Fridley High School Class of 2012

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to

what lies within us.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson

TIME FOR DECISIONS

Timeline For PlanningSenior Year Guide

Four Year Colleges: Examples ADMISSIONS

◦ Varies by college Upper ½ of class ACT (21+) or SAT

◦ 4 Eng◦ 3 Math (Alg. 2); ◦ 3 Science◦ 3 Social Studies◦ World Language◦ 1 Arts

COSTS◦ State universities: $5,242

R/B: $4,500◦ U of M: $8,263◦ Private: $21,467

R/B: $7,000+◦ +books

• Teacher– $44,010.06

• Accountant– $52,208

• Electrical Engineer– $76,336

• Air Traffic Controller– $123,136

Community CollegesCombined Community/Technical Colleges: examples

• ADMISSIONS– Diploma– GED

• 2-year Associate Degree AND/OR transfer

• COSTS– $3,769 (tuition & fees)

• +room and board, books, supplies

• Dental Hygienist– $63,856

• Paralegal– $44,928

Technical Colleges/Trade Schools: examples• ADMISSIONS

– Diploma– GED

• COSTS– Technical

• $3,769 (tuition & fees)

– Trade• $10,092 (tuition &

fees)

+room and board, books, supplies

• Bookkeeping/ Accounting Clerks– $31,616

• Auto Body Repair– $40,144

• Tool & Die– $45,760

• Legal Secretary– $42,848

• Ship Captains & Mates– $38,896

Military /Employment/Apprentice For information on all branches of the military: www.students.gov -click on “military services” For employment planning and research go to

www.bls.gov/oco www.doleta.gov/jobseekers

Apprenticeship programs are available in more than 200 skilled trades in Minnesota.

Information can be obtained from The Department of Labor and Industry

The average hourly wage for a McDonald’s cashier is $7.02. If working 40 hours a week, the annual salary would be $14,601.

Median hourly wages:◦ Grocery stores $7.90 ◦ Department stores $7.89 ◦ Other general merchandise stores $7.85 ◦ Health and personal care stores $7.68 ◦ Gasoline stations $7.54

Heading directly to work force

Life and career planning◦ Explore his or her life interests and goals; values;

skills Interest inventories Job shadows Research Experiment

Find a good academic fit◦ Finding a college where students share similar

academic abilities and objectives

AN EDUCATED DECISION:

HELPING YOUR CHILD CHOOSE

On-campus college visits- #1 factor in student choice of college

College reps at FHS

On line resources

College Fairs

Choosing a college

Transcript, GPA, class loadDo you have all graduation requirements

College Entrance Exams (ACT / SAT)Essays InterviewsLetters of recommendation

College Admissions: What are they looking for?

Senior Resume…..including

ActivitiesCommunity InvolvementHonors and AwardsSpecial skills and talents

Application Process

Check for deadlines Complete as much as possible Bring to Dean with application fee Check for transcript fee Is early decision right for you? Let Dean know your final decision

Register online at www.ncaaclearinghouse.org

Follow directions for ACT Bring transcript request to main office Check with your Dean if you are considering

college participation

NCAA Guidelines

UNDERSTANDING FINANCIAL AID Financial aid is the money used to help

offset the cost of higher education – from the federal government, state programs, and the college

FAFSA (Free Application for Student Aid)◦ Examines your child’s and your income, living

expenses, assets, and savings to calculate how much you and your child can be expected to contribute = EFC (expected family income)

www.fafsa.ed.gov

APPLY EARLY AND COMPARE FINANCIAL AID PACKAGES!

www.getreadyforcollege.org (estimator)

Reciprocity: is the agreement that Minnesota has with Wisconsin, North Dakota and South Dakota to provide reduced tuition to your child if s/he attends a public college in one of these states.

Types of Financial Aid

Grants: awards that do not have to be repaid. It is given to students with the greatest financial need.

Scholarships: awarded based on criteria such as grades, sports, culture, religion, or special talents. Do not have to be repaid.

Work-study: is a part-time job, either on or off campus.

Loans: with low interest rates to help students pay for higher education. MUST be repaid. There are ways to have the loan reduced.

Military service: assistance benefits in exchange for service

Take ACT / SAT or retake if needed

Meet with your Dean

Plan college visits

Send College applications

Senior TO DO List:

Keep up on scholarship opportunities Attend financial aid night Complete FAFSA after January 1 Apply for local scholarships Make final decisions Request final transcripts Spread your wings and fly…..

PREPARING YOUR CHILD (YOURSELF) FOR COLLEGEsimple words of advice Letting go - separating your own

aspirations from those of your child Applying to college is a journey to

independence Let your child make their own decisions

◦ Create opportunities for them to make decisions◦ Advise them, support them, let them make

mistakes, let them go Living skills Credit cards Safety Staying in touch Health - insurance

Resources

Check out the materials in the SSS office on Colleges

MCIS mncis.intocareers.org (MN Career Information System)

www.iseek.org www.mncareers.org www.finaid.org www.fastweb.org

Senior Timelines

Apply for early admission decision, if interested. Research private scholarship sources Request letters of recommendation If you can’t afford the college application fee most

colleges charge, check with your dean about the possibility of fee waiver.

Sign up for ACT test, if needed

October for 12th Graders

ACT $34.00 ACT plus writing$49.50

www.actstudent.org

http://sat.collegeboard.org

ACT TEST DATESTest Date Registration

DeadlineFebruary 11,

2012January 14, 2012

April 14, 2012 March 9, 2012

June 9, 2012 May 12, 2012

Finalize college choices Meet the priority deadline for college

applications

November for 12th Graders

Attend a Financial Aid Workshop Register for a pin number on FAFSA website Complete the FAFSA online

www.fafsa.ed.gov

January for 12th Graders

CREDIT CHECK! Has your student met all graduation requirements?

If you have not applied for admission to a college. DO IT NOW! IT MIGHT NOT BE TOO LATE!

Start looking for summer employment.

March for Seniors

GRADUATION!!! Make sure your official transcript has been

send to the college that you plan to attend. Attend orientation meetings offered by the

college.

May & June for Seniors

Graduation is near… Be prepared and planned Pay attention to details and deadlines

To be successful, the first thing to do is fall in love with your work.

Destiny is not a matter of chance. It is a matter of choice: it is not to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.

The secret of success is making your vocation your vacation.

Good Luck!