1. Welcome to 12th Grade Senior Parent Information!

2. Senior Class Information
If you are interested in walking in the graduation ceremony of your base school, please contact Mrs. Atkins and she will let your base school know. You will still receive a diploma from Forsyth Virtual School. Check graduation information on the website of your base school.

3. Graduation Requirements
4 English credits (9th Lit and Amer. Lit)
4 Math credits
4 Science credits (Biology, Phy. Sci. or Physics)
3 Social Studies (W. Hist., US Hist., Gov/Econ)
3 Career/Fine Arts/For. Lang.
Health/Per. Fit
4 additional electives

4. SAT/ACT Calendar
See website for dates/locations and registration information.
Prep Options
Do you need to take SAT II’s?
Send scores to respective colleges directly.
High School Code:

5. Test of critical thinking Penalty for wrong answers
SAT vs ACT
Type of Test
SAT
Test of critical thinking
and problem solving
ACT
Content-based test
Test Dates
October 1
November 5
December 3
January 21
March 11
May 6
June 3
September 10
October 22
December 10
February 11
April 8
June 10
Score
1 to 36
Penalty for wrong answers No
Structure
Math-Arithmetic, Algebra I & II, Geometry, Trigonometry, and Data Analysis
Reading-5 passages
Writing and Language
Essay—optional
Math-Arithmetic, Algebra I & II, Geometry and Trigonometry
Reading-4 passages
English
Science
Essay--optional

6. Ready? Set? Gooooo!!! What still needs to be done?
Complete college research & college applications
Understand the difference between being able to get into a college and being able to AFFORD a college.
Understand the difference between high school graduation requirements and college entrance requirements
Understand that there are high school deadlines and college deadlines for admissions, scholarships, NCAA, HOPE, FAFSA
Submit all requests for transcripts, evaluations and letters by the high school deadline
Research scholarships and financial aid

7. College Research Review
What am I looking for?
Size, location, cost, majors, clubs/groups, etc.
How does the BIG 3 affect my admissions? GPA, SAT/ACT, curriculum strength.
Have I narrowed my list down to 5 – 7 schools? 1-2 Dream/Reach, 2-3 Moderate level, 2-3 Safety/Fall Back.

8. College Research Review
Plan a visit to tour the campus
Attend College Fairs
Calculate your academic GPA (most colleges only consider academic courses) where = 4, = 3, = 2, and 0-69 = 0. Always contact the college to verify how they actually recalculate your GPA.

9. Important Resources GACollege411 (www.gacollege411.org)
Bigfuture (

10. Early Action/Decision
Early Decision
Not Binding –if student
accepted, not obligated to
attend.
Binding-if student accepted, obligated to withdraw all other applications.
UGA – Oct. 12th
GA Tech – Oct. 12th
Emory
Nov 1st –Early Decision I
Nov 15th – Emory Scholars
Jan 1st Early Decision II

11. College Applications Complete your applications first!
Online (the best way)
Paper (if available)
Common App ( – allows you to apply to over 400 colleges with one application. You will need to invite your counselor to complete your evaluation by submitting their address. Make sure you have their correct address!
***Make sure you verify the application deadline
for each individual college that you
are applying to.

12. College Applications
In order to request a transcript to be sent to your college, please Debbie Hudson, our registrar.

13. College Applications Very Important!
**There is a two week (business day) notification period for transcripts that require counselor recommendations or evaluations to be submitted with your transcript request.
**Example: Any one applying to UGA or Tech early application (deadline Oct. 12th) should have their transcript request in by Oct. 1st at the latest!
**Example: For any January 1st deadlines, request should be into the counseling office by December 9th at the latest!

14. College Applications Counselor Evaluations and Recommendations:
**These are not required for every school, so check the college’s application requirements to verify if you need these or not.
If needed, turn a resume in to your counselor.

15. College Applications
Make sure that you have sent your ACT, SAT, or both scores to each of the schools that you are applying to!
SAT –
ACT –

16. All done?
Check all of your application requirements to make sure that you have submitted all needed documentation! Some colleges or programs may require supplemental information (Common App), portfolios, interviews, etc.
Please see your counselor for any questions!
Continue to work hard in school because college acceptances are not guaranteed and can be rescinded.
Start thinking about which school you will attend if you are accepted.
Find some scholarship money!

17. HOPE Scholarship Graduate from a HOPE-eligible high school
Be registered for Selective Service (males only)
Meet Georgia residency requirements
3.0 CORE GPA (all academic courses only)
Eng., Math, Science, Social Studies, For. Lang.
AP quality pts. (only .50 given for AP, nothing above a 4.0)
RIGOR Requirement (Class of 2017 / Four rigor Courses)
Middle school credit is not calculated in the HOPE GPA
All calculations are done by the Georgia Student Finance Commission, and not by Forsyth Co. Schools.
HOPE GPA is not rounded up, so 2.99 does not qualify.

18. HOPE Scholarship
Covers a percentage % of tuition (based on Lottery Funds)
Award Amounts: $$$ varies and depends on the type of institution you are attending.
Students attending Georgia public colleges receive a HOPE Award amount based upon a per hour rate at the institution he or she is attending.

19. Zell Miller Scholarship
Covers 100% of tuition (based on Lottery Funds)
Requirements:
Must meet all the requirements to be eligible for the HOPE Scholarship, plus:
Core GPA of 3.70
26 composite on the ACT
RIGOR Requirement (Class of 2015 / TWO rigor Courses)
Graduated from an eligible high school as the valedictorian or salutatorian

20. How to keep HOPE/Zell Miller
Students must maintain a 3.0+ GPA in college to receive HOPE Scholarship.
If a student falls below 3.0 they may only regain the HOPE Scholarship one time, if their GPA returns to 3.0+ or higher.
Zell Miller:
Students must maintain a 3.3+ GPA in college to receive Zell Miller Scholarship.
If a student falls below 3.3 they may only regain the Zell Miller Scholarship one time, if their GPA returns to 3.3+ or higher. (As long as student’s GPA does not fall below 3.0, this student is still eligible to receive the HOPE Scholarship)

21. All HOPE is not lost!
**Did you know that if you graduate from high school with less than a 3.0 GPA, you could still earn HOPE once you get into college?
At 30, 60, or 90 hours, if a once ineligible student earns a 3.0+, they become HOPE eligible.
**This does not apply to Zell Miller. Students have to be eligible for Zell Miller upon graduating from high school, to receive the award at any point in college.

22. HOPE /Private Institutions
HOPE Scholarship (Enrolled Full-Time)
$3,820 per year award
ZELL MILLER (Enrolled Full-Time)
$4,220 per year award

23. HOPE Grant
Pays a percentage of tuition at all Georgia Technical Colleges
Graduate from a Hope-eligible high school
NO GPA requirement
Technical College System (based on 12 hours) $1,950 (HOPE) and $2670 (Zell)

24. How to apply? Apply for the HOPE
Applying for HOPE, Zell Miller, or HOPE Grant – Complete FAFSA starting January, 2015 of senior year:
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) -
View your HOPE average
Go to and login to your account. There is a link titled calculate my HOPE GPA.
For Additional Information on HOPE
Contact Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC) or

25. Other Scholarship Options?
College based: check college financial aid websites for criteria and categories.
Community based: church, civic groups, local organizations.
Private based: parents place of work, FREE scholarship search through websites.
Visit the WFHS Counseling Website.

26. NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse
If you are planning on participating in intercollegiate athletics at an NCAA Division I or II institution you must register with the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse
Access the registration materials by visiting the NCAA website
When taking the SAT/ACT, enter 9999 for scores to be sent to NCAA
Students and parents are responsible for determining
NCAA eligibility to Division I and Division II schools
Counselor’s are neither responsible nor allowed
to determine eligibility

27. 12th grade Career Cruising Activity
Go to
Enter your username (fc-your student id #, ex. fc-12345) and your password (ITS learning password without the !, ex. Jc2222)
Go to Your Plan (under your name in right hand corner)
Click on My Goals and Plans in right hand column
Under Postsecondary Plan, click on View More
Complete Career Goals Tab, click SAVE
Complete Educational Goals Tab, click SAVE
Complete Financial Plans Tab (if you are not going to college, click “Don’t know”), click SAVE
Last Step- Check the green percentage bar at the top to be sure it says “100%”. If yes, log-out. If not, go back and complete each section and click “SAVE”.