1. 2015 Franklin High School Senior Parent Night

2. Why Go To College?  College is a pathway to success and a better life.  College graduates have half the unemployment rates of high school graduates.  Study what you care about.  College is fun! Hundreds of different clubs and activities and thousands of new people to meet.

3. Go Center Website

4. The College Application Process  What colleges are looking for?  Finding the right college  Applying to colleges

5. What Colleges Are Looking For  A well-rounded student (GPA, class rank, course load, test scores, extracurricular activities)  Essays matter !  Take the SAT and ACT more than once (collegeboard.org and actstudent.org)  Each college has their own requirements (review their website)

6. Finding the Right College  Things to Consider: 1. Cost (In-State versus Out-of-State Tuition) 2. Big School versus Small School 3. Public versus Private University 4. Majors offered 5. Location (weather, big versus small city, distance from home)

7. Finding the Right College  Do online research on colleges www.collegeboard.org www.collegescorecard.ed.gov www.collegeaffordabilityguide.org www.franklin.episd.org/counseling

8. Finding the Right College  Ask Questions to the Right People 1. Visit colleges and/or talk to admissions counselors 2. Talk to recruiters who visit Franklin 3. Go to Franklin College Night (October 28 th ) 4. Visit Mr. Couder in the GO CENTER!! (S133)

9. Applying to Colleges 1. Pick at least 5 to 6 colleges to apply to (dream, realistic, safety) 2. Check deadlines and requirements for each college (early action, regular admission, scholarship) 3. Complete application essays (have them reviewed and edited) 4. Use applytexas.org and commonapp.org to save time 5. Have SAT and/or ACT scores sent to colleges 6. Visit business office at Franklin to send official transcripts to colleges 7. If necessary, ask teachers and counselors for recommendation letters (at least 3 weeks before deadline) 8. SEEK OUT SCHOLARSHIPS!!

10. Don’t Stress Out…You Can Do This!

11. Financial Aid

12. Types of Financial Aid  Scholarships- Merit or Need Based  Grants- Federal or State  Loans  Work Study- Earn While You Learn

13. Applying for Federal Aid  When you are applying for admission, you are not applying for federal aid  These are two distinct processes.  If you are accepted into a college, enroll, and do nothing else, you WILL NOT receive any financial aid.

14. FAFSA Free Application for Federal Student Aid Apply Early  Between 01/1/2016 to 03/15/2016 Website  www.fafsa.gov Families submit only one FAFSA

15. The Federal Student Aid Log-In – New Process  No more PIN!  Students now create an FSA ID.  Yes, parents also create their own.  Both the student and at least one parent will use their individual FSA ID to electronically sign the student’s FAFSA.

16. Why Fill Out FAFSA? Filling out FAFSA qualifies students for:  need-based grants  loans  work-study. Expected Family Contribution  The FAFSA is used to calculate your “expected family contribution” or EFC, a measure of your family’s annual ability to pay for college.

17. Cost of Attendance Expected Family Contribution Need -= Is cost of attendance the same as tuition? Tuition Room & Board InsuranceTransportation BooksFees

18. Expected Family Contribution (EFC) Two Parts  Student Contribution  Parent Contribution Factors Considered  Income  Assets- Savings, Investments (NOT RETIREMENT)  Number In Family  Number In College EFC is Constant – Doesn’t Change between schools

19. Avoid a Rejected FAFSA 1. Have Correct Personal Information:  Student name, social security number and date of birth: exactly as it is on the social security card  Enter correct parent information 2. Students should indicate it is their 1 st year of college 3. Students do not have a bachelor’s degree 4. Section 3 on the FAFSA  determine if student is Dependent OR Independent (almost all high school graduates are dependent)  If dependent answer “NO” to all questions in Section 3 5. Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) vs. Tax Paid 6. Sign the FAFSA  Students and Parents need FSA ID  parents without SSN need to mail the signature page (don’t forget the stamp!)

20. GRANTS Two types of grants:  Government Grants- based on financial need  Institutional Grants- distributed at the discretion of the school

21. LOANS Subsidized  must demonstrate need  U.S. Department of Education will pay (subsidize) the interest that accrues while in school Unsubsidized  not based on need  most everyone can qualify PLUS Loans  Parent Loans

22. Federal Work Study (FWS)  Provides part-time employment while you are enrolled in school  Employment may be on or off campus  Inquire about jobs at your college’s Student Employment Office

23. Sample Award Letter

24. Sample Checklist Letter

25. AWARD LETTER With “Estimated Awards Stamp” Sent with Checklist Letter

26. Texas Student Aid Programs  Toward Excellence, Access and Success (TEXAS )Grant  Texas Educational Opportunity Grant (TEOG)  Texas Public Educational Grant  Top 10% Scholarship  Texas B-On-Time Loan  Colleges Access Loan (CAL) Program

27. Scholarships

28. Scholarship Facts  Most scholarships come from colleges  Scholarships are awarded for academic merit, talent or need  Very few scholarships pay the entire cost of attendance  No scholarships go unclaimed  The larger the scholarship, the more competition  Scholarships can be renewable or non-renewable  All scholarships have a deadline!  Best time to apply for scholarships is NOW!!

29. Tips for Finding Scholarships 1. Work closely with counselors and college readiness teacher (Mr. Couder) 2. Create online accounts with scholarship databases 3. Apply only for scholarships that you qualify for and are obtainable 4. Look for local community scholarships  www.fastweb.com  www.finaid.org  www.scholarships.com

30. Strategies for Winning Scholarships It’s a numbers game  To win more scholarships, apply to more scholarships, but only if you qualify You can’t win if you don’t apply  1 in 4 students never applies for financial aid It gets easier after your first 6 applications  Essays can be reused and tailored to each new application Don’t miss deadlines

31.  Missing deadlines  Failing to proofread the application  Failing to follow directions (essay length, number of recommendations)  Omitting required information  Applying for an award when you don’t qualify  Failing to apply for an award for which you are eligible  Failing to tailor the application to the sponsor  Writing a boring essay Common Scholarship Application Mistakes

32. Beware of Scholarship Scams  If you have to pay money to get money, it is probably a scam  Nobody can guarantee that you’ll win a scholarship  Do not give out personal information like bank account numbers, credit card numbers or Social Security numbers  Beware of the unclaimed aid myth

33. Financial Aid Page

34. College Visits at Franklin

35. Why Speak to College Visitors?  Get inside info on what colleges are looking for  Admissions representatives often make initial acceptance or denial recommendations  Get answers to your questions  Compare schools  Seniors are allowed 1 excused day per semester for college visits.

36. October College Visits to Franklin All visits are at lunch in room S133 October 8 th : Princeton University October 9 th : John Hopkins University October 13 th : UTEP A-Primetime Program October 15 th : Sul Ross State University October 19 th : Yale University October 21 st : University of New Mexico October 22 nd : University of Chicago October 26 th : Baylor University October 27 th : Trinity University in San Antonio October 29 th : St. Edward’s University in Austin

37. College Night at Franklin October 28 th from 6 to 8pm in the Franklin Cafeteria  Get important info on dozens of universities  Meet college admissions representatives  Get free stuff

38. Credit by Exam  Given 4 times during the year  See your counselor if you need to take a Credit by Exam.

39. SAT AND ACT  School-wide PSAT and SAT on October 14 th  All Students will take either PSAT or SAT free of charge  Must bring photo ID day of exam  SAT or ACT score needed for admission to almost all universities  You should take the SAT and/or ACT multiple times

40. Practice for the SAT Practice for the new SAT on Khan Academy®  Official practice recommendations tailored to your strengths, weaknesses, and progress. Log on to satpractice.org to check it out and start practicing today! Practice for the Current SAT  Try a real SAT question at The Official SAT Question of the Day™. There's a new question every day, complete with a detailed explanation and hint. SAT Subject Tests  Showcase your achievements in the college admission process with SAT Subject Tests — and potentially receive credit for introductory-level college courses. Some universities require SAT Subject Test

41. ACTSAT Stands for American College TestScholastic Aptitude Test What is tested ACT assesses knowledge of subjects taught in high school. SAT measures literacy and writing skills, and assesses how well a student analyzes and solves problems. Websitewww.actstudent.orgsat.collegeboard.com/home When to take the test February, April, June, September, October, December. January, March, May, June, October, November, December. Penalty for incorrect answers There is no penalty for wrong answers. There is penalty (¼ point) for each wrong answer except for grid-in (not multiple choice) questions in Math. Omitted questions neither count for nor against a student's overall score. Test Duration 3 hours and 25 minutes (including 30 minutes for an optional writing test). 3 hours and 45 minutes Major Sections 4 major sections- English, Math, Reading, and Science Reasoning. A fifth section (Writing) is optional. 3 major sections- Mathematics, Reading and Writing. The Writing section includes an essay. Top Score 362400

42. ACT Dates TEST DATEREGISTRATION DEADLINELATE FEE REQUIRED SEPTEMBER 12, 2015 AUGUST 7, 2015AUGUST 8-21, 2015 OCTOBER 24, 2015 SEPTEMBER 18, 2015SEPTEMBER 19-OCTOBER 2, 2015 DECEMBER 12, 2015 NOVEMBER 6, 2015NOVEMBER 7-20, 2015 FEBRUARY 6, 2016 JANUARY 8, 2016JANUARY 9-15, 2016 APRIL 9, 2016 MARCH 4, 2016MARCH 5-18, 2016 JUNE 11, 2016 MAY 6, 2016MAY 7-20, 2016

43. SAT DATES TEST DATENORMAL DEADLINELATE REGISTRATIONONLINE SCORE RELEASE OCTOBER 3, 2015 SEPTEMBER 3, 2015SEPTEMBER 22, 2015OCTOBER 22, 2015 NOVEMBER 7, 2015 OCTOBER 9, 2015OCTOBER 27, 2015NOVEMBER 26, 2015 DECEMBER 5, 2015 NOVEMBER 5, 2015NOVEMBER 23, 2015DECEMBER 24, 2015 JANUARY 23, 2016 DECEMBER 28, 2015JANUARY 12, 2016FEBRUARY 11, 2016 MARCH 5, 2016 * FEBRUARY 5, 2016FEBRUARY 23, 2016MARCH 24, 2016 MAY 7, 2016 * APRIL 8, 2016APRIL 26, 2016MAY 26, 2016 JUNE 4, 2016 * MAY 5, 2016MAY 25, 2016JUNE 23, 2016

44. AP Courses Offered by Our School: Art Drawing Biology Art 2D DesignPhysics 1 English 3Physics 2 English 4Environmental Science French 4Psychology German 4Human Geography Spanish 4European History Spanish 5Comparative Government Calculus ABUS Government Calculus BCMacroeconomics StatisticsUS History World History 44

45. AP Exams AP Exams are administered by schools worldwide on set dates each May. Exams usually last around three hours. Each AP Exam contains: Multiple-choice questions Free-response questions (essay, problem-solving, oral response)

46. AP Exam Fees AP Exam fee for 2016 is $92 per exam (subject to change). Students that are eligible for Free/Reduced Lunch, will pay a reduced rate per exam.

47. Why Take AP Exams? Most two- and four-year colleges and universities in the United States offer credit or advanced placement for qualifying AP Exam scores (3 or better on a scale from 1-5). Credit : Students earn credit toward their college degrees. Advanced placement : Students can skip introductory courses and move directly into higher- level classes, and/or fulfill general education requirements. DAP: Must take and “pass” 4 AP Exams

48. DUAL CREDIT Dual Credit Courses offered at Franklin:  English 3, English 4, English 4 British Literature  US History Classes are award credit through EPCC.  Check to see if your chosen colleges accepts this dual credit.

49. Franklin Counseling Website

50. Counseling Website Useful Information  Visit the Franklin counseling website to get information on the following: 1. Information about credit by exam, credit recovery, AP and Dual Credit 2. Helpful tips about applying to college and creating a college planning guide 3. Links to study aids for the SAT and ACT 4. Scholarship and financial aid information

51. College Exploration Program  Largest program in the country to help students discover their interests and aptitude  April 6, during Spring Parent Teacher Conferences, free of charge

52. FRANKLIN PTSA Franklin PROM  April 16 th at Grace Gardens PROJECT GRADUATION  All Night Party after graduation at Western Playland to keep kids safe while having a blast PTSA SCHOLARSHIPS  Applicants must be members of PTSA  $1,000 per scholarship and application will be available mid-March, deadline in April VOLUNTEERS NEEDED  Pick up form at PTSA Table in the lobby tonight.  Text 210-557-0766 if interested in helping or donating for any event (on info sheet)

53. Senior Activities DateEvent 14-OctSenior Auction 16-OctNeon dress-up @ Americas 30-OctColor Night @ El Dorado 5-NovSenior Royalty vs. Eastwood NovSenior Dodgeball* 2-DecClass Christmas tree decorating 27-JanMr. Franklin 10-FebMs. Franklin AprTalent Show* 16-AprProm @ Grace Gardens 27-MaySenior Breakfast 31-MayParade of Graduates & Senior Assembly 3-JunSenior sunset *Dates to be announced

54. Tips for a Great Senior Year  Don’t stress too much  Pay attention to deadlines  Make good connections with your teachers  Be active in school  Visit Mr. Couder in the Go Center room S133 for help with colleges and scholarships  Visit franklin.episd.org for useful information or ask your counselor any questions you have.  Have fun!

55. Don’t forget to order your class rings!

56. Cap and Gown Price $30 Announcement Price $1.10 each

57. Congratulations Class of 2016!!!