Class of 2016 Post-Secondary Planning- Answering Your Questions about Life After RBHS

What are you going to do next year???  There are LOTS of options, and NOW is the time to start thinking about what you want to do next year:  College  Tech School  Apprenticeship  Military  Gap Year/Study Abroad/Travel  Work

The Timeline…  Not every option is going to have a specific timeline  If you’re planning on going to college, you need to start researching schools and filling out applications now.  Several schools have priority scholarship deadlines in November or December and you need to apply for admission before you can apply for scholarships.  Even if a school’s admission deadline is later, you have to apply by the priority scholarship deadline if you want to be ensured scholarship $$.  If you need help researching options there are LOTS of resources to help you get started!

How do I start applying? Gap Year Programs- application information is usually available on the program website Military - contact a recruiter Recruiting station in the Columbia Mall, recruiters also come to RB Colleges/universities/tech schools - you can find most schools’ applications are available on their website Common Application Each school will have different application requirements Almost all schools will require a transcript See Mrs. Davis in Guidance if you need a transcript. You will need to complete a release form before your transcript can be sent.

TESTING…  If you need to take (or retake) the ACT or SAT for college admission/scholarships, you should do so this semester.  There are only a few test dates offered before you will be sending in your college applications this semester.  If you scored poorly on the ACT, try taking the SAT. Some students score better on one test than the other.  ACT & SAT Prep materials are available in Guidance and online.  We offer several different options for ACT Prep

Campus Visits  Visit the schools you are applying to- experience it for yourself, don’t just assume you’ll love it based on the experiences of others or the pictures you see online.  Meet with the admissions counselor  See the campus  Eat in a dining hall and see the dorms  Meet with a Financial Aid Officer  Visit with college reps who come to Rock Bridge!  It’s a great way to get your foot in the door and make an impression on the admissions rep who will be reviewing your application file. Sometimes having a face to put with a name on a file can make the difference in acceptance vs. denial.

Scholarships…  National Scholarships  Find a list on the Guidance website  Salute to Seniors Community Scholarships  Coming 2 nd semester!  University/College scholarships  usually on the college’s financial aid or scholarships website  Merit scholarships  Departmental Scholarships  A+ Scholarship-  pays for 2 years of school at a community college or tech school in Missouri (pending availability of state funding).  4 year schools may offer A+ incentive scholarships also!  November 1 st is the deadline for seniors to enroll in A+ Program!

Check out the Guidance Website! Answers to a lot of your questions can be found here!  Academic Support/Tutoring  A+ Program  ACT/SAT/PSAT  COMPASS/ASVAB/CLEP Exams  Educational Travel/Study Abroad  College Visits  Important Forms  Job Opportunities  Post-Secondary Planning & FAFSA  Scholarships

Guidance is now on Twitter!!  FOLLOW for lots of fabulous information!  Scholarship info and deadlines  College visits  ACT/SAT reminders  Free giveaways (like free Andy’s!)  And more!

Important Upcoming Events!  Wednesday, Sept. 23 rd - Mid MO College Fair at the Hearnes.  Registration information available in Guidance  Registration deadline: 4PM Fri., Sept. 18 th  Friday, Oct. 23 rd - College & Career Village (CCV)  Opportunities for all students  Presentations on careers and career planning (ex. Resume writing, interviewing skills) and college planning (ex. college essay writing, financial aid ) and a college fair that will have info on colleges, gap year programs, and the military.  More info will be coming your way in October : )  If you have not done so already, please take the CCV survey available on the Guidance website.

Scavenger Hunt…  This concludes our part of the presentation…  Now it’s time for you to find a partner and research some of the answers to commonly asked questions!  (counselor, pause the presentation here : ))