COLLEGE SATURDAY
Saturday, September 18, 2021, 10am - 12pm
Virtual on ZOOM
Sponsored by the WJ PTSA Counseling Advisory Committee
College Saturday Survey Link
https://forms.gle/V74kH716T1P8aWT8A
10am - 10:55am Opening Session
Walter Johnson High School College and Career Resources, Imani Ladson, WJ Resource Counselor Introduction to Sessions: to Include Speakers from Each of the Eight Presentations to Follow |
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11am - 12pm Presentations
Topic |
Presenter |
Recorded Presentation |
Meeting Materials |
College Essay Tips - How to Find and Communicate Your Wow Factor! |
Amy Kossoff Smith, Power Hour Editing amy@powerhourediting.com |
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Holly Bull, Center for Interim Programs hollybull@interimprograms.com |
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How has the Pandemic Affected College Admissions? What's Changed? What Remains the Same? |
Shelley Levine, College Bound shelley@collegebound-md.com |
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Jeff Knox, Moxie College Counseling jeff@moxiecc.com |
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Jimmy Hicks, The College Funding Coach jhicks@thecollegefundingcoach.org |
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Phil Pine, Capital Educators philpine@capitaleducators.com |
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Sue Cook Christakos, College Counseling Collaborative sue@collegeld.com |
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Paul Kanarek, Collegewise paulk@collegewise.com |
Presentation Descriptions
College Essay Tips - How to Find and Communicate Your Wow Factor! Amy Kossoff Smith, Founder, Power Hour Editing, amy@powerhourediting.com
Join College Essay Coach Amy Smith for a jam-packed presentation - “How to Find and Communicate your WOW Factor in your College Essays.” *PLUS – Where else will you encounter writing on your application, and how can you stand out? How has the pandemic affected college writing requirements – what’s new, what isn’t? Amy, a journalist, publicist, and college essay coach, owns Power Hour Editing and helps college-bound students jumpstart their process, stand out, amplify their unique voices, and power to the finish line. She’ll share her “Top Do’s and Don’ts” for college essays based on years of experience identifying trends and roadblocks many students face in the writing sections of their applications. And, she’ll share excerpts from “rockstar essays” to demonstrate how to be authentic, creative, and communicate WOW in YOUR writing! www.PowerHourEditing.com
Gap Year Holly Bull, President, Center for Interim Programs, hollybull@interimprograms.com
Learn about the benefits of taking a gap year, the variety of experiences possible (group options, skill-based intensives, internships, volunteer), pitfalls and challenges, and how well the gap year works despite the pandemic. Also covered: cost, scholarships, loans, acceptance to college beforehand or not.
How has the Pandemic Affected College Admissions? What's Changed? What Remains the Same? Shelley Levine, Certified Educational Planner, College Bound, shelley@collegebound-md.com
Lean how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the college application process and how to stand out on an application. Get advice on making the most of your virtual college visit and how to keep up with colleges from search to decision day.
How to Optimize the College Visit Jeff Knox, Founder, Moxie College Counseling, jeff@moxiecc.com
As a result of the need for virtual college visits during the pandemic, virtual visits have become very sophisticated. In addition to learning about your college campus visit, learn about virtual visits and how to express interest in a college through online visits, with online communication, and the college’s social media.
Little-Known Secrets of Paying for College Jimmy Hicks, Financial Advisor, The College Funding Coach, jhicks@thecollegefundingcoach.org
"On average, tuition tends to increase about 8% per year. An 8% college inflation rate means that the cost of college doubles about every nine years. "[Finaid.org/Saving for college/Tuition Inflation] Planning for these expenses has become essential. Navigating the savings and paying path has become even more complicated. Some families have children attending college next year and others have years to plan, but the fears of tackling these monumental and rising costs are the same. The College Funding Coach® is here to help families figure out HOW to pay for it and still retire one day. You'll discover strategies that may enable you to qualify for financial aid, sources for scholarships, and strategies for maximizing your wealth and minimizing your tax exposure, giving you greater cash flow for funding a college education. This is information you can't afford to miss! Please take a look around our website www.thecollegefundingcoach.org for helpful resources and information.
SAT/ACT and the Test Optional Quandary, Phil Pine, Program Director, Capital Educators, philpine@capitaleducators.com
The pandemic has changed to landscape of standardized testing for college admissions. As well the urgency of needing to change the venue for test taking impacted many students in 2020. Phil Pine keeps up with the most current factors to consider in SAT and ACT testing for college admissions, especially the test optional factor that every college admissions applicant is now faced with considering.
Supporting Students with Learning Differences through the College Process…The Learning Difference Difference Sue Cook Christakos, Independent Educational Consultant, College Counseling Collaborative, sue@collegeld.com
Sue is a co-founder of the College Consulting Collaborative. The Collaborative believes very strongly that a good college search process involves more than just finding a college to attend. In this presentation Sue will emphasize the three key phases in the college search process: planning, preparation, and placement. You will learn the differences between high school and college accommodations, the essential skills for college success, the range of support available in college, and much more.
The Common App, the U. of California App, Understanding the Early Application Programs, and Declaring a Major Paul Kanarek, Managing Partner, Collegewise, paulk@collegewise.com
Learn how to most effectively complete the Common App and how to make it unique and generic at the same time. Also, learn about the University of California application process, which is very different than any others. Learn about and how to consider the different types of deadlines for college admissions, to maximize your opportunity for acceptance: Early Action, Early Decision, Regular Admission, Rolling Admission. And, undecided vs. declared major.