Sophomore Success!

Promotion….

To be promoted to the next grade level….To be a Junior=13 creditsTo 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

Final Grade Calculation….1st quarter grade x 3=2nd quarter grade x3=Final exam x 2=

Add them togetherDivide by 8

=Final grade

3(1st Q) + 3(2nd Q) + 2(FE)

8

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 pointsAP US History – if you made an 88, you would

get a 5.0

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 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

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

CFNCCFNC 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.

SAT and ACT

Fall of sophomore year:PSAT (October 15th)-practice test for SAT for invited students

(based on GPA) *Must bring back signed permission formPLAN (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

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 ScoresApplication/extracurricular activities

A glimpse of some collegesUNC Chapel Hill16 of our seniors went to Carolina last year

Student GPA Class Rank ACT Score1 4.82 7th out of 332 28

2 4.43 35th out of 332 25

Colleges (Continued)UNC Charlotte48 of our seniors went to UNCC

Student GPA Class Rank ACT Score1 3.15 195th out of 332 26

2 3.41 168th out of 332 22

3 3.53 148th out of 332 18

Colleges (Continued)Western Carolina8 of our seniors went to Western

Student GPA Class Rank ACT Score

1 3.7 120 19

2 2.98 215 16

Community CollegeCommunity 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

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!