1. Junior College Conversation
What You Need to Know Heading into Senior Year
Presented by:
Paramus Catholic Student Support Services

2. What can you do now? Self-Exploration Transcript Release Form
Ask (2) teachers for letters of recommendation
Standardized testing
Build your resume
Utilize the necessary technological resources

3. Exploration
Goals, interests, hobbies, abilities, transferrable skills and even dislikes
Career Inventories
Ask yourself questions about your ideal college:
Location
Academic Programs
Finances
Social aspects
What will make me happy at a school?

4. Letters of Recommendation
Be sure to ask teachers for letters of recommendation before the end of the school year
Fill out Letter of Recommendation Student Information Sheet
This will guide your teacher’s letter
Complete one copy, then provide this to your counselor
After successfully completing these tasks:
Request letters through NAVIANCE
Colleges>Apply to College>Letters of Recommendation

5. Standardized Testing
Two Most Popular College Entry Tests are:
SAT I
Measures academic aptitude (or potential to learn)
Two main sections (Verbal and Math) with an optional essay
Register through COLLEGEBOARD.ORG
Recommended to take at least two times
ACT
Measures academic achievement (what you know now)
Four sections (English, Math, Reading, Science) with an optional essay
Register through ACT.ORG
If you took ACT in Paramus Catholic, ask your counselor for your ACT ID number
Student is responsible for sending their official score reports to their colleges (through ACT.org or CollegeBoard.org)

6. Standardized Testing (Continued)
SAT II
Also known as SAT Subject Test (Formally Scholastic Achievement Test)
This takes a bit more research regarding your schools’ recommendations OR requirements (contact or look up your schools’ admissions offices for more information)
English and Math are popular Subject Tests to take
For more information go to: tests/subjects
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
Most popular among ELL students
Test for English proficiency (Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing)
Who here is not a great test taker?

7. **Depending on your program- Research must be done for this**
Test-optional
These policies are becoming more present in schools state and nationwide
Not required to send ACT or SAT scores to schools
However, schools may put more weight on a student’s GPA and other credentials
College Essay, Letters of Recommendation, Extra Curricular Activities
NJ State Schools: William Paterson, Rowan, Stockton, NJCU, Montclair
NJ Private Institutions: Saint Peter’s, Bloomfield, Saint Elizabeth, Drew, Rider
**Depending on your program- Research must be done for this**
For a complete list of schools, go to: FAIRTEST.ORG

8. Research your interested schools
What are some ways to find out more about schools?
Admissions websites
College Fairs
College Representative Visits (Autumn)
VISIT CAMPUSES!
Most recommended
Set up college tours, open houses, visits
College Visitation Form (Pink)

9. Create a Common App Account
A way to use the same application for a variety of schools
Many NJ schools are on here however, the following are not:
Rutgers (any campus)
Montclair
Any school that does not accept Common App, must be applied to on their website
You can fill out most of the Common Application during the summer, but you cannot fill out:
Current G.P.A.
Current Class Size
Senior Year Schedule
Create a Common App Account at: COMMONAPP.ORG

10. Naviance
Tool for research, collaboration and document sharing (very important)
Research
Supermatch College Search
Strong Interest Inventories (Interest Profiler)
Exploring Careers
Collaboration
Colleges I Am Thinking About (you, your parents and your counselor have access)
Compile a list of schools by the start of Autumn *this is NOT a final list*
Complete Brag Sheet
For your counselor’s written evaluation (letter of recommendation)
Link your Common App with your Naviance account– under Colleges I am Applying To
If you are applying to any non-Common App schools, the school must be added manually
This can only be done if you Complete the FERPA Waiver on Common App
Request letters of Recommendation from your Teachers

11. Naviance
Document Sharing
Prior to school year, students were responsible for providing counselors envelopes and stamps for all of the schools they applied to
NOW- Because of Naviance, most of our document sharing is done digitally
Official Transcript
Letters of Recommendation
Senior Year Schedule
Common App Forms (if needed)
Mid-year Report Card (if requested)
For Next Year- let your counselor know if you have applied to a school using a TRANSCRIPT REQUEST FORM and REQUESTING TRANSCRIPT THROUGH NAVIANCE

12. A few more comments COMMUNICATION is everything
Your parents or guardians are also a very important component to all of this
Your own independent research is imperative to this process
Finish Junior Year out strong; this is your last chance to control your averages before senior year
Start looking up topics for your College Essay (Common App has already provided them for next year)

13. Resources Career Exploration O*Net Occupational Outlook Handbook
Naviance (school zipcode: 07652)
Conversing with your counselor will help aid in your career exploration
Standardized Testing (and sending scores)
ACT
College Board
Information Regarding Colleges
Naviance
Common Application
College Simply
Admission websites

14. Any Questions?
Thank you!