RHS Guidance Department

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RHS Guidance Department

• Sophomore College Planning Night

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RHS Guidance Department

• Mr. Don Green, School Counselor
• Ms. Lindsay Richard, School Counselor
• Mrs. Laurie Rotondo, Lead School Counselor
• Mr. Raheel Saleem, School Counselor
• Mrs. Janet Quick, Guidance Secretary

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Alphabet Breakdown

• Class of 2015
• Mr. Saleem A-G
• Ms. Richard H-Le
• Mr. Green Li Z
• The breakdown will be adjusted slightly as Mrs.
  Rotondo will have
• students from the Class of 2015 again. A letter
  with the breakdown will
• be sent in early July with your final report
  cards.

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Agenda

• College Selection Factors
• Family Connection
• Admission Factors
• Standardized Testing
• End of Year Reminders
• Question Answer Session

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College Selection Factors

• Size of Campus
• Large, Medium, or Small
• Public or Private Institution
• Location
• Distance from Home
• Urban, Suburban, or Rural
• Quality Selection of Programs
• Quality of Faculty
• Resident or Commuter
• Diversity of Student Body

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College Selection Factors

• Athletics
• Div. I, II, III
• Club or Intramural
• Cost
• Tuition In-State vs. Out of State
• Financial Aid
• Support Services
• Career Services, Special Services Tutoring,
  Counseling Specialist, Learning Disability
  Specialist, etc.
• Special Programs
• Study Abroad, Internship Opportunities, Graduate
  Programs, etc.

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College Search Process

• Where do we begin?
• Communication
• What is the student looking for?
• What are the parent expectations?
• Who is financially responsible for tuition?
• Initial Research
• Websites and View books-College Board
  Family Connection
• Test Drive
• Visitations- fall, spring, and summer
• open house, tours and sit in on a class

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Family Connection

• College Search Database specific to RHS
• Each student received a password during course
  selection.
• Forgotten Passwords See your counselors
• Link to Family Connection can be found on the RHS
  Website

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Impt. Factors for the Admission Committee

• What are colleges looking for?
• Types of Courses (Create a 2-year plan Jr. Sr.
  Year)
• Grade Point Average
• Standardized Tests (SAT/ACT SATII)
• SAT Math, Critical Reading, Writing
• Time 3 hours 45 minutes long
• Score 200 800 for each section
• ACT English, Math, Reading, Science Reasoning,
  
• Writing (optional) Always register to
  take WITH Writing
• Time 3 hours and 30 minutes
• Score 1 36 for each section, then an
  overall
• composite score of 1
  36
• SATII Subject tests to measure ones skills in a
  particular subject
• English, Math, Science,
  History, and Languages

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\ SAT or ACT?

• SAT

• ACT

• No Science Section
• No Trigonometry section
• Vocabulary emphasized
• Non multiple-choice questions included
• Guessing penalty
• No English Grammar
• Math accts. For 50 of score

• Science Reasoning Section
• Math section includes trigonometry
• Vocabulary less important
• Entirely multiple choice
• No guessing penalty
• English Grammar tested
• Math accounts for 25 of score

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SAT or ACT?

• SAT

• ACT

• Questions go from easy to hard in most sections
• Report scores only from the test dates you choose

• Easy and hard questions mixed within sections
• Report Scores only from the test dates you choose

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Math Levels Standardized Testing

• Sophomores taking Algebra II or a higher math
  level this year can take the official SATs or
  ACTs in June of sophomore year and/or fall of
  junior year.
• Sophomores taking Algebra II next year should
  wait to take the SATs or ACTs until the spring
  time of junior year. Typically, sophomores
  taking Algebra II next year will take the
  February ACT and March SAT.

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Standardized Testing Calendar

• PSAT Saturday, October 19, 2013
• Practice ACT Saturday, November 16, 2013
• Practice 1/2 SAT 1/2 ACT February 1, 2014
• Official SAT 2013 2014 Dates announced in July
• Spring of Junior Year
  (Tentative
  Dates Based Upon Previous Year Dates)
• January 25, 2014
• March 8, 2014
• May 3, 2014
• June 7, 2014
• Fall of Senior Year October, November December

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Standardized Testing Calendar

• Official ACT
• Junior Year (dates confirmed)
• September 21, 2013
• October 26, 2013
• December 14, 2013
• February 8, 2014
• April 12, 2014
• June 14, 2014
• Fall of Senior Year September, October
  December

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Create a Test Taking Schedule

• October PSATs
• Pending Math Level
• December ACT
• January SAT
• February ACT
• March HSPAs SAT
• April ACT
• May AP Exams Subject Tests, SAT
• June SAT, ACT, Subject Tests

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SAT II (Subject Tests) AP Exams

• SAT IIs are subject based tests. Students can
  take this test at any grade level.
• SAT IIs should be taken when the course is
  completed and fresh in your mind. We suggest May
  and/or June
• AP examinations are for college credit only,
  typically not for college admissions

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Score Choice

• Score Choice gives you the option to choose which
  scores (by test date for the SAT and by
  individual test for SAT Subject Tests) you send
  to colleges in accordance with an institution's
  stated score-use practice.
• If you decide not to use Score Choice, all of
  your scores will be sent to your recipients.
  Students should still feel comfortable sending
  all scores, since most colleges consider a
  students best score.

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Impt. Factors for the Admission Committee

• Essay
• Interviews (not all require)
• Sample Questions on Guidance Website
• Demonstrated Interest Level
• Extracurricular/Work experiences
• Honors/Awards
• Letters of Recommendation (More Information and
  Forms Distributed at Junior College Planning
  Night in January)

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Athletes

• NCAA Eligibility Clearinghouse Application
  https//web1.ncaa.org/eligibilitycent
  er/common/
• Can be submitted at the beginning of Junior Year
• Send SAT or ACT to NCAA Clearinghouse directly
• Send Official Transcript to NCAA Clearinghouse
• Athletic Scholarships Div. I or Div. II only
• Athletic Resume and Questionnaires
• Student Athletes Ask Yourself If I can not
  compete, would this still be the right school for
  me?

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Sophomore/Junior Year Calendar

• Summer
• Visit Colleges
• Research Colleges
• Fall
• Take the PSATs in October at RHS
• Pay attention to when college representatives
  will be visiting RHS in the fall. Each
  junior/senior can attend 6 information sessions.
• Attend Open Houses at Colleges

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Sophomore/Junior Year Calendar

• Winter
• Attend Junior College Planning Night
• Attend Financial Aid Night
• Register for the SAT and/or ACT
• Spring
• Take at least 1 SAT and 1 ACT
• If you take an AP class, take the subject test in
  that content area in May or June
• Ask Teachers to write letters of recommendations
• Submit Brag Sheets to the Guidance Office

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Helpful Reminders

• Keep your grades up! Everything counts!
• Change your email addresses to a family account
• Become Familiar with Family Connection
• My Space/Face Book Accounts College Admission
  Offices do look at your accounts
• Best Fit not Best School Finding the best
  fit requires visiting and researching
• How many? 2 or 3 reach, 4 or 5 target, 3 or 4
  probable
• Stay Organized
• Explore Various Options for Colleges Within Our
  Area

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Fall National College Fairs

• Sunday, November 10, 2013
  Philadelphia National College Fair at
  PA Convention Center from
  11am 3pm
• Thursday, November 14, 2013
• NJ National College Fair at
• Atlantic City Convention Center from
  9am-12pm 6-9pm

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Questions?