Navigating your senior year successfully Senior Information Navigating your senior year successfully Graduation is May 31, 2016 @ 2:30 p.m.

Your counselors… Ms. Donna Taylor – A-K donna_taylor@charleston.k12.sc.us 843-746-6398 Ms. Deborah Ware – L-Z deborah_ware@charleston.k12.sc.us 843-746-6401

Communication… Morning Announcements Naviance AMHS Counseling Department Website Email: amhscounselors@gmail.com Raptor Report

College Application Process First Steps List of colleges Deadlines (early action, early decision, regular decision) Gather application tools (resume, parent info, test scores) Start the application Common App College Website Naviance

College Application Process Things your application may include: Demographics Essay Activities / Honors / Community Service Test Scores Letters of Recommendation Transcript

The College Essay Essay should be clear, concise, creative and grammatically correct In many cases this is how the Admissions Office gets to know you as a candidate Be interesting! Have multiple people review and edit Essays should be written to each specific school’s prompts (do not cut and paste)

Letters of Recommendation Make sure recommenders know you well and will write a good letter for you Request recommendations in a timely manner Give recommenders your senior information sheet Provide recommenders with information on how to submit letter, including deadlines

Sending Test Scores Official scores must be sent directly from CollegeBoard and ACT (student’s responsibility) www.Collegeboard.org www.ACTstudent.org Most colleges super score Be aware of credential deadlines and testing dates

Transcripts Be aware of credential deadlines Transcript requests should be processed within one week Official transcripts will be uploaded through Common App, Naviance or will be mailed from the school Transcripts cannot be emailed List all colleges you are applying to in Naviance but do not request transcripts for Common App schools in Naviance

User name: SmiJoh1234 Password: 91234 or 260010001234 Do NOT Change your password!!!

Do not ask for unofficial scores…Colleges want official scores

Scholarships / Financial Aid Scholarships will be listed on Naviance and updated regularly Students must check for scholarships regularly Scholarship information PowerPoint is on the Guidance Webpage FAFSA is your official financial aid application FAFSA forms are not available on-line until January 2

Life Scholarship / Palmetto Fellows 3.0 GPA 1100 SAT or 24 ACT Palmetto Fellows: 4.0 1400 SAT (CR and Math) or 32 ACT Early Award: November is last test date SC Commission Codes: SAT 4313; ACT 6326

Finalizing Decisions Visit colleges Meet with college admissions reps when they visit Magnet Admission reps schedules are posted on Naviance Keep all scholarship offers from all schools and bring a copy to your counselor Let your counselor know of your final school choice (you will need to indicate your choice in Naviance)

Upcoming Programs September 3 Senior Night December 18 2015 Magnet Alum College Panel On going: College Admissions Rep visits (check Naviance) IGP’s

Finish Strong! Final thoughts about your application: Honesty and integrity Completeness and accuracy Don’t over-extend yourself Final thoughts about your grades Colleges request mid-year reports College acceptances are conditional upon your final transcript

Mr. Taaha Mohamedali Senior Assistant Director of Admissions Lafayette College Easton, PA

Questions?