Rising Senior Information CLASS OF 2019 Rising Senior Information Smoky Mountain High School

Tonight’s Topics Preparing for Senior Year What Can Parents Do College Admissions Types of Decisions ACT or SAT? Financial Aid Scholarships CFNC.org

Preparing for Senior Year Registration Meeting with Counselor Transcript Review Plans After High School Parents are welcome to attend these meetings Resources for Senior Year Opportunities for Help Workshop Dates

Parents Challenge your Senior to… Help them stay organized Maintain a challenging course load Enjoy senior year, but be responsible Start working on applications, and financial aid this summer Avoid getting into the pattern of late in’s and early outs College classes, the military & careers will make them get up in the morning & go past 3 o'clock in the afternoon. Help them stay organized Applications log in & passwords Deadlines & emails

College Admissions Admissions Counselors are reviewing the student as a whole Course Rigor- college prep courses Overall Grades GPA/Class Rank Extracurricular commitments Community Service / Community Involvement The Essay Recommendations Test Scores Courses taken toward major of interest

Types of Decisions Early Decision- commitment Students submit applications before the regular decision deadline & receive their admissions decisions soon after. Early Decision is binding, which means that any student who applies & is admitted to a school through Early Decision is expected to enroll. Early Decision applicants typically require some type of signed form that indicated the intention to enroll upon admission. Early Action- no commitment Students will submit their applications before the regular deadline and will be informed of their admissions earlier than with regular decision applications. Regular Decision-no commitment The vast majority of students who apply to a given institution will do so through regular decision. Application submission deadlines vary between institutions

When to Apply Early Decision/Early Action Applying EA or ED is Appropriate for a Student Who…. Has researched colleges extensively Is absolutely sure that the college is their first choice Has found a college that is a strong match academically, socially, and geographically Meets or exceeds the admission profile for the ACT/SAT scores, GPA and class rank Has an academic record that has been consistently solid over time College Comparison Checklists

Transcripts Need a Transcript Form Will be given to each student in their registration meeting Available in the Student Support Center

ACT or SAT ACT www.act.org SAT www.collegeboard.org All juniors have taken the ACT & will be given copies of their scores during their registration meeting with their School Counselor Sections: English, Math, Reading, Science Reasoning, Optional Writing Common core aligned SAT www.collegeboard.org Offered every November at Smoky Mountain High School Sections: Reading, Writing & Language, Math, Optional Essay Stronger emphasis on vocabulary ALL US COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES ACCEPT SCORES FROM EITHER ACT OR SAT Both tests use super scoring

Source: https://blog.prepscholar.com/act-vs-sat

Financial Aid Grants- Does not have to be repaid Free money usually awarded based on need Ex. Pell Grants, NC State Lottery Grant, College Funded Grants Scholarships- Does not have to be repaid Free money awarded for academics, sports, special talents, cultural/religious backgrounds, etc. Does not have to be repaid Work Study- Does not have to be repaid Money funded by the government to employ the student in a part-time job on or off campus that will pay the student, and pay towards college tuition/fees Loans- Must be repaid Borrowed money from government or private lenders that must be paid back, and in some cases paid back with interest

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Submit FAFSA at www.fafsa.ed.gov Apply for need-based grants, loans, and work-study Make sure you are on the .gov website Financial Need = Cost of Attendance – EFC (Expected Family Contribution) EFC is determined by income data provided by parents on FAFSA FSA ID is required Multiple opportunities at SMHS for FAFSA Help Can submit October 1st The sooner the better!

College Costs Billable Expenses Indirect Expenses Tuition Fees Room and Board (if residing on campus) Meal Plan These costs show up on college “bill” Indirect Expenses Books & Supplies Room and Board (if residing off campus) Personal Expenses Travel These costs do not show up on college “bill”

Scholarships Take Student Effort- But do not have the be repaid Monthly Scholarship Flyer- On SSC website & Emailed to Seniors Look Locally Utilize different websites FastWeb.com Finaid.org/scholarships cfnc.org Lendedu.com/blog/scholarships Beware of Scams No guarantees Do not pay to apply

CFNC.org Free Account for All Students Scholarships Applications Transcript Manager RDS NC College Application Week Mostly Independent Colleges & Universities All Community Colleges Tentatively set at October 15th-19th

Senioritis Decreased motivation towards studies displayed by students who are nearing the end of their high school career Symptoms include: slowness, procrastination, apathy regarding school, tendency to be absent or skip The Serious Side: Retraction of College Admissions Academic Probation Alteration of Financial Aid Award Package

Closing Information Check with your student’s School Counselor about your student’s meeting date Senior Portraits will be taken on July 9, 2018 Formal photo Casual photos Graduation Date Announced before Christmas