10 TH GRADE PLAN SCORES: WHAT DO THEY MEAN?

1. COMPARING YOUR EPAS SCORES WITH YOUR PROJECTED ACT Taking PLAN® as a 10th grader is a great way to prepare for the ACT—and helps you get ready to succeed in college and beyond! 10TH GRADE PLAN SCORES:WHAT DO THEY MEAN? All information taken from www.act.org/planstudent

2. WHAT YOUR SCORE REPORT TELLS YOU All information taken from www.act.org/planstudent The PLAN Student Score Report contains a lot of information about your skills, interests, plans, and goals. You can use this information to: make sure your remaining high school courses are the best ones possible to prepare you for college help you consider your options for after high school

3. WHAT DO MY SCORES MEAN? All information taken from www.act.org/planstudent Scores are between 1 and 32 Composite Score is the average of English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science The two scores under English and Math break down how you did in specific areas from 1 to 16. (added together they do NOT necessarily equal your English or Math test score.)

4. HOW DO MY SCORES COMPARE? All information taken from www.act.org/planstudent The percentage of students scoring at or below your score shows you how your scores compare to those of students across the country who took PLAN. The other percents show how you scored relative to other students who took PLAN in your school, your school district, and your state.

5. AM I ON TRACK? All information taken from www.act.org/planstudent Your PLAN scores can be used to predict how you are likely to do if you take the ACT as an 11th or 12th grader and keep working hard. The estimated ACT Composite score range is a prediction about how you are likely to score on the ACT if you take the right courses and work hard in those courses. These scores are only estimates, not guarantees.

6. YOUR FUTURE All information taken from www.act.org/planstudent When you took PLAN, you answered questions about your future educational plans. This information can help you clarify your goals and plan for your future—including, perhaps, a college education.

7. YOUR PLANS FOR HIGH SCHOOL Compare Your Courses to “Core” College Prep Courses All information taken from www.act.org/planstudent When you took PLAN, you were asked about the courses you plan to take in high school. This section of your Score Report compares your plans to our recommendations for "core" college prep courses. In this example, the student should take at least one more year of science.

8. THINKING ABOUT COLLEGE? All information taken from www.act.org/planstudent ACT has developed College Readiness Benchmark Scores. If you meet these benchmark scores, you are on your way to having the skills you will need by the time you finish high school to be ready for college-level work. The checkmarks show whether you scored above, at, or below the benchmark scores.

9. YOUR PLANS FOR HIGH SCHOOL Your reported needs All information taken from www.act.org/planstudent When you took PLAN, you were asked whether or not you needed help in seven different areas. Areas checked on your report are the areas you said you needed help with.

10. YOUR CAREER POSSIBILITIES All information taken from www.act.org/planstudent It's not too soon to begin exploring possible careers! Your PLAN Score Report helps you start by focusing on a few career areas. Exploring careers is easier if you have a good map. Visit theWorld-of-Work Map at act.org to begin exploring careers and occupations that might be right for you.

11. HOW CAN I IMPROVE? All information taken from www.act.org/planstudent The back of your Score Report describes the skills and knowledge you already probably have. You'll also see some ideas for improving even more in the different subject areas. The suggestions are based on your scores and can help you do better.

12. EXPLORE, PLAN, AND THE ACT All information taken from www.act.org/planstudent PLAN is the second part of a testing system that starts with EXPLORE and ends with the ACT. Typically, students take EXPLORE in the 8th or 9th grade, PLAN as 10th graders, and the ACT as juniors or seniors. All three test you in English, math, reading, and science. However, the material tested in each program gets more difficult. This is why the top scores are different.

13. SCHEDULING YOUR JUNIOR CLASSES • Each student will meet individually with his or her counselor to choose classes to be taken next year – this process will begin in late January • Students will receive THREE notifications of what day to visit the counseling office; if none of these appointments are kept, counselors will CHOOSE CLASSES ON BEHALF OF THE ABSENT STUDENT • Teachers will be making recommendations electronically for regular/honors level courses as well as electives. Students should speak to their teachers to be recommended for classes in which they are interested • Both student and counselor will sign the course selection sheet, which is a contract that NO CLASSES WILL BE CHANGED next year • Students must take this process seriously and are encouraged to discuss class choices with his or her parents • Please visit the Student Programming Handbook on the Taft website to explore all that our school has to offer.

14. SCHEDULING YOUR JUNIOR CLASSES The following chart lists all required graduation courses in Chicago Public Schools:

15. Your EPAS Scorecard • Your EPAS scorecard will show: • All scores taken at a CPS school, including your 8th grade scores, your 9th grade Explore scores and your Plan scores from this fall

16. Your EPAS Scorecard • Your EPAS scorecard will show: • College Readiness Benchmark scores for next year’s ACT exam

17. Your EPAS Scorecard • Your EPAS scorecard will show: • The level of college readiness indicated by the composite score you achieve by your junior or senior year ACT assessment

18. Your EPAS Scorecard • Your EPAS scorecard will show: • The range of composite ACT scores typically required for admission to various colleges and universities.

19. COLLEGE SELECTIVITY Please refer to the bottom of your EPAS Scorecard to view the college selectivity categories • Highly selective/most competitive colleges • 30-36 ACT; Harvard, Yale, Princeton, University of Chicago, Northwestern, Berkeley, etc. • Selective/competitive colleges • 24-29 ACT; University of Illinois, UIC, Purdue, Loyola, University of Michigan, University of Wisconsin, University of Southern California, UCLA, etc. • Selective/moderately competitive colleges • 18-23 ACT; Northern Illinois, Southern Illinois, Eastern Illinois, Illinois State, Northeastern Illinois, Western Illinois, Elmhurst, Chicago State, etc. • City colleges, 2-year colleges, community colleges • ACT 16 or less; City Colleges of Chicago, Oakton, Triton

20. What’s Next? • January: Quarter 2 High School Interim assessments will determine your strengths and weaknesses in specific skills. This will help your teachers determine what areas to focus on. • Feb – March: Classes will review the questions from your fall Explore exam and review test strategies specific to each subject area. • March – April: Quarter 3 High School Interim assessments will check for growth in skill areas and help you prepare for the end of the year EPAS test. • May: The end-of-year Explore assessment will check whether your college and career readiness skills are on track. • Jan – June: Teachers will be including EPAS style questions in your unit or chapter exams so that you are better prepared for those type of problems. What activities will be happening in your classesto help increase your college & career readiness skills?

21. 10th GRADE PLAN SCORES:A ROADMAP TO ACT AND COLLEGE SUCCESS For more information, parents should visit www.act.org/path/parent. www.whatsnextillinois.org is a great tool to explore your interests and skills. You already have an account! Login today with your student ID #. Username = cps + ID: cps12345678. password is the same, cps12345678. All information taken from www.act.org/planstudent