GETTING READY FOR COLLEGE MRS. KLEMM MRS. SOLTISH

IDENTIFYING YOUR COLLEGE CHOICES: Use of Naviance: 1.Do a college search:  Add specific criteria such as major, location, cost, etc.. Naviance will help you create a list of matches. 2.After you have researched colleges that offer your program of choice, you may want to pose specific questions to your assigned School Counselor. 3.The goal is to identify 5-7 colleges to which you would like to apply. List those under your Naviance Profile as “Colleges I Am Thinking About.” Other Search Engines: Refer to the Naviance handout to see directions on how to complete the college search in Naviance.

WHAT TO DO IN THE JUNIOR YEAR?... Post High School Options: 4 Year College 2 Year Community College - (i.e. SUNY DCC) 2 or 4 Year Technical College – (i.e. SUNY Morrisville or SUNY Cobleskill) 1 or 2 Year vocational and technical schools – (i.e. BOCES CTI) Military - offers a salary, job training and education. Gap Programs – (i.e. Americorps, Student-Exchange Programs) College Search Process:  Identify the colleges you will apply to – Use Naviance.  For DCC bound students, the college offers an open admissions policy (No SAT requirement or Letters Of Recommendation). DCC offers an easy application process, but their program is one of the best of all the SUNY programs. Unless you know with 100% certainty you are DCC bound, please follow all of our recommendations for preparing for the 4 year college application process.  Terms to know: Early Action – Early Decision – Regular Decision- Open Enrollment – Goal: No matter what kind of school you are looking for, try to have a list of colleges which you can scale down in the early Fall. If you are thinking of Early Action or Early Decision, you will actually be applying to schools early November and even late October.

WHAT DO 4 YEAR COLLEGES EVALUATE FOR ADMISSION? 1.Transcript – Most four year colleges place the most emphasis on your transcript. This includes: What courses did you take? At what level? What were your grades? The transcript also includes your official Rank and GPA, calculated on grades from 9, 10 and 11 only! NOT grade 12! 2. SAT or ACT scores 3. Personal Essay, Extra-curricular Activities and Letters of Recommendation. Letters of Recommendation - You will need to ask at least two teachers to write recommendations. They can't know you without hearing your thoughts, so make sure to contribute in class. In addition, your counselor may need to write a letter of recommendation, so visit the counseling office and make her a part of your growing network. ** Some 4 year colleges weight the items from #3 more heavily then others. (There are over colleges in the country with varying levels of selectivity. There is a college for everyone! ) Begin Your Senior Fact Sheets or Academic Resume: ** Build your academic resume. Junior year can and should be a time to step forward as a leader in the world outside academics. Explore pursuits that interest you, not just because the exercise will look good on an application, but also because it allows you to flourish as a person.

SAT o Most 4 year colleges require SAT results. SAT format will change effective March Nearly all juniors will experience the new format. o The maximum score on the SAT is Max score of 800 for Reading and Writing, 800 for Math. The essay is scored separately and is not part of the 1600, but it is strongly recommended that you do complete the essay section. o Most students take their first SAT in Spring of their junior year. It’s offered in March, May and June. Generally, students take the SATs at least twice (Spring of Junior year and Early Fall of Senior year). o There is a deadline to register for an SAT exam, which is one month prior to test administration. o Many students prepare for the SAT by taking a review or prep course. Wappingers offers a review course in the Spring. Registration Info is on the RCK Guidance website. This is offered through Continuing Education and the cost is $90.00 for 8 weeks. There are many private prep courses available, but they are significantly more expensive ($350-$550). o Subject Tests – Subject specific tests that are generally required for admissions into more competitive schools.

ACT Key differences from the SAT are that:  There is less Math on the ACT than on the SAT.  There is also a Science section which the SAT does not test. The max score that can be achieved on the ACT is a 36. Arlington H.S., Carmel H.S., Newburgh Free Academy, and Poughkeepsie H.S. are ACT testing centers. Be familiar with your test location to ensure you are on time to test.

ACCOMMODATIONS FOR THE ACT & SAT For those students with a 504 or IEP; if you want your testing accommodations, you must apply for them immediately. This form is available through your School Counselor, Teacher of Record, or the Librarian. It takes 6-8 weeks for College Board or the ACT to process your request.

TEST OPTIONAL SCHOOLS – ADMISSIONS INFO If your ACT and/or SAT scores are not what you expected, don't despair. There are more than 830 colleges and universities that are test-optional. These schools don't use test scores to admit substantial numbers of students. You can find out more about test- optional schools by visiting FairTest: The National Center for Fair and Open Testing.FairTest: The National Center for Fair and Open Testing

N.C.A.A. CLEARINGHOUSE As a potential Division I, II, or III athlete, it is important that you are aware of the academic requirements for eligibility. To apply for initial eligibility, please visit the N.C.A.A. website: You will need to send you SAT exam results through College Board. To do so log-in to your College Board account and add code 9999.

SPRING - IT’S TIME TO KICK IT UP A NOTCH 1.Visit college campuses and take the tour! Many offer virtual tours on the websites and social media pages. Check for Open House dates (typically Spring and Fall) where you and your family can see the college firsthand. It’s best to see the campus when college is actually in session. 2.Knowledgeably plan for your senior year schedule with your counselor. Do not take the easy path. Colleges often want to see that fourth year of Math and Science. Colleges expect a full and demanding schedule in Senior Year. 3.Prepare for Regents and AP exams. 4.Plan for summer jobs and internships. Show the colleges you are an asset to your community and would be a strong addition to their college campus.