WFHS SENIORS ARE GOING PLACES! COUNSELING CONNECTION February/March 2013 The Counseling Connection is our way to communicate important information regarding senior deadlines, college information, scholarship deadlines, and activities. Do not miss out on an opportunity for your future! Completing the FAFSA On January 1, the Department of Federal Student Aid released the FAFSA for the 2013-2014 academic year. Completing the new FAFSA is the first step in accessing more than $150 billion available in federal student aid, including grants, loans, and work-study funds. Many states and colleges use the FAFSA data to determine student eligibility for state and institution-based aid. For more information, go to http://studentaid.ed.gov/fafsa NEXT SAT/ACT TEST DATES SAT TEST DATE/REGISTRATION DEADLINE May 4/April 5 WFHS, NFHS, SFHS, Pinecrest June 1/May 2 WFHS, Pinecrest www.collegeboard.com ACT TEST DATE/REGISTRATION DEADLINE April 13/Mar 8 WFHS, NFHS, SFHS, Kings Ridge June 8/May 3 WFHS, NFHS www.act.org APPLY FOR the HOPE Scholarship Applying for the HOPE Scholarship is easy, but you should always check with the college you are going to attend to make sure you are completing the applications they require. Students have three options for applying for the HOPE Scholarship. Complete the FAFSA – If you wish to be considered for financial aid other than the HOPE, you should complete the FAFSA. Accessing the FAFSA application from GAcollege411 can reduce the amount of time it takes. Complete the gsfc HOPE Application using an electronic application (link available on GAcollege411). Complete the gsfc HOPE Application using a printable application (link available on GAcollege411). Always be sure to check with the college , university, or technical college to be sure if they have any deadlines which you must meet. FREE Help Applying for financial Aid for College (FAFSA)! Join University of North Georgia for College Goal Georgia! Dahlonega Campus Sunday, February 24, 2013 @ 2:30 - 4:30 PM Library, Technology Center 706-864-1412 email: Katherine.Tosh@ung.edu Gainesville Campus Friday, March 1, 2013 @ 4:00 - 7:00 PM J Foster Watkins Academic Building ACTT Center 678-717-3642 email: Julie.Lord@ung.edu WHAT TO BRING TO SUBMIT YOUR FAFSA For BOTH the student and parent: *2012 Tax Return if you filed a 2012 Tax Return *2012 W-2's *Your FAFSA PIN (both students and parents apply for a PIN at www.pin.ed.gov ) *Any other documents you think may be relevant to your situation Financial aid counselors will be on hand to answer your FAFSA questions and a computer lab will be available with assistance to submit your FAFSA. For more information about College Goal Georgia, additional locations, and what you will need to bring to the event, visit www.CollegeGoalSundayGA.com STAY UP TO DATE WITH YOUR WFHS SENIOR ACTIVITIES................. The WFHS SENIOR CALENDAR OF EVENTS is located on the main WFHS webpage or on the counseling page…..Direct links to upcoming events, graduation, pictures, etc…. SENIORS…If you have been accepted to a college or have received a scholarship, please stop by the counseling office to update your page in the senior blue book! We will announce your acceptance in the Counseling Connection Senior Newsletter and on the senior bulletin board.

Not sure what you are going to do after high school? From an apprenticeship to a 4-year or community college, you have lots of choices when it comes to higher education. The same skills and knowledge needed to get into college are the same needed to get a good job. GAcollege411 is a great website for exploring careers. It will help you to find out what that career is all about and what it takes to prepare. In addition to traditional 4-year colleges, other options are 2-year or technical colleges which generally require two years of coursework to earn an A.A. or A.S. degree. These schools are open to everyone with a high school diploma . It’s often possible to transfer to a 4-year school and earn a B.A. or B.S. degree Professional schools offer 2-year or more years of training within a particular field or career. Some popular professional schools include culinary training, music, nursing or computer science. Apprenticeship programs combine practical coursework and on-the-job training U.S. military provides training and money for education. Options include enlistment, military academies and Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) programs. Many colleges and universities offer ROTC programs for one or more branches of the military. Entering the workforce immediately after high school – especially with internship and previous work experience-can mean getting a jump start on a career. What to do about Senioritis From the Collegeboard website Seniors have worked hard for three years, taking tests, completing projects, and preparing for college admission. When second semester of your senior year rolls around, some students just want to get through college applications and relax before they head off to the college of their choice. Also known as senioritis, taking it easy senior year may seem like a nice break, but is likely to do more harm then good. According to recent reports, incomplete high school preparation can contribute to academic problems in college. As many as half of all college students do not have adequate academic preparation, and are required to take remedial courses. More than one quarter of the freshmen at 4-year colleges and nearly half of those at 2-year colleges do not even make it to their sophomore year. Not only does senioritis jeopardize your chances for success later on in college, it can also affect your grades—and college admissions officers pay close attention to your performance senior year. Upcoming College Visits February 27th University of West Georgia 11:00 – Café March 6th – Valdosta University More college visits will be scheduled so please listen for any announcements from the Counseling Office. Attention Seniors! March 27 – Balfour will be here so you can pick up Graduation Announcements in Cafeteria MARCH SENIOR CALENDAR Have all applications and materials sent. Begin the Financial Aid process (FAFSA Free Application for Student Aid) (Georgia Student Finance Commission) GACollege411 is a useful tool for college financial planning and scholarship information. Deadlines for completing Financial Aid are Very Important. Consult with the Financial Aid office of the college you plan to attend. Begin investigating scholarship opportunities (local civic organizations, parents place of employment, churches, clubs, college based scholarships, website searches, Counseling website) Acceptance or rejection letters will begin to arrive. SPRING SENIOR CALENDAR Financial Aid award letters will begin arriving. Begin making final college decisions. Continue to apply for scholarships (Check Counseling office for more info). Visit colleges during spring break. Complete any necessary paperwork required by the college for Housing, Financial Aid, Work-Study etc. Send off deposits if required. Double check any cap/gown, senior fees and graduation schedule your high school may have. Work closely with your high school counselor during this entire process.