WELCOME PARENTS

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• WELCOME PARENTS
• OF THE
• CLASS OF 2009!

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AGENDA

• Post-Secondary Planning
• College Admissions
• Testing
• Financial Aid
• Questions

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ASSISTANCE WITHPOST-SECONDARY PLANNING

• TEACHERS--4
• OTHERS--8
• COUNSELORS--10
• FRIENDS--18
• PARENTS--60

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POST-SECONDARY OPTIONS

• COLLEGE
• Vocational/Technical
• 2-Year
• 4-Year
• MILITARY
• APPRENTICESHIP
• FULL TIME WORK
• COMBINATION

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RESEARCH
COUNSELING AND CAREER CENTER WEBSITEwww.sowashco.
k12.mn.us/29-cdc/whs

• Testing ACT, SAT, AP ASVAB
• MCIS (MN Career Info System)
• Career Planning, College Search, Scholarship
  Search, Practice Tests
• Schedule of College Rep Visits
• College Fair Information
• WHS Scholarship Bulletin
• NCAA
• PSEO

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RESEARCH

• Online Searches
• www.Princetonreview.com (Explore Schools)
• www.Collegeboard.com (Find A College)
• www.getreadyforcollege.org
• Counseling and Career Center Materials
• Options Beyond High School Booklet
• Parents, Family, Friends, Teachers
• College Fairs
• College Representative Visits at WHS
• College Campus Visits

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FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING A COLLEGE How
do you find a good match?

• Entrance Requirements
• Academic Interests
• Size of School
• Class Size

• Location
• Cost
• Quality and Reputation
• Setting and Campus Life

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VOCATIONAL/TECHNICAL SCHOOLS

• No ACT Needed
• Training in a specific occupation computer
  technology, cosmetologist, radiology technician
• Offer programs from 3 months to 2 years
• Examples AVEDA Institute Dunwoody

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2 YEAR COLLEGES

• Open admissions policy with high school diploma
  or
• equivalent
• No ACT needed, placement exams required
• Certificates, diploma programs, 2-Yr associate
  degrees
• Option to transfer to a 4 year college
• (plan with a college advisor early in the
  process)
• Examples
• Century College
• Inver Hills Community College

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4 - YEAR COLLEGEMINIMUM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS,
Grades 9-12

• 2 - 3 years single World Language
• 1 year Fine Arts Music, Theater or Visual Art
• 3 years Lab Science Physical Science, Biology
  Chemistry

• 4 years English
• 3 years Social Studies
• 3 years Math
• Through Algebra 2

Be sure to check each individual colleges
requirements Some colleges require both a
4th year of Math and Physics
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HIGHLY SELECTIVE COLLEGES ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS,
Grades 9-12

• AP, Advanced Honors Classes
• 4 years English
• 4 years Math
• 4 years Science
• 4 years Social Studies
• 4-5 years single World Language

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ADMISSIONS CRITERIA EXAMPLES Remember,
these are only guidelines. Research the schools
you are considering!

• Winona State University Minimum ACT of 18 Top
  50 of Class, or ACT of 21 if in bottom 50
• University of St. Thomas 61 of admitted
  freshman ACT of gt24 Top 40 of Class
• University of MN Twin Cities (CLA) Average ACT
  26.3, Average Class Rank Top 14 (CSOM) Average
  ACT 27.8, Average Class Rank Top 6
  
  Varies for Each of the 7
  Freshman Admitting Colleges
• University of WI Madison Middle 50 of admitted
  freshman ACT 26-30, Class Rank top 4 to 15

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SELECTING SCHOOLSChoose schools from each
category

• SAFETY SCHOOLS
• Schools your student likes and can
• definitely get into
• GOOD MATCH SCHOOLS
• Schools that your student has a good chance
• of getting into and that would be a good fit
• REACH SCHOOLS
• It is a bit of a stretch, but it would be great
  for your student to be accepted

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WHAT DO THE 4 - YEAR COLLEGES LOOK FOR?

• Grades in College Prep Classes
• ACT/SAT Scores
• GPA/Class Rank
• Difficulty of Curriculum
• Application Essays
• Recommendations
• Extracurricular Activities

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TESTING
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ACCUPLACER

• Test required for placement at most Community
  Colleges Reading, Writing Math
• Not used for admission
• Given on campus free of charge
• Check colleges websites for dates and times

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• ACT
• American College Testing Program
• Tests core curriculum taught in high school
• English, Mathematics, Reading, Science
• (more content oriented than SAT)
• Writing test optional
• - Measures skill in planning and writing a short
  essay
• - Check with individual colleges to see if
  Writing is required
• www.actstudent.org for more information

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• SAT Reasoning Test
• Scholastic Aptitude Test
• Measures students reasoning ability. It tests
  in the areas of mathematics, critical reading and
  writing.
• SAT Subject Tests are required by about 150
  highly selective colleges.
• -Check with individual colleges for
  requirements.
• www.collegeboard.com for more information and to
  register for the tests

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TESTING

• 4 - Year Colleges
• ACT or SAT
• Take one of these tests 2nd semester
• 2008 Test Date Registration Deadline
• ACT - February 9 January 4
• April 12 March 7
• June 14 May 9
• SAT - January 26 December 26
• March 1 January 29 May 3 April 1
• June 27 May 6
• 2 - Year Colleges, Vocational Technical Schools
• Require their own placement tests (Accuplacer)
• -Math, Reading Writing
• -Contact individual schools for more information

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TEST PREPARATION

• The best preparation is the high school core
  curriculum English, Math, Science and Social
  Studies
• Become familiar with test content and format.
  ACT and SAT are different.
• Learn test taking strategies.
• Take practice tests practice, practice,
  practice!
• Stick with one test or the other. Dont bounce
  back and forth between tests.

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AP TESTING(Advanced Placement)

• Depending on the student's score and policies of
  participating colleges, AP exams give students
  the opportunity to earn college credit or
  advanced standing at most of the nations
  colleges and universities.
• AP Exams are given the first two weeks of May
• Registration will take place in March
• (information will go out on the WHS list serve
  and will be on our website)
• Test Prep Taking AP courses
• Students may take AP exams without taking an AP
  course.

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FINANCIAL AID
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MAJOR SOURCES OF FINANCIAL AID

• Federal Government
• State Government
• Individual Colleges and Schools
• Private Sources (1 of Scholarships)

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The Financial Aid Application is the Free
Application For Federal Student Aid (FAFSA, need
based aid)

• You may complete this form between January 1 and
  
• June 30 of the year your student plans to
  enter college
• File the FAFSA as early as you can, even before
  your tax
• returns are completed
• The FAFSA allows you to use estimates and later
  go
• back and enter actual numbers
• Complete information about the FAFSA can be
  found at
• www.fafsa.ed.gov
• Financial Aid meeting at WHS in the fall

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SCHOLARSHIPS

• 90 of all scholarships come from the
• college that admitted the student.
• Check with the colleges financial aid
• office for details.
• WHS Scholarship Bulletin

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BEWARE OF SCHOLARSHIP SEARCH FIRMS!FINANCIAL
AID INFORMATION IS FREE.Search the web for
scholarship information.
www.finaid.org www.fastweb.com www.fafsa.ed.gov
www.iseek.org
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What To Do Next

• Become involved. You are important!
• Parents role is to listen, support, encourage.
• Narrow your choices
• Visit several campuses scheduled or unscheduled
  (tips for college visits in Options Beyond High
  School)
• Double check entrance requirements (ACT Writing?)
• Apply Early - by Thanksgiving break during senior
  year

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• Please Note
• Registration for 08-09 classes will start in
  December. Completed cards will be due in early
  January.
• PSEO Informational Night will be February 6th.
• Sign up for the WHS listserv at
  www.sowashco.k12.mn.us/listserv.asp
• Get information about Student Profiler at
  https//stupro.district833.org/parent/

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THANK YOU FOR COMING!

• COUNSELORS
• MS. HOLDEN A-D 768-4433
• MS. OLSON E-J 768-4434
• MS. FESLER K-M 768-4431
• MR. STOKES N-Si 768-4413
• MS. JOHNSON Sj-Z 768-4432
• CLERICAL
• MS. BRIER Counseling 768-4430
• MS. SINGER Career 768-4414