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What does the College Guidance Office do?

• Help you discover God’s plans for college and career

• Course Selection/Class scheduling

• College Information/Summer opportunities

• College Fairs/Rep Visits

• Financial Aid/Scholarship Information

• Standardized Testing

• Career/Vocational Assessment

• Individual/Family Meetings

Guidance Activities by Grade

Our dedicated and caring staff walk with our Upper School students to explore all of their options related to college and career, starting with orientation in 8th grade straight through to graduation. Below you’ll find details on the many activities we coordinate for college and career exploration, scheduling courses with students’ dreams in mind, planning tools, and informative events at ACA and off-campus.

 Freshmen

Ninth grade is the high school transition year and the time to consider initial dreams. Now is the time to begin setting yourself up well for the college search process.

• Welcome to High School

  • College Guidance Office Mission

    • The ACA College Guidance Office, in conjunction with school administrators, faculty, and parents,

    • engages with students to explore their God-given abilities and dreams,

    • reviews the impact of their current choices on their future opportunities,

    • and presents essential information regarding college and career selection,

    • encouraging congruence between faith and life to be enabled to serve Christ in all areas.

•  General

  • Start Résumé/List of Activities so you don’t forget these for applications down the road

  • Do initial college search to get familiar with different types of institutions

  • Do initial career review to find out more about jobs that are unfamiliar but sound interesting

• College Visits

  • Attend Christian College Fair at ACA and visit 4 representatives (Sept)

  • Attend WNC College Fair at UNCA (Sept)

  • Visit with college reps at ACA (throughout year)

•  Attend “College Prep” presentation for freshmen/sophomores (Jan)

• Course Requests for Sophomore Year (Feb-Apr) – visit with Guidance Counselor to review level or rigor and fit with college/career goals

• Plan enriching, purposeful summer activities (camps, work, travel, service)

• Review freshmen experience, grades, goals as plan classes and activities

  • Are you in courses that will challenge you appropriately?

  • Do you want to focus on certain extra activities?

  • What do you need to do now to be admitted to the types of colleges you want?

•  Review dreams and where you sense God leading:

  • What do you want your life to look like in 10 years?

  • What activities do you want to pursue in high school and college?

  • What are your strengths and areas for growth?

  • What type of college do you want to attend (e.g. 4-year, large, public, in the city, far away)?

  • What careers are you interested in pursuing? What majors might prepare you for those careers?

• Resource:  https://collegesofdistinction.com/advice/how-to-create-a-four-year-plan-for-freshmen/

Sophomores

Tenth grade is the time to really begin college and career orientation. The following is what we recommend you focus on during tenth grade.

• General

  • Review ACA Guidance web resources about scholarships, paying for college, college search, career interest tools

  • Continue List of Activities/Résumé

  • Request access to SCOIR (college and career tool)

  • Winterim focus: Attend “Taste of Careers” class, if offered, take a college trip, or job shadow potential careers through an Internship

•  College Visits

  • Attend Christian College Fair at ACA and visit 6 representatives (Sept)

  • Attend WNC College Fair at UNCA (Sept)

  • Visit with college reps at ACA (throughout year)

  • Go on initial college visits – to a large, public university and a small Christian college for contrast, or visit your top 2-3 of interest, or come on a school-sponsored college trip

•  Testing

  • Take PSAT at ACA (Oct), review to make sure you are on course for goals (Dec)

  • Link from College Board to Khan Academy to practice areas to improve for next year’s National Merit Scholarship program

• Attend “College Prep” presentation for freshmen/sophomores with parents at ACA (Jan)

• Course Requests for Junior Year (Feb-Apr) – visit with Guidance Counselor to review level or rigor and fit with college/career goals

• Plan enriching, purposeful summer activities (internship, pre-college, camps, work, travel, service)

• Review sophomore experience, grades, goals as plan classes and activities

  • Are you in courses that will challenge you appropriately?

  • Do you want to focus on certain extra activities? What leadership roles can you take in those arenas?

• Review dreams and where you sense God leading:

  • What do you want your life to look like in 10 years?

  • What activities do you want to pursue in high school and college?

  • What are your strengths and areas for growth?

  • What type of college do you want to attend (e.g. 4-year, large, public, in the city, far away)?

  • What careers are you interested in pursuing? What majors might prepare you for those careers

• Resource: http://mappingyourfuture.org/downloads/GTAHSsophomore.pdf

 Juniors

Junior year begins an in-depth exploration of colleges and career paths. Here is what you can expect during eleventh grade.

• SCOIR

  • Sign up for college rep visits at ACA

  • Update your Activities List/Résumé

  • Complete Brag Sheet for Recommenders (spring)

  • Request Teacher Recommendations (May)

•  College Search in SCOIR in Bible class

  • Revisit questions about where you sense God leading – meet with Guidance to discuss  

    • Compare college features and data points (freshmen profiles, costs, scholarships, size, academic requirements, retention rates, job/grad school placement, majors, special programs)

    • How do these fit with your goals and aptitudes?

    • Explore types of colleges – public, private, Christian, military, community

    • Select 10 to 20 colleges to “follow”

    • Specifics: majors, ROTC, athletics, fine arts, special programs, Gap Years

•  YouScience Profile in Bible class to assess aptitudes

  • Refine major and career choices – meet with Guidance Counselor to discuss

  • Star 3-5 possible careers

•  Testing

  • Attend “SAT/ACT Test Prep Boot Camp” at ACA (Aug)

  • Take PSAT/NMSQT at ACA (Oct)

  • Utilize SAT/Khan Academy or ACT Academy for test prep online

  • Take the SAT and/or ACT (spring and summer)

•  College Visits

  • Attend Christian College Fair at ACA and visit 8 representatives (Sept)

  • Attend WNC College Fair at UNCA (Sept)

  • Visit with at least 2 college reps at ACA

  • Attend Asheville Independent Schools College Fair (Mar)

  • Visit your top 5-6 colleges through the year, come on a school-sponsored college trip

•  Financial Aid

  • Parents attend “Paying for College” presentation with you (fall)

  • Start scholarship search with web resources

•  Course Requests for Senior Year (Feb-Apr) – meet with Guidance Counselor

  • Review grades, classes, activities, and goals

  • Are you in courses that will challenge you appropriately and meet your goals?

  • Do you want to go more in-depth in certain interest areas? Assume leadership roles?

  • Are you on-track to be admitted to the types of colleges you want?

• Winterim focus: Attend “Taste of Careers” class, if offered, take a college trip, or job shadow potential careers through an Internship

• Attend the “Rising Senior College Prep” presentation at ACA with parents (spring)

• Plan enriching summer activities (internship, pre-college, camps, work, travel, service)

• Athletes set up NCAA and/or NAIA accounts; conversations with coaches

• Review ACA Guidance web resources about scholarships, paying for college, college search, college visits questions

• Attend the “College Prep Boot Camp” at ACA (summer)

• Begin college applications/essays/scholarship applications

• Resource: http://mappingyourfuture.org/downloads/GTAHSjunior.pdf

Seniors

Senior year. This is the year we will guide you through the college application and selection process. Get excited! Here is a snapshot of what to expect.

• SCOIR

  • Select colleges: Following and Applying and Applied

  • Request teacher recommendations

  • Sign up for college rep visits at ACA

  • Update with college acceptances and final selection

  • Complete Grad Exit Survey (spring)

•  College Applications – consult with Guidance Counselor

  • Finalize college list (search engines)

  • Request dual enrollment transcripts from colleges as needed

  • Review transcripts and use on applications

  • Common App, Coalition App, college-specific apps

  • Early Decision, Early Action, Regular Decision, Rolling app deadlines

  • Essays written and edited

  • Activities List and interviews

•  Testing

  • Attend “SAT/ACT Test Prep Boot Camp” (Aug)

  • Utilize SAT/Khan Academy or ACT Academy for test prep online

  • Take final SAT/ACT (Aug-Oct), if needed

  • Self-report or request official test scores for applications and scholarships

•  Financial Aid

  • Complete FAFSA with parents (opens Oct. 1)

  • Complete CSS Profile (select universities)

  • Parents attend “Paying for College” presentation with you (fall)

  • Select outside scholarships (search engines) and complete applications

  • Apply for scholarships/honors programs at colleges

  • Compare financial aid packages with parents

  • Attend “After the FAFSA” presentation (winter)

•  College visits

  • Attend Christian College Fair at ACA (Sept)

  • Attend WNC College Fair at UNCA (Sept)

  • Visit college reps at ACA

  • Final college visits (preview days, honors competitions, auditions)

• Winterim focus: Attend “Taste of Careers” class, if offered, take a college trip, or job shadow potential careers through an Internship

•  Finish high school strong and transition

  • Final college selection and transcript request

  • Request official test scores for selected college (AP, SAT, ACT, CLEP)

  • Request dual enrollment college transcripts for selected college

  • Change email from ACA to college-based

  • Attend orientation/registration days, complete housing and financial aid paperwork

  • Connect with Christian organizations on campus and area churches

  • Resource: https://counseling.dasa.ncsu.edu/resources/self-help-resources/adjusting-to-college/

• Celebrate!

Meet Our Staff