WELCOME WELCOME GRAND BLANC HIGH SCHOOL JUNIOR PARENT COLLEGE NIGHT March 18, 2013

Topics to be covered… What are the options after high school? What are the options after high school? How do you choose a college? How do you choose a college? What are important factors considered by college admissions? What are important factors considered by college admissions? Are you interested in playing college sports? Are you interested in playing college sports? What are the steps in the college application process? What are the steps in the college application process? How will you pay for college? How will you pay for college?

Post High School Options  Associate Degree (2-year college)  Bachelor’s Degree (4-year college)  Vocational Training  Apprenticeship  Employment  Military

Education and Earnings

Career Resource Center  Educational Development Plan (EDP)   Research careers and colleges  Military  Day-on-the-job opportunities  Volunteer opportunities  Job openings  Summer programs  Contact Stephanie Garey:

Graduation Testing Requirements Students must complete ONE of the following:  Receive a 21 composite on the ACT  Earn all 1’s and 2’s on the MME  Earn a C- or higher in the ACT Prep class  Take and pass any required senior exit exams

Things to consider when choosing a college…  Admission Requirements  Location (distance and setting)  Cost  Academic programs  Size of enrollment  Public vs. Private

College Tours  Visit colleges your student is considering  Call the admissions office for an appointment or register online for an official tour  Talk to professors and students  Sit in on classes  Visit a dormitory  Virtual tours on college websites  Arranged absence through school

Colleges Visit GBHS  College representatives visit GBHS in the fall  Watch the daily announcements  Check the Counseling Office visitation chart weekly for dates and times at the beginning of senior year  Appointments must be made in the Counseling Office at least one day before the visit  Sign up to receive the “From the Guidance Office” newsletter through SchoolFusion. A schedule of college rep visits and other important information will be ed to you on Fridays.  Friend us on Facebook! Search for GBHS Counseling Office and hit “like” to receive notifications of upcoming events

What are colleges looking for?  ACT Score -All juniors took on March 5, 2013 as part of the required MME test -All juniors took on March 5, 2013 as part of the required MME test -Test retakes are available in June, September, or October if you want to improve your score -Include college codes so that scores can be sent directly to colleges -Go to to register -Fee waivers available for students who receive free/reduced lunch -U M-Ann Arbor, MSU, and the NCAA all require test scores to be sent directly from ACT  GPA - Final transcripts WILL be looked at and college acceptance is not a guarantee. Finish strong!

What are colleges looking for?  AP and Honors classes -Take if they are appropriate and there is a passion for the subject -GPA is weighted for AP classes -Colleges look at what was taken vs what was available -GBHS has 17 AP classes to choose from  A Well-Rounded Student -Find volunteer activities and school clubs that truly interest you.

Other Things to Do…  Create a list of activities and awards for college and scholarship applications  Maintain or improve grade point average  Participate in community service opportunities  Begin to formulate a personal statement (i.e. career aspirations, goals, college plans)  Investigate summer experiences/workshops

Senior Year Scheduling Senior Year Scheduling  Take a rigorous class schedule  Colleges recommend at least 3 or 4 academic credits  Parents and students should review high school graduation requirements  Schedule changes at the beginning of the school year are very difficult and only done under specific criteria  Seniors are encouraged to explore different elective opportunities during their senior year

Advanced Placement Courses  College level courses taught in high school  More challenging  Require motivated students  Summer work required in most classes  Weighted grade (A=5.0, B=4.0, C=3.0)  Opportunity to earn college credit by achieving a qualifying score on AP exam given in May  Read “Pledge of Commitment” in Course Selection Guide handout or online  Students are not allowed to drop the course

Are you a potential college athlete?  NCAA National Collegiate Athletic Association  Register online in the Fall of senior year  Visit  Division I and II schools both require 16 core high school credits  Core classes are identified online in the Course Selection Guide  Skill Center classes do NOT count for NCAA eligibility  ACT scores must be sent directly from ACT (Use code 9999)  GPA – recalculated using core classes only

Are you a potential college athlete?  NAIA National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics  Must meet 2 of the following 3 criteria  GPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale  18 Composite on ACT or 860 on the SAT  Graduate within the top 50% of the class  NAIA has over 300 colleges to choose from  MUST register to play at  Not the same as NCAA  Can visit the website or call for more information

College Applications College Applications  In-state applications are available -Counseling Office -Online (preferred method)  Out-of-state apps are available -Online only  Early Action/Decision deadlines guarantee college response before winter break  Submit college applications in fall, checking each one for specific deadlines  Application may require a counselor to fill out a paper portion. When completed, these forms will be returned to the student to mail.

College Applications College Applications  COMMON APP - Allows you to fill out one application for multiple colleges - Required for University of Michigan – Ann Arbor and several other colleges in Michigan - Check the website ( for a complete list - Download the School report, Midyear report, and Final report and hand in together -The School report will be returned to the student to be mailed -Midyear and Final reports will be returned to students for mailing at the appropriate time -Transcripts must be sent using Parchment

Paying for College Scholarships  Lists of available scholarships are updated regularly beginning in October in the Counseling Office  Colleges will notify you of anything your student may qualify for  Online searches (  Local scholarships (Available in February)  Parent ’ s employers, church, clubs, etc...  Updated scholarship books are available in the local library  Some scholarships will require that the FAFSA be completed

Scholarship Scams  Don’t pay money to get money  If it seems to good to be true, it probably is!  Spend time, not money  Check with the Better Business Bureau if you question the validity of the scholarship program  Speak with your student’s counselor

Financial Aid Financial Aid  FAFSA - apply online -Free Application for Federal Student Aid  This is a FREE service. Watch for similar websites that charge you a fee to submit information for you.  Must use 2013 tax returns  Grants, scholarships, loans, and work study based on need  January Financial Aid workshop  Info available at  Visit under Guidance for additional information

Contact the Counseling Office if you have any questions! Mrs. Phyllis MolA-Ga Mr. John HentesGe-N Mrs. Mary GardnerO-Z Mrs. Lisa AntonishekCSS Program Mrs. Linda McCleary Secretary Mrs. Tisha Briggs (MME) Student Services Analyst

Please welcome University of Michigan – Flint admissions rep: Julie Westenfeld

Thank you for coming to Junior Parent College Night! CLASS OF 2014!!