1. Prepare for a World of Possibilities In High School and Beyond!
Understanding Your EXPLORE® Results
Prepare for a World of Possibilities In High School and Beyond!
Points of Emphasis
Welcome! Remember when you took the EXPLORE test in (October)? Today we are going to go over your results on the EXPLORE Student Score report. You will learn what your EXPLORE results tell you about yourself right now – what subjects you might need help in, what careers might be interesting to you and if you are on track for college. This is just a start – as you grow and learn you may change your plans and that is okay. Now that you are almost in high school, it’s time to start thinking about what you will do in high school and beyond.
Tip – Give each student an index card while passing out the EXPLORE result – ask them to put their name on the card, ‘EXPLORE’ their reports and write down any questions they may have for you. Ask them to listen during the presentation to be sure you answer their questions.
This PowerPoint can be downloaded at:
2014/15 AZ EXPLORE PROGRAM

2. Objective for this Session
Utilize ACT EXPLORE test materials/scores and the College & Career Planning guide to take four steps to a successful and rewarding life:
2014/15 AZ EXPLORE PROGRAM

3. Why Think About College Now ?
Explain that The Planning Guide is a tool for them to help get ready for high school and college. Have students turn to page 1 of the Guide.
Read, or have the students read, the letter from the D-backs. Engage the students in a discussion of what they get out of this letter; help them summarize in one topic sentence the contents of this letter. They should come up with something like, “Work hard and be committed in furthering your education.”
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4. Steps to a Successful and Rewarding Life
Under the picture of the D-backs
Dream big
Plan, beginning in high school, so you take the right classes and participate in the right extra curricular activities (look at page 6) to achieve your dreams.
Work hard – give your studies and your extra curricular activities 100%- always do your best.
Track – page 8 and 9 will help you check off the things that you do in each grade to be prepared.
Tip – Ask students if they want to be living at home when they are 25. Explain that if they want to have a job and make enough money to have their own place – they need to start thinking now about what their plan is and working on it.
2014/15 AZ EXPLORE PROGRAM

5. Take Charge of your Future!
Your future belongs to you and your options are endless, so take charge of your path and create the kind of life you want. As you dream, plan, work hard and track your progress, here are some additional hints for successfully navigating the steps to a successful and rewarding life!
Dreaming is Great – The EXPLORE provided you with a Career Interest Inventory that we will be discussing during this lesson. This can start you off with some ideas of what careers you might want to look into.
Planning Takes Attention to Detail – find out the level of education your career of choice requires, and all the other things you need to do now and in high school to be successful in that career.
Working Hard – Means taking the tough courses, going to tutoring if you need it, and coming to school every day.
Tracking your progress – refer to the checklists on page 8 and 9 of the College and Career Planning Guide.
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6. What is the EXPLORE?
EXPLORE shows you your academic strengths and weaknesses in English, mathematics, reading, and science.
EXPLORE helps you search for careers and learn which ones might be right for you.
EXPLORE helps you choose high school courses that will prepare you for college and work.
Points of Emphasis
There are many benefits to taking EXPLORE:
EXPLORE shows you your academic strengths and weaknesses. This way, you will know which courses will be best to take to improve your skills or show you where you might want to get some extra help.
There were also questions on the EXPLORE about your interests, and the results will tell you what careers might interest you.
Every student should have the choice about whether or not they wish to go to college. Today, most jobs require at least some education after high school. EXPLORE helps you build a high school plan that will ensure you are taking the classes you’ll need to be prepared for college-level work.
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7. My EXPLORE Results will help Me:
See what my academic skills are right now, and how I can improve them.
Know if I am on track to be college ready.
Think about careers.
Start working on my PreECAP.
It’s Never Too Early to Start Planning!
Today you are going to :
See what your EXPLORE scores are
Find out what they mean
Find out how your scores compare to the scores of other 8th graders in the US
See if you are on-track for college, and find out how you can improve
Learn what careers might interest you, and
Work on your PreECAP
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8. Side 1 EXPLORE SCORE REPORT Points of Emphasis
Here you see the front side of a sample Student Score Report. Please look at your own score report. This is your personal report based on your answers on the test. The Score Report includes a great deal of information about your skills and knowledge, academic plans for high school and beyond, career interests, and likely readiness for college.
Let’s take a closer look at your report
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9. What is a PreECAP?
A document created by you, to help you plan your 4 Steps for Success, and ensure an Education & Career Action Plan (ECAP) which best suits your career interests and skills.
Please write your name and the date where it is requested near the top of the page.
Points of Emphasis
Explain to students that they will have an ECAP (Education Career Action Plan) when they go to high school (9th grade) The high school counselors will help them with these. The reason for the ECAP is so they take the right courses (classes) in high school, so they can reach their dreams for career and education after high school. Today is a chance for them to start early and practice with a PreECAP while they are still in 8th grade. Your high school counselors may want to look at your PreECAP when they work with you on your ECAP.
Have students look at their PreECAP form and point out that the sections correspond to the steps to success you just talked about. Have students fill in their name and today’s date on the form.
Today is a chance for you to start early and practice with a PreECAP while you are still in 8th grade. Your EXPLORE results will help you complete the PreECAP. Your high school counselors may want to look at your PreECAP when they work with you on your ECAP.
2014/15 AZ EXPLORE PROGRAM

10. Boys to Girls comparison on test

11. How well did this 8th grade co-hort do?

12. Student/School Information
Points of Emphasis
The top of the Score Report includes basic information about you, including:
Your school
School EXPLORE code
Your grade level
Date the test was administered
The school receives 2 copies of every student’s report: 1 copy for school records, 1 copy for you to share at home.
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13. Your Scores
Points of Emphasis
On the left side of the graphic, you will find several scores that indicate how well you did on EXPLORE. You will see scores for English, mathematics, reading, science, as well as your Composite Score. Each of these scores will range from 1–25. The Composite Score is the average of your English, mathematics, reading, and science scores.
Notice there are 2 sub scores under English. These scores may indicate specific areas in English that need improvement. These scores range from 1–12. Usage and mechanics is about grammar and punctuation. Rhetorical skills are how well you understand what you are reading.
The column titled “In the U.S. (Fall 8th)” shows the percentage of 8th grade students in the US that scored at or below your score. In this example, this student scored as high or higher than 61% of students in the national norm group of 8th graders who took EXPLORE in the fall.
The horizontal bars are simply an okay way to show the percentage of students at or below your scores. The farther to the right the bar extends, the greater the number of students who scored at or below your score.
“In Your State” norms are only provided when specified by a state contract. Do not be concerned if you do not see numbers in these columns.
Remember that all of this information is to help you understand where you may need to work harder and get help, and where you are doing well. You have your high school years ahead of you to address any weaknesses.
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14. Transfer Your Scores to Your PreECAP
Find the ‘work hard’ section on your PreECAP and fill in your scores by looking at your scores on your EXPLORE student report.
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15. College Readiness Points of Emphasis
Your EXPLORE results give you an early indication of how likely you are to be ready for college-level work. While you have quite a bit of time before you will need to take college courses, the time to begin preparing for them is now.
EXPLORE uses ACT’s College Readiness Benchmark Scores to indicate whether or not you are on target to develop the skills and knowledge you need to be ready for college. A benchmark is a measure. The ACT company found that 8th graders who are at the benchmark scores now, are on track to be ready for college work when they graduate from high school. This section shows whether you scored above, at, or below EXPLORE College Readiness Benchmark Scores for English, mathematics, reading, and science. Students who meet the Benchmark Scores in English, mathematics, and science are likely on target for success in entry-level college courses in these subjects. Students meeting the Reading Benchmark Score are likely developing the reading skills needed in all college subject areas.
Are your scores at or above the Benchmarks? If so, keep working hard. This just means you are on target for success if you maintain your current focus. You will need to keep working hard to stay on track.
Are your scores below the Benchmarks? There is still plenty of time to build your skills. Make sure that you take the recommended courses in high school that are needed for college success.. You may want to focus your attention on taking more courses in areas where you are not currently meeting Benchmark scores.
2014/15 AZ EXPLORE PROGRAM

16. Check Any Areas In Which You Need Help
In the ‘work hard’ section of your PreECAP, underneath your scores, check the areas where you are below benchmark right now. These are the areas you might need help in to improve your skills.
Your EXPLORE results give you an early indication of how likely you are to be ready for college-level work. While you have quite a bit of time before you will need to take college courses, the time to begin preparing for them is now.
EXPLORE uses ACT’s College Readiness Benchmark Scores to indicate whether or not you are on target to develop the skills and knowledge you need to be ready for college. A benchmark is a measure. The ACT company found that 8th graders who are at the benchmark scores now, are on track to be ready for college work when they graduate from high school. This section shows whether you scored above, at, or below EXPLORE College Readiness Benchmark Scores for English, mathematics, reading, and science. Students who meet the Benchmark Scores in English, mathematics, and science are likely on target for success in entry-level college courses in these subjects. Students meeting the Reading Benchmark Score are likely developing the reading skills needed in all college subject areas.
Are your scores at or above the Benchmarks? If so, keep working hard. This just means you are on target for success if you maintain your current focus. You will need to keep working hard to stay on track.
Are your scores below the Benchmarks? There is still plenty of time to build your skills. Make sure that you take the recommended courses in high school that are needed for college success. You may want to focus your attention on taking more courses in areas where you are not currently meeting Benchmark scores.
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18. Your Career Possibilities
Points of Emphasis Cont.
Now look at the World of Work Map and find the shaded areas on yours – these are the areas and careers that you may be interested in based on your answers to the questions about what you liked or disliked. Take a look at the jobs in your shaded areas.
Note: If a student’s results are in Region 99 (the center of the World of Work Map), explain this means that their pattern of interest scores does not suggest a clear direction at this time. But that’s okay – you have time to decide
Does the career area preference you chose listed under your “Plans for After High School” appear in the shaded areas? What does it mean if the career area you chose is not shaded in gray? You may think you would like that career, but it does not match your interests. That’s okay, but the reason EXPLORE tells you this is because most people who say they love their jobs really enjoy what they are doing because they are interested in the things that they do in that job. This is something for you to think about – if you are in a job that does not match what you are good at and what you are interested in – will you be happy in that job?
Take a look at the Career Area list. Find the shaded areas and look at some of the jobs in that area. Think about which ones you might want to do.
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19. WHAT IS YOUR IDEAL CAREER ?
This information is in 2 places:
Your Plan After High School Career Area Preference
Your Career Area List section of the EXPLORE report.
Now go to the “Dream’ section of your PreECAP. Write down the career area you chose on the EXPLORE. Now write down a couple jobs from the shaded areas of the Careers List that you think sound interesting.
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20. The Right Career For You
Do your research! Look online, examples: Createyournext.com or
Now that your students have their EXPLORE Interest Inventory they will want to start doing research on their job or career pathway. If possible, have students use the computer lab to research specific jobs, schools, careers etc.
Encourage students to talk to their parents and other adults about their work to get ideas what kinds of talent and skills are necessary for that line of work.
Volunteering or a part time job is a great way to experience and try out a job in their area of interest.
Remind students, their plans and interest will change over time. That is why it is important to be involved in activities at school, take elective classes that might relate to their interest area. Students should talk to their counselor often to be sure they are taking the right classes to keep all postsecondary options open.
2014/15 AZ EXPLORE PROGRAM

21. Benefits of More Education!
Do work you enjoy
Live the lifestyle you want
Earn more money
Make a difference
in the world
Keep your job
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22. EXPLORE SCORE REPORT Side 2
Points of Emphasis
On Side 2 of your EXPLORE Score Report you will find important information about how you can improve your academic skills based on your EXPLORE results. You can ask for your test booklet, so you can review the questions and answers – you may want to do this at home with your parents, or you can stay after school and talk to a teacher or counselor.
For each area there are suggestions for improving your skills based on your scores. Read these over and use this information to identify academic skill areas you can continue to improve upon.
2014/15 AZ EXPLORE PROGRAM

23. When you completed EXPLORE, you were asked to consider your future educational and career plans.
Let’s start with your future Educational Plans – take a look at what you chose as an education plan on the EXPLORE.
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24. My Plan After High School
Go to the ‘plan’ section of your PreECAP and check the postsecondary education plan that is on your EXPLORE Score Report.
You may feel sure right now that the plan you chose is what you want, or you may change your mind as time goes on and you learn more about yourself and other careers. This is just a start – you can always change your mind later.
Tip: Have students refer to page 5 in the College and Career Planning Guide to continue exploring career options.
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25. YOUR POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION OPTIONS
Turn to pages 2 & 3 of your guide. Briefly explain how: Depending on what career you want (see examples in right hand column of page 2) you need to get different levels of education after high school, or “credentials” (defined on page 2). Then depending on what credential you need for your career, you need to go to a certain type of “postsecondary “ institution – “postsecondary” is (defined on page 3).
Tip: Have students read definitions of “credential and “Postsecondary Education”.
Some of you may be thinking that it takes too much money to go to college. Right now, don’t think about that – when the time comes, if you have done well in high school, there are ways to get money through scholarships and grants (free money).
Page 3 of Guide
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26. Requirements for Admissions to AZ Public Universities
Refer to page 7 of the College and Career Planning Guide. These are the courses you will need to pass in high school for admission to Arizona's 3 public universities. Be sure you talk with your high school counselor about your career interests and other requirements for graduation from your high school. Don’t forget community service.
2014/15 AZ EXPLORE PROGRAM

27. Elective Courses Points of Emphasis –
Explain the concept of elective courses – in high school there are courses that you can choose or ‘elect ‘ to take that are in areas other than core course areas.
If you have a list of electives from the receiving high school, pass it out so students can look and see if they are interested in any courses for their career.
If you don’t have the list, explain that they will learn more about these courses in high school next year, so they don’t need to fill in this part of the PreECAP right now.
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29. Areas in Which You Would Like Additional Help
Points of Emphasis
In addition to your scores telling you where you might need extra help, look at what Your Reported Needs area of the Score Report. When you took EXPLORE, you were asked whether or not you needed help in seven different areas:
Making plans for my education, career, and work after high school
Improving my writing skills
Improving my reading speed and comprehension
Improving my study skills
Improving my mathematical skills
Improving my computer skills
Improving my public speaking skills
The items marked with a checkmark are the areas with which you said you would like help. Talk with your counselors/teachers on how to receive additional help.
2014/15 AZ EXPLORE PROGRAM

30. Track Your Progress
Have students turn to page 8 and 9 of the College and Career Planning Guide.
This is an easy way to be sure you are on “Track” for your postsecondary plans.
The next 4 years are crucial in preparing for college. Be sure to review your checklist each year to see if you are on track.
2014/15 AZ EXPLORE PROGRAM

31. TRACK YOUR
PROGRESS
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32. High School is more than Academics
Points of Emphasis:
When you get to high school you will find that there are clubs and after-school activities, including sports that might interest you, and will be fun.
Tip: If you have the list of clubs and activities at the receiving high school – pass it out so students can choose what interests them.
If you do not have the list, explain to students that when it comes time to apply to college and for scholarships the decision makers will be looking not only at grades and test scores, but also at how involved you were in other activities.
Being involved in other activities makes you a ‘well-rounded’ student. Think about some volunteer work or some clubs/ activities you might be interested in and write them in the ‘get involved’ section of your PreECAP.
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33. Keys to Good Educational and Career Planning
Explore the many career options available to you and think about how your career choices will affect your future.
Set career goals and develop an educational plan to achieve them.
Take challenging college prep courses in high school.
GET INVOLVED in Clubs and activities. And be sure to Track your progress!
Points of Emphasis
You may want to use a review of these Keys as a good way to wrap up the session.
You may want to use examples of successful community leaders, parents, or recent high school graduates to emphasize these points.
You may also want to use this opportunity to remind students/parents of the resources your school has available to help families with educational, career, and college planning.
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34. Your Future is in Your Hands - Take Charge
Think about what you learned about yourself today.
Study hard and take the right courses in high school.
Always ask for help when you need it.
Remember every day in school and every test you take is important for your future – always do your best!
Tip - If you used index cards, ask students to look at the questions they had in the beginning, and circle any questions that were not answered. Ask students to write something on the back of their card That they learned today, or something they are going to do to improve in school.
2014/15 AZ EXPLORE PROGRAM