Mrs. Oberg
Senior Information
1- Remember that all seniors who are going to a 4-year college need to take the ACT test. Look for ACT information farther down in this article.
2- Students who are going to community college (and any others would like to) will need to take a college placement test, such as the ASSET. These can be taken on the campus of the school that you plan to attend. This test determines whether or not a student can go right into college-level courses of if he/she must take remedial courses first.
3- Seniors should be applying to their selected colleges this fall. They can also do some 2nd visits to the colleges they are still considering. If they have not made college visits yet, they should do so as soon as possible. (It was recommended last year that they make college visits during their junior year.) College visits are excused by a call or note from the parent. Visit appointments can be made with a simple phone call, or some colleges have a place on their website to set up visits online.
4- College applications can be done on paper or online; most colleges prefer online. If a paper application is desired, usually they can be downloaded from the college's website. Most of the application are not that extensive and should not be too difficult to complete. If students have any questions, they should come to my office to get help with the applications.
5- An official transcript should also be sent from the high school to the colleges to which the student is applying.
6- Students should register for scholarship notifications at: www.fastweb.com and should check out valid scholarship links at: www.ICANsucceed.org. Many scholarships, including local ones will be posted on my blog website (check out the schools webpage) and in the counselor's room. Most of these notifications will arrive a little later in the year and will continue through spring.
Junior Information
1- Juniors are encouraged to begin making college visits this year. There are special "Junior Days" held at most colleges, where students visit in a larger group. Individual visits can also be arranged by calling the college or checking for an online visit application on the college's website. A parent or guardian should always accompany the student on a college visit. All visits can be excused with a note or a phone call from the parent.
2- Many college reps visit the high school in the fall and some in the spring, and juniors and seniors are encouraged to use these visits to find out more about these various colleges. These are announced in the daily bulletin, on posters that are placed in the library window and on the College Information calendar on the school's webpage.
A College Fair for juniors and seniors will be held on Tuesday, October 12 in Mapleton from 1:00-2:30 PM. This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to gain valuable information about many college opportunities. We will leave the school at 1 PM and return at 3:30 PM.
3- The PSAT will be given to interested juniors (and sophomores) on October 13. This is NOT a required test; it is purely voluntary. It is not an admissions exam--it merely provides scores and comparison/percentiles for juniors in the areas of critical reading, math problem-solving, and writing skills. The test costs $13, students should sign up and pay Mrs. Smits.
ACT Information
The ACT Test is a college admissions exam for 4-year colleges and universities. If a student is planning to attend a 4-year college/university after graduation, the ACT is a must. It is given six times on national test dates. The following is a schedule of the test dates with registration deadlines.
September11: test has been completed
October 23: regular registration deadline was September 17
December 11: regular registration deadline is November 5
February 12: regular registration deadline is January 7
April 9: regular registration deadline is March 4
June 11: regular registration deadline is May 6
The regular test costs $33. There is an optional writing test which students may take, which raises the cost to $48. To register online for the test go to www.actstudent.org. I also have a limited number of fee waivers for students who are on free or reduced lunch (or there are some other low income qualifications accepted) A student may not use more that 2 waivers, and they must be used during their junior or senior year. The waivers are in the counselor's office and may be given out after proof of low income status.
Students may find free test prep materials on the ACT website or at www.IHaveaPlanIowa.gov. There are also booklets in the counseling office which have test-taking tips and a full length practice test. ACT also sells ACT prep material on their website or you can purchase the ACT program by viewing the websitewww.eKnowledge.com/NFHS for $13.84 (this covers shipping and handling) you can have your very own practice tests.
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