Welcome to your High School Years Shonda Middleton Heather Chambers

1. Welcome to your High School Years Shonda Middleton Heather Chambers Last names A-J Last names K-A and all 10th Graders 919.560.3926 x23232 919.560.3926 X23254 Shonda.middleton@dpsnc.netHeather.chambers@dpsnc.net http://dsastudentservices.weebly.com/

2. Freshman Year Timeline September and October • Start strong and use your study skills habitually to GET GOOD GRADES! • Get and use a time tracker!! • Go to the DPS College Fair on October 2, 2016 from 1-3 @ Northgate Mall. • Explore different types of colleges — private, public, professional and arts. • GET INVOLVED with either community service or extra-curriculars. November -January • Continue to study hard and take part of 9th grade career classroom guidance.

3. Freshman Year Timeline Continued…. • February- April • Register for classes for next year • Your child’s teachers will recommend what class and level (honors/standard/AP) for the next school year (and every year). Some AP classes require a qualifying assignment. If you believe that your child should have been recommended for a higher level, it is important to meet with that teacher. For an AP class, the student can complete an override assessment during the registration process. Your child will bring home a course selection form in April or May. • Review your grades/credits and make sure you choose classes to keep you on track for graduation • Research and apply for summer programs and internships. • May and June • Prepare for and take classroom finals- 20% of your child’s grade • If you are in AP World History consider taking the SAT subject test. • Check the DSA yahoo group e-announcements and the student services website for any summer opportunities!

4. Sophomore Year Time Line September and October • Review your ninth-grade transcript and evaluate your progress. • Go to the DPS College Fair on October 1, 2017 from 1-3 @ Northgate Mall. • Explore different types of colleges (private, public, professional and arts) on collegeboard.org, cfnc.org and college websites/visits. • Stay involved in extracurricular activities. • Take the Pre-ACT test. Be sure you know the correct date and test location. Find practice tests and other tips at actstudent.org. November-December • Continue to study hard, get GOOD GRADES and VOLUNTEER! January • Review your Pre-ACT results and the problems you got wrong. Continue taking SAT and ACT practice tests. • Engage in college classroom guidance run by your school counselor.

5. Sophomore Year Time Line Continued…. • February • Meet with your counselor to register for classes for next year. • Your child’s teachers will recommend what class and level (honors/standard/AP) for the next school year (and every year). Some AP classes require a qualifying assignment. If you believe that your child should have been recommended for a higher level, it is important to meet with that teacher. For an AP class, the student can complete an override assessment during the registration process. Your child will bring home a course selection form in April or May. • Think about the most challenging classes you can take. • Review your transcript/credits with your counselor and make sure that you are on track for graduation. • March and April • Research and apply for summer programs and internships. Pay close attention to program deadlines. • Visit a college campus and attend an information session. • May and June • Prepare for and take classroom Finals- 20% of your grade • If you are in APUSH or APES consider taking the SAT subject test. • Check the DSA yahoo group e-announcements for any summer opportunities.

6. Junior Year Preview…sneak peak! • Review your transcript and evaluate your progress • Junior year grades are especially important. Work on your study habits • Attend the DPS College Fair (October) • Explore different types of colleges • Meet with College Reps who visit DSA • Take the PSAT (Be sure to sign up in September). Only juniors are permitted to take the PSAT • All juniors take the ACT in February. (for juniors only) • Take the SAT ONE time during your Junior year. You MUST take it in the fall of senior year as well. • If in an AP class, take the SAT subject test. • Official college visits factor into admissions, therefore start visiting colleges in the Spring of your Junior year or Summer before your Senior year.

7. Senior Year Preview…sneak peak! • Review Your Transcript to Ensure You’re on Track to Graduate • You must take the SAT and/or the ACT in October or November • Take SAT Subject Tests (if needed) • Obtain Letters of Recommendation • Establish NC Residency through https://ncresidency.cfnc.org/residencyInfo/ This is a new requirement. We offer a workshop on how to complete this during the fall. • Attend college representative visits during lunch • Semester grades will be sent to colleges that request them • Apply for Financial Aid (FAFSA.gov) Not possible until January and scholarships - be sure to attend DSA’s financial aid night. This year it is on Monday, Nov. 27 at 6PM • Final Transcripts will be Sent to Colleges

8. Graduation Requirements • Credits in English – 4 • Honors or Standard • English I • English II • English III or AP III • English IV or AP IV • Credits in Math – 4Honors or Standard • Math I • Math II • Math III • Advanced Math Options Credits in History – 4 • Honors or Standard • World History or AP World (qualifying assignment) • American History I or APUSH (qualifying assignment) • If take APUSH in 10th grade, there are History elective options for 11th grade. • American History II or APUSH • Civics and Economics

9. Graduation Requirements • Credits in Science – 3 • Honors or Standard • Earth Science or AP Earth Science • (with recommendation and pre req of Bio and co-req of Chem) • Biology • A physical science • Physical Science • Chemistry • Physics • Arts Concentration Credits – 4 • Health/PE – 1 • FOR COLLEGE ADMISSIONS: • 2 years of the same second language • Total Potential Credits – 28 (24 needed to graduate from DSA)

10. 10 point grading scale • Grading Scale is applied as follows: • A: 90-100 = 4.0 • B: 80-89 = 3.0 • C: 70-79 = 2.0 • D: 60-69 = 1.0 • F: < 59 = 0.0 • All of your grades on your transcript equal a quality point. • Weights in your GPA give you extra quality points. • Classes are weighted as: • .5 for Honors classes 1.0 for AP classes • Quality points get averaged together to give you your Grade Point Average. The person with the highest weighted GPA is ranked #1 in the class. PLEASE NOTE: This is NOT the reason to take an AP class!

11. DSA Four Year Plan 9th 10th 11th 12th ENGLISH- 4 Credits AP English II English III Standard/Honors • English IV • Standard/Honors/AP English I Standard/Honors English II Standard/Honors English II Standard/Honors AP English III AP English IV Elective MATH-4 Credits ECM Honors Discrete Honors Pre-Calc Math III Standard/Honors Math II Standard/Honors Math I Standard/Honors ECM Honors Discrete Honors Pre-Calc AP Calc ECM Honors Discrete Honors Pre-Calc Math III Standard/Honors Math II Standard/Honors ECM Honors Discrete Honors Pre-Calc AP Calc ECM Honors Discrete Honors Pre-Calc ECM Honors Discrete Honors Pre-Calc AP Calc AP Stat Math III Standard/Honors SOCIAL STUDIES- 4 Credits American History I Standard/Honors AP US History (must complete qualifying assessment) American History II Standard/Honors AP US History AP Psychology AP European History Hn. Minority Studies Civics (S/HN) AP Psychology AP European History Hn. Minority Studies World History Standard/Honors AP World History (must complete qualifying assessment)

12. 9th 10th 11th 12th SCIENCE- 3 Credits Chemistry Standard/Honors/AP Physics Standard/Honors/AP AP Biology Chemistry Standard/Honors Physics Standard/Honors Earth Science Standard/Honors Biology Standard/Honors Chemistry Standard/Honors/AP Physics Standard/Honors/AP AP Biology Earth Science (S/H) AP Environmental Science Physics (S/H) AP Chemistry Chemistry Standard/Honors AP Environmental (with rec. and Honors Chem) Honors Biology SECONDLANGUAGE- Only 2 credits required for in state schools, not for graduation Spanish I French I Spanish II French II Honors Spanish III Honors French III Honors Spanish IV Honors French IV Native Speakers I Native Speakers II AP Spanish V Spanish I French I Spanish II French II Spanish III French III Native Speakers I Native Speakers II Spanish II French II Spanish III French III Honors Spanish IV Honors French IV Native Speakers I Native Speakers II AP Spanish V/VI AP French V Spanish I French I Spanish II French II Native Speakers I None

13. 11th 12th 10th 9th HEALTH/PE (1 credit needed any year) ARTS CONCENTRATION: ________________________ ELECTIVE/ 2ND ART CONCENTRATION Other elective options for 11th and 12th graders include: AP Art History Visual Arts Survey Strength and Conditioning Media Assistant Peer Helper by teacher request and approval

14. Navigating Collegeboard.org • Go to collegeboard.org • Put school of choice in the search engine • Click on applying to college tab • Click on Academics and GPA tab • Here you will find Rank and GPA reported by the college/university. Some schools choose not to report. • You can also play around on that website and see what else the school offers including majors, campus life, etc. ** Please note, 9th graders will have a career lesson on collegeboard.org in December and in 10th grade students will have a college search lesson on collegeboard.org.

16. True or False • It is better to take Honors and AP classes just to raise your GPA.

17. FALSE • Honors and AP classes require lots of discipline and hard work. • Students should want to take an Honors or AP level class for the challenge and higher level thinking, not just for extra quality points.

18. True or False • Having good relationships with your High School teachers is important to getting into college.

19. TRUE • You will be asking your High School teachers (even from 9th grade) for college recommendations. Now is the time to be making positive relationships with your teachers.

20. True or False • The best way to raise your GPA is to get good grades.

21. TRUE • The only way to bring up your GPA is to get good grades. The higher the number grade, the higher the quality point. • Remember: 9th grade is your foundation year for your GPA. It is very difficult to raise your GPA during the last 2 years of High School.

22. True or False • Class rank is determined by the number of Arts classes that you take.

23. FALSE • Class rank is determined by who has the highest weighted GPA.

24. True or False • It is better to be in many different clubs and teams than to only have a few extracurricular activities.

25. FALSE • Colleges want to see commitment. It is best to stick to something and show leadership than be in every club. Something like a job, community service, being the president of a club, or the captain of a team show leadership and commitment.

26. True or False • It is better to get the answers on homework from a friend than not turning it in on time.

27. FALSE • Homework helps you learn and study material for a quiz or a test. Copying someone else's homework does not help you to learn material. AND it is a violation of the Honor Code.

28. True or False • There are lots of resources to help you find out about college.

29. TRUE • There are all sorts of resources such as: • CFNC.org • Collegeboard.org • High School Counselors