12th Grade College Planning Meeting

2017-2018Archbishop Rummel High School

How Does My Son Earn TOPS?composite

score on ACT of 20 or higher

core grade point average of 2.5 or

higher

measures ability measures work ethicTOPS Performance Award gives additional $400 for students with 23 composite score

and 3.0 core grade point average

TOPS Honors Award gives additional $800 for students with 27 composite score and 3.0 core grade point average

When Can My Son Take the ACT?Test Date Registration Deadline

October 28, 2017 September 23, 2017October 6, 2017 (Late)

December 9, 2017 November 4, 2017November 17, 2017 (Late)

February 10, 2018 January 13, 2018January 19, 2018 (Late)

April 14, 2018 March 10, 2018March 23, 2018 (Late)

June 9, 2018*** May 5, 2018May 18, 2018 (Late)

take the ACT as many times as possible to reach the highest score possibleregister at http://www.actstudent.org/regist/

What is the Core GPA?❖ grade point average based on the TOPS Core Curriculum

❖ 4 point scale with no pluses or minuses

❖ junior and senior level honors classes receive extra full quality point

❖ semester grades are used - NOT QUARTER GRADES

❖ not all ARHS courses are part of the TOPS Core Curriculum (e.g. Religion, Pre-Professional, other electives)

❖ ARHS grade point average typically DOES NOT EQUAL the Core grade point average

❖ colleges and universities also look at Core grade point average

Grade Quality Points

A 4.0

B 3.0

C 2.0

D 1.0

F 0.0

Academic Courses

Grade Quality Points

A 5.0

B 4.0

C 3.0

D 2.0

F 0

AP/Honors Courses

What is the Difference Between the Core GPA and the other GPA on My Son’s Report Card?

❖ report card GPA represents the GPA for ALL courses taken at ARHS during the year

❖ this is also known as the Rummel GPA

❖ includes all +/-, extra quality points for AP/Honors classes

❖ Rummel GPA is used for ranking purposes and scholarships for individual schools (Valedictorian, Salutatorian, Torch Awards)

❖ Rummel GPA does not affect TOPS qualification

❖ in most cases, the Rummel GPA is HIGHER than the TOPS Core GPA

Semester Grades are the only grades sent to colleges and TOPS

Rummel quarter

GPA

What is the TOPS Core Curriculum?Subject Number of UnitsEnglish 4Math 4

Science 4Social Studies 4

Foreign Language 2Fine Arts 1TOTAL 19

these are the ONLY subjects used to determine TOPS eligibility

What are the English Requirements?❖ 4 units

❖ English I

❖ English II

❖ English III

❖ English IV

❖ no other English courses affect TOPS Core GPA

❖ English V fulfills the ARHS requirement that students must take an English course each year - NO EFFECT ON TOPS

What are the Math Requirements?❖ 4 units

❖ Algebra I

❖ Algebra II

❖ best 2 units from Geometry, Advanced Math, Pre-Calculus, Calculus, Statistics

❖ no other math courses affect TOPS Core GPA

What are the Science Requirements?❖ 4 units

❖ Biology

❖ Chemistry

❖ best 2 units from Physical Science, Environmental Science, Physics, Biology II

❖ no other science courses affect TOPS Core GPA

What are the Social Studies Requirements?❖ 4 units

❖ World Geography

❖ Western Civilization or World History

❖ American History

❖ Civics

❖ no other social studies courses affect TOPS Core GPA

What are the Foreign Language Requirements?

❖ 2 units

❖ best 2 from Spanish I, Spanish II, and Spanish III

❖ best 2 from Latin I, Latin II, Latin III, and Latin IV

❖ both units must be the same language

❖ no other foreign language courses affect TOPS Core GPA

What are the Fine Arts Requirements?❖ the best 1 unit from:

❖ Fine Arts Survey

❖ Art I

❖ Art II

❖ Art III

❖ Art III Ceramics

❖ Art IV

❖ Art IV Ceramics

❖ Advanced Band

❖ it is an ARHS requirement that a student take Art I before Art II, Art III, etc.

❖ no other art courses affect TOPS Core GPA

What Courses Are Needed for Graduation But Not TOPS?

❖ Religion I, Religion II, Religion III, Religion IV

❖ PE I, PE II

❖ 4 Electives

❖ these courses affect Rummel grade point average but not the TOPS Core grade point average

How Do I Determine My Son’s TOPS GPA?

❖ TOPS grade point average updated each semester

❖ reports sent home each semester

❖ guidance counselor has access to information

Make sure social security number is

correct

TOPS core GPA

NOT the TOPS core

GPA

average of semester 1

and semester 2 grades

Can My Son Go Back and Improve His TOPS GPA?

❖ credit recovery

❖ completed online through Louisiana High School Correspondence Courses

❖ http://www.lhscc.org

❖ the grade in the course will be used if it is beneficial to the student

❖ before registering for any correspondence course, see Ms. Montgomery

❖ summer school

❖ month of June

❖ some courses (e.g. math) lend themselves to summer school environment of teacher/student classroom

❖ the grade in the course will be used if it is beneficial to the student

❖ seniors can do this after graduation without affecting graduation status

Where Do I Go from Here?

September❖ have college choices narrowed down to no more than 5

❖ request applications to those schools (most applications are now online)

❖ request recommendation letters from teachers, counselor, etc.

❖ begin college essays (if needed)

❖ visit college campuses (permission slips in college advisor office)

October❖ send test scores to prospective colleges

❖ send applications to universities (makes copies of everything you send)

❖ request college advisor to have transcripts mailed out

❖ Early Action Deadline is November 1st

MAJOR CHANGE…

FAFSA❖ Free Application for Federal Student Aid

❖ must be completed to be eligible for TOPS and other financial aid

❖ must request FAFSA ID NOW from FAFSA website - cannot complete FAFSA without it

❖ completed FAFSA submitted starting October 1, 2017 (used to be January)

❖ use federal taxes that were filed in April 2017

❖ the sooner it is completed the better

❖ you should receive your Student Activity Report (SAR) within four weeks of submitting the FAFSA

http://fafsa.ed.gov

November

Keep working hard in your classes.

December

Keep working hard in your classes.

January❖ request semester transcripts be sent to universities

❖ if not done already, complete FAFSA as soon as possible

❖ inform college advisor of any acceptance letters or scholarships that you may have received

February❖ check on college application status

❖ check on scholarship opportunities

❖ inform college advisor of any acceptance letters or scholarships that you may have received

March

Keep working hard in your classes.

April❖ if more than one college has accepted you and you

know which one you are going to attend, notify the other universities that you will not be attending

❖ most universities will require a decision by May 1, 2018

❖ inform college advisor where you want final transcript sent

❖ inform college advisor of any acceptance letters or scholarships that you may have received

May❖ notify the college that you wish to attend and notify the

other colleges that may have accepted you that you will be attending another university (do this by May 1, 2018)

❖ register for credit recovery courses or summer school (if necessary)

June

Start preparing for college.

July❖ TOPS eligibility is confirmed by the state

❖ universities process tuition bills or make changes to tuition bills based on TOPS eligibility

❖ you may initially receive a bill that does not reflect TOPS award