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Lower Moreland High School Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006
Graduation Project Part A Class of 2018
My Post-Secondary Plan
Dr. Marykay Feeley
Superintendent of Schools
Mrs. Julien Drennan Director of Curriculum and Instruction
Mr. William Miles
Principal
Mr. Ernest Rehr Assistant Principal
Mr. Anthony Veneziale
Assistant Principal
Prepared by the LMHS School Counselors:
Mrs. Jennifer Romano Ms. Maura Quinn Mrs. Nikki Specht
Student ________________________________
Meeting Date: September 15, 2017
Time: Location:
Mentor ___________________________
Mentor Email ___________________________
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Dear Class of 2018: The Lower Moreland High School Graduation Project is a two-part assignment designed to assist you in your transition after high school. This summer you will complete Part A: My Post-Secondary Plan. In the fall, you will begin Part B: “CAPS.” You are required to be Proficient in both parts in order to meet this graduation requirement. Part A is due no later than Friday, September 1, 2017 via email to your mentor. A grading rubric for Part A is enclosed. This packet can also be accessed on the Guidance Website under the “Graduation Project Part A” link. All parts of the project must be typed. Components of Part A:
I. Resume - Type your Extracurricular Resume for grades 9-12 (template provided) in a word document. Refer to your Extracurricular Activity Sheet in Naviance to create your resume.
II. Writing Component - Choose either A or B below.
a. The Personal Statement/Essay is an important component of the college application process. You may choose either one of the Common Application prompts or a school-specific prompt of your choice.
b. If you are planning to enter the armed services or a vocational school, there is a
separate essay prompt in which you will be asked to describe your career and / or vocational aspirations. Essays must be 250-500 words.
III. Interview - Your mentor will conduct a mock admission interview with you on Friday,
September 15th at LMHS. Be prepared to share your strengths, goals, and post-secondary plans. See the tips enclosed.
It is our sincere hope that this project is beneficial to you. If you have any questions, please contact us at the appropriate email address listed below. Good Luck!
Mrs. Romano (A - J) Ms. Quinn (K - Rin) Mrs. Specht (Ris - Z) [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]
Guidance Department Contact Information: Mrs. Forcina – Administrative Assistant Phone: 215-938-0114 Email: [email protected] Hours: 7:00 a.m. – 3:15 p.m.
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GRADUATION PROJECT: PART A – GRADING RUBRIC
To satisfactorily complete Part A, the student must score 9 or better out of 12 maximum points and be at the Proficient Level in all categories. For scores below 9, or “Basic” or Below Basic” the student must resubmit that portion of the project to the mentor until proficient.
Student Name: ___________________________________________ Mentor Signature: ______________________________________ Mentors: Please return the completed rubric to Guidance no later than Friday, September 29th.
ADVANCED (4) PROFICIENT (3) BASIC (2) BELOW BASIC (1) RESUME
Resume format followed; exceeded expectations.
Resume format somewhat followed; satisfactory completion.
Resume minimally completed; needs improvement and revision.
Resume missing; incomplete assignment.
PERSONAL STATEMENT/ESSAY
Overall format followed; exceeded expectations.
Overall format followed; satisfactory completion.
Overall format not followed; needs improvement and revision.
Personal Statement/Essay missing; incomplete assignment.
INTERVIEW
Punctual, professional, articulate. Engaged in interview process. Demonstrated excellent interpersonal skills.
Punctual, prepared, demonstrated good interpersonal skills.
Needs improvement in interpersonal skills. i.e., eye contact, articulation, body language.
Late and unprepared or no-show for interview.
TOTAL
/ 12 points
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EXTRACURRICULAR RÉSUMÉ GUIDELINES
Name Street Address City, State, Zip Code Phone Number Email address
EDUCATION
Lower Moreland High School 555 Red Lion Road Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006
Will graduate: June 2018
Post High School Objective:
IN-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES
Name of the activity: Responsibilities / duties / leadership roles: Time spent weekly / years of involvement: Honors / awards in that activity:
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES/SERVICE
(Same listings as above)
ADDITIONAL HONORS AND AWARDS
Title of award: Organization giving the award: Year received: Dates attended: SPECIAL TALENTS OR ACCOMPLISHMENTS Examples: Published Writer, Professional Dancer, Accomplished Musician, Athlete. EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE List all jobs that you have had as well as your current position. For each job listed, give the name, address and telephone number of the company; the dates of employment; your job title, hours per week; and the name and title of your supervisor. Include the company’s website if applicable. REFERENCES
List the name, job title, address, e-mail address and telephone number of at least two persons (not related to you) who can be contacted for a reference. Consider teachers, administrators, counselors, employers, coaches, etc. as references. Make certain that you ask the person’s permission to use them as a reference, and provide all of the information listed above.
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SAMPLE EXTRACURRICULAR RÉSUMÉ – GRADES NINE TO TWELVE
Rachel S. Summers 200 Main Street Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006 (215) 938-0000 [email protected]
EDUCATION
Lower Moreland High School 555 Red Lion Road Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006 Will Graduate: June, 2018 Post High School Objective: C.P.A., Certified Public Accountant
IN-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES
Varsity Tennis Team: Grades 9, 10, 11, 12 Captain: Grade 12 Involvement Time: 10 to 15 hours per week in season Honors: Four varsity letters Lemon Club Member: Grades 9, 10, 11, 12 President: Grade 12 Involvement Time: Four hours per month
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES/SERVICE
Hospital Volunteer: Fox Chase Cancer Center Grades 10, 11 Duties: Delivering mail and flowers to patients Involvement Time: 4 hours per week Coach: Huntingdon Valley Athletic Association -- Soccer Spring Skills Training Duties: Worked with students ages 5-7 on skill building and developing good sportsmanship Involvement Time: 1 hour per week for 8 weeks
ADDITIONAL HONORS AND AWARDS
National Honor Society Member: April 2016 Honor Roll: Grades 9, 10, 11 Lower Moreland High School
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ADDITIONAL EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES & SUMMER PROGRAMS
Northeast Philadelphia “Y” Teen Tour to Israel July 2016 Internship at PWC, Philadelphia August 2016 and August 2017
SPECIAL TALENTS OR ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Musical Instrument – Piano Age 6 to present
EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE
Pennsylvania Office Products 300 County Line Road Hatboro, PA 19040 Supervisor: Joyce Jones Job Title: Clerk Employed: June 2016 to present Hours per week: varies; average of 10
REFERENCES
Ms. Martha Willis Business Education Department Lower Moreland High School 555 Red Lion Road Huntingdon Valley, PA 19006 Telephone: (215) 938-0000 Email: [email protected] Mr. James E. Richards, Manager Pennsylvania Office Products 300 County Line Road Hatboro, PA 19040 Telephone: (215) 657-0000 Email: [email protected]
Note: Omit any section that does not pertain to you instead of listing it and leaving it blank. Example: If you do not have employment experience, do not include that section in your resume.
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Writing the College Essay Use this packet to help organize your thoughts and ideas over the summer and write a rough draft. You are expected to write ONE essay. A draft is due to your Mentor via email by September 1st. However, it will be a work in progress requiring revisions as you get input from your mentor, counselor, teachers, and parents. Mentor meetings will take place on September 15th.
2017 - 2018 Common Application (choose ONE):
1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
2. The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome? 4. Describe a problem you've solved or a problem you'd like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma - anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.
5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
6. Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
7. Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.
OR
6. A school-specific essay prompt. (Example: Pennsylvania State University - Please tell us something about yourself, your experiences, or activities that you believe would reflect positively on your ability to succeed at Penn State. This is your opportunity to tell us something about yourself that is not already reflected in your application or academic records). 250-500 words. OR 7. Describe your career and / or vocational aspirations. Your response should incorporate the following: What led you to this particular goal? Do you have any direct experience with your career and / or vocational objective? Is there someone who has inspired you? Describe, in detail, the path you plan to take to achieve your goal. 250-500 words.
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Top Ten Tips for Writing a College Essay (www.nacacnet.org)
Start early. The more time you have, the less stress you'll have. You'll have plenty of time to give your best effort.
Be yourself. Take a moment to think about what interests you, what you love to talk about, what makes you sit up and
take notice if it's mentioned in class or on TV. Then write about it. One of the biggest mistakes students make is "writing
what they think others want to hear, rather than about an issue, event, or person that really had significance for them,"
says an admission and financial aid official at a New York college. An essay like that is not just boring to write, it's boring
to read.
Be honest. You're running late (see #1), you can't think of what to write, and someone e-mails you a heartwarming
story. With just a tweak here and there, it could be a great essay, you think. It's what you would have written if you'd just
had enough time. Don't be fooled! College admission officers have read hundreds, even thousands of essays. They are
masters at discovering any form of plagiarism. Adapting an e-mail story, buying an essay from some Internet site, getting
someone else to write your essay, admission people have seen it all. Don't risk your college career by taking the easy
way out.
Take a risk. On the other hand, some risks can pay off. Don't settle for the essay that everyone else is writing. Imagine
an admission officer up late, reading the fiftieth essay of the day, yours. Do you want that person to nod off because he or
she has already read ten essays on that topic? "The danger lies not in writing bad essays but in writing common essays,
the one that admission officers are going to read dozens of," says an associate director at a Pennsylvania high school.
"My advice? Ask your friends what they are writing, and then don't write about that!"
Keep in focus. This is your chance to tell admission officers exactly why they should admit you. Unfortunately, some
students try to list every single reason, their stellar academic record, their athletic prowess, their community service, all
in a page or two. When that happens, the essay looks like a grocery list. Read the essay question carefully and jot down a
few ideas. Then choose the one that looks like the most fun to write about. Stick to that main theme throughout the
essay. You don't have to list all your achievements; that's what the rest of the application is for. Use the essay in a
creative way to help the admission officers get to know you as a person.
Write and rewrite. Don't try to write a masterpiece on your first try. It's not possible, and all that pressure is likely to
give you writer's block. For your first draft, write anything that comes to mind about your topic. Don't worry too much
about grammar or spelling. Just get it down on paper (or computer screen). Then let it "rest" for a few hours or a few
days. When you come back to the draft, look for ways to make it more focused and better written. Some people are "fat"
writers: they write long, wordy first drafts that need to be shortened later. Others are "skinny" writers: they write short
and simple first drafts and then need to add details or examples to "flesh out" the skeleton. Either way, don't be afraid to
make major changes at this stage. Are there details that don't really relate to the topic? Cut them. Do you need another
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example? Put it in.
Here are two other things to try, suggested by one college counselor.
• Remove the introductory and concluding paragraphs, and then see if your essay seems stronger. These paragraphs are
often the most likely to have unnecessary detail.
• Go through the essay and cut out every "very" and every "many." Words like these are vague, and your writing is often
stronger without them.
Get a second opinion. Even best-selling novelists ask other people to read their manuscripts before they're sent to the
publisher. When you've rewritten the essay to your satisfaction, find someone who can give you advice on how to make
it even better. Choose a person you respect and who knows something about writing, a favorite English teacher, a
parent, or a friend who writes for the school paper. Ask them to tell you what they like best about your essay, and what
you can do to improve it. Criticism of your writing can be tough to hear, but try to listen with an open mind. You don't
have to make every change suggested, after all, it's your essay and no one else's, but you should seriously consider each
suggestion.
Proofread. Finally, you're ready to send your essay. Not so fast! Read it over one more time, looking for those little
errors that can creep in as you write or edit. If you're using a computer, also run a spell check. Sometimes, it can be
difficult to catch minor typos—you've read the essay so many times that you see what should be there rather than what
is there. To make sure you catch everything, try reading your essay out loud or having someone else read it out loud to
you. Another strategy is to read the essay backward, from the last sentence to the first. That makes it just unfamiliar
enough for errors to stand out.
Be accurate. Applying online may feel like you’re sending email, but you’re not. An Oregon director of admission warns
against using informal email language, incorrect capitalization or abbreviations such as BTW or “thanx,” which are not
appropriate to a formal document. Make sure your online essay represents the best of you.
Don't expect too much from an essay. The application essay is important, but it's not the only thing that is considered.
"Can [the essay] make a difference in getting the 'thin versus thick' envelope? Absolutely," says one New York director.
"But that is the exception rather than the rule." That's because admission officers look at the whole package, your
academics, extracurricular activities, standardized tests, and other factors. A great essay rarely makes up for a weak
academic record. On the other hand, a mediocre essay won't necessarily consign your application to the "deny" list. So
make your essay as well-written as you can, but don't put so much pressure on yourself that the rest of the application
fades in importance.
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College Essay Brainstorming Activity
One of the best methods of brainstorming is to begin with a grand list of potential topics and slowly let the best rise to the top. In order to generate a list of important people, events, accomplishments and activities in your life, fill in the worksheet below.
A. If you were writing your autobiography right now, what would be five to ten events or things that would have to be included? It will be easiest to think over your life chronologically.
1. ______________________________ 6. ______________________________ 2. ______________________________ 7. ______________________________ 3. ______________________________ 8. ______________________________ 4. ______________________________ 9. ______________________________ 5. ______________________________ 10. ______________________________
B. Ask a few friends or family members to pick five adjectives or personality traits that characterize you. List them here:
Friend / Family (1) Friend / Family (2) Friend / Family (3) 1. ______________________ 1. ______________________ 1. ______________________ 2. ______________________ 2. ______________________ 2. ______________________ 3. ______________________ 3. ______________________ 3. ______________________ 4. ______________________ 4. ______________________ 4. ______________________ 5. ______________________ 5. ______________________ 5. ______________________
C. List five accomplishments you have made over the last five years. (Do not limit yourself to accomplishments for which you have been formally recognized since the most interesting essays are often based on accomplishments that may have seemed insignificant at the time but become crucial when placed in the context of your life.)
1. _________________________ 4. _________________________ 2. _________________________ 5. _________________________ 3. _________________________
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D. List three to five things on which you consider yourself very knowledgeable. 1. _________________________ 4. _________________________
2. _________________________ 5. _________________________
3. _________________________
E. What are your most important extracurricular or community activities?
1. _________________________ 4. _________________________
2. _________________________ 5. _________________________
3. _________________________
F. List 5 people whom you respect and admire. They can be real or fictional.
1. _________________________ 4. _________________________
2. _________________________ 5. _________________________
3. _________________________
G. What is your favorite movie or book? _________________________________________________________
Who is your favorite musician? ________________________________________________________________
H. List two times in life when you failed miserably and two times when you were a fantastic success.
Failures Successes
1. _________________________ 1. _________________________
2. _________________________ 2. _________________________
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I. Ask your parents for five events in your life that they will always remember.
1. _________________________ 4. _________________________
2. _________________________ 5. _________________________
3. _________________________
J. List four of your favorite things and four of your least favorite. These can include activities, places,
objects, virtues, etc.
Favorites Least Favorites
1. __________________________ 1. ___________________________
2. _________________________ 2. ___________________________
3. __________________________ 3. ___________________________
4. _________________________ 4. ___________________________
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After Completing the Worksheet... You should now have many potential essay topics. The
next step is to narrow this list down to the topics that are most suited to a college admission essay.
For each item listed above, answer the following questions. Some of your ideas may reveal
themselves as dull, while you will find plenty to discuss for others.
For each of the personal characteristics or skills you have listed, ask:
Does it distinguish me from others I know?
How did I develop this attribute?
For each of the activities you have listed, ask:
What made me join this activity?
What made me continue to contribute to it?
For each event in your life you have listed, ask:
Why do I remember this particular event?
Did it change me as a person?
Was the event a moment of epiphany?
For each person you have listed, ask:
Why have I named this person?
Which of this person’s traits do I admire?
Is there something that this person has said that I will always remember?
Did he or she challenge my views?
For each of your favorites and least favorites, ask:
Why is this a favorite or least favorite?
Has this thing influenced my life in a meaningful way?
For each failure ask:
What if anything did I learn from this failure?
What if anything good came out of this failure?
You must now confront the underlying challenge of the admissions essay: find the one topic that
will allow you to synthesize your important personal characteristics and experiences into a
coherent whole while simultaneously addressing your desire to attend a specific institution.
While most admissions essays allow great latitude in topic selection, you must also be sure to
answer the question that is asked of you.
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When Revising …
Look for:
A. SUBSTANCE - Substance refers to the content of the essay and the message you send out. It can be
very hard to gauge in your own writing. One good way to make sure that you are saying what you
think you are saying is to write down, briefly and in your own words, the general idea of your
message. Then remove the introduction and conclusion from your essay and have an objective
reader review what is left. Ask that person what he thinks is the general idea of your message.
Compare the two statements to see how similar they are. This can be especially helpful if you wrote
a narrative. It will help to make sure that you are communicating your points in the story. Below
are more questions to ask yourself regarding content:
Have I answered the question?
Do I back up each point that I make with an example? Have I used concrete and personal
examples?
Have I been specific? (Turn the generalities into specifics.)
Could anyone else have written this essay?
What does it say about me? After making a list of all the words you have used within the
essay - directly and indirectly - to describe yourself, ask: does this list accurately represent
me?
Does the writing sound like me? Is it personal and informal rather than uptight or stiff?
Regarding the introduction, is it personal and written in my own voice? Is it too general?
Can the essay get along without it?
What about the essay makes it memorable?
B. STRUCTURE - To check the overall structure of your essay, conduct a first-sentence check. Write
down the first sentence of every paragraph in order. Read through them one after another and ask
the following:
o Would someone who was reading only these sentences still understand exactly
what I am trying to say?
o Do the first sentences express all of my main points?
o Do the thoughts flow naturally, or do they seem to skip around or come out of left
field?
Now go back to your essay as a whole and ask these questions:
o Does each paragraph stick to the thought that was introduced in the first
sentence?
o Does a piece of evidence support each point? How well does the evidence
support the point?
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o Is each paragraph roughly the same length? Do the paragraphs look balanced on
the page? (If one is significantly longer than the rest, you might be trying to
squeeze more than one thought into it.)
o Does my conclusion draw naturally from the previous paragraphs?
o Have I varied the length and structure of my sentences?
C. INTEREST - Many people think only of mechanics when they revise and rewrite their
compositions. As we know, though, the interest factor is crucial in keeping the admission officers
reading and remembering your essay. Look at your essay with the interest equation in mind:
personal + specific = interesting. Answer the following:
Is the opening paragraph personal?
Do I start with action or an image?
Does the essay show rather than tell?
Did I use any words that are not usually a part of my vocabulary?
Have I used the active voice whenever possible?
Have I overused adjectives and adverbs?
Have I eliminated clichés?
Have I deleted redundancies?
Does the essay sound interesting to me?
Will the ending give the reader a sense of completeness? Does the last sentence sound like
the last sentence?
D. PROOFREADING - When you are satisfied with the structure and content of your essay, it is time
to check for grammar, spelling, and typos. You can fix obvious things right away: a misspelled or
misused word, a seemingly endless sentence, or improper punctuation. Keep rewriting until your
words say what you want them to say. Ask yourself these questions:
Did I punctuate correctly?
Did I eliminate exclamation points (except in dialogue)?
Did I use capitalization clearly and consistently?
Do the subjects agree in number with the verbs?
Did I place the periods and commas inside the quotation marks?
Do apostrophes appear in the right places?
Did I replace the name of the proper school for each new application?
Have I caught every single typo? (You can use your spell-checker but make sure that you
check and re-check every change it makes.)
Source: Essays That Will Get You Into College, by Amy Burnham, Daniel Kaufman, and Chris
Dowhan. 1998.
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The Admission Interview Purpose: To provide the selection committee with more detailed and specific information about your suitability as a candidate. In addition, it is the applicant’s chance to ask questions as well. Before the interview: Evaluate yourself: identify your strengths, interests, weaknesses. Compose a list of questions about this college and its admission process. Dress professionally and appropriately. At the beginning: Shake hands with the interviewer; look the interviewer directly in the eye; know the interviewer’s name. The interview: An interview can last an hour and can typically be divided into four categories: Academic Background Questions:
What have you enjoyed most about your high school years? What have been your most stimulating intellectual experiences? Most challenging? How would you change your approach as a student if you had a second opportunity? Are there any outside circumstances that interfered with your academic performance?
Extracurricular Activity Questions:
What is the most meaningful contribution you have made at your school? Have you ever taken a risk and tried a new sport or club while in high school? What are your hobbies or special interests? Have you worked or volunteered while in high school? Did you have any leadership roles? How do you spend your summers?
College Aspiration Questions:
What do you hope to accomplish in the next four years? What do you hope to major in and why? Which extracurricular interests do you want to pursue in college? Why have you chosen the colleges you plan to apply to? What do you expect to be doing five years from now? Seven years? Ten years?
Personal Questions:
What events and experiences in your life have shaped you as an individual? Who has influenced you the most in your life? What do you excel at? What doesn’t come as easily to you? If you could take a year off, how would you spend it? Is there anything that I have not asked you about that you think would be important for me
to know as I evaluate your application?
After the Interview: Thank the interviewer for his or her time, shake hands, say good bye. Write a thank you note to the person who interviewed you within the next two days.
Grad. Proj. Folder revised May 2017
