Freshman & SOphomore Parent Meeting

Freshman & SOphomore Parent Meeting September 15, 2013

Counseling activities • Freshman Four Year Plan • Roadmap for graduating and moving on to college • Maps out courses for all four years • Driven by student’s diploma goal • Core 40 with Academic Honors Diploma • Core 40 Diploma • A living document that can be revised as needed

Core 40 diploma • CORE 40 diploma requirements for class of 2016 • Theology8 credits • English8 credits • Social Studies6 credits (World History, US History, Government, Economics) • Math6 credits (Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II) • Students must take a math or quantitative reasoning course each year in high school. • Science6 credits (Biology, Chemistry or Physics or ICP, any additional Core 40 science course) • PE2 credits (must be completed before sophomore year)

Core 40 diploma • Health1 credit (sophomore year) • World LanguagesRecommended but not required* • Electives11 credits • 1 credit must be in Personal Financial Responsibility or passing score on optional assessment (can also be counted as an elective) • 1 credit must be in Fine Arts • Total of 48 credits

Academic honors diploma • Same as Core 40, but with the following exceptions: • 2 additional Core 40 math credits • 2 electives must be in the area of Fine Arts • World Languages (6-8 credits) • 3 years in one language or 2 years in two different languages • Overall GPA of B or higher • Grade of “C” or better in courses counting toward diploma (ADDITIONAL REQUREMENTS CONTINUED ON NEXT SLIDE)

Academic honors diploma • Additionally, complete one of the following* • 4 AP credits and corresponding AP exams • Earn a combined score of 1750 or higher on the SAT (critical reading+ mathematics + writing; minimum 530 on each section). • 26 or higher ACT composite • 6 credits for dual high school/college courses • Combination of 2 AP credits & 3 dual credits

8th Grade credits • Students may opt to carry over world language and math credits; however, it is not required • Credits that are carried over will be factored into the student’s GPA • They have until spring of their junior year to make a final decision

GPA & Rank • Students have a weighted and an unweightedGPA • Honors and AP courses give additional GPA points towards the weighted GPA • Both cumulative GPA’s are on a 4.0 scale • Class rank is determined by the student’s weighted GPA • The cumulative GPA is what will be reported to colleges • The cumulative GPA is comprised of semester grades only • The semester grades are comprised as follows: • 40% each semester • 20% final exam

ECA EXAMS • Algebra ECA • administered freshman year if the student did not receive a passing score on it in 8th grade or did not take it at all • English ECA • administered sophomore year • Biology ECA • administered the year students take the Biology course • In order to graduate, students must receive passing scores on Algebra and English ECA’s

What if my student does not pass the eca? • Your student will be given an opportunity to take the Algebra and English ECA exams at least once each year following the initial attempt • Mathematics and Language Arts Labs are courses that students can take that will give concentrated help in the respective subject areas and will also help students prepare for the ECA • There is an ECA waiver that students may qualify for if they are unable to pass the exam, but it is contingent on a number of factors

COLLEGE ATHLETICS • The NCAA Eligibility Center certifies whether prospective college athletes are eligible to play sports at NCAA Division I or II institutions. It does this by reviewing the student-athlete's academic record, SAT or ACT scores, and amateur status to ensure conformity with NCAA rules. Source: www.collegeboard.com

NCAA Eligibility • If your student has aspirations of playing sports at a Division I or II school, it is critical to become familiar with the NCAA requirements concerning coursework, GPA and ACT/SAT scores • Some courses do not meet NCAA requirements • Utilize www.CoreCourseGPA.com free of charge

When to register • Students must register online at www.eligibilitycenter.com . They will have to enter personal information, answer questions about their course work and sports participation outside of high school and pay a registration fee. • NCAA recommends registering junior year of high school. Source: www.collegeboard.com

Division I eligibility • All students entering college must have completed 16 core courses in high school. • Students must earn a minimum required GPA in core courses and a combined SAT or ACT sum score that matches this GPA on a sliding scale Source: www.collegeboard.com

Division II eligibility • All students entering college on or after August 1, 2013 must have completed 16 core courses in high school. • Standards require a minimum GPA of 2.0 and a combined minimum SAT score of 820 or sum ACT score of 68. Source: www.collegeboard.com

College exploration • It’s never too early to start thinking about college! • Encourage your student to begin thinking about factors that are important to them in selecting a college (see http://www.actstudent.org/college/factors.html) • Great websites to get students started with college exploration • Naviance program used by Saint Joe • www.TriptoCollege.org(Timeline, Real Answers, Indiana Colleges, Paying for College) • https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/ (step-by-step roadmap to college) • http://www.educationplanner.com/ (explore careers, search for a college, learn about financial aid, find grants or scholarships, plan a campus visit) • http://www.collegeanswer.com/ (saving for, planning for, paying for college)

naviance • Naviance has numerous capabilities for students: • Explore careers and colleges • Request transcripts • Request teacher letters of recommendation • Research scholarships • Create Resumes

Career & college exploration activity • Freshmen will complete the Career Interest Profiler in Naviance • A list of matching occupations will be generated based on student input • Students will examine one career more closely from the list or pick one they are interested in and explore the following areas: • Job description, related occupations, related skills & abilities, typical tasks, most common work activities, average salary, related major • The focus will then shift to college exploration as students research: • A college offering a major leading up to career of interest • General info about that college (school type, enrollment, campus surrounding) • Specific admissions info about that college (required tests, average GPA) • Financial aid (cost of out-of-state tuition, books, available grants & scholarships) • Student Life

Career exploration • Students also have the option to take a personality test in Naviance that is a student-friendly version of the MBTI called “Do What You Are” • Students then get a personalized report detailing strengths and blindspots, preferred learning style, etc. as well as a list of careers compatible with MBTI type

Resume-building activity • Highlight students’ accomplishments during high school • Counselors go into sophomore English classes to facilitate students with creating resumes • Resumes can be a great asset when filling out college apps, applying for scholarships, etc. and are useful to counselors and teachers writing letters of recommendation • A great opportunity to focus in on “wow factor” or “hook” • Students should update resumes yearly! Source: www.InLikeMe.com

Timeline • 9th Grade • Extracurricular activities- depth, not breadth • Participate in summer or weekend programs offered at colleges (see Naviance and www.TripToCollege.org for programs) • Begin documenting extracurricular activities, volunteering, awards, etc. in the resume building section of Naviance called “About Me” • If interested in playing sports in a Division I or II college, take advantage of free SJHS access to CoreCourseGPA.com. • Utilize Naviance and other helpful websites to explore colleges and determine required high school coursework • Take SAT Subject Tests when you have successfully completed the corresponding course in high school study (B+ average or better).

Timeline • 10th grade • Take the PSAT in October (all sophomores participate during school day at St. Joe) • Read materials sent with PSAT score report and consult your guidance counselor to explore ways to improve on future standardized tests • Save your best work in courses and the arts for your academic portfolio • Attend college night in November at Saint Joe • Take a tour or attend an information session at colleges of interest (see http://www.triptocollege.org/timeline/visiting_colleges.cfm) • Update resume in Naviance with additional co-curricular and volunteer activities, employment, etc. • Register for June SAT Subject tests as appropriate • Line up a good summer experience (job, internship, enrichment program)

timeline • For more detailed guidelines for each year of high school, please visit the following websites: • Our counseling website (on the guidance home page, click on timelines link in the box on the right hand side of the page) • http://www.triptocollege.org/ (click on timelines) • http://www.actstudent.org/college/checklist.html • http://www.inlikeme.com/apply/college-admissions-planning-list-and-timeline.html • http://www.inlikeme.com/plan/college-planning-high-school-sophomores.html • http://www.inlikeme.com/plan/college-planning-high-school-junior-years.html • https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/make-a-plan

SAT • Contains three sections: reading, writing and math. • The criticalreading section includes reading passages and sentence completions. • The writing section includes a short essay and multiple-choice questions on identifying errors and improving grammar and usage. • The mathematics section includes questions on arithmetic operations, algebra, geometry, statistics and probability.

ACT • The ACT consists of four multiple-choice tests: • English: 75 questions, 45 minutes • Mathematics: 60 questions, 60 minutes • Reading: 40 questions, 35 minutes • Science: 40 questions, 35 minutes • Plus an optional Writing test: 1 prompt, 30 minutes • Check with colleges of interest to see if this is required

SAT vs. ACT • The ACT and SAT are different tests that measure similar but distinct constructs. The ACT measures achievement related to high school curricula, while the SAT measures general verbal and quantitative reasoning. (www.actstudent.org) • If time and money permit, we recommend that students take both or at least the practice tests for both. (www.InLikeMe.com) • Check to see if colleges of interest require the SAT or ACT or if they will accept either.

Timeline for ACT/sat • Sophomore Year • Fall: Take the PSAT (Use Naviance PrepMe to study for it!) • Spring: Consider taking SAT II Subject Tests • Junior Year • Fall: Take the PSAT (Use Naviance PrepMe to study for it!) • Many juniors take the SAT for the first time in March, and the ACT in April. • We recommend any time after the 1st semester of the junior year. • Senior Year • Students may wish to take the SAT/ACT again in the fall in hopes of improving scores • In General • Start early: aim for at least 2-3 attempts • Plan ahead, especially if your student is interested in Early Decision options Source: www.InLikeMe.com

SAT/ACT prep websites • Naviance, PrepME (FREE) • http://www.number2.com • Free SAT & ACT prep course • www.collegeboard.com • My College Quickstart • www.actstudent.org

College Admissions Factors • Courses Taken • Grades Received • Class Rank • Standardized Test Scores • Personal Statements & Essays • Recommendations • Extracurricular Activities • Interviews • “A student's grades incollege-preparatory classes remain the most significant factor in college admission decisions.” (www.collegeboard.com)

Highly selective colleges look for students who: • Complete core academic requirements. • Take more challenging classes, even though they may have slightly lower grades than they'd achieve in lower-level courses. • Enroll in several college-prep or college-level courses (such as AP and perform well) • Take four years of a world language and science, showing evidence of academic discipline and challenge. (Source: www.collegeboard.com)

Ivy League colleges • In addition to rigor of curriculum, high GPA, high test scores, and meaningful volunteer experience, they also look for: • Evidence of passion • Emotional intelligence

Upcoming school counseling events • College Planning & Financial Aid: October 13, 3:00-4:00 p.m. • College Night:November (date TBA), 7:00 p.m. • College admissions reps will be present from ND, IU, Butler; open to all Saint Joe students and parents • Counselor Breakfast: November 14th (Tentative) • Counselor Breakfast: April 17th (Tentative)

Freshman & SOphomore Parent Meeting