NAVIGATING THE
SENIOR YEAR
Information for
Parents of the
BHS Class of 2013
Agenda
 Senior Review
 Graduation
Requirements
 Planning for Life
after Brookwood
 Senior Checklist
Your student MUST Schedule a
Senior Review
 Who? – Anyone who is planning on
graduating in Dec.2012, Spring or Summer
2013
 When? – You need to schedule an
appointment with your counselor between
Aug.22nd through Oct. 1
 How? – Contact Mrs. Smith in A1
 Why? – To complete graduation application
and start planning for College and life after
high school.
Find your counselor by your
last name.
Ms. Medlin
Dr. Benton
Dr. Benjamin
Mrs. Byrd &
Dr. Dehnke
 Si - Z
Mrs. Kennedy
 9th Grade
Ms. Ricks
Office Hours: 7A.M. to 3:30pm M-F
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


A-C
D-H
I - Mo
Mp - Sh
Graduation Requirements
You student Must have 23
credits
 Those credits must generally include
the following:





4
4
4
1
3
LA
Math
Science
Health/PE
Social Science (Us & World History, Econ &
Political Systems)
 3 Electives (Art / Technology/or Foreign Language)
 4 additional electives
Application for Graduation
 Appointment with counselor (Senior
Review)
 Requirements for graduation participation
 Discussion of future plans
 Information for letters of recommendation
 Student Brag Sheet / Parent Brag Sheet
 Test Scores and Retest options
 Social Security #
Failing a class
 It is your familiy’s responsibility
 To check on grades
 To contact a counselor to determine
options
 School Plus
 Phoenix
 Community Schools
 Credit Recovery
 On-line www.gwinnettonlinecampus.com
PLEASE NOTE:
ALL course requirements must be
completed in order to participate in
the graduation ceremony!!
LIFE after High School
 Your child should ask the following:
 Do you know what you want to
do?
 If not, please speak about it with a
counselor to learn more about your
options.
 If yes, please let your counselor know
during your senior review.
4-YEAR COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY
 Bachelor’s Degrees
 Public
Colleges/Universities
 Private
Colleges/Universities
 Admissions
Requirements
 SAT / ACT for
entrance exam
 May require letters of
recommendation
2-YEAR COLLEGES
Associate Degrees
Public
Private
Entrance Exams Vary
 Compass
 ACT or SAT
 Transfer to a 4-Yr.
College
 TAG Program
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

Two year colleges BHS students
most frequently applied to are:
Gainesville College
 Public, Junior College
 Enrollment: 9,000
 Majority of students
transfer to NGCSU,
UGA, Brenau, GSU, &
GA Tech
 Rolling Admissions,
2.0 GPA required
GA Perimeter*
 Public, liberal arts
college
 Enrollment: 23,000
 98% enrolled in a
TAG program to UGA
or GSU
 Rolling Admissions,
Selection based on
GPA and Compass
 Now Require 2yrs
same F.L.
TECHNICAL COLLEGE
 Programs
 Degree
 Certificate or Diploma
 Compass Exam for Degree Program
 No SAT/ACT
MILITARY
 Opportunities
 Training
 Education
 Travel
 Policies
 Armed Services
Vocational Aptitude
Battery— September
25, sign up in A1.
 Scholarships
WORLD OF WORK
CAREER INFORMATION
 www.Gacollege411.org
 www.careercruising.com
 College and Career Room
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
DVD Library
Books
Dictionary of Occupational Titles
Occupational Outlook Handbook
College Planning
The Process
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

The Application
Application Fees
Transcripts
Letter of Recommendation
College Visits
Financial Planning
HOW MANY?
 “Dream School”
 Likely—a pretty good chance of
getting in
 Safety—a sure thing for admission
and cost
 1 to 2 schools in each category
THE APPLICATION
 Sources




College Admissions Office
College web site
BHS College and Career Room
www.gacollege411.org
 When
 “the early bird….?”
 Deadlines
College and Career Specialist
 Mrs. Donna Varzaly
 Transcripts
 Provides requests for
recommendations to
counselors
 Great Resource for
Scholarships – Check the
Senior Bulletin
 Fee Waivers -(SAT/ACT/
College Application, if
Qualified)
 GAcollege411.org
“OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT”
 OUT OF STATE COLLEGES AND
UNIVERSTIES
 Request “paper” transcript from Counseling
Office – College and Career Room
 $5.00 cost
 Student must stamp, address, and mail sealed
envelope.
 GEORGIA COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
ONLY
 FREE Online through Gacollege411.org
 Mid-Year and Final
 Will send paper copy for Final Transcript ($5.00)
TESTS

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
S.A.T. I (reasoning tests)
A.C.T.
S.A.T. II (subject area tests)
T.O.E.F.L.
COMPASS
 Most Public Ga 2-Yr Colleges & Tech.
Colleges (Gainsville requires SAT/ACT)
 Armed Services Vocational Battery
Aptitude
TEST PREP RESOURCES
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www.gacollege411.org
Core classes @ BHS
Brookwood Community School
Commercial organizations
Tutor List
Media Center
College and Career Room
Free Online Resources
Letters of Recommendation
 Only when requested
 Student Brag
Sheet/Parent Brag
Sheet – Mrs. Varzaly
 Online Version Coming
Soon
 Plan Ahead – Allow 2
weeks for counselors
 Resume
 www.careercruising.com
 Please be polite
College Visits





Visit During regular session
Pre-arranged absences
Better in the fall (exam exemptions)
List of questions to ask
Contact the college to set up
THE LETTER ARRIVES……
 ACCEPTED! (Hooray)
 Send deposits
 May 1, 2011 deadline
 Celebrate
 Wait-Listed
 Don’t panic
 Evaluate back-up plan
 Denied—
 It’ll be o.k.
 Go to back-up plan
FINANCIAL PLANNING
 College Financial
Aid Office
 GA Student
Finance
Commission
 Forms
 F.A.F.S.A.
 GA. Tuition
Equalization Grant
 GSFAppS (HOPE)
TYPES OF FINANCIAL AID
 Scholarships
 Academic
 Special Talents
 Special Circumstances
 Grants
 Generally don’t require repayment
 Based on financial need
 Federal Pell Grant Program
 Loans
 Subsidized, Unsubsidized, & Private
Free Application for Federal
Student Aid (F.A.F.S.A.)
 http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/
 English and Español version
 First Step in Financial Planning
 Need Parent(s) Tax Returns (Form 1040)
 The Parent/Guardian that claims the
student as a dependent.
 The F.A.F.S.A. determines a students
eligibility for GRANTS & LOANS
SOURCES




Federal Government (68%)
State Government (5%)
College (20%)
Private Sources (7%)
 Employers
 Corporations
 Coca Cola, Target, Wal-Mart
 Civic Organizations
 Elks, VA, Rotary, Lilburn Women’s Club, etc.
ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIPS
 Register with
www.ncaaclearinghouse.net
 Send a transcript
 S.A.T./A.C.T. scores must be sent
directly from the testing service
 Calculate core average according to
NCAA requirements
Senior Bulletin
Posted to the Web and on
Facebook:
http://www.brookwoodcounseli
ng.com/senior-bulletin.html
Facebook: Brookwood High
School Counseling Department
H.O.P.E. SCHOLARSHIP
 College Prep Diploma
 Zell Miller – 3.7 or higher
 HOPE – 3.0 CORE Classes
 GSFAppS or the FASFA
 Determine Eligibility through
 GAcollege411.org
 Social Security Number Required
HOPE CALCULATIONS
 A = 4.0
 B = 3.0
 C = 2.0
 D = 1.0
Advanced Placement Classes
 10 pts. Subtracted
 .5 added
“CORE” CLASSES

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Language Arts
Math
Science
Social Studies
Foreign Language (for College Prep)
Any Core Elective
HOPE GRANT
 No minimum average required
 Applicable at Technical Colleges for
diploma and certificate programs
Senior Checklist
1.
2.
3.
4.
Schedule Senior Review
Submit Graduation Application
Refresh GAcollege411.org account
Complete & Submit Brag Sheets
 If letter of recommendation needed
5. College/Military – understand
application requirements
6. Know Application Deadlines
Senior Checklist Continued
7. Schedule Tests
(SAT/Subject/ACT/Compass/ASVAB)
8. Research Scholarships and track
scholarship opportunities
9. Fill out FAFSA (anytime after your
parents have tax information)
 Financial Planning Night, Sept.27 @7pm
10. Request Final Transcript
HELPFUL WEB SITES
 Brookwood High School
 www.brookwoodhighschool.net
 College Board/S.A.T.
 Sat.org/register
 A.C.T.
 www.ACTstudent.org/start
 Commons Application:
 www.commonapp.org
WEB SITES CONT’D
 On-line applications for GA. Colleges
and much more
 www.gacollege411.org
 GA. Student Finance Commission
(H.O.P.E.)
 www.gsfc.org
 Free App. For Federal Student Aid
 http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/
Sources of Information from the
BHS Counseling Department
 The Tack Room
 Subscribe at school website -> “Bronco
eNews” -> “Join Our Mailing List”
 Brookwood High School Counseling
Department on Facebook
 Senior Bulletin
 http://www.brookwoodcounseling.
com/senior-bulletin.html