Postsecondary Planning
Resources
- Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education (AKCIS)
- College Search
- Military Opportunities
- National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
- Testing
- Virtual College Tours
Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education (AKCIS)
AKCIS is the Alaska Career Information System. It is web-based software offering academic and career exploration tools. Students can filter their preferences for the kind of college they want, and will be given a list of schools that match with links to the colleges' admission page. They can search for scholarships in AKCIS data base listing hundreds. All of these searches can be saved to students' own portfolios in AKCIS.
Students can also research opportunities in the military service and the workforce. They can learn about jobs and career pathways and how each career may be increasing or decreasing in demand in our Alaskan and national economy.
Students can take a number of assessments (IDEAS, SKILLS, WORK IMPORTANCE LOCATOR, REALITY CHECK, etc) to discover how their own interests, values, and dreams correspond to particular careers and occupations.
Visit AKCIS by signing in with your district Google email (s#email) https://launchpad.classlink.com/k12northstar
College Search
North Star College School Code 012350
Students and Parents: The following links provide you access to important information relating to finding the right college or university for you, paying for it, completing applications, writing essays, enrolling as a student athlete, etc, etc, etc. There is a wealth of information here. Happy searching.
UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA FAIRBANKS: When you decide UAF is where you want to begin - or continue - your college education, you can apply using the online application. www.uaf.edu/admissions/apply/
UA SCHOLARS PROGRAM: The UA Scholars Program offers an $14,000 scholarship to the top 10% of the graduates from qualified Alaska high schools each year. Check out their web site: http://www.alaska.edu/scholars/ for details.
https://www.uaf.edu/honors/
The UAF Honors College is a place where interdisciplinary and hands on learning is cultivated. We recruit talented, motivated and highly engaged students who are ready for a stimulating academic environment. We provide rich scholastic and social experiences for our students that foster an environment of innovative education.
HOW TO PREPARE FOR COLLEGE: Even freshmen think ahead and plan for college. Check out this great link:
FINANCIAL AID TIPS: Write scholarship essays that will captivate the attention of the award committee. www.financialaidtips.org/writing_scholarshipessay.htm
COMMON APPLICATION : This site offers a common application which is the recommended form of 414 selective, independent secondary educational institutions. Students who complete the application save time when it is submitted to multiple institutions.
HOW TO APPLY FOR COLLEGE WITH THE COMMON APP - The common app can make applying for college much easier for students (and their parents). It would great to help your readers discover the benefits of using it. If you need more time to review the guide, just click the link below:
REALIZING EDUCATIONAL AND CAREER HOPES - R.E.A.C.H. University of Iowa's certificate program for students with multiple learning and cognitive difficulties. Visit the website at www.education.uiowa.edu/reach
LISTING OF AMERICAN UNIVERSITIES: This site is an alphabetical listing of American colleges and universities with links directly to the school's web site.
COLLEGE COVERED: It's officially college application crunch time! You can count on Collegecovered.com to provide you and your students with helpful information about the enter application process. Our insightful articles can help answer your students' question and our resources can keep them organized and in the know on what to complete next.
COLLEGE PLANNING CALENDAR: Don’t forget to share our College Planning Calendar with your families. This new tool includes comprehensive checklists for seniors and their parents to guide them through their college planning and help them stay on track.
https://launchpad.classlink.com/k12northstarAKCIS is a comprehensive career guidance system that provides information and exploration tools to people throughout Alaska. It is great for choosing two-year and four-year colleges, graduate schools, and financial aid. It assists students with occupational and employment information and research. When viewing this site use the district's website classlink: https://launchpad.classlink.com/k12northstar
WESTERN UNDERGRADUATE EXCHANGE PROGRAM: WUE is the Western Undergraduate Exchange, a program of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE). Through WUE, students in western states may enroll in many two-year and four-year college programs at a reduced tuition level: oftentimes only 150 percent of the institution's regular resident tuition.
MY MAJORS: For students who need help picking a major. Includes links to college departments and professional web sites.
ATHLETICS: The NCAA (National College Athletics Association) eligibility center site includes rules and eligibility for NCAA. Explore the site for scholarship info, records and statistics of college-level sports, information on recruiting, and links to schools by conference, division, and NCAA region.
NATIONAL STUDENT EXCHANGE : The National Student Exchange is an association of nearly 200 colleges and universities that have joined to provide exchange opportunities for their students. Students from one NSE member campus can apply for exchange to another NSE member campus for up to one year.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION: This site, Thinking College Early, is a great resource for information on getting ready for college early.
FASTWEB: An excellent web site for finding scholarships.
IN ADDITION: Information from some guidebooks on college options can be access online at the following sites:
http://www.petersons.com,
http://www.princetonreview.com,
http://www.greenesguides.com.
Another site that can help you in deciding on colleges is www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/corank.htm.
These sites can help you identify colleges that match your interests and preferences:
College Board Online: www.collegeboard.com/finding
Universities.com: www.universities.com
Planning for College Destination: Wiredscholar: www.wiredscholar.com
Military Opportunities
https://www.westpoint.edu/admissions/summer-program is a chance to see this service academy. The application is available at http://admissions.usma.edu/moreInfo/summer.cfm and college info at www.westpoint.edu The Summer Leaders Seminar is for high school juniors moving into their senior year. The weeklong program of classes, military training, physical fitness and intramural athletics gives students the opportunity to experience cadet life and to see first - hand what West Point has to offer. Note that some Alaskans applied last year and visited more than one service academy.
Air Force
Air National Guard
Air Force ROTC
Army
Army National Guard
Marines
Navy
United States Naval Academy
Westpoint
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
Interested in competing in college athletics? If you want to play at a Division 1 or Division 2 school, your first step is registering with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Eligibility Center.
Click the following links for more information:
Amateurism Certification Processes
The NCAA has three divisions. Students who aspire to compete in an NCAA Division I or Division II school should register with the Eligibility Center during their junior year of high school. All of these students must regularly talk with their counselors to review whether or not their course choices meet NCAA requirements.
Students who plan to earn some of their high school credits through a correspondence program MUST talk with their counselors since some "outside credit" courses may not qualify according to NCAA rules.
Testing
North Star College School Code is 012350
PSAT
The PSAT Test is scheduled for this fall and will be for Juniors only and they will be able to register in the counseling office of their attendance areas schools when the time comes.
As we get more information, we will update on the website and Newsletter.
Need help logging in to the College Board to see your scores? Check out this Youtube Video on Accessing PSAT Scores
CollegeBoard AP Central Website
ACT & SAT
This sheet lists the differences between the two exams. Juniors and Seniors are encouraged to take the SAT and ACT as many times as they can to achieve their highest scores. Keep in mind, the APS (Alaska Performance Scholarship) no longer requires a minimum ACT or SAT Score. Students may qualify by GPA or test scores.
To meet APS *Testing* requirements:
Students must REGISTER for the ACT
Students must REGISTER for the SAT
Students must take the ACT/SAT by the dates listed above to qualify for the current year APS. It is suggested that students take the ACT/SAT in Fall of their Junior and Senior year.
If you are using a SAT Fee Waiver, you can NOT register for the late registration dates in purple listed above.
ACT & SAT PREP COURSES
Online SAT Prep Courses
KHAN Acacdemy SAT Prep
March2Success ACT/SAT Prep Courses
SLED - Statewide Library Electronic Doorway
Virtual College Tours
Many secondary education organizations and schools are offering virtual College Fairs.
Whether you are a senior looking to learn more about a school you are interested in or junior who wants to get a jumpstart at looking at what different schools across the country have to offer, register for one of the fairs- they are all free.
In addition to information on specific schools, there are presentations on campus life, financial aid and other topics of interest to students applying for admission.