Representatives from over 100 colleges, universities, community colleges and military institutions are available to answer questions from students and parents. There will also be free sessions offered on financial aid and college planning. This event is typically held at the McKimmon Center on NC State's campus on a Sunday afternoon in mid to late September. Pre-registration is not required.

CollegeWeekLive is the world's biggest virtual college fair, with more than 200 colleges and universities from around the world exhibiting and more than 25,000 attendees. The event revolutionizes college admissions, making the process easier and more cost-effective by bringing together students, parents, counselors and colleges online to interact, transcending time and distance. CollegeWeekLive occurs yearly in November and March and is completely free to attendees.

CollegeWeekLive attendees can watch admissions experts speak on topics such as how to prepare for the SAT, how to write a winning application essay or how to pay for college and have questions answered via live chat. Attendees can also video chat with college students and learn what campus life is really like. The event features special promotions, scholarships and fun giveaways available only to those who attend.

Get more information or register to participate in an upcoming event at www.collegeweeklive.com.

The Southern Association for College Admission Counseling (SACAC) is sponsoring a Regional College Fair on Sunday, April 19, 2009. Held at the Raleigh Convention Center from 3:30pm-5:00pm, the College Fair will be free and open to the public. This college fair is mainly geared towards sophomores and juniors, but all interested students and parents can attend.

There will be many colleges and universities from all over the southeast participating in the College Fair, including Appalachian State, Auburn University, Duke University, ECU, Florida State University, Furman University, Georgia Tech, NC State, Savannah College of Arts & Design, Tulane University, University of Georgia, Vanderbilt University, Wake Forest University, and more. For more information on the SACAC Regional College Fair, including directions to the event, parking information, and a complete list of colleges/universities that will be in attendance, go to www.sacac.org/professional/collegefair.

College Open Houses are a great way to get all the information you need about a particular college or university, and to see what life on that college campus will have to offer. Open Houses usually include an organized tour of the campus where you will see classes, dormitories, dining facilities, etc. You will get a chance to hear from Admissions, Financial Aid, Housing, Academic Departments, Student Life, and more. You will get the chance to speak with students and faculty and participate in all of the day's activities. To find out when a college is hosting an open house visit the college's website and search "Open House".

The Career Center hosts many college/university representatives throughout each school year. Representative visits are announced via the school announcements and sign ups are always posted right outside the entrance to the Career Center. Students interested in meeting with a particular college/university representative are asked to place their name on a sign-up sheet in advance of the representative's arrival. Students will be issued a pass to the activity. If the representative is available for all of 3rd period, students are allowed to attend only during their lunch period. If the representative is scheduled for another time of day, the student will need a pass from the Career Center to attend. Ms. Claiborne is the contact person for this program.

In continuing to promote post-secondary access and opportunities to first generation and minority students, the Human Relations Committee of the Southern Association of College Admissions Counseling (SACAC) will be holding mini-camp college workshops. These FREE workshops will take place during the spring at six locations throughout the southeast. One will be held locally in Raleigh. It will take place on Saturday, April 18th, 2009 from 8am-12:45pm at NC State's Joyner Visitors Center.

The mini-camp college workshop sessions are conducted by SACAC members, and are designed to educate students about the college search process, financial aid resources, and how to be competitive in the college admissions process.

This program includes sessions on:

• G.P.A. Game (how grade point average, and other factors, impact competitiveness for college admissions)
• The College Search and Application Process (tips on what to consider as you begin your college search and applications)
• Preparing for the College Fair (designed to get you prepared to attend the college fair held the following day)
• Scholarships & Financial Aid Process
• Standardized Test Options: (test requirements and the two major admission tests, the ACT and SAT, and the "test optional" policy).

Want more information? Want to be a part of this event? Visit www.sacac.org/hr/campcollege for more details or register today!

The motto of the College Foundation of North Carolina (CFNC) is "Helping You Plan, Apply, and Pay for College" and their website has resources to assist you in that process. Whether using CFNC's Student Planner to create a portfolio of high school courses, applying for North Carolina colleges during the senior year, or taking career interest inventories to decide what career paths to explore, CFNC.org has useful resources for every high school student and their parents. Below is a list of some of the things available on their website.

Learn which careers match your interests and personality with online interest inventories- Click on the Career Keep a record of your high school grades, honors, test scores, and activities and track your progress toward meeting specific college entrance requirements Narrow down your college search by using the Matching Assistant to match your college criteria to colleges and universities in NC Apply online to over 100 NC colleges Submit financial aid applications online SAT Prep

• Access your NC 529 College Savings Plan Accounts
• Apply for a parent loan (PLUS) for college expenses
• Check the status of your PLUS or Stafford loans
• All services provided to families through CFNC are free of charge, but an account must be established to access all the resources available at CFNC.org.

Please note that by the end of their ninth grade year, all Sanderson freshmen should have a CFNC account. The account can be updated each year, but once a student has an account, s/he will never have to create another. For additional assistance in setting up a CFNC account, 10th-12th graders can set up an appointment with their school counselor or with theCareer Development Coordinator, Ms. Claiborne.

Students and Parents should visit:
CFNC's Bridges Planning Site to explore career options and education options:www.cfnc.org/Career_Center/CFNC_Bridges_Tools/CFNC_Bridges_Planning_Tools.aspx

CFNC's Career Key Site to complete an interest inventory:
www.cfnc.org/Career_Center/CFNC_Bridges_Tools/CFNC_Bridges_Planning_Tools.aspx

• University System of North Carolina- university profiles- www.northcarolina.edu/content.php/assessment/reports/profiles/current.htm
• College Foundation of North Carolina (CFNC)- www.cfnc.org
• North Carolina Independent Colleges & Universities (NCICU)- www.ncicu.org
• Peterson's Guide- www.petersons.com
• College view- www.collegeview.com
• Collegeboard- www.collegeboard.com/student/csearch/index.html
• Cappex- www.cappex.com
• Fastweb- www.fastweb.com
• NC Community Colleges- www.ncccs.cc.nc.us/
• Zinch- www.zinch.com

The SAT Reasoning Test is the nation's most widely used admissions test among colleges and universities. It tests students' knowledge of subjects that are necessary for college success: reading, writing, and mathematics. The SAT assesses the critical thinking skills students need for academic success in college-skills that students learned in high school.

The SAT is typically taken by high school juniors and seniors. (Juniors, consider taking it in the spring of your junior year. Seniors, considering taking it early in your senior year and then again if you wish to improve your scores) It tells students how well they use the skills and knowledge they have attained in and outside of the classroom-including how they think, solve problems, and communicate. The SAT is an important resource for colleges. It's also one of the best predictors of how well students will do in college.

Each section of the SAT is scored on a scale of 200-800, with two writing subscores for multiple-choice questions and the essay. It is administered seven times a year in the U.S., Puerto Rico, and U.S. Territories, and six times a year overseas.

Learn when it's offered, how to register, and how to prepare and more by visiting: www.collegeboard.com

The ACT is a national college admissions examination. It consists of subject area tests in English, mathematics, reading and science. The ACT Plus Writing includes the four subject area tests plus a 30-minute Writing Test. The ACT includes 215 multiple-choice questions and takes approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes to complete, including a short break (or just over four hours if you are taking the ACT Plus Writing). Actual testing time is 2 hours and 55 minutes (plus 30 minutes if you are taking the ACT Plus Writing).

Learn when it's offered, how to register, and how to prepare and more by visiting: www.actstudent.org.

SAT
My College Quickstart
This service is available for students who have taken the PSAT and have their score reports. Go to www.collegeboard.com/quickstart. Here you can see PSAT answers with explanations, get a personalized SAT study plan, and find lists of colleges, majors, and careers right for you. Code number from student's PSAT score report is required to access this site.

Collegeboard.com
The developer of the SAT, the College Board, has a web site where you can learn about the SAT and practice taking the test. Go to www.collegeboard.com , click on "Prepare for the SAT." Under "SAT Preparation Center" you can select the area on which you want to practice. The College Board also sells test preparation books and programs.

CFNC offers free test prep for both the SAT and the ACT. Visit www.cfnc.org and click the "Student Planner" tab at the top, then "College Test Prep." If you don't already have a CFNC account, you will need to make one in order to participate. All services through CFNC are free and making an account will only take a few minutes.

National Testing Day - Free SAT and ACT Test Prep - Saturday, April 25, 2009
On April 25th, the Princeton Review will be holding its annual National Testing Day event across the country. Students who participate will take a full-length, real SAT or ACT under actual testing conditions. Students who complete the practice test will receive a personal, detailed score report that breaks down their performance on each section of the test and highlights their strengths and weaknesses. In Raleigh, the SAT and ACT tests will take place at St. Mary's School on Hillsborough Street. Registration is required in order to participate. Go to www.PrincetonReview.com/nationaltestingday.

Free online SAT, ACT & GRE test prep- www.number2.com
www.number2.com offers students access to comprehensive free online test preparation courses for the SAT, ACT, and GRE. How do we do it? www.number2.com earns revenue from sponsorships and licensing. Benefits of www.number2.com include: adjusting the tutorial to your skill level, personal progress reports, the opportunity to sign someone up as a coach or helper, and it’s completely free.

Free SAT Test prep materials- www.powerscore.com/sat/help/studyhall
Power Score Test Preparation offers students free SAT Test prep materials. Sections on: SAT Vocabulary Flashcards, Sentence Improvement Practice, Practice Essays, Reading Comprehension Practice, Critical Reasoning Puzzles, Vocabulary Quizzes, Math Practice and Suggested SAT Reading List are provided. Please note that other services through this web site that are not free of charge. Sanderson High School does not endorse or recommend any company providing services to you for a fee.

Free SAT prep at Petersons.com- www.petersons.com/testprep/tips
The best time to find out if you need more SAT preparation is before your test - and that makes a free SAT practice test a great place to start. By trying your hand at questions just like those on the real thing, you'll find out where to focus your study time, learn test-taking strategies, and build confidence.

The North Carolina Virtual Public School: Offers an SAT Prep Course for 1 credit. It has also offered non-credit SAT prep courses in the past. Check the web site, www.ncvps.org, to determine whether these courses are suitable for you. Availability is subject to change. Interested students should make an appointment with their school counselor to inquire about eligibility.

Additional resources: There are a number of companies or organizations that offer SAT and ACT prep courses. We have brochures from some of them in the Student Services Office/Career Center. Sanderson High School does not endorse or recommend any company providing services to you for a fee.

A great application essay will present a vivid, personal, and compelling view of you to the admissions staff. It will round out the rest of your application and help you stand out from the other applicants. The essay is one of the only parts of your application over which you have complete control, so take the time to do a good job on it. Check out these tips before you begin.

• Keep Your Focus Narrow and Personal
• Your essay must prove a single point or thesis. The reader must be able to find your main idea and follow it from beginning to end. Try having someone read just your introduction to see what he thinks your essay is about.
• Essays that try to be too comprehensive end up sounding watered-down. Remember, it's not about telling the committee what you've done-they can pick that up from your list of activities-instead, it's about showing them who you are.
• Prove It
• Develop your main idea with vivid and specific facts, events, quotations, examples, and reasons. There's a big difference between simply stating a point of view and letting an idea unfold in the details: Okay: "I like to be surrounded by people with a variety of backgrounds and interests." Better: "During that night, I sang the theme song from Casablanca with a baseball coach who thinks he's Bogie, discussed Marxism with a little old lady, and heard more than I ever wanted to know about some woman's gall bladder operation."
• Be Specific
• Avoid clichéd, generic, and predictable writing by using vivid and specific details. Okay: "I want to help people. I have gotten so much out of life through the love and guidance of my family, I feel that many individuals have not been as fortunate; therefore, I would like to expand the lives of others." Better: "My Mom and Dad stood on plenty of sidelines 'til their shoes filled with water or their fingers turned white, or somebody's golden retriever signed his name on their coats in mud. I think that kind of commitment is what I'd like to bring to working with fourth-graders."

• Don't Tell Them What You Think They Want to Hear
• Most admissions officers read plenty of essays about the charms of their university, the evils of terrorism, and the personal commitment involved in being a doctor. Bring something new to the table, not just what you think they want to hear.
• Don't Write a Resume
• Don't include information that is found elsewhere in the application. Your essay will end up sounding like an autobiography, travelogue, or laundry list. Yawn. "During my junior year, I played first singles on the tennis team, served on the student council, maintained a B+ average, traveled to France, and worked at a cheese factory."
• Don't Use 50 Words When Five Will Do
• Eliminate unnecessary words
• Okay: "Over the years it has been pointed out to me by my parents, friends, and teachers-and I have even noticed this about myself, as well-that I am not the neatest person in the world." Better: "I'm a slob."
• Don't Forget to Proofread. Typos and spelling or grammatical errors can be interpreted as carelessness or just bad writing. Don't rely on your computer's spell check. It can miss spelling errors like the ones below. "After I graduate form high school, I plan to work for a nonprofit organization during the summer." "From that day on, Daniel was my best fried."

This information appears in The College Application Essay, by Sarah Myers McGinty. For more information on college applications visit www.collegeboard.com/student/apply/.

Merit-based: Financial aid based on special talents, achievements, or skills of a student. Examples of merit-based awards are academic, drama, music, and athletic scholarships.

Need-based: Financial aid based on the difference between the total cost of attending a specific college program and a family's ability to pay that cost as calculated using standard formulas.

Combination of Merit and Need

Other: Financial aid based on neither merit nor need. Examples include grants based on state residence, jobs, campus work, parent loans, some student loans.

For more information about merit-based and need-based aid, please visit the following sites:
www.princetonreview.com/need-based-merit-based
www.cfnc.org/paying/info_paying_faq