Postsecondary Planning
As a team, counselors, teachers, administrators, and support staff share the responsibility of assisting young people in preparing for the challenges of post-secondary life. The counselor’s primary commitment is to help the student realize their potential academically, personally, and socially.
Novi High School aims to prepare students for a variety of paths after high school. The information below will hopefully help you start the conversation about what you will do in your future. Reach out to your counselor for additional resources and support during your time as a Wildcat.
Career Planning
Career Planning FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why do I need to think about planning a career? After all, a career seems so far in the future and all I want to do is get good grades, get into a good college and have some fun along the way.
- It makes sense to plan your high school courses according to your chosen career pathway so that your courses will help you in the future.
- Decisions you make in high school affect your future.
2. What if I change my mind?
- That’s okay. Most students do. It’s normal!
- Remember when you do change, base your decisions on your interests, abilities, and talents.
- It happens all through life. In fact many adults today have changed jobs 6 to 8 times in their lifetime.
3. How can I figure out which Career Pathway is good for me?
- Some people are naturally drawn to data (dealing with facts, numbers, places, dates).
- Others like ideas (insights, theories, new ways of saying or doing things with words or music).
- Maybe you are a people person (enjoying interaction with others to help them, serve them, care for them, or communicate with them).
- You may be more interested in things (machines, tools, living things, or materials like wood, metal or food).
- Most people seem to be interested, to some degree, in all four broad areas or a blend of one or two of these areas.
- Focus on your interests, talents, skills, and the things that matter to you.
4. How do I know if I have good enough goals?
- Get advice from parents, your counselor, teachers and friends. They can sometimes give great insight.
- A goal should be challenging.
- A goal should be realistic.
- A goal should be measurable.
- A goal should have some type of timeline.
5. How do I make a plan of action that will help me accomplish my goals?
- Make an EDP (Educational Development Plan through Xello)
- An EDP includes:
- A Career Pathway
- Goals
- Courses you will take
- Activities/clubs/sports in which you will be involved
- Results of the research you’ve done
6. Will this plan last forever, or at least through high school?
- Probably not, it’s a starting point.
- It’s a process, not a one-time decision.
- It gives purpose to high school.
- Picking a pathway is rarely a permanent choice, but working toward goals is always helpful.
Always keep exploring as your interests change!
XELLO
XELLO
An Educational Development Plan (EDP) is a plan of action in which students identify and record career goals and an educational pathway to achieve objectives. The purpose of an EDP is to develop an on-going record of academic and course preparation that will guide students in taking effective steps to enter or to advance careers of choice.
Xello Features
Novi Community School District provides Xello as a tool for students to explore and create their EDP in an electronic format. Anywhere you can access the internet you can access your EDP through Xello. Course Planner is a part of Xello and is the tool used to make a 4 year plan for high school.
An overview is available.
Xello Help?
Contact Mrs. Kerbrat, our career development facilitator, if you need any help with password information, choosing majors and/or colleges. She can also help with essay writing, diversity statement writing, financial aid information and scholarship searches. She can be reached at jennifer.kerbrat@novik12.org or 248-449-1212 ext. 9678. She is located in room 235 at Novi High School.
College Planning
Four Year Calendar: Preparing for College
During your time at Novi High School, there are many steps students can take to prepare for postsecondary education. This includes scheduling a college preparatory curriculum, researching colleges and careers, getting involved, and learning about your interests and skills. Your counselors are here to support you in this journey. The below calendar is not meant to be one size fits all, but to communicate some steps students can take each year to be best prepared for whatever their future holds.
Freshman Year
- Develop good study and work habits.
- Research available career and college materials through Xello, the Student Service Center and Schoology's Novi High School Career Center.
- Consider volunteer opportunities.
- Get involved at Novi High School: clubs, sports, fine arts, leadership, activities, etc.
- Check your school email regularly for college-related updates.
- Visit college campuses if opportunity presents itself.
Sophomore Year
- Maintain college preparatory schedule and strong grades.
- Consider taking the PSAT as a practice for the SAT.
- Continue to research and visit colleges as time permits.
- Attend meetings with college representatives who visit Novi High School.
- Continue to take advantage of opportunities to volunteer.
- Stay involved in school extra-curricular activities.
- Check your school email regularly for college-related updates.
- Students planning to play college athletics must become eligible through the NCAA. See https://hs.novi.k12.mi.us/counseling/ncaa-information for more information.
- Attend a national college fair in the spring.
Junior Year
- Maintain college preparatory schedule and strong grades.
- Attend meetings with college representatives who visit Novi High School.
- Sign up for test preparation workshop, if desired. (College Board recommends using the free online resource Khan Academy)
- Take the PSAT/NMSQT in October (National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test).
- Register for ACT and/or SAT to be taken in the winter or spring.
- Take the Michigan Merit Exam (MME) at school in the Spring (includes SAT).
- Retake the ACT/SAT if a better score is desired.
- Continue research of career/college options.
- Visit college campuses during summer.
- Continue to look for ways to be involved and be a leader on campus at Novi High School.
- Create a resume/list of activities.
- Check your school email regularly for college-related updates.
- Students planning to play college athletics must become eligible through the NCAA. See https://hs.novi.k12.mi.us/counseling/ncaa-information for more information.
- Meet with a counselor for scheduled Junior/Senior Meeting in May/June.
Senior Year
FALL
- Check your school email regularly for college-related updates.
- Review Senior Newsletter for updates relating to college admissions.
- Register for and take the fall ACT or SAT if unsatisfied with the previous score.
- Attend meetings with college representatives who visit Novi High School.
- Apply online to the college of your choice or sign up for on-site admissions.
- Research scholarship opportunities; apply before deadlines.
- Ask teachers for letters of recommendation if college applications require them.
- Schedule visits to colleges; many colleges have special fall visiting days for high school students.
- Students planning to play college athletics must become eligible through the NCAA. See https://hs.novi.k12.mi.us/counseling/ncaa-information for more information.
- Attend financial aid night at Novi High School.
- FAFSA available online starting October 1st.
WINTER
- Apply for local scholarships in December; (Information will be emailed directly to seniors and Local Scholarships will be posted in Schoology).
- File the FAFSA online by March 1st (preferable completion date is January) at https://studentaid.gov/
- Attend financial aid workshops offered by colleges.
- Submit completed financial aid forms to the appropriate colleges/agencies as soon as possible.
- Continue to research scholarship opportunities and apply before deadlines.
- Inform counselor if college has requested your seventh semester grades.
SPRING
- Decide which college to attend; pay deposit if you have not already done so.
- Notify any colleges you do not plan to attend.
- Notify the Student Service Center of your decision by May 1st, your senior transcript will be sent automatically.
Additional Options
Military Service
There are many routes to a future with the Military. For more information, check out the links below, talk with your counselor, reach out to a recruiter, or join one of the many military representatives who visit Novi High School for a visit.
Branches of the Military
Air Force
Army
Coast Guard
Marines
Navy
ROTC-Reserve Officer Training Corps
Academy Admissions
Air Force Academy
Merchant Marines Academy
Naval Academy
West Point Military Academy