Parent Evening Conference Post Secondary Planning Presented by

Parent Evening Conference Post Secondary Planning Presented by Jessica Rodrigues and Jeanne Veres December 1, 2014

Self-Assessment & Inventories l l l The focus of a career inventory is to help the students identify abilities, talents, or interests that are related to areas of employment The district has purchased Naviance; a comprehensive database that will assist the students with their post secondary plans Log-in at http: //connection. naviance. com/southriver The students log-in using the e-mail address and password they created last school year Parents can also create their own account for Naviance (you can sign up tonight)

What Do Colleges Look At? l l l l Class Rank Final Grades (9 -12) GPA Academic Effort & Initiative Standardized Test Scores (AP, SAT, ACT) Senior Schedule l (Academic Risk – Strong Schedule) Essay/Letters of Recommendation/Student Resume l Puts a personal touch to your application, aside from the numbers IMPORTANT!! Don’t forget…your high school transcript is a permanent record! Colleges and employers will request to see it! Does it represent you? How do you want it to represent you?

College Selection Criteria l Location l l l Type l l l Does the college have what you want to study? Special Programs (ROTC, 6 -yr Med School, Joint Programs, Grad School) Tuition l l l Large vs. Small Private vs. Public Coed vs. Single Sex Resident vs. Commuter School Majors l l Distance from home Urban, Suburban, Rural Cost – Don’t be afraid of sticker cost Start of with a long list, and then narrow Other Things to Consider l l l Athletics Religious Filiations Off Campus Activities, Events, Entertainment Study Abroad Program Retention Rate – Percentage of returning students

Developing a Plan Understand that your child’s plan can (and probably will) change l It’s OK to be unsure l l Remember what YOU wanted to be in high school? Did your plan change? Think about your child’s interests Think about your child’s strengths and areas for growth l Think about your child’s abilities and values l Seek out opportunities to test out a major or career of interest l l

College Selectivity Ladder l Reach Schools (R) Admission criteria present an academic challenge Recommended: 1 -2 schools l Target Schools (T) Admission criteria closely match your qualifications Recommended: 4 -6 schools l Safety Schools (S) Admission criteria is exceeded by your academic performance Recommended: 1 -2 schools

Doing Research l l Check out individual school websites Attend an Open House Attend a College Fair Take a “virtual tour” l l All college websites end in. edu Also check out: l l l www. collegedata. com www. collegeboard. org www. commonapp. org http: //connection. naviance. com/southriver ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO SIGN UP FOR OUR BROWN BAG SERIES l We offer some on-site admission days right here!

Campus Visit- Questions to Ask l Academics l l l l Majors, minors, study abroad, how long it takes to complete degrees, etc Library Laboratories/studios Athletics Housing Dining Health Services Security

The Common Application simplifies the college admission process by saving time and eliminating the duplication of effort by allowing students to apply to multiple colleges via one application l Over 500 colleges/universities nationally and internationally now accept the Common App, go to www. commonapp. org for a complete listing l

The Common Application l l l Secondary School Report: email your school counselor to submit information jveres@srivernj. org (last names: A-F) jrodrigues@srivernj. org (last names: G-N) dkraemer@srivernj. org (last names: O-Z). Letters of recommendation: email teacher/person to submit letters Supplemental application Proofread essay Print proof of submission

Standardized Testing ● Students are responsible for sending test scores to the college/university/scholarship that they are applying to. ● Students must register on line at www. collegeboard. org or www. actstudent. org Testing Timeline Students need to plan and schedule standardized testing appropriate to their needs and institutional requirements.

Standardized Testing SAT (www. collegeboard. com) Measures academic reasoning SAT I Reasoning Test (Math, Verbal and Writing) SAT II - Subject Test Scoring Scale – 200 – 800 R Offered in district! Choose South River High School as the testing site.

Standardized Testing R ACT (www. actstudent. org) Measures academic achievement English, Mathematics, Reading, Science and Optional Writing Scoring Scale – 1 -36 Composite 1 -36 (Average of four) Now offered in district! Choose South River High School as the testing site!

Which Test Should My Child Take? SAT l l l 3 sections Stronger emphasis on vocabulary Majors: political science, English, business admin, liberal arts Mandatory writing section Predicts how well your child will do in college Correction for guessing l There is a ¼ point penalty for each wrong answer ACT l l l l Up to 5 sections Questions tend to be more straightforward Majors: science based, premed, earth science Has a science section Tests more advanced math concepts (formulas are not provided) Optional writing section No penalty for guessing l Does not take away points for incorrect answers

Standardized Testing R Advanced Placement (AP) Exam SRHS offers AP Exams in: Passing Score: English Literature 3 US Government & Politics 3 Biology 3 Chemistry 3 Calculus 3 US History 3 Music Theory 3 Art Theory 3 Colleges use AP scores for course credit and advancement purposes

NCAA Eligibility Center ● If your child plans to participate in college athletics at a Division 1 or 2 school they need to register with the Eligibility Center ● Eligibility Requirements ● SAT or ACT score ● Core GPA ● Specified courses ● Sliding scale between core GPA and SAT/ACT score

NCAA Eligibility Center Registration Procedure Encourage your child to see their school counselor for more information l S/he should register at end of junior year on line l l www. ncaaeligibilitycenter. org College Athletics l l l Commitment Demanding Time management skills are crucial

Terminology l Be aware of deadlines (admission and scholarships). l Early Decision l Early Action l Regular Admission l Rolling Admission l Mid-Year Report l Final Report

Rutgers University l Priority l Deadline is December 1 st Some students choose to apply Early Action, which had a deadline of November 1 st l Self-Reported Academic Record (SRAR) l Final Transcript verification

Financial Aid ● FAFSA (Free Application For Federal Student Aid) Online form that must be completed to be considered for eligibility for financial aid. Go to: www. fafsa. ed. gov ● Profile Financial aid form required by some institutions ● Financial Aid Award Letter Student will receive an award letter from colleges that they have been admitted indicating financial award amounts

Scholarships l Scholarship awards require effort and initiative l Mrs. Errico (Guidance Secretary) maintains the Naviance scholarship database l Scholarship binder l Place of employment l Scholarship searches

MCC and NJ Stars l NJ Stars Program l l Must be in top 15% of class Advantages of Attending MCC l l l l Cost Areas of Interest/Majors Degrees/Certificate Programs Full Time/Part Time Discover new interests/talents Transfer to 4 year school/Articulation Find your focus/niche

Guidance Department Resources Business Schools Military Information Occupational Handbook & Dictionary of Occupational Titles Scholarship Binder (constantly being updated throughout the year)

Guidance Department Resources College Guides, View Books, and Catalogues Trade School Directory Technical Schools Apprenticeship Programs

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