College Selection Process

: NFA hosts college visits each fall from September through December. These are held on Wednesdays during all channels except for the lunch channel, most often in the Transition Career Center in the Cranston Building. Check Naviance/Family Connection under College Visits to see which colleges are visiting and to sign up for those visits. You may also sign up with your school counselor or the Transition Career Specialist.

In addition, students are encouraged to visit colleges during the school year. Complete the NFA Student Permission Form for College Visit found in the forms section under Guidance. After you complete the form and you and your parents sign it, return it to your counselor one week before your scheduled visit. Students are allowed four (no count) absences each year for college visits (see College Visits in the Pilot). Read about campus visits, the interview, and sample questions that you might be asked or you might ask in the Career and Academic Reference Tool & Workbook for 11^th & 12^th Grade Students that is distributed during 11^th-grade SEOPs.

Colleges offer several types of admissions programs. General guidelines are listed below but always check the website of the college to which you wish to apply to learn about specific deadlines and other requirements for admission.

• Early Decision: The binding admission process whereby a student applies to his first-choice school in late fall (usually by November 1) and is notified of their decision by mid-December. If offered admission under Early Decision the students must attend that college and withdraw any other applications.
• Early Action: This is a non-binding admission process used by colleges whereby students apply to their first-choice colleges in late fall and are notified of their admission decisions by mid-December. Unless stated otherwise, students may apply to more than one college under this plan. Students do not need to commit until the May 1 notification deadline. This gives students plenty of time to compare schools and financial aid packages before committing.
• Regular Admission: Most applications are due sometime between January 15 and February 1, thus giving the student additional time to prepare the application, and they can apply to as many schools as they wish.
• Rolling Admission: There are no strict deadlines so students can apply any time throughout the year. Colleges with rolling admissions may fill their class early, so students are advised to apply as early as possible.

Many colleges no longer require interviews; however, several indicate they are optional. It is a good idea to take advantage of this opportunity. Even though interviews can be stressful, they provide great opportunities to learn about the school and really assess if it is a good fit for you. Many times the person conducting the interview will have direct input into whether you are accepted or not. It is important to leave a good impression with this person and to ensure that they feel that you are a good fit for their school as well.

To prepare for an interview, the following suggestions are helpful:

• Get to know the school first (campus visit, read literature, website, etc.)
• Dress appropriately
• Be about 10 minutes early for the interview
• Come with questions you want to ask (write them down if you need to)
• Be yourself (this will help you relax and relate better with the interviewer)
• Ask about the program or programs you are interested in
• Thank the interviewer for his or her time and interest in meeting with you
• Send a thank you note

 THINGS YOU MIGHT BE ASKED DURING AN INTERVIEW

1. How did you hear about our college?
2. What are your career goals?
3. What accomplishments have you achieved or activities have you participated in that have had a particular effect on you and your family?
4. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
5. Tell me what you know about this school.
6. Which one of your activities has given you the most satisfaction and why?
7. If you had high school to do over again, would you do anything different?
8. What are your priorities in selecting a college?
9. How would you describe your high school and how would you change it?
10. Where do you see yourself in four years?
11. Discuss your most stimulating intellectual experience.
12. Tell me about something you have really wanted which you had to work hard to achieve on your own.
13. What is the most significant contribution you have made to your school?
14. What books or articles have made a lasting impression on your way of thinking?
15. How would you describe yourself as a person? How would your friends describe you?
16. If you could use my phone and call anyone (living or dead) to ask them questions that you have wondered about, whom would you call, and what would you ask them?
17. Why should we accept you at our college?

THINGS YOU MIGHT ASK DURING AN INTERVIEW

1. What is the average freshman class size?
2. What is the attrition rate at your college for the previous academic year?
3. How many freshmen do you anticipate admitting this year?
4. Does the college anticipate a tuition increase in the near future?
5. What are the new majors and minors that have been added at the college?
6. What types of financial aid are available to me, and what do I need to do to apply?
7. Do you accept transfer credits from community colleges, ECE programs or AP credit?
8. What are the chances of me being accepted based on my high school record?
9. What are some of the main issues the college is dealing with currently?
10. Where do most of the students go to work after graduating from this school?
11. What makes this college different from other colleges?
12. May I have a car on campus as a freshman?
13. Is there guaranteed housing available? If yes, for how many years?
14. What types of meal plans are available?
15. Describe your campus security.
16. What do students do for fun here at the college?
17. How accessible is the faculty for individual help?
18. Do graduate assistants teach any of the freshman and/or introductory courses?
19. Is it difficult to change majors or areas of study after the freshman year?
20. What factors do you consider in the admissions process? What are the top factors?
21. Does the college offer career planning and placement?

The student athlete has much to consider and think about when applying to or being recruited by a Division I, II, or III school. Take the time to understand the process. An excellent article is located at http://www.education.com/print/apply-college-well-student-athlete/. Explore the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) website (www.ncaa.org) to become familiar with their requirements. In order to participate in any Division I or II sport in college, you must be certified by the NCAA Eligibility Center. They will analyze your academic information and determine if you meet their initial eligibility requirements, which are: (1) graduate from high school, (2) earn a GPA of at least 2.0 in 16 core courses, and (3) meet the SAT or ACT criteria. Check for approved NFA courses at www.ncaa.org or www.eligibilitycenter.org. Student athletes should plan early to be sure to fulfill the requirements. Keep your counselor informed of your intentions.