Post Junior Status Conference Work Ahead
• Now that you have met with your counselor for your
junior status conference, you may be wondering, “what
do I need to do now”?
• We wanted to take a few minutes to remind you of
some important topics we covered in your meeting and
to give you a focus from April through August
• We are here to help you through May 28
th
, please
email us or stop by to fill out an appointment slip
• Review Junior Advisement Power Point and checklist
Junior Status Checklist
• Credits and Courses needed for graduation. • EOCT/GHSGT needed for graduation.
• How to start researching colleges (websites, official college visits, college fairs, emailing admissions) • The importance of picking at least ONE safety school when applying to colleges. The difference
between reach, match and safety schools.
• How to search for scholarships and financial aid opportunities (independent websites, our website, financial aid page of college website) .
• The importance of attending a financial aid workshop and of filling out the FAFSA. • Where to locate 11th grade advisement materials on our site:
http://northviewhigh.com/counseling/ .
• How to calculate a “general” weighted and un-weighted academic gpa with disclosure that all colleges calculate it differently and to check with them on their exact process.
• Recommendation to take the SAT/ACT at least once in the junior year and up to three times. • Recommendation to check to see if colleges you are applying to require SAT Subject Tests, how
many, and in which subjects and to make proper arrangements to take them. • HOPE Scholarship information/eligibility requirements.
• The importance of choosing the proper schedule for admission to the college of your choice (making sure you are not missing a course you need for admission, especially with out of state colleges).
• The importance of not overloading academically in the senior year and of taking teacher
Junior Status Checklist
• How to get back on track if necessary: PLATO, Online courses, Summer School, etc.
• Information about transcript/evaluation/recommendation request process and financial aid will take place at the beginning of the senior year.
• NCAA requirements. Specifics for my sport must be discussed with my coach and/or athletic director. Counselors do not make recommendations or advise on course selection or graduation requirements in regard to NCAA.
• The counseling office will ask for 15 business days to complete an evaluation/recommendation prior to the colleges stated application deadline. It is recommended I start my applications in the summer prior to senior year and it was recommended that I start an organizational notebook or other organizational format to keep track of college research, SAT, deadlines, applications, financial aid, SAT/ACT scores, etc. Summer applications to college will not be processed until after Labor Day. • The importance of retaining your final transcript/report card mailed at the end of junior year for
self-reporting of courses and grades on many college applications.
• It is recommended that students waive their right to view a college application if they wish for a confidential letter of recommendation or evaluation be written by a counselor. If you chose to not waive your rights, only grade and course information will be sent.
• The importance of checking the counseling website, having a working email address in our distribution list and checking it often, and/or following us on Facebook.
• My counselor answered any additional questions that I had and told me that I could come in to see him/her as many times as needed to get comfortable with the process.
Scheduling Issues
• These all need to be resolved by May 28
th
!
• May 28
th
is the LAST date to make a change for
your 2013-2014 school year
• Be sure that you have checked with all of your
possible colleges to be sure you have met
entrance requirements.
• We cannot add in arts, social studies, pe,
computer courses, etc, if you realize in August
that you need it for admission
Online programs this summer
• Rising Seniors who have decided to take
Personal Fitness, Economics, American Govt,
or Gen Health over the summer MUST turn in
their off campus course forms ASAP to have
the course removed from the senior schedule
• Students must apply and PAY for these courses
by May 28
th
for enrollment. Any applications
past the 28
th
will not be processed and the
Summer Programs
• Students planning to attend summer programs that
require application and approval may require a
transcript. Be sure to request a transcript through Ms.
Boatwright in counseling by May 28
th
.
• Students must print a paper transcript request form
and submit it with your $3.00 fee and a self addressed
envelope with stamps to Ms. Boatwright by this date.
• Form is located under college/career tab on counseling
site:
College Visits over Summer
• Many of you may have visited college campuses
previously or over spring break.
• What did you learn???????
• Continue to visit colleges over summer.
• This is the #1 best way for you to decide if a
school is a good fit for you or not
• Bring a list of questions to ask the admissions
counselors. Most questions you have will need to
be answered by the specific college.
• Bring a copy of your transcript/schedule
Getting Ready to Apply
• Make sure you have taken the SAT/ACT at least
once, preferably twice before June
• This will leave you one more opportunity in
Sept/October 2013 to take one more to meet
early action deadlines. You will have additional
time if you will apply in January-March.
• Be sure you have taken SAT II subject tests, if they
are required
• Keep track of where you have sent your SAT/ACT
scores
• Still unsure? Take the PRA (Princeton Review
Assessment) on April 27
th
. There is still time to
Getting Ready to Apply
• Keep track of the colleges you are interested
in applying to
• Start an organizational notebook or electronic
file tracking application deadlines, course and
gpa requirements, SAT/ACT requirements, and
essay requirements
• You should be 95% ready to go in August if
you are applying to schools with early
Getting Ready to Apply
• You will be asked to fill out a Senior Information Sheet
in the Fall to give to your counselor to assist us with
evaluations and letters of recommendation
• Gather your documents, awards, community service
hours and activities in a resume format
• You will be busy in the fall so getting this together in
the summer will assist you in getting this to us in
August
• We may change the format, but here is a link to the
form to check it out:
Senior Information Sheet Sample Questions
• Please list hobbies, interests and special talents you have. •
• •
• Three words that best describe you are …Why? •
• •
• What are you most proud of? For example, community service project, helping someone in need, accomplishment at work or in school, competing at sports etc.
• • •
• Please write a short general statement about yourself (your strengths and weakness) that will help me know you better. Please include what sets you apart from others.
• • • • • • •
• Other comments/experiences you would like to share that will help me write your recommendation, such as an obstacle you overcame academically, physically, or personally. • • • • •
• Name four teachers at Northview who know you best – who I can ask for additional feedback about you. •
• ________________________________ ________________________________ •
College Essays
• Once the college rolls over their application
for Fall 2014-2015 (usually early August) you
can begin working on applications and essay
• Be sure to save and come back to your essay.
You may want to ask your Language Arts
teacher to proof read for grammar and
content in the fall before submitting
Common Application Essay Prompts
• Big changes coming to Common Application
• Information found here:
https://www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/
Docs/DownloadForms/2013/EssayAnnouncem
entFinal.pdf
• Start thinking about this now and write some
rough drafts if you are thinking about applying
to colleges through Common Application
• A link to member institutions is here:
Common Application Essay Prompts
Instructions. The essay demonstrates your ability to write clearly and concisely on a selected topic and
helps you distinguish yourself in your own voice. What do you want the readers of your application to
know about you apart from courses, grades, and test scores? Choose the option that best helps you
answer that question and write an essay of no more than 650 words, using the prompt to inspire and structure your response. Remember: 650 words is your limit, not your goal. Use the full range if you need it, but don't feel obligated to do so. (The application won't accept a response shorter than 250 words.)
• Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
• Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what lessons did you learn?
• Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again?
• Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you?
