It's really never too early for students to begin thinking about college.
From their first year as freshmen, they should be keeping their grades
up, participating in clubs and teams, and forming positive relationships
with teachers and peers. However, many students delay planning for college
because the application process is daunting, time-consuming, and confusing.
With seemingly endless paperwork, exams, and deadlines, it's no wonder
students are loath to begin and often wait until the last minute.
Through activities presented in this lesson, students will become familiar
with the many phases of the college application process, including choosing
schools that suit their needs and desires, understanding the standardized
test requirements, constructing an effective entrance essay, and procuring
strong letters of recommendation. They will develop the skills necessary
to embark on a productive college search and become comfortable with the
steps involved in compiling a strong application packet. After examining
Web sites and video clips, students will take the first step in assembling
their college folders by completing their personal profiles.
Students will be able to:
- Identify personal preferences and abilities
- Evaluate schools for possible admission based on personal preferences
and abilities
- Understand the components of a strong application packet, including
essay and recommendations
- Distinguish between the SAT and ACT exams
- Understand the importance of becoming a well-rounded student for
the purpose of college admission
New
York State Learning Standards for Career Development and Occupational
Studies
http://www.nysatl.nysed.gov/standards.html
Standard 1: Career Development
Students will be knowledgeable about the world of work, explore career
options, and relate personal skills, aptitudes, and abilities to future
career decisions.
Standard 3a: Universal Foundation Skills
Students will demonstrate mastery of the foundation skills and competencies
essential for success in the workplace.
(Basic Skills): Listen to and read the ideas of others and express themselves
both orally and in writing
(Thinking Skills): Use ideas and information to make decisions and solve
problems related to accomplishing a task
Standard 3b: Career Majors
Students who choose a career major will acquire the career-specific technical
knowledge/skills necessary to progress toward gainful employment, career
advancement, and success in postsecondary programs.
Video:
Road to College 2001
Web sites:
Peterson's Education
Center
http://www.petersons.com
This comprehensive site enables students to search for colleges that
meet individual needs through an advanced search option. Students can
also search colleges alphabetically and geographically.
Campus Tours
http://www.campustours.com
This site provides a quick and easy way to see hundreds of colleges
and link to their Web sites, view handy maps and take virtual tours
of campuses.
The College Board
http://www.collegeboard.com/prod_downloads/sat/satguide/SAT_Verbal.pdf
http://www.collegeboard.com/prod_downloads/sat/satguide/SAT_Math.pdf
These inclusive sites provide general college information and allow
students to maintain personal files. They describe the components of
the Scholastic Aptitude Test. The above links contain Adobe versions
of practice verbal and math SAT's.
ACT
http://actrs8.act.org/aap/testprep/samples2.html
This Web site describes the components of the American College Test
and offers a practice exam.
Per student:
- Computer with Internet access
- My Ideal College Experience worksheet
- College Tour worksheet
- College Planning by Flow Chart sheet
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