Road to College Counseling Office
Spring Semester Parent Night
Jakkia Hollingsworth – Dean of College
Prep/Academic
Langston Ross – College Counselor
Sonya Barron – Alumni Counselor
Scott Ivy – Academic Counselor
PARENT NIGHT
NORTH HILLS PREPARATORY
JANUARY 2014
AGENDA FOR EVENING
6:00 PM- 7:00 PM- PRESENTATION
7:00 PM- 7:30 P.M. ROAD TO COLLEGE TRIP INFORMATION
Interpreting Your PSAT and ACT Scores
PARENT NIGHT
NORTH HILLS PREPARATORY
JANUARY 2014
4 Major Parts of Your PSAT/NMSQT Results
Your Scores
Your Skills
Your Answers
Next Steps
3 Test Sections
Critical Reading
Mathematics
Writing Skills
Your Scores
Score
You can see your projected SAT
score online in My College QuickStart
(www.collegeboard.org/quickstart).
Score Range
Percentile
If you are a junior, your scores are
compared to those of other juniors.
If you are a sophomore or younger
student, your scores are compared to
those of sophomores.
National Merit Scholarship
Corporation Information
The Selection Index is the sum of your critical reading,
mathematics and writing skills scores.
If it has an asterisk, you do not meet all of the eligibility
requirements for the competition. For example, the
National Merit Scholarship is only for 11th grade students.
The Percentile compares your performance to that of other
college-bound juniors.
The Entry Requirements section displays information you
provided on your answer sheet.
Your Skills
See how you did on each skill. The same skills are tested on the SAT.
You can try hundreds of practice questions, organized by skill, online
in My College QuickStart (www.collegeboard.org/quickstart).
Your Answers
You will get your test book back with
your PSAT/NMSQT results, so that
you can review the questions.
You can also review each test
question in My College QuickStart.
Your Answers:
Student-Produced
Responses
Some of the math problems required you
to grid in answers instead of selecting an
option. For these questions, you will see
the correct answer(s) written out.
Next Steps
What’s next?
Use the access code on your report to log in to My College
QuickStart, a personalized college and career planning kit. There you
can:
•Search for colleges
•Get a personalized SAT study plan
•Take a personality test to find majors and careers that fit you
www.collegeboard.org/quickstart
My College QuickStart
My College QuickStart
My Online Score Report
• Projected SAT®
score ranges
• State percentiles
• You can filter questions
• Questions and
answer explanations
My College QuickStart
My SAT Study Plan™
• Personalized skills
to improve
• SAT practice questions
• An official SAT practice
test
My College QuickStart
Log in to your personalized account at
www.collegeboard.org/quickstart
College Admissions Practice Testing @ NHP
Grade Level
SAT
ACT
Freshman
PSAT
EXPLORE
Sophomore
PSAT
PLAN
PSAT/NMSQT
ACT
Junior
ACT: WHAT DO MY SCORES MEAN?
• Your scores are between 1 and 36 on the ACT.
• Just like grades, your scores tell you how well you did on each test.
• Your Composite score is simply the average of your test scores in English,
Mathematics, Reading, and Science(rounded to a whole number).
• College Ready Scores (out of 36):
• Math 22
• English 18
• Writing 18
• Science 23
• These indicate college readiness, but not necessarily for selective schools.
HOW DO MY SCORES COMPARE WITH THOSE OF
OTHER STUDENTS WHO TOOK PLAN?
• Next to your scores, you'll find the percent of students scoring at
or below your score. This shows you how your scores compare to
those of students across the country who took PLAN.
• The example above shows 83% next to the student's English
score. This means she scored as high as or higher than 83% of
students in the comparison group who took PLAN.
• The other percentages show how you scored relative to other
students who took PLAN in your school, your school district, and
your state.
AM I ON TRACK?
EXPLORE is designed for 9th graders, PLAN is designed for 10th graders and the
ACT is designed for 11th and 12th graders. Over time, EXPLORE, PLAN and
the ACT measure your college readiness skills as you progress through high
school.
Your scores can be used to predict how you are likely to do if you take the ACT as
an 11th or 12th grader and keep working hard.
The estimated ACT Composite score range is a prediction about how you are
likely to score on the ACT if you take the right courses and work hard in those
courses.
You can use these predicted or estimated scores to see if you are on track to
achieve the scores you want when you take the ACT later in high school.
Keep in mind that these scores are only estimates, not guarantees. Improving
your study habits and taking more challenging courses are likely to improve
your ACT scores.
HOW CAN I IMPROVE?
• The back of your Score Report describes the skills and
knowledge you already probably have.
• You'll also see some ideas for improving even more in
the different subject areas. The suggestions are based
on your scores and can help you do better.
CREDIT RECOVERY
• For students who fail a ONE semester course (ex. Government,
Economics):
• Summer School in June at NHP using the PLATO online selfpaced learning system.
• Cost TBD, but predictably $200 per semester, as in previous
years.
• For students who fail a semester of a TWO semester course (aka
year-long course) (ex. English, Math)
• If Semester one and semester two average a 69 or lower, the
lower of the 2 semesters will be repeated at summer school at
NHP.
• Maximum of two semesters of credit can be earned (1
morning class, 1 afternoon class)
COURSE REGISTRATION
• Counselors will register incoming 11th graders for next years’ courses in their
English classes this spring.
• Course registration sheets with lists of course offerings will be distributed in
class and posted on NHP webpage.
• Counselors will perform credit checks to ensure all students have their credits
from 9th, 10th, and 11th grade, and students missing credits will be on credit
recovery plans during 12th grade.
• 12th graders have five required courses.
• English, Math, Science, Social Studies, one semester Theory of Knowledge, 1
semester Economics
• Three elective periods, often used to satisfy Diploma Program requirements
ROAD TO COLLEGE TRIP INFORMATION
Please see Mrs. Barron at 7 :00 pm to discuss Trip
information.
• What scholars gain from the trips.
• Packing List.
• Scholar guidelines.
SUMMER ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES
• Colleges like to see students doing something worthwhile with
their summers.
• Examples:
• Volunteering
• Summer jobs
• Camps and Internships
• Summer classes
 Between 11th and 12th: Economics at North Lake College
• See counselors for summer programs that suit your goals and
interests.
COLLEGE PLANNING FOR JUNIORS
• Juniors can begin meeting with Mr. Ross February 17th to
discuss:
• College Lists
• Reviewing Personal Statements
• Reviewing Resumes
NATIONAL COLLEGE FAIR IN IRVING
Monday, February 10, 2014
4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas
Exhibition Hall
500 W. Las Colinas Blvd.
Irving, Texas 75039
Transportation will be provided. Sign-Up sheet located in the RTC Office.
REGISTER HERE:
https://www.gotomyncf.com/Registration/EventSelectForState?stateName=All
SAT VS. ACT OR BOTH?
• It is highly recommended to take both tests to determine the test
that your scholar is most comfortable taking.
• Increased comfort level = higher score earning potential.
• Once a student has established their preferred assessment, we
suggest to take that tests no more than three times, as studies
have shown that students normally reach their highest score
during those three attempts if they have had test prepped before
and/or throughout the three attempts.
SENIORS:
NEXT STEPS AFTER COLLEGE ACCEPTANCE
•
All seniors will meet with Mrs. Barron prior to making final decision. We will review
final financial aid packages and discuss the package in relation to tuition, fees,
room and board, and other additional costs. Mrs. Barron will advise and work with
senior to help determine best fit.
•
After receiving all acceptances and scholarship offers, parent and scholars will
collectively decide upon the best college fit. Many colleges have a May1st
confirmation deadline in which a student must confirm the acceptance and
attendance to the university of choice. Confirmation is often done by registering for
a Freshmen orientation session on the campus.
•
Even when still weighing options, accept all scholarships offered from every school
to ensure the scholarship remains reserved for your student. They will then be
released when the student does not confirm on May 1st for reallocation. Accepting
scholarships occurs via the online portal most often.
•
When still deciding, you may want to pay housing deposits to top 2 choices to
ensure housing does not run out when and if you decide to attend.
SENIORS: COMPLETING THE FAFSA
•
Website: https://fafsa.ed.gov/
•
The FAFSA should be completed this month. If you have not filed taxes
yet, you can use last years tax information and then update the FAFSA.
•
You can list 10 colleges/universities on your FAFSA. If you are applying
to more than 10, you can go in and delete some after the
colleges/universities have received your FAFSA information and add
more .
•
Pay close attention to financial aid deadlines. They vary at each
institution.
•
Mrs. Barron is eager and happy to help with part of this process. She
will assist you with any need you may have, from filling out the FAFSA to
answering simple questions.
•
Seniors must have their FAFSA completed prior to gaining senior release
in the afternoon. Verification of completion needs to be turned in to Mrs.
Barron.