Junior Parent Meeting

Preparing for Senior YearJunior Parent MeetingWhat direction are you headed?WorkforceMilitaryTechnical ProgramsCollegeWorkforceDepartment of Workforce Developmenthttp://www.in.gov/dwd/Transition Resources Corporationhttp://www.telamon.org/Indiana Career Connecthttps://www.indianacareerconnect.com/WorkOnehttp://www.in.gov/dwd/WorkOne/WorkforceGather information and put together in resume formatHave someone proofread resumeWhen filling out applicationReturn by deadlineFill application out with pen and best handwriting or typedWhen interviewingBe punctualDress nicelyKnow something about the job and have in mind the positives you can offer your potential employerThinking Military?Almost every month a recruiter from various branches of the military are in doing a lunchroom setupVisit dates are put in the announcements If interested, stop by their table and talk with themGather information without making a signed commitmentContact information for the various recruiting branches in Kokomo:http://www.yellowpages.com/kokomo-in/armed-forces-recruiting

What are colleges looking at?The rigor of your academic courseworkIncluding courses you are taking senior yearGrades /Overall GPA Most colleges recalculate the GPA using core academics onlyClass RankStandardized test scores (ACT or SAT)First senior report cardStudy all senior grades on final transcript after a student has been admitted to see if they still should be admitted-they can rescind your admission offer based on poor senior year performance or a discrepancy in classes based on what was initially submitted by studentThe quality of writing in your essay (if one is required)RecommendationsUniqueness Extracurricular activities, special interests, aptitudes, recognitions/awardsCollege SelectionFind a strong correlation between

- your academic record and admission requirements- your intellectual interests and the degree programs available- your personalityand the college setting.

You accomplish this by doing research and by asking questions.

There are many places waiting for you and will be a good fit for you. There are over 2,300 colleges and 1,700 community colleges in the United States. So, College Selection Things to ConsiderMajors/Minors OfferedPublic vs. PrivatePopulationMales/Females/Ratio?SizeSmall (15,000)No Preference

LocationCost to the familyHousingAthleticsActivities and special programsGut feeling

College SelectionExcellent websites to focus in on and prepare for college:www.collegeboard.orgClick the box for Studentswww.learnmoreindiana.orgwww.TripToCollege.orgwww.DriveOfYourLife.org

Career ExplorationASVABCareer Exploration ToolOffered to students at the beginning of 2014-2015 school yearResults include an individualized access code and password that will help students explore careers specific to their abilities and interests

College VisitsStart looking NOW!Many colleges will have summer tours students can take and not miss schoolMake an appointment with a College Admissions CounselorGet college visit paper from Guidance Office or Mrs. Zartman in the attendance office prior to going on college visitThis form is to be filled out by the college representative and brought back by the student and given to Mrs. ZartmanIt takes the college visit paper AND a parent/guardian calling into the attendance office for the absence to be excusedSeniors get two college visits that do not appear on recordJuniors get one college visit that does not appear on recordStudents may take additional visits, they will just appear as excused absencesTechnical/Trade SchoolLook into school to see if SAT/ACT is requiredMost technical/trade schools will not require it or have their own placement test that you can take for freePlanning to transfer?Make sure that credits you receive from the technical/trade school will transfer to another schoolTake a visit to the college you intend to transfer to and have a transfer plan made out by that school

Applying to CollegesMake sure you apply early and pay close attention to deadlinesMany colleges have merit-based scholarships available to students just by applying by a date and having certain qualifications (Ex. GPA, Test Scores)IUKIvy TechTranscriptsAll colleges will need a students transcript to make an admission decisionThe transcript form is called varying names depending on what college a student is applying toCounselor Recommendation Page/FormCounselor Page/FormCounselor Signature FormTranscript ReleaseRecord ReleaseEven if the student applies for college online, the counselor form must be printed off and brought into the guidance office to be mailed inTranscript ReleaseSteps to getting transcript sent:Print FormFill out student information section in nice handwriting with pen!Bring form to Guidance OfficeMrs. Adams will fill out the counselor section and send it to admissions office along with a copy of the students most recent transcript

College Application Fee WaiversIf student qualifies for and uses a fee waiver for the SAT/ACT, then the student can get up to four college application fee waivers21st Century ScholarFree/Reduced LunchMany colleges will ask if you qualify and automatically waive the fee but it varies between collegesSome colleges waive their application fee for all students just by choosing to apply onlineMake sure you look into each colleges application fee and decide what is the cheapest way to applyCollegeGo WeekLate September (Example September 23-27, 2013)Many colleges waive their application feesLink to colleges that waived application fees this past year as well as a direct link to all Indiana Colleges applications with deadlines (Based on applications for the 2014 college year)http://www.in.gov/collegegoweek/2471.htmIt is not guaranteed that this will be the same list that waives application fees for next years CollegeGo Week, however, if you see colleges that have waived their fee in the past, it is financially worth waiting until late September to see if they will waive the fee againespecially if the college is a back-up option

SAT and ACTYou must take the SAT or ACT if you are planning to attend collegeRegister online at:ACT Plus Writing Test: www.act.org SAT Reasoning Test: www.collegeboard.orgTesting facilities available for a specific test date are online at the above web sitesStudents do not have to take both tests; they can elect to, but it is not requiredIts proven that taking the test more than once does lead to improved test scoresSAT/ACT scores can be mixed and matched to pull the best scores between each particular exam (Example: The best SAT scores can be matched together and the best ACT scores can be matched together but you cannot put the best ACT and SAT scores together)Choosing between the two testsSAT: Student should at least be through Algebra IITest has more mathACT: Better for students that math is not their best subjectIt does have math, just not as much as SATBreaks scores into social science areas where the SAT does notSAT and ACTLewis Cass High School Code (also called the CEEB Code) is 152100 Important that this gets put on when signing up to take the test, otherwise we will not receive your scores to put on your high school transcriptStudents receive four free colleges to send scores as long as they choose the schools BEFORE the test date!!Require scores be sent directly from testing agency:Purdue (1230)NCAA Clearinghouse (9999)NAIA (9876)Indiana University-Bloomington (1324)If you have already taken the SAT or ACT and did not send it to one that requires it directly from testing agency, you must go back into students collegeboard account and pay to have the test scores sentIMPORTANT FACT: If you are a 21st Century Scholar or are on free or reduced lunch you qualify for 2 free ACT and 2 free SAT fee waivers. Band competitions conflict with many test dates in the fall. All college bound students are encouraged to test at least once before the start of their senior year, but because of the band conflicts this is especially true for band students.

SAT/ACT testing dates left this yearSATACTTest DateRegistration DeadlineLate Fee RequiredJune14,2014May9,2014May10 - 23, 2014Test DateRegistration DeadlineLate Fee RequiredMay 3,2014April 4, 2014April 5 - 18, 2014June 7, 2014May 9, 2014May 10 - 23, 2014SAT Dates Next YearNot released at this timeCheck at collegeboard.org for 14-15 datesACT Dates Next YearTest DatesSeptember13,2014October25,2014December13,2014February7,2015April18,2015June13,2015

SAT/ACT Practice InformationSAT:http://professionals.collegeboard.com/k-12/prepare/srp/freeIvy Tech SAT Prep CoursesPSAT Results Lays out a study plan specific to studentACT:http://www.actstudent.org/testprep/index.html

FAFSAFree Application for Federal Student AidAllows students to become eligible for financial aid such as grants, loans, and work-studyTo receive the most financial aid, FAFSA must be completed. It is not available until after January 1, 2015 and must be completed by the deadline in early March (Example: March 10, 2014)We will have a help session in January or February Based on taxes from previous yearYou can put estimates in, but you will have to go back and put in exact amounts. The earlier you fill it out, the better!***Important: Make sure you go to fafsa.gov to fill out for FAFSA form. You should NOT have to pay to file your FAFSA.***PIN Registration for Electronic Signature of FAFSAWeb site: www.pin.ed.govSign FAFSA electronicallyCan request PIN before January 1, 2015May be used by students and parents throughout aid process, including subsequent school years so it is important to keep it someplace you can refer back The same parent pin number will be used for all children

Types of Financial AidGrants gift aid, generally based on needScholarships gift aid, generally based on academic achievement, volunteer efforts, or special talentLoans must be repaidWork-study employment, student earns money to help with educational expenses

Scholarship TipsScholarships sent to the Guidance Office are compiled and added to the Guidance Web Page under the scholarship tab Some scholarship applications are available in the fall, however the majority of local scholarships are released 2nd semesterCass County Community Foundation (CCCF) will come in December to have a mandatory meeting that all seniors must attend in order to apply for any scholarships listed with the CCCFPay close attention to deadlines and always type or neatly handwrite applicationsScholarship TipsHundreds of other scholarship applications (which do not come directly to Cass) can be secured through various companies, clubs, organizations, or churches. The internet is often a good way to find out about such scholarships. You should never have to pay for scholarship information.Some scholarships are awarded directly from the college after the student is accepted and has completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This occurs in the spring (April / May).Most libraries have a number of books about financial aid, including scholarship guides. Scholarship TipsLook into large national scholarships such as Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC), Gates Millennium, Intel Science, Coca-Cola, and Robert ByrdOrganizations of all types and sizes sponsor scholarshipsMany large companies offer scholarships or tuition programs for children of employees (Tyson, Haynes International)Employers like fast food chains, department stores, and supermarkets often give scholarshipsAwards can also be given in relation to student employment

Scholarship Web Siteswww.collegeboard.com/paying

www.fastweb.com

www.scholarshipamerica.org/students.php

www.meritaid.com

www.finaid.org

www.scholarhships.com

www.findtuition.comwww.scholarshipshispanicfund.org

www.gocollege.com

http://www.cappex.com/scholarships

http://www.imagine-america.org/

http://www.studentscholarships.org/

http://collegeprowler.com/scholarships/state/indiana/College AthleticsYou must register with the proper organization depending on what level of college sports you are interested in playingNCAA (9999)Division I & IIwww.ncaaeligibilitycenter.orgNAIA (9876)Division IIIwww.playnaia.orgRemember to sign up for the NCAA or NAIA before sending SAT or ACT scores electronically with 4-digit codeOnce you get everything set up on either web site, you will need to check your students completed high school courses with the approved course list for Lewis Cass on the web site as well as their GPA. Once you have your student registered, there should be a transcript release form that is given to me to mail along with the transcriptRequesting Transcripts andLetters of RecommendationTranscript needed for scholarships:Come to guidance office write name and how many transcripts you need on clipboardIt is easier to copy five transcripts for you one time then one transcript for you five different times, so please try and think ahead when requesting transcriptsPlease allow at least two days to get transcripts to youLetter of Recommendation:Bring paper with your name, clubs, sports, activities, volunteer efforts, offices held, how many years participated in each area, etc.Write date in which you need the letter completed by on the top of the paper as well as how many copies you needPlease give me at least one week to get a letter of recommendation to you--Apply the same courtesy for any recommendation you ask of someoneIn your folder - TranscriptYou are receiving the 1st page of what is sent to colleges2nd page contains PSAT, SAT, ACT, and ECA test scores as well as attendanceCheck over courses, credits, GPA, rankGeneral and Core 40 - 42 creditsAcademic Honors and Technical Honors - 47 creditsDrop below C- for AH or TH on semester grade, student must retake that class for a higher grade, otherwise Core 40Dual CreditIf your child has been in a class in which they have earned dual credit:They now have a high school transcript and an Ivy Tech College transcriptOnce your student has determined the college of their choice, you will need to contact Ivy Tech and have their college transcript sent to that collegeA college cannot award credit from a LC transcript onlyIn your folder Course RequestsReview requests for next yearCourse titles and descriptions are available on web siteNew courses are being addeddual credit courses are denotedChanges need to be made in Guidance Office as soon as possible

Career center deadline has passed, however, there has been one extension: Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities (CEO)/Entrepreneurship & New VenturesIf interested in obtaining more information, see me after the presentationApplication deadline is April 18

Short on Credits?Need to Raise a Grade?Summer courses at Lewis CassIndiana Virtual Academywww.indva.orgFree Summer Online CoursesFinal is taken at Lewis Cass approximately 2 weeks before students return from summer vacationStudents may take up to 2 coursesAlso a good way to raise a semester grade that may have dropped below a C- for an Academic and Technical Honors DiplomaBYU Independent Studyhttp://is.byu.edu/site/Online Courses-One year to completeApproximately $132 + any required textbooksFinal is taken at Lewis CassFinal exam must be finished and mailed in no later than May 1 so that the school is able to get the course grade result prior to graduation

ECA Retake WindowsEnglish 10 May 5-May 14Algebra I May 12-May 21

Must take and pass this test in order to graduateWaiver option in the spring of senior yearbut not a guaranteeFrequently Asked QuestionsContact: Teri Lohning lohningt@sescschools.netCaps and Gowns (Cost included in textbook fees)Graduation Announcement/Invitation Questions

Contact: Grace Scott scottg@sescschools.netSenior Yearbook Pictures

Contact: Justin Densborndensbornd@sescschools.netOpen house invitations made in the LCK Print ShopFuture ReferenceTodays PowerPoint presentation and documents can all befound on the schools web site at www.sesc.k12.in.us under the Guidance Department 10th -12th Grade tab

Heather AdamsGuidance Counselor Grades 10-12adamsh@sescschools.net574-626-2511 ext. 5105