Junior Class Meeting Class of 2014

1. Junior Class MeetingClass of 2014 RAMS - May 2013

2. Your Counseling Staff Manual Majors A-G Mrs. Marti Johnston marti.johnston@jefferson.kyschools.us Manual Majors H-O Ms. Christy Teague christy.teague@jefferson.kyschools.us Manual Majors P-Z Mrs. Amy Medley amy.medley@jefferson.kyschools.us YPAS Majors A-Z Mr. Dennis Robinson dennis.robinson@jefferson.kyschools.us

3. ACT College Readiness Benchmarks A benchmark score is the minimum score needed on an ACT subject area test to indicate a 50% chance of obtaining a B or higher, or a 75% chance to obtaining a C or higher in the corresponding credit bearing college course. English 18 Math 22 Reading 21 Science 24 These are the minimum scores you need to indicate to the average college you are ready for postsecondary work – More competitive colleges will require higher scores.

4. ACT ScoresACT Composite Mid 50th Percentile Boston College 28-32 Brown University 28-33 Columbia University 28-33 Duke University 29-34 Eastern Kentucky University 21 George Washington Univ. 26-29 Harvard 31-35 Indiana University 23-28 MIT 31-34 Morehead State University 21 Murray State University 24 Tulane University 27-31 University of Chicago 28-33 University of Kentucky 21-27 University of Louisville 24 University of Michigan 27-31 University of North Carolina 26-31 Vanderbilt University 29-34 Western Kentucky University 21 Yale University 30-34

5. ACT & SAT Test Dates for 2013 ACT National Dates June 8 September 21 October 26 December 14 www.actstudent.org SAT National Dates May 4 June 1 October 6 November 3 December 1 www.sat.collegeboard.com

6. College Preparatory CurriculumGraduation Requirements • 4 years of English • 4 years of Math • 3 years of Science • 3 years of Social Studies • .5 years of Health • .5 years of PE or 1 year of Fundamentals of Dance • 1 year of History Arts • 2-3 years of the same Foreign Language • 21st Century Technology, or Computer Applications course • 4-5 Electives

7. Graduation Requirements for Out of State Colleges Here are just a few states that have different requirements from Kentucky • Alabama Colleges – 4 years of Social Studies • Georgia Colleges – 4 years of Science • Indiana & North Carolina – Require pre-calculus • Texas – .5 credits of Speech and .5 credits of Economics

8. What is a TRANSCRIPT?? • The transcript is the report sent to colleges that reflects every semester of high school that you have completed • Courses you have taken and credits earned each semester are on the transcript • The level of rigor of each class is included on the transcript (AP, Advanced, Honors, etc.) • Your total cumulative weighted and unweighted GPA is on the transcript • Grades include all pluses and minuses, A’s, B’s, C’s, D’s, and U’s!!!!

9. How To Be Successful • Push yourself to take classes that reflect as strong and as rigorous an academic curriculum that you can handle successfully • Unplug yourself from the Internet and TV. • Learn to develop your “intellectual appetite” • Find your passion and follow it! Develop yourself as a leader in that area if possible • Select school activities that will demonstrate your passion or leadership in the subject areas you are passionate about • Discover what is available in the community, your church, scouting, recreational sports, charitable organizations, etc. that will enhance your experience and resume • Volunteer as much as you can

10. Monitor Academic Progress • Do not assume that someone will contact you if there is a problem with your academic progress. Keep in contact with your teachers and your counselors • Develop strong study skills and time management techniques • Work on building a strong vocabulary and refine your ability to speak in public • READ, READ, and READ more! Practice and refine your talents • Take advantage of as many educational enrichment activities as you can - summer workshops, camps, honor symposiums, leadership seminars, etc. • Build your college resume by engaging in a well rounded balance of academically rigorous classes, athletic participation, participation in the arts, membership in worthwhile clubs, leadership positions, community service activities, and giving of your time for the betterment of mankind

11. Helpful Hints If you see your grades slipping, try some of these interventions: • ESS (Extended School Services) work after school with a teacher • Peer Tutoring (National Honor Society) work after school with outstanding students • Staying after school to work with your own teacher • Form study groups with other members of your class • Weekly progress reports (available from your counselor) • Assignment notebooks and planners • Structured study time at home. School is not the only place to study and do homework • Participate in class. Be visible and care about what you’re learning. • Maintain a healthy lifestyle which includes proper diet, exercise, sleep, and stay away from the use of illegal drugs and alcohol and anyone you know who may use them

12. Finding the Balance … Plan Ahead! • With the everyday stresses of being a student, making good grades, meeting new friends, making choices and decisions, becoming involved in activities, etc… it is important to find the PROPER BALANCE. • Plan Ahead - develop appropriate relationships with your counselor and those teachers you will be asking to write your letters of recommendation - they need to know who you are now so they can speak highly of you in comparison to other students they have known throughout their career. • Identify special characteristics about yourself that set you apart from other students who have the same GPA and Test Scores. • Clean up your face-book and my-space accounts now! 25% of all colleges and universities now look at your accounts when making college admission decisions.

13. Facebook, MySpace, Email Address, and College Applications • Consider that the information posted on these sites is basically public domain. • In as few as 10 minutes after you have posted something on these sites they are archived forever in over 20 locations throughout the world. • Your personal sites can be viewed by college admission counselors, college professors, employers, stalkers, that creepy kid obsessing over you, as well as campus and local police • Make sure your email address is a professional or generic name and not something that causes one to pause and doubt your integrity or character

14. Time To Do Some Cleanup? • Remove photos showing you doing anything that could be interpreted as inappropriate • Remove rude gestures, inappropriate comments, questionable photos, etc. • Unsubscribe to questionable groups • Remove contact information • Choose attractive/professional looking photos to post • Un-tag any unflattering photos your friends may have posted • Perhaps let your grandmother approve of what you have posted!!!

15. EXPLORING COLLEGES & CAREERS

16. Explore and ResearchColleges/Careers – Your Future! • Identify what you like to do – How do you want to spend the rest of your life? • Will you be happy with the financial resources available to you as a result of that career choice? • Gather as much information as you can from informal visits to colleges and attending college fairs. • Search college websites for minimum GPA and test score requirements – look at the school profile – do you match? • Refine what you possible college major may be and explore colleges strong in that area. • What careers are available to people with a degree in your chosen field? • Identify at least 10 Colleges/Universities you are interested in and spend this summer researching everything you can about those colleges.

17. Top Occupations in the U.S. Based on Growth Rate • Network Systems & Date Communication Analysis • Medical Assistants • Physician Assistants • Computer Software Engineers, Applications • Physical Therapist Assistants • Dental Hygienists • Computer Software Engineers, Systems Administrators • Dental Assistants • Personal and Home Care Aides • Database Administrators • Physical Therapists • Forensic Science Technicians • Veterinary Technologists and Technicians • Diagnostic Medical Sonographers • Medical Scientists • Occupational Therapists • Preschool Teachers • Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians • Postsecondary Teachers • Hydrologists • Computer Systems Analysts • Hazardous Materials Removal Workers • Biomedical Engineers • Environmental Engineers • Paralegals and Legal Assistants

18. In-State vs. Out-of-StateWhat’s the Difference? • In-state institutions are subsidized by taxes collected by state government offering lower tuition rates to residents of that state • Out-of-State institutions will require you to pay higher tuition rates because your parents did not pay the other state’s taxes - tuition rates are sometimes more than double what you pay for your own in-state institutions

19. Kentucky Colleges – Four Year Public Universities • Eastern Kentucky University - Richmond • Kentucky State University - Frankfort • Morehead State University - Morehead • Murray State University - Murray • Northern Kentucky University - Highland Heights • University of Kentucky - Lexington • University of Louisville - Louisville • Western Kentucky University - Bowling Green

20. Kentucky Colleges – Four Year Private Nonprofit Colleges and Universities • Alice Lloyd College • Asbury College • Bellarmine University • Berea College • Brescia College • Campbellsville Univ. • Centre College • Embry-Riddle Univ. • Georgetown Univ. • Indiana Wesleyan Univ. • Kentucky Christian Univ. • Kentucky Mountain Bible College • Kentucky Wesleyan College • Lincoln Memorial Univ. • Lindsey Wilson College • McKendree College • Mid-Continent Univ. • Midway College • Northwood University • Pikeville College • St. Catherine College • Spalding University • Thomas More College • Transylvania University • Union College • University of the Cumberlands

21. Most Common In-State Colleges By Enrollment from duPont Manual • University of Louisville (679) • University of Kentucky (460) • Western Kentucky University (158) • Jefferson Community & Technical College (107) • Centre College (74) • Murray State University (58) • Northern Kentucky University (53) • Bellarmine University (48) • Eastern Kentucky University (36) • Transylvania University (23) • Georgetown College (16) • Morehead State University (16) • Kentucky State University (13)

22. Most Common Out-of-State Colleges By Enrollment from duPont Manual • Indiana University Bloomington (32) • University of Cincinnati/CCM (27) • Washington University in St. Louis (22) • Vanderbilt University (21) • Indiana University Southeast (20) • Duke University (15) • The Ohio State University (14) • Boston University (12) • Maryland Institute, College of Art (12) • Purdue University – West Lafayette (12) • University of Chicago (12) • Columbia College Chicago (11)

23. U.S. News & World Report Rankings of Best Colleges - National Universities • Harvard University • Princeton University • Yale University • Massachusetts Institute of Technology • Stanford University • California Institute of Technology • University of Pennsylvania • Columbia University • Duke University • Northwestern University • Washington University/St. Louis • Cornell University • Johns Hopkins University • Brown University • Rice University • Emory University • University of Notre Dame • Vanderbilt University • University of California - Berkeley • Carnegie Mellon University • Georgetown University • University of Virginia • University of California - Los Angeles • University of Michigan • University of Southern California • Tufts University • Wake Forest University • University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

24. U.S. News & World Report Rankings of Best Colleges - Public National Universities • University of California-Berkeley • University of California - Los Angeles • University or Virginia • University of Michigan • University of North Carolina • College of William & Mary • Georgia Institute of Technology • University of California • University of Illinois • University of Wisconsin • Pennsylvania State University • University of Florida • University of Texas • Ohio State University • University of Maryland • University of Pittsburgh • University of Georgia • Clemson University • Purdue University • Texas A & M University • University of Minnesota • Rutgers University • University of Connecticut • University of Delaware • Indiana University • Michigan State University • University of Iowa • Virginia Tech • Miami University of Ohio

25. U.S. News & World Report Rankings of Best Colleges - Liberal Arts • Williams College • Amherst College • Swarthmore College • Middlebury College • Wellesley College • Bowdoin College • Pomona College • Carleton College • Davidson College • Haverford College • Claremont McKenna College • Vassar College • Wesleyan University • Grinnell College • Harvey Mudd College • United States Military Academy • Washington & Lee University • Smith College • Colgate University • United States Naval Academy • Hamilton College • Colby College • Oberlin College • Colorado College • Bates College

26. Some Top Schools for theVisual Arts - listed alphabetically • Art Academy of Cincinnati (Cincinnati, Ohio) • Art Institute of Chicago (Chicago, Ill.) • Carnegie Mellon University (Pittsburgh, Pa.) • Cleveland Institute of Art (Cleveland, Ohio) • Kansas City Art Institute (Kansas City, Mo.) • Maryland Institute College of Art (Baltimore, Ma.) • Memphis College of Art (Memphis, Tenn.) • Minneapolis College of Art & Design (Minneapolis, Minn.) • Montserrat College of Art (Beverly, Mass.) • Pratt Institute (Brooklyn, N.Y.) • Rhode Island School of Design (Providence, R.I.) • Savannah College of Art & Design (Savannah, Ga.)

27. Some Top Schools for Mathematics, Science, & Technology • Massachusetts Institute of Technology • Harvard University • Princeton University • University of Chicago • University of Michigan – Ann Arbor • Columbia University • New York University • Yale University • Cornell University • Brown University • Northwestern University • Duke University • Johns Hopkins University • Washington University in St. Louis • Carnegie Mellon University • University of California – Berkeley • University of Washington • Georgia Institute of Technology • University of Wisconsin – Madison • Purdue University – Indiana • Rice University • University of Massachusetts – Amherst • California Institute of Technology • University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill • Scripps Research Institute • University of Illinois

28. Some Top Schools forJournalism & Communications • Arizona State University • Indiana University • Iowa State University • Michigan State University • Northwestern University • Ohio University • Syracuse University • University of Florida • University of Georgia • Kansas University • University of Iowa • University of Maryland • University of Minnesota • University of Missouri • University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill • University of Oklahoma • University of Oregon • University of Southern California • University of Texas at Austin

29. Some Top Schools for Music, Dance, Theatre, and Design & Production • Western Kentucky (D&P) • Carnegie Mellon (musical theatre) • Boston Conservatory (musical theatre) • Roosevelt University (musical theatre) • Florida State University (dance) • Stephens College (dance) • University of Florida (dance) • University of Illinois (music) • Manhattan School of Music • Yale University (music) • Duke University (theatre) • Emerson University (theatre) • Cleveland Institute of Music • Indiana University (music) • Juilliard School of Music • Northwestern (music) • Oberlin Conservatory (music) • University of Cincinnati (music) • University of Michigan (dance) • Butler University (dance) • Ball State University (musical theatre) • Notre Dame (musical theatre) • DePaul University (D&P) • Northern Kentucky (D&P) • University of Louisville (D&P)

30. U.S. News & World Report Rankings of Best Colleges – A+ Options for B Students • Pepperdine University • Syracuse University • Fordham University • Purdue University • University of Connecticut • Southern Methodist University • University of Delaware • Indiana University • Michigan State University • University of Iowa • Miami University of Ohio • University of Colorado • Baylor University • SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry • Marquette University • University of Denver • Auburn University • Clark University • Drexel University • Iowa State University • North Carolina State University • St. Louis University • University of Vermont • SUNY - Stony Brook • University of Alabama

31. Hints For A Campus Visit • Make an appointment for your tour • Visit In-session • Stay overnight when possible • Include your parents • Meet with an admissions officer • Verify admissions requirements • Discuss your chances for success • Obtain a school calendar and catalogue • Determine college costs • Ask about financial aid opportunities • Ask about student/teacher ratio for freshmen • Meet Faculty • Ask about Honors Program • Ask questions about academic requirements and offerings • Attend a class • Ask about placement record • Identify career-planning services • Tour the campus/classrooms/labs • Tour the dorms/dining facilities • Tour the recreational facilities • Tour the city or town • Talk to students • Find out about student activities • Inquire about campus life • Investigate transportation options • Keep note about your visit • Write thank you notes

32. College Application Process Class of 2014

33. Top Five Tips for Juniors in Preparation for College Applications • Standardized Tests - complete all standardized tests your junior year and retake those with low scores. • Grades and Classes - junior year grades are the most important (you are now settled in your routine; more demanding courses predict college performance; classes you choose speak volumes about your motivation and intellectual curiosity). • Teacher/Counselor Recommendations - if you share an intellectual interest with a teacher they are more likely to give you a good college recommendation. Get to know your counselor and connect with teachers you want to write for you. • Activities - the way in which you spend your time outside the classroom serves as testimony to your moral fiber; assess whether your activities reflect a depiction of your interests and passions. • Opportunities - admissions officers look for students who step out of their comfort zone and seek new experiences. Ignoring an opportunity does not appeal to college admissions officers.

34. College Admissions Criteria by Importance • Academic Rigor, Talent, and/or Mastery of Skills • Cumulative GPA • Grades in Advanced Placement Courses • Grades in College Prep Courses • Grades in All Subjects • ACT & SAT Test Scores • Class Rank (JCPS does not rank) • Essay or Writing Samples • Honors, Awards, etc. • Counselor Recommendations • Teacher Recommendations • Interviews (if required) • Community Service • Work and Extra Curricular Activities

35. Are You Ready to Apply? • Have you decided what your college major will be? • Are you happy with the lifestyle and eventual pay scale you will be earning upon graduation? • Are you satisfied with your employability upon graduation? • Will you be happy doing this for the rest of your life? • Have you researched to find the schools that are strong in that area? • Have you found a Kentucky College you would happy attending? • Have you visited the college campuses, experienced the culture on campus, satisfied with safety concerns, checked out the dormitory and food services, explored the town or city, met with admissions counselors, and talked with your prospective primary teacher? • Do you know the entry requirements, audition repertoire you will be expected to perform, and have a good grasp of that material so it will be prepared by audition day? • If you have answered yes to all of these questions – you are ready to begin the college application process!!!

36. How Many Colleges Should I Apply To? For most students it will be a list of about six schools • Reach Schools (1 or 2): Aim for one or more “reach” colleges/universities that are highly desired and highly selective. These “dream” schools will have about a 10% acceptance rate. If you don’t, you’ll always wonder, “what if?” • “Fit” Schools (1 or 2): It is wise to include one or two “fit” schools where the odds are 50/50 that you will be accepted based on your talent, GPA, and test scores • “Safety” Schools (1 or 2): Include at least one or two “safety” colleges where admission is highly likely and a college where you can afford to attend if you receive very little financial aid

37. What Will Be Your First Impression? The appearance of your college application is very important: • If you are completing your application on-line, make sure all the blanks are filled in and your application is complete • If submitting a hard copy – type the application or print VERY NEATLY in black ink. • Make sure all the components of the application are in the correct order • If you are mailing the application – address the envelope in a very professional way – typed address labels are great

38. Most College Applications are Completed Online • Students access the application through the college website, usually under “admissions” • Generally, a username and password will be provided that will allow you to save your work from multiple sessions • The final copy is either transmitted through the Web or printed and sent via snail mail – be prepared to pay the application fee with a credit card

39. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJZjSVuCTlg&feature=player_detailpagehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJZjSVuCTlg&feature=player_detailpage

40. The Common Application • Available online at www.commonapp.org • Approximately 300 schools, including the most selective liberal arts colleges, accept the Common Application • You can either download the application or transmit through the web • Use the college’s own application form if they have one – but many have adopted the common application as their own

41. Cultivating Colleges • Many colleges are reluctant to accept an applicant unless they have reason to believe that he/she is seriously interested. • Many colleges track every contact the applicant initiates and are more likely to accept students who have made multiple contacts A few ways to communicate interest include: • Visit the college – if you do not have a personal interview stop by the admissions office and let them know you came • If the college sends a rep to Manual or YPAS, go to their session and communicate your interest • Attend a college fair in your local area and speak to the representative • Get a business card from any college representative you meet and write or email that person to thank them and emphasize your interest • Note in your application that a particular college is your first choice school or one of your top choices • Make sure your email address stays the same throughout the college search process – if it changes tell the colleges

42. Listing Activities • Always list activities from most important to least important • The ones that are significant, as evidenced by leadership and time commitment • Marginal activities should be de-emphasized • Don’t make a big production out of honors from companies that put your picture in a book and then ask you to buy it • Follow the college’s preferred format for listing activities

43. Listing Activities • If one of your activities was chairing the Founder’s Day Committee, it won’t mean anything to the admissions office unless you explain what you did and why the committee was important • If it was an honor bestowed on only one senior, say so • If it involved presentations to alumni and coordination of twenty volunteers for six months, spell that out • You could also have the sponsor, counselor, or principal write a letter outlining the significance

44. Get It In Early • Keep on top of deadlines - there will be different ones for each college and for each part of the application process • Some deadlines are as early as Oct. 1st • If the college offers rolling admissions they admit the first good applicants that come along leaving fewer slots for later applicants • If the college evaluates in one big pool, applying early shows you are interested and they know that stronger applicants tend to file early

45. Early Decision vs. Early Action • Both require students to apply by an early deadline - usually between October 15th and December 1st • Decisions are usually rendered between December 15 and February 1 • Borderline students are usually deferred and considered with the regular applicant pool at a later date • Only students that have thoroughly investigated colleges and completed most standardized testing by the end of the eleventh grade with high test scores will be in a strong position to consider early application

46. Early Decision • Early decision involves a BINDING DECISION to enroll if accepted - you have to attend that school regardless of other offers and without knowing any financial aid package that may or may not be offered • You may only apply to one school through Early Decision and if accepted, you must withdraw your applications to all other schools • Early Decision offers a slight advantage of acceptance - colleges usually accept a higher percentage of applicants than those that apply for regular decision - colleges desire students that really want to attend their school

47. Early Action • Entails NO commitment to enroll and therefore offers little advantage for admission • Early Action students, however, are often first in line for merit scholarships and housing • Competition in Early Action pools at highly selective schools is generally tougher than in the regular pool • Some Early Action colleges now ask that students apply early only to their institution, however, you may still apply regular decision to any other institution

48. Your College Essay Can Make the Difference!!! • Admissions officers are looking for spark, vitality, wit, sensitivity, originality, and signs of a lively mind • They want to know how well you can express yourself in writing • Try to be as concise and specific as possible • Don’t waste words that aren’t essential to your point • Reread the essay several times for word choice and typos • If you have time - put your essay aside for a few weeks and reread again to see if it still makes sense • When talent, GPA, and test scores are equal - the essay will often determine who is chosen for admittance

49. College Essays • Show, don’t tell - a skillful writer lets evidence show that a proposition is true; a clumsy one tells because his writing is not powerful enough to show • Use your own experiences - put yourself in the starring role and use your own real life thoughts and feelings. Give the reader a piece of your mind • Use the first person - the better the reader gets to know you as a person the more likely you will be admitted • Begin with a flourish - the most important sentence in your essay is the first one; hook the reader with a first sentence that surprises and piques interest to read further – polish that first sentence until it sparkles!!!! • Proofread - nothing is more damaging than an essay sull of typoes, speling misteaks, and grammar that ain’t no good

50. Common Application Essay • Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you. • Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international concern and its importance to you. • Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence. • Describe a character in fiction, a historical figure, or a creative work (as in art, music, science, etc.) that has had an influence on you, and explain that influence. • A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences adds much to the educational mix. Given your personal background, describe an experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college community or an encounter that demonstrated the importance of diversity to you. • Topic of your choice.