Introduction
Colegio Americano is committed to helping students and their families apply to colleges and universities around the world. Counselors help students and parents in both identifying excellent university options and applying to colleges. For some students the location or the majors are important, for others cost may be of significant concern. We will help families identify colleges where students can be both happy and successful, and we will help students present the sharpest applications possible.
We have a number of links on our college counseling website to help parents and students navigate the college application process. Of course beyond our website, we encourage parents and students to meet with us as much as possible to meet your individual needs.
Our college counselors are extremely well connected to the world of college admissions through their relationships with admission officers, leadership positions and participation in professional organizations, and years of experience in this field. Our goal is to help identify and maximize your chances of admission to several “good fit” schools.
Our counselors begin working with students as early as 9th grade and this process continues through grade 12.
Please note that we divide students by last name in terms of the counselor they are working with. So, Todd Johnson works with last names A-L, and Ray Marx works with students whose last names are M-Z.
If you have any questions, please contact us at:
Ray Marx – raymondmarx@yahoo.com or rmarx@fcaq.k12.ec
Todd Johnson – toddraymondjohnson@yahoo.com or tojohnson@fcaq.k12.ec
College Counseling
To receive your Naviance Password please contact Todd Johnson
Instructions for creating your Naviance Account
Freshman & Sophomores
Top five things colleges are looking for…
- Your grades 9-12.
- Strength of classes (An IB Diploma is the strongest.)
- Activities in and out of school.
- Test scores (SAT & TOEFL).
- Summer activities – Start thinking about what you are going to do now.
Begin studying for the PSAT next October. Come visit Ray and Todd to check out free studying materials.
If you are a U.S. citizen, make sure you have your Social Security Number.
Seniors: You have until May 1st to make your final decision. Take your time and good luck!
University Acceptances : Class 2019
College Visits 2019-2020
Common Application FAQs
Matching Common App account to Naviance Family Connection Account
How To Complete The Common Application:
Common App Account Rollover:
Five Things to Know About Account Rollover:
Education Section
Note: For the question regarding “Current or Most Recent School” all students must do a search to find “Colegio Americano de Quito” CEEB Code: 930250. Since our school uses Naviance, all students MUST find FCAQ and select it as the school they attend in order to match your Common App account with our school’s Naviance system!
For your counselor’s information, here is our information:
Ray’s Info:
Ray Marx
Director of College Counseling
Colegio Americano de Quito
Manuel Benigno Cueva N80-190 Urb. Carcelen
PO Box 1701157
Quito, Ecuador
Telephone: 397-6300 ext. 114
Fax 247-2972
Todd’s Info:
Todd Johnson
College Counselor
Colegio Americano de Quito
Manuel Benigno Cueva N80-190 Urb. Carcelen
PO Box 1701157
Quito, Ecuador
tel. 397-6300 ext. 115
fax 247-2972
Date of Entry = put down when you started 9th grade at Colegio Americano (or date of entry to high school)
Graduation Date = July 11, 2019
Community Based Organizations = 0
Grades Section
Class Rank = We do not rank (this will be a zero)
Class size = 160
GPA – Log into your Naviance Family Connection and you can see your GPA under the “About Me” tab and then look at your profile at the bottom of the page.
GPA Scale: 10
GPA = Unweighted
Classes = All classes are worth 1 credit. Classes like TOK or History of Ecuador or Civics are worth ½ credit.
In the common app, it asks me the following:
International applicants: Is promotion within your educational system based upon standard leaving examinations given at the end of lower and/or senior secondary school by a state or national leaving examinations board? (Students studying in the US typically answer no to this question.)
Answer: Yes
Testing Section
Keep in mind that if you do self-report test scores, then all universities will see those scores even if they are test optional.
Our recommendation is to NOT send test scores to schools that are SAT optional.
How To Complete The Common Application:
Please watch this video:
Common App Matching
For the FERPA Release form, be sure to do the following:
- Waive rights to see recommendation letters
- Allow your school (Colegio Americano) to send letters of rec and transcripts.
Naviance Family Connection
Common App Essay Prompts 2019-2020
SAT
Presentations
10th Grade Parent Presentation
El Proceso de Aplicar a las Universidades 2019 – 2020
La Transición 2018
Websites for Researching Universities
College Reviews by Students
Ranking & Reviews
Search Engine, College tips
College Data
Good guide for subject rankings
Summer camps, career advice, test advice, college advice
Virtual Tours of Universities
TOEFL
FCAQ’s University Recruitment Statement
Colegio Americano’s College Counseling Department seeks to offer accurate, current, and
comprehensive information about the full range of higher education opportunities available at
accredited institutions around the world.
Consistent with this goal, Colegio Americano refrains from partnering with any commission- or
incentive-based recruitment agents who receive compensation in the form of a commission or fee
from an institution to which a student applies or in which a student enrolls following recruitment
by the agent.
- We strongly prefer that college and universities reach out to our students with their own
admissions personnel. We believe that when the student is able to get to know someone
who would be a part of the process of deciding whether s/he is admitted, the conversation
is a real “two-way street”.
- We believe that commercial agents do not necessarily have the best interest of our
students in mind. Commercial recruitment agents represent only those universities that
pay them and recruit exclusively for those universities. As such, they do not represent the
breadth of institutions available in the higher education system, nor can they represent
universities equitably.
- We believe that commission-based agents are not in a position to advocate for the
student, only for the universities which they represent.
By adhering strictly to the ethical standards of providing information that is unbiased, objective,
and comprehensive, Colegio Americano seeks to equip students with the information to find the
institutions that are a good fit for them. Our goal is to invest in long-term relationships with
students and institutional partners.
Furthermore, confidential school documentation such as letters of recommendation, predicted IB
scores, and high school transcripts will not be sent to agents but directly to the institutions.
At this point we continue to allow government-based agencies to recruit here at Colegio
Americano, but we are no longer working with commission-based services. If you have questions,
or if we have somehow misunderstood the nature of your organization’s services, please let us
know.
PSAT
Khan Academy
PSAT 10/PSAT Practice Test: College Board
We also have PSAT study guides in our college counseling library available to rent for a $20 deposit.
Junior Timeline
Senior Timeline
Teacher / Counselor Letter of Recommendation Template
Teacher Letter of Recommendation Template
Teacher Letter of Recommendation Template – Spanish
Interview sheet for Ray & Todd
Financial Aid Documents
International Student Certification of Finances
CSS Financial Aid Profile
FAFSA
International Student Financial Aid Application
Summer Programs
School Profile 2018-2019
Applying to Colleges
There are a multitude of web sites devoted to the college application process. These are some of the most useful:
- The Chronicle
Search tuition and fees at more than 3,000 colleges.
- CollegeBoard.com
On this very comprehensive Web site you will find information on planning for college, taking the tests (SAT I, SAT II, PSAT, and AP), finding the right college, getting into college and paying for college.
- FinAid.com
This site provides good general information on financial aid and links to a number of scholarship databases.
- Go College
In addition to a college search database, this site has free practice tests for SAT/ACT.
- Princeton Review
This Princeton review site offers a college search engine, information on testing, financial aid estimators, a career interest assessment and general advice.
- US News
This site has a great college search engine that allows you to enter a large number of criteria and find schools that match. It also offers information on financial aid and will give you short profiles on colleges from the Fiske Guide to Colleges. Try not to spend too much time on the rankings — no one but you can decide which colleges are right for you.
- FastAid.com
A source of financial aid information and a free scholarship search database.
- Peterson’s
Yet another site that has general college, financial aid and testing information
Tips for your Test Day
Before you know it, it’ll be 8:30 Saturday morning and you’ll be sitting in the test center with an SAT test book in front of you. As your SAT test day draws near, be sure to review these last-minute tips to help you do your best.
The Day Before
Gather up everything you’re going to need for the next morning. You don’t want to be stuck frantically searching for your admission ticket just before you rush out the door. You’ll need the following items:
- Acceptable Photo ID
- Your SAT Admission Ticket
- Two sharpened No. 2 pencils
- A calculator with fresh batteries
Write down the directions to the test center. Make sure you know how to get to your test center and how long it’ll take you to get there.
Be well-rested and ready to go. Get a good night’s sleep the night before the test.
Set two alarms—one in your room and one in someone else’s room, in case you hit the snooze button one time too many.
The Morning of the Test
Eat breakfast. You’ll be at the test center for four hours and you’re likely going to get hungry.
Bring snacks. You will get a short break at the end of each hour of testing time. You can eat or drink any snacks you have brought with you during these breaks. A healthy snack will go a long way toward keeping you alert during the entire test.
Bring acceptable Photo ID and your SAT Admission Ticket.
Bring two No. 2 pencils and a good eraser — a pencil is required for the multiple choice questions and the essay. Mechanical pencils are not allowed. Pens are not allowed.
Arrive at your test center no later than 7:45 a.m. Don’t risk getting locked out because you’re 30 seconds late.
Give yourself plenty of time to get to the test center. Consider traffic, weather conditions, flat tires, and anything else that could slow you down.
During the Test
Work only on the section you are supposed to be working on. You’re not allowed to go back to a section once that section has ended. You also can’t start the next section if you finish a section early.
Do easier questions first. You earn just as many points for easy questions as you do for hard ones.
Make sure you use a No. 2 pencil on the answer sheet. It is very important that you fill in the entire circle darkly and completely. If you change your response, erase it as completely as possible. It is very important that you follow these instructions when filling out your answer sheet.
Use all of your time. Students around you may close up their test books and rest their heads on their desks, but you know better. Go back to review problems you weren’t quite sure about the first time. Or, if you skipped any hard problems use the time to try to work them out.
Stay positive and focused. Keep your mind on your work, not your score.
Try not to worry about whether you “nailed it” or “blew it.” It’ll be a long couple of weeks if you do. Know you did your best—and celebrate. You deserve it.
Good Luck!
College Testing
ACT
The College Board
Information about the SATs and a valuable guide to choosing and applying to colleges.
TOEFL
Test of English as a Foreign Language
SAT Question of the Day
Financial Aid Scholarships
Sallie Mae
Student loan provider.
U.S. Department of Education
The U.S. Department of Education provides information on completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. This page allows you to download an electronic version of the FAFSA, complete a FAFSA online or download a FAFSA form as a PDF file. The first two of these options will dramatically speed up processing time. A MUST!
PROfile
The College Scholarship Service, a division of The College Board manages a financial aid application service that collects information from students applying to particular private colleges and universities. Check with your colleges to see if they require the PROFILE. You may register online to receive a paper version, or you may complete the form and submit it online.
FinAid
An unbelievably complete listing of financial aid information including need estimators, loan calculators, and scholarship service scam alerts! Also scholarship search engines. This site is endorsed by National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.
Financial Aid: You can Afford it.
From the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.
FastWeb.com
Offers a scholarship search, online applications and a great deal of information about college scholarships.
Hispanic Scholarship Fund
The Education Gateway for U.S. Hispanics
Instructions Naviance Account
Instructions to create a Naviance Account (Parents)
1. Click here: http://connection.naviance.com/caq
2. Click on“ I Need to Register”
3. Enter a password and click on “Register”
4. Fill all the required spaces on “Complete Your Registration”
- Mail, and confirm you mail again
- Enter a new password that you will remeber
- Confirm your password
- Click on “I accept” the policies
- Click on “Complete Registration”
5. A new webpage will appear “Welcome to Family Connection” Your son/daughter’s name will appear here, click on “go”
6. You are ready, welcome to Naviance!