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Shaker High
Sch ool
Guidance
Department
GUIDANCE NEWSLETTER
Volume 2
Issue 6
February 2015
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Programming
1
Class of 2016 Info
1
College Fairs
2
SAT & ACT Info
2
Scholarship Info
3
Summer Programs
3
Financial Aid Info
4
As of February 1st, the SHS
Guidance Department has
processed 2,810 college
applications. 92% of the
students in the senior class
have applied to at least one
college.
Some colleges will continue
to receive applications
through February and
March. Students are advised to pay close attention
to application deadlines.
Admissions decisions will
be delivered in March and
April. Students must notify
the college they plan to
attend by May 1st, and provide a tuition deposit.
All seniors will be required
to complete a Graduation
Survey on Naviance. This
ensures the final transcript
is sent to each student’s
college. The survey will be
available on the About Me
tab of Naviance. More information to follow soon.
PROGRAMMING UPDATE 2015-16
Guidance Counselors will
begin meeting with students on Monday, February 23rd to make course
selections for next year.
Juniors will meet first,
followed by sophomores
and freshmen throughout
the month of March.
By now, all students
should have received an
updated Course Catalog. The course catalog
contains information
about all courses that are
available, as well as any
necessary pre-requisites.
A summary of graduation
requirements and other
relevant information is
included.
Students are encouraged
to review the Course
Catalog in advance of
their scheduling meeting.
Teachers will provide recommendations for each
student to the Guidance
Counselors.
If the student and parent
are not in agreement with
the teacher recommendation, a “Waiver of PreRequisite Form” must be
filed with the appropriate
Academic Supervisor. The
forms can be obtained from
the Guidance Office. Completed forms are returned
to the Supervisor for review.
The Supervisor will make
the final determination as
to whether a student will
be permitted in the desired course.
All course requests must
be finalized by July 1,
2015.
Please be aware that
some courses require
applications and/or pretests. Students are advised to pay attention to
deadlines for these special requirements. A few
are listed below:
Advanced Placement (AP)
Applications—Due 3/6
Math Honors Applications—Due 2/27
Math Honors Problem
Solving Test—March 19th
@ 2:30 in J201
Other courses that require
an application:
-Advanced Studio 1, 2, 3
-Advanced Digital Art
-Engineering Capstone
-Science Research
Please see the respective
Academic Supervisor for
further information.
COLLEGE & CAREER PLANNING RESOURCES FOR JUNIORS
Guidance Counselors recently met with all juniors to
discuss the post high
school planning process.
The PowerPoint presentation covered many elements
of the college planning process. The complete presentation can be accessed on
the Guidance page of the
district website. Juniors also
received an updated version
of the Junior Handbook
which contains a wealth of
information, including:
-tips for college interviews
-checklist for college visits
-financial aid information
-timetable for college planning
-NCAA Reference Guide
-important dates
The Junior Handbook can
also be accessed from the
homepage on Naviance.
-SAT & ACT information
-tips for the college essay
-college checklist
COLLEGE FAIRS AND SPECIAL PROGRAMS
Several area locations will be hosting College Fairs this spring.
WINTER BREAK CAMPUS
VISIT WEEK AT HUDSON
VALLEY COMMUNITY
COLLEGE—Bulmer Telecommunications Center
Meeting Rooms
Saratoga High School: Monday,
April 20, 6:30-8 PM
Guilderland High School: Tuesday, April 21, 6:30-8 PM
Sessions will be held daily
Monday, Feb. 16th through
Friday Feb. 20th, from 8:30
to 11:45 A.M. Campus tours
and financial aid presentations will also be available in
the afternoon.
Shenendehowa High School:
Wednesday, April 22, 6:30-8 PM
South Colonie High School:
Thursday, April 23, 6:30-8 PM
CDCA Spring College Fair at Hudson Valley Community College—
McDonough Recreation Center on
Wednesday, May 6, 6-8 PM
Register online at
www.hvcc.edu/admissions/
campus-visit or call 629-8112
SAT/ACT TEST PREPARATION RESOURCES
Information about the SAT
Review class offered through
North Colonie Continuing
Education is available on the
district website. Students
may also pick up registration
forms in the main office. The
deadline to register is
March 6th.
Classes begin on March 17th
and end on April 30th. There
will be twelve 2-hour sessions. Classes will meet
from 6:30-8:30 in the Dwing of the High School.
Important Note: Students
must still complete the registration process for the SAT
online at the Collegeboard
website.
Information on other SAT/ACT
Test Prep Programs can be
found on the following websites:
Shaker students now have access
to PrepMe on Naviance. This
free program offers test
preparation, including study
plans and practice tests.
www.kaptest.com
www.princetonreview.com
www.abelsontestprep.com
SAT and ACT TESTING DATES: SPRING 2015
Date
Page 2
Test
Registration Deadline
Late Deadline
*Mar 14
SAT 1 only
Feb. 13
Mar. 3
Students register online at collegeboard.org or act.org.
April 18
ACT
Mar 13
Mar. 27
There are links to both websites on the Naviance homepage.
*May 2
SAT 1 & SAT 2
Apr. 6
Apr. 21
*Shaker is a test site in March and May
June 6
SAT 1 & SAT 2
May 8
May 27
ACT’s are offered at several area high schools
June 13
ACT
May 8
May 22
G U I D A NC E NE W S L E T T E R
Page 3
V O L U M E 2 I S S UE 6
SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION
New York STEM Incentive Program Applications Available: New York’s best and brightest students are now able to apply for the New York STEM Incentive Program for the 2015-2016 academic year. The Incentive program, launched last year
by Governor Andrew Cuomo, encourages high school seniors in the top ten percent of their graduating class to pursue high
-demand, high-tech careers in New York by providing a full SUNY or CUNY tuition scholarship if they major in a STEM field
and work in a STEM job in New York State for five years after graduation.
To be eligible for a STEM incentive award, a student must be attending a New York State high school and be ranked in the
top 10% of his/her graduating class and enroll in full-time study at a SUNY or CUNY college in the fall term following graduation. Eligibility details and an application are available now on HESC’s website at www.hesc.ny.gov
Application deadline for the New York STEM Incentive Program is August 15, 2015.
Other scholarships: Below, please find some featured scholarships. Log in to Naviance for more detailed information
about other scholarships, applications and eligibility. To research scholarships and view the complete “Scholarship List”,
click on the “Colleges” tab. http://connection.naviance.com/shakerhigh
Baptist Health System Foundation Alfred Kahler Scholarship Program: These scholarships are awarded to students
planning to pursue health care related human services fields, including nursing, medicine, physical therapy and social work.
Applicants will be evaluated on educational goals and plans, academic performance in grades 9-11, and school/community
involvement. Applications can be obtained in the Guidance Office. Application Deadline April 6, 2015.
Macedonia Merit Scholarship sponsored by the Macedonia Baptist Church in Albany, NY: Available to high school
students of African ancestry who demonstrate the following: solid academics (3.0 GPA or higher); leadership in school, community, religious and/or civic organizations; community service; character; and, personal poise. Application Deadline:
April 15, 2015. Applications can be downloaded from Macedonia’s website at http://www.macedoniaofalbany.org/getinvolved/scholarship-fund/scholarships-awards.html
SUMMER ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS
Enrichment programs: Below, please find some featured summer programs. Log into Naviance for a more comprehensive
list. Enrichment programs are found on the “Colleges” tab. http://connection.naviance.com/shakerhigh
Pre-College Programs at New York University - July 5th through August 14th, 2015: Programs offered include: College
Writing Workshop, Journalism, Engineering and Business. Preferred Application Deadline: March 1, 2015. For more information and to apply to specific programs, go to http://nyu.edu/admissions/high-school-programs/precollege.html
College of Saint Rose—Pre-College Summer Experience Programs, Albany, NY: Courses offered in Music, Criminal
Justice & Forensics, Drama, Filmmaking and Visual Art. Online applications being accepted until courses fill. For more information and to register, go to http://strose.edu/admissions/summeracademyforyouth
Health and Biomedical Sciences Summer Camp at Lebanon Valley College in Annville, PA, June 21-26 or July 5-10,
2015: Open to rising sophomores, juniors and seniors. This camp will provide a fun, challenging and engaging college environment in which students will develop a deeper understanding of what it means to be a biomedical scientist and health professional. For more information and to apply, go to http://www.lvc.edu/health-bio-summer-camp or contact Dr. Courtney
Lappas at [email protected]
FINANCIAL AID & SCHOLARSHIP RESOURCES
Federal Student Aid Information Center: 1-800-4FED-AID or:
www.studentaid.ed.gov
LOGGING IN TO
NAVIANCE
Have you forgotten your
Naviance password, or still
need to register? Contact
your Guidance Counselor or
stop by the Guidance Office
for assistance. Remember
you can link to Naviance
from the North Colonie
District website. Go to
Shaker High School, then
Guidance to find the link.
http://
connection.naviance.com/
shakerhigh
To electronically sign your FAFSA, you must create a PIN. Apply for
one at www.pin.ed.gov
Go College! NY—A website designed especially for students new to the
college search process: www.GoCollegeNY.org
With FAFSA4caster, you can estimate your eligibility for federal student
aid: www.fafsa4caster.ed.gov
Information on New York State grants and scholarships through NYS
Higher Education Services Corporation: www.hesc.ny.gov
College Navigator, a US Dept. of Education website, allows students to
search colleges and universities: www.nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator
Fastweb: A database of thousands of private scholarships:
www.fastweb.com
Hudson Valley Community College: Provides brief videos on a variety
of financial aid topics: http://hvcc.financialaidtv.com
SUNY FINANCIAL AID DAY - FEBRUARY 28TH, 2015
‌SUNY’s‌Financial‌Aid‌Days‌are offered as a service to all prospective college students and their families. The programs are designed to answer questions and provide assistance regarding the financial aid application, types of
aid available and the award process. Forty-six programs across New York
State will be offered free of charge. Many campuses will provide hands-on
assistance from SUNY financial aid professionals in completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Listed below are campuses
closer to the capital region that will be hosting Financial Aid Days.
Saturday, February 28th: Adirondack Community College, Queensbury, NY;
Columbia-Green Community College, Hudson, NY; Herkimer County Community College, Herkimer, NY; and Hudson Valley Community College, Troy,
NY
Students and families are encouraged to pre-register by going online at
www.suny.edu/studentevents or by calling the SUNY Recruitment Response
Center at 1-800-342-3811.