Transcript Junior Meeting

Class of 2016

Attaining senior status
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
Track completion of courses
Opportunities for credit recovery
Earning a diploma from WHS

What is required?
 Course/Credit Requirements
 Complete Grad Log
 Review 2015-2016 course requests
 MCAS Competency Determination

Post-secondary planning

Credits needed
 By June 2015, 16 credits earned
 Review transcripts
 Total the credits attained in grades 9, 10, 11

Less than 16 credits attained?
 Credit recovery
 Opportunities/Guidelines
 Summer school
 Senior status in August 2015
 Night school
 Senior status in January 2016
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Completion of 22 units of credit distributed
among the following subject areas
Subject area
Credits Required for
WHS
Credits Req’d for
4 year college
English
4
4
Math
3
4
History
3
3
Science
2
3
Foreign Language
-
2
Applied/Fine Art
1
1
Health
.5
-
Financial Literacy/Family Life
.5
-
Physical Education
2
-
Electives
6
5
Total
22
22
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Add your senior year selected courses to your
grad log

Do you satisfy each academic area to meet
graduation requirements?
 IF NOT, see your counselor ASAP!

Senior year courses should be appropriately
challenging
 Consider taking AP or Honors Courses
 Consider Dual Enrollment at a local college

Must meet the competency determination
standard (http://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/graduation.html)

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English Language Arts (ELA)
Mathematics
Science and Technology/Engineering (STE)
Competency Determination (CD)
Advanced (260-280)
 Proficient (240-258)
 Needs Improvement (220-238)
 Failing (200-218)

ELA: Earned a
scaled score of
240+
•Met CD
•No further testing required
Math: Earned a
scaled score of
240+
•Met CD
•No further testing required
STE: Earned a
scaled score of
220+
•Met CD
•No further testing required
ELA: Earned
a scaled score
of 220-238
• Met CD
• Must fulfill the requirements of an
Educational Proficiency Plan (EPP)
• Must enroll in and pass ELA in
subsequent years
Math: Earned
a scaled score
of 220-238
• Met CD
• Must fulfill the requirements of an
Educational Proficiency Plan (EPP)
• Must enroll in and pass Math
courses in subsequent years
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An EPP must be developed for any student in the
class of 2010 and beyond who does not meet or
exceed the Proficient level (a minimum scaled
score of 240) on the grade 10 ELA and/or
Mathematics tests. (http://www.doe.mass.edu/mcas/graduation.html)
Each EPP includes:
Student's strengths and weaknesses, based on MCAS and
other assessment results, coursework, grades, and teacher
input
 Courses the student will be required to take and
successfully complete in grades 11 and 12
 Description of the assessments the school will administer
on a regular basis to determine whether the student is
moving toward Proficiency

ELA: Earned a
scaled score of
below 220
•Did not meet CD
•Must take re-test until a score of above 220 is reached
•Must be enrolled in an ELA course in subsequent years
Math: Earned a
scaled score of
below 220
•Did not meet CD
•Must take re-test until a score of above 220 is reached
•Must be enrolled in a Math course in subsequent years
STE: Earned a
scaled score of
below 220
•Did not meet CD
•Must take the Biology re-test until a score of above 220 is
reached
•Must be enrolled in a Science course related to Biology to
prepare for the re-test
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Work

Gap Year

Post Graduate Year

Apprenticeship Training Programs

Military
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Technical/Vocational Schools

Two Year College/ Community College
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Four Year College/ University
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What to do now…

Select courses at WHS related to your career path
 Consider enrolling in
 Work Study
 Internship
Visit the College and Career center to complete a
career interest inventory
 Check the newspaper and online listings for job
announcements, (www.masslive.com)
 Apply early and often
 Volunteer
 Network!!!
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Not sure what your next step is? College? Career? A
gap year is an opportunity to gain valuable life
experience while

working, volunteering, traveling, interning
 AmeriCorps , www.americorps.org
 Center for Cultural Exchange, www.cci-exchange.com
 City Year, www.cityyear.org/chgo
 Rustic Pathways, ww.rusticpathways.com
 Worldwide Opportunities of Organic Farms, www.wwoof.org
 Habitat for Humanity, www.habitat.org/ivp
 Outward Bound, www.outwardbound.org
 Thinking Beyond Borders, www.thinkingbeyondborders.com
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Attending a prep school can provide extra time
to:
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strengthen academic and/or athletic skills
Prepare for college admission testing
 http://privateschool.about.com/od/students/qt/pgye
ar.htm
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Building and Construction Trades

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Active, hands-on job with variety, see the outcome of
your work
Challenging, high level of skill
Become a skilled journey worker with a Union

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30 Joint Apprenticeship Training Centers across MA
Earn while you learn
 Attend a specific number of paid classroom trainings
 http://www.mass.gov/Elwd/docs/dat/ApprenticeProgD
ir.05.08.09_508.pdf
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Branches

Army (http://www.army.mil/)
 Army National Guard (http://www.ng.mil/)

Air Force (http://www.af.mil/)
 Air National Guard (http://www.ang.af.mil/)
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Speak to a recruiter
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Navy (http://www.navy.mil/)
Marine Corps (http://www.marines.mil/)
Coast Guard (http://www.uscg.mil/)
Career center visits
Take ASVAB in December 2015
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Prepares trainees for jobs that are based on
manual or practical activities
Traditionally non-academic
Career-focused education

Visit the College and Career center for more
information

Generally open enrollment

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
Require placement testing (ACCUPLACER)

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Same requirements as a high school diploma
Selective programs may have additional
requirements
English & Math
Cost effective alternative to a four-year college
Most credits transfer to a four-year college
Good place to start if unsure of major
(http://professionals.collegeboard.com/guidance/college/community-college)

Admission Standards for Massachusetts State
Colleges and Universities
MassCore
English/Language Arts
Mathematics
Massachusetts High School Program of Studies
4 Units*
4 Units
Including the completion of Algebra II or completion of the Integrated Math equivalent.
All students are recommended to take a math course during their senior year.
Science
3 Units of lab-based science
Coursework taken in technology/engineering may count for MassCore science credit.
Note: In June 2012, the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education (BHE) revised its
admission standards to count technology/engineering coursework based on academic
standards and taken for science credit as meeting the science admissions requirement.
History/Social Science
3 Units
Including US History and World History.
2 Units
Of the same language.
As required by law
State law (M.G.L. c. 71,s. 3) states: “Physical education shall be taught as a required
subject in all grades for all students.”
Foreign Language**
Physical Education
The Arts**
Health can be integrated into Physical Education, science, or taught as a stand-alone
course.
1 Unit
Additional Core Courses
5 Units
Business Education, Career and Technical Education (CTE), Health, Technology or any
of the subjects above. Note: Most students majoring in CTE will take more than 5 units in
a CTE program of study.
22 Units - Is a minimum that students should take in high school
Additional Learning Opportunities
Complete as many of the following as possible:
Advanced Placement (AP); Capstone or Senior Project; Dual Enrollment courses taken
for both high school and college credit; Online courses; Service Learning; and Workbased Learning.

SAT Reasoning Test (next test Oct. 3, 2015)

Designed to assess skills and application of knowledge
 Tests in Critical Reading, Mathematics, Writing
 Penalty for wrong answers
 Test scored 200-800 per section, 2400 maximum total score
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(www.Collegeboard.com)
ACT (next test Sept. 12, 2015/Oct. 24, 2015)
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Curriculum based test
 Tests in English, Math, Reading, Science
 Optional Writing Test (recommended)
 Test is scored 1-36 per section, 36 maximum composite score
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(www.actstudent.org)
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SAT Subject Tests (next test date Oct 3, 2015
Nov 7 2015)
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Required by more competitive/selective colleges
One hour content based tests
 20 different subject tests to choose from
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Can take up to 3 tests in one testing date, usually 2
tests are required
Speak to your counselor to help determine which
tests to take
(www.collegeboard.com)

Official scores required to be sent directly from
the testing board
Test fee includes sending scores to four colleges
 Sending scores after taking the test costs $10/college
 Scores sent online

 www.collegeboard.com
 www.actstudent.org

Many schools are test optional, check the
updated list at www.fairtest.org
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Admission Requirements

Do your research (Be realistic!), look at the average
 GPA/ Class rank, SAT/ACT Score, High school course
work (freshmen profile, collegeboard.com)
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Location
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Distance from home
Immediate surroundings (Large city/small town)
Size of Campus
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Large schools (15,000-35,000 students)
Small schools (under 5,000 students)
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Campus Environment
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Programs/Majors Offered
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Liberal Arts vs. Professional Preparation
Reputation of academic program
Extracurricular Programs
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Physical Characteristics of campus
Student : Faculty Ratio
Living arrangements
Athletics (Division I, II, III), NCAA Clearinghouse
Cultural Opportunities (Art, Music, Theatre, Dance)
Clubs, Activities
Cost

Financial Aid/Scholarships are available

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Register for the SAT/ACT
Conduct a comprehensive college search based on
personal interests
Visit the career center to view college materials
Visit college websites to narrow down options/ request
information from colleges
Schedule college tours over the summer
Research financial aid opportunities
Confirm senior schedule with school counselor
Identify teachers who you will ask to write a
recommendation
Continue to work hard to achieve the best grades possible
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www.collegeboard.com
www.actstudent.org
www.petersons.com
www.collegeview.com
www.princetonreview.com
www.anycollege.com
www.fastweb.com
www.fafsa.ed.gov
www.mefa.org
masscisintocareers.org