This document provides information for junior students about the upcoming school year. It discusses the role of counselors, important dates and tasks for the first semester including taking the PSAT, SAT/ACT tests, and having individual meetings with counselors. It also covers standardized testing, what colleges look for in applications, registering for tests, using Naviance, attending college visits, and ways to stay informed including the counseling website and social media. Students are encouraged to complete the Junior College Survey, attend college representative visits, and meet regularly with their counselor.

1. Junior
Assembly:
What You Need to
Know Now!
Class of 2017

2. Welcome to Junior Year!
A little bit about your…

3. What is our role?
✓Not just college counseling!
✓Academic advising
✓Social and emotional counseling
✓We want to know more about you! See us, share
what you are excited about… concerned about…

4. The Year Ahead: First Semester
✓ Junior College Survey in Naviance
✓ Due by October 5
✓ First few months
✓ Get adjusted to IB Courses and focus on academics
✓ Continue involvement in activities, service, and athletics you love
✓ Help us get to know you!
✓ PSAT
✓ October 14
✓ JUKO: Junior University Kick-Off
✓ Wednesday, November 4
✓ SAT/ACT
✓ December/January
✓ Individual Meeting with Counselor
✓ September-February

5. Health / Wellness

6. Health / Wellness
•IB Diploma / Certificates
•Varsity Sports / Junior Varsity Sports
•High School Play
•Councils
•Club/Service Activities
•Outside ISM Activities
•Family / Friends
•The COLLEGE piece now as well
+

7. What do Colleges Look for?

8. What do Colleges Look for
NACAC State of College Admissions

9. Standardized Testing
SAT, SAT Subjects, ACT with Writing

10. Standardized Testing (SAT/ACT)
IB Diploma Student IB Certificates Student
•US Colleges/Universities
▫Needed for most
▫Unless SAT/ACT optional school
▫www.fairtest.org
•Canadian Universities
▫Not needed
•UK Universities
▫Not needed
•US Colleges/Universities
▫Needed for most
▫Unless SAT/ACT optional school
▫www.fairtest.org
•Canadian Universities
▫Needed
•UK Universities
▫N/A (Need the IB Diploma to apply)
Other countries? : Let’s chat one on one and discuss

11. Standardized Testing (SAT/ACT)
SAT ACT (with Writing)
•Needed by U.S. colleges/universities unless
it is SAT/ACT optional
•The more competitive the
college/universities, the more likely they will
require SAT subject tests (typically 2)
•Sometimes any two subjects is fine and
sometimes certain subject(s) are required
•Needed by U.S. colleges/universities unless
it is SAT/ACT optional
•Sometimes ACT with Writing can be a
substitute for SAT Subject scores
•The more competitive the
college/universities, the more likely they will
require SAT subject tests (typically 2)
•Sometimes any two subjects is fine and
sometimes certain subject(s) are required
SAT Subjects (1 hour subject specific tests) SAT Subjects (1 hour subject specific tests)

12. NEW Re-Designed SAT
•College Board has re-designed the SAT
•The first international test sitting of the NEW SAT will be May 2016
•We really do NOT know how this test will “play out” until there have been a few sittings (more
challenging/less challenging…maybe no issues/maybe many issues)
•Colleges WILL be able to compare Old and New SAT scores in admissions but it is not clear
exactly how that will be done
•Colleges will NOT be able to Super Score between the two different tests
•As they are two different tests, they generally would require different preparation
•So…one question you all may have is …which test should I take?

13. Testing Dates 2015/2016
SAT ACT
OLD
OLD
OLD
OLD
NEW
NEW
SAMETEST

14. What should I do?
• Option 1: Take the ACT with Writing test ONLY
▫ The easiest option with no worries/concerns
▫ The ACT is widely accepted for all US/Canadian colleges/universities
▫ More popular than the SAT now
• Option 2: Take the Old SAT test only
▫ January 23 is your last testing date (4 dates left…October, November, December and January)
▫ Maybe a rush to get all your testing done (students typically take the SAT 1 two or three times)
▫ Usually we recommend the Dec/Jan test date as
• Option 3: Take the NEW SAT test only
▫ The first test isn’t until May 7
▫ Lots of time to prepare but potentially a little late in starting
▫ May: NEW SAT
▫ June: SAT Subjects Test
▫ You have only one set of SAT scores going into the summer
▫ Unknown factor
• Option 4 Take a combination of both the OLD and NEW SAT tests
▫ Two sets of preparation

15. NEW Re-Designed SAT

16. NEW Re-Designed SAT

17. SAT/ACT Registration
SAT
Register through College Board
website:
✓www.collegeboard.org
ACT
Register through ACT website:
✓www.actstudent.org

18. The PSAT

19. What is the PSAT?
•The Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) is a
standardized test administered by the College Board and co-sponsored by the National Merit
Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) in the United States. Approximately 3.5 million students take the
PSAT/NMSQT each year.
•Shortened Version of the SAT

20. PSAT Testing – Oct. 14
Why Should You Take the PSAT?
✓
Preparation for the NEW SAT if you are taking the
new SAT in 2016
✓Scholarship and Recognition opportunities: only
grade 11 is eligible for the National Merit
Scholarship
✓Admissions and Financial Aid Information
from colleges
✓Feedback on academic and testing skills

21. How Do You Register?
Sign up: Pay $20 to the cashier (Plaza Level) before
deadline
Deadline to register: Monday, September 28,
at 3 p.m.
Test Day/Date: Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2015
PSAT Testing – Oct. 14

22. On Test Day…
Testing Time: 7:30 – 11:00 a.m. (approximately)
Arrive to Testing Location: by 7:15 a.m.
Location: Lofthouse
Bring: Two #2 pencils and a calculator w/ spare
batteries
Student ID – REQUIRED!!
PSAT Testing – Oct. 14

23. •If you are planning to take the New Re-Designed SAT in
May 2016, it would make sense to take this PSAT
•It would give you an early look at the style of questions
on this new SAT test
•If you are a U.S. Citizen and you want the opportunity to
become a National Merit Scholar (national recognition
and a little $), you should take the PSAT
PSAT – Recommendation

24. Naviance / Family Connection

25. Naviance: Family Connection
You should already have your
log-in
✓If you do not have or do not know your log-in, see
Eloisa Bayan in the Counseling Center

26. College visits at ISM

27. College Visits

28. College visits at ISM
Come!
✓Opportunity to ask questions
✓Opportunity to learn about schools and
programs
✓Opportunity to meet admissions officers and
alumni

29. College visits at ISM
Information on dates and times for visits
can be found:
✓ ISM Counseling Website
✓ ISH HS Counseling Facebook Page
✓ Naviance / Family Connection
✓ Friday Bulletin
✓ Posted in HS Counseling Center
**Most visits, whenever possible,
are during lunch in the VSH
Counseling Center.

30. College visits at ISM

31. College visits at ISM
•NYU Abu Dhabi: Thursday August 20th
(Student Visit)
•University of Chicago: Monday August 24th
(Student Visit)
•Colgate University: Tuesday August 25th
•University of British Columbia (UBC) :
Wednesday August 26th

32. College Meetings with Me

33. College Meetings with Me
Beginning in September – make
appointment
Complete Junior College Survey by
October 5
Plan on several meetings throughout
the year so your counselor gets to
know you!

34. Communications

35. HS Counseling Website
http://hscounseling.ism-online.org/

36. Facebook

37. Twitter

38. Flickr

39. Questions?

40. Grade 11 Assembly for CAS
Workshop is in the Little Theater at
11:35am.
Lunch will be served :)