Senior Family MeetingsClass of 2014

Fall 2013

River Bluff High School

• Approximately 1470-1500 students• Flexible Modular (Flex Mod) Schedule• Independent Learning Time (ILT)• Collaborative Commons• Expeditionary Learning School• State of the art facility • Preparation for future

CLASS of 2014Trailblazers

First Class to Graduate at RBHS142 Seniors

82 males and 60 females

Career SpecialistMrs. Shenita Chapman

Folder Contents

• Student Transcripts – two copies, one to be signed and returned tonight

• Sending Transcripts – Parchment (yellow)• School Counselor Assignments (green)• A T &T – College Application Process (orange)• SC Graduation Requirements, SC Lottery

Scholarships (pink)

Folder Contents Continued

• SAT/ACT Test Dates, Top 10 College Application Mistakes (lavender)

• Helpful Websites (pink)• Recommendation Information (white)• Major application form (blue)

Transcript Explanation

• Not yet OFFICIAL • GPA • Class rank – coming soon• Graduation requirements – bulleted notation• Four college requirements – CR• Honor graduates – 4.0 GPA

Graduating from RBHS with a Major

•Must have completed 4 courses in a career concentration•Majors are listed in course catalog•Not required for graduation•Must complete application by May 1 (included in packet)•Recognized at graduation•Will review Individual Graduation Plan (IGP) at individualized senior conference

After High School – What Next?Make a Plan Now

•Enter the Workforce•Go to College•Enter the Military

Work or Military

• Discuss career plans with counselor, parents, others

• Job shadow, pursue Internships, Co-ops• Consult with career specialist• Volunteer or work in a job that interests you• Military – make contact with recruiters• Take Armed Services Vocational Aptitude

Battery – ASVAB

Choosing a College3,969 college options

• Liberal arts• Private or public• For profit colleges• Four year and two year colleges• Vocational-technical and career colleges• Colleges with special focus• Arts colleges• Single sex colleges• Religiously affiliated colleges

Planning for College

• Register for SAT/ACT – fall administration – not required for 2 year college admission, except health related programs

• Verify that you are on track for graduation, 4 year college requirements

• Keep working hard• Visit with admissions counselors who visit RBHS• Visit/research colleges – 2 excused visits with written

verification from college• Apply for admission at colleges you’ve chosen

Two Year College

• College transfer programs• Career related programs, certifications• Take entrance exam – Midlands Technical

College requires ASSET or COMPASS• Health career fields – take ACT or SAT

Four Year College

• Additional course requirements for admission• ACT or SAT required, send scores directly to

college • RBHS school code - 411292• Admission requirements – GPA, class rank, test

scores, difficulty of high school curriculum, essay, interview, special talents/abilities

• Early decision, early action

SATCollege Board

• www.collegeboard.org – register on-line• Critical reading, writing and math may equal 2400• Score reports should be sent to colleges – 4 are free• Lottery scholarships – add reading and math for

score, highest score 1600 • Wonderful resources on website – test prep, college

and career planning, scholarship search• Fee waivers available

ACT

• www.actstudent.org• One composite score:1-36• Writing section is optional, many schools

require – take it at least once• Helpful resources on website – test prep,

college and career planning • Fee waivers available

College Application Process

• Apply soon and apply on-line• Don’t let cost keep you from applying (fee

waivers)• Number of applications – safety school • Deadlines are important! Each college sets

their own deadlines• Personal deadline – Halloween

AT&T Application Process

• Application – on line through college website• Transcript – send your transcript to college –

Parchment.com• Send test scores to college• Keep organized about application process • Keep in communication with college

Recommendations,Essays, and Interviews

• Not always required by colleges• Ask references two weeks in advance• Use recommendation form in packet• If essay is required, take it seriously, must be

your work• Practice for interviews

College Athletics - NCAA

• If you are planning to participate in college athletics, you MUST regiater with the NCAA Clearinghouse.

• www.eligibiltycenter.org• Register now. Submit current transcript

through Parchment.com• End of year, must send final transcript

Financial Aid Process

Financial Aid• Complete Free Application for Federal

Financial Aid (FAFSA)• January 1 – earliest to submit• Pell Grant• Campus based programs – grants, work study• Federal loan programs• PLUS loans for parents• Financial Aid night program in December

Financial Aid

• Prepare to complete taxes early• You will need PIN # to complete FAFSA• May apply for PIN # now – www.pin.ed.gov

SC Lottery Scholarships

• Palmetto Fellows- Score 1200 (Reading and Math) on SAT, 27 on ACT,

3.5 minimum GPA, top 6% of sophomore, junior, or senior year

OR- 4.0 GPA- Score 1400 on SAT or 32 on ACT- $6,700 per year, may later be enhanced for

certain majors

SC Lottery Scholarships

• LIFE Scholarship (2 types)- Four-year college- two out of three qualifiers

1. 3.02. top 30% of graduating class3. 1100 on SAT or 24 on ACT

$5,000 per year

SC Lottery Scholarships

• LIFE Scholarship – Two- year colleges– Technical Colleges in SC, Spartanburg Methodist

College– 3.0 GPA – end of senior year– Covers most of tuition costs

SC Lottery Scholarships

• HOPE Scholarship– Only available at four year colleges– 3.0 GPA end of senior year$2,800 for the first academic year

SC Lottery Scholarships

• Lottery Tuition Assistance Program– Only available at two-year schools– Must complete Free Application for Student Aid

(FAFSA)

Warning – SC Lottery Scholarships may not be available if student has alcohol, drug charges

Scholarships

Searching for scholarships requires time and energy but should NOT cost you

Other Scholarships

• Scholarships that RBHS knows about will be publicized on website, in counseling office

• Community Scholarships – church, work, clubs• Institutional scholarships – contact financial

aid office, ask if college has separate scholarship application

• Popular websites - www.fastweb.comwww.scholarships.com; www.finacialaid.org

Scholarships

• Report all scholarships to Counseling and Advisement Office – We want to recognize you

• Beware scholarship scams• Money guaranteed• Request credit card information• Unsolicited, pressure tactics

Parent Talk

• Separate your own aspirations from those of your son/daughter

• Applying to college is a journey to independence

• Create opportunities for them to make decisions

• Let your son/daughter make his/her own decision

Parent Talk Continued

Advise them, support them, let them make mistakes, let them go

Finishing Up

• Student and parent sign one copy of transcript, return to counselor

• Questions – see counselor • See counselor to schedule individualized

parent/student/counselor meeting• Counselors will meet with all students

individually to follow-up and update IGP

Thank you for being here!