Senior Year and Beyond: The Steps to Success Class of 2014!

CLASS OF 2013

Make sure you have: 1.Taken all the required courses. 2.Earned 75 service learning hours. 3.Passed at least 25 credits (4 of which need to be during senior year). 4.Passed or used combined score for all H.S.A.s. CHECKLIST FOR GRADUATION:

 First step: GET ORGANIZED!  Get in 2 College website/ Senior Handbook  Continuing Education Fair: Monday, October 14th, 6-8 at the Carroll County Ag Center  Research schools on:  Collegeboard.org  College Navigator  See the LHS School Counseling Website for more!  Think about location, size of school, public vs. private, majors, activities  Choose a range of schools to apply to based on their average GPA and SAT scores of applicants.  Do Campus Visits or attend information sessions at LHS during PAWS  Decide on which schools you will apply to. THINKING ABOUT COLLEGE?

 Fall- Organize!  Start your list of schools, visit schools  Take the SAT or ACT again, send scores  Update your resume, stay involved  Get letters of recommendation  Write essays  Send in applications  Keep up your grades!  Winter/ Spring  Send remaining applications  Start the FAFSA for Financial Aid  Start the scholarship search  Visit schools (again if necessary)  Keep up your grades! TIMELINE FOR SENIOR YEAR

 Most applications are online.  Go to the college/university website to complete the online application.  Many schools use the Common Application. Go to to see if your college uses the Common App.  Additional pieces of the college application  SAT/ACT (usually must be sent directly from the testing company)  College Essay  Letters of Recommendation  Must ask teacher/ counselor personally and complete student self- assessment (Should be typed, electronic version available on counseling website). COLLEGE APPLICATIONS

 LHS Transcript Request form (green form)  Transcript request forms available on School Counseling Website or in the office.  Secondary School Report  Additional school and student information required by certain colleges  Only Common Application and University of Maryland College Park can be done online- be sure to enter your counselor or teacher’s into your online application.  You still MUST fill out a green transcript request form for your counselor to complete the online secondary school report TRANSCRIPTS

STUDENT NAME:_______________________________________________________D.O.B.______________________ FOR EACH SCHOOL LISTED PLEASE MARK YOUR SELECTIONS. NAME AND ADDRESS OF COLLEGE OR SCHOLARSHIP Unofficial or Official Please Indicate Choice Application Deadline Did you submit a Common Application Online?* Supplemental Form Attached? Secondary/Counselor Report Form: *Completed online? None? SAT/ACT Scores (Included on Transcript) Counselor Rec. Letter Yes or No Self-Assessment Must Be Attached Other Notes *Student Must Enter His/Her Counselor's Address Online as part of the Online Application! Please allow ten (10) school days for processing. The first 3 transcripts are FREE. There is a $1.00 fee for each additional request. (Unofficial or Official) There is a $5.00 fee for graduates or withdrawn students. I authorize the release of my records under the Family Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (Public Law ). Signature:_________________________________________________Date:_________________________ Your courses and grades are available on HAC. You may use this to enter your grades into your online applications. You always need to fill out a transcript request form for each of your schools because colleges require an official transcript sent directly from LHS. Your SAT and ACT scores can be printed on your transcript. For SAT or ACT scores to be official, you also need to send them directly from Collegeboard or ACT company. If you are asking for your ACT scores, then please circle ACT and provide a test date to help locate the score report.

THINKING ABOUT A 2 YEAR COLLEGE? Community Colleges  You need to request your transcript from LHS on the green transcript request form.  You must take the SATs and/or the Accuplacer test to determine your entry level of classes.  Come to the counseling office for step-by-step directions  Open House at Carroll: Thursday, October 3 rd, 6-8 pm  Hill Scholars Open House: Thursday, November 14 th, 6-7:30

 Military Branches include the Air Force, Army, Marines, Navy, and Coast Guard  If you are interested in joining the military, sign up to take the ASVAB.  for practice information:  Talk to a recruiter during lunch. THINKING ABOUT THE MILITARY?

SCHOLARSHIPS  Community Scholarships- advertised through Alert Now messages and on the website. Information can be found in the Counseling Office.  “Paying for College” link on Counseling website has many scholarship search sites and the FAFSA website.  Remember all scholarship searches should be free!

 Carroll Community offers many training programs in different career areas.  Earning licenses or certifications can significantly raise your salary!  Average earnings per year with a high school diploma: $28,000  Average earnings per year with advanced training: 45, ,000 source: THINKING ABOUT WORK?

 Use your PSAT score report code/ My College Quickstart  Career Development Resources on the LHS School Counseling site under College and Career Planning  Carroll Community College Career Assessment Tools  Online self-assessment of interests, abilities and values is available at Focus 2 on the CCC website.  Go to  Click Focus 2  Click New User  Access Code: CareerStart  Create an Account  Begin your Career Focus  Recommended Assessments:  Work Interest Assessment  Skills Assessment  Values Assessment  Academic Strengths  Personal Development CAREER SEARCH RESOURCES

 Check out the LHS website (  -> School Counseling  You will find resources for:  Academics  College Planning  AP testing  Scholarships and Financial Aid  Service Learning  SAT information and tips for studying  Work Permit information LOTS OF RESOURCES!

 Shaevitz, Marjorie Hansen. Admission possible : the "dare to be yourself" guide for getting into the best colleges for you.  Shanley, Mary Kay. Best answers to the 201 most frequently asked questions about getting into college.  Wissner-Gross, Elizabeth. Write your college essay in less than a day.  Colleges for students with learning disabilities or ADD.  Ebooks: Available on the front page of Destiny Catalog under Ebooks/Infobase Ebooks  From home- Username: lhsmc Password:student  Preparing For College  Choices for the High School Graduate RESOURCES FROM THE MEDIA CENTER

 All senior meetings are prescheduled with your counselor in the fall. Your counselor will review graduation requirements and discuss post secondary plans.  Please come with questions!  If your college has early deadlines, please come to the counseling office to check your appointment time and if necessary, request an earlier appointment.  If you cannot leave class to attend your meeting, please make sure you come to the counseling office to reschedule. SENIOR MEETINGS

 Check your or with your parent for a copy of this presentation and other updates.  Sign ups for PAWS sessions coming soon.  Counselors will be visiting during PAWS to answer questions or please make an appointment to see your counselor! OTHER REMINDERS