High School What is it and how to make the most of it. Shelly Landry Lead Counselor, Minneapolis Public Schools April 16, 2011 South High School

Topics What is high school and why is it important? What do students and parents need to do during the high school years: For students to be successful? For students to graduate on time? For students to prepare for college? Who can help? What about time outside of school?

What is high school?

Vocabulary List (and other important terms you should know) Graduation Requirements Credit Credit Recovery / ALC GPA My Life Plan Dual Credit Opportunities Entrance Requirements

Why is high school important? Being successful in high school is the first step to achieve many future goals! Everything done during high school DOES matter Credits and GPA are important measurements of a student’s successful and future opportunities and we all need to know about them

So what do students need to do graduate??? Students must pass classes and earn CREDITS. Students need a minimum of 64.5 CREDITS to Graduate. Students MUST meet the state & district standards embedded in required courses. Failing a required course MUST be made up in order to graduate. Students MUST pass the state graduation tests in English/Language Arts, Writing & Math. Student MUST complete a My Life Plan.

Graduation Requirements, continued. Students are also required to pass the following Graduation Required Assessments (GRAD) for a Diploma: TestsWhen Given Passing Score GRAD Test of Written CompositionGrade 93 or above out of 6 GRAD/Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment II (MCA II)-Reading Grade 10Determined by the state annually GRAD/Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment II (MCA II)- Math Grade 11Determined by the state annually In addition to these requirements students will also be exposed to curriculum in career & life planning through the Minneapolis Public Schools’ “My Life Plan”.

Courses Courses are the classes or subjects that are taken to earn credit toward graduation. Core Courses Required Courses Elective Courses

So what are the required courses?? English4 Years Social Studies4 Years Math3 Years (Minimum) Science3 Years (Minimum) Physical-Ed1 Year Health1 Year Fine Art1 Year Students cannot FAIL ANY of these courses

Specific Course Requirements Social Studies Geography World History US History Government & Citizenship Economics Mathematics Algebra Geometry Algebra 2 or Statistics & Probability Science Biology Chemistry & Physics

What is credit? Why is it important? Points representing the work completed by a student in a class You need to earn a certain number of credits to prove that you completed all the work to receive a high school diploma

Credits, continued. Credits are earned when a class is passed. Your school district or school determines the number of credits each class is worth and how many credits are needed for graduation. Credits are earned for grades of A, B, C, D, CR (credit), or P (pass). Zero credits are earned for a grade of F and that zero is counted as part of your grade point average or GPA. F, NC (no credit), or I (incomplete) grades must be made up if the class is required for graduation. Credits in required classes must be made up. Talk to your school counselor about credit make up options including: After school credit make up classes Summer school Online

EXAMPLE: ENGLISH 9

How many credits can you earn in a year? 0.75 credits/quarter for each class 0.75 x 6 classes = 4.5 credits total per quarter 4.5 x 4 quarters = 18 credits by the end of the freshman year

What is a transcript? A transcript is an official record of coursework, credits, and grades Transcripts are updated after each marking period Credits may differ depending on the schools or programs Colleges require an official transcript to determine acceptance and a final transcript to verify graduation

Transcript Quiz A Transcript is a record of: a) Attendance b) Test Scores c) Grades, credits, and courses taken Class of 2015 graduation requirements include all of the following except: a) 4 years of social studies b) 2 years of a world language c) 1 year of fine arts Colleges encourage students to: a) Take it easy their senior year b) Take challenging courses c) Take only classes they like

Transcript Quiz (continued) Transcripts include all the following except: a) Teacher names b) Grades c) Credits d) Course Titles To graduate in 2011, students need a minimum of: a) 600 credits b) 63.4 credits c) 60 credits d) 64.5 credits A transcript: a) Is a permanent document. b) Can change any time a student or parent wants it to. c) Will never be used for colleges or scholarships.

GPA, RANK, % and CREDITS Rank An individual student compared to all students in your class GPA Number value assigned to a student based upon grades and credits Percent An individual student out of every 100 students Credits.75 for each class passed per quarter; 1.5 per semester

What is a GPA? Grade Point Average (GPA) is the total sum of the value of each grade earned divided by the total number of classes taken. Each class is assigned a grade (A – F). Each grade is worth points (4 – 0). Add up all your points and divide by the number of classes = GPA. CR/NC grades do not affect your GPA. A=4.00 A-=3.67 B+=3.33 B=3.00 B-=2.67 C+=2.33 C=2.00 C-=1.67 D+=1.33 D=1.00 D-=0.67 F=0.00

GPA Computation Example 1 st Quarter2 nd Quarter GRADEPoints A4.00 B-2.67 C+2.33 A4.00 A-3.67 C-1.67 Total = GPA = Points / 6 classes GRADEPoints A4.00 C 2.00 C D+1.33 D1.00 F0.00 Total =10.00 GPA = Points / 6 classes Semester GPA=2.362

Why is a Student’s GPA important? Used as a criterion for athletics participation, scholarships, and college entrance and college prep programs GPA is important from start – It’s cumulative

CASE STUDY #1 Chris is a 11 th grade student. In his 9 th and 10 th grade years, he was not taking school seriously and skipped whenever he did not feel like coming to school. Although he understood information given in classes, he had never got a good grade because he rarely turned in his work. Actually, he failed several classes last two years. He now has 18 credits. Now he wants to be a computer programmer and realized the importance of school. He comes to school everyday and turns in all the home work so far this semester. Can he graduate on time if he passes all the classes from now on?

CASE STUDY #1 No. He has to take After School Program and/or summer classes to pass graduation requirement classes he has failed.

CASE STUDY #2 Maria is a senior this year. She studies and turns in work for classes she likes, but she doesn’t for classes or teachers she dislikes. For this reason, she passed all classes, but Math and PE. She will have more than 64.5 credits by the end of this school year, can she graduate on time?

CASE STUDY #2 No. Even if you have enough number of credits, you cannot obtain a high school diploma until you complete all of the graduation requirements

What can a student do now so he/she will not be a “case study”! Pass all classes  Attendance  Class work/Home work  Ask questions  Be organized  Behaviors Make up credits NOW if needed After School Program (ALC) Summer School MPS On-Line

Students should make an appointment with your counselor at least 1 time each grading period!! Academic Planning Personal/Social Needs Career/Post-Secondary Plan Our job is to work with students and their families to get students OUT of high school in 4 years with a plan…………… 2 yr, 4yr, tech, private career, military, or work………..but students have a PLAN!!

More tips for Students! Strive to Improve Set Goals Study Hard Take the Right Classes Ask Questions Get Involved Make Good Choices

Now what??!!??

Why go to college?

GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL VS. BEING PREPARED FOR COLLEGE English – 4 yrs Math – 3 yrs Science – 3 yrs Social Studies – 4 yrs English – 4 yrs Math – 4 yrs Science – 4yrs Social Studies – 4yrs World Language – 2 yrs Extra Curricular Activities Minimum needed to graduate from HS Recommended for College

COLLEGE ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS Minimum coursework : 4 years of English; 3 years of social studies, 3 years of math (through 3 rd level), 3 years of science, 2 years of second language, 1 year of arts GPA and class rank College entrance exams (ACT or SAT) An essay may be required Recommendations

Primary Factors for Admission to College Primary factors are the most important criteria post secondary institutions look at when considering a student for acceptance. They include: Grades earned in the 5 core subjects Difficulty level of the high school classes taken Overall GPA Class Rank Score on standardized college entrance exams School attendance Grade trends

What can students do to prepare academically for college? Required Coursework Foreign Language Courses Challenging Courses Honors courses Advanced Placement (AP) International Baccalaureate (IB) College In the Schools (CIS) Career Tech Ed (CTE) Post Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO)

College Fairs and Campus Visits Take advantage of college fairs and campus visits Explore different types of schools

Recommended Courses for Highly Selective Colleges English—4 years American Literature Composition English Literature World Literature Mathematics—4 years Algebra I Algebra II Calculus Geometry Precalculus Trigonometry History & Geography—2-3 years Civics Geography U.S. History U.S. Government World History World Cultures Laboratory Science—2-4 years Biology Chemistry Earth Science Physics Foreign Language—2-4 years Visual & Performing Arts—1 year Art Dance Drama Music Challenging Electives—1-3 years Communications Computer Science Economics Psychology Statistics

Standardized Tests EXPLORE (interest inventory and skills test) Typically taken in 8 th grade Required of all MPS students PLAN (interest inventory and skills test) Typically taken in 10 th grade Required of all MPS students PSAT (Pre SAT) Typically taken in 11 th grade Qualifying test for National Merit Scholarship SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) ACT (Academic College Test) Preferred by most Minnesota colleges For information on taking the tests, see your high school counselor.

What can students do outside of school to prepare for college? Independent Reading & Study Extracurricular Activities/Special Interests & Talents Work Experience & Community Service Creating a Good Place to Study Students needs a quiet and comfortable place to study. Here are a few things you can do: 1. Find a quiet place with some privacy. 2. Set up a desk or large table with good light and place reference books such as a dictionary on the desk or nearby. 3. Set aside a regular time every day for your studies.

Getting Involved Encourage your child: “Don’t Just Sit There, Join Something!” Academic Clubs Fine and Performing Arts Leadership Opportunities Athletic Activities Social and Political Clubs

Check out your school’s AchieveMpls Career and College Center Four Year Colleges and Universities Two Year Community and Technical Colleges Military Representatives from Colleges Career Materials Computer Based College and Career Search Scholarship Materials Job Information

Who else can help? Career and College Center Coordinator TRIO Programs: Upward Bound; Talent Search Admission Possible Project Success Parents, relatives, teachers, counselors…… Get involved and take advantage of these resources!

Your child wants to go to college and get a lot of scholarships… Well then… Students must not get D’s or F’s Students must take challenging classes Students should strive to get A’s and B’s And… …Be well rounded

SCHOLARSHIP CRITERIA Minimum GPA (usually 3.0) College prep courses (challenging) Good attendance Activities & leadership Volunteer activities Recommendations Resume Essay

What are next steps?? Develop your own “My Life PLAN”….. 4 years in high school and 2 (or more) years after high school. Work with your child’s counselor to ensure you are taking the courses you need to complete your plan. Get hooked up with resources: Network and use people and take advantage of opportunities.

Help your child go for it! Tell your child: YOU CAN DO HIGH SCHOOL YOU CAN BE SUCCESSFUL YOU CAN HAVE OPPORTUNITIES AFTER HIGH SCHOOL IT’S OK TO GET GOOD GRADES IF YOU GET STUCK…ASK FOR HELP BALANCE YOUR TIME STAY FOCUSED And DON’T FORGET TO HAVE FUN!!