Through individual meetings, group activities, and events, the counselors work with students to develop post-secondary plans that match their academic achievements, personal strengths and preferences, and career aspirations. Students are advised and supported throughout the post-secondary planning process. Here are some resources to assist our students and families.
Naviance is a comprehensive K-12 college and career readiness tool that helps students and families align student strengths and interests to postsecondary goals, research opportunities and connect learning to life. In Naviance, you can complete inventories to understand your own skills and interests, research college options and investigate potential career paths.
Waunakee students use Naviance to submit transcripts and application materials, but students can also research colleges and careers, assess their skills and interests and search for scholarships!
Xello is an online program that helps K-12 students define their future goals and transform their aspirations into actionable plans for success. Waunakee students are able to create their academic plan and request courses using Xello's Course Planner, but Xello also helps students understand and investigate a wide range of career opportunities.
Students and families be advised: Many schools have opted to continue their test-optional admissions policy through the spring of 2025. Please ensure that you research the specific test policy for your prospective college/university.
The ACT is a standardized test designed to measure high school students' general educational development and their ability to complete college-level work. The questions on the ACT test the core subjects that students typically study through their third year of high school (English, reading, mathematics, and science).
Wisconsin high school students in grade 11 will take the ACT with writing® which includes Reading, Math, English, Science, Writing. The ACT is an in-person assessment that districts may administer on paper or online. Accommodations and EL supports are available in both testing formats. Scores from the administration of the ACT with writing (if taken with ACT Standard Time or ACT-approved accommodations) can be used by students for a variety of purposes including college admission, scholarships, course placement, and NCAA eligibility.
The purpose of the SAT is to measure a high school student's readiness for college, and provide colleges with one common data point that can be used to compare all applicants. College admissions officers will review standardized test scores alongside your high school GPA, the classes you took in high school, letters of recommendation from teachers or mentors, extracurricular activities, admissions interviews, and personal essays. How important SAT scores are in the college application process varies from school to school.
PreACT Secure is a summative assessment given to 9th and 10th grade students, that is aligned to the ACT and the ACT College and Career Readiness Standards. PreACT Secure measures what students have learned in the areas of English, Reading, Mathematics, and Science. Educators will find that PreACT Secure closely mirrors the ACT in many ways, including implementation, test delivery, scoring, and reporting. PreACT Secure scores predict how students will perform on the ACT when they reach 11th grade and their readiness for college-level coursework. PreACT Secure is an online assessment.
The PSAT/NMSQT stands for Prelimary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. The PSAT/NMSQT is an optional test available to sophomore and junior students. While sophomores take the PSAT for test prepartion, juniors are eligible to take it for the chance to enter the National Merit Scholarship Corportation scholarship programs. National Merit Scholars represent the top 1% of graduating seniors across the nation. In addition, the test prepares students to take the SAT.
*Naviance has ACT preparation embedded in the platform. Simply log in to your Naviance account and scroll to bottom of the page and click Naviance Test Prep. You can create a study plan, complete practice tests, review specific content and more!