2016-2017

What’s Inside?

1 Senior Calendar Checklist

3 Test Registration 4 Helpful Websites

5 Florida Colleges and Universities 11 Financial Aid and Scholarships 16 NCAA Information 17 College Terminology

Logo design by: Bryant Pillot and Alyssa Murray (Haines City High School)

Senior Calendar Checklist

1

August/September

Meet with your school counselor to make sure you are on track to graduate and fulfill college admission requirements. Review your career plans and decide which type of post-secondary education is best for you. Verify that you are in the appropriate coursework to align with your post-secondary plans.

Continue to take challenging courses during your senior year and stay focused on maintaining or increasing your GPA. College admissions representatives advise that you take a rigorous senior year in order to be best prepared for college and more competitive for admissions.

Register for the SAT and/or ACT, if necessary. Know the registration deadlines and fees. Request a test fee waiver, if applicable.

Attend the annual Polk District College Fair.

Check college Admissions websites for information on colleges/ universities. Look at their applications and consider all of the different pieces of information you will need to compile.

Take every opportunity to get to know colleges: meeting with college representatives who visit your high schools during the fall, attending local college fairs, visiting campuses (if possible). Ask your counselor if they know of special campus visitation programs.

Narrow your list of colleges down to 3-5 options and begin prioritizing. Mark your calendar with all admissions and financial aid information and deadlines for each school. Find out if you qualify for any institutional scholarships at the respective schools.

Create separate folders for each of the schools that interest you and keep the materials organized.

Begin asking teachers, school counselors, and employers for letters of recommendation to include with your admissions and/or scholarship applications. Know your school’s process for requesting transcripts to be sent to colleges.

Create or update an academic resume to include with your college and scholarship applications.

Verify your status with the NCAA Eligibility Center, if you are interested in participating in collegiate sports.

October

Complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) at visit www.fafsa.ed.gov. File the form as soon after Oct. 1 as possible. In addition to determining your eligibility for federal funds, many colleges and states use the form when distributing grants, so don’t delay. Watch the mail for your Student Aid Report (SAR)—it should arrive four weeks after the FAFSA is filed.

Apply for Bright Futures scholarship online. Review your status. http://www.floridastudentfinancialaid.org/SSFAD/bf/bfmain.htm

Begin applying to colleges. Some colleges will have applications deadlines as early as this month. These would include rolling admission, priority, early decision, and early action deadlines.

Request a college fee application waiver, if applicable.

Finalize all required documents for college admissions: application, essay, letters of recommendations, financial documents, transcripts, test scores, and/or an academic resume. Be sure to have someone proofread and review your documents prior to submission.

Research available scholarships and grants. Complete applications for every scholarship for which you may be eligible. You should never pay for financial aid or scholarship information.

Plan to attend a financial aid information night. November

Confirm that your test scores have been submitted from the College Board and/or ACT directly to your requested colleges.

Once your FASFA is processed, expect an e-mail notice indicating your Student Aid Report (SAR) is ready for review.

December

Continue to look for additional scholarships and grants.

Verify community service hours are posted to your transcript.

Senior Calendar Checklist

2

January

Acceptance letters and financial aid offers will start to arrive. Review your acceptances, compare financial aid packages, and visit your final choices, especially if you haven’t already.

February/March/April

Continue to earn excellent grades, even after being accepted to a college/university. The college that you do attend will want to see your second semester transcript. They have the right to rescind the admission offer if your grades drop significantly or your coursework changes.

Check to see if your mid-year transcripts have been sent to the schools to which you have applied.

Apply for Polk Education Foundation Scholarships at (http://www.polk-fl.net/students/collegeandcareer/financialaid/pefscholarships.htm)

Contact each college financial aid office to make certain that your application is complete. Find out what else you need to do to establish and maintain your eligibility for financial aid.

Make your final decision and send in a deposit by the deadline.

Check with the college you’ve chosen about the details of accepting or declining your financial aid.

Notify the other schools that you will not be attending.

Watch for important deadlines at your chosen college (housing, financial aid, etc.) and make your final school decision and mail deposits, as required.

Check with the school you've chosen about accepting financial aid award packages.

Notify the schools you have chosen NOT to attend.

Plan for registration, orientation, and housing, and mark your calendar with important dates. May

Make sure that you have requested that your final transcript be sent to the school you will be attending. Verify that all of your academic records are correct on your transcript.

If you are “wait-listed” by a college you really want to attend, visit, call and write the admission office to make your interest clear. Ask how you can strengthen your application.

Take the necessary End of Course, Advanced Placement (AP), and Final exams that are required prior to graduation.

Complete FLVS courses (if enrolled) and follow up with your School Counselor to ensure posting.

Prepare a realistic student budget for college planning.

Join the college or university social media community • Make sure you apply for Bright Futures BEFORE graduation. • Send your final high school transcript, with your graduation date documented, to your college.

“Applying to two colleges

instead of one makes it 40%

more likely that students will

enroll in a four-year college.

When students apply to more

than two, their chances of

enrolling will be even better.”

The College Board

Test Registration

3

ACT: Register at http://www.act.org/content/act/en/register.html or (319) 337-1270

Test Date Registration

Deadline

Late Registration (extra

fee)

September 10, 2016 August 5, 2016 August 6-19, 2016

October 22, 2016 September 16, 2016 September 17-30, 2016

December 10, 2016 November 4, 2016 November 5-18, 2016

February 11, 2017 January 13, 2017 January 14-20, 2017

April 8, 2017 March 3, 2017 March 4-17, 2017

June 10, 2017 May 5, 2017 May 6-19, 2017

No Writing- $42.50 Writing- $58.50 Late Fee- $27.50

ACT will also be offered at Polk High Schools on the following school days: School Day Administrations

*September 27, 2016 *February 28, 2016

SAT: Register at https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat/register or (866) 756-7346

Registration Fee- $43 with Essay- $54.50 Waitlist Testing Fee- additional $46

SAT Subject Tests may be required or recommended by your college choices. Check the college websites

directly before registering for the subject tests. You can take up to 3 subjects per sitting.

College Application Fee Waivers: Every income-eligible senior who takes the SAT or ACT using a fee waiver can receive four college application fee waivers from that testing agency.

Please see your school counselor for more testing information.

Test Date Regular Deadline Late Registration* Online Score Release

October 1, 2016 September 1, 2016 Sept 20, 2016 October 27, 2016

November 5, 2016 October 7, 2016 October 25, 2016 November 29, 2016

December 3, 2016 November 3, 2016 November 22, 2016 December 23, 2016

January 21, 2017 December 21, 2016 January 10, 2017 February 16, 2017

March 11, 2017 February 10, 2017 February 28, 2017 March 28, 2017

May 6, 2017 April 7, 2017 April 25, 2017 May 23, 2017

June 3, 2017 May 9, 2017 May 24, 2017 June 20, 2017

Helpful Websites

4

Useful Websites:

https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/ This free website helps you find colleges, explore

careers, and provides information on how to pay for college.

https://www.floridashines.org/ Florida's official online student advising system that can assist high school students, college students, parents, and even counselors to help plan and track educational progress in Florida (Bright Futures Scholarship Eligibility Evaluation). www.mappingyourfuture.org is a non-profit organization dedicated to combining person-to-person financial counseling with online resources to help students plan for the future (college preparation, school selection, career exploration, money management). www.fastweb.com Targeted search on colleges, career planning, and more.

https://financialaidtoolkit.ed.gov/tk/ The Financial Aid Toolkit provides federal student aid information and outreach tools for counselors, college access professionals, nonprofit mentors, and others.

SAT/ACT Test Preparation: https://march2success.com (Free assistance preparing for standardized tests) http://sat.collegeboard.com/practice/sat-study-plan (SAT practice) www.collegereadiness.collegeboard.org (SAT practice)

http://www.actstudent.org/testprep/ (ACT prep materials)

*Polk County Schools are not permitted to promote any specific private tutoring agency

FLORIDA COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

5

State University System of Florida (SUS)

2016 SUS Admissions Tour MATRIX Universities FAMU FAU FGCU FIU FLPOLY FSU NCF UCF UF UNF USF UWF

Location Tallahassee Boca Raton Ft. Myers Miami Lakeland Tallahassee Sarasota Orlando Gainesville Jacksonville Tampa Pensacola

Undergraduate Enrollment Fall

2015 8,166 24,227 13,684 40,231 887 32,459 861 54,527 35,043 14,077 30,319 9,649

Sports Division Div 1 Div 1 Div 1 Div 1 NA Div 1 N/A Div 1 Div 1 Div 1 Div 1 Div 2

What is your admissions

notification plan? Rolling

Rolling with Feb. 15 as

Priority Deadline

Nov 15th Merit

Scholarship Deadline.

Rolling with February

15th Priority

Deadline

Rolling with November

1st as Priority

Scholarship Deadline

11/2 deadline (decision by 12/1) Rolling

after 1/1 on a space available

basis

Two notification dates: 12/8/2016

and 3/16/2017

Rolling, with Nov. 1

application and and

FAFSA priority

deadline and

April 15 guaranteed scholarship

program deadline

Rolling Feb 10 for Nov 1 apps

Rolling Modified Rolling

Scholarship/ Application

priority deadline

12/1/2016. Firm

Application deadline 6/1/2017

% of Applicants Accepted

Summer 2015 by July 1, 2015

68% 57% 61% 52% N/A 52% NA (no

summer admissions)

51% 45% 69% 65% 38%

% of Applicants Accepted Fall 2016

by July 1, 2016 37% 51% 54% 48% 69% 46% 57% 47% 45% 37% 40% 51%

Mid Range Accepted

GPA - Summer 2016 3.00-3.5 3.42-3.90 3.38-4.12 3.7 NA 3.5 - 4.1

NA (no summer

admissions) 3.6-4.0 4.2-4.5 3.0-3.6 3.38-3.85 3.5

Middle Range GPA Accepted - Fall 2016

3.00-3.50 3.73-4.37 3.42-4.22 4.0 3.5 3.9 - 4.4 3.71-4.31 3.7-4.3 4.2-4.5 3.6-4.4 3.83-4.39 3.6

Middle Range old SAT (all three

sections) Accepted - Summer

2016

M: 401-500 R: 401-500 W: 401-500

M: 460-540 R: 470-550 W: 460-530

M: 460-550 R: 470-550 W: 470-540

M: 510 R: 510 W: 510

NA M: 550 - 630 R: 550 - 630 W: 540 - 620

NA (no summer

admissions)

M: 510-590 R: 510-580 W: 490-570

M: 600-700 R: 580-690 W: 580-690

M: 500-570 R: 510-580 W: 480-560

M: 500-570

R: 510-570

M: 490-560

M: 505 R: 508 W: 491

FLORIDA COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

6

Middle Range old SAT (all three

sections) Accepted Fall 2016

M: 401-500 R: 401-500 W: 401-500

M: 500-590 R: 500-590 W: 490-580

M: 490-580 R: 500-580 W: 480-560

M: 570 R: 570 W: 560

M: 597 R: 580

M: 580 - 660 R: 580 - 670 W: 580 - 670

1730-2020 M: 550-660 R: 590-710 W: 560-670

M: 590-670 R: 580-660 W: 540-635

M: 600-700 R: 580-690 W: 580-690

M:560-640 R: 560-640 W: 530-620

M: 570-660

R: 560-650

M: 550-630

M: 522 R: 530 W: 506

Middle Range New (2016) SAT

(Evidence-based Reading and

Writing/ Math) Accepted Fall 2016

RW:501-600 M:501-600

RW: 550-640 M:530-610

RW: 530- 560

M:510-590

RW: 590 M: 590

NA EBRW: 640-710

M:600-690 NA

RW: 620-700

M: 610-700

RW: 640-730 M: 620-730

RW: M:

RW: 550-620

M: 590-690

RW: 560 M:547

Middle Range ACT with Writing

Accepted - Summer 2016

Comp: E/W:17-21

Comp: 18-23 E/W:20-24

Comp: 20-24

E/W:20-25 /6-8

Comp: 21 E/W:20

NA Comp: 24 - 28 E/W: 21 - 26

NA (no summer

admissions)

Comp: 23-26

E/W:

Comp: 27-32 E/W:

Comp: 20.5-23.75

E/W:20-24/6-8

Comp: 23-26

E/W: 21-24

Comp: 22 E/W: 21

Middle Range ACT with Writing

Accepted - Fall 2016

Comp: E/W: 17-24

Comp: 21-25 E/W:21-27

Comp: 22-26

E/W:21-26 /6-8

Comp: 23 E/W:22

Comp: E/W:: 26

Comp: 26 - 31 E/W: 23 - 29

Comp: 26-31

E/W:25-30

Comp: 25-29

E/W:

Comp: 27-32 E/W:

Comp: 24.5-29 E/W: 24-30/7-

8

Comp: 26-30

E/W: 24-28

Comp: 24 E/W: 22

Are ACT Scores Interchangeable?

Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes Yes

Prefer SAT or ACT? Either Either Either Either Either Either Either Either Either Either Either Either

Is the GPA the "best of" courses or all work (i.e., does only the best grade of repeated courses count in the gpa or

do all courses count)?

Best of Academic Courses

All Academic Courses

Best grade of identical academic courses

All attempted academic

course work used

Best of academic courses

All academic work attempted.

Grade forgiveness

for repeated academic courses

All academic courses.

Best grade of the exact

same course

All academic work

attempted

Best grade of identical academic courses.

All academic

work attempted

Best of academic courses

Does your recalculated GPA

utilize only the courses counted as

SUS "core" admission

coursework; only the "core" and

"elective" coursework; or all

courses taken?

Core and approved academic electives

Core and academic electives

Core and Elective

Core and Elective

Core and Elective

All attempted academic core

and all AICE/AP/DE/IB

coursework

Core and most

academic electives

Only SUS core

admission coursework

SUS Core

Based on SUS "core" and up

to two approved academic

"electives"

Core and Academic Elective courses

Core and Elective

FLORIDA COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

7

Preferred Time to Apply

September-February

Fall of Senior Year Aug 1 - Nov

15th

July 1- November

1 Prior Nov 1 By October 19 By Nov 1

Fall of the Senior Year

August 15 - November 1

Prior to "Scholarship

Deadline"

By November

1

Fall of Senior Year

Institutional Financial Aid Deadline for

Fall 2017 (date/rolling)

1-Mar Dec 1 then rolling through March 1

1-Mar

Rolling with November

1st as Priority

Scholarship Deadline

Rolling, March 1

December 1 priority

Nov 1 priority FAFSA

April 15 Guaranteed Scholarships

December 1 Priority

December 15; Encouraged to apply well

before the 15th

April 1st January

1st

March 15 - priority deadline

1st-Year Retention Rate (Fall 2014

Cohort) 84% 77% 79% 87% 76% 93% 81% 89% 96% 80% 68% 73%

Source: SUS Admission Directors, 2016

FLORIDA COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

8

Florida Public Community and State Colleges

https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Map_of_the_Florida_College_System.jpg

FLORIDA COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

9

Private College and Universities of Florida (PCUF) http://pcuf.net/

Private College and Universities of Florida, PCUF, is an organization of twenty-two of Florida’s most competitive and prestigious private colleges and

universities. Together we work with over 79,000 of the best and brightest college students from Florida, the United States and the world. As an

organization, the primary objective is to foster relationships with high school counselors and increase counselors’ and students’ familiarity with all that

Florida’s private colleges and universities have to offer.

FLORIDA COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

10

Independent College and Universities of Florida (ICUF) www.icurg/newdevelopment/

The 30 ICUF colleges and universities with 114 additional sites around the state, award 25% of Florida’s bachelor degrees and

one-third of all degrees. Their enrollments vary from approximately 200 to nearly 26,000 students. Their average class has 19

students.

Adventist University of Health Sciences Orlando Jacksonville University Jacksonville

Ave Maria University Ave Maria Keiser University Various Campuses

Barry University Miami Shores Lynn University Boca Raton

Beacon College Leesburg Nova Southeastern University Fort Lauderdale

Bethune-Cookman University Daytona Beach Palm Beach Atlantic University West Palm Beach

Eckerd College St. Petersburg Ringling College of Art and Design Sarasota

Edward Waters College Jacksonville Rollins College Winter Park

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Daytona Beach Saint Leo University Saint Leo

Everglades University Boca Raton St. Thomas University Miami Gardens

Flagler College St. Augustine Southeastern University Lakeland

Florida College Temple Terrace Stetson University DeLand

Florida Institute of Technology Melbourne University of Miami Coral Gables

Florida Memorial University Miami Gardens The University of Tampa Tampa

Florida Southern College Lakeland Warner University Lake Wales

Hodges University Naples Webber International University Babson Park

FINANCIAL AID AND SCHOLARSHIPS

11

FAFSA

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the financial aid form you will need

to complete with your parent(s) in order to apply for student grants (i.e. Pell Grant), work-study,

and loans for financial assistance college costs. Some colleges may require that students

complete the FAFSA in order to be considered for their institutional aid.

Everyone is encouraged to apply for financial aid.

Income and assets are not the only factor reviewed for eligibility. Family size, number of children in college, and cost of the college are also important factors. Apply online at www.fafsa.gov starting October 1st every year in college. For help completing FAFSA go to: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa/filling-out Get the answers to important questions like…

1. How do I prepare for college?

2. What types of aid can I get?

3. Do I qualify for aid?

4. How do I apply for aid?

5. How do I manage loans?

For more information go to: http://studentaid.ed.gov/types/grants-scholarships/finding-

scholarships#how-do-i-apply-for-scholarships

Florida Financial Aid Application (FFAA)

http://www.floridastudentfinancialaid.org/ssfad/home/uamain.htm

The Florida Department of Education, Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA), administers a variety of state-funded grants and scholarships to assist Florida residents with the cost of their postsecondary education. Students must APPLY for the grants and scholarship by submitting the Florida Financial Aid Application (FFAA) no later than August 31 after high school graduation. All eligibility requirements must be met by high school graduation, but scores of ACT®/SAT®/P.E.R.T. tests taken through June 30 are accepted for evaluation purposes. After submitting the FFAA, the student is responsible for tracking application and award status online and keeping the Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) informed of any demographic or institutional changes. The application opens on October 1, 2016.

FINANCIAL AID AND SCHOLARSHIPS

12

Bright Futures

http://www.floridastudentfinancialaid.org/ssfad/bf/

The Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program establishes three lottery-funded scholarships to reward Florida high school graduates for high academic achievement. The Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program has helped more than 725,000 Florida students attend a postsecondary institution. The program offers three types of scholarship awards – the Florida Academic Scholars award (FAS), the Florida Medallion Scholars award (FMS), and the Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholars award (GSV). The Bright Futures Scholarship will renew automatically each year (up to the scholarship limit) if the student maintains the required GPA and earns the required credit hours.

http://www.floridastudentfinancialaid.org/ssfad/PDF/BFHandbookChapter2.pdf

These requirements and awards are subject to change with each legislative session.

FINANCIAL AID AND SCHOLARSHIPS

13

Polk Education Foundation

Polk Education Foundation offers many scholarships

for Polk County seniors. The application will open in

February. Please see your school counselor for more

information.

In the 2014 report "Stepping Up: The Top K-12

Education Foundations in the Nation" conducted by Dewey & Associates,

the Polk Education Foundation (PEF) ranked #6 in Florida, and #17 in the

nation, when compared against education foundations from like sized

school districts.

Polk Financial Aid Seminars Schedule

Haines City High – Wednesday, September 7th at 6:00 p.m.

George Jenkins High – Tuesday, September 20th at 6:30 p.m.

Winter Haven High – Wednesday, September 28 at 6:00 p.m.

Fresh Start– Friday, September 30, 2016 (School Day Event)

Lake Region High – Friday, October 14th at 8:30 a.m. (School Day Webinar)

Bartow High, Bartow IB, and Summerlin - Monday, October 24th at 6:00 p.m.

Ridge Community High – Tuesday, November 29th at 6:00 p.m.

Kathleen High- Tuesday, November 29th at 6:00 p.m.

Harrison School for the Arts (co-host: Lakeland High) - Wednesday, November 30th at 7:00 p.m.

Lake Gibson High - Thursday, December 1st at 6:00 p.m.

Tenoroc High - Thursday, December 1st at 6:00 p.m.

Mulberry High- Thursday, December 1st at 6:30 p.m.

FINANCIAL AID AND SCHOLARSHIPS

14

www.fastweb.com By: Elizabeth Hoyt

Do Start the scholarship search process sooner than later.

If you’re debating on when to start applying, the time is now. You can apply for scholarships you qualify for as early as you’d like and the rule of thumb is always the earlier, the better.

The process can often be very slow, so be patient and continue applying to new scholarships while waiting to hear back from those you’ve already applied to.

Apply for scholarships in different categories.

Don’t limit yourself to one type of scholarship. Balance it out, applying for any merit, athletic, and artistic scholarships you qualify for.

Include letters of recommendation. A good letter of recommendation can make all the difference in your scholarship application. Make sure that the letters you include are relevant and that you are confident in the person writing the letter for you – there is nothing worse than a lousy rec letter!

Also, give the person writing the letter significant time and a copy of your student resume so that they can easily reference your student activities.

Don’t Don’t count out scholarships with lower award amounts. Some students only apply for

scholarships with significantly large award amounts. The problem with that methodology is that you are going to have a lot more competition than with lower scholarship amounts.

Whatever you can do to decrease your competition will be in your favor, so applying for all award amounts is a good way to ensure that you have a better chance of winning.

Remember, there is no limit to how many scholarships you can apply for or win, so winning several smaller awards can really add up and serve the same purpose – paying for school – as one large award.

Don’t become discouraged if you don’t win right away.

It’s important to keep in mind that applying for scholarships is a numbers game. The more you apply to, the better your chances of winning – so apply for as many as you qualify for. There are millions of scholarships and they are refreshed daily, so don’t give up if your efforts aren’t rewarded immediately.

Unfortunately, it’s difficult at times to win a scholarship, and not everyone is guaranteed to win one. It’s vital that you never give up applying for scholarships – because then you’re guaranteed to never win one.

Don’t avoid scholarships that require essays.

Many students avoid scholarships that require essays and, for those that are strong writers, focusing on those opportunities can be a smart decision. Yes, they do take more effort but once you have several essay applications under your belt, the process gets easier. Why discard an essay after putting in hard work, time and effort? Many essays can be re-purposed (once edited) and applied to future applications and can save you time in the end. However, don’t just resubmit the same essay – make sure to edit it for each new scholarship essay question!

Extra Tips

Apply early and apply often!

It is common sense that the more scholarships you actively seek to win, the better your odds are of winning. Cast a wide net – applying for as many scholarships as you’re matched to will make all the difference in winning one.

Stay organized, keeping deadlines in mind!

Always aim to complete your applications before the deadline so that you have plenty of extra time to fix your application should any issues occur. Application deadlines aren’t suggestions – they are final. Keep a calendar that outlines your application deadlines.

Never wait until the deadline to submit your application – apply as early as possible.

Applying for Scholarships

FINANCIAL AID AND SCHOLARSHIPS

15

Financial aid checklists can help prepare you for college and keep you on track, too.

Make a scholarship application schedule and stick to it.

Set aside a specific time that you’re going to focus on applying for scholarships. It can be one night a week, an hour each day or whatever works with your schedule.

When the designated time rolls around, focus your efforts solely on your scholarship applications to ensure that you follow through with the process.

Beware of Scholarship and Financial Aid Scams

Familiarize yourself with the warning signs for scholarship and financial aid scams. They’re easier than you think to spot! Here are some scholarship scam warning signs you should be aware of:

• Fees: True scholarships are there to aid you, not the other way around so never pay to apply for scholarships or financial aid. • Guarantees you’ll win: Legitimate scholarship sponsors will never guarantee that you’ll win. If an offer is guaranteed, it’s exactly as it seems: too good to be true. • You’re already a winner! You didn’t apply, yet you’ve won. Legitimate scholarship offers are those you need to put effort into winning through the application process – you aren’t just awarded money for no reason. • Personal Information Requests: A legitimate scholarship sponsor will never request personal information that you shouldn’t be giving out, like your social security number. If you’re ever uncomfortable with the type of information requested, it’s likely not a legitimate offer. • Missing Sponsor Information: When a scholarship sponsor is legitimate, you will always be able to access their contact information in some form. If it seems like a “don’t call us, we’ll call you” type of situation, look at it as a red flag for a scam. There are several additional reputable online resources that list scholarship scam guidelines and information. Utilize them to familiarize yourself with the warning signs so that you don’t fall prey to student scams

Letter of Recommendation Tips

1. Select your Letter of Recommendation writers carfully. Ask someone familiar with your strengths. Seek a person with credibility plus the knowledge of your achievements. Familiarity without canned statements is better than an impressive signature.

2. Don’t procrastinate. Instructors are flooded with requests at the end of each semester. Ask one or two months prior to your deadline. Check with friendly reminders.

3. Ask in person. Don’t ask for a letter through email. A personal request means you care about the writer’s time and knowledge. Include a reminder of a statement, project or past accomplishment. Make a list of your plans and goals for the writer to reference.

4. Provide all the necessary materials. Most applications include specific forms for recommendation letters including specific questions and letters may be stapled to the form. Providing stamped envelopes is expected. If the application requires the writer to send the letter to you ask them to sign the flap of the envelope. It is suggested that you include an academic resume to assist the writer in providing a holistic view.

5. Decide if you want to waive your right to read the letter. You have the right by federal law to access your letters of recommendation. Most applications provide a form for you to waive your rights to read the letter. You may want to waive your rights. This will reassure the writer and the reader that you did not influence the content.

6. Send a Thank You note. Within a week after the letter is sent to the college, send a Thank You note to the writer. Don’t wait more than a week. You may need another letter soon.

NCAA INFORMATION

16

If you wish to participate in NCAA collegiate athletics, you need to be certified by the NCAA Eligibility Center. You need to qualify academically and you need to be cleared as a student athlete.

*YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ACHIEVING AND PROTECTING YOUR ELIGIBILITY STATUS.*

Tips for you:

Register with NCAA Eligibility Center at www.ncaaclearinghouse.net .

Complete the amateurism questionnaire. Login and click on “Enter/Update Amateur Questionnaire”. Answer the questions truthfully and as completely as possible. Incomplete or incorrectly reported information can jeopardize your eligibility.

Send transcripts and test scores to the Eligibility Center

Request a final certification. Log back in during your senior year to update any information and request a final amateurism certification, beginning April 1st for fall enrollees.

Graduate “on time” from high school in 8 semesters (4 years). This is a requirement for NCAA Division I athletics.

For a complete list of approved core courses log onto www.ncaaclearinghouse.net and select Prospective Student Athletes; then select “list of approved core courses” on the left side of the screen. Follow prompts to select school by name.

The Clearinghouse Code to have ACT/SAT scores sent to the NCAA is 9999. This is the code that is to be used as one of the college options when registering for the ACT/SAT so scores will be reported to the NCAA.

Beginning August 2016 o Students must graduate from high school o Students must complete 16 core courses, 10 of which must be completed before

the start of senior year o Students must earn a minimum GPA of 2.3 in core courses in order to compete

in the first year of college o Students must earn a combined SAT/ACT score that matches the core-course

GPA on the sliding scale o For more information visit www.2point3.org

Although care has been taken to ensure the accuracy, completeness and reliability of the information

provided in this handbook, it is important that you check with each University, organization or program for

requirements.

COLLEGE TERMINOLOGY

17

ACCREDITATION: Recognition of a college or university by any of the regional or national accrediting bodies, indicating that the institution as a whole has been judged to be meeting its objectives.

CSS/FINANCIAL AID PROFILE: A financial aid form produced by the College Board that is required for students seeking aid at approximately 10% of the nation’s universities (including most highly selective institutions.) Check colleges’ websites for requirement information. Available at www.collegeboard.com

DEFERRED ADMISSIONS: The practice of some colleges allowing an accepted student to postpone enrollment for one year.

EARLY ADMISSION: Admitting students of superior ability into college courses and programs before they have completed their high school diploma. This type of application must be filed in the junior year.

FAFSA (FREE APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL STUDENT AID): The financial aid form produced by the federal government that is required for nearly all colleges. Students and parents should fill out the form starting January 1st at www.fafsa.gov.

FIRST GENERATION STUDENT: A student whose parent(s)/legal guardian(s) have not completed a bachelor’s

degree; the student is first in the family to attend a four-year college/university to attain a bachelor’s degree

NCAA INITIAL ELIGIBILITY CERTIFICATION: In order to participate in intercollegiate sports at NCAA Div. I, II, or III colleges, students-athletes must submit their high school transcript and ACT/SAT scores to the NCAA Initial Eligibility Clearinghouse. When registering for either test, students should enter “9999” as one of their college choices to have test scores sent to the Clearinghouse.

OPEN ADMISSIONS: The policy of some colleges of admitting virtually all high school graduates, regardless of academic qualifications such as high school grades and admission test scores. Often times only a high school diploma is required. (Community Colleges generally fall under an open admissions classification.)

PELL GRANT: A federal government program that awards money to students based on financial need. Like all grants, money from Pell Grants contributed toward a student’s expenses does not need to be repaid. PERKINS LOAN: A low-interest (5 percent) loan for students with financial need. The student’s school is the lender. While the loan is made with government funds and the school contributes a share, this loan must be repaid to the school. ROLLING ADMISSIONS: An admissions procedure by which the college considers each application as soon as required materials have been received. The college then notifies each applicant of acceptance or rejection as soon as possible. (MODIFIED ROLLING ADMISSIONS: The practice of institutions to review applicant pools several times throughout the year. The school will post several deadlines and the dates in which those applications will be reviewed.)

SAT SUBJECT TESTS: One hour tests available in 18 subjects. These tests are required by the most selective colleges. Check the admissions page of the colleges’ websites. Typically colleges recommend sending 2-3 subject test scores. For a complete list of subject tests offered and to register, visit www.collegeboard.com. Students are encouraged to take their “best” subjects to show the college their strengths.

SELF-HELP AID: The portion of a financial aid package consisting of loans and wages from a work-study job.

SAR (STUDENT AID REPORT): A form sent to families in response to submission of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid that includes the Expected Family Contribution, a figure that may be modified at colleges that use institutional methodology.

WAIT LIST: A term used by institutions to describe a process by which they may initially delay offering or denying admissions during the regular decision pool. These students may be considered if space is available after admitted students have indicated whether or not they will attend.

WORK-STUDY: A federal government program that gives part-time jobs to students with financial need to help pay

college expenses.