1. College & Career Planning
It’s time to plan
and
get started!

2. Freshman Year Get a good academic start- all grades count!
Have a family discussion about choices:
- Work
- Military/ROTC/Military Academy
- Technical School/College
- 2 Year College
- 4 Year College
Questions: How far from home? Budget?

3. Tasks for Sophomore Year
Complete the PSAT in October
Maintain or improve grades and GPA
Use careers class & Naviance to identify skills and preferences to find appropriate career paths
Build your resume by joining clubs and doing community service
Choose courses for junior year wisely

4. Tasks to Complete Junior Year
Create an for ONLY college and career planning
Complete PSAT and/or ASVAB in the fall and SAT/ACTs before end of school year
Complete college search and visits or meet with a recruiter
Complete your resume (keep it updated)
Ask this year’s teacher (s) for a letter of recommendation in May or June in person
Check requirements and procedures for your choice carefully
7. Choose courses for senior year wisely

5. Military Testing
The ASVAB test is given at HHS each November and is required for enlistment
There are score requirements for each branch and for job placement
If the ASVAB is not taken at HHS, a recruiter will take student to a testing center
SAT/ACT required for military academies

6. Email create one account to use only for all college & career planning
Who will ask for my ?
SAT
ACT
NCAA
Common Application
Each college’s online app
Coaches
Recruiters
Naviance
Why?
address is now like Social Security number
Colleges will track student by address not name. If different addresses are used all of your info cannot be matched to form one file on you.
Should not be parent’s !

7. NCAA http://web1.ncaa.org/eligibilitycenter/common/
Anyone interested in playing Division I or II athletics must register with the NCAA by the end of their junior year to ensure eligibility.
Juniors must complete a release form and request a transcript from guidance by June 20th.
Be sure you are using that one and only address!

8. SAT Subject Tests (if needed)
Standardized Testing
ACT
SAT
SAT Subject Tests (if needed)
How to register using specific college/career address.
Be sure to check testing requirements
When should student test? Junior Year!!! Spring if in Algebra 2
More important- when to be done? Complete by end of Junior year
or you may lose “Score Choice” option
SAT or ACT? Take both, then only submit the better score

9. What if I am going to community college?
SAT/ACT are not required for admission- however you will be required to do placement testing
If submitting SAT/ACT scores, placement tests will NOT be required if minimum scores are met
If choosing to transfer before earning an Associate’s Degree at county, SAT or ACT scores may be needed.
Grades and high school courses completed can be considered for certain majors

10. All of the other stuff! Should be done before returning senior year
Resume
Essays
(summer)
Request 2
Letters of Recommendation
IN PERSON

11. SENIOR YEAR!!! Students should arrive on the
first day of school with their plan finalized!
Decision should be made about pathway: college, work, military, tech school, etc.
If applying to higher education:
list of schools applying to is set

12. Types of Application Deadlines
Early Decision (E.D)
May apply to 1 only as E.D.
Completely binding
Must submit without knowing financial aid
Increases acceptance chance
Early Action
May send more than 1 of these
Not binding
Typical deadline Nov. 1st
Send in early – find out early
Regular Application
Most are online, few paper
Deadlines vary so watch carefully!
All apps should be completed by December 15th.
Rolling Admissions
First come - first served
They accept applicants as they review them. Once quota is reached they are done.
Complete these first!

13. What is the Common Application?
Over 400 colleges use this one application- some use only the common application
Create an account using “college only”
This college application can be completed once and then submitted to multiple colleges
If you see a monitor symbol with “CA” in Naviance it is a common app school.
Once you enter your common app user ID and password into Naviance and add the college to the common application- the two programs will speak to each other. All forms for teachers and counselors will be automatically be provided to them.

14. How does it all work?

15. Senior Year
In early September students will have a group training with guidance counselors where they will be trained on the final use of Naviance and the application submission process
In mid-September through mid-October students will have a meeting with their guidance counselor where they will be asked for their plan and/or list of schools to which they are applying
At this meeting they review the student’s transcript and GPA. Counselors will also review the Colleges I Am Applying to, Transcript Requests, and Letter of Recommendation request sections of Naviance
Students are then ready to complete the application process- applications should be completed by Winter break for best chances of an acceptance
Starting October 1st begin the financial aid process by filling out the FAFSA online at www. fafsa.ed.gov

16. IMPORTANT TIPS Use only 1 email address for everything!
Students must have their plan in place by the
1st day of school senior year!
Student does everything- parents only help them!
Watch deadlines! Priority schools applied to by Thanksgiving, all others before Winter break
Follow provided calendar to stay on track