Contents of Senior Handbook 2009-2010

Please Select a Topic

CHECKING YOUR CREDITS FOR GRADUATION	HOW TO HAVE YOUR TRANSCRIPT SENT
GRADE POINT AVERAGE (GPA)	HOW TO APPLY FOR FINANCIAL AID
ATTENDANCE	HOW TO APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS
APPOINTMENTS WITH COUNSELOR	SAT I AND II
OPTIONS AFTER HIGH SCHOOL	ACT
CAREER CENTER REFERENCE MANUALS	PERSONAL DATA SHEET (RESUME)
COLLEGE APPLICATIONS	STUDENT RESUME INFORMATION
ADMISSIONS OPTIONS	SUGGESTED MONTHLY ACTIVITIES
HOW TO APPLY TO COLLEGES	INTERNET RESOURCES
	CONTACT INFORMATION

CHECKING YOUR CREDITS FOR GRADUATION

It is your responsibility to know the graduation requirements and to keep up with the credits that you need to meet those requirements. They are:

College/ University Prep

ENGLISH: English I, II, III, IV 4 credits

MATH: Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2,

And a higher level math course 4 credits

SCIENCE: Earth, Biology, Chemistry 3 credits

SOCIAL STUDIES: World History, Civics, US History 3 credits

HEALTHFUL LIVING: Healthful Living 1 credit

SECOND LANGUAGE: Two credits in the same language 2 credits

ELECTIVE CREDITS: Eleven additional courses 11 credits

Total minimum credits required for graduation = 28 credits, including passing scores on both parts of the NC Competency (8^th grade EOG) Tests and the NC Tests of Computer Skills.

Steps to follow when checking your credits:

In the first few weeks, you will receive a copy of your academic record. This is known as a transcript.
Review your transcript for any errors. If you find an error, notify your counselor immediately.
Review the courses listed on the transcript and the courses you are taking your senior year to make sure you meet the graduation requirements listed above.
If you are missing a course required for graduation, notify your counselor immediately and you will be placed in that class if possible.
In January, review your report card. If you failed a first semester course needed for graduation, notify your counselor and efforts will be made to place you in a second semester course (if one is available) that will meet your requirement needs. Be aware that this is not always possible, so it is best to pass all classes first semester.
At any time during the school year you may schedule an appointment with your counselor to review your credits.

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GRADE POINT AVERAGE

Your cumulative GPA is reported on your transcript. GPA is calculated by dividing your total quality points (all years) by your total credits attempted (all years). Your transcript will show both weighted and unweighted GPAs, but your rank is computed using your weighed GPA. Please consider that your final ranking is not calculated until mid-July. Your GPA will not change after first semester grades are finalized. Therefore, to adhere to most college admission deadlines, you will use your current GPA and class rank.

Note: In deciding when to apply to colleges, you may wish to take the above information into consideration. Your GPA and rank are factors used in determining college admission.

ATTENDANCE

Attendance is a major issue of the senior year. Both excused and unexcused absences count toward failure. You are allowed 10 absences each semester. If you exceed 10 absences in a semester you must make an appeal to the attendance committee. YOU HAVE TO SHOW UP TO PASS!!!

SCHEDULING AN APPOINTMENT WITH YOUR COLLEGE COORDINATOR

Appointments may be scheduled before or after school, or during lunch. Upon making an appointment, the student will receive a pass to come to Mrs. Lauren Johnson’s office at the time of the appointment. Parents may make an appointment by calling 404-0444 ext. 1022. Always encourage your parents to call for an appointment. If they drop in unexpectedly, Mrs. Johnson may not be available. Often questions can be answered on the telephone or through email. All contact information is listed on page 14.

OPTIONS AFTER HIGH SCHOOL

Full-time Employment/Military

If you plan to work full-time after high school, or go into one of the branches of the military, we strongly suggest you make contact with Mr. Holloman. You may also reach him by phone at 404-0444. He can provide further information on job openings and military service, as will as set up appointments with recruiters.

Trade and Career Schools

Trade and Career schools, in two years or less, train students in practical skills needed for a specific vocation. Control is private and dormitory-style living is usually not available. Admission requirements are usually lenient, and SAT scores are not required. Cost is usually high. (Examples: Watts School of Nursing, Lucas Travel School, ECPI Computer Institute, Mitchell’s Hairstyling Academy)

Technical and Community Colleges

Technical and Community Colleges are located in almost every county in North Carolina and offer highly specialized training in areas such as business, graphic arts, auto mechanics, paralegal, medical technology, and electronics. Control is public and this is the least expensive option for college. They have an “open door” admissions policy, which means that all high school graduates will be admitted (although certain programs, such as Nursing, have additional requirements). The SAT or ACT is not required, but may be used for placement. No dorms are available, so the students must be able to commute. Some technical and community colleges such as Wake Technical Community College and Nash Community College offer college transfer programs, which allow a student to complete the first two years of a four-year bachelors degree at a greatly reduced cost. Students then transfer to a four-year college to complete the final two years. This is a great opportunity for students who need to improve their grades.

Junior Colleges

Junior Colleges are two year colleges that offer two options: preparation to transfer to a four year college or university, or the potential to earn a two year associate degree in an area such as business. Usually control is private. Admission requirements, including SAT and ACT scores, must be met, but requirements are much more flexible than those of four-year institutions. (Example: Louisburg College)

Four-Year Colleges and Universities

Four-year colleges and universities offer various bachelor degrees and differ widely in admission requirements and cost. Control may be private or public, with private colleges and out-of –state colleges being the most expensive. SAT and/or ACT is required. (Examples: NCSU, UNC-Chapel Hill, ECU and Campbell University) Requirements vary from school to school and program to program, even in the UNC system.

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CAREER CENTER REFERENCE MANUALS

When deciding which colleges you will apply to, see Mrs. Lauren Johnson, College Coordinator to request specified interests. The College Handbook contains valuable information such as application deadlines, tuition costs, admission requirements, address and phone numbers, and a general idea of the GPAs and SATs of the freshmen who were admitted in the previous academic year. Keep in mind that most applications have a fee and your goal is to apply to one or more schools to which you feel you have a reasonable chance of being accepted. You should always apply to at least one “safe” college that you know will accept you. Keep in mind that some colleges are highly competitive while others have less demanding admission requirements. You should be able to determine the competitiveness of a college by looking at the freshman GPAs, SATs, and the percent of applicants accepted. Also remember that each college sets its own application deadline. Be sure to check these deadlines in The College Handbook, the college catalog, or check them by calling the admissions office. College catalogs are available for use in the Career Center, and can be checked out. You may also wish to call the college admissions office to get your own copy, but occasionally a fee will be charged. If you know what you’d like to major in, you can use the Index of Majors to get a list (by state) of colleges that offer that major. This includes two and four-year colleges.

COLLEGE APPLICATIONS

Deciding when to apply for college admission is an individual decision and you should take into account the admission requirements of the school you are considering. For example, if your SAT scores are not as strong as you would like, you may wish to wait until after the October testing. In some cases, it is better to wait until your first quarter or semester grades are available. For most strong students, earlier application is recommended. During your senior conference, your counselor will review your transcript.

ADMISSION OPTIONS

Early Action is an admissions procedure to notify students of early admissions to the college. Students need not accept the college’s offer of admissions but may file other applications. Remember that early action candidates can be rejected and candidates must have superior records because the process is highly selective.

Early Decision is a plan under which you may submit your credentials early to one college, usually by October 15 of your senior year. You are notified of your status by December 1. As part of an early decision plan, you are required to sign a statement agreeing to accept the college’s offer of admission. You must also withdraw your application form other colleges if accepted under Early Decision.

Regular Admission is the plan under which you submit your credentials during November to February, depending on individual schools. You should check the deadline for each school.

Rolling Admission is the plan under which candidates submit their credentials at their convenience up to a certain date. They receive an offer of acceptance or rejection within four to six weeks.

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HOW TO APPLY TO COLLEGES

Attend college fairs, visit college websites, or see Mrs. L. Johnson to pick up applications for colleges you are interested in.
Make a copy of the application and practice filling it out. If an essay is required, prepare a draft and have someone proof it. Neatness counts, so type if possible. If it is not legible, it may be thrown out!
If references are required, you should ask permission from the people you choose to use as references. If they agree, you need to provide them with a stamped, addressed envelope, and a copy of your personal data sheet, or resume.
Follow up with your references to make sure they have mailed their forms.
Make a copy of the completed application before you mail it. You can use this information again with other applications or you may need to review it if you are asked to report for an interview. If you must interview, see your counselor for interview tips.
Submit the application ahead of the deadline to avoid any postal delays or holiday rushes.
See Mrs. Johnson for transcript request form.
Make sure that the college has your SAT scores. If you put down that college’s code when you registered for the SAT, your scores will automatically be sent. (You are provided with the opportunity to have four reports sent for free each time you take it.) If you did not put down that school’s code, you would need to fill out the Additional Report Request for you received with your admission packet and pay a fee. Keep in mind that it takes five weeks to receive scores, so send your request well in advanced of the admissions deadline.
Follow up with the admissions office if you have not heard from them in a reasonable amount of time. Have your social security number available when inquiring about your admission status.

HOW TO HAVE YOUR TRANSCRIPT SENT

Your transcript is considered confidential information. We cannot, and will not, send your transcript anywhere without a written request or signed approval. Always request that your transcript be sent well in advance of the application deadline. Mrs. Best needs at least five days notice to mail your transcript. You also need to allow plenty of time for the post office, especially during the holiday periods.

HOW TO APPLY FOR FINANCIAL AID

To initiate the financial aid process, you and your parents must submit a financial aid form. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA) is a confidential document used to collect information for determining a student’s need for financial aid. An estimate of your family’s financial ability to contribute to the costs of education beyond high school in computed. This estimate and a copy of the appropriate form are forwarded at your request to the Pell Grant Program, to state scholarship and grant programs, and to financial aid officers at the colleges or other post-secondary institutions you specify on the form.

You cannot apply for financial aid until January 1, 2009. You must also have a copy of your parent’s 2008 tax return (which isn’t due to the IRS until April 15, 2008) so your parents may wish to complete their tax return early. Financial Aid Forms will be available in early January and you will be given specific information on the process to follow. A financial aid workshop that will be very helpful to you and your parents will be held in early January (date to be determined).

HOW TO APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS

Many colleges, businesses, churches, and community organizations offer scholarships that do not come through the Career Center. Therefore, you should check with the colleges that interest you (information is usually available in the college catalog or you may call the college financial aid office), your church or your parent’s place of employment. Also, you should check with any civic or professional organization that you or your parents are members of, or through the wide assortment of on-line information.

In general, companies that solicit by mail, telephone or fax and offer to find scholarships that you are eligible to apply for (and wanting to charge you for their services) are of limited use. Most of the information accessed by these companies is available free in public libraries. Usually, the companies are providing a computer search of national scholarships, which mean that thousands of other students will also be applying.

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SAT I AND II

The SAT is offered several times a year. For admission purposes, colleges will use your highest verbal, math and writing scores, even if they are on different test dates. Therefore, repeated testing cannot hurt your score – only improve them. College bound juniors should have taken the SAT in the spring of their junior year. We strongly recommend that you take the SAT in October of your senior year since these scores will be reported in mid-November.

SAT II is a subject test, which you may be required or recommended by some colleges for admission of Freshman placement. You should check with the college of your choice to determine its policy (if any) on SAT II requirements. CHECK NOW! Do not get caught having to take the SAT II at the last minute.

Registration information for the SAT I and SAT II is available in the Career Center. The registration form is located in the center of the booklet. This should be completed by you and mailed directly to the College Board by the deadline dates on the back of the booklet. Failure to meet the registration deadline will result in a late fee. Our CEEB code, 344529, is on the front of the booklet. A small practice booklet is also available in the Career Center. If you desire more intense practice reference books, such as Baron’s or Peterson’s Guide to Studying for the SAT, they are available at most bookstores.

The SAT is required for four-year and junior colleges. It is not always required for technical and community colleges or trade schools. However, if you plan to enter a college transfer program and transfer to a four-year college, the four-year college may require the SAT at the time of your transfer.

ACT (AMERICAN COLLEGE TESTING)

Most colleges will accept ACT scores as well as SAT scores. For many students the ACT is a better fit. Talk to your counselor about which test is better for you. Registration material is available in the Career Center.

PERSONAL DATA SHEET (RESUME)

If you plan to apply to competitive colleges or for scholarships that require references, you will need to design a personal data sheet or resume. It should include all of your academic awards, athletic participation and awards, extracurricular activities (be sure to point out leadership positions), community service, and employment (including babysitting and tutoring). If you are strong in all of these areas, it is beneficial to design your resume with a separate section for each category to show how well rounded you are. It is also efficient to design your resume on a computer so you can customize it to the requirements of each scholarship application. If you would like help with your resume, please see your English teacher or your counselor.

IN GENERAL…

Overall, we hope your senior year is one of your best. As things come up throughout the year, don’t wait until it is too late to take care of things. Student Services is here to hopefully answer any questions you might have, so please don’t hesitate to stop by or call. Together, let’s make this an outstanding year!!!

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STUDENT RESUME INFORMATION

The development of your student resume is an important step in planning for your future. You will use your student resume for many pursuits, including, but not limited to: after-school and summer employment, volunteer work, job shadowing and internships, college applications, and scholarship applications. Your school counselor may use your resume to write recommendations and to help you with the scholarship process. Each senior is encouraged to have a resume and share it with the counselor.

Your resume should be in a format that best highlights your experience, education and interests.

One possible resume format will include the following sections:

Heading: Name, Address, Telephone, email

Skills: Technical/Computer Skills, People Skills, Language Skills, Work Skills, Certifications

Education: Specialized classes or training, expected graduation from EWA

Experience: Volunteer and paid work, special projects you have completed

Activities: School and community activities in which you have participated (include dates, offices, and awards)

Interested: Cover anything not in “Activities”

References: At least two non-family persons who can say great things about you, your character and your work.

To create an online resume, visit CFNC.org and click on the Student Planner tab. You will need to create a USERNAME to use the High School Planner feature.

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SENIOR YEAR COLLEGE PLANNING CALENDAR

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER

· Meet with counselor to be sure that you are enrolled for enough credits to meet graduation requirements.

· Register for the ACT/SAT tests if necessary.

· Work on your resume forms to be used for recommendations.

· Visit college representatives.

· Narrow college choices to a few schools and obtain applications.

· If applications require essays, get started!

· Use a calendar to keep track of deadlines.

SEPTEMBER

· Complete essays and keep a copy for yourself.

· Plan College visits.

· Decide on early decision or early action.

· Give recommendation forms to teachers and counselors.