Huron High SchoolJuniors-April 23-24

Getting Ahead of the Game

Post Secondary OptionsFour Year Colleges &

UniversitiesCommunity Colleges/Two

Year CollegesTechnical/Vocational SchoolsMilitaryApprenticeship Training

ProgramsGAP Year

Importance of Strong Senior Schedule

Colleges examine grades closely through the end of senior year.

Finishing strong in high school is a great preparation for the rigors of college courses.

Some schools recalculate your cumulative gpa looking at only core courses

Some schools look for total number of core and foreign language courses

Important Reminders on pg. 2 & 3Announcements

At HHSPosted on Bulletin Boards (HHS,

Ehove, Firelands & on HHS Website

Letters Sent HomeCounselor visits to Senior English

ClassesIndividual Conferences in fallScholarship lists posted online

and in senior English classroomRemind 101Emails

VERY SPECIFIC DeadlinesINFORMATION

College Applications—due to Guidance at least two weeks before due to

collegeScholarships

Due to guidance at least two weeks before it is due to scholarship donor

College visit requestsDue to main office at least 3 days prior to visit

Community service documentationDue by last day of first semester of senior year

FAFSA informationCan begin filing after Jan. 1 of senior year.

Different deadlines for each college

APPLICATION ATTACHMENTSAllow for CANCELLATIONS & EMERGENCIES

Be sure to Remember: (p. 3)When you apply online, be sure to notify HHS

Guidance by filling out “College Tracking Form” (page 57)

When you apply online, be sure to print out all additional forms and give them to proper people

Have ACT/SAT scores sent directly to college you plan to attend

Secure and attach your Letters of recommendationUpdate your resume and attach to ALL applicationsStudent’s responsibility

To turn in all forms in a timely fashionAt the end of senior year, to secure college

transcripts for special programs (PSEO, University of Findlay courses)

Make sure you will earn the Diploma you want!SENIOR GRADUATION CHECK SHEET

Completed at scheduling timeStandard Diploma

21 credits, 1.6 cum GPA, pass all areas of OGT

Diploma of DistinctionShould be goal of all college bound students23 credits, 2.6 cumm GPA, pass all areas of

OGT, 50 hours of community serviceState of Ohio Honors Diploma

Meet 7 of 8 criteria

Special Recognition (p. 5 & 6)ALL ARE DECIDED AT THE END OF 1ST

SEMESTERAchievement CordsValedictorian & SalutatorianTop 10% of ClassAcademic Letters

Example Transcript—pg 7You received a copy during scheduling

processPermanent recordContains Semester gradesOne sent to colleges contains years 9-

11Testing & attendance historyOfficial if sent directly from our office with

the school seal and official signatureDocumentation of special diplomas

Calendar to Stay on Track—End of Junior Year—pg. 8

Finish strong to improve cumulative GPAPrepare for college entrance testsBegin ACT/SAT testing —at least twice your junior yearMake your college listBegin to visit collegesFinish community serviceReview senior schedule with guidance counselor

Special diplomas or achievement cordsCreate an appropriate e-mail addressMake sure all content on Facebook is

appropriate

Calendar to Stay on Track—Fall of Senior Year--pg. 9Update your resumeRegister with NCAA ClearinghouseAttend College Fair at Firelands

College in SeptemberBegin to apply to colleges

Check on deadlines for Merit scholarships

Register for scholarship searchesVisit colleges while they are in

session

Calendar to Stay on Track—Winter of Senior Year—pg. 10

Attend Financial Aid Meeting in January

File your FAFSAContinue to apply for

scholarshipsLocal scholarships will be

available online the end of January and due the end of February

Send in first semester gradesSend in rooming deposit

ACT & SAT Tests—pg. 11When do you begin taking them?

Winter/Spring of junior yearRegister by May 8 for June 8 test

How often should you take them?Favorite one—3 times

What do they cost?ACT ($48), SAT ($47)

How do you register?On-line at actstudent.org or

collegeboard.comCan you prepare?

A MUST! (See websites on page 11)Be sure to take picture ID and ticket to

test siteGet plenty of sleep the night before

the test

SAT vrs. ACTSAT

• Scores 200-800 per section with 2400 the highest combined score

• Questions appear in order of difficulty

• Penalty for wrong answers

• Structure is Critical Reading, Math and Writing

• Score Choice Policy• PSAT Practice for this

test

ACT• Scores of 1-36 for each

of 4 subjects averaged together for a composite with a median of 21

• No order of difficulty—no penalty for wrong answers

• Based more on school curriculum

• Structure is English, Reading, Math and Science Reasoning

• Optional writing—need to take at least once

• PLAN practice for this test

SAT Subject TestsOnly required at the most

selective collegesUsually 2 tests are requiredTests are typically taken in

May or June of junior yearStudent should take tests

in strong academic areas

SubjectsEnglish

LiteratureMath-Level 1Math – Level 2US HistoryWorld HistoryBiologyChemistryPhysicsWorld

Languages

Additional ACT/SAT InformationTesting &

Registration dates on page 11

More schools are becoming SAT/ACT optional. Please view www.fairtest.org for an updated list. (BW, Youngstown, Tiffin, Wittenberg, Findlay, Shawnee State, Branch campuses)

FREE Act PracticeHeld at Huron High SchoolSee MRS. HOTZ for

informationSign up with Mrs. Hotz ASAP

as class size is limited to first 30

Mean/Mid Range ACT Scores at OHIO Colleges

Public College Score

Private College Score

University of Akron (2.9) 19-25

Ashland University (3.3) 20-25

Bowling Green State University (3.2)

19-25

Baldwin Wallace College (3.5)

21-26

University of Cincinnati (3.4)

22-27

Capital University (3.4) 22-27

Cleveland State University (3.1)

18-24

Case Western Reserve University NA

28-32

Kent State University (3.2) 20-25

University of Dayton (3.0) 24-27

Miami University (NA) 25-29

University of Findlay (3.4) 20-26

Ohio State University (NA) 26-31

Heidelberg University (3.2) 19-25

Ohio University (3.4) 21-26

John Carroll University (3.4)

22-26

Shawnee State University (NA)

19-23

Ohio Northern University (3.7)

24-29

University of Toledo (3.0) 19-25

Tiffin University (3.0) 18-23

Wright State University (3.0)

19-24

Wittenberg University (3.4) 22-28

Youngstown State University (2.8)

17-23

Xavier University (3.5) 22-28

Finding a College That Fits—pg. 14

Consider some questionsSize of schoolKind of schoolLocation of schoolEntrance requirementsCost of schoolMajors offered

What are colleges looking for? (p. 15)

Strength of your high school academic programPoint evaluation done at some colleges

Cumulative GPAStandardized test scoresSchool activities—especially leadership rolesCommunity serviceLetters of recommendationSpecial interests & talentsInterviewResumeWork activitiesEssay or writing sampleDiversity

HHS Application Process—pg. 16Designate common saving area at homeRead what you get from the schools to be

aware of deadlines and special scholarship opportunities-everyone is different!

Make your own copies of everythingOn-line applications best way to goKeep track of your usernames and passwordsGuidance Office responsibilitiesLetters of recommendationNeatness counts

Application Tips• On-line or paper• Official transcript comes from Guidance Office• Application fees (from $25 to $75)• Application Period

• August—December 1• Application Deadlines are a serious thing• Make a copy of application & store• Neatness & completeness count• Adhere to word count on essays• STUDENTS DO THE WORK/PARENTS

PROOFREAD!

Typical Application Mistakes—pg. 17MisspellingsGrammatical ErrorsForgotten SignaturesCounty vrs CountryNot telling counselor you

appliedWriting illegiblyNon-professional E-mail

addressBe sure to check your email

Mom & Dad filling out application

The Common ApplicationUsed by over 517 collegesCreate an account at www.commonapp.org to

complete this application onlineIt can then be transmitted to any of the colleges that

use itCommon Application Supplemental materials

sometimes still requested at individual collegesYou still create an account at the individual colleges

and pay their application fees.Some Ohio colleges: Ohio State, University of

Cincinnati, University of Dayton, Miami University, Case Western, Wooster, Findlay, Xavier, John Carroll, Kenyon, Denison, Hiram, Wittenberg, Oberlin, University of Michigan

The Common Application Essay

The essay demonstrates your ability to write clearly and concisely on a selected topic and helps you distinguish yourself in your own voice. What do you want the readers of your application to know about you apart from courses, grades, and test scores? Choose the option that best helps you answer that question and write an essay of no more than 650 words, using the prompt to inspire and structure your response. Remember: 650 words is your limit, not your goal. Use the full range if you need it, but don't feel obligated to do so. (The Common App won't accept a response shorter than 250 words.)

Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what lessons did you learn?

Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again?

Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you?

Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.

The Dreaded College Essay—page 21Goal is to become an extraordinary applicant in a sea of

ordinary applicantsGive that admissions personnel a look at your

PERSONALITY and ACADEMIC POTENTIALPlan ahead, organize yourself, be unique, choose topic wiselyLet it sit for a day and review it, have others review it, did you cover the topic

Adhere to word count!See essay question ideas on page 23See winning essay

Sample Resume—p 21

Keep resume currentRequest letters of recommendation early

Thank anyone doing a letter for youGive them your resume to assist them

Can send your resume as an attachment or supplemental material on common app or any online application

Campus Visits—pages 24-28Schedule in advanceTake the tourMeet admissions & financial

peopleInvestigate academic areasAttend class, eat in cafeteria, visit frosh dorm, look over rec center & unionSafety issues & health servicesClass sizesWhat to do on weekendsAcademic counselingWrite down impressionsLook over questions to ask in

book-pg. 27

Scholarships—page 28-30HHS Procedures

Student Responsibility to check:Scholarship bulletin boardScholarship file cabinetDaily announcementsEmailWebsite (www.huronhs.com)

Source of national, state and local scholarship informationPick up transcript and mail out your own

scholarshipsStudent should be sure to notify guidance office if

they receive a scholarship from the college they plan to attend or outside agency

Meet deadlines for college merit scholarshipsScholarship Library books (page 29)Scholarship Websites (page 30)

NCAA Clearinghouse (p.30)Talk with your coach about your potential to play at a

specific level and how to get recruitedAthletic Resume Ideas on page 30Only need to register if you plan to play Division I or IIRegister at: www.eligibilitycenter.orgFee of $75 to register and can be done in spring of

junior year or fall of senior yearSee qualification chart of gpa and college entrance test requirements —page 31Look at courses neededGPA is for core courses only!!

Military Award Information (p. 31)Check deadlines for all parts of academy

applications (Nov. 1)—page 32ROTC scholarships—page 32

Military obligation goes along with this scholarship

Financial Aid—(p.34)Meeting beginning of JanuaryDiscuss with your student yours and their financial

responsibilityFAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)

Can not complete until after January 1College Goal Sunday in February to help you complete your

FAFSAFinancial Aid personnel at university you will attend great for

questionsfafsa forecaster @ www.fafsa4caster.ed.gov

FAFSA4caster is not just for high school juniors. Parents of younger students can use the tool to receive early estimates, create scenarios based on future earnings, and then establish college savings strategies.

Everyone wishes they could go to college for free due to scholarships but that rarely happens!

Types of Financial AidGrants

Need based awards based on your FAFSAAre not paid back

LoansBased on need and availability of fundsMust be paid backStafford LoansPlus Loans

Employment ProgramsScholarships

COLLEGE CORNER•Scholarships & Financial Aid Information•College & University Websites•How to “Match Up With a College”•Athletics in College•Common Application Link•Tips for a Successful College Visit•HHS College Application Procedures

TEST DATES & REGISTRATION•ACT•SAT•HHSTEST PREPARATION FOR:•OGT•PSAT•PLAN•AP•ACT and/or SAT College Entrance Practice Sites

HHS ACADEMICS•Grade Level Timelines•Graduation Requirements•Scheduling Information•Improving Your Study Skills

CAREER & WELLNESS CENTER•Career/College Major Ideas•Military Information•Suicide & Depression Awareness•Dealing With Stress•Dealing With Grief•Substance Abuse•Dating Violence•Bullying & Cyberbullying

FORMS•Community Service Form•College & Scholarship Tracking Form•HHS Transcript Request•College Visit Request Form•PSEOP Application•Dual Enrollment Application•Intent to Continue (in PSEOP)•UF (University of Findlay) Application

PRESTENTATIONS•PSEO Presentation•Eighth Grade Parent Presentation•To Be Freshmen Presentation•To Be Sophomore Presentation•To Be Junior Presentation•To Be Senior Presentation