SENIOR GUIDANCE SEMINAR CYCLE #1: Pre Guidance Seminar Survey, College Visits, SAT/ACT FALL 2016 Purpose: To get student feedback (via survey) about NHS Guidance and seminars to improve future curriculum and instruction. To show students various forms of college visits as a tool for deciding where to apply. To inform students about standardized testing dates, registration information, and the process of sending scores to colleges. Essential Questions: Do students understand the importance of college visits and how to sign up for them? Can students sign up for standardized tests and send their scores to colleges? ASCA: Academic Development Standard: Students will acquire the attitudes, knowledge, and skills that contribute to effective learning in school and across the lifespan. Indicator D: Share knowledge Standard: Students will complete school with the academic preparation essential to choose from a wide range of substantial post-secondary options, including college. Indicator E: Identify post-secondary options consistent with interests, aptitude, achievement, and abilities. Assessment Evidence: Counselor will check in with students regarding their college visits and plans for taking standardized tests in the fall. Students will complete the Pre-Guidance Seminar Survey. Activities (40 minute Guidance Seminar): Slides 1-10 1. Slide 2 -Welcome back! Explain that Senior Guidance Seminar meets once per cycle during CDS, as in past years. The main focus will be to help students through the entire college application process. 2. Slide 3 - Have students complete the Pre-Guidance Seminar Survey through their Naviance Accounts. Provide any students with registration codes if they have yet to register and/or have them reset their passwords if necessary (encourage students to make note of their passwords since they will be using the program throughout the year). 3. Slide 4 Pie Chart reflection everyone is in a different place in the college admissions process and there is no right or wrong place to be at this time. 4. Slide 5 Parental involvement even though students may be in one place, your parents may want you to have completed the process yesterday. Discuss stress/anxiety this may be causing and ask students to share handouts at home, emphasize that we are available to help students and their parents navigate this challenging landscape and reduce anxiety. 5. Slide 6 - College Visit Activity A. Ask: how many students visited college over the summer? Or last year/previously? B. Ask students to come to the board to write the names of schools they visited under the appropriate category. C. Discuss importance of visits in creating/finalizing a college list.
D. Suggest upcoming times when students can visit if they are able: Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, staff development days, etc. E. Remind students how to sign up for college tours (college websites under Admissions). 6. Slide 7 - Colleges Visiting NHS A. Show students how to sign up to meet with college admissions reps that visit our school: i. College reps scheduled during CDS and at 2:00pm. ii. Go into an anonymous account. Click the Colleges tab in Naviance and see the list of Upcoming College Visits on the right hand side of screen. iii. Click on any college and show how to sign up. Students should tell their teacher well in advance if they will miss class time for a college visit. iv. Encourage students to create reminder so they don t forget to attend. Remove name from list if student decides not to attend (makes NHS look bad if no one shows up). iv. Continually check for upcoming college rep visits as they are updated through December. 7. SAT/ACT Test Registration and Sending Scores A. Slide 8 - SAT/ACT Test Dates handout - Review SAT/ACT test dates and deadlines. Encourage students to sign up ASAP. B. Slide 9 College Admissions Test Preparation/SAT Score Conversion chart handout -Show Understanding your SAT Score Report video. Discuss the SAT Score Converter. Make note that students need to convert new SAT scores to compare to college websites SAT data and the Naviance scattergrams, which will be based on old SAT data. See example to convert score while using the handout or College Board website link on slide. (SAT conversion chart on back of College Admissions Test Preparation handout) C. Remind students of importance of test prep (brief review of resources and College Admissions Test Preparation handout). Mention Catalyst SAT Bootcamp coming up last weekend in Sept. at NHS. D. Slide 10 - Sending test scores to colleges. Emphasize that NHS does not send scores students are responsible. Materials: Handouts: SAT/ACT Test Dates, College Admissions Test Preparation/SAT Score Conversion chart
SENIOR GUIDANCE SEMINAR CYCLE #2: Senior College Calendar, College Forms FALL 2016 Purpose: To help students use a calendar to think through their timelines in the college application process. To help students thoroughly and accurately fill out necessary forms for the college application process. Essential Question: How do testing dates and planning timelines fit the individual student s postgraduate plans? Do students understand what information they will be providing on forms related to college applications? ASCA: Academic Development Standard: Students will complete school with the academic preparation essential to choose from a wide range of substantial post-secondary options, including college. Indicator B: Organize and apply academic information from a variety of sources. Assessment Evidence: Counselor will circulate to check in with students as they complete forms to ensure they are completing the forms accurately and completely. Students will complete and return necessary forms. Activities (40 minute Guidance Seminar): 1. Slide #11 Hand out and Review Senior College Calendar. A. Emphasize key points such as SAT/ACT registration deadlines, timing for Transcript Requests, EA/ED, etc. B. Encourage students to attend TEC College Fair, Wednesday, October 5 th 6:30 8:30 PM, and to tell their parents about the Senior Parent Meeting, Friday October 21st at 7:30 AM Lecture Hall, and MEFA night, Wednesday, October 19 th 7 9 PM. 2. Hand out Senior Information Sheets and School Report Forms A. Slide #12 Senior Info Sheet ensures that their info will be accurate on their transcript. B. Slide #13 School Report Form i. Purpose: this is an NHS form that will be sent to all colleges. ii. Fill out top half of sheet; counselor does the rest. iii. Discuss FERPA and waiving of rights. C. Collect both forms when students are done. 3. Slide #14 Guidance Website Forms Teacher Appraisal, Parent Brag Sheet, Transcript Request - distribute 3 handouts A. Show students the path to print out forms from NHS Guidance Website: click College Planning and then Forms. B. Briefly discuss each form. C. Forms can also be picked up in person in the Guidance office. D. We will go into more detail on Transcript Requests next cycle. 4. Naviance: Teacher Recommendation Form A. Show students how to get to the Teacher Recommendation Form in Naviance under the About Me tab. B. Only do this form after you ve talked to the teacher who s writing your rec
(not all teachers use this form, some have their own). C. There are two of these forms in Naviance for rare cases when a student may need two teacher rec s. 5. (If Time) Naviance: Junior Student Response Form A. Show students how to get to the Junior Student Response Form in Naviance under the About Me tab. B. Many already started this in Junior Guidance Seminar. They should update/complete the form as it is a resource we use in writing their rec. We will not write your rec letter unless the form is complete. Note: You can also assign the updating as homework. Materials: Handouts: Senior College Calendar, Senior Information Sheet, School Report Form, Transcript Request Form, Student Appraisal Form, Parent Brag Sheet
SENIOR GUIDANCE SEMINAR CYCLE #3: Transcripts, GPA, and Teacher Recommendation FALL 2016 Purpose: To help students understand the significance of their transcript and teacher recommendation in the college admission process. To educate students about their own roles, and the roles of their guidance counselors, in assuring that these necessary materials get to colleges in a timely manner. Essential Question: Do students clearly understand their role, and the role of their counselor, in ensuring that colleges receive their transcript and teacher recommendation before deadlines pass? ASCA: Academic Development Standard: Students will complete school with the academic preparation essential to choose from a wide range of substantial post-secondary options, including college. Indicator B: Organize and apply academic information from a variety of sources. Indicator D: Use problem-solving and decision making skills to assess progress toward educational goals. Assessment Evidence: Counselor will check with students for understanding throughout discussion, and will check progress on Naviance forms when applicable. Activities (40 minute Guidance Seminar): 1. Slide #15 Distribute each student s transcript, along with the Natick GPA chart and College GPA formula sheet. A. Briefly review (this was also discussed in Junior Guidance Seminar): i. Have students check transcript for accuracy (grades, biographical info, etc.) ii. Explain differences between Natick GPA (5.0) and College GPA (4.0). NOTE CHANGE: College GPA now includes PE in calculation. iii. Explain that they need to use their 4.0 College GPA during college planning, also used for Naviance scattergram purposes B. Remind students to use the info on their transcript to fill out parts of the Education section of the Common Application. We will be doing the Common App next cycle. 2. Slide #16 Hand out and review Transcripts, Teacher Recs, and Test Scores A. Remind students they can access Transcript Request Forms on the Guidance Website, and they can get them in Guidance. They MUST give us the forms IN PERSON. This helps to avoid errors and miscommunication. B. Slide #17 Discuss Teacher Recommendation process - refer to handout i. All students should ask a teacher ASAP if they haven t already. ii. Show them the Teacher Recommendation Form in Naviance if you didn t get to it last cycle. iii. Remind them to use the Student Appraisal Form for a teacher other than the one(s) writing their rec. C. Remind students again about SAT/ACT registration.
3. If time: students can work on filling out the Teacher Recommendation Form in Naviance if appropriate, and/or the Junior Student Response Form in Naviance. Materials: Transcripts Handouts: Natick GPA chart, College GPA Conversion to 4.0 Scale, Transcripts, Teacher Rec, and Test Scores handout
SENIOR GUIDANCE SEMINAR CYCLE #4: The Common Application FALL 2016 Purpose: Students will understand the purpose of the Common Application, they will each create a log-in for the Common App, and they will begin filling it out. Essential Question: Do students understand the purpose of the Common App and the importance of filling it out accurately and completely? ASCA: Academic Development Standard: Students will complete school with the academic preparation essential to choose from a wide range of substantial post-secondary options, including college. Indicator B: Organize and apply academic information from a variety of sources. Indicator D: Use problem-solving and decision-making skills to assess progress toward educational goals. Indicator E: Identify post-secondary options consistent with interests, aptitude, achievement, and abilities. Assessment Evidence: Counselor will circulate among students as they work on the Common App to answer questions, review their work, and help them fill it out accurately and completely. Students will have created a Common App log-in and will have filled out part of the Common App by the end of the block. Activities (40 minute Guidance Seminar): 1. Slide # 18 Introduce the Common Application: Do students know what it is? What is it used for? Almost all students who apply to four-year colleges end up using it. Today students will begin their own Common App or continue to work on their previously created Common App. 2. Show students how to create an account at www.commonapp.org (counselors should have their own account to use to demonstrate the Common App) A. Hand out the Navigating the Common Application sheet as a resource to guide students in filling it out. We will be covering how to sync their Common App and Naviance accounts in the next cycle as a class. B. Emphasize that everything they write can be seen by colleges as part of their application, so use appropriate spelling, punctuation, capitalization, etc. C. Demonstrate main navigation tabs and features. D. Have all students add at least one college to their Common App. Demonstrate how to see college deadlines, supplements, etc. i. Emphasize that students must put colleges on their Common App list before they give us Transcript Requests we can t send the transcript if the college isn t on their list. 3. Slide #19 Coalition Application - This is an application used by some colleges and is brand new this year. The Guidance Dept. is recommending that you do NOT use it in the first year of creation. 4. Students should use the rest of the block to fill out as much as possible of the Common App, using the handout as a guide.
Materials: Handout: Navigating the Common Application Natick High School Guidance Department
SENIOR GUIDANCE SEMINAR CYCLE #5: Syncing Common App/Naviance and Flex Cycle FALL 2016 Purpose: This cycle will allow students to complete the Common App/Naviance syncing process as a class. We will also provide additional time to work on the Common App and/or work on other college-related forms and processes, with access to their counselor for guidance and support. Essential Question: How can each student best use this block to further his/her college application process? ASCA: Academic Development Standard: Students will acquire the attitudes, knowledge, and skills that contribute to effective learning in school and across the lifespan Indicator C: Demonstrate dependability, productivity, and initiative. Assessment Evidence: Counselor will circulate throughout the block to check in with students individually, answer questions, and direct student efforts toward furthering their college application process. Students will make tangible progress in filling out one or more of the forms listed below. Activities (40 minute Guidance Seminar): 1. Slide 20 Walk Students through the steps of syncing their Common App and Naviance accounts. It is important for them to sync their accounts because we cannot send materials to colleges until they finish it. A. Show video and pause when needed as students follow the directions. B. Make sure students have completed the Education section. From there they should complete the FERPA by choosing one of the schools on their list, clicking on Recommenders and FERPA and completing the prompts. To finalize the sync, students should log into their Naviance account and click on Colleges, Colleges I m Applying to, and enter the necessary fields. NOTE: The email address and password entered must exactly match that of their Common Application account. i. Must sync in two locations: Recommenders and FERPA in CA and Colleges I m Applying To in Naviance. 2. Students will use this block to continue to make progress on one of the following aspects of their college application process: A. Common Application B. Naviance Teacher Recommendation Form C. Naviance Junior Student Response Form D. Filling out any forms for which they may have been absent in previous seminars (e.g. School Report Form, Senior Information Sheet) 3. This may also be a good time to check in with students about application deadlines, setting up college meetings, progress reports, etc. Materials: N/A
SENIOR GUIDANCE SEMINAR CYCLE #6: Financial Aid FALL 2016 Purpose: Students will learn about the importance of financial aid in paying for college, as well as the different types of aid, and how to apply for financial aid. They will also learn about assessing different financial aid packages. Essential Question: Can students explain the basics of how the financial aid application process works, including how to make a decision on where to attend while factoring in cost and financial aid packages? ASCA: Academic Development Standard: Students will complete school with the academic preparation essential to choose from a wide range of substantial post-secondary options, including college. Indicator A: Learn and apply critical thinking skills Assessment Evidence: Counselor will regularly check with students for understanding. Students will be asked to volunteer for the financial aid slide activity as a means to demonstrate knowledge and help teach each other about assessing financial aid packages. Activities (40 minute Guidance Seminar): NOTE: Counselors may hand out College Board s Financial Aid Calendar at start or end of class. 1. Slide 21 Introduction to Financial Aid A. Cost can be an important/deciding factor in deciding where a student will attend college (remind about financial safety schools), so students should have a solid understanding of Financial Aid to put themselves in the best position to afford college. B. Applying for Financial Aid is a completely separate process from Admission, with its own application(s) and deadline. C. Students should ALWAYS apply for aid, even if they don t think they ll qualify. 2. Slide 22 FInancial Aid Applications A. FAFSA (virtually all colleges, after Oct. 1, free) B. CSS Profile (typically more selective and private colleges, costs $, Early Decision schools often use it) C. Institutional forms D. See each college s Fin Aid website to be sure. 3. Slide 23 Explain need-based vs. merit-based aid. 4. Slide 24 Briefly explain types of aid: scholarships, grants, work-study, loans. Show video. 5. Slide 25 Other sources of Financial Aid - Scholarships: separate from the college financial aid application. A. National scholarships: Fastweb.com, Collegeboard.org, Guidance website B. Local scholarships: separate application process, Feb. deadlines, APPLY! Note: CDS presentation in January after applications are made available to students
6. Slide 26 Financial Aid slide: fill in examples together on whiteboard and relate to financial aid packages from colleges. A. Discuss concepts such as gapping, debt, loans, need blind/need aware, etc. 7. Slide 27 Estimating Financial Aid: resources A. FAFSA4Caster B. Net Price Calculators (on college Fin Aid websites, also College Board website) C. Encourage students to have their parents attend MEFA Financial Aid Night, October 19, 2016. If their parents cannot attend, students should attend. NOTE: We will be working on college application essays next seminar. Students may bring/access a copy of the college essay draft they did in junior English. Materials: Senior Year Calendar for Applying For Financial Aid
SENIOR GUIDANCE SEMINAR CYCLE #7: College Essay, Freshman Letters, and Flex Time FALL 2016 Purpose: Students will continue to cultivate their college essays. Students may also work on the Common App and/or work on other college-related forms and processes, with access to their counselor for guidance and support. Essential Question: Bearing in mind what they have learned about the purpose and importance of the college essay, can students articulate their ideas for their college essays and set goals for their next steps in the process? ASCA: Academic Development Standard: Students will complete school with the academic preparation essential to choose from a wide range of substantial post-secondary options, including college. Indicator D: Use problem-solving and decision-making skills to assess progress towards educational goals. ASCA: Personal/Social Development Standard: Students will make decisions, set goals, and take necessary action to achieve goals. Indicator A: Develop an action plan to set and achieve realistic goals. Assessment Evidence: Students will make progress on their college essay and/or the other listed college-related processes. Counselor will check in with students after discussion/presentation portion of the block. Activities (40 minute Guidance Seminar): 1. Slide 28 Discuss the college essay (keep it brief). DIstribute English Dept. s Essay handout. A. Review what we covered in junior seminar: i. Purpose/relevance of essay. ii. Most time-consuming part of application don t procrastinate! iii. Typically 250 word minimum, 650 words is Common App limit. B. Show video on PPT i. What stood out to students from this video? Topics to avoid: do you agree/disagree? Do you agree with what they said about taking a chance? 2. Slide 29 Common App A. Review main essay prompts B. Show students examples of college supplements. C. Encourage students to set goals for their next steps in developing their essays. Different students will be at very different points, and this is okay. The important thing is to keep trying to move forward and accept help in doing so as needed. i. If students want to go to a teacher for feedback/essay help, they should only choose one. Note: Should NOT ask junior English teacher. 3. Return students freshman letters to them. 4. Students will have the option of using the remainder of the block for one of the following: A. Work on their college essays
i. Encourage students to pair-share as there will not be enough time for you to see more than a couple of essays during class time. B. Common Application C. Naviance Junior Student Response Form D. Naviance Teacher Recommendation Form E. Filling out any forms for which they may have been absent in previous seminars (e.g. School Report Form, Senior Information Sheet) Materials: Freshman letters English Dept. s Essay Handout
SENIOR GUIDANCE SEMINAR CYCLE #8: Mock Admissions FALL 2016 Purpose: Students will review the basics of the college admission process in a group oriented, hands-on activity. This activity will provide a behind the scenes look at college admissions. Participants will be divided into small groups and will play the role of admissions officers. Each group will be given a set of students and will decide which students will be admitted to their university. Essential Question: Do students have an in-depth understanding of college entrance requirements, and are they able to identify the steps they must take to be eligible for a four-year college? ASCA: Academic Development: Standard: Students will complete school with the academic preparation essential to choose from a wide range of substantial post-secondary options, including college. Indicator C Develop and implement an annual plan of study to maximize academic ability and achievement Indicator E Identify post-secondary options consistent with interests, aptitude, achievement, and abilities. Assessment Evidence: Completion of Applicant review sheet and student discussion following the activity. Activities (40 minute Guidance Seminar): 1. Slide 30 Have students pair up to brainstorm as many responses as possible to the following question: What does it take to get into college? Emphasize that students are to think creatively, and think back on their own knowledge or previous lessons on the topic. Optional: The pair with the longest list of realistic responses in a minute s time wins a prize. 2. Have students briefly share their responses. From their answers, create a list of entrance requirements on the board that will be used to evaluate applicants. In your discussion, cover the necessity of: test scores, courses required by colleges and universities (high school requirements versus college-admissions requirements), GPA, Special Skills, Talents, and other factors such as participation in clubs and sports, students government, employment, community service, etc. 3. Divide students into groups of four. Explain that they are admissions officers for a very selective, imaginary school called Red Hawk University. Each student in the group should choose a different role: Reader, Writer, Facilitator, and Reporter. 4. Distribute the handouts Applicant Summary Sheet and Applicant Review Worksheets. Tell students to evaluate each applicant to Red Hawk University. The reader will read each biography aloud while other group members read along. The writer writes down the positives and negative of each applicant, and notes any additional comments on the Applicant Review Sheet, getting feedback from the entire group.
The facilitator ensures that everyone is speaking, asking for clarification, and making sure the group stays on time. *Only two applicants can be admitted to Red Hawk University. Using the criteria established, each group must select their top two picks. Note that the application and essay are also important but we have kept them out of this activity for the sake of brevity. 5. In the remaining time, each reporter will share the group's choices with the entire class. Write each applicant s name on the board and tally how many groups admit each one. Discuss the results and look at the similarities and differences between the groups decisions. Discussion questions: a. Is there any one candidate who was clearly the best choice? If so, why? b. What made the good candidates so good? c. What could the weaker candidates have focused on to be stronger? d. What choices do students need to make in order to be college eligible by their senior year? e. What do you, as students, need to focus on now in order to be college eligible? f. Was it hard to decide who to admit/deny? Is admissions an exact science? Additional Ideas for extending the activity (only use if time and if you believe your group will respond to one/all of these extension activities): - Persuasive Essay: Ask students to choose one applicant from the Mock College Admission exercise and, in a few paragraphs, explain why the admission officer chose this person to attend Red Hawk University. What were the applicant s strengths? What were the applicant s potential weaknesses? Why did the admission officer choose this candidate despite these potential weaknesses? Finally, conclude with an argument to the fellow admission officers explaining why this candidate is the best overall. Students can write the essay as a journal entry in Naviance. They can also do this as a group and share it with the other members. - With pens and colored paper, students can create an artistic rendition of an ideal college applicant. What sorts of tools, knowledge, and expertise will this student need to have? What do those attributes look like? - Have students write journal entries in Naviance in response to the discussion questions above and/or on college-related topics such as, You re a college student now, describe a typical day in your life. - Have students choose an applicant who was not admitted to Red Hawk University, and write a letter of appeal to the director of admissions from the student s perspective. Materials: Applicant Summary Sheets (1 per person) Applicant Review Sheet for Red Hawk University (1 per group of 4)
SENIOR GUIDANCE SEMINAR CYCLE #9: College Transition (College Roommates), Post-Guidance Seminar Survey, Wrap Up FALL 2016 Purpose: To help students think about and discuss qualities such as social empathy and good citizenship at the college level. Also to get student feedback (via survey) about NHS Guidance and seminars to improve future curriculum and instruction. Essential Question: How can students keep prejudices in check and keep an open mind as they transition to college? Can they reflect on how one s attitude and preconceptions affect others? ASCA: Social Development Standard: Students will acquire the knowledge, attitudes, and interpersonal skills to help them understand and respect self and others. Indicator B: Identify and discuss changing personal and social roles. Assessment Evidence: Students will write responses on handouts. Counselor will lead class discussion and encourage participation. Activities (40 minute Guidance Seminar): 1. Students will spend the period talking about life at college, and in particular, college roommates. For many, this will be the first time that they have shared space/room with another person. 2. Start with a general conversation about what they know and/or have heard about having a college roommate. a. What characteristics do you bring as a roommate? b. What characteristics do you look for in a roommate? c. What are some common pitfalls of sharing space/living with someone? 3. College Roommate Family Feud a. Counselors should cover the 3 questions (slides 25-29): i. Top Qualities of a Good College Roommate ii. Most Common Reasons Roommates Fight in College iii. Top Ways to Resolve Conflict among College Roommates b. Split class into two teams; each team should select a representative to come to the front of the room i. Place an eraser/buzzer (if one is available) or other item between the two students ii. Advance the slide for the question 1. Read the question 2. The first student to grab the eraser and respond with a correct answer wins 3. Play advances to the winning team 4. Each kid on that team must then take turns guessing the remainder of the answers to the question a. If the students guesses a correct answer, open the answer by clicking on the appropriate slide (check answer placement below) b. Push the corresponding action buttons on the slide for fun (Win, Lose, Boo, Cheer, and X) 5. If a teammate selects and incorrect answer, press the X button a. After 3 strikes, the question moves to the other team
6. The other team has one chance to guess a winning response (work as a team) to win the round c. Advance to the next slide and repeat the process from the top (pick 2 new team representatives) d. The winning team can earn a prize
4. Pending time, have the students play around with the following quizzes related to College Roommates: a. What Kind of College Roommate Are You? What s Your Roommate Personality? - http://www.mykindofcollege.com/quiz2.php 5. Before the end of the period, allow students time to log into their Naviance accounts to complete the Senior Guidance Seminar Post Survey. Materials: Computer Prizes Buzzer/eraser or other item