Sophomore Parents & Students Night

1. Sophomore Parents & Students Night Presented by the North Hunterdon Guidance Department March 2012

2. Agenda • Testing Timelines • PSAT, SAT, ACT& Subject Tests • ASVAB • Naviance and the College Search • College Visits • What to Expect Junior & Senior Year • The National Honor Society • Looking ahead • Junior & Senior Year College Planning Schedules

3. SAT vs. ACT • The road to college can be a confusing and hectic one. Choosing the right admissions test to take - SAT or ACT - doesn't have to be. While most colleges across the country accept scores from either test, the SAT and ACT are significantly different, and in many ways, they measure different skills. • Comparison Guide: • http://www.nhvweb.net/nhhs/Guidance/PDF/SAT%20ACT%20Comparison.pdf

4. Testing Timelines • PSAT • Administered in October. • Sign up in the Guidance Office in late spring/summer of the year before. • Offered to Sophomores and Juniors • You do not need to prepare for the PSAT- this is meant as practice! • Colleges will not see these scores • Those scoring in the top 99% could be eligible for National Merit Scholarships for juniors only

5. Testing Timelines Register Online! • SAT • Junior Year Recommended: March, May (NHHS) or June (NHHS) • Senior Year Possibility: October, November, December or January • Should take at least one SAT during the Junior Year! • Score choice now allowed.

6. Testing Timelines Register Online! • Subject Tests- • Sophomore or Junior Year Recommended: May or June • Can take up to three in the same day. Hour long tests. • Literature • Math level 1 & 2 • Physics, Biology and Chemistry • Foreign Languages • American History • World History • Required by the Most Competitive schools. Double check if the schools you’re interested in require them! • Definitely consider taking an Subject Tests if you are currently taking an AP class this school year

7. Testing Timelines Register Online! • ACT • Junior Year Recommended: February, April or June • Senior Year Possibility: September, October or December • Not offered at North Hunterdon.

8. ASVAB Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery • We are not recruiting your children for the armed services! • The only assessment we know of that marries vocational interests with aptitude. • Offered at North Hunterdon on March 29th at 8 am – 3 hour test. • Sign up in the Guidance Office • Results presentation will follow.

9. Naviance On-line Resource for College Planning & Advising • Naviance Password is the same as the student’s Home Logic login • Sophomore meetings held on February 29th during the day to further explore the Naviance program.

10. Naviance • What can Naviance do? • Share plans between parent, child & counselor. • Complete surveys. • Compare colleges. • Explore careers. • Links to selected third-party resources. • Track deadlines. • Produce scatter grams. • Show schedule of college visits.

11. Main Page/Sign in

12. Exploring Colleges College Lookup College Search

13. College Search Search by location, student population, admissions difficulty, athletic involvement, majors… and much more!

14. College Search Results Click on each school for ‘College Lookup’

15. College Lookup Simply type College/University name here College Lookup

16. College Lookup Details

17. College Comparison College Compare

18. Scattergram

19. How does it help? In many ways!!! • Opens the lines of communication between home and school. • Allows for collaboration among counselors, students, and parents. • Encourages career & college exploration. • Provides realistic assessments of your child’s chances of admission at a particular college where prior NHHS graduates have applied.

20. College Visitation Form • If you visit a college during your junior year: • Fill out a College Visitation Form • For the absence to be excused you must hand this form to your counselor at least 3 days before your visit! • During your visit get a letter on the school’s letter head stating you were there for a visit • Must include date and time of visit • When you return to school take this letter to the Attendance Office • Must be handed in within 5 days of the visit!

21. College Visitation Form

22. College Visits • When and Where to Visit? • During the summer • Teacher’s Convention (November 2012) • President’s Day Weekend (February 2013) • Spring Break (April 2013)

23. The National Honor Society • Students will be INVITED to apply during the spring of their junior year or fall of their senior year. • Students must have a 3.5 minimum GPA to be invited. • Letters will be mailed home to all students who meet the minimum GPA. The GPA cannot be rounded up under any circumstances!

24. The National Honor Society 4 Pillars (Continued) • Service • Minimum of 100 Hours • Student regularly contributes time and effort to charitable undertakings in school and in the community, as well as supporting NHHS functions. • Character • Outstanding evidence of exceptional character from multiple sources.

25. The National Honor Society 4 Pillars • Extra Curricular Activities • Minimum of 100 Hours • This would include all activities that are outside of the classroom. • Leadership • Minimum of 50 Hours • Student holds leadership positions either inside or/and outside of school, is in charge of other students and motivates them for the greater good, and their contribution is critical to the organization(s).

26. Looking Ahead • Junior Year College Planning Schedule • http://www.nhvweb.net/nhhs/Guidance/PDF/Junior%20Year%20College%20Planning%20Schedule.pdf • Senior Year College Planning Schedule • http://www.nhvweb.net/nhhs/Guidance/PDF/Senior%20Year%20College%20Planning%20Schedule.pdf

27. Questions? http://www.nhvweb.net/nhhs/Guidance/