Hosted by the
WFHS
Counseling Office
Unofficial Transcript
Hope Preliminary Unofficial GPA or
note how to update your student’s
profile
Senior Calendar of Events
SAT/ACT Testing Calendar
College Application Cheat Sheet
**This presentation will be made available on the WFHS
Counseling Website.
WELCOME
Senior Class Sponsor- Ms. Gilmore
Jon Smith- Balfour Representative
Dues/Important Dates/Upcoming Events
Michelle Weiberg
A-Co
Jennifer Ciaccio
Cr-Gr
Erica Waters
Mc-R
Allison Rinehart
S-Z
Registrar :
Claire Upchurch
Allison Leja
Gu-Ma
Counseling Secretary:
MaryMargret Jordan
4 English credits (9 th Lit and Amer. Lit)
4 Math credits
4 Science credits
3 Social Studies
(Biology, Phy. Sci. or Physics)
(W. Hist., US Hist., Gov/Econ)
3 Career/Fine Arts/For. Lang.
Health/Per. Fit
4 additional electives
Total of 23 credits
Career Tech Pathway Verification
 CTAE Community Service Hour Form
Fine Art Pathway Verification
 FA Community Service Hour Form
 Advanced Academic Pathway Verification
 Academic Community Service Hour Form
World Language Pathway Verification
 WL Community Service Hour Form
Course
Average
(1 pt)
Above Average
(2pt)
Advanced
(3 pt)
Most Difficult
(4pt)
English
On-level
2 Honors
2 Honors/1 AP
2 Honors/2 AP
Math
On-level
(Math I, 2, 3,
AMDM)
On-level
(Math 1, 2, 3, 4)
Accel Math I, 2, 3,
AP Calc or AP
Stats
Accel Math 2, 3, AP
Calc AB/BC, DL Calc
Social Studies
On-level
1 Honors
1 Honors/1 AP
2 or more AP
Science
On-level
2 Honors
1 AP
2 or more AP
Foreign
Language
2 years
3 years
4 years
1 or more AP
0-5 pts
AVERAGE
6-10 pts
ABOVE AVERAGE
11-15 pts
EXCELLENT
16 +
OUTSTANDING
Overall Total
Legend
See handout for dates/locations
and registration information.
Prep Options
Do you need to take SAT II’s?
Send scores to respective colleges
directly.
www.collegeboard.com
www.act.org
High School Code: 110929
Type of Test
SAT
ACT
Test of critical thinking
and problem solving
Content-based test
Test Dates
October 3
November 7
December 5
January 23
Score
600 to 2400
1 to 36
Penalty for
wrong answers
Yes
No
Structure
Critical Reading
Math (through Algebra 2)
Writing
September 12
October 24
December 12
February 6
English
Math (through trigonometry)
Reading
Science Reasoning
Writing (Optional)
What still needs to be done?
Complete college research & college applications
Understand the difference between being able to
get into a college and being able to AFFORD a
college.
Understand the difference between high school
graduation requirements and college entrance
requirements
Understand that there are high school deadlines
and college deadlines for admissions, scholarships,
NCAA, HOPE, FAFSA
Submit all requests for transcripts, evaluations and
letters by the high school deadline
Research scholarships and financial aid
What am I looking for?
Size, location, cost, majors, clubs/groups, etc.
How does the BIG 3 affect my admissions?
GPA, SAT/ACT, curriculum strength.
Have I narrowed my list down to 5 – 7
schools? 1-2 Dream/Reach, 2-3 Moderate level, 2-3
Safety/Fall Back.
 Plan a visit to tour the campus
 Attend College Fairs
 Meet with the college representatives when they
come to WFHS
 Calculate your academic GPA (most colleges only
consider academic courses) where 90+ = 4, 80-89 =
3,
70-79 = 2, and 0-69 = 0. Always contact the
college to verify how they actually recalculate your GPA.
GACollege411 (www.gacollege411.org)
Bigfuture (https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org)
Early Action
Early Decision
Not Binding –if student
accepted, not obligated to
attend.
Binding-if student accepted, obligated
to withdraw all other applications.
UGA – Oct. 15th
GA Tech – Oct. 15st
Emory
Nov 1st –Early Decision I
Nov 15th – Emory Scholars
Jan 1st Early Decision II
Complete your applications first!
Online (the best way)
Paper (if available)
Common App (www.commonapp.org) – allows
you to apply to over 400 colleges with one
application. You will need to invite your counselor to
complete your evaluation by submitting their email
address. Make sure you have their correct email
address!
***Make sure you verify the application deadline
for each individual college that you
are applying to.
Complete a transcript request form for EACH college that
you are applying to. Transcript fee is $4 per request. You will
submit payment and your request through
www.mypaymentsplus.com.
** If requesting a transcript for an out of state college you
will need to prepare a stamped addressed envelope. (3
stamps required) These envelopes are available in the
counseling office.
** For Common App, you only need to make one transcript
request for the schools that you applying to through that
site.
 Very Important!
 **There is a two week (business day) notification period for
transcripts that require counselor recommendations or
evaluations to be submitted with your transcript request.
 **Example: Any one applying to UGA or Tech early
application (deadline Oct. 15th) should have their transcript
request in by Oct. 1st at the latest!
 **Example: For any January 1st deadlines, request should be
into the counseling office by December 4th at the latest!
Counselor Evaluations and Recommendations:
 **These are not required for every school, so check
the college’s application requirements to verify if
you need these or not.
 If needed, turn in to your counselor a completed
Senior Information Sheet (please make a copy of
this for your records).
 **Reminder: request should be made at least two
weeks prior to the application deadline.
Very Important!
 **If the recommendation or
evaluation request is going to made
electronically, it is your responsibility
to check with your counselor to make
sure that they have received the email
notification. Make sure you have their
correct email address!
Teacher recommendations:
 **If a teacher recommendation is needed, and
giving them a 2 – 3 week notice, you will submit to
your recommender stamped and addressed
envelopes for each of the schools that you would
like a letter sent to.
 **Just as with your counselor, if the request is
made electronically you will need to verify with
your recommender, that they have received the
request. Make sure you have their correct email
address!
 Make sure that you have sent your
ACT, SAT, or both scores to each of
the schools that you are applying
to!
 SAT – www.collegeboard.com
 ACT – www.actstudent.org
 For your convenience, a step by step
account of the application
procedures is posted on the WFHS
Counseling Website.
 Check all of your application requirements to
make sure that you have submitted all needed
documentation! Some colleges or programs
may require supplemental information
(Common App), portfolios, interviews, etc.
 Please see your counselor for any questions!
 Continue to work hard in school because
college acceptances are not guaranteed and
can be rescinded.
 Start thinking about which school you will
attend if you are accepted.
 Find some scholarship money!
 Graduate from a HOPE-eligible high school
 Be registered for Selective Service (males only)
 Meet Georgia residency requirements
 3.0 CORE GPA (all academic courses only)

Eng., Math, Science, Social Studies,
For. Lang.
 AP quality pts. (only .50 given for AP, nothing above a
4.0)
 RIGOR Requirement (Class of 2016 / THREE rigor
Courses)
 Middle school credit is not calculated in the HOPE GPA
 All calculations are done by the Georgia Student Finance
Commission, and not by WFHS or Forsyth Co. Schools.
 HOPE GPA is not rounded up, so 2.99 does not qualify.
 Covers a percentage % of tuition (based on
Lottery Funds)
 Award Amounts: $$$ varies and depends on the
type of institution you are attending.
 Students attending Georgia public colleges
receive a HOPE Award amount based upon a
per hour rate at the institution he or she is
attending.
• Covers 100% of tuition (based on Lottery Funds)
• Requirements:
• Must meet all the requirements to be eligible for the
•
•
•
•
HOPE Scholarship, plus:
Core GPA of 3.70
1,200 SAT (CR+MA) on a single test
administration or a 26 composite on
the ACT
RIGOR Requirement (Class of 2016 / THREE rigor
Courses)
Graduated from an eligible high school as the
valedictorian or salutatorian
 HOPE:
 Students must maintain a 3.0+ GPA in college to receive HOPE
Scholarship.
 If a student falls below 3.0 they may only regain the HOPE Scholarship one
time, if their GPA returns to 3.0+ or higher.
 Zell Miller:
 Students must maintain a 3.3+ GPA in college to receive Zell Miller
Scholarship.
 If a student falls below 3.3 they may only regain the Zell Miller Scholarship
one time, if their GPA returns to 3.3+ or higher. (As long as student’s GPA
does not fall below 3.0, this student is still eligible to receive the HOPE
Scholarship)
 **Did you know that if you graduate from high
school with less than a 3.0 GPA, you could still
earn HOPE once you get into college?
 At 30, 60, or 90 hours, if a once ineligible student
earns a 3.0+, they become HOPE eligible.
 **This does not apply to Zell Miller. Students have
to be eligible for Zell Miller upon graduating from
high school, to receive the award at any point in
college.


HOPE Scholarship (Enrolled Full-Time)
$3,936 per year award
ZELL MILLER (Enrolled Full-Time)

$4,348 per year award
Pays a percentage of tuition at all
Georgia Technical Colleges
Graduate from a Hope-eligible high
school
NO GPA requirement
Technical College System (based on 12 hours)
$2,010 (HOPE) and $2670 (Zell)
Apply for the HOPE
Applying for HOPE, Zell Miller, or HOPE Grant – Complete
FAFSA starting January, 2015 of senior year:
 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) www.fafsa.ed.gov

View your HOPE average

Go to www.gacollege411.org and login to your account. There is a
link titled calculate my HOPE GPA.
For Additional Information on HOPE

Contact Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC)

770-724-9000 or www.gsfc.org
 College based: check college financial aid
websites for criteria and categories.
 Community based: church, civic groups,
local organizations.
 Private based: parents place of work, FREE
scholarship search through websites.
 Visit the WFHS Counseling Website.
 www.scholarships.com
 www.fastweb.com
 www.gacollege411.org
 www.gsfc.com
NCAA Initial-Eligibility
Clearinghouse
If you are planning on participating in intercollegiate athletics at an NCAA
Division I or II institution you must register with the NCAA Initial-Eligibility
Clearinghouse
Access the registration materials by visiting the NCAA website
www.eligibilitycenter.org
When taking the SAT/ACT, enter 9999 for scores to be sent to NCAA
Students and parents are responsible for determining
NCAA eligibility to Division I and Division II schools
Counselor’s are neither responsible nor allowed
to determine eligibility
 Wednesday, October 14th is the PSAT
OPTIONS:
 Utilize as a college visit day
 Scheduled college representative visits on
WFHS campus. Listen to the announcements
and check the website!
 Check out the senior bulletin board on the
main hall way by the food court
 Sign in the Blue Book to have your colleges
added to the “WFHS Seniors Are Going Places”
board.
Date: November 16th
Time: 6:00
Location: WFHS Auditorium
FAFSA
Apply for PIN #
www.FAFSA.ed.gov
Gacollege411.org
Senior Classroom Guidance
 Friday, September 4th in the Auditorium
2nd Annual Apply to College Night
 Wednesday September 16, 2015 @ WFHS
Media Center from 4-7pm
 Please reserve your spot by visiting
mypaymentsplus.com and making your $6
payment
Follow us on Twitter @WFHS_HS
Visit the WFHS Counseling website!