Junior Parent Information Night

1. Junior Parent Information Night Mrs. Smith A- Kam 270.4122 / ksmith@sjci.com Mr. KashKar-Z 270.4120 / dkash@sjci.com

2. What’s happening this year in eleventh grade guidance? • PSAT • SAT • ACT • ASVAB • College planning/college lists • Regent requirements • Graduation credits • NCAA eligibility • Essay writing workshops • Practice applications

3. PSAT • Students will receive scores in December • Comprised of 3 sections: critical reading, math, and writing • Each section is worth 80 points • Junior year students are eligible to become national merit scholars with high selection index scores

4. SAT • Students should test in the Spring of junior year. Some students who are taking precalc are testing in December or January, but generally speaking, the SAT is a junior level test intended for the Spring of junior year. • Students are responsible for creating their own collegeboard account and registering themselves for tests • Each section on the SAT is worth 800 points, for a total of 2400 (critical reading, math, writing) • Many colleges are still looking at only the critical reading and math section scores • Many colleges require scores sent directly from college board • Each year, more colleges become test optional • Beginning in March 2013, students will be required to upload photos on their admission tickets • SAT subject tests are required for some schools -if required, it is best to take these after taking an AP course junior year www.collegeboard.org

5. ACT • Alternative to the SAT • Different scoring scale – highest composite score is 36 (36 ACT=1600 SAT) • Subject sections include: English, Math, Reading, Science (Writing is optional) • Uploaded photo also required • More students are choosing to take the ACT – they report that it is easier to read than the SAT and not “trying to trick them” • Colleges will take the ACT and the SAT as equal measures of standard knowledge • ACT with writing is required by schools that would otherwise ask for the SAT subject tests

6. St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute school code 331095

7. College Fairs • Jesuit Education Tour will visit SJCI on March 5th during second period. All students will have the opportunity to attend • NACAC (National Association of College Admission Counselors) College Fair at the Buffalo Convention Center on March 26 and 27 -we recommend that you visit the NACAC fair as a family in the evening, as it is our belief that choosing a college is a family decision

8. NCAA • If your son intends to play Division I or II athletics in college, please visit www.ncaa.org for more information. • Regulations are changing again for next year • SJCI will be sponsoring an NCAA information session for students and their parents on February 13th and will feature a university compliance officer

9. Regents diploma requirements • All students who graduate from high school in NYS are required to earn a regents or advanced regents diploma • Regents diploma requires the passing of 5 exams: One science, one math, Global history, American History and English regents Advanced regents requires 8 exams: 2 science (one of which has to be living environment), all 3 math exams (algebra I, geometry, algebra II), Global history, American history, English regents An advanced designation regents diploma with honors will be awarded to any student who earns a 90 or better average on the 8 exams.

10. What is your family’s plan for college? • What distance parameters have you set for your son? • Is your son going to look at small, private colleges or larger universities? • Does your son know how he is going to pay for college? • Does your son know what he wants to major in? • Mr. Kash and Mrs. Smith work with students individually on college lists because each student and family will have different expectations and needs for higher education

11. What should we be doing now for the college search? • Having honest discussions with your son with regard to how far away from home he can go • Discussing what you can afford as a family • Thinking about what is important to your son in a college: does he want to be in a very challenging environment where there is high pressure all the time? Does he want to be the “big fish in the small pond?” Does he want the anonymity of a larger campus?

12. Planning to visit colleges in the Spring and summer • Attend spring open houses

13. ASVAB Career Inventory • Provides students with an understanding of how their personality strengths correlate to college majors and careers The test is approximately 3 hours and has 8 sections • General ScienceA 25-item test measuring knowledge of life science, earth and space science, and physical science • Arithmetic ReasoningA 30-item test measuring ability to solve basic arithmetic word problems • Word KnowledgeA 35-item test measuring ability to understand the meaning of words through synonyms • Paragraph ComprehensionA 15-item test measuring ability to obtain information from written material • Mathematics Knowledge A 25-item test measuring knowledge of mathematical concepts and applications • Electronics InformationA 20-item test measuring knowledge of electrical current, circuits, devices, and electronic systems • Auto and Shop Information A 25-item test measuring knowledge of automotive maintenance and repair, and wood and metal shop practices • Mechanical Comprehension A 25-item test measuring knowledge of the principles of mechanical devices, structural support, and properties of materials • Will be offered here to juniors at SJCI on Friday, January 25, 2013 • Please visit www.asvabprogram.com for more information

14. What is offered to students this year to aid in the college application process? • Constructing personalized college lists • Essay writing workshops in the Spring after school to address the college essay and help students get started • An introductory session to the common application website for students who may decide to use this application

15. Suggested readings • Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change The Way You Think About Colleges by Loren Pope • Harvard Schmarvardby Jay Mathews • Crazy U by Andrew Ferguson