HEATH HS

PTA PRESENTATION

SENIORS – CLASS OF 2020

PREPARATION FOR GRADUATION AND BEYOND

RHHS COUNSELING DEPARTMENT:

Lori Quick – Lead/AP Testing

Angie Wynn - Last Names A-Cov

Robin Baggerman - Last Names Cow-Hern

Donna Lambeth - Last Names Hero-Mom

James Jones - Last Names Mon-Sanc

Jessica Randle - Last Names Sand-Z

Lisa Jayroe – Registrar

Nikki Cooper – Registrar/Admin

COMMUNICATION – STAYING IN THE

“KNOW”

Senior One on One Meetings with Counselor

RHHS Counseling Website

Google Classroom – Class Code tphhqa

Newsletter

Twitter

Facebook

**Contact your student’s counselor via Email with any questions.

SENIOR

TIMELINE AND

CHECKLIST

COVERED IN

SENIOR

COUNSELOR ONE

ON ONE MEETINGS

TODAY’S OBJECTIVES

RemindRemind your student about 1:1 Senior Meetings and need to Finish Strong and follow their Senior Timeline

Identify Tools available to navigate senior year

Plan Inform you on for Senior Summit and College Visits

Understand Understand Texas Success Initiative standards

Review Review requirements for graduation

Discuss Discuss the college application process

STEPS TO APPLYING TO COLLEGE

Begin College Application; Common

Application and ApplyTexas.

Request RHHS transcript through Parchment

• Dual Credit students- order college transcript

Research essay req’s; write

essays

Complete college

application and submit along

with applicable fees

Order SAT and ACT test

scores to be sent to colleges

(RHHS does NOT send test

scores)

Optional or if requested by school:

• Resumes

• Letters of Rec

• supplements

PARCHMENT

Parchment.com

Transcript requests must be made

2-3 weeks in advance of deadlines!

Common Application: just send 1

transcript

Dual Credit students will also

need to send their transcript to

colleges.

TEXAS A&M AND UT

HOW MANY

SHOULD A

STUDENT

APPLY TO?

Ideally, apply to 5-8 colleges, a full range

of schools; all must be acceptable to

students as a possible future home:

1-2 “reach”/”dream” schools

mostly “good matches” in terms of

GPA/Rank/Test Scores

at least 1 “safety”/ “sure shot” school where

they absolutely know they will be accepted

and can afford.

TYPES OF DECISIONS

All colleges

Regular Decision – apply by the regular deadline; non-binding; decide by May 1st

Some colleges

Rolling Admission –applications reviewed and a decision is rendered as soon as possible after the application is submitted; non-binding; decide by May 1st

Some Colleges

Early Action/ Priority Deadline – apply early and receive a decision early, usually in December; non-binding; decide by May 1st

Very Few Colleges

Early Decision – apply early to one first-choice college and receive a decision early, usually in December; if accepted, the CONTRACT IS BINDING and all other applications must be rescinded.

Remember: Deadlines are NON-NEGOTIABLE for admissions, scholarships

or financial aid.

THE ESSAYS

They got this- it’s about THEM!

Be sure their voice comes through clearly.

Answer the REQUIRED prompt

Tell a story that reveals something about them

uniquely.

Do they come across as an interesting

person the admissions officer would like to

know better?

• Apply Texas

www.applytexas.org

• Common Application

www.commonapp.org

• Coalition Application

www.coalitionforcollegeaccess.org

• UC Admissions Application

admission.universityofcalifornia.edu

• Individual college applications

THE APPLICATIONS

SENDING TEST SCORES

Students must send their SAT or ACT test scores directly from those organizations:

SAT: www.sat.collegeboard.or

g

ACT:

www.actstudent.org

*Heath High School does not send your

test scores.

LETTERS OF

RECOMMENDATION

Are they needed?

Common App- most likely

Apply Texas- most likely not

Only provide the number the college is asking for!

Counselor Letter of Recommendation:

Describes a student holistically, including character and potential

Teacher Letter of Recommendation:

Describes a student as a learner in the classroom setting.

Form Requests for Letters

of Recommendation will

be posted on the RHHS

Counseling Page on the

“Senior Page”

RESUME

It is often advantageous to send a resume in addition to the

activities section of the application to make an application

file more polished.

A resume is a 1-2 page advertisement.

Highlight what they want the admissions reader to glean from a 2

minute scan of their resume.

Should be professional, concise, specific, and factual.

REPORTING THEIR SENIOR SCHEDULE

Students will self-report their senior courses

The college application and senior courses become a contract with

the university.

Students must notify their college if they make changes to their

schedule in order to avoid the risk of a rescinded decision.

Please note: On the Common Application, the counselors must upload

a copy of the student’s schedule

SSR- SECONDARY

SCHOOL REPORT

An additional component to the application process that your counselor must complete.

Schools who definitely require SSRs:

All Common Application Schools (it is filled out for all on-line)

Tulane

Southern Methodist University

Texas Christian University

University of Georgia

Some Sendedu schools

RHHS

PROFILE

CHECK THE ADMISSION PORTALS!

Use each college’s portal- it tells you all you need to know!

SCHOLARSHIPS & FINANCIAL AID

Look at sources, Fastweb, Scholly, RHHS Counseling site and other internet for scholarships.

The best source for financial aid comes from the universities’ financial aid office. Investigate what resources are available before the office is swamped.

October 1st, 2019 - Fill out the FAFSA and apply for financial aid

Remember that deadlines are non-negotiable and money supplies are limited.

RHHS FAFSA NIGHT OCTOBER 3, 2019 5-7 P.M.

FINISHING STRONG - GRADUATION

EOC/STAAR TESTING

English 1

Biology

Algebra 1

English 2

U.S. History

WHAT IS

TSI?

“CCMR”

Texas Success Initiative – TX public post-

secondary institutions evaluate college

readiness

Reading, Writing, & Math

Can qualify through SAT, ACT, or TSI scores

If not TSI “complete” can go to college,

but must take remedial/developmental

classes you PAY for and SLOW down

completing your degree

TEXAS SUCCESS INITIATIVE (TSI/CCMR)

COLLEGE, CAREER, OR MILITARY READINESS

Texas House Bill 3

Students in Texas must take the TSI Exam and earn a certain score (Reading 351/Math 350 and Essay)

Exemption through ACT (23/min 19 on each) or SAT (1070 min 500 on each)

Texas Success Initiative Information (TSI)

SENIOR SUMMIT SESSIONS

OCTOBER 16, 2019

Some Options

Applying for Financial Aid

Scholarships

Resume Workshop & Review

Dress for Success

College Essays

Military Pathways

College Pathways

College 101

ASVAB offered

Mandatory Session

CPR Training

OFF CAMPUS OPTIONS

Student – College

Visit Day

TIPS

Let your student be the driverLet

Encourage students to create a folder in their email system just for college application information

Encourage

Remind them to check their emails and portals regularly to ensure application materials are arriving

Remind

Remember to allow time for processing, but have them follow up if something seems to be missing

Remember

Continue to encourage them until June! Senioritis is real, and colleges may revoke offers of admission if grades are significantly lower in the senior year.

Continue

HOW CAN I SUPPORT MY CHILD?

Encourage, Encourage, Encourage

Monetary support

Have those important conversations:

Let’s go visit!

Where are you with everything?

Can I proofread anything or would you like input? Give real constructive input.

Cost comparisons: can we afford you to go to college 1 vs college 2? If we can’t, are there other

ways to supplement (scholarships, work study, grants, financial aid and what are your next steps).

Should we go visit this college again or maybe contact someone for more information?

How can I help support your stress level?

Tell them how much you love them and how proud you are of them; no matter what the

college admissions committee determines

WE WILL

GET

THROUGH

SENIOR

YEAR

TOGETHER!