Preparing Sophomores for

College

College Programs Junior Year

• College Rep Meetings - Fall (Spring)

• Small Group Junior Meetings - November

• Evening Jr. College Planning Program -

November

• Individual College Counseling Appointments:

December - Mid April

• Focus on Financial Aid - January

More College Related Events

• Directions Fair

September 29, 2015

BHS Transitions Coordinator, Lyndsay Palach

• Ask the Experts

March 2016 TBD

• BHS College Night

April 4, 2016

• AP Testing

First two weeks in May 2016

Life After BHS

• What do you plan to do after

graduation?

• How do you get from here to there?

• How can you plan ahead?

Getting Ready

• Academically

• Socially (Involvements)

• Emotionally

Academics

• Course Rigor

• Grade Point Average

• Test Scores

Core Courses

• Minimum Expectations

– English 4 years

– Math 3 years

– Science 3 years

– Social Studies 3 years

– World Language 2 years

Keep as many options open as possible

by focusing on core courses

Examples of Core Requirements

Washington University Indiana University

English 4 4

Math 4 3.5

Science 4 3

Social Studies 4 3

World Language 2-4 2+

Check out schools’ websites to view their specific

requirements and/or recommendations.

World Language Requirements

• ISU

2 Years or 2 Years of Fine Arts Required

• U of I

2 Years Required / 4 Recommended

Course Levels

• Average

• Honors

• Advanced Placement / Accelerated

GPA vs. Course Rigor

• Does it matter?

• Should I challenge myself?

• “A” in an average course or “B” in

an honors or AP course?

Megan O’Rourke, Marquette Course Rigor

Grade Point Averages

• Weighted vs. Unweighted

• Significance of Freshman through

Junior year

• Grade trends

Standardized Testing

• Sophomore Year Retired ACT- Completed in March

SAT Subject tests (compassprep.com)

-not necessary for all colleges

-June 6th test date (register by May 8th)

-register at www.collegeboard.org

• Junior Year

PSAT- October

SAT-second semester (www.collegeboard.org)

New test unveiled in March 2016

• AP Exams: Sophomore - Senior Years

Test Optional Schools

www.fairtest.org

• Standardized tests not required for

admission purposes

• Rigor of Transcript

• Some schools may use test scores

for scholarship or placement

purposes only

College Nuances

• California public colleges may require a full

year of the same fine art class sequence

• Military Academies require fitness tests as well

as congressional nominations

• Save a graded paper

• Public -vs- Private

Extracurricular Activities

• Clubs

• Sports

• Volunteering

• Part time jobs

• Summer experiences – in areas

you may want to study

• Focus on a few activities in which

you have genuine interest

Extracurricular Activities

• Playing sports in college

• NCAA eligibility for DI -vs- DII teams

– Core course requirements

– GPA requirements

– ACT score requirements

• BHS Guide for the Student Athlete

• NCAA presentation on DVD

Gaining Independence

• Are you emotionally ready for college?

• Can you advocate for yourself?

• What can you improve during the next

two years?

Available Assistance

• Counselors

• Case Managers

• Teachers

• Career Mentor (career treks

Junior and Senior year)

• Colleges have support systems

Guidance Resource Center

• Summer Enrichment

• Career Awareness

• College Guidebooks

• Meet with College Reps as

Juniors & Seniors

Important Websites

• BHS Counseling Page

• Naviance (link found Counseling Page)

• College Information

• Career Interest Inventories

• Scattergrams (Graphs)

• Summer Enrichment

• Career Cruising (www.careercruising.com)

• Username: bsd-your ID#

• Password: your birthdate (mmddyyyy)

Explore Careers

Which careers best match

your personality?

Your ACT/SAT scores

will be placed here

Resume

Next Steps • Academically

– Challenge yourself, but at a comfortable, manageable level

– Strive for an upward grade trend

– Look for opportunities to pursue your areas of interest

• Socially (Involvement) – Choose activities that interest you

– Stay involved throughout high school

– Take on a leadership position

• Emotionally – Practice self-advocacy

– Utilize the supports available at BHS

– Become self-motivated and proactive

– Make healthy choices

Senior Panel

• Madeline Cheek

• Omar Elganzouri

• Blake Kotel

• Gina Park

• Thank you for coming.

• This power point will be posted

on the Counseling Page of the

BHS website.