College & Career Prep for Juniors
Class of 2023 - College, Life & Career - April 2022
- Building a resume - All students need a resume of activities regardless of their plans for after high school. Naviance Student allows students to keep track of all their activities in one place. If a student already has resume, they will have time to update it during class.
- Preparing for recommendation letter requests - Students will get started on the questions to help their recommenders when it is time to request recommendation letters in the fall.
- Getting started on the Common Application - Over 800 colleges and universities use the Common Application to help simplify the application process for students. Juniors will learn how the Common App works and create an account to get started on their application.
Mr. David Blue & Ms. Teri Calcagno
College, Life & Career Counseling Team
To Do List
Check out the upcoming in person and virtual college fairs being offered this spring.
Explore summer and part-time job opportunities through our new Job & Internship Board.
Keep your grades up. Most colleges will be making admission decisions based on grades through junior year initially. Make them count!
Unless you are applying Test Optional, be sure to register for the SAT or ACT this spring. If needed, you could retest in the fall. See below for test dates and registration deadlines.
REMIND Text Messages
You will get reminders about:
- Upcoming College Visits
- Test registration deadlines
- Other important deadlines
***CAREER EXPLORATION***
Student: Looking for a job? Click on the button below to view all opportunities. We will be updating the board as new openings come in, so keep checking back.
Parents/Guardians: Interested in hiring students? Please send your information to Mr. Blue at dblue@centralcatholichigh.org and we'll add it to the job board.
*Central Catholic High School is a vehicle for sharing this information. It is the responsibility of students and families to fully investigate these opportunities.
***UPCOMING EVENTS***
Service Academy Information Day
Students, parents, and guardians are invited to attend and learn
about the application process to attend our nation’s Service Academies.
Saturday, April 16
11 AM – 1 PM
Open House from 11 AM – 12 PM
Formal Program begins at 12 PM
West Linn High School
5464 W A St
West Linn, OR 97068
Staff from Oregon Senate and Congressional offices and Liaison Officers from each academy will be present to answer questions.
RSVP is encouraged but not necessary; please do so by email at OR05KSRSVP@mail.house.gov
Hosted by Congressman Kurt Schrader
PNACAC SPRING COLLEGE FAIR
Who: The fair is free and recommended for juniors and sophomores who are interested in learning about individuals colleges and universities.
How to Prepare: To make the most of the fair, students should begin creating a list of colleges they would like to talk to at the fair.
Registration: Students should register in advance at the link above or directly through StriveScan by filling out a quick form. After signing up, StriveScan will send a barcode via text message and email. At the college fair, students present their barcode to the college representatives they talk to and will receive more information about that college. The next day, students receive an email with a report of all of the colleges and representatives they met, along with contact information and social media profiles.
Sunday, Apr 24, 2022, 10:00 AM
University of Portland, North Willamette Boulevard, Portland, OR, USA
LEARNING DIFFERENCES VIRTUAL COLLEGE FAIR
This fair focuses on opportunities for students with a history of IEPs, 504 plans, or therapeutic supports and accommodations. Each year, about 20 percent of graduating high school students fall into this category. It will also aid students who do not have formal accommodations because learning differences can come in many forms.
The fair will provide attendees with information that can assist them in postsecondary transition planning by providing a forum for students with learning differences and their families to explore the many available college options and learn from experts on how to make the most of the college experience. The virtual college fair format allows students time to process information at their own pace.
- Learn more about what to expect in college and find some colleges that fit your needs
- Get access to virtual college booths with resources, virtual educational sessions, and live representatives
- Have an ADA & WCAG compliant experience from the comfort of home
- College Matchmaking™ provides students with a shortlist of participating colleges & universities that match what YOU are looking for in a college
Registration will open on April 20 - HERE
Wednesday, May 4, 2022, 03:30 PM
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MORE VIRTUAL FAIRS
April 24 - Catholic College Virtual Fair from 10 am to 1:30 pm PT
Connect with a wide range of Catholic colleges and universities....
- You can choose which colleges you want to explore by registering for their sessions.
- You and your family can ask questions of the college representatives.
- The program will also include a presentation entitled, "Why Catholic Colleges?" which will cover the value and benefits of Catholic higher education and will feature current Catholic college students sharing their experiences.
Click HERE for details and to register in advance.
April 26 - NACAC Virtual College Fair from 3 to 5 pm PT
Connect with numerous colleges all in one place. Click HERE to register in advance and prepare for the fair. Be sure to check out the MatchMaking feature to determine which colleges might be best for you to meet with at the fair.
Preparing to Attend a College Fair
College fairs provide a great opportunity to begin researching colleges. They can also be overwhelming, so it’s best to plan ahead before attending one. Here are some suggestions to get ready:
Make a list - Look over the list of participating institutions in advance. Virtual fairs will have their list of participating colleges available online. In-person fairs can be researched in Naviance Student. Once logged in, you can search the colleges who will be at the fair using the following steps:
- Go to Colleges > Find Your Fit > Advanced College Search
- Start with College Groups > select “Spring 2022 Fair” or “Jesuit College Fair” > Click “Done”
- Add a couple other criteria to your search based on priorities that are important to you (ie. location, major, size, etc.). Avoid adding too many all at once.
- Save your search once you have narrowed the list.
Before attending the fair, write up a short list of questions to ask each admission representative. It is recommended that you ask the same questions of everyone to allow for a better comparison of colleges. Ask questions that you can't get out of a viewbook or online -- Avoid questions like, "How many people are in the freshman class?" Instead, ask what the two or three most popular majors are to get a good idea of the main interests of the majority of the students. Here are some other potential questions:
- If you have a particular major in mind, ask how many students are enrolled in your major or how competitive is it for admission. You can also ask what research faculty members are involved in and if there are opportunities for undergraduates to participate in it. Another question might be about what courses you would take your first year in a particular major.
- If you're undecided about a major or career, you can ask about what services and support are available to help you explore various majors.
- Other things you can ask about: extracurricular activities, what kinds of students the college is looking for, what percentage of students receive financial aid, and other concerns unique to your interests and situation.
Develop A Plan - Before attending the fair, make sure you have a plan to help you keep track of everything. You can use your phone or a small notebook to track your list of colleges and the questions you want to ask. After you leave a table or virtual booth, jot down your impressions of the college and the answers the admission representative gave you. Try to do this before your next interaction while your impressions are still fresh in your mind.
Bring a reusable bag for in-person fairs to collect materials from colleges of interest to you.
If a family member attends the Spring College Fair with you, talk about expectations ahead of time. You may decide to split up or stay together for part or all of the time. You may find that you each ask different questions. Also, it can be helpful to get a second opinion on your impressions of particular colleges.
Next preparation steps by fair:
- Spring 2022 College Fair - Register HERE in advance. A barcode will then be created for you to take to the fair instead of filling out info cards at every table.
- Jesuit College Fair - There is no online registration. You may want to print up some self-stick address labels for info cards. Include your full legal name (and preferred if different), address, phone number, e-mail address, high school, year of graduation, cumulative weighted GPA, intended major(s) or areas of interest (undecided is okay), and any extracurricular activities that you might like to participate in while in college. At the fair, place the address labels on the college information cards to save you time in filling out the same information over and over at each college's table.
- Virtual fairs - Each one will have an online registration process to complete in advance. They will also have a way for students to search participating colleges similar to the process we have in Naviance Student. Some also offering a matchmaking tool to help narrow the list of colleges.
Browse - Planning ahead ensures that you get to visit the colleges that most interest you. But also make sure to leave time for browsing. Be adventurous and don't just focus on 'name' schools. You may find that a college you've never heard of offers exactly what you're seeking – maybe a particular major, extracurricular program, study abroad opportunity, etc.
Follow up - By the time the fair is over, you'll have lots of information about different colleges. If you're feeling overwhelmed, take a day or two away from the college search. Then get out any brochures, along with the notes you took while at the fair, and read through everything. You may find that some colleges aren't as interesting as you first thought, while others look better the more you research them. For those colleges, explore ways to learn more about them possibly through virtual events or starting to schedule campus visits.
***TESTING UPDATES & REMINDERS***
Upcoming ACT Test Dates
Upcoming SAT Test Dates
- June 4 - Register by May 5
Most, if not all juniors should already have a College Board account. DO NOT create a new one -- use the one you have!
REGISTER - HERE
Prepare for free with Official SAT Practice through Khan Academy.
***WHAT'S NEXT***
To attend, juniors will need a College Visit pass signed by their 5th Period teacher at least one day in advance. Passes are available in the Counseling Center. Students who do not want to miss class are welcome to attend the evening fair from 6 to 7:30 pm at La Salle High School.