HOW TO GET TO COLLEGE

All students need to be prepared for post-secondary education. Statistics indicate that 70 percent of jobs require additional education beyond high school.

Every student who wants to attend college may do so. That does not guarantee that they will have success at that level.

Sound career planning and academic planning is important for success in college. Planning for success can begin as early as 6th grade. Parents, teachers and counselors need to direct children in their academic and career preparation so they will be successful at the next level.

The following checklist, developed for teachers and counselors to use with students and parents, describes the steps students and families need to follow in order to prepare for college and careers. By following the various criteria provided at each grade level, students will be prepared academically and interpersonally for college. Following the suggestions on the checklist will provide students with a foundation for electing more rigorous classes in high school, thus promoting post-secondary success.

6TH GRADE FAMILY & STUDENTS

• Visit your school counselor to discuss and explore college and career options
• Strive to earn “As” and “Bs”
• Attend college information day programs and career fairs in your area
• Discuss the importance of a college education as part of a career plan
• Help students with their homework, but also encourage them to develop independent critical thinking and communication skills
• Participate in the school’s career education program
• Participate in extra-curricular and community service activities
• Search the berkscareerpathways.com website for college and career information
• Continue to participate in your child’s future planning, including financial planning options
• Consider enrolling in a summer enrichment program or college camp

7th Grade

STUDENTS:

• Continue to take college preparatory math, English and science classes, as well as a foreign language
• Meet regularly with your counselor to review your college and career plans
• Participate in extra-curricular and community service activities
• Search the berkscareerpathways.com website for college and career information
• Consider enrolling in a summer enrichment program or college camp
• Keep striving for “A’s and “B’s”
• Pursue a rigorous academic course of study
• Meet at least once with your counselor to discuss your post-secondary educational and vocational plans
• Utilize the guidance office’s on-line career exploration services

FAMILY MEMBERS

• Attend any college and career information days in your area with your child
• Build an educational partnership with your child to show the possibilities of a college education
• Discuss with your child his/her skills, interests, abilities, and goals to help plan for the future
• Continue to participate in your child’s future planning including financial planning options
• Build an educational partnership with your child and your child’s school to show the benefits of post secondary education

8th Grade

STUDENTS

• Pursue a rigorous academic course of study including a foreign language
• Participate in extra-curricular and community service activities
• Keep striving for “As” and “Bs”
• Review your college and career plans with your parents and counselor
• Search the berkscareerpathways.com website including careercruising.com for college and career information and portfolio development
• Meet with your counselor to review post-secondary entrance requirements including NCAA requirements
• Attend college fairs

FAMILY MEMBERS

• Meet with the school counselor to see how the student in your family is doing in the needed academic classes and discuss high school course selections
• Continue to talk about college opportunities with your child
• Attend “College Day” or “College Night” at your school district
• Continue to participate in your child’s future planning including financial planning options

9th Grade

As a high school student you will begin to take on more of the college planning work. Your family can still help you by finding information, exploring options, discussing what courses you will need to take to graduate and be eligible for college admission. In doing so, they will want to attend Back-to-School nights, meet with your counselor, and become familiar with what your high school graduation requirements are.

STUDENTS

• Develop a four year plan of studies appropriate for your career goal
• Pursue a rigorous academic course of study including a foreign language
• Participate in extra-curricular and community service activities
• Continue to strive for “As” and “Bs”
• Meet with your counselor to review college entrance requirements appropriate to your preliminary area of interest
• Take part in school orientation to find out about activities available at your high school
• Develop a sequential career plan as part of your college plan
• Take responsibility for your college and career plan
• Familiarize yourself with the wide variety of career and college resources at your school including berkscareerpathways.com and careercruising.com
• Attend college and career fairs

FAMILY MEMBERS

• Continue to participate in your child’s future planning including financial planning options
• Meet with your child’s counselor to review his/her college and career plans
• Continue to talk about college opportunities with your child

10th grade

STUDENTS

• Pursue a rigorous academic course of study including a foreign language
• Participate in extra-curricular and community service activities
• Continue to strive for “As” and “Bs”
• Update your college plan with your parents and counselor, include your completed 9th grade classes and your upcoming 10th grade classes
• Plan college visitations
• Participate in “College Day” and “Career Fairs” in your area
• Develop an understanding of how education relates to college majors and future training
• Familiarize yourself with the wide variety of career and college resources at your school including berkscareerpathways.com and careercruising.com
• Continue to participate in your school’s career activities
• Prepare for college entrance exams by utilizing Plan Tests and PSAT
• Consider enrolling in Advanced Placement/Dual Enrollment courses

FAMILY MEMBERS

• Encourage exploration of all kind of opportunities beyond high school
• Encourage career awareness and exploration
• Be flexible as the decision-making process evolves; it takes patience and numerous modifications
• Continue to participate in the school’s career education program
• Meet with your son/daughter’s counselor to review his/her college plan
• Continue to participate in your child’s future planning including financial planning options
• Assist your child in establishing selection criteria for post-secondary schools including program, location and size of the institution

11th Grade

STUDENTS

• Pursue a rigorous academic course of study including a foreign language
• Participate in extra-curricular and community service activities
• Continue to strive for “As” and “Bs”
• Check with your high school counselor to make sure you are on track and taking the college preparatory classes you need for college admission
• Review scholarship information for juniors and seniors
• Familiarize yourself with the wide variety of career and college resources at your school including berkscareerpathways.com and careercruising.com
• Attend College and University Night programs
• Continue to visit college campuses; call ahead for a campus tour and presentations about academic programs, admission requirements, and financial aid; bring your student transcript of courses completed since 9th grade
• Register and take the PSAT, a practice exam for the SAT I, which is required for several national scholarships, such as the National Merit, National Achievement, and National Hispanic Scholarship
• Consider enrolling in dual enrollment courses, and if taking Advanced Placement subjects, register to take the AP exams in the spring; scoring well will give you credit for college-level courses
• Take the SAT exam in your junior year and consider retaking the exam in the fall of your senior year if necessary
• Prepare for the SAT or ACT by taking review classes or reviewing books with testing tips and sample questions found in bookstores, libraries, and schools, or accessed on the Internet.
• Develop a list of college choices; begin narrowing your list to four or five
• Continue to participate in your school’s career activities
• Review the college application process, interview process and essay writing process with your counselor
• Attend Financial Aid Night with your parents
• Meet with post-secondary admission representatives
• If you are interested in enrolling in a military academy apply in your junior year
• If you are a student athlete, complete the NCAA registration during the summer prior to your senior year

FAMILY MEMBERS

• Continue to participate in your child’s future planning including financial planning options
• Assist your child in establishing selection criteria for post-secondary schools including program, location and size of the institution
  

12th Grade

STUDENTS

• Pursue a rigorous academic course of study including a foreign language
• Familiarize yourself with the wide variety of career and college resources at your school including berkscareerpathways.com and careercruising.com
• Participate in extra-curricular and community service activities
• Continue to strive for “As” and “Bs”
• Review your college plan and class schedule with your counselor to ensure that you are meeting all of your college preparatory and graduation requirements
• Update your college plan with your completed 11th grade classes and your upcoming 12th grade classes
• Register for the SAT or ACT; your high school counselor will provide forms and information about dates and fee waivers
• Continue to visit a short list of colleges you are interested in and meet with admission officers
• See university representatives when they visit your school
• Check frequently with high school counselors or career center directors for scholarships awarded by schools, local companies, and community groups
• Search the Internet and public libraries for scholarship information
• Ask your family to check if unions, clubs, church or other organizations to which they belong offer scholarships
• Apply to colleges during this initial admission application filing period, and make sure you follow the school’s procedures and directions; some schools have their own financial aid forms
• See your counselor for NCAA registration forms
• Be aware of all deadlines
• Get a Free Application for Federal Student Aid in December; you must complete a FASFA to get financial aid from the state and federal government - available in the Guidance Office
• Enroll in Dual Enrollment courses and take AP exams for any Advanced Placement subjects you have taken
• Continue to participate in your school’s career activities
• Apply to several schools in the fall of your senior year; be sensitive to the application deadline for the schools of your choice
• Upon acceptance, revisit the colleges of your choice before your final decision

FAMILY MEMBERS

• Continue to participate in your child’s future planning including financial planning options