1. Post High School Planning What you need to do to be ready…

2. Starting Off…  Plan on applying to at least 3 colleges/universities  If not attending college look into the military or apprenticeships  Use Career Cruising or meet with Mrs. Pak to make sure your college choices match your career plans  Have already taken or be scheduled to take assessment tests (SAT, ACT, or COMPASS.)  Begin discussing your college finance plan with your parents and/or guardians

3. Things to Consider when Picking a College…  Best Fit – environment, campus, activities, athletics, degree programs, etc.  Cost – best offer of financial, travel, on or off campus living  Accredited vs. Non-Accredited  Your grades in regards to acceptance or transfer options

4. Applying for Colleges…  Most applications available on school websites. See Mrs. Pak or Mr. Tuggle for help.  Pay attention to early application deadlines as they may include the scholarship or honors college application.  Always keep a copy of every application you send, whether it is by mail or online.

5. Applying for Colleges Continued…  High School Transcripts – See Mrs. Swick in the registrar’s office for a request form  Assessment Testing – SAT, ACT, or COMPASS scores are required by most colleges  Essay Questions – have your essays looked over by a teacher or Mrs. Pak or Mr. Tuggle before final submission  Double Check for neatness, accuracy, and completion before signing on the dotted line

6. Getting Money…  First day to submit your FAFSA is January 1, 2013  Attend a FAFSA or financial aid workshop if needed  SLHS offers a financial aid night in December and a FASFA night in January  Apply for any and all scholarships  Consider student loans (subsidized vs. unsubsidized), work study, and grants  Bring in your financial aid award letter to Mrs. Pak or Mr. Tuggle for interpretation and/or clarification  Keep a copy of all scholarships you submit  Be aware of scams

7. SAT Test  SAT Reasoning Test - $50.00 per test  Late fee - $27.00 per test  SAT Subject Test - $23.00 registration fee plus $23.00 per language test or $12 per other subject test  Upcoming Test Dates: November 3 – register by October 4 December 1 – register by November 1 January 26 – register by December 28 March 9 – register by February 8 *Registering after the listed date will result in late fee!*  Register online at www.collegeboard.org

8. ACT Test Dates  ACT Test - $35.00 per test without writing or $50.50 per test with writing  Late fee - $22.00 per test  Upcoming Test Dates: October 27 – register by September 21 December 8 – register by November 2 February 9 – register by January 11 *Registering after the listed date will result in late fee!*  Register online at www.actstudent.org

9. COMPASS and ASVAB Tests  COMPASS test is required by all technical and 2-year colleges  COMPASS test is $19.00 per test and can be taken at any local technical or 2-year college  Check school websites for test dates, locations, and possible price differences  ASVAB test is required by all military branches  ASVAB has two parts: 1 part written and 1 part physical  ASVAB written test is offered several times at SLHS free of charge but can also be taken by appointment with a recruiter  ASVAB physical test must be taken by appointment with a recruiter  First ASVAB at SLHS will be Friday, October 26, 2012 from 8 AM to 12 PM in the theater and students need to sign up with Mrs. Pak in order to attend

10. Important College Deadlines…  Please see handout for more information  Keep your eye on deadlines and stay organized so deadlines are not missed  See Mrs. Pak or Mr. Tuggle with questions

11. Helpful Hints…  Check with your counselor for fee waivers on testing and application fees.  Set up an appointment with Mrs. Pak or Mr. Tuggle to go over your career plans.  Apply for colleges early in order to be eligible for college-funded scholarships.  Have all essays proofread at least twice before submitting.  Make copies of everything you submit, including the date, time, and method of submission.  Keep a list of all scholarships you apply for, if you win, and the amount won, as well as a list of all colleges that you apply for, if you are accepted, and the financial aid packages they are offering you.  Let Mrs. Pak and Mr. Tuggle know about colleges you are accepted to and scholarships you receive.  Take the ASVAB test if you need ideas on what career field you have the best skills for.  The average student with a 2-year degree made over $400 more per week than just a high school grad.  Apply for all scholarships, especially the small ones.  Have your SAT or ACT test scores sent to any colleges you are interested when you register to take the test. You get to send your scores to 4 colleges for free! If you have to have your scores sent to different colleges outside of the 4 free slots or you didn’t use a free slot, it will cost you an additional fee (ACT and SAT = $10.00)  Good Luck!

12. Military and Apprenticeships  Take the ASVAB test. First test is October 26 th. Each military branch requires a different score.  Meet with a recruiter. All military branch recruiters have cabinets in the Career Center.  Check out the 2 apprenticeship binders in the Career Center listing all the state programs and contact information.  Check out the “trade” cabinet that houses information on various programs related to apprenticeships or trade programs.

13. Helpful Websites…  www.careercruising.com www.careercruising.com  www.checkoutacollege.com www.checkoutacollege.com  www.volunteermatch.com www.volunteermatch.com  www.fastweb.com www.fastweb.com  www.finaid.org www.finaid.org  www.scholarships.com www.scholarships.com  www.fafsa.ed.gov www.fafsa.ed.gov  www.ope.ed.gov/accreditation www.ope.ed.gov/accreditation  www.usfirst.org/scholarships www.usfirst.org/scholarships  www.thewashboard.org www.thewashboard.org  www.lni.wa.gov/TradesLicensing/Apprenticeship/default.asp www.lni.wa.gov/TradesLicensing/Apprenticeship/default.asp  www.airforce.com www.airforce.com  www.goarmy.com www.goarmy.com  www.marines.com www.marines.com  www.navy.com www.navy.com  www.NATIONALGUARD.com www.NATIONALGUARD.com