STUDENT SERVICES NEWS

                                                                                     December 14, 2018
 
Masonic Charities of Maryland, Inc. Grand Lodge of A.F. & A.M. of Maryland Masonic Educational Grants   Scholarships of $500 are awarded to students pursuing a post-secondary education in a two- or four-year college or vocational training school. Applications will be judged on participation and leadership roles in community and school activities, academic record, need for financial assistance and evaluation by a school official.  The Lodge Grand Selection Committee will choose finalists.  Applications are available in Student Services.  Completed applications must be given to Mrs. Miles in Student Services by March 1, 2019.
 
 
Steps for Junior Students in Preparation for Next Year's College Applications
Naviance SuperMatch
Overview about what is covered below:
 Searching for Post-Secondary options:  Naviance SuperMatch Search Engine.   Connecting World of Work requirements to life after high school.   SAT vs ACT Tests  
A very powerful college search engine available to you:  SuperMatch in Naviance?
SuperMatch is designed to help students find colleges and universities based on the criteria that are most important to them as an individual. As a student uses SuperMatch, college search results are displayed based upon what percentage of their criteria match each college or university's unique characteristics. This gives students the opportunity to see institutions that best match their interests, including some that meet most of their preferences, but may not match on one or two criteria. This exposes students to great institutions that closely meet their interests that they may not have considered otherwise.  
How does it work?
In the “SuperMatch” College Search link, students can develop their search parameters, including criteria important to them, such as size and geographic location of the college, major, student makeup, selectivity, and activities and programs offered on campus. Students can decide with their parents which qualities they may want in a college, and Naviance then generates a list of schools tailored specifically to their wants and needs in a college. The more criteria that a student specifies, the more tailored the college list Naviance will produce. Students can modify their parameters as many times as they want, so play around and see what types of lists you get based on different parameters! After the list is generated, Naviance also rank orders the colleges on the student’s list based on how closely the college fits the student’s criteria. This feature gives students a keen sense of their best matches.
What is Scattergram?
Scattergram is a scatter plot showing data from previous students from your student’s high school who were accepted, denied, and wait-listed by a specific college. This information is relayed on a
Cartesian graph with the X- and Y-axes showing SAT and GPA information for a particular student. Students should develop their college list with an eye towards including colleges of varying selectivity levels; again, we recommend at least two clear “no problem” schools and three “just right” schools to go along with a couple of “challenging” schools. Thus the Scattergram is an important resource to that end.  
After High School Options:
 Work   Military (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard)   AmeriCorps (Volunteer Service)   Apprenticeships   Trade School   Community Colleges   Four-Year Colleges   
What do colleges consider in the admissions process?
 Application   Transcript   Course Rigor   GPA/Rank   SAT or ACT   Other factors are also considered with varying levels of importance   
Supermatch College Search in Naviance:
Exploring Naviance
 Log into your Naviance Account   Go to “Colleges Tab”   Go to “Colleges Home”   Under the Heading:  Finding Your Fit   Explore SuperMatch   Look at matching colleges, scattergrams and save as favorites by clicking on the heart  
 

SAT vs. ACT
  SAT ACT Register @
Some students may qualify for fee waivers based on financial need - see your counselor
www.collegeboard.com
www.actstudent.org
 
What does the test cover?
 Critical Reading and Math.     Essay is optional but encouraged.  
 
 English   Math   Reading   Science   Writing  
 
 
What math is covered?
 Algebra I & II   Geometry   Trigonometry   
One section is without a calculator.
 Algebra I & II   Geometry   Trigonometry   
Formulas are not given.
Do you get penalized for incorrect answer?
No No
Questions Level of Difficulty
Questions get more difficult as test progresses, including:
 Use of evidence to answer questions.   Less obscure questions.   Multi-step applications.  Question difficulty is random throughout the test.   

Winter ARL Shadow Day Opportunities Now Available (Permission Slips Attached)
If you missed the November Shadow Day experiences you are in luck!!
The ARL is hosting one last Shadow Day opportunity for freshman and sophomores before scheduling begins. The Winter Shadow Dates are
January 8th, 9th and 10th
If you are interested in exploring any of the academies listed below please fill out the appropriate permission slip (see attached) and return to Mrs. Devlin in Student Services by Thursday, December 20th at 2:10pm.  
Attending a Shadow Day can play an important role in a student’s decision making as they go through the scheduling process for the 2019-2020 school year.  
Remember that the academies are countywide programs, some of which fill up quickly.
The earlier a student requests enrollment in an academy, the better
 chance he/she has of being scheduled for that academy.  
Below are the dates for the academy specific Shadow Days:
 
 
Tuesday, January 8th (periods 1 and 2) – current 10th graders only
Computer Networking, Architecture, Graphic Design, Automotive, Systems and Project Engineering, Agricultural Sciences
 
Wednesday, January 9th (period 1 and 2) – current 10th graders only
Cybersecurity Essentials, HVAC, Academy of Finance, Construction Management, Homeland Security, Biotechnology, Animation
 
Wednesday, January 9th (periods 5 and 6) – current 10th graders only
 Health Professions
 
Thursday, January 10th (period 1 and 2)
 Early College Program in Cybersecurity – current 9th graders only
PLTW Aerospace Engineering – current 10th graders only   
*For questions about the academies or scheduling in general please  
contact your designated counselor
 
Attachments: January Shadow Days 2019.docx
 
 
Grassroots Fundraiser at Chipotle  Howard High School Leadership Class 1 is sponsoring a fundraiser for Grassroots suicide prevention services at Chipotle off Old Dobbin Lane in Columbia on Monday, December 17th from 4-8pm. Flyers are available in Student Services.  These must be shown in order for Chipotle to donate 33% of the proceeds to Grassroots. Remember Grassroots works 24 hours a day, 7 days a week helping people in crisis; helping to save lives.
Cathy Smith,  Jean Moon & Associates
cathyvsmith@outlook.com   410.302.4662

Are you a current 2018/19 high school Junior interested in Leadership, Government or Politics?

The American Legion 2018 MD Boys State Program will be held at McDaniel College, Westminster, MD from June 16 – 22, 2019.  The program is a nationally recognized program in leadership, government, and political sciences.  The program’s aim is to expose current high school Juniors to the United States Constitutional form of government.  The program emphasizes the necessity of future active participation as a citizen in the government process to insure continuing freedoms and rights.  You will understand the American system of government, the responsibilities of citizenship, and the fundamental principles of leadership.  
Information can be found at www.mdlegion.org/forms/MDBoysStateOrientation2019.pdf    Once you have reviewed the orientation and want to apply; visit www.mdlegion.org/boysstate and click on “Apply Today”  to be directed to the online application.  More information is available in Student Services.    Application deadline is April 15, 2019.