Milton High School

Junior Parent Night – 9/24/2013

Class of 2015

� Graduation Requirements

� Course Options for Senior Year

� College Admissions

Junior Advisement Meetings

� Starting in October

� Invitations Will Be Mailed Home

� Instructions for Junior Bridge Law Activity will be

included (complete prior to Junior Advisement)

�Will discuss:

� Your Graduation Status (are you on track?)

� Your Course Options for Senior Year

� Your Post-Secondary Plans

23.0 Total Credits Needed For Graduation1 semester class = 0.5 credits

� English – 4.0 credits

� Math – 4.0 credits

� Science – 4.0 credits

� Social Studies – 3.0 credits

� Health / Personal Fitness – 1.0 credit

� World Lang./Career Tech./Fine Arts – 3.0 credits

� Electives – 4.0 credits

What if You Fail a Class?Retention Policy� 5.0 credits to be promoted to the 10th grade

� 11.0 credits to be promoted to the 11th grade

� 17.0 credits to be promoted to the 12th grade

Making Up Failed Classes� Summer School (info around Spring Break)

� On-line – (must have counselor permission!)� Fulton Virtual School – www.fultonschools.org

Click “Parents” then “Virtual School”

� Georgia Virtual School www.GAVirtualSchool.org

� PLATO/Learning Lab – See Mrs. Jones in 5201� PLATO and Learning Lab are not NCAA approved

If a student fails a class and later retakes the same class, the new grade does not replace the failing grade (i.e., grades for all attempted classes are shown on the transcript).

Graduation Requirements - Testing

� All students must pass the Georgia High School Writing

Test (September 25, 2013)

� Starting with the Class of 2015, students no longer have

to take/pass the English, Math, Science and Social

Studies sections of the Georgia High School Graduation

Tests

Course Options for Senior Year

� Need to consider:

�High School Graduation Requirements

�Courses required for college admissions

� World Language

� Other (e.g., Chemistry, Fine Arts, Computer Class)

�Courses at Milton related to intended

major/program of study in college

What Colleges Are Looking For

1. Grades (GPA)

2. SAT / ACT

3. Rigorous High School Courses

4. Co-Curricular Activities� Leadership Activities

� Community Service

5. Registered Campus Visits

Grades / GPA

� The #1 factor in most college admissions

decisions

� Extremely important to maximize performance:

� Stay in close contact with teachers

� Complete all assignments

� Attend help sessions

� Monitor progress in Home Access Center

� Spending time each night on every academic class

� Good attendance

� Being on-time and prepared for class

� Peer Tutoring

Grades / GPA

� GPA (Grade Point Average)

� Fulton County uses Numeric Average� Can’t just “convert” Numeric Average to GPA (e.g., 80 numeric

avg. not necessarily a 3.0)

� Basis for Class Rank – also important

� Most Colleges (and HOPE) use GPA

� Many variations on GPA – Contact Colleges� Core vs. Cumulative (Most Colleges use Core)

� Weighted vs. Unweighted

Grades / GPA� Estimating GPA

� For each final grade on the transcript, assign the

following point values:

A = 4

B = 3

C = 2

F = 0

� Add up all points and divide by number of classes

� Do not round up (e.g., a 2.85 is not rounded to a 3.0)

� Important to move borderline grades up into higher

letter grade range

HOPE Scholarship GPA

� HOPE GPA Calculated by the Georgia Student Finance

Commission

� Milton cannot provide you with HOPE GPA

� GSFC will not round up HOPE GPA calculations at all� (e.g., 2.99999 won’t qualify)

� GSFC also runs www.GACollege411.org

� Can check in-progress HOPE GPA there (usually starting Junior Year)

HOPE Scholarship GPA� Must finish with a minimum 3.0 GPA in core academic courses

(English, Math, Science, Social Studies & World Language).

� Middle School Grades do not Count for HOPE

� HOPE subtracts the 7 Honors points we add to Honors/AP

� Then add 0.5 weight to AP classes only (not Honors)

� Academic electives not required for graduation still count towards

HOPE (e.g., Spanish 3, AP Psych., etc.)

� Grades for all attempted academic classes included (even F’s)

� Zell Miller Scholarship

� Need a 3.7 GPA in core academic courses

� Need one of the following qualifying test scores:

� At least 1200 on SAT (Critical Reading + Math) in one sitting

� Composite ACT score of at least 26 in one sitting

� Other requirements (e.g., residency, Selective Service for males)� Can be found on www.gacollege411.org

HOPE – New Rigor RequirementStarting with the Class of 2015, in order to be eligible for HOPE/Zell

Miller, students must earn at least 2.0 credits in courses from the following categories:

1) Advanced foreign language courses (includes 2nd and 3rd year of a language);

2) Advanced math, such as GPS Advanced Algebra, GPS Pre-Calculus, or an equivalent

or higher course;

3) Advanced science, such as Chemistry, Physics, or an equivalent or higher course;

4) Advanced Placement courses in core subjects (English, math, science, social studies,

and foreign language);

5) Dual Enrollment courses in Core Subjects;

6) International Baccalaureate courses in core subjects ; or

7) Courses taken at a unit of the University System of Georgia in core subjects - where

such courses are not remedial and developmental courses.

� For a full list of courses, visit http://www.gsfc.org/main/publishing/pdf/2012/Course_List.pdf

� Requirement increasing for Classes of 2016 (3.0 credits) and 2017 and beyond (4.0 credits)

SAT / ACT� October – PSAT – National Merit Scholarships!

� Start taking by Spring of Junior Year

� Both very widely accepted by colleges

� Very different tests - some students do much better on one than the other� Should take a diagnostic test/both practice tests by Fall of 11th

Grade – may help show which test to focus on

� Prepare even for 1st attempt� Tests are only offered 6-7 times per year each

� Lots of good test prep materials out there

� Registration is about 6 weeks before test date – plan ahead!

The Princeton Review

Assessment

� Sign up to take the PRA practice test!

� ½ SAT and ½ ACT

� Offered once per semester at Milton

� Online Registration

� Registration fee taken at the door

Rigorous High School Courses

� How many Honors / AP classes taken?

� Colleges really want to see students challenge

themselves

� As/more important than SAT/ACT for some colleges

� Balancing Act – grades are still most important

� Check admissions sites for classes required

above and beyond those required for graduation

� Example - World Languages, Chemistry, certain

number of AP classes, etc.

Co-Curricular Activities

� Many colleges will consider these when making admissions decisions

� Do not have to be Milton-sponsored

� Colleges particularly like to see:

�Leadership (club officer, team captain,

organizer of event, etc.)

�Community Service

Registered Campus Visits

� Plan to start visiting schools (starting around

Spring Break)

� Make sure schools know you’re coming –

contact Office of Admissions

� Schools will keep a record of registered visits

� Shows a true interest in the school

� Take an official tour – get a feel for the school

� Many Colleges Visit Milton – sign up online

What to do Now� Focus on getting good grades

� Start preparing for/taking SAT/ACT

� Diagnostic test/practice tests this Fall

� Explore possible career/major options

� www.gacollege411.org - Career surveys

� ASVAB – December

� Further Develop Co-Curricular Activities

� Particularly Leadership & Community Service

� Keep a record of activities (student profile, resume, or GA College 411 account)

� Register with NCAA Eligibility Center

What to do Now

� Start Developing a List of Colleges

�Lots of Factors to Consider:� Academic Environment

� Majors

� Geographic Location

� Campus Size

� Affordability/Financial Fit (Net Price Calculator)

� Housing/Dining Options

� Health/Other Services

� Student Life

Your List of Colleges

� By start of senior year, have your list narrowed-down to

about 5 schools (1-2 in each category):

� Reach Schools – Numbers (e.g., GPA, test scores, # of AP classes taken) indicate might not get in, but really want to go

� If your dream school is a Reach School – should definitely apply. The only

guarantee in College Admissions is that you won’t get in if you don’t apply!

� Range Schools – Numbers line up with previously accepted classes

� Back-up/Safety Schools – Numbers on high-end of previously accepted classes

� Search Admissions websites for a “Class Profile” (sometimes

Freshman Profile or 1st-year Profile)

Sample Class Profiles

University of Georgia

Middle 50% GPA: 3.73 - 4.03

(core plus non-core AP)

Middle 50% SAT: 1790-2040

(includes Writing)

Middle 50% ACT: 27-31

Number of AP courses: 4-8

Georgia State

Middle 50% GPA: 3.2 - 3.7

(core only)

Middle 50% SAT: 1030-1200

(Verbal + Math Only)

Middle 50% ACT: 23-26

What else to do now?

� Never too early to search for scholarships

�Free websites/online databases

� e.g., www.FastWeb.com

�Milton Counseling Website

�College and Career Center

�Financial Aid Offices at Colleges of Interest

� Summer – work on applications/essays

Resources

� GACollege411.org

� GCIS- Georgia Career Information System

�www.gcic.peachnet.edu

� An account will be created for each student

Resources

� Milton College and Career Center

�Located on 3200 Hall

�College Admissions, Scholarship, & Summer

Program Information

�Facilitates College Rep. Visits to Milton

� Juniors can sign up for up to 7 sessions

� Sign up online and pick up pass from Career Ctr.

� Colleges usually send the admissions rep. for this

area – good chance to make a good impression!

For further questions…

Counselor Student Caseload

� Mr. Robinson (A - Das)

� Mrs. Kim (Dat - Hil)

� Mrs. Kinard (Him - Me)

� Dr. Marsh (Mi - Rob)

� Dr. Harding (Roc – Z)

� Mrs. Johnson Administrative Counselor

It is the policy of the Fulton County School System not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin,

age, or disability in any employment practice, educational program, or any other program, activity or service. If you wish to

make a complaint or request accommodation or modification due to discrimination in any program, activity or service, contact

Compliance Coordinator (Chief Human Resources Officer), 786 Cleveland Avenue SW, Atlanta, GA 30315, or phone 404-

763-4585, TTY 1-800-255-0135.