Building on Success

1
Building on Success

• DHS Counseling Presents Sophomore Parent Night

2
Counseling Department

• Kim Halket, Head Counselor, A-H
• Caroline Rubio, AVID I-N
• Larry Carpenter, ELD O-Z
• Julia Jones, Career Center Tech.
• New At-risk Counselor TBA

3
Graduation Requirements

• Please review handout in packet
• CAHSEE coming up this March
• Download review materials at www.cahsee-success.co
  m
• Review/create 4-year plan with student this
  Spring
• Stay involved!

4
Life After High School

• Options after high school can include four-year
  college, two-year college, the military, work,
  specialty/ trade schools
• A student in high school should prepare so that
  he or she is academically prepared to enter any
  of these options

5
Four-Year Colleges and Universities

• California State University System
• 23 campuses
• Local campus is East Bay
• Serves top 1/3 students in Calif.
• Some campuses are impacted
• The teacher/nursing college
• system
• Vary in size from very small to
• very large

6
University of California

• 10 undergraduate campuses
• Serves top 1/8 of students in California
• Most recent campus opened is U.C. Merced
• Considered one of the top research universities
  in the country

7
Private Colleges and Universities

• Located all over the nation
• Most have one tuition rate
• Generally smaller classes
• Generally 4-year graduation rate
• Lots of financial aid available generally
  better than public universities due to endowments

8
Community Colleges

• Financially most affordable option
• Students who take strong college prep program can
  be finished in two years and can complete their
  Bachelors Degree in two more years
• Las Positas College students from local area have
  priority registration
• Some have dorms
• All have transfer programs
• CSU, UC and private schools all accept community
  college students, and acceptance rate is higher
  than freshman admit rate
• Good option for students who are not sure what
  they want to study or who are not ready to go
  away to college
• Transfer students are admitted on coursework done
  in community college (56 units), not on high
  school performance or SAT/ACT scores

9
Technical/Trade/Specialty Schools

• Ideal for students who know exactly what they
  want to do after high school and who do not
  necessarily want a four-year degree
• Specialize in a particular field (culinary,
  automotive, computer graphics)
• Have job placement help once a student completes
  the program

10
CSU/U.C. Requirements

• English 4 years
• History/Social Science 2 years
• Mathematics (Algebra, Geometry, Int.
  Algebra) 3 years
• Laboratory Science (Biology/Chemistry) 2
  years
• Foreign Language (same) 2 years/
• 3 pref.
• Visual/Performing Art 1 year
• College Prep Electives (P) 1 year

11
Compelling Factors in College Admission

• Rigor of coursework and GPA
• Continued rigor of coursework in senior year
• Standardized test scores (SAT, ACT and SAT II)
• Essay (if required)
• Extra-curricular activities

12
Private Colleges

• Following the UC/CSU pattern of coursework will
  help prepare students for private colleges as
  well.
• Private colleges take into account other factors,
  including class office positions, leadership,
  volunteering or working, extra-curricular
  activities.
• These factors are also important for
  scholarships, particularly community service.

13
Alphabet Soup/Testing

• ASVAB-Career Interest and Skills Inventory
• 3 hours given on November 15
• Free of charge
• Sign up with Mrs. Rubio
• Will receive results a month later with career
  cluster workbook for further exploration
• Mandatory for Armed Services

14
PSAT- Practice SAT

• If your student is in Geometry or higher this
  year
• Given on Saturday, October 21st
• Cost is 20
• Will receive results with test booklet and answer
  key-becomes an excellent study guide for SAT in
  Spring
• Free access to My Road

15
SAT and ACT

• Required for any four year college
• Not required if attending a community or
  technical/vocational college
• Traditionally taken in Spring of the Junior Year
  through Fall of the Senior Year

16
SAT Subject Tests

• Required for the UC System
• Reading only - French, German, Modern Hebrew,
  Italian, Latin, Spanish.
• Reading and Listening - Chinese, French, German,
  Japanese, Korean, Spanish.
• Other tests include U.S. History, World History,
  Biology, Math II C, Chemistry and Physics.
• Take tests after completing curriculum!

17
Test Prep

• Test prep available on the websites
  www.collegeboard.com and www.actstudent.org
• Test prep classe available at DHS through E-Group
  Learning and Revolution. Sign up in Fall or
  Spring of Junior Year
• Materials also available in bookstores

18
The Career Center

• Job shadowing, internships and Explorers Club
• Sign up to see college reps.
• Start investigating scholarships
• Look into ROP Classes for Junior and Senior Year
• Attend Financial Aid Night February 1st to be
  prepared for Senior Year

19
Sophomore Year Calendar

• Apply for CSF and Academic Block D in October and
  February
• Join clubs and sports-get involved in your
  school!
• Meet with your counselor in March to review
  schedule and make sure you are on track for
  graduation and college

20
Use Your Summers Wisely

• DHS Summer School if needed to make up or improve
  grades
• Community College Concurrent Enrollment
• Special Programs such as UC Berkeleys ATDP, UC
  Davis Engineering School and Stanfords Medical
  Youth Science Program
• Study Abroad Programs
• Community Service/Volunteer Work
• College Visits/Stop and see schools while on
  vacation

21
Thank You for Coming!

• Call Denise Watts at ext. 7016 for an appointment
  with your counselor
• Call Julia Jones in the Career Center at ext. 7220