Counseling Services Department Junior Parent Night Sherwood High School Counseling Services Department Mrs. Kelly Singleton Mr. William Sartori January 18, 2018

What is happening now… Online course registration for the 2018-19 school year AP exam registration

Pathway to your senior year MC College Classes College and Career Readiness and Dev. Internship AP Electives

Tonight we will…… Talk about next steps: College search process Hand out information about the SAT/ACT, and other college entrance exams. Introduce you to our online college and career readiness resource.(Naviance) Share information about upcoming college fairs and important dates.

The Process Junior Year Senior Year Start early Get organized Take SAT/ACT/Accuplacer Identify and visit schools of interest Senior Year Apply to schools Request official transcripts/ rec. letters Send test scores Apply for financial aid (including FAFSA) beginning Oct. 1st

College entrance factors When colleges are evaluating a student’s application, they take many factors into consideration. However, they weigh some factors more heavily than others.

These 4 components have consistently been the top admission decision factors: Grades in College Prep/Core Courses Strength of Curriculum Grades in all courses Test Scores (SAT/ACT)

Next, colleges focus on the following components, which are considered moderately important and looked at very similarly: Student Essay Counselor Recommendation Teacher Recommendation Demonstrated interest in the college (ie: college visits, visits with admissions representatives in your area) Extracurricular Activities   These components of the application are factored in, but only by the subset of colleges that require them: Subject Test Scores Portfolio Interview

Starting my list Major Does this school have it? Location Close to home? In-state? Once a semester. Cost Do I have a range that is affordable to me? Admission Criteria GPA Foreign Lang? SAT/ACT Admission Rate How competitive is the school? Safety/reach ream Size Big/small classes? Social impact? What’s your comfort level? To start, make a list of what is important to you and your family...

College Entrance EXAMS SAT* SAT II (SUBJECTS TESTS) ACT* *MCPS will be paying for all juniors to take the SAT or ACT this spring.

College Entrance EXAMS AP Exams (Possible college credit) ACCUPLACER (Montgomery College) ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery)

Request official transcripts and counselor/teacher letters of recommendation Search for colleges and scholarships; register for career center visits Complete student and parent brag sheets Keep track of the college application process from any computer with internet connection NAVIANCE PROGRAM

Junior Parent Night with College Admissions Counselors- Thursday, April 5, 2018 at 7:00 Sherwood High School College Fair – Monday April 9, 2018 6:30pm-8:30pm County College Fair – Wednesday April 11, 2018 (Permission form required) AP Exams – May 7-18 , 2018 (Registration is open online) Senior Meetings- Summer 2017 Senior Parent Night - Early September 2017 Financial Aid Night – TBD Important Dates

Counseling Services Department 301-924-3210 College & Career Information Center 301-924-3219 Contact Us!

Q & A