SENIOR GUIDANCE

MEET YOUR AHS COUNSELORS

SENIOR YEAR…..SENIOR SUMMIT  Graduation Plans/Credits  Testing Information  Senior Perks  Senior Timeline  Transcript Request  Additional Information  Important Senior Dates  Applications

GRADUATION PLANS  AISD Regular High School Plan  Recommended High School Plan  Distinguished Achievement High School Plan

RECOMMENDED GRADUATION PLAN CREDITS

MINIMUM GRADUATION PLAN CREDITS

INTERESTED IN THE DISTINGUISHED ACHIEVEMENT PLAN? HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED:  Students must complete a 3 rd year of the same foreign language (only curriculum addition)  Must also meet 4 of the following criterion:  Score of 3 or higher on an AP exam or 4 or higher on IB exam  GPA of 3.0 or higher on academic college course taken while in high school  Original research project under the direction of mentors from local university  Selection as a National Merit Commended student

MISSING CREDITS? METHODS OF RECOVERING CREDITS  Summer School  Credit Recovery Lab  CBE-Credit by Exam  Venture Night School  Correspondence work through Tx Tech  After School Academy at Drop Out Prevention

SENIOR PERKS  GPA Exemption  College Visit Days  Educational Talent Search/Go Center  Scholarships

GPA EXEMPT OPTION INFORMATION  11 th & 12 th graders - GPA of 7.00 (80) or higher.  Only courses beyond the required graduation credits can be taken GPA exempt.  Only two courses per semester can be taken GPA exempt. A third GPA exemption may be granted if applied to a 2 nd band, orchestra, or choir class Students must complete a GPA exempt form within the first three weeks of each semester. The decision is final and cannot be rescinded.  Numeric grade earned will appear on the transcript but no grade points will be calculated. Student must still be passing to maintain UIL eligibility.

SENIOR TIMELINE  September  Register for SAT/ACT  Attend College Night (September 24 at UTA)  Research colleges for application information  Fill out the Texas Common Application online at  Get Scholarship Bulletins  October-November  Visit colleges  Attend AHS College Night October 15  Read all materials for deadlines, early admission deadlines are usually around Nov. 1  Register to retake ACT/SAT if necessary.  Scholarships, Scholarships, Scholarships!

SENIOR TIMELINE  January/February  Complete FAFSA for financial aid  Finish any other college applications  Plan to visit colleges in the spring  Request copy of mid-year transcript if needed  March/April  Continue to check status of colleges you have applied for  Register for AP test if applicable  Register for TSI if necessary  Review financial aid offers  Notify college of final choice  Look at local scholarships (Senior Bulletin)  May  Provide documentation for all scholarships received for recognition at Senior Awards  Take AP exams

POST HIGH SCHOOL OPTIONS  Colleges and Universities:  4 year institutions  Must graduate on recommended plan to apply.  Junior or community colleges:  Two-year schools.  Offer transfer programs to other four year universities.  Saves money, develop vocational skills, work while you go to school, builds confidence and academic skills.  Technical Schools  Offer occupational programs to prepare for immediate employment.  Military

I KNOW WHERE I WANT TO GO; NOW WHAT SHOULD I DO? Apply  Make sure you have application in well before deadline (some as early as November 1).  For Texas public schools, use  For private schools, go to website and choose link for application. Many will use the Common Application or Send.Edu

I NEED RECOMMENDATIONS:  Many colleges & scholarships require counselor and/or teacher recommendations.  Ask for recommendations now and provide a resume to your recommender.  Give your recommender plenty of notice (two weeks preferably).  Make sure to thank him/her for the recommendation

HOW DO I GET THE TRANSCRIPT MY COLLEGE NEEDS?  Order from the Registrar in Main Counseling Office - $2.00 for each official transcript. Transcripts will be available for pick-up the next day after ordering.  No transcripts will be mailed during the school year. Very important – you will need to order a FINAL transcript at the end of the year which will be mailed directly to your school of choice.  Transcripts not sealed when they leave the office will not be sealed at a later date.

WHAT?! THERE’S MORE TESTS?!!  SAT/ACT (for four-year schools) 1. SAT: Oct. 3, Nov. 7, Dec 5, Jan 23, March 5, May 7, June 4 The new SAT will start on March 5th II. ACT: Oct. 24, Dec. 12, Feb 6, April 9, June 11 Students eligible for Free/Reduced Lunch can get a fee waiver for these tests. Fee waivers are available in the Go Center. TSI (Texas Success Initiative) Students can be exempt from this based on ACT/SAT scores. Test can be taken at TCC. STAAR – to receive diploma Retest opportunities will be offered in December and again in late spring.

SAT:NEW VS. OLD Biggest Different in Old and New SAT: The essay is optional Old Score Scale Range 600 to 2400 / New Score Scale Range 400 to 1600 Should I take the new one? The first test with the new SAT begins on March 5 th. By that point, seniors should have already taken the SAT at least once. You will not be able to superscore between the old test and the new.

THE BIG QUESTION – HOW DO I PAY?  FAFSA – Apply in January – can qualify for grants and/or student loans or work study. All students should complete the FAFSA.  Scholarships – See AHS and AISD websites  Savings  Work

FAFSA ID  In order to complete the FAFSA in January, you must first create a FAFSA ID.  You can create this ID now, in order to be prepared to complete your FAFSA later.  You can create this FAFSA ID at fafsa.ed.gov by clicking on FSA ID.

SCHOLARSHIP BULLETIN THE SCHOLARSHIP BULLETIN IS PRINTED EACH MONTH AND IS AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE AND COPIES ARE IN EACH COUNSELING OFFICE. PICK THESE UP EACH MONTH TO APPLY FOR THE MANY SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES!

HELP!!! I’M STILL CONFUSED!  SENIOR GUIDANCE BOOKS  Paying for college  Admission standards  Resources  Cost comparison  Everything from Point A to Point Z! USE YOUR AHS GO CENTER – ROOM A203  Stop by for help with college apps, SAT/ACT registration, FAFSA assistance, and more!  Monday – Thursday 7:30-3:00  Apply for Educational Talent Search Program

MARK YOUR CALENDARS !!  AHS College Night – October 15  Senior Group Picture- October 20  Financial Aid Night – January 12  Financial Aid FAFSA Workshops – Sign up available Jan 12 (must have taxes filed for 2015 to sign up)  Senior Awards Night- May 23  Prom/Mardi Gras Madness – May 28  Grad Rehearsal – Friday, June 3 rd at 12:30  Graduation!!! – UTA College Park  Saturday, June 4 at 12:30 p.m.

FOR THE LATEST INFO, CONNECT WITH: Facebook: AHS Counseling Department

LET’S GET STARTED!  Survey monkey   - free online college research  – SAT registration  – ACT registration  – Texas Common App  – Use matchmaker and other assessments to investigate majors and careers  – Form for federal financial aid  Scholarships –  Counselor page on AHS website (Sept bulletin already posted)   AISD website – look at “Students – Scholarship Information”  DON’T GET FOOLED BY SCAMS!!!!!!

 Questions?