Senior College Information Night Class of 2014 Cody Clark, Principal Bonnie Silva, Junior/Senior Advisor Terri Picaso, Academic Admin. Asst. Get Ready! Get organized! Get Going!

Graduation Information Colors Girls ~ white & Boys ~ Blue Jostens Caps & Gowns Graduation Announcements Class Rings (if you have not ordered yet, pick up a post- card from Terri Picaso on your way out

What Students Should be Doing ACT/SAT Retake to raise scores if needed Students registered to take the December 14 th ACT test or December 14 th SAT may request online access to the John Baylor Test Prep Program by signing up with Mrs. Silva in the Academic Advising Office.

ACT Test Dates Test DateRegistration Deadline Late Registration (Late Fee Required) December 14November 8November 9-22 February 8January 10January April 12March 7March 8-21 June 14May 9May Test DateRegistration Deadline Late Registration (Late Fee Required) December 7November 8November 22 January 25December 27January 10 March 8February 7February 21 May 3April 4April 18 June 7May 9May 23 SAT Test Dates

What Students Should be Doing Finalize your college list and APPLY NOW Know the application Deadlines Early Decision ~ binding Early Action ~ non-binding Request Recommendations Complete a profile form to give your recommender Allow at least two weeks before the deadline Transcripts The Academic Advising Office must have a signed release in order to process transcript requests Essays Required or recommended – Proof, revise, complete

Scholarship Search Start with the Universities you have applied to Search online: FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) Must be completed in order to receive any type of need based scholarship, grant or loan for college Cannot start FAFSA until January of the senior year and must be completed by March 10 th. Financial aid information meetings and workshop will be held on January 8 th at 5:00 p.m. Apply for a FAFSA Pin now so you are prepared in January What Students Should be Doing

Accept Offer of admission Once you have decided where to attend college notify the college of your intent. Housing Deposits Unique to each University, earlier is ALWAYS better to ensure you get your first choice

What College Admissions Evaluates Academic Evaluation Minimum Course Requirements Strength of Academic coursework Grades in Academic courses Grade Point Average Percentile Rank Grade Trends Test Scores (ACT/SAT) Non-Academmic Factors Essay Letters of Recommendation Extra Curricular Activities

College Admissions Tests Check individual college website to see average SAT/ACT scores of accepted applicants. Colleges will look at a student’s highest scores, even if the scores are from separate tests. Many schools will not take SAT scores on a transcript – students should have their scores sent automatically.

College Admissions Tests College admissions tests are sometimes used as cut-offs for admission Sometimes used to compare with academic record to clear up discrepancies Sometimes used by students themselves to judge the quality of students that attend that school Students approved for Free/Reduced Lunch can receive a test fee waiver

Scholarships Searching for scholarships can be very time- consuming! Students should register with a scholarship search engine like FASTWEB.com. Never pay a service for scholarship searching! Scholarships can be need-based or merit- based – plus many more factors.

Scholarships Volunteer/community service is almost always an eligibility requirement Dropping and or failing courses can adversely affect your chances of getting a scholarship Leadership and experiential programs can greatly benefit Scholarships are VERY competitive!

Financial Aid FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is the key! FAFSA gets you eligible for grants, work-study, loans. Get your taxes ready early - some grants are first-come, first-served. FAFSA looks at the cost of the particular school, and then looks at the family income in order to determine the family’s expected contribution (EFC). The difference between the cost of the school and the family contribution equals the student need.

ASCENT 5 th Year Program Attend Front Range Community College for a year while The Academy pays your tuition Eligibility Meet all H.S. graduation requirements by May 30, 2014 Earn a minimum of 12 college credits by May 30, 2014 Agree to enroll as a 5 th year senior at the Academy

Final Thoughts… Best Advice for students: Be Proactive! Stay organized! Don’t Procrastinate! Seek help! Ask Questions! Fully take on the responsibility of your own education!

Don’t be afraid to contact the Academic Advising Office for help. Bonnie Silva ; Terri Picaso ;