Waukegan High School

 Junior year is probably the most important year when it comes to your grades!  READ, READ, READ!

 Study skills  Note taking, highlighting, etc  Time management  Set aside time for studying and homework  Organization  Agenda book, folders, etc

 Elective Fair  Course choices for senior year  Make sure your courses prepare you for your future!  Ask teachers for recommendations  Consider honors or AP classes.

-Get Involved- Colleges want well-rounded students -Extracurricular involvement shows commitment -Be sure to keep a current record of all of your accomplishments, awards, and activities.

ATTEND COLLEGE REP VISITS IN THE HEWITT/CUBE CENTER ATTEND COLLEGE CAMPUS VISITS  Review the calendar for college reps and decide which sessions you’d like to attend. Make sure to let your teacher know ahead of time making sure they sign off on your admission ticket.  Before making your final decision to attend a college, be sure to schedule a campus visit and arrive prepared with a list of questions to ask. Take this time to meet with their admissions and financial aid advisor.

All juniors will be taking the ACT this spring. This is an important college entrance exam. Continue to use this time to prepare for the ACT and take advantage ACT workshops as they become available.

 During the spring of each year, the Hispanic College Fair comes to Waukegan High School and juniors are invited to visit each college’s booth, talk with a college rep, and pick up information on the school including academic and financial aid info.  The College of Lake County hosts a large college fair each year so keep watch for those dates.

 If you are a student athlete who wants to continue in college:  Register on the NCAA eligibility center.  Speak with your family, coach, and counselor  For more information and to view athletic eligibility, visit

1) Speak with a recruiter to learn about entrance requirements and discuss taking the ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery), 2) You’ll want to be well informed of the different branches and requirements before making a decision whether to enlist or not. For more information, visit

 Junior year is when you should begin to think about possible career paths  Naviance can help you decide

Follow these steps to access the career interest profiler on Naviance:  Click the “about me” tab  Under “my assessments”, click “career interest profiler”  Click, “start profiler” to begin survey

Remember to answer honestly! Ask yourself:  What am I good at? What skills do I have?  Would I enjoy continuing my education and for how long?  Would I prefer to attend a career program at a community college or vocational school for a year and begin working right away?  Why do I want to attend college? (Career advancement, money, independence, etc.)

As you begin to consider some of your interests, talk with an adult who works within that job and ask them for an interview. If possible, see if you can job shadow that person for the day.

. A career search will help answer some of these questions:  What types of jobs match my interests and skills?  What type of education and training is required?  How much will it cost me to attend school to finish this degree/certificate?  What is the demand for this position, are there a lot of these jobs available?  How much money will I make?

Follow these steps to access the career searches on Naviance:  Click on the “Careers” tab  Under “Explore Careers” click on “Explore Careers and Clusters”  The College Board has a career and college major search. Once on the website, click on “Explore Careers”  https ://bigfuture.collegeboard.org https ://bigfuture.collegeboard.org

Once you’ve determined your interest of study, you can begin your college search where you’ll eventually narrow down your list to a couple of schools. Naviance has several features that can assist you in your search. Follow these steps to access the College Searches on Naviance:  Log into your personal account  Click on the “Colleges” tab  Under “College Research”, click any of the 5 Search links

Factors to consider  Admission Requirements  Location  Cost  Size Build your list  Reach: admission is a “long shot”, but you should apply anyway  Match: there is a “likely” chance you’ll get in  Safety: you will “most certainly” get in

Northern’s Website

Across the top, you see the following categories: Academics, Admissions, Tuition & Financial Aid, Life at NIU, and Research.

 Admissions- Once in Admissions, you’ll want to click on “Undergraduate Admissions”, which will direct you to the page for freshman or transfer students.

NIU even offers an easy step-by-step guide to applying for admission.

Tuition & Financial Aid- ExpenditurePrice Illinois Resident Total Cost $25,680 In-State Tuition $9,096 Other Fees $3,880 Room and Board $11,404 Books and Supplies $1,300 Non-Resident Total Cost $34,776 Out-of-State Tuition $18,192 Other Fees $3,880 Room and Board $11,404 Books and Supplies $1,300

Life at NIU- This area provides a variety of information on how to get involved, including available student organizations, sports, housing options, student services, and much more. …While there is much more to be considered within a college website, this should help give you an introduction to some of the more common pages you’ll need to explore during your initial visit to a website.

 Associate degree- a degree awarded to students who complete two years of full time study at a college or university.  Bachelor’s degree- a degree awarded to students who complete 4 years of full time study at a college or university.  Certificate- an award given to students for completing a non-degree program usually within one year or less and typically given by two year colleges or vocational schools.  College- a general term to describe an institution of higher learning and can also be a division of a university that offers a specialized group of courses.  Community college- a college that offers two-year programs that lead to an associate degree.  Early action (non-binding)- students apply to a college early, usually in November, and receive a response from the college at an earlier time, usually in December.

 Early decision (binding)- students apply to a college early, usually in November, and receive a response from the college at an earlier time, usually in December. If admitted, they must attend that college and withdraw all other applications from other colleges. Students can only apply to one early decision college.  Financial aid- a scholarship, grant, or loan provided to assist a student’s college expenses.  FAFSA (free application for federal student aid)- an application that is used to determine the amount your family is expected to pay for college and whether you are eligible for financial aid.  Grant- money provided to help pay for college expenses that does not need to be repaid and is need-based.  Major- an area of study that a student specializes in when working to complete their degree.

 Priority deadline- students that apply by this date have a greater chance of being admitted and receiving a scholarship. (November 1 st and 15 th )  Regular decision- students apply to a college by a specified date, typically in January and receive notification around sometime in March or April.  Resume- a written document that includes an individual’s education, work experience, and accomplishments. This is submitted to employers in an effort to find a job.  Rolling admissions- colleges review student applications right away after they have been submitted and usually will notify the student of their decision within a few weeks.  Scholarship- money provided to help pay for college expenses, which is based on merit or academic achievement.  University- an institution of higher learning that houses several colleges.