Getting Started
There are some 3,500 colleges and universities in the United States. You
can obtain information on any of them in many ways, starting in the guidance
office and on the internet.
Visit our LHS Guidance Web Page for announcements, links, and information on
Financial Aid, College Testing (SAT�s/ACT�s), College Athletics, Public and
Private Colleges, Careers, Choices Planner and more.
Go to http://www.lansingburgh.org/lhs.htm and follow the link for LHS
Guidance.
Choices Online Planner
The Choices Planner program is now available online @
www.access.bridges.com. The Lansingburgh High School Site ID is 0100367 and
our password is lansingburgh. One of the best features of Choices is the
Individual Student Portfolio. Check it out.
Choices Planner offers information including:
� Detailed college information on thousands of schools
� A college search program
� A listing of college majors
� Internet connections to most college web sites (many with online
applications)
� Updated scholarship search program (hundreds of awards)
� Occupational Interest Inventory
� Current information on more than 780 occupations
� National and NYS Dept. of Labor Occupational projections
� Occupational Search Program (Includes Internet connection to USA
job bank.)
� Capacity to create electronic Student Portfolios
In addition to Choices, there are a number of publications also available in
the guidance office such as The Peterson�s Guides, Rugg�s college ratings,
and The College Scholarship Book.
Obtain as much information as possible about your preferred schools. Go
beyond the promotional materials OFFERED by the college!
The Visit
Visit (or revisit) every college you are considering, preferably during a
time when classes are in session. Do not limit your visit to the
traditional �college tour.� Try to meet with a faculty representative from
the department which interests you. Check the size of the department and
adequacy of relevant courses. Try to make contact informally with students
in the department. They may be your best source of information. Some very
good schools are strong in certain programs but weak in others. Request
information from the placement office on placements for graduates of the
program which interests you. How large is the department? If you are
undecided, does the college offer a wide variety of majors?
Be sure to visit the dinning hall and freshmen dorms. Get a feel for the
area around the college. Is it located in a location where you would like
to spend 4 years of your life? Are the things which are important to you
accessible? How do you feel about the distance from home?
Additional questions or issues related to your visit:
1. Average class size for freshmen courses?
2. Security on campus and in residence halls?
3. Who teaches freshmen courses? Graduate assistants or full
professors?
4. Does the college provide internships?
5. What percentage of students live on campus?
6. Adequacy of health facilities?
7. Access to computers and library?
8. Does the campus seem well maintained and secure?
9. How are students provided academic support?
10. Use of advisors?
11. How does the college assist students in finding jobs upon
graduation? Is there a career & counseling center?
12. What is the retention rate of the college? What percent of freshman
return for their second year? What percentage graduate after 4 years?
THE COLLEGE APPLICATION
Students are urged to identify a manageable number of schools to submit
applications (between 5 and 10). Applying to 25 colleges could get costly
and confusing. Be sure to check to see if colleges waive fees for
applications submitted on-line. Also, if you receive free or reduced lunch
there are fee waivers available for college applications.
Apply to your �dream� school and a couple comparable colleges and a safety
net school. For most Lansingburgh students, it would be appropriate to
include a SUNY school in the mix. When applying to a private school, it is
important to also apply to a similar private school in order to have a
comparison for cost purposes.
SUNY applications are available in the Guidance office and private school
applications can be obtained online or through the college admissions office.
The procedure for submitting a college application: 1. Complete all
student/family parts of the application. 2. Secure letters of
recommendation. 3. Bring these materials to the guidance office in a timely
manner with proper postage. See your counselor if you need help.
Counselors will complete appropriate counselor recommendations etc. and an
official copy of the student transcript will be sent to the college.
Official transcripts must be mailed directly from the guidance office to the
college. Students applying online must notify the guidance office. An
official transcript will then be mailed to the college.
Check application deadlines for each school but it is strongly suggested
that applications be complete before the holiday break in December.
Admissions Criteria
Colleges are primarily interested in how challenging of a program the
applicant has taken and how well they did. Admissions criteria include the
following:
1. Grade Point Average 5. Recommendations
2. Class Rank 6. Activities &
Awards
3. Strength of Subjects 7. Personal Essays
4. SAT/ACT Scores 8. Interviews
Admissions � How competitive?
Can you get in the college of your choice? This is of course very
situational and varies from college to college. It also depends on the
program you are interested in. Some programs such as Physical Therapy have
become very popular and extremely competitive.
There are publications in the LHS Guidance office, which advise students as
to how competitive each school is. Your counselor can give you a profile of
a typical freshman regarding SAT scores, rank, Grade Point Average, etc. and
you can determine how you would fit that profile. It is important that
families have an understanding of the competition for admissions and apply
accordingly.
Recommendations
Letters of recommendation are an important part of admission decisions.
Unfortunately too many students request letters at the last minute. When
requesting a letter of recommendation students should give as much notice as
possible. Use the student resume to summarize your involvement�s and
experiences. Students should provide an addressed and stamped enveloped so
the letter may be mailed directly to the college. Students may also bring
letters of recommendation to the guidance office be mailed with your
completed application. The guidance office will mail letters of
recommendation if they are submitted along with a completed college
application.
Class rank and GPA
At the end of the junior year the grade point average and class rank will be
calculated for each student. This is based on an average of all credit
bearing classes taken since the freshman year. (Advanced classes such as
math, taken in the 8th grade are also counted.) The final rank and GPA is
determined at the end of the first semester of 12th grade.
SAT I, SAT II's, ACT�s
Four year colleges require SAT�s or ACT�s. Both serve the same purpose of
attempting to measure a student�s academic strength and potential to handle
college level work. The SAT�s test math and verbal skills while ACT�s cover
English, Math, Reading, and Science. The SAT II�s are specific subject area
1 hour tests. The more competitive colleges may require SAT II�s, asking
students to select 3 tests. It is best to take these tests soon after
taking the specific subject while the material is fresh.
SUNY or Private
We are very fortunate to have the State University of New York Colleges
available and accessible. They truly do represent quality at an affordable
price. The university centers (Albany, Binghamton, Stony Brook and Buffalo)
are consistently ranked among the nations elite. SUNY Geneseo is often
considered the jewel of the SUNY system offering the benefits of a smaller
school with the quality of the larger university centers. Colleges such as
Plattsburgh, New Paltz, Oswego, Potsdam, Oneonta, and Cortland also offer
excellent opportunities to our students.
Private Schools Affordable?
Actual Cost vs. �Sticker Price�
Private schools must attract students to survive and are well aware of the
costs of a SUNY school. While the unaided cost of private schools appears
out of reach, aid is awarded to most students. It comes down to the
question; �How much is enough?� If a private school really wants a student
they usually �find� the funds to make it affordable. Students considering a
private school should always find a comparable private school and apply to
both. You should put yourself in a position to compare packages of private
schools with a SUNY school as an alternative. Don�t be afraid to contact
the college financial aid office to seek a better package. This will be
more effective if you can refer to a stronger aid package from a competing
college.
Be aware of deadlines for applications and financial information.
Role Of The community college
Community colleges such as Hudson Valley or Schenectady represent an
appropriate choice for many students for both academic and financial
reasons. These colleges offer a wide variety of programs from 1-year
vocational certificates to an RPI transfer program in engineering. Some
programs such as Accounting, Human Services or Culinary Arts provide
students an option of employment or continuing toward a 4-year degree after
2 years. Students who are undecided but committed to a 4-year program could
start in liberal arts. Those who lack fundamental core courses from high
school may be admitted into the individual studies program, which can lead
into their major of choice.
There are very strong students who for financial reasons choose a community
college in order to reduce costs and debt during their first 2 years of
college when considering the total cost of 4 to 6 years of college.
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Financial Aid
In November a financial aid informational meeting will occur to review the
steps and required forms of applying for financial aid. Your aid
eligibility and expected family contribution will be primarily based on your
income and savings for the previous year before attending college. Over 90%
of college financial aid is �need based� aid, where-by college costs are
compared to your ability to pay.
Your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is based on the financial
information you provide primarily through the FAFSA (Free Application for
Federal Student Aid.) This form is revised each year and will be available
in the guidance office next November or December. Online registration is
highly recommended. Obtain a PIN as soon as possible. (www.pin.ed.gov) The
PIN will serve as an electronic signature, allowing you to file the FAFSA
online. The FAFSA may not be filed until after Jan. 1 of the year you are
planning to attend college.
Specifics will be reviewed at our Financial Aid Night.
TAP forms may be files as part of the FAFSA online. TAP is need based and
available only when a student attends a NYS college. Some colleges require
an additional form called �Profile�. Check individual colleges for required
forms.
The guidance office receives an enormous amount of information regarding
awards and scholarships. Worthwhile information is posted on the Money
Board, which is located in the guidance office.
We urge parents and students to remain in touch with your guidance counselor
throughout this important process.
All members of the Senior Class and parents will be invited to individual
counselors planning sessions in the fall. If you are an underclassman, it is
never to early to start planning. You and your parents are also welcome to
set up appointments with your counselor.
Please contact the Guidance Office at any time you have questions.
