“Empowering today to achieve a better tomorrow”
Carie Allen, Last Names A-B
Nicole Wilson, Last Names C-F
Alicia Day, Last Names G-K
Paula Buckmaster, Last Names L-O
Ranae Summers, Last Names P-S
Kristi Stephens, Last Names T-Z
Brieana Cooper, Student Assistance
College 101 Purpose:
 To inform parents of ways to help your child
be prepared for their post high school goals
and education.
 To provide relevant information on high
school graduation.
 To inform parents on resources for college
bound students.
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What are the high school graduation requirements?
What do colleges look for in a prospective student?
What is the ACT and SAT?
What is an AP Course?
What is concurrent enrollment?
Subject
Number of Credits (or Units)
English
4
Math
3
Science
3
History
3
Computer Tech. or Foreign Language 2
Additional Unit from course selected
above
1
Personal Financial Literacy
.5 (semester class)
Humanities or Fine Arts
.5 (semester class) or 2 credits of
fine arts i.e.. Band, art, music or
drama
Elective Courses
Total Credits = 26
In order to meet graduation requirements every student
must pass 4 of 7 EOI Tests.
All students Must Pass:
English 2 and Algebra 1
Any 2 of the following:
Biology, Geometry, US History, English 3 or Algebra 2
Attendance on Test Days is Very Important!
VALEDICTORIAN
4.0 GPA, weighted
7 Semester Transcript
B minimum grade
SALUTATORIAN
3.97 GPA, weighted
7 Semester Transcript
B minimum grade
Students in the sophomore, junior or senior classes who
have attained a cumulative grade point average of 3.8 or
higher are academically eligible to apply for membership.
NHS Advisor: Tom Garner
Scholarship
www.okpromise.org
What should a Freshmen be
doing?
 Establishing good study habits, learning to ask
for help from teachers, turning in assignments.
= Good Grades
 Get involved in clubs, organizations, and
volunteer in the community. Keep a record of
all activities, awards and honors.
 Sign up for the PSAT, given every October.
Sophomore Year
 Students are continuing to complete courses
required for graduation.
 Plan Test- Taken Sept. 25th & PSAT October 16th
 Students may apply to attend Canadian Valley
Technology Center as juniors in December &
January.
 February – Pre enrollment for junior year and
CVTC interviews this month.
Upcoming Dates for Sophomores
CVTC Recruitment Visit- Wednesday , November 20th
-in the auditorium during English 2 Classes
Open House Night at CVTC Monday, December 9th
Deadline to apply for 2014-2015 school year is
-January 24, 2014
Getting College Ready
 Register for the PSAT, Given at MHS on
October 17th $14. National Merit
Qualifying Test for Juniors. Register
with Mrs. Dillard in Media Center.
 “Sophomore of the Year” and Hugh
O’Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY) are
leadership opportunities for
sophomores, applications available in
the counseling office.
PLAN Test Day – Wednesday,
September 25
What is the PLAN Test?- Practice ACT, made by ACT
company with a career interest assessment included in
the test. Go to:
www.actstudent.org
Junior Year
Take the ACT by spring of junior
year or upon completion of Algebra
2.
Sign up for the PSAT- Qualifying
year for National Merit Scholarship
Take Advanced Placement courses.
Concurrent enrollment
ACT Test
The ACT is a college entrance exam
required by most colleges for admission.
Admission scores vary by college.
Student should sign up for the ACT no
later than junior year if planning to go to
college. Sign up at www.actstudent.org
Fee waivers are available to juniors and
seniors on the free/reduced lunch
program.
*Students may receive up to 2 waivers.
PSAT
The PSAT test will be held October 16th at
Mustang High School. This test is given for
National Merit Scholarship eligibility. The
Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship
Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) is a program
cosponsored by the College Board and
National Merit Scholarship Corporation
(NMSC). It's a standardized test that
provides firsthand practice for the SAT®. It
also gives you a chance to enter NMSC
scholarship programs and gain access to
college and career planning tools.
PSAT
The PSAT/NMSQT measures:
Critical reading skills
Math problem-solving skills
Writing skills
Reasons to take the PSAT
 The most common reasons for taking the
PSAT/NMSQT are to:
 Receive feedback on your strengths and
weaknesses on skills necessary for college
study. You can then focus your preparation on
those areas that could most benefit from
additional study or practice.
 See how your performance on an admissions test
might compare with that of others applying to
college.
 Enter the competition for scholarships from
NMSC (grade 11).
 Help prepare for the SAT. You can become
familiar with the kinds of questions and the
exact directions you will see on the SAT.
 Receive information from colleges when you
check "yes" to Student Search Service.
PSAT
 Freshman and sophomore
students may sign up for this
test for practice. Junior year is
when scores count for National
Merit eligibility. The cost of the
test is $14.00. Contact Joni
Dillard, testing coordinator, at
dillardj@mustangps.org or call
376-6930 to sign up. Deadline
to sign up is September 26th.
Basics of Advanced Placement
Advanced Placement Program® (AP®) courses are
college-level courses offered in high school. AP
courses reflect what is taught in top introductory
college courses.
At the end of course, students take AP Exams—
standardized exams that measure how well students
have mastered college-level course work.
Students who do well on AP Exams can earn credit
and/or placement into advanced courses in college.
Benefits of taking AP Courses
AP courses can be challenging, but it’s work that pays
off.
AP courses are often the most interesting and
fulfilling courses a student takes in high school.
AP teachers are among the most prepared,
dedicated, and inspiring teachers at their schools.
Students develop confidence, and learn the study
habits and time management skills essential for
success in college.
What are AP Courses Like
AP courses typically demand more of students than
regular or honors courses.
Classes tend to be fast-paced and cover more material
than typical high school classes.
More time, inside and outside of the classroom, is
required to complete lessons, assignments and
homework.
AP teachers expect their students to think critically,
analyze and synthesize facts and data, weigh competing
perspectives, and write clearly and persuasively.
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, problemsolving, oral response
AP Exams Fees
AP Exam fees for 2013 were $94.00 per exam.
Students enrolled in the free/reduced lunch program
pay only $14.00.
All test registration is done online at:
www.mustangps.org
-click on the high school page
-at the top left side of the high school page is the link to
register
Registration begins in January
Reason to Take AP Courses
1. Impress College Admission Counselors
At nearly every college in the country, your
academic record is the most important part of
your college application. The folks in the
admissions office want to see that you've taken
the most challenging courses available to you.
Success in difficult courses is the surest sign of
your preparedness for college. The most
challenging courses, of course, are college-level
Advanced Placement classes.
Reason to Take AP Courses
2. Develop College-Level Academic Skills
AP classes require the type of high-level calculating
and critical thinking that you'll encounter in your
first year of college. If you can write essays and solve
problems successfully for an AP class, you've
mastered many of the skills that will lead to success
in college
Reason to Take AP Courses
3. Early Graduation from College
If you take enough Advanced Placement classes, you
can potentially graduate from college a semester or
even a year early. Early graduation isn't always a
good idea, but for a student who isn't receiving
financial aid, it can save tens of thousands of dollars.
Concurrent Enrollment
11th & 12th Grade students may qualify
with required ACT score to take
college classes while enrolled in high
school.
Students may earn credits for high
school graduation and college.
Students may take up to 18 credit
hours TUITION FREE!
Please see your counselor for details.
Okcollegestart.org
 OKcollegestart.org includes the following features:
 Explore Colleges and Careers
 Discover the colleges and universities in the state.
 Determine the careers that best match your skills and interests.
 Match schools with your career interests.
 Plan and Pay for College
 See which high school classes are needed to meet admission
requirements.
 Learn about ways to pay for college.
 Apply online for Oklahoma's Promise — OHLAP.
 Create a personal portfolio to track your college planning.
 Apply to College
 Gather information about the admission requirements at all
Oklahoma colleges and universities.
 Apply online to most of the colleges and universities in Oklahoma.
 OKCOLLEGESTART.ORG- FOLLOW ON Facebook &
Twitter.
 The College Board- @CollegeBoard
 ACT Student- @ACTSTUDENT
 FastWeb.com
 UcanGo2.org
 Federal Aid- FAFSA.gov