Junior College Planning Night-Finding the Right Fit!-

Doug Walker, Assistant PrincipalLisa Kool-Behr, Lead Counselor

Kaitlin Sleight, College & Career Counselor

Agenda• Historical College Placement Trends

• Preparing for Junior Conferences

• College Search & Fit

• Naviance

College Placement Trends

Post High School Plans 2017-2019

College Placement By Type of Institution

Competitive Category

Total Percent

Most 100 34%

Highly 74 25%

Very 71 24%

Competitive 33 11%

Less/Non 7 2%

International 8 2%

Special/Other 4 1%

83%

GPA Distribution

GPA 4.5+ 4.0 - 4.5 3.0 - 4.0 2.5 - 3.0 < 2.5

# of Students

22 84 167 25 2

Area of Focus: Help students and families see that not all students have a “straight-A” average; in fact, the vast majority do not.

College Placement by GPA

Competitive Category

Most Highly Very Competitive Less/Non Special / Other

GPA Range 2.71 - 5.08 2.91 – 3.98 2.64 - 4.27 2.42 - 4.20 2.13 - 4.30 3.12 - 4.47

High-performing students choose to attend institutions of all types.

It is not necessary to have a 4.0+ GPA to get into college, even the very best colleges.

Area of Focus: Help students and families see that ALL students have a range of options.

College Placement By Type of Institution

GPA: 3.98+ GPA: 3.41 - 3.97+ GPA: 0.00 - 3.40+

Area of Focus: Help students and families see that students in the middle and lower GPA bands attend the full range of institutions.

Percent

College Applications & AcceptancesNumber of

Applications Number of Students Percentage Accepted

20+ 3 44%

15-19 24 49%

10-14 90 62%

5-9 141 66%

1-4 41 79%

Area of Focus: Point out to students and families that there is a point of diminishing returns in terms of acceptance rates and number of applications.

Going Forward

• Relax

• Enjoy the process

• Focus on fit

Mrs. Lisa Kool-Behr---Lead Counselor

Ms. Kaitlin Sleight---College & Career Counselor

Junior ConferencesBegin in Second Semester

February- April

Overview of Conference

• Review of progress to date

• Understanding the transcript

• Guidance with post-secondary planning

• Naviance – college search engine & scattergram data

• Protocol for teacher recommendations

• Testing – ACT vs. SAT

• Financial Aid timeline

• Junior Packet & Checklist

How to Prepare for Conference• Think about your plans Post CHS

• Complete Game Plan Survey, PRIOR to conference

• If College Bound: Provide preliminary list of schools that you are considering• Naviance- Colleges I’m Thinking About section

• Provide updated test scores (SAT/ACT)

Creating a Strong Profile • Courses – appropriate challenging classes and electives

that reflect personal interests/ career goals

• Test Scores- SAT, ACT, SAT Subject Tests, AP (if applicable)

• Test Optional Schools >>> www.fairtest.org

• Accomplishments and experiences

• Extracurricular activities

• Essay – begin draft

• Letters of recommendation

• Interview

Determining Best FitResearch & Establishing Preference

• Private and/or public

• Geographic Location

• Size – small (<5,000), medium (5,000-10,000), large (10,000-15,000), very large (>15,000)

• Setting – urban, suburban, rural

• Potential Field of Study/Program

• Social Factors

• Just a few!

Healthy List= Healthy Range of Schools

What is a target school?

A school where you meet most of the application criteria. You fall within the acceptable range of standardized test scores, GPA, extracurricular activities and other requirements. It is advisable to have about 3-4 schools in this category on your list.

What is a likely school?

These are schools where your chances are highly likely or certain for admission. Your standardized test scores are on the high end of what they accept, and you generally meet or exceed their requirements. Sometimes referred to as "safety" schools. It is advisable to have at least 1-2 schools in this category on your list.

What is a reach school?

A school where you apply knowing that you are on the low end or do not meet some requirements. This may be worthwhile if you have other attributes, experiences or qualities that will allow you to stand out. It is advisable to have about 1-2 schools in this category on your list.

Importance of Campus Visits

• Provides an up close and personal view of school environment

• Demonstrates interest

• Opportunity to ask specific questions

• Interact with current students

• View of academic facilities and residence life

• Explore the city/town around campus

• Is it the right fit?

https://student.naviance.com/chatham

Naviance Tools - College Search

Supermatch

Scattergrams

College Lookup

Can search by:

Keyword Country State

College Group (Common App, Catholic etc…)

College Name (A-Z) Quicklist

Under the Colleges Home Tab

Colleges Home Tab, Colleges

Naviance Tools-About Me

Bottom of page

Game Plan- students fill out prior to conference

Brag Sheet- student fills out

LOR Questionnaire- Parent Fills Out

Also available on CHS website-

Counseling → Documents and Forms

How to Schedule Your Jr. Conference

○ School Messenger, Schoology and Gmail will provide instructions

○ Appointment will be made through Parent Portal

○ Schedule date/time with your student during free period (study, lunch)

○ Mark your calendar

○ Portal is tentatively scheduled to open next week

Help Your Counselor Help You

• Keep Naviance up to date

• Colleges I Am Thinking About

• Complete the Game Plan• Before Jr. Conference

• Student Brag Sheet Due May 1st

• Senior Parent Questionnaire

Due May 1st

NACAC National Fair-

•

NJACAC Morris County Fair-

• FDU- April 25, 2020• 12pm-3pm

New Providence College Fair-

• March 10, 2020• 7pm-8:30pm

Upcoming Events