Making the Best High School Choices to Meet
Your College-Going Goals
Lisa Meyer
Director of Social Studies and Advanced Academic
Programs









Recommended High School Program vs.
Distinguished Achievement Program
Pre-Advanced Placement
Advanced Placement
Dual Credit
Auditing Classes
Making the top 10% -- and what to do if you
don’t
The College Admissions Game
Improving your chances for scholarships
PSAT/SAT/ACT Tests
Find the
DPHS
Program of
Studies at
the Deer
Park ISD
website
(www.dpisd.
org under
Parent Quick
Links
*Subject to change during the current
legislative session…stay tuned!




26 credits
The default curriculum for Texas high school
students
Includes a “4x4” of core area class: 4 English;
4 Social Studies, 4 Math and 4 Science
courses
Offers courses that give you the best
opportunity to succeed in technical school,
community college or a four-year university
in Texas.

The State of Texas seeks to recognize those
students with exceptional achievement in
high school. The DAP is for those students
whose accomplishments are of such caliber
as to be acknowledged on a national level.

Goes beyond the RHSP by requiring advanced
schoolwork that reflects college- or
professional-level skills by completing any
combination of four advanced measures:
1. Score 3 or above on a College Board Advanced
Placement Exam. Each exam counts as 1 measure.
2. Complete original research or project under the
direction of mentor(s), judged by qualified
professionals and reported to a qualified audience.
3. Earn a PSAT score that qualifies you as an award
recipient in a variety of College Board or NMSQT
programs.
4. Earn a grade of 3.0 or higher on dual-credit courses.

Other requirements include an
additional year of foreign language (3 rather
than 2) and more stringent requirements as
to course choices in math and science. This
also drops the required number of elective
courses from 4 to 3 (the foreign language
replaces an elective).
Pre-AP, AP, Honors and Dual-Credit Courses







PAP English I
PAP World Geography
AP Human Geography*
PAP Geometry
PAP Algebra II
PAP Biology
PAP Spanish/French/German
*AP Human Geography is a
college-level course
Courses
available at
North Campus
for 9th Graders



A more rigorous course offering, which
moves more quickly, covers content at a
greater depth, and builds critical-thinking
and reading skills.
Pre-AP courses provide excellent preparation
for later Advanced Placement® courses
Honors and Pre-AP courses (and dual-credit
and AP courses) receive a weighted GPA.
DPHS
Program of
Studies,
Page 4


AP classes offer unique learning
experiences that will help you succeed in
college. Through AP courses and exams, you
can earn college credit and stand out in the
admissions process.
AP classrooms engage students in intense
discussions, collaborative problem-solving,
and learning to write clearly and persuasively.
AP courses help students acquire the
skills and habits needed to be successful in
college.
 Students improve writing skills, sharpen
problem-solving abilities, and develop time
management skills, discipline, and study
habits.
 Most four-year colleges in the US and in more
than 60 other countries give students credit
on the basis of AP Exam scores.










English Literature
English Language
World History
U.S. History
Government
Economics
Calculus AB/BC
Statistics
Biology







Chemistry
Physics C
Studio Art
French Language
Spanish Language
German Language
Computer Science





Open to juniors and seniors
Taught by San Jacinto College professors at
SJC
Students who receive a 70 or better receive
high school and college credit*
Deer Park ISD pays the tuition for selected
courses taken during the regular school year
Students must meet SJC entrance
requirements









U.S. History
Sociology
Psychology
English IV
Government
Economics
Automotive
Technology
Cosmetology
Geology



BCIS
Math (College
Algebra and
Trigonometry) if PreCalculus completed
at DPHS – Dual
enrollment but not
credit
Other CATE courses
as approved





When a student audits a course, they
receive a pass/fail rather than a grade.
This is of benefit to students who are in the
race to the top 10%.
Only Juniors and Seniors who have a GPA of
4.9 or better can participate.
Maximum of 2 courses/year.
No core academic courses or foreign
language courses may be audited.





Start strong
Grades matter
Number of weighted GPA courses matters
(PAP/AP/Dual Credit/Honors)
Auditing courses may make a difference
In general, juniors at large begin to “kick it in”
– that means that those who started strong
have an advantage, but only if they stay on
track.




Average 15 weighted courses per student
Are 42% identified gifted & talented students
Are 61% female
Include students from a wide variety of
backgrounds
Average
20
weighted
credits
Ranges
between
16-23
weighted
credits
Is 70%
female



Don’t give up hope
Check the admissions criteria (know those
websites!) for your colleges of choice
Have all of the other ducks in a row
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
Rigorous coursework
SAT/ACT Scores
GPA
Volunteer Hours
Extra-curricular Activities
Taking your best shot at getting into your
first choice
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Grades in AP Courses
Difficulty of student’s course curriculum
Admission tests scores (SAT and/or ACT)
Overall grade point average
Essay or writing sample
Student’s demonstrated interest in
attending a particular college
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
Class rank
Counselor recommendation
Teacher recommendations
AP subject test scores
Interview
Extracurricular activities
SAT Subject Test Scores



2012 was the hardest year to get in to
College
The average public university accepts 65% of
its applicants
The average private institution accepts 63% of
its applicants



73% of colleges and universities experienced
an increase in applications in 2010
The typical school accepted 65.5% of its
applicants
48% of schools use a wait list – more selective
schools are most likely to use them



The acceptance rate for students who applied
early-decision was 57% versus 50% for
regular applicants.
100% of colleges and universities are using
social media sites to recruit students\
Many schools check applicants on-line
presence. Heed the warning! Post CAREFULLY!




Public schools are accepting more out-ofstate students
Approximately 20.4 million students are
enrolled in college
56% of enrolled college freshmen are female
The average application fee is $40




Keep a journal of your awards,
volunteer hours, etc…
Start researching scholarships now
Don’t start applying until your senior year
If you qualify, absolutely make sure you are
on the free/reduced lunch records
PSAT, SAT, and ACT

Take the PSAT in 9th, 10th, and 11th
grades
◦ Currently DPISD pays for all 10th graders to take the
PSAT


Nationwide, students who take the PSAT
perform better on the SAT test than students
who did not, and each subsequent testing
tends to improve students’ SAT scores.
Juniors who take the PSAT are entered into
the National Merit Scholarship Competition.


Most Texas colleges and universities
will use SAT scores as a college-entrance
exam
The SAT is a timed test made up of 3 sections
◦ Critical Reading
◦ Mathematics
◦ Critical Writing


Students who take the SAT more than once
tend to improve their scores
The SAT is offered multiple times each year


Most Texas colleges and universities
will use ACT scores as a college-entrance
exam.
The ACT is a timed exam made up of 4
sections
◦
◦
◦
◦

English
Mathematics
Reading
Science
The ACT is also offered several times each
year.

Websites
◦ www.collegefortexans.com
◦ www.collegeboard.com
◦ www.hechingerreport.org
◦ www.dpisd.org
◦ www.collegexpress.com


Lisa Meyer
Director of Social Studies and Advanced
Academic Programs
832-668-7112
lmeyer@dpisd.org
DPHS – North Campus Counselors
Meagan Kiefer & Christine Frames
832-668-7305