Career and College Corner

An important first step in beginning your career and college planning is research. Set aside some time to research careers that interest you.

• Xello is an online tool you can use to better understand your interests and future career options. After taking a few short quizzes, Xello presents you with career matches that are excellent, good, fair and poor. From paramedic to pilot, project manager to marine mechanic, community health worker to culinary arts, Xello will present career opportunities that get you thinking about your future.
• Each career match comes with a job description, annual salary range and training requirements. You can read about similar careers and discover whether demand for this career is increasing or decreasing.
• If you’re wondering why you did — or didn’t — match high with a certain career, click the “Find out why” button. It will show how your answers reveal what you like or dislike about this career. You can review or change your answers to see how it affects your match.
• Many well-paying careers don’t require four years at a college or university. Career and Technical Education is a fast, affordable way to prepare for a variety of fulfilling, stable careers with mid- to high-wage potential. Xello can help you identify these career opportunities.

• Establish good habits early.
• Take challenging classes in core academic courses. If you are successful in your classes, consider moving to the next level in 10th grade.
• Work with your school counselor to create a yearly schedule for meeting graduation requirements.
• Research school activities, sports and/or community service that you ENJOY and will stay involved in throughout high school. See our lists of clubs on the school website.
• Take the PSAT in the fall.
• Use Xello to keep a running list of accomplishments, awards, recognitions and community service hours, so that you can use them in preparing a resume and college applications.
• Consider meaningful summer activities – summer school, community service, work, a college summer program.

• Push yourself academically and stay focused.
• Practice makes perfect! Take the PSAT at Angeline to get some practice and to familiarize yourself with the SAT. This will be free of charge for all sophomores.
• Get involved with your extracurricular and volunteer activities. Be a leader both inside and outside of school.
• Consider taking the SAT or ACT. See Ms. Ragusa for resources to practice and study for these tests.
• Plan a challenging 11th grade course load. Be sure to contact one of your school counselor to discuss Dual Enrollment courses.
• Continue using Xello to learn more about careers that interest you.
• Begin your college search. Use Xello to learn which colleges have majors related to the career fields you are interested in.
• Continue using Xello to keep a running list of accomplishments, awards, recognitions and community service hours, so that you can use them in preparing a resume and college applications.
• Assemble your resume. Even if you’re not ready to get a job, learning how to write and present a resume is a skill that will come in handy throughout life. Xello will pull your accomplishments, recognitions and other useful data into your resume.
• Consider meaningful summer activities – summer school, community service, work, a college summer program.

SEMESTER I

• Keep your grades up! If you have not worked to your full potential academically, this is your year to turn things around!
• Begin to discuss your college options with your parents.
• Begin to develop a list of colleges in Xello.
• Take the PSAT/NMSQT in October. There will be a fee for Juniors. You will get your results in December.
• Look at dates to take the SAT and ACT. Late fall is a good time to begin if you are in Pre-Calculus or beyond. If not, spring is a better time to begin.
• Be involved! In school clubs, sports, at your religious institution, or in the community. You do not have to be involved in a lot. Remember, committed involvement in a few clubs indicates your level of responsibility.

SEMESTER II

• Review PSAT scores distributed in December to identify strengths and weaknesses.
• Plan to take SAT and ACT at least once each.
• Think about SAT/ACT test prep if needed. www.khanacademy.org is a great resource.
• If you are taking any Advanced Placement courses, consider taking the comparable SAT Subject Test in June.
• Create a resume.
• If you haven’t already, begin to develop a list of colleges.
• Check the websites of colleges to learn admissions information and applications.
• Have an appropriate email address to use during the college admissions process. Your first and last name are generally the most professional (ex. John.Smith@gmail.com).
• Make sure any social media accounts are appropriate and set to your intended privacy settings.
• Begin communication with the college representative or admissions office of any college you are remotely interested in.
• Begin to think about college essays.
• Visit colleges throughout the spring, if possible.
• Use Xello or set up a “College Folder” on your computer desktop to store all college documents in one place.
• Personally ask two teachers to write a letter of recommendation (ONLY if applicable). Supply the teachers with your resume.
• Create a Common Application account and a Coalition Application if any of your prospective colleges use these applications. See “College Application Guide” for more information on these.
• Keep your grades up! This is the most important semester!

SUMMER

• Review SAT/ACT scores and work on your weaknesses.
• Think about SAT/ACT test prep if needed.
• Visit colleges.
• Continue to update list of possible colleges.
• Begin working on college applications.
• Be involved during the summer: volunteer work, job, sports.
• Research scholarship and financial aid opportunities.
• Attend a summer program at a college, if possible.
• Have Florida public university applications ready the 1st week of school.

SEMESTER I

• Finalize a list of colleges for the application process.
• Continue to complete applications.
• Follow up on your letters of recommendation or personally ask two teachers, ONLY if required.
• Attend college representative presentations at Angeline and other area high schools.
• Attend Angeline’s College Fair and the West Side College Fair held at PHSC in New Port Richey.
• If necessary, meet with your career specialist to discuss college choices.
• Retake SAT/ACT in August, September, October, November, or December if necessary.
• Apply to public universities as early as possible.
• Take SAT Subject Tests if the college requires them.
• Apply for the Florida Financial Aid Application after October 1st. This is the only application which qualifies you for Bright Futures.
• Complete all applications by their deadlines; however, the earlier the better!
• Visit colleges, if possible.
• Attend the Financial Aid Night at Angeline (Parents).
• Research scholarships and financial aid. Apply for financial aid after October 1st.
• If you are interested in the performing arts, read each college website closely to be sure that you register for auditions on time.
• As always, READ and KEEP all materials provided by the counselors and the colleges!
• Keep a copy or record of all colleges to which you have applied.
• After you have applied to colleges, check your online status with EACH university or call admissions to be sure that they have received everything they need.
• Keep your grades up!

SEMESTER II

• Keep up your grades! All college acceptances are contingent on your final senior grades.
• Complete any applications with later deadlines.
• Read the financial aid website for each college to be sure you are completing everything necessary.
• As you receive decision letters from colleges, continue to investigate them to help with your decision of where to enroll. Visit if you haven’t already, or visit again if you are trying to decide where to attend.
• Send any new information (test scores, awards, accomplishments) to any college to which you have been deferred or waitlisted.
• Update your Career Specialist of all college decisions.
• Keep a record of all scholarship offers; this will be required to be reported at the end of the school year.
• Meet the May 1st Candidate Reply Date for notifying colleges of your decision to attend.
• Contact all colleges to which you have been accepted to let them know if you do not plan to attend.
• Write thank you notes to teachers who wrote letters of recommendation for you, and to anyone else who helped you with your college application process.
• Watch your email or mail for college orientation programs and any other important information from the college you plan to attend.