College ReadinessMiami Southridge Senior High School

Class of 2014

Itinerary• Graduation Requirements • G.P.A. Information • SAT/ACT Tests • College Visitations and Applications • Financial Aid Information and Scholarships

Graduation Requirements

Need to Graduate: Requirements

Unweighted GPA 2.0

Service Hours 10

Credits 24 credits* as outlined in Student Handbook

GPA Information• Florida Bright Futures and Colleges calculate only...

Academic G.P.A • Academic G.P.A.s are averaged only for the core

courses: 4 years of English4 years of Math3 years of Science3 years of Social Science2 years of Foreign Language

GPA Information

• Colleges calculate advanced courses as follows:• AP/DE/IB = 1 point• Honors = 0.5 point

ACT/SAT TestsSAT Test Dates:

◦ November 2

◦ December 7

◦ January 25

◦ March 8

◦ May 3

◦ June 7

Register at:

www.collegeboard.com

ACT Test Dates:

◦ October 26

◦ December 14

◦ February 8

◦ April 12

◦ June 14

Register at:

www.actstudent.orgSCHOOL CODE: 164280

TEST CODE: 101087

ACT/SAT Tests

• Important to put Miami Southridge’s School Code (164280), in order for us to receive your scores

• Can choose up to 4 colleges where ACT/SAT scores can be sent for FREE

• Must choose colleges before test is taken to be free of charge

• Additional score reports will be charged a fee • Colleges require official score reports from the testing

sites

What Should I Look For In A College• LOCATION• Choose the best fit for YOU!

• ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS• Know if you match their qualification. What is your chance of getting into

this school?

• COSTS• It’s NOT just tuition-even if you stay in Miami! Room & board, books, gas,

activities, sporting events, spending money, etc. all need to be factored and budgeted.

• MAJORS• Small colleges are often limiting in their major choices. Remember that

80% of college freshman do not have a major by the time they start college, and 50% change their mind- multiple times!

What Should I Have Already Done??• Finalizing Your College List• Narrow your list to 3-6 schools

DREAM SCHOOLS

REALISTIC SCHOOLS

SAFETY SCHOOLS

What Should I Have Already Done??

• Visited Colleges (In Person, Virtual Tours, Websites)• Research Applications and Fees• Created a Professional Email• karibbiiankutie2247@yahoo.com NO!• cindyalonso01@gmail.com YES!

• Created a Resume• Sent and/or Registered for SAT/ACT

Resume

• Name and Contact Information• College and Career Choices (optional)• Academic Record with info on Class Rank, GPA, SAT scores, AP classes,

etc.• School Activities• Community Activities• Work Experiences• Honors and Awards• Other Items of Interest (such as personal interests that are not covered in

the above categories or a short personal statement indicating obstacles you have overcome, like a learning disability, personal or family setback, or unexpected change in circumstances)

Admissions Criteria- What Do Colleges Look At?• Application Information • Grade Point Average (GPA) • Weighted vs. Unweighted • High School Transcript

• Course Load and Strength of Subjects • ACT/SAT scores

• Superscore • SAT Subject Tests

• Class Rank or Percentile• Recommendation Letters* • Resume: Special Talents/Awards & Personal Qualities/Activities • Essays • Interviews

What Will I Need to Apply, and How Do I Get It?

Colleges Will Want: How Do I Obtain These:

1. Completed Applications University’s Website

2. Official Transcripts*GPA*Academic Coursework*Academic Percentile

Complete ‘Transcript Request Form’ in the Main Office

3. SAT & ACT Scores Request from the Official Testing Siteswww.sat.collegeboard.com www.actstudent.org

4. Student Essay* Your creation- Please, please, pretty please… HAVE IT PROOFREAD!!Different colleges might have different prompts!

5. Recommendation Letters Complete LRIS so teachers/counselors can find out more about you!

How Do I Apply?• There’s no crying in the college application process!!• NO PROCRASTINATION!!• If the deadline is November 1st, DO NOT wait until after you come

back from the candy hotspots on Halloween night to start applying• Some colleges have ONLY 1 deadline, and if you miss it, you’ve

missed the boat for that college

• Most applications became available August 1st • APPLY ONLINE at the specific university’s website• Find out if your specific college requires paper application with a

waiver• Apply early for consideration for university-specific scholarships

Florida College Applicants

• When applying to any Florida Public institution a Florida Resident Form must be completed • Must submit Proof of Residency• Copy of one parent’s Driver’s License, Voter’s Registration, or

Vehicle Registration (2 out of 3)

• Information for Residency Classification Form http://admissions.fiu.edu/how/forms/residency.pdf

Early Decision Vs. Early Action

Early Decision

• Binding• Higher chance of acceptance• Do this if you are POSITIVE of your

choice• Only for one school• MUST withdraw all other

applications if accepted• If you realize you don’t have any

money after financial aid is complete, you’re in a sticky situation

Early Action

• Non-binding• Higher chance of

acceptance• Multiple schools• Can give you more time to

review financial aid packages in different schools

Florida Bright Futures Scholarship

• Florida Academic Scholars (FAS)• $100/credit @ 4-year

institution• $61/credit @ 2-year institution

Requirements:• 3.5 GPA• 1280 SAT or 28 ACT• 100 Service Hours• Completed FAFSA

• Florida Medallion Scholars (FMS)• $75/credit @ 4-year institution• $47/credit @ 2-year institution

Requirements:• 3.0 GPA• 1020 SAT or 22 ACT• 75 Service Hours• Completed FAFSA

Florida Bright Futures Scholarship• Student information, course load, and grades are entered into the

Florida Bright Futures database by Counselors • The Florida Bright Futures (FBF) Office accesses test scores

electronically from the State University System • When registering for the SAT/ACT, send scores to any Florida

State School in order for scores to arrive at FBF Office • The FBF office automatically selects your best scores • In December 2012, students will set up their Florida Bright

Future accounts during the school hours • Students may take SAT/ACT as often as they want to earn the

Florida Bright Futures Scholarship

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

• There are three main categories of federal student aid:

◦ Grants

◦ Work-study

◦ Loans • Forms become available to download online as of January 1st, 2013 at

www.fafsa.ed.gov • Parents must file 2012 income tax before applying or they can estimate

their taxes, but have to confirm after filing •  If you wish to apply for other scholarships, F.A.F.S.A. must be filled

out • Net Price Calculator: Provides estimate amount of attendance at each

college

Financial Aid

• CSS Profile • Required by many private colleges/universities to determine

eligibility for non-government financial aid, such as the institution's own grants, loans, and scholarships.

• Begin applying early Fall • For more information and to apply, visit

https://profileonline.collegeboard.com

• Male students, who turn 18 years of age, must register with the selective services at www.sss.gov • Required for scholarships or federal student aid

Scholarships

• www.collegeboard.com • www.collegeview.com • www.fastweb.com • www.hispanicscholarships.com • www.wiredscholar.com • www.embark.com • www.hsf.net • www.scholarships.com • www.finaid.org

What Will I Need to Apply, and How Do I Get It?

Colleges Will Want: How Do I Obtain These:

1. Completed Applications University’s Website

2. Official Transcripts*GPA*Academic Coursework*Academic Percentile

Complete ‘Transcript Request Form’ in the Main Office

3. SAT & ACT Scores Request from the Official Testing Siteswww.sat.collegeboard.com www.actstudent.org

4. Student Essay* Your creation- Please, please, pretty please… HAVE IT PROOFREAD!!Different colleges might have different prompts!

5. Recommendation Letters Complete LRIS so teachers/counselors can find out more about you!