Guidelines: Newsletter for Seniors

Auburn High School September 2007

SAT DATES FOR 2007-2008

Auburn High School Code: 471925

Test Dates Registration Deadlines

On Time Late

Fees: $43.00 Add: $22.00

SAT October 6, 2007 September 10 September 14

SAT November 3, 2007 October 2 October 11

SAT December 1, 2007 October 30 November 8 SAT January 26, 2008 December 26 January 4

SAT March 1, 2008 January 29 February 7

SAT May 3, 2008 April 1 April 10

SAT June 7, 2008 May 6 May 15

Register for the SAT online at www.collegeboard.com. Students who register online will no longer receive an Admission Ticket in the mail. Instead, they will need to print out the Confirmation and Admission Ticket from their Web registration.

Picture identification is required on the day of the SAT. For students who do not have a photo identification card or passport, schools may provide such ID by completing a Student ID form. It must be printed on school stationery, a photo must be attached, the school seal must be placed to overlap the photo, and the document must be signed in the presence of a school official. Plan ahead to see Ms. Peters if you will need this form of identification.

ACT DATES FOR 2007-2008

Auburn High School Code: 471925

Test Dates Registration Deadlines

On Time Late

Fees: $30.00 Add: $19.00

ACT Plus Writing $44.50

Oct. 27 Sept. 21 Sept. 22-Oct. 5

Dec. 8 Nov. 2 Nov. 3-15

Feb. 9 Jan. 4 Jan. 5-18

Apr. 12 Mar. 7 Mar. 8-21

June 14 May 9 May 10-23

FEE WAIVERS

The Guidance Office has a limited number of fee waivers for the SAT, SAT Subject Tests,

and the ACT. Eligibility for fee waivers is based on family income, or the family is receiving public assistance, lives in a subsidized public housing project, is a resident in a foster home, or participates in a program for the economically disadvantaged, such as Upward Bound. Additional guidelines include:

· Must be applying to a college that requires the SAT or SAT Subject Tests

· Eligible students may receive a total of two fee waivers for the SAT I and a total of two waivers for the SAT II for use in the 11^th and 12^th grades.

· Students who use the fee waiver service then are eligible for four Requests for Waiver of College Application Fee Forms.

There is a process for using the fee waivers, so please see Ms. Peters if you think you qualify.

COLLEGE FAIR 2007

Radford University will host the 2007 College Fair on Friday, September 14, from

9:00 - 10:30 a.m. The fair will be held on the main floor of the Dedmon Center

Athletic Complex. College-bound seniors will have the opportunity to meet with

college representatives, obtain college and scholarship applications, and compare

a diverse selection of college programs.

Seniors who plan to attend the College Fair must complete a field trip request form

and any necessary medical forms. In order to be included on the field trip roster,

signed forms must be returned to Ms. Peters in Guidance no later than Friday,

September 7, 2007.

COLLEGE INFORMATION NIGHT

All Montgomery County Public Schools juniors, seniors and their parents are encouraged to attend the Second Annual College Information Night on Thursday,

September 20, 2007, from 6:00 - 8:30 p.m. at Blacksburg High School. MCPS will provide a bus at each high school to pick up families at 5:45 p.m., and buses will drop families off at their child's high school following the event. (Informational brochures will be distributed in English 11 and English 12 classes, and mailed home to parents.)

EXPLORING COLLEGE OPTIONS

Students interested in applying to Duke, Georgetown, Harvard, Penn, or Stanford are invited to a Student/Parent Information Session on Monday, September 24, 2007, at 7:30 p.m. at the Wyndam Roanoke Hotel, 2801 Hershberger Road, Roanoke, VA.

For additional information, go to www.exploringcollegeoptions.org.

1. Apply! Check out college websites or write to the colleges that you are interested in to get applications. Guidance also keeps a file of applications that are sent from local colleges. We have some applications, but not for every college, so do not depend solely on us. Check deadlines!

2. College Board Tests! If you are planning to attend college, check to see which College Board test, if any, is required: SAT or the ACT. You do not have to wait to take a test in order to apply to colleges, but colleges will hold your application for consideration until a test score has been received.

· Most colleges prefer that you apply online. If you apply online, carefully follow the instructions for each college or university. COMPLETE A TRANSCRIPT RELEASE FORM AND TURN IT IN TO GUIDANCE. UPDATE IT EACH TIME YOU APPLY TO A DIFFERENT COLLEGE SO WE WILL KNOW TO PREPARE AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT FOR YOU TO SEND DIRECTLY TO THAT COLLEGE.

· If you prefer to submit a paper application, mail your part of the completed application along with a check or money order for your application fee. Give Ms. Peters any required counselor forms to complete and she will mail those with your official transcript.

· UPDATE YOUR TRANSCRIPT RELEASE FORM FOR EACH APPLICATION. The Guidance office will send your 1st semester grades to each college to which you have applied.

· You should try to get all applications mailed before Winter Break – don’t wait

· If asking for teacher, principal, or counselor references, ask early! Provide those you ask to write a letter with a list of your school activities and achievements, along with any other information you would like included in your letter. Remind them to save the letter of reference on their computer – you may want to use the same letter for scholarships later in the year,

but all letters must have an original signature. Follow-up! Check to see if the teachers completed the references.

Ask teachers to place each letter of recommendation in a sealed envelope and return it to you so you can submit it with your completed application. OR, provide the teacher with a stamped, addressed envelope to mail your recommendation directly to the college admissions office.

· Appearance is important - type if possible; print neatly using black or dark blue ink if you cannot type. When completing applications online, carefully proofread before submitting!

4. Financial Aid! The process of applying for financial aid can begin on January 1, 2008. Your guidance department will have financial aid forms (FAFSA) available in December. There will be a financial aid workshop at CHS in January for parents and students.

News from College Admissions

Over the last several years, Virginia Tech has experienced a huge increase in applicants. Tech notes that the classes have been the most competitive ever – average cumulative SAT I scores over 1100, and average GPAs over 3.5. The director states, “As competition increases to enroll in the university, so will the quality of the admitted student. Our admission staff works diligently to give every applicant due consideration and this will continue into the future. We do take many factors into account when reviewing an application and want you to know that Virginia Tech still provides an extraordinary education.”

The freshmen admissions process:

· Application fee (check or money order only) for regular and early decision applicants

Virginia Tech will conduct an On-Site Application Review at AHS on Monday, November 27, 9:00 a.m. It should be noted that students will be allowed to apply either Early Decision or Regular Decision. Students who apply under the Early Decision option will receive letters on December 15, 2007. Those who apply Regular Decision should expect letters on April 1, 2008.

Seniors who plan to participate in the On-Site Application Review must submit

www.vt.edu/apply). Do NOT submit electronically; print the application, fill it out and give it to Ms. Peters

Radford University’s On-site Review for AHS applicants is scheduled for November 30, 2007 at 12:00 noon. The benefit for students who apply under this process is that you have an interview with the admissions counselor on the day of the review. You can explain any questions about your application and let the counselor know of your desire to attend Radford University. Applications for regular admission to RU are generally considered on a rolling basis. For the Fall 2008 semester, priority is given to applicants whose files are complete prior to April 1. By using the on-site review process, you may have an answer about your college admissions very early giving you a more carefree senior year. The application fee must accompany the application (check or money order only). Completed applications for Radford University’s On-site Review along with the application fee and transcript request must be turned into Guidance by Monday, November 19th.

With more than 3,500 colleges to choose from in the United States, you will want to narrow the list of potential colleges before gathering in-depth information about specific colleges. For free or at little cost, you can visit several sites on the Web that are good starting points for your initial college search. These sites will give you a set of college features from which to choose:

When you have entered your preferences, the search program will give you a list of the colleges that most closely match the features you want. Each search site lets you hyperlink directly to the home page of the college on your search list. Some of the sites are listed below:

College Board Online – search software online for free to find colleges that match your goals and interests. Includes in-depth information about all two-year and four-year colleges in the United States.

CollegeEdge – Find useful advice and information on researching, applying and going to college.

CollegeNet – This is a searchable data base of colleges, scholarship opportunities, and academic resources. Offers a comprehensive college/university index with good graphics.

CollegeView – by combining a data base of 3, 300 two-year and four-year colleges with multimedia “tours”, CollegeView gives students and parents a general overview of a college, plus a direct e-mail option for requesting additional information.

CollegeXpress – Search colleges by state, major, and other factors and take a virtual tour.

Peterson’s – Peterson’s college data base is available on this home page, as are educational and career information and online college applications.

NCAA Eligibility

It is extremely important that potential student-athletes understand the NCAA initial-eligibility requirements. Students should compare their academic records from ninth grade to present with the most current version of our high school’s list of NCAA Approved Core Courses. This academic evaluation will reveal any potential deficiencies a student may have in meeting the NCAA initial-eligibility requirements.

See Ms. Peters IMMEDIATELY if you need to adjust your senior schedule. You can register with the NCAA Clearinghouse online at www.ncaa.clearinghouse.net. A booklet, The 2007-2008 NCAA Guide for the College Bound Student Athlete is also available for downloading from the NCAA website. If the printed version arrives in guidance, you will be notified through school announcements. Registration with NCAA usually costs around $30.00.

College Visits

Be sure to check your senior Guidelines for upcoming visits by college representatives. If you wish to see a particular admissions rep., come by Guidance for a pass to leave class.

Military Recruiter Visits

The following military branches have arranged to visit Auburn on a regular basis. This list will be updated as other recruiters contact the Guidance office. The recruiters will be in the cafeteria each month on the following days:

Senior Interviews

Each senior is invited to schedule the traditional “senior interview.” During the interview (which should happen this fall), we look at your school record, prepare for graduation and discuss your plans for after high school. Please come by to schedule an appointment! If you plan to apply early decision to any college, the senior interview should occur in time to make sure your record is up to date before the transcript is sent – especially the activity record.

BOARD OF EDUCATION DIPLOMA SEAL

“EXCELLENCE IN CIVICS EDUCATION”

To earn this seal a student must satisfy each of the following four criteria:

Any student who enlists in the United States military prior to graduation will be deemed to have met this community service requirement.

4. Have good attendance and no disciplinary infractions as determined by the local school board policies.

Scholarships

TAG – Tuition Assistance Grant – The TAG program of the Commonwealth of Virginia provides annual grants to Virginia residents who are full-time students at eligible, non-profit, private colleges and universities in Virginia. The award amount is based on the number of eligible students and the amount of funds appropriated by the General Assembly. Maximum 2007-08 Annual Award:

If you are applying to a private college in Virginia, be sure to ask the admissions or financial aid office of your college for a TAG application.

SAE 2008 Engineering Scholarship – The Society of Automotive Engineers has corporate- sponsored scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $10,000. Scholarships are available to seniors who intend to earn a degree in engineering or a related science (math, physics, chemistry, technologies, computer science). Each scholarship has minimum requirements with regard to GPA and SAT scores. University-sponsored scholarships range in value from $400 to full tuition. Come by Guidance and look over the SAE Scholarship booklet or go http://www.sae.org/students/engschlr.htm. All applications must be postmarked by December 1, 2007.

Suntrust Off to College Scholarship Sweepstakes - High school seniors can win a $1,000 scholarship for their first year expenses at a accredited college or private career school. One winner will be chosen every two weeks from October 31, 2007 through May 15, 2008.

Students can begin registering September 14, 2007, and the first drawing will be held on October 31, 2007. The scholarship check will be payable to the winner's school of attendance, and the $100 gift card will be sent directly to the student.

Only one entry per person for each drawing, however students can register after each drawing for the next scheduled drawing.

For complete details, visit offtocollege.info or suntrusteducation.com.

SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION WILL BE UPDATED MONTHLY (OR SOONER, IF NEEDED) IN THE SENIOR NEWSLETTER. REMEMBER, NEWSLETTERS ARE

DISTRIBUTED IN SENIOR ENGLISH CLASSES AND THE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ON THE AHS GUIDANCE WEBSITE AT www.mcps.org/auburn.