Life after High School-Coming Soon!  (Seniors 2009)

 

 

 

Pack Your Bags This Summer To Be Ready For The Journey In The Fall!

 

What Should You Pack?

 

Solid Transcript:  (Make sure you have an unofficial copy of your transcript when you leave for the summer-applications, scholarships want GPA, courses taken, rank, etc.). Senior schedule needs math, science, English, social studies, packed full—you will be taking college entrance exams and colleges want to know you are not having a bad case of “senioritis”. Push now—easier later.

 

ACT or SAT scores: Prep first. www.collegefortexans.com  click TOPCAT; Colleges want scores sent directly from the testing agencies. Send to 4 schools FREE with registration—codes are on the website. Register online: www.collegeboard.com and www.act.org     REL High School Code 447138. Have your transcript with you when you complete the registration form. If taking SAT register for the Reasoning Test which includes writing. If registering for the ACT take the writing portion also. Some selective colleges require SAT Subject Tests. Check with colleges you will be applying to and ask which tests you should take.

 

NCAA Registration (for those planning to play sports at the college level):  Code 9999 as one of the recipients to receive your scores when registering for SAT or ACT—scores must be sent directly from the testing agency. Go to www.ncaaclearinghouse.net to register online.  Complete the Amateur Questionnaire and print Copy 1 and Copy 2 of the transcript release form. Take the release forms to the REL Registrar to have your official transcripts sent from REL to the Clearinghouse at the end of the year. The Clearinghouse wants to see 6 semesters.

 

Essays:    The following are www.applytexas.org  essay topics for 2008-2009---not all colleges will require an essay. Each school’s application on ApplyTexas will specify.

(Unless otherwise specified, your essay (s) should be typed and no longer than one page).

Topic A: Write an essay in which you tell us about someone who has made an impact on your life and explain how and why this person is important to you.

Topic B: Choose an issue of importance to you--the issue could be personal, school related, local, political, or international in scope--and write an essay in which you explain the significance of that issue to yourself, your family, your community, or your generation.

Topic C: There may be personal information that you may want considered as part of your admissions application. Write an essay describing that information. You might include exceptional hardships, challenges, or opportunities that have shaped or impacted your abilities or academic credentials, personal responsibilities, exceptional achievements or talents, educational goals, or ways in which you might contribute to an institution committed to creating a diverse learning environment.

Topic D: (Some institutions require this essay from their Architecture, Art, Art History, Design, Studio Art, and Visual Art Studies/Art Education majors.)

Scholarship Application Essay: (can be tweaked for many different scholarships) “Why I should be chosen to receive a scholarship for college and how the additional funding will help me reach my goals.”  (Explain your goals and dreams.)

A Resume:   A one page resume will list your name, address, phone number, e-mail address, date of birth, academic accomplishments (rank, GPA, advanced courses taken in high school, test scores, etc.), your community service, your extracurricular activities, work experience, and a personal statement about what your hopes and dreams are for your future. *A picture is always a nice addition to a resume. The ApplyTexas application asks for Extracurricular Activities, Community Service, Talents/Awards/Honors, and Employment/Internships/Summer Activities in the following format so if when you are putting together your resume you can also think of your activities with the following details, you will be a step ahead when completing the Apply Texas application.

Extracurricular Activities:

Organization    Your Position/Year   Elected?    Level      Descript. Of Activities         Hrs. per wk. / Weeks

                                                                                                                                     9th       10th    11th     12th

Basketball Team   Captain/Junior        yes          Local         Played Forward            5/16    5/16   6/32   6/32    

 Community Service:

Service/Volunteer Work                     Description of  Service                  From-Thru                  Total Hours

Hospital Volunteer                 Helped nurses and visited patients          06/2006-08/2007               112

 

Talents/Awards/Honors

 

Talent/Award/Honor                            Description                             Level                      Year Received

                                                                                                                                         9th   10th   11th    12th

All State Basketball Team              1 of 5 chosen for 1st Team             State                                    X      X

 

Employment/Internships/Summer Activities

 

Name of Employer/Sponsor              Your Specific Role/Job Title             From-Thru               Hrs. Per Wk.

 

Grocery Store                                    Sacker: Sacked Groceries                06/2006-05/2007           10

 

 

A paper with everything anyone ever wanted to know about you: This document is what you will present to those persons you are asking to write a letter of recommendation for you. Put your name, address, phone number, and e-mail at the top of the page and provide the following information: Personal Qualities, Unusual Talents, Academic Strengths, Proposed major and why, Assets or characteristics that will set you apart from thousands of other applicants, an experience that has given you great satisfaction in or out of the classroom, adjectives that both students and adults would use to describe you. Be sure to include anything that will help your recommender write a recommendation that admissions officers will enjoy reading. The ones admissions officers enjoy reading—the ones that are different—those letters are the ones they remember!

 

Summary for “What I need to pack this summer”:

 

1. Label a folder for the following: *Transcript, *SAT/ACT Scores, *Senior Schedule, *Essays, *Resume, *Letters of Recommendation, *NCAA Registration (if an athlete), *Each College I am interested in with contact numbers, addresses, and deadlines for everything, *Scholarship applications with contact numbers, required documents, website, and deadlines, *Financial Aid (FAFSA).

2. Compile all of your information and keep it in the folders.

3. Find a safe place to keep your folders.

4. Enjoy the summer knowing you will be ready to complete your college applications when the websites open.

www.collegefortexans.com   click TOPCAT test prep

www.testpreview.com    test prep

www.pin.ed.gov  get your PIN # for FAFSA. Both you and your parents need a PIN #

www.applytexas.com    for state colleges and universities in Texas

www.commapp.org  for selective colleges and universities

www.collegeboard.com  register for SAT

www.act.org   register for ACT

www.ncaaclearinghouse.net  register with the Clearinghouse for college athletics

http://collegesearch.collegeboard.com/apcreditpolicy/index.jsp  AP credit policy

 

****Email me if you want to be on my Senior 2008-2009 Distribution List

celia.tucker@tylerisd.org