Counselor & CAP Advisor Senior Night Elizabeth Aguiar Counselor & CAP Advisor

High School Graduation Requirements for Class of 2019 24 credits are required to graduate 4 Credits of English (Must pass FSA Reading) 4 Credits of Math (Must pass Algebra 1 EOC) 3 Credits of Science: Physical Science, Biology & Chemistry 3 Credits of History: World History, American History, Government (0.5) & Economics (0.5) 1 Credit of Fine Art 1 Credit of Physical Education—must include Personal Fitness (0.5) 0.5 credit of Digital Learning- must take and pass at least one virtual course *** 2 Credits of a Foreign Language (2 separate years) are not required, but recommended for almost all colleges & needed for Florida Bright Futures Scholarship

High School Graduation Requirements (cont.) Minimum 2.0 GPA Earn a passing score on the Reading portion on the FSA or a standardized test score that is concordant with the passing scores on the FSA (SAT/ACT)- Reading 430 SAT or 19 ACT Community Service Hours- minimum of 100 hours needed for graduation (DUE: January 9th)

The deadline means ALL information must be in - NO EXCEPTIONS! Deadlines The deadline means ALL information must be in - NO EXCEPTIONS!

Florida State School Application Deadlines- Your Job to Know Deadlines FSU- 1ST Deadline: Nov. 1st / 2nd Deadline: Feb. 7th UCF- Rolling Admissions UF- Deadline: Summer 2019 – April 2nd/ Fall 2019 – Nov. 1st FIU-Rolling Admission FGCU- Deadline: May 1st / Priority Deadline: Feb. 15th UNF- Scholarship Deadline: Oct. 31st/Rolling Admissions FAU- Deadline: May 1st

Types of Applications Early Decision-easier to get accepted but it is binding-you must attend and withdraw all other applications. DO NOT apply ED unless this is your dream school and you can afford the costs. Early Action-easier to get accepted than regular decision but not binding. DO NOT apply EA if you need senior grades to give you a boost from first semester Regular Decision-later deadline-colleges will look at first semester grades from senior year. DO YOU NEED THE BOOST?

Types of Applications Common Application-This is an online system that students use to apply to member colleges with the same form. Students can create a free account and keep this information in a safe place. This website will require letters of recommendation from teachers, counselors, coaches, etc. Choose who you invite wisely and make sure to follow-up with them.

Tips for College Essays Don’t just recycle your essays. Why are you choosing this school? Be specific. Choose topics carefully- they should be revealing about yourself and academic/intellectual. Be yourself! This is the time for the college to learn more about you and what you have to say. Emphasize the positive- this is your time to shine! Have someone proofread your paper- English teachers, counselor, parents, etc. Online applications have limited space for essays, and the formatting might change when you cut and paste your essay, so check it after you upload. Don’t overdo it, just because your essay is long doesn’t mean it’s what the colleges want.

More Tips & Advice 1. DO NOT FILL OUT APPLICATIONS LATE AT NIGHT. Although access to applications is 24/7, you need to be alert and focused. Take your time, because these documents are too important to rush. 2. HAVE ALL YOUR APPLICATION INFORMATION ON HAND. You should have all application information next to you, or save your progress and go back in when you do have it. You will also need credit card information to pay application fees and standardized test score reporting fees. 3. HAVE YOUR COUNSELOR REVIEW YOUR APPLICATION - BEFORE HITTING ‘SEND.’ Your counselor needs to look over absolutely everything - especially essays and your first few applications.

FINANCIAL AID Students must complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) to be considered for Financial Aid for all institutions. FAFSA requires information about your family’s income and income taxes from the previous year, assets, family size, the number of members attending college and more. To maximize your chances of getting aid, submit the FAFSA as soon as possible after October 1st, 2018. You can list up to 10 different school codes, so different colleges will receive your information and generate an estimate for you. FAFSA Guide and Presentation – Date ******* http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/

Types of Financial Aid Loans: must be paid back, be careful! Grants: do not get paid back; can be from the government or a college. Scholarships: FREE MONEY!!!! Work Study: students are offered a job on campus; usually easy and few hours/week. This is different than a part-time job on campus.

Number of years to Receive Initial Funding BF PROGRAM 16 High School Credits GPA Requirement SAT/ACT Requirements Community Service FLORIDA ACADEMIC SCHOLARS 4 - English 4 - Mathematics 3 - Science 3 - Social Science 2 - World Lang. (sequential, in same lang.) 3.5 weighted GPA 1290 SAT / 29 ACT 100 hours of community service FLORIDA MEDALLION SCHOLARS 3.0 weighted GPA 1170 SAT / 26 ACT 75 hours of community service Number of years to Receive Initial Funding Number of years of Funding Available Within 2 years of High School Graduation Up to 5 years from High School Graduation

Scholarships Check the College Corner on the school website for monthly updates and Scholarship Bulletins http://www.ed.gov/finaid.html - FAFSA, universal government form done in January http://www.fafsa.ed.gov - another way to get to this form FAFSA.COM IS A FRAUD! http://www.fastweb.com - search for private scholarships, grants, fellowships and loans http://www.hsf.net - scholarships for Hispanic students http://www.c3apply.org - more applications and needs analysis available http://www.finaid.org - another needs analysis and general sources of aid also http://easi.ed.gov - stands for Easy Access for Students and Institutions; how to plan, apply for, receive, and repay financial aid.

SENIOR YEAR COUNTS

NOW WHAT… Don’t panic, but you NEED to start your applications now! Don’t get Senioritis! This is the home stretch to the finish line. I am here to help you! If you have questions look at the school website or call the admissions office. Check the College Corner on the website for helpful information!

Counselor & CAP Advisor Elizabeth Aguiar Counselor & CAP Advisor eaguiar@somersetsilverpalms.net