College Planning for the Class of 2015

Presented by: Ms. Van Buren (Letters A-E)Mrs. Arzonico (Letters F-K)Ms. Hagaman (Letters L-Q)Mrs. Gambill (Letters R-Z)

Your Requirements to Graduate

4 Math Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, 4th Math class to be aligned with post-high school plans

4 English I, II, III, IV

3 Social Studies

World History, US History, & Civics and Economics

3 Science Biology, Earth/Environmental, a Physical Science

1 Health & PE

Health and PE

Second Language

Not required for graduation. 2 Credits required to meet minimum application requirements for UNC.

Electives 13 Required. Strongly recommended to have 4 electives from an area of concentration.

Going to College in Five Easy Steps 1. Research colleges- check academic

programs, tuition, admission requirements, etc.

2. Select schools that “fit” your abilities and needs

3. Complete your applications- SAT/ACT, Transcripts, Recommendations, Essays

4. Apply for scholarships and financial aid 5. Receive your offers of admission and

make your final decision

Research Colleges

www.cappex.com https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/ http://collegeapps.about.com/ www.cfnc.org http://www.northcarolina.edu/

campus_profiles/index.php www.petersons.com www.nccommunitycolleges.edu/

College Fair 2014

September 24th—4th block Juniors and Seniors will get a

chance to meet college admissions representatives from regional universities, community colleges, and vocational schools

Bring questions for your schools of choice!

College Info Sessions at South

UNC Charlotte—9/16 @ 10:00 a.m. Sweet Briar College—9/17 @ 8:15 a.m. Queens University—9/19 @11:40 a.m. Univ. of South Carolina—9/23 @ 11:00

a.m.

Held in the Student Center--to attend any of these sessions, you must sign up in advance in the Student Center!

Find your fit: College Visits Seniors are allowed 3 excused college visit days.Process for College Visit Day Approval:1. Arrange a visit through the college/ university you are

interested in touring. Print a confirmation page that details the date/time of your scheduled visit and bring it to the Student Center.

2. Fill out a college visit approval form (located in the student center or on website), which requires both counselor and teacher signatures prior to your visit.

3. Have a college official sign the form during your visit. 4. After your visit, return your signed paperwork to Ms. Bass

in the G-Building lobby along with a typed, one page reflection detailing your experiences.

Minimum Requirements for UNC Schools Admission

Minimum GPA of 2.5 Minimum SAT score of 800 (verbal &

math combined) and/or Minimum ACT score of 17

Each University has specific requirements that usually go above and beyond the minimum requirements listed above

Snapshot of Several UNC School Profiles (based on 2013-2014 incoming freshmen)University/

College NameAverage

GPA (weighted)

Average SAT Scores Average ACT

Composite Scores

UNC-Charlotte 3.57 1085 (critical reading & math only)

23

Appalachian State University

4.05 1135 (critical reading & math only)

26

UNC-Greensboro 3.64 1035 (critical reading & math only)

23

Western Carolina University

3.67 1039 (critical reading & math only)

22

UNC-Chapel Hill 4.56 1305 (critical reading, & math only)

29

UNC-Wilmington 3.93 1170 (critical reading & math only)

25

Private Colleges & Universities

Private colleges & universities have varying admission requirements. The best resource for understanding these schools’ minimum requirements is through exploring their websites or speaking directly with an admissions counselor

Examples of private colleges/universities include: Belmont Abbey, Gardner-Webb, Davidson, Lenoir-Rhyne, Catawba, etc.

Applying to College Apply directly through college’s website Apply through www.CFNC.org

Use this website to submit multiple applications to community colleges and various NC universities/colleges

Send transcripts for free through Transcript Manager (even if you don’t use CFNC to apply to college)

Thoroughly research your schools of interest using college/university websites

Research scholarship and grant opportunities

Applying to College Common Application—

www.commonapp.org Use this website to submit multiple

applications to competitive colleges and universities

Wake Forest, UNC Chapel Hill, N.C. State University, UNC Wilmington, UNC Asheville, Duke & Davidson

Only certain schools are consortium members so check the website

College Application Week

November 10th-14th Labs/times set aside in

media center to work on completing college applications online through CFNC

Some private schools waive the application fee during this week only!

SAT/ACT Information The SAT/ACT is required to attend a 4-year

college/university The SAT registration deadlines and test dates

are posted online at sat.collegeboard.com/register Next test date is October 11th (register by 9/12, late

reg. through 9/26) or November 8th (register by 10/9) The ACT registration deadlines and test dates

are posted online at www.actstudent.org

Next test date is September 13th (Standby only) or October 25th (register by 9/19)

SAT Test Prep Session

Improve SAT scores for only $79! ZAPS test prep session—SIHS Media

Center, September 13th from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

On average, students who take this test prep improve SAT scores by 50-150 points

Register today at www.zaps.com, click register, search on zip code 28677 to find SIHS

Community Colleges Do not require SAT/ACT scores, but may

require you to take placement test If you have an unweighted GPA of 2.6 or

higher and you completed AFM, Discrete Math, Pre-Cal or AP Stats as your 4th math, you will not have to take Math admission test

Any required placement test is usually taken in the spring semester prior to fall enrollment and is arranged through the community college.

Test results help to determine whether you will be allowed to begin college level coursework or be required to take remedial coursework first

Transcripts & Recommendations Request official high school transcripts

through Student Center First 3 transcripts are free, $3 each

thereafter Fill out Transcript Release form (in Student

Center or on website) Use CFNC to send free transcripts

Review your transcript with your counselor if necessary

Ask teachers/counselors/coaches for letters of recommendation—give 2-3 weeks notice

Financial Aid & Scholarships

Apply for merit-based scholarships through your college of choice

Fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in January

Local scholarships begin in Jan/Feb through May (Rotary club, Credit Union, etc.)

Financial Aid Workshop will be announced later for parents to attend: We will walk you through the FAFSA process and answer college financial aid questions

 

Make Tough Decisions Receive your offers of decision (differ based

on application deadlines—early action results in December/January; regular decision results in March)

Compare scholarship/financial aid packages from each school

Consider your research and your college visits—where can you see yourself?

Trust your instincts and make your choice Now, celebrate! You are on your way….

Words of Advice

Plan ahead and ask for help Stay positive and don’t panic Enjoy your senior year, but don’t

slack off academically Have fun, but be smart

Questions?

Congratulations Seniors!

We will be beginning one-on-one meetings in the next two weeks.

If you have questions in the meantime, please stop by the student center or send your counselor an e-mail at:

Letters A-E:

kvanburen@iss.k12.nc.us

Letters F-G:

kelly_arzonico@iss.k12.nc.us

Letters H-O:

elizabeth_hagaman@iss.k12.nc.us

Letters P-Z:

jennifer_gambill@iss.k12.nc.us