Yes You Can Week 1: Introduction & Resumes
Yes You Can Week 1: Introduction & Resumes School Counselor: College and Career Counselor & Counselor
Date: 11/16/2015
Activity: Introduction to Yes You Can Group & Resumes Grades: 11th ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors (Domain/Standard): Mindset (Career) 4. Understanding that postsecondary education and life-long learning are necessary for long-term career success Behavior: Learning Strategies (Career) 1. Demonstrate critical-thinking skills to make informed decisions 4. Apply self-motivation and self-direction to learning 5. Apply media and technology skills 7. Identify long- and short-term academic, career and social/emotional goals 9. Gather evidence and consider multiple perspectives to make informed decisions Behavior: Social Skills (Career) 3. Create relationships with adults that support success 5. Demonstrate ethical decision-making and social responsibility 8. Demonstrate advocacy skills and ability to assert self, when necessary Learning Objective(s): 1. Students will complete Student Survey 2. Students will understand the importance of group 3. Students will be engaged in the discussion 4. Students will think about their values, skills and interests as they look ahead to their life after high school. 5. Students will evaluate what their interests and hobbies say about them. 6. Students will create an activities resume. Materials/Resources: Individual student folders, Icebreaker activity, Parent Survey (in English and Spanish), Student Survey, Jr. Year Checklist handout, Pre Test, Resume material including Activity Resume and resume samples Procedure: 1. Distribute pre test. Have students complete and then collect completed pre test.
2. Complete icebreaker activity with students. (See handout with instructions.) 3. Pass out folders to students. 4. Discuss purpose of the group, overall goals the group helps to achieve, benefit of the group, etc. 5. Distribute and discuss the postsecondary planning timeline including using the junior year checklist that they have been provided. 6. Have students complete the Student Questionnaire. Give them several minutes and then discuss. Ask students to consider their values, skills, and interests as they look ahead to their life after high school. What lifestyle do they want? (Career, car, house, etc.) What do they need to do to attain that lifestyle? 7. Discuss: What are students involved in? What are some of their activities and interests? Has anyone had a job? If so, what did they do? How do these experiences impact them? What do they mean for the future? Who knows what a resume is? What are the various uses? 8. Have students look at a couple examples of resumes. What are the components? Have them complete the “Activities Resume.” Do they have activities to include? If not, then this year is a good year to start. 9. Ask students to have parents complete and bring back parent survey to next meeting. 10. Explain when group will meet and how students will be notified. Plan for Evaluation: How will each of the following be collected? Process Data: 11th grade low-income students 110 qualified, 77 chose to participate within 9 groups of 8-9 participants each in the 2015-16 school year Perception Data: Pre/Post Test 1. I feel confident that I have the skills and resources needed to achieve my goals after high school. a. Strongly Agree b. Agree c. Disagree d. Strongly Disagree 2. I feel comfortable exploring my college and/or career interests. a. Strongly Agree b. Agree c. Disagree d. Strongly Disagree 3. I have specific educational or career plans after high school. a. Yes b. No 4. EFC stands for………… a. Easy friendly college b. Expected family contribution
c. Expectation for credit d. Exemplary future commitment 5. Rosie is a junior in high school who needs to begin her college search process. She wants to think about criteria that are important to her, such as school size and location. She turns to the following tool to complete a “College Match” survey: a. Occupational Outlook Handbook b. Collegesearch.com c. Family Connections/Naviance d. Net Price Calculator e. Common Application f. FAFSA Outcome Data: Post-secondary enrollment Follow Up: Continue group participation and schedule individual college/career appointment with school counselor
YYC Week 2: Educational Levels and Career Options School Counselor: College and Career Counselor & Counselor
Date: 11/23/2015
Activity: Educational Levels and Career Options Grades: 11 ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors (Domain/Standard): Mindset (Career) 4. Understanding that postsecondary education and life-long learning are necessary for long-term career success Behavior: Learning Strategies (Career) 1. Demonstrate critical-thinking skills to make informed decisions 4. Apply self-motivation and self-direction to learning 5. Apply media and technology skills 7. Identify long- and short-term academic, career and social/emotional goals 9. Gather evidence and consider multiple perspectives to make informed decisions Behavior: Social Skills (Career) 3. Create relationships with adults that support success 5. Demonstrate ethical decision-making and social responsibility 8. Demonstrate advocacy skills and ability to assert self, when necessary Learning Objective(s): 1. Students will actively discuss career options and educational requirements. 2. Students will understand how to obtain career information 3. Students will understand the educational requirements for their specific career goals 4. Students will complete a Career Cluster Survey using WhatsNextIllinois.org 5. Students will be able to identify at least one career cluster and two to three specific careers within the cluster that pertain to their interests Materials: Occupations and Education Level handout, WhatsNextIllinois.org instructions and assignment handout (Career Cluster Survey Worksheet), Computers and/or computer lab Procedure:
1. Collect and discuss parent survey. Survey was handed out at last meeting. Discuss differences in students’ postsecondary plans and parents’ postsecondary plans for their student. 2. Using Occupations and Education Level handout discuss common occupations, including those occupations the students may be interested in, and the educational level required to achieve these occupations. 3. Pass out WhatsNextIllinois.org instructions and worksheet for students to complete. Students should complete the Career Cluster survey and list the occupations that are suggested for them based on their answers, as well as information about the specific occupations such as salary, job growth expectations, etc. 4. Note that there are various other surveys in What’s Next Illinois, and students are encouraged to complete these other surveys, as well. They can return to the site and the surveys will be saved to their account. 5. Discuss the results of the career cluster surveys. What clusters matched the students? Did they think the careers were a good fit? If they were interested in the careers which the survey suggested, what type of education do they need for the careers? Were there any new ideas? What are some careers they want to investigate further? 6. Students may at times use the Occupations and Education handout as a reference, as well. Plan for Evaluation: How will each of the following be collected? Process Data: 11th grade low-income students 110 qualified, 77 chose to participate within 9 groups of 8-9 participants each in the 2015-16 school year Perception Data: Pre/Post Test Outcome Data: Post-secondary enrollment Follow Up: Continue group participation and schedule individual college/career appointment with school counselor
What’s Next Illinois.org CAREER CLUSTER SURVEY Instructions ● Go to website: www.whatsnextillinois.org
● Under “Sign In” to the right, click “Create an Account” o Use school email and a password you won’t forget! ● Once account is created, go to CAREER PLANNING tab at top. ● Select “LEARN ABOUT YOURSELF”
● Select “CAREER CLUSTER SURVEY” ● Complete Career Cluster Survey ● Above the graph, on the right select “View careers in this cluster” to look up specific careers ● Complete worksheet.
Career Clusters and Related Careers Directions: Fill out the following information based on your results from the career cluster survey. Use your Family Connection account and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (bls.gov) to gather information about careers. What are your top 3 career clusters? 1. ________________________________________________________ 2. _________________________________________________________ 3. _________________________________________________________ List a few careers of interest from each cluster along with the educational requirements to enter the field. Cluster 1: ______________________________________ Career: ___________________________________ Education Req: ________________________________ Career: ___________________________________ Education Req: ________________________________ Career: ___________________________________ Education Req: ________________________________
Cluster 2: _____________________________________ Career: ___________________________________ Education Req: ________________________________ Career: ___________________________________ Education Req: ________________________________ Career: ___________________________________ Education Req: ________________________________
Cluster 3: _____________________________________ Career: ___________________________________ Education Req: ________________________________ Career: ___________________________________ Education Req: ________________________________ Career: ___________________________________ Education Req: ________________________________
YYC Week 3: Education Over a Lifetime, College Vocabulary and Myths School Counselor: College and Career Counselor& Counselor
Date: 11/30/2015
Activity: Education Over a Lifetime, College Vocabulary and Myths Grades: 11 ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors (Domain/Standard): Mindset (Career) 4. Understanding that postsecondary education and life-long learning are necessary for long-term career success Behavior: Learning Strategies (Career) 1. Demonstrate critical-thinking skills to make informed decisions 4. Apply self-motivation and self-direction to learning 5. Apply media and technology skills 7. Identify long- and short-term academic, career and social/emotional goals 9. Gather evidence and consider multiple perspectives to make informed decisions Behavior: Social Skills (Career) 3. Create relationships with adults that support success 5. Demonstrate ethical decision-making and social responsibility 8. Demonstrate advocacy skills and ability to assert self, when necessary Learning Objective(s): 1. Students will understand the impact educational attainment has over the course of a lifetime. 2. Students will identify a postsecondary goal. 3. Students will understand their course options for senior year as they relate to exploring a potential career and college major. 4. Students will understand the difference between academic excellence and mediocrity. 5. Students will know the commonly used college vocabulary and the truths and myths related to college. Materials: Why Go To College handout, Education Over a Lifetime handout, GPA Range and Colleges handout, College Vocabulary handout, College Myths handout, What Matters Most to Colleges, and copies of individual students’ unofficial transcripts
Procedure: 1. Distribute handouts to students: Why Go To College and Education Over a Lifetime. 2. Discuss trends on handouts, what students think and how they feel, especially compared to the careers they found the previous week. Remind students about the activity they did in Consumer Education the previous year related to lifetime earnings. Discuss individual personal goals for each student, including career ideas, what education is needed and why they are choosing the path. Have students identify a postsecondary goal that includes a career or career field and the specific education required for that career. Have students write it at the bottom of their worksheet and save it in their folder. Is this one of the careers that came up on their survey the week before? 3. Most careers at this point require some post-secondary training. Various barriers keep students from exploring their college options. Counselor will distribute College Myths handout and discuss the 5 most common college myths with students as well as any other myths students have heard. 4. Review the JR year timeline briefly as it relates to where they are at in the college planning process. 5. Distribute College Vocabulary handout and review commonly used college vocabulary. 6. Distribute What Matters Most to Colleges handout and students individual transcripts. Discuss and compare where the student is at based on what colleges are looking for. Also distribute GPA Range and Colleges handout to show students where they fall with their current GPA compared to schools on the chart which will lead into discussing mediocre academic achievement versus excellent academic achievement and how it plays into choosing their senior year classes since it will be their last time to explore potential career interests, raise their GPA, etc. Plan for Evaluation: How will each of the following be collected? Process Data: 11th grade low-income students 110 qualified, 77 chose to participate within 9 groups of 8-9 participants each in the 2015-16 school year Perception Data: Pre/Post Test Outcome Data: Post-secondary enrollment Follow Up: Continue group participation and schedule individual college/career appointment with school counselor
YYC Week 4: Where I am now, and where do I need to be? Imagine Your College. School Counselor: College and Career Counselor & Counselor
Date: 12/9/2015
Activity: Where I am now, and where do I need to be? And imagine your college Grades: 11 ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors (Domain/Standard): Mindset (Career) 4. Understanding that postsecondary education and life-long learning are necessary for long-term career success Behavior: Learning Strategies (Career) 1. Demonstrate critical-thinking skills to make informed decisions 4. Apply self-motivation and self-direction to learning 5. Apply media and technology skills 7. Identify long- and short-term academic, career and social/emotional goals 9. Gather evidence and consider multiple perspectives to make informed decisions Behavior: Social Skills (Career) 3. Create relationships with adults that support success 5. Demonstrate ethical decision-making and social responsibility 8. Demonstrate advocacy skills and ability to assert self, when necessary Learning Objective(s): 1. Students will be able to identify changes they need to make in order to align themselves with where they want to be academically before they apply to college. 2. Students will understand the connection of their current achievements as it relates to their future college and career decisions. 3. Students will identify which priorities are most important to them when selecting a college. 4. Students will leave with full understanding of the differences among colleges. 5. Students will complete worksheet listing what is most important and least important to them in choosing a college.
Materials: 12th Grade Course Selection worksheet, Your Application Now and Then handout, individual transcripts (Given to students at past meeting), Cards labeled with features of universities for introduction activity, Worksheet- Choosing Your College Priorities and/or Selection Criteria Chart. Procedure: 1. Continue discussion regarding mediocre vs. excellent grades from the previous week. Discuss importance of having a plan in order to know what you’re working for and what you need to specifically do to improve. Discuss the specific courses that are available senior year for students using the 12th Grade Course Selection worksheet. Include past achievement and class performance in discussion as a determining factor for level and course selection in senior year. Also, have students consider the impact of their course choices on the transcript when completing college applications. 2. Distribute Your Application Now and Then handout and have students complete listing where they are at now and where they hope to be when they apply to college. 3. Group into 2-3 depending on the size of the group that day. Give each group a set of cards that are labeled with the features of colleges to consider when choosing a school. The groups will work amongst themselves and put the cards in order of most important to least important based on their groups’ ideas about college. Groups will then discuss why they made the selections they did and the differences of priorities each individual has. 4. Students will then complete the worksheet that requires them to individually list what factors are most important to them and which are least important when deciding on which colleges to apply to. 5. Students will be given a homework assignment for the next group meeting to attempt to log into their Family Connection account. They should also look at one or more sites with other college searches such as collegeboard.com, cappex.com, and/or whatsnextillinois.org. They should explore the site and try to come up with a list of 3 schools that they are interested in learning more about to research at the next meeting. Note: Different searches will bring up a different list of colleges. It’s a good idea to look at a broad range of materials and resources. Plan for Evaluation: How will each of the following be collected? Process Data: 11th grade low-income students 110 qualified, 77 chose to participate within 9 groups of 8-9 participants each in the 2015-16 school yearProcess Data: 11th grade, low-income students - # of Students Perception Data: Pre/Post Test Outcome Data: Post-secondary enrollment Follow Up: Continue group participation and schedule individual college/career appointment with school counselor
YYC Week 5: Researching Colleges School Counselor: College and Career Counselor & Counselor
Date: 12/14/2015
Activity: Researching Colleges Grades: 11 ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors (Domain/Standard): Mindset (Career) 4. Understanding that postsecondary education and life-long learning are necessary for long-term career success Behavior: Learning Strategies (Career) 1. Demonstrate critical-thinking skills to make informed decisions 4. Apply self-motivation and self-direction to learning 5. Apply media and technology skills 7. Identify long- and short-term academic, career and social/emotional goals 9. Gather evidence and consider multiple perspectives to make informed decisions Behavior: Social Skills (Career) 3. Create relationships with adults that support success 5. Demonstrate ethical decision-making and social responsibility 8. Demonstrate advocacy skills and ability to assert self, when necessary Learning Objective(s): 1. Students will understand and be able to complete a college search using Family Connections and/or Whatsnextillinois.org 2. Students will understand the key characteristics to consider when researching colleges 3. Students will know how to access options for researching college Materials: Access to computers in Library Resource Center (LRC), Researching Colleges worksheet, Assessing Your College List handout Procedure: 1. Students will meet in the LRC computer lab. Counselor will demonstrate the features on Family Connections and lead students through a college search on Family Connections.
2. Counselor will walk students through the first college as a group and discuss the key pieces to be looking at when researching schools. 3. Students will use the worksheet to learn about colleges and be expected to research at least 3 schools. They should complete the worksheet on their own before the next meeting. 4. Students will be given Assessing Your College List handout that lists thinking points and key factors to consider when reviewing their college list. Plan for Evaluation: How will each of the following be collected? Process Data: 11th grade low-income students 110 qualified, 77 chose to participate within 9 groups of 8-9 participants each in the 2015-16 school year Perception Data: Pre/Post Test Outcome Data: Post-secondary enrollment Follow Up: Students can compare research engine results by trying college searches on other sites such as Cappex, College Board, and What’s Next Illinois, continue group participation and schedule individual college/career appointment with school counselor
YYC Week 6: Paying For College School Counselor: College and Career Counselor & Counselor
Date: 1/11/2016
Activity: Paying For College Grades: 11 ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors (Domain/Standard): Mindset (Career) 4. Understanding that postsecondary education and life-long learning are necessary for long-term career success Behavior: Learning Strategies (Career) 1. Demonstrate critical-thinking skills to make informed decisions 4. Apply self-motivation and self-direction to learning 5. Apply media and technology skills 7. Identify long- and short-term academic, career and social/emotional goals 9. Gather evidence and consider multiple perspectives to make informed decisions Behavior: Social Skills (Career) 3. Create relationships with adults that support success 5. Demonstrate ethical decision-making and social responsibility 8. Demonstrate advocacy skills and ability to assert self, when necessary Learning Objective(s): 1. Students will understand the process of paying for college. 2. Students will understand the connection of their current achievements as it relates to their future college options in terms of merit aid and paying for college. 3. Students will understand the components of financial aid. 4. Students will complete net price calculators and identify schools that are financial fits. Materials: Individual transcripts (Given to students previously), College Net Price Calculator, Can You Afford Your College Choices?, Financial Fit Spreadsheet, Financial Aid Quiz, Paying For College Is A Family Affair, Here is How One Student Financed a First Year In College
Procedure: Distribute the handouts. Have students take the Financial Aid Quiz. Discuss the correct answers and the misperceptions that some have. Explain financial aid and the process. Discuss the components of financial aid and a college award package. How does GPA and ACT impact awards? Financial need? Show sample award letter. Introduce the concept of colleges being a “financial fit.” Show spreadsheet and discuss. Given their knowledge of their family’s financial situation and their own GPA’s, where might they fall on the spreadsheet? Discuss the Net Price Calculator including strengths and weaknesses. Go through sample calculation. Ask students to talk to their parents and complete one or more net price calculators together with their parents. Students should make note of their family’s personal information so that they can complete other net price calculators for colleges. Students should complete net price calculators for all colleges which are currently “of interest.” Plan for Evaluation: How will each of the following be collected? Process Data: 11th grade low-income students 110 qualified, 77 chose to participate within 9 groups of 8-9 participants each in the 2015-16 school year Perception Data: Pre/Post Test Outcome Data: Post-secondary enrollment Follow Up: Ask students to discuss “financial fitness” with their parents. They should ask their parents to help them complete a net price calculator for colleges of interest. Continue group participation and schedule individual college/career appointment with school counselor
YYC Week 7: Financial Fitness and Applying to College School Counselor: College and Career Counselor & Counselor
Date: 1/20/2016
Activity: Researching Colleges Grades: 11 ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors (Domain/Standard): Mindset (Career) 4. Understanding that postsecondary education and life-long learning are necessary for long-term career success Behavior: Learning Strategies (Career) 1. Demonstrate critical-thinking skills to make informed decisions 4. Apply self-motivation and self-direction to learning 5. Apply media and technology skills 7. Identify long- and short-term academic, career and social/emotional goals 9. Gather evidence and consider multiple perspectives to make informed decisions Behavior: Social Skills (Career) 3. Create relationships with adults that support success 5. Demonstrate ethical decision-making and social responsibility 8. Demonstrate advocacy skills and ability to assert self, when necessary Learning Objective(s): 1. Students will understand the process of paying for college. 2. Students will understand the connection of their current achievements as it relates to their future college options in terms of merit aid and paying for college. 3. Students will understand the components of financial aid. 4. Students will complete net price calculators and identify schools that are financial fits. 5. Students will understand the timeline for applying to colleges 6. Students will understand the steps required to apply to college Materials: Materials from previous week related to paying for college, College Application Checklist handout, Tips for the College Application Process handout, Typical Admission Policies handout Procedure:
● Review the information from the previous week regarding financial aid and having schools with are financial fits on their lists of colleges. What questions did their parents have? What did they learn from their discussion with their parents? Did their parents have questions? Students should be sure that Financial Aid Night is on the family calendar. Did students have difficulty finding net price calculators on any college websites? If so, find them together and then allow students some time to complete the calculator. ● Counselor will lead students in discussion about the college application process. ● A timeline of when it is appropriate to begin applying and general deadlines will be discussed. For example the first major priority deadline is in October for some competitive schools, November 15th and then December 1st as common deadlines. Discuss that the application process can be very time consuming so starting earlier is better than later. ● Counselor will talk about what you need in order to apply and how to stay organized using the College Application Checklist handout. ● Counselor will also discuss tips for the application process using the Tips for the College Application Process handout ● Discuss differences in admission policies such as Early Decision, Early Action and Regular Decision using handout. Plan for Evaluation: How will each of the following be collected? Process Data: 11th grade low-income students 110 qualified, 77 chose to participate within 9 groups of 8-9 participants each in the 2015-16 school year Perception Data: Pre/Post Test Outcome Data: Post-secondary enrollment Follow Up: Continue group participation and schedule individual college/career appointment with school counselor
YYC Week 8: Wrapping Up Junior Year School Counselor: College and Career Counselor & Counselor
Date: 1/25/2016
Activity: Wrapping Up Junior Year Grades: 11 ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors (Domain/Standard): Mindset (Career) 4. Understanding that postsecondary education and life-long learning are necessary for long-term career success Behavior: Learning Strategies (Career) 1. Demonstrate critical-thinking skills to make informed decisions 4. Apply self-motivation and self-direction to learning 5. Apply media and technology skills 7. Identify long- and short-term academic, career and social/emotional goals 9. Gather evidence and consider multiple perspectives to make informed decisions Behavior: Social Skills (Career) 3. Create relationships with adults that support success 5. Demonstrate ethical decision-making and social responsibility 8. Demonstrate advocacy skills and ability to assert self, when necessary Learning Objective(s): 1. Students will identify personal qualities that could be used for writing a college essay. 2. Students will understand the timeline for applying to colleges 3. Students will understand the steps required to apply to college Materials: Lesson plan, Handouts: Do’s and Don’ts of Writing College Essays, How to Write a College Application Essay, Sample Application Essay Questions, The College Essay: Getting Started or 5-1/2 Steps to Writing the College Essay, Activities Resume (from previous session), Final Survey Procedure: ● Pass out worksheets for writing college essays and go over the importance of the essay in college applications. Discuss worksheets. Read the Common Application topics. What topic would they probably choose to write about? Stress that
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whatever the topic they choose, the purpose of the essay is to tell the admissions committee something important about who they are. Guide students through the “College Essay: Getting Started.” Look at sample essays and discuss what they liked and didn’t like about them. How many specific “showing” details are there? How well are the essays written? Discuss. Talk about what students should be doing over the summer to be prepared for applying to college when they return as seniors o Researching colleges o Visiting colleges o Creating a list of 5-6 colleges to which they will apply. Include 2-3 financial fits in the list. o Registering for and taking a second (or third) ACT (if haven’t done so by summer) o Exploring careers- internships, summer jobs, research, job shadow o If possible there is still time to meet with Ms. Abraham the College Career Counselor before the end of the school year to get some more direction and list of schools, etc. o Preparing a resume of activities and work experience. Summer opportunities such as Notre Dame, IACAC, travel programs, etc. Have students take out their activities resume. Has anything changed over the past few weeks? Are they now involved in anything new? Taken on new positions? Have them add the information to their resume. Discuss end of group. Distribute and collect survey
Plan for Evaluation: How will each of the following be collected? Process Data: 11th grade low-income students 110 qualified, 77 chose to participate within 9 groups of 8-9 participants each in the 2015-16 school year Perception Data: Pre/Post test Outcome Data: Post-secondary enrollment Follow Up: Schedule individual college/career appointment with school counselor, establish post-secondary plan and work in collaboration with college and individual school counselor to execute it. Field trip to Elmhurst College and/or Northern Illinois University spring of 2016.
Date: 11/16/2015
Activity: Introduction to Yes You Can Group & Resumes Grades: 11th ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors (Domain/Standard): Mindset (Career) 4. Understanding that postsecondary education and life-long learning are necessary for long-term career success Behavior: Learning Strategies (Career) 1. Demonstrate critical-thinking skills to make informed decisions 4. Apply self-motivation and self-direction to learning 5. Apply media and technology skills 7. Identify long- and short-term academic, career and social/emotional goals 9. Gather evidence and consider multiple perspectives to make informed decisions Behavior: Social Skills (Career) 3. Create relationships with adults that support success 5. Demonstrate ethical decision-making and social responsibility 8. Demonstrate advocacy skills and ability to assert self, when necessary Learning Objective(s): 1. Students will complete Student Survey 2. Students will understand the importance of group 3. Students will be engaged in the discussion 4. Students will think about their values, skills and interests as they look ahead to their life after high school. 5. Students will evaluate what their interests and hobbies say about them. 6. Students will create an activities resume. Materials/Resources: Individual student folders, Icebreaker activity, Parent Survey (in English and Spanish), Student Survey, Jr. Year Checklist handout, Pre Test, Resume material including Activity Resume and resume samples Procedure: 1. Distribute pre test. Have students complete and then collect completed pre test.
2. Complete icebreaker activity with students. (See handout with instructions.) 3. Pass out folders to students. 4. Discuss purpose of the group, overall goals the group helps to achieve, benefit of the group, etc. 5. Distribute and discuss the postsecondary planning timeline including using the junior year checklist that they have been provided. 6. Have students complete the Student Questionnaire. Give them several minutes and then discuss. Ask students to consider their values, skills, and interests as they look ahead to their life after high school. What lifestyle do they want? (Career, car, house, etc.) What do they need to do to attain that lifestyle? 7. Discuss: What are students involved in? What are some of their activities and interests? Has anyone had a job? If so, what did they do? How do these experiences impact them? What do they mean for the future? Who knows what a resume is? What are the various uses? 8. Have students look at a couple examples of resumes. What are the components? Have them complete the “Activities Resume.” Do they have activities to include? If not, then this year is a good year to start. 9. Ask students to have parents complete and bring back parent survey to next meeting. 10. Explain when group will meet and how students will be notified. Plan for Evaluation: How will each of the following be collected? Process Data: 11th grade low-income students 110 qualified, 77 chose to participate within 9 groups of 8-9 participants each in the 2015-16 school year Perception Data: Pre/Post Test 1. I feel confident that I have the skills and resources needed to achieve my goals after high school. a. Strongly Agree b. Agree c. Disagree d. Strongly Disagree 2. I feel comfortable exploring my college and/or career interests. a. Strongly Agree b. Agree c. Disagree d. Strongly Disagree 3. I have specific educational or career plans after high school. a. Yes b. No 4. EFC stands for………… a. Easy friendly college b. Expected family contribution
c. Expectation for credit d. Exemplary future commitment 5. Rosie is a junior in high school who needs to begin her college search process. She wants to think about criteria that are important to her, such as school size and location. She turns to the following tool to complete a “College Match” survey: a. Occupational Outlook Handbook b. Collegesearch.com c. Family Connections/Naviance d. Net Price Calculator e. Common Application f. FAFSA Outcome Data: Post-secondary enrollment Follow Up: Continue group participation and schedule individual college/career appointment with school counselor
YYC Week 2: Educational Levels and Career Options School Counselor: College and Career Counselor & Counselor
Date: 11/23/2015
Activity: Educational Levels and Career Options Grades: 11 ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors (Domain/Standard): Mindset (Career) 4. Understanding that postsecondary education and life-long learning are necessary for long-term career success Behavior: Learning Strategies (Career) 1. Demonstrate critical-thinking skills to make informed decisions 4. Apply self-motivation and self-direction to learning 5. Apply media and technology skills 7. Identify long- and short-term academic, career and social/emotional goals 9. Gather evidence and consider multiple perspectives to make informed decisions Behavior: Social Skills (Career) 3. Create relationships with adults that support success 5. Demonstrate ethical decision-making and social responsibility 8. Demonstrate advocacy skills and ability to assert self, when necessary Learning Objective(s): 1. Students will actively discuss career options and educational requirements. 2. Students will understand how to obtain career information 3. Students will understand the educational requirements for their specific career goals 4. Students will complete a Career Cluster Survey using WhatsNextIllinois.org 5. Students will be able to identify at least one career cluster and two to three specific careers within the cluster that pertain to their interests Materials: Occupations and Education Level handout, WhatsNextIllinois.org instructions and assignment handout (Career Cluster Survey Worksheet), Computers and/or computer lab Procedure:
1. Collect and discuss parent survey. Survey was handed out at last meeting. Discuss differences in students’ postsecondary plans and parents’ postsecondary plans for their student. 2. Using Occupations and Education Level handout discuss common occupations, including those occupations the students may be interested in, and the educational level required to achieve these occupations. 3. Pass out WhatsNextIllinois.org instructions and worksheet for students to complete. Students should complete the Career Cluster survey and list the occupations that are suggested for them based on their answers, as well as information about the specific occupations such as salary, job growth expectations, etc. 4. Note that there are various other surveys in What’s Next Illinois, and students are encouraged to complete these other surveys, as well. They can return to the site and the surveys will be saved to their account. 5. Discuss the results of the career cluster surveys. What clusters matched the students? Did they think the careers were a good fit? If they were interested in the careers which the survey suggested, what type of education do they need for the careers? Were there any new ideas? What are some careers they want to investigate further? 6. Students may at times use the Occupations and Education handout as a reference, as well. Plan for Evaluation: How will each of the following be collected? Process Data: 11th grade low-income students 110 qualified, 77 chose to participate within 9 groups of 8-9 participants each in the 2015-16 school year Perception Data: Pre/Post Test Outcome Data: Post-secondary enrollment Follow Up: Continue group participation and schedule individual college/career appointment with school counselor
What’s Next Illinois.org CAREER CLUSTER SURVEY Instructions ● Go to website: www.whatsnextillinois.org
● Under “Sign In” to the right, click “Create an Account” o Use school email and a password you won’t forget! ● Once account is created, go to CAREER PLANNING tab at top. ● Select “LEARN ABOUT YOURSELF”
● Select “CAREER CLUSTER SURVEY” ● Complete Career Cluster Survey ● Above the graph, on the right select “View careers in this cluster” to look up specific careers ● Complete worksheet.
Career Clusters and Related Careers Directions: Fill out the following information based on your results from the career cluster survey. Use your Family Connection account and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (bls.gov) to gather information about careers. What are your top 3 career clusters? 1. ________________________________________________________ 2. _________________________________________________________ 3. _________________________________________________________ List a few careers of interest from each cluster along with the educational requirements to enter the field. Cluster 1: ______________________________________ Career: ___________________________________ Education Req: ________________________________ Career: ___________________________________ Education Req: ________________________________ Career: ___________________________________ Education Req: ________________________________
Cluster 2: _____________________________________ Career: ___________________________________ Education Req: ________________________________ Career: ___________________________________ Education Req: ________________________________ Career: ___________________________________ Education Req: ________________________________
Cluster 3: _____________________________________ Career: ___________________________________ Education Req: ________________________________ Career: ___________________________________ Education Req: ________________________________ Career: ___________________________________ Education Req: ________________________________
YYC Week 3: Education Over a Lifetime, College Vocabulary and Myths School Counselor: College and Career Counselor& Counselor
Date: 11/30/2015
Activity: Education Over a Lifetime, College Vocabulary and Myths Grades: 11 ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors (Domain/Standard): Mindset (Career) 4. Understanding that postsecondary education and life-long learning are necessary for long-term career success Behavior: Learning Strategies (Career) 1. Demonstrate critical-thinking skills to make informed decisions 4. Apply self-motivation and self-direction to learning 5. Apply media and technology skills 7. Identify long- and short-term academic, career and social/emotional goals 9. Gather evidence and consider multiple perspectives to make informed decisions Behavior: Social Skills (Career) 3. Create relationships with adults that support success 5. Demonstrate ethical decision-making and social responsibility 8. Demonstrate advocacy skills and ability to assert self, when necessary Learning Objective(s): 1. Students will understand the impact educational attainment has over the course of a lifetime. 2. Students will identify a postsecondary goal. 3. Students will understand their course options for senior year as they relate to exploring a potential career and college major. 4. Students will understand the difference between academic excellence and mediocrity. 5. Students will know the commonly used college vocabulary and the truths and myths related to college. Materials: Why Go To College handout, Education Over a Lifetime handout, GPA Range and Colleges handout, College Vocabulary handout, College Myths handout, What Matters Most to Colleges, and copies of individual students’ unofficial transcripts
Procedure: 1. Distribute handouts to students: Why Go To College and Education Over a Lifetime. 2. Discuss trends on handouts, what students think and how they feel, especially compared to the careers they found the previous week. Remind students about the activity they did in Consumer Education the previous year related to lifetime earnings. Discuss individual personal goals for each student, including career ideas, what education is needed and why they are choosing the path. Have students identify a postsecondary goal that includes a career or career field and the specific education required for that career. Have students write it at the bottom of their worksheet and save it in their folder. Is this one of the careers that came up on their survey the week before? 3. Most careers at this point require some post-secondary training. Various barriers keep students from exploring their college options. Counselor will distribute College Myths handout and discuss the 5 most common college myths with students as well as any other myths students have heard. 4. Review the JR year timeline briefly as it relates to where they are at in the college planning process. 5. Distribute College Vocabulary handout and review commonly used college vocabulary. 6. Distribute What Matters Most to Colleges handout and students individual transcripts. Discuss and compare where the student is at based on what colleges are looking for. Also distribute GPA Range and Colleges handout to show students where they fall with their current GPA compared to schools on the chart which will lead into discussing mediocre academic achievement versus excellent academic achievement and how it plays into choosing their senior year classes since it will be their last time to explore potential career interests, raise their GPA, etc. Plan for Evaluation: How will each of the following be collected? Process Data: 11th grade low-income students 110 qualified, 77 chose to participate within 9 groups of 8-9 participants each in the 2015-16 school year Perception Data: Pre/Post Test Outcome Data: Post-secondary enrollment Follow Up: Continue group participation and schedule individual college/career appointment with school counselor
YYC Week 4: Where I am now, and where do I need to be? Imagine Your College. School Counselor: College and Career Counselor & Counselor
Date: 12/9/2015
Activity: Where I am now, and where do I need to be? And imagine your college Grades: 11 ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors (Domain/Standard): Mindset (Career) 4. Understanding that postsecondary education and life-long learning are necessary for long-term career success Behavior: Learning Strategies (Career) 1. Demonstrate critical-thinking skills to make informed decisions 4. Apply self-motivation and self-direction to learning 5. Apply media and technology skills 7. Identify long- and short-term academic, career and social/emotional goals 9. Gather evidence and consider multiple perspectives to make informed decisions Behavior: Social Skills (Career) 3. Create relationships with adults that support success 5. Demonstrate ethical decision-making and social responsibility 8. Demonstrate advocacy skills and ability to assert self, when necessary Learning Objective(s): 1. Students will be able to identify changes they need to make in order to align themselves with where they want to be academically before they apply to college. 2. Students will understand the connection of their current achievements as it relates to their future college and career decisions. 3. Students will identify which priorities are most important to them when selecting a college. 4. Students will leave with full understanding of the differences among colleges. 5. Students will complete worksheet listing what is most important and least important to them in choosing a college.
Materials: 12th Grade Course Selection worksheet, Your Application Now and Then handout, individual transcripts (Given to students at past meeting), Cards labeled with features of universities for introduction activity, Worksheet- Choosing Your College Priorities and/or Selection Criteria Chart. Procedure: 1. Continue discussion regarding mediocre vs. excellent grades from the previous week. Discuss importance of having a plan in order to know what you’re working for and what you need to specifically do to improve. Discuss the specific courses that are available senior year for students using the 12th Grade Course Selection worksheet. Include past achievement and class performance in discussion as a determining factor for level and course selection in senior year. Also, have students consider the impact of their course choices on the transcript when completing college applications. 2. Distribute Your Application Now and Then handout and have students complete listing where they are at now and where they hope to be when they apply to college. 3. Group into 2-3 depending on the size of the group that day. Give each group a set of cards that are labeled with the features of colleges to consider when choosing a school. The groups will work amongst themselves and put the cards in order of most important to least important based on their groups’ ideas about college. Groups will then discuss why they made the selections they did and the differences of priorities each individual has. 4. Students will then complete the worksheet that requires them to individually list what factors are most important to them and which are least important when deciding on which colleges to apply to. 5. Students will be given a homework assignment for the next group meeting to attempt to log into their Family Connection account. They should also look at one or more sites with other college searches such as collegeboard.com, cappex.com, and/or whatsnextillinois.org. They should explore the site and try to come up with a list of 3 schools that they are interested in learning more about to research at the next meeting. Note: Different searches will bring up a different list of colleges. It’s a good idea to look at a broad range of materials and resources. Plan for Evaluation: How will each of the following be collected? Process Data: 11th grade low-income students 110 qualified, 77 chose to participate within 9 groups of 8-9 participants each in the 2015-16 school yearProcess Data: 11th grade, low-income students - # of Students Perception Data: Pre/Post Test Outcome Data: Post-secondary enrollment Follow Up: Continue group participation and schedule individual college/career appointment with school counselor
YYC Week 5: Researching Colleges School Counselor: College and Career Counselor & Counselor
Date: 12/14/2015
Activity: Researching Colleges Grades: 11 ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors (Domain/Standard): Mindset (Career) 4. Understanding that postsecondary education and life-long learning are necessary for long-term career success Behavior: Learning Strategies (Career) 1. Demonstrate critical-thinking skills to make informed decisions 4. Apply self-motivation and self-direction to learning 5. Apply media and technology skills 7. Identify long- and short-term academic, career and social/emotional goals 9. Gather evidence and consider multiple perspectives to make informed decisions Behavior: Social Skills (Career) 3. Create relationships with adults that support success 5. Demonstrate ethical decision-making and social responsibility 8. Demonstrate advocacy skills and ability to assert self, when necessary Learning Objective(s): 1. Students will understand and be able to complete a college search using Family Connections and/or Whatsnextillinois.org 2. Students will understand the key characteristics to consider when researching colleges 3. Students will know how to access options for researching college Materials: Access to computers in Library Resource Center (LRC), Researching Colleges worksheet, Assessing Your College List handout Procedure: 1. Students will meet in the LRC computer lab. Counselor will demonstrate the features on Family Connections and lead students through a college search on Family Connections.
2. Counselor will walk students through the first college as a group and discuss the key pieces to be looking at when researching schools. 3. Students will use the worksheet to learn about colleges and be expected to research at least 3 schools. They should complete the worksheet on their own before the next meeting. 4. Students will be given Assessing Your College List handout that lists thinking points and key factors to consider when reviewing their college list. Plan for Evaluation: How will each of the following be collected? Process Data: 11th grade low-income students 110 qualified, 77 chose to participate within 9 groups of 8-9 participants each in the 2015-16 school year Perception Data: Pre/Post Test Outcome Data: Post-secondary enrollment Follow Up: Students can compare research engine results by trying college searches on other sites such as Cappex, College Board, and What’s Next Illinois, continue group participation and schedule individual college/career appointment with school counselor
YYC Week 6: Paying For College School Counselor: College and Career Counselor & Counselor
Date: 1/11/2016
Activity: Paying For College Grades: 11 ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors (Domain/Standard): Mindset (Career) 4. Understanding that postsecondary education and life-long learning are necessary for long-term career success Behavior: Learning Strategies (Career) 1. Demonstrate critical-thinking skills to make informed decisions 4. Apply self-motivation and self-direction to learning 5. Apply media and technology skills 7. Identify long- and short-term academic, career and social/emotional goals 9. Gather evidence and consider multiple perspectives to make informed decisions Behavior: Social Skills (Career) 3. Create relationships with adults that support success 5. Demonstrate ethical decision-making and social responsibility 8. Demonstrate advocacy skills and ability to assert self, when necessary Learning Objective(s): 1. Students will understand the process of paying for college. 2. Students will understand the connection of their current achievements as it relates to their future college options in terms of merit aid and paying for college. 3. Students will understand the components of financial aid. 4. Students will complete net price calculators and identify schools that are financial fits. Materials: Individual transcripts (Given to students previously), College Net Price Calculator, Can You Afford Your College Choices?, Financial Fit Spreadsheet, Financial Aid Quiz, Paying For College Is A Family Affair, Here is How One Student Financed a First Year In College
Procedure: Distribute the handouts. Have students take the Financial Aid Quiz. Discuss the correct answers and the misperceptions that some have. Explain financial aid and the process. Discuss the components of financial aid and a college award package. How does GPA and ACT impact awards? Financial need? Show sample award letter. Introduce the concept of colleges being a “financial fit.” Show spreadsheet and discuss. Given their knowledge of their family’s financial situation and their own GPA’s, where might they fall on the spreadsheet? Discuss the Net Price Calculator including strengths and weaknesses. Go through sample calculation. Ask students to talk to their parents and complete one or more net price calculators together with their parents. Students should make note of their family’s personal information so that they can complete other net price calculators for colleges. Students should complete net price calculators for all colleges which are currently “of interest.” Plan for Evaluation: How will each of the following be collected? Process Data: 11th grade low-income students 110 qualified, 77 chose to participate within 9 groups of 8-9 participants each in the 2015-16 school year Perception Data: Pre/Post Test Outcome Data: Post-secondary enrollment Follow Up: Ask students to discuss “financial fitness” with their parents. They should ask their parents to help them complete a net price calculator for colleges of interest. Continue group participation and schedule individual college/career appointment with school counselor
YYC Week 7: Financial Fitness and Applying to College School Counselor: College and Career Counselor & Counselor
Date: 1/20/2016
Activity: Researching Colleges Grades: 11 ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors (Domain/Standard): Mindset (Career) 4. Understanding that postsecondary education and life-long learning are necessary for long-term career success Behavior: Learning Strategies (Career) 1. Demonstrate critical-thinking skills to make informed decisions 4. Apply self-motivation and self-direction to learning 5. Apply media and technology skills 7. Identify long- and short-term academic, career and social/emotional goals 9. Gather evidence and consider multiple perspectives to make informed decisions Behavior: Social Skills (Career) 3. Create relationships with adults that support success 5. Demonstrate ethical decision-making and social responsibility 8. Demonstrate advocacy skills and ability to assert self, when necessary Learning Objective(s): 1. Students will understand the process of paying for college. 2. Students will understand the connection of their current achievements as it relates to their future college options in terms of merit aid and paying for college. 3. Students will understand the components of financial aid. 4. Students will complete net price calculators and identify schools that are financial fits. 5. Students will understand the timeline for applying to colleges 6. Students will understand the steps required to apply to college Materials: Materials from previous week related to paying for college, College Application Checklist handout, Tips for the College Application Process handout, Typical Admission Policies handout Procedure:
● Review the information from the previous week regarding financial aid and having schools with are financial fits on their lists of colleges. What questions did their parents have? What did they learn from their discussion with their parents? Did their parents have questions? Students should be sure that Financial Aid Night is on the family calendar. Did students have difficulty finding net price calculators on any college websites? If so, find them together and then allow students some time to complete the calculator. ● Counselor will lead students in discussion about the college application process. ● A timeline of when it is appropriate to begin applying and general deadlines will be discussed. For example the first major priority deadline is in October for some competitive schools, November 15th and then December 1st as common deadlines. Discuss that the application process can be very time consuming so starting earlier is better than later. ● Counselor will talk about what you need in order to apply and how to stay organized using the College Application Checklist handout. ● Counselor will also discuss tips for the application process using the Tips for the College Application Process handout ● Discuss differences in admission policies such as Early Decision, Early Action and Regular Decision using handout. Plan for Evaluation: How will each of the following be collected? Process Data: 11th grade low-income students 110 qualified, 77 chose to participate within 9 groups of 8-9 participants each in the 2015-16 school year Perception Data: Pre/Post Test Outcome Data: Post-secondary enrollment Follow Up: Continue group participation and schedule individual college/career appointment with school counselor
YYC Week 8: Wrapping Up Junior Year School Counselor: College and Career Counselor & Counselor
Date: 1/25/2016
Activity: Wrapping Up Junior Year Grades: 11 ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors (Domain/Standard): Mindset (Career) 4. Understanding that postsecondary education and life-long learning are necessary for long-term career success Behavior: Learning Strategies (Career) 1. Demonstrate critical-thinking skills to make informed decisions 4. Apply self-motivation and self-direction to learning 5. Apply media and technology skills 7. Identify long- and short-term academic, career and social/emotional goals 9. Gather evidence and consider multiple perspectives to make informed decisions Behavior: Social Skills (Career) 3. Create relationships with adults that support success 5. Demonstrate ethical decision-making and social responsibility 8. Demonstrate advocacy skills and ability to assert self, when necessary Learning Objective(s): 1. Students will identify personal qualities that could be used for writing a college essay. 2. Students will understand the timeline for applying to colleges 3. Students will understand the steps required to apply to college Materials: Lesson plan, Handouts: Do’s and Don’ts of Writing College Essays, How to Write a College Application Essay, Sample Application Essay Questions, The College Essay: Getting Started or 5-1/2 Steps to Writing the College Essay, Activities Resume (from previous session), Final Survey Procedure: ● Pass out worksheets for writing college essays and go over the importance of the essay in college applications. Discuss worksheets. Read the Common Application topics. What topic would they probably choose to write about? Stress that
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whatever the topic they choose, the purpose of the essay is to tell the admissions committee something important about who they are. Guide students through the “College Essay: Getting Started.” Look at sample essays and discuss what they liked and didn’t like about them. How many specific “showing” details are there? How well are the essays written? Discuss. Talk about what students should be doing over the summer to be prepared for applying to college when they return as seniors o Researching colleges o Visiting colleges o Creating a list of 5-6 colleges to which they will apply. Include 2-3 financial fits in the list. o Registering for and taking a second (or third) ACT (if haven’t done so by summer) o Exploring careers- internships, summer jobs, research, job shadow o If possible there is still time to meet with Ms. Abraham the College Career Counselor before the end of the school year to get some more direction and list of schools, etc. o Preparing a resume of activities and work experience. Summer opportunities such as Notre Dame, IACAC, travel programs, etc. Have students take out their activities resume. Has anything changed over the past few weeks? Are they now involved in anything new? Taken on new positions? Have them add the information to their resume. Discuss end of group. Distribute and collect survey
Plan for Evaluation: How will each of the following be collected? Process Data: 11th grade low-income students 110 qualified, 77 chose to participate within 9 groups of 8-9 participants each in the 2015-16 school year Perception Data: Pre/Post test Outcome Data: Post-secondary enrollment Follow Up: Schedule individual college/career appointment with school counselor, establish post-secondary plan and work in collaboration with college and individual school counselor to execute it. Field trip to Elmhurst College and/or Northern Illinois University spring of 2016.
