March Into College Readiness

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March is a busy time for high school juniors and their families. Here are our tips to guide juniors into powerful springtime college readiness.

Senior Year Schedules:
senior year
Many schools have kids pick classes for senior year during March. Make sure kids do not give up core content areas. Kids need a full schedule that is as hard and challenging as possible. If students give up a foreign language or math-remember that they have to take placement tests, and these are very hard if students miss a year. Also students need to pick up some other content area—another social science or science. 

Testing: 

A. Help students develop their spring testing schedule. SAT. ACT. SAT Subject Tests, AP tests. Plan to take each one, except the AP tests, at least two times this
spring. Sophomores and juniors should take subject tests for courses they are taking this year. Don’t have them wait as knowledge slips away.
  • The ACT is offered in February, April, and June.
  • The SAT is offered in March, May, and June.
  • sat:actThe SAT Subject tests are offered May and June.
  • AP tests are offered only in May.

B. Learn about fee waivers. They enable students to take each test twice, except AP tests, for free.

C. Please have your students record their usernames and passwords on computers, cell phones, and emails. Mac users use Stickies or Notes.

D. More and more schools allow the ACT to cover 2 subject tests. So make sure you know the exact requirements of each college.

E. Continue or start a test prep class. Princeton Review, http://www.princetonreview.com, offers good beginning classes. There are free test prep programs online such as http://www.number2.com/ and https://www.khanacademy.org/test-prep/sat

college visitsCollege Visits: Tell students to visit colleges during spring vacation and other school days off. Avoid weekends unless colleges have special weekend programs. Book tours, information sessions, class visits, overnights, interviews, and visits with coaches and other campus officials. Try to get a real feel for campus life. Take pictures and notes as many colleges requires why are you a good match for us, and campus visits are great occasions to site.

Schools Questionnaires: Many schools have juniors and their parents complete questionnaires. Take these seriously. Never tell negative information about yourself or your child. Spin it into something positive. (That is unless you have a serious issue that you need to explain. If so, talk about who you are now that you have worked through this issue).

Social Media: Make sure kids make their FB and other social media pages private. The pages should show no information to anyone who is not a friend. Colleges and school college counselors will occasionally check FB pages. I recommend taking away the last name and just using your first and middle names.

 

Take On Leadership Roles: Please make sure students take on leadership roles in their activities. Colleges are looking for kids who take initiative and who are leaders. Don’t give up activities. Look for ways to expand current organizations and lead them in new and creative ways.
ir last names as well. The pages should show no information to anyone who is not a friend. Colleges and school college counselors will occasionally check FB pages. I recommend taking away the last name and just using your first and middle names.

summer internshipsPlan Powerful Summers: Remember colleges expect students to be as busy as possible. Use summers for taking college classes, working, volunteering, doing an internship, studying for the SAT/ACT. There are great programs for urban kids. Ask your counselor for ideas. Applications are due soon.

This blog is also a powerpoint you are welcome to share with your friends.  http://www.slideshare.net/getmetocollege/2015-spring-college-readiness

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About rjoseph

I am the creator and visionary behind this site. I want to do everything I can to help students consider college as an option, even when they may be the first in their family to go or may not have the funds at hand. Don't let anyone tell you that you don't have the right or the ability to go to college.

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