Carmel Clay Schools
CARMEL HIGH SCHOOL
Counseling Center
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High School Sophomores
Fall
· Plan for the Year Ahead.
As you receive information, be sure to maintain a calendar with important dates and deadlines.
· STUDY. Keep up with homework assignments and academic responsibilities. If you are having problems, ask questions and seek help. Continue to build a solid GPA as a sophomore. It is easier now than trying to raise it as a junior and senior.
· Take the PSAT/NMSQT
As a sophomore, you are already signed up for the PSAT/NMSQT, courtesy of the state of Indiana. The test is given October 14th. Get free online PSAT/NMSQT practice at http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/psat/prep.html.
Because you are taking the PSAT/NMSQT check “yes” for Student Search Service at http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/psat/reg/sss/html to hear about colleges and scholarships.
· Get more involved with your extracurricular activities. Continue building your resume for your future plans. Remember, it is the quality of your involvement in activities, not the quantity of activities that is important. Leadership is valuable.
· Start exploring college options. Using the internet, family connection, attending college fairs, visiting college campuses and visiting with admissions representatives when they come to CHS are great ways to start learning more about colleges. Go to college fairs:
o Indy National College Fair– Sept. 17th, Indiana Convention Center, 9 am-12 pm & 6-8 pm
o Hamilton County College Fair – Sept. 24th, HSE High School, 6:30-8 pm
o Indy Westside College Fair – Oct. 1st, Ben Davis High School, 7-8:30 pm
o Greater Indy Northside College Fair- March 16, 2016, Ritz Charles, Carmel, 6:30-8:30 pm
· Explore career options. Job shadowing, volunteering, and interest inventories are ways you can learn more about careers you would enjoy.
Winter
· Continue to keep up with your school work.
· Start preparing for college admission tests.
Use the access code on your PSAT/NMSQT score report to sign in to My College QuickStart at http://www.collegeboard.com/quickstart. With this personalized planning kit, you can prepare for the SAT using a study plan based on your PSAT/NMSQT results and explore lists of suggested colleges, majors, and careers.
You should start taking the SAT Reasoning Test or the ACT during your junior year in high school.
Talk to your counselor and teachers about taking SAT Subject Tests in your strong subjects this spring. Take Subject Tests such as World History, Biology E/M, and Chemistry while the material is still fresh in your mind.
· Starting in November, meet with your counselor to create your class schedule for junior year and discuss your future plans. Review your schedule with him or her to make sure you're enrolled in challenging classes that will help you prepare for your future. Colleges want students to take four or five academic courses each semester throughout high school. In addition to your academic courses and as a way to explore careers, take advantage of the variety of electives offered at CHS.
· Start learning about college costs and how financial aid works. CHS will be hosting a Financial Aid Night on January 21st at 6:30 pm in the CHS Auditorium. Encourage your parents to attend.
· Continue to explore college information. Visit colleges while they're in session and find out about college firsthand from college friends who are home for the holidays.
Spring
· Stay Focused. It is easy to let your grades slide when “spring fever” hits. Keep studying!
· Study for May AP Exams. Get free AP preparation at http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/prep.html.
· Explore Summer Opportunities. Look for a great job, internship or volunteer position. Check with your counselor and search online for summer school programs for high school students at colleges.
· Take the ECA exams (English 10 and Algebra I) that are required for graduation.
Summer
· Make the most of your break by participating in activities, work or volunteer experiences that will help with your career goals.
· Start a summer reading list to boost your skills. Ask your teachers to recommend books.
· Plan to visit college campuses to get a feel for your options. Start with colleges near you.
Additional information
If you are having grade problems in a course, use any of the following resources to improve your coursework:
· See your teacher for a private conference to gain suggestions for improvement.
· Work with a tutor.
o Teachers are available during SRT
o Gold Day Late Start mornings = NHS students tutor during this time.
o SRT Math tutoring = get a pass from your math teacher
o National Honor Society tutor list = can be obtained in the Counseling Center.
o Adult tutor list = can be obtained through your “myccs” account.
· Talk to your counselor.
· Get together with a friend or friends to help you with the course.
Continue gathering information on colleges and post-secondary opportunities:
· Use individual college web sites or use the CHS Counseling web site for links to various college search websites.
· For updated schedules of local college fairs and visits from college admission representatives, refer to the CHS Counseling Center website.
· Set up some college campus visitations by contacting the admissions offices at the universities.
· With your parents, attend Freshman/Sophomore Post-Secondary Planning Night held at CHS on February 22nd at 6:30 pm in the CHS Auditorium
Stay involved or become involved in school and community activities. This can determine your eligibility for National Honor Society or future scholarship opportunities:
· Community service – volunteer and keep a record of your activities and hours
· Clubs – Carmel High School annually offers approximately 140 different clubs
Continue to explore career options.
· You can use online interest inventories to learn more about yourself and careers that you might enjoy. Instructions for accessing these inventories can be found on the CHS Counseling Center website under the “career testing” link.
· The Indiana Career Explorer website is a great tool to use for career exploration, information, post-secondary planning, financial aid and scholarships.
· If you are interested in receiving vocational training while still in high school, consider taking classes at the J. Everett Light Career Center. Juniors and seniors can choose from 22 programs at this career-technical center. One- and two-year programs are available. Classes meet for half a day every day, allowing students to fulfill their graduation requirements at CHS. See www.jelcc.com for further details.
Are you an athlete who is interested in playing Division I or II sports in college?
· For those interested in college athletics, go to www.eligibilitycenter.org for NCAA eligibility requirements.
· Please note – the credit recovery classes at CHS are not approved to be counted toward NCAA eligibility.
If you are interested in playing sports at an NAIA school:
· Learn more about eligibility requirements at www.playnaia.org.
Resources
www1.ccs.k12.in.us/chs/counseling www.fastweb.com
www.jelcc.com www.finaid.org
www.eligibilitycenter.org www.learnmoreindiana.org
www.scholarshiproadmap.com www.collegeboard.com
http://oa.doleta.gov/ www.act.org
www.collegeanswer.com www.triptocollege.org
www.studentaid.gov www.in.gov/ssaci
twitter = @CHSCollege411 www.playnaia.org
Instagram- @chscollegecareer