Naviance Student Handbook

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? ARE YOU READY FOR COLLEGE A GUIDE TO COLLEGE PLANNING FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

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Naviance State Handbooks provide students and families with tips on how to plan for college and target institutions in their area. Read how you can start preparing for college today and how to leverage Naviance to reach your goals.

Transcript of Naviance Student Handbook

Page 1: Naviance Student Handbook

?Are you reAdy for college

A Guide to ColleGe plAnninG for SoutHern CAliforniA HiGH SCHool StudentS

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University of New Haven

L.I.F.E.Learning through Faculty Mentored Research

Immersion through Work-Integrated Learning

Fulfillment through Academic-Service Learning

Experience the world through study abroad

QuIck FActS• Athletics: NcAA Division II

• Enrollment: 4,300 full-time undergraduate students

• Location: West Haven, ct

• Majors and Programs: Over 100

• Student to Faculty Ratio: 16 to 1

THROUGH HANDS-ON LEARNING!EXPERIENcE L.I.F.E.

College of Arts & Sciences

College of Business Henry C. Lee College of Criminal Justice & Forensic Sciences

Tagliatela College of Engineering

check out our visit opportunities at www.newhaven.edu/visituNH

®

University of New Haven, Office of Undergraduate Admissions300 Boston Post Road, West Haven, CT 06516 | 1-800-342-5864 ext. 7319www.newhaven.edu

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counselors: Looking for more Family Connection training for you or your students? To register for a public course, visit: https://www.webexcms.com/naviancepd/listwebinars beforelogin.php or call 703-859-7300, option 1 for Sales to purchase Professional Development.

colleges: Want to reach high school students by advertising in this guide? Want to reach high school students by advertising in this guide? Call Chris Zahumensky (800) 927-8439 ext. 6055 or e-mail [email protected].© copyright 2012 Hobsons. All rIgHTs reserVeD WorlDWIDe. Hobsons®, the

Hobsons logo™, Naviance®, KeyFacts®, CollegeView®, and SuperMatch® are trademarks of

Hobsons. All other trademarks are owned by their respective owners.

Tell me more…

SeVen

sTuDenTs: Whether you’re new to Family Connection or you’ve been using it for a while, this guidebook is full of practical tips you can apply right way. This book is organized to look like Family Connection, so you’ll find it easy to move straight to the online portal. If you need more guidance, see your counselors—they’re the experts!

counselors: Looking for more Family Connection training for you or your students? To register for a public course, visit www.webexcms.com/naviancepd/listwebinarsbeforelogin.php or call (703) 859-7300, option 1 for Sales to purchase Professional Development.

colleges: Want to reach high school students by advertising in this guide? Call Chris Zahumensky (800) 927-8439 ext. 6055 or e-mail [email protected].

Super Ways to Use this GuideGet hip to the suite of Family connection tools through the student Perspective stories —your ticket to an easy, breezy college search process.

Ease your financial burden by expanding your financial aid know-how.

Show your college entrance exams who’s boss.

Use our handy-dandy timeline to check off milestones on the path to college.

Weigh the pros and cons of in-state versus out-of-state schools.

Find out what your college major really says about the future.

Fan yourself on those last warm days of high school—really, who couldn’t use a fan?

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University of New Haven

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home

Family connection is an online tool, custom-designed for your high school,

that you, your family members, and your school counselor can use together to

determine your best path to college and ultimately a career. This guide will

show you how to maximize your course, college, and career planning using

the resources available through Family Connection. Your school may also use

Family Connection to share information about upcoming meetings and events,

local scholarships, clubs, and other college and career opportunities.

navigating your Family connection is easy! It is divided into five main tabs:

courses, colleges, careers, About me, and my Planner. On the next page you

will find a quick glimpse of the tools found within each tab. Refer to the Student

Perspective boxes found throughout this guide to see many of these Family

Connection tools in action! Your school may not use all the features mentioned,

so talk to your counselor about the options available and how to get started.

Manage your school work and the college planning process on the go with naviance student! Download this easy-to-use, free iPhone app to access upcoming and overdue tasks within Family Connection, update your status, and communicate with counselors directly from your mobile device.

Smoothsailing: Streamline Your College Search with Family Connection

Know what materials each school requires for a complete application and what deadlines are in place for admission and scholarships. organization is key as you’ll want to give yourself every opportunity by meeting deadlines.”

—mary ellen Anderson, director of admissions at Indiana university

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careers my plannercolleges about mecourses

Don’t forget your school’s

Family Connection URL.

Write it down!

While you’re at it, your

e-mail and password too!

password

remember me

Welcome to family ConnectionNice to see you again! Please log in.

e-mail

www.

CourSeS > View your current classes as well as those you’d like to take in the future.> view my course records > interesting courses > thoughts about my course plan > manage my course plan > view my current multi-year plan

ColleGeS > Here are all the tools for getting into cool schools. > colleges i’m thinking about > colleges i’m applying to > upcoming college visits > SuperMatch® college search > college match > college compare > college lookup > college search > college resources > college maps > scattergrams > acceptance history > enrichment programs > scholarship match > scholarship list > scholarship applications CAreerS > learn more about the careers that fit your interests. > favorite careers & clusters > explore careers & clusters > personality type > cluster finder > career interest profiler

ABout Me > your personal info, test scores, surveys, and favorite colleges and careers—it’s all here! > goals > tasks > favorite colleges > favorite careers & clusters > personality type > résumé > game plan > documents > journal > completed surveys > profile > test scores > account info

My plAnner > Keep track of your schedules, calendars, and important tasks using the planner tools. > to-do items > tasks > goals

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careers my plannercolleges about mecourses

Kyle is excited about college, but he’s a little confused about what courses to take and what his major will be. With his counselor’s help, he can › View my course records, start exploring › Interesting courses, and keep notes as he navigates the planning process using › Thoughts About my courses.

Student perSpeCtiVe Kyle

RealTalk:

•Being honest. Talk openly about your college worries—test scores, funding,

moving away from home. Counselors aren’t mind readers, but they sure can be

lifesavers when they have all the facts.

•Asking for (the right) help. Establish early what your counselor’s specific

role in your college quest will be, and revisit your goals and milestones regularly.

•Getting down to business. Be sure that you’re dedicating time to your

most pressing college-bound questions, especially as graduation nears.

•Sticking to a schedule. The college admissions process is rife with important

dates and deadlines. Your counselor can help you to get organized, but you must

be committed to completing each task in a thorough and timely manner.

Maximizing the Student-Counselor Relationship

Counselors possess a wealth of unbiased knowledge, and they can act as coaches, mentors, and liaisons to the college realm. Get the most out of meetings with your counselor by:

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Insider info. Guess what? Your teachers and faculty members have been to college! Granted, their experience will be somewhat different than yours, but things like scheduling classes, adjusting to dorm life, and working on campus don’t change much over the years. Hit up the college grads you know for firsthand knowledge.

Peer perspectives. Friends and family are great for their honest advice… especially the unsolicited kind, right? But even the opinions you didn’t ask for can help when it’s time to make those big decisions for the next two to four years of your life. And remember: If the people closest to you aren’t talking college, find folks who are and jump right into the conversation.

Social slant. Time to put sites like Facebook, Twitter, and College Confidential to work for more than scouring juicy gossip. Once you’ve got a list of prospective schools, begin to search and subscribe to newsfeeds as necessary to learn what other students are saying.

Technology tools. Family Connection is your best and most customized resource for accessing everything you need for the college search and application process, as well as for staying on track now! Be sure to also take advantage of the College Confidential/CollegeView mobile app, which puts expert college advice at your fingertips, and check out must-have student apps like Chegg (for textbook rental), Evernote (for note taking), and PocketMoney (for tracking finances). You can also use Google tools like Calendar and Reader to stay on top of important admissions dates and collect news and blogs for your short list of schools.

As discussed, your high school counselor’s office is a great place to go for guidance, but that certainly isn’t the only tool at your disposal. Here are some overlooked resources that can prove immensely valuable:

HelpfulHints:Where to Turn for Valuable College Tools and Advice

Emily is using the › manage my course Plan and › View my current multi-Year Plan tools to take the guesswork out of

course planning and stay on the right path

toward her dream of one day working as

a child psychologist.

Student perSpeCtiVe Emily

Your friends and family are there to help make recommendations, but so are college guide books and websites like collegeWeeklive. guidance counselors are great for double checking your essay (“there” or “their”?). All these people join together to be your college resource network—use them!”

—Zack rosen, assistant director of admissions at the university of new Haven

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careerscourses colleges about me my planner

checkIt:soPHomore YeAr

Fall Talk with your family members and other adults about their careers to get ideas about fields you might want to pursue.

Spring Check in with your counselor to make sure you are taking the right classes to meet college entrance requirements.

Think about summer jobs or volunteer opportunities that could help you explore career options.

JunIor YeAr

Fall Take the PSAT/NMSQT in October.

Establish personal interests and college “must-haves.”

Research programs and career services at prospective schools.

Gather info about college costs and student aid.

Winter Gear up for springtime exams using online test prep tools, such as PrepMe, a test preparation solution integrated with Family Connection!

Spring Tour campuses and talk with college reps, professors, and other students.

Take SAT/ACT pre-tests.

Plan a schedule for senior year with your counselor.

Update your list of potential schools.

Explore AP exam prep and other sources of early college credit and funding.

Exchange advice and information with other students at www.collegeconfidential.com.

Look for summer jobs and internships.

Summer Continue to visit potential schools and get ready for senior year.

To stay organized through the admissions

process, Jerome uses › My Planner to

create › To-Do Lists and complete › Tasks

assigned to him by his counselor.

Student perSpeCtiVe Jerome

Timeline for College-Bound Students

many universities, including ours, offer first-year programs to help students fit in quickly and prepare for the academic challenges ahead. At The university of Tampa, a 15:1 student-faculty ratio and an average class size of 21 mean close faculty contact with individual attention.”

—edesa scarborough, director of first year experience at The university of Tampa

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senIor YeAr

Fall Register for necessary entrance exams.

Secure letters of recommendation.

Narrow down your list of colleges to five–ten schools.

Organize application materials, noting admission and financial aid deadlines.

Use resources at your high school to continue researching local and national financial aid.

Get a head start on the FAFSA by completing the FAFSA on the Web worksheet at www.fafsa.ed.gov.

If you have already chosen a school, begin the process of early application. (Some require applications by Nov. 1.)

Have test scores sent to the colleges on your short list.

Begin drafting application essays.

Save copies of your applications for yourself before sending.

Winter Submit completed applications between Jan. 1 and Feb. 15.

Schedule any necessary admissions interviews.

File the FAFSA (www.fafsa.ed.gov) soon after Jan. 1—then watch your mailbox for a Student Aid Report (SAR).

Explore funding with online tools like collegeView.com and FinAid.org.

Check that each school has received your application materials.

Update/correct the SAR as needed.

Complete and submit any remaining scholarship applications.

Spring Compare acceptance/financial aid packages (they’ll arrive by mid-April).

If you’re torn between a few schools, visit each campus before deciding where to go.

Choose a school by May 1.

Summer Have your high school send final transcripts to your college of choice.

Get ready—an exciting college experience awaits you!

Include challenging courses in your schedule such as honors or AP courses that will prepare you for your college courses. But, make sure you create an appropriate balance and plan a schedule that is a good match for your abilities.”

—mary ellen Anderson, director of admissions at Indiana university

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my plannercareerscourses colleges about me

The ACT may be best if:• You did well on the PLAN. This ACT

practice test covers much of the same material as the ACT.

• You’re “book smart,” and/or you don’t feel your SAT score reflects your academic ability. The ACT is thought to be more straightforward and curriculum-focused than the SAT, so it can better reflect past academic performance.

• You’re worried about schools seeing disappointing scores. The ACT includes a “score choice” feature that lets students take the test several times before choosing which score to send.

• You have great verbal and reading comprehension skills. If you are a quick, thorough reader, the ACT might appeal to you since three of its sections involve reading comprehension.

• You’re better at “common sense” English than formal grammar.

You may choose to take the SAT if:• You did well on the PSAT, the SAT

practice test.

• You have a large vocabulary and excellent grammar. Both skills are highly useful in acing the essay and writing sections.

• Reasoning is your strong suit. Its official name is the SAT Reasoning Test, so success is based more on quick thinking than memorization of facts or formulas.

• You prefer tests that are fast-paced. Even though the SAT is actually 20 minutes longer than the ACT, it is broken up in a way that makes the pace feel faster.

• You’re better at writing essays that call for recollection of specific facts and figures.

• You prefer to study/test with a group. The SAT is still the most commonly required, so there might be more people to study and compare scores with.

TestQuest: To SAT or ACT, That Is the Question

Unsure whether to take the SAT or ACT? If your school hasn’t specified one test over the other, then the choice is yours. Here are some things to consider.

Student perSpeCtiVe Christina

Christina always struggles in the testing environment, so to maximize her chances for success, she sets realistic score › goals for herself, uses › Test scores to analyze her scores, and keeps track of her top schools’ requirements with › Favorite colleges.

standardized tests are an important part of the application process and it is essential you prepare for them. many schools superscore (take your highest section scores from multiple test dates), so it’s a good idea to take the tests more than once.”

—Valerie French, assistant director of admissions at The university of Tampa

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1. Make contact in person. Bottom line: Schools want to hear from you—not your parents. Let others speak for you in letters of recommendation and the like, but not during routine correspondence or appointments.

2. Get the right department. Don’t waste time calling the bursar’s office with a scheduling question. Double-check that you’ve got the right information—like phone numbers, e-mail addressees, and office hours—before contacting a particular office.

3. Dress/behave for the occasion. Treat all face-to-face interviews like they matter by showing up on time, wearing appropriate attire, and being polite and respectful to everyone you meet.

4. Manage your online persona (in advance!). In many cases, admissions reps look at more than just the application. Make sure your online presence is one you wouldn’t mind an administrator seeing.

5. Bring notes. Come prepared to in-person or over-the-phone interviews with a list of top questions. Being direct and specific will save time for both you and your interviewer.

6. Proofread, proofread, proofread. Writing a standard cover letter or personal essay is totally acceptable, but failing to change the details to match a specific school is not. Don’t insult an admissions rep (and potentially hurt your chances) by accidentally referencing another school—or worse, including a lot of spelling and grammar mistakes.

BestFootForward:Six Rules for Contacting Colleges

Interacting with colleges takes a bit of finesse. When, for example, should you contact the bursar versus the registrar? Is phone or e-mail preferred? What questions should you ask when you do reach someone? Reach for this quick list when it’s time to reach out.

While gathering application materials for the schools on her short list, Maria’s › game Plan lets her explore options for postsecondary pathways while the › Journal tool lets her jot down personal essay notes and life experiences. She’s starting to explore best-match careers by completing the › Do What You Are personality assessment.

Student perSpeCtiVe Maria

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HereorThere:Choosing between In-State and Out-of-State Schools

Should you stay close to home for your college career, or venture across the country? Here are some pros and cons for each option.

A Few Good Reasons to Venture in general, students who attend school in another state:

• Enjoy heightened independence, being out on their own

• Benefit from proximity to career opportunities they might not get at home

• Meet new people and experience new cultures through student housing

• Tend to be very involved on campus and in academic/professional groups

The Perks of Staying Put on the flip-side, students who choose a school in their home states:

• Avoid the difficult transition and homesickness that can accompany a big move

• Share their residence status with the majority of the student body

• Benefit from the often markedly lower cost of in-state tuition

• Stay in close, personal contact with family, friends, and career networks

Nguyen is just beginning to form his list of prospective schools, so for now the › Colleges I’m Thinking About and › College Compare tools will help him narrow down his choices. He can indicate what he’s looking for in a college by using › SuperMatch, which will identify which colleges meet his criteria.

Later in the process, Nguyen will plan to attend › Upcoming College Visits at his high school and narrow down his final choices with › Colleges I’m Applying To.

Student perSpeCtiVe Nguyen

top 3 ColleGe ViSit MiStAKeS3. choosing the wrong time to visit (like, during summer vacation when the campus is empty).

2. Tuning out during the tour. Don’t just take in the scenery—engage the tour guide with questions about academics, dorm life, and student activities.

1. not visiting at all. You may love the photos in the viewbook and the videos online, but nothing replaces the in-person visit.

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Know the deadlines. No matter how stupendous your grades, test scores, or athletic achievements may be, you won’t win scholarships if your applications are late. When applying to a college, check to see if there is a separate scholarship application and what the deadline is—then put a reminder in your calendar so you don’t miss it. Hint: Family Connection’s scholarship search allows you to sort by deadline, so you can see which apps you need to finish first.

Know the real cost of college. Look for the Net Price Calculator (NPC) on schools’ websites (colleges that participate in federal financial aid programs are required to have an NPC). Answer a few financial questions, and the NPC will give you these key numbers:• A median expected family contribution (EFC).• The average grant and scholarship aid the school awards to students like you.• The school’s “net price”—the difference between the total cost of attendance and the

average aid award. This is the amount you will have to come up with for your freshman year; you can do this through a combination of cash, loans, and scholarships/grants.

Know when it’s too good to be true. If a scholarship offer promises you money for little or no work or asks you to pay a fee to receive an award, just walk away. Focus your hunt on scholarships from colleges and reputable charities/companies.

Collegecash: Want to get a great education while minimizing your financial burden? Welcome to the club! Here are three things you need to know to keep your college budget in check.

What You Need to Know

Student perSpeCtiVe Dave & Kim

SuperMatch allows Dave to customize his college search using criteria like cost and availability of financial aid. Its “smart matching” technology shows both perfect matches and schools that come close. Kim uses › Scholarship List, › Scholarship Match, and › Scholarship Application to sort and identify award opportunities while staying on top of important dates and deadlines.

With leading academic programs, wide-ranging opportunities for student involvement, and a commitment to providing an affordable education, it’s no wonder Iu was named a best value among public colleges according to Kiplinger’s Personal Finance.”

—mary ellen Anderson, director of admissions at Indiana university

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Major myth 1: A liberal arts degree doesn’t give you viable career options. The intellectual skills you develop while studying the liberal arts apply to a wide range of jobs, so you’ll have many options for a long and varied career. Just ask domestic diva and entrepreneur Martha Stewart, who studied history, or best-selling author J.K. Rowling, who majored in French.

Major myth 2: When picking a major, students should base their choice on money. Happy still trumps wealthy on the scale of human goals. Base your choice on something more than “hot” market trends and rumors of big dollars—the economy is anything but predictable.

Major myth 3: There is a perfect field for everyone. The priorities of a college freshman can differ drastically from those of a college grad, so don’t worry if your

“dream degree” doesn’t appear right away. Be open-minded and you’ll find your way.

Major myth 4: unless you took undergrad courses in medicine, law, engineering, or business, those fields are out of reach. Actually, an increasing number of graduate programs don’t have pre-reqs. Grad schools look more for skill in broad academic areas such as writing, research, and critical thinking.

Major myth 5: A bachelor’s degree is your best bet for success. Many in-demand jobs—such as nurses, engineering technicians, and paralegals—require an associate degree, which you can get in half the time of a bachelor’s degree. Focus first on what you want to do, then find out what level of education you need to land your dream job.

Majormisconceptions:What’s the Connection between Degree & Career?

Using the › Explore Careers tool, Aisha can peruse job descriptions, skills required, and wages for the career paths she’s considering. She can also learn which careers are a good fit with › Career Cluster Finder, and use › Favorite Careers to share her choices with her counselor and family members.

Student perSpeCtiVe Aisha

Choosing a major is important, but it’s not a be-all and end-all career determinant. Let’s dispel some “major” myths.

unH prepares its students for a career after college. This shines through our motto of ‘experiential education.’ our graduates are ready to enter the work field, especially in our music, forensic science, marine biology, and criminal justice programs.”

—monique Bolt, admission counselor at the university of new Haven

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FROM HEREYOU CAN GOANYWHERE

EXPLORE | EXPERIENCE | MASTER YOUR DREAMS

www.ut.edu/explore

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Go on an intellectual adventure as vast as your imagination. A great university creates an environment that nurtures new ideas, unique talents, and burning curiosities. This is Indiana University in a nutshell. IU awards big scholarship dollars every year to hard-working, bright students from California. With more than 150 majors to mix and match, you’ll challenge the boundaries of your abilities, get an exceptional education, and be ready for whatever is next.

admit.indiana.edu

College should be like thisYour place for discovery

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