9 th & 10 th Grade Guidance Information

1. 9th & 10th Grade Guidance Information Mrs. Nancy Kundinger, 9th& 10th Grade Last Names A – K nkundinger@behs.com (843) 849-9599 Ext. 122 Mrs. Julie Staten, 9th& 10th Grade Last Names L – Z jstaten@behs.com (843)849-9599 Ext. 111

2. Graduation Requirements Theology 4* English 4 Mathematics 4 Science 3 World Language (same) 2 U.S. History 1 U.S. Government ½ Economics ½ World History 1 Computer Technology 1 Physical Education 1 Fine Arts 1 Additional elective 1 Total credits required......24 *Theology is required only for the time a student is attending BEHS

3. GPA APHonors AI AII • 90-100 A 6.5 5.5 4.5 3.5 • 85-89 B+ 6.0 5.0 4.0 3.0 • 80-84 B 5.5 4.5 3.5 2.5 • 75-79 C+ 5.0 4.0 3.0 2.0 • 70-74 C 4.5 3.5 2.5 1.5 • Under 69 F 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 • In addition to the aforementioned BEHS weighted GPA, all final transcripts sent to in-state colleges will include a SCUGP weighted GPA, which is considered in awarding the Hope, Life, and Palmetto Fellows scholarships. • A Student’s GPA begins in 9th Grade! STUDY Hard!!

4. PSAT What? A preliminary test to practice for the SAT. Who?All Freshmen When? Wednesday, October 16,th2013 Where?BE (during school hours) Why? 1. Provides you with feedback on your strengths and weaknesses and on your abilities required for college study. Once you take the test, you will then know what you need to focus on to make a higher score 2. To see how your score compares to others applying to college 3. To receive good information from colleges if you check “YES” to Student Search Service 4. To qualify for the National Merit Scholarship in your 11th Grade year.

5. PSAT • What is on the Test? • Two 25 Minute Critical Reading Sections (13 Sentence Completions & 35 Critical Reading Ques.) • Two 25 Minute Math Sections (28 Multiple Choice & 10 Student constructed answers or grid-ins) • One 30 Minute Writing Skills Section (14 Identifying Sentence Errors, 20 Improving Sentences, & 5 Improving Paragraph Questions) • ***If you are not able to make an educated guess on a question, you may leave the question blank. You will not be penalized for leaving questions blank.*** • Sample Questions: http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/psat/prep.html • Tips on how to DO YOUR BEST: http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/psat/prep/tips.html

6. PLAN What? Apreliminary test to practice for the ACT. Who?All Sophomores When? Wednesday, October 16th 2013 Where?BE (during school hours)  ***Make sure you answer EVERY Question on the test even if you have to make an educated guess. This is different than the PSAT***

7. PLAN What is on the test? Sample Test Questions: http://www.act.org/planstudent/pdf/sample.pdf Tips on how to do your best: http://www.act.org/planstudent/index.html

8. Study Skills • Designate a place to Study. If you need silence, make sure you choose a quiet place! Make sure you have good lighting and are not too comfortable that you could fall asleep (try to not study in bed). • Space out your studying and don’t procrastinate! You will retain more information by studying a little bit each day. This will not only help you get better grades, but will reduce your stress and anxiety! • After an hour of studying, take a short 10 minute break. The break is considered a reward and is thought to improve your learning in the next hour. • Study your hard subjects first. 1 2 3 Study Skills 4

9. 5 • Test yourself • Recite your notes out loud. This helps you to pay attention better. • Make Flashcards! • Stop Multitasking – Turn OFF all outside • communication. Cell Phone, Internet, etc. • Study with a friend. Ask each other questions out loud. Teaching others and reinforcing information is the best review. • Get a good night sleep before the test & always eat breakfast. 6 Smarter NOT Harder! 7 Study 8 9 10

11. It seems early to start thinking about college your Freshman year, but its more about mentally preparing than anything else. • Sit down with your High School Counselor and make sure you are on the path to take the right courses for college and that you have a starting “plan” of where you want to go after high school. • Talk to your parents and begin the conversation of what you would your future to be. College is a big deal and impacts your life greatly! It’ never too early to start thinking about it! • Start Early 6 Things a High School Freshman should know about Preparing for College Find a Passion or Hobby • Yes being involved in many activities, leadership, volunteer hours, and sports are great things, but colleges can tell if you are just “listing” a bunch of them that you have been involved in. Yes, colleges want to see that you are well-rounded, but they also can tell the difference between surface-deep involvements versus a heartfelt one. • A passion or hobby can be anything! Sports, a club, babysitting, tutoring, and after school job, etc. It will be much more enjoyable for you to grow in a leadership position if you are doing something that you are interested in. Talk to your Teachers • Teachers are probably the least used resource you have! If they are teaching at your school, they’ve been to college and know much more than you think! • Question them on how they decided to become a teacher and talk about what interests you. They may have some great insight that you have never thought about. • Keep a good relationship with your teachers because you will need to ask a few to write you a letter of recommendation for college!

12. Get Good GRADES In CORE Subjects • Don’t think your Freshman year grades don’t count towards your GPA. It ABSOLUTELY Does! • Most colleges will recalculate your GPA to consider only your core academic courses so your GPA isn’t inflated by PE, chorus, art, etc. Get Involved • If you get involved your Freshman year in an activity, sport, club, or job, it’s easier to move up into a leadership role in the years to come. This will show consistency and give you more depth than a student who just got involved their junior or senior year. • The summer going into your sophomore year is a great time to show the colleges that you have a great work ethic. If you want them to know you are passionate about volunteering, then volunteer. Do an internship in the career you are interested in or go to a summer camp. • Paying for college is expensive! It’s never too early to start looking for scholarships. Some scholarships are small and some are huge. Either way, they all add up and every little bit helps! Keep a Look Out for Scholarships 6 Things a High School Freshman should know about Preparing for College