Welcome to your first year of High School! The beginning of high school is an exciting time. Students may be adjusting to a new school, making new friends and becoming more independent. Here are some things you can do to succeed this year:
9TH GRADE PLANNING CHECKLIST
- Keep up your grades and continue good study habits
- Talk to your counselor about:
- Graduation Requirements
- 4-year plan/ Credit check
- Post Secondary plans
- Your high school courses reflecting your career plan
- Concurrent enrollment options
- Log in to Naviance to complete assessments including:
- Strengths Explorer
- MI Advantage
- Review general college admission requirements
- Attend College Fairs & College Campuses
- Begin to think about and talk to your parents about a college financing plan
- Balance your school work with extracurricular activities that help you explore your interests
- Practice time management and learn new skills
- Start your search for scholarships-some are available as early as 9th grade
- ACT ASPIRE
Parents
- Talk to your child about his or her interest and help match those interests with a college major and career
- Monitor your child’s grades and arrange tutoring if necessary
- Attend Parent Conference Night to meet with your child’s teachers to discuss his or her grade and performance in classes
- Attend College Fairs and College Campuses
- Get tips on helping your child with homework and issues of early teen years
10TH GRADE PLANNING CHECKLIST
- Keep up your grades, continue good study habits and ask for help from your teachers or a tutor- Strive for a B or better
- Talk to your counselor about:
- A-G/ Graduation requirements
- Individualized 4-Year Plan/ Credit Check
- Concurrent enrollment options or Advanced Placement (AP) classes
- Log in to Naviance to complete Career Exploration Assessments:
- Career Interest Profiler
- Career Cluster Finder
- Stay involved in extracurricular activities
- Continue your scholarship search
- Attend College Fairs & College Campuses
- Community service
- Summer jobs mean money for college!
- Look into summer enrichment programs on college campuses
- Create your resume-include community service, extracurricular activities, awards and honors
- ACT ASPIRE
Parents
- Attend College Fairs & College Campuses
- Attend Parent Conference Night to meet with your child’s teachers to discuss his or her grade and performance in classes
- Help your child develop independence by encouraging him or her to take responsibility for balancing homework with other activities or a part-time job
- Learn about standardized tests for college entrance: ACT & SAT www.collegeboard.com
- Learn the differences between grants, loans, work-study and scholarships at www.college.gov
11TH GRADE PLANNING CHECKLIST
- Explore careers
- Attend College Fairs
- Visit colleges-take a campus tour
- Start to focus on your career & college research
- Academic programs, location, size, cost, activities, athletics
- Add 6 “Colleges that you are thinking about” in Naviance
- Narrow your college list to Reach, Target, and Safety schools
- Use test prep on khanacademy.org and ACT.org to improve your ACT & SAT scores
- Register and take SAT if applicable
- Take the ACT exam twice
- Schedule an appointment with your counselor and review:
- Transcript review and credit check
- 4 year plan
- Concurrent enrollment
- College entrance exams
- College admission requirements
- Maintain good grades
- Improve by take challenging courses
- Search for scholarship opportunities in Naviance
Parents
- Talk to your child about schools he or she is considering; ask why those are appealing; help clarify goals & priorities
- Attend College Fairs with your child
- Visit colleges with your child, preferably when classes are in session
- Attend Financial Aid Night with your child’s School Counselor
Juniors will take the ACT on the state date in October and in mid-April during the school day. Colleges accept the higher score if test is taken multiple times.
Graduation Monitoring
In order to stay “on track” for graduation, students in high school must earn 30 credits per semester and 60 credits per year. When students fail a semester course, they earn 0 credits and fall behind on the road to graduation
Designed to assist schools in communicating effectively and timely with students and parents/guardians on student’s progress toward high school graduation. The goal is to provide every family with the assistance and guidance to successfully identify, plan, and prepare for graduation. This Summary is structured around 3 key components including:
1. Identifying students who fall off-track for graduation;
2. Notifying students and parents/guardians of their off-track status;
3. Monitoring gradation progress; and
Alliance schools can:
1. Identify when a student falls off-track for graduation and deploy methods to address their
needs;
2. Ensure that an equitable system is in place to mitigate the off-track status notification to
parents/guardians and student; and
3. Ensure that the plan is delivered systematically to all students.
Colleges often ask for two or three recommendation letters from people who know you well. These letters should be written by someone who can describe your skills, accomplishments and personality.
Colleges value recommendations because they:
- Reveal things about you that grades and test scores can’t
- Provide personal opinions of your character
- Show who is willing to speak on your behalf
- Letters of recommendation work for you when they present you in the best possible light, showcasing your skills and abilities.
- Get recommendation letters from people who know you well
Make sure to give your references at least one month before your earliest deadline to complete and send your letters. The earlier you ask, the better. Many teachers like to write recommendations during the summer. If you apply under early decision or early action plans, you’ll definitely need to ask for recommendations by the start of your senior year or before.
Remember that some teachers will be writing whole stacks of letters, which takes time. Your teachers will do a better job on your letter if they don’t have to rush.
Whom to Ask
It’s your job to find people to write letters of recommendation for you. Follow these steps to start the process:
- Read each of your college applications carefully. Schools often ask for letters of recommendation from an academic teacher — sometimes in a specific subject — or a school counselor or both.
- Ask a counselor, teachers and your family who they think would make good references.
- Choose one of your teachers from junior year or a current teacher who has known you for a while. Colleges want a current perspective on you, so a teacher from several years ago isn’t the best choice.
- Consider asking a teacher who also knows you outside the classroom. For example, a teacher who directed you in a play or advised your debate club can make a great reference.
- Consider other adults — such as an employer, a coach or an adviser from an activity outside of school — who have a good understanding of you and your strengths.
- Perhaps most important, pick someone who will be enthusiastic about writing the letter for you.
- If you’re unsure about asking someone in particular, politely ask if he or she feels comfortable recommending you. That’s a good way to avoid weak letters.
- Your teachers will do a better job on your letter if they don’t have to rush.
Here’s how:
- Talk to them about your class participation.
- Remind them of specific work or projects you’re proud of.
- Tell them what you learned in class.
- Mention any challenges you overcame.
- Give them the information they need to provide specific examples of your work.
- If you need a recommendation letter from a counselor or other school official, follow these guidelines:
- Make an appointment ahead of time.
- Talk about your accomplishments, hobbies and plans for college and the future.
- If you need to discuss part of your transcript — low grades during your sophomore year, for example — do so. Explain why you had difficulty and discuss how you’ve changed and improved since then.
The following advice is easy to follow and can really pay off:
- Waive your right to view recommendation letters on your application forms. Admission officers will trust them more if you haven’t seen them.
- Give your references addressed and stamped envelopes for each college that requested a recommendation.
- Make sure your references know the deadlines for each college.
- Follow up with your references a week or so before recommendations are due to make sure your letters have been sent.
- Once you’ve decided which college to attend, write thank-you notes. Tell your references where you’re going and let them know how much you appreciate their support.
CAREER EXPLORATION RESOURCES
Online Resources
- Career Fields section provides resources for exploring and developing careers.
- Candid Career offers 100’s of video-taped informational interviews with professionals from all career areas.
- O*NET Online and Occupational Outlook Handbook – From the U.S. Dept. of Labor, providing comprehensive information about careers and the labor market.
- First Destination Survey – See where Cal alums from your major are now employed.
- Networking & Informational Interviewing – Learn how to connect with others who can help you explore careers and search for jobs.
Campus Tours – This is a webiste that takes you on virtual tours of any campus that you may be interested in.
College Board– Here you can find all kinds of tools to help you navigate through which college best fits your student.
College Navigator– This site provides you with statistical information on colleges that you might be interested in.
CSU Mentor– A website to explore, plan and apply CSU Colleges.
College Planning Guide – This site provides students with a guide in preparing for college, from K-12.
UC Pathways– This site has tons of information on UC’s.
California Community Colleges– This site provides information about community colleges within California.
What Field and Degree are you Interested In?
For some students, there is an easy answer to the choice of career and field of study. It may be a life-long wish formed in early childhood or the profession that is a family tradition. For most students, the choice of field and career is not simple. Selecting a career and field of study should involve careful thought. The best way to make the choice is to put some time and effort into the process. This can increase your chance of making a great choice and finding a satisfying and rewarding career.
There are many choices for fields and careers. In terms of popularity, computers and technology rank near the top as does Healthcare and related fields. Education and Social services have a middle rank along with the Arts and Communications. Science is in the top ten along with the business fields. The vocational trades and transportation also form a significant part of the top career fields.
What is a Bachelor’s Degree?
| Time to Complete | Requirements | |
|---|---|---|
| Associate’s | 2 years | High school diploma or GED |
| Bachelor’s | 4 years | High school diploma or GED |
| Master’s | 1 to 2 years | Bachelor’s Degree |
| Doctorate | 2 or more years | Master’s or Bachelor’s depending on source |
Expected Lifetime Earnings*
| Professional Degree | $4.4 Million |
| Doctoral Degree | $3.4 Million |
| Master’s Degree | $2.5 Million |
| Bachelor’s Degree | $2.1 Million |
| Associate’s Degree | $1.6 Million |
| Some College | $1.5 Million |
| High School Graduate | $1.2 Million |
| Non-High School Graduate | $1 Million |
WHAT IS NAVIANCE?
• Research colleges – Compare GPA, standardized test scores, and other statistics to actual historical data from your high school for students who have applied and been admitted in the past
• Research careers and complete career assessments
• Get involved in the planning and advising process – Build a resume, complete on-line surveys, and manage timelines and deadlines for making decisions about colleges and careers
• Family Connection also lets us share information with you about up-coming meetings and events, local scholarship opportunities, and other Web resources for college and career information
Save Money
It is less expensive to obtain college credit through concurrent enrollment than it is to enroll in the classes from the college themselves. Students can take up to 6 units, equivalent to two classes with no enrollment fees. Taking the same course through the colleges can cost about $800. Tuition fees are increasing every year, so financially speaking, it is extremely wise to take concurrent classes while you’re still in high school.
Save Time in College
Students who enroll in concurrent enrollment in high school are more likely to graduate within four. When you take concurrent enrollment classes, you receive a college transcript, which can be transferred to the college you choose to attend after high school. Most colleges across the country accept concurrent enrollment courses.
Challenge Yourself
Concurrent enrollment classes are more challenging than the average high school course. This is because the standards of the concurrent enrollment classes are the same as the standards of college courses. Enrolling in concurrent courses is a great way to get a head start on college.
Explore Fields
Concurrent enrollment allows you to explore fields that you may be interested in without declaring a major. About 80 percent of students change their major in college at least once, and most will change their majors at least three times before they graduate. Concurrent enrollment allows you to take a course or two in your desired field without committing to a program. They also allow you to try something out that you may not otherwise pursue. Some of the courses offered through Los Angeles Southwest: Intro to Administration of Justice, Intro to Human Anatomy, Art Appreciation, Intro to Business, College Survival Skills Development, Public Speaking, Intro to Electronics, Orientation to Nursing, General Psychology and more.
Concurrent Enrollment Options
How Does Volunteering Benefit High School Students?
-> Volunteering teaches important life skills.
Helps teens learn responsibility.
-> Being a volunteer is great preparation for a future career (and looks good on a resume).
One of the very best reasons to volunteer is to explore interests and ideas for a future career. They can also list their volunteer work on their resume when they are ready to begin working a paid job in the future.
-> Volunteering allows high school students to give back to society.
Students can learn what it means to care for others and provide a service for someone who is in need, so they can give back to the community and put aside their own needs.
-> Students take with them important values as they emerge as adults.
This world can only be a better place if more students experience the joy of performing volunteer work. Being able to take care of other people less fortunate, serving to meet the needs of others and sacrificing their own time goes a lot further than one would think. As adults they will have developed the skills to become more mature and responsible then their peers, as a result they will become more successful adults.
Overall, volunteering as high school students can be a rewarding and positive experience. This is one great experience that will last a lifetime for the youngest generation!
HOSPITALS
HUNGER AND PEOPLE
LITERACY AND BOOKS
Crisis Support
If you feel you need emotional support at this time or if you are concerned about the emotional needs of a friend, please go by the counseling office before, during nutrition, lunch, or after school. If you are experiencing a crisis during class, please let your teacher know that you need to see the counselor immediately.
In addition, there are resources available in our community, 24 hours a day. Below are some phone numbers that you may call at any time.
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