JUNIOR INFORMATION ● October 2014

7/3/2015 H:\Counseling Office Documents\Junior Conferences\Junior Conference Presentation.odppage 2 Counseling Webpage Located off the main FCHS website. Visit it often! New information posted weekly. SAT / ACT sign up information Dual Enrollment Information GPAs Scholarship and Summer Opportunities are posted Test Preparation Information Financial Aid / Hope Scholarship details And More…..

7/3/2015 H:\Counseling Office Documents\Junior Conferences\Junior Conference Presentation.odppage 3 Four Year Plan 23 credits are needed for graduation, if you began 9 th grade in the Fall of English - 4 Math - 4 Science - 3 Social Studies - 3 CTAE / Language / Fine Art courses - 1 Personal Fitness & Health - 4 Electives All students must earn all credits and pass the writing section of the GHSGT.

7/3/2015 H:\Counseling Office Documents\Junior Conferences\Junior Conference Presentation.odppage 4 College Information Students receive 4 college visit days. Must bring back signed documentation on college letterhead for the absence to count as a field trip. SAT / ACT – most take in the spring for the first time, most two- year and four-year schools do require these test scores for admission. Those wanting to attend a technical school should take the ASSET test with the technical school. Begin looking at scholarship searches. Utilize for information. Your GPA is very important. Need at least a 2.0 – 2.2 cumulative GPA for admission to 2 year schools, much higher for 4 year schools. Think about adding some rigor to your senior schedule!

7/3/2015 H:\Counseling Office Documents\Junior Conferences\Junior Conference Presentation.odppage 5 Work Information Use the career planning tools on the website for help understanding what might be a good fit. Don't wait until the last minute to find a job. Take the ASVAB (a career planning test sponsored by the military.... a FREE exam with no commitment to the armed services). It will be offered on October 15. Work on building your resume. Network, shadow, and interview people who can help you get started after high school. Consider furthering your education by just taking a class or two at a local college.

7/3/2015 H:\Counseling Office Documents\Junior Conferences\Junior Conference Presentation.odppage 6 Military Talk to recruiters now....don't wait! Bring a trusted individual with you – parent/guardian/friend. Do not sign anything until you are ready. You are committed once you sign documents. Explore your options within the military. Take the ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery). All branches require this test be taken. Be sure you also talk to the recruiter about funding for college to ensure you are eligible for aid.

7/3/2015 H:\Counseling Office Documents\Junior Conferences\Junior Conference Presentation.odppage 7 HOPE SCHOLARSHIP How do you earn the HOPE scholarship? The current HOPE regulations state that you must have a 3.0 Core or Academic Grade Point Average in order to be eligible to receive HOPE. It is calculated over all four years of high school, not just your senior year! Must have a valid social security number on file in our office to receive HOPE – must bring card to counseling office if we do not have it on file. New Rigor Requirements! All current juniors must have THREE HOPE rigor courses to be eligible in addition to the GPA requirement. What are the award amounts? The HOPE Scholarship award varies and depends on the type of institution you are attending and your specific hours of enrollment. There is a chart on the GA College 411 website to determine this information. Public Institutions - Students attending public colleges or universities receive a HOPE award amount, up to a maximum of 15 hours, based upon a per hour rate at the institution he or she is attending. Private Institutions - Students attending private colleges or universities receive a HOPE award amount, up to a maximum of 12 hours, based on a half-time or full-time enrollment status.

7/3/2015 H:\Counseling Office Documents\Junior Conferences\Junior Conference Presentation.odppage 8 Beginning with students graduating from high school on or after May 1, 2016, in order to be eligible to receive a HOPE scholarship, a student must receive at least three credits in courses from the following categories, prior to graduating from high school: 1) Advanced math, such as Advanced algebra and trigonometry, math III, or an equivalent or higher course; 2) Advanced science, such as chemistry, physics, biology II, or an equivalent or higher course; 3) Advanced Placement courses in core subjects (English, math, science, social studies, and foreign language); 4) International Baccalaureate courses in core subjects (English, math, science, social studies and foreign language); 5) Dual credit courses in Core subjects taken during Dual Credit Enrollment at an Eligible Postsecondary Institution; 6) Courses taken at a unit of the University System of Georgia in core subjects (English, math, science, social studies and foreign language) where such courses are not remedial and developmental courses; or 7) Advanced foreign language courses. HOPE SCHOLARSHIP – Rigor Requirements

7/3/2015 H:\Counseling Office Documents\Junior Conferences\Junior Conference Presentation.odppage 9 Zell Miller Scholarship Graduate from an eligible high school with a minimum 3.7 grade point average combined with a minimum score of 1200 on the math and reading portions of the SAT test or a composite score of 26 on the ACT test in a single national test administration. While you have until the last day of classes or exams to submit your application, in order to receive Zell Miller funds for that semester or quarter, we highly recommend submitting your HOPE application as early as possible. You are responsible for submitting your Official test scores from College Board or ACT to the Georgia Student Finance Commission. FCHS does not submit test scores to the GSFC. We will upload your transcript at the end of the year for verification, but you are responsible for submitting your test scores by the deadline. For all the requirements please visit the GA College 411 webpage and click on the Financial Aid Tab.

7/3/2015 H:\Counseling Office Documents\Junior Conferences\Junior Conference Presentation.odppage 10 Grade Point Averages Two main types of GPA's. Cumulative Core Cumulative is EVERYTHING you have ever taken 9 th through 12 th grades. Core is only your academic subject areas (English, Math, Science, Social Studies, and Foreign Language.) It also includes any academic electives such as psychology, sociology, or AP European History, Dual Enrollment classes, etc... See your counselor if you have questions. Most colleges primarily look at your Core GPA for admission, not your cumulative. Ask them before you apply!

7/3/2015 H:\Counseling Office Documents\Junior Conferences\Junior Conference Presentation.odppage 11 Advanced Placement & Dual Enrollment If you score a 70 or higher in an AP or Dual Enrollment class, an additional quality point is added in the GPA calculation. For your cumulative GPA, a full quality point is added (ex: if you get an A, you get 5 quality points instead of 4. For a B, you get 4 instead of 3, etc.) For your HOPE or Academic GPA, only a ½ quality point is added and nothing is added if you get an A. (ex: an A is only worth 4 quality points, a B is worth 3.5 and a C is worth 2.5). This helps to explain why your cumulative GPA may be higher than your HOPE GPA.

7/3/2015 H:\Counseling Office Documents\Junior Conferences\Junior Conference Presentation.odppage 12 Honor Graduate You need a 3.5 CUMULATIVE GPA to be considered an Honor Graduate at the graduation ceremonies. This is a high honor and you will receive a stole to wear at graduation.

7/3/2015 H:\Counseling Office Documents\Junior Conferences\Junior Conference Presentation.odppage 13 Dual Enrollment Options Dual enrollment programs provide opportunities for FCS high school students to take college-level courses and earn concurrent credit toward a high school diploma and a college degree while still in high school. To apply students must meet SAT/ACT testing requirements. Have a minimum 3.0 Grade Point Average Talk with your counselor if this is something you would like to do your senior year. Listen for announcements for a meeting in January or February. PARENT/STUDENT INFORMATION NIGHTS: ** Will be announced in the spring semester.

7/3/2015 H:\Counseling Office Documents\Junior Conferences\Junior Conference Presentation.odppage 14 CENTRAL STARS A program which honors students who have a combined score utilizing the Critical Reading and Math scores on the SAT of an 1100 or higher and a composite score of a 24 or higher on the ACT exams. This will be held on January 28 at 9:00am in the New Gym. If you think you should be included please make sure to notify your counselor prior to January 8, 2015.

7/3/2015 H:\Counseling Office Documents\Junior Conferences\Junior Conference Presentation.odppage 15 Credit Recovery Do you need to make up a failed class? Make sure to make up missed courses BEFORE your senior year. Do not wait! See your counselor before you sign up to get it approved. Some options for making up courses: Summer School Mountain Education Center Georgia Virtual School Forsyth Academy (Day) IACHIEVE Online options - other

7/3/2015 H:\Counseling Office Documents\Junior Conferences\Junior Conference Presentation.odppage 16 Shortened School Day (ie2) If you are caught up on all your credits and on track for graduation you may want to consider the ie2 option for seniors. Seniors will be required to sign up for a minimum of 4 courses. If you play any type of sport you will be required to sign up for a minimum of 5 classes in order to still be eligible to play. Just because you are interested in the ie2 option, does not mean it will logistically work with your schedule. We will not know until the summer. We will try our best to make it work for you! Contracts for the ie2 program will be available during course registration in February or March. They must be submitted by the deadline. Must have a parent/guardian sign off on forms. Counselors verify all signatures.

7/3/2015 H:\Counseling Office Documents\Junior Conferences\Junior Conference Presentation.odppage 17 Registration for Senior Classes Begin thinking about what classes you would like to take your senior year. Talk with your teachers about their recommendations. If you are recommended to take an AP course and do not want to take it, you MUST complete a course waiver to have the class dropped from your schedule. There will be no changes after the first week of school.

7/3/2015 H:\Counseling Office Documents\Junior Conferences\Junior Conference Presentation.odppage 18 Sports in College! If you would like to play a division I or II sport in college, you need to follow some necessary steps. Register with the NCAA clearinghouse. Transcripts must be sent to them. A preliminary one & a final one. Should prepare a sports resume. Begin talking with your coaches about prospective opportunities. Contact various organizations for more guidance: National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA)

7/3/2015 H:\Counseling Office Documents\Junior Conferences\Junior Conference Presentation.odppage 19 Counselor Information If you have questions, your counselor! Ms. Kozee– (A – E) Mrs. Chilson – (F - L) Mrs. Miller – (M - R) Ms. Savage – (S – Z and all ELL Students)