Coming back to school

Okay okay, summer isn't over YET, but we're almost back to the beginning of a new school year!

You may be starting high school this year, moving into your final year of high school, or somewhere in between. We have a lot planned for this year to help you make your college and career choices. In the meantime, I just wanted to throw out some light summer reading for juniors and seniors. 

For seniors, read this article from the NY Times on your September calendar: http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/04/counselors-calendar-september-seniors/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0

Some important notes to take from this article:

• Make sure your schedule is challenging, but within the realm of what you can do/are interested in
• Map out important dates over the next few months: SAT/ACT , application due dates, scholarship deadlines, etc.
• Keep your parents in the loop! 

Juniors, you have a big year ahead of you as well. Check out this similar article, targeted at juniors: http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/05/counselors-calendar-september-juniors/

Important notes from the article:

• This is a great time to continue building your relationship with your Guidance Counselor (me!) because that person will be your lifeline throughout the college application process!
• Don't leave your college search to the last minute. There is so much to do to apply for college in hype he fall of your senior year, that it would all get pushed back and rushed if you had to spend that time searching for colleges.
• Take advantage of college visits, admissions officers, and campus tours. These are your first opportunities to make a good impression on the schools of your choice!

That's it for now. Excited for a fun year together!

Ms Pecora 

Underclass Dates to Remember

McKee High School College & Career Office has teamed up with Princeton Review to help students in every grade with college planning and preparation. Check out some of the dates coming up on next year's calendar.

Oct 1 – Senior Night! – College Admissions workshop-

Applying to college is more sophisticated than ever before. Our 2-hour seminar provides reliable, easy-to-understand explanations and step-by-step instructions. You will understand what you need to do and when you need to do it to take complete control of your college application process.

Topics covered include:

• Positioning yourself for admission
• Navigating the application process
• Understanding your academic credentials
• How selectivity influences admission decisions
• How admissions officers evaluate applicants
• The impact and importance of what you do outside the classroom
• A strategic approach to choosing standardized tests (PSAT, SAT, ACT, SAT Subject Tests)
• Owning the interview
• Choosing a topic and writing a standout essay
• How to strengthen your application
• Getting organized and keeping on top of deadlines

(This workshop is usually $99 per family! FREE FOR MCKEE FAMILIES!)

Oct 7 & 9, Sophomores & Juniors:

PSAT Scores…Now What?

These free workshops are designed to help students make sense of PSAT scores and jump-start the college admissions process. Topics covered include: how the PSAT correlates to the SAT and ACT, the next steps in the college admissions process and the ideal SAT and/or ACT testing timeline.

Oct 14 – College Application Essay Writing workshop

 Most colleges require students to submit an essay or personal statement as part of the application process. It may sound like a chore, but it's actually a unique opportunity to be an individual and distinguish yourself from other applicants with comparable scores and grades.

After completing our College Essay Writing Workshop, you'll walk away with two (that's right, two!) complete college essays—your Common Application essay and a second supplemental essay.

The Princeton Review College Essay Writing Workshop instructors have been carefully selected from our pool of SAT and ACT instructors because they've shown the unique skills needed to guide (not lecture) students through the creative writing process. Certified through our Admissions Trainings, your instructor knows what colleges want to see and will work to cultivate a writing community where you'll feel free to explore and develop essay topics that are focused and meaningful to you.

No boring lectures here. This is a highly interactive and participatory course, so come prepared to read, share your thoughts and play nicely with others.

Jan 6 – “SAT and ACT: What’s the Difference?” 

The two tests are accepted at all colleges and the main thing that colleges want to see is which of your scores is the highest, without preference for which test you took! So how do you know which test you will get that higher score on? This presentation will go through the two different types of tests and exploring students' strengths and weaknesses and which tests will be better for which students. 

Feb 24 – “Making High School Work For You”

Freshman workshop teaching the importance that each year of high school plays in the college admissions process. A college-bound culture in high school begins in freshman year!

March 19 – Junior Night! – College Admissions workshop

Manhattan College Summer Program

Manhattan College is hosting a 2014 Summer Program for Minority and Women High School Students in Science, Engineering, and SAT Prepartion at no cost to the students. This program is co-sponsored by the Metropolian Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers, as well as coporate sponsors. For approximately the past sixteen years, it has also been co-sponsored by the ACE Mentoring program. The Summer Program will be held:

DATES:
July 7-10
July 14-17
July 21-22
Time: 8:30am - 3pm

6-Day Program:
June 26-28
June 30-July 2
Time: 8am - 3pm

PLACE:
Leo Engineering Building - Rm 236
Manhattan College
240th Street and Corlear Avenue
(Take the 1 train to 238th St.)

PROGRAM DIRECTOR:
Dr. Walter Saukin, Professor Civil Engineering

TOPICS:
Applying to College/Financial Aid, Presentations/labs in Chemical-Civil-Electrical-Computer-Environmental-Mechanical Engineering, and Physics, Related Medical/Law/Education Career Opportunities, Robotics, Green Buildings, Geotech, Computer Aided Design, Group Projects, SAT Preparation

INFORMATION:
718.862.7171 ask for Dr. Saukin between 9:30am and 4pm, M-F

Students will receive certificates of participation and can note this summer activity when applying to college. Leisure activities are also being planned for the students.

Please see me for applications!

-Ms. Miller Pecora

Junior year timeline

Big year coming up, juniors! Take a couple minutes to look over this timeline of things you should be doing throughout this school year.

Junior year is the biggest and most important year of your high school career. When you begin applying to colleges in your senior year, junior year will be the most recent grades they can review, so make this year count!! 

FALL

·         -Take the PSAT in October

·         -Begin researching colleges

·         -Take a campus tour at any college nearby – CSI, St. John’s, Wagner, for example – just to get an idea of what different campuses are like and what type you may be interested in

·         -Make a list and begin narrowing down your ideas for majors and careers you would like to go into

·         -Sign up for scholarship websites – fastweb.com, scholarships.com – and check your email often for updates

·         -If you plan to continue your education in your Career & Technical area that you’re studying at McKee, keep track of your best work and begin to put together a portfolio

WINTER

·         -Review your PSAT score with My College QuickStart on collegeboard.com – find out your strengths and weaknesses based on your specific score in order to get a great SAT score in May

·         -Get involved in extracurricular activities and community service. This will not only look good on your resume for college, but it will give you the opportunity to explore areas you may not have known you were interested in!

·         -Prepare for the SAT

·         -Make a list of colleges you may be interested. Make it a big list (at least 10-15 schools) of different types of schools

SPRING

·         -Register for the May or June SAT and the ACT

·         -Meet with your Counselor to plan your senior year courses that will give you a better chance of getting into a college for your preferred major

·         -Begin to narrow down your list of colleges by going on campus visits and speaking to college representatives at your school

·         -Talk to your coach and Counselor about NCAA requirements if you want to play Division I or II sports in college.

·         -Complete your resume – include high-levels classes you’ve taken, any awards/recognitions you’ve received, activities, volunteer and work experience

SUMMER

·         -Register for the October or November SAT and ACT.

·         -Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center if you want to play in college

·         -Visit colleges on your list

This summer the College Now program at the College of Staten Island will offer a full day program for students going into the 10th, 11th, and 12th grade. Students will have the opportunity to take a college credit course in the morning and then attend specialized workshops in the afternoon that will serve to enrich and connect their course to real world situations. This is a full-day program. Attendance in both the morning and afternoon sessions is required to earn the college credits. Lunch will be provided by the college. Students who fulfill the prerequisite for a course will be provided a scholarship that pays for tuition, fees and the textbook. The program will meet Monday thru Thursday, from July 8^th – July 30^th
Registration will take place May 13^th – 16^th from 9:00AM – 12:30PM & 1:30PM – 4:30PM in building 1A room 208.  Registration is on a first come, first serve basis. Students will only be able to register after May 16^th if seats are available. Students are required to bring the following information when they register:

• A copy of the student's social security card (If you do not have one, the college will assign a temporary ID#);
• A copy of a current transcript;
• SAT/PSAT scores (if needed to document the student has fulfilled course prerequisites);
• A completed College Now Registration form;
• A completed College Now Parent/Guardian Consent form;
• The Immunization Certification Form (*Please note only part #1 must be completed for College Now);

Please note that students are not required to register in person. Parents can register for their children provided they bring the required documentation.

*All classes will begin on Monday July 8, 2013

The Full day program schedule: Morning (see times below) / Lunch 12:20 - 1:00 / Workshop 1:00 - 3:00

Below is a list of all classes offered. You can see me for more info on each class.

POL 100 - American Government and Politics - 3 credits

• Time: 9:50am - 12:20pm
• Workshop: American Government

SOC 100 - Sociology - credits

•  Time: 9:50am - 12:20pm
• Workshop: Social Issues

PSY 100 - Psychology - 3 credits

•  Time : 9:50am - 12:20pm
• Workshop : Forensics

(The above classes require a 75+ ELA Regents or 480 SAT/500 PSAT Critical Reading)


MTH 130 - Pre-Calculus Mathematics - 3 credits

•  Time: 9:00am - 12:20pm
• Workshop : Technology-Assisted Problem Solving 
• Prerequisite: 75+ Trig Regents. Students who will be taking the Trig Regents in June may register if they scored 80+ Geometry Regents and contingent on scores 75+ Trig Regents

 MTH 113 - Introduction to Probability and Statistics with Computer Applications - 4 credits

• Time : 9:00am - 12:20pm
•  Workshop : Ooops! I Didn't Think of That! 
• Prerequisite: 80+ Geometry Regents and over 80% HS average. Students who will be taking the Geometry Regents in June may register if they scored 85+ Algebra Regents and contingent on 80+ Geometry Regents

ASTRONOMY 102 - Theories of the Universe - 3 credits

• Astronomy 103 - 1 credit (lab) 
• Prerequisite: 80+ Algebra Regents and 80% HS average

-Ms. Miller

Great college opportunity for current Juniors!!

Did you know that you need a score of 75 on the ELA and 80 on the Algebra Regents exam to take most college-credit courses and to quality for a four-year CUNY college? If you have not achieved these scores, you should take advantage of the College Focus Program. Passing the tests you'll prepare for in this *free* summer program will exempt you from developmental zero credit courses at CUNY and qualify you for college credit courses in your senior year of high school.

Participants receive a Student Metrocard, snacks and lunch, and a *CUNY Application FEE WAIVER* - that's $65 saved!!

When: Monday to Thursday, July 8th - August 8th, 8:30am - 3:00pm
Where: KINGSBOROUGH COMMUNITY COLLEGE
2001 Oriental Blvd, Brooklyn, NY 11235 / 718-368-5170

We're looking for High School Rising Seniors who:

• Have a score between 65 and 74 on ELA Regents or an overall PSAT score between 90-119 (if you are applying for the Reading/Writing Course)
• Have a score between 65 and 79 on Algebra Regents (if you are applying for the Math Course)

Requirements:

• Application
• Letter of Recommendation from a teacher or counselor
• A record of good attendance in the Fall 2012 and Spring 2013

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until classes are full.
Apply by May 24th for early admission!
Final deadline: June 21st

Come to me or Ms. Ippolito for applications!

-Ms. Miller

GEMSS kick-off assembly

February 28th was the first ever kick-off event for Mckee's all new girls empowerment group, GEMSS (Girls Empowered at McKee Striving for Success)!

I can barely explain how excited I am for and proud I am of the girls who put it together and ran the kickoff. In October of last year, some of Mckee's senior girls entered an essay contest on female empowerment and soon after, attended a women's empowerment conference at the St Philips Baptist Church. These girls became more and more empowered and instead of keeping that for themselves, they took this great new feeling and really ran with it. The girls came back to school inspired and unstoppable.

We hope that the need to be empowered as a young female becomes contagious at McKee. Myself and the other GEMSS advisors at McKee are so excited for what this group can become and. Look forward to the future.

Kudos to the seniors (and 2 juniors!) who put this event and the GEMSS group together: Guadalupe Cortez, Jane Nash, Aaliyah Evans, Fredmalyn Williams, Dyesha Mott, Johanna Zumba, Carmen Roman, Nicole Manirampa, Natasha Desilva, and Sarah Weiss.

FIT for High School Juniors

The admissions office at SUNY Fashion Institute of Technology is hosting a special program for high school juniors on Saturday, March 16th at 10:00am. The program will include presentations from the deans of FIT's School of Art and Design, Jay and Patty Baker School of Business and Technology and the School of Liberal Arts.

This is the perfect opportunity for students to learn about FIT's broad range of majors in not only fashions, but in fine arts, design, merchandizing, advertising and marketing, just to name a few. Current FIT students will also be on-hand to discuss their experiences at FIT and give tours of our beautiful campus in NYC.

If you're interested, please register at www.fitnyc.edu/visitfit

-Ms. Miller