college planning checklist - schoolwires · pdf filein this booklet you will fi nd a checklist...

Serving the communities of Columbia Heights, Hilltop and Southern

Fridley

COLUMBIA HEIGHTS HIGH SCHOOL

OUR MISSIONColumbia Heights Public Schools create worlds of opportunity for every learner in partnership with supportive small-town communities by challenging all to discover their talents, unleash their potential and develop tools for lifelong success.

COLLEGE PLANNING CHECKLIST

Welcome to the best years of your life! We are so glad to have you at Columbia Heights High School where we create college and career-ready graduates. We believe your years here will be productive and rewarding. To help you reach your college and career goals, we have created this comprehensive preparation checklist.

In this booklet you will fi nd a checklist for each grade level, divided by quarter or by month. By sticking to this plan, you will be on track with your college preparation and meet all of your deadlines.

We have a rich set of resources on our school website to help you, including a Naviance account. Naviance is the online tool we use to take personality surveys, research careers, and track your college application process. You can even install the Naviance App on your smart phone.

All of our staff will help you do your best at Columbia Heights High School, but know that when you have college preparation questions, your dean is your fi rst contact. For more information, please call 763-528-4600 and ask to speak with your dean.

Columbia Heights High School1400 49th Ave NEColumbia Heights, MN 55421 www.colheights.k12.mn.us/chhs763-528-4600

CONTENTS

Naviance .......................................1

9th Grade Checklist .........................2

10th Grade Checklist .......................4

11th Grade Checklist .......................6

12th Grade Checklist ......................8

9

February & Marchq Plan to attend the CHHS College Prep/ FAFSA night.

q Finish your FAFSA.

q Apply for local scholarships at CHHS. Th e information is on Naviance.

q Receive acceptances from colleges. You do not need to decide right away, but do give copies of the acceptance letter to your advisor and dean. If your fi rst-choice college puts you on its waiting list, call the admissions counselor to make it clear that they are your fi rst choice and that you will attend if they accept you. If you have any new activities or accomplishments since you sent in your application, describe them.

q Order and begin studying for your AP tests.

q Watch for the email that tells you your Student Aid Report (SAR) is ready. Review your SAR carefully for errors. Ask an adult to explain it to you if you need help.

Aprilq Follow up with college fi nancial aid offi ces to make sure all

fi nancial aid paperwork is complete.

q Make a spreadsheet comparing fi nancial off ers. Be thorough. A template is available on our school website.

q Consider visiting some of the colleges on your list for an overnight and a day of classes. Th is will help you get a feel for the school.

q Decide on the college for you.

q Celebrate! Get your name on the College Acceptance Bulletin Board at school.

q Update your electronic resume on Naviance.

q Save your Postsecondary Plan and Readiness Rubric electronically on Naviance.

q Search for scholarships. We have a lot of help for you on our school website.

Did you know? College visits can be excused absences from school.

Mayq Write thank you notes to teachers, including specifi cs

about how they helped you on your path. Also, include information about your future choices.

q Register for college orientation and housing.

q Take your AP tests.

q Push yourself hard to end the year with solid grades.

q Study for the math placement exams for college. Anoka Ramsey Community College has a great website to use for practice.

q Take the graduation survey on Naviance.

Juneq Graduate.

q Write scholarship thank you notes. Th at is important.

q If a fi nal transcript is needed for your college, request one be sent on Naviance.

Summer before collegeq Work and save money.q Prepare a budget for college.q Take placement exams if needed at your college.

q Register for classes, usually at some sort of college orientation.

Save this web address!Naviance Family Connection: Career and College Search Informationhttp://connection.naviance.com/columbiaheights

C O L L E G E P L A N N E R C H E C K L I S T

September, October & Novemberq Get a paper calendar, or use the e-calendar on Naviance.

Write in deadlines for courses and for applications. You will have college deadlines, scholarship deadlines and fi nancial aid deadlines. Colleges and scholarships do not accept late work.

q You are probably overwhelmed with mail from colleges. Get a box and put everything in it. Get fi le folders to help you organize everything.

q Step up your involvement in one organization. Captain? President? It is not the number of organizations you belong to, but that you have leadership experience that matters the most.

q Choose challenging courses and work hard in them. Your performance now shows teachers and colleges that you will succeed in college. Talk to the Activities Director now if you plan to go to a NCAA school for sports.

q If you are not content with your ACT score, make a plan for when you’ll retake it.

q Attend a college fair. Talk to representatives at colleges you are interested in.

q Find your Social Security Number (SSN) and/or your green card number, if you are a legal immigrant, which you must have for your college applications. Do NOT share your SSN with anyone or any website unless you are certain they are legitimate. In particular, you should not carry your Social Security Card in your back pocket.

q Work on your personal essay. You will probably need more than one, in multiple lengths (one school may ask for 200 words on your academics; another scholarship asks for 500 words about your favorite class). Somewhere in your application essay, let the reader know that you will be the fi rst in your family to go to college (if it applies) or that you are from a culture, religion or ethnicity that is underrepresented at their school (if it applies).

q Decide on which colleges you will actually apply to. Many students apply to two “dream” or “reach” schools, three “in between schools,” and two “safety” schools. Most colleges charge you an application fee, but some colleges waive that fee if you apply online on the Common Application. Ask your dean for fee waivers for the application fees if needed.

q Sign on to Naviance. Link to your Common App to your Naviance account. Enter the “Colleges I Am Applying To.”

q Use Naviance to ask teachers to write you letters of recommendation. Give teachers two weeks and a resume.

q Stay focused on grades.

q Check out your potential fi nancial aid packages at www.Fafsa4caster.com.

q Attend the CHHS College Prep Night.

q Sign in to Naviance. You will need to enter your school username and regular password. Update your email address and profi le.

q Start your Postsecondary Plan and Readiness Rubric in advisory.


q Create an account and sign on to the Common App website.

q Sign your FERPA waiver electronically.

q Use Naviance to request transcripts needed for college applications.


q Visit 3-5 potential colleges.

December & Januaryq Finish applications to four-year colleges and universities.

q Apply for the big scholarships (Dell, Gates, Wallin, etc.).


q Listen to announcements and search the web to fi nd scholarships. Apply to everything you can.

q Ask your parents or family friends: sometimes employers will give scholarships to children or relatives.

q Ask your parents to complete their taxes as soon as possible.


q Visit potential colleges.

8

GRA

DE

12 Naviance Student AppNaviance Student is an easy-to-use, free iPhone app that helps you organize your school work and your college planning process. Th e Naviance Student app for iPhone gives instant access to upcoming and overdue tasks within Family Connection and allows you to update your status and communicate with deans directly from your mobile devices. Manage this process on the go!

Tasks and To-dos. Check.

See tasks that have been assigned to you or manage your list of tasks from one place. Need to study for a math test or turn in a biology assignment? Naviance Student has you covered.

Colleges. Paperwork Avenger.Transcripts, applications, ACT prep, letters of recommendation…it can be a lot to keep up with. Naviance Student organizes the process of college selection and application in one place. Check out what Naviance off ers:

• Select. View college profi les and add to your college “Interested List.”

• Dates. Add college deadlines to your calendar.

• Tasks. View and add tasks related to colleges.

• Maps. View college campus locations.

• Contact. Email or call a college directly from the app.

• Updates. Track status of college applications.

Notifi cations. Messaging. Reminders.Exchange messages with your dean without an in-offi ce appointment. Get reminders when important college or school deadlines are coming up. Naviance Student can do this and more:

• Send and receive messages from your dean.

• Get notifi ed of what to do next.

• Receive reminders of important dates and tasks.

Download the Free Naviance Student App Today!

1. From the website above, click on the link for the Naviance Student App.

2. Enter an email address for yourself. Click “get the app” and a passcode will be sent to your email.

3. Download the Naviance Student App from the App Store. It is free.

4. When you sign into the app for the fi rst time, enter the passcode that was emailed to you.

5. Send your dean a test message to say hello.

www.connection.naviance.com/columbiaheights

1

Grade 9 Quarter 1

q Tell your teachers that you plan to go to college.

q Make sure your courses are college prep. If you do not know, ask a teacher to make sure they are. Colleges like to see challenging courses on your record, even if you get lower grades in them.

q If you want to play sports in college, you should know that NCAA college athletic teams have requirements about what high school courses you take. Talk to the Activities Director for more information.

q Let your teachers get to know you.

q Get involved. At school, at church, in sports, in clubs…get involved.

q Take the Aspire test. All 9th graders at CHHS take it.

q Sign up for SchoolView so you can see your grades.

q Sign in to Naviance for the fi rst time. You’ll need to enter your school username and regular password. Enter your email address and complete your profi le.



Grade 9 Quarter 2

q You should have a portfolio from high school, so save your best work, report cards, awards and test scores.

q Research: look up colleges, look up careers. Talk to adults about their colleges and their careers. Sign up for BigFuture.org and other college prep websites. You can fi nd suggestions on our school website.

q Register for college prep classes for next year. Are you ready for an AP course?

q It is time for a GPA check. Scholarships look for a 3.2 or above.

C O L L E G E P L A N N E R C H E C K L I S TG

RA

DE

9

9

999

9

9If you want to play sports in

college, you should know

that NCAA college athletic

teams have requirements

about what high school

courses you take.

2

Februaryq Begin to focus on the key 10 to 15 colleges that are a good fi t (based on your academics

and career choice). Update the “Colleges I am Interested In” section in Naviance.


q Decide: April ACT? June ACT? Both? Register!

q Brainstorm and research rewarding summer jobs, internships, or scholarship opportunities. Use Naviance or www.mmep.org to search for possibilities.


Marchq Start learning about scholarships and grants. We have a lot of help for you on our school

website.


q Begin studying for your AP tests.

q Order your AP tests.

Aprilq Consider visiting some of the colleges on your list.

q Make a list of teachers who may be willing to write a letter of recommendation for you.

q Begin reviewing for AP tests, and SAT tests if you want to go to school out-of-state.

q Start making a list of possible scholarships you can apply for. See the school website or Naviance for specifi c links.

q Attend the CHHS College and Career Fair.

Mayq Take your AP tests.

q Update your portfolio. Start thinking about the personal essay.

q Firm up your summer plans, including visits to other colleges on your list.

q Push yourself hard to end the year with solid grades.



Juneq How is your GPA?

q Continue thinking about various careers and colleges.

q Ask your teachers for summer reading lists.

q Visit 3-5 colleges.


7

nce.

Summer before Grade 12q Readq Visit collegesq Volunteerq Save moneyq Update your electronic resume on Naviance.

Septemberq Meet with your dean to confi rm your courses for your junior and senior years have the right

balance of rigor and challenge to get into a competitive college.

q Register for the October PSAT test.

q Step up your involvement in one organization. It is not the number of organizations you belong to, but that you have leadership experience that matters the most.


q Keep track of deadlines. Missed deadlines mean missed money.

q Sign in to Naviance. You’ll need to enter your school username and regular password. Update your email address and profi le.


Octoberq Take the PSAT test.

q Use Naviance to search for career and college information.

q Complete the “Super Match College Search” on Naviance.


Novemberq Keep your focus on grades. You want your junior year grades to be as strong as possible. Often,

junior year grades are the last grades to be used for applying for scholarships.

q On Naviance, enter the “Colleges I am Interested In.”

Decemberq Once you receive your PSAT scores, make plans for how to maximize the good and plan to

improve the rest.

q Look ahead to the spring and summer and begin mapping out the dates for your other standardized tests: AP Exams, ACT, SAT, SAT Subject Tests.


q Complete the “Game Plan Survey” on Naviance. Th is will be something you and your dean will talk about.

Januaryq Consider asking to job shadow one or more people you know to learn more about those careers

fi rsthand.

q Update your resume on Naviance.

q Begin work on your personal essay for college and scholarship applications.

q Carefully plan out your senior year courses. Have you taken AP courses yet?

q How is your GPA? You will need a 3.2 to apply for the Wallin Scholarship.


6

GRA

DE

11

11

1111

11

11

11

11

1111

11

Grade 9 Quarter 3

q Keep track of your GPA.

q Complete the personality survey on Naviance in advisory.


q Get your Aspire results. Make plans to maximize your strengths and improve the rest.

Make lists:q Teachers: Which teachers do you admire most? Where did they go to college?

q Students: Do you know other students like you who are planning to go to college? It helps to share your ideas and plans with them. Write down the names of the ones you trust or admire most.

q Reading: Read as much as you can this year as it will give you new ideas, make you a better thinker and build your vocabulary. Start a list of things you enjoy reading.

q Activities: Get involved in activities you care about—at school and after school (including sports, clubs, community service, church group, jobs, etc.). List the ones that most appeal to you.

q Interests: Th ink about your current interests.

q Careers: What career fi elds might match up with your interests? Check out your survey results on Naviance.

q Colleges: Which colleges are you interested in right now? Check out Naviance to do some research.

Grade 9 Quarter 4

q Begin to assemble your portfolio. Save your best work in it, so it will not get lost. Th is should include class assignments, poems, artwork or cool things from outside of school.




3

Summer before Grade 10Use your summer to have fun while you learn. Ask your teachers about enrichment programs like camps or courses that help students like you prepare for college. For more information, go to www.mmep.org.

Grade 10 Quarter 1

q Keep taking the most challenging courses you can.

q Get involved. At school, at church, in sports, in clubs…get involved. Th e more you care about your extra activities the more they matter for college admissions. Do not do things just to make a longer list…do a few things well.



q Take the Pre SAT. Your scores will not count when you apply to college and it is good practice for later. If you cannot aff ord the fee, ask your dean to help you apply for a fee waiver.

q If you are having trouble with your schoolwork, ask for help. If your teacher is not available, ask another adult or a student who is doing well in the class.

q Sign in to Naviance. You will need to enter your school username and regular password. Update your email address and profi le.


q Take the Aspire test. All 10th grade students at CHHS take it.


Grade 10 Quarter 2

q Keep thinking about your interests and passions and careers that fi t you. Use Naviance to search for career and college information.

q Register for college prep classes for next year. Colleges like to see challenging courses on your record, even if you get lower grades in them.


q Take the Career Cluster Survey on Naviance in advisory.


4

GRA

DE

10

1010

10

10

10

10

10

10

1010

Get involved. At school, at church,

in sports, in clubs…get involved.

Grade 10 Quarter 3

q Ask adults about their passions. Who do you know who has gone to college?


q Get together with classmates and talk about what they have been doing to explore colleges.

q Visit a college.

q Get your Aspire results; make plans to maximize your strengths and improve the rest.

q Order your AP tests.

q Begin studying for your AP tests.


Grade 10 Quarter 4

q Take your fi rst AP tests.

q Add to your portfolio. Save your best work in it, so it will not get lost. Th is should include class assignments, poems, artwork or cool things from outside of school.


q Create your electronic resume on Naviance.



5

Summer before Grade 11Use your summer to have fun while you learn. Here is a short list of ideas:q Volunteer at a workplace that interests you: a

library, radio station, YMCA etc.q Sign up for a career exploration course at a community college.

q Participate in a music or theater production.q Take a class to help you prepare for the ACT.q Learn to program computers (web design, html, java).q Your own ideas . . .

college planning checklist - schoolwires · pdf filein this booklet you will fi nd a checklist...

Documents