ARE YOU READY?
A STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO
PREPARING FOR COLLEGE
MEETING MINIMUM GRADUATION
REQUIREMENTS ISN’T ALWAYS ENOUGH
Go above-and-beyond
in the core academic
areas
What about world
languages?
Challenge yourself with
accelerated and AP
courses BUT make sure
you have a balance
Recent High School Grads Regret Class Selections -US News & World Report, August 30, 2011
College Board checked in with 1,507 students who graduated from high school
in 2010 to see how they were doing a year later.
… almost half of students say they wish they
took different classes in high school, particularly
more difficult science, math, and writing
courses. Students who did challenge
themselves by taking AP or International
Baccalaureate courses—39 percent of those
surveyed—say the extra difficulty was worth it.
expected, and a quarter needed to take remedial coursework d
Recent High School Grads Regret Class Selections - US News & World Report, August 30, 2011
 54 percent of graduates say that their
freshman year college courses were more
difficult than expected
 a quarter needed to take remedial
coursework during their freshman year
 one in seven students dropped out during
their first year of college.
Earning College Credit Prior to
High School Graduation
AP Testing
Dual Enrollment
College Courses not paid
for by Utica Schools
FINDING 1
Most students take five
or six years, and
sometimes even longer,
to earn their bachelor’s
degrees at public
colleges and
universities. Students
who take AP courses
and exams are much
more likely to graduate
in four years.
FINDING 2
Students who
take longer to
graduate from a
public college or
university
typically pay
between $8,000
and $19,000 for
each additional
year.
FINDING 3
Taking AP
increases
eligibility for
scholarships
and makes
candidates more
attractive to
colleges.
AP ENGLISH COURSES
AP English Language and
Composition (11TH grade)
AP English Literature and
Composition (12th grade)
AP MATHEMATICS COURSES
AP
Calculus
AB
AP
Calculus
BC
AP
Computer
Science A
AP
Statistics
EXAMPLE FOR CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
AP CALC BC
3 OR HIGHER
8 CREDITS – CALC 1 & 2
AP SCIENCE COURSES
AP Biology
AP Biology
AP Physics C
AP Chemistry
AP
Environmental
Science
AP SOCIAL STUDIES
COURSES
AP U.S.
History
AP
Micro/Macro
Economics
AP
Psychology
AP U.S.
Government
AP
Government/
Politics
Comparative
EXAMPLE FOR MICHIGAN STATE
AP US History*
5, 4, or 3
8 credits HST 202, 203
AP European
History
AP ART COURSES
AP Studio
Art:2D
Design
AP Studio
Art: 3D
Design
AP Studio
Art:
Drawing
AP Art
History
AP WORLD LANGUAGE COURSES
AP
French
AP Japanese
AP Spanish
AP
German
Dual Enrollment
Assists students with tuition for college courses
Students qualify through test scores for
academic courses
Additional courses are possible in noncore areas, regardless of score
College course is not offered by the
district
Application is completed by district
deadlines
Note: UCS does not pay for text books
or summer classes. Student will have
fewer classes at SHS.
College Courses not paid for by
Utica Schools
Talk to
counselor
Complete
Macomb
application
Student/Family
pays for course
tuition, fees,
and books
Available
during any
semester
Admission Factors & What
Colleges Consider
PRIMARY FACTORS
Admission Factors & What
Colleges Consider
ADDITIONAL FACTORS
 Extracurricular Activities
 Community Involvement
 Essay(s)
 Letters of
Recommendation
 Demonstrated Interest
Keep on track in
10th & 11th grade
 Attend presentations from
college reps at SHS
 Attend Career and College Fairs
 Take challenging courses and get
good grades
Keep on track in
10th & 11th grade
 Be active in clubs and activities at
school
 Research the colleges that you are
interested in to find out what their
expectations are for GPA and test
scores
 Schedule visits to college
campuses
Keep on track in
10th & 11th grade
 Prepare for and take the ACT test
 Have regular family discussions
about college-related issues
 Be careful about what you post on
social media sites
Some useful websites for
college infomation






www.collegeweeklive.com
www.collegemajors101.com
www.collegeboard.com
www.petersons.com
www.usnews.com/education
http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/
best-colleges
 www.collegedata.com
 http://www.micollegeaccess.org/
 https://www.michigancap.org/
Playing sports
in college
Meet with your
counselor to
assess your
academic
readiness
Register with
the NCAA
Eligibility
Center at the
end of junior
year
Closely monitor
your classes
and grades
Send a
transcript to
the NCAA
eligibility
center using
Parchment.com
Send ACT
scores to
NCAA by
entering
"9999” as a
reporting
selection when
registering
Playing sports in college
Go to www.eligibilitycenter.org by the end of junior
year to register and for further information
Want more updates on college planning,
scholarships and financial aid, school
programs and workshops, and information
that will make a difference to you?
Sign up for Remind 101, a one-way text messaging
and e-mail system , to share information with
students and parents at each grade level.
How do I sign up?
•
•
•
•
If you are a Class of 2015 Parent or Guardian, text @2015family to 517-680-9125
If you are a Class of 2015 Student, text @2015titans to 517-680-9125
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If you are a Class of 2016 Student, text @2016titans to 517-680-9125
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How do I sign up?
• If you are a Class of 2015 Parent or Guardian, send an e-mail to
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• If you are a Class of 2015 Student, send an e-mail to
2015titans@mail.remind101.com
• If you are a Class of 2016 Parent or Guardian, send an e-mail to
2016family@mail.remind101.com
• If you are a Class of 2016 Student, send an e-mail to
2016titans@mail.remind101.com
Stevenson counselors are
here to help with all of
your college prep questions
Questions?