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College Knowledge. 8 th Grade Skills Needed for Middle School and Postsecondary Success #2. Review. What is Ramp-Up to Readiness? What are the 5 pillars of readiness? Why should you start preparing for college now? What are some of the things we’ll do this year to help you prepare? .
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College Knowledge 8th Grade Skills Needed for Middle School and Postsecondary Success #2
Review • What is Ramp-Up to Readiness? • What are the 5 pillars of readiness? • Why should you start preparing for college now? • What are some of the things we’ll do this year to help you prepare?
Today’s Focus Goal: All students meet Ramp-Up Standards Pillars of Readiness Academic Admissions Career Financial Personal/Social Plan Foundation: Belief that all students need to be prepared for postsecondary education
Objectives • Today’s objectives are to: • Learn about the academic college knowledge required for success in college • Understand Soft Skills • Understand the connection between the Readiness Rubric and College Knowledge
Pre-test • How many years of Math and English courses should you take in high school? • What is one measure of academic readiness (or entrance exam) that you may have to take before starting college? • What is one soft skill you need to be successful in college?
Watch Tube Girl Video • Watch the Tube Girl video
Video Discussion • What did Lindsay find out about her readiness for college? • Does graduating from high school guarantee that you’re ready for college level classes? • What can you do now and in high school to help you get ready?
What You Can Do: • Take the required core courses to help you gain the academic knowledge and skills you need • Prepare for entrance exams • Know your level of academic readiness and set goals to close readiness gaps • Develop Soft Skills
1. Take Core Courses • To graduate from high school you may be required to take fewer years of core courses than you need for college. Be smart and take 4 years of each of the following: • English • Math • Science • Social Studies • Colleges also want you to have at least 2 years of a world language.
2. Prep for Entrance Exams • Before you enroll in college, you need to take entrance exams that test your academic knowledge and skills. • For four-year colleges: • ACT • SAT • For two-year colleges: • ACCUPLACER
ACT • Common entrance exam for Midwest colleges • English, Math, Reading, Science, and Writing • 215 questions • Scores range from 1-36 • You get a score for each test and a composite (average score) • ACT benchmarks: English = 18, Math = 22, Reading = 21, Science = 24 • MN Average composite = 22.9
EXPLORE • In 8th or 9th grade you’ll take the EXPLORE test • EXPLORE = college readiness test • Prepares you for the ACT • Tells you your personal level of academic readiness • 128 questions in English, Math, Reading, and Science • Scores = 1-25 • 8th grade Benchmarks: English = 13, Math = 17, Reading = 15, Science = 20 • Also gives career possibilities!
SAT Video about the SAT • Required by many 4 year colleges outside of the Midwest • Tests reading, math, writing • Scores range from 0-2400 • MN average = 1778 • You can take the PSAT in high school to practice.
ACCUPLACER • Required by most 2-year colleges • Tests academic skills in math, English, and reading • 89 multiple choice questions and an essay • Tells you if you are ready for college-level courses or if you need to take remedial coursework (classes to learn the skills that you need to be ready for college-level work) • Practice tests are available
3. Know Your Level of Readiness • How do you find out how academically ready you are? • Take the EXPLORE test and pay attention to your results! • Try your best on MCA tests and see how you do. • If you are meeting standards, you are likely on track to be college ready. • Check how you’re doing in your core courses. You should be passing all of your core courses with at least a C. • Complete the Readiness Rubric!
Readiness Rubric: Academic Readiness • The academic readiness sections of the Readiness Rubric encourage you to look at your grades, MCA test results, and EXPLORE test results • After completing the rubric, you set goals for yourself to improve your academic readiness • We’ll talk more about goal setting next class.
4. Develop Soft Skills • Just because you have the academic knowledge and skills (“hard skills”) doesn’t mean you’ll succeed. • Being successful in middle school, high school, college, and in your future career requires “soft skills”
Soft Skills • Soft Skills = Personal and social skills and habits that help individuals to be successful • What are the soft skills they discussed in the video?
Soft Skills for College • Examples from the video: • Class attendance • Punctuality • Participation • Developing good study habits • Doing quality assignments • Turning in homework on time • Discuss: • Which of these are important for success in middle school? • What are some other soft skills you need for success in middle school?
Readiness Rubric & PREP: Soft Skills • The personal/social readiness sections of the Readiness Rubric and the PREP both measure: • Academic belief • Self-management skills • Effort and persistence • After completing the rubric and/or PREP, you set goals to improve your “soft skills”
Activity: Soft vs. Hard Skills • Form groups of 2-3 people • Each group has been given an envelope with slips of paper inside. The slips each have a different habit, skill, or piece of knowledge needed to succeed in middle school, high school, and college. • Divide the slips into “Soft Skills” and “Hard Skills”
Activity Discussion • Compare your categorization with the group next to you. • Do you have the same categorization? • Were there any slips that were difficult to categorize? Which ones? Why? • Which slips have skills or knowledge you already know? • Which ones were new to you? • Which ones were related to science? English? Math?
Post-Test • How many years of Math and English courses should you take in high school? • What is one measure of academic readiness (or entrance exam) that you may have to take before starting college? • What is one soft skill you need to be successful in college?
Review • We learned about hard skills and soft skills that are important for success in middle school, high school, and college. • What are some of the hard skills you’ll need to learn? • What are some of the soft skills? • Next class we’ll talk about writing goals and you can consider writing goals to improve your academic and personal/social readiness.
References • Microsoft Office Images. (2011). Retrieved from http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/