SENIOR
PACKET
Compliments of the WestHigh School
Counseling Department
IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBERTuesday, September 7 ELL Parent Meeting, 6:00 p.m., LMC
Wednesday, September 8Seniors meet with counselors in group sessions –Pd. 2
Saturday, September 11 Freshman Party, 8:00-11:00 p.m., Caf
Monday, September 13 9th Grade Parent Meeting, 7:00 p.m., Aud
Thursday, September 16 12th Grade Parent Meeting, 6:45 p.m., Aud
Monday, September 20 Go-to-School Night, 7:00 p.m.
October 4 - 8 Registration for PSAT
Saturday, October 9VPACollege Fair – RooseveltUniv.ChicagoCollege of the Arts, 2:00-4:00 p.m.
Monday, October 11Wisconsin Education Fair, VeronaH.S., 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Friday, October 15End of Seventh Week – Last Day to Drop a Class
Saturday, October 16PSAT Test Date, 8:00 a.m.
Tuesday, October 19VPACollege Fair – Univ.ofMN, Mpls., Coffman Memorial Union, 7:00-9:00p.m.
Sunday, October 24 NationalCollege Fair, FrontierAirlinesCenter, Milwaukee, 12-3:30 p.m.
Tuesday, October 2610th Grade Parent Meeting, 7:00 p.m., Aud
Thursday, November411th Grade FuturePaths Speakers Program for Juniors and Parents, 7:00 p.m., Aud (seniors welcome also)
November 8 – 10 WKCE Testing for Sophomores
November 8 – 12 Registration for PLAN
November 11 – 12 Parent/Teacher Conferences
Saturday, November 20 PLAN Test Date, 8:00 a.m.
DecemberWest High Scholarship Application available online - Application deadline TBA.
Wednesday, December 1 Financial Aid Meeting for Students,Pds. 2 & 3, LMC
Monday, December 6Parent/Senior Financial Aid Meeting, 7:00 p.m., Aud
December 6 – 10 Access Testing for ELL Students
December 20 – 31 Winter Break
January 4 – 7 Access Testing for ELL Students
January 19 – 21 1st Semester Exams
Thursday, January 27Grade Level Scheduling Meetings, Periods 1, 2 & Students should be bringing scheduling cards home.
Wednesday, February 9 11th Grade Parent Meeting, 7:00 p.m., Aud
Thursday, February 10 10th Grade Parent Meeting, 7:00 p.m., Aud
Tuesday, February 159th Grade Parent Meeting, 7:00 p.m., Aud
Friday, March 11 End of Seventh Week – Last Day to Drop a Class
April 18 – 22 Spring Break
May Advanced Placement Testing
Thursday, May 26Senior Honors Convocation, 7:30 p.m., Aud
June 7 - 92nd Semester Exams
Saturday, June 11WestHigh School Graduation, KohlCenter
WestHigh School
Senior Parent Meeting Agenda
Thursday, September 16, 2010
6:45 – 8:30 p.m.
6:45 – 6:55 Welcome by Assistant Principal Mitch McGrath – Front of Auditorium
7:00 – 7:40 Choose one session from the following:
- Applying to PostHigh School Institutions – Room 225 – Ms. Bebber-Wells, Counselor
- Financial Aid and Scholarship Information – Back of Aud – Ms. Shepard, Counselor
- “Leaving the Nest” – Room 239 – Ms. Sepin, Social Worker
7:45 – 8:30 Sessions above are repeated.
Pick a new session.
Thursday, November 4, 7:00 p.m., Auditorium
West High will host the FuturePaths Speaker Program for 11th grade students and their
families. Presenters will speak on a range of postsecondary opportunities including MATC,
apprenticeships, the UW System, UW two-year colleges, UW-Madison, University of Minnesota,
WinonaState, private colleges, PeckSchool of the Arts from UW-Milwaukee, I.E.P. Goes to College,
and military options. Presenters will speak from 7:00 to 7:50 p.m. and then repeat their sessions from
8:00 to 8:50 p.m.
Seniors and their parents who are interested in attending the presentation to obtain
more information on post high school options are also welcome to attend.
SELECTING A COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY
First, you need to ask yourself a few basic questions. There are several factors to consider when choosing a school.
1.Admissibility -- Will I be accepted?
2.Location -- Do I want to concentrate on a specific region of the U.S.? Do I want to be close enough to come home weekly ? monthly?
3.Enrollment -- How large of a school will I consider? 800? 3,000? 20,000+?
4.Annual costs (tuition, fees, room and board) -- Can I afford it? Will I be able to qualify for financial aid or scholarships?
- Intended major -- What do I want to major in, or do I have a specific career interest offered by the college of my choice?
- Profile -- Are my interests, values, and beliefs compatible with the school I choose?
- Special programs -- What will this college offer me that other colleges won’t or can’t? Examples: study abroad, teaching assistants & professor/student ratio, fraternity/sorority, financial aid, programs of study, housing, minority organizations, computers/library resources.
- Athletic programs – Am I interested in playing Division I, II, or III or intramural sports? What are my chances for an athletic scholarship? Are the athletic facilities appealing?
8 Factors Schools Consider in Making Their Decisions for Admissions
1.academic record – GPA5.student essay
2.test scores6.high school standing, reputation
3.rigor of program7.number of applicants
4.extracurricular activities8.recommendations
Do a computer searchon Wisconsin Careers – School code is MWH-C481.
Use your answers to the questions above as your selectors. (set up an appointment with your counselor if you would like assistance)
Access Other Resources
Parents, counselor, alumni
College rep visits - Scheduled visits are posted outside the Counseling Office and in the Daily Bulletin.
On-campus visits - Pre-arranged with colleges. Sit in on classes. (consider college visits during the teacher
convention days at the end of October)
College catalogs, videos and DVDs
Reference guides – Available for check-out in the Counseling Office.
Examples of reference materials available:
Barron’s Profiles of American College
Peterson’s Guide to Four-Year Colleges
Fiske Guide to Colleges
The Black Student’s Guide to Colleges
Performing Arts Major’s College Guide
Index of Majors & Sports
Insider’s Guide to the Colleges
Competitive Colleges
Barron’s Guide to Medical & Dental Schools
Peterson’s Nursing Program
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THE COLLEGE VISIT
Visiting a prospective college can be an immense help in selecting the right college. A visit is the best way to get the "feel" of the campus. That "feel" may be the most important element in deciding whether a campus provides an environment that will encourage you to be productive. Your visit and how it is conducted cannot only tell you about the college, but can tell the college some important things about you. Ideally your visit should take place in the fall and provide you an opportunity to attend classes, stay in a dormitory and talk with students and an admissions counselor. The visit should also enable you to get a feeling for the academic and social atmosphere of the college, and appraise the community in which the college is located.
The visit should be carefully planned. The following is a list of suggestions to help in the preparation of a college visit.
1.Make arrangements with the admissions office by writing or phoning well in advance - preferably 2 or 3 weeks. Inform the college of any special areas of interest. This may help the admissions people plan a more meaningful visit. Phone numbers and addresses are available in the Counseling Office or on the web.
2.Visit during the week. This will enable you to have an interview and a tour, visit classes, browse in the library, talk with students, talk with someone in your major department, have a meal on campus, and even stay overnight in a dorm.
3.Learn as much as possible about the college before you visit. Check the college catalogs and files in the Counseling Office, go online to college websites, and talk to your counselor.
4.Be prepared to give information about yourself. If you have not already applied, take along an unofficial transcript, your current schedule of courses, and SAT/ACT scores. Also have available a summary of your extracurricular activities, special awards, significant interests, and experiences both in and out of school.
5.Pay special attention to your dress and grooming. The visit and interview will determine the personal impression made on the admissions officer.
6.Keep notes on your visit and write a summary soon after your visit. (especially if you will be visiting other colleges)
7.Be sure to write thank you notes to everyone who gave their time to you.
8.Discuss your impressions with your counselor and your parents after your visit.
Listed below are questions you may want to have answered during your visit. From past experience we strongly encourage you and your parents to talk not only with admission representatives, but with students. Randomly stop students on your tour of the campus and ask them specific questions, such as "do you like the college," "was this the right choice," "what are the strengths and weaknesses of the campus," "which schools did you apply to." You will be surprised how interesting, friendly and helpful most students are!
1.Are there adequate educational facilities for the department or major area of interest?
2.Do lab facilities appear to be up-to-date and adequate?
3.What is the typical class size for freshmen and upperclassmen?
4.Are library facilities sufficient? What are the hours for student use? Is it safe to go to and from the library alone at night? If not, are safeguards provided?
5.Does the campus have appeal in general? Is it clean and orderly?
6.What are the dorms like - appearance, hours, regulations, study facilities?
7.Where are the dining facilities located?
8.What activities go on at the student union?
9.If there are fraternities and sororities, do they have houses, and what percentage of students join? What kinds of influence do they have on student life?
10.What kind of athletic facilities and programs do they have? for men? for women?
11.Do faculty members seem accessible, friendly, helpful?
12.What are the financial aid opportunities? Work opportunities? Academic scholarships? Athletic grants?
13.What cultural activities are available on campus or nearby?
14.Do students seem serious about their educational experience?
15.Is foreign study available?
16.Do the majority of students remain on campus for weekends or do they tend to leave for home or elsewhere?
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COLLEGE ENTRANCE EXAMS
The ACT or SATare the two exams required by many institutions as a basis for admission. About three-fourths of our students take the ACT; far fewer take the SAT. The college website is the best guide for testing and other admission requirements. Feel free to consult with your counselor prior to registering for any standardized test to make sure it is the appropriate test. Traditionally the ideal time for college bound students to take the ACT or SAT tests is in the spring of their junior year. Registration information for college entrance exams is available in the Counseling Office and on the websites:
ACT - SAT –
You will need our high school code to register. West’s H.S. Code is 501-165.
The TOEFL test is an admissions test sometimes required for students who are non-native speakers of English. Registration for the TOEFL also can be completed online: .
About the ACT
ACT encourages all students to establish a FREE student online account and register online. You may also use this account to make changes to your registration, print a copy of your admission ticket, view your scores at no charge after testing, and request Additional Score Reports. All of the information you need to register is available online; you will not need a printed registration packet. If you have registered for the ACT before, you can also re-register by telephone at
1-800-525-6926. The number of students who register for the ACT test online has steadily increased each year and is now more than two-thirds of all registrations. Preparing for the ACT may also be viewed online or downloaded from their website.
ACT has a 30-minute Writing Test as an optional component to the ACT Assessment which complements the English Test. Students can decide whether to take the Writing Test based on the requirements of the institutions they are considering. Note: The UW-Madison and University of Minnesota-Twin Cities now require the ACT Plus Writing.
About the SAT
Online registration for the SAT is also encouraged. Go to If you have registered for the SAT before, you can re-register by telephone – call 1-800-SAT-SCORE. The SATReasoning and Subject Tests are often required by highly selective schools (generally private schools or schools on the East and West coasts). The SAT Reasoning Test is a general admissions test which now includes a writing test. This is not optional – all students taking the SAT Reasoning Test must take the writing test. SAT Subject Tests test one content area in depth. Students planning to apply to the most competitive colleges are sometimes required to take three SAT Subject Tests. These tests should be taken as close to the completion of their high school course as possible; for example, if a student takes Advanced Physics during the sophomore year, it would be advantageous for the student tot take the Physics SAT Subject Test in the spring of the sophomore year.
TEST SCORES
It is the student's responsibility to have the appropriate test scores (i.e., ACT or SAT) sent directly from the testing service to colleges. West High will not send test scores. Most colleges (including all UWSystem Schools) requirethat your score be sent to the admissions office directly from the ACT or SAT testing company. You can request that your scores be sent when you register for an ACT or SATby filling in the appropriate college codes. If you took the ACT or SAT as a junior but did not send your scores to colleges at that time, you now need to go online or call the testing company to have your scores sent (there is an additional fee for this).
ACT – 319-337-1313 SAT – 866-756-7346
Scores are usually available 4-6 weeks after the test date, and are automatically sent to your home and to the Counseling Office.
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2010/2011 ACT & SAT TESTING SCHEDULETest Date / Registration Postmark
Deadline
ACT Tests
September 11* / August 6
October 23 / September 17
December 11 / November 5
February 12 / January 7
April 9 / March 4
June 11 / May 6
SAT Reasoning & Subject Tests
October 9 / September 10
November 6 / October 8
December 4 / November 5
January 22 / December 23
March 12 / February 11
May 7 / April 8
June 4 / May 6
*not given at West H.S.
STRATEGIES AVAILABLE FOR ENHANCING COLLEGE ADMISSION TEST SCORES
Depending on your motivation and needs, there are various strategies used for improving ACT and SAT scores. They vary depending on your time and commitment. However, to improve your scores significantly, you need to participate in an intensive, long-term strategy.
Resources Available in the Counseling Office
Computer programs, CD’s, etc. – check with secretary for these
Many printed resource books on taking the PSAT, SAT, ACT, and AP exams are available for check-out. (Princeton Review, College Board, Arco, Kaplan)
PSAT: Use your practice test. If you took this test, you should analyze the questions in the test booklet and do an item analysis of your incorrect answers (you receive your answers along with your scores).
SAT: “SAT Preparation Booklets” for both the reasoning and subject tests are provided by ETS and available along with the registration materials in the Counseling Office. These provide information on how to prepare, test-taking tips, and practice tests.
ACT: “Preparing for the ACT” booklets are provided by ACT (available in the Counseling Office) and offer information on general test prep and test taking strategies, as well as practice tests.
Programs Available Outside of West High
ACT Test Prep Course: Offered at Memorial and VeronaHigh Schools.
For Memorial, contact Mr. Maloney at 663-6060. For Verona, contact Mr. Guy at 845-4468.
(Fliers are usually available in the Counseling Office – see our “Testing” section.)
ZAPS Learning Company ACT and SAT Preparation Workshops: ZAPS is a private company that offers evening workshops at West – usually once in the fall (SAT) and once in the spring (ACT). (1-877-927-8378 or A fee is involved. (Brochures are usually available in the Counseling Office.)
Kaplan Program: Kaplan, a private program, has been around for more than 20 years. This organization offers test prep classes for a fee. (1-800-KAP-TEST)
Princeton Review: A private program offering review for the SAT. 10-12 review sessions with 3-4 prep tests. (1-800-2-REVIEW or A fee is involved.
Huntington Learning Center is another private program that offers test prep for a fee also.
Go to
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POST HIGH SCHOOL OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS
AND THEIR PARENTS TO CONSIDER
Finding the right plan requires an understanding of individual values, skills, and interests. One also needs to work within
the framework of family and other support systems. Options include four-year colleges, technical/vocational/
apprenticeship programs, college transfer programs, military service, employment, travel, volunteer opportunities, and
other unique endeavors.
Four-Year Colleges: About 80% of our students opt to enroll in four-year colleges or universities. Prior to enrolling,
these students must select colleges at which to apply, complete the required admission tests, and meet curricular
requirements set by the institution.
Web site for UW System colleges & universities:
By going online you can: visit a UW campus, talk to an advisor, calculate college costs, and much more.
Get answers to questions about admission, paying for college, living on campus, choosing a major,
new student programs, and credit transfer. UW System Student Help Office: 263-4567
College Transfer Programs: These programs provide students with the opportunity to begin college course work at
MATC after high school graduation. MATC offers a college-parallel program as do the two-year UW Colleges located
throughout the state. Both programs offer classes that transfer easily into the UW-System four-year institutions. These
programs are often much less costly and may offer a smaller environment with more academic support services.
UW 4-Year College Transfer Admission Options
UW-Madison Connections Program
Invitation-only program for Wisconsin resident applicants who are not admitted as freshmen.
- Begin at a UW Colleges two-year campus, MATC-Madison (College Transfer Program), or select other 4-year UW campuses.
- Submit Program Agreement to UW-Madison by May 1st.
- Complete 54 credits of required courses at the two-year campus.
- Earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0.
- While attending the two-year college, Connections students receive a UW-Madison ID and have access toacademic advisors, libraries, recreational facilities, student organizations, athletic events, and cultural andsocial activities.
- Guaranteed admission to UW-Madison as a junior. A transfer application is not required.
Transfer Admission