Woodstock High School Counseling Department Parent Information Night

Woodstock High School Counseling Department Parent Information Night Class of 2020 Principal: Mr. J. Mark Smith

Beginning with the end in mind…Graduation Ø WHS Graduation Ceremony: Ø Thursday, May 28, 2020 at 8: 00 pm at First Baptist Church of Woodstock-tickets not required! Ø Herff Jones Ø Cherokee County School District provider of graduation gowns, announcements, etc. Ø Senior Class Meeting on 9/30/19 to begin ordering process. Pay attention to deadlines, as prices increase. Ø You can place orders or make payments here: https: //highschool. herffjones. com/secom/home Ø Stay updated with Senior Info Ø Remind 101 – Text @whsclass 20 to 81010 Ø https: //www. cherokeek 12. net/woodstockhs/Content 2/woodstockhs-senior-info

Topics for Discussion § § § Administrators & Counselors Graduation Requirements Transcripts: GPA College Admissions Process Financial Aid/HOPE/Zell Finishing Strong

Counselors and Administrators STUDENT LAST NAME A – Ce Ch – G H – Mb Mc – R S–Z ADMINISTRATOR COUNSELOR Meagan Biello Assistant Principal Dan Gagnon Assistant Principal Joel Roth Assistant Principal Nancy Henson Assistant Principal Chris Bennett Assistant Principal Lindsay Gueren Counselor Hillary Nichols Counselor Marcee Smith Counselor Maria Laylock Counselor Daryl Harris Counselor

How to see your counselor? Stop by the guidance office before school, during lunch, or after school. The guidance secretary, Mrs. Aguilar, will schedule an appointment and give the student a pass/reminder for the appointment. Reasons to come see us: üStruggling Academically üDealing with Personal Issues ü 4 year graduation plan üCollege/Career planning üHOPE/Zell scholarships information üAny question you may have… we’ll answer, find the answer, or direct you to the right spot.

GA Graduation Requirements – Magic # is 23!

GPA or Numeric Average? § Cherokee county uses the numeric scale: § Based on a 100 point scale. § Add all of the final grades and divide by number of classes. § All grades included are on the transcript, including failing grades. § Failed courses remain on transcript even if credit is made up. § Honors courses are weighted 5 points. § AP courses are weighted 10 points. A: 90 – 100 B: 80 – 89 C: 71 – 79 D: 70 F: 69 or below

Sample Transcript 1

College PROBE Fair v Cherokee v Tuesday, High School October 29, 2019 v 6: 00 P. M. — 8: 00 P. M. v 80+ colleges and tech colleges from across the state and region will be here. v Students can sign up for a barcode at gotocollegefairs. com and present it to colleges at the fair. The colleges will scan the information into their database without having the student waste time filling out cards. v If you have questions, this is the place to go– be ready to carry home serious information. www. gaprobe. org

Explore your options § § § 2 yr Junior Colleges/Technical Colleges (TCSG) 4 yr Public Universities (USG) 4 yr Private Colleges/Universities (PCU) Visit colleges during school breaks or weekend previews. Most colleges allow you to register online. Always meet your enrollment counselor, take a tour, see the residence halls, and eat the food! Seniors get 2 excused absences for college visits.

Common Application Workshop ü Students can participate in Common App Demo. ü Receive hands on assistance or ask questions to complete your Common Application. ü Friday, September 6 th in the Media Center during all 4 lunch periods. Students learning about transcripts, GPA, & college process during ELA classroom guidance end of Aug to mid-Sept. Ask about Handouts coming home!

Choosing a College Points to Consider o o Admission Requirements GPA, SAT/ACT, specific classes Look at Freshmen Profile o Student Life Housing Recreational Activities & facilities Religious Activities Greek System o College Atmosphere Size Location/Setting What makes school unique? Weekend Activities o Instruction Class Size, Student: Teacher Ratio Availability and helpfulness of Professors Programs of study; Majors/Minors Career Placement Services Financial Aid % of students who apply % of students who receive Availability & Types of scholarships Co-op programs, internships, campus jobs Average amount of Financial Aid

The Right Fit You are unique. • You should base your choice on how well a college fits your needs. Don’t worry about how it’s ranked on a list or how famous it is. The effort you put in and the opportunities you take advantage of once you get there matter more that the college you go to. Once you graduate from college, your achievements and skills will matter most. You are more than test scores. • College care most about the work you’ve done in high school. They look for students who have earned strong grades in challenging courses. They also try to learn about your character by looking at what you do outside the classroom. Take advantage of opportunities like the college essay or interview to show a more complete picture of who you are.

Application Types ü Regular ü Rolling ü Early Decision ü Early Action o Early Action Single Choice, Priority Admissions ü EARLY ACTION/DECISION o Meet or Exceed admission requirements: GPA, rigor taken, test scores (review Freshman Profile). o Apply early, get decision early o Rules vary from college to college so make sure to READ details!

College Admission Process How Will I Be Evaluated? Variables § GPA: Average of your classes, and possibly only your core academic classes. Check with your college. § Strength of Schedule (rigor; difficulty level): Selective colleges are looking at the rigor of your courses throughout high school, including your senior year. § Test Scores: SAT and/or ACT § Extracurricular Activities: Leadership and participation in clubs, service, and sports can be particularly important to competitive colleges

College Admissions Exams § § § Colleges accept either test equally. Take the test that best fits your learning style. 2 out of 3 students scores improve when they take the test more than once! Students are responsible for sending their official scores to the colleges. The registration includes 4 free score reports. Send reports even if unsure which college you’ll attend. http: //www. collegeboard. org/ http: //www. actstudent. org/

College Admissions GPA §Colleges and universities use the GPA (Grade Point Average) scale: §Based on a 4 point scale. §Convert A’s, B’s, C’s, D’s, and F’s using the scale below. Add those numbers together and divide by the number of scores. Please contact the guidance office for an exact calculation. §Most colleges will not weigh honors courses. §Check with your particular college to determine how they will weight AP courses. §The HOPE and Zell Miller averages use this point scale. A: 4 points B: 3 points C: 2 points D: 1 point F: Zero

Sample Transcript 2

Requesting Transcripts 3 Ways 1. Electronically through Ga. Futures. org (see the handout): each transcript is free (in-state only). If you are going to apply in-state, this is highly recommended. 2. Electronically through Parchment. com: Each transcript is $5. 00. This is for in-state OR out-of-state. a $5. 00. 3. Mailing: Students will see Mrs. Correll in the records office form to fill out in order to send transcripts. Each transcript is

College Application Process Things to keep in mind: 1. Be early & organized: Research all deadlines, work backwards and mark them on a calendar. Your due date should be 10 school days prior to any deadline you see. Don’t procrastinate! Example: Application deadline: Oct 15 th Counselor recommendation request deadline: Oct 1 st. This means you have already: ü Submitted the application to the college ü Completed your senior questionnaire or resume (see your Guidance Counselor) ü Emailed your counselor to inform them all materials are complete by Oct 1 for an October 15 deadline. 2. Be meticulous: An error on something as serious as a college application can have negative effects. In addition don’t add anything they don’t ask for. Only do recommendations for schools which ask for one. 3. Be prepared: Begin your requests for recommendations early. Research and plan your essays or short answers. Copy, paste, and write it into a word document. When it’s ready, paste it into your application.

Student Responsibility It is the student’s responsibility to check their application’s online status. By completing early they can make sure everything is submitted correctly. Colleges track STUDENT correspondence. o E-mail questions, meet with Admissions Reps, and send thank you notes o Let your parents be involved in the admissions process, but only so much. Students make sure that you are the one who completes the application, writes the essays, etc. Your parents can be great at helping you keep track of deadlines, make plans for visiting colleges, and giving you suggestions about your application. In the end, though, make sure you are the one driving/managing this process, as you are the one who will be at college next year.

Academic/HOPE GPA §All calculations are done by the Georgia Student Finance Commission §Middle school credit is not calculated in the HOPE GPA §Convert A’s, B’s, C’s, D’s, and F’s using the scale below. Add those numbers together and divide by the number of scores. §Electives in core areas also count. See handout. §Honors points are removed and a 0. 50 weighting is added back in for AP courses/Dual Enrollment/IB courses only, not to exceed 4. 0 §Most colleges will not weigh honors courses. §Check with your particular college to determine how they will weight AP courses. Core Courses Conversion English A 90 to 100 4 points Math B 80 to 89 3 points Science C 71 to 79 2 points Social Science D 70 1 point World Language

Paying for College Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) • Determines eligibility for need-based aid from Federal & State Government, such as Grants, Loans, and Work Study. Some colleges use to award institutional funds. Complete after October 1 using prior year’s tax returns. Scholarships • Merit-based aid given on basis of demographic information such as academics or service. ü Create a free account with Fastweb. com. This is a national database of 1. 5 million scholarships. Students will fill out the profile pages and then scholarships that apply will be listed. ü Information for local scholarships can be found on the WHS Student Services site under “Scholarships. ” Seniors should check the website periodically for information on new scholarships. Site directions and contacts will be listed.

HOPE vs Zell Miller HOPE § § 3. 0 GPA (calculated by GSFC) % tuition covered – varies by year § Academic Rigor: 4 classes that are academically rigorous. (See handout. ) If a student falls below a 3. 0 GPA in college, they may only regain the HOPE Scholarship one time after one full year of classes. A student who does not graduate from high school as a HOPE Scholar, can earn a 3. 0 GPA in college. Zell Miller § § 3. 7 GPA (calculated by GSFC) 100% of tuition covered § 1200 SAT: combined critical reading score and math score (single administration) § 26 ACT: composite score of SAT/ACT scores MUST be submitted to GSFC to be considered § Academic Rigor: 4 classes that are academically rigorous. See handout. Must maintain 3. 3 GPA in college Once lost, Zell Miller cannot be recovered.

Finish Strong…be well Preparing for the future & college is important, but so is preserving your emotional well-being v Consider the workload in the level and rigor of classes v Pursue your intellectual interests v Get involved in extra-curricular activities v Make time for community service or other interests v Participate in activities to promote your overall health by eating healthy, exercising, and sleeping v Spend time with people who cherish your heart and remind you of how valuable you are!

Final Thoughts At WHS we are “all in. ” We’re looking for that sentiment from all of our students. Please contact us when you have questions, and thank you for coming. WE ARE WOODSTOCK!