FINALLY . . . I’m an upper classman, now what??

1. FINALLY . . . I’m an upper classman, now what??

2. ACTIVITIES . . . • Remain involved in school and community activities • Become leaders in your organizations • Participate in community/volunteer activities

3. TRANSCRIPTS • Classes and semester grades earned 9-12 make up theofficial high school transcript • Unweighted GPA on a 4.0 scale • Class rank- 57 currently in your class (top 1/3 would be top 19 students) • 4 semester transcript is what you have now - will graduate with an 8 semester transcript

4. POST-SECONDARY OPTIONS Attending a college/university/technical college?? Going to the military?? Interested in a military academy? Employment?? Undecided??

5. FOCUS on the COLLEGE JOURNEY

6. The first three years of high school is what gets you INTO college … make sure you are on track for the college you plan to consider after high school.

7. HOW DO I CHOOSE? Consider… • Student population - size and diversity • Location • Your comfort level/personality • Major course of study • Financial aid/support VISIT THE CAMPUS BEFORE MAKING THE FINAL PLUNGE…..

8. COMMUNITY COLLEGE • 2 year colleges designed to meet needs of local communities • Affordable educational programs • Transition step to university level • Career-oriented programs-designed to allow students to begin careers after 2 years of college or less • 1 year or less - certificates/diplomas • 2 years - Associate’s degrees

9. PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES • Larger in size • Offer 4 year degree programs • Wide variety of majors, courses, and campus activities • Less expensive than private colleges • Early deadlines and admission requirements- NOVEMBER 1

10. PRIVATE COLLEGES • More individualized attention • Smaller class sizes • Greater opportunities to participate in athletics, student government, etc. • More expensive in cost • More generous with financial aid - Almost 75% of students receive some form of financial aid. • EARLY ADMISSION DEADLINES; STRICTER ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

11. CAREER & TECHNICAL SCHOOLS • Short term training programs in a wide variety of career fields • Length of time - few weeks to 2 years

12. BEGINNING THE SEARCH… Popular college websites… • www.fastweb.com • www.knowhow2go.com • www.zinch.com • www.educationplanner.com • www.collegeapps.com • www.collegenet.com • www.petersons.com • www.collegequest.com • www.collegeboard.com

13. THE COLLEGE SEARCH CONTINUES… CHECK OUT: • admission criteria & deadlines • financial aid/scholarship information • majors offered • activities available • student population • total costs

14. CONTINUING THE SEARCH…. • Sign up in the Guidance Office to visit with college reps when they come on campus – Mrs. Parks (announcements and Just for Juniors newsletter) • Talk to others who have attended the colleges you are considering • Campus Visits

15. CAMPUS VISITS You are allowed to make campus visits and not have them affect your attendance if . . . you complete a Campus Visit Form PRIOR to your visit and you bring in proof of your visit within two school days of the visit!

16. CAMPUS VISITS Campus Visit Forms are available in the Guidance Office and online at www.usd244ks.org, “High School”, “Guidance Center”, “Just for Juniors”

17. NCAA – DIVISION I and II www.eligibilitycenter.org Cost: $70.00 Register at the end of junior year or beginning of senior year. You will get an e-mail with directions on completing your registration. Have the Guidance Office send a transcript now and again after you have graduated! ACT score must be sent directly from ACT; their code number is 9999. Have your scores sent each time you take the ACT! Senior year: Amateurism form must also be submitted

18. NAIA ELIGIBILITY www.playnaia.org Cost: $70.00 To be eligible, you must graduate from high school and meet the following: Earn a composite of 18 or higher on the ACT or earn 860 on the SAT critical reading and math Earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 at the end of the junior year or a 2.5 after first semester of senior year Enroll at an NAIA institution immediately after high school graduation.

19. NAIA ELIGIBILITY ACT scores must come from ACT; use code 9876 when registering for the ACT!

20. STANDARDIZED TESTING Test scores can be used for . . . college admission course placement scholarships

21. STANDARDIZED TESTING ACT (American College Test) Test of choice for schools in the mid-west English, math, science, reading (optional writing) September, October, December, February, April, June Registration packets are available in Student Services or online at www.actstudent.org

22. STANDARDIZED TESTING COST: $38.00 for the ACT $54.50 for the ACT with Writing Late fee: additional $24.00 if you miss the deadline but register by the late fee deadline Standby fee: additional $47.00 if you miss both deadlines but still want to test

23. REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS! Upload or mail in a head and shoulders photo USE YOUR LEGAL NAME!!! Name on ID and admission ticket must match! ON TEST DAY, YOU . . . MUST have registration ticket MUST have photo ID

24. STANDARDIZED TESTING There are many early deadlines your senior year; it is IMPERATIVE that you have an ACT score on file by the end of your junior year if you plan to pursue your education beyond high school!!!! February, April, and June are prime dates for juniors to test!

25. SCORING THE ACT RIGHT SCORING Answer every question on the ACT test – no penalty for incorrect answers. You get a point for each correct answer. Perfect ACT – Composite of 36 National Average – Composite of 21

26. PSAT • Pre-SAT (Pre-Scholastic Aptitude Test) • It will be administered on October 15, 2014, periods 1 – 3

27. WHY TAKE THE PSAT? • Assesses skills in critical reading, math reasoning, and writing • Suggestions on how to improve those skills • Compare individual skills with other college-bound students • Practice for the SAT reasoning test

28. WHY TAKE THE PSAT? • Colleges will begin sending information • Get information about college majors • Free access to MyRoad, a college and career internet program • Enter the National Merit Scholarship Competition

29. National Merit Scholarship Competition • Typically, over 1 million juniors take the PSAT annually. • About 50,000 will earn scores high enough to qualify for recognition: National Merit Commended Student National Merit Semi-Finalist National Merit Finalist

30. The top 50,000 students usually have a Selection Index of 203 or higher • 16,000 students (top scorers in each state) will be named Semi-Finalists - usually have a Selection Index of 215 • Continue in the competition for about 8,000 Merit Scholarship Awards • Other 34,000 are recognized as National Merit Commended Students

31. National Merit Semi-Finalists • Semi-finalists have to do the following during the fall of the senior year: Paperwork Write an essay Secure teacher recommendations Validate the PSAT by taking the SAT by December of the senior year

32. After the semi-finalists have completed the required steps, we find out who the National Merit Finalists are in the spring of the senior year!

33. What is assessed on the PSAT? Critical Reading (short and long reading passages) Math (Algebra 1, geometry, data analysis) Writing (identifying sentence errors, improve sentences, improve paragraphs)

34. PSAT SCORING • Earn a score of 20-80 in each of the three areas • The three scores are added together for a Selection Index • PERFECT PSAT - 240

35. The PSAT will be administered on October 15, 2014 • Deadline to register: September 12th • Cost: $14.00 (cash or checks payable to BHS) Register in the Guidance Office! • If you qualify for the free/reduced lunch program, see Mrs. Bolen for a fee waiver. • Online help: www.collegeboard.com/psat

36. SAT Reasoning Test (Scholastic Aptitude Test) Test of choice for schools on the east and west coasts and for schools who have more selective admissions policies. Critical Reading, Math, Writing October, November, December, January, March, May, June Registration packets are available in the Guidance Office or online at www.sat.collegeboard.com

37. SCORING THE SAT The raw score is computed to the scaled-score of 200-800. Perfect SAT - 2400 Writing Section: 70% of the score is from the multiple choice questions. 30% of the score is from the written essay.

38. SAT Subject Tests Some colleges require subject tests in addition to the ACT or the SAT Reasoning Test. Check with your college or university to see if they also require the subject tests.

39. SAT SUBJECT TESTS ENGLISH Literature HISTORY and SOCIAL STUDIES US History World History SCIENCE MATH Biology Level 1 Chemistry Level 2 Physics

40. SAT SUBJECT TESTS LANGUAGES Chinese Korean French Latin German Spanish Italian Japanese Modern Hebrew ELPT (English Language Proficiency Test)

41. FEE WAIVERS If you qualify for the free/reduced lunch program . . . • you can take the ACT for free twice while you are an upper classman. • you can take the SAT Reasoning test for free twice and take two SAT SubjectTests for free while an upper classman. • you can also take the PSAT for free. See me ASAP!

42. TEST PREP RESOURCES www.sat.collegeboard.com www.actstudent.org www.number2.com www.testprepreview.com www.march2success.com www.kaptest.com/ACTquizbank www.kaptest.com/SATquizbank www.testanxietytips.com Test prep books at book stores Test prep booklets that come with the registration packet BHS teachers – evening study sessions

43. Scholarship Search . . . Register with FastWeb and begin your internet college and scholarship search! www.fastweb.com

44. THE GAME PLAN… • READ, READ, READ WRITE, WRITE, WRITE!! • Keep your grades up so you can have the highest cumulative GPA and class rank possible • Begin searching for colleges that interest you. • Visit with College Reps that come to BHS

45. Plan to attend the Career and College Night at Emporia High School this fall • Try to have your list of potential colleges narrowed down to 5 - 7 when you return for your senior year • Make campus visits • Standardized Tests IT IS IMPERATIVE YOU HAVE AN ACT and/or SAT SCORE ON FILE PRIOR TO SENIOR YEAR!!!!!!!!!!

46. NATIONAL COLLEGE FAIR KANSAS CITY Over 150+ colleges from around the country will be in attendance! Free college planning and financial aid workshops will also be held. WHEN: Sunday, October 5th, 1 – 4 pm Monday, October 6th, 8:30 – 11:30 am WHERE: KC Convention Center, Salon A 301 W. 13th Street, KC, MO 64105

47. NATIONAL COLLEGE FAIR KANSAS CITY You must pre-register by creating an account at www.gotomyncf.com. You will receive a bar code that college representatives can scan to get your basic information. It will save you tons of time by not having to fill out numerous information cards! Please take your barcode registration with you if you attend the fair! This barcode can be used at ANY college fair! Details and additional information can be found at www.nationalcollegefairs.org. .

48. COMMUNITY SERVICE IDEAS • Teach your talent! Perhaps you could teach a weekly/monthly lesson on your favorite hobby at a day care or after school program. Team up and have double the fun! • Join a club at BHS; many of them have a community service component

49. Plan a food drive with your friends. Have a scavenger hunt for certain food items. Donate all the items to the local food bank. • Help someone study! Be a Peer Mentor at our school, BMS, or BES. • Participate in Youth Group or 4-H activities • Other ideas???? • http://lancaster.unl.edu/4h/serviceideas.shtml

50. US SERVICE ACADEMIES US Military Academy, West Point, New York US Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland US Air Force Academy, Denver, Colorado US Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point, New York US Coast Guard Academy, New London, Connecticut