How to be a Successful Hillgrove Senior

1. How to be a Successful Hillgrove Senior Guide for Students and Parents May 4, 2009

2. Senior Year =BUSY, BUSY!! Clubs, Sports, Volunteer, Job Senior Writing Project Keeping GPA up-HOPE? SAT/ACT Post-secondary applications (college, 2 year, military) Scholarship essays, recommendations, financial aid AP Exams TIME MANAGEMENT AND PLANNING IS ESSENTIAL!!

3. Senior Class Info-Tucker/Lundy Senior Advisory board of students who plan events & activities Senior class dues: senior events throughout the year, T-shirt--$40

4. Senior Class Info-Tucker/Lundy Who�s Who Recognizes the top 10% of the senior class based on G.P.A, participation in extra-curriculars, student vote Prom Has been catered by Villa Christina for the past 3 years�Ashford Dunwoody exit off 285 Price includes dinner, event fees, T-shirt, valet parking Possible venue for March 2010 prom

5. Senior Portraits You will receive an appointment card from Lifetouch scheduling your summer portrait session Portraits will be taken at Hillgrove June 15-17; Make-ups Sept 9th You need to have a formal and a casual portrait taken during your portrait session

6. Senior Portraits To be included in the yearbook, you must be photographed by Lifetouch There is a session fee of $25, but can be waived if you are only having yearbook portraits taken Please contact Lifetouch directly to ask for a fee waiver

7. Senior Portraits Once you receive your proofs, you will need to select the formal and casual pose to be published by October 2nd If you don�t choose a pose, we will choose one for you Even if you don�t purchase portraits, please arrange to be photographed so we can include you in the yearbook

8. Yearbooks 2009 Yearbooks are $80 and include a DVD supplement All yearbooks will be ordered through Jostens. You will receive an order form in September mailed to your home. Don�t wait! Order and pay for your book ASAP (Deadline Feb 1st)

9. Yearbook Ads Baby pictures- $5; Due October 1st Senior Recognition Ads- Collect pictures you would like to place in the yearbook and talk to your parents (Deadline October 1st) You will receive information in the fall with pricing.

10. Senior Project-Willis The culminating project using many skills learned throughout the student�s education career � see Green Handout 4 P�s � Paper, Product/Project, Portfolio, Presentation Boards Night Presentations � Tentatively, November 12, 2009 and April 29, 2010

11. Senior Project-More Information Website � page linked at left �Senior Project Information� Handbooks for students and mentors downloadable at webpage Pacing Guides Information about topic ideas 2007-2008 class perceptions about SP

12. Senior Schedule�. Colleges want rigor. Are you taking challenging courses senior year? Colleges don�t want to see MINIMUM DAY (unless you can showcase what you do with that extra time!) Minimum Day is not a credited class! Elective courses do not raise HOPE GPA!

13. My resume�.. Do you participate in extracurricular activities? Athletics? Do you have leadership experience? Have you volunteered? Do you have a job? How do you positively contribute to Hillgrove? How will you make your mark at ____ University? THESE ARE QUESTIONS COLLEGES ASK!

14. College Information You should be researching NOW! Visit college campuses Internet-request/research college info College Catalogs, reference books Hillgrove School Counseling Blog HILLGROVE COLLEGE & CAREER CENTER

15. College Information Prepare a list of colleges planning to apply to: 3-5 One or two �safety� colleges: Colleges to which they will almost certainly be admitted Some probables: Colleges where their GPA, test scores, and other features look similar to recent entering classes A �reach� (or two): Colleges where they meet the criteria for admission, but may not have the same qualifications of most first year students. Excerpted from College Counseling Sourcebook 4th Edition. Copyright 2007 The College Board. Reproduced with Permission, Next Step Magazine.

16. College Applications Download Hillgrove Counseling Dept College Application Packet from the School Counseling web log. Most schools prefer the online application Read the procedures thoroughly: Teacher recommendations? Counselor recommendations? Essays? App Fee?

17. Transcript Requests Most Colleges will require an OFFICIAL transcript. Students request an official copy by completing their Transcript Request Card with Ms. Barry in the Guidance Office. Cost is $2.00 per transcript Transcript will be send within 24 hours.

18. Transcript Requests Guidance office cannot include SAT/ACT scores along with the transcript (not considered official). Students should request their scores be sent directly from the testing agency. SAT � www.collegeboard.com ACT � www.act.org

19. Teacher Recommendations Get to know your teachers! The more they know about you, the more personal the recommendation! Give teachers 2-3 weeks notice to write letters of recommendation Provide teachers with either a stamped, neatly-addressed envelope, or have them return to you for mailing.

20. Counselor Recommendations Counselors need as much information as possible when preparing your recommendation. Please take time to fill out the High School Resume (part of the College Application Procedures Packet) 2-3 weeks notice for Counselor forms/letters Some colleges have their own form for counselors to fill out; check individual college websites to download the necessary forms.

21. GPA: What�s the difference? Overall Weighted GPA: All grades count. Bonus QP are included (Honors, AP). Used to determine class rank. Listed on transcript. Overall Unweighted GPA: All grades count. NO bonus QP are included. Academic (core) GPA: Only courses from Math, English, Social Studies, Science, and Foreign Language count.

22. How Colleges view GPA: Some colleges use a bonus quality point system and some do not. Most colleges RECALCULATE an academic GPA using only the core classes (think: HOPE GPA)

23. Am I HOPE Eligible? ***All grades, including failing grades, earned in core academic courses in high school will be used when calculating GPA.***

24. Am I HOPE Eligible? You can check NOW to see your current HOPE GPA Progress Report on http://www.GACollege411.org Log in, Go to MY 411 Go to My Financial Aid Select HOPE GPA Calculation Report Select �Hillgrove� PRELIMINARY HOPE ELIGIBILITY LETTERS GO OUT IN FEBRUARY OF SENIOR YEAR!

25. HOPE Scholarship-How to Apply FAFSA -This form is used by ALL colleges to determine eligibility for need-based financial aid, as well as apply for HOPE scholarship and HOPE grant. Cannot complete FAFSA until after January 1st of senior year (based on previous tax year) http://www.fafsa.ed.gov OR GSFAPPS Application- Electronic HOPE application may be used IF your college accepts it. http://www.GACollege411.org

26. Planning to play college sports? Students planning to participate in athletics must register with NCAA Clearinghouse Complete the registration online at http://www.ncaaclearinghouse.net/ncaa/NCAA/student/index_student.html Request transcript through the Guidance office

27. Scholarships/Financial Aid Sources of info: Scholarship Bulletin on Counseling blog/bulletin board **Sign up for Guidance Updates and you will know when new scholarships are posted!** Scholarship books in Career Center Free internet sites-see Web Resources on Hillgrove Counseling Blog Local community, parents� companies Teacher nomination for local scholarships!!

28. 2009 SAT/ACT Test Dates SAT October 10, 2009 November 7, 2009 December 5, 2009 www.collegeboard.com ACT September 12, 2009 October 24, 2009 December 12, 2009 www.act.org

29. What each 2010 Senior has received from Hillgrove School Counseling Program: 9th grade advisement 9th grade Career Cruising lesson 10th grade lesson-evaluating transcript/GPA 11th grade advisement 11th grade-GACollege411/Junior Timeline

30. Senior Timeline SENIORS should be: Finalizing list and getting college information from schools planning to apply to. Filling out College Application Procedure Packet Review 11th grade advisement form and compare to senior schedule.

31. Senior Timeline: FALL SEMESTER: Request letters of recommendation for those that require, in a timely manner Visit College and Career Center Senior Seminar: Aug 31-Sept 4 Register for SAT/ACT if needed www.collegeboard.com www.act.org

32. Senior Timeline FALL SEMESTER: Check Hillgrove Website/Counseling Blog for Scholarships and senior events! Campus Visits College Applications!! Deadlines!!

33. Senior Timeline SPRING SEMESTER: FAFSA-after January 1st Financial Aid Workshop-GSFC at Hillgrove Stay focused, study hard, keep GPA up! Decision Time-May 1st Senior Week and GRADUATION!

34. Hillgrove School Counselors A-C Mrs. Peggy Hurst D-G Mrs. Sonya Cook H-K Mrs. Lisa McCormick L-R Mrs. Heather Boyle S-Z Coach Jason Evans