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GUIDANCE DEPARTMENT NEWS College Bound Juniors We encourage Juniors to take the SAT Reasoning Test during the spring of their Junior year. The June 7th test has a deadline of May 6th. One can register on line at www.collegeboard.com or via a registration booklet, which can be obtained at a guidance office. If your student is free/reduced lunch, please have them check with their counselor for a waiver. Parents and students have many questions about the college process at this time. The primary responsibility for directing the college search falls directly on the student. Students’ college choices should reflect a match between the college acceptance standards and such things as grades, rigor of course selection and standardized test scores. We encourage students to set up appointments with their counselors who will help them focus their college search. Parents have an important role. They should be aware of the college planning process, their student’s courses, grades, test scores, the requirements of colleges, and their child’s interests. Parents can also offer their support and guidance thorough the entire process. Choosing a College Choosing a college is an important decision. The internet is a great resource to start your college search. Some of the popular sites are www.collegeboard.com and www.petersons.com. Keep in mind the following criteria when conducting your college search: academic program, size, location, selectivity, student life, cost, and athletics. College websites will have information regarding the type of student they admitted the previous year. This information, often called the freshman profile, is important to review in order to compare their academic profile to that of the intended college. College Fairs New Hampshire Higher Education Association Foundation Network (NHHEAF) sponsors a college convention for High School Juniors. This free conference, called Destination College, is Saturday, March 29th at Southern New Hampshire University. Register on line at www.destinationcollege.org by March 10th. www.collegeweeklive.com A free virtual college fair for high school students will be taking place on March 25-26, 2008 and runs throughout the day from 12 pm to 11 pm. To access the college fair, students and parents will need to register with “College Week Live”. Throughout the virtual fair, students will be able to instant message and/or live chat with college representatives. In addition, students will be able to access information sessions like “Getting the Most Out of College Visits”, “Trends in College Admissions Today”, “Finding the Best College Fit for You” to name a few. Nashua High South will be holding two college fairs on April 10th. The four-year college fair will be held blocks 1 and 2. This will give our juniors an opportunity to talk with representatives from over 50 colleges. The two-year college fair will be held blocks 3 and 4 and is primarily for our current seniors. In addition, the Southern New Hampshire Spring College Fair will be held on April 10th from 6:00-8:30 pm at the Field House at Pinkerton Academy in Derry.
SAT versus ACT Students and parents often ask what the difference is between the SAT and ACT standardized tests. We have listed some differences below. Please feel free to contact your guidance counselor for more information. Sign up for the SAT on www.collegeboard.com and the ACT on www.act.org or request a registration booklet from your guidance counselor.
Taken from Kaplan online 10/12/04
Visit FLOCABULARY.COM to learn more about our guest presenters from 4/11/07 and improve your vocabulary! Clink on the link below to improve your vocabulary and help feed the world! www.freerice.com Advanced Placement Exams Advanced Placement Exams will run May 5th though May 16th. The cost of each exam is $95.00. Registration will begin February 18th and end March 7th. Students can pick up registration forms in A2003 Guidance Office or from their AP teachers. Students were given an AP information packet in their class recently. This brochure will give you and your student more information about the exam. If you have any additional questions, please contact Lori Coutu, Guidance Counselor at 589-2731 or coutul@nashua.edu. |
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GUIDANCE DEPARTMENT NEWS SENIOR SLUMP!! Seniors be aware that all of senior year is important, even once you have been accepted by a college. You may feel that you can coast through your senior year, especially once you have been admitted to college, however, that is not true. Colleges have been known to withdraw offers of admission when they see that students’ grades have dropped during the senior year (Key, Fall 2007). Some colleges write letters of concern similar to the one from a New Hampshire college: “I am writing to express our concern about your final grade report. I refer specifically to your final grades of C- in Advanced Math Topics, C- in Chemistry, F in Sociology, and D in Spanish. We are not suspending your admission, but we are suggesting that you should seriously reconsider your plans to enroll at ______________ University. It is well documented that students with downward grade trends do not have successful academic experiences at ______________.” So, seniors study hard and keep up your grades throughout this academic year. Dear Counselor Q: Dear Guidance Counselor, HELP!!!! I’ve done nothing about the college process! Some of my friends are finishing their essays! I have no clue as to what to do! Is it too late? Frantic Freida A: Dear Frantic, It’s never too late to start the college process! I’d suggest you meet with your guidance counselor, think about what strengths and interests you have and what’s important to you in life. You might take an on-line survey to find career fields that interest you and programs and colleges to help prepare you for education and employment in those areas. Once you get a list of colleges, check them out on line and make arrangements to take a tour of the school. Some colleges give individual interviews, allow students to observe in a classroom (enough time, sometimes 2 weeks is needed to arrange this), permit students to stay overnight in the dorms, and give tickets for a meal in the cafeteria. There are also Open Houses at colleges where students and parents can learn about the admissions process and important things like majors, programs and financial aid. Many Open Houses request advanced registration; you can usually sign up on line at the college’s website or call the college’s admissions office. As you explore colleges, you’ll learn what’s important for you in a school! Your guidance counselor can help you clarify those things with you and find colleges that seem to fit your needs. |
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Funding College Financial Aid Forms Find out what financial forms are required by the colleges to which your student is applying. The major form is the federal government’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). All financial aid applicants should complete the FAFSA which is required by most colleges and universities. The FAFSA cannot be filed until January. You register anytime to get a pin number at pin.ed.gov/. The web address for the FAFSA form is www.fafsa.ed.gov Some colleges require the College Board’s Financial Aid Form, CSS Profile, which has a fee. There are approximately 300 schools requiring the CSS Profile are listed on the web site at collegeboard.com. The CSS Profile may be filed as soon as the student decides to which school he or she is applying. Who Should Apply for Financial Aid? In general, almost all families of college-bound students should apply for financial aid. The financial aid application process is a prerequisite to receive need-based grants and to participate in many student loan programs. In addition, many colleges will not offer their own private sources of financial aid unless the student has already applied for federal student assistance. What Are the Sources of Financial Aid? The following federal government programs are sources for the college-bound student: Federal Pell Grants Pell Grants are determined by a standard formula prepared by the U.S. Department of Education based on the estimated family contribution and the cost of the college tuition. Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOGs)–The federal government gives each college a certain amount for this grant. Colleges may distribute based on exceptional need as determined by FAFSA. Federal Perkins Loan This is a low interest loan for undergraduate students who demonstrate exceptional need. The federal government gives the college a certain amount of money for this loan. This loan has to be paid back to the college following the student’s graduation. Federal Stafford Loans The two types of Federal Stafford Loans are subsidized and unsubsidized. Under the subsidized federal loan, the student does not begin paying interest until after graduation. Under unsubsidized loans interest payments begin immediately. Both programs have variable interest rates. Federal Work Study This program provides jobs to students while they are on campus. Students earn at least minimum wage to help pay off their educational expenses. Web Connections The Colleges and Universities Page: College and university admissions office e-mail addresses, and links to college home pages and online applications www.collegescholarships.com FastWEB: Bills itself as the internet’s largest free scholarship search. www.fastweb.com Wired Scholar: Free scholarship search and college planning site from Sallie Mae. www.wiredscholar.com/ The Financial Aid Page: Comprehensive information on scholarships and financial aid, with lots of links. www.finaid.org Nashua High South Guidance Information, please visit http://www.nashua.edu/south-common/guidance/homepage.htm this information is updated on a regular basis. Hints on Applying for Financial Aid • Check with individual colleges to determine what forms they require and their deadlines. • Submit the FAFSA form as soon as possible after January 1st. www.fafsa.ed.gov • Review the Student Aid Report (SAR) that will be sent to you three to four weeks after you file the FAFSA. Correct any information that is needed on Part 2 of the SAR. • Be aware that you must reapply for financial aid each year. • If you have special circumstances relating to your financial situation, talk to the financial aid counselor at each college.
For more information about the financial aid process and college planning contact the New Hampshire Higher Education Association Foundation www.nhheaf.org or 225-6125
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