Junior Post-High School Planning Guide

Waunakee High School

2016-2017

1

Dear Parents and Students,

The purpose of this booklet is to answer questions about post-high school

educational planning. Most information can be used for a technical college,

two-year College, or four-year college or university. Please know that most of

the requirements listed in this book are based on Wisconsin’s college/university

system and some programs outside of Wisconsin may have different standards.

As always, if you have questions, please feel free to contact the counseling

office at (608) 849-2115. There is also great information available on our website

at www.waunakee.k12.wi.us/high/student_services.cfm.

Sincerely,

The Counseling Staff

Counselors Alphabet

Melissa Bacher A - F

Barb Fassbender G-Lorenz

Mark Landis Lorge –Rodriguez

Sarah Stimart Roe - Z

Administrative Assistants

Kim Lewellen

Jamie Maglior

Kathy Schleicher

College Planning Guide 2015-2016.doc

2

Table of Contents Options That Students Can Look At to Plan for Their Future .......................................... 3 Post-High School Planning Timetable ............................................................................. 4 Requirements of Four-Year Universities ......................................................................... 7 Requirements of Two-Year Colleges............................................................................... 8 Requirements of Two-Year Technical Colleges .............................................................. 8 Requirements of a Specialty School................................................................................ 8 Admissions Standards ..................................................................................................... 9 What Students Should Look for When Choosing a School ........................................... 10 Questions to Ask at the Campus Visit ........................................................................... 10 Financial Aid .................................................................................................................. 11 The College Application Process .................................................................................. 12 Letters of Recommendation .......................................................................................... 12 The Applicant Statement ............................................................................................... 13 ACT vs. SAT I ............................................................................................................... 14 Athletics and NCAA Clearinghouse Forms .................................................................... 15 Skills Employers are Seeking.........................................................................................16

3

Okay, so where to start? Let’s look at some options:

Four-year state university

Four-year private college/university

Four-year out-of-state college/university

Two-year community college

Two-year technical college

Specialty schools: Massage therapy, Cosmetology, etc.

Apprenticeships

Working

Military

4

Post-High School Planning Timetable

Winter of Junior Year

1. Monitor your credits to fulfill Waunakee High School’s graduation requirements.

2. Utilize NAVIANCE for college, career and interest surveys as well as Test Prep for ACT preparation.

3. Create or review your existing academic plan for high school and beyond. It should show which course work will make you most competitive for your post-high school plans (learning job skills, increasing awareness of military options, or college admissions requirements).

4. Get involved in co-curricular activities such as sports, clubs, and service

organizations and do some volunteering. These are great experiences to list on job, college and scholarship applications. Start your own personal resume to keep track of your achievements and successes.

5. Register for appropriately rigorous classes for your senior year of high school.

Colleges like to see that students are challenging themselves and are continuing to follow a strong college preparatory program. All classes that seniors are scheduled to take will be included in the college application and on your transcript.

6. Explore careers/colleges/universities/military options.

a. Use the NAVIANCE program to look up information on colleges you have heard about.

b. Go to military and specific schools’ websites to find out information specific to individual programs or schools.

c. Talk to family and friends about their experiences. d. Meet with military and/or college representatives.

Spring Semester of Junior Year 1. Register for the ACT or SAT I. December, April, and June are suggested dates

to consider taking the ACT or SAT I tests. Check your co-curricular schedule to make sure you don’t have a tournament or meet on the same date that you plan to take the ACT/SAT. ALL JUNIORS WILL TAKE THE ACT PLUS WRITING AT WAUNAKEE HIGH SCHOOL ON FEBRUARY 28, 2017, the ACT WorkKeys on March 1, 2017.

Make sure you put the college codes on the registration form indicating where

you want your scores sent. If you are considering playing collegiate athletics at a Division I or II School, also send your ACT score to the NCAA Eligibility Center.

5

2. There are prep tests available on the ACT and SAT websites:

i. ACT = www.actstudent.org or www.privatecollegezone.org ii. SAT = www.collegeboard.com iii. Test Prep on Naviance

3. Begin narrowing your choices for college.

Summer Before Senior Year 1. Continue to narrow your choices regarding the colleges to which you would like

to apply. 2. Visit colleges/universities, attend an open house, or call the college directly to

schedule a tour.

3. View college websites to get information and applications.

Fall Semester of Senior Year 1. Apply early! Most state schools begin accepting applications on September 15th,

but application will be available August 1st. The counseling staff will be part of your senior class meeting at the beginning of the school year to give you specific application information and answer your questions.

2. Meet with college and military representatives who visit the school. These visits

are posted in the counseling office and will be included in the morning announcements as well as on our webpage.

3. Re-take the ACT in September or October if you are trying to improve your score

(see your counselor if you have questions about this). 4. Begin to apply for scholarships. Monthly scholarship bulletins will be available in

the counseling office, on Naviance, as well as on our website. Winter of Senior Year 1. Parents and seniors attend the Financial Aid Night in November ~ date may

change due to new FAFSA rules. 2. File a Free Application for Federal Student Aid Form (FAFSA) after October 1,

2016. The preferred method of application is the on-line application. More information can be picked up in the counseling office. You can find a copy online at www.fafsa.ed.gov.

6

3. Send in housing information to schools where you have been accepted and schools that you are still interested in attending. Note that if you plan on attending UW-Milwaukee, the sooner you get your application for admission into Milwaukee, the more likely you are to be eligible for on-campus housing.

4. Continue to apply for scholarships. 5. If colleges/universities ask for first semester grades, ask the counseling office to

send out new transcripts for you after first semester grades are entered. 6. If you are attending a public university in Minnesota, fill out a reciprocity form. If

one does not come to you in the mail, see our website for a link to the agreement.

Spring Semester of Senior Year 1. Keep track of acceptances, denials, and financial aid award letters. See your

counselor if there are any questions about these letters. 2. Send a reply to colleges that have offered admission to you. Let them know if

you will or will not be attending their school. 3. Send a reply to the college you will be attending to let them know if you will or will

not be accepting their financial aid package. Accept or decline any financial aid packages you have been awarded.

4. Watch for placement testing dates. These are often sent in the mail to you from

the college/university you are attending.

7

Requirements of Four-Year Universities

All UW System institutions require a minimum of 17 high school credits (one credit is equal to one year of study) distributed as follows: I. Core College Preparatory Credits

a. English 4 credits b. Mathematics 3 credits c. Social Science 3 credits d. Natural Science 3 credits

II. Elective Credits 4 credits Elective credits are chosen from the core college preparatory areas above, foreign language, fine arts, computer science, and other academic areas. A minimum of two credits of a single foreign language are required for admission to UW-Madison and may help meet graduation requirements at other UW System campuses. **The above are minimum requirements for admission. Students who meet the requirements are not guaranteed admission to the schools in which they are interested. Admission depends upon a number of factors as the admissions process is holistic and includes: 1. High school course selection 2. Grade point average 3. ACT/SAT scores 4. Other factors such as sports, co-curricular activities, jobs, volunteer experience,

letters of recommendation, etc.

Remember, the more challenging classes you take in high school, the

more you will prepare yourself for your college career and the more

competitive you will be for the admissions process!

8

Requirements of Two-Year UW Colleges

Requirements for the two-year colleges are the same as the requirements for the four-year universities: I. Core College Preparatory Credits

a. English 4 credits b. Mathematics 3 credits c. Social Science 3 credits d. Natural Science 3 credits

II. Elective Credits 4 credits The two-year colleges are not as competitive; they require that students take the ACT/SAT without a required “specific” score for admission. If you rank in the lower quarter of your class, you may be admitted on probation and/or have special restrictions or requirements placed on your enrollment. Some campuses have programs for students that may require remedial coursework and increase skills designed for college success

Requirements of a Two-Year Technical College

Wisconsin Technical College System, such as Madison Area Technical College, is open to all students who are capable of benefiting from instruction. Post-secondary programs are open to: applicants who have graduated high school, applicants who have passed a high school equivalency test, or mature applicants who, through work experience, can prove that they are capable of mastering the subject matter. For particular programs within each college, admission requirements may vary depending on aptitude for the curriculum, available student stations, and a reasonable probability of academic success. Some programs at Wisconsin technical colleges require an ACT score and are highly competitive with waiting lists for admission. Many of the health care fields fall into this category. Since all students will be taking the ACT now, these scores can be used for course placement purposes at Madison College.

Requirements of a Specialty School Many specialty schools, such as cosmetology or massage therapy schools, have open admission policies. It is important to receive information on individual admission requirements for each different school as they all will be somewhat different. Specific schools include, but are not limited to, Empire Beauty School, Madison Media Institute, Herzing College, Aveda Beauty School and Blue Sky School of Massage.

9

Admissions Standards and What They Mean

Knowing the entrance standards of a college will give you some idea of how likely you are to be accepted: Admission Standard Typical ACT/SAT Scores

Open – All high school graduates are accepted 17-20 / 830-950 until the school’s enrollment capacity is reached. Liberal – Some freshmen who are accepted are in 18-21 / 870-990 the lower half of their high school graduating class. Traditional – The majority of those freshmen who 20-23 / 950-1070 are accepted are in the top 50% of their high school graduating class. Selective – The majority of those freshmen who are 22-27 / 1030-1220 accepted are in the top 25% of their high school graduating class. Highly Selective – The majority of those freshmen 27-31 / 1220-1380 who are accepted are in the top 10% of their high school graduating class.

Early Decision and Early Action

Early decision plans are binding ~ a student who is accepted as an ED applicant must attend the college. Only one college can be applied in this manner. Students will receive an admission decision from the college well in advance of the usual notification date. Not all schools have this as an option. Early action plans are nonbinding ~ students receive an early response to their application but do not have to commit to the college until the normal reply date of May 1. This is for a student who has a definite first-choice college. Students can apply to other colleges when applying EA.

10

What Students Should Look for When Choosing a School

1. Location – How far away from home will you go?

2. Size – Enrollment size and the physical size of the campus.

3. Environment – Do you want to live in an urban or rural setting? Where is the

nearest city? Is there a religious affiliation? Is the school co-ed or not? What is

the cultural diversity of the school?

4. Admission requirements – Do you have what is needed to get in?

5. Academics – Is your major offered? Is the school accredited? What is the

typical class size? What is the student to faculty ratio? Are classes taught by

teaching assistants or professors?

6. College Expenses – Is it affordable? Remember to take into account what

financial aid you might receive.

7. Financial Aid – Will you get the financial aid package you are looking for?

8. Housing – Do you have to live in the dorms? Do you want to live in the dorms?

Is there room available in the dorms?

9. Facilities – Are you comfortable with the academic facilities, the campus, and the

recreational facilities?

10. Activities – Do they offer the clubs, organizations, athletics, and/or Greek life that

you are looking for?

11. Campus Visits – What was your overall impression?

Questions to Ask at the Campus Visit

1. What is the ratio of students to instructors?

2. What is an average class size at this college?

3. How many students attend school here?

4. How large is the nearest city?

5. What are the majors that your school is noted for?

6. Can I receive credit for AP classes that I have taken in high school?

7. What is the cost of tuition and housing?

8. What is the placement rate for graduates?

9. Do I have to live on campus in the residence halls? For how long?

10. Am I required to have a meal plan?

11. If living in a residence hall, can I bring a car on campus?

12. When will I find out more about housing?

13. Are there computers for me to use? Is there a connection in the dorm rooms for

my personal computer?

14. What are some of the safety precautions provided by the campus?

15. If I need academic help as a freshman, where do I go?

11

Financial Aid

A financial aid meeting will be held at the high school prior to the end of 1st semester of your senior year. Speakers come in to speak about the financial aid process. A handout is provided with detailed financial aid information. Please plan on attending. Overall, students who will be applying for grants and loans will be filling out a form called the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). For more information on the FAFSA form and the process visit www.fafsa.ed.gov. There are instructions on how to get ready for the process by applying for a pin number early. For information that will give you some indication of what you may be eligible for through the FAFSA, go to www.finaid.org and use the financial aid estimator. The other source of financial aid is scholarships. Please watch for this information in the senior scholarship bulletin. Feel free to visit the counseling office for a copy. This bulletin will list current scholarship opportunities as well as website information that can also help you search for scholarships.

12

The College Application Process

ACT/SAT/SCHOOL CODE: 502-395

1. To apply on-line, go to the school’s website and pull up the application. If applying to the University of Wisconsin System, go to apply.wisconsin.edu.

2. You will need to request your high school transcripts through Naviance with instructions listed on our website. You will then pay for your transcript directly in the school counseling office.

3. If you did not request to have your official ACT/SAT scores mailed directly to the colleges to which you are applying, you will need to do this by going to www.actstudent.org to order your ACT scores on-line or www.collegeboard.com to order your SAT scores on-line.

4. Once your application has been submitted and the admissions office has received all required materials and documents, the review will begin. Time required for the evaluation of an application varies from one campus to another; it can take as long as 8 weeks at some campuses. You will receive an acceptance letter, a denial letter or a letter explaining that you are on the waitlist.

5. When you have been informed of acceptance by the college/university, you will receive housing information. It is important to follow the instructions and mail this information back as soon as possible. Housing is usually on a first come, first serve basis.

Letters of Recommendation

Letters of recommendation are not required for application to the University of Wisconsin schools (exception – UW Madison). Many times, students will send letters of recommendation along with their applications to help strengthen their application. Letters of recommendation are required by some colleges/universities (either private or out of state) during the application process. Please read your applications carefully to see if this will be required. If you will be asking for a letter of recommendation, please make sure to give the person at least two weeks to prepare your letter. Typically, your recommenders will want you to fill out a brag sheet in advance; which can be obtained either in the counseling office or on our web-site. Always keep copies of these letters for your records. The best people to have write letters of recommendation for you are core academic teachers who can discuss your academic abilities, preferably from a teacher of English, math, science or social studies.

13

The Applicant Statement

What should I write about?

1. The UW System application states, “This is an important part of your application.”

There will be at least one question, which will vary by college/university, where you will provide information about yourself that isn’t covered in another area of the application. This is an important part of the application; they are looking at what makes you an unique person and they are looking at your writing skills.

2. Know the school – Using specifics, tell the admissions office why you chose their school.

3. Quality, not quantity, is important when describing your activities – Having a lot of activities is good, but showing that you thoroughly pursued an interest is even better. Tell the admissions people about the activities you stuck with and why.

4. Focus on your writing – You don’t have to dazzle them with big words or a sophisticated style that isn’t you, but clear, thoughtful, honest writing is something for which most schools look. Proper grammar, spelling and neatness are important!

5. Be honest – They want to find out about you, and they will be frustrated if the application doesn’t show them that. A few sentences telling them that you have always wanted to attend their school, isn’t what they are looking for. Tell them what you will bring their school.

6. Don’t make excuses – Everyone has had a teacher they felt wasn’t fair. Unless it was a major roadblock that seriously affected your performance, don’t bother spelling out problems. Showing how you prevailed over a serious problem is a good thing, but complaining is not.

7. ATTEND THE WRITING WORKSHOPS HELD IN EARLY FALL OF SENIOR YEAR!

14

ACT vs. SAT I

Which one is better to take and why? The ACT is a college entrance examination, generally taken during the middle to end of the junior year and again (if desired) in the beginning of the senior year. Students receive scores in English, Reading, Math and Science Reasoning, as well as a composite score. These scores are based on the number of correct answers with no penalty for guessing. The SAT I test is the Scholastic Assessment Test. This is a college entrance examination, generally taken during the middle to end of the junior year and again (if desired) in the beginning of the senior year. Students receive a Verbal and a Math score. These scores are adjusted for guessing or wrong answers. The SAT II tests are the Scholastic Assessment Tests. These are subject area tests, one-hour in length, that measure a student’s knowledge of specific subjects and his/her ability to apply that knowledge. Only some schools require these tests. All four-year colleges and universities require that a student take either the ACT or the SAT I test. Most colleges and universities will accept either score. Overall, the test requirements tend to be location based. Colleges in the Midwest tend to prefer the ACT, and colleges on the West Coast and the East Coast tend to prefer the SAT I. If you are applying to schools in the Midwest, you only need to take the ACT. You only need to take either test once, however, some students decide to take it more than once to improve their scores. Regardless of how many times you take it, most colleges/universities will use the best composite score submitted. ACT DATES: September 10, 2016 October 22, 2016 December 10, 2016 Must Register By: August 7, 2016 September 16, 2016 November 4, 2016

ACT DATES: February 11, 2017 April 8, 2017 June 10, 2017 Must Register By: January 13, 2017 March 3, 2017 May 5, 2017

***ALL WAUNAKEE JUNIORS WILL TAKE THE ACT PLUS WRITING ON

FEBRUARY 28, 2017***

SAT DATES: October 1, 2016 November 5, 2016 December 3, 2016 Must Register By: September 1, 2016 October 7, 2016 November 3, 2016 SAT DATES: January 21, 2017 March 11, 2017 May 6, 2017 June 3, 2017 Must Register By: December 21, 2017 February 10, 2017 April 7, 2017 May 9, 2017

15

Athletics in College Athletics in high school can help students grow, mature, learn responsibility and feel connected to others by being a part of a team. It can be a wonderful experience, however: Myles Brand, former president of the NCAA, would like you to have the following facts:

Less than 3 percent of college seniors will play one year in professional basketball.

There are over 4,000 student athletes in college athletics, but most go pro in something other than “athletics.”

The odds of a high school football player making it to the pros at all—let alone having a career—are about 6,000 to 1; the odds for a high school basketball player—10,000 to 1.

NCAA Eligibility Center Forms Any student who would like to play a sport for a Division I or Division II school will need to fill out a form with the NCAA Eligibility Center. This form is used to ensure student athletes meet eligibility requirements to participate in collegiate sports. Go to www.eligibilitycenter.org to look up the eligibility requirements for Division I and Division II schools and to fill out an NCAA form on-line. Order ACT/SAT I scores to be sent to the NCAA Eligibility Center. You do not need to fill out this form if you will be playing sports at a Division III school.

16

Skills Employers are Seeking

The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) conducted a study to find

the top skills that employers are looking for in a new hire. NACE gave each a rating on

a 5-point scale, where 5 was extremely important, 4 was very important, 3 was

somewhat important, etc. The findings are listed in order of importance.

1. Ability to work in a team structure

2. Ability to make decisions and solve problems (tie)

3. Ability to communicate verbally with people inside and outside an organization

4. Ability to plan, organize and prioritize work

5. Ability to obtain and process information

6. Ability to analyze quantitative data

7. Technical knowledge related to the job

8. Proficiency with computer software programs

9. Ability to create and/or edit written reports

10. Ability to sell and influence others