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HS Student Services

Student Services Team

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COUNSELOR COUNSELOR CAP COUNSELOR
Vanessa Montero Pamela Cabarcos Kenny Cabrera
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305-237-3305 305-237-3206 305-237-3135
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School Profile

An icon used to represent PDF documents. New World School of the Arts School Profile

Applying for College

Application:

  1. Pay close attention to application deadlines. EARLY is on time; on time is late. There is no forgiveness for late applications.
  2. Include EVERYTHING about you aside from transcript data (Resume)
  3. Pay application fee (or get fee waiver if on free/reduced lunch). See your counselor.
  4. Essays (include something extra about yourself, even for schools that do not require one)
  5. Tell them how much you want to attend their school and why.
  6. Letters of recommendation (ask teachers NOW.)
  7. Early Decision/Early Admission
  8. Common Application (www.commonapp.org) Over 500 colleges and universities use this tool.
  9. Financial Aid

Transcripts:

  1. Fill out a NWSA Official Transcript Request Form in order to send your transcript to colleges that DO NOT accept an electronic submission via Naviance. The forms are for:
    PICKUP An icon used to represent PDF documents.
    MAIL-IN An icon used to represent PDF documents.
    ELECTRONIC TO FL STATE SCHOOLS An icon used to represent PDF documents.
  2. GPA recalculation: Certain colleges look at academic units only and how well you did in academic classes! Some schools will not include your arts grades.
  3. Senior year classes and grades MATTER!

SAT:

  1. Go to www.collegeboard.org to find the test dates and to register.
  2. Send scores to NWSA. Our school code is 101139.
  3. SEND SCORES TO COLLEGES when you register for test. Scores are NOT included on transcript!
  4. All students on Free/Reduced Lunch receive 2 fee waivers to take the test. See your counselor.

ACT (take it with Writing):

  1. Go to www.ACTstudent.org to find test dates and to register.
  2. Send scores to NWSA. Our school code is 101139.
  3. SEND SCORES TO COLLEGES when you register for test. Scores are NOT included on transcript!
  4. All students on Free/Reduced Lunch receive 2 fee waivers to take the test. See your counselor.

Essay Topics:

Florida State University

This year's essay is described below and should be no longer than 500 words. Florida State University is more than just a world-class academic institution preparing you for a future career. We are a caring community of well-rounded individuals who embrace leadership, learning, service, and global awareness. With this in mind, which of these characteristics appeal most to you, and why?

University of Central Florida

Although optional, the essay assists the Admissions Committee in knowing you as an individual, independent of test scores and other objective data. We ask that you respond to two of the topics below. Your responses should be no longer than a total of 500 words or 7,000 characters.

  1. If there has been some obstacle or bump in the road in your academic or personal life, please explain the circumstances.
  2. How has your family history, culture, or environment influenced who you are?
  3. Why did you choose to apply to UCF?
  4. What qualities or unique characteristics do you possess that will allow you to contribute to the UCF community?

University of Florida
The Personal Essay

  • Your essay is a very important part of your application. What you provide helps the university know you as an individual, independent of grades, test scores and other objective data.
  • Please submit one essay. Remember to keep within the 500-word maximum length. (The counter on the page counts down from the 3885-CHARACTER limit, which is approx. 450 words with room for spacing between paragraphs.)
  • Essay Topic
  • In the space provided, please write a concise narrative in which you describe a meaningful event, experience or accomplishment in your life and how it will affect your college experience or your contribution to the UF campus community. You may want to reflect on your ideas about student responsibility, academic integrity, campus citizenship or a call to service.

University of South Florida
Personal Statements and Letters of Recommendation

USF does not require this information with your initial application. However, in the event that you are deferred for any reason (including semester grades or new test scores), we encourage you to submit this additional documentation. You should send no more than two letters of recommendation, and the recommendations that mean the most are written by teachers who can best vouch for your potential for academic success in college.

Common Application Essay Prompts

The essay prompts are as follows:

  • Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
  • The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
  • Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
  • Describe a problem you've solved or a problem you'd like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma - anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.
  • Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
  • Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
  • Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

Important Note on College Applications!

See the CAP Advisor, Mr. Cabrera, if you have questions about your college application. The application process to public 4-year universities should begin the summer immediately following your junior year, especially for rolling admissions schools. Rolling admissions schools evaluate and admit students as applications are received. Therefore, the earlier the application is complete, the better the chances for admission due to smaller applicant pools.

Early decision is binding. If you apply for early decision, you are making a commitment that if you are accepted, you will attend. Consider this carefully. Is this absolutely the school you want to attend? Can you afford to attend this school?

Early action is non-binding. If you get accepted, you can still apply to other schools.

DO NOT WAIT FOR SAT OR ACT SCORES TO IMPROVE! Colleges will not deny admission if your first scores were less than what you had hoped for. Your applications will be kept on file until you retest and resend new scores. All applications should be completed on-line, as soon as possible. Print your application(s) and save in a file.

Many colleges will visit our campus in the fall. If you wish to attend any of these presentations, you must sign up at least 24 hours in advance on the 6th floor. A pass will be sent to you on the day of the visitation. You must have a pass from Mrs. Beatty in order to attend.

A conservatory will require an audition, as will many university/college programs. If you hope to receive scholarship money from your college of choice, you must first apply to that college, get accepted, and THEN apply for financial assistance. Some colleges may offer you money by using your admission application for awarding scholarships. This is a very good reason to apply for admission early!

College Application Deadlines

Florida State University

Apply online beginning August 1st at admissions.fsu.edu/undergradapp/
1st Deadline: Mid-October; decision by: Mid-December
2nd Deadline: Mid-January; decision by: Mid-March

University of Florida

Apply online beginning August 1 at www.admissions.ufl.edu
Deadline: November 1; decision: early February

University of Central Florida

Rolling Admissions
Apply online beginning July 1, but files won’t be reviewed until Mid-September
www.admissions.ucf.edu

University of South Florida

Rolling Admissions
Apply online beginning August at www.usf.edu/admissions
Early January: Priority Scholarship Consideration

Florida Gulf Coast University

Rolling Admissions
Apply online beginning June 1st (for summer) Sept. 1 (for fall) at www.fgcu.edu/eagles
Fall Admission Merit Scholarship: Mid-November
Fall and Summer Priority Admission Date: Mid-February

Florida Atlantic University

Rolling Admissions
Apply online beginning July 1st
Decisions begin October 1st www.fau.edu/admissions

University of North Florida

Apply online beginning September 1st at www.unf.edu/admissions/applynow/
Priority Deadline: Mid-November; Notification: Mid-December
Rolling admission after Mid-November

Florida International University

Apply online beginning September 1st at admissions.fiu.edu
Priority Deadline: December 1st and February 1st
Admissions is open on space available basis after February 1st

New College of Florida

Apply online beginning August at www.ncf.edu/apply
Regular decision deadline November 1st

Florida A & M University

Rolling Admissions
Apply online no more than 1 year prior to start of term
www.famu.edu/admissions

University of West Florida

Rolling Admissions
Apply online beginning September 1st at uwf.edu/admissions/
Priority deadline for scholarship consideration is January 1st

FAFSA Information

FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is financial aid from the Federal Government. Your FAFSA financial aid form should be completed online at www.fafsa.gov beginning January 1st of your senior year. Without completing the FAFSA application, you will be unable to receive any financial aid, such as Pell grants, student grants, work study programs, or subsidized Stafford loans. If you need money for college then you MUST complete the FAFSA application online as close to January 1st as possible since money from the federal government is distributed on a first come-first served basis. The customer service number for FAFSA is 1-800-4FED-AID. Representatives are there until midnight to answer any questions you have as you complete the online form.

There will be a Senior Parent Financial Aid Night in early January. Questions about FAFSA will be answered by a financial aid advisor from Miami Dade College.

Scholarship Websites

www.fafsa.ed.gov
www.fastweb.com
www.college-scholarships.com
www.hsf.net
www.YCG.org
www.collegenet.com
www.gocollege.com
www.knowhow2go.org
www.floridsprepaid.com