The NAHS School and College Counseling Program is a comprehensive and collaborative program centered on educational planning, career education, and personal-social development. The counseling program recognizes that the collaboration of teachers, counselors, and parents is vital in assisting each student to develop to their full potential. Counseling is delivered through individual, group and classroom settings. Students receive assistance in decision-making skills, coping strategies, drug and alcohol resistance, diversity awareness, managing stress, relationships with others, test-taking skills, career exploration and planning, as well as educational and college planning. Students may be referred to outside agencies when necessary. 

ACADEMIC ADVISING
Teachers from each department will make recommendations and provide advice to students in their subject area based on student skills, interest and classroom performance.  School counselors can provide insight and suggestions to students with regard to their overall course selections with consideration given to maintaining a balance between activities, commitments and future goals.

CAREER & COLLEGE CENTER
The primary function of the Career & College Center is to assist families as they make one of the most important decisions in their lives; the selection of a college or post-secondary opportunity. The decision to choose post-secondary opportunities is a complex one that requires significant personal research and thought. The Career & College Center’s goal is to provide students and their parents the resources they need to make the post-secondary planning process a successful and productive endeavor.

The Career & College Center is staffed by our comprehensive school counselors who guide students through the  post-secondary process. Each fall in the Career & College Center, more than 100 college representatives visit New Albany High School to share information about their particular colleges with our students. The college information evenings are well-attended programs that are sponsored and hosted by our staff. Students from all grades are welcome to the Career & College Center to research colleges, careers, and military options. Students can perform computer research on post-secondary opportunities, discuss their goals and thoughts with their  school counselor, as well as review multitudes of college catalogs, guides, books, and other resources. Students may also obtain testing information for the ACT, SAT, and PSAT from the Career & College Center.

COURSE PREPARATION FOR COLLEGE ADMISSIONS
Most colleges and universities rely heavily on core academic coursework when making admission decisions. Core academic coursework consists of English, Social Science, Math, Science, and International Language courses. With nearly 4,000 colleges there are many types of college choices. Art schools may view portfolios as the most important part of the application and music schools may consider the audition the most important part of the application. The coursework provided here is meant as a general guideline; your specific college guidelines may vary.

Students interested in state schools within Ohio are suggested by the Ohio Department of Higher Education to have a minimum of:

• • English: 4 credits
  • Social Science: 3 credits
  • Math: 4 credits to include at least Algebra 2 
  • Science: 3 credits
  • Global Language: 2 credits
  • Visual/Performing Arts: 1 credit 

Students interested in very selective colleges (colleges that admit less than 50% of applicants) will typically want to have the following core academic coursework along with Honors and/or AP level courses. Please meet with your school counselor to discuss your options.

Students interested in selective colleges are suggested to have:

• • English: 4 credits
  • Social Science: 4+ credits 
  • Math: 4+ credits
  • Science: 4+ credits
  • Global Language: Level 4 or higher 

Please be aware many colleges or universities may have admissions requirements that may not be listed in the general guidelines provided within this document and independent research may be necessary to fully prepare for the post-secondary admission process

Students are encouraged to make an appointment with their school counselor for academic advising and to discuss any questions about student specific post-secondary goals.