Planning for the Senior Year at Berea High School

1
Planning for the Senior Year at Berea High School
2
High School Academics

• A Balanced Course Load
• Classes, Electives, College Prep
• The high school transcript is a critical piece of
  your childs college
• application file. Like a resume, the transcript
  tells admission officials at a
• glance whether a student is well prepared for all
  the challenges of college.
• Particularly with highly selective schools, its
  not necessarily enough for a
• student to be a math wiz and let English lag
  behind. Colleges also like to
• see that a student has explored interests outside
  the core curriculum.
• Most colleges look for a core curriculum of four
  or five academically challenging
• courses each high school semester, including four
  years of English and math three
• to four years of laboratory science three to
  four years of history or social studies
• and two to four years of world language.
• Colleges that specialize in technical fields or
  art and music may have different
• requirements, and some colleges will consider
  students who have challenged
• themselves to the best of their abilities without
  necessarily completing the core
• curriculum.

3
High School Academics

• Recommended Classes
• The Core Curriculum
• English (Language Arts)
• Students must take English each year.
  Traditional courses such as American and
• English literature will help improve writing
  skills, reading comprehension and
• vocabulary.
• Literature
• Writing/Composition and/or Speech
• Math
• Students need algebra and geometry to succeed on
  college entrance exams, in college
• math classes and in most careers. Students
  should take them early on in order to enroll
• in advanced science and math in high school and
  to demonstrate to colleges that theyre
• ready for higher-level work.
• Algebra 1
• Geometry
• Algebra 2

4
High School Academics

• Recommended Classes (Cont.)
• World Languages
• Sold world language study shows colleges a
  student is willing to stretch beyond the
• basics. Many colleges require two years of world
  language student and some prefer
• more.
• The Arts
• Research shows that students who participate in
  the arts often do better in school
• and on standardized tests. The arts help
  students recognize patterns, discern
• differences and similarities, and exercise their
  minds in unique ways, many times
• outside a traditional classroom setting.
• Computer Science
• More and more college courses and jobs require at
  least a basic knowledge of
• computers. Computer skills also can help
  students do research and schoolwork
• better and faster. Students should take
  advantage of resources available at school
• to become familiar with computers and the
  Internet.

5
High School Academics

• Choosing Smart Electives
• Cultivating Interests, Strengths and Special
  Talents
• Many high schools minimum requirements are not
  rigorous enough to satisfy college
• admission officials, so a student should select a
  high school course of study that
• meets college standards.
• Specialty colleges may have specific
  requirements. Some colleges will consider
• students who have not necessarily completed the
  traditional core curriculum, but
• have challenged themselves to the best of their
  abilities. As a general rule,
• students should maintain a well-rounded and
  challenging schedule.
• Handling four or five academic courses each
  semester doesnt leave a lot of room
• for electives. Still, students should pursue a
  course of study that will maintain
• their interest. Students need to create a course
  selection for each year that
• challenges them and keeps them healthy.
  Colleges first and foremost look for the
• core curriculum, but they also like to see
  breadth and depth in the high school
• experience. Electives over and above the core
  curriculum, such as art, music,
• computer or business can provide an
  interdisciplinary overlap with more traditional

6
Types of Colleges

• Liberal Arts Colleges
• Liberal Arts colleges offer a broad base of
  courses in the humanities, social sciences, and
  sciences. Most
• are private and focus mainly on undergraduate
  students. Classes tend to be small and personal
  attention
• is available.
• Universities
• Generally, a university is bigger than a college
  and offers more majors and research facilities.
  Class size
• is often a reflection of institutional size and
  some classes may be taught by graduate students.
• Community or Junior Colleges
• Community colleges offer a degree after the
  completion of two years of full-time study. They
  frequently
• offer technical programs that prepare students
  for immediate entry into the job market.
• Upper Division
• Upper division schools offer the last two years
  of undergraduate study, usually in specialized
  programs
• leading to a bachelors degree. Students
  generally transfer to an upper-division college
  after completing
• an associate degree or after finishing a second
  year of study at a four-year college.
• Agricultural, Technical, and Other Specialized
  Colleges

7
Types of Colleges

• Historically-Black Colleges
• Historically-Black colleges find their origins in
  the time when African-American
• students were systematically denied access to
  most other colleges and universities.
• These schools offer students a unique opportunity
  to experience an educational
• community in which theyre part of the majority.
• Hispanic-Serving Institutes
• There are about 135 institutions designated by
  the federal government as Hispanic
• serving. At these schools, Hispanic students
  comprise at least twenty-five percent of
• the total full time undergraduate enrollment.
• Affiliation
• Public
• Private-independent
• Private-church-affiliated
• Proprietary
• Size
• Very Small (under 1000 students)

8
College Degree Options

• Associate Degree
• Students receive an associate of arts (AA) or
  associate of science (AS) degree after completing
  two years of study similar to the first two years
  of a four-year college. Community colleges or
  four-year universities offer associate degrees.
  After earning an AA or an AS, a student may
  transfer to a four-year college to complete the
  requirements for a bachelors degree. The
  associate of applied science (AAS) degree is
  awarded on completion of technological or
  vocational programs of study.
• Bachelors or Baccalaureate Degree
• A student may complete a four-or five-year,
  full-time program of study (or its part-time
  equivalent) at a college. The Bachelor of Arts
  (BA) and Bachelor of Science (BS) are the most
  common.
• First Professional Degree
• A student may complete academic requirements to
  become licensed in a recognized profession. The
  programs of study require at least two years of
  previous college work for entrance, and at least
  six years of college work for completion.
• Combined Bachelors/Graduate Degree (or Joint
  Degree)
• A student may complete a bachelors degree and a
  masters or first-professional degree in less
  than the usual amount of time. In most programs,
  students apply to the graduate program during
  their first three years of undergraduate study,
  and begin the graduate program in their fourth
  year of college. Successful completion results
  in awarding of both bachelors and graduate
  degrees.
• International Baccalaureate (IB)
• This comprehensive and rigorous two-year
  curriculum (usually taken in the final two years
  of high school) is similar to the final year of
  secondary school in Europe. Some colleges award
  credit or advanced placement to students who have
  completed this program.
• Liberal Arts/Career Combination
• In this program of study, as known as the 3-2
  program, students typically complete three years
  of study in a liberal arts field followed by two
  years of professional/technical study (for
  example, engineering). At the end of this study,
  a student will be awarded Bachelor of Arts and
  Bachelor of Science degrees.

9
College Degree Options

• Teacher Certification
• At some schools, students can receive a teacher
  certification by completing bachelors degree and
  state certification requirements. A students
  college adviser can help prepare a plan of study
  to meet these twin demands. All institutions
  that prepare teachers are accredited by the
  state each state sets its own certificate
  standards.
• A program leading to teacher certification
  typically involves three types of courses
• -General liberal arts courses
• -The major (such as elementary education or
  mathematics)
• -Professional education courses, including
  student teaching
• In order to gain certification in most states,
  students must pass an achievement test in the
  field in which they plan to teach.

10
Description of the ACT

• The ACT is a set of four multiple-choice tests
  which cover English, mathematics, reading and
  science. Beginning in February 2005, ACT is
  offering the optional writing test.
• English
• 75 questions, 45 minutes
• Includes punctuation, grammar and usage,
  sentence structure, strategy, organization and
  style
• Mathematics
• 60 questions, 60 minutes
• Includes Pre-algebra, Algebra 1 and 2,
  coordinate and plane Geometry, Trigonometry
• Reading
• 40 questions, 35 minutes
• Measures reading comprehension in prose fiction,
  humanities, social studies and science
• Science
• 40 questions, 35 minutes
• Measures the interpretation, analysis,
  evaluation, reasoning and problem-solving skills
  required in the natural sciences
• Writing (Optional, but recommended)

11

• How Colleges Use ACT Results
• Admission Decisions
• ACT test results, high school grades, academic
  preparation, co-curricular activities, special
  interests and future plans help admission
  officials identify applicants who can benefit
  most from their programs.
• Course Placement
• Colleges usually try to take into account
  individual strengths and weaknesses as they place
  students in freshman-year courses. For example,
  a college may offer three sections of a
  subject-developmental, regular and advanced. A
  students ACT results, academic background, and
  high school grades might be used to determine
  which section would be most appropriate.
• Academic Advising
• College academic advisors may consider ACT
  results, high school academic program, high
  school grades, college grade estimates, planned
  co-curricular activities, areas in which there is
  a need for help, and part-time employment plans
  to help a student tailor an appropriate program
  of study.
• Scholarship and Loans
• Some scholarship and loan agencies may use ACT
  results and grade predictions with other
  information to identify qualified candidates.
  The ACT score report provides information about a
  students educational needs, co-curricular
  activities and educational plans. This
  information along with the students transcript
  helps the agencies evaluate applications for
  scholarships, loans and other financial
  assistance.
• Tips for Taking the ACT
• Carefully read the instructions on the cover of
  the test booklet.
• Read the directions for each section carefully.
• Read each question carefully.
• Pace yourself-dont spend too much time on a
  single passage or question.

12
Description of the SAT

• The SAT is a three hour and forty-five minute
  test that measures the critical
• thinking, mathematical reasoning, and writing
  skills that students need to do
• college-level work.
• The tests three sections are divided into nine
  subsections, including a 25-minute
• essay which are timed separately.
• Critical Reading (3 sections)
• Tests ability to understand analyze what a
  student reads, recognize relationships
• between parts of a sentence and understand word
  meaning in context.
• Math (3 sections)
• Solve problems involving algebra and functions,
  geometry and measurement, number
• and operations, and data analysis, statistics and
  probability.
• Writing (3 sections)
• Must use standard written English, identify
  sentence errors and write an essay and
• develop a point of view.

13
About the SAT Subject Tests Subject Tests are
designed to measure students knowledge and
skills in particular subject areas, as well as
their ability to apply that knowledge. Students
take the Subject Tests to demonstrate to colleges
their mastery of specific subjects like English,
history, mathematics, science and language. The
tests are independent of any particular textbook
or method of instruction. The tests content
evolves to reflect current trends in high school
curricula, but the types of questions change
little from year to year. Many colleges use the
Subject Tests for admission, for course placement
and to advise students about course selection.
Used in combination with other background
information, they provide a dependable measure of
your academic achievement and are a good
predictor of future performance. Most highly
selective colleges require a minimum of three SAT
subject tests. Some colleges specify the Subject
Tests they require for admission or placement
others allow applicants to choose which subjects
to take. Subject Tests are one-hour,
multiple-choice tests and fall into five general
subject areas English History and Social
Studies Languages Mathematics Science Test
Preparation One of the best ways your child can
get ready is to take solid academic courses and
of course, study hard for them. Your child
should be enrolled in the most challenging
courses in English, math, science, social studies
world languages and fine arts. Algebra and
geometry in particular will give your child the
skills needed to succeed on the math part of the
college entrance exams. Your childs overall
classroom experience will affect how well he does
on admission tests. Other ways to supplement the
classroom experience are -Read regularly.
Reading newspapers, novels, textbooks, poems and
magazines can help your child build
their vocabulary. -Learn to attack new words.
Looking up unfamiliar words in the dictionary can
help vocabulary building. -Getting involved in
clubs, sports and other activities can help with
problem-solving skills.
14
Preparing for a Campus Visit

• Research the College
• A student should do some research on the college
  before they arrive on its campus,
• especially if the student has an interview
  scheduled.
• Here are a few ways for a student to get ready
• Review the schools view books, course catalogs,
  and any other information of interest.
• Spend some time surfing the colleges web site.
• Talk to currently enrolled students or alumni
  about the college.
• Some college web sites let you contact them
  online, or a student can get phone
• numbers from the admissions office.
• Schedule Your Trip
• Pick a time thats convenient for your family,
  but make sure the school is in session.
• That way, a student can sit in on a lecture or
  stay in a dorm overnight. A student
• can get a true feel for the campus if a day is
  spent when classes are in full swing.
• A student should also schedule the time on campus
  to coincide with the experiences
• that are most important to each individual
• Find out how often college tours run, and if a
  student has to sign up in advance.
• To save time, have a map of the school.
• If an interview is suggested, be sure to make an
  appointment. Also, consider meeting with the
  financial aid officer.

15
Preparing for a Campus Visit

• Whats Important to Your Student
• Students should make a list of what college
  characteristics are most important to
• them so they know what to look for when they
  arrive. Is the student overwhelmed
• in a large lecture hall? They should check out
  the class size. Doe a student want to
• be a part of the Greek life? Is there a major a
  student wants to pursue? Once a
• student has developed a list of their
  preferences, they should take it back to the
• schools they plan to visit, and compare all the
  lists when they are back home.
• Visiting a College Campus
• When?
• Anytime! The main point is that you visit.
  Dont do a drive by-actually schedule a
• visit. The more schools a student visits, the
  better the ability to define what a
• student wants and doesnt want in a college.
• How?
• Simply contact the college via telephone or
  email. It is suggested, but not required,
• that a student gives two weeks notice. Students
  are allowed to miss three days for
• college visits. There are forms available in the
  guidance office. They must be
• filled out, signed by a parent and one form must
  be returned before the college

16
Campus Visit Checklist

• Take a campus tour
• Have an interview with an admission officer
• Get business cards and names of people you meet
  for future contacts
• Pick up financial aid forms
• Participate in a group information session at the
  admission office
• Sit in on a class of a subject that interests you
• Talk to a professor in your chosen major or in a
  subject that interests you
• Talk to a coach in your chosen sport
• Talk to a student or counselor in the career
  center

17
Senior Year Month by Month Checklist
August Visit some college campuses Narrow your
college list to five schools Request catalogs and
admissions information Sign-up for the ACT and/or
SAT September Meet with admissions
representatives visiting BHS Make a list of
deadlines for tests, admissions, financial aid
applications Begin asking teachers/employers for
letters of recommendation October Take the ACT or
SAT if necessary Work on admissions essays Visit
your top school choices Find out which financial
aid forms are required by your schools Some
private schools require the CSS/Financial Aid
Profile at this time Begin working on
applications November Take the ACT or SAT if
necessary Submit college applications by
Thanksgiving break Get pin number from FAFSA
online Apply for scholarships December Take the
ACT or SAT if necessary Pick-up paper copy of
FAFSA in the guidance office Continue applying
for scholarships January Attend parent financial
aid meeting Submit FAFSA as soon as possible
after January 1 Keep copies of all submitted
forms Send mid-year grades if needed February Rank
your finalized list of colleges Continue
applying for scholarships March Apply for local
scholarships Receive your SAR, Student Aid
Report April Receive college acceptance and
financial aid award letters Make your final
decision and let schools know by May 1 Send
deposit to ensure enrollment
18
For Your College Bound Student with Special
Needs.....

• Increasing numbers of high school students with
  special needs are opting
• for college. If your student currently has an
  IEP plan or 504 plan, your
• college bound student continues to have rights
  under Federal Law.
• However, there are significant differences at the
  college level in the way
• special needs students are served. Your and your
  child need to understand
• these important differences, so your student can
  receive the help that is
• needed.
• The HEATH Resource Center is the national
  clearinghouse on post
• secondary education for individuals with
  disabilities. HEATH collects and
• disseminates information nationally about
  disability issues in post-secondary
• education. Staff are available for telephone
  consultation from 9 am to 5 pm
• EST. Recent publications, single copies of which
  are free, include
• information from HEATH (newsletter), National
  Resources for Adults with
• Learning Disabilities, HEATH Resource Directory,
  Financial Aid for Students
• with Disabilities, Section 504 The Law and Its
  Impact on Post-Secondary
• Education, as well as Resource Papers on
  disability-specific topics.

19
Public Universities in Ohio Websites
The University of Akron www.uakron.edu Bowling
Green State University www.bgsu.edu Central State
University www.centralstate.edu University of
Cincinnati www.admissions.uc.edu Cleveland State
University www.csuohio.edu Kent State University
www.kent.edu
Miami University www.muohio.edu Ohio State
University www.osu.edu Ohio University www.ohiou.e
du Shawnee State University www.shawnee.edu Univer
sity of Toledo www.utoledo.edu Wright State
University www.wright.edu Youngstown State
University www.ysu.edu
Independent Colleges in Ohio Websites
Antioch College www.antioch-college.edu Antioch
University McGregor www.mcgregor.edu Art Academy
of Cincinnati www.artacademy.edu Ashland
University www.ashland.edu Baldwin Wallace
College www.bw.edu Bluffton College www.bluffton.e
du Capital University www.capital.edu Case
Western Reserve University www.cwru.edu Cedarvill
e University www.cedarville.edu Chatfield
College www.chatfield.edu Columbus College of Art
Design www.ccad.edu University of
Dayton http//admission.udayton.edu Defiance
College www.defiance.edu Denison
University www.denison.edu The University of
Findlay www.findlay.edu Franciscan University of
Steubenville www.franuniv.edu Franklin
University www.franklin.edu
Heidelberg College www.heidelberg.edu Hiram
College www.hiram.edu John Carroll
University www.jcu.edu Kenyon College www.kenyon.e
du Kettering College of Medical
Arts www.kcma.edu Lake Erie College www.lec.edu L
ourdes College www.lourdes.edu Malone
College www.malone.edu Marietta
College www.marietta.edu Mercy College of
Northwest Ohio www.mercycollege.edu Mount Carmel
College of Nursing www.mccn.edu College of Mount
St. Joseph www.msj.edu Mount Union
College www.muc.edu Mount Vernon Nazarene
University www.mvnu.edu Muskingum
College www.muskingum.edu Myers
University www.dnmyers.edu University of
Northwestern Ohio www.unoh.edu
Notre Dame College www.notredamecollege.edu Oberli
n College www.oberlin.edu Ohio college of
Podiatric Medicine www.ocpm.edu Ohio Dominican
University www.ohiodominican.edu Ohio Northern
University www.onu.edu Ohio Wesleyan
University www.owu.edu Otterbein
College www.otterbein.edu University of Rio
Grande www.rio.edu Tiffin University www.tiffin.ed
u Union Institute University
www.tui.edu Urbana University www.urbana.edu Urs
uline College www.ursuline.edu Walsh
University www.walsh.edu Wilberforce University
www.wilberforce.edu Wilmington
College www.wilmington.edu Wittenberg
University www.wittenberg.edu The College of
Wooster www.wooster.edu Xavier University www.xavi
er.ed
20
Helpful College Internet Web Sites
Top College Searches College Board
Online www.collegeboard.org College
Information www.collegeinfo.com College
Net www.collegenet.com College
View www.collegeview.com Petersons
Education www.petersons.com Online
Applications College Nets Online
Applications www.applyweb.com Sites That Link
to Individual College Web Sites College and
University Home Pages www.mit.edu Braintrack
www.braintrack.com Yahoo Search www.yahoo.com
Admissions Tests ACT www.act.org SAT www.
sat.collegeboard Financial Aid Free Scholarship
Search Services www.fastweb.com www.fastap.org www
.weeklyscholarshipalert.net www.scholarships.com w
ww.offtocollege.com www.discovercolleges.com
http//scholarships.salliemae.com www.schoolsoup.
com National Association of Student Financial
Aid Administrators www.finaid.org
21
COLLEGE BOUND JUNIORS 2008 2009 SPRING ACT AND
SAT TESTING SCHEDULE
College bound juniors should take the ACT/SAT in
the spring of the junior year.
Cleveland National College Fair Sunday, April
13 100pm 400pm Wolstein Center Cleveland
State
Prep HQ - College Planning
NCAA Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete
22
Parent Questionnaire Please return to Mrs.
Kelley this spring.
Activity Resume Template
23
Thank you for attending! Have a safe and
enjoyable spring break!