Junior Year
Timeline
LHS & College
Requirements
2016-2017
Colleges at a
Glance
Planning Visits
The ACT
Creating a
Resume
Helpful Links
Junior Year Overview
As a junior, you have already been through standardized testing and difficult classes. By now,
you have a good understanding of the types of demands that teachers have, and what you need
to do to be successful at school. The goal of the counselors, this year, is to help you crystallize
what you hope to do when you leave high school, and begin the process of the transition to
post-high school. This may include college, trade school, military, or work. Hopefully, by the
end of junior year, you will have a clear sense of what you intend to do after Lemont High
School!
All juniors are required to take the SAT on April 5, which includes a writing test. Scores will
be posted on your transcript, and this SAT score can be sent out to colleges for admissions
purposes. Students may still choose to take a Saturday ACT for college admissions purposes.
We recommend that college bound juniors take the ACT on April 8th, but it is not required.
Juniors will take the PSAT on October 19. This test mirrors the SAT that you will take in the
spring. Results from this test will be available in December, and you can upload your
individual score report to Khan Academy for FREE, personalized test prep for the SAT.
Results from the October PSAT will be used to determine National Merit Scholar designations.
JUNIOR YEAR TIMELINE
September
October
Work hard to maintain good grades
in classes.
Get involved in Homecoming
activities.
Use Career Cruising to evaluate
possible career options.
Check NCAA Clearinghouse
website to make sure you are
enrolled in proper courses, if you
wish to play college sports.
Take the PSAT on October 19
Attend a College Fair to gather
information on lots of schools at one
time.
Career Cruising/College Search
Orientation
24th –NACAC Performing Arts Fair
1pm-3pm at DePaul University
1st -
NACAC College Fair at Navy Pier.
11am – 3pm www.gotomyncf.com for
more details and to register!
12th – Moraine Valley College Fair 5:30 – 8pm
13th – College/Fin Aid Night at LHS
18th – COD College Fair, 6-8pm
19th - PSAT Test
19th – JJC College Fair, time TBA
November
December
January
February
March
April
May
Log onto www.fastweb.com and
register for scholarship information.
Upload your PSAT results to Khan
Academy for personalized test prep.
Study for final exams!
Register for senior year classes.
Choose courses that will fit your
post-high school plans.
Register for the Saturday ACT in
April, if you want to take it twice.
Make a list of colleges to visit over
spring break / summer vacation.
Schedule appointments for college
visits over spring break. Talk to
admissions and financial aid
professionals at the schools of
interest.
Take the ACT
Research summer programs, if
interested.
Find a summer job, start preparing a
resume if required.
Bring your parents to our college
night to learn about the application
process.
Attend a spring college fair.
Review ACT scores with your
counselor.
Register with the NCAA, if you plan
to play college sports.
Prepare for final exams.
Ask for letters of recommendations
you can use in the Fall.
17th & 18th: Senior registration
5th – SAT plus writing at LHS
8th: ACT testing at LHS
LHS, College, & University Requirements
Academic
Area
English
Math
Science
(lab)
Social
Studies
*Foreign
Language
Other
LHS
4 years
+Communications
3 years
2 years
(Physics)
3 years
(Cult Geo,US
Hist, Am Prob,
Am Gov)
State University /
Community
College Transfer
programs
Highly
Selective
Colleges or
Universities
Community
College &
CareerVocational
Programs
4 years
4 years
4 years
3 years;
Out-of-state
Universities
and
Colleges
4 years
3-4 year;
4 years
2 years
varied
requirement
Recommend
3 years-
4 years
1-2 years;
3-4 years;
3 years;
3-4 years;
2 years
3-4 years;
2-4 years;
Not
required
2-4 years;
algebra, geometry,
algebra II
bio, chem, physics
emphasis on history and
government
Please see
shaded
2 years often
box below
required
right
LHS Requirements cont’d:
3.5 PE credits
Health/Driver’s Ed
Communications
Business& Tech Concepts
Consumer Ed
Must pass:
Constitution test
varied
requirement
varied
requirement
varied
requirement
varied
requirement
varied
requirement
varied
requirement
*Vocational education, art or music may
be substituted for the foreign language
credit at some colleges. Check your
college catalogue.
Note: Requirements may vary. Always
check specific college catalogue.
Planning a College Visit
Plan your visit:
During the school year, summer, weekends, holiday weekends
Check out the campus’ website for information and instructions on how to schedule a visit
Get a map and good directions to campus and admissions building
Schedule your visit at least 2 weeks in advance and arrange an interview with an admissions officer
Research and prepare a list of questions
Take a notebook or the College Visit Checklist at the end of this booklet
Prepare for your visit:
Bring specific directions to campus admissions building
Plan enough time to drive, park, and walk to building
Bring an unofficial copy of your transcript and resume or list of activities and accomplishments
Bring a camera, campus map, copy of appointment
Dress appropriately to interview/meet with an admissions counselor but comfortable to walk around campus for
a tour
During your visit:
Take a campus tour (computer labs, student housing, recreation facilities, library, etc)
Talk with students, faculty, and staff
Attend a campus event (sport, concert, play, etc)
Sit in on a class
Eat at the cafeteria
Tour the city around campus
Read the college newspaper and bulletin boards
After your visit:
Immediately record your thoughts, pros, and cons.
Write a thank you note to the admissions office for taking the time to meet with you
If you decide to apply, and if there is an essay, incorporate things that you liked about the campus, students,
staff, etc. so the application readers know that you have done your research.
The ACT vs the SAT
The ACT and SAT are a national college admissions exams that measure your skills in:
English
Mathematics
Reading
Science
Both tests have offer writing exams, but writing is not required for all colleges and universities.
All SAT and ACT results are accepted by all 4-year colleges and universities in the U.S.
Frequently Asked Questions about the ACT
How often can students take the ACT or SAT?
Students may take the ACT no more than 12 times. Many students take the test once as a junior and once again
as a senior. With the State requiring the SAT, we advise that you take the ACT on the Saturday date in April,
the SAT during the school testing day, and then retake either exam in the fall of senior year (based on which test
you felt was a more comfortable measure)
Does it help to take the tests more than once?
ACT research shows that of the students who took the ACT more than once:
55% increased their composite score on the retest
22% had no change in their composite score on the retest
23% decreased their composite score on the retest
How do colleges compare the two tests?
Admissions officers have used both the SAT and ACT for years. There are concordance tables that will give an
ACT/SAT equivalent score. College will always use your statistically better score on either test for admissions.
Do colleges prefer the ACT or SAT?
No. Colleges view the two tests as valid and reliable measures for college admissions.
Helpful Links
Finding a College Fit
www.careercruising.com
www.collegeboard.org/BigFuture
www.gocollege.com
NCAA Rules & Reqs
www.ncaa.org
(Click on Rules Compliance/Eligibility)
Testing information
www.collegeboard.org
www.testprep.com
www.act.org
www.shmoop.com
College Fairs
NACAC College Fair – Saturday, September 24, 2015 @ Navy Pier
Register and view a complete calendar at www.nacacnet.org
IACAC College Fair calendar and registration at www.iacac.org/ice
Free Sites to Manage Your College Search
and Applications
Not only is the college application process competitive, it is stressful and often disappointing.
But, compared to a decade ago, student applicants today have a wide variety of tools
available to them to help them stand out to the colleges of their choices.
Full Service
1.
College Board: Use Big Future to generate a list of colleges that match
your preferences in this search. Use QuickFinder to research a college that you
already have in mind. This site offers a wide variety of information, links, articles and
advice on how to make you college search more productive.
2.
3.
College Confidential: Here you’ll find hundreds of pages of articles about
choosing a college, getting into the college you want, how to pay for it, and much
more. Search, learn about college admissions and decide how you might pay for
college.
CollegeNET: You can search for colleges, set up your own board to
explore resources and apply to weekly drawings for scholarships at this site for college
students.
4.
FinAid: This is another great financial application tool for college
students. Apply for loans, scholarships, savings plans, and look into military aid. This
site also includes applications for aid.
5.
6.
The Common Application: Once completed online or in print, copies of
the Application for Undergraduate Admission can be sent to any number of over 400
participating colleges.
Cappex: Create a free profile and see which colleges fit your college
dreams, your financial position and your grade levels. Colleges that are interested in
you can contact you through this site.