College & Career Prep for Juniors

We will be visiting Theology III classes in mid-March & early April. The focus will be on building resumes, exploring careers, and preparing for upcoming college fairs.

Juniors are automatically scheduled for an individual appointment once they complete and submit the Junior Planning Survey found in the "Tasks from My School" section of Naviance Student.

We also welcome input from Parents/Guardians about their student. If you haven't already done so, please take some time to complete the Parent/Guardian College & Career Planning Survey.

Mr. David Blue and Ms. Teri Calcagno

College, Life & Career Counseling Team

All students will graduate ready for college and careers. We see no difference between them when it comes to academic preparation. The skills needed to succeed at an institution of higher learning are the same skills needed to succeed in the military, a trade school, or the workforce. Employers want high school graduates who can communicate, create, work in teams, think mathematically, and solve problems in an entrepreneurial environment. Colleges and universities continue to seek high school graduates who are academically prepared in a range of subjects and can communicate, create, and think critically.

Forecasting considerations:

• Create a solid senior schedule that focuses on core courses in your senior year - Core courses are the basics: English, Math, Science, Social Studies, and World Language. Try to forecast a class from at least four out of the five. Click HERE for insights on high school courses and college admission.
• Consider classes to will help with exploring possible career interests - For example, students who are interested in studying Business might consider taking the Entrepreneurship class. Engineering and Business students should be taking Precal or higher. Anatomy & Physiology is recommended for students interested in Nursing and Physical Therapy. Those interested in studying Music might want to take one or more of our Instrumental and Vocal Music courses. Students planning to study Architecture may need to submit a portfolio and might want to take Art or AP Art & Design. Students interested in Law might choose Honors We the People (Constitution Team), Speech or Street Law.
• Be careful not to take on too much - Balance is key. The very best college applicants have strong grades in the toughest core courses available at their high school. It takes a very strong student to make straight A's in an all-AP or honors line up and still have time for friends, family, activities, and sleep.
• Avoid taking tough classes just because it will look good on a college application - Students need to ask themselves how hard they are willing to work and how else they spend their time. If a student has a job, plays a varsity sport, participates in the plays, or volunteers a lot – they need to look realistically at what they can truly manage during their senior year.

The classes students take in their senior year matter. When available, be sure to look over all the Forecasting information online and make thoughtful decisions about next year. Counselors, teachers and current students are useful resources as you explore options as well.

Forecasting Drop-In Sessions:

Counselors will be available in the Commons every school day during lunch from March 6 through March 20 to assist students with Forecasting and answer questions.

Through Naviance, students have already been introduced to some different career exploration tools over the past year while attending CC.

Career Interest Profiler - Counselors introduced students to this tool last spring. The results include the student's personality traits according to the Holland Code and information about how their personality traits will help with career exploration and planning. They were also able to review career recommendations based on their personality traits.

Roadtrip Nation Interview Archive - After completing the Career Interest Profiler, students also had access to nearly 10,000 video interviews. The videos chronicle the diverse personal stories of leaders who have turned their interests into their life's work.

StrengthsExplorer® - In February, juniors completed this assessment to help them uncover their talents and reveal their potential strengths. The results explain the student's top three themes, strategies for capitalizing on their success, and a list of action items so they can continue building on their strengths. Results also include a list of best-fit career pathways and a workbook to assist students.

College admission representatives are currently scheduling visits to meet with students at our school this spring. They typically present information about their institution and then allow time for students to ask questions. Students should make the effort to meet with college representatives when they visit CC or host evening receptions. It gives college reps an opportunity to get to know you, answer your specific questions, and lets them know that you are genuinely interested in their institution.

Which colleges are visiting CC? Visits will be advertised in Naviance Student under the "What's New" and College Visits sections, through the daily announcements and RamTV, as well as outside the Counseling Center.

How do I sign up for a visit? Students sign-up for visits in Naviance Student. Then, pick up a College Visit pass from the Counseling Center and have the teacher sign it at least one day in advance of the scheduled visit.

Need a Reminder? Be sure to sign up if you would like to receive periodic text message reminders regarding upcoming college & career events, test registration deadlines, college visits, etc.

• Juniors - https://www.remind.com/join/ccrams25
• Parents/Guardians - https://www.remind.com/join/e6cg4d9

Please only sign up for one account as space is limited. The same information will be sent to everyone.

March 12 at 5 pm PT - Junior Jumpstart Virtual Session - Learn how to start your college search as a high school junior, featuring admissions leaders from Amherst, Bowdoin, Carleton, Pomona, Swarthmore, and Williams. We'll talk through the process, offer tips, and answer your questions. Parents and family members are also welcome to attend.

Real Talk: Connect with Black College & Career Planning Experts - Students and families are invited to participate in the following free virtual events:

• March 12 at 5 pm PT - MONEY TALK$: Finding Colleges You Can Pay For
  
• March 26 at 1:45 pm PT - Sip and See the Real Tea on HBCUs

College Board's BigFuture Live Webinars - Check out free, virtual community events for students and families:

• March 14 at 5 pm PT - How to Win a $40,000 Scholarship
• April 11 at 5 pm - Make the Most of Your Summer: Internships & Jobs

March 24 - NACAC Virtual College Fair - Connect with multiple colleges all in one place from 10 am to 3 pm PT. Register in advance to prepare for the fair. Be sure to check out the MatchMaking feature to determine which colleges might be best for you to meet with at the fair.

There is still time to register for the ACT or SAT if you decide to take it. Here are links to the registration sites and upcoming test dates to help students plan ahead:

• ACT - April 13* (register by March 8) , June 8 or July 13
• SAT - May 4 (register by April 19), June 1

NEW

National High School Essay Contest - Over the past 100 years the Foreign Service has faced a multitude of challenges such as world war, terrorism, nuclear proliferation, humanitarian disasters, global pandemics, and economic crises. In a 1,000-1,500-word essay please identify what you believe will be the biggest challenge to face the Foreign Service in the future. The essay will describe this challenge and clearly define how American diplomats can help mitigate it. By April 1

Tiffany Wang Arts Scholarship - Students (grades 9-11) with at least a 3.0 GPA will be selected to each receive a scholarships o be used towards a summer arts program. This scholarship encompasses these art forms: visual art, dance, drama, music, vocal, and instrumental. By April 1

STILL AVAILABLE

College Board BigFuture Scholarships - Juniors can make themselves eligible for scholarships each month. Earn entries in monthly drawings for scholarships by completing steps to plan for college. The sooner you start and the more steps you complete, the more chances you’ll have to win. This month’s entries will continue to be included in upcoming monthly drawings.

Doodle for Google Scholarship - Design your own Google logo based on the theme given and stand a chance to get your artwork published all over the globe! Entries are judged on the State, and National levels based on creativity, originality, and communication of theme. Deadline: March 14

Horatio Alger Scholarships - The program specifically assists high school juniors who have faced and overcome great obstacles in their young lives. To be eligible to apply for either a National or State Horatio State Scholarship, applicants must meet the criteria below. Deadline: March 15

• Exhibit a strong commitment to pursue and complete a bachelor’s degree at an accredited non-profit public or private institution in the United States (students may start their studies at a two-year institution and then transfer to a four-year institution)
• Demonstrate critical financial need ($65,000 or lower adjusted gross family income is required)
• Be involved in co-curricular and community service activities
• Display integrity and perseverance in overcoming adversity; and
• Be a United States citizen

Ninth Circuit Civics Contest - The contest is open to high school students. The theme of the contest is “70 Years Later— The Legacy of Brown v. Board of Education.” In an essay of 500-1,000 words or in a 3-5 minute video, students are asked to discuss what impact they think Brown has had and why that is the case. By March 15 no later than 11:59 pm PT

Junior English Class Presentations - Later in April and May, we will be continuing to assist juniors with resume building and introduce them to the Common Application.

Mark your calendars for the following college events:

• Spring College Fair - April 28 at the University of Portland from Noon to 3 pm
• Jesuit Excellence College Fair - April 29 from 11:10 am to 12:10 pm at CCHS
• Case Studies Program & College Fair - May 8 at CCHS from 6 to 8:30 pm

We will provide more details as we get closer to the above events.