1. Junior Seminar 2017
MHS CLASS of 2019

2. Tonight’s Agenda Graduation Progression Check-up
College Entrance exams: ACT and SAT
College Planning: Visit college fairs and research/visit schools
Senior year Scheduling – Senior Program options
NCAA: Coach Ellis
Governor’s School: TBA

3. MHS Guidance Staff Counselors: A-G Jennifer Abernathy H-N David Ellis
O-Z Kim Porter
Transition Counselor: Jackie Stryker
Guidance Administrative Assistant: Michelle McClanahan

4. Canvas Grade Level Information

5. College Planning Process
10th Grade:
Explore post-secondary options
Pursue academic rigor and excellence
11th Grade:
Discover college “matches” through campus visits
Take the PSAT (Top 5% of junior class students; only year that qualifies a student for National Merit Scholar eligibility)
Take the ACT – and then take it again
12th Grade:
Begin the College Application process
Apply for Financial Aid

6. College Readiness ACADEMICS and GRADES EXAMS and TESTING
Choose rigor and balance
Set high expectations, as they yield greater results
Investigate Naviance, which is MHS’s delivery program for college searches, applications, and career guidance.
EXAMS and TESTING
Take the PSAT – October 25, 2017
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
Analyze interests and values
Attend summer enrichment options
Find volunteer opportunities

7. Maryville Graduation Requirements:
MHS Course Catalogue

8. MHS: FOCUS AREAS
The Elective Focus is a program of study focusing on a particular area of concentration: three courses in a concentrated area.
Elective Focus Area Options at MHS:
Fine Arts
Exercise, Safety and Sports Science
Humanities
Science and Math
Advanced Placement
Dual Enrollment
Career and Technical Education (CTE) – 10 options

9. Elective focus area options
Career and technical education:
Architecture and Construction
Arts and A/V Technology and Communications
Business Management and Administration
Finance
Hospitality and tourism
Advanced Manufacturing
Law, Public Safety, Corrections, and Security
Information Technology
Health Science
Stem
Marketing Management

10. CTE: Work-based learning (WBL) practicum
WBL practicum allows students to connect classroom learning with job experience/involvement.
WBL serves as a capstone to a student’s CTE course of student.
WBL practicum is only open to 11th-12th grade students
Prerequisite: Two credits in a CTE program of study (Previous slide)
Application required

11. Academic History: MHS Transcript

12. Grade Point Average (GPA)
A student’s GPA is updated twice a year:
After term/semester one ends (January)
After term/semester two ends (May)

13. Relationship between GPA and Financial Aid
A student’s classwork, homework, and test grades positively or adversely impact his/her grade point average (GPA).
A student’s GPA is one of the factors that colleges and universities consider in determining his/her financial aid eligibility in the student’s senior year!
UTK Freshman Class 2016
UTK Chancellor’s Scholarships

14. Graduating with distinction
Earn a nationally recognized industry certification
Participate in at least one of the Governor’s Schools
Participate in at least one of the state’s All State musical organizations
Be selected as a National Merit Finalist or Semi-Finalist
Attain a score of 31 or higher composite score on the ACT
Attain a score of 3 or higher on at least two AP exams
Earn 12 or more semester hours of transcripted postsecondary credit
*Students must complete the necessary paper in guidance to receive the distinction recognition.
See pg. 3-4 of the MHS Course Catalogue

15. Graduating with honors
Students who score at or above all of the subject area readiness benchmarks on the ACT or equivalent SAT will graduate with honors.
The ACT benchmarks are:
English 18
Math 22
Reading 22
Science Reasoning 23
*Students must complete the necessary paper in guidance to receive the distinction recognition.

16. ACT College Readiness Benchmarks
According to ACT, “the Benchmarks are scores on the ACT subject-area tests that represent the level of achievement required for students to have a 50% chance of obtaining a B or higher or about a 75% chance of obtaining a C or higher in corresponding credit-bearing first-year college courses. These college courses include English composition, college algebra, introductory social science courses, and biology.”

17. College admissions testing: ACT vs
College admissions testing: ACT vs. SAT (test data is used for college admissions consideration and merit-based scholarships)
ACT
Components: English, Math, Reading, and Science (optional Essay)
Length: 3 hrs (~4hrs w/ essay)
Scoring: 1-36
SAT
Components: Reading, Writing & Language, Math (optional Essay)
Length: ~3hrs (~4hrs w/ essay)
Scoring:

18. College admissions testing: ACT Registration
Students create an account at: act.org
Our MHS School code is:
National test dates (Saturdays):
October 28 – register by 9/22
December 9 – register by 11/3
February 10 – register by 1/12
April 14 – register by 3/9
June 9 – register by 5/4
July 14 – Register by 6/15

19. College admissions Testing: ACT test day (national test day)
Photo and gender will be printed on all admission tickets.
Only the following forms of ID will be accepted:
Government issued photo ID
School ID with photo
School ID letter with photo
Notarized letter with photo
Students must bring BOTH a photo ID and an admission ticket.
Students not listed on the rosters will not be admitted.
There will be no walk-ins on test day.
There will be NO test date/test center changes on test day.

20. ACT In-School Test day: 3/20/2018
Per the Tennessee Department of education, schools are required to offer an ACT in-school test for juniors.
MHS will offer the test on Tuesday, March 20.
We will share more details about the administration closer to the test date.
We strongly encourage students to take at least one ACT test on a national test date before the in- school test.
Less people and fewer distractions in the building on Saturdays.

21. ACT/SAT PREP WORKSHOPS
Koontz ACT Cram Course (ACT): $375
TESTPREP Experts (ACT/SAT): $575
Kaplan (price determined by course)
ACT Test Prep at MHS
10th: Strategic Reading/ADSR/Socratic Inquiry
11th: ACT Test Prep (Eng/Rdg & Math/Science)
12th: College success/Senior Transition
Who should take a prep course?

22. College planning: 11th grade
Attend the Blount County College Fair at Maryville College: Cooper Athletic center (9/11 from 5:30-7:00 pm)
Encourage your child to speak with admissions representatives who visit MHS (Naviance/Daily Announcements)
Take the psat (top 5-10% of the class)
Research and visit colleges over the breaks (students get two college visit days in 11th-12th grade)
Set up appointments through the school’s admissions office.
Attend spring Junior open houses – Big Orange Preview day (april 2018)
Foster open discussions about college funding with your child – be realistic and honest. (public vs. private; 2-yr vs. 4-yr)
Attend the spring college fair at MHS (March 2018).

23. PSAT (NMQT): Wednesday, 10/25
Taken during a student’s 11th grade year, the PSAT/NMQT is the only test that qualifies a student for National Merit scholar distinction.
PSAT test date: Wednesday, October 25 (8:00-11:30 AM)
Registration deadline: Wednesday, September 20
Cost is $25.00.
Who should take the PSAT?
High-achieving students who are taking and thriving in the the most rigorous course offerings at MHS.

24. PSAT : Wednesday, 10/25
The PSAT will be administered during the school day. Pre-registered students will be excused from their morning classes on that day.
Specific Details:
To register for the PSAT: Sign-up for the test in the MHS Guidance Office by paying the PSAT registration fee of $25 (checks made payable to Maryville High School).  
Students will receive a practice test booklet when they pre- register for the PSAT.  
PSAT Testing locations are TBA.
Please direct all questions to Jackie Stryker:

25. Senior year scheduling
College and career readiness programming:
College success (TN Promise Focus)
Helps with act readiness benchmarks and with the transition from HS to College
Senior transition (Four year school focus)
Helps with the college admissions process (self- assessment/direction), career exploration, service learning, team building, and independent learning
Independent Project/Internship
Allows students the opportunity to explore a career field of interest through an internship/project.

26. College admissions and counselors
Before a counselor can write a letter of recommendation for a students, the child needs to:
Complete a Brag sheet in naviance
Naviance is the delivery program for college searches, applications, and career guidance.

27. Naviance 101 Career exploration (Self-assessments and career search)
Strengths explorer
Do what you are
Learning style inventory
Mi advantage
Career Interest Profiler – can only be done once!!!
Resume builder/Game Plan tool
College search
Scholarship database
Transcript request/Test data Request and online delivery
Teacher/counselor recommendation portal
College representative notifications personalized based on student interest

28. College planning – reality check: UTK (Fall 2016)
28,052 students
3.89 average freshman GPA
27 average first-time freshman ACT score
From the MHS Class of 2017, UTK admitted students with the following GPA’s and ACT score combinations:

29. Middle 50 % of an incoming class
schools report the middle 50 % of an incoming class.
UTK: the middle 50 % of the incoming class had a GPA between
Duke: the middle 50 % had an ACT score in the range.
Some other sample Middle 50%:
Maryville College Furman
Carson Newman Samford
Tn. Tech UNC
MTSU UVA
ETSU Clemson

30. Tennessee Promise Scholarship and mentoring program
Two years free tuition and fees to any two year Tennessee Board of Regents school (PSCC, TCAT, Roane State, ect.)
Requirements:
graduate from a TN high school
Attend the TN Achieves mandatory meetings (Oct./March)
Earn 8 hours of community service
Maintain a 2.0 once in the community college environment.
Free college education for Tennessee High School Graduates at all Tn. Board of Regents two year colleges.

31. TN Hope Scholarship Qualifications: Award amounts:
Enroll in a public or participating private school
Have a minimum 21 Composite score on the ACT
Achieve a minimum GPA of 3.0
Award amounts:
Up to $1750 per semester as freshman/sophomore (full- time enrollment)
Up to $2250 per semester as a junior/senior(full-time enrollment)
Renewal criteria: see the above link

32. Junior Year calendar dates (Fall):
Psat registration deadline: 9/20
Midterms: 10/2-10/3
PSAT administration: 10/25
October ACT: 10/28
MHS Governor’s school deadlines: late October - TBA (2018 applications are not available yet)
TNReady Assessment window (English, USH, Alg2): 12/5-12/14
December ACT: 12/9
MHS Final Exams: 12/18-12/19

33. 2018 Governor’s School
The State of Tennessee provides twelve summer programs for gifted and talented high school students.
Requirements:
Top 10% of your graduating glass
high degree of motivation to participate in the program for the entire five weeks.
Teacher/counselor recommendations
Deadlines: TBA (mid to late-October)
2018 Applications are not available

34. Governor’s School AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES - UT Martin ARTS - MTSU
COMPUTATIONAL PHYSICS - Austin Peay State University
EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES - TN Technological University - Cookeville
ENGINEERING - UT Knoxville
HUMANITIES - UT Martin
Innovation and Entrepreneurship - TN TECH - Cookeville
INTERNATIONAL STUDIES - University of Memphis
PROSPECTIVE TEACHERS - UT Chattanooga
SCIENCES & Engineering - UT Knoxville
SCIENTIFIC EXPLORATION OF TENNESSEE HERITAGE - ETSU
SCIENTIFIC MODELS AND DATA ANALYSIS - East Tennessee State University

35. NCAA Eligibility NCAA Eligibility Center
16 Core Courses required for Division I and Division II
10 of these courses must be completed prior to the seventh semester of high school, seven of which must be in a combination of English, Math, and/or Science.
Student must alert counselor of student desire to play post-secondary Sports.
Coach David Ellis = MHS expert

36. Information Overload: I Have questions!!
Tonight was just an overview. If you have specific questions about the material covered in this presentation, please make an appointment with your son or daughter’s counselor.
A-G -- Jennifer Abernathy
H-N -- David Ellis
O-Z -- Kim Porter
Transition Counselor – Jackie Stryker
Open House begins at 7:00
Please report to the gym at this time