Preparing for high school

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Preparing for high school post high school
success
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Preparing for success

• It is never too early to begin thinking about
  preparing for high school and post high school
  plans.
• The pathway that is set for students begins in
  middle school.

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What does preparing mean?

• There are many options after high school.
• Work
• Military
• Trades
• Apprentice programs
• Proprietary schools
• College

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Preparing for success

• What does it mean, preparing for high school
  success and beyond?
• How do I prepare my child and when?
• How do parents prepare themselves?
• What role does standardized testing, class
  offerings, and finances play in all of this
  process?
• Where do we go for help in answering all of these
  questions?

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Preparing for success

• According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics,
  adults aged 18 and older with a bachelors degree
  earned an average of 57,980 in 2008, while those
  with a high school diploma earned 32,188.
• Those without a high school diploma earned an
  average of 23,868.

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Preparing for success

• No matter what path is selected, there are some
  basic facts about preparing for a post high
  school life. One assumption we are making is
  that everyone is striving to earn at least a
  living wage.
• Living wage is what a family of four needs to
  earn for basic necessities. The average income
  for a family of four in Illinois is 75,484.

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How do I prepare my child and when?

• Spend a lot of time talking about goals and what
  is needed to reach those goals.
• Research jobs and what will be required to enter
  that field.
• Do not panic if your child does not know what he
  or she wants to be. Many things change between
  age 12-25. Do not make the process a stressful
  situation.
• Also realize that over 30 of the jobs that your
  child will be competing for have not even been
  created yet.

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How do I parents prepare themselves?

• Be involved in creating your childs 4-year high
  school plan.
• Be aware of the colleges recommended high school
  core classes 4 years of English, 3 years of
  math, 3 years of science, 3 years of social
  studies, and 2 years of foreign language.
• Honors and AP courses provide a challenge and
  rigor this has proven to lead to future success.
• Go over standardized test results (EXPLORE, PLAN,
  ACT, and PSAE) to identify strengths and areas to
  improve to better prepare your child for the
  upcoming challenge of college.

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What role does my childs 4 year course selection
plan play?

• To make a long story short, the more rigorous a
  students course load is, the better they will do
  in college.
• The higher the level of math reached, the more
  likely success will be attained in college.
• Students who take at least one AP (advanced
  placement) course do better in college.
• The senior year should not be viewed as the
  last time to have some fun. At the same time,
  school should be an enjoyable experience.

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What role does standardized testing play?

• Scores from the different standardized tests
  indicate students strengths and areas to
  improve.
• If my child scores low, does that mean they will
  never do well in college? NO! Standardized test
  scores are used to provide information to
  improve, not label and lock into a certain future
  path.

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What role should finances play in deciding
whether or not to go to college?

• NONE!
• Remember, do not eliminate any college because of
  costs before receiving financial assistance
  information.
• Remember to check with college financial aid
  offices for accurate costs.

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Where do I go if I need help ?

• The place to start is your childs guidance
  counselor.
• There are many web sites, one of the best is
  www.act.org The ACT web site has lots valuable
  information, practice tests, and other resources
  for students and parents.
• Also the learning express link on the
  counselors site may be found under the study
  skills test-taking strategies link.