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GET READY FOR COLLEGE A guide for parents and students

Get Ready for College

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Get Ready for College. A guide for parents and students. The big picture. Admissions requirements ACT/SAT score GPA and rank (pre-AP, AP, dual credit) Résumé Letters of recommendation Essays (show your personality; paint a picture of who you are) - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Page 1: Get Ready for College

GET READY FOR COLLEGE

A guide for parents and students

Page 2: Get Ready for College

THE BIG PICTURE

Admissions requirements• ACT/SAT score• GPA and rank (pre-AP, AP, dual credit)• Résumé• Letters of recommendation• Essays (show your personality; paint a picture of who you

are)• Application (show that you are more than just a number)

• Extra-curricular activities (Don’t quit!)• Awards (grades 9-12)• Volunteer work (Start in 9th grade)

Financial Aid (Scholarships, grants, loans) FAFSA

FOLLOW THE MONEY!

Page 3: Get Ready for College

HOW COLLEGE WORKS

Credit hours (usually 3 per class); full-time student takes 4 classes (at least 12

hours)

You will pay for each credit hour plus each semester’s fees, books, room and

board if living on campus, transportation, etc. **Note: Due to semester fees, it is

cheaper to be a full-time student than a part-time student in the long run.

Junior College (San Jacinto) = Two year school (Associate’s Degree)

approximately $6,000 per year

College or University = Four year school (Bachelor’s Degree) ranges from

$15,000-$40,000+ per year depending on the school; in state and public schools

are cheaper than out of state or private schools

Certification programs (Everest) = no degree or transferable credits; costs vary

Page 4: Get Ready for College

FIRST STEPS TO TAKE

Buy a calendar planner to keep track of important dates and

deadlines; include ACT/SAT tests, AP exams, application deadlines, and

scholarship deadlines. SET PERSONAL DEADLINES.

See the College Connection website and the Counselors’ Corner

website for helpful tips and links.

Research your college and career options. Start making plans for how

to pay for it. Consider programs on each campus like Honors Colleges,

partnerships, internships, etc.

Visit colleges as a family. Contact the college for details.

Sign up to take ACT/SAT as a junior. STUDY FOR THEM!

Page 5: Get Ready for College

ACT/SAT SCORING GUIDE

How to know what you need to score for

college admission

and for college readiness standards

Page 6: Get Ready for College

National averages:

English 20.4

Math 21.0

Reading 21.2

Science 20.8

Composite 21.0

For the class of 2013,

average scores are:

Critical reading: 496

Mathematics: 514

Writing: 488

AVERAGE SCORES

ACT (Scale of 1-36) SAT (200-800/section)

Page 7: Get Ready for College

ACT – Composite score

of 23 or higher, with

individual math, reading

and English scores of no

less than 19.

SAT – Composite score

of 1070 or higher, with

500 critical reading

(formally “verbal”) and

500 math.

COLLEGE READY (TSI)

ACT SAT

Page 8: Get Ready for College

Rice: average for top 25% grads--SAT

700, 720, 700; ACT composite 32

Stanford: average for top 25% grads

—SAT 680, 700, 690; ACT composite

31

Baylor: average SAT 1130-1300

(math and critical reading) ACT 24-29;

75% of freshmen were top 25% of

graduating class

Texas Tech: no minimum for top

10% (but TSI still remains); for top

25% minimum 25 ACT or 1140 SAT

Texas A&M Corpus: no minimum

for top 10% (but TSI still remains);

19 ACT or 900 SAT top quartile

NOTE: for lower ranks, add 2-

5 points ACT or 100-300 points

SAT

COLLEGE ADMISSIONS

Reach Schools (Private, selective schools) Realistic Schools (Texas State Schools)

Page 9: Get Ready for College

COLLEGE CONNECTIONS TUTORIALS

Mondays and Fridays, 2:30-4:00 in the

GPHS library

Page 10: Get Ready for College

FINANCIAL AID

What it is and how to get it

Page 11: Get Ready for College

HELPFUL WEBSITES

FAFSA.ed.gov—Free Application for Federal Student Aid to be filled

out after tax return Senior year (no sooner than January 1)

Collegeforalltexans.com—links to facts sheets for tuition waivers

and other important information

Fastweb.com, AIE.org, and gmsp.org—links for scholarships

Corporate scholarships—KFC, Dr. Pepper, Coca-Cola, Olive Garden,

HEB, Target, Kohl’s, and many more

Check with your university’s financial aid department for more

hidden money!

Page 12: Get Ready for College

UNMET NEED

Unmet need—when your tuition and fees are more than

your college fund, grants, and scholarships

Work Study programs

Loans—borrowed money that you will have to pay back• Subsidized—no interest, no payments until graduation;

variable-fixed rate loan• Unsubsidized—no payments until graduation but interest

starts with first payout• PLUS loan—higher interest rate which begins after first

payout; no payments until graduation

Page 13: Get Ready for College

WANT MORE INFORMATION?

Contact your child’s counselor at 832-386-2806.

• A-Di—Ms. Brooks• Dj-He—Ms. Coleman• Hf-O—Ms. Jones• P-S—Mr. Shiflet• T-Z—Ms. Balderas

Contact Brandi Couch, Academic Advisor, at 832-

386-2837.