Step-by-Stepto the college process

Department of

Counseling ServicesScotch Plains-Fanwood High School

October 13, 2015

Grade 9

✧ Counselors meet individually with students to assess their progress in school

✧ Students are introduced to the College Planning, Career research aspects of NAVIANCE

✧ Students are encouraged to join clubs, volunteer and participate in other extracurricular activities

✧ Spring: Schedule discussion and course selection

Grade 10

✧ Counselors continue to help students set academic and personal goals

✧ Students use the Career Inventory in NAVIANCE to further research future plans

✧ Students take the PSAT for the first time in October

✧ Spring: Schedule discussion and course selection

THE JUNIOR YEAR✧ College considerations

✧ Campus visits

✧ Naviance

✧ Target, Safety & Reach Schools

✧ Common Application

✧ SAT & ACT

✧ Senior year schedule

✧ Weighted/Academic & unweighted/All Course GPA’s

✧ Senior Self-Evaluation/Parent Evaluation

✧ Requesting teacher recommendations

✧ Resume writing

Grade 12 Senior check-up

✧ Naviance

✧ Common Application

✧ Sending SAT/ACT scores to colleges

✧ Special application processes

✧ Requests for transcripts for colleges

✧ Requests for teacher recommendations

Deadline options

EARLY DECISION- BINDING

EARLY ACTION- NON BINDING

REGULAR DECISION

ROLLING DECISION

Naviance

✧ Research colleges, college majors and requirements for admission

✧ Access acceptance data relevant to SPFHS applicants

✧ Online transcript requests

✧ Online requests for teacher recommendations

✧ Searchable and sortable college database

✧ www.connection.naviance.com/spfhs

Financial Aid Night

Date TBD (Mid-December) 7pm - SPFHS Auditorium

Topics

● Deadlines

● Filing Options/Filling out the FAFSA

● Types of Financial Aid

●Qualifications

● College loan options

SAT TEST DATESNOVEMBER 7TH (at SPFHS)

DECEMBER 5TH

JANUARY 23RD

NEW SAT

MARCH 5TH (SAT I ONLY)

MAY 7TH

JUNE 4TH (at SPFHS)

www.collegeboard.org

✧ www.collegeboard.org

ACT DATES

●December 12th

● February 6th

● April 9th

● June 11th

The ACT is not offered at SPFHS

www.actstudent.org

SAT VS. ACTAND THE REDESIGN

SAT OR ACT ????HOW DO I KNOW WHICH ONE TO TAKE?

ACT questions are more straightforward

SAT has stronger emphasis on vocabulary

ACT has a Science section

ACT has more advanced math concepts

ACT has an “optional” writing section, but is required by colleges

SAT has more sections

RESOURCES

www.grockit.com/

COLLEGEBOARD.COM

THE KHAN ACADEMY

POSSIBLE TESTING SCHEDULE

Plan 1

OLD SAT in Nov. /Dec. and/or Jan

ACT in Feb./Apr./Sept.

New SAT in Mar/June, SAT subject tests in May

Plan 3

OLD SAT in Nov/Dec/ Jan

ACT in Feb/Apr/June/Sept./Oct.

SAT subject tests May/June

Plan 2

OLD SAT in Oct/Nov/Dec/Jan

NEW SAT Mar/May/June

SAT Subject tests May or June

Plan 4

ACT only

Oct/Dec/Feb/Apr/June/Sept/Oct

SAT subject tests May

NEW SAT SCORE REPORTING

1. WON’T BE ABLE TO COMBINE SCORES FROM OLD AND NEW SAT

2. SUPER SCORES-COLLEGE TAKES HIGHEST BUT MUST SEND ALL

3. SCORE CHOICE- STUDENTS PICK WHICH TEST TO SEND…SO ALWAYS SEND LATER

PSAT Sophomores & Juniors

PSAT will be given Wednesday, October 14th at SPFHS

Only in Junior year are scores used to determine eligibility for National Merit Scholarships (224 in NJ for class of 215)

This year’s PSAT will be practice for NEW SAT (given in March 2016)