News for Juniors
IVVC Application Pages Due | Posted 12/10/24
Attention Sophomores and interested Juniors: Mrs. Mac needs the first page of the IVVC application turned in by Wednesday at 3:00. Both the front and back must be signed by a parent or you cannot move on in the application process! Need a new copy? See Mrs. Mac.
IVVC Visit and Application | Posted 11/12/24
Attention Juniors: Are you interested in attending IVVC next year? If so, you need to let Mrs. Mac know ASAP so she can get you the information you need. If you would like to attend the sophomore field trip to IVVC on November 25, that is an option as well. Just let Mrs. Mac know of your interest so she can get you registered for the field trip. - Mrs. Mac
Attention Junior Parents and Students: | Posted 9/9/24
Mrs. McAnally will host her annual junior night this Wednesday, Sept 11, at 6:30 p.m. in the LRC. Topics for the presentation include: post-secondary options, narrowing the focus, ICE, IVVC, college visits, manufacturing and union field trips, PSAT/NMSQT test for juniors, four-year plans, employment, scholarships and financial aid overview, job shadowing, ACT/SAT, military options, NCAA & NAIA, and community service. Please plan to attend this informative night with your student. Questions? Please contact Mrs. McAnally.
PSAT/NMSQT Test for Juniors | Posted 9/4/24
Attention Juniors: The PSAT/NMSQT test date will be here before you know it. This test can qualify you as a National Merit Scholar and can open up scholarship opportunities if you score high enough on the test. If you are interested in taking this test, which is also a great way to practice for the SAT and ACT in the spring, you need to sign up on Mrs. McAnally's bulletin board by Monday, Sept 9. To learn more about this test, go to College Board and click on PSAT/NMSQT or see Mrs. Mac.
Healthcare Opportunity for Sophomores & Juniors | Posted 9/21/23
Are you a sophomore or junior interested in learning more about the various careers in healthcare? The Northwestern Medicine Discovery Program is for you! This is a two year program for students with a GPA of 3.0 or higher and at least 15 years of age. There are other requirements and commitments, so if you are interested, please see Mrs. McAnally for the complete details. This is a great opportunity for anyone planning to go into a healthcare field after high school.
ICE Applications | Posted 2/9/23
Are you interested in participating in the ICE program for next year? Are you a junior or senior? Mrs. Woods is currently accepting applications for the ICE program for the 2023-2024 school year. You must apply and find your own place of employment. You are required to work a minimum of 10 hours per week. Students do this in a variety of ways. Some take four classes in the morning, including the ICE class, and then leave to go to work at 11:00 a.m. Other students may take additional classes at NCHS and leave later for work, and some students take a full load of classes at NCHS and work their 10 hours after school and on the weekends. The most important thing is to make sure you are getting the classes required for graduation and for college entrance if you plan to attend college after high school, before you leave for work. Do you have questions about the ICE program? Please see Mrs. Woods to get your answers. Do you have questions about how this works with your classes so you can get what you need for your future plans? Please see Mrs. McAnally.
ICE Applications Available | Posted 1/20/23
ICE (Interrelated Cooperative Education) Applications for next school year are available for pick up in the PC Lab. If you are currently a sophomore/junior you are welcome to apply. You may be wondering what the ICE class is? It is an opportunity to explore your career of interest for an entire school year. You are able to earn money or complete an internship program such as in physical therapy and education. The opportunities are endless. Come see Mrs. Woods for more information and to ask for an application. All applications must be returned by Wednesday, February 8 by 3 p.m. Download the informational flier here: https://tinyurl.com/49s378th (PDF)
Information for Juniors | Posted 12/22/22
Juniors – Now is the time to plan college visits! You get two free college visits per year during your junior and senior year that do not count against your attendance. Visiting colleges in the spring is key to being ready to apply to college next fall. It’s important to get on a college campus, sit in on a class, talk to admissions about their expectations, talk with financial aid about the costs, and possibly stay all night in the dorm to see what everyday college life is like. If you need help arranging an individual visit to a college, please see Mrs. McAnally for assistance. She can help you set up your visit and make sure you make the most of your time on campus.
Information for Juniors | Posted 4/7/22
Juniors, now is the time to arrange college days to visit college campuses. You are allowed two college days your junior year and two your senior year. These do not count against your attendance if you file the correct paperwork for your absence. Mrs. McAnally or Mrs. Nuzzo can provide you with this paperwork. When we return to school next fall, it will be time to apply to college if you plan to attend a four-year school. That time will sneak up on you quickly, so now is the time to plan! Students should have 3-5 colleges to apply to: a safe school (the backup plan), three colleges that have your major that you are interested in attending, and one reach school. These are the ideals to gauge your selection by. You can apply to more, but the more schools you apply to and are accepted to, the more difficult the decision is when trying to narrow down your choice to a final school.
Mrs. McAnally has a list of questions to ask on a college visit on her bulletin board for you to take along on a visit. Overall, a good college should offer your major, feel comfortable in size, have dorm food that you actually like and aren’t just willing to eat, provide a safe environment, and have extra-curricular activities that you are willing to join. If the campus doesn’t feel right, then it probably isn’t. You should feel at home on campus. If possible, sit in on a class, stay all night in the dorm, and eat the dorm food while on your visit. It’s important to see what the campus environment is like on a typical day. Therefore, visiting during the school year is important. A summer visit is nice, but may not provide you with a true feel for the campus.
Fall will be here before you know it and the senior year timeline is hectic. You will need time to complete your college applications, write essays, and apply for financial aid and scholarships. Most of this needs to be completed by October 1 to November 1, so planning now is so important. If you wait until fall to start visiting colleges, you will be behind. Take time now to visit schools that interest you. If you need help choosing schools, please see Mrs. McAnally. She is happy to help in any way she can.
If you think you might attend the community college first, you are making a great choice! Visiting the community college is just as important as visiting the four-year university. If you want to set up a visit to our home community college, JJC, or another community college, please see Mrs. McAnally for some assistance and more information.
Community colleges offer you the opportunity to take the same general education classes and some major classes in a smaller environment at a more economical price. It’s a great place to start your post-secondary education. Whether you think you will graduate with an associate degree and then transfer to the four-year university, earn an associate degree and then head to work, or seek further career training, the community college is a great choice. The average cost of one year at a four-year public university is $25,000. Private universities are even higher, often in the $40,000-$60,000 range. But, the community college is very affordable at the $5,000-$10,000 range! Same classes as the four-year school for much less money!! This allows students to be smart in their college costs, and offers an opportunity to explore options before heading to the four-year university.
Our students can either attend JJC, our home community college, or Waubonsee. Because we are a part of IVVC and VALEES (Valley Education for Employment System), our students can choose to attend Waubonsee for up to 9 consecutive semesters immediately after high school for a discount that equals in-district tuition. Both community colleges are a great opportunity for our students.
If there is a program you are interested in that our home community college doesn’t offer, you can pursue that program at another community college for in-district tuition if the program qualifies for a chargeback agreement. Students wishing to major in dental hygiene, for example, can attend College of DuPage (COD) for in-district tuition. Students start with JJC and ask for the chargeback agreement. Once the student applies for this, they then apply to COD’s Dental Hygiene program. However, special admit programs may require our students to sit on a waitlist until all in-district students are served. Another example of this is if a student wants to major in Diesel Mechanics. Students can start at JJC and ask to use the chargeback agreement to attend Kishwaukee for in-district price.
Now is the time to make a decision on which colleges you want to visit and make the arrangement to do so. For more information or help on any of the above excellent choices, please see Mrs. McAnally.
Information for Juniors | Posted 11/6/21
Thinking of attending college? Now is the time to visit colleges to see which ones interest you. Steps to take:
SAT scores from April School Testing
All juniors in the State of Illinois took the SAT on April 13, and scores were released beginning May 5. The benchmark in English/Reading/Writing and Math is a 540 for the State of Illinois. For colleges, students must earn a minimum scores of 480 in ERW and a 530 in Math in order to qualify to take a college level course in those subject areas. Students who did not reach the minimum scores of 480 and 530 should consider taking the test again to see if they can raise their scores. Students who do not earn the minimum 480 in English and 530 in Math will most likely be required to either take a placement exam or take a remedial course before being allowed to register for a college level math or English course. These remedial courses do not qualify for financial aid and do not count toward a student’s college graduation requirements. Most colleges require a minimum overall score of at least a 990 for college admission. The more difficult admission requirements a college sets, the higher the minimum score needed for admission. For example, NIU typically accepts a 1060 SAT/21 ACT for admission with a GPA of 3.0 or higher, and a 1130 SAT/23 ACT with a 2.8 GPA. Northwestern would require much higher scores, typically in the 1420 or above SAT range or 32 or above ACT range for admission. Students looking to earn scholarship money for their test scores and GPA must have a much higher SAT or ACT score than what is required for admission.
Therefore, if your student needs to retake the SAT or take the ACT in order to raise their score to meet their academic goals, tests will be held on August 28 for the SAT (anticipated date) and September 11 (anticipated date) for the ACT. Registration deadlines are at least a month in advance, and students should try to register as early as possible to get a seat near their hometown. Large districts and colleges host the exams for SAT and ACT, and students must register on the testing website. For SAT, it’s www.collegeboard.org and then students should log into their College Board account and click on SAT to register. For ACT, the website is www.actstudent.org. Once the website loads, click on the Register button in the middle of the screen. Students can seek Mrs. McAnally’s assistance in registering for the tests. She is happy to zoom with you and walk you through the steps. Area schools that host the test are Serena, Yorkville, Plano, Ottawa, Morris, Oswego, WCC, JJC to name a few. Seats disappear quickly so early registration is necessary. The tests do cost between $55-60 without the essay, and around $70 for the test with essay. Pricing for fall 2021 has not yet been released.
All juniors met with Mrs. McAnally in American Lit and AP Lang to go over test scores. Students were able to ask questions and pick up study materials from Mrs. McAnally’s office if they planned to retake the SAT or planned to take the ACT. Students who received accommodations on the SAT in April have not received scores at the time of this writing. However, they should be in by early June. Those students are more than welcome to contact Mrs. McAnally with any questions about their scores once they receive them.
Information for Juniors
Normally, the spring semester of the junior year, along with the summer months, is the prime time for juniors to visit colleges and start narrowing down choices. College applications are due in the fall of the senior year, so it’s really important for students to get visits taken care of and develop a list of 3-5 colleges that they will apply to in the fall. Because of the shelter in place order with Covid-19, most colleges are currently not holding on-campus visits. However, this should not deter a student from researching the colleges they are interested in to narrow down the choices. Many colleges have created detailed virtual visits, and some are now offering individual in-person visits. Check the website of the college you are interested in to learn more and sign up for a visit if available. Some tips for “visiting”:
• If the college isn’t too far away, make a drive and visit the campus in your car. Get out and walk around if allowed to see what the campus looks like.
• Visit the college’s website to take a look around. Many schools offer virtual tours of their campus, and all provide a campus map (many are interactive) with pictures so you can see the main buildings, dining, and dorm rooms.
• Visit a virtual tour website, such as https://www.youvisit.com/collegesearch or http://www.ecampustours.com/.
• Call and talk to a representative.
• Go online to the school’s website and request information on the college. They will be happy to send you a plethora of materials and view books so you can get a good look at their school and what they offer.
• Use Xello to research colleges that offer the major or majors you are interested in. You can access Xello by going to the school’s website on your Chromebook. Go to Student/Parent Resources, pull down to Academic Resources, and then down to Xello. You will be automatically logged in if you’re on your Chromebook. If you’re not on your Chromebook and it asks for a username and password, the username is NCHS-studentID#, and the password is your birthdate (mmddyyyy). You can save the schools and careers you’re interested in so their easy to find. You can take the assessment test if you’re uncertain what you want to do after graduation, and you can reach the school’s websites directly from Xello. (Think Career Cruising!)
We will hit the road running in the fall, trying to catch up on the time we’ve missed. The fall semester will be very stressful, as college applications will all be due and the FAFSA for financial aid will be due. If you need any help, whether now or later, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I can be reached at my email address at mmcanally@nchs18.org.
Information for Juniors | Posted 3/26/21
Spring of the junior year is the time for juniors to begin narrowing their post-secondary options. Juniors who plan to attend college after high school should research colleges and arrange college visits. Many colleges are now allowing individual appointments on campus. To arrange a college visit, students will need to contact the college they want to visit. Many colleges have calendars on their admissions websites so parents and students can pick a date and time to visit. Once a college visit is scheduled, students must turn in forms in the office to make sure the day isn’t counted as an absence. For forms, please email Mrs. McAnally so she can get the forms to you in plenty of time. While many colleges are beginning to accept prospective students back on campus, many are still offering virtual visits. To learn more about visiting a college, please visit the individual college’s undergraduate admissions website. For additional help, please arrange a meeting with Mrs. McAnally and she will walk you through the steps to schedule a college visit. The senior year will approach quickly and college decisions of where to apply will be necessary by early fall. Visiting colleges this spring and summer is important so students will have a plan of where to apply in the fall. Most college applications need to be received between Oct 1 and Dec 1, with many having a priority deadline of Nov 1.
Juniors Planning to Join the Military – If you think you would like to join one of our nation’s armed forces, Mrs. McAnally can help you make initial contact with a recruiter in the branch or branches you are interested in learning more about. It is important that the student and a parent meet with a recruiter early in the fall so students have time to work with the recruiter to take the ASVAB test, complete physical tness testing, and be prepared to enlist. Students who would like to attend college first, can attend one of the many colleges and universities that offer an ROTC program. Students who attend a college with an ROTC program, sign to serve after college as a commissioned officer in a leadership position in the military. Students who choose this route are commissioned at college graduation. For more information, see Mrs. McAnally.
Juniors Planning to Join an Apprenticeship after High School – The senior year will quickly be here and juniors planning to join a union for an apprenticeship program will need to make sure they continue to earn good grades an graduate on time. The unions look at the student’s transcript for admission, as well as math and reading for information testing. Students who score well on testing and have a good transcript, particularly in math will be placed higher on the call sheet for the union than others who do not score as well. Some unions require sponsorship, but others do not. For more information about applying to the union upon high school graduation, see Mrs. McAnally. She can let you know the specifics required of each union as well as set up an opportunity for you to meet with management and visit the local.
Info for Juniors | Posted 12/4/20
Now is the time to research post-secondary options! Juniors should be narrowing down their choices for after high school. Students can utilize Xello to research colleges and careers to learn more about each. Students can also use the interest inventory to discover options they might not have thought about.
Students who are interested in the military can set up an individual appointment with Mrs. McAnally to get some preliminary information before talking with a recruiter. There are manyways to join the military, but most do not realize that. Students can enlist, join an ROTC program, enter as a commissioned officer, or join the reserves or National Guard for part-time service. For more information, see Mrs. Mac!
Students interested in the trades after high school can learn more about the various union apprenticeship programs by visiting www.valees.org/apprenticeships. This is a great way to visually see all the types of jobs an apprenticeship program can offer. There are so many opportunities, and an apprenticeship provides the student with on-the-job training while earning a paycheck. The union apprenticeship programs also provide excellent benefits.
Students interested in attending either a community college or four-year college/university can learn more about these schools through Xello and the schools’ individual websites. Many colleges are offering virtual open houses and daily visits that are both virtual and in-person. Students will need to apply to college early in the fall of 2021, so it’s very important to have a plan by the end of the junior year.
Mrs. McAnally is available for individual virtual appointments to help students determine the best pathway, to walk students through the process of narrowing down choices, and to answer any questions they may have. To schedule an appointment, please email Mrs. Mac at mmcanally@nchs18.org.
Military and College Interest List | Posted 9/9/20
Each fall, colleges and military recruiters have the right to request a list of all juniors and seniors and their contact information. This request is covered under federal and state law. The law also states if you do not want your student’s contact information (name, address, home phone) provided automatically to those who request it, you may write a letter to the records custodian (Mrs. McAnally) to place in the student’s file. The law allows until October 1 to provide such a letter. If the letter is not provided, any recruiter who asks will be provided with a junior/senior list of names and contact information that includes your student’s information. (See page 40 of the Student Agenda/Handbook) For more information or questions regarding this law, please contact Mrs. McAnally.
SAT Prep | Posted 11/26/19
Students should be utilizing Khan Academy to prepare for the Spring SAT. By now students should have pulled last year’s test scores into Khan Academy in order to have targeted practice sessions availale. Students who have not done this need to see Mrs. McAnally as soon as possible. We will be taking a practice SAT here at Newark High School in February so you can see how you will do on the April test. Khan Academy is a great way to prepare for this important college entrance exam. Mrs. McAnally also has some study books and practice tests in her office for those who are interested in doing additional practice. See Mrs. McAnally if you are interested in these materials.
U3K4College.com | Posted 8/22/19
Looking for more in terms of potential majors/careers? Interested in small colleges? Then this is the site for you: U3K4College.com (U3K refers to colleges with less than 3,000 students) There is even an "Ask Peter" section to ask about their college search!
Information for Juniors
Your senior year will move pretty quickly, so making sure you are prepared is key. Some things to consider:
- Do you need to retake your SAT test to get a higher score? Do you want to take the ACT? Do you know if you need to? Mrs. McAnally can help you understand your test scores and what that means for you. Make an appointment! Please also see Mrs. McAnally to find out how to register to take these tests. You should have your retakes finished so that you have scores by the end of October at the very latest.
- What are your plans after high school? Summer is an excellent time to narrow down your choices. If you plan to attend college, schedule summer visits to colleges that interest you so that you will know what schools to apply to in the fall. Priority deadlines are between October and December, with most being November 1. A good goal is to have three to five colleges to apply to. Make sure you visit to decide if the school is a good fit for you. Eat the dorm food, stay all night in the dorm if possible, and sit in on a class to make sure the school feels right. There is a sheet of 20 Questions to Ask on a College Visit on Mrs. Mac’s bulletin board. Pick one up so you can take it with you on your visits. If you plan to go into the military or apply for an apprenticeship in the trades, set up a visit with a recruiter or to tour the trade you are interested in. Don’t know how to do this? See Mrs. Mac and she will help you!
- Class Schedule: did you sign up for classes that will challenge you and help you meet your goals? Do you need a schedule change in order to accomplish this? See Mrs. McAnally for some one-on-one time to make sure you are doing all you should be doing to follow your dreams!
College Visits for Juniors and Seniors
Questions to Ask on a College Visit
Junior Summer To-Do List: | Posted 5/20/19
Juniors: Planning to attend college? An abbreviated junior to-do list:
Continue researching colleges and careers. Try to narrow your plans and then explore these areas further to make sure this is really what you want to do. Ways for further exploration: arrange a job-shadowing day in a field of your choice and begin visiting college campuses. Start researching college applications and writing essays. Ask a trusted teacher to critique your essay. Try to narrow your career field to a maximum of three choices, and your college preferences to a maximum of 3 – 5 choices.
If you are interested in arranging a job-shadowing day, please make an appointment with Mrs. McAnally and she will walk you through the steps. If you need to visit a college, please remember you are allowed two college visits per year (during school hours). You may visit as many times as you wish on your own time. Typically, a college visit must be arranged in advance with the college or university. You must also make advanced arrangements with the school for your absence. Please allow at least 48 hours (preferably more) in order to get everything properly arranged with the high school and the university.
A first visit can consist of an open house day. Open houses are offered many times during the year, usually on days off from school such as Columbus Day. Students must register in advance for an open house so the university knows how many students to prepare for. Group information sessions are offered during an open house and students are led on a group tour. If the school still appeals to you after an open house, schedule an individual visit where you can sit in on a class, talk to students in your interested field of study, and meet with someone in that school/department. During an individual visit you should also meet with an admissions representative and can also schedule an appointment with financial aid. Financial aid will not be able to tell you specifically how much financial aid you will receive, but can tell you more about the process of applying and what scholarships and other financial opportunities are available. It is important to also eat the dorm food while on a visit. This is the food you will be eating for the next nine months if you choose to attend this school. It could be a very long nine months if you do not like the food!
Some colleges are now offering overnight visits for prospective students. This allows a greater sense of what “a day in the life” is really like. Most colleges require a minimum two-week notice for overnight visits. If you are interested in visiting either for a day or overnight, please see Mrs. McAnally and she will walk you through the steps for a college visit. There is necessary paperwork that MUST be filed in advance!
Questions to Ask on a College Visit
Attention Sophomores and interested Juniors: Mrs. Mac needs the first page of the IVVC application turned in by Wednesday at 3:00. Both the front and back must be signed by a parent or you cannot move on in the application process! Need a new copy? See Mrs. Mac.
IVVC Visit and Application | Posted 11/12/24
Attention Juniors: Are you interested in attending IVVC next year? If so, you need to let Mrs. Mac know ASAP so she can get you the information you need. If you would like to attend the sophomore field trip to IVVC on November 25, that is an option as well. Just let Mrs. Mac know of your interest so she can get you registered for the field trip. - Mrs. Mac
Attention Junior Parents and Students: | Posted 9/9/24
Mrs. McAnally will host her annual junior night this Wednesday, Sept 11, at 6:30 p.m. in the LRC. Topics for the presentation include: post-secondary options, narrowing the focus, ICE, IVVC, college visits, manufacturing and union field trips, PSAT/NMSQT test for juniors, four-year plans, employment, scholarships and financial aid overview, job shadowing, ACT/SAT, military options, NCAA & NAIA, and community service. Please plan to attend this informative night with your student. Questions? Please contact Mrs. McAnally.
PSAT/NMSQT Test for Juniors | Posted 9/4/24
Attention Juniors: The PSAT/NMSQT test date will be here before you know it. This test can qualify you as a National Merit Scholar and can open up scholarship opportunities if you score high enough on the test. If you are interested in taking this test, which is also a great way to practice for the SAT and ACT in the spring, you need to sign up on Mrs. McAnally's bulletin board by Monday, Sept 9. To learn more about this test, go to College Board and click on PSAT/NMSQT or see Mrs. Mac.
Healthcare Opportunity for Sophomores & Juniors | Posted 9/21/23
Are you a sophomore or junior interested in learning more about the various careers in healthcare? The Northwestern Medicine Discovery Program is for you! This is a two year program for students with a GPA of 3.0 or higher and at least 15 years of age. There are other requirements and commitments, so if you are interested, please see Mrs. McAnally for the complete details. This is a great opportunity for anyone planning to go into a healthcare field after high school.
ICE Applications | Posted 2/9/23
Are you interested in participating in the ICE program for next year? Are you a junior or senior? Mrs. Woods is currently accepting applications for the ICE program for the 2023-2024 school year. You must apply and find your own place of employment. You are required to work a minimum of 10 hours per week. Students do this in a variety of ways. Some take four classes in the morning, including the ICE class, and then leave to go to work at 11:00 a.m. Other students may take additional classes at NCHS and leave later for work, and some students take a full load of classes at NCHS and work their 10 hours after school and on the weekends. The most important thing is to make sure you are getting the classes required for graduation and for college entrance if you plan to attend college after high school, before you leave for work. Do you have questions about the ICE program? Please see Mrs. Woods to get your answers. Do you have questions about how this works with your classes so you can get what you need for your future plans? Please see Mrs. McAnally.
ICE Applications Available | Posted 1/20/23
ICE (Interrelated Cooperative Education) Applications for next school year are available for pick up in the PC Lab. If you are currently a sophomore/junior you are welcome to apply. You may be wondering what the ICE class is? It is an opportunity to explore your career of interest for an entire school year. You are able to earn money or complete an internship program such as in physical therapy and education. The opportunities are endless. Come see Mrs. Woods for more information and to ask for an application. All applications must be returned by Wednesday, February 8 by 3 p.m. Download the informational flier here: https://tinyurl.com/49s378th (PDF)
Information for Juniors | Posted 12/22/22
Juniors – Now is the time to plan college visits! You get two free college visits per year during your junior and senior year that do not count against your attendance. Visiting colleges in the spring is key to being ready to apply to college next fall. It’s important to get on a college campus, sit in on a class, talk to admissions about their expectations, talk with financial aid about the costs, and possibly stay all night in the dorm to see what everyday college life is like. If you need help arranging an individual visit to a college, please see Mrs. McAnally for assistance. She can help you set up your visit and make sure you make the most of your time on campus.
Information for Juniors | Posted 4/7/22
Juniors, now is the time to arrange college days to visit college campuses. You are allowed two college days your junior year and two your senior year. These do not count against your attendance if you file the correct paperwork for your absence. Mrs. McAnally or Mrs. Nuzzo can provide you with this paperwork. When we return to school next fall, it will be time to apply to college if you plan to attend a four-year school. That time will sneak up on you quickly, so now is the time to plan! Students should have 3-5 colleges to apply to: a safe school (the backup plan), three colleges that have your major that you are interested in attending, and one reach school. These are the ideals to gauge your selection by. You can apply to more, but the more schools you apply to and are accepted to, the more difficult the decision is when trying to narrow down your choice to a final school.
Mrs. McAnally has a list of questions to ask on a college visit on her bulletin board for you to take along on a visit. Overall, a good college should offer your major, feel comfortable in size, have dorm food that you actually like and aren’t just willing to eat, provide a safe environment, and have extra-curricular activities that you are willing to join. If the campus doesn’t feel right, then it probably isn’t. You should feel at home on campus. If possible, sit in on a class, stay all night in the dorm, and eat the dorm food while on your visit. It’s important to see what the campus environment is like on a typical day. Therefore, visiting during the school year is important. A summer visit is nice, but may not provide you with a true feel for the campus.
Fall will be here before you know it and the senior year timeline is hectic. You will need time to complete your college applications, write essays, and apply for financial aid and scholarships. Most of this needs to be completed by October 1 to November 1, so planning now is so important. If you wait until fall to start visiting colleges, you will be behind. Take time now to visit schools that interest you. If you need help choosing schools, please see Mrs. McAnally. She is happy to help in any way she can.
If you think you might attend the community college first, you are making a great choice! Visiting the community college is just as important as visiting the four-year university. If you want to set up a visit to our home community college, JJC, or another community college, please see Mrs. McAnally for some assistance and more information.
Community colleges offer you the opportunity to take the same general education classes and some major classes in a smaller environment at a more economical price. It’s a great place to start your post-secondary education. Whether you think you will graduate with an associate degree and then transfer to the four-year university, earn an associate degree and then head to work, or seek further career training, the community college is a great choice. The average cost of one year at a four-year public university is $25,000. Private universities are even higher, often in the $40,000-$60,000 range. But, the community college is very affordable at the $5,000-$10,000 range! Same classes as the four-year school for much less money!! This allows students to be smart in their college costs, and offers an opportunity to explore options before heading to the four-year university.
Our students can either attend JJC, our home community college, or Waubonsee. Because we are a part of IVVC and VALEES (Valley Education for Employment System), our students can choose to attend Waubonsee for up to 9 consecutive semesters immediately after high school for a discount that equals in-district tuition. Both community colleges are a great opportunity for our students.
If there is a program you are interested in that our home community college doesn’t offer, you can pursue that program at another community college for in-district tuition if the program qualifies for a chargeback agreement. Students wishing to major in dental hygiene, for example, can attend College of DuPage (COD) for in-district tuition. Students start with JJC and ask for the chargeback agreement. Once the student applies for this, they then apply to COD’s Dental Hygiene program. However, special admit programs may require our students to sit on a waitlist until all in-district students are served. Another example of this is if a student wants to major in Diesel Mechanics. Students can start at JJC and ask to use the chargeback agreement to attend Kishwaukee for in-district price.
Now is the time to make a decision on which colleges you want to visit and make the arrangement to do so. For more information or help on any of the above excellent choices, please see Mrs. McAnally.
Information for Juniors | Posted 11/6/21
Thinking of attending college? Now is the time to visit colleges to see which ones interest you. Steps to take:
- Use Xello to research majors and colleges that offer the major you are interested in;
- Use Xello to link to the college websites to learn more;
- Visit with College Reps when they come to lunch at NCHS;
- Narrow your choices and make appointments or register for Open Houses to visit the colleges of your choice;
- Pick up 20 Questions to Ask on a College Visit from Mrs. McAnally;
- While on a college visit, ask to sit in on a class, tour the dorm, and eat some dorm food;
- Keep track of the pros and cons of each college visited;
- See Mrs. McAnally to arrange a job shadowing experience in an area of interest.
SAT scores from April School Testing
All juniors in the State of Illinois took the SAT on April 13, and scores were released beginning May 5. The benchmark in English/Reading/Writing and Math is a 540 for the State of Illinois. For colleges, students must earn a minimum scores of 480 in ERW and a 530 in Math in order to qualify to take a college level course in those subject areas. Students who did not reach the minimum scores of 480 and 530 should consider taking the test again to see if they can raise their scores. Students who do not earn the minimum 480 in English and 530 in Math will most likely be required to either take a placement exam or take a remedial course before being allowed to register for a college level math or English course. These remedial courses do not qualify for financial aid and do not count toward a student’s college graduation requirements. Most colleges require a minimum overall score of at least a 990 for college admission. The more difficult admission requirements a college sets, the higher the minimum score needed for admission. For example, NIU typically accepts a 1060 SAT/21 ACT for admission with a GPA of 3.0 or higher, and a 1130 SAT/23 ACT with a 2.8 GPA. Northwestern would require much higher scores, typically in the 1420 or above SAT range or 32 or above ACT range for admission. Students looking to earn scholarship money for their test scores and GPA must have a much higher SAT or ACT score than what is required for admission.
Therefore, if your student needs to retake the SAT or take the ACT in order to raise their score to meet their academic goals, tests will be held on August 28 for the SAT (anticipated date) and September 11 (anticipated date) for the ACT. Registration deadlines are at least a month in advance, and students should try to register as early as possible to get a seat near their hometown. Large districts and colleges host the exams for SAT and ACT, and students must register on the testing website. For SAT, it’s www.collegeboard.org and then students should log into their College Board account and click on SAT to register. For ACT, the website is www.actstudent.org. Once the website loads, click on the Register button in the middle of the screen. Students can seek Mrs. McAnally’s assistance in registering for the tests. She is happy to zoom with you and walk you through the steps. Area schools that host the test are Serena, Yorkville, Plano, Ottawa, Morris, Oswego, WCC, JJC to name a few. Seats disappear quickly so early registration is necessary. The tests do cost between $55-60 without the essay, and around $70 for the test with essay. Pricing for fall 2021 has not yet been released.
All juniors met with Mrs. McAnally in American Lit and AP Lang to go over test scores. Students were able to ask questions and pick up study materials from Mrs. McAnally’s office if they planned to retake the SAT or planned to take the ACT. Students who received accommodations on the SAT in April have not received scores at the time of this writing. However, they should be in by early June. Those students are more than welcome to contact Mrs. McAnally with any questions about their scores once they receive them.
Information for Juniors
Normally, the spring semester of the junior year, along with the summer months, is the prime time for juniors to visit colleges and start narrowing down choices. College applications are due in the fall of the senior year, so it’s really important for students to get visits taken care of and develop a list of 3-5 colleges that they will apply to in the fall. Because of the shelter in place order with Covid-19, most colleges are currently not holding on-campus visits. However, this should not deter a student from researching the colleges they are interested in to narrow down the choices. Many colleges have created detailed virtual visits, and some are now offering individual in-person visits. Check the website of the college you are interested in to learn more and sign up for a visit if available. Some tips for “visiting”:
• If the college isn’t too far away, make a drive and visit the campus in your car. Get out and walk around if allowed to see what the campus looks like.
• Visit the college’s website to take a look around. Many schools offer virtual tours of their campus, and all provide a campus map (many are interactive) with pictures so you can see the main buildings, dining, and dorm rooms.
• Visit a virtual tour website, such as https://www.youvisit.com/collegesearch or http://www.ecampustours.com/.
• Call and talk to a representative.
• Go online to the school’s website and request information on the college. They will be happy to send you a plethora of materials and view books so you can get a good look at their school and what they offer.
• Use Xello to research colleges that offer the major or majors you are interested in. You can access Xello by going to the school’s website on your Chromebook. Go to Student/Parent Resources, pull down to Academic Resources, and then down to Xello. You will be automatically logged in if you’re on your Chromebook. If you’re not on your Chromebook and it asks for a username and password, the username is NCHS-studentID#, and the password is your birthdate (mmddyyyy). You can save the schools and careers you’re interested in so their easy to find. You can take the assessment test if you’re uncertain what you want to do after graduation, and you can reach the school’s websites directly from Xello. (Think Career Cruising!)
We will hit the road running in the fall, trying to catch up on the time we’ve missed. The fall semester will be very stressful, as college applications will all be due and the FAFSA for financial aid will be due. If you need any help, whether now or later, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I can be reached at my email address at mmcanally@nchs18.org.
Information for Juniors | Posted 3/26/21
Spring of the junior year is the time for juniors to begin narrowing their post-secondary options. Juniors who plan to attend college after high school should research colleges and arrange college visits. Many colleges are now allowing individual appointments on campus. To arrange a college visit, students will need to contact the college they want to visit. Many colleges have calendars on their admissions websites so parents and students can pick a date and time to visit. Once a college visit is scheduled, students must turn in forms in the office to make sure the day isn’t counted as an absence. For forms, please email Mrs. McAnally so she can get the forms to you in plenty of time. While many colleges are beginning to accept prospective students back on campus, many are still offering virtual visits. To learn more about visiting a college, please visit the individual college’s undergraduate admissions website. For additional help, please arrange a meeting with Mrs. McAnally and she will walk you through the steps to schedule a college visit. The senior year will approach quickly and college decisions of where to apply will be necessary by early fall. Visiting colleges this spring and summer is important so students will have a plan of where to apply in the fall. Most college applications need to be received between Oct 1 and Dec 1, with many having a priority deadline of Nov 1.
Juniors Planning to Join the Military – If you think you would like to join one of our nation’s armed forces, Mrs. McAnally can help you make initial contact with a recruiter in the branch or branches you are interested in learning more about. It is important that the student and a parent meet with a recruiter early in the fall so students have time to work with the recruiter to take the ASVAB test, complete physical tness testing, and be prepared to enlist. Students who would like to attend college first, can attend one of the many colleges and universities that offer an ROTC program. Students who attend a college with an ROTC program, sign to serve after college as a commissioned officer in a leadership position in the military. Students who choose this route are commissioned at college graduation. For more information, see Mrs. McAnally.
Juniors Planning to Join an Apprenticeship after High School – The senior year will quickly be here and juniors planning to join a union for an apprenticeship program will need to make sure they continue to earn good grades an graduate on time. The unions look at the student’s transcript for admission, as well as math and reading for information testing. Students who score well on testing and have a good transcript, particularly in math will be placed higher on the call sheet for the union than others who do not score as well. Some unions require sponsorship, but others do not. For more information about applying to the union upon high school graduation, see Mrs. McAnally. She can let you know the specifics required of each union as well as set up an opportunity for you to meet with management and visit the local.
Info for Juniors | Posted 12/4/20
Now is the time to research post-secondary options! Juniors should be narrowing down their choices for after high school. Students can utilize Xello to research colleges and careers to learn more about each. Students can also use the interest inventory to discover options they might not have thought about.
Students who are interested in the military can set up an individual appointment with Mrs. McAnally to get some preliminary information before talking with a recruiter. There are manyways to join the military, but most do not realize that. Students can enlist, join an ROTC program, enter as a commissioned officer, or join the reserves or National Guard for part-time service. For more information, see Mrs. Mac!
Students interested in the trades after high school can learn more about the various union apprenticeship programs by visiting www.valees.org/apprenticeships. This is a great way to visually see all the types of jobs an apprenticeship program can offer. There are so many opportunities, and an apprenticeship provides the student with on-the-job training while earning a paycheck. The union apprenticeship programs also provide excellent benefits.
Students interested in attending either a community college or four-year college/university can learn more about these schools through Xello and the schools’ individual websites. Many colleges are offering virtual open houses and daily visits that are both virtual and in-person. Students will need to apply to college early in the fall of 2021, so it’s very important to have a plan by the end of the junior year.
Mrs. McAnally is available for individual virtual appointments to help students determine the best pathway, to walk students through the process of narrowing down choices, and to answer any questions they may have. To schedule an appointment, please email Mrs. Mac at mmcanally@nchs18.org.
Military and College Interest List | Posted 9/9/20
Each fall, colleges and military recruiters have the right to request a list of all juniors and seniors and their contact information. This request is covered under federal and state law. The law also states if you do not want your student’s contact information (name, address, home phone) provided automatically to those who request it, you may write a letter to the records custodian (Mrs. McAnally) to place in the student’s file. The law allows until October 1 to provide such a letter. If the letter is not provided, any recruiter who asks will be provided with a junior/senior list of names and contact information that includes your student’s information. (See page 40 of the Student Agenda/Handbook) For more information or questions regarding this law, please contact Mrs. McAnally.
SAT Prep | Posted 11/26/19
Students should be utilizing Khan Academy to prepare for the Spring SAT. By now students should have pulled last year’s test scores into Khan Academy in order to have targeted practice sessions availale. Students who have not done this need to see Mrs. McAnally as soon as possible. We will be taking a practice SAT here at Newark High School in February so you can see how you will do on the April test. Khan Academy is a great way to prepare for this important college entrance exam. Mrs. McAnally also has some study books and practice tests in her office for those who are interested in doing additional practice. See Mrs. McAnally if you are interested in these materials.
U3K4College.com | Posted 8/22/19
Looking for more in terms of potential majors/careers? Interested in small colleges? Then this is the site for you: U3K4College.com (U3K refers to colleges with less than 3,000 students) There is even an "Ask Peter" section to ask about their college search!
Information for Juniors
Your senior year will move pretty quickly, so making sure you are prepared is key. Some things to consider:
- Do you need to retake your SAT test to get a higher score? Do you want to take the ACT? Do you know if you need to? Mrs. McAnally can help you understand your test scores and what that means for you. Make an appointment! Please also see Mrs. McAnally to find out how to register to take these tests. You should have your retakes finished so that you have scores by the end of October at the very latest.
- What are your plans after high school? Summer is an excellent time to narrow down your choices. If you plan to attend college, schedule summer visits to colleges that interest you so that you will know what schools to apply to in the fall. Priority deadlines are between October and December, with most being November 1. A good goal is to have three to five colleges to apply to. Make sure you visit to decide if the school is a good fit for you. Eat the dorm food, stay all night in the dorm if possible, and sit in on a class to make sure the school feels right. There is a sheet of 20 Questions to Ask on a College Visit on Mrs. Mac’s bulletin board. Pick one up so you can take it with you on your visits. If you plan to go into the military or apply for an apprenticeship in the trades, set up a visit with a recruiter or to tour the trade you are interested in. Don’t know how to do this? See Mrs. Mac and she will help you!
- Class Schedule: did you sign up for classes that will challenge you and help you meet your goals? Do you need a schedule change in order to accomplish this? See Mrs. McAnally for some one-on-one time to make sure you are doing all you should be doing to follow your dreams!
College Visits for Juniors and Seniors
Questions to Ask on a College Visit
Junior Summer To-Do List: | Posted 5/20/19
- Narrow down college choices by attending Open Houses or planning personal visits
- Gather federal tax information for the FAFSA
- Volunteer
- Find a part-time job
- Search for scholarships
- Begin working on college application essays (Google examples of good essays)
- Local food pantry
- Local animal shelter
- Church mission opportunities
- Local Vacation Bible Schools
- Feed My Starving Children
- Local homeless shelters
- www.careercruising.com
- www.fastweb.com
- www.scholarships.com
- www.cappex.com
- www.christianconnector.com
Juniors: Planning to attend college? An abbreviated junior to-do list:
Continue researching colleges and careers. Try to narrow your plans and then explore these areas further to make sure this is really what you want to do. Ways for further exploration: arrange a job-shadowing day in a field of your choice and begin visiting college campuses. Start researching college applications and writing essays. Ask a trusted teacher to critique your essay. Try to narrow your career field to a maximum of three choices, and your college preferences to a maximum of 3 – 5 choices.
If you are interested in arranging a job-shadowing day, please make an appointment with Mrs. McAnally and she will walk you through the steps. If you need to visit a college, please remember you are allowed two college visits per year (during school hours). You may visit as many times as you wish on your own time. Typically, a college visit must be arranged in advance with the college or university. You must also make advanced arrangements with the school for your absence. Please allow at least 48 hours (preferably more) in order to get everything properly arranged with the high school and the university.
A first visit can consist of an open house day. Open houses are offered many times during the year, usually on days off from school such as Columbus Day. Students must register in advance for an open house so the university knows how many students to prepare for. Group information sessions are offered during an open house and students are led on a group tour. If the school still appeals to you after an open house, schedule an individual visit where you can sit in on a class, talk to students in your interested field of study, and meet with someone in that school/department. During an individual visit you should also meet with an admissions representative and can also schedule an appointment with financial aid. Financial aid will not be able to tell you specifically how much financial aid you will receive, but can tell you more about the process of applying and what scholarships and other financial opportunities are available. It is important to also eat the dorm food while on a visit. This is the food you will be eating for the next nine months if you choose to attend this school. It could be a very long nine months if you do not like the food!
Some colleges are now offering overnight visits for prospective students. This allows a greater sense of what “a day in the life” is really like. Most colleges require a minimum two-week notice for overnight visits. If you are interested in visiting either for a day or overnight, please see Mrs. McAnally and she will walk you through the steps for a college visit. There is necessary paperwork that MUST be filed in advance!
Questions to Ask on a College Visit
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