1. Sophomore Success!

2. Promotion…. To be promoted to the next grade level…. To be a Junior=13 credits To be a Senior=19 credits Athletic Eligibility/Driver’s License….. You must pass 3 out of 4 classes during the previous semester to play a sport and keep your driver’s license/permit

3. Final Grade Calculation…. 1 st quarter grade x 3= 2 nd quarter grade x3= Final exam x 2= Add them together Divide by 8 =Final grade 3(1 st Q) + 3(2 nd Q) + 2(FE) 8

4. Honors and AP Courses…. Honors= 1 additional quality point Regular Civics – if you made an 88, you would get a 3.0 Honors Civics – if you made an 88, you would get a 4.0 AP= 2 additional quality points AP US History – if you made an 88, you would get a 5.0

5. Transcripts  A transcript is a four-year report card that includes EVERY final course grade for EVERY class you take in high school  It also contains…. transcript transcript  Student Information  Credit History  Grade History  GPA (it is cumulative and is the average of quality points earned)  Class Rank ( a number that tells you where you stand in relation to your peers in your grade level)  EOC scores  Attendance

6. Career Clusters… It is required that every student have a career cluster by the time they graduate A career cluster has 4 classes in a specific area of interest 17 different career clusters: Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Hospitality and Tourism Arts, Audio/Video Tech and Communication Business Management and Administration Science, Tech, Engineering, and Mathematics Health Sciences Finance Human Services Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics Architecture and Construction Marketing Fine Arts-Chorus, Drama, Visual Arts, Broadcasting, Band World Languages

7. CFNC CFNC is a great resource to use throughout high school and you all should have an account created. This is the same account that you created in middle school. Just make sure you are now linked to Hickory Ridge High School. You can use www.cfnc.org to help you organize your activities as well as find a college/career that best matches your interests.www.cfnc.org

8. SAT and ACT Fall of sophomore year: PSAT (October 15 th )-practice test for SAT for invited students (based on GPA) *Must bring back signed permission form PLAN (mid-October)-practice test for ACT for ALL sophomores Colleges in this area accept both the SAT and the ACT You must register online to take either test on a Saturday during your junior year (ACT will be given at school to all juniors-no registration necessary) Go to the test website (or CFNC) for practice tests You can take the test more than once

9. Three Main Factors Colleges Use in Determining Acceptance…. GPA and class rank (2.5 minimum to go to a public 4- year university NC) SAT/ACT Scores Application/extracurricular activities

10. A glimpse of some colleges UNC Chapel Hill 16 of our seniors went to Carolina last year StudentGPAClass RankACT Score 1 4.827 th out of 33228 24.4335 th out of 33225

11. Colleges (Continued) UNC Charlotte 48 of our seniors went to UNCC StudentGPAClass RankACT Score 1 3.15195 th out of 33226 23.41168 th out of 33222 33.53148 th out of 33218

12. Colleges (Continued) Western Carolina 8 of our seniors went to Western StudentGPAClass RankACT Score 13.712019 22.9821516

13. Community College Community colleges require an application and transcript to apply. You can choose a degree-seeking pathway or a college transfer pathway. Some community colleges in our area include:  Rowan-Cabarrus Community College (RCCC)  Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC)  Stanly Community College

14. What you can work on this year… Refine study habits (study for at least a ½ an hour for each class every day, type or rewrite notes, flashcards, etc) Improve time management (use agenda, break down assignments, etc) Continue extracurricular activities (both in school and the community) Find a summer job or participate in a summer program (will help you for college) Academic achievement (sign up for appropriate courses for you and your goals) Remember your teachers are here to help so make sure you ask!