For spring application deadlines, it's suggested you take or retake tests by December of your senior year.However, the tests are administered almost monthly and you should consult your school of choice to determine the best schedule of testing for you. Many high schools offer review courses.

www.act.org
Site of ACT, Inc., a nonprofit organization that provides services in education and workforce development. Includes a college search, admissions applications, ACT registration and test center locator, ACT sample questions, student testimonials, financial aid estimator and more.

www.ets.org
Site of the Educational Testing Service. Offers tips on locating centers, and registering and practicing for a number of tests, including AP and SAT.

www.kaplan.com
Site of Kaplan, Inc., a subsidiary of The Washington Post. Includes information on preparation for and taking college and graduate school tests, as well as college admissions and career planning.

APPLYING TO SCHOOLS

Tip #1: Avoid application pitfalls.

If applying online, print out the application 4 or 5 times if necessary until it's perfect, before sending it - you want to be sure it's complete and thoroughly proofread. Keep a printed copy in case of computer malfunction and data loss. And, keep in mind, transcripts and recommendations may need to be sent separately in the mail.

Tip #2: If you're not accepted to your colleges of choice, consider attending community college for a year.

Most universities accept transfer credits, and many students get in the second time around because admissions offices aren't focusing on GPAs or standardized test scores.

Tip #3: Start writing your essays the summer before your senior year.

The fall of your senior year will be stressful enough with taking the ACT/SAT, keeping your grades up and attending senior class functions. Don't wait until the night before to write your college entrance essay. Start early, take some time and then go back to it. Sometimes re-reading your work can give you a new perspective and make for a stronger piece.

Tip #4: For schools with rolling admissions, apply early.

Many times schools with rolling admissions get back to you with a decision within a month or two. By knowing an answer, you can eliminate nail-biting nervousness. If you are admitted, make sure you visit the school before making a final decision. If you are deferred, make sure to contact someone in the admissions department and talk to them about why you were deferred and what you can do to increase your chances of acceptance.

www.macrao.com
Site of the Michigan Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers. Provides transfer requirements for Michigan colleges and universities, as well as information on transfer student fairs, college nights and online admissions.

www.theadmissionsoffice.com
Operated by The Admissions Office, a college selection online resource. Offers college admissions essay editing, information on college tests, college applications, news stories and links to summer study opportunities.