1. B ATTLEFIELD H IGH S CHOOL Junior Presentation Putting the Puzzle Together

2. A GENDA  Post secondary options  Choosing the right college for you  College Admissions 101  The Application Process  Financial Aid  Ethics  Wrap up

3. W HAT ’ S N EXT ? Apprenticeships Community College College/University Military Trade School Workforce

4. W HAT ’ S N EXT ? Apprenticeships http://www.doli.virginia.gov/apprenticeship/registered_apprenticeship.html Here you will find registered apprenticeships with the VA Dept. of Labor Military http://www.todaysmilitary.com/military-careers/entering-the-military Learn about all branches of the military Trade Schools http://www.rwm.org/rwm/ Click on Virginia to find trade schools in the local area

5. W HAT ’ S N EXT ? C OMMUNITY C OLLEGE http://www.vccs.edu/transfer/  Associates degree (AA) from a community college, transfer to a four year degree program.  Articulation agreements between NOVA and VA schools.

6. W HAT ’ S N EXT ? C OLLEGE /U NIVERSITY What to consider?  Location: Rural, Urban, Suburban  Public VS Private  In-State VS Out-of-State  College size  Teacher to student ratio  Academics  Cost  Athletics/Extra curricular activities

7. P AIR AND S HARE

8. C HOOSING A COLLEGE / UNIVERSITY Online searches/research  Family Connection  College Board  College/university websites & virtual tours Campus visits  Utilize your spring break and summer vacation!

9. W HAT IS IMPORTANT IN THE A DMISSIONS P ROCESS ? Strength of curriculum GPA SAT/ACT exams Essay Resume Teacher/Counselor Recommendation Diversity: athletics, extracurricular activities, work, volunteer activities, honors/awards, certifications, art portfolios

10. SAT/ACT & NCAA Take the SAT & ACT this spring www.collegeboard.com www.actstudent.org You can have scores sent to the colleges & universities in which you are interested when you sign up for the test. This will save you money during the application process. NCAA If you are interested in playing sports be sure to complete the clearinghouse form this spring. http://web1.ncaa.org/eligibilitycenter/common/ Corecoursegpa.com A free college academic eligibility resource http://www.clearinghousecalculator.org/login.php

11. A DMISSION OPTIONS Early Decision: binding Early Action: non binding Regular Decision Rolling Admission Visit the college/university websites to see what types of admission decisions they offer and the deadlines. This will change from school to school.

12. Application Options Paper application: Different for each university. Mail it in with application fee. Online application: Different for each university. Apply from university website. Submit electronically. Common application: One application for any college who participates in common app. May save you time if multiple colleges you are applying to use this process. https://www.commonapp.org/Common App/FAQ.aspx This link offers a tutorial of how to fill out the common app. Extras Resume: Begin putting one together now if you don’t have one already. Make sure to include all sports, clubs, jobs, volunteer work, awards & honors. Essay: Utilize resources like the Bobcat Writing Center & your teachers for feedback on your essay. You may be able to use one essay for multiple colleges.

13. W HAT ARE SOME THINGS YOU WILL FIND ON THE APPLICATION ?  Biographical data  High school information  Parent information  What classes you are currently taking  Extracurricular activities (BHS & the community)  Essay  Resume  Conduct/Behavior/Honor code  Residency  Major

14. H OW TO REQUEST TRANSCRIPTS Submit a signed FERPA consent form. Log in to Family Connection & request your transcripts under the college tab. At the counseling center pay $2.00 per transcript, submit secondary school forms & documents for requesting a letter of recommendation.

15. F AMILY C ONNECTION R EFRESHER  Find Family Connection on the BHS home page under the students section on the left.  Search for scholarships.  Complete the requirements for a recommendation letter from your counselor.  Create a college search.  View scattergrams for schools in which you are interested.  Create a resume.

16. H OW TO PAY FOR COLLEGE $ Scholarships $ www.fastweb.com www.fastweb.com $ www.scholarships.com www.scholarships.com $ www.latinocollegedollars.org www.latinocollegedollars.org $ Family Connection $ FAFSA $ Grants, loans, work study $ www.fafsa.ed.gov – January 1 st 2013 www.fafsa.ed.gov $ CSS Profile: some colleges will require this in addition to the FAFSA

17. E THICS  Avoid the temptation to cheat, copy or plagiarize.  Be truthful on ALL college & scholarship application materials including your resume and any questions that refer to discipline infractions.

18. W HAT YOU SHOULD BE DOING NOW Come up with goals for your post secondary plan. Think about how you want to present yourself to colleges. This includes senior year course work. Course selection will take place next month. Sign up for SAT/ACT this year. Use the next few months wisely. Including going on campus tours over spring and summer break. Use your teachers and counselor as resources. Submit the FERPA form before you leave for the summer if you plan on completing any applications and transcript requests prior to senior year. The form can be found on the BHS homepage under the Counseling Center Downloads & Documents. http://battlefieldhs.schools.pwcs.edu/modules/groups/homepagefiles/cms/5981/File/co unseling_parentconsent.pdf?sessionid=1026589a82715b8635cd7e48f1d98556

19. I MPORTANT THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND …  Have an appropriate email address  Be careful what you post on Facebook  Keep your grades up!! Colleges will see 9-11 th grade to make their admission decisions & they will review mid year grades from senior year  Continue your participation in extracurricular activities, work & volunteering  Find an organization system that works for you to manage your application & scholarship deadlines. You are responsible for meeting these deadlines

20. C ONGRATULATIONS ! Y OU ’ VE BEEN ACCEPTED TO COLLEGE.