Counselor's Corner
Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior Information
FRESHMAN CLASS OF 2015
Throughout the month of November, the guidance counselors met with freshmen during Academic Lab to register students on the Naviance program. This program will be useful to students throughout their high school careers. It offers college and career information as students explore their options for life after high school. In addition, it is the system students will use to sign up for college visits, to obtain information regarding scholarships and to complete college applications senior year.
After registering, students completed a survey to provide information for the counselors so that they can better get to know their students. The freshmen also completed a career cluster finder questionnaire to enable them to begin exploring careers that match their interests, skills and values. Parents have access to the general information that the Naviance program offers by registering as guests on: https://connection.naviance.com/fc. The password is "viking." Parents may also ask their students to log on to their accounts to view what the career cluster finder indicated as possible areas of career exploration. (Students enter their e-mail addresses; their passwords are their student numbers.) Although high school graduation may seem far away to freshmen, it is never too early to start thinking about what types of careers students might want to pursue.
SOPHOMORE CLASS OF 2014
Counselors returned the PLAN results to the sophomores during World History classes throughout the month of November. A predictive ACT score is included in the results. Students who want to obtain the best possible ACT scores have over a year to build their test taking skills. There are a variety of options available to those students:
- study with teachers to improve grades
- use the Method Test Prep program available on Naviance (parents may go in through their student’s account to view the program)
- log on to www.actstudent.org for free practice questions
- enroll in the free test prep classes offered at North High (sign up on the guidance website)
- sign up to take free practice tests that are offered at commercial sites throughout the St. Louis area (information is listed in the daily announcements, which can be found on North High’s website).
- enroll in fee-based programs with Kaplan, Princeton Review or Focus on Learning, etc.
Sophomore year is an important year in terms of grades. Colleges consider the first six semesters of high school for college admission. Sophomores who want to improve their grade point average still have time. Working with teachers during academic lab, meeting with teachers after school and/or working with A+ tutors before or after school in the Curriculum Learning Center are all ways students can obtain help with their classes.
JUNIOR CLASS OF 2013
All juniors will be given the opportunity to take a free ACT at North High on April 25, 2012. This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to enter their senior year with at least one ACT score. Students applying to most two and four year colleges will need this standardized test for admission and/or placement. Reviewing their grade point average at the end of junior year and their ACT score will give students ideas as which colleges would be back-up schools, which colleges are within reach and which colleges will be dream schools. In addition, athletes hoping to play college level sports will also need an ACT score when they register with NCAA or NAIA eligibility centers.
Juniors who want to obtain the best ACT scores have a variety of options available:
- study with teachers to improve grades
- use the Method Test Prep program available on Naviance (parents may go in through their student’s account to view the program)
- log on to www.actstudent.org for free practice questions
- enroll in the free test prep classes offered at North High (sign up on the guidance website)
- sign up to take free practice tests that are offered at commercial sites throughout the St. Louis area (information is listed in the daily announcements, which can be found on North High’s website).
- enroll in fee-based programs with Kaplan, Princeton Review or Focus on Learning, etc.
Junior year is when students need to focus on college exploration. The Naviance program is a valuable tool which enables students to view college admission requirements, to compare various colleges and to determine which colleges might be a good match. Families will often plan spring break trips based on which colleges to visit with their students. It is to a student’s advantage if he/she enters senior year with specific colleges in mind.
SENIOR CLASS OF 2012
Senior year is quickly passing! Seniors who have not yet submitted their college applications need to do so as soon as possible. Students who are applying to colleges with January 1 deadlines need to make requests for transcripts and test scores, using Naviance and the orange ACT request sheets, by December 15.
The college application process is a partnership between students, parents, counselors and teachers. In addition to student transcripts, numerous schools require recommendations, essays, school specific supplements, secondary school reports, etc. Many colleges also require that test scores are sent directly to them from ACT or Collegeboard (SAT); they will not accept copies from the high school. All of this information can be found on the college admission websites. Students should make a checklist based on the requirements listed on the website for each college to which they intend to apply. Colleges will frequently refuse admission when students are missing application forms, have not had their test scores sent directly from ACT or Collegeboard or have missed deadlines.
Senior parents will want to attend the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) workshop offered on Wednesday, January 25 at 7:00 PM in the North High Library. A speaker from Commerce Bank will go through the application and answer questions. All students interested in student aid (scholarships, loans, grants, jobs, etc.) must have their parents complete the FAFSA form.