JUNIOR TIMELINE

1
JUNIOR TIMELINE

• PLANNING FOR COLLEGE

2
ACADEMICS

• Junior year courses should be tough. Show
  perspective colleges that you challenged
  yourself.
• Keep the grades up!
• This is the last chance to raise your GPA.
• This years GPA will be used when you apply to
  college next year.

3
EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

• Focus on the activities that are truly enhancing
  your life and drop those that are filler. Its
  quality not quantity that matters.

4
OCTOBER

• THINK SAT and/or ACT
• Take Practice SAT and ACT Test. See which one
  yields a higher score.
• Best is to register for both tests and see what
  test is better for you. Once you decide take the
  test of your choice again.
• Take the test as many times as you want.
  Colleges accept the best score.
• Your last test chance will be in early fall of
  your Senior Year. Start building your score now!

5
DIFFERENCE

• SAT
• 3HRS, 45 MIN
• 10 SECTIONS (3 Critical Reading, 3 Math, 3
  Writing), 1 Experimental (unscored)
• SCIENCE Not Included

• ACT
• 3 HRS, 25 MIN
• 4 SECTIONS (5 with optional Writing Test),
  English, Math, Reading, Science and Writing
  (optional)
• SCIENCE Analysis, Interpretation, Evaluation,
  Basic Content and Problem Solving.

6
DIFFERENCE continued

• SAT
• READING Reading comprehension passages and
  questions, and sentence completion questions.
• MATH Accounts for 1/3 of overall score. Topics
  covered Arithmetic, Geometry, Algebra and
  Algebra II.
• ESSAY First thing you do (25 minutes). Required.

• ACT
• READING 4 Reading comprehension passages, 10
  questions per passage.
• MATH Accounts for ¼ of overall score. Topics
  covered Arithmetic, Geometry, Algebra and
  Trigonometry.
• ESSAY Last thing you do (30 minutes).
  Optional. Strongly recommended, especially if
  you do not plan to take the SAT.

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DIFFERENCE continued

• SAT SCORING
• Total Score out of 2400
• 3 Scores of 200-800 for each section
• Score of 0-12 for the Essay
• Essay factored into overall score.
• 1/4 Point subtracted per wrong answer (except for
  Math Grid-in questions).

• ACT SCORING
• Total composite score of 1-36 (based on
  average of 4 tests.
• 4 Scores of 1-36 for each test.
• Score of 0-12 for the optional Essay.
• Essay not factored in composite score.
• No wrong answer penalty.

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SAT AND ACT CONTACT INFOWHHS School Code 410920

• SAT
• The College Board
• 1-866-756-7346
• www.collegeboard.com

• ACT
• ACT, Inc
• [phone]
• www.actstudent.org

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PRACTICE

• www.number2.com (SAT ACT)
• www.actstudent.org
• www.collegeboard.com/satonlinecourseschool
• Access Code LTLLMTI-3PZS29AJI
• School Code 410920
• Guidance has Practice Booklets

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NOVEMBER DECEMBER

• Start researching schools. There are
  approximately 3,500 four-year and two-year
  colleges in the US. It would take forever to
  research and visit them all. Focus on schools
  that meet your needs, desires and qualifications.
• Some questions to ask your self
• Do they offer your major of choice?
• What was their freshman profile (SAT and ACT
  Score, GPA, Class rank) last year? Do you fall
  in that average?
• Do you want face time with professors? (Class
  size)
• What kind of living situation do you want?
• How important is a diverse student population?
• Do you want to spend free time on campus or town?

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JANUARY

• GET SERIOUS. You are halfway through your junior
  year and it is time to prepare for the college
  admissions process.
• Take a look at a real college application.
• Review your transcript.
• Talk to your teachers about writing a
  recommendation for you next year.

12
FEBRUARY - MARCH

• If you are planning to take the SAT and ACT in
  March April it is time to prepare.
• Talk to your parents about visiting colleges over
  Spring Break (if you cannot leave town, visit a
  local college to get a feeling of the environment
  and to practice).
• If you are taking an AP Course start thinking
  about the exam.
• KEEP THE GRADES UP!

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APRIL

• Start thinking about money. While you research
  colleges, dont forget to think about how you are
  going to pay for it.
• Public colleges and universities cost an average
  15,000-18,000 (room board included). This is
  instate tuition.
• Private college can cost from 27,000-37,000 per
  year (room board included)
• There are need based and merit based financial
  opportunities.
• Familiarize your self with FAFSA (financial aid).
• Know about all the SC Scholarships available
  (Life, HOPE, need base grants). www.che.sc.gov
• Most colleges offer their own scholarships also.

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MAY - JUNE

• Narrow your Research.
• Focus on college that you believe might accept
  someone with your grades, scores and
  characteristics.
• You do not need to decide at this time but you
  should have some strong contenders.
• Re-Prep for SAT/ACT if you want a stronger score.

15
REMEMBER

• Junior year is the last chance to improve your
  GPA.
• Start taking the ACT and/SAT.
• Start thinking of college choices.
• Visit colleges.
• Think scholarships and grants.
• KEEP YOUR GRADES UP!

16

• PLEASE FILL OUT THE HANDOUT.