Planning for the Future
Planning for the future beyond high school should start early. Counselors will meet with students to discuss their future plans throughout their time at Horseheads High School. Generally, students select one of three paths for their future: enter the workforce; college; or the military. We have resources to help students with whatever plan they may want to pursue.
Many students who elect to enter the workforce after high school will pursue training at our local BOCES campus in one of the many Career and Technical Education (CTE) areas. Students can attend the two-year CTE programs during their junior and senior years of high school where they will learn job skills through instruction and hands on experience. Courses offered at BOCES are not only useful for students entering the workforce, but also for those entering college or the military. Learn more about the programs from GST BOCES here.
Students interested in enlisting in the military have opportunities to meet recruiters from the different branches of service who visit Horseheads High School. We also provide students the opportunity in their junior or senior years to take the ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) during the school day. To learn more about the military, the recruitment process or the ASVAB students and parents can go to https://www.military.com.
Many students pursue post-secondary education after graduation. Students have many opportunities to explore college options during high school. College admissions counselors visit the high school Counseling Office throughout the school year, which provides students time to meet face to face with admissions representatives. We also encourage students to use college search engines such as Choices 360, Big Future by College Board, or College Navigator. For students and families considering SUNY (State University of New York) schools, there is a wealth of information at https://www.suny.edu/.
Planning for life after high school should start as soon as a student enters ninth grade. We remind all students that colleges are evaluating students on their entire high school transcript, so the classes they take and the grades they earn are important from their first day of freshman year.
College admissions officers look at the “Five P’s”:
- Program: course difficulty and selection (rigor)
- Performance: grade trends and overall grade performance
- Participation: extra-curricular activities and leadership
- Personality: student admissions essays and letters of recommendation
- Potential: standardized test scores (SAT or ACT)
--From the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Students will register for college admissions tests directly with the testing agencies, NOT through the Horseheads Counseling Office. Students will make accounts through the College Board or the ACT website to register for either admission test. The Counseling Office can provide materials to help you prepare for these tests as well as information from the testing companies. Please take time to read the requirements for admission to either the SAT or ACT test. Both have strict guidelines regarding acceptable pictures and identification requirements to be allowed to be admitted to the test.
SAT
The SAT exam is designed to measure academic aptitude. It is comprised of two sections: Evidence Based Reading and Writing and Math.
ACT
The ACT exam is designed to measure academic achievement. It is comprised of English, Math, Reading and Science Reasoning sections and an optional Writing section.
LECOM Early Application Program (EAP)
Horseheads High School partners with LECOM to offer the EAP prorgram. This Early Acceptance Program opens new doors for high school students aspiring to enter the medical field by offering a defined path towards an osteopathic medicine degree. HCSD students in the program who meet academic and admissions criteria will be eligible for an interview with LECOM, where successful candidates will receive provisional acceptance to LECOM’s D.O. program. Upon completing the prerequisites during their undergraduate studies at one of the 200-affliated colleges/universities, these students will enter the LECOM campus of their choice, provided they meet the program’s continuation requirements.
The program includes three phases:
- High school students complete an interview process and satisfy initial eligibility requirements.
- Students complete undergraduate requirements at a LECOM-affiliated institution.
- Students transition into LECOM for medical training and clinical education.
Click here to learn more.
If you have questions, please contact us at 607-795-2500, x1626 or x1628.
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