College Readiness
Miami Southridge Senior High School
Class of 2014
Itinerary
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Graduation Requirements
G.P.A. Information
SAT/ACT Tests
College Visitations and Applications
Financial Aid Information and Scholarships
Graduation Requirements
Need to Graduate:
Requirements
Unweighted GPA
2.0
Service Hours
10
Credits
24 credits* as outlined in Student
Handbook
GPA Information
• Florida Bright Futures and Colleges calculate only...
Academic G.P.A
• Academic G.P.A.s are averaged only for the core
courses:
4 years of English
4 years of Math
3 years of Science
3 years of Social Science
2 years of Foreign Language
GPA Information
• Colleges calculate advanced courses as follows:
• AP/DE/IB = 1 point
• Honors = 0.5 point
ACT/SAT Tests
SAT Test Dates:
◦ November 2
◦ December 7
◦ January 25
◦ March 8
◦ May 3
◦ June 7
Register at:
www.collegeboard.com
ACT Test Dates:
◦ October 26
◦ December 14
◦ February 8
◦ April 12
◦ June 14
Register at:
www.actstudent.org
SCHOOL CODE: 164280
TEST CODE: 101087
ACT/SAT Tests
• Important to put Miami Southridge’s School Code
(164280), in order for us to receive your scores
• Can choose up to 4 colleges where ACT/SAT scores can
be sent for FREE
• Must choose colleges before test is taken to be free of
charge
• Additional score reports will be charged a fee
• Colleges require official score reports from the testing
sites
What Should I Look For In
A College
• LOCATION
• Choose the best fit for YOU!
• ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
• Know if you match their qualification. What is your chance of getting
into this school?
• COSTS
• It’s NOT just tuition-even if you stay in Miami! Room & board,
books, gas, activities, sporting events, spending money, etc. all need
to be factored and budgeted.
• MAJORS
• Small colleges are often limiting in their major choices. Remember
that 80% of college freshman do not have a major by the time they
start college, and 50% change their mind- multiple times!
What Should I Have
Already Done??
• Finalizing Your College List
• Narrow your list to 3-6 schools
DREAM SCHOOLS
REALISTIC SCHOOLS
SAFETY SCHOOLS
What Should I Have
Already Done??
• Visited Colleges (In Person, Virtual Tours, Websites)
• Research Applications and Fees
• Created a Professional Email
• karibbiiankutie2247@yahoo.com  NO!
• cindyalonso01@gmail.com  YES!
• Created a Resume
• Sent and/or Registered for SAT/ACT
Resume
• Name and Contact Information
• College and Career Choices (optional)
• Academic Record with info on Class Rank, GPA, SAT scores, AP
classes, etc.
• School Activities
• Community Activities
• Work Experiences
• Honors and Awards
• Other Items of Interest (such as personal interests that are not
covered in the above categories or a short personal statement
indicating obstacles you have overcome, like a learning disability,
personal or family setback, or unexpected change in circumstances)
Admissions Criteria- What
Do Colleges Look At?
• Application Information
• Grade Point Average (GPA)
• Weighted vs. Unweighted
• High School Transcript
• Course Load and Strength of Subjects
• ACT/SAT scores
• Superscore
• SAT Subject Tests
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Class Rank or Percentile
Recommendation Letters*
Resume: Special Talents/Awards & Personal Qualities/Activities
Essays
Interviews
What Will I Need to Apply, and How Do I Get It?
Colleges Will Want:
How Do I Obtain These:
1. Completed Applications
University’s Website
2. Official Transcripts
*GPA
*Academic Coursework
*Academic Percentile
Complete ‘Transcript Request Form’
in the Main Office
3. SAT & ACT Scores
Request from the Official Testing Sites
www.sat.collegeboard.com
www.actstudent.org
4. Student Essay*
Your creation- Please, please, pretty
please… HAVE IT PROOFREAD!!
Different colleges might have different
prompts!
5. Recommendation Letters
Complete LRIS so teachers/counselors
can find out more about you!
How Do I Apply?
• There’s no crying in the college application process!!
• NO PROCRASTINATION!!
• If the deadline is November 1st, DO NOT wait until after you
come back from the candy hotspots on Halloween night to start
applying
• Some colleges have ONLY 1 deadline, and if you miss it, you’ve
missed the boat for that college
• Most applications became available August 1st
• APPLY ONLINE at the specific university’s website
• Find out if your specific college requires paper application
with a waiver
• Apply early for consideration for university-specific
scholarships
Florida College Applicants
• When applying to any Florida Public institution a Florida
Resident Form must be completed
• Must submit Proof of Residency
• Copy of one parent’s Driver’s License, Voter’s Registration, or
Vehicle Registration (2 out of 3)
• Information for Residency Classification Form
http://admissions.fiu.edu/how/forms/residency.pdf
Early Decision Vs. Early Action
Early Decision
• Binding
• Higher chance of acceptance
• Do this if you are POSITIVE of
your choice
• Only for one school
• MUST withdraw all other
applications if accepted
• If you realize you don’t have any
money after financial aid is
complete, you’re in a sticky
situation
Early Action
• Non-binding
• Higher chance of
acceptance
• Multiple schools
• Can give you more time
to review financial aid
packages in different
schools
Florida Bright Futures
Scholarship
• Florida Academic
Scholars (FAS)
• $100/credit @ 4-year institution
• $61/credit @ 2-year institution
Requirements:
• 3.5 GPA
• 1280 SAT or 28 ACT
• 100 Service Hours
• Completed FAFSA
• Florida Medallion
Scholars (FMS)
• $75/credit @ 4-year institution
• $47/credit @ 2-year institution
Requirements:
• 3.0 GPA
• 1020 SAT or 22 ACT
• 75 Service Hours
• Completed FAFSA
Florida Bright Futures
Scholarship
• Student information, course load, and grades are entered into
the Florida Bright Futures database by Counselors
• The Florida Bright Futures (FBF) Office accesses test scores
electronically from the State University System
• When registering for the SAT/ACT, send scores to any Florida
State School in order for scores to arrive at FBF Office
• The FBF office automatically selects your best scores
• In December 2012, students will set up their Florida Bright
Future accounts during the school hours
• Students may take SAT/ACT as often as they want to earn the
Florida Bright Futures Scholarship
Free Application for Federal
Student Aid (FAFSA)
• There are three main categories of federal student aid:
◦ Grants
◦ Work-study
◦ Loans
• Forms become available to download online as of January
1st, 2013 at www.fafsa.ed.gov
• Parents must file 2012 income tax before applying or they can
estimate their taxes, but have to confirm after filing
• If you wish to apply for other scholarships, F.A.F.S.A. must be
filled out
• Net Price Calculator: Provides estimate amount of attendance
at each college
Financial Aid
• CSS Profile
• Required by many private colleges/universities to determine
eligibility for non-government financial aid, such as the
institution's own grants, loans, and scholarships.
• Begin applying early Fall
• For more information and to apply, visit
https://profileonline.collegeboard.com
• Male students, who turn 18 years of age, must register
with the selective services at www.sss.gov
• Required for scholarships or federal student aid
Scholarships
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www.collegeboard.com
www.collegeview.com
www.fastweb.com
www.hispanicscholarships.com
www.wiredscholar.com
www.embark.com
www.hsf.net
www.scholarships.com
www.finaid.org
What Will I Need to Apply, and How Do I Get It?
Colleges Will Want:
How Do I Obtain These:
1. Completed Applications
University’s Website
2. Official Transcripts
*GPA
*Academic Coursework
*Academic Percentile
Complete ‘Transcript Request Form’
in the Main Office
3. SAT & ACT Scores
Request from the Official Testing Sites
www.sat.collegeboard.com
www.actstudent.org
4. Student Essay*
Your creation- Please, please, pretty
please… HAVE IT PROOFREAD!!
Different colleges might have different
prompts!
5. Recommendation Letters
Complete LRIS so teachers/counselors
can find out more about you!