Nolan Catholic College Counseling
Class of 2023 - January 2022
STUDENT TO DO LIST - Jan 2022
- Keep your grades up! Junior year grades are usually the last set of grades that colleges will consider for college admissions.
- SAT and/or ACT? Many colleges are not requiring test scores. See a list of test optional schools HERE.
- SAT School Day at Nolan Catholic, April 13. All juniors will take the SAT on Wed, April 13 from 8am to noon. More information will follow soon.
- Practice for the SAT or the ACT. See below for test prep suggestions.
- Use Naviance Student to begin researching careers, colleges, majors and minors (see below for more info and instructions)
PARENT TO DO LIST - Jan 2022
- Talk to your student! Have conversations about goals, expectations, budget, location, and all things college related. 9 Conversations to Have With a Future College Student - HERE
- Complete a NetPrice Calculator for every school your student is interested in applying to. See below for instructions.
- Explore Naviance Student, a comprehensive website that students and parents can use to research colleges and careers. Work together with your student to explore the following:
- Get involved in the planning and advising process -- build a resume, complete online surveys, and manage college application timelines and deadlines.
- Research colleges – compare GPA and standardized test scores of Nolan Catholic students who have applied and been admitted in the past.
- Research careers – research hundreds of careers and career clusters, and take career assessments.
JUNIOR YEAR COUNSELING TIMELINE
Guidance Counselors will be meeting with Juniors beginning in February and continuing through the end of the year.
FEBRUARY 2022
- February 1, 2022, College Planning Meeting (virtual). Information will be sent soon.
- February 3 & 4 2022, Classroom Presentation on forecasting for senior year and using your PSAT scores and Khan Academy to prepare to take the SAT.
- February 17, 2022, Dual Credit Meeting (virtual). All parents and students are encouraged to attend. More information will be sent soon.
FEBRUARY - MAY 2022
- Individual Meetings - Each junior will meet with their counselor to discuss plans for after graduation.
MARCH 2022
- March 9, 2022, Spring College Fair
- Classroom Presentation - Explore career and college options!
APRIL / MAY 2022
- Classroom Presentation - The nuts and bolts of applying to college: what to do now and over the summer to prepare to apply to college.
COLLEGE NEWS
NACAC Virtual College Fair
Click Here to Register - https://www.nacacattend.org/22VirtualJan30
Sunday, Jan 30, 2022, 12:00 PM
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ACT / SAT TESTING INFORMATION
Current as of November 11, 2021
SAT TEST DATES, 2021 & 2022
SAT
It's a good idea to plan ahead—and get comfy—before you start to register.
- Determine which administration you plan to take. See the full SAT schedule.
- Sign in to your free College Board account. Do not create a new account if you already have one! Your parent or counselor can't register for you.
- Provide your full, legal name and other identifying information. Make sure it’s the exact same name and information shown on your photo ID.
- Decide if you want to answer other questions about yourself. This takes time, but it’s worth it if you want colleges and scholarship organizations to find you. Learn why you should opt in to Student Search Service®.
- Explore test center locations and dates for when you can take the SAT.
- Upload a photo that meets very specific photo requirements.
- Check out, and print your admission ticket.
Note: Online SAT registration can take up to 30 minutes to complete, but you can start your registration process and come back to finish it later.
ACT TEST DATES, 2021 & 2022
ACT
- Computer with internet
- Credit card or other payment
- High School course details
- Headshot photo
REGISTER HERE
TEST PREP OPTIONS
Khan Academy is a FREE Test Prep Option
- Personalized practice just for you! Khan creates a tailored practice plan for you based on your PSAT/NMSQT scores or a diagnostic test.
- Provides 8 full-length, real practice tests and content created in partnership with CollegeBoard.
- It's interactive and has thousands of practice questions, videos, lessons, and hints plus study and test-taking tips and strategies
- Gives you instant feedback and progress so you know where you stand!
Students can link their CollegeBoard PSAT scores and Khan Academy accounts. Follow these steps (or see the video and pdf instructions below):
- Go to satpractice.org. Create an account on Khan Academy or sign in to your existing account.
- When prompted, agree to link your Khan Academy and College Board accounts.
- Send your scores.
ACT Test Preparation
- The Official ACT Live Online Class, Powered by Kaplan - A team of top-rated teachers show students what to study and how to study during a series of engaging live classes. Get all of your questions answered in real time. Learn more about ACT Live Online.
- The Official ACT Self-Paced Course, Powered by Kaplan - Learn anywhere, anytime with on-demand tutorials. These bite-sized lessons offer the perfect mix of structure and flexibility. Learn more about ACT Self-Paced Course.
- The Official ACT Tutoring, Powered by Kaplan - Learn test content and test-day strategies in individual tutoring sessions led by an expert from Kaplan, who will adapt to your needs in real time, answer your questions, and provide you with personalized recommendations. Learn more about ACT Tutoring.
- The Official ACT Prep Guide 2021-2022 Edition - Practice with real ACT tests so you know what to expect on test day. Now with 6 official practice tests and 400 new digital flashcards, you can familiarize yourself with the test format and review explanations for all your answers. Learn more about the Prep Guide.
NAVIANCE STUDENT
START YOUR COLLEGE SEARCH NOW!
Naviance Student is a comprehensive website that students and parents can use to:
- Build a resume - (About Me > Resume)
- Research colleges
- Research careers
- Manage college applications including timelines and required materials.
- Students -- email Mrs. Martin, nmartin@nchstx.org if you need your password reset.
- Parents - email Mrs. Martin to register for an account.
FINANCIAL AID
Net Price Calculators - How much will a college really cost?
Search for Net Price Calculators on each college's financial aid page or search HERE
Texas Universities Net Price Calculator search HERE
What is a Net Price Calculator?
A Net Price Calculator is a tool that is available on every college or university’s website and allows prospective students to enter information about themselves to find out what students like them paid to attend the institution in the previous year, after taking grants and scholarship aid into account.
What does Net Price mean?
Net Price is the amount that a student pays to attend an institution in a single academic year
AFTER subtracting scholarships and grants the student receives. Scholarships and grants are
forms of financial aid that a student does not have to pay back.
Complete a NETPRICE CALCULATOR for each school on your list! Students and parents will
need to work together to provide the required information.
COLLEGE APPLICATION -- GET PREPARED TO APPLY
Many of these may only be applicable to seniors but it's good to plan ahead and be prepared to apply next year.
Scholarship search engines
Scholarships Awarded By A College Or University
Check the Financial Aid and Scholarship webpages of each college you're applying to! Are there any additional applications needed (besides the admissions application)? Are there any scholarships that fit your profile and need an additional application?
Complete a Net Price Calculator for every college on your list! A Net Price Calculator is available on every college's website and is an easy tool to use to estimate how much each college might give you in scholarship money!