CHS Culminating Project Program

Transcript Review and Goal-Setting – 10^th Grade

NAME COHORT LEADER

In a recent survey, 82% of high school students said they planned on going to college, and 88% believed they were well prepared when they left high school. Yet only 26% of recent high school graduates, including many high school honors students, lasted more than one year once they arrived on the college campus. Those who went right to work did not fare much better: 39% reported that they were unprepared for the expectations they faced in entry-level jobs. See reports: http://www.iub.edu/~hssse and http://www.achieve.org/achieve.nsf/. Why the large gap between aspirations and reality? College dropouts almost all say the same thing: “I wasn’t prepared for college level work, and I wish I hadn’t wasted time in high school getting ready.”

To help give you a better chance of being ready for college or the work force, this quarter you will receive a copy of your most recent high school transcript from your cohort leader, along with a handout on graduation requirements and college admission.

Your task this quarter is to take a very realistic, practical look at your progress toward your high school-and-beyond goals by addressing the questions below. We encourage you to discuss this with your parents, teachers, and friends, especially older friends in college who can give you advice.

Please type (preferred) or write your answers to the following questions on a separate paper. Feel free to attach other evidence of your record, such as copies of certificates, awards, test scores, etc., so they will be at your fingertips when you start filling out applications in your senior year.

Reread what you wrote last year before examining your new transcript. Then address the following:

1. Use your transcript to complete the credit check sheet your cohort leader provides for you. Are you on track to graduate, and if not, what do you have to do to stay on track?
2. You must also pass two sections of the WASL (writing and reading), and take continue to take math classes if you have not passed the math section. In addition, your need to complete your portfolio/senior project in order to receive a diploma. How are you doing on these two requirements, and what is your plan if you are not on track to meet either requirement?
3. Are you planning to go to college? If “no”, go to # 3. If “yes” examine the college requirement handout, and compare it to your record. Are you on track to meet these requirements by the time you graduate? If not, what do you have to do to complete these requirements?
4. Not going to college (if going to college, skip): What do you plan on doing right after you graduate? What are you doing NOW that is making it more likely you will be able to make that plan a reality? What else are you not doing, but could do, to make that plan become a reality come June 2010?
5. Colleges and employers want to see evidence of skills, work habits, extracurricular activities, volunteer/part-time work, etc. For example, the University of Washington usually wants at least a 3.5 grade average. Many colleges want to see that you are taking challenging courses, such as AP, Honors, and higher-level math and science. What are you doing in these areas to enhance your college or job applications? What could you do in the next two years to add to your record?
6. Many students earn good grades in high school, but still struggle afterwards because of lack of skills. Even if your grades are good, what SKILLS do you want to develop before you leave high school so you have a better chance of succeeding? What skills do you need help with, and how could your teachers better help you acquire these skills?
7. Now examine the goal-setting worksheet you brought to this meeting. What do you see on your transcript that is helping you meet one or more of your goals? What could you add to your transcript, that’s not there now, that would help you meet one or more of your goals?