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College and Career Planning
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College Entrance Requirements Each university and college will have their own specific set of entrance requirements including an accepted range of ACT scores and high school curriculum required. A real simple way to find out about the schools requirements that interest you is to visit their website and look at their admission page. You guidance counselor is more than happy to assist you in exploring your options with you.
MILITARY Recruiters from the different branches of the military visit our campus during lunch a couple of days each month. If you are interested in meeting with them in a more personal setting, let your guidance counselor know, and we can set up an appointment for you.
SENIOR YEAR PLANNING CALENDAR SEPTEMBER · Continue to take a full course load of challenging, college-prep courses and keep working hard into order to earn the best grades possible. · Continue your extracurricular involvement! · Meet with your College Counselor to discuss whether you need to take the SAT, SAT Subject Tests or ACT in the fall. · Take the ACT, if necessary. · Talk to your counselor, teachers, and parents – and finalize your college list. · Collect applications from your colleges/universities by visiting their websites, contact the schools via telephone or email, or pulling extra applications from the school’s file in the guidance hallway. · Make sure you have an appropriate e-mail address for communications with colleges!!! · Check the upcoming college visit lists which are posted in the guidance hallway & GAC, and read the scrolling announcements for the dates and times that these college representatives will visit our school. Attendance at these meetings is important!! Ask questions!! · Make copies of EVERYTHING. · Label a folder for each college and make a calendar showing application deadlines for admission, financial aid, and scholarships. · Teacher Recommendations. Many private colleges require letters of recommendations from teachers and your counselor. Ask 2-3 core academic course teachers who know you well if they will write you a positive academic recommendation. Provide them with the appropriate form (available in the guidance hallway) and ask your teachers to turn in the complete letters to your college counselor. Make sure you allow your teacher(s) to have plenty of time and provide them with your deadlines as well! · Counselor Recommendations. If you need a counselor recommendation or a secondary school report, make sure you check in with your college counselor! You will need to turn in the Counselor Recommendation Questionnaire (available in the guidance hallway) and meet with your counselor multiple times. Please notify your college counselor at least 2 weeks before your application is due in order to allow her sufficient time to write the glowing recommendation that you deserve! J OCTOBER · Make sure you have secured teacher & counselor recommendations. Follow up with your references as necessary but do not harass them!!) · After conferring with your counselor, request that the testing agency send your official test scores to the colleges to which you are applying. · Take the ACT, SAT, and SAT Subject Tests if necessary. · Finalize your essays and applications. Have another person proof everything. Continue to make copies! · Attend any of the following college fairs: o the National College Fair at St. Louis University on October 16 from 12:00- 3:00 pm o Collaborative College Fair at Meramec Community College on October 17 from 6:00-7:30 pm o The Missouri College Fair at the Jefferson College Fieldhouse on October 26 from 6-7:30 pm. · Submit college applications for Early Decision admission and Early Action BEFORE the November 1 or the November 15 deadline. NOVEMBER · If applying on-line, make sure your counselor receives all the necessary secondary report materials to include with your transcript. · Continue to submit applications as needed. Make sure to observe ALL application and scholarship deadlines. · Keep your grades up – colleges will look carefully at your 7th semester grades! · Take the SAT and SAT Subject Tests, if necessary. · Register for the December ACT if advised by your counselor. DECEMBER · Be sure to submit applications with January 1 deadlines at the beginning of December in order to allow time for processing in the midst of winter break. · Register for your FAFSA PIN number. Your FAFSA information cannot be submitted until after January 1st, but you and your parent will need PIN numbers to complete the on-line form. www.fafsa.ed.gov JANUARY - MARCH · Submit the FAFSA (FREE Application for Federal Student Aid) and any additional financial aid forms requested by the colleges. DO THIS ASAP!!! · Complete and submit all applications still not sent. · Follow up and check to make sure that colleges received all of your application information, including recommendations and test scores. · Re-visit colleges if you are still trying to make your college decision. Many schools sponsor admitted student events during this time of the year and into April. · Maintain contact with your admissions rep at each college/university. Demonstrate that you are truly interested in their school! APRIL - MAY · Notification of decisions by colleges under regular decision guidelines usually occurs between March 15 and April 15. · Notification of financial aid packages from colleges and universities to which you have been accepted are typically mailed out during this period of time. · Compare financial aid packages. · It may help to make up a chart of the +/- of each school. Discuss with your family, or your college counselor, or both! · Make your final choice and NOTIFY your school by May 1st. Send a deposit to your chosen school. Failure to do this may result in a revocation of your spot and/or financial aid package. Notify all of your schools of your final decision. This may open up a spot in the freshmen class for someone who is on the waitlist! · Inform the Guidance Office of your final decision so your official final transcript will be sent. Your must complete and return your senior survey (including your signature!) in order for your transcript to be released. · KEEP YOUR SECOND SEMESTER GRADES UP – Colleges have the right to withdraw an acceptance offer based on your final semester grades and YES, they do exercise this option!!! Helpful resources: www.knowhow2go.org/
Hillsboro High School
Hillsboro R-3 School District
123 LeonHall Parkway
Hillsboro, MO 63050
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