8 th GRADE REGISTRATION INFORMATION

1. 8th GRADE REGISTRATION INFORMATION

2. THE THREE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER CONCERNING GRADUATION RESPONSIBILITY: • It’s your graduation!!! • It’s your responsibility!! • You need to take ownership of your education!!!

3. What Are Your Responsibilities? • Know your graduation plan and requirements • Keep up with your credits • Know what you have and what you need • Example: You should not take the same class twice • Know which classes you have taken and already have credit for • Check college requirements • Know admission requirements • Such as: • GPA and Rank minimums • Test Requirements • Know tuition costs and financial aid options • Avoid last-minute problems • Such as: • Attendance • Behavior issues • Grades

4. Credits • In order to graduate, you need to earn credits. • Core class credits will be repeated until credit is earned. • Classifications: • Sophomore = 6.5 credits • Junior = 13 credits • Senior = 19.5 credits **** You will not be promoted to the next grade without the proper amount of credits!***

5. Graduation Plans • Minimum • Recommended • Distinguished

6. Recommended Graduation Plan • Meets admission requirements for most 4-year colleges and universities • 27.5 credits • 4 credits for all four core subjects: • English • Math • Science • Social Studies • 2 credits Foreign Language • 1 credit PE • ½ credit Health and ½ credit Speech • 1 credit Technology • 5.5 credits Electives • 2 of which must be CATE classes

7. Core Subject Sequences • English • English I English II English III English IV • Math 1. Algebra I Geometry Algebra II Pre-Cal 2. Algebra I Geometry/Math Models Algebra II • If you have a C average in Algebra I or fail the Algebra I EOC, you will be taking option 2 your Sophomore year. If you have a B average or above in Algebra I and have passed Math TAKS, you will get to choose between options 1 and 2. • Science • IPC/Biology Chemistry Physics • Biology Chemistry Physics 4th Science (Anatomy or Astronomy) • Science Qualifications: • Pre-AP Biology = 2400 on 8th Grade Science TAKS and/or A average in 8th Grade Science • Social Studies • World Geography World History US History Government and Economics

8. Distinguished Graduation Plan • Is the same as the Recommended Plan but adds the following requirements: • 3 years of Foreign Language • No IPC for Science Credit • 4 semesters of a B or above in Dual Credit classes • OR • Special research project • Selection as a National Merit Finalist or Semi-Finalist

9. Minimum Graduation Plan • Credits = 23.5 • Includes 6.5 electives • 2 must be CATE classes (technology, agriculture, family studies) • No foreign language • 3 Math credits • 2 Science Credits • Fulfills requirements for admission to junior colleges • HOWEVER!! YOU CANNOT GO STRAIGHT TO A 4-YEAR UNIVERSITY OR COLLEGE WITH A MINIMUM HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA • Do not qualify for TEXAS Grant • IMPORTANT: • To get on the minimum plan, you must meet certain requirements and have signatures from the counselor, principal, student, and parent/guardian

10. ELECTIVES!! • Athletics/PE • Boys Athletics • Girls Athletics • PE • Fine Arts • Band • Theatre Art • CATE Classes • Career and Technology Education Classes • Agriculture • Family Studies • Technology

12. Family and Consumer Sciences Classes

13. Business and Technology Classes

14. Upper Level Electives • As a Senior, you have a few more elective credit options: • Yearbook • Aide • Office • Library • Dual Credit Electives

15. Pre-AP / Dual Credit Options • Pre-AP/Honors Courses • Require teacher approval • English • English I, English II, English III • Math • Algebra II • Science • Chemistry • Dual Credit Courses • English • English IV • Social Studies • US History • Government/Economics • Electives • Sociology • Psychology • Algebra • Trigonometry • Art History • Upper Level Weighted Courses • Physics • Pre-Calculus • Spanish III

16. Dual Credit • Requirements: • Pay for and pass the Accuplacer • Pay Tuition and fees • $150 per semester class • Pass your classes! • If you fail the first semester of a core class, you will be moved to a regular section of that class for the second semester. • Attend regularly • You will be dropped if you do not • Options: • Junior year: • US History • Senior Year: • English IV • Government/Economics • College Algebra/College Trigonometry • Psychology/Sociology • Art History

17. Transcripts • Show: • Number of Credits • Grades for each semester and final grades for year-long courses • GPA • 5.0 Scale • 4.0 Scale • Class Rank • Test Scores • Include: • TAKS • SAT and ACT if you send the scores to us • Graduation Plan

18. GPA and Class Rank • GPA and Class Rank are calculated at the end of the first semester and at the end of the year • Top 10% are given “Assured Admission” to Texas state colleges/universities • Except for the University of Texas = Top 9% for Fall of 2011* • It changes every year depending on how many students are admitted the previous year ****YOU MUST APPLY TO THE COLLEGE FOR ADMISSION! • You must also have an SAT/ACT score ready when you apply

19. If You Need a Transcript • Come to the Guidance Center to request one • Important!!! • Only you, the student, or your parent/guardian can request a transcript. • WE WILL NOT FILL TRANSCRIPTS REQUESTS FROM ANYONE ELSE WITHOUT YOU OR YOUR PARENT/GUARDIAN’S PERMISSION!!! • You must have the following information: • Where you want the transcript to go • To you, to a school, to your parent, to pick up, etc. • What kind of transcript you need • Official • Stamped, signed, and sealed in an envelope • Unofficial • Just a copy for you to see • When you need it by

20. The Dreaded STAAR Test!!! • STARTS SPRING OF 2012 • English • English I • English II • English III • Social Studies • World Geography • World History • US History • Science • Biology • Chemistry • Physics • Math • Algebra I • Geometry • Algebra II

21. What STAAR does to classes • Avoid taking courses that have an EOC test Senior year • Physics • Algebra II • Why? • May not get results back from tests until mid-June • May not graduate because of test scores • Will have to retake tests to earn a diploma even if they are out of school • Cannot go to college without a diploma

22. Other Tests • Sophomore • PLAN Test (Pre-ACT) • PSAT Test (Pre-SAT) • Junior • ASVAB = Military Entrance Test/Career Exploration Test • PSAT – Juniors get priority • ACT • SAT • Senior • Keep taking SAT/ACT tests if you want to try to get better scores JUNIOR COLLEGES DO NOT REQUIRE ACT OR SAT TESTS FOR ADMISSION!!! - However, many junior colleges do require ACT/SAT scores for scholarships.

23. ACT/SAT Tests • College Entrance Exams • SAT – measures general verbal and mathematical reasoning skills, as well as writing skills. • Writing – position essay with supporting examples • Math – Includes Algebra II topics • Critical Reading – Short and long passages, no analogies • ACT – measures more closely high school curriculum • Math • Science • Reading • English

24. Free ACT/SAT Tests!! • The State of Texas is currently offering 1 free ACT or SAT test to all Juniors in the months of May or June of the student’s Junior year. • If you qualify for free or reduced lunches, you also qualify for 2 free tests during your Junior and Senior years. • Again, it is two free tests total, not 2 of each. It can be two of the same or a combo of 1 ACT and 1 SAT, but not 2 of each.

25. Meetings • You will meet with me in with your intervention classes. • What you will do in our meetings: • Create a 4-Year Plan • Require parent signature • Plan for registration in May • Identify which classes you will need • Choose which classes you would like to have • Understand that you may not get the classes you request • It depends on the Master Schedule and the classes you have to have

26. What is a 4-Year Plan? • A guide to help plan credits to make sure you can graduate. • Maps out what you have taken and what you need to take to graduate. • Can and will change throughout high school.

27. Questions? • Call Mrs. Young at 298-4926 • E-mail: myoung@abernathyisd.com