April 3^rd – Deadline to register for May 6^th SAT at Shen
April 4^th – Evening workshop for parents and students: Next Step and College Admissions panel
April 8^th take ACT
Begin to gather information and visit prospective colleges during April break
Consult with your counselor regarding post high school plans, questions and concerns
April 26^th attend college fair at HVCC

May

May 1^st —deadline date for final course selections
May 6^th take the SAT I Reasoning test
Begin to secure teacher letters of recommendation
Advanced Placement (AP) exams are given to high school students nationally

June

Take SAT (and /or SAT Subject tests) and/or ACT exams if you have not done so
Obtain a summer job or volunteer work that might be related to your career interests
Visit colleges over the summer

July

Continue to visit colleges
Develop a resume

Senior Pre-College Calendar and Checklist

August

Review your career plans and decide which type of school is right for you
Continue to visit college campuses
Finalize your list of prospective colleges
Request catalogs and admissions information
Obtain dates and registration materials for the SAT and/or the ACT

September

Meet with admissions representatives who visit Shen for mini college fairs
Make a list of test names, dates, fees, and registration deadlines, and of deadlines for college admissions and financial aid applications
Remember that you must take tests like the SAT and ACT at least six weeks before the deadline for scores to be submitted to colleges
If you have not already done so, ask teachers and/or employers for letters of recommendation to include with your admissions and/or scholarship applications
Schedule a senior conference with your counselor (imperative for students applying early action or early decision) Students must turn in their Junior autobiography in order to schedule a senior conference

October

Take the SAT or ACT exam, if necessary
Work on admissions application essays
Schedule a senior conference with your counselor
Visit or re-visit your top school choices--interview some students, faculty and staff
Attend special programs such as college fairs
Find out which financial aid applications your college choices require and when the forms are due
Official rank and average are distributed

November

Take the SAT or ACT exam, if necessary
Prepare your college applications and make a list of application due dates
Attend mini college fair at Shen
Obtain scholarship information from all available sources, such as counseling newsletters and

on-line resources

December

Obtain the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at your high school counseling center or on-line at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Applications are submitted after January 1^st
Apply for outside funding and scholarships
Financial Aid Night at Shen (Date TBA)

January

o Submit your completed FAFSA as soon after January 1^st as possible

o KEEP COPIES OF ALL FORMS YOU SUBMIT

o Parents: It’s helpful to get your income tax returns prepared early—schools may request them to prove eligibility for financial aid

February

Senior mid-term grades mailed to colleges from counseling center at the request of the student
Mail FAFSA if you have not already done so
Rank your finalized list of colleges

March

Submit tax forms to the financial aid office if requested. Contact each office to make certain that your application is complete. Determine what else you need to do to establish and maintain your eligibility for financial aid

April

Watch the mail for college acceptance and financial aid award letters. Compare the financial aid awards you receive.
A copy of all acceptance/denial letters must be submitted to the counseling center
Make your final decision and send in a deposit by the deadline
Check with the college you have chosen to attend and obtain information regarding the details of signing and returning financial aid award letters
Notify the other schools that you will not be attending
Watch for important deadlines at your chosen college (housing, financial aid, etc.)

May

Advanced Placement (AP) examinations are given in high schools nationwide
Complete senior final plans survey (used for class profile and for sending final transcript to colleges) and submit to the Counseling Center

June

Graduation – Congratulations!

References and Counseling Center Resources

Web Site (www.shenet.org)

Shenendehowa Central School maintains a comprehensive web site. The counseling center site includes numerous links for college, financial aid and scholarship information. The site also includes important dates, newsletters and the program of studies guide. To access the counseling center, use the above address, then select “High School”, then select “Counseling Department”.

Counseling Center News

Comprehensive newsletters are sent home three times each school year (Oct., Jan., and May).

Counseling Center Newsletter (see pg.4)

Distributed to senior homerooms beginning in mid-September once or twice a month through May. These newsletters will list scholarship opportunities, open houses, workshops and other information pertinent to seniors from the Counseling Center.

Scholarship Notebook

The scholarship notebook, located in the counseling center, contains copies of all the newsletters distributed to seniors in homeroom.

College Search Sites:

Financial Aid Sites:

Career Search Sites:

www.nycareerzone.org

www.bls.gov/oco (Occupational Outlook Handbook).

www.careerkey.org (Interest Inventory)

www.mymajors.com

www.careercruising.com

Military Sites:

Workforce Sites:

Testing Sites:

www.shenet.org/high/HS_Guidance/HSCounseling.htm

RANK AND AVERAGE

The official rank & average for the Class of 2007 will be determined at the end of September 2006.

AVERAGE

The following is a sample calculation of how the final grades for your high school courses are tabulated to determine your 3-year Grade Point Average (G.P.A.).

Subject Final Grade Credits Value

English 9 89 x 1.00 = 89

Global Hist. & Geography 9 88 x 1.00 = 88

Physical Setting/Earth Science R I 91 x 1.00 = 91

Math A 91 x 1.00 = 91

French 9 79 x 1.00 = 79

Word Processing-WP 100 88 x .50 = 44

English 10 86 x 1.00 = 86

Global Hist. & Geography 10 84 x 1.00 = 84

Living Environment Biology R I 81 x 1.00 = 81

Math A2 87 x 1.00 = 87

French 10 79 x 1.00 = 79

Health 84 x .50 = 42

Amer. Lit. 85 x 1.00 = 85

U.S. Hist. & Govt. 84 x 1.00 = 84

Math B1 79 x 1.00 = 79

Physical Setting/Chemistry R I 77 x 1.00 =77

French 11 80 x 1.00 = 80

Studio in Art 98 x 1.00 = 98

17 1434

Value ¸ Credits = Overall Average

1434 ¸ 17 = 84.353 G.P.A.

CLASS RANK

All of the students in the Class of 2007 will be placed in numerical order based on their un-weighted three-year average.

HOW IS CLASS RANK REPORTED TO COLLEGES? Your class rank is reported to colleges in two ways. The first is individual rank, which is a two-figure ratio that shows precisely where you rank in comparison to all of the other individuals in your class.

Example - 145/600 Individual Rank - This student’s three-year grade point average (GPA), when placed in rank order, from the highest GPA in the class to the lowest, is 145th in a class of 600 students.

The other way that your rank is reported is in Decile or Quintile groupings. Your decile group is the ten-percent of your class that shares a particular range of grade point averages; a quintile group includes twenty percent of the class.

Example - The student above, whose individual class rank is 145, has a GPA of 90.675. Below is the Decile/Quintile Grouping Chart for this student’s class. Knowing that his GPA is 90.675, you can determine that his rank is in the 3rd decile.

The chart below indicates the GPA ranges and appropriate class rank deciles or quintiles for the Class of 2006. As a reminder, Shenendehowa has an unweighted system. Advanced Placement and Honors level courses appear on the transcript with an “H” as part of the course title.

_________________________________________________________________

CLASS RANK GPA RANGE

_________________________________________________________________

Top 5% (1-33) 99.302 – 94.775

2^nd 5% (34-66) 94.774 - 93.591

2^nd Decile (67-132) 93.590 – 91.216

3^rd Decile (133-198) 91.215 - 89.463

4^th Decile (199-264) 89.462 - 87.342

3^rd Quintile (265-395) 87.341 - 83.118

4^th Quintile (396-527) 83.117 – 78.371

5^th Quintile (528-659) 78.370 – Below 65

COLLEGE ENTRANCE EXAMS {SAT Reasoning Test, Subject Tests, ACT}

Q: Should I take a college entrance exam?

College-bound students should plan to take at least one standardized test (usually in the spring of their junior year) . . . possibly more than one. Most four-year colleges will require either SAT scores or ACT scores. More selective colleges may also require that a student take up to three SAT subject tests in particular areas. Some two-year colleges also require the SAT or the ACT. Other two-year schools use the tests for placement purposes. The easiest way to determine what test(s) a specific college requires is to look up the admissions requirements for that school in a college resource book, i.e., Barron’s Profile of American Colleges, or Peterson’s Guide to Four-Year Colleges.

Q: How do I know which test to take?

Because these two tests have different content and structure, a student may score better on one test than the other. The SAT has a 60 minute Writing section (35 minute multiple choice, 25 minute essay, 70 minute Critical Reading (2 – 25 minute & 1 – 20 minute), and a 70 minute Math section (2 – 25 minute & 1 – 20 minute). The ACT contains four subject tests: English (45 min), Math (60 min), Reading (35 min) and Science Reasoning (35 min). Most colleges will only use your best scores. Based on your performance, you may choose to retake one of the tests in the fall of your senior year.

Q: Should I retake an entrance exam?

The best way to determine whether or not to retake an entrance exam is to ask yourself two questions: Are my scores high enough for me to be considered by the schools I want? Do my scores match my potential? Answering “no” to either of these questions suggests you should retake the test.

Q: What are SAT subject tests?

The SAT subject tests are offered in many different academic areas and are often required for admission to the more selective schools. To see what (if any) SAT subject tests you should take, check the admission requirements listed in college resource books, or check admission information you receive directly from the school. If you think you will need to take SAT subject tests, it is a good idea to take them in the specific subject area as you are finishing up the related high school course, i.e., take the Chemistry SAT subject test in June after taking Chemistry all year.

Q: How can I best prepare for these tests?

In the case of college entrance exams, “Familiarity breeds competent!” Each test that we have discussed has an accompanying Official Guide, i.e., Taking the SAT Reasoning Test, Preparing for the ACT Assessment, that explains and clarifies how best to prepare for the exam. It gives test-taking tips and provides a practice exam. If you follow the guide’s suggestions, you will be preparing yourself sufficiently for the exam. The more familiar you can be with the content and format of any test, the more you will be able to focus on the actual questions . . . saving yourself time and stress.

The benefit of commercial preparation classes is not always clear. There has been much research addressing this issue. The College Board report that short-term coaching programs (20+/- hours) improve verbal scores 10 points and math scores 15 points on average. Long-term programs (40+/- hours) improve verbal scores 15-20 points and math scores 20-30 points on average. Specific prep courses provide numbers citing larger average gains.

COLLEGE ENTRANCE EXAMS

[continued]

How much you are willing to pay for these estimated gains is a personal decision. You may decide to invest a smaller amount of money in computer software and/or one of the many books found in bookstores designed to improve your test performance, i.e., The Princeton Review: Cracking the SAT, and prepare on your own. There are certain things counselors recommend for every student:

· Invest time in reading

· Invest in your academic course work

· Become familiar with the form and content of the tests well before the test date

· Be relaxed and well rested for the exam

Q: How do I sign up for these tests?

You must pre-register for these tests through on-line registration, phone registration, or by mailing in an official registration form provided by the testing agency. Registration forms and booklets for these tests are available in the Counseling Center. On-line registration for SAT can be found @ collegeboard.com and for ACT @ ACT.org. Practice materials are also available for the SAT Reasoning and Subject tests and the ACT. Fees are charged to take these tests; however, fee waivers are available if you meet certain income eligibility requirements. See accompanying test schedule for specific dates.

FALL SEMESTER 2006 TEST DATES

TEST TEST DATE POSTMARK DEADLINE LATE REGISTRATION

ACT September 16 August 18 August 19 – 25

SAT I and Subject tests October 14 September 12 September 20

*ACT October 28 September 22 September 23 – Oct 6

*SAT I and Subject tests November 4 September 29 October 11

SAT I and Subject tests December 2 November 1 November 9

ACT December 9 November 3 November 4 – 16

*Offered at Shenendehowa Shenendehowa CEEB Code #331-845

ACT Test Center #199690 SAT Test Center #33-328

Students can register for SAT tests on-line at www.collegeboard.com.

ACT tests on-line at www.act.org.

Late Registration Requires Extra Fee

Registration Materials are Available in the Counseling Center

Students are responsible for mailing the registration themselves by the postmark deadline.

Checklist for Admissions Office and Tour

Try to visit every college you are seriously considering, preferably when classes are in session. Make arrangements to tour the campus, attend a class, talk to faculty in the department which interests you, eat a meal in the dining hall and talk to the students. It is important to remember that the school you choose may be your “home” for the next two or four years, so it should meet your personal as well as academic needs.

Pick up: Make sure you have time to:

___Course Catalog ___Interview (if required)

___Calendar of weekly events ___Take a tour

___College newspaper ___Eat a meal

___Brochures on special programs ___Talk to students

___Class schedule ___Meet faculty/coaches

___Campus map ___Attend an event on campus

___Admission and financial aid applications ___Stay overnight in a dorm

Checklist for Main Components on a Campus Tour

___Student Area: look for academic attitudes, social styles, interests, backgrounds by

talking to students, going to the student center, looking at bulletin boards and asking

admissions questions.

___Social Activities: look for campus events, athletic events, cultural events, clubs by

checking bulletin boards, calendar of events, newspaper and talking with students.

___Campus Housing and Dining Halls : look for varieties, location, options, quality.

___Athletic Facility: look for what facilities are available to all students and what are the

hours.

___Health and Special Services: look for range, support, hours.

___Library: look for hours, comfort, lighting, holdings, reputation.

___Academics: look for quality, competition, work load, emphasis by attending classes,

reviewing the college catalog and talking to students.

___Faculty: look for reputation, quality and availability.

___Miscellaneous: look for computers, bookstore, laundry facilities.

Checklist of Questions to Ask College Students

About the college’s reputation:

___What made you select this college?

___What other schools did you apply to?

___Has the college lived up to your expectations?

___Has anything been a major disappointment?

___Was anything surprising to you?

___What is distinctive about the college? Its strengths/weaknesses?

About housing:

___What is the housing system?

___Is it quiet enough to study in the dorms? If not, where do people study?

___Which dorms are good places to live?