High School
What is it and how to make
the most of it.
Shelly Landry
Lead Counselor, Minneapolis Public Schools
April 16, 2011
South High School
Topics
What is high school and why is it
important?
What do students and parents need to do
during the high school years:
For students to be successful?
For students to graduate on time?
For students to prepare for college?
Who can help?
What about time outside of school?
What is high school?
Vocabulary List
(and other important terms
you should know)
Graduation Requirements
Credit
Credit Recovery / ALC
GPA
My Life Plan
Dual Credit Opportunities
Entrance Requirements
Why is high school important?
Being successful in high school is
the first step to achieve many future
goals!
Everything done during high school
DOES matter
Credits and GPA are important
measurements of a student’s
successful and future opportunities
and we all need to know about them
So what do students need
to do graduate???
Students must pass classes and earn
CREDITS.
Students need a minimum of 64.5 CREDITS
to Graduate.
Students MUST meet the state & district
standards embedded in required courses.
Failing a required course MUST be made up
in order to graduate.
Students MUST pass the state graduation
tests in English/Language Arts, Writing &
Math.
Student MUST complete a My Life Plan.
Graduation Requirements,
continued.
Students are also required to pass the following Graduation
Required Assessments (GRAD) for a Diploma:
Tests
When
Given
Passing Score
GRAD Test of Written Composition
Grade 9
3 or above out of 6
GRAD/Minnesota Comprehensive
Assessment II (MCA II)-Reading
Grade 10
Determined by the
state annually
GRAD/Minnesota Comprehensive
Assessment II (MCA II)- Math
Grade 11
Determined by the
state annually
In addition to these requirements students will also be exposed to curriculum in
career & life planning through the Minneapolis Public Schools’ “My Life Plan”.
Courses
Courses are the classes or subjects
that are taken to earn credit toward
graduation.
Core Courses
Required Courses
Elective Courses
So what are the
required courses??
English
4 Years
Social Studies
4 Years
Math
3 Years (Minimum)
Science
3 Years (Minimum)
Physical-Ed
1 Year
Health
1 Year
Fine Art
1 Year
Students cannot FAIL ANY of these courses
Specific Course
Requirements
Social Studies
Geography
World History
US History
Government & Citizenship
Economics
Mathematics
Algebra
Geometry
Algebra 2 or Statistics & Probability
Science
Biology
Chemistry & Physics
What is credit? Why is it important?
Points representing the work completed
by a student in a class
You need to earn a certain number of
credits to prove that you completed all
the work to receive a high school
diploma
Credits, continued.
Credits are earned when a class is passed.
Your school district or school determines the number of
credits each class is worth and how many credits are
needed for graduation.
Credits are earned for grades of A, B, C, D, CR (credit), or
P (pass).
Zero credits are earned for a grade of F and that zero is
counted as part of your grade point average or GPA.
F, NC (no credit), or I (incomplete) grades must be made
up if the class is required for graduation.
Credits in required classes must be made up. Talk to
your school counselor about credit make up options
including:
After school credit make up classes
Summer school
Online
EXAMPLE: ENGLISH 9
How many credits can you
earn in a year?
0.75
credits/quarter for
each class
0.75 x 6 classes =
4.5 credits total
per quarter
4.5 x 4 quarters =
18 credits by the
end of the
freshman year
18
16
4.5
14
12
4.5
10
8
6
Qtr 3
4.5
4
2
0
Qtr 4
4.5
Qtr 2
Qtr 1
What is a transcript?
A transcript is an official record of
coursework, credits, and grades
Transcripts are updated after each
marking period
Credits may differ depending on the
schools or programs
Colleges require an official transcript to
determine acceptance and a final
transcript to verify graduation
Transcript Quiz
A Transcript is a record of:
a)
b)
c)
Attendance
Test Scores
Grades, credits, and courses taken
Class of 2015 graduation requirements include
all of the following except:
a)
b)
c)
4 years of social studies
2 years of a world language
1 year of fine arts
Colleges encourage students to:
a)
b)
c)
Take it easy their senior year
Take challenging courses
Take only classes they like
Transcript Quiz (continued)
Transcripts include all the following except:
a)
b)
c)
d)
Teacher names
Grades
Credits
Course Titles
To graduate in 2011, students need a minimum of:
a)
b)
c)
d)
600 credits
63.4 credits
60 credits
64.5 credits
A transcript:
a)
b)
c)
Is a permanent document.
Can change any time a student or parent wants it to.
Will never be used for colleges or scholarships.
GPA, RANK, % and
CREDITS
•
Rank An individual student compared
to all students in your class
•
GPA
Number value assigned to a
student based upon grades and credits
•
Percent An individual student out of
every 100 students
•
Credits .75 for each class passed per
quarter; 1.5 per semester
What is a GPA?
Grade Point Average (GPA) is the
total sum of the value of each
grade earned divided by the total
number of classes taken.
Each class is assigned a grade (A
– F).
Each grade is worth points (4 – 0).
Add up all your points and divide
by the number of classes = GPA.
CR/NC grades do not affect your
GPA.
A =
A- =
B+=
B =
B- =
C+=
C =
C- =
D+=
D =
D-=
F =
4.00
3.67
3.33
3.00
2.67
2.33
2.00
1.67
1.33
1.00
0.67
0.00
GPA Computation Example
1st Quarter
GRADE
A
BC+
A
ACTotal =
2nd Quarter
Points
4.00
2.67
2.33
4.00
3.67
1.67
18.34
GPA = 18.34 Points / 6
classes
3.057
GRADE
A
C
CD+
D
F
Total =
Points
4.00
2.00
1.67
1.33
1.00
0.00
10.00
GPA = 10.00 Points / 6
classes
1.667
Why is a Student’s GPA
important?
Used as a criterion for athletics participation,
scholarships, and college entrance and college
prep programs
GPA is important from start – It’s cumulative
CASE STUDY #1
Chris is a 11th grade student. In his 9th and 10th
grade years, he was not taking school seriously and
skipped whenever he did not feel like coming to
school. Although he understood information given in
classes, he had never got a good grade because he
rarely turned in his work. Actually, he failed several
classes last two years. He now has 18 credits. Now
he wants to be a computer programmer and realized
the importance of school. He comes to school
everyday and turns in all the home work so far this
semester. Can he graduate on time if he passes all
the classes from now on?
CASE STUDY #1
No.
He has to take After School Program
and/or summer classes to pass
graduation requirement classes he
has failed.
CASE STUDY #2
Maria is a senior this year. She
studies and turns in work for
classes she likes, but she doesn’t for
classes or teachers she dislikes. For
this reason, she passed all classes,
but Math and PE. She will have
more than 64.5 credits by the end of
this school year, can she graduate
on time?
CASE STUDY #2
No.
Even if you have enough number of
credits, you cannot obtain a high
school diploma until you complete
all of the graduation requirements
What can a student do now so
he/she will not be a
“case study”!
Pass all classes
Attendance
Class
work/Home work
Ask questions
Be organized
Behaviors
Make up credits NOW if needed
After School Program (ALC)
Summer School
MPS On-Line
Students should make an appointment with
your counselor at least 1 time each grading
period!!
•
Academic Planning
•
Personal/Social Needs
•
Career/Post-Secondary
Plan
•
Our job is to work with
students and their families to
get students OUT of high
school in 4 years with a
plan……………
•
2 yr, 4yr, tech, private career,
military, or work………..but
students have a PLAN!!
More tips for Students!
Strive to Improve
Set Goals
Study Hard
Take the Right Classes
Ask Questions
Get Involved
Make Good Choices
Now what??!!??
Why go to college?
GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL
VS.
BEING PREPARED FOR COLLEGE
Minimum needed to
graduate from HS
English – 4 yrs
Math – 3 yrs
Science – 3 yrs
Social Studies – 4
yrs
Recommended for
College
English – 4 yrs
Math – 4 yrs
Science – 4yrs
Social Studies – 4yrs
World Language – 2 yrs
Extra Curricular
Activities
COLLEGE ENTRANCE
REQUIREMENTS
Minimum coursework: 4 years of English; 3
years of social studies, 3 years of math (through
3rd level), 3 years of science, 2 years of second
language, 1 year of arts
GPA and class rank
College entrance exams (ACT or SAT)
An essay may be required
Recommendations
Primary Factors for Admission to
College
Primary factors are the most important criteria
post secondary institutions look at when
considering a student for acceptance. They
include:
Grades earned in the 5 core subjects
Difficulty level of the high school classes taken
Overall GPA
Class Rank
Score on standardized college entrance exams
School attendance
Grade trends
What can students do to prepare
academically for college?
Required Coursework
Foreign Language Courses
Challenging Courses
Honors courses
Advanced Placement (AP)
International Baccalaureate (IB)
College In the Schools (CIS)
Career Tech Ed (CTE)
Post Secondary Enrollment Options
(PSEO)
College Fairs and Campus
Visits
Take advantage
of college fairs
and campus
visits
Explore different types
of schools
Recommended Courses for
Highly Selective Colleges
English—4 years
American Literature
Composition
English Literature
World Literature
Mathematics—4 years
Algebra I
Algebra II
Calculus
Geometry
Precalculus
Trigonometry
History & Geography—2-3
years
Civics
Geography
U.S. History
U.S. Government
World History
World Cultures
Laboratory Science—2-4 years
Biology
Chemistry
Earth Science
Physics
Foreign Language—2-4 years
Visual & Performing Arts—1
year
Art
Dance
Drama
Music
Challenging Electives—1-3
years
Communications
Computer Science
Economics
Psychology
Statistics
Standardized Tests
EXPLORE (interest inventory and skills test)
Typically taken in 8th grade
Required of all MPS students
PLAN (interest inventory and skills test)
Typically taken in 10th grade
Required of all MPS students
PSAT (Pre SAT)
Typically taken in 11th grade
Qualifying test for National Merit Scholarship
SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test)
ACT (Academic College Test)
Preferred by most Minnesota colleges
For information on taking the tests, see your high school
counselor.
What can students do outside of
school to prepare for college?
Independent Reading & Study
Creating a Good Place to Study
Students needs a quiet and comfortable place to study. Here are a
few things you can do:
1.
Find a quiet place with some privacy.
2.
Set up a desk or large table with good light and place reference
books such as a dictionary on the desk or nearby.
3.
Set aside a regular time every day for your studies.
Extracurricular Activities/Special Interests & Talents
Work Experience & Community Service
Getting Involved
Encourage your child: “Don’t Just
Sit There, Join Something!”
Academic Clubs
Fine and Performing Arts
Leadership Opportunities
Athletic Activities
Social and Political Clubs
Check out your school’s
AchieveMpls Career and College
Center
Four Year Colleges and Universities
Two Year Community and Technical
Colleges
Military
Representatives from Colleges
Career Materials
Computer Based College and Career Search
Scholarship Materials
Job Information
Who else can help?
Career and College Center Coordinator
TRIO Programs: Upward Bound; Talent
Search
Admission Possible
Project Success
Parents, relatives, teachers,
counselors……
Get involved and take advantage of these
resources!
Your child wants to go to college
and get a lot of scholarships…
Well then…
Students must not get D’s or
F’s
Students must take
challenging classes
Students should strive to get
A’s and B’s
And…
…Be well rounded
SCHOLARSHIP CRITERIA
Minimum GPA (usually 3.0)
College prep courses (challenging)
Good attendance
Activities & leadership
Volunteer activities
Recommendations
Resume
Essay
What are next steps??
Develop your own “My Life PLAN”….. 4
years in high school and 2 (or more)
years after high school.
Work with your child’s counselor to
ensure you are taking the courses you
need to complete your plan.
Get hooked up with resources: Network
and use people and take advantage of
opportunities.
Help your child go for it!
Tell your child:
• YOU CAN DO HIGH SCHOOL
• YOU CAN BE SUCCESSFUL
• YOU CAN HAVE OPPORTUNITIES
AFTER HIGH SCHOOL
• IT’S OK TO GET GOOD GRADES
• IF YOU GET STUCK…ASK FOR HELP
• BALANCE YOUR TIME
• STAY FOCUSED
• And DON’T FORGET
TO HAVE FUN!!