POSTHIGH PLANNING

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POST-HIGH PLANNING

• Class of 2009

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Counselors

• Ms. Renstrom A-B
• Ms. Tuel C-D
• Ms. Jackson E-Ji
• Ms. Yamamoto Jk-M
• Ms. Scheierl N-Sk
• Mr. Schmit Sl-Z

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Graduation Requirements

• 62 credits
• Pass BSTs
• Reading score of 600
• Math score of 600
• Writing score of 3
• Make an appointment to see your counselor to
  check credits and discuss post-high plans

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Options

• Students have a
• number of options
• upon graduation
• College-- 2-year (Generals/AA degree)-- 4-year
  (BA/BS degree)-- VocationalCareer (Hands-on
  careers)
• -- Career Colleges
• (career specific)
• Military
• Full-time work
• Combination

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College Admissions

• For students entering college, there are many
  things to consider

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College Admissions (page 6)

• Do you want to attend a 2-yr or 4-yr school?
• Admission Requirements   
• 2-year school requirements  
• High school diploma or GED
• 4-year school requirements
• High school diploma
• School specific criteria (may include 3-4 years
  each of Math, Science, Social Studies, 4 years of
  English, 2-3 years of a Second Language, 1 year
  of art, etc.)
• Check with the Admissions Department at your
  school of choice
• Take ACT or SAT
• NCAA info for athletes

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College Application Process (cont.)

• Online applications typically result in printable
  pages for your counselor to complete.
• Be sure to give this to your counselor one week
  early.
• Application fee
• Each college will have an application fee
  (including 2-year schools). Be sure to include
  this with your completed materials.
• Completed application materials should be turned
  into Guidance a minimum of one week early.

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College Application Process

• Send test scores directly
• You can contact ACT/SAT directly to request
  scores to be sent to your college of choice if
  you didn't do so at the time of the test.

• ACT
• www.act.org

SAT www.collegeboard.com

• NCAA Clearinghouse www.ncaaclearinghouse.net
• Athletes that are even THINKING about playing at
  the D-I or D-II level need to apply to the
  Clearinghouse.
• ACT/SAT scores MUST be sent to NCAA by ACT or
  CollegeBoard

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College Decisions

• 3 Schools
• It is recommended that you apply to 3 schools
• Your ideal school or reach school
• A school you're fairly certain you will gain
  acceptance to
• A school you are absolutely certain you will gain
  acceptance to
• College Admission
• U of M deadline December 15th
• UW-Madison deadline February 1st
• Rolling admission
• Making a decision
• Schools may have decision deadlines late in the
  spring. However, it is helpful to decide as soon
  as possible, as many schools base housing offers
  on the date of a student's acceptance.

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U of Minnesota Twin Cities

• Priority Deadline December 15th
• Regular Deadline As space is available
• 143 Undergraduate Majors
• 2007 Freshman Class Characteristics
• 91 students were ranked above the
• 75 percentile of their graduating HS class
• ACT average score 26.7
• SAT average score 1243.8

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U of Wisconsin - Madison

• 2007-08 Freshman Characteristics
• 24,875 applicants
• GPA 3.5 - 3.9
• ACT 26 - 30
• SAT 1830 - 1980
• 12 are from Minnesota
• Deadlines
• Fall 09 February 1st
• Spring 10 October 1st

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College Application Process

• Routing ½ sheet (pink)
• Transcript request form (white)
• Update activities on
• cum. card
• GPA/Rank Graduation/Honors
• Recommendation letter request form, if needed
  (yellow)

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(No Transcript)
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(No Transcript)
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Letters of Recommendation

• Ask one of the Guidance secretaries for a Letter
  of Recommendation Request Form for each teacher
  you plan to approach. Tell the secretary who you
  are going to ask. Your name will take up one of
  the five allowed slots for that teacher on a form
  we keep. If you change your mind and dont ask a
  teacher for a letter, please let us know so that
  someone else can approach that staff member.
• Since there is a limit to the number of
  recommendations that each teacher can be expected
  to write and still do a thorough, creditable job,
  it is to your advantage to keep a copy of any
  letter you receive in case you need to use it
  again later for another school or scholarship.

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Financial Aid Scholarships

• A vital part of college planning
• (Page 46)

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Financial Aid Scholarships

• Planning
• Keep a calendar with posted deadlines
• Make your own deadlines to ensure you won't
  procrastinate
• Financial Aid Night
• January 22nd at 545pm in rooms 153-157
• Admission to a college
• You must be accepted at a college to be awarded
  any financial aid.

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Financial Aid Scholarships

• Check out college financial aid options
• Web Sites (Page 49)
• Once you are admitted to a college, call their
  Financial Aid Department to ask about specific
  financial aid they may offer
• Grants
• Scholarships
• Loans
• Work Study

• Estimate cost of attending chosen school(s)
• Remember to budget, but also be realistic
• FAFSA and deadline
• Free Application for Federal Student Aid
• After January 1, 2009, as soon as you have your
  2008 income tax information

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Financial Aid Scholarships

• Consider the following costs when estimating the
  total cost of attendance

• Tuition and fees
• Room and board
• (this may or may not include food costs)
• Books and supplies

• Transportation to and from school
• Transportation to and from home (particularly for
  those living a distance from home)
• Miscellaneous (this includes personal supplies
  such as shampoo, soap, etc., as well as
  entertainment funds)

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Financial Aid Scholarships

• Scholarship search
• This is an essential step in your planning. Begin
  looking early!
• There are many great search engines on the web,
  and the Guidance Office has a number of
  applications as well.
• This may take some time, but it is well worth it,
  particularly with cuts to federal aid in present
  times.

• This is free money!! Take advantage of the
  opportunities.
• You will receive the Co-Action Scholarship book
  in January.

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Military

• Information for everyone
• (page 44)

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Military

• Selective Service Registration
• U.S. law states that all males, within 30 days of
  their 18th birthday, must register with Selective
  Service.
• www.sss.gov
• If you are 17 and 3 months, you may register
  now.
• Shop Around
• If you are interested in the military, get
  information on the many different branches. Each
  affords different opportunities, commitments, and
  benefits.

• ASVAB
• The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery is
  required for anyone planning to enlist in the
  military.
• This is also a helpful tool to help undecided
  students with career decision-making.
• Speak with your recruiter about test dates and
  sites.

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Military

• If Called...
• If you are called by the military as part of
  their recruitment process, but are not
  interested, YOU must tell them so. If a family
  member answers this for you, you will continue to
  receive phone calls until you tell them "no"
  yourself. Simply tell them "No thank you, I'm not
  interested. Please remove me from your calling or
  mailing list."

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Full Time Work

• Important information for those planning to enter
  the world of work after graduation
• (page 41)

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Full Time Work

• Health Coverage
• Once you turn 18, you will lose your health
  coverage through your parents if you are not a
  full time student.
• Look for jobs that offer health care packages.
• Paying for health care yourself can be extremely
  expensive.   
• Going without health care can be extremely risky.

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Full Time Work

• Develop Skills Now
• Begin developing skills now that will help you
  with later employment searches.
• The following are some areas in which you may
  learn and refine helpful work-related skills
• Part-time work experiences
• Internships
• Volunteer work
• Coursework
• Activities and hobbies

• Reality Check   
• Be realistic when planning to work full time upon
  graduation.
• Estimate your cost of living
• Rent/utilities/furniture/etc.
• Food expenses
• Transportation/insurance
• Personal expenses (supplies and entertainment)
• Talk with someone about budgeting find out what
  it's really like so you're prepared.

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Timeline (page 5)

• September/October
• Register for ACT/SAT
• Research colleges and scholarships
• Complete/submit college applications
• (some colleges accept applications for early
  decision in Sept.)
• Narrow college majors
• Request letters of recommendations

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Timeline (cont.)

• November
• Finalize college choices
• December
• Get FAFSA form
• January
• Complete FAFSA
• Register for AP Exams (if appropriate)

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Timeline (cont.)

• March
• If you have not done so already.
• APPLY! APPLY! APPLY! to colleges
• Sign-up for ACT/SAT
• April
• Notify the college you plan on attending and
  those you have selected to decline
• June
• Request official transcripts to be sent to the
  college you are attending

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SENIOR INTERVIEWS
All seniors MUST meet with their counselor BEFORE
graduation!

• See your counselor!
• Ms. Renstrom A-B
• Ms. Tuel C-D
• Ms. Jackson E-Ji
• Ms. Yamamoto Jk-M
• Ms. Scheierl N-Sk
• Mr. Schmit Sl-Z