Counselor Corner
March 6, 2017
Important Dates:
Spring Break: April 3-7
ACT: Saturday, April 8 (must register on your own) See below
SAT: for Juniors at ROHS April 11th/12th (you do not need to do anything to register your student)
PSAT:
- 10th graders, April 12th, in school
- 9th graders, April 11th, in school
(you do not need to do anything to register your student)
AP TESTING--register now.
Testing will take place May 1-17
Any students wishing to take an Advanced Placement test MUST pay and register in advance. Failure to do so will forfeit the student's ability to test this year.Step 1: go to PAYSCHOOLS and pay for each test your student is taking ($93 ea.)*
Step 2: turn in your student's registration form to the SSC indicating what tests he/she is taking AFTER you have paid for the test on PAYSCHOOLS.
DUE DATE: March 22 (no later!)
*if the fee for AP tests is cost prohibitive and your family qualifies for free/reduced lunch, please have your student contact their counselor ASAP.
Should I retake the ACT or SAT?
However, it is good to know WHY you are electing to retake the test. Would scoring 1 or 2 (ACT) or 100 (SAT) points higher help you qualify for $1000 more in Merit Scholarships from your college? Are you close to getting into your "reach" school? If so, then maybe. HOWEVER...these instruments are generally very "reliable" metrics, meaning student scores don't tend to vary much from one test to the next.
Tips if you DO want to retake:
- Focus on ONE test (ACT or SAT) whichever one you felt more confident and comfortable with. All colleges take either test.
- If you want a different score, take a different approach. If you didn't do any prep work the first time, do some actual prep the second time. Online tutorials, test prep books or tutors/prep classes are all options.
Junior Parent Meeting
Monday, Apr 10, 2017, 06:00 PM
Royal Oak High School, auditorium
Tip of the Week: College Visits
Particularly if you have a Junior or Sophomore student this topic may feel “far off,” but now is a good time to start college browsing with your student as many will start applying at the end of August. Getting a head start will allow for Juniors to explore options at a point when they are still window shopping without the added pressure of feeling like they need to be making a decision AND it can be helpful to visit college campuses when the college students are in session, so you get a more accurate flavor of what that particular school is like. Things to remember before embarking on tours:
Plan ahead--some schools require 2-4 weeks advanced notice, particularly during busy times. Also, tours are not typically offered every weekday, and some schools have limited Saturday tours.
Register in advance--this not only assures the school will be expecting you, but they will likely tailor the visit to your student’s interests. Simply go to the school’s website and find a link for “visit.” Visits/tours are free but some schools do book up well in advance.
Make it a family event--most schools welcome the prospective student and their parents/siblings on a tour. This can be a great way for younger siblings to get excited about higher education as well as older students.
Visit a Spectrum of schools-- meaning:
big, medium, and small schools
Public, private schools
Local schools, distance schools
- “Reach,” “likely,” and “safe” schools. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket by only checking out that one school. There a multiple schools you could be happy with. We encourage students not to put "all their eggs in one basket." Look around--you might find some pleasant surprises.
Your Counselors:
Jennifer Vick, alpha C-J, vickj@royaloakschools.org
Carrie Laurence, alpha K- Re, laurencec@royaloakschools.org
Jim Bowker, alpha Ri-Z, bowkerj@royaloakschools.org
Phone: 248-435-8500