Presented by WBHS PTSA and WBHS Guidance Department “The current and future health of America’s 21 st Century Economy depends directly on how broadly and deeply Americans reach a new level of literacy- ‘21 st Century Literacy’- that includes strong academic skills, thinking, reasoning, teamwork skills, and proficiency in using technology.” - 21 st Century Workforce Commission National Alliance of Business 75% of jobs will require education beyond high school, by the year 2020 ( U.S. Department of Labor, 2009)

 A-E- Stephanie Browning  F-J - Ms. Marsha House,  K-R- Mr. Tony Hughes  S-Z- Ms. Gayle Patterson  Administrative Assistant- Mrs. Vickie Carroll  SAP- Mr. Joe Scott  Career Center - Mr. Steve Graves

 College testing  Finding the right school  Applying for college  Paying for college  Virginia Wizard Virginia Wizard

 Top priorities for getting students enrolled in higher education are GRADES and a RIGOROUS COURSE LOAD.  Here are some of the GPA requirements for the top 5 schools that our students are applying to:  UVA or higher (92% of freshmen)  Virginia Tech- 3.5 or higher (72% of freshmen)  JMU- 3.5 or higher (56% of freshmen)  Roanoke College- 3.0 or higher (28% of freshmen)  Radford University- 3.0 or higher (38% of freshmen)

 For students planning to apply to UVA, VT and JMU, the following are suggested competitive courses:  Pre-AP and AP English classes  Pre-AP Algebra thru Pre-calculus or higher  Advanced Earth Science thru Physics or higher  Pre-AP WG/WH thru Government, preferably AP or Dual Credit  World Languages- 3 years or higher

 Research colleges that interest you. Each college has a website and most information about that college can be obtained from the website.  Attend the College Fair at the Salem Civic Center in Sept 2013 from 2-4pm or 6-8pm  Colleges visit WBHS mostly during the fall semester. Check the website and in the Career Center for details.

When to visit colleges:  Visit the colleges that you are interested in attending as soon as possible. Each school usually offers tours and open houses and even weekend visitation programs.  Spring of the junior year is an ideal time to visit.  Visit during the week while the college/university is in session.  You can use two school days to visit colleges with two days prior notice of our Attendance Office.  Schedule your visit with the college/university’s admissions office.

College visits allow you to:  Get a firsthand view of the college.  Get answers to your questions about different majors offered and other opportunities.  Get valuable information which will assist in determining which college is right for you.

 Standardized test that provides firsthand practice for the SAT Reasoning Test.  All college bound juniors should take the PSAT in order to be eligible for the National Merit Scholarship program.  Measures critical reading skills, math problem- solving skills and writing skills.  Score report and test booklet will be returned in December.

 PSAT’s will be given at WBHS Saturday, October 2013  Students can register at “Back to School” night in September or in the Guidance Office by the first of October  Cost is TBA. Make checks payable to WBHS.

 Juniors should take the SAT or ACT at least twice in the Spring and again in the Fall of the senior year, if necessary.  SAT Subject tests are required for some colleges. Should be taken May of the junior year.  Register for the SAT.SAT  Register for the ACT.ACT

 March: Sign-up for AP exams to possibly earn college credit.  April: Talk with teachers about writing letters of recommendation. These will be used for the admissions process and scholarships.  May: If colleges require SAT II Subject Tests take them in May.  June: Take the SAT I or SAT II or ACT tests if it is needed. Begin working on essays, audition tapes or portfolios if needed.

 If you are planning to play on a Division I or Division II sports team you must register with the NCAA Clearinghouse: This should be done the second semester of your junior year.  If you need to take SAT’s or ACT’s again in October or November of your senior year, obtain prep materials from a local book store to help you prepare for the tests. There are also test prep materials available in the school library, public library, and Career Center for check-out. Our materials are limited.  Students who qualify for testing accommodations (i.e. extended time, small group) see Ms. Patterson in the Fall of their junior year.

 Reach or Dream School  “Good Fit” School  Safe School  Applying to 3-5 schools is recommended.

 Decide if Early Decision or Early Action programs are for you.  Fill out and submit the online application  Release of information Release of information  Secondary School Report Form- two weeks prior to application deadline  Examples: Common Application and JMUCommon Application JMU  Transcript  Test Scores  Letters of Recommendation

 FAFSA- Free Application for Federal Student Aid FAFSA- Free Application for Federal Student Aid  Super Saturday Program  Scholarships/Grants- “Free” money for college.  Work-Study programs  Student Loans(Stafford Loans-subsidized/un- subsidized) a step by step financial aid process can be accessed at:

 Scholarship information  College visit schedule  Other important information

 Questions?