Prep Phase/Phase 1
Name two schools that we will be visiting as a class during phase 1 of your 8th grade year.
Bancroft, Saint Paul's, Saint Mark's, Saint John's (only some will visit Worcester Academy)
What grade do you officially start phase 2 in?
8th grade
How could you keep track of deadlines and required materials for each school you are applying to?
Make a written list
Create a Google Sheets checklist
Write down due dates in your agenda
Any other ideas?
Who will be involved in making the final decision about where you go to high school?
You
Your family
Director of High School Placement and Support
Free Space!
+100 points
What is phase 1 of the high school placement process?
Inquire & Visit
What is phase 2 of the high school placement process?
Discern
What is phase 3 of the high school placement process?
Apply
What is phase 4 of the high school placement process?
Decide
What is phase 5 of the high school placement process?
Celebrate
What is the purpose of a tour? Give 2 reasons
- To see the school in person, their facilities, etc.
- To see what the school has to offer aside from academics
- To be able to ask direct questions to the people that work there and know the school best
- To be able to see and possibly talk to students that go there
- To see if it's a good fit for me
- To show them my interest
- To show them who Nativity students are
- Type (Private, Public, Trade, Boarding*)
- Size
- Location
- Gender Make-Up
- Religious Affiliation
- Percentage of Students of Color
Name 2 "other" application elements to consider or submit that you would not write or request from someone
SSAT scores
interviews
shadow days
financial aid applications
When do high school decisions start to get released, for the most part?
At the end of February through mid-March
Once you make your decision and are celebrating, what can you do to be a good role model for younger students?
- Share your successes with younger students: what worked? what didn't?
- Continue to uphold expectations and show leadership during your last months in the school
- Be a guest speaker for HSP for the 7th graders in the Spring
- Any other ideas?
If there is a school that you are interested in, but that we aren't going to visit as a class, what do you do?
Sign up for an open house or a tour with your family to visit them on your own!
Why is it important to keep the Director of High School Placement and Support up-to-date about your list of high schools as soon as it changes?
If the Director of High School Placement and Support does not know that you are adding or deleting schools from your list, they cannot make the necessary updates to your financial aid applications and cannot track your list of schools.
Name 3 common application elements to write or request.
application profile
short answer/essay questions
graded essay
parent essay questions
recommendation letters
transcripts, attendance records, behavioral records
When will you need to make the final decision about where you are going to high school?
Mid-April
What three groups of people are honored at the Graduate Luncheon in the Spring?
those graduating middle school (8th graders), high school (12th graders), and college (seniors)
What are two of the three reasons that schools need you to fill out an inquiry form?
- It puts you in their system to prepare for application season
- It adds you to their email list with important updates
- It gives you portal access that is separate from your application to track important things
Why is it important to keep your family in the loop about high school applications and decisions?
The more they know, the more we can all be on the same page about where you end up going to high school. This will lead to a much easier decision-making process when the time comes.
What is the name of one of the two portals that have most of the schools' applications?
Standard Application Online (SAO)
Ravenna
What are two big things to consider when thinking about the decision you are going to make?
What you said your "perfect high school" or "best fit" high school would be
Financial aid package/award
What happens during the 8th grade "moving up" ceremony on the Graduate Day Celebration?
You will receive a t-shirt for the high school you are going to attend and be honored by walking down the hallway lined with all current Nativity students and faculty/staff cheering you on! We will hold our “moving up” ceremony for morning assembly, and instead of sitting in your 8th grade seats, you will transition to the Grad Support Office!