Senior Parent Night – Class of 2015

1. Senior Parent Night – Class of 2015 Guide to College Admissions Presented by Cambridge Counseling Department

2. Overview Item 1 Item 2 Item 3 Demystifying the College Admissions Process College Admission Testing College Admissions Statistics Welcome & Program Overview Scholarships & Financial Aid Basics Procedures & Resources Item 4 Item 5 Item 6

3. Demystifying the College Admission Process Virginia Elliott Admissions Advisor Atlanta Regional Recruiter Auburn University

4. What are colleges looking for in my application?

5. When is the best time to apply?

6. How is my GPA calculated? Core vs. cumulative Weighted vs. unweighted

7. How important are my SAT/ACT scores?

8. Do colleges care about essays, recommendations, and extracurricular activities?

9. What are the benefits of an Honors College and how do I apply?

10. College Admission Testing Amey Rishel Counselor Cambridge High School

11. SAT & ACT CHS CEEB Code: 112129 SAT (WWW.COLLEGEBOARD.oRG) ACT (WWW.ACT.ORG) • SAT is a reasoning test • Administered 7 times a year • 3 hours 45 minutes • Score: 200-800 per section • ¼ point deducted for wrong answer • Writing (1 essay) Reading Math (up to basic geometry & algebra II) Science: none • ACT is a content-based test • Administered 6 times a year • 3 hours 30 minutes (with essay) • Score: 1-36 per section • No penalty for wrong answers • Writing (optional) Reading Math (up to trigonometry) Science English

12. Does your student still need to take the SAT/ACT or the SAT Subject Tests?

13. Preparation • Applerouth SAT/ACT Diagnostic TestSaturday, September 13thRegister online at www.applerouth.com Use event code: M139619 • Princeton Review ClassesRegister for fall schedule now online • Free Practice Test Booklets • Online • Media Center

14. Scholarship/Financial Aid Basics Leigh Popp Counselor Cambridge High School

15. Georgia’s HOPE Program HOPE – Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally – is Georgia’s unique scholarships and grant program that rewards students with financial assistance in degree, diploma, and certificate programs at eligible Georgia public and private colleges and universities, and public technical colleges Qualifications: Be a U.S. citizen and legal resident of Georgia Be a graduate of an eligible high school Be registered with Selective Service (males)

16. Award Amounts HOPE scholarship Zell miller scholarship • Public Institutions: Students attending public colleges or universities receive a HOPE award amount, up to a maximum of 15 hours, based upon a per hour rate at the institution he or she is attending. (see chart on GACollege411.org) • Private Institutions • Full-time student $1,910 per semester • Half-time student $955 per semester • Public Institutions: Pays current academic year standard undergraduate tuition for number of hours enrolled (public) • Private Institutions: • Full-time student $2,110 per semester • Half-time student $1,055 per semester

17. GPA Requirements HOPE Scholarship Zell Miller scholarship • Earn a 3.0 GPA in high school (calculated by GA Student Finance Commission) • Recipients must have 3.0 GPA at checkpoints to maintain • Graduate valedictorian or salutatorian OR • Earn a 3.7 GPA in high school AND earn a 1200 combined score of reading and math on a single administration of the SAT or a 26 composite score on a single administration of the ACT by your graduation date • Recipients must have 3.3 GPA at checkpoints to maintain.

18. GPA Calculation HOPE Scholarship & Zell Miller Scholarship • Final calculations are conducted by GA Student Finance Commission after student graduates from high school • ALL core classes are used for the calculation (English, Math, Science, Social Studies, World Language) • GPAs are not rounded (2.9999 is not a 3.0) • Conversion: • Remove all honors points • Convert individual grades to 4.0 scale (A = 4; B = 3; C = 2, F = 0) • Add .5 weight to AP and College courses only (up to 4.0) • Divide by total number of grades

19. Rigor Requirements Class of 2015 – 2 full credits from list below English/ELA AP Language/Composition AP Literature/Composition Mathematics GPS Advanced Algebra GPS Pre-Calculus Accelerated GPS Pre-Calculus H Accelerated CCGPS Pre-Calculus H CCGPS Advanced Algebra CCGPS Pre-Calculus AP Calculus AB AP Calculus BC AP Statistics Multivariable Calculus (GA Tech) Social Studies AP Psychology AP Government/Politics: United States AP Government/Politics: Comparative AP Macroeconomics AP Microeconomics AP Human Geography AP World History AP United States History AP European History Science AP Computer ScienceAP BiologyAP Environmental ScienceHuman Anatomy/PhysiologyChemistryAP ChemistryPhysicsAP Physics BAP Physics C: MechanicsAP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism World Language French IIFrench IIIFrench IVFrench VAP French/Language Spanish IISpanish IIISpanish IVSpanish VSpanish VIAP Spanish/LanguageAP Spanish/Literature Latin IILatin IIIAP Latin: Vergil

20. HOPE Grant Zell Miller Grant • Available to students seeking a technical certification or diploma regardless of high school grade point average or graduation date • Covers full standard rate of tuition • Cumulative GPA • of 3.5 each term • Available to students seeking a technical certification or diploma regardless of high school grade point average or graduation date • Covers a percentage amount of the standard tuition charges from the previous year • Must earn cumulative GPA of 2.0 at 30 semester hours/60 semester hours to maintain

21. Financial Aid Applications • Complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) * Available January 1 of senior year * Must complete FAFSA each year • Complete the GSFAPPS (Georgia Student Financial Aid Application System) • You do not need to reapply each year • SSN must be on file at Cambridge HS • Be sure to attend our Financial Aid Night on Tuesday, November 18th for more information on this process!

22. Georgia Career Information System (GCIS) www.gcic.peachnet.edu User Name: s (student ID number) ORcambridgehs Password: fulton1OR gcis7516 • Education Tab • Financial Aid Sort • Keyword Search • Search by college

23. College Comparison Chart from GCIS Scre

24. More Scholarship Resourcesa • Cambridge Guidance Website – www.cambridgeguidance.com • Scholarship Tab • GA College 411 – www.gacollege411.org • Financial Aid Planning Tab • Atlanta Scholarships – www.atlantascholarships.com • Local scholarship resources in Greater Atlanta area • College Navigator -nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/ • General college, cost & financial aid information • Fast Web – www.fastweb.com • Free scholarship search website • College Board – www.collegeboard.com • General college information & scholarship searches • Scholarships – www.scholarships.com • Free scholarship search website • Merit Aid – www.meritaid.org • College cost, financial aid & scholarship information

25. Sources of College Scholarships & Grants

26. Cambridge High School Counseling Office Procedures & Resources

27. The Application Process Carefully follow ALL directions • Submit Application (during fall of senior year) • Online (Preferred) • Paper • Send Test Scores (if required) • SAT/ACT/AP scores are not included on the high school transcript • Students send scores directly from the testing agency

28. Cambridge Transcript/Recommendation Request Process(ALL Colleges except COMMON APPLICATION) • Step 1: Visit www.parchment.com and create an account. • Step 2: Associate yourself with Cambridge High School when Parchment asks “Where would you like your transcript sent from”. • Step 3: Request your transcript be sent to your college (all except Common Application). • Step 4: If the school also has a required counselor form/school report/letter of recommendation, the form MUST be sent to your counselor electronically. Allow 10 School Days for processing. • Step 5: Complete your Senior Information Sheet (download from Counseling website or pick up in Counseling Office). Submit to your counselor via email or in person after first transcript request.

29. Parchment Registration Tips Step 1: Register • Go to www.parchment.com and Sign Up Manually • You DO NOT Need a Registration Code • Complete the Registration Form • Under 18? Register With Your Parent Step 2: Order/Request • Click Transcripts • Select a Destination • Submit Payment by credit card (if necessary) • Wait for Confirmation Step 3: Track • Log in to Your Parchment Account • Click Transcripts • Click Order History

30. Applying Using the Common Application • Step 1: Create your account on Commonapp.org and complete the required forms. • Step 2: Electronically invite your counselor to be the recommender. Your counselor will complete the secondary school report and upload your transcript. Allow 10 School Days for processing. • Step 3: Complete the Senior Information Sheet (download from www.cambridgeguidance.com or pick up copy in Counseling Office.) Submit to your counselor via email or in person after first transcript request. ** Students applying to schools using Common App WILL NOT request transcripts to the same schools using Parchment.

32. Events • College Fairs GA PROBE (North Point Mall) Tuesday, September 23rd from 6-9pm Performing & Visual Arts College Fair (Cobb County Center for Excellence in the Performing Arts) Monday, September 29th from 7-9pm • College Rep Visits at Cambridge HS Juniors and Seniors must sign up 24 hrs in advance Register online at cambridgeguidance.com or in counseling office • College Campus Visits Follow preapproved absence procedure with the Attendance Office. (6 days allowed; request 3 days in advance) • Keys to the Dawg House UGA Admissions Session at CHS Monday, October 27 at 6:00pm • Scholarship Financial Aid Workshop Tuesday, November 18th at 6:30pm • PROBE College Fair at Cambridge HS Monday, March 23rd at 6:00pm

33. Scheduled College Visits at CHS

34. College Admission Statistics – Class of 2014 Gwen DannerCounselorCambridge High School

40. Stay Connected Counseling Website www.CambridgeGuidance.com CambridgeGuidance.com Remind 101 Texting Service Cambridge Counseling Workshops & Events • Keys to the Dawg House (10/27) • Scholarship/Financial Aid Night (11/18) • PROBE College Fair (3/23)

41. Counseling Staff Leigh Popp, Counselor (A-De) Bonnie Schechter (Steve Creel), Counselor (Df-I) Gwen Danner, Counselor (J-M) Amey Rishel, Counselor (N-Su) Samiah Garcia, Head Counselor (Sw-Z) Chip Flemmer, Graduation Coach Stephanie Schuette, School Social Worker Nancy Sheridan, Records Coordinator Tammy Speer, Guidance Secretary

42. Q & A * Please complete the Survey and drop it in box in the Auditorium Lobby * • It is the policy of the Fulton County School System not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, or disability in any employment practice, educational program, or any other program, activity or service.