1. Planning Your Future A Guide to Post Secondary Planning

2. The SLRHS Counseling Staff Mr. GarofaloA-B Mr. GarofaloA-B Mr. PerroneC-Gr Mr. PerroneC-Gr Mrs. Cranshaw Gu-Ni Mrs. Cranshaw Gu-Ni Mrs. RyanNo-Z Mrs. RyanNo-Z Ms. WeeksCTE Counselor Ms. WeeksCTE Counselor Mrs. RichardsAdjustment Counselor Mrs. RichardsAdjustment Counselor

3. PowerPoint Overview High School Plan High School Plan Standardized Tests Standardized Tests Researching Colleges Researching Colleges Senior Year Senior Year Websites Websites

4. You Need a Plan for After High School! What Plan Is Best for You? 4 Year College Post-Sec. Training/ Work 2 Year College Military

5. Education 2.5 Doctoral Degree 2.4 Professional Degree Master's Degree Bachelor's Degree Associate's Degree Some College No Degree High School Graduate Less Than High School Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, 2011 Data shows earnings for year-round, full-time workers 25 years and over; unemployment rate for those 25 and over $80,652 $86,580 $65,676 $54,756 $39,936 $37,388 $33,176 $23,452 % Unemployment Rate in 2011 Why College? Because Education is Related to Income! 8.7 9.4 6.8 Median Earnings in 2011 3.6 4.9 $86,580 $80,652 14.1

6. Junior Year Take SAT in spring (May 5 th at Silver Lake, register by April 6 th, and/or June 2 nd ) Take SAT in spring (May 5 th at Silver Lake, register by April 6 th, and/or June 2 nd ) College visits/tours/fairs College visits/tours/fairs Providence National College Fair, Saturday, April 28 th Providence National College Fair, Saturday, April 28 th Boston Area National College Fair, May 3 rd and May 4 th Boston Area National College Fair, May 3 rd and May 4 th Contact your guidance counselor for more details Contact your guidance counselor for more details Start thinking about financial aid Start thinking about financial aid Explore job/volunteering opportunities Explore job/volunteering opportunities Importance of course selection for Importance of course selection for senior year Extracurricular activities Extracurricular activities

7. SAT vs. ACT ACT ACT - English - Math - Reading - Science - Optional writing section www.act.org SAT - Writing - Math - Critical Reading - Subject tests (if needed) www.sat.collegeboard.org/register

8. What should you look for in a College or University?

9. Larger Schools vs. Smaller Schools Relationships with professors Relationships with professors Student body - diversity Student body - diversity Opportunities Opportunities

10. Public vs. Private  STATE SCHOOLS: Bridgewater, UMass(s), Fitchburg, Westfield, Framingham, Salem  RANGE: $3,000-$24,000  Boston University, Boston College, Stonehill, Northeastern, Suffolk, etc.  RANGE: $15,000-$58,000  AFFILIATION : Religion, Alumni  PRESTIGE: Graduate school

11. Environment Academics- less daily homework; more papers, reading, group work. What’s a major and minor? Academics- less daily homework; more papers, reading, group work. What’s a major and minor? Athletics – Division I, II, III; see your counselor if you plan on playing. You must register with the NCAA. Athletics – Division I, II, III; see your counselor if you plan on playing. You must register with the NCAA. Social/Greek life – Fraternities and Sororities; commuter vs. resident Social/Greek life – Fraternities and Sororities; commuter vs. resident

12. Location In state or out of state In state or out of state Commuting distance Commuting distance Driving distance Driving distance Flying distance Flying distance

13. What about Finances? Talk to your parents about what’s realistic Talk to your parents about what’s realistic Financial Aid Night Financial Aid Night Think about scholarships Think about scholarships Grants Grants Loans Loans Work study Work study

14. Campus Visit Colleges love to have high school students visit Colleges love to have high school students visit Visit the school’s website or Guidance for a list of open house dates. Visit the school’s website or Guidance for a list of open house dates.

15. Senior Year Meet with counselor in early fall; narrow down Meet with counselor in early fall; narrow down and finalize colleges you are planning on applying to and finalize colleges you are planning on applying to Take SAT’s (and/or Subject tests) in October/November Take SAT’s (and/or Subject tests) in October/November Ask teachers for recommendations – The earlier the better! * Ask teachers for recommendations – The earlier the better! * Write college essay – Senior English class Write college essay – Senior English class Find out all requirements/deadlines for colleges Find out all requirements/deadlines for colleges * Be mindful of postmarked vs. opened by deadlines * Be mindful of postmarked vs. opened by deadlines

16. Narrow It Down Two “safe” schools Two “safe” schools Two “reach” schools Two “reach” schools Two “good” fits Two “good” fits

17. Application Process Overview Primarily after the first quarter of your senior year Primarily after the first quarter of your senior year Early decision (binding), early action (non-binding) Early decision (binding), early action (non-binding) Student responsibilities = Application, letters of recommendation, essay, test scores, interview (if applicable) Student responsibilities = Application, letters of recommendation, essay, test scores, interview (if applicable) Counselor = transcript, recommendation, school profile, and school report, mid year and final grades Counselor = transcript, recommendation, school profile, and school report, mid year and final grades

18. BE APPROPRIATE! Admissions counselors and employers WILL LOOK!

19. Other Options Military Military Military academies Military academies ROTC programs ROTC programs Tuition assistance Tuition assistance Community College Community College Work Work

20. Where do I start to research colleges? Naviance

21. What is Naviance?

22. What is the “About Me” Section? The “About Me” section of Naviance allows you to journal information about yourself that is accessible over your four years at Silver Lake. Personality Inventory Personality Inventory Learning Style Inventory Learning Style Inventory Resume Builder Resume Builder Game Plan Survey Game Plan Survey Test Scores Test Scores Profile Profile

23. What is the “Careers” Section?  Explore career options as well as identify your interests.  Store your favorite careers and explore new careers.  Identify your personal interests through a Personality Inventory, Career Interest Profiler, and Cluster Finder.

24. What is the “Colleges” Section? Search, group, and store your schools of interest Search, group, and store your schools of interest “My Colleges” “My Colleges” “College Research” “College Research”

25. Scattergrams

26. Colleges that accepted our students

27. SuperMatch College Search

29. Career/College Exploration Check out the SL Guidance Website for career exploration tools including: Naviance Family Connection Naviance Family Connection Career Cruising Career Cruising MassCIS MassCIS Occupational Handbook Occupational Handbook Core GPA Core GPA

30. Questions? Make an appointment/email your counselor ASAP!