Junior InformationJunior Newsletter From the Counselor’s Office September
I hope your junior year is off to a good start!! For many students the junior year is a big transition year as you move from “B” team to varsity in sports, from having mostly required classes in 9th-10th grade to more electives of your choosing, and from planning out your high school years to now looking seriously at post-high school plans. My purpose in writing to you today is to inform you of some events coming up this year that may impact and help you (both juniors and parents) in your future planning. The PSAT /NMSQT Test (Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test)- this optional test will be given to qualifying juniors. The fee is $16.00. Juniors who plan to take the SAT should take the PSAT as a practice test for the SAT. The SAT is required mostly for out of state colleges and military academies. The PSAT is not a practice test for the ACT. Additionally, juniors in the top 15% of their class should take the PSAT as a qualifying test for the National Merit Scholarship. Students must register and submit their fee in the guidance office prior to the test. There are a limited number of tests Moose Lake and students will be registered on a first come first serve basis.
A.S.V.A.B. Testing-The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery will be administered to Moose Lake High School Juniors. The test provides information to students and parents about individual abilities and vocational aptitudes. Test results will be shared with students. The ASVAB Career Exploration Workbook is provided with your results. Your scores on the ASVAB WILL NOT be released to military recruiters unless you choose to talk to a recruiter and sign a release of your scores.
College Entrance Exams – ACT-This year we will again be offering students the opportunity to take the ACT. The ACT test is required by just about all 4-year colleges throughout the Midwest. Also, if students score well on the ACT, their scores can be used in place of the Accuplacer test at all Minnesota community and technical colleges. The cost for the ACT is $62.50 with limited fee waivers available for qualifying students.. SAT-Most of you will not need to take the SAT. The ACT is the admission test required by all four-year colleges in the Midwest. However, if there is a possibility of you attending an east or west coast school, you will want to take the SAT as well in the Spring. You can register online at collegeboard.com. v Accuplacer- College Entrance/Placement Exam administered to all students registered for College in the Schools classes at Moose Lake High School OR students who apply to a two-year college OR community/vocational school.
College Reps and College Visits – We have a number of college representatives who visit our high school guidance office to meet with prospective students. These visits from reps are always advertised in the daily bulletin at school at least a few days in advance of the visit, and juniors are welcome to attend. Also, especially in the spring when juniors start thinking more seriously about college choices, making a visit to a college campus might be a good idea. The college visits are an excused absence as long as the student has made an appointment with the college and has completed and turned in the college visit form (available in the guidance office) ahead of time.
Pam Litsey H.S. Counselor |