Pointers for Sophomores

1
Pointers for Sophomores

• Study to maintain a strong GPA.
• Grades are the most important factor colleges in
  admissions decisions
• Take strong academic courses
• Colleges look at your class schedules most
  rigorous schedule student can take
• Consider taking a third year of foreign language
• Look at admissions requirements for colleges to
  help plan course work for junior and senior

2

• GET INVOLVED in activities outside
• the classroom
• Work towards leadership positions,
• Become involved in community service and other
  volunteer activities.
• Colleges want students that have a passion,
• Do not do something to pad a resume
• Colleges want students who show an intrinsic
  belief system, not extrinsic

3

• Become aware of current affairs read, become
  involved in your world
• Work on writing skills check out college
  websites for essay questions. Visit
  www.collegeboard.com (SAT) and www.actstudent.org
  (ACT) for information on writing essays for the
  college entrance tests

4

• Explore interests and careers (maybe volunteer
  time can be spent looking at careers)
• Visit or do an internship with an area of your
  interest. Talk to parents friends for ideas on
  different careers
• Start thinking about your areas of interests, do
  on-line searches of careers

5

• Do some college shopping, again on-line searches
  of careers, colleges, and interests. This will
  get you thinking about your future
• Talk to your teachers if you have questions on
  how to improve your grades if you want to
  improve!!

6
Counselors in the Classroom

• February
• In Computer Lab (with Religion classes) to
  discuss
• PSAT results
• Naviance
• Forecasting
• Learning Styles Inventory

7
Forecasting

• Materials sent home to parents
• Choosing classes teachers help with appropriate
  placement in
• Math (minimum to Adv. Alg)
• World Language (2-3 yr for college)

8

• Choices
• Science 2 (minimum) 3 - 4 for college
• Language Arts class (4 yr)
• Religion (4 yr)
• Art (CA schools require 2 credits in 1 year)
• Business (2 to graduate from BBHS)

9
NAVIANCE

• Web based program designed to assist students in
  managing college application process
• Students are expected to
• Start a game plan
• Check out various college websites
• College search/matches
• Learning Style Inventory (Sophomores)
• Personality Style Inventory (Junior)
• Resources financial aid test prep.

10

• Three Primary Learning Styles
• Auditory (30)
• Visual (65)
• Kinesthetic/Tactile (5)

11

• Sit where they can hear but needn't pay attention
  to what is happening in front
• may not coordinate colors or clothes, but can
  explain why they are wearing what they are
  wearing
• hum or talk to themselves or others when bored
• acquire knowledge by reading aloud
• remember by verbalizing lessons to themselves (if
  they don't they have difficulty reading maps
  or diagrams or handling conceptual assignments
  like mathematics).

12

• take numerous detailed notes
• tend to sit in the front
• are usually neat and clean
• often close their eyes to visualize or remember
  something
• find something to watch if they are bored
• like to see what they are learning
• benefit from illustrations and presentations
  that use color
• are attracted to written or spoken language rich
  in imagery
• prefer stimuli to be isolated from auditory and
  kinesthetic distraction
• find passive surroundings ideal

13

• need to be active and take frequent breaks
• speak with hands and gestures
• remember what was done, difficulty recalling what
  was said or seen
• find reasons to tinker or move when bored
• rely on direct experience or performance
• activities such as cooking, construction,
  engineering and art help them perceive and learn
  
• enjoy field trips and tasks that manipulate
  materials
• sit near the door or someplace else to easily get
  up and move around
• are uncomfortable in classrooms where they lack
  opportunities for hands-on experience
• communicate by touching and appreciate physically
  expressed encouragement, such as a pat on the
  back

14
TIPS FOR VISUAL LEARNERS

• Use pictures, charts, maps, graphs
• Have a clear view of your teacher to observe
  body language and facial expressions
• Use color to highlight important points in text
• Take notes or ask teacher to provide handouts
• Study in a quiet place away from verbal
  disturbances
• Read illustrated books
• Visualize information as a picture to aid
  memorization
• Write a story and illustrate it
• Use multi-media

15
Tips for Auditory Learners

• Participate in class discussions/debates
• Make speeches and presentations
• Use a tape recorder during lectures, instead of
  taking notes
• Read text out loud
• Create musical jingles to aid memorization
• Create mnemonics to aid memorization
• Discuss your ideas verbally
• Dictate to someone while they write down your
  thoughts
• Use verbal analogies and story telling to
  demonstrate your point

16
Tips for Tactile/Kinesthetic Learners

• Take frequent study breaks
• Move around to learn new things
• Work at a standing position
• Chew gum while studying
• Use bright colors to highlight reading material
• Dress up your work space with posters
• Listen to music while you study
• Skim through reading material to get a rough idea
  what it is about before settling down to read it
  in detail

17
HOW TO USE YOUR LEARNING STYLE?

• Think about a course that you would like to
  improve your performance
• Share your learning style with that teacher
• Request ways that the teacher can better help you
  learn, i.e.
• Write your own study guide
• PowerPoint presentations, role playing, etc.