a step closer...page 3 the importance of your senior year interesting facts: taking it easy your...

Elementary School

Intermediate School

Middle School

High School

A STEP CLOSER . . .

A Junior’s Guide to College

Denton ISD

Graduation Plans

FOUNDATION PLAN:

DEPARTMENT # OF CREDITS

CLASSES

ENGLISH 4.0 English 1, English 2, English 3, English 4

MATH 4.0 (in high school)

To include Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2

SCIENCE 4.0 Biology, Chemistry, Physics , 4th

Science

SOCIAL STUDIES

4.0 World Geography, World History,

U.S. History, Government, and Economics

PHYSICAL EDUCA-TION

1.0 P.E., Athletics, or Waiver

WORLD LANGUAGE

2.0 Levels 1 and 2 of the Same Language

FINE ARTS 1.0 Art, Music, Theatre,Dance, Floral Design

HIGH SCHOOL 101 0.5

SPEECH 0.5

ELECTIVES 5.0

TOTAL CREDITS 26

PERFORMANCE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Score of 3 or above on an AP exam. AP exams taken during the senior year will be verified after graduation.

PSAT , SAT, or ACT scores

Grade of at least 80 in dual credit course

Bilingualism or Biliteracy

Work Skills Certification

Distinguished

Achievement Program:

Foundation Plan (includes Algebra 2 & 4th Science)

+ 1 Endorsement

The Importance of Your Senior Year

Interesting Facts:

Taking it easy your senior year may seem like a nice break but is likely to do more harm than good. According to recent reports, incomplete high school preparation can contribute to academic problems in college.

As many as half of all college students do not have adequate academic preparation and are required to

take remedial courses. More than one quarter of the freshmen at 4-year colleges and nearly half of those at 2-year colleges

do not even make it to their sophomore year. Not only does taking the easy way out your senior year jeopardize your chances for success later in

college, it may also affect your grades -- and college admission officers pay close attention to your performance during your senior year.

The senior year -- the entire senior year -- is actually of particular interest to colleges. Many college applications (including the Common Application) require you to list your senior cours-

es, including information about course levels and credit hours. It will be very obvious to the admission officers if you've decided to "take the year off.”

Many college acceptance letters include warnings to students such as "Your admission is contingent

on your continued successful performance." This means colleges reserve the right to deny you admis-sion should your senior year grades drop.

Changing or dropping some of the more rigorous courses listed on the original application can result

in a college withdrawing their offer for admission.

Pre-AP/AP/Dual Credit...What You Should Know

Why Take Pre-AP & AP?

You will be better prepared academically.

You are more likely to complete college in less time.

In college you will perform significantly better than students who haven’t taken challenging courses.

You are more likely to exercise leadership as a result of your experiences in AP classes.

Students who score a 3 or above on AP exams may be awarded credit by their college or university.

What are the Responsibilities of Pre-AP & AP Students?

A willingness to actively engage with sophisticated concepts.

A willingness to be judged by rigorous, college-level standards.

A willingness to complete longer and more complex nightly assignments.

A willingness to complete the Advanced Placement Examination in May.

What about Dual Credit Classes?

Are defined as courses in which a student may receive both high school and college credit provided the course meets both district and college guidelines.

Students enrolling in dual credit courses must make certain they follow established enrollment procedures and pay applicable fees.

Students must contact the counselor to begin the enrollment process. Students may be required to take an entrance test in order to gain admittance into dual credit courses.

Students may qualify for an exemption from the entrance test based on TAKS scores.

Why Should Students Take These Tests? Most colleges require applicants to take one or more standardized tests prior to admission. Test scores are part of the student’s application and are one factor colleges use to predict success.

When Should Students Take These Tests? Most students take standardized tests late in the spring of their junior year or early in the fall of their senior year in high school. How Do I Know Which Tests to Take? ACT (American College Test): The ACT assessment is a general standardized college admissions test. The highest total score on the ACT is 36. The student’s score on the ACT is a good predictor of his or her freshman year grade point average. The score does not measure a student’s intelligence, nor does it predict whether the student will graduate from college. Students who are not strong in math may want to consider taking this test. Your counselor can help you decide which test is best for you. Students should plan to take this test in the spring of their junior year. PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test): The PSAT/NMSQT is taken in 10th grade to help students prepare for the SAT. During the junior year, the PSAT/NMSQ also serves as the qualifying test for scholarships awarded by the National Merit Scholarship Program. SAT (Standardized Admissions Test) I: Reasoning Test: The SAT will measure mathematical problem-solving, critical reading, and writing skills. Each section is reported on a scale of 200 – 800 points. The essay is scored on a scale of 2-8 points. Students should take this test no sooner than the spring of their junior year. The SAT does not measure intelligence, nor does it measure skills like motivation or creativity. -Evidence Based Reading SectionSection - measures a student’s ability to analyze language at the passage, paragraph and sentence levels. -Math Section - measures problem-solving skills in arithmetic, geometry, and Algebra I and II. -Writing Section – measures a student’s ability to apply rules of English Language and organize and support an argument in a short essay. SAT II: Subject Tests: Subject tests are one-hour, mostly multiple-choice tests, that measure how much students know about a particular subject and how well they can apply that knowledge. There are 22 different tests in five general areas, English, history, science, mathematics, and foreign languages. Students should check with an admissions officer of their chosen college or university to determine if the SAT II is required.

College Admissions Testing Information

Assessment Test Dates www. act.org

Assessment Test Dates www.collegeboard.org

Test Date

Regular Registration

Postmark Deadline

(regular fee)

Late Registra-

tionPostmark

Deadline (regular

fee plus late fee)

March 11th February 10th February 28th

May 6th April 7th April 25th

June 3rd May 9th May 24th

Test Date

Regular Registration

Postmark Deadline

(regular fee)

Late Registration

Postmark Dead-

line (regular fee

plus late fee)

February 11th January 13th January 14 –20th

April 8th March 3rd March 4—17th

June 10th May 5th May 6-19th

February

Create a personal file with items such as… Transcript, list of awards and honors (dates included) School and community clubs and organizations you have joined, including dates, responsibilities and activities List of all jobs for the year and/or summer List of community service/volunteer work, including dates and hours spent Update your file at the end of each semester. Plan college campus visits for spring. Register with The Eligibility Center if you are a candidate for college athletics. Evaluate transcript. Select senior classes with the help of your counselor. You are responsible for selecting courses needed for graduation and/or college entrance. Begin college search using Naviance.

March

Talk to your counselor about registering for the ACT given in April. Talk to your counselor about registering for SAT in May or June. (It is recommended to have had Algebra II & English III before taking the SAT.) Investigate activities, community service, volunteer work and/or employment for summer.

April

Take the ACT if registered. Develop a preliminary list of colleges that interest you and visit their website.

Junior Timeline

May

Take the SAT if registered. Identify teachers whom you can ask for recommendations. Visit colleges while still in session or make plans for summer visits.

June

Take the SAT or ACT if registered. Begin to organize all of the college materials you will be receiving in the mail. Visit college campuses.

July

Update your personal file. Prepare a profile of the colleges that most interest you. Email them and ask your specific questions.

August

Check your senior courses and credits for graduation and entry into college. Stick with challenging courses. Your senior year is not a time to “slack off”. Remember that the deadline for changes in course requests was the last day of school in May.

Resources

College-oriented Web sites:

Career Web sites:

Books:

▪ The College Board College Handbook

▪ The College Board Index of Majors & Graduate Degrees

▪ Barron’s Guide to Colleges

▪ The Undecided College Student: An Academic and Career Advising Challenge

How to Go to College Almost for Free

▪ The Fiske Guide to Colleges

▪ The Best Way to Save for College: A Complete Guide to 529 Plans

• Naviance (access through Braswell website)

▪ www.collegeboard.org

▪ www.act.org

▪ www.collegeispossible.org

▪ www.collegefortexans.com

▪ www.window.state.tx.us/scholars

▪ www.ed.gov/thinkcollege

▪ www.usnews.com

▪ www.fafsa.ed.gov

▪ www.collegenet.com

▪ www.college-scholarships.com

▪ www.fastweb.com

▪ www.finaid.org

▪ www.gocollege.com

▪ www.adventuresineducation.org

▪ www.collegbound.net

▪ www.parentingteens.about.com

▪ http://mapping-yourfuture.org

▪ Naviance ( access through

(Braswell’s homepage)

▪ http://jobstar.org

▪ www.careerbuilder.com

▪ www.acinet.org/acinet/

▪ www.ams.org/careers

▪ www.bls.gov/k12/html/edu_over

▪ http://oceanlink.island.net/career/

career2.html

▪ www.career.com

▪ www.careernet.org

Paying for College...A Parent’s Guide

Are you worried about how you are going to pay for college? With the right planning, a college education is within reach for every Texas student. Below are answers to common questions about paying for college.

How much does college actually cost?

The cost of a college education varies, depending on the college you select and whether you live at home, in an apartment, or on campus. In Texas, the average price tag for a college degree (tuition and fees, room and board, books, transportation, and other expenses) ranges from a low of $5,796 (one year at a public community college) to a high of $30,938 (one year at a private college or university). Some colleges cost much less than the average; oth-ers will be higher.

How will you pay for college?

Many students receive financial aid to help pay for college. Families are expected to contribute to their student’s education, even if the contribution is a small one. Most families use a combination of resources to help pay for col-lege. These include:

* Money they have saved over time

* A portion of their current income

* The student's part-time and summer earnings

* Financial aid, including educational loans

* Other resources

Typically, families spread the cost of college over a long period of time—the same way you pay for other major expenditures, such as homes and cars. Many families will need assistance. Students who demonstrate financial need (after completing the Free Application For Federal Student Aid commonly referred to as the FAFSA) may be eligible for federal and/or state financial aid to help pay for college.

What is financial aid?

Student financial aid is money used to help pay for college expenses. It is available from many sources and in many forms: grants, scholarships, work-study opportunities, loans, and other programs. Grants and scholarships are “free money”, while loans must be paid pack. Financial aid can be used to pay for tuition and fees, books and supplies, and the living expenses associated with attending college.

How do you know if you qualify for financial aid?

Generally, students from a family that qualifies for the Free or Reduced Lunch Program will qualify for need-based assistance. If your family's income is above this level, you might still qualify for need-based financial aid.

Where can I find additional resources?

The college financial aid office is the student's best source of information on grants, scholarships, work-study op-portunities, loans, and other programs. Many resources are also available online, but be wary of sites or companies that charge you for information or promise “guaranteed” scholarships. The same information is free from other sources.

The Top 10% Rule

Students who are in the top 10 percent of their graduating class are eligible for automatic admission to any public university in Texas. Students must graduate in the top 7% of their graduating class to be eligible for automatic admission to The University of Texas in Austin. To be eligible for automatic admission, a student must: Graduate in the top 10 percent (7 %)of his or her class at a public or private high school in Texas, or Graduate in the top 10 percent (7%)of his or her class from a high school operated by the U.S. Department of Defense and be a Texas resident or eligible to pay resident tuition; Enroll in college no more than two years after graduating from high school; and submit an application to a Texas public university for admission before the institution's application deadline (check with the university regarding specific deadlines). Students admitted through this route may still be required to provide SAT or ACT scores, although these scores are not used for admissions purposes. Check with the admissions office regarding SAT and ACT requirements.

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