1. LOUISIANA HIGH SCHOOLS HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION ‘IT ISN’T YOUR GRANDMOTHER’S DIPLOMA ANY MORE.’ (IGP, GEE, EOC, COLLEGE COURSES, AP COURSES, LVS, ACT, TECH SCHOOLS, ENDORSEMENTS, COLLEGES, FINANCIAL AID, CAREER CONCENTRATIONS )

2. TYPES OF DIPLOMAS CAREER DIPLOMA – 23 CREDITS, MUST TAKE IBCA, ED FOR CAREERS, ENROLL IN DROP OUT PREVENTION PROGRAM AND ATTAIN A CAREER CONCENTRATION. BASIC DIPLOMA – 24 CREDITS, MUST TAKE 4 ENGLISH, 4 MATH, 3 SCIENCE, 3SOC STUDIES, HEALTH, 1 ½ PE, IBCA, ED FOR CAREERS,AND ATTAIN A CAREER CONCENTRATION. CORE 4 DIPLOMA – 24 CREDITS, MUST TAKE 4 ENGLISH, 4 MATH, 4 SCIENCE, 4 SOC STUDIES, 2 FOREIGN LANGUAGE, ARTS COURSE,½ HEALTH, 1 ½ PE, IBCA, ED FOR CAREERS,AND ATTAIN A CAREER CONCENTRATION *******CANNOT ATTEND A 4 YEAR COLLEGE WITHOUT COMPLETEING CORE 4 OR COMPLETING 24 HOURS OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE CREDIT

3. TESTING 2013 GRADUATES MUST TAKE AND PASS 3 OF THE FOUR SECTIONS OF THE GEE (ENGLISH, MATH, SCIENCE, SOCIAL STUDIES) 2014 GRADUATES AND BEYOND MUST TAKE AND PASS 3 OF THE 6 EOC TEST (ENG 2, ENG 3; ALG 1, GEOM; BIO, US HISTORY )

4. CAREER CONCENTRATIONS CHOOSE AT LEAST 4 COURSES FROM THIS SECTION CHOOSE 2 COURSES FROM THIS SECTION MUST CHOOSE COURSES FROM ONLY ONE COLUMN

5. ACADEMIC AND CAREER TESTING THE STATE OF LOUISIANA IS NOW REQUIREING THE ACT TEST FOR 11 TH GRADERS. PLAN TEST FOR 10 TH GRADERS EXPLORE TEST FOR 8 TH AND 9 TH GRADERS

6. EXPLORE & PLAN TESTS ARE PRODUCED BY THE SAME TEST WRITERS AS THE ACT TEST. CAN HELP PREDICT ACT SCORES INDICATE ACADEMIC STRENGHTS AND WEAKNESSES CAN HELP DETERMINE CAREER INTERESTS AND POTENTIAL SUCCESS IN POST HIGH SCHOOL TRAINING

7. OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLEGE CREDIT WHILE IN HIGH SCHOOL MCNEESE COMPRESSED VIDEO: ENGLISH 101, 102, PSYCHOLOGY(MATH COULD BE AVAILABLE IF 10 OR MORE STUDENTS SIGN UP FOR THE COURSE) AP COURSES AND DUAL ENROLLMENT THROUGH LVS: CALCULUS AP, ENGLISH 4 AP, EUROPEAN HISTORY AP, HUMAN GEOMGRAPHY AP, PSYCHOLOGY AP, SPANISH AP, STATISTICS AP, US HISTORY AP, US GOV’T AND POLITICS AP, ENGLISH 4 DE, FINE ARTS SURVEY DE, INTRO TO PSYC DE, PRIN OF SOCIOLOGY DE – YOU MAY NOT DROP AN LVS COURSE ONCE YOU BEGIN THE COURSE. AP COURSES: ENGLISH 3 AP – STUDENTS WHO ATTAIN A PARTICULAR SCORE GET COLLEGE CREDIT. –THE TEST COST BETWEEN $53 AND $87. Funds may or may not be available through the district.

8. MAKE UP OR ACCELERATION COURSES OPPORTUNITIES TO EARN EXTRA CREDITS MAY BECOME AVAILABLE THIS YEAR. THIS WOULD BE ON LINE INSTRUCTION. MORE INFO WILL BE AVAILABLE IN THE COMING MONTHS.

9. SHOULD EVERYONE GO TO A 4 YEAR COLLEGE TO GET A GOOD JOB? ONLY 15-20 % OF JOBS which will be available upon graduation require a 4 YR DEGREE. 60 -80 % OF JOBS available upon graduation will require a TECHNICAL DEGREE which can be earned at TWO YEAR INSTITUTIONS like: –LOUISIANA TECHNICAL COLLEGES AT SOWELA AND LAMAR SALTER CAMPUSES, –LSU-EUNICE, –DELTA SCHOOL OF BUSINESS, ETC.

10. When can I start technical training? Agriculture students may begin ABC school in Sulphur when they are 16. Contact the Ag instructor for more information. Registration for fall semester is in the summer. Juniors needing only 2 courses to graduate (one Eng, Math, or Science) may begin the STEPS program at SOWELA during their Senior year in high school. Tuition is free through the STEPS program. A student can complete nearly ½ their technical program through the STEPS program during their senior year. Student must provide their own transportation to SOWELA. Students in STEPS are still Merryville High School students while in the program, they may continue to play high school sports. Lamar Salter also offers seniors dual enrollment classes to earn a Business English and Financial Math to complete a Basic Diploma.

11. Enrolling in a Technical College May use the ACT for admission or early enrollment or take the Asset test. A score of 17 on the ACT with Core 4 courses, along with a 2.5 gpa in those courses meet some of the requirements for TOPS TECH.

12. ACT Test for Seniors www.Act.orgwww.Act.org to register. Personalized computer test prep available for $19.95 through ACT. Test DateRegistration Deadline(Late Fee Required) September 8, 2012August 17, 2012August 18 – 24, 2012 October 27, 2012September 21, 2012September 22 – October 5, 2012 December 8, 2012November 2, 2012November 3 – 16, 2012 February 9, 2013*January 11, 2013January 12 – 18, 2013 April 13, 2013March 8, 2013March 9 – 22, 2013 June 8, 2013May 3, 2013May 4 – 17, 2013 ACT test prep through McNeese in Lake Charles and DeRidder available through McNeese continuing education. www.mcneese.edu/conted

13. What college should I attend? Check to see if the college offers the area you wish to study. Consider the cost of the college tuition, fees, dorm, meals, books, and your transportation and living expenses. Check admission requirements Visit the college for a tour It is advisable to consider at least 3 different universities when you begin applying. Each one may offer a different scholarship package.

14. APPLYING TO A COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY USUALLY APPLY IN THE FALL OF THE SENIOR YEAR BECAUSE YOU MUST APPLY TO THE COLLEGE BEFORE APPLYING FOR THEIR FRESHMAN SCHOLARSHIPS. MUST HAVE AN 18 IN ENG ON THE ACT AND A 19 IN MATH ON THE ACT TO BE ADMITTED WITHOUT A REMEDIAL COURSE. CANNOT NEED MORE THAN ONE REMEDIAL COURSE TO BE ADMITTED; CAN TAKE THESE COURSES IN THE SUMMER AFTER THE SENIOR YEAR.

15. TOPS What does it pay? TOPS pays tuition and some fees at Louisiana State Colleges, Technical Schools, and Universities when the student meet the requirements. TOPS awards may be applied to some private colleges fees. All TOPS awards require the student to be a resident of Louisiana for two years to be eligible for TOPS. A student must apply with the FAFSA every year they are in college to get and maintain TOPS.

19. AM I ON TRACK FOR TOPS? STUDENTS WHO HAVE LIVED IN LOUISIANA AT LEAST 2 YEARS, SCORE AT THE 50 th PERCENTILE ON THE ACT, AND COMPLETE THE CORE CURRICULUM WITH A 2.5 GPA ARE ON TRACK TO RECEIVE TOPS

20. How do you apply for TOPS? Complete requirements Apply by completing the FAFSA between January 1 st and May 1 st of your senior year. The FAFSA is a free student loan packet. It can be completed online or on paper. FAFSA forms can be obtained in the counselor’s office after Jan. 1 st of each year. Completion online ensures fewer mistakes! Information from the family’s 1040 is required to complete the FAFSA.

22. What about Grants and Loans? The FAFSA is also used to apply for grants and loans. Always mark yes to apply for a loan so paperwork will be in place IF you need a loan in the end. A financial aid seminar is held each year in the early spring semester for seniors and their parents.

23. Should I pay someone to help us locate scholarships? NO, most searches you may pay for can be done free over the internet or in the library. Look for internet sites listed in the Merryville High School Handbook.

24. Does the school get scholarship forms? Yes, scholarship forms are located on: Louisianaconnect.org It is the students responsibility to: get the form, complete the form, and mail it to the appropriate agency or turn it into the counselor’s office as indicated by the instructions on the form. Other scholarship forms may be obtained by the student through the college itself, online, or directly from companies.

27. Does the counselor get scholarships for students? There is a misconception that counselors get scholarships for students. To choose one student over another student in scholarship selections would be unethical. TO GET A SCHOLARSHIP, STUDENTS MUST HAVE COMPETITIVE GPAs & ACTs ALONG WITH ANY OTHER QUALIFYING REQUIREMENTS …. AND STUDENTS MUST APPLY FOR THE SCHOLARSHIP. Most college scholarship deadlines are in November or December of the senior year. Student must apply to the college to be considered for a scholarship. Most of the money students receive in scholarships comes directly from the college a student expects to attend. Students and Parents should visit prospective colleges and talk to admissions counselors and various department heads to see if more scholarship opportunities exist.

28. How tough is it to get a scholarship? The higher the ACT and GPA, the more competitive a student will be. To be competitive beyond the local level a student will need to have at least a 25 on their ACT. National Scholarships are highly competitive and may require a greater ACT score. Scholarships can also be earned through service projects. To be competitive in the area of service, a student must spend at least 100 hours per year in one particular service area. Essay scholarships are available for those willing to write. Athletic and Performance scholarships are based on abilities in designated areas. Students must contact colleges to determine try out dates and auditions.

29. Scholarship Applications can be lots of work! Students need to: *Start early. *Check the school scholarship file weekly. *Keep a file of achievements through high school. *Do service projects, *Keep up grades, *Attend ACT workshops to earn competitive scores. *Mail completed form by deadlines. But the payoff can be Great!

30. Is military training the right option for you? The military service offers technical training. The military provides college money. The reserve program and the National Guard also provide college money by committing 2 summers and 1 weekend per month.

31. PLAN TO PLAY COLLEGE ATHLETICS? To compete in college athletics, a student must complete NCAA packets during the fall of their senior year and make sure they take core courses to meet NCAA requirements. (Geometry is a must to play for a 4 year university) Talk to coaches in designated sport area to determine other steps to receive an athletic scholarship. www.ncaa.orgwww.ncaa.org click NCAA Clearinghouse tab NCAA Clearinghouse

32. MINIMUM 4 YEAR COLLEGE ADMISSIONS Complete Core 4 Diploma Requirements Earn at least a 2.0 GPA OR Make a composite Score of 20 or Greater on the ACT OR Rank in the top 50% of your Graduating Class And require no more than one remedial course NEW!!!

33. Four Louisiana Universities have higher admission standards Louisiana Tech, University of Louisiana – Lafayette, University of New Orleans require Regents High School Core Curriculum AND a 2.5 GPA or, graduation rank in the top 25% of the class or an ACT composite score of 23 plus no more than one remedial course. LSU requires Regents High School Core Curriculum AND a 3.0 GPA, or ACT composite score of 25, or rank within the top 10% of the class plus no remedial courses. Physics required. * Remedial courses or required if a student does not score at least an 18 in the areas of Math and English on the ACT subtest.

34. Beginning with 2003-04 Freshman….. Career/Technical Endorsement: Qualify for TOPS Opportunity (20 ACT) or TOPS Tech Core (17 ACT), Complete core curriculum and a career concentration, Pass all four sections of the GEE and earn an industry based certification or 3 Carnegie credits from postsecondary institution and 90 hours work experience in career area. Core 4 or Basic Diploma: 24 standard credits, Complete Career Concentration, Pass English & Math GEE plus Science or Social Studies GEE (2014 and beyond – pass 3 of the EOC) Academic Endorsement Core curriculum plus 1 core course, Complete Career Concentration, Pass all four sections of GEE with Basic or above, Complete Senior Project or score 3 pts in Adv. Placement course, or earn 3 hours of college credit in core area.

36. What is a IGP or 5 year plan? The IGP or 5 year plan includes all courses a student needs to graduate and meet requirements needed for diploma endorsements, technical schools, and / or colleges. IGPs are now located on LA Connect louisianaconnect.org/ Students determine a career concentration. Coursework is mapped on the five year plan. * 5 yr. plans can be changed each year, courses listed will be taken unless there is a conflict in the schedule. In the case of a conflict, the course can be taken another year.

37. What if I can’t remember all this information? Much of this information and more is provided in the Merryville High School handbook. This power point is available on the MHS counselor's web site. Call or come see the counselor if you have a question. Check out web sites for updated information. –Be responsible to double check everything your self with your school of choice because the information from the state can literally change on a daily basis.