GET SET FOR LIFE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL Senior Guidance Lesson- Fall 2013

GET SET FOR LIFE AFTER HIGH SCHOOLJunior Guidance Lesson- Fall 2014

Greetings from Guidance, class of 2016! Although youre just beginning your junior year, many of you have already starting thinking about what you want to do after you graduate from high school. While it seems a long way off, itll be here before you know it and we want you to be prepared. This presentation will give you information on what you can be doing now to prepare for life after high school. After the presentation is over, counselors will be available for Q&A, so feel free to jot down any questions you have as we go along. 1Something for EVERYONE!College/University (4 year or 2 year)Approx. 82% of RBHS Students go on to a 4 year college/university or 2 year community collegeCollege Admissions Difficulty- ranges from Open (anyone w/a HS diploma can attend) to Highly Selective. EVERYONE has a chance to go onto college after graduation!Technical SchoolMilitaryEmployment

You should ALL have a plan for what you will do after you leave RBHS!

By the time you reach the end of your Senior year, each of you should have a plan for what youre going to do after you graduate which shouldnt be too hard because there is something for everyone!

Lets take a look at some of the options. One option is to go straight to college- we know that this is what most of you will probably do since historically, about 82% of Rock Bridge Seniors have gone on to a 2 or 4 year college or university.

There is an incredibly large selection of colleges and universities to choose from with a range of admissions difficulty from Open (where anyone with a high school diploma is admitted) to highly selective (like Harvard), so EVERYONE has an opportunity to go on to college if thats what you want to do.

Other options include going to a technical school or Career College, enlisting in the military, or going on to full time employment. Whatever you decide is the best option for you, you should ALL have a plan for what you will do after you leave Rock Bridge.

2So, what do you need to do this year?

1. Do Your ResearchUse MO Connections to complete self-assessments and college/career researchSelf-Assessments are a great place to start if you have no idea what you want to doYou can also use MO Connections to find out more about careers and schools/programs of interest

You should all have a MO Connections account:Your MO Connections username should be the same username you use to login to school computers (ex. 16rcr01)

Your MO Connections password should be cps followed by your student number (ex. Cps12345)

See your counselor if you need help logging in!

View this Presentation for info on How to Access and Navigate MO Connections

One thing that you can being doing this year is your research! Use Missouri Connections or other online resources (available in this presentation as well as on our guidance website) to complete self-assessments and college and career research.

Self assessments, such as the Career Clusters Inventory or SKILLS assessment on MO Connections, are a great place to start if you have no idea what you want to do. They will help you narrow down your focus by providing you a list of careers or colleges that match your expressed interests and skills. You can also use MO connections to research specific careers and schools of interest.

This short video will show you have to access and navigate the MO Connections website.4More research opportunitiesCheck out these other great online resources for more college, career, and scholarship researchwww.fastweb.comwww.cappex.comCool feature on Cappex.com- graph showing your odds of getting in based on test scores and GPA

Exploring My Options http://dhe.mo.gov/ppc/exploringmyoptions.php www.collegeboard.com http://youcango.collegeboard.org/?navid=bf-ycg (You Can Go!) College brochures & info available in Guidance (take them with you!)

In addition to Missouri Connections, you can use these great resources for college, career and scholarship research.

Fastweb.com allows you to create a profile and then sends you information on specific scholarships that you are eligible for. The site also allows you to search and save colleges of interest.

Cappex.com also allows you to create a profile and one cool feature of this website is the scattergram that shows you your odds of getting into a school based on your test scores and GPA.

The Department of Higher Eds Exploring My Options site provides tons of great planning information including a College Search engine and tuition and fee schedules for several Missouri schools.

If you like having information on paper that you can take with you and refer to anywhere, stop by Guidance and check out the plethora of college brochures that we have available. 5Great info also available on our website! You can find information about ACT/SAT/PSAT, Post-Secondary Planning and MORE on the Guidance website (accessible from the RBHS homepage)!

There is also a lot of great information available on our Guidance website including information about the ACT and the SAT and test prep options, information about financial aid and scholarships, and links to resources for Post-Secondary Planning. 6Things to think about when researching schoolsSize (of campus, of student population, of classes)Admissions requirementsMajors/Programs of Study Offered Type (public/private)Location (urban, suburban, rural)Athletics and ActivitiesCost (Sticker Price vs. Net Price)Use the Net Price Calculator on a colleges Financial Aid website to get a more accurate estimate of how much you will have to pay to attend that school.Financial Aid availability/ Scholarships AvailableResearch, Study abroad, Internship opportunities

College Comparison Worksheets can help when researching schools/programs (available on the Post-Secondary Planning Page of the Guidance Website)**We have college reps coming to RB throughout the year. Come visit them to get lots of up-to-date, insider info on schools of interest! See the College Visit Calendar on the Guidance Homepage!

As you are researching schools of interest, its important to keep in mind that you want to choose a school thats the best fit for YOU- both academically and socially. Dont apply to a school just because your friends are applying there, or your parents went there, or because you saw the campus in a movie and thought it looked cool.

Be sure to think about the characteristics that YOU want in a school and find a place that will allow you to thrive academically but also fits with your personality.

Think about things like the size of a school. If youre the type of student who gets kind of gets lost in a crowd, but shines when youre in a small group of friends or classmates, then maybe a huge school like MU is not a good fit for you. You might consider a smaller school where you can easily get involved in campus life as well as having smaller academic class and more opportunities to get involved in class discussions or to talk 1 on 1 with your professors.

Its also important to think about things like admissions requirements- you obviously want to apply to a school where you will be accepted, but you also want to go to a school where you will fit academically and feel comfortable intellectually among your classmates.

Think about majors and programs of study. If your dream job is to be a horse trainer, you dont want to go to a school that does not have an equestrian science program. Youll need to research schools with majors in equestrian science or with similar programs.

Think about characteristics like the location of the school, the type of school- especially if religious or organizational affiliation is important to you, the opportunities to complete research, study abroad, and the ease of obtaining an internship in a career related field.

Of course, cost is one of the biggest factors to consider when researching schools. You want to apply to schools that you will be able to afford.

Its important to look at the availability of financial aid and scholarships and its also important to consider a schools NET Price versus the sticker price that you see on their admissions website. Often times a school that might seem more expensive at first glance, can offer a better financial aid package and your cost ends up being much lower than the listed sticker price. Use the Net Price Calculator on a schools financial aid website for a more accurate estimate of how much that school will cost you.

Using college comparison worksheets can help keep all of your research organized, especially as you narrow down your options. You can find Comparison worksheets online on our Guidance Websites Post-Secondary Planning page.

Finally, aside from doing a campus visit, talking with college reps is the best way to get information about a school, their admissions requirements, scholarships, and majors/degree programs. We have colleges reps coming to guidance ALL the time. We cannot stress enough what an amazing resource this is for you and we STRONGLY encourage you to take advantage of these opportunities. You can find out which schools will have reps at Rock Bridge by visiting the College Visit Calendar on the Guidance homepage, by following Guidance on Twitter, or in the Infobruin.

72. Take Entrance ExamsACT/SAT (for most 4 year schools), COMPASS (for some 2-year schools, typically taken Senior year or when you register with the college you will attend) ASVAB (military)(more info about these tests on the Guidance Website)MOST RBHS Students will take the ACT. You should take the ACT or SAT at least once before the end of your junior year!In fact, you will all get to take it on April 28, 2015! Get excited and thank the State of MO for picking up the tab

Your junior year is the year that youll start taking college admissions tests such as ACT or SAT. In fact, the state of Missouri is now offering the ACT to ALL juniors (at no cost to you), so you will all be taking the ACT here at school on April 28th.

If youre interested in attending a 2 year college, you may take the COMPASS test sometime during your senior year or through the college when you complete your registration.

If you are thinking about enlisting in the military, you will have to take the ASVAB test. That test is offered at Douglass or your military recruiter can also provide you with information on when and where you can take the ASVAB.

If youd like more information about the ACT, SAT, COMPASS, and ASVAB, you can find it on the Guidance website.

8How can you prepare for the ACT?Because the exam is designed to measure general academic development, your best preparation is a solid high school curriculum.

ACT Prep offered through Guidance and the Career Center Before/After School Prep:December 1-4 and 8-11, 2014 January 26-30 and February 2-5, 2015 Super Saturdays: Oct. 11, 2014 and April 11, 2015Info on Guidance Website

You can also find practice tests in Guidance or on the ACT website www.actstudent.org

Since you will all be taking the ACT this spring, its important for you to know how you can best prepare. First of all, since the ACT is designed to measure general academic development, your best preparation is a solid high school curriculum.

We also have practice ACT materials and information about ACT prep in Guidance or on the Guidance ACT, SAT, PSAT Info webpage. We offer 4 different opportunities for ACT prep during the school year; two each semester. There are two Super Saturday sessions, in the fall on October 11th and in the spring, on April 11th. We also offer before and after school test prep sessions each semester, before the December test and also before the February test.

The Career Center also offers ACT Prep sessions and information about their ACT Prep can be found on the Guidance website.

And lastly, you can access a lot of great ACT prep materials straight from the ACTs website if you go to www.actstudent.org

93. Develop a plan to pay for your educationMost financial aid opportunities arent available until your senior year; however, you should begin exploring what scholarships are out there NOW!Research: individual school websites, guidance webpage, websites such as: www.fastweb.com, www.cappex.com, www.scholarships.com FAFSA4Caster- you can use this to get an estimate of how much financial aid you can expect to receive https://fafsa.ed.gov/FAFSA/app/f4cForm?execution=e1s1 Net Price Calculator- You can use the Net Price Calculator available on a colleges financial aid website to get a more accurate estimate of how much it will cost for you to attend that school. *Have your parent/guardians most recent tax info available as you complete the FAFSA4Caster or Net Price calculator for the most accurate results.

If you have not already done so, you should sit down with parents/guardians to develop a plan to pay for your education. While most financial aid opportunities wont be available until your senior year; you can begin exploring what scholarships and other financial aid options are out there NOW!

You can research scholarships on: individual school websites, the guidance webpage, or through websites such as: Fastweb, Cappex, or Scholarships.com

You and your parents/guardians should also take some time to look at the FAFSA4Caster which will give you an estimate of your Estimated Family Contribution (or how much you will be expected to pay for college).

And as we mentioned earlier, you can also use the Net Price Calculator on a colleges financial aid website to get a more accurate idea of how much that school will cost you to attend.

Your parent/guardian will want to have your most recent tax information available as you complete the FAFSA4Caster or Net Price Calculator in order to get the most accurate cost and aid information. 10A+ ProgramLooks great on your resume even if youre not planning on going to a 2 year school or Tech School

Several 4 year colleges offer A+ incentive scholarshipsExample: SEMO offers $1,000, Columbia College offers $2,500/year renewable, Park Univ. offers $3,000, MO Valley offers off tuitionand those are just a few of MANY schools who offer incentive scholarships!

Application on A+ Program Webpage!Training sessions in December if you want to do your tutoring next semester!Check the InfoBruin and RB Website for dates/times

The A+ Program is one of the best scholarship programs available to our students.

A+ pays for 2 years of tuition at a community college or teach school in Missouri; however, there are several 4 year schools that offer A+ Incentive scholarships as well. For example, Columbia College offers a $2,500/year renewable scholarship for A+ certified students and Missouri Valley offers off tuition for A+ students.

If youre not already enrolled in the A+ program already, you should enroll ASAP! Applications are available in Guidance as well as on the Guidance A+ Program webpage.

If youd like to do your tutoring 2nd semester, you will need to attend one of the tutor training sessions in December. Dates and times will be on the RB website and posted in the InfoBruin. 11Anything else you should do?WORK HARD IN YOUR CLASSES- take challenging courses, look at taking career related courses next semester or next year if possible, and work hard to earn your best grades Junior year is SO important- its the last year that you have to improve your GPA before sending off transcripts next year (most college deadlines are before the end of 1st sem. Senior year).Job Shadow, Informational Interview, or Intern in a career areaResearch schools and do campus visits during breaksBe careful of your online reputation- colleges and employers check facebook, twitter, etc. Make sure youre not posting things that you dont want them to see. GET INVOLVED! If youre not involved in school or community activities, get involved! School and employers look at your activities and leadership experience

If youre wondering if theres anything else you should be doing this year, the answer, of course is YES!

You should be taking challenging courses- specifically core classes (English, Math, Science, and Social Studies) and career related courses. Sign up to take classes that will prepare you for majors or careers of interest next semester or during your Senior year. If youre interested in majoring in Business, but havent taken any business classes in high school, check with your counselor about taking a 2nd semester business class (if it works with your schedule, of course). If youre interested in being a magazine editor, but havent taken any journalism classes, consider taking Journalistic Writing next year! And if youve never taken a stretch class, consider signing up for an AP class in a core area or in a content area of interest next year.

You should also be working VERY hard this year to earn your best grades possible. Junior year is important because its the last year that you have to improve your GPA before sending off transcripts next year since most college deadlines are before the end of 1st sem. of your Senior year.

Junior year is also a great time to complete a job shadow, informational interview or internship in a career area of interest. Experiences like this not only help you determine if a career is a good fit for you, but they also look great on college applications.

If youre able to, do campus visits during breaks to schools of interest- campus vists are the best way for you to determine if a school is really a good fit for you.

We also want to caution you to be careful of your online reputation. College admissions officers and employers do check social media, so be sure that youre not posting anything that you wouldnt want them to see. What you think is cool now might not seem as cool to the people deciding whether or not to admit you to their school or hire you for their job.

Finally, GET INVOLVED! If you are not actively involved in school or community activities NOW is the time to join a club or start volunteering. We offer a kazillion opportunities at Rock Bridge from volunteer organizations like RBRO and Key Club to interest clubs like Dumbledores Army, Zombie Defense League and Extreme Couponing. There is something for everyone and if theres not, you can start your own club- which would look great on a college app! Schools and employers want to see involvement in your school and community, especially leadership experience, so be sure that youre not just putting your name on a clubs roster, but youre actively participating in club activities and events.

13Guidance is now on Twitter!!FOLLOW US @RBHSGuidance for lots of fabulous information! Scholarship info and deadlinesCollege visitsACT/SAT remindersJob OpportunitiesFun Stuff (like FREE Andys!)And more!

And lastly, if you dont already, you should definitely follow Guidance on Twitter at RBHSGuidance. We tweet lots of important Guidance information such as new scholarship opportunities, dates and times when college reps are in Guidance, ACT/SAT reminders, job and volunteer opportunities, and much more including free giveaways like Free Andys Concretes!

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