College and Career Planning

1

Guide to the College Process

2
Timelines

• 9th Grade
• GPA and Rank
• Get Involved (clubs, sports, and community)
• Create 4-year Academic Plan
• Begin to think about post-secondary options
• Be Responsible/Make Good Choices!
• Establish good study habits
• Get to know your school counselor

3
10th Grade

• Career Exploration/Interest Inventories
• PSATs (October 17)
• Stay Involved in Activities
• Volunteer
• Keep your Grades up
• Challenge yourself
• Continue to make good choices

4
11th Grade

• Take the PSAT Oct 17 (National Merit Scholarship)
• Start compiling Activities/Awards Resume
• Register and take the SATs (at least 2x)
• Consider taking the ACT
• Attend a college fair (Apr 23-permission forms
  required)
• Parents may attend Apr 22 (Kings Caterers)
• Visit, Visit, Visit!! (5 excused days per year!)

5
12th Grade

• Meet with your counselor as early as possible to
  discuss the application process
• Letters of Recommendation
• College essay
• Transcript Requests

6
12th Grade (Cont.)

• Become familiar with the specific application
  requirements of the colleges you wish to apply
• If you intend to play sports at a NCAA Division
  I or II school you must register at
  ncaaclearinghouse.org!
• Pay attention to deadlines!!

7
Application Deadlines

• Early Decision (Binding)
• Early Action (Non-Binding)
• Rolling
• Regular
• It is the students responsibility to meet all
  deadlines! Allow 10 school days for transcripts
  requests and supplemental forms, 2 - 4 weeks for
  letters of recommendations! These items are sent
  directly from the guidance office.

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12th grade (cont.)

• Narrow down college choices to at least one
  safety, two comforts, and one reach
• Safety - Academic and Financial Profile meet and
  exceed all admission criteria
• Comfort - Academic and Financial Profile meet all
  admission criteria
• Reach - Academic and Financial Profile meet only
  some of the admission criteria
• Pay attention to college visits at NHS attend
  ones of interest (on website)

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Factors Colleges Consider

• GPA
• High School Curriculum
• Class Rank
• Standardized Test Scores
• Community Service, Activities, Athletics
• Letters of Recommendation (send only the number
  of letters that the college requests)
• College Essay

10
Factors you should consider

• Is the school right for you?
• Location
• Size
• Cost (Public vs. Private)
• Major
• Interests
• NCAA Division I/II Requirements

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Standardized Testing

• SAT I Reasoning Test
• SAT II Subject Tests (does your school require
  them?)
• ACT Test (with writing)
• scores must be requested by you and
  sent directly to your college from
  collegeboard.com and/or ACT.org!

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SAT Registration SAT Registration
Upcoming Test Dates (test offered at NHS) Upcoming Test Dates (test offered at NHS)
Test Date Registration Deadline
May 2, 2009 March 31, 2009 (late registration until 4/17/09 for 23)
June 6, 2009 May 5, 2009
October 10, 2009 TBA
November 7, 2009 TBA
December 5, 2009 TBA
January 23, 2010 TBA
March 6, 2010 TBA
May 1, 2010 TBA
June 5, 2010 TBA
Test Registration Fees (2008-09 rates) Test Registration Fees (2008-09 rates)
Basic Test Fee 45 Basic Test Fee 45
Late Registration 23 Late Registration 23
Change Fee 22 (per type of change) Change Fee 22 (per type of change)
http//www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/sat/reg.html http//www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/sat/reg.html
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SAT at a Glance SAT at a Glance SAT at a Glance SAT at a Glance SAT at a Glance
SECTION FORMAT/ TIMING QUESTION TYPES SCORE 08 NATL AVGS
Math Three Sections Two 25-min sections One 20-min sections Multiple Choice, Grid-Ins 200-800 515
Critical Reading Three Sections Two 25-min sections One 20-min section Sentence Completion, Reading Comprehension 200-800 502
Writing Three Sections One 25-min essay One 35 min section ESSAY, Identifying Sentence Errors, Improving Sentences and Paragraphs 200-800 494
Experimental One Section One 25-minute Varies
TOTAL 10 sections 3 hours and 45 minutes 10 sections 3 hours and 45 minutes 600-2400 600-2400
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ACT Registration ACT Registration
Upcoming Test Dates ( tests offered at NHS) Upcoming Test Dates ( tests offered at NHS)
Test Date Registration Deadline
September 12, 2009 August 7, 2009
October 24, 2009 September 18, 2009
December 12, 2009 November 6, 2009
February 6, 2010 January 5, 2010
April 10, 2010 March 5, 2010
June 12, 2010 May 7, 2010
Test Registration Fees (2008-09 rates) Test Registration Fees (2008-09 rates)
Basic Test Fee 31 Basic Test Fee 31
Test Fee 46 (includes 15 Writing Test fee) Test Fee 46 (includes 15 Writing Test fee)
Late Registration 20 Late Registration 20
Change Fee 20 (per type of change) Change Fee 20 (per type of change)
http//www.actstudent.org/regist/index.html http//www.actstudent.org/regist/index.html
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ACT at a Glance ACT at a Glance ACT at a Glance ACT at a Glance ACT at a Glance
SECTION FORMAT/ TIME QUESTION TYPES SCORE 08 NATL AVGS
English Test 45 minutes 75 questions Usage/Mechanics, Rhetorical Skills 1-36 20.6
Math Test 60 minutes 60 questions Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry 1-36 21.0
Reading Test 35 minutes 40 questions Prose Fiction, Social Studies, Humanities, Natural Sciences 1-36 21.4
Science Test 35 minutes 40 questions Data Representation, Research Summary, Conflicting Viewpoint 1-36 20.8
Writing Test (optional essay) 30 minutes 1 question Written Essay 1-36 0-12 21.4 7.3
TOTAL 2 hours and 55 mins 3 hours and 25 mins (includes Writing Test) 4-5 Subj. Area Tests 215 Multiple Choice 1-36 21.1
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ACT vs. SAT ACT vs. SAT ACT vs. SAT
ACT SAT
Test Length 3 hours, 25 minutes (including 30-min. optional essay) 3 hours, 45 minutes
Test Sections 4-5 Test Sections 10 sections
Science Content Tests science reasoning (analysis, interpretation, problem solving) Science not included
Math Content ¼ of the overall score Tests up to Trigonometry 1/3 of the overall score Tests up to basic Geometry and Algebra II
Essay Last Section- 30 minutes (optional) not included in total score First Section 25 minutes (required) factored into overall scoring
Scoring 4 Scores of 1-36 per subject area test Composite Score 1-36 3 Scores of 200-800 per section Total 2400
Guessing Strategy Always guess! Guess when you can eliminate at least one answer choice
Score History Students decide which score is sent Students decide which score is sent.
Test Fee 31/46 (with optional Writing Test) 45
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Financial Aid/Scholarships

• Attend Financial Aid Night (Fall 2009)
• Apr 22, 2009 Kings Caterers College
  Fair
• File the FAFSA www.fafsa.ed.gov
• (Free Application for Student Financial Aid)
  after Jan 1!
• Deadline June 30, 2010
• Visit/Register
• CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE on CollegeBoard.com
  (Nonfederal Aid)
• Scholarships (morning announcements, posted in
  homerooms and website)
• Ask your college of interest for privately funded
  school based scholarships
• Find out if your school has its own financial aid
  forms
• Pay Attention to Deadlines!!!!!

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Helpful Websites

• MakingHighSchoolCount.com
• FinAid.com
• FastAid.com
• CollegeTours.com
• CollegeBoard.com
• FastWeb.com
• PrincetonReview.com
• Petersons.com