College Timeline For Juniors

Get to know guidance Guidance Counselors Mrs. Lowry (Grades: 8th, 9th, 12th – L-Z) Mrs. Mosby (Grades: 10th, 11th, 12th – A-K) Secretary (and so much more) Mrs. Thompson Testing Coordinator Mrs. Graham Career Coach Mrs. Murden

Twelfth Grade Required Courses Advanced Diploma – 26 credits and 9 SOL’s English (4) Math (will need 4 including Alg 2) Science (3 of 4 in different disciplines) History (4 total) H/PE 9 & 10 Foreign Language (3 of one or 2 & 2) Fine Art or Career and Technical Economics and Personal Finance Electives Standard Diploma – 22 credits and 6 SOL’s English (4) Math (3) Science (3) History (3) H/PE 9 and 10 Fine Art or Career and Technical Economics and Personal Finance Sequential Electives (2) Electives **Will need Industry Certification and a sequence of two elective classes Any Dual Enrollment Classes require the NRCC Placement Test – if first time taking DE English it will be DE English Composition with an option to take DE English Literature in the Spring Government is required and Honors Government is for students that received a B or better in VA/US History and passed the SOL

What do I do right now? Take standardized tests and make a timeline Take AP tests (if appropriate) Research Colleges including search via collegeboard.org Visit colleges (Junior Open Houses) Get involved in school/community Start a resume or activity/awards list NCAA Initial Eligibility Center Information for Prospective NCAA Division I and II College Student Athletes, NAIA Students

Earning College credit now Dual Enrollment Courses Credit depends on: Completion of course (also a C or better) Respective College’s Standards and policies AP Tests Offered in May Students can also take AP courses through Virtual Virginia To earn college credit – need 3,4,5 – depends on college

February – May Timeline Register for the SAT/ACT Assessment Begin Applications process for Service Academies (Example – West Point) Take SAT: Subject Tests if appropriate (check the admissions sites of schools your are interested) Some colleges are going test optional. Check admissions sites for this and double check if needed for honors programs or merit scholarships Set up college tours for over the summer (and possibly Spring Break), make appointments for information sessions, tours, department sessions, and interviews if necessary

June - August Take SAT/ACT if appropriate (or for second time) Narrow college choices Visit colleges Use this summer to make money to help pay for college expenses or a summer enrichment program

SAT/ACT Review Identify weak areas from previous tests (go back and look at PSAT scores) Take a preparatory class if necessary – example: Kaplan Test Prep https://www.kaptest.com/ Books/CD (Peterson’s, Barron’s) Practice questions online www.collegeboard.org and www.actstudent.org

The sat…. Used to provide an estimate of future performance, assesses educational readiness Evidence-Based Reading and Writing, Math, and Essay; score scale = 200-800 (Essay is separate score and maybe needed for placement with some schools) Time allotted: 180 minutes plus 50 minutes for optional essay) Used for college admissions (check websites) Khan Academy offers free practice test materials at collegereadiness.collegeboard.org

The Sat (con’t) Number of questions/time allotted Reading 52/65 minutes Writing and Language 44/35 minutes Math (without calculator) 20/20 minutes Math (with calculator) 38/55 minutes Essay (optional) 1/50 Total 154 (155 with essay)/180 (230 with essay)

SAT Subject tests Achievement tests – used to measure acquired knowledge in a particular area, as well as ability to apply that knowledge Wide variety of individual subjects in five areas: HISTORY, ENGLISH, MATH, SCIENCE & LANGUAGE Score Scale: 200-800 Used for admission or placement/advising purposes

ACT Covers ENGLISH, SCIENCE, MATH, READING, WRITING (optional – but could be required by a college) ACT is closely tied with high school curricula Scored from 1-36 Accepted in lieu of the SAT: Reasoning Test at colleges/universities in Virginia and all over the country. If applying to certain colleges in the mid-western, western, and southern states – ACT could be required or highly preferred.

What do schools look for Performance in secondary school program MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF APPLICATION High grades in a rigorous curriculum SAT or ACT Highest SAT or ACT taken SAT: Subject tests if required or recommended Recommendation letters Extracurricular Activities – quality over quantity Essays (make sure the statement/question is being answered) Interview (some schools will require for admission or even scholarship qualification)

Deciding on a college What do YOU want in a school Location, type, size, competitiveness, campus life, makeup of the student body Research colleges of interest Collegeboard.org college search, course catalogs, admissions officers Campus visits

Wrapping it up: Junior into Senior year Get organized Binder with tabs Search colleges Register for SAT/ACT and SAT Subject if necessary Look for open house dates (junior year and again in fall for senior year) Talk about finances: what is going to be feasible for your family FAFSA opens up a lot of doors (look for FAFSA night and workshop in the fall) Public vs Private Community College options Trade School Military

Into Senior Year – con’t Senior year will be here before you know it College applications will be available sometime in August for most schools Narrow down how many applications to send out Visit with college counselors that come to FCHS Make an appointment to see Guidance and the Career Coach

Career Coach – Holly Murden What is a "Career Coach"? https://www.floyd.k12.va.us/Page/2382 In a high school the career coach is a unique resource dedicated to helping students discover and develop plans for their future. The career coach helps students assess their interests, values, and skills and then identify potential careers which might be a good fit.  The career coach can also help students explore those potential careers while in high school through job shadowing or class visits.  The career coach also works with the student to understand what type of education is necessary for a particular career...from Associate's degree to Bachelor's degree to Master's degree or higher.  Often the career coach will guide the student in setting "smart" goals and developing an action plan.     The career coach is equipped to help students and families with college preparation, particularly for students who might be starting at the community college.   The career coach can help navigate placement testing, college application, financial aid, scholarship opportunities, and FAFSA completion.

Holly Murden is located in the CTE building and has a sign up sheet on her door. She is currently at FCHS Wednesday-Friday