Class of 2014 Junior Year: Fall Semester

Types of Higher Education Liberal Arts Colleges Universities Technical Institutes and Professional Schools Community or Junior Colleges

College Match… Things to Consider Look at Yourself: Determine your Interest and Goals Academic Career/ Proposed Major Extracurricular Activities Social Preference Retention & Graduation Rates Look at your Institutional Options Size Location Cost Admissions Requirements Private vs. Public Large vs. Small Special Programs

Things to ask yourself How do I learn best? –In large or lecture style classes, or in small discussion/ seminar settings? What extracurricular activities have been most important to me? –Which will I want to continue in college? What have I learned about my academics interests and abilities that will influence what I might study in college?

Standardized Exams PSAT SAT SAT Subject Exams ACT AP

PSAT: October 17 Exam will begin at 8:45 am Room assignments will be posted in the Commons Area What to Bring –Photo ID –Two #2 Pencils –Calculator Absolutely NO Cell Phones

PSAT Online Preparation –Sample Questions & Practice Test Answer Explanations –Skills Tested & Practice Questions for each skill You will receive your scores and booklet in Dec. - Jan. Scores Reported on a scale of 20 to 80

What’s on the PSAT? Critical Reading (2- 25 min. sections) –Sentence Completion (13 questions) –Passage Based Reading (35 questions) Mathematics (2- 25 min. sections) (28 multiple choice questions & 10 student response questions) –Number & Operations (20-25%) –Algebra & Functions (35- 40%) –Geometry & Measurement (25-30%) –Data Analysis, Statistics, & Probability (10-15%) Writing Skills (1- 30 min. section) –Improving Sentences (20 questions) –Identifying Sentence Errors (14 questions) –Improving Paragraphs (5 questions)

National Merit Junior year PSAT selection index score Commended Students: Notified September Semifinalists: Notified September –Top ½ of 1% become semifinalist Finalists: February The cutoff index is the past

ACT Basic Information 3 hour college entrance exam Composed of 4 tests –English usage –Mathematics –Reading –Science Reasoning –30 minute optional writing test Score range 1-36 for each area Writing test score range Exam Date: September 8 Exam Date: October 27 Exam Date: December 08 Exam Date: February 09 Exam Date: April 13** Exam Date: June 08** ** Recommend taking in the Spring.

Things to Remember about the ACT There are no penalty for wrong answers –If you are not positive… guess –If you have no idea… guess –If you run out of time… guess Do not leave blank answers Science: charts and experiments English: stresses grammar Reading: 4 passages (1 of each: social science, natural science, prose fiction, and humanities)

SAT Basic Information 3 hour and 45 minute college entrance exam Composed of 3 tests –Critical Reading –Mathematics –Writing Skills Scores range for each area Exam Date: October 06 Exam Date: November 03 Exam Date: December 01 Exam Date: January 26 Exam Date: March 09** Exam Date: May 4** Exam Date: June 01** ** Recommend taking in the Spring.

Things to Remember about the SAT Questions are arranged in order of difficulty –1/3 easy –1/3 medium –1/3 hard Points –Correct = 1 point –Incorrect = Minus ¼ point –Blanks = no effect on your score –0 points subtracted for incorrect student-produced response (math section) Guess if you can narrow it down to 2 answers (3 answers use your judgment but often times guess)

ACT and SAT Comparison ACT SAT 3 hours, 25 minutes (with writing test)L ENGTH 3 hours, 45 minutes 4 sections (English, Math, Reading, Science) Plus an optional writing test S TRUCTURE 10 sections (3 Critical Reading, 3 Math, 3 Writing) Plus and experimental section S CORING Composite of 1-36 based on average scores from the 4 test sections S CORE Total score range of based on adding scores from 3 sections No penalty for wrong answersW RONG A NSWER P ENALTY ¼ point subtracted from your raw score for each wrong answer (except for math grid-ins) You decide which score is sentS ENDING S CORE H ISTORY Depends if you are enrolled in Score Choice (Some colleges require you to send all scores) C ONTENT Reading comprehension- 4 passages with 10 questions per passage R EADING Reading comprehension- Short and long passages with questions. Sentence completion Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Algebra II, and Trigonometry M ATH Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Algebra II Analysis, interpretation, evaluation, basic content, and problem solving S CIENCE Science not included Last thing (optional): 30 minutes Topic of importance to high school student E SSAY First thing 25: minutes Factored in to overall score; More abstract than ACT

SAT Subject Test 1 hour test that measure knowledge and skills in a particular subject and a student’s ability to apply the knowledge Scores range Colleges may use these scores in several ways. –Admissions purposes –Award college course credit –Help place students in the appropriate college courses

Crafting the Class –Holistic approach to the student body –It cannot only be a fit for the student but also a fit for the institution –The institution has multiple goals Enrollment targets Diversity Special populations Financial aid availability Alumni

Things that May Effect You Getting in to Your Dream College Last year’s graduating class Your major Your home state Them gambling on whether you will actually attend Who else is applying this year

Key Parts of College Admissions High school courses/ grades (G.P.A.) –Quality of courses, diversity, level of difficulty, trends/ consistency of grades Extracurricular activities/ Your resume –Includes academic awards/ honors, extracurricular activities, interest, jobs, community services and hobbies Application essays and/or personal statements Standardized test scores –Maybe #2 for more selective colleges (as an expectation level) Recommendation from teacher Recommendation from counselor Personal interviews –Many schools may not require them but strongly encourage them and/or provide the option for you to interview

7 P’s of the Application Portrait Program- curriculum Place- the context Performance Pattern Potential Participation Personality

The Ultimate Question What will you contribute to their campus?

Who should register with the clearinghouse? A student who plans to attend an NCAA Division I or II institution and who wishes to participate in intercollegiate athletics. –This also applies to walk-on’s

Naviance connection.naviance.com/lovejoy Update Personal Information Update and Follow Check List Update Resume College Search Assessments –Learning Style –Interest Inventory –Personality Assessment S

Junior Home Page

Colleges Tab

Colleges on LHS Campus

Careers Tab

About Me Tab

Updating Your Resume

Upcoming Events College Fair Wednesday, September 12 1:00 pm- 3:00 pm Register: Print bar code and bring to fair

Fall College Fair PSAT: October Register for SAT Reasoning, ACT, or/ and SAT Subject test for later in the the year Start planning your college visits –Day Trips Review PSAT results Extra effort on your Junior Grades… they are the last thing the college will see on your transcript!

Spring SAT/ ACT/ SAT Subject (if needed) AP Exams Senior Classes, Dual Credit, etc. Make Summer Plans (Enrichment Programs) Scholarship Search Plan College Visits Start Narrowing College Search