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FRESHMAN YEAR • Have your current telephone/address contact info on file at the school. See the Attendance Office to verify or change information. • Avoid being excluded from school by having your medical shots up to date. • Have your picture school ID on you at all times. • Make sure that your lock/locker function properly or see the Attendance Office for assistance. • Always have your absence notes signed by each of your teachers and turn them into the attendance office so you are not marked as an unexcused truant in the computer. • Have your school supplies organized for each class and always take notes when the lesson starts. • Don’t forget that you need a minimum of 10 Service Learning Hours per year. You can accumulate these through tutoring, participation in church ministries, service at libraries and park districts, etc. • Get to know your guidance counselor and the postsecondary education staff (coach, liaison, specialist) in your school. • Get involved in Freshman Academy and volunteer to be on a committee. The busier you are, the better you will plan your time each day. • Develop a four-year educational plan that’s aligned with your college and career goals. • Develop test-taking, writing and study skills in all of your classes. • Get active and stay active in one or more extra-curricular activities. • Improve your reading skills by reading at least 20 minutes per day beyond school work (newspapers, magazine, books, word-a-day). • Use an online planner such as http://www.mapping-your-future.org/ or www.careerlocker.com to identify your interests, skills and abilities each year. Begin to identify postsecondary educational programs that will help you achieve your goals • Participate in college/career awareness and exposure programs offered by the Postsecondary Education department (college tours, workshops, college fairs, etc.). • Meet with your counselor to review your progress toward completing the CPS requirements for promotion and graduation. • Plan your sophomore year course load. Take the most challenging options available to you (honors, AP, and virtual high school). • Participate in summer learning/service/employment opportunities that match your career interests and postsecondary goals (Summer Quest, internships, etc.). • Apply for a social security number if you don’t have one already. If you are unable to obtain one, meet with your counselor and/postsecondary education staff person ASAP. • All Chicago Public School high school freshmen complete the EXPLORE assessment • Apply to Summer Quest, a unique program that provides funding for CPS students in Grades 9-11 to attend one of several pre-established summer educational or leadership programs around the country. Students spend one to eight weeks on a college campus or an elite college-prep high school campus, at an arts institution, or in an outdoor leadership program. See your counselor or visit http://postsecondary.cps.k12.il.us/SummerQuest/flash/. • Get on track to college through a Scholars Program. http://www.postsecondary.cps.k12.il.us/postsecond/Programs/Readiness/csp.html. The Department of Postsecondary Education is developing an array of programs in partnership with local and national universities to prepare CPS students for the academic rigor and social climate of college. These programs are sustained, multi-year experiences for cohorts of Chicago Public School students. Click the following links for a description of partnerships already established or in development. SOPHOMORE YEAR • Have your current telephone/address contact info on file at the school. See the Attendance Office to verify or change information. • Pay your activity fee and get your class schedule during sophomore registration. Be prepared to attend all classes on your first day. • Avoid being excluded from school by having your medical shots up to date. • Have your picture school ID on you at all times. • Make sure that your lock/locker function properly or see the Attendance Office for assistance. • Always have your absence notes signed by each of your teachers and turn them into the attendance office so you are not marked as an unexcused truant in the computer. • Have your school supplies organized for each class and always take notes when the lesson starts. • Complete 20 service learning hours of the mandated 40 hours to be promoted to junior year status. 20 hours must be on file and posted to your June report card. • Do your best in your classes. Get tutoring if you need it. Strive for academic success! Remember that the higher your grades, the more options you have when you apply for colleges and scholarships. • Review PLAN test results with counselor or Postsecondary Education staff. • Develop a postsecondary portfolio which includes your academic achievements, resume, research on colleges and careers, scholarships you might be eligible for, certificates of participation/achievement, recommendation letters, and listings of your participation in clubs and extracurricular activities. • Continue to participate in learning/service/employment opportunities that match your postsecondary and career goals. • Attend college fairs and campus visits. Review college admissions requirements against your current course load. Adjust your high school educational plan as needed. • Meet with your counselor to confirm you are on track for promotion. Plan your junior year. Take the most challenging options available to you ( AP, Honors, IB, virtual high school\College Bridge courses). • Apply for Summer Quest and other intensive summer educational/vocational programs. Always try to relate your work/learning experiences to your postsecondary goals. Summer Quest is a unique program that provides funding for CPS students in Grades 9-11 to attend one of several pre-established summer educational or leadership programs around the country. Students spend one to eight weeks on a college campus or an elite college-prep high school campus, at an arts institution, or in an outdoor leadership program. See your counselor or visit http://postsecondary.cps.k12.il.us/SummerQuest/flash/. • Get on track to college through a Scholars Program. http://www.postsecondary.cps.k12.il.us/postsecond/Programs/Readiness/csp.html. The Department of Postsecondary Education is developing an array of programs in partnership with local and national universities to prepare CPS students for the academic rigor and social climate of college. These programs are sustained, multi-year experiences for cohorts of Chicago Public School students. Click the following links for a description of partnerships already established or in development. • Sign up for summer school or evening school right away if you failed classes at semester. JUNIOR YEAR • Have your current telephone/address contact info on file at the school. See the Attendance Office to verify or change information. • Pay your activity fee and get your class schedule during junior registration. Be prepared to attend all classes on your first day. • Avoid being excluded from school by having your medical shots up to date. • Have your picture school ID on you at all times. • Make sure that your lock/locker function properly or see the Attendance Office for assistance. • Always have your absence notes signed by each of your teachers and turn them into the attendance office so you are not marked as an unexcused truant in the computer. • Have your school supplies organized for each class and always take notes when the lesson starts. • Continue your extracurricular involvement. Take leadership roles whenever possible. Remember college admissions counselors are looking for consistency and demonstrated examples of leadership skills. • Select and research 10 possible postsecondary institutions (colleges, universities, vocational and technical programs, etc.). • Participate in college fairs and tours (in-state and out-of-state schools). Review college admissions requirements against your current course load. Make adjustments as necessary. • Register for the ACT (and/or SAT exam). Prosser will handle this through your division. Check your colleges of interest. ACT will send your scores to the schools you list for free. Only your highest score will be counted if you take the ACT more than once. • Participate in an ACT/SAT/PSAE test preparation course. Remember that the more you read and write, the better your scores will be on these exams. Be ready to take the ACT in April. • Special populations of students (athletes, students interested in military academies, students with disabilities) should begin to gather information about special admissions processes, any special certification requirements, whether additional testing/diagnosis’s are needed. • Meet with your counselor to confirm you are on track for promotion. Plan your senior year. Take the most challenging options available to you ( AP, Honors, virtual high school). • Participate in College Bridge and College Excel courses. They are a great way to get college credit while in high school. College Bridge http://www.postsecondary.cps.k12.il.us/postsecond/Programs/Readiness/collegebridge.html is a partnership with local colleges and universities that encourages highly motivated junior and senior students to enroll in college courses while still attending high school. Approximately 1000 CPS College Bridge students enroll in college courses each year, which are offered after school, on Saturdays, or during the summer. By participating, College Bridge students earn elective high school and college credit. Eleven four-year colleges/universities and seven City Colleges offer College Bridge courses. • Make sure that you have at least 30 service learning hours completed and documented in your service learning folder on file. • Sign up for summer school or evening school right away if you failed classes at semester. The class you need may not be offered if you wait until the last minute. SENIOR YEAR September – December • Have your current telephone/address contact info on file at the school. See the Attendance Office to verify or change information. • Pay your activity fee and get your class schedule during senior registration. Be prepared to attend all classes on your first day. • Avoid being excluded from school by having your medical shots up to date. • Have your picture school ID on you at all times. • Make sure that your lock/locker function properly or see the Attendance Office for assistance. • Always have your absence notes signed by each of your teachers and turn them into the attendance office so you are not marked as an unexcused truant in the computer. • Have your school supplies organized for each class and always take notes when the lesson starts. • Meet with counselor to ensure that graduation requirements have been met. • Request letters of recommendation and transcripts in enough time to meet college application deadlines. Deadlines for some universities occur as early as September - November! • Take a fourth year of math and science courses. This will make you more competitive to colleges and universities. • Register to retake the ACT/SAT exam, if necessary. • Apply for your FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) PIN number before Dec 31st. Get your parents to apply for a family PIN number as well. • Attend college/scholarship fairs. Visit the colleges you are most interested in. • Complete college applications. Fill out your applications ONLINE if you can---it’s faster. Otherwise type or print the application. Make sure the application is complete. You’re your teacher proof read it before you send it off. Keep a completed copy of the application as well as the date mailed for your records. • Apply for every scholarship you can. May scholarships for CPS students are listed at http://www.postsecondary.cps.k12.il.us/postsecond/Programs/Access/scholarships.html and on http://www.prosseracademy.org under “links” • Check with your counselor to make sure that you don’t have outstanding book debts from the past three years or library fines. All debts must be paid in full for a student to graduate. • SAVE, SAVE, SAVE your money. There are prom fees, cap/gown fees, graduation fees, possible old book debts and unpaid activity fees over the four years. Find out what you may owe ahead of time so you don’t panic at the last minute and risk NOT GRADUATING ON TIME. • Get your 40 service learning hours done ASAP. You’ll be amazed how time flies! Type and submit the required 1 ½ page service learning reflection paper to your service learning coach upon completion of service for approval and sign off. January – June • File for the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) by Jan 31st. Use last year’s tax forms to complete the forms. You have until March 1st to amend this information and still be eligible for early financial consideration. Include the names and codes of each school you are applying to on your FAFSA. • Check your Student Aid Report (SAR) as soon as it comes and make corrections as necessary. • Confirm you are on track for graduation! • Have your 40 service learning hours and 1½ page typed reflection paper approved and signed off by your service learning coach before prom. Hours must be completed to graduate. • Be ready to make the first installment of the prom payment by February and the 2nd installment by March. • Final prom payments are usually due in April and are generally $50 and up per person depending on location. • Have your $20.00 graduation fee* paid in May (*may be subject to change—see your counselor for current fee info) Graduation fee includes diploma covers, flowers, programs, band bus and security. • Attend the Senior Luncheon. The luncheon awards student achievement such as scholarship winners. Senior luncheon is generally $25.00 per student and includes bus transport and dining at a fine restaurant. • Follow up on college application status. Send in mid-year grades. • Review college acceptance letters and financial aid award letters with your parents, counselors and postsecondary education staff. Accept/decline/negotiate the financial aid packages offered. • Inform schools of your acceptance or decline offers by May 1st, the deadline for notifying colleges. • Use Spring Break to visit/contact the schools you have been accepted to. Finalize your plans for attendance. Send in housing contracts, any deposits, etc. • Continue to apply for scholarships. Some scholarships have late deadlines and are reserved for newly accepted students. • Obtain a “Senior Sign Out” sheet from your counselors. No senior may walk across the stage until each teacher has signed off after seniors take their final exams and turn in their books. Seniors must also clear all book debts, activity fee debts and library fines from the past four years. • Get a summer job and save money for college. • Prepare to begin college. Continue to read each day. Purchase items you’ll need for your dormitory room if applicable.
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