Senior Year

1
Senior Year

• Steps toward Graduation and Post High School
  Endeavors

2
Know your Counselor and Guidance Staff

• Evelyn McGavin A-D
• Awilda Cruz E- Kh
• Lakisha Bonner Ki-Ra
• Sandy Glore Re-Z
• Cherie Stone Guidance Secretary
• Cynthia Ward Records Secretary

3
How to See your Counselor

• Complete the Senior Only side of the request
  form
• Forms are color coded for each counselor
• Green McGavin (A-D)
• Pink - Cruz (E-Kh)
• Blue - Bonner (Ki-Ra)
• Red - Glore (Re-Z)
• Put completed form in the counselors basket
• Be detailed
• See the FAQ section for answers

4
Timeline

• August 28 Information session with senior
  class
• September Attend Probe Fair _at_ Sandy Creek HS
• Receive appointment time to meet
  individually with counselor
• Complete the Brag Sheet
• Arrange and continue college visits
• Sept Oct Take or retake SAT and/or ACT
• Sept-Dec Apply for admission to colleges
• Review deadlines and admission plans
• Sept May Apply for scholarships
• January Complete FAFSA forms
• April -May Make final decisions
• May 28 Graduation

5
2009-2010Senior Survival GuideFor Graduation
and Post High School Endeavors  
Wildcat Plans  
6
College Resources

• www.gacollege411.com
• Helps students plan, apply and pay for college
• Career inventory, SAT and ACT prep, financial aid
  and scholarships
• My 411 Create your private account
• Check your HOPE eligibility 

• Other Internet Sites
• www.act.org
• www.collegeboard.com
• www.collegeedge.com
• www.collegenet.com
• www.collegeview.com
• www.petersons.com
• www.princetonreview.com
• www.fastweb.com
• www.ets.org
• www.act.org
• www.kaplan.com
• www.finaid.org
• www.cashe.com
• www.salliemae.com
• www.fafsa.ed.gov
• www.college.edu
• www.gcic.peachnet.edu (user IDwhitewaterhspassw
  ordgcis2667)
•  

7
Other Post High School Options

• Military
• Contact Armed Forces Representative
• World of Work
• Find your passion
• Improve upon your interview skills
• See your counselor if you are unsure of your post
  high school endeavors

8
Making the Right Choice

• Type - 2-4 year, technical or trade
• Size - Enrollment, Class Size, Campus Size,
• Location - Setting, Distance from Home
• Cost - Tuition, Room, Board, Personal Spending
• Academics - Majors, Programs Services
• Admission Requirements - CPC, SAT, ACT, GPA, ETC.

9
College Visits

• As a senior you receive 2 official college
  visitation days per year . In order for the 2
  visits to count as an excused field trip you must
  do the following
• 1. Make an appointment with the College
  Admission Office
• 2. Obtain a College Visitation form from
  Attendance
• 3. Have the form signed by your teachers and
  parents
• 4. Return the form to the attendance office
  after validation by an official at the college
  you visit by the next school day.
• __________________________________________________
  _
• College Representatives _at_WHS See the board
  and listen to the announcements for the dates and
  times. Come to guidance for a pass to attend the
  session

10
Admissions Plans and Deadlines

• Deadlines are IMPORTANT!!! Students are
  advised to complete and submit applications/
  other documentation at least 3 weeks prior to
  deadline date

• Types of Plans
• REGULAR ADMISSION
• ROLLING ADMISSION
• EARLY DECISION
• EARLY ACTION / NOTIFICATION
• EARLY ACTION / SINGLE SELECTION (Non-Binding)
• Each college you apply to may have a different
  plan

11
Senior Brag Sheet

• Complete the form-
• Be Detailed
• Be Accurate
• Brag about yourself.
• This information is used to write your
  recommendations for the following
• College Admission
• Scholarships
• Other awards

12
Requesting a Transcript

• Complete a Request for Transcript
• Pay 3.00 fee for each transcripts
• Allow 2 days for the requests
• Picking up and mailing of transcript is the
  students responsibility
• Opening of the envelope invalidates the transcript

13
Letters of Recommendation

• Prepare a comprehensive Brag Sheet and return
  to Guidance
• Allow 3 weeks for completion of recommendation
  (most colleges dont require a counselor
  recommendation)
• Confidential recommendations are returned to the
  student in a sealed envelope (Do Not Open).
• Requested transcript will be enclosed with the
  recommendation.
• Students are responsible for mailing.

14
College Application Procedures

• Check Deadlines
• See if your college participates in the common
  application
• Send Official SAT/ACT scores directly from test
  company- not from WHS
• Complete application (application should be neat,
  accurate, and legible. Type or use black ink)
• Proofread!! Have someone else proofread before
  submitting
• Print a copy for your records
• Request transcript and recommendation (if
  required)
• Mail and/or submit online application/documentatio
  n
• Print copies of acceptance letters and
  scholarship offers and bring them to guidance

15
Scholarships

• HOPE
• GPA of Core Credits (all attempts)
• GPA 3.0 College Prep and 3.2 Tech/Career diploma
  Calculated by the GSFC
• www.gacollege411.com
• To apply FAFSA or HOPE application - By using
  your 411 account, you can reduce the amount of
  time it takes to apply

Other websites www.fastweb.com and
www.whswildcats.org Beware of scholarship
services that charge fees.
16
NCAA Clearinghouse

• To participate in college athletics and
  receive athletically-based financial aid, you
  must do the following
• Register online with the NCAA Initial-Eligibility
  Clearinghouse and meet eligibility standards (SS
  and fee required)-www.ncaaclearinghouse.net
• Complete the amateurism certification
  questionnaire
• Submit transcript release form to Mrs. Ward

17
For Your Information

• Need a recommendation letter before semester
  break (remember those January college deadlines)?
  
• December 1, 2009 is the DEADLINE to
  request a recommendation from guidance
• Transcripts with 1st semester grades will be
  available after January 15, 2010

18
Important Dates

• SAT test dates www.collegeboard.com
• ACT test dates www.act.org
• PROBE Fair Sandy Creek High School
• September 17 _at_630p.m.-830p.m.
• Financial Aid Information Meeting
• January 28 _at_700p.m.
• Starrs Mill Auditorium
• School Code 111279

19
Questions?
Thank you!