Things Juniors Need To Do
I. Take the PSAT October 15, 2014
§ Juniors will be charged $15 for the exam included on their school book fees.
§ ALL Juniors take the exam even if taken as sophomores.
§ PSAT results are used to identify students for the National Merit Scholarship Program
§ www.collegeboard.com for more information
II. Take the SAT and/or ACT in the Spring of junior year
§ Required testing by colleges for admission
§ Both tests are accepted by all colleges
§ Colleges will select the highest score students earn from either test, so it is recommended that both tests are taken and each more than once
§ Preferred registration method for both tests is online at www.collegeboard.com for the SAT and www.act.org for the ACT
§ Check the websites for more specific details about each test
SAT Test Dates Registration Deadline Late Registration Deadline
October 11 / September 12 / September 30November 8 / October 9 / October 28
December 6 / November 6 / November 24
January 24 / December 29 / January 13
March 14 / February 13 / January 13
May 2 / April 6 / April 21
June 6 / May 8 / May 27
ACT Test Dates Registration Deadline Late Registration Deadline
September 13 / August 8 / August 22December 13 / November 7 / November 21
February 7 / January 9 / January 16
April 18 / March 13 / March 27
III. Begin College Search
§ Explore colleges you are interested in attending (see next page)
§ Sign up in the Counseling Center to meet with college/university representatives during school (in the fall)
§ Schedule campus visits with college Admission Offices
§ Attend central Indiana college fairs
§ Develop a resume of high school activities, award/achievements, community service, and work experience
College Information Nights
September 9th and September 24th
at 7pm in the Auditorium
Parents are encouraged to attend!
Guidelines to help you choose a college
A. Begin by asking yourself these questions:
1. What are my goals in terms of an education?
2. What are my career goals?
3. What are my interests?
4. What are my strengths and weaknesses?
B. Check the items below to help make a preliminary selection:
1. ____Two-year college; ____Four-year college; ____Trade/Vocational school
2. ____In-state school; ____Out-of-state school
3. ____Large college(10,000+); ____Medium college(5,000+); ____Small college
4. ____Public college; ____Private college
5. ____Religious affiliated; ____Non-religious affiliated
6. ____On-campus housing; ____Off-campus housing: ____Commute
C. Research colleges based on the items checked above by:
1. Talking with your counselor or making an appointment to visit the College and
Career Resource Center (CCRC)
2. Reading college bulletins and The College Handbook or one of the other college
guides available in the CCRC
3. Talking to alumni and friends who have attended your schools of interest
4. Attending meetings with college representatives in the Counseling Center
5. Attending local College Fair programs
6. Visiting the internet sites of the schools that interest you
D. Plan to visit college campuses this year
1. Make an appointment with the Office of Admissions well in advance. Do not just drop in for a visit!
2. Request a copy of your transcript to take with you
3. Visit when students are on campus if possible
4. Include your parents on the visit and in your discussions with admissions counselors
5. Do some homework on the Internet before your visit.
E. Look for these things on your visit:
1. Surroundings and campus atmosphere. Will you want to spend four years here?
2. Department(s) which you think might be your major area of study
3. Library facilities
4. Dorm life and student union or activity center
5. Sit in classes
6. Check on extracurricular activities available
F. Things you should be prepared to discuss when making a visit:
1. Your field of interest
2. Your future plans and objectives
3. Reason for your interest in the school
4. Your transcript/grades and course plan for senior year
G. College admission decisions are based on:
1. Academic Achievement (including English, math, science, social studies, and foreign language)
2. Rigor of high school course work
3. ACT/SAT scores
4. Essay
5. Letters of Recommendation
6. Extracurricular/community activities
H. Apply to College
1. Apply early in your senior year (August – October)
2. We recommend applying to 6-8 colleges
3. Set your goals high, but also have a realistic approach when applying to colleges. We recommend when applying to a school that may be a “reach” school that you also apply to one or more “safety” schools in order to ensure your admission and scholarship opportunities.
4. Applications for most colleges are available on each school’s website, but a small number are available in the Counseling Center or you can contact the college through the Office of Admission.
5. Complete the applications online. Use www.parchment.com (for in-state applications) to order your transcripts or complete a college application tracking form and pay $1.00 per application (for out-of-state applications).
* Time Saving Tip - Watch for schools that accept the Common Application
(www.commonapp.org)
College Fair Schedule
A college fair consists of representatives from a large number of colleges in Indiana and some schools from out-of-state. College fairs give students and parents an opportunity to gather information from a number of schools in a short time. Representatives are usually admissions personnel who are involved in the process of deciding who is accepted by a college.
[Type a quote from the document or the summary of an interesting point. You can position the text box anywhein the document. Use the Text Box Tools tab to change the formatting of the pull quote text b
Career Site
Indiana Career Explorer
Indiana Career Explorer will help you explore a world of possibilities, make decisions about your future, and prepare for the next step in your education and career planning journey. Visit the site at: www.indianacareerexplorer.org
Activation Code N3647654MGN
BigFuture by the College Board
The most comprehensive college information site includes a searchable data base of colleges, financial aid information, a personalized profile that suggests colleges to explore and a college search tool that compares your grades and test scores to other students accepted to the specific college you are exploring.
- College Board Online http://www.collegeboard.org
- Click on Students
- Click on BigFuture
- Search College
- Make a Plan
Financial Aid Information:
Financial Aid Night is scheduled for January 22rd at 7:00pm in the Auditorium. A financial aid counselor from a university will walk you through the financial aid process. The FAFSA (Financial Aid Form) can be filled out online after January 1, 2011 at www.fafsa.ed.gov.
Financial Awareness Counseling Tool
This is an online tool to help you and your family prepare financially for college before officially applying for federal student aid. It provides an estimate of federal student aid eligibility by instantly calculating an estimated Expected Family Contribution –the indicator used to estimate your family’s or a student’s financial strength. FAFSA4caster determines what type of federal aid (grants, work-study and loans) the student is eligible to receive and provides an estimated award amount for each.
- Go to www.studentaid.ed.gov
- Click on Financial Awareness Counseling Tool
Indiana College Costs Estimator
The National Center for College Costs has developed a new state-wide tool, the Indiana College Costs Estimator.
Licensed by the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, it offers FREE comprehensive college selection, admission, and financial aid information to Hoosier students and families. Check out the new website at: www.indianacollegecosts.org
Additional Useful Internet Sites:
www.learnmoreindiana.org
www.fafsa.ed.gov
www.studentaid.ed.gov
www.in.gov/ssaci
www.finaid.org
www.triptocollege.org
www.fastweb.com www.highfivescholarships.com
www.petersons.com
www.collegenet.com
www.wiredscholar.com
www.collegeboard.org
www.act.org
www.princetonreview.com
The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.
- Eleanor Roosevelt