Exploring Colleges Academic Fit Before investigating Academic Fit
Exploring Colleges: Academic Fit Before investigating Academic Fit it is good to at least have some idea about your interests and careers that align with those interests. Hopefully this is the case for you! It is an exciting feeling, and you may want to prioritize schools that have majors which will allow you to continue to explore the career you have set your sights on. For others, you should not feel frustrated if a career path or job path has not truly spoken to you. It may be looked at as a bonus if a school you like has a major in that particular field. If not, don’t simply eliminate it; keep an open mind and understand your interests will continue to evolve as you age. As our class moves forward, we will investigate Academic Fit. Having majors that interest you is one aspect of academic fit, but there are many others.
Directions Your Notes & Results Your Responses & Reflections On the left side of your paper you will be writing and answering survey questions; on the right side you will responding!
LEFT SIDE: Guiding Questions for Academic Fit • Does the School have degrees and majors for the career I am interested in? • Does my current academic performance align with the school’s admission criteria? To the left are the average SAT scores for Big Ten schools. Notice the scores for the 25% percentile and the 75 %.
LEFT SIDE: Academic Fit and My Three Schools • Safety Pick- You have a greater than 75% change of acceptance based on GPA/SAT/ACT • Match- Your academic portfolio align with the school’s average entrance requirements • Reach- You have less than 25% change of acceptance based on GPA and SAT scores. Other additions to your portfolio are probably needed for acceptance.
Left Side: Selective Schools for Academic Fit • Good grades in core subjects • Full Coverage in core subjects • AP Classes and Other Accelerated Classes • Four Years of a Foreign Language • Four Years of Math • College Credit while in High School • Upward Trending Grades
Right Side: Reflect 1. Self-Reflect: Based on what selective schools want to see in a student, and based on your job interests, is it important for you to attend a highly selective, prestigious school? This is a school typically associated with very high quality of academic programs. Explain.
Web Quest: College Board Visit the following site: • https: //www. collegeboard. org/ • Create your log-in. Make sure it is memorable, and write down the information in a safe spot. PAUSE HERE
Once Logged In: Click Major & Career Search
• Pause when you reach the “Major and Career Search” page. Spend the next 15 minutes looking for majors and jobs that match your career interests. Once you reach a page that focuses on a career of interest, you will be asked to write a few bits of content on the left side. See next slide.
Right Side: Career Profile • Create the following heading: Career Profile for (NAME OF CAREER) • Write the following information: A. Education needed B. Major C. Related careers D. Outlook E. Compensation
Web Quest: Safety School, Academic Fit • We will now work on finding a safety school. Do the following: Click on “Find Colleges”; then click on “Search for colleges that have what you want”; then type in the major or field that best interests you. PAUSE HERE
Web Quest: Safety School, Academic Fit • Next, click on “Test Scores & Selectivity. ” Use either your PSAT score or SAT score here to further filter your college selections. If none of those are available, skip this section. PAUSE HERE
Web Quest: Safety School, Academic Fit • Next, click on “Less Selective. ” PAUSE HERE
Web Quest: Safety School, Academic Fit • Now click on location. Notice the sliding scale. PAUSE HERE
Web Quest: Focus on Academic Fit • Lastly, click on “Academic Credit. ” If you have no preference, simply skip this section. PAUSE HERE
Web Quest: Focus on Academic Fit • You have now adjusted all of the filters you are going to use for exploring “Academic Fit. ” • IMPORTANT: Before clicking the X on the top right corner, SAVE your selections!
Web Quest: Safety School, Academic Fit • Take 15 minute simply to scan different schools. Click and drag a minimum of 3 schools to your “My Colleges” tray. Simply click the mouse over a school, hold it, and drag it to the bottom. • For right now, simply scan schools. Click a school, hold, and drag.
Right Side: Safety School, Academic Fit • Once you have thoroughly gone through your choices, and have 3 schools in the bottom tray, you will collect information on the learning environments of each school. • Step 1: Click on your first school. • Step 2: Write the heading Safety School, (NAME OF SCHOOL). • Step 3: Add subheading Quick Facts; Collect the quick facts. Example Safety School, Arizona State A. Quick Facts • 42, 000 Undergrads • 7, 874 Freshmen • 63% Graduation Rate • 16, 000 average financial aid • 20, 000 out-of-state tuition
Web Quest: Safety School, Academic Fit • Step 4: Click on Majors & Learning Environment • Step 5: Add your second subheading, Learning Environment. Example
Web Quest: Safety School, Academic Fit • Step 6: Click on “See if you’re on track”
Web Quest: Safety School, Academic Fit • Step 7: Start filling in the chart. Tip: SAVE your work requirements.
Web Quest: Safety School, Academic Fit • Step 8: Once done with “Am I on Track, ” scroll back up and click on “How do I Stack Up? ” • Step 9: Add How do I Stack Up? ” as your last subheading for this school.
Right Side: Safety School, Academic Fit • Step 10: Collect the following information: What percentile you fit for GPA, SAT/ACT, and High School Rank. Example Don’t forget to click on math.
Finding Match and Reach Schools, Academic Fit • Congratulations! You have collected the necessary information for your Safety School, Academic Fit! • Your job is to now do the same process for two more schools that are a bit more selective. • Go to “Select Filters” and Click It. Safety School, Arizona State A. Quick Facts • 42, 000 Undergrads • 7, 874 Freshmen • 63% Graduation Rate • 16, 000 average financial aid • 20, 000 out-of-state tuition B. Learning Environment • 21: 1 Student Ratio • Semester System • 87% Returning C. How Do I Stack Up? • 21% Grad fit GPA • 44% fit SAT English • 42% fit SAT Math • 64% Top Quarter
Web Quest: Match School, Academic Fit • You are now going to adjust selectivity. Click on “Somewhat Selective, ” “Very Selective, ” or both.
Web Quest: Focus on Academic Fit • IMPORTANT: Before clicking the X on the top right corner, SAVE your selections!
Web Quest: Match School, Academic Fit • Take 15 minute simply to scan different schools. Click and drag a minimum of 3 schools to your “My Colleges” tray. Simply click mouse over a school, hold it, and drag it to the bottom. • For right now, simply scan schools. • The cool thing is you are now building a library of schools of interest. Click a school, hold, and drag.
Right Side: Match School, Academic Fit • Now that you have added 3 new schools to your tray, repeat your previous steps. • Use your previous example to guide you on the information and format. • See the examples to the right. • Take 10 minutes to investigate and record information on 1 of the 3 schools you just added. • Basic Steps: Click on school; click on “Major & Learning environment”; click on “See if you’re on track. ”
Finding Match and Reach Schools, Academic Fit • Congratulations! You have collected the necessary information for your Match School, Academic Fit! • Your job is to now do the same process for one more school that is the most selective. • Go to “Select Filters” and Click It.
Web Quest: Reach School, Academic Fit • You are now going to adjust selectivity. Click on “Most Selective. ”
Web Quest: Focus on Academic Fit • IMPORTANT: Before clicking the X on the top right corner, SAVE your selections!
Web Quest: Match School, Academic Fit • Take 15 minute simply to scan different schools. Click and drag a minimum of 3 schools to your “My Colleges” tray. Simply click mouse over a school, hold it, and drag it to the bottom. • For right now, simply scan schools. • You now have a tray of 9 schools with a variety of different acceptance standards. Click a school, hold, and drag.
Right Side: Match School, Academic Fit • Now that you have added 3 new schools to your tray, repeat your previous steps. • Use your previous example to guide you on the information and format. • See the example to the right. • Take 10 minutes to investigate and record information on 1 of the 3 schools you just added. • Basic Steps: Click on school; click on “Major & Learning environment”; click on “See if you’re on track. ”
Reflection A *Note: You may use the full page now if needed. * Reflection A: Based on my current academic performance (grades, test scores, course selections) what type of academic school will offer you the best fit at this time? Do you feel your academic résumé will change as you continue your academic career, and are you happy with the options in front of you? Explain and use your findings from your academic fit research.
Reflection B *Note: You may use the full page now if needed. * Reflection B: Look at some of the numbers and other information that caught your eye. Is it important you are top end, middle end, lower end tier student when accepted? Do class sizes and graduation rates concern you? Look over the numbers and comment on what means the most to you after going through our research.
Reflection C *Note: You may use the full page now if needed. * Reflection C: The schools that are most selective are typically also the most famous and prestigious. Do you have more interest in these schools? Why or why not? Feel free to reflect in broad terms, or to write about a singular school that really caught your eye.
Reflection D *Note: You may use the full page now if needed. * Reflection D: Based on schools you have put in your tray, and the school you have chosen to highlight, are there any schools that truly excite you? Why or why not? What are some of the pros and cons of the schools you saw? Feel free to reflect in broad terms, or to write about a singular school that really caught your eye.
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