post-secondary planning:
college & careers
This guide is designed to help students and families navigate the college application process and discover meaningful opportunities beyond high school—whether that’s higher education, the workforce, or something in between.
Resources for Your Junior & Senior Year
Puma Post-Secondary Planning Guide
Find information about timelines for juniors and seniors, Financial Aid, and guidance for specific populations such as student-athletes and students with IEP and 504 plans.
What to Expect Your Junior & Senior Year
Explore future pathways, build your list of options, learn about the parts of college applications, and understand your timeline.
Overview of Post-Secondary Options
Get an in-depth look at different pathways to help you decide your path after graduation.
The Student Match Tool
Enter your cumulative GPA and see which 2-year colleges and 4-year universities are an academic match for you.
scholarships
Explore the lessons below to learn about paying for college and applying for scholarships.
Career Exploration
Occupational Outlook Handbook
A search engine for those students seeking to explore career options based on interests and abilities.
o*net
The O*NET system serves as the nation’s primary source of occupational information, providing comprehensive information on key attributes and characteristics of workers and occupations.
schoolinks
Sophomores will be administered a career interest inventory to assess their likes and dislikes. They will obtain results to help them research different careers that match their personality.
Opportunities and Internships
CICS Northtown has 3 partnerships with career organizations that give our students exposure to careers that they wouldn’t often find in a high school setting, in addition to a variety of in-school and out-of-school experiences.
Genesys Works
Genesys Works is a program that gives students opportunities to have a paid internship with a technology or financial institution. Students leave school early to commute to an internship site where they learn valuable skills such as information technology, business operations, and professional development.
Chicago Police and Fire Academy
The Chicago Police and Firefighter Training Academy (CPFTA) is a two-year training program for students interested in careers in public safety, law enforcement, criminal justice, and fire science.
Chicago Builds
Chicago Builds is a citywide, two-year off-campus construction training program for CPS juniors and seniors interested in pursuing a career in construction after graduating high school. Chicago Builds is an Illinois Works Pre-Apprenticeship Program site and offers the Master Builder program in conjunction with City Colleges of Chicago.
Chicago Scholars
Chicago Scholars selects, trains, and mentors academically ambitious students from under-resourced communities to enroll in, persist through, and graduate from college. Chicago Scholars provides seven years of programming, beginning with supporting students with enrolling in the most selective colleges that best match their abilities and needs and continue as students persist through college and beyond. Through its programming, Chicago Scholars aspires to develop the next generation of leaders who will transform their neighborhoods and the city of Chicago.
Summer Opportunities
Summer Programs: The summer is a great time to explore your hobbies and career interests through summer programming at colleges nationwide. You can find programs that are a few days to a few weeks long. Some programs are day programs whereas other programs are residential programs and students have the opportunity to live in a college dorm.
Marwen
Marwen offers free art classes to Chicago students. Its mission is to inspire young people to nurture their growth and build their futures through art and community.
After School Matters
After School Matters is a nonprofit organization that supports up to 19,000 teens across Chicago each year with paid opportunities to develop their talents while gaining critical skills for work, college, and beyond. Programs introduce young people to new ideas, places, and people and encourage them to explore their interests as they learn about who they are and who they want to become.
Post-Secondary Fair & College Rep Visits
CICS Northtown has 3 partnerships with career organizations that give our students exposure to careers that they wouldn’t often find in a high school setting, in addition to a variety of in-school and out-of-school experiences.
Post-Secondary Fair
Our Post-Secondary Fair happens every year in March. For any questions about our Post-Secondary Fair, please contact Lisa Kane at lkane@meridiancharterschools.org
College rep visits
Northtown Academy offers College Rep Visits year-round. Representatives are able to schedule visits on Tuesdays or Thursdays. College visits will last approximately one hour. During the visit, representatives will have the opportunity to present to students about their college. Visits will take place in our community center and representatives will have access to a projector and sound system.
Students: If you are having any troubles signing up via SchooLinks or have any questions about college rep visits, please contract Doris Askharia via email at daskharia@cicsnorthtown.org
College Representatives: To schedule a College Rep visit at CICS Northtown Academy please click here to access our Schoolinks Rep Visit Calendar.
testing
Explore Test Preparation Resources Below:
dual credit and dual enrollment
The Dual Credit and Dual Enrollment program allows students to take FREE college classes for both college and high school credit while in high school. This program not only allows students to explore potential career interests, but it also helps students graduate from college faster and for less money!
Dual Credit courses are college classes taught at CICS Northtown by approved staff, and Dual Enrollment courses are college classes students complete online or on college campus.
CCC Early College Website
CCC Dual Credit & Dual Enrollment Paperwork
RTW English Placement Test Preparation Information
Dual Enrollment 101 Video
How to Complete the CCC Online Application Video
How to Search the CCC Course Catalog Video
How to Pick the Right CCC Class Video
How to Complete the CCC Enrollment Card Video
CCC Star Scholarship
