CVHS GUIDANCE NEWS: December 13, 2007
NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Student Stress over PSAT/SAT Test Scores:
According to Paul Kanarek, head of The Princeton Review in Southern California, now is the time of year when PSAT/SAT scores begin arriving, and hence, students can become extremely stressed about their perceived testing woes and scores. Mr. Kanarek suggests that parents and students keep the following points in mind when reviewing PSAT/SAT test scores (points paraphrased):
1. Remind students that the PSAT/SAT has nothing to do with how “smart” a student may be.
2. Mr. Kanarek feels that the PSAT (and the SAT) tests have limited correlation with what students have learned in school. It is not a curricular test, and this is why some students can have A’s in advanced classes but average or poor PSAT/SAT scores. (Advanced Placement (AP) exams are examples of curricular tests that seek to measure what students have learned academically. The ACT exam is more curricular in nature than is the PSAT/SAT.)
3. In general and if possible, Mr. Kanarek feels most students should avoid the SAT test date in January (due to 1st semester finals) or June (students are often exhausted from the school year). March or May tend to be the best test dates, unless a student has more than one AP class and exam, in which case, that student should probably choose the March test date.
4. Mr. Kanarek advises that test preparation has a place in PSAT/SAT testing but that students should be smart about their strategy. Look at the student’s test scores and compare them with the scores needed to go to various colleges. If the student’s scores are close (within 80 points), Mr. Kanarek suggests that the student purchase test prep books and study for him/herself. He goes on to suggest that if a student is 90-150 points away, the student might opt for one of the less expensive and less time-consuming programs. He only suggests taking one of the longer (5+ weeks) and more expensive ($700+) classes if scoring more than 150 points higher will make a substantial difference in the student’s college application.
Although the above points represent just one expert’s opinion, they are probably worth considering.
Finals Organizer for Students:
A graphic organizer (provided by CVHS math teacher Teresa Miller), which is designed to assist students with organizing their study time and materials for fall finals, is available at the following link: http://www.cvhs.com/guidancedocs/finalsorganizer.pdf All students are encouraged to use this organizer as they prepare for finals on January 30th, 31st, and February 1st.
AP Testing Update:
Students in AP classes were recently given the exam registration forms in their AP classes. Students who may need replacement forms should visit the Guidance Office. AP exams will be administered during the period of May 5th through May 16th. The registration fees are $84.00 per exam and the deadline to register is February 22nd, 2007. Students may pay for the exams at the CVHS Activities Office with checks payable to CVHS. An official bulletin from the College Board with detailed information will be coming sometime in early January. Additional information regarding specific test dates, locations, and times will be given to students following the close of registration. Any questions regarding AP Testing should be directed to Academic Advisor Cassandra Ondryas at condryas@capousd.org
Spring Semester Registration:
All students met with their first period teachers on Wednesday, November 28th for Spring Semester Advisement Day – the first step in registering for Spring Semester classes. Students were given a list of course offerings for second semester, along with a course registration form and other information necessary to select classes. Students were directed to complete their course requests, obtain all necessary signatures (including a parent signature), and return the completed forms to their first period teacher on Friday, November 30th. Academic Advisors and Counselors are now in the process of meeting with each student during English classes in order to finalize course requests for second semester.
College Scholarship Information Posted:
Current scholarship opportunities are now posted at the following link: http://www.cvhs.com/Scholarship.htm , or go to www.cvhs.com and then click on “Guidance” and “Scholarship Info.” Recommendation: Scholarship information will be updated approximately every 7-10 working days, so students and parents should check the posting periodically throughout the year. In addition, a “Scholarship Notebook” of information will be available in the Guidance Office.
FINAL REMINDER!! Deadline and Stipulations for Dropping a Class**
This Friday, December 14th, 2007, is the final deadline for students to drop a class. In order to drop a class, all of the following criteria must be met:
o Students must always be enrolled in the 5-class minimum (for juniors and seniors) or the 6-class minimum (for freshman and sophomores). Students may not drop a class if it will cause them to fall below the above limits.
o The dropped class may not be a graduation requirement.
o A completed blue “Request for Schedule Change” form with all necessary signatures (including parent) is required to drop a class. The form is available in the Guidance Office, or on the CVHS website under “Guidance.”
Work Permits – Get them BEFORE holiday break!
Students needing work permits MUST apply and obtain them from Ms. Deckert in the CVHS on-campus Career Center prior to holiday breaks. NEXT WEEK IS THE FINAL WEEK TO OBTAIN A WORK PERMIT PRIOR TO HOLIDAY BREAK! Since the Capistrano Unified School District offices and school sites will be closed for Winter Break (Dec. 24 – Jan. 4), no work permits will be issued during this time. In addition, Ms. Deckert will not issue work permits on December 13th or 14th as she will be attending a conference on those days. Therefore, students MUST see Ms. Deckert prior to holiday breaks (but not on Dec. 13th or 14th since, as stated above, she will be attending a conference on those days) in order to obtain a work permit in time to work for the holidays.
PAST “OLD” ANNOUNCEMENTS & DATES:
Important Guidance Calendar Dates:
Please read the announcements above and/or below for details regarding each date/event listed.
Date
Event
Notes
12/15/07
Last Day to drop a class
See
announcement above for details and stipulations
1/9/08
FAFSA financial aid application presentation
6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
at Aliso Niguel High School; see announcement below
1/15/08
College “Scores Back Night”
7:00 p.m. in the CVHS mall; see announcement below
1/16/08
FAFSA financial aid application presentation
6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
at San Clemente High School; see announcement below
2/22/08
Deadline to register for AP Tests
See announcement above for details.
**WEBSITE REMINDER:
CVHS Guidance Website Resources:
Perhaps the best source of guidance information for parents and students can be found on the Capistrano Valley High School website at: www.cvhs.com For guidance information relating to college, scholarships, testing, careers, and general information, simply click on the following link: http://www.cvhs.com/guidance.htm or visit the CVHS website at www.cvhs.com and then click on “Guidance.”
Archive of Past Guidance News Listserves Now Available:
An archive of past CVHS Guidance News Listserve messages is now available on-line by visiting www.cvhs.com, then clicking on “Guidance” and looking near the bottom under “Guidance News and Announcements Archive.”
**HOT RESOURCE!! National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) Resource for Students and Parents:
The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) offers a great on-line resource for students and parents. Recommendation: Visit one of the following links to view and print a basic guide about the college admission process:
Guide in English:
http://www.nacacnet.org/NR/rdonlyres/70DEDCDE-2A40-4248-80B1-339B04232326/0/GuideforParents.pdf
Guide in Spanish:
**HOT NEW RESOURCE!! – On-line Guidance “Annual Checklists” for All Grade Levels:
In an effort to provide parents and students with clear and concise guidance information for all grade levels, the CVHS Guidance Team has developed specific guidance “Annual Checklists” for each grade level. These lists show key guidance timelines, college testing and application details, and other information in an easy to follow, month-by-month format for each year of high school. To access and print the lists, simply go to www.cvhs.com , then click on “Guidance,” and then look under the heading entitled “Annual Checklists.” ( Print out and review all four lists in order to get a full picture of the progression of guidance-related issues throughout the four years of high school.)
Division I and Division II NCAA College-Bound Athletes:
Students who may want to participate in college Division I or Division II college athletics after high school should be aware of athletic eligibility and entrance requirements for college freshman athletes. In general, student athletes must complete either 16 (Division I) or 14 (Division II) core college-prep academic courses while in high school in order to be eligible to participate in collegiate athletics (generally very similar to the CSU/UC Subject A-G requirements). Recommendation: For more information, students and parents should visit www.ncaa.org and then download the document entitled “NCAA 2007-08 Guide for the College-Bound Student Athlete” at the following link: http://www.ncaa.org/library/general/cbsa/2007-08/2007-08_cbsa.pdf
High School Academic Plans for Sophomores Completed:
Throughout the month of November, Academic Advisors and Counselors met with all sophomore students during social science classes to discuss and complete their high school academic plans. Most students will complete their plans using our campus computer lab. Students are then asked to print a copy of their plan and take it home for discussion with parents. Parents or students who have any further questions or concerns should contact the student’s Academic Advisor or Counselor.
California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) Preparation Books Available!
California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) preparation books for Math and English Language Arts are now available in the Guidance Office for all sophomores and any juniors or seniors who have not yet passed one or both portions of the exam. (NOTE: These are the same booklets that will be handed out in all sophomore English II classes during Back to School Night, so students whose parents attended will not need to pick up booklets.)
On-Line Test Prep Resources Available to Mission Viejo Library Members:
The City of Mission Viejo’s library offers FREE on-line test prep to their patrons! Library members can prepare for the SAT, ACT, PSAT, PLAN, many AP courses, writing, math, etc. Students need a Mission Viejo Library card in order to participate. Go to the following link to preview the resources available: http://www.cmvl.org/databases.html and then visit a Mission Viejo library to apply for a library card if you don’t already have one. This is a great FREE resource!
California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) Test Dates and Info. for 2007-08:
December 1st and 8th – held these two Saturdays at Adult Education Center for primarily those seniors new to California who might need additional testing dates.
February 5th and 6th - held at CVHS during the school day for only those seniors who have not yet passed one or both sections, plus those juniors who may have missed the November test dates.
March 11th and 12th – held at CVHS during extended school days for all sophomore students only.
May 6th and 7th - held at CVHS during the school day for only those juniors and seniors who have not yet passed one or both sections.
College Financial Aid Presentations – Save the Dates!
There will be two opportunities for parents and students to learn how to complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) process. The two dates/times and locations are: January 9th from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. at Aliso Niguel High School, or January 16th from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. at San Clemente High School. Please save these dates and plan to be there!!
College “Scores Back Night” – Save the Date!
Each year, CVHS hosts a college “Scores Back Night” – an evening event where those students who took the PSAT and/or PLAN tests in October can receive their scores and hear a short presentation regarding score interpretation, college admissions implications, etc. This year, the event will be held on Tuesday, January 15th, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. in the CVHS Mall. Students and parents are both invited and should plan to park and enter through the upper parking lot since there is also a basketball game scheduled the same night and parking will probably be full in the lower staff lot. Please save the date and plan to attend!
Letters of Recommendation for College Applications:
Most private colleges and universities require Letters of Recommendation from counselors and/or teachers. In order to facilitate the numerous requests, please download the forms on the CVHS website, under Guidance, or click on the following link: http://www.cvhs.com/guidancedocs/Secondary%20School%20report%20guidelines.doc . Please follow the instructions and adhere to all deadlines as listed on the form. Requests turned in after deadlines may not be completed on time. Remember, the UC and Cal State systems do NOT require Letters of Recommendations.
On-Campus College Visits:
For a listing of the dates and times when various colleges and universities will be on the CVHS campus providing information and answering questions for potential student applicants, please visit the following link on our Guidance website: http://www.cvhs.com/guidancedocs/Collegerepsfall07.pdf Recommendation: Please check the list frequently as it will be updated throughout the year.
After-School Tutorial and Homework Center:
Does your student need some extra academic help or a quiet place to study after school? The CVHS After-School Tutorial and Homework Center began on Tuesday, October 9th, 2007. The program will be staffed by CVHS math teacher, Ms. Pat Schubert, and held every Tuesday and Thursday from 2:55 – 3:55 p.m. in room E-7. An Academic Intervention Counselor (Ms. Galasso or Ms. Jordheim) will also be present at every session, and volunteer student tutors will be available whenever possible. Recommendation: This is a great opportunity for students to get extra help and/or improve study habits, and we highly recommend regular attendance for those students who are earning below a “C” in any class.
CVHS Curriculum Guide NOW Available On-line!!
The CVHS 2007-08 Curriculum Guide is NOW available for download on-line in order to help parents and students answer important questions about course offerings, high school graduation, and college entrance requirements. The Guide is an excellent parent resource and is also distributed every year to incoming freshmen as a part of the registration process. To download the Guide, please visit the following link: http://www.cvhs.com/guidance.htm and then click on “Curriculum Guide” under the “General Info” heading. In addition, if you have questions regarding graduation or college admissions requirements, please contact your student’s Academic Advisor.
CVHS Guidance Team
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