Mallard Creek Rising Senior Cheat Sheet

Senior Key Pass- Senior Key Passes are only sold twice a year - 2 weeks 1st semester and 2 weeks 2nd

semester. - The price is $40 and it includes a senior shirt, 8 events or treats, and Senior Week

festivities. Senior shirts will not be sold separately. - The Senior Trip planned for the Class of 2019 will take place April 5-7, 2019. Seniors will

travel to Orlando, Florida for Universal Studios' Grad Bash. The price will be $350 and a $100 deposit will be collected online beginning November 1, 2018.

Senior Pictures (Ms. Strantz will provide details)- Summer between Junior and Senior year- Nov/Dec of Senior year- Cap/Gown pics Spring of Senior year

TRANSCRIPTS: Most college applications and scholarships will require a current official transcript from you. We can now send transcripts electronically through the following website CFNC.org, Commonapp.org or SendEDU!

CFNC transcript request instructions: Log into your CFNC account at www.cfnc.org Click on the Apply tab (purple) Click on To College Click on Application Hub Click Request a Transcript, (Verify your Student ID # and Student Information) You may select up to 5 schools at one time to send your transcript Once you select your transcript requests, a blue box will appear, Select “Request my

Transcript” to submit.If you are applying to a college on CFNC’s website (www.cfnc.org ) , marking the checkbox on the submission page of your application will automatically send your transcript as well!

The Common Application, SendEDU, and The Black Common App: online college applications and transcript submission instructions:

Create your Account Follow the prompts to apply to schools, submit recommender information, and make

payment(s). Your counselor will need to be listed as one of your recommenders. Your recommenders and your counselor will receive online requests to complete your

recommendations, a counselor’s report and submit your transcript.

To send your transcript to out of state schools go to https://cmsnc.scriborder.com/ The first 3 are FREE! $6.00 each thereafter. Create your Account

1

If you need one for a scholarship, please provide proof of the scholarship you are completing to your counselor. Your counselor will provide free transcripts only for scholarships!!

High School RESUME: If you have not already, you need to review your years in high school, grades and make sure you prepare a resume (factsheet) which will list by school year, all the school, civic, church, community and sports activities you have participated. Please provide this to your Counselor to assist them in writing letters of recommendation! (see the attached for a guideline)

SCHOLARSHIPS: Many scholarships are available for you to apply. If the application requires you to get references, make sure you ask everyone you want to use as a reference if they will be able to do that for you. Make sure you give them at least seven days to complete the forms or letters and get them back to you. If the applications have a Counselor page, you need to drop them off with our Guidance Secretary in Guidance and give us at least seven schools days to get them completed and returned to you. A good source for current scholarships is to visit the Mallard Creek High School Student Services website, www.mchsstudentservices.weebly.com and the scholarship binder in the guidance office.

Financial Aid Web Resources: CFNC.org, Collegeboard.org, and Fastweb.com are good websites for scholarship information.

- All seniors seeking any type of financial aid for school must complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Student Aid) at fafsa.ed.gov and should do so starting 10/1/2016. Mallard Creek will host a Financial Aid Night for students and parents in The Fall.

Senior Meetings- Fall Semester: Parent Jam with a Financial Aid session. Senior Assembly (Cap/Gown

packets, other important handouts for seniors) and Individual Senior Credit Check/Graduation Progress meeting with your counselor

- Spring Semester: Spring Parent Jam and Senior Assembly (graduation details, final transcript directives), and Seniors Awards Ceremony.

SAT/ACT- August – June Tests Dates- To take the ACT go to ACT.org ACT is $62.50 w/ writing or $46.00 w/out (fee may

change)- To take the SAT go to sat.org/register $60.00 w/writing $40.00 w/out (fee may change)- Qualify for Free or Reduced Lunch? Provide us with a copy of your letter to receive a

waiver for these tests. Lost your letter?? Call Child & Nutrition 980-343-6041 for a new copy. You can get 1 ACT and 2 SAT waivers per high school career.

2

Sending ACT/ACT Scores to colleges:- Go to your Collegeboard or ACT Account. Follow the instuctions to send scores. There

is a fee of approximately $12.00 per school. - Scores are sent to four colleges for free if you list thoses schools at the time you

register for the test.- ACT Retrieval (for the ACT you took at school in 11 th grade) : Lost your ACT ID # and

have not made an ACT account but want to use your ACT score from the ACT given last year on a school day?? 1. Email act-reg@act.org to request ACT ID # 2. Create ACT account act.org

- If steps 1 and 2 fail you can call ACT to get your ACT score linked to your ACT account. 319-337-1270

College Applications- You can start applying for colleges as early as August. All applications are to be

completed online either through the schools website or CFNC, SendEDU, The Common Application or The Black Common Application. There is a fee to apply to most colleges. If you are on Free or reduced lunch you can get 4 College Application Fee Waivers (see your counselor).

- After you submit your applications the college will correspond with you directly and will send multiple emails/mailings until they receive and review all of your application documents.

- Each school has their own application deadline. Some have Early Decision and Early Action deadlines (see the attached for definitions).

North Carolina Residential Determination Application- This application is required to be considered a NC resident and to receive NC tuition

rates at NC colleges/Universities.- Be careful when you answer the Question “Are you an Emancipated Minor”. Most

students will answer NO to this question. It is very rare for a student to be emancipated (“divorced”) from parents. If you answered “Yes” to this question then your application will be delayed and will be locked. You will then need to contact the NC Residential administrators to have your application unlock before you can proceed with your college application.

- It is best to complete this with your parents as they ask for some of your parents information (driver’s license number, tax info, etc…)

- The application is short and relatively easy but be sure to keep the above information in mind and be prepared before you start.

Mid-Year Graduation- Seniors can elect to graduate a Semester Early if they are able to earn the appropriate

credits. If graduating early you will be asked to complete and submit a Mid-Year Graduation Contract (see your counselor). The deadline to submit your Mid-Year Graduation application will be announced.

3

- There will be a Mid-Year Graduation Ceremony, usually at Bojangles Coliseum in Late January Early February. The date will be announced as we approach the end of the semester.

NC AA ELIGIBILITY: If you are thinking of continuing your sport in college, you must apply online with the National Collegiate Athletic Association. This site will allow schools to view your previous classes and help determine your eligibility for college sports. There is a fee of $80.00 to apply. The website is https://eligibilitycenter.org

CAP & GOWN: MCHS partners with Southern Recognition for graduation cap/gown orders, class rings, and announcements! Visit www.southernrecognition.com to place orders! Need help- contact Rob Kass at Rob.Kass@SouthernRecognition.com

SET YOUR GOALS: What are your plans once you leave Mallard Creek? A. World of work - most people who leave high school for a job, find themselves involved in

additional education within the first year. As you learn the job, you will probably need more education and training to move up the work ladder.

B. Military – if you decide you want to serve your country and learn some more discipline or funding for additional education, you should be talking now with the recruiters to see what jobs they can offer you when you enlist, take the ASVAB and then compare each branch to make sure you choose the one that fits your needs best.

C. Trade Schools – if you want to move into a profession such as plumbing, auto mechanics, electrician, hair styling or culinary, then a Trade School may be your ticket. You need to research them now, see what they have to offer, what their job placement rate is and what they expect you to have completed for admission. If you have not had much experience with the trade you choose, you may want to consider an Academic Internship this year to give you some experience before going off to school, just to find you don’t like the trade as much as you thought you might.

D. Community College – We are very fortunate in NC to have one of the finest Community College systems in the nation and you can attend them to learn a trade or begin your college by leaning about and enrolling in the Community College “College Transfer” program. This can be a very economical way for you to get two years of college credit behind you, giving you a chance to work some, save some money and gain the maturity you may be lacking now before heading off to a four-year school. To be ready for this option, you need to visit the community college of your choice to see the programs they have to offer, learn about their admissions requirements and take the NC DAP Test.

E. Four-Year College – If this is your goal, you need to have already narrowed your schools of choice down to 3-5 and you need to begin visiting each school now, learning about their admission process and deadlines. If you need to take the SAT/ACT for the first time or again to try and improve your score, you should already be registered for the October or November testing to give you enough time to get these scores back for the admission process. Make sure you follow all deadlines and get requested materials in well ahead of the posted deadline. If you are looking at NC schools, you should visit

4

CFNC.org or Commonapp.org and use this site to help you apply. You can enter personal data one time at this site and then send to several schools at one time.

SENIOR YEAR CALENDARSeptember

• Make sure you have all applications required for college admission. Write, phone or go online to request any missing information. • Check on application and financial aid deadlines for the schools to which you plan to apply. They vary from school to school and it is essential to meet all deadlines! • Meet with your counselor to review your academic and personal record. Review your transcript to ensure accuracy. • Register for the October/November SAT Reasoning Test, or the September/October ACT. Some colleges also require the SAT Subject Tests. • Many colleges require letters of recommendation. When you ask your counselor, teachers, employers and/or coaches to write these letters of recommendation, allow several weeks before the deadline. Be thoughtful and thank your references. • Plan visits to colleges and set up interviews with admissions counselors. Read bulletin boards, college newspapers, and talk with current students and professors.

October

• Attend the College Fairs. • Mail your applications for admissions in time to reach the colleges by the deadlines. Remember that deadlines may vary from college to college. Allow at least a week for the Counseling Office to prepare your official transcripts. You must have the College Board send your SAT scores since they are not included on your high school transcript. • If applying for early decision or early action, send in your applications now. • Register for the November/December/January SAT Reasoning Test if you are not happy with your previous test scores. • Parents and students, complete your income tax forms as soon as possible. You will need those figures to fill out the FAFSA. Complete and return your FAFSA as quickly as possible. This year you can begin this process in October. Check to see if your colleges require any further financial aid forms. Attend the Financial Aid Night at Mallard Creek

November/December

• Maintain good grades in the first quarter of your senior year. Continue completing applications to colleges. Make copies of all applications before mailing. Keep all records, test score reports, copies of applications for admission and for

5

financial aid. Having detailed records will save you time and effort should anything be lost or should you decide to apply in the future to other colleges and scholarship programs. • Apply to several colleges in order to ensure you have more than 1 option for your future.

January

• Keep working in your classes. Grades and courses continue to count throughout the senior year. If grades drop, admission to college may be rescinded. • If your colleges require them, request that your counselor send the transcript of your first semester grades to the colleges to which you applied.

February

• Monitor your applications to be sure that all materials are sent and received on time, and that they are complete. Missing a deadline can ruin your chances for admission. • If you completed a FAFSA, you should receive your Student Aid Report (SAR) within four weeks after submitting the FAFSA. Review the SAR carefully and check for errors. • If more than four weeks have passed and you have not heard from the FAFSA, contact the Federal Student Aid Information Center at (319) 337-5665. To identify you, they will need your name, SSN, address and date of birth exactly as it was written on your FAFSA. • Complete scholarship applications. You may be eligible for more scholarships than you think so apply for as many as you can. Create a profile for yourself at www.fastweb.com in order to have scholarship information emailed to you.

March/April

• Review your college acceptances and financial aid packages. Compare financial aid packages from school to school in your decision-making process. If you are certain of the school you will attend, notify the other schools where you have applied. Keeping colleges abreast of your plans might enable those colleges to admit someone else. • Notify your counselor of all scholarships and grants that you are offered.

May

• By May 1, decide on the one college that you will attend. By May 1, send in your tuition deposit to that college you will attend. • If your first choice college places you on their waiting list, do not lose hope. Some students are admitted off the waiting list. Talk with your counselor, and

6

contact the college to let them know you are still very interested. Keep the college updated on your activities. • Take AP exams.

June

• Your counselor will send your final transcript after graduation to the school that you indicate on your Senior Survey completed near the end of second semester. Notify your counselor of all scholarships and grants that you are offered at all colleges where you have applied. • Congratulations, you’ve made it through high school! Enjoy your graduation and look forward to college.

Source: National Association for College Admission Counseling www.nacacnet.org

THE RESUME

7

• What goes on it? • In what order? • How long? • What sort of formatting?

Goals: Provide readable information which quickly highlights your areas of strength while providing basic information admissions offices want to know. Use this to individualize yourself in this process. Personal Data Name Address, email, home phone, cell phone Birth date Education Mallard Creek High School, Charlotte NC, CEEB 340-732, date of graduation – June 2013 Honors classes, AP classes taken GPA, Class Rank Any other schools or academic programs attended Other possible categories of information. (Any topic of your choosing where clustering the activities draws attention to particular qualities, such as writing & publications, leadership, commitment to social action, commitment to particular community programs, broad commitment to the arts, hobbies, passions,. . . )

• Academic Honors and Awards • Athletic Activities, Honors, and Awards

Consider a separate page if extensive • School Clubs & Activities (with awards, leadership positions noted). Any extensive activity may receive its own subheading.

• Art: Music, Dance, Theatre activities, honors, awards Consider a separate page if extensive

• Work Experiences • Community Activities and Experiences

Service Activity, Political Action, Teen Programs – may come here

• Church/Religious Experiences • Summer Experiences

Except for summer experiences, it is generally best to avoid chronological lists; organize by topic rather than date).

Programs such as Microsoft Word and Publisher have resume templates which help you make your resume look official and remind you of key information a resume should include.

ADMISSION TYPES and TERMS

A deadline should be a simple thing, but some clarification is in order as you mark your calendar.

8

Most colleges mean “postmarked by” when they give you the deadline. A few mean “received By.” With online applications, the deadline seems to mean “hit the send button by….(do not wait untilthe last minute). In either case you need to be sure you know the Expectations. Be sure to plan ahead.

Deadlines refer primarily to receipt of all requested materials (application, essay, fees, Scores, transcripts). Recommendations, or SAT scores and transcripts that are seriously late will naturally slow the reading of your application folder.

Note: As soon as your application and fee are logged into the college’s computer, you may get an email that tells you all the things that are missing—even though these things have been sent. It takes university mail rooms several weeks at a minimum to open and file an applicant’s things. The moral: don’t panic. If you get a scary email that says you are missing things, wait at least a few days. Then call to politely inquire about the status of your application.

REGULAR ADMISSION: Schools that use regular admission will notify all applicants on one day, in late March or early April. It does not matter when they receive your application as long as your folder is complete by their posted deadline (as early as January 1, or as late as March 1).

EARLY ACTION: Some colleges and universities offer you the option to apply EARLY ACTION, a plan that is not binding. Under this plan, you must complete your application by an early fall deadline (these will vary by college, but may be Nov. 1, or 15, or even Dec. 1), and then receive your admissions decision between mid-December and mid-January. You may be admitted at that time, or “deferred” for later consideration. If admitted to a college under early action, you do not have to commit to enrolling at the college until May 1, the National Candidate Reply Deadline. You may apply to several colleges under the early action plan, EARLY ACTION is different from EARLY ACTION SINGLE CHOICE.

EARLY ACTION SINGLE CHOICE: Several colleges, primarily highly selective ones, have recently created the EARLY ACTION SINGLE CHOICE option—also not binding. Under this plan, you apply by a certain deadline in the early fall (likely Nov. 1 or 15), and, as with EARLY ACTION, you receive your decision early (usually Dec. 15) and have until May 1 to reply. However, under the EARLY ACTION SINGLE CHOICE plan, you may not apply to any other college EARLY ACTION. The only exception: you may still apply to your state public university under an early plan. Stanford, Harvard, and Yale are currently doing EASC.

EARLY DECISION: Not to be confused with EARLY ACTION, EARLY DECISION is binding. Under the ED plan, you apply early in the fall (usually November 1) so that you may hear whether or not you have been admitted by mid-December. Applying early decision to a school means that you are certain that the school is your first choice college. Colleges will require that the students they admit early decision withdraw their applications to other institutions and agree to enroll, making early decision a binding agreement. Under the ED plan, your financial aid package is also a “take it or leave it” situation—giving you no

9

opportunity to compare packages. If you are not admitted ED, you may be “deferred,” which means that you are placed in the regular applicant pool and given the opportunity to submit additional information to strengthen your application (new grades, additional honors). If there is any doubt in your mind, EARLY DECISION is not how you want to apply.

NEED-BLIND ADMISSIONS: (A financial aid term that does play an admissions role). A college that is “need-blind” proceeds with the admission process and makes its decisions without regard to whether or not an applicant is applying for financial aid. This does not mean that the college will meet demonstrated need; it means only that your application for aid will not in any way affect the admission decision.

ROLLING ADMISSION: Some schools, mostly large state universities, will admit students on a “rolling basis.” This means that once an application “folder” (the application and all supporting material) is complete, the admissions officials read it, make an admission decision, and let you know – usually within 2 to 6 weeks. In this process, colleges read applications in the order in which they receive them and when the desired size of a class is reached, admission closes. With schools that work on a rolling admission basis it is important to submit your application as early as possible. Some universities who do rolling admission will send a “defer” decision if they believe they need more data (updated grades or new SAT scores) to make an informed decision.

DECISION TYPES

ADMIT: Hooray! You have been admitted. It is your responsibility: to let the admissions office know by May 1 (the National Candidate Reply Deadline) whether or not you plan to attend—and to send a courteous thank you note to each college that you must decline. The college you choose to attend will ask you for a deposit; while they cannot require a deposit before May 1, they may ask for it before then. Any deposit sent before May 1 should be fully refundable until May 1. It never hurts to clarify expectations with the admissions office.

MID-YEAR ADMIT: Hooray! You have been admitted. But hold on – you must wait until second semester. Chicago Tribune staff writer Bonnie Miller describes the situation this way: “By agreeing to delay enrollment for a semester, seniors can end up with their dream schools while admissions directors have a ready pool of students to plug into the inevitable vacancies that occur each spring when kids drop out, flunk out, or study abroad.” Such schools as Washington University in St. Louis, Brandeis, American, Cornell, Skidmore, Colby and UC Berkeley are offering mid-year admission. Trying to negotiate for fall admission won’t work here; look at the options your mid-year admit does provide (a semester of travel, a semester internship, classes at a community college – these are some opportunities the college will suggest and even help you set up); then, consider your other options—other schools you have been admitted to; weigh both, make your decision.

10

WAIT LIST: (Not to be confused with defer). The wait list is a list of applicants to a particular college who are not admitted in the regular decision pool, but who may still be offered a spot in the class if, after the May 1 replies have come in, there are still available spaces. If you receive a “wait list” offer, you will be probably be asked to return a card indicating your choice either to remain on the wait list, or to be taken off it. You will not know the wait list results until mid to late May; thus, you will need to make a deposit by May 1 at a school where you have received an acceptance. If you are wait-listed at a school you would very much like to attend, let them know immediately. Though it is not impossible, it is not likely that you will receive a financial aid offer if you come off the wait list.

DEFER: (Not to be confused with wait list). A deferral comes only with early action or early decision; this means, literally, that the admissions office wishes to defer their decision (or defer your application), and to reconsider your application at the time they are reviewing the “regular decision” candidates. Your responsibility: to write a nice thank you note to the admissions office, letting them know that you appreciate their review of your application, and that you are still most interested in attending “X” college. Tell them that you will keep them updated on your progress, and then do so. Send new grades; let them know of new honors earned or projects completed.

DENY: Well, their loss. Your responsibility: put it behind you, and look forward to the choices you have awaiting you.

COLLEGE ESSAY WRITING TIPS FROM COLLEGEBOARD.COM Write an Effective Application Essay A great application essay will present a vivid, personal, and compelling view of you to the admissions staff. It will round out the rest of your application and help you stand out from

11

the other applicants. The essay is one of the only parts of your application over which you have complete control, so take the time to do a good job on it. Check out these tips before you begin.

Dos

Keep Your Focus Narrow and Personal Your essay must prove a single point or thesis. The reader must be able to find your main idea and follow it from beginning to end. Try having someone read just your introduction to see what he thinks your essay is about. Essays that try to be too comprehensive end up sounding watered-down. Remember, it's not about telling the committee what you've done—they can pick that up from your list of activities—instead, it's about showing them who you are.

Prove It Develop your main idea with vivid and specific facts, events, quotations, examples, and reasons. There's a big difference between simply stating a point of view and letting an idea unfold in the details: Okay: "I like to be surrounded by people with a variety of backgrounds and interests" Better: "During that night, I sang the theme song from Casablanca with a baseball coach who thinks he's Bogie, discussed Marxism with a little old lady, and heard more than I ever wanted to know about some woman's gall bladder operation."

Be Specific Avoid clichéd, generic, and predictable writing by using vivid and specific details. Okay: "I want to help people. I have gotten so much out of life through the love and guidance of my family, I feel that many individuals have not been as fortunate; therefore, I would like to expand the lives of others." Better: "My Mom and Dad stood on plenty of sidelines 'til their shoes filled with water or their fingers turned white, or somebody's golden retriever signed his name on their coats in mud. I think that kind of commitment is what I'd like to bring to working with fourth-graders."

Don'ts

Don't Tell Them What You Think They Want to Hear Most admissions officers read plenty of essays about the charms of their university, the evils of terrorism, and the personal commitment involved in being a doctor. Bring something new to the table, not just what you think they want to hear.

Don't Write a Resume Don't include information that is found elsewhere in the application. Your essay will end up sounding like an autobiography, travelogue, or laundry list. Yawn.

12

"During my junior year, I played first singles on the tennis team, served on the student council, maintained a B+ average, traveled to France, and worked at a cheese factory." Don't Use 50 Words When Five Will Do Eliminate unnecessary words. Okay: "Over the years it has been pointed out to me by my parents, friends, and teachers—and I have even noticed this about myself, as well—that I am not the neatest person in the world." Better: "I'm a slob."

Don't Forget to Proofread Typos and spelling or grammatical errors can be interpreted as carelessness or just bad writing. Don't rely on your computer's spell check. It can miss spelling errors like the ones below. "After I graduate form high school, I plan to work for a nonprofit organization during the summer." "From that day on, Daniel was my best fried."

Applying to College: FAQs

13

Here are answers to a few of the most commonly asked questions about applying to college.

When should I start?

The summer before your senior year is the best time to start. Most students do the majority of their application work in the fall of their senior year.

How do I begin?

Find out what goes into an application and begin collecting the materials you need. Create a folder for each college you are applying to. At the front of each folder, put a checklist of what you’ll need for the application and when it’s due.

How many colleges should I apply to?

Five to eight colleges is the recommended number. They should all be colleges you’d be happy to attend. It’s good to apply to some colleges that are a bit of a stretch for you and some that you feel will likely admit you. But most should feel like good, realistic matches.

Should I apply early?

It depends. If you are sure about which college you want to attend, early decision or early action might be the best choice for you. If you’re not sure, keep in mind that some early application plans require you to commit early. You may want to keep your options open.

Should I use an online or a paper application?

Check with the college to see which is preferred. Most colleges prefer online applications.

Should I send additional material?

14

It is best if you can express everything about your qualifications and qualities in the materials requested. Colleges spend a great deal of time creating their applications to make sure they get all the information they need about each applicant. If you feel it’s absolutely necessary to send additional material, talk to your counselor about it.

Some arts programs may require portfolios or videos of performances. Check with the college to find out the best way to submit examples of your work.

Is it OK to use the same material on different applications?

Definitely. There’s no need to write a brand-new essay or personal statement for each application. Instead, devote your time to producing a great version of basic application parts.

What is the Common Application?

The Common Application is a standardized application used by more than 525 colleges. Instead of filling out eight different applications, you can simply fill out one and submit it to each college.

Be aware that you may need to submit additional or separate documents to some colleges. You also still need to pay individual application fees for each college.

Should I apply to colleges if my admission-test scores or grades are below their published ranges?

Yes. The admission scores and grades that colleges show on their websites are averages or ranges — not cutoffs. There are students at every college who scored lower (and higher) than the numbers shown.

Remember that colleges consider many factors to get a more complete picture of you. For example, they look at the types of classes you take, your activities, recommendation letters, your essay and your overall character.

15

Colleges are looking for all kinds of students with different talents, abilities and backgrounds. Admission test scores and grades are just two parts of that complete picture.

Should I even bother applying to colleges I don’t think I can afford?

Absolutely. Remember that after financial aid packages are determined, most students will pay far less than the "sticker price" listed on the college website. You don’t know if you can afford a college until after you apply and find out how much aid that college will offer you (if you’re accepted). Fill out the FAFSA as early as possible after Jan. 1 to qualify for the most aid.

Even if the aid package the college offers is not enough, you have options. Many colleges are willing to work with students they have chosen for admission to ensure that those students can afford to attend.

Source - https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/get - in/applying - 101/applying - to - college - faq

16