SOPHOMORE YEAR COLLEGE & CAREER PLANNING

1. SOPHOMORE YEAR COLLEGE & CAREER PLANNING CLASS OF 2014 SPRING 2012

2. AGENDA • Post High School Options & Planning • Where do I start? • What’s important? • Course planning and schedules • Rigor • GPA/SAT’s & ACT’s • Grades, grades, grades • Extra curricular activities • PSAT’S/SAT’S/ACT’S • What are they? • When are they? • Why are they important?

3. Options • Four possible options: • 4-year Colleges and Universities • Community Colleges • Career and Technical Programs • Military • What is important to me about my post high school experience? • $$$$$$ ? • Serving my country? • Research? • Studying? • In the city? In the suburbs? • Greek life? • Sports?

4. Where Do I Start? • Career/Personality Profiles • College Search • Resume • College Search • PSAT Prep • SAT Prep • Dominion High School’s College & Career Center page

5. 4-Year Colleges and Universities • Students typically: • Earn a bachelor’s degree • Graduate in four years • Five classes per semester • Study a variety of majors • Examples: • GMU • UVA • JMU

6. Community Colleges • Offer Associate Degrees and Career Certificates • May be less expensive and more flexible with class offerings • Guaranteed Admission Agreements to transfer to 4-year Colleges and Universities: • http://www.nvcc.edu/curschedule/guaranteed_adm.htm

7. Career and Technical Programs • Culinary • Nursing • Auto Servicing • Technology • Examples: • Culinary Institute of America • Johnson & Wales University • Nashville Auto-Diesel College • ECPI

8. What Should I Be Doing to Get Ready? • Rigor • Honors and AP Courses • Foreign Language • Meaningful Electives • Extracurricular Activities • Building Resume

9. Academic Performance • Focus on working hard and earning good grades • Colleges notice changes in academic performance • Grades earned Junior year are extremely important • ASK FOR HELP, not a schedule change!!

10. Sample Transcript

11. Extracurricular Involvement • Get involved • Volunteer • Look beyond just the academics…

12. PSAT’s • Qualify for National Merit Scholarships! • http://www.nationalmerit.org/nmsp.php • On your resume! • Students will take the PSAT Wednesday, Wednesday, October 17th • Use My College Quick Start • Question and answer explanations • SAT score projection • Hundreds of practice items

13. SAT’s/ACT’s • Take the SAT and the ACT at least once during your Junior year – avoid May!!! • All schools require them – will consider both equally • Register on: • www.collegeboard.org • www.actstudent.org • Practice, practice, practice • e.g., Question of the Day • New iPhone Mobile App! • Take a prep course • http://www.loudoun.k12.va.us/Page/9434

14. The Infamous College List • Start to develop your list • Keep an open mind • Should include at least 5-7 schools: • Reach schools • Target schools • “Safety” schools • How Do I know? • Campus visits • Questions to ask when on your visit • Create a binder • Factors we talked about

15. What Can I Do Right Now? • Finish the year strong • Get ready for the October PSAT • Create a College Board and an ACT account • Practice! • Use Naviance • Career/Personality Profiles • Resume • Research and visit colleges • Start your college list • Engage in meaningful summer opportunities

16. Questions???