Senior Family Meetings Class of 2014 Fall 2013

1. Senior Family MeetingsClass of 2014 Fall 2013

2. River Bluff High School • Approximately 1500 students • Flexible Modular (Flex Mod) Schedule • Independent Learning Time (ILT) • Collaborative Commons • Expeditionary Learning School • State of the art facility • Preparation for future

4. CLASS of 2014 Trailblazers First Class to Graduate at RBHS • Seniors 82 males and 60 females

5. Career SpecialistMrs. Shenita Chapman

6. 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)

7. Folder Contents Continued • SAT/ACT Test Dates, Top 10 College Application Mistakes (lavender) • Helpful Websites (pink) • Recommendation Information (white) • Major application form (blue)

9. Transcript Explanation • Not yet OFFICIAL • GPA • Class rank • Graduation requirements – bulleted notation • Four year college requirements – CR • Honor graduates – 4.0 GPA

10. 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

11. After High School – What Next?Make a Plan Now Enter the Workforce Go to College Enter the Military

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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

22. College Athletics - NCAA • If you are planning to participate in college athletics, you MUST register with the NCAA Clearinghouse. • www.eligibiltycenter.org • Register now. Submit current transcript through Parchment.com • End of year, must send final transcript

23. Financial Aid Process

24. 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

25. Financial Aid • Prepare to complete taxes early • You will need PIN # to complete FAFSA • Pin # for parent and student • May apply for PIN # now – www.pin.ed.gov

26. 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

27. SC Lottery Scholarships • LIFE Scholarship (2 types) - Four-year college- two out of three qualifiers 1. 3.0 2. top 30% of graduating class 3. 1100 on SAT or 24 on ACT $5,000 per year

28. 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

29. 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

30. 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

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

32. 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.com www.scholarships.com; www.financialaid.org

33. 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

34. 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

35. Parent Talk Continued Advise them, support them, let them make mistakes, let them go

36. 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

37. Thank you for being here!