October 6th, 2014
Agenda
Mr. Hughes – Introduction Ms. Deanna Majors--PTO senior
parent Ms. McLendon – Guidance Counselor Ms. Zodrow – Scholarships Ms. Randi McKie – Guidance
Counselor Ms. Martin – Senior Class Advisor Q & A
Guidance Counselor
Email: [email protected] number: 850-892-1270 ext. 4412
Basic Graduation Requirements…2.0 GPA24 creditsPass FCAT [or earn concordant score on
ACT/SAT test]Algebra I EOC [or earn concordant
score on PERT test]
** Spanish and Community Service are NOT graduation requirements, but ARE Bright Future Requirements.
Honor Graduate Designation:
Must meet BOTH criteria:At least 8 Honor Courses (Honors, DE, AP)
GPA3.45-3.64 Cum Laude (w/ honors)
3.65-3.84 Magna Cum Laude(w/ high honors)
3.85/above Summa Cum Laude (w/ highest honors)
Bright Futureshttp://www.floridastudentfinancialaid.org/SSFAD/bf/
May only qualify for one scholarship Medallion, Academic, Gold Seal
Minimum weighted 3.0 GPA (core)Community Service Hours (75 or 100)2 Consecutive Foreign Language
CoursesFFAA—Florida Financial Aid Application
Begins December 1, 2014 – NO EARLIER!
Post-Secondary Options…
Can include:Traditional 4-year school
2 year college for an associates degree or to transfer to a 4-year college
Technical collegesProfessional Training Programs
Military
Which is appropriate for my student?
College Admission Tests:SAT Reasoning ACT7 Times a year 6 Times a year
Critical reading, math and writing section plus an essay
English, math, reading, and science reasoning. Writing/Essay is optional but required by most schools
Each section is worth 200 -800 points for a maximum of 2400
1-36 for each subject, averaged for a composite score. A 36 is the highest possible composite score.
**Students need to bring their admission ticket AND a valid photo id
Selecting Colleges…
Gather informationVisit the collegeBe sure the college has what you are
looking forReview the admission criteriaSelect 3-5 colleges
College Visit
Visit a “maybe” college first Schedule interviews with the
Admission counselors Have questions ready Make appointments with financial
aid, and potential major/minor departments (if known)
Visit while students are there Ask about scholarships
How to Apply…
Get the application or locate it onlineDeadlines are criticalGoal – Apply by thanksgivingNeatness is essentialMake sure it is completeSend test scores directly from ACT or
College Board (many schools will not accept our copy)
How to Apply…
Requesting Transcripts – students can request this in the SSA office. Cost: free Students can pick them up or it can be
sent directly to the school Do not open the sealed envelope, if you
do they will no longer be “official transcripts”
Responsibilities…
Student Responsibilities
Parent Responsibilities Gather information Seek out letters of
recommendation by Thanksgiving
Fill out applications Listen to
announcements Remember deadlines
Take a college visit with student
Help in decision process Review application Check application
status Remind students of
deadlines Contact your guidance
counselor with any questions
Counselor Responsibilities Provide Information Assist student & parent Process applications Group college visit Follow up on applications Scholarship info made available
Financial Aid ProcessBegins after 1/1/15www. Fafsa.ed.govApply for PIN number online – nowAid packages– compare packages. Just because cost of
attending is high, the package may offset the cost enough to make it affordable as a less costly college.
Two types of aidNeed-based – Grants, scholarships– gift aid work
study, loans – self help aidMerit based -- scholarships
Decision Time – SpringScholarships– colleges have their own scholarships
students can apply to
Attend Financial Aid Night at WHS in the spring
Final Thoughts…
Apply earlyEncourage independenceEnjoy your seniors as much as we
have enjoyed working with them
Scholarship Coordinator
Email: [email protected] number: 850-892-1270 ext. 4474
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket!
Students need to apply to more than one school
Typically students apply to 3-5 schools3 types of schools
Dream school – may no get in, but is their top choice
Reach School – student stands a good chance of admission
Safety School – backup plan in case they need it
How to pay for college… Financial Aid Scholarships Student Loans
Resources: http://bigfuture.collegeboard.org This College
Board website is a free resource for college planning and comparing various colleges and discovering how to get money to pay for college.
www.mynextmove.org My Next Move is a free website that utilizes important planning tools such as interest inventories; career information, and US and local salary averages.
www.fastweb.org is an online resource that focuses on finding scholarships to help you pay for school. It offers assistance with targeted scholarships, financial aid, college searches, and career advice.
Resources: www.guidancedirect.com Career Connections from Guidance Direct is an interactive online college and career planning resource where students can find colleges and scholarships that meet their needs and preferences.
www.Fafsa.ed.gov FAFSA is an online resource that students can sign in to discover how federal student aid can help them pay for college.*
*A representative will be conducting a workshop in the spring at Walton High School. If you are interested in attending, please sign up with Guidance before you leave.
Guidance Counselor
Email: [email protected] number: 850-892-1270 ext. 4416
If your student is interested in college athletics…
2 Governing BodiesNAIA (National Association of
Intercollegiate Athletics)No national clearinghouse, simple
requirementswww. Naia.org
NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association)Requires potential Division 1 and 2
student athletes to register at www.ncaaclearinghouse.com
Check their website for required
GPAs and ACT/SAT scores
Did you know…
WHS average ACT score is 24
State average ACT score 22
Class of 2014 Top College Acceptance… Northwest Florida State College
Florida State University
Troy University
Gulf Coast State College
University of Florida
University of Central Florida
Learn to Earn:
Your median income with a ….
Visit us at our new student services webpage…
NEW LINKS!!!!
What’s new on ourpage
Senior Class Sponsor
Email: [email protected] number: 850-892-1270 ext. 4471
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