COLLEGE PLANNING GUIDE

HOW TO GATHER INFORMATION
ABOUT COLLEGES
There are several reliable sources of information about
colleges. Be sure to try some of these:
•Internet (most colleges have a Web site)
•Computerized guidance systems
(Discover, Choices, CollegeView)
•College reps visiting your school/local college fairs
•Your guidance counselor and the guidance office
library of college catalogs.
•Guide books to colleges.
•Interviews with current college students and visits
to college campuses.
WHAT TO THINK ABOUT
WHEN SELECTING A COLLEGE
Use this list as a guide for college criteria:
•Programs offered
•Location in relation to your home
•Size and type of campus
•Level of academic difficulty
•Extracurricular activities
•Annual cost and financial aid available
•Housing and food facilities
•Combination of varied learning settings
•Degrees offered
•Entrance requirements
REFERENCES
•ARCO The Right College - MacMillian
•Baron’s Compact Guide to Colleges - Barron’s Education Series
•Best Buys in College Education - Barron’s Education Series
•The Best 306 Colleges - Princeton Review
•The Fiske Guide to College - Times Books
•College Time - The College Board
•College Placement Annual - College Placement Council
•Lovejoy’s College Guide - Monarch press
•Comparative Guide to Colleges- Cass & Bernbaum
The SCANS Skills
(also called Universal Foundation Skills)
These are the workplace competencies, foundation skills, and personal
qualities that our young people need to succeed in the world of work.
Workplace Competencies
Resources They know how to allocate time, money, materials, space and staff.
Interpersonal Skills They can work well with people, serve customers, work on teams.
Information They acquire and evaluate data, communicate effectively, and use computers.
Systems They can work with diverse social, organizational, and technological systems.
Technology They can select equipment and apply technology to specific tasks.
Foundation Skills
Basic Skills Reading, writing, speaking, listening and math skills.
Thinking Skills The ability to learn, reason, make decisions, solve problems, be creative.
Personal Qualities Individual responsibility, self-esteem, sociability, and integrity.
435 Glenwood Road
Binghamton, NY 13905
(607) 763-3254
www.btboces.org
Produced by the Broome-Tioga BOCES Office of Communications & Development - IP295.rev.11/12_College
Broome Tioga BOCES
Career Development Center
COLLEGE
PLANNING
GUIDE
COLLEGE BOUND PLANNING TIMETABLE
Freshman Year (9th grade)
• Explore your reasons for going to college.
• Assess your personal and academic strengths.
• Talk to your parents, teachers, guidance
counselor and friends about your interests
and goals.
• Talk to college students about their experiences.
• Become involved in extracurricular activities.
• Meet with your guidance counselor to make sure you are enrolled in the classes that will help
you prepare for college.
Sophomore Year (10th grade)
• If applying for early decision or
action, service academy or ROTC
scholarships, submit your application by October or November
deadlines.
• Visit college campuses to make
decisions on where to apply.
• Complete college applications
before December if possible.
Some important reminders
include:
Consider taking the PSAT/NMSQT. Consult with your guidance counselor and
discuss results.
• Meet each college’s deadline for receipt of applications, transcripts, and
recommendations.
• Begin exploring colleges.
• Where teacher recommendations are
required, give the teacher at least two
weeks time for preparation.
• Consider taking SAT II subject tests in any subject that you plan to complete
this year.
• Begin consulting college handbooks.
• Provide stamped, self addressed envelopes.
• Attend career and college fairs.
• Have testing agencies forward your SAT I,
SAT II, or ACT score reports to
all colleges to which you are applying.
Junior Year (11th grade)
• Take PSAT/NMSQT.
• Take the appropriate college-entrance tests and/or SAT II subject tests.
• Take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery Test required for entry into
the armed services and used as a career counseling tool.
• Consult college handbooks, visit college representatives.
• Learn about college course offerings, size, location, admission requirements,
deadlines, and cost.
• Register for Spring SAT I, SAT II, and/or ACT.
• Visit college campuses while they are still in session.
• Plan senior course selections to enhance your college admission chances.
• Student athletes need to register with the NCAA clearinghouse for determination
of freshman eligibility to play college sports.
Senior Year (12th grade)
Meet with your guidance counselor to find out which college applications you need
• Give your guidance counselor all secondary school report forms before
application deadlines.
• Attend college fairs and college
night programs.
• Apply for November and
December SAT I, SAT II, or
ACT tests.
• Have your parents complete
the FAFSA and /or CSS
profile if required and submit
them to the college scholarship
service after January 1.
Websites
New York State CareerZone - https://careerzone.ny.gov.
In-depth information on a wide variety of careers in New
York, along with parent/student resources.
Mapping Your Future - www.mappingyourfuture.org
This site has information to help you plan for a career,
select a school and find ways to pay for your education.
Higher Education Services Corp - www.hesc.com
Find out about the availability of both federal and state aid,
link to other college sites and print a NYS Tap application.
My Future - http://www.myfuture.com
Myfuture.com helps young adults plan their next steps
in life by bringing together the most recently available
information about colleges, careers and military service
opportunities from the U.S.Departments of Commerce,
Defense, Education and Labor.
College Board - www.collegeboard.com
This site provides a variety of college-related resources
for parents and students.
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Binghamton University - www.binghamton.edu
Broome Community College - www.sunybroome.edu
Broome-Tioga BOCES - www.btboces.org
Davis College- www.davisny.edu
Elmira Business Institute - www.ebi-college.com
Empire State College -www.esc.edu
Ridley Lowell Business & Technical Institute www.ridley.edu
Need more information?
Places to call or write:
The Federal Student Aid Information Center (1-800-4FEDAID): For up-to-date information about student aid supplied
by the U.S. Dept. of Education. For a copy of the “Student
Guide,” write to P.O. Box 84, Washington DC, 20044
The Consumer Information Center publishes a free hand-
book titled “Preparing your child for College.” Write the Consumer Information Center at Pueblo, CO 81009 for a copy.
Call 1-800-USA-LEARN to find out about the Education
Department’s most recent publications, or visit their Web
site at www.ed.gov.