Senior touchbase

Class of 2012 Senior Meetings

September 19-20, 2011

West Potomac High School – Student Services

Standard Diploma Credit & SOL Requirements

• 4 English• 3 Math• 3 Science• 4 Social Studies• 2 Health/PE• 1 Fine/Practical Art• 5 Electives– 2 sequential electives

6 SOL Tests:• 2 English• 1 Math• 1 Science• 1 Social Studies• 1 Other


Advanced Studies Diploma Credit & SOL Requirements

• 4 English• 4 Math• 4 Science• 4 Social Studies• 3 World Language (or 2/2)• 2 Health/PE• 1 Fine/Practical Art• 2 Electives

9 SOL Tests:• 2 English• 2 Math• 2 Science• 2 Social Studies• 1 Other


Family Connection

• Log in through Blackboard• Make sure your e-mail address is current• Click on “About Me”• Complete “Game Plan”• Create “Resume”• Update your list of “Favorite Colleges”• Complete the “All About Me” survey


College Visits in Family Connection


Factors to Consider When Selecting Your College

• Academic Programs / Majors

• Size• Location• Setting• Type of School• Student Life

• Academic Reputation• Special Programs– Study abroad– ESOL– ROTC

• Cost• Financial Aid


College Fair/Night


APPLYING TO SCHOOLS

Community colleges or 2-year schools4-year colleges

Technical or trade schools


Key Terms to Know

• Early Decision = binding, fall deadline• Early Action = non-binding, fall deadline• Regular Admission = winter deadline• Rolling Admission = no deadline• Open Admission = no admission criteria

• Deposit Deadline = must notify schools of your decision to enroll by May 1


Completing the Application

• Use your full, legal name on the application and all supporting documents

• Answer all questions to the best of your ability• Read everything on the application before

completing it – Do not write “USA” when it asks for “county”


Completing the Application

• Submit your essay and resume separately by mail, if the college permits

• Be careful to submit the correct essay to each college, especially if you are using the same essay for different schools

• Spell the name of the school correctly– Johns Hopkins ≠ John Hopkins – Marist College ≠ Marxist College


Transcript Request Process• Complete the WPHS Release of Records and

Transcript Request form– Must be signed by parent/guardian if you are under

18– No records will be sent without this signed form

• Completed form should be turned in to your counselor with the fee at least three weeks before the deadline– First three transcripts are free– $5 per transcript


Transcript Request Deadlines


DEADLINE to turn completed request to

Counselor

Application Deadline for College/University

October 12, 2011November 1, 2011

National Early Application Deadline

October 25, 2011 November 15, 2011

November 9, 2011 December 1, 2011

November 23, 2011 December 15, 2011

December 1, 2011 January 1, 2012

December 14, 2011 January 15, 2012

January 11, 2012 February 1, 2012

Transcript Request Form


1. I have applied to ____________________________________college, university, or scholarship Application Due Date

Early Decision Early Action Regular Rolling Address: _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Please send the following to this institution: Transcript/Profile Note: WPHS does not send SAT or ACT scores Include current Senior grades Letter of Recommendation Secondary School Report (SSR) 7th semester grades will be mailed automatically in February Other

I have attached: $5.00 Fee Waived (2) First Class Stamps

Requesting Recommendations

• All forms available in Career Center and online at http://www.fcps.edu/WestPotomacHS/departments/ccctr/collegeinfo.html

• Complete the “All About Me” survey in Family Connection

• Politely ask teachers/counselor to write a letter of recommendation for you– Give at least three weeks notice


SUBMIT ALL REQUESTS TO YOUR COUNSELOR IN A FACE-TO-FACE MEETING.


Financial Aid

• Submit your FAFSA beginning January 1. This will give you the financial aid package from colleges.

• Financial Aid Champion, Dale Schmidt, will be in the Career Center during all lunches beginning in October

• Scholarships are posted on Family Connections and in the Career Center


SAT & ACT• Submit your SAT or ACT scores directly to the

college– List colleges when registering for test

• WPHS does not send your scores

– Request SAT scores at www.collegeboard.com– Request ACT scores at www.actstudent.org

• If you are planning to attend NVCC or Pathways, you do not need to take the SAT or the ACT


http://www.collegeboard.com/

http://www.actstudent.org/

SAT & ACT Test Dates

SAT• October 1• November 5• December 3• January 28• March 10• May 5• June 2

ACT• October 22• December 10• February 11• April 14• June 9


Admission Considerations

• Grade Point Average (GPA) – grades 9-11• Strength of schedule

– Choosing courses appropriate for the student’s abilities

• SAT or ACT scores• Essay or personal statement• Letters of recommendation• Resume or extracurricular activities

– Quality of involvement is more important than quantity

• Portfolio or other supplemental materials


Keep your grades up!• Colleges DO rescind admission if your grades

go down during your senior year…Students received these letters


COLLEGE ISN'T THE ONLY OPTION…


Apprenticeships

• Do the “Career Interest Profiler” survey in Family Connection

• Paid on-the-job training• Related classroom instruction• Application required• Available in more than 400 fields, such as– Carpentry– Cosmetology– Plumbing– Heating ,Ventilation, Air Conditioning,& Refrigeration


Entering the Workforce• Do the “Career Interest Profiler” survey in Family

Connection• Build a resume• Research occupations• Practice interviewing• Attend job fairs• Visit the Job Center at the South County Government

Building


Military Service

• Take the ASVAB– Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery– Offered on October 11 and February 14 @ WPHS – Register in Career Center

• Talk to a recruiter• Earn money for college• Provides classroom and on-the-job training


Where do we go from here?

• Individual Meetings– Review your transcript– Discuss graduation plan– Consider post-secondary options

• Research options now!• Apply for colleges or jobs


Senior touchbase

Education

Transcript of Senior touchbase