WFHS SENIORS ARE GOING PLACES! COUNSELING CONNECTION February/March 2012

1. WFHS SENIORS ARE GOING PLACES! COUNSELING CONNECTION February/March 2012 The Counseling Connection is our way to communicate important information regarding senior deadlines, college information, scholarship deadlines, and activities. Do not miss out on an opportunity for your future! • NEXT SAT/ACT TEST DATES • SAT TEST DATE/REGISTRATION DEADLINE Mar 10/Feb 10 WFHS, NFHS, PinecrestMay 5/April 6 WFHS, NFHS, SFHS, PinecrestJune 2/May 8 WFHS, Pinecrestwww.collegeboard.com • ACT TEST DATE/REGISTRATION DEADLINEApril 14/Mar 9 WFHS, NFHS, Kings RidgeJune 9/May 4 WFHS, Northview, Gainesvillewww.act.org NACAC Atlanta National College Fair Georgia World Congress Center Sunday, February 12, 2012 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm Atlanta, GA www.nacac.com/eventstraining/collegefairs APPLY FOR the HOPE Scholarship Applying for the HOPE Scholarship is easy, but you should always check with the college you are going to attend to make sure you are completing the applications they require. Students have three options for applying for the HOPE Scholarship. Complete the FAFSA – If you wish to be considered for financial aid other than the HOPE, you should complete the FAFSA. Accessing the FAFSA application from GAcollege411 can reduce the amount of time it takes. Complete the gsfc HOPE Application using an electronic application (link available on GAcollege411). Complete the gsfc HOPE Application using a printable application (link available on GAcollge411). Always be sure to check with the college , university, or technical college to be sure if they have any deadlines which you must meet. • Not sure what you are going to • do after high school? • From an apprenticeship to a 4-year or community college, you have lots of choices when it comes to higher education. The same skills and knowledge needed to get into college are the same needed to get a good job. • GAcollege411 is a great website for exploring careers. It will help you to find out what that career is all about and what it takes to prepare. • In addition to traditional 4-year colleges, other options are 2-year or technical colleges which generally require two years of coursework to earn an A.A. or A.S. degree. These schools are open to everyone with a high school diploma . It’s often possible to transfer to a 4-year school and earn a B.A. or B.S. degree • Professional schools offer 2-year or more years of training within a particular field or career. Some popular professional schools include culinary training, music, nursing or computer science. • Apprenticeship programs combine practical coursework and on-the-job training • U.S. military provides training and money for education. Options include enlistment, military academies and Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) programs. Many colleges and universities offer ROTC programs for one or more branches of the military. • Entering the workforce immediately after high school – especially with internship and previous work experience-can mean getting a jump start on a career. SENIORS…If you have been accepted to a college or have received a scholarship, please stop by the counseling office to update your page in the senior blue book! We will announce your acceptance in the Counseling Connection Senior Newsletter and on the senior bulletin board.

2. What to do about Senioritis • From the Collegeboard website • Seniors have worked hard for three years, taking tests, completing projects, and preparing for college admission. When second semester of your senior year rolls around, some students just want to get through college applications and relax before they head off to the college of their choice. Also known as senioritis, taking it easy senior year may seem like a nice break, but is likely to do more harm then good. • According to recent reports, incomplete high school preparation can contribute to academic problems in college. • As many as half of all college students do not have adequate academic preparation, and are required to take remedial courses. • More than one quarter of the freshmen at 4-year colleges and nearly half of those at 2-year colleges do not even make it to their sophomore year. • Not only does senioritis jeopardize your chances for success later on in college, it can also affect your grades—and college admissions officers pay close attention to your performance senior year. Do you need help completing the FAFSA?  NGCSU will once again be a host site for College Goal Sundaysm  in 2012.  College Goal Sunday is an event intended to assist seniors and their parentscomplete the FAFSA.   This event will be held February 12, 2012 from 2:30 – 4:30 PM in the Library Technology Center.  Families can participate in this event regardless of the postsecondary institution the student plans to attend. Many schools have a very early priority deadline for submission of the FAFSA.  For instance, the NGCSUpriority deadline is March 17th.  Students submitting the FAFSA by their school’s priority deadline have a better chance of receiving some of the limited types of aid like SEOG and Federal Work Study and a better chance their complete aid package will be in place by the time fall bills are due.Here is a link to a College Goal Sunday flyer: http://www.northgeorgia.edu/uploadedFiles/Enrollment/Financial_Aid/Additional_Information/College%20Goal%20Sunday%20%20Flyer%202012%20edited.pdf • MARCH SENIOR CALENDAR • Have all applications and materials sent. • Begin the Financial Aid process (FAFSA Free Application for Student Aid) (Georgia Student Finance Commission) • GA411 is a useful tool for college financial planning and scholarship information. • Deadlines for completing Financial Aid are Very Important. • Consult with the Financial Aid office of the college you plan to attend. • Each high school will have a Student/Parent Financial Aid Night (Visit the Counseling for more info) • Begin investigating scholarship opportunities (local civic organizations, parents place of employment, churches, clubs, college based scholarships, website searches) • Acceptance or rejection letters will begin to arrive. • SPRING SENIOR CALENDAR • Financial Aid award letters will begin arriving. • Begin making final college decisions. • Continue to apply for scholarships (Check Counseling office for more info). • Visit colleges during spring break. • Complete any necessary paperwork required by the college for (Housing, Financial Aid, Work-Study etc.) • Send off deposits if required. • Double check any cap/gown, senior fees and graduation schedule your high school may have. • Work closely with your high school counselor during this entire process. Attention Seniors! January 31, 2012 deadline The deadline for ordering your official West Forsyth graduation announcements from Balfour is January 31, 2012. Online order is fast and easy. Orders can be placed online at www.balfour.com . Avoid the late fee. Don’t forget that you may also pay your senior graduation fee (which includes cap & gown) of $100 on line at www.wfhsonline.com (a small convenience fee through pay pal is added for on-line payments) OR in the Counseling office with Mrs. Stromie with cash, check, money order (payable to WFHS). STAY UP TO DATE WITH YOUR WFHS SENIOR ACTIVITIES................. The WFHS SENIOR CALENDAR OF EVENTS is located on the main WFHS webpage or on the counseling page…..Direct links to upcoming events, graduation, pictures, etc….