SOPHOMORE AND JUNIOR PARENT/STUDENT NIGHT

October 28, 20146:00 PM

TONIGHT WE WILL DISCUSS

High school coursework needed to get into college – Why take AP courses

College admissions tests How to Chose a college How to apply to college How to get scholarship money The purpose of a resume Options if you chose not to attend college Things to do during your next 1 or 2 years

JUNIOR/SENIOR YEAR

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO NOW TO PREPARE FOR LIFE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL

Pass high school classes that will prepare you for college level work – English, Math, Science, Social Studies, etc.

Take the ACT or SAT test (or both) and their practice tests (PSAT/PLAN)

Research and visit colleges of interest

Job Shadow

Start the scholarship process

Build your resume

HIGH SCHOOL COURSES

MINIMUM HIGH SCHOOL COURSES RECOMMENDED FOR COLLEGE English – 4 years

Math – 4 years (Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II)

Science – 3 years (Biology, Chemistry, and 1 advanced Science)

Social Studies – 3 years

Foreign Language – 2+ years

Art/Technology – (electives should be in the areas of music, computer, or visual art)

ADVANCE PLACEMENT COURSES

Advanced Placement (AP) courses are rigorous college-level courses taught by AHS teachers

AP English Language and Composition, AP Physics, AP Calculus, AP Chemistry, AP Psychology, & AP Statistics offered at AHS

Score a 3+ on AP exam to earn college credit for freshman level college course

Go to http://collegesearch.collegeboard.com/apcreditpolicy/index.jsp to find out what AP Exam score is needed at the college(s) of your choice and what course that corresponding exam score exempts you from

This years AP exam fee is $91 and will be due in April

• Students learn rigorous college-level content and skills

• Taking AP is valued in the college admission process

• AP courses are interesting and rewarding academic experiences

• Opportunity to earn valuable credit and placement in college

AP®: THE BENEFITS

• 85% of selective colleges and universities report that a student’s AP experience favorably impacts admission decisions*

• Colleges rank grades in college-preparatory courses and strength of curriculum as the two top factors in the admission decision

• AP courses tell college admission officials that students are challenging themselves and preparing for the rigors they'll encounter in their college careers

*Unpublished institutional research, Crux Research Inc., March 2007

AP® FROM THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS PERSPECTIVE

AP® MYTHS & REALITIES

Myth RealityAP courses are for students who always get good grades.

AP courses are for any students who are academically prepared and motivated to take college-level courses.

AP courses are too stressful. It's no secret that AP courses are challenging. But the support you receive from your classmates and teachers can help you manage the work load.

I don't think I will score high enough on the AP Exam to get college credit.

You don’t need to score a 5. Many colleges grant credit — and placement as well — based on a 3 or higher on an AP Exam.

Taking AP courses could hurt my GPA. Taking AP courses shows colleges that you’re willing to challenge yourself academically.

I can’t take AP because no one has recommended me.

If you think you’re ready to take an AP course, then you’re ready to advocate for yourself — just talk to a teacher or counselor.

COLLEGE CREDIT PLUS Local colleges also offer high school students with good GPA’s and

attendance the opportunity to take classes on their campus at a reduced price

To successfully plan for College Credit Plus a student/parent must: Have reliable transportation each day Rank in top 35% of class and have a 3.5 GPA Be able to fit all necessary high school courses into the beginning/end of

the school day Submit a separate application to the college by their deadline Notify the high school of your choice as soon as the student has been

accepted by the college Be certain that this is what you want to do – can’t change your mind after

the first 10 days of school, if you fail the college credit plus course you must pay for the cost of tuition and do credit recovery work to graduate, and you will start your college career with a 0 GPA (very hard to recover from)

Applications can be found in the guidance office and must be completed by March 30th of each school year

COLLEGE ADMISSIONS

TESTS

ACT AND SAT ADMISSIONS TESTS

Standardized exams to measure knowledge and skills in English, math, reading, and science

Colleges accept either test

4 year institutions and some 2 year schools require either the ACT or the SAT

A student’s score on the ACT/SAT will help determine admission to the college, merit scholarship money awarded, possible exemption from courses, and it is one of the requirements for the Honors Diploma (ACT=27 or SAT=1200)

ACT

Offered several times throughout the year at Paulding High School

This year’s cost was $54.50. Expect an increase to next year’s cost

Register for the ACT at (www.actstudent.org)

Students on Free/Reduced Lunch can test 2 times per year for free (need to get a waiver in the guidance office)

Should plan to take this during the 2nd semester of junior year

HOW CAN YOU STUDY FOR THE ACT/SAT?

Go to www.actstudent.org or www.collegeboard.org and take the online practice test

Use your PLAN/PSAT results to review questions

**PLAN test will be given to sophomores on 11/25

**Money is due this Thursday

Get a free practice test from the guidance office

Plan to take the test multiple times (55% of students who retake the ACT improve their scores)

THE COLLEGE SEARCH PROCESS

HOW DO YOU NARROW DOWN YOUR COLLEGE CHOICE?

Here are a few things to consider:

Size (of both college and town)

Cost

Admissions Standards/Requirements

Distance from home

Majors

SIZE

Large colleges may offer more majors, more courses, more activities on and off campus, and more flexibility in your schedule

Smaller colleges may offer more personalization, smaller class size, better chance for participation in activities, one-on-one attention from faculty

COST

Do not pass on a school based solely on it’s initial cost of attendance

How much could you save by commuting or living in off-campus housing?

Do they offer work-study programs?

What percentage of their students receive some form of financial aid?

Each college has a financial aid calculator that will give you a rough estimate of your cost of attendance. Visit the college’s website and go to the financial aid tab (or search “Net Price Calculator” on the college’s website)

ADMISSIONS STANDARDS Open- any student is accepted as long as they apply by

given date. Average ACT scores of 16-21. ACT/SAT may or may not be expected ( ex. Northwest State, all OSU satellite campuses)

Liberal – Some students are accepted even if they are in the lower ½ of graduating class. Average ACT scores of 17-22 (ex. University of Saint Francis)

Traditional – Top 50% of class is accepted. Average ACT scores of 18-24 (ex. BGSU)

Selective – Top 25% of class is accepted. Average ACT scores of 21-26 (ex. ONU, Defiance College)

Highly Selective – Top 10% of class is accepted. Average ACT scores are 25-30 (ex. Case Western, OSU main campus)

DISTANCE FROM HOME How far are you willing to go from Antwerp to

attend college? Ask yourself these questions: How often do you want to come home?

Who is going to do your laundry?

Who is going to take care of you when you get sick?

Do you have a car? Can you take your car on campus freshman year? If not, who will pick you up when you want/need to come home?

Have you ever been away from your parent(s) for more than one week?

****Visit http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator to see schools

within a certain distance from home ****

MAJORS

Here are some things to consider:

Does the college have the major that you THINK you want?

Does the college have your second choice of major?

Can you take any major-related courses your freshman year?

Do the credits that you earn your freshman year transfer to other institutions?

COLLEGE VISIT DAYS

COLLEGE VISIT DAYS

College Visit Days are excused by the school as long as the student follows the policy (juniors and seniors only)

You should visit at least 3 college campus before you make your final decision

Make sure to check out dorms, classrooms (especially in your major of interest), and the dining facility

Always take a parent/adult along to ask the questions you are too shy to ask

WHAT COLLEGES

ARE LOOKING FOR

WHAT ARE COLLEGES LOOKING AT? ACT or SAT scores

GPA/Class Rank

Strength of Coursework (AP, upper-level courses)

Extra-curricular Activities

Major

Grade Trends

THE APPLICATION

PROCESS

APPLYING TO COLLEGE Should apply online

Each college has a unique application, application fee and due date

Each application will need an official transcript and ACT score.

Some applications require one or more essay(s)

The sooner you apply, the sooner you will know if you are accepted

Should apply to first choice colleges by December 1st (if not earlier)

THE SCHOLARSHIP

PROCESS

SCHOLARSHIPS

List is found in guidance office, passed out monthly in English class, and on the website

Scholarships are broken down into: National, State, College Specific, and Local

Some are only found on-line (National/State/College Specific) others are paper applications found in the guidance office (Local)

Each scholarship is different (essay, specific to major, random drawing, etc.) with different qualifications and method of payment

SCHOLARSHIPS CONTINUED

To get a jump on the scholarship process visit these sites:

http://www.fastweb.com

http://www.wiredscholar.com

http://www.fastaid.com

Or visit http://www.aw.noacsc.org and look under “High school”>”Guidance”>Scholarships

THE RESUME PROCESS

BUILDING YOUR RESUME

Include:

School Related Extra-Curricular (sports, music, theater, clubs, etc.) *include leadership positions held*

Non-School Related Extra-Curricular (dance, scouts, 4-H, etc.) *include leadership positions held*

Volunteer Work (how often and for how many hours)

Job (hours per week, duties performed)

Awards (both in and out of school)

Church related activities (Youth Group, VBS, Church Choir/Band, etc.)

WHY MAKE A RESUME?

To get a job (part-time or full-time after high school)

To give to teachers for Letters of Recommendation (scholarships/college applications)

To help you remember activities that you can use on applications (scholarship/college)

To see where you are lacking (volunteer work, extra-curricular, etc.)

JOB SHADOWING

JOB SHADOW

Students learn about specific careers that interest them by “shadowing” someone in that career

Can do this 2 times per school year each year you are in school

Examples of Job Shadowing Opportunities:1. local schools2. hospitals3. Engineering firms4. marketing/business firms

THE NON-COLLEGE

ROUTE

OTHER OPTIONS

Service Academies – (Military, Naval, Coast Guard, Merchant Marine, Air Force) http://latta.house.gov/ConstituentServices/serviceacademynominations.htm

Military/National Guard

Apprenticeships http://jfs.ohio.gov/apprenticship(419) 528-4076 or john.loomis@jfs.ohio.gov

World of Work/On the job training

THINGS TO DO

WHAT SHOULD SOPHOMORES DO NOW? Take the PLAN test this year

Schedule classes for the 2015-2016 school year that give you the best opportunity for academic growth (AP, major specific)

Start researching colleges and majors that interest you https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/

Research careers of interest www.act.org/profile

Visit a college campus (stay with a sibling or relative that is in college)

Job Shadow

Build your resume with extracurricular involvement, volunteer experience, leadership opportunities

WHAT SHOULD JUNIORS DO NOW? If you took the PSAT, look at your scores and go to

https://quickstart.collegeboard.org

Schedule classes for the 2015-2016 school year that give you the best opportunity for academic growth (AP, major specific)

Start researching colleges and majors that interest you https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/

Visit a college campus (stay with a sibling or relative that is in college)

Job Shadow

Build your resume with volunteer activities, leadership positions, and club activities

CALL OR EMAIL ME ANYTIME

Diana Rogge(419) 258-5421 x 2143rogge_d@antwerpschools.org