MAA's KNOWLEDGE about COLLEGE
Welcome to MAA’s College lounge! This is a resource for students and parents to learn about the important and necessary steps that must be taken in order to be ready to apply to college in your senior year. Each class will include helpful tips and information that will expand your knowledge and understanding of the many choices and opportunities that exist when thinking about your future. It is never too early to start planning and thinking about where you want to be five years from now. College lounge is available to all students. For now, enjoy this collection of resources that will guide as you start to explore college.
Where to START:
Here are some very helpful websites that you will need to become familiar with:
www.collegeboard.com – This is the main website for the College Board (the organization that administers the SAT, PSAT and other college related materials). Here you can access many college tools to help you organize your search. You can also register for the SAT’s, view your PSAT scores and learn about financial aid.
www.cuny.edu - CUNY is the City University of New York, the city’s largest public university. Here you can apply for CUNY as well as learn about all the CUNY schools throughout the 5 boroughs of NYC.
www.suny.edu – SUNY is the State University of New York, the state’s largest public university. Here you can apply for SUNY as well as learn about the SUNY schools throughout the state.
www.commonapp.org – The Common Application is a universal application that can be used to apply to over 350 colleges and universities throughout the country.
www.fafsa.ed.gov – FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. In order to receive ANY financial aid support, you must complete the FAFSA application when you are applying to college as a senior.
www.fastweb.com – this is a central resource for scholarships – start learning about the $$$ you are eligible to apply for. There are many kinds of scholarships that exist and not all of them are based on your academics.
COLLEGE LOUNGE…Every Thursday 2:30pm-5:30pm
…this is an afterschool activity for MAA students that will help you prepare for college. Come eat, learn about applying for college and learn about the opportunities that exist!
START PREPARING NOW!
If you talk to any senior or Alumni from MAA, they will tell you that the earlier you start the college search process, the better prepared you will be when it is time to apply to colleges as a senior. What can you do now to begin preparing?
· Ask Questions! Talk to people in your life about college! Teachers, your guidance counselors, family members and friends can all contribute to the information you are gathering about college choices.
· Visit the guidance office (Rm. 110) where there are many resources to help you as you begin your search.
· REMEMBER: Before you can get to college, you must first create a SOLID academic record for yourself while you are here in high school!
What Does It Take to Get To College?
As a student in high school one of the best ways you can prepare for college is to make the most out of your high school experience. For example, aim for 85+ on all of your regents exams and class grades. Take challenging courses. Make sure you are preparing to take the SAT exam, a mandated test that colleges require. Participate in after school activities, school events or sports. Volunteer at an organization in your neighborhood. Colleges look for students who are interested in being active members of the community, not just students with high grades. Colleges also ask for letters of recommendation from adults in your life who know you well either from school or a job. When you are putting your application together you will also need to include a personal statement, or a college essay.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT DO YOU NEED TO GRADUATE?
Before you can start applying to college, you must first focus on where you are RIGHT NOW! How many credits do you have? Do you know what regents you need to pass? Come visit the guidance office and become familiar with how to read your transcript!
Dear Parents/Guardians & Seniors of the class of 2015,