11th Grade PARENT Night Ardrey Kell High School Administration and Student Services Department November 15, 2018

MEET THE counselors… Kelly DeAntonio (A-Cal) Lori DiPierno (Cam-Ek) Kristilyn Ramos (El-Har) Mary Sartwell (Has-Lem)

MEET THE counselors… Chad Cable (Len-M) Heather Schiffman (N-Rod) LaTricia Mills (Roe-S) Jorris Clemmons (T-Z)

Other people you should know… Brandon Webb Career Development Coordinator (Knights in Action) Maureen Sanborn Registrar 11th Grade Administrator: Ms. Bridget Ritch

What will I learn today? What should juniors be doing to prepare for senior year? High School Transcript/GPA/Rank SAT/ACT Testing General Announcements from Ms. Ritch Q & A

Counselor (Based on Alpha) Levels of Contact Student (Yours) Teacher (Theirs) Counselor (Based on Alpha) Assistant Principal (Grade Level/Departmental) Principal (David Switzer)

Homeroom Knight Time Morning Tutoring after school tutoring Points of Interest Homeroom Knight Time Morning Tutoring after school tutoring

AK Virtual College & Career Center (www.akvc3.com) Knights in Action NCVPS College and Career Promise Special Programming Internship and Job Opportunities Career Resources

HOW DO I ACCESS THE ARDREY KELL STUDENT SERVICES PAGE?

What is a GPA? Grade Point Average (GPA): Why is GPA important? Determines class rank Looked at by colleges and scholarship committees Averages all final grades earned (cumulative)

What information is on a Transcript? Personal and school demographic information Final Grades Cumulative GPA (weighted and unweighted) Class Rank Rigor of Courses State testing information

What IS NOT ON A TRANSCRIPT? Discipline Attendance SAT & ACT Scores Community Service/Volunteer hours Athletic or club involvement Employment

Demographic and school information Middle School Courses that count as high school credit (NOT towards GPA) All high school final grades, by school year

Current current year courses GPA (weighted & unweighted) & Class Rank State testing Information

What should College Bound Juniors be doing? Get familiar with Naviance: Students should begin entering the colleges they are interested in under the “Colleges I’m Thinking About” tab. Before senior year, list schools under “Colleges I’m Applying To.” Research colleges: Utilize Naviance to compare GPA, standardized test scores and other statistics to actual historical data from AK (scattergram). Check individual college websites for most up to date information. Collegedata.com is also a great resource to use with Naviance. Schedule campus tours: The best way to get to know a university is to walk its campus while the students are there.

What should College Bound Juniors be doing? Letters of Recommendation: Who would write a great letter? Start thinking of a teacher and prepare to ask him/her to write a letter before the summer break. Research if your colleges require letter(s). Early Decision/Early Action: know the differences between the two (binding vs. non-binding). Senior Schedule: choose classes wisely; colleges WILL see the classes seniors are enrolled in. Know what to expect: Review AK School Counseling website for senior year timelines and checklists Schedule a junior appointment in the spring

What are colleges looking for? The admissions process varies from school to school. In general, these factors are important when admissions offices consider applications: Rigorous & appropriate course selection based on what we offer at AK (Honors and AP) Grades (GPA) Class Rank (some colleges consider some do not) SAT/ACT test scores (some schools are test optional) Essay responses (not required by all colleges) Extracurricular Involvement with leadership Community Service Recommendations

Act and SAT testing Take both at least twice (Why??....because of Super Score) Super Score: Most colleges super score test results. SAT is more reasoning skills; ACT is more content knowledge Juniors will take the ACT for free at AK on February 20th. JUNIORS MUST SAVE SCORE REPORT TO SET UP AN ACT ACCOUNT!!

Deadlines Early Decision: Binding decision. If accepted, a student must enroll or lose an enrollment deposit. A student accepted under early decision must withdraw all other college apps. Early Action: Nonbinding decision. A student may apply early but can apply to other colleges early and make a decision in the Spring. Acceptance rates are usually higher for ED / EA Applicants not because of when they apply but because of the profile of students who decide to apply early. Regular Decision: Nonbinding decision. A student applies with the standard applicant pool.

Questions?