Essential Guide for High School Juniors: Understanding College Options and Admissions

1. Class of 2015 Junior Year: Fall Semester

2. Goals • At the conclusion of this presentation you will better understand: • the post-secondary options available to your student • the process for visiting a college campus • the differences between the SAT and ACT as well as when to register for these tests • Factors involved in college admission decisions • What is available to you and your students through Naviance • how to conduct a college search through Naviance • how to register for a college visit

3. Types of Higher Education • Liberal Arts Colleges • Universities • Service Academies • Technical Institutes and Professional Schools • Community or Junior Colleges

4. Collin College • Associates degrees offered through a wide variety of disciplines • Benefits of attending Collin College: • Lower costs for transferable coursework • Relationships with local and regional 4-year institutions for transfer • Transfer scholarship opportunities • Opportunity for students to explore areas of interests

5. College Match…Things to Consider Look at Yourself: Determine your Interest and Goals Look at your Institutional Options Size Location Cost Admissions Requirements Private vs. Public Large vs. Small Special Programs • Academic • Career/Proposed Major • Extracurricular Activities • Social Preference

6. Standardized Exams • PSAT – national merit consideration • SAT • SAT Subject Exams • ACT • AP

7. National Merit • Based on Junior year PSAT • Commended Students: Notified September of senior year • Semifinalists: Notified September of senior year • Top ½ of 1% become semifinalist • Finalists: February

8. ACT Basic Information www.actstudent.org Exam Date: December 14 Exam Date: February 08 Exam Date: April 12** Exam Date: June 14** ** Recommend taking in the Spring – depends on current courses • 3 hour college entrance exam • Composed of 4 tests • English usage • Mathematics • Reading • Science Reasoning • 30 minute optional writing test • Score range 1-36 for each area • Writing test score range 2-12 www.actstudent.org

9. Things to Rememberabout the ACT • There is no penalty for wrong answers • If you are not positive… guess • If you have no idea… guess • If you run out of time… guess • Do not leave blank answers! • Science: charts and experiments • English: stresses grammar • Reading: 4 passages (1 of each: social science, natural science, prose fiction, and humanities)

10. SAT Basic Information www.collegeboard.com Exam Date: December 07 Exam Date: January 25 Exam Date: March 08** Exam Date: May 3** Exam Date: June 07** ** Recommend taking in the Spring – depends on current courses • 3 hour and 45 minute college entrance exam • Composed of 3 tests • Critical Reading • Mathematics • Writing Skills • Scores range 200-800 for each area www.collegeboard.com

11. Things to Remember about the SAT • Questions are arranged in order of difficulty • 1/3 easy • 1/3 medium • 1/3 hard • Points • Correct = 1 point • Incorrect = Minus ¼ point • Blanks = no effect on your score • 0 points subtracted for incorrect student-produced response (math section) • Guess if you can narrow it down to 2 answers (3 answers use your judgment but often times guess)

12. ACT and SAT Comparison

13. SAT Subject Test • 1 hour test that measures knowledge and skills in a particular subject and a student’s ability to apply the knowledge • Scores range 200-800 • Colleges may use these scores in several ways. • Admissions purposes – check specific schools’ websites • Award college course credit • Help place students in the appropriate college courses

14. Key Parts of College Admissions • High school courses/ grades (G.P.A.) • Quality of courses, level of difficulty, trends/consistency of grades • Rigor of courses • Standardized test scores • Extracurricular activities/ Your resume • Includes academic awards/ honors, extracurricular activities, interest, jobs, community services and hobbies • Application essays and/or personal statements • Recommendation from teacher • Recommendation from counselor • Personal interviews • Many schools may not require them but strongly encourage them and/or provide the option for you to interview

15. The Ultimate Question What will you contribute to their campus?

16. Who should register with the clearinghouse? • A student who plans to attend an NCAA Division I or II institution and who wishes to participate in intercollegiate athletics. • This also applies to walk-on’s • www.eligibilitycenter.org

17. Navianceconnection.naviance.com/lovejoy • Update Personal Information • Update Resume • College Search • Assessments • Learning Style • Interest Inventory • Personality Assessment • EMAILS!!!!

18. Junior Home Page

19. Colleges Tab

20. NavianceScattergrams blackout Reach – Target – Likely Schools

21. Target/Likely School University of Arkansas

22. Colleges on LHS Campus

23. Careers Tab

24. About Me Tab

25. Updating Your Resume

26. Check List

27. Fall • College Fair – Sept. 11th1PM – 3PM • PSAT: October 16th • Register for SAT Reasoning, ACT, or/ and SAT Subject test for later in the the year • Start planning your college visits • Official visits through admissions offices • Review PSAT results • Extra effort on your Junior Grades… they are the last thing the college will see on your transcript!

28. Spring • Spring College Fair - TBD • SAT/ ACT/ SAT Subject (if needed) • AP Exams • Senior Classes, Dual Credit, etc. • Make Summer Plans (Enrichment Programs) • Scholarship Search • Plan College Visits • Start Narrowing College Search