INFORMATION FOR SENIOR YEAR Congratulations You have made

INFORMATION FOR SENIOR YEAR

Congratulations!! You have made it this far!! Graduation is right around the corner… This Power. Point will cover…. • • Upcoming dates IGP meetings Requirements for Graduation Post Secondary Plans College Admission Process ACT/SAT State Scholarships and Newsletter

Upcoming dates: • SEPTEMBER 5 th-28 th IGP’s • SEPTEMBER 14 th Ed Op Day - Cancelled until further notice • SEPTEMBER 17 th- Assembly at 9: 00 am with Josten’s • ** You must order at least a cap, gown and diploma cover. 1 st order day is SEPT. 24 th. • SEPTEMBER 20 th- Big Picture of Senior class at 9: 00 am in the new gym • SEPTEMBER 27 th - College Application Day and CSRA Night at James Brown Arena 5: 30 -8: 30 • OCTOBER 2 nd- Junior and Senior Parent/Student meeting • OCTOBER 25 th - FASFA night (Financial Aid) • JUNE 6 th @ 2: 00 p. m. - GRADUATION

Join Remind!

IGP Meetings • Please have a parent join you for your 30 minute IGP meeting with your counselor. Come straight to your counselor’s office when it is time for your meeting. Use your postcard or letter as a pass. If you need to change your meeting time, email your counselor. Last Name: Leslie Bright- A-B Natalie Fox: C-He Lauren Bowling: Hi-Pl Tracie Mc. Bride: Po-Z **Ms. Mc. Bride will be out until the end of Sept. you can see any counselor until then.

College Visits • Any student is allowed two excused school days to visit colleges. You must obtain a form from Guidance BEFORE you visit! When you return the form should be returned to attendance.

Do you have the requirements to Graduate? If you want to go to a 4 -year college after graduation, you will need 3 lab sciences, 1 fine arts credit & 2 credits in the same foreign language. Some colleges require 2 academic electives as well. Please check your transcript carefully. If you have any questions at all, see your counselor.

Understanding GPA SC UGP GPA: This is your weighted GPA. Honors courses, AP courses and Dual Enrollment courses weigh more than College Prep courses and can go above 4. 0. This is the GPA used to determine whether you will qualify for state scholarships (LIFE, HOPE, Palmetto Fellows). 4. 0 GPA: This is your GPA out of a possible 4. 0. Which one do you use? BOTH! Sometimes colleges will ask for one or both. Often local scholarships use the 4. 0 scale. Keep in mind that your senior grades count! State scholarships are determined by your FINAL transcript.

Post Secondary Plans Military You should plan to take the ASVAB in the fall and/or spring STUDY before you take the test. Here are some websites: http: //asvabtutor. com/ https: //uniontestprep. com/asvab/practice-test http: //www. military. com/join-armed-forces/asvab • Talk with recruiters and stay organized so that you know your deadlines. • Your counselor will need a copy of your enlistment certification. • Work If you plan to go straight to work and already have a job, your counselor will need a letter from your employer on business letter head. If you don’t have a job and need assistance, see your counselor! We can refer you to SC Works who will assist you with job placement and even skills training.

Two Year Technical School/Community College • SAT and ACT are not required. They can, however, help with your class placement for English and Math classes. • You will need to apply and more than likely take the ACCUPLACER tests help identify your knowledge, strength, and needs in math, reading, and writing. Along with information about your academic background, goals, and interests, your ACCUPLACER results help you choose courses that match your skill level and give you the best opportunities for success. There is the ability to exempt the ACCUPLACER due to certain ACT scores. • ACCUPLACER is given here in the spring for potential Aiken Technical students. • STUDY for the ACCUPLACER! Here are some websites: • https: //accuplacer. collegeboard. org/student/practice https: //uniontestprep. com/accuplacer-test • http: //www. practiceaccuplacertests. com/ • Keep in mind that if you have a 3. 0 ending GPA on the SC UGP GPA scale, you may receive the LIFE scholarship which covers the cost of tuition plus a $300 book allowance (not to exceed $5000). So, this includes Aiken Technical College as well as the regional campuses of USC including Lancaster, Salkahatchie, Union, and Sumter. Additionally, Spartanburg Methodist College is included as it is a two-year independent institution.

College Admission Process • Four Year College • The majority of the remaining information will focus on the application process for a four year college. Please watch deadlines carefully and follow instructions completely. • College Admission Process • Steps: • Take the SAT/ACT. • Fill out and return the letter of recommendation form and an academic resume to your counselor. • Apply. • Request your transcript through Parchment. • If your planning on being a collegiate athlete see Ms. Bright for NCAA eligibility requirements.

STEP ONE: Take the SAT/ACT • Most 4 year colleges require that you take either the SAT or ACT before you begin the application process. It does not matter which test you use. You are advised to take these tests more than one time. • You must register ONLINE to take the SAT or ACT. A counselor cannot do it for you. Please be sure to write down your user name and passwords for these sites. The websites and dates are listed on the next slide. You will be required to upload a photograph when you register for either test. If you are unable to do this at home, your counselor can schedule a time to assist you. • Your counselor can NOT send your scores to a college, so it is recommended that you select to send your scores to the colleges you are interested in when you register for the test. Each test allows you to send scores to 4 colleges/universities. If you need to send scores to a school at a later date, there is an additional fee.

SAT/ACT Dates • ACT—$46, with essay 62. 50 Late Registration fee 29. 50 • SAT—$47. 50 with Essay $64. 50 Late Registration fee $29 • Both you can send up to 4 FREE scores to schools- $12 for additional score or you may be eligible for a fee waiver. • If you receive free or reduced lunch, you may qualify for a waiver for the SAT or ACT. We do have a limited number of waivers. Please see your counselor in the Guidance office as soon as you know you will be taking the test. All tests are given at AHS unless otherwise noted.

Register for the SAT/ACT • https: //collegereadiness. collegeboard. org --SAT • http: //www. act. org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/registration. html --ACT • Practice, Practice! https: //www. khanacademy. org/sat http: //blog. prepscholar. com/complete-official-act-practice-tests-free-links http: //blog. prepscholar. com/complete-official-sat-practice-tests-free-links http: //www. act. org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/test-preparation. html

STEP TWO: LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATIONS Please give the counselor at LEAST 2 weeks before you need a recommendation to be sent. Applications are processed in the order in which they are received by the counselor. Letter of Recommendation: Guidance will provide a letter of recommendation sheet. Please fill one out before you request a recommendation and return to your designated counselor. Academic Resume: -It should be one page! Some of you may completed this step already in your English class -Include the following information but can be modified to reflect your originality -Heading with your name, address, and e-mail -High school information with your graduation date, GPA (weighted), class rank, and SAT/ACT scores -Academic awards, publications, honors, and other achievements -Coursework (summer programs, college courses, or other specialized workshops that do not appear on your high school transcript) -Community Service/ Volunteer -Extracurricular Activities -Special Skills A sample academic resume can be found on the School Counseling Webpage.

STEP THREE: Apply • Students should apply for admission in the fall. College applications for most colleges should be submitted by Dec. 1, 2017. Many colleges notify students of their admission decision on a rolling basis. Applicants who apply early will, therefore, be notified early. Many schools have scholarship deadlines and priority deadlines which are early, so please be aware of these dates. • Most colleges expect students to apply online and fees for applications are usually done with a credit or debit card. • Read the entire application BEFORE writing anything. If an essay or statement is required, give it considerable thought before writing. Please have someone else review essays before submission. Ask your English teacher. Proofread everything! Typically an Admissions Counselor will look at your application for only 10 minutes. Since this application represents who you are, make sure it is well done!

• Many colleges require a recommendation from your counselor. You must notify your counselor that you have applied and need a recommendation at least TWO weeks before it needs to be submitted. Most colleges do not require teacher recommendations. If a recommendation is not requested, do not send it. It will not be read. Always thank a person for writing a recommendation. A thank you note is ALWAYS appreciated. • Again, please be aware of deadlines. . This will be important not just for applications but also scholarships. Rolling Admission: Evaluate applicants as they are received; no hard deadline Early Decision: BINDING; If you are accepted, you are committed to that school. You can only apply early decision to one college. Early Action/Early Answer: NON-BINDING; You usually receive earlier acceptance but are not committed to that school Honors College: Available to top candidates at most colleges; many require a separate application Scholarship Deadline: Deadline for scholarships that the college/university will award to incoming freshman

• *** SEPTEMBER 27: College Application Day • You may sign up for a time slot to apply for SC colleges and universities. Many colleges will offer a fee waiver for the application fee, and admissions representatives will be here to assist you with applications. • Attached at the bottom is list of SC colleges and universities, their application deadlines, cost of attendance, cost of application, average GPA, and average ACT/SAT scores. This is based on the latest information possible. Please keep in mind that these are AVERAGES and can and do change. It does not mean that you will not be accepted to a school if you do not have those exact figures. Click Below

STEP FOUR: Request your transcript through Parchment. • Parchment is an online service that sends your transcript directly to the college/university you applied to. Parchment accounts will be set up through your English class. If you missed the appropriate time to set up your Parchment account, please see your counselor ASAP. • Once you have submitted your entire application, go onto www. parchment. com. Go to order and choose the college you wish to have your transcript sent. Your counselor should approve your request in 3 days. You can log into your account and see that it has been sent as well as when the college downloaded your transcript. • AGAIN, be sure to let your counselor know if you need a recommendation with your application. • PLEASE KEEP TRACK OF ALL SCHOLARSHIP MONEY YOU HAVE BEEN OFFERED. CREATE AN EMAIL FOLDER JUST FOR THAT INFORMATION.

Paying for School Scholarships • Scholarships funded through the lottery are only for state schools. • There are national and local scholarships. I will usually only advertise local scholarships. I have uploaded a list of most of the scholarships we offer during the year on the school counseling website. You can also obtain a copy in Guidance. Scholarship Websites: https: //bigfuture. collegeboard. org https: //www. unigo. com/ https: //www. fastweb. com/ • Wendy’s Heisman Scholarship • RAISE ME

Grants • Grants are given due to financial factors, and the money does not need to be paid back. You can only be eligible for grants if you fill out the FASFA. • FASFA- Free Application for Federal Student Aid: https: //fafsa. ed. gov/ • Opens Oct. 1. 2018 - Please apply as close to this date as possible! We will have a FASFA night on Oct. 25 th to assist you with questions. • Parents will use 2017 income tax information • Great websites for helping you with FASFA: https: //studentaid. ed. gov/sa/fafsa/filling-out http: //www. collegexpress. com/articles-and-advice/financialaid/articles/applyingfinancial-aid/how-fill-out-fafsastep-step/ Loans https: //studentaid. ed. gov/sa/types/loans

• South Carolina Lottery Scholarships • In each category, you will be eligible for only one type of financial aid. Other than Palmetto Fellows, there is NO application required, but you may have to provide documentation that you are a SC resident. • Two year technical college/ Institution • Lottery Tuition Assistance • Receive $95/ credit hour up to $1, 140 per semester for cost of tuition • Must be enrolled in at least 6 credit hours and have completed the FASFA • LIFE Scholarship: • Covers the cost of tuition (including a $300 book allowance) up to $5000 • Must graduate with at least 3. 0 GPA based on SC UGP (weighted scale) • Applicable to all technical colleges, 2 year USC regional campuses, and Spartanburg Methodist College

Four year College/University

• HOPE Scholarship • $2800 (including a $300 book allowance) for the first year only towards cost of attendance • Available to students who earned a minimum 3. 0 GPA on the SC UGP (weighted scale) • LIFE Scholarship • $5000 per year (includes a $300 book allowance) • Available to students who meet TWO of the THREE requirements: • Earn at least a 3. 0 GPA on the SC UGP (weighted scale) • Rank in the top 30% of the graduating class • Score at least 24 on the ACT OR 1100 on the SAT (Math and Reading). SAT scores can be super scored. • Scholarship is renewable if 3. 0 GPA is kept as well as completing 30 hours • May be eligible for an additional $2500 a year (LIFE enhancement) in their sophomore, junior and senior years if you declare a major in math or science. For a list of eligible majors, go to the following website: http: //www. che. sc. gov/Students, Families. Military/Paying. For. College/Financial. Assistance. Ava ilable/Mathand. Science. Scholarship. Enhancements. aspx

Palmetto Fellows $6700 freshman year; $7500 sophomore, junior and senior years • Early awards announced in Nov; Late awards in June • Available to students who meet the following criteria: • (1) Earn at least a 3. 5 GPA on the SC UGP (weighted scale) • and (2) Rank in the top 6% of the graduating class and (3) Score at least 27 on the ACT OR 1200 on the SAT (Math and Reading). SAT scores can be super scored. OR (1) Earn at least a 4. 0 GPA on the SC UGP (weighted scale) and (2) Score at least 32 on the ACT OR 1400 on the SAT scores can be superscored, ACT cannot. •

Palmetto Fellows Con’t • VERY IMPORTANT: if you are trying to earn Palmetto via the 2 nd method right above, you must notify your counselor when you retake tests!!! • Scholarship is renewable if 3. 0 GPA is kept as well as completing 30 hours • May be eligible for an additional $2500 a year (LIFE enhancement) in their sophomore, junior and senior years if you declare a major in math or science (STEM). For a list of eligible majors, go to the following website: http: //www. che. sc. gov/Students, Families. Military/Paying. For. College/Fi nancial. Assistance. Available/Mathand. Science. Scholarship. Enhancements. a spx and do continuing research per college and universities.

Good Luck for the rest of Senior Year! We understand that this is a lot of information…please feel free to reach out to your counselor for any questions. Leslie Bright- LBright 2@acpsd. net A-B Natalie Fox- C-He Nfox@acpsd. net Lauren Bowling- Lbowling@acpsd. net Hi-Pl Tracie Mc. Bride- TMc. Bride@acpsd. net Po-Z

Parchment • www. parchment. com

Click on…

Fill all information out

Look for an email from parchment with this box below. Check spam/junk folder as well if it is not in your inbox.