Welcome to West High School

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Welcome toWest High SchoolsPost High School
Planning Session!January 31, 2008

• Steps in Successfully Pursuing
• Goals after High School

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This Presentation..

• Slides with an are in your handout packet
• Entire Powerpoint Presentation will be uploaded
  to West Website in coming weeks

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Tonights AgendaGetting The Best For Your
Student

• 15 months until Graduation
• Be Proud! Consider your students unique needs,
  dreams, and goals
• Course Selection for Senior Year
• Future Paths for School Careers
• ACT/SAT/AP
• Post HS Admissions Requirements
• The Search, Tools, The Application Process
• Financial Aid Scholarships
• Q A

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The Growing Up Chart Level of Responsibility/
Independence HIGH - - - - - - - - - ME
DIUM - - - - - - - - - LOW - ________
__________________________________________________
_______ 2 4 6 8 10
12 14 16 18 20 22
24 AGE (For each age, plot a point where
you feel the level of independence/responsibility
your child has over their life should be)
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West Graduates Do Very Well!!!
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West Graduates Do Very Well!!!
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WEST HIGHS COUNSELORS

• Regent Learning Community (1)
• Len Mormino (A-O), Rick Rosen (P-Z)
• Van Hise Learning Community (2)
• Becky Bebber-Wells (A-Mo)
• Rick Rosen (Mp-Z)
• Highland Learning Community (3)
• Sara Neuenschwander (A-G)
• Carol Shepard (H-Z)
• Ash Learning Community (4)
• Sara Neuenschwander (A-H)
• Lucerne Rice (H-Z)
• ELL Marilsa Hansen

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Save Time! Use the Counseling Dept.
Website!!

• http//www.madison.k12.wi.us/west/
• Check out our
• favorite links.

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Counseling Dept. Website has information on

• Wests Learning Community Setup
• 2005-2006 Guidance Calendar
• ACT/SAT Advanced Placement Exams
• Financial Aid Scholarships
• Post High Career Planning
• NCAA Clearinghouse and approved core courses
  accepted from West HS
• Summer Programs - 2006
• College Visits 2005-2006
• Helpful Internet Links
• (I.E.-ACT,SAT,Princeton Review, TOEFL, etc.)

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Timetable for Jr/Sr Year

• Spring of 2007 Senior Course Selections
• ACT/SAT testing
• College Visits and Reps (CRC)
• Meetings with Counselors
• Summer of 2007- School Visits, Work, Intern,
• Volunteer, Job Shadow, Travel
• Sept. Dec of 2007 Senior Parent Meetings
• Retake ACT/SAT?
• Post-Secondary Applications
• December of 2007 Financial Aid Meetings
• January of 2007 Fill out FAFSA, Fin.Aid Forms

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To Plan or Not to Plan.

• Do your research now.
• Save time by using the Counseling Department
  Websites.
• Talk to your counselor.
• Create a timetable
• Give freedom within responsibility to your
  student.
• Consider the many options(next slides)

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Many Future Paths to Success

• 4 year colleges
• 2 year colleges
• Apprenticeships
• Specialty schools
• Military options
• Combo of above
• FACT Many of the job openings will require
  training beyond HS.

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Specialty Schools

• One/Two Year Programs in
• Art/Design
• Cosmetology
• Media/Broadcasting
• Electronics
• More.
• Check specific entrance criteria.

I.E.- Beautician, Jeweler, Travel Agent, Media
Engineer
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Two Year Technical Colleges (MATC/UW
Colleges)

• MATC (Technical College) UW Colleges
• Excellent placement rates/earning power
• One/two yr programs
• Guaranteed College
• Transfer
• Wide variety of Majors
• Preparation guided by employers
• Increasing Enrollment from Returning 4-Year Grads

I.E.- Nursing, Info. Technology, Business,
Liberal Studies
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Apprenticeships

• Bldg Trades More
• Call Union and/or MATC for trade of interest
• Apply Test to get in
• Earn while you learn
• Immediate training
• Progress from apprentice to journeyman
• Currently high demand!!!
• MMSD Youth Apprentice
• Opportunities

I.E.- Carpentry, Electrician, Nursing, Biotech,
Chef, Mason, Autos, Childcare,
Computers, Cosmetology, Fire/Rescue, and
MORE..
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Military Options

• Training Education benefits in return for your
  paid service
• Wide variety of programs
• Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines, National Guard,
• Coast Guard
• Part time
• Natl. Guard
• Dont sign until you research all options!

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Four Year Colleges

• 3000 colleges in U.S.
• Check Entrance criteria
• Check Major Areas of Study
• Research, talk to reps,
• and visit if you can.

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THE YEAR OFF..

• NEED TIME TO GET TO
• -KNOW YOURSELF? -MAKE/SAVE MONEY?
• -TRAVEL? -MATURE?
• -EXPLORE CAREER INTERESTS?
• -REJUVINATE YOUR ACADEMIC MOTIVATION?
• -EXPERIENCE THE REAL WORLD?
• CONSIDER A YEAR OFF.
• -Explore Career/area of interest
• Intern/Apprentice/Job Shadow
• -Service -Travel
• -Work -Study

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THE YEAR OFF.. Continued

• Contrary to popular belief, a year off does not
• automatically lead to a life of squalor.
• Want some security?
• -Apply and Defer (if your college offers
  deferment policy)
• RECOMMENDATION
• 1) Assess Options
• 2) Research them in Detail,
• 3) Evaluate
• 4) Choose
• 5) Make arrangements, Plan Structure, Limit to
  a year

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Questioning College Motives.

• Why do you want to go to college?
• keep learning, gain wisdom/intellect,
• become worldly
• increase my earning potential
• The college experience- social,
• independence, fun, etc.
• help me get into a satisfying career and
• hobbies of interest
• dont know what else to do
• get away from home

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• We often observe
• A lack of awareness about the realities of a
  career in which ones Major leads to can land one
  either
• A) Disappointed in job options and going back to
  college to study something else, or
• B) Working in low skilled, low wage jobs while
  they search in vain for an opening in the field
  in which they studied.
• Ken Gray, Penn State University
• C) Staying in an unsatisfying career

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Explore Career Interests Through...

• Coursework (limited view of realities of the job)
• Career Resource Center
• Catalogues like College Majors and Careers
• Personal Education Plan
• WisCareers Website
• COPS Assessment
• Job Shadowing, Service,
• Internships, Work

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Personal Education Plan

• Personalizes the West
• Learning Experience by
• Assessing
• Study Skills Learning Styles
• Multiple Forms of Intelligence
• Employability Skills
• Exploring FuturePaths of interest via
• interest surveys occupational searches
• college searches lifestyle budgeting
• (Direct link with WisCareers Web
  Account)

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Personal Education Plan- Continued

• Connecting your FuturePaths of
• Interest with your West Activities
• Coursework Clubs and Activities
• Community Activities (jobs/internships/volu
  nteering)
• Setting Goals for Journey Beyond High School
• Continuously adding to your Resume for
• use with college applications or job
  hunting
• (Wiscareers)

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Personal Education Plan Logon Instructions

• Go to West High School Counseling Department
  Website
• Click on PEP at the center of the page
• Username students ID number
• Password students first and last name
• (no space in between) as it appears on report
  card
• Call your Counselor if you need help getting on
  or navigating your students PEP

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Senior Year Course Selections

• A time for Interests and Engagement
• Youth Apprenticeship/ Marketing Internship
• Summerschool
• Feb.1st- Get Course Selection Cards
• Feb.2-13- Review Courses with your students
• Feb.14/15- Teachers make Recommendations
• Feb.18- Enter Course Requests Online

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Senior Year Course Selections

• Need to carry 2.5 credit minimum per semester
• If 4-Year College bound, should include at
• least 3 academic courses each semester
• (prioritize English and Math)
• Should have 7 semesters of literature or
• writing coursework prior to graduation
• Consider areas your student wants to
• improve in, gain exposure, or prepare for
• testing in
• AP or SAT II subject areas
• foreign language placement exams

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West Graduation
Requirements

• 22 total credits
• 4 in English
• 3 in Social Studies
• 2 in Math (Algebra and Geometry)
• 2 in Science
• 1 1/2 in Phy. Ed.
• 1/2 in Health
• 9 Remaining credits
• 1 Semester Of Recent U.S. History

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Youth Options
See the West Guidance Homepage

• If you have topped out of a subject area, the
  district sometimes funds UW/MATC coursework.
• You must apply by 3/1/06 and 10/1/06 for
  following Fall/Spring semesters.
• See your counselor.

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TESTING Plan to
take the ACT/SAT in
Spring of Junior Year.

• Register on-line www.act.org or
  www.collegeboard.com
• Most colleges accept either ACT or SAT
• ACTMath, Reading, Social Studies, Science,
  Writing
• SAT I Math and Verbal Reasoning, Writing
• Scores
• ACT Sends one test date, SAT Sends them all
• ACT writing sample- which schools require it?
• UW-Madison

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Test Prep

• You can prepare in several ways
• take a good college prep curriculum
• take a course like ZAPS, MMSD summer
• ACT/SAT Prep, Kaplan, etc.
• CRC resource books in Rm. 203
• CD for Purchase on ACT/SAT prep
• ACT/ College Board website Practice ?s
• ACT/SAT prep tutors
• Allow time for retakes
• Dont send your first scores if concerned

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How To Send ACT / SAT Results to the Right
Place

• When you register for the test you can list 4
• colleges you want the results to go
  to, for FREE.
• Send additional score reports by going to
• ACT or SAT online- _at_7.50 per school,
• fee waivers available.
• Remember, we cant send your scores,
• Colleges usually require official scores that
  
• must be ordered by you directly from ACT or
• The College Board from the STUDENT.
• October thru December of senior year are the
• last chances to earn scores that can be used
• for college admissions. Watch early decisions
• deadlines.

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Take the SAT II Testif needed

• Some colleges also require the SAT II Achievement
  Tests.(Better check in advance!)
• Test this June if you are just finishing the
  highest course available in the
• SAT II subject area of choice.
• Register for October test if you didnt take them
  earlier.

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AP Tests

• Test dates- May 5-16, 2008
• Registration On-Line March 3-7, 2008
• Download registration form from MMSD website to
  turn in with fee to Counseling Secretary
• Cost 96 per test
• Location Alliant Energy Center
• Registration meeting for students not currently
  enrolled in an AP course- Wednesday, Feb.27th-
  1230pm in the Counseling Office- Room 203
• Students registered for AP exams will be required
  to attend a 1/2 hour Pre-Administration session
  during the last 2 weeks in April (TBA)
• More AP information on the MMSD web-site SOON

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TOEFL-Test of English as a
Foreign Language
If English is your second language, and the
language barrier is an impediment to achieving
your best test scores, the TOEFL can validate
this to admissions counselors, and help them to
know how flexible they should be in making their
admissions decisions when considering your
transcript and test scores. They might
recommend some college level language coursework
to support your student.
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Students with an IEP.
Should register to take the ACT/SAT/SAT II/AP
tests with Extended Time or appropriate
accomodations. Earlier registration deadlines
apply for ACT/SAT. See your counselor and/or
case manager to assist you with this A.S.A.P..
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Criteria to Consider when starting your
Search...

• -Location (WisCareers Search
  Criteria)
• -Major
• -Tuition/ Financial Packages
• -Number of Students/Size
• -Competition or Admission Req.s
• -Athletics
• -Public/Private/Affiliatio
  n
• -Area/Community Size
• -R.O.T.C. Programs

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UW System General Admission Requirements

• 17 credits, including
• 4 cr of English
• 7 semesters of reading/writing
• 3 cr of Social Studies
• 3 cr of Math (Alg.II/Trig)
• 3 cr of Science
• Foreign Language- Eau Claire
• 2 addtl. credits of arts, comp sci, academic, or
  elective study
• Adequate GPA and ACT

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UW Madison Highly Competitive!Most students
accepted have

• 4 cr of English
• 3-4 cr Social Studies
• 4 cr of Math
• 4 cr of Science
• 2 cr of Foreign Language
• 2 cr of academics, arts,
• comp sci, elective study
• Top 10 of class
• ACT composite 27
• GPA Upper 3s

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MATC

• Apply before December 1st of senior year!!!
• MATCs two-year degrees boast of great job
  placement rates and high earning power. They
  focus on real-world job competencies.
• Many jobs dont require a 4yr. college degree.
• College transfer program is one route to get to a
  4 year college. (high bacceloreate graduation
  rate compared to 4 yr. College freshman)

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Continuous Waiting List Programs at MATC

• -Animation -Paralegal
• -Architectural Technician -Photography
• -Chef -Phys.Therapy Asst.
• -Nursing -Radiography
• -Dental Hygenist -Respiratory Therapy
• -Clinical Lab Tech -Veterinary Technician
• -Fire Protection
• -Graphic Design
• -Interior Design

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Submit College Applications September
15th-December 1st

• Plan to submit applications between Sept 15-Dec 1
  (The early bird gets the worm)
• Students are encouraged to apply ON-LINE
• Students should create a personal resume over the
  summer to include with all applications
• The Personal Statement is more important than
  ever before.
• Further instructions for the college applications
  process TBA in Senior Guidance Newsletter in
  August

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Ima Student 5200 Lovely Drive Madison, WI
53713 Academic Experience West High School,
Madison, WI 2002-2006, 3.67 GPA, ACT 28, SAT
1810 Achievements, Honors, Awards, or
Recognition Honor Roll, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Grade Forensics (Speech Team) 9th Grade,
Lettered, earned a perfect score at the State
Competition Fine and Performing Arts
Experience Cello Lessons (6th 12th grade), once
weekly Wisconsin State Honors Orchestra
2005 Athletics Club Soccer (6th 12th
grade) Winter Indoor Soccer League (6th 12th
grade) Volunteering Senior Citizens (Help
freshmen transition to high school, in addition
to other school service projects), 2005 UW
Hospital (2003-2004) Other Extra-Curricular
Activities CPR/AED Professional Rescuer certified
(2004-present) Water Safety Instructor certified
(2005-present) Advisory Team, 12th grade, (see
attached sheet for description), 4 times a week
for a year
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West Leadership Opportunities
-Tutoring Program -Club/Activity/Sport
Leader -Class Assistant -Elementary/Middle
School Tutor/Mentor -Student Government and
School Committees -Senior Citizen
-Honor Guard -A-Team Ask your
counselor for more information on how to access
these leadership opportunities.
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YOUTH VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES HELPING CHILDREN,
TEENS, AND FAMILIES YMCA BRIARPATCH HELPING
OLDER ADULTS OAKWOOD VILLAGE
WEST MADISON SENIOR CENTER ENVIRONMENTAL UW
ABORRETUM DANE COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY ARTS
AND RECREATION CTM MADISON FAMILY THEATER
MADISON CHILDRENS MUSEUM HELPING IN A
MEDICAL SETTING UW HOSPITAL AND CLINICS ST MARYS
HOSPITAL MEDICAL CENTER EMERGENCY
SERVICES COMMUNITY ACTION COALITION SALV
ATION ARMY OTHER RESOURCES West Career Center

West Volunteer Board (This is on PEP)
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Athletics in College???

• 
  

Ask your coach, athletic director, or counselor
about the NCAA Clearinghouse requirements and
information. See www.ncaa.org
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Searching for the right college for you...

• Websites
• Counseling Resource Center (CRC)
• Purchased Resources
• ----------------------------------
• Current Students or Alums
• College Reps
• School Visits when possible

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Tools You Can Use In Assessing for
Safety, Realistic, Reach (NONE ARE FOOL PROOF)

• WisCareers School Search Sort by
• Low, Medium, Highly Competitive Schools
• College Reference Catalogues in CRC like
• Barrons Profile of American Colleges

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Other Tools to give you more information
to discriminate between schools
(Objective and Subjective)

• Websites U.S.News, Petersons, etc.
• CRC Resources
• Ruggs- Groups by strength of Programs of Study
• Gourman Report- Ranks by strength of Prog.Of St.
• College Finder- Lots of information
• I.E.- Colleges that are good for students
  who are
• into Liberal Arts, Want to be a Doctor,
  Outdoorsy,
• Shy, Republ./Demcr., Gay/Lesbian, Kosher,
  ETC.!
• Insiders Guide- brief, honest descriptions by
  students
• Much, Much More

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Visit the campus/ programs if you can

• If you were going to spend 4 years in a new
  city, would you want to meet it first?
• Call ahead
• Check for special visit weekends
• Do more than the tour visit programs and
  activities of interest
• Checklists provided in packets

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Application Strategy Include one of each

• Safety
• Realistic
• Reach

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How Do I Know whether a school is a safe,
realistic, or reach school for me?

• Do you have recommended course requirements?
• Are you within their typical GPA or Rank?
• Do your test scores fall within their typical
  range?
• Are there any special qualities or circumstances
• for schools to consider?
• artistic or athletic talent learning
  disability
• minority status legacy
• exceptional service/leadership
• personal/medical challenges
• first generation college bound

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Early Decision Early Action

• Should I???
• Early Decision You apply early, but if they
  accept, you cancel all other applications and are
  bound to go.
• Usually only do this when you know you
  absolutely want the school above all others.
• Given preference in admissions??
• Financial Aid consideration affected???
• Early Action You are not automatically bound to
  enroll.

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Students with a Learning Disability

• If you plan to receive continued support in
  college,
• and would like admissions counselors to
  consider
• your learning disability when viewing your
  transcript
• Discuss this in your personal statement
• Send a most recent copy of your IEP to the
• Students with Disabilities dept. at the
  college, and
• make a personal contact with a staff person
  there
• asking them to review your IEP and consult
  with
• admissions accordingly. This will also
  help setup
• your support in advance should you be
  admitted
• and decide to attend.

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Financial Aid/Scholarships

• Includes
• Scholarships, grants, loans, work study.
• Based on -need -achievement
• -service -unique qualities
• Check the box requesting Financial Aid on your
  college app.
• Complete the FAFSA form in Jan-Feb of senior year
  (Do your taxes ASAP in Jan.!).
• Can practice on paper
• Final draft on-line if possiblewww.fafsa.ed.gov

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More Financial Aid Tips

• You can search monthly for community scholarships
  by checking Wests own Scholarship Scoops on
  our website, and FASTWEB.COM.
• Deadlines vary widely. Pay close attention.
• BEWARE OF FIRMS THAT ASK FOR
• Attend the West Financial Aid Workshop in early
  December 2008.
• Apply for West High scholarships in January 2009.
• The greatest potential for financial assistance
  usually comes from the college you are attending.
  
• Usually, Safety or Realistic schools are more
  likely to offer assistance than Reach schools.
• Dont forget about financial assistance available
  within the department you choose to major in
  during year 2, 3, or 4 of college.

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Tuition Room/Board (Just in case you were
wondering)

• Yearly costs
• MATC 10,000
• UW System Approx. 8700 - 12,000
• Private Out -State Schools 15,000 - 40,000
• (Remember that a schools Financial Aid can
  greatly alter the above.)

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Miscellaneous Details, Then Your QuestionsThe
Importance of Senior Grades

• If you are wait-listed or a borderline
  decision, strong first semester grades could make
  all the difference, and get you admitted.
• A second semester significant drop in grades
  could result in Reversal of Acceptance or
  Probation.

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Jr. Student Meetings in Early March

• Meetings with own counselors in small groups
• CRC Orientation period with students
• PEP, WisCareers
• All Resources

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What Next?
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Time for your questions!!!
See the West Counseling Homepage

• If you have questions later, feel free to call
  or write.
• Counseling Office 204-3073
• Registrar 204-3064
• Use the Counseling Homepage
• This presentation on Counseling Web Page
• in 2-3 weeks.
• (Counselors direct phone s are listed on
  Counseling Homepage.)

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Thanks for your cooperation!!!

• 
  Best wishes in this year
  to come!!!
• From West High School Counselors