Planning for College
Prepared by Robin Lynne, College and Career Counselor
Marathon High School
Future Job Market
By the year 2018
63% of jobs will require post secondary
education
33% of jobs will require a college degree
30% of jobs will require an associate
degree or some college-level training.
37% of jobs will require unskilled labor
FUTURE JOB MARKET
80% of the fastest growing jobs require
higher education
The top 10 jobs in 2010 did not exist in
2004
The current generation will change
careers on average seven to ten times in
their lifetime
Difference in Median Earnings
 A student with a 2 year Associate’s
Degree will earn $9,000 a year more than
a student with just a high school diploma
 A student with a 4 year Bachelor’s Degree
will earn $21,000 a year more than a
student with just a high school diploma
Average 2010 Income
Average Yearly Income By Educational Level
 No High School Diploma
$25,000
 High School Diploma
$31,000
 Associate’s Degree
$40,000
 Bachelor’s Degree
$51,000
 Master’s Degree
$61,000
 Doctorate Degree
$79,000
the unemployment rate is less
the more education you have
Doctoral degree 2.5%
Professional degree2.3%
Master's degree 3.9%
Bachelor's degree 5.2%
Associate degree 6.8%
Some college, no degree 8.6%
High school graduate 9.7%
Less than a high school diploma 14.6%
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
University
4 years
Bachelor’s Degree
Community College
A.A. Degree
2 years
University
2 years
Bachelor’s Degree
A.S. Degree
2 years
Certificate
1 yr or less
Continuing Ed.
6-8 weeks
Community Colleges
• Community colleges
admissions policy
have
an
open
• However they will require a SAT/ACT/CPT
test for placement into college-level classes
• Those lacking placement scores will be
scheduled for remedial Math or English
classes before advancing to higher levels
Community Colleges Offers
• AA Degrees - 2 years. Requires taking 36 credits of
general education classes and 24 credits of electives.
After receiving AA degree student transfers to a
University for 2 years to study in their major
• AS Degrees – 2 years. Is usually a vocational or
technical major like: Web Design, Registered Nurse,
Dental Hygienist, Computer Programmer, Criminal
Justice, Graphic Technology, Veterinary Technician,
Digital Media Technology, Drafting and Design,
Ultrasound Technician, Culinary
Community Colleges Offers
• Certificates – usually 1 year or less. Examples: Massage
Therapist, EMT, EKG Technician, Certified Nursing
Assistant, Law Enforcement Officer, Automotive
Mechanic, Electronics Technician, Digital Media Video
Production, Graphic Design, Court Reporter
• Continuing Education – usually around 6 weeks is a noncredit program and financial aid does not apply.
Examples: Dental Assistant, Pharmacy Technician, Real
Estate, Electronics, Small Business Management,
Drafting, Web Design, Automotive, Cosmetology
Universities
 State Universities offer a four-year
Bachelor’s degree and higher
 They are very competitive to get into
and decline over half the applicants
 They may recalculate the GPA using
their own standard
universities
 They are looking for well rounded students
o who have a good GPA and SAT/ACT score
o have taken academically challenging
courses
o have taken two years of foreign language
o have demonstrated leadership qualities,
involved in extra-curricular activities such
as clubs, sports, band, camps and have
participated in community service projects.
Top Ten Most Popular College Majors
 Business - Business Administration and Management
is the most popular selected major. Business also
includes finance, marketing, and accounting, which
has a high demand right out of college. This can get
you a good paying job right from the start, especially
with a business degree from a top business school.
 Social Sciences and History - This includes
anthropology, economics, geography, sociology and
political science.
 Education - Elementary Education is the most popular
major
top ten 4-year degrees
 Psychology - There seems to be two types of Psych
majors. Those who are interested in counseling and
those who are interested in other related careers where
the skills of such a major can come in handy (ex: human
resources, public relations, market research and sales).
 Nursing - The nursing field is competitive, and some
programs may have wait lists. However, you are pretty
much guaranteed a job due to the severe shortage of
nurses.
 Communications
also
includes
journalism,
communications is one of the fastest growing majors in
college.
top ten 4-year degrees
 Biology - Biology majors do a lot of research and
development and work in a laboratory or the field. Common
employers of biology majors include: hospitals, national &
state parks, universities, pharmaceutical companies,
research firms, aquariums and zoos.
 Engineering - A major that usually produces a high salaried
job from the start. But, plan on taking very aggressive math
and science courses with this major.
 English - An English major can be involved in copywriting,
editing and teaching, but not just limited to that. Also a good
gateway degree to graduate school, or law school.
 Computer Science - A highly technical field involving a lot of
advanced math and computer courses.
10 Highly Profitable 2-Year Degree Jobs
Physical Therapist Assistant
$46,111
Web Designer
$48,785
Electrical or Electronic Engineering Technician $47,163
Registered Nurse
$55,276
Computer Support Specialist
$46,111
Executive or Administrative Assistant
$37,669
Dental Hygienist
$57,148
Surveying or Mapping Technician
$33,363
Camera Operator
$42,558
12 Highly Profitable Jobs Requiring a Certificate
Court Reporter
$39,781
Auto Insurance Appraiser
$50,165
Auto or Motorcycle Mechanic
$41,233
Massage Therapist
$35,349
Security and Fire Alarm System Installer
$42,763
Emergency Medical Technician
$42,763
Aerobics or Fitness Instructor
$37,113
Medical Transcriptionist
$31,286
Cosmetologist
$27,112
Spoken Language Interpreter
$44,175
Sign Language Interpreter
$36,278
Embalmer
$38,482
Graduation and Retention Rate
High School
• Of 100 ninth graders, 68 will graduate from High School and
18 will end up graduating from college on time
University – Bachelor’s Degree
• Retention Rate for Returning a 2nd Year is 76%
• Graduation Rate is 56% (allowing for 6 years)
Community College – Associate’s Degree
• Retention Rate for Returning a 2nd Year is 50%
• Graduation Rate is 28% (allowing for 3 years)
What You Need To Do in High School If
You Want To Graduate from College
• Grades Matter – Your high school grade point
average is a great predictor of whether or not you
will earn a college degree
• Homework Matters – Homework might seem like a
waste of time, but it teaches you course content,
time-management, and discipline – all of which
you’ll need in college
• Math Courses Matter – The further you go in Math
in high school, the better your chances of earning a
college degree
Earning a two-year college degree or higher
depends a lot on what your high school GPA is
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
64% of students with an A
average in high school get
an AA degree or higher
37% of students with a B
average
14% of students with a C
average
Getting a four-year college degree depends a lot on how far you go
in high school math
Percentage of high school graduates earning a Bachelors Degree by the
highest level of math course taken in high school
Calculus 80%
Pre Calculus 74%
Trigonometry 62%
Algebra 40%
Geometry 23%
Algebra 1 8%
0.00%
10.00%
20.00%
30.00%
40.00%
50.00%
60.00%
70.00%
80.00%
90.00%
AP Classes and College Graduation
 Most students take five or six years to earn
their bachelor’s degree. Students who take
AP courses and exams are much more likely
to graduate in four years.
 Studies show that students who took AP
English Literature had a 62% higher four-year
graduation rate than those who took other
English courses in high school.
SAT/ACT
 ACT - Tests on Subject Matter
 Answer ALL Questions
 No penalty for wrong answers
 Go ahead and guess
 Go ahead and Christmas Tree if you are running out of
time
 SAT - Tests on Reasoning Skills
 Be selective
 Quarter of a point off for wrong answers
 No penalty for skipping a question
 Only guess if you can get a question down to two answers
and then guess with your gut. Don’t waste a lot of time
contemplating.
SAT Subject Tests
The more selective universities will ask for
two or three subject tests. The tests are a
hour long and you can take up to three on a
test day. You can test in:
Literature
Biology
Chemistry
Mathematics
U.S. History
World History
Physics
German
Italian
Modern Hebrew
French
Latin
Admissions Matrix
University GPA Range
SAT Range
ACT Range
FAMU
3.05
1350
19
FAU
3.2–3.8
1510-1720 (all 3)
22-26
FGCU
3.06-3.75
1460-1670 (all 3)
20-24
FIU
3.5-4.1
1100-1230
23-27
FSU
3.6-4.2
1730-1960 (all 3)
26-29
NCF
3.76-4.29
1250-1410
27-31
UCF
3.5-4.2
1150-1290
25-28
UF
4.3-4.4
1970-2090 (all 3)
30-32
UNF
3.3-4..0
1140-1260
22-25
USF
3.58-4.12
1120-1280
24-29
UWF
3.2-4.0
1010-1140
22-26
College Applications
• Applications are on-line for both
community colleges and universities.
• Students will need to know their current
classes, past AP and DE classes, weighted
and un-weighted GPA, SAT/ACT scores and
test dates and their community service
hours.
• Students may see the college counselor or
data entry for a transcript.
college applications
• Applications will ask for two of the following to
confirm state residency :
o parent’s voter registration card
o car registration
o driver’s license
• Students will need to send their transcripts from
MHS and FKCC if they have taken DE classes
• After graduation students will need to send final
transcripts from MHS and FKCC if they have taken
duel enrollment classes
Bright Futures Course Requirements
Florida Academic and Medallion Scholarship
•
•
•
•
•
4 English (3 with substantial writing)
4 Mathematics (Algebra 1 Level and above)
3 Natural Science (2 with substantial lab)
3 Social Science
2 Foreign Language (sequential, in the same
language)
Bright Futures Requirements
Florida Academic and Medallion Scholarship
All students are required to apply for Federal Financial Aid. A student does
not have to qualify for financial aid they just have to apply for it.
The Academic Scholarship requires a 3.5 weighted GPA in core
courses, 100 hours of community service and a SAT score of:
-2012 graduates SAT of 1270 or ACT of 28
-2013 graduates SAT of 1280 or ACT of 28
-2014 graduates SAT of 1290 or ACT of 29
The Medallion Scholarship requires a 3.0 weighted GPA in core
courses, 75 hours of community service and a SAT score of:
-2012 graduates SAT of 980 or ACT of 21
-2013 graduates SAT of 1020 or ACT of 22
-2014 graduates SAT of 1170 or ACT of 26
Bright Futures Requirements
Florida Gold Seal Vocational Scholarship
•
•
•
•
•
•
4 English
4 Mathematics (including Algebra 1)
3 Natural Science (2 with substantial lab)
1 Fine; or Identified Practical Art; or .5 credit in each
1 Physical Education (to include integration of health)
3 years of classes in a vocational series
Requires three years of a vocational series with a 3.5
unweighted GPA and a 3.0 weighted GPA in their core classes
Students must score on the SAT exam a 440 in critical reading
and math or score on the ACT exam a 17 in English, 18 in
Reading, and a 19 in Math
Bright Futures will pay a flat fee per credit hour
towards tuition (as of 2012)
University
 Academic $101 x 30 credit hours = $3,030
 Medallion/Gold Seal $76 x 30 credit hours = $2,280
Tuition to a State University is about $5,500
Community College
 Academic $62 x 30 credit hours = $1,860
 Medallion/Gold Seal $47 x 30 credit hours = $1,410
Tuition to a Community is about $3,000
Students must maintain a college GPA of 3.0 for the
Academic Scholarship and a 2.75 for the Medallion and
Gold Seal to keep the Bright Futures Scholarship
Estimated Tuition and Extras to a
State University for 1 year
Expenses
Tuition/Fees
$5,500
Room (Housing)
$5,500
Board (Food/Meals)
$3,800
Books/Supplies
$1,000
Transportation
$1,500
Personal Expenses
$1,500
Estimated Total Costs
$18,800
Local Scholarships
Our community is very generous with
scholarship opportunities
Applications for local scholarships will
start in February
A list of scholarships along with the
applications will be available in the
students government class, in my office
and on my website
 You can find the link to my website through
the high school’s website
 There are several good websites to search
for scholarships. Try www.fastweb.com and
www.FederalStudentAid.ed.gov/scholarship
 Another
useful
www.campusgrotto.com
website
is
Federal Financial Aid
 Federal Financial Aid (FAFSA) is based on adjusted
income from the parent’s and student’s tax return.
Parents should try to complete their tax return as
soon as possible to be able to apply early.
 Financial Aid will consider many factors in
determining need such as how many children are
in the family and how many will be in college
Websites on Financial Aid
Federal Financial Aid
www.fafsa.ed.gov
The parent section has many resources. Use the
FAFSA4caster for early estimate of your
eligibility for federal student aid
www.collegeboard.com
A helpful website with many resources and has a
college financial calculator
The AmeriCorps Program
• AmeriCorps is a structed 10-month program
where students help those in need across
America.
• At the end of the program students will
receive $5,000 towards their tuition.
• This might be an option to consider for
students who want to take a year off before
starting college. Visit www.AmeriCorps.org
for more information.
What You Need to Do and When You
Need to Do It
Ninth Grade
•
•
•
•
Enroll in academically challenging classes
Become involved in extracurricular activities
Do community service in an area of interest
Work towards meeting the Bright Futures
requirements
• Consider attending a summer camp in an area of
interest
• Visit college campuses while on family vacations
What You Need to Do and When You Need to Do It
Tenth Grade
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Take academically challenging classes
Take the PSAT in the fall
Attend College Fair in the fall
Stay involved in extracurricular activities
Continue volunteering in an area of interest
Consider taking an SAT/ACT exam if in advanced math
Work towards meeting the Bright Futures requirements
Consider attending a summer camp in an area of interest
Visit college campuses while on family vacations
What You Need to Do and When You Need to Do It
Eleventh Grade
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Take academically challenging classes
Attend College Fair
Stay involved in extracurricular activities
Continue volunteering in an area of interest
Take the SAT/ACT several times if planning to attend a
university
Work towards meeting the Bright Futures requirements
Attend or volunteer at a summer camp in an area of interest
Research colleges for particular majors, entrance
requirements, costs, etc.
Attend campus tours of colleges of interest
What You Need to Do and When You Need to Do It
Twelfth Grade
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Take academically challenging classes
Finish taking the SAT/ACT to student’s satisfaction
Attend campus tours of colleges of interest
Apply to Universities in the fall
Apply to Community Colleges in the spring
Stay involved in extracurricular activities
Continue volunteering in an area of interest
Register for Bright Futures Scholarship with College Counselor
Apply for Federal Financial Aid after January 1
Apply for local scholarships in the Spring
This power point was authored by Robin Lynne,
College and Career Counselor, Marathon High School
No part of this may be used or reprinted
without the permission of the author
Resources:
The College Board
Florida State University
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Higher Ed Info. Org
Georgetown Education Center
Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation