Senior Information
Session
September 17, 2015
Today we will cover:
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Graduation requirements
Options after high school
Senior year timeline
Determining college fit
Meeting with college admission representatives
College admissions testing
Admission to 2 year colleges
Admission to 4 year colleges/universities
Application Basics
Important Dates
To Do List
South High Graduation
Requirements
• 4 years Social Studies
• 4 years English
• 3+ years Math
• 3+ years (4 standards)
Science
• 1 year Phy Ed
• 21.5 credits
• My Life Plan (MLP)
• 1 year Health
• 1 year Fine Arts
Options After High School
 Service - Americorp-etc.
 Apprenticeship/Work
 Travel
 Military
 Trade or technical school
 Two-year college
 Four-year college or university
Senior Year Timeline…
The College Process (Aug-Dec)
 College Admissions Tests (SAT, SAT II, ACT? Retake?)
 Narrow your college choices; 6 colleges average
 Consider school’s requirements; Safety/Target/Reach
 Look at Deadlines and “Fit”
 Update your Naviance Account (Colleges I’m Thinking
About, email address)
 College applications
 Essays, if required
 Letters of Recommendation, if required
 Request transcripts
Senior Year Timeline…
The College Process (Jan-June)
 Apply for Financial Aid and Scholarships
 FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student
Aid) Jan 1
 MN State Aid App (for Dream Act students)
 South General Scholarship Application (March
2014)
 Search Naviance, CCC, and online databases
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Continue examining your college options (if this, then that)
Review SAR (Student Aid Report); reply
Review acceptances and Financial Aid awards
Make your decision; send deposit(s)- May 1
Determining College “Fit”
 Size
 Location
 Distance from home
 Available majors and classes
 Housing options
 Makeup of the student body
 Available extracurricular activities
 Campus atmosphere
 Cost of Attendance
 Admissibility
Meeting with College Reps at
South
The cheaper way to “visit” prospective colleges.
List of scheduled visits on:
Naviance (Colleges), (complete list)
Posted outside of CCC (room 246), (complete list)
In Monday newsletter, CCC Happenings (upcoming weeks
visits)
In Pod Cast Announcements (daily and next day visits)
Students need to pick up a Rep Visit Pass from CCC or
Counseling Clerks BEFORE hour of visit and obtain teacher
permission (a signature on the Rep Visit Pass) in order to
attend.
College Admissions Testing
 ACT
 October 24 ( Register by Sept 18)
 December 12 (Register by Nov 6)
 SAT
 October 3 (Register by Sept 3)
 November 7 (Register by Oct 9)
 December 5 (Register by Nov 5)
 Test Optional? Check out http://www.fairtest.org for schools with
optional testing requirements
 STUDENTS NEED TO SEND SCORES FROM THEIR ONLINE
ACCOUNTS (South High cannot send test scores to colleges.
Students may have SAT/ACT scores sent at any time, at least 3
weeks prior to college deadline is recommended)
Admission to a Two Year
Community or Technical College
 High school diploma
 Visit their program; ask good questions: What are your
placement rates? Will my credits transfer if I do? How much will
this cost per credit (and compare)?
 If you transfer to a four year college and earn a bachelor’s
degree it will say that college’s name (does not include that you
went to a two year college first)
 Can sometimes provide good opportunities to earn a good living
in a fairly short time span. Not always transferrable skills or
credits, though.
 Accuplacer and/or ACT scores may be required (for class
placement, not admission decisions)
Admission to a Four Year College
or University
PRIMARY:
 Grades in College Prep (rigorous) Courses
 Standardized Admission Tests (SAT, SAT II, or ACT)
 Grades in all Courses
 Class Rank
___________________________
SECONDARY:
 Community/school involvement/leadership/character
 Essays
 Letters of recommendation
College Application Basics
 6 colleges is plenty (application fees, choices in spring)
 Apply on-line
 Common Application (CommonApp.org) 500+ colleges with a shared application,
many colleges require supplements
 Application account on College Admissions website
 Longer applications will allow you to create an account, save and return later
 Request Application Pieces (as needed) from South
High:
 Transcripts (most colleges require) First 2 are free then $2 per transcript cost
 Letter of Recommendation (counselor and/or core teacher)
 Request both of these AT LEAST 3 WEEKS PRIOR TO COLLEGE DEADLINE!
Who to see for each piece…
• ACT/SAT Registration Help and Information: Coordinators or
Counselor
• College Choice: Coordinators or Counselor
• College Application Help: Coordinators
• College Essay Help: Writing Center, Coordinators or English
Teacher
• Transcript: Counseling Clerks
• Fee waivers: Counselors and Counseling Clerks
• Letters of Recommendation: Teacher or Counselor
• Common Application Recommendation Section: Counselor
Websites
http://south.mpls.k12.mn.us/Counseli
ng.html
http://connection.naviance.com/shs
mn
www.petersons.com
www.commonapp.org
www.collegeboard.com
www.actstudent.org
Important Dates
 September 22: Senior Planning
Night
 October 3: SAT Test
 October 13: Visual and Performing
Arts College Fair
 October 14-16: No school, great
time to visit a college
 October 21-22: National College
Fair
 October 24: ACT
 November 1: Frequent college
application deadline
 November 7: SAT
 November 15: Frequent college
application deadline
 December 1: Frequent college
application deadline
 December 5: SAT
 December 12: ACT
 December 1: Financial Aid Night
 December 15: Frequent college
application deadline (U of M Twin
Cities is Dec 15, 2014)
 January 1: Frequent college
application deadline
 January 15: Frequent college
application deadline
Keep up the Momentum!
 Continue with most rigorous academic program possible - 4
years English, math, science (bio, chem. physics), social
studies and world language. Most selective schools want
great grades in the most rigorous academic program
available at the student’s school
 Your GPA matters ALL THE WAY TO THE END!
 If you change your courses after you apply to a college and
you don’t check it out with a college, they may rescind your
offer of acceptance.
To Do List
 Make sure your email is accurate in Naviance
 Test/Re-test ACT/SAT for admission to 4 year
colleges/universities
 If planning to play DI or DII athletics, register
for NCAA clearinghouse, send transcript & test
scores
 Add all colleges you are interested in to
“Colleges I am thinking about” in Naviance
 Narrow your list down to 5-9 colleges that you
will apply to
 Keep in mind safety, target and reach
 Talk to your parents about how you will pay for
college
 Keep in mind a “Financial Safety College”
 Meet with your counselor to go over your list of
colleges you are going to apply to
 Create an activity list/resume
 Complete the main application/common
application
 If your school requires a letter of
recommendation
 Counselor: Complete the “2015 Senior
Counselor Questionnaire” in Naviance,
make an appt, and complete interview
 Teacher: Ask teacher face to face and
provide them with a resume
 If required, complete the college essay
 Request transcripts
 Send your ACT/SAT scores
Handouts
 2016 Senior Handbook (excerpt): This document goes over
the entire college application process in great detail. The
entire copy is available on the website at . We have provided
you with a couple important pages that include: intro to the
handbook, general tips, request deadlines, contact
information for south, critical dates, college app process (step
by step) and information about determining fit.
 FERPA Release Form: All seniors must get a parent
signature and return this form to the counseling clerks. This
allows us to send your information to your
colleges/universities.
Your Questions?
Student Last Name
Contact Information
A-Co
Marsha.Gaulke@mpls.k12.mn.us
Room 247A
Marie.Hassell@mpls.k12.mn.us
Room 247A
Joan.Moyer@mpls.k12.mn.us
Room 247A
Don.Dilla@mpls.k12.mn.us
Room 247B
Jackie.Vertigan@mpls.k12.mn.us
Room 247B
Christina.Rates@mpls.k12.mn.us
Nneka.Abdullah@mpls.k12.mn.us
Room 246
Richard.Palmquist@mpls.k12.mn.us
Cr-Hi
Hj-Mc
Me-Ro
Ru-Z
11th and 12th graders
9th and 10th graders
All students
Counselor/Coordinator/
Clerk
Marsha Gaulke
Marie Hassell
Joan Moyer (Lauren Lewis)
Don Dilla
Jackie Vertigan
Christina Rates
Nneka Abdullah
Richard Palmquist