SUCCESS IN HIGH SCHOOL LEADS

TO COLLEGE OPPORTUNITIES

High School: Terms to Remember

• GPA (Grade Point Average): The average of all grades you’ve received within a given period of time. Weighted GPA gives you credit for honors, AP, and/or IB courses as well.

• Transcript: The official document that shows the classes you have taken and the grades you received in each one. Documentation starts at the beginning of your Freshman year.

• Extracurricular Activities: Things you do outside of the classroom such as sports, clubs, part-time jobs, and more.

• College Counselor: A school staff member who is assigned to help guide your college application process. They should work with you throughout your high school career but will be most heavily involved in meetings with you and your family during your junior and senior years.

High School: Exploring GPA and Transcripts

Do you know?• Why do you think GPA and transcripts are

important?

• Do you start with a new transcript in high school?

• How many years will your transcript list by the time you are senior in high school?

• Who do you think will look at your transcript?

High School: Exploring GPA and Transcripts

Parts of a Transcript:• Student and School information• Course Information• Grading Scale

High School: What to put on your transcript

Work toward becoming a Maryland Scholar by completing the following high school coursework:

The Maryland Scholars Course of Study4 credits of English

4 credits of Math – Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, and Pre-Calculus. *If you took Algebra I in middle school, you

should expect to take Calculus or Statistics in your 4th year.3 credits of Lab Science - Biology, Chemistry,

Physics [preferred]3 credits of Social Studies – U.S. History, World

History, Government2 credits of the same Foreigh Language

(Students must attain a 3.0 GPA to qualify.)

High School: SAT and ACTSAT:• Is undergoing revision currently – you will be taking a new SAT• National college admissions test with three sections: Evidence-

Based Reading and Writing (including a Reading Test and a Writing and Language Test), Math, and optional Essay sections. Sections take between 35-80 minutes to complete for a total of 3 hours and 50 min.

• Will take a practice called a PSAT your sophomore year• Score Range: 400 to 1600• Learn more: https://

www.collegeboard.org/delivering-opportunity/sat

ACT:• National college admissions test with five sections: English,

Math, Reading, Science, and Writing. Sections take between 35-60 min. to complete and you take each section once for a total of 3 hours and 25 min.

• Score Range: 11 - 36 • Learn more: www.actstudent.org

High School: SAT and ACTYou are not alone! There are many resources out there to help you prepare for the SAT and ACT and many of these resources

are free.

• Khan Academy offers free SAT test prep online: https://www.khanacademy.org/test-prep/sat

• College Board and ACT both post free practice tests, questions of the day, and more on their websites: http://sat.collegeboard.org/practice/ and http://www.actstudent.org/testprep/

• Your local library will have SAT/ACT test prep books – make sure to read through these books to help prepare

• Read more! To improve on the verbal and reading comprehension sections of both tests, just sit down and read more. Its that easy!

High School: Plan for Financial AidThere are many forms of financial aid that will be available

to you, but you have to apply by certain deadlines to receive them. No form of aid is automatic!

Types of Aid:• Government aid: Grants, scholarships, loans, and work-

study that are given out by federal and state governments. Deadline will be in February 2019.

• College merit aid: Scholarships that your college may offer you due to strong academic achievement. Deadlines for consideration are posted by each college.

• Private aid: Grants, scholarships, and loans offered by private organizations. Deadlines will be year round and applications will be different for each one.

High School: Thinking about your future

There is no one-size-fits-all college or career plan, but with 90% of the fastest growing professions and 60% of all current jobs requiring post-secondary degrees, you will

benefit from attending a 4-year college after high school.

What career are you interested in pursuing? Do you know what major you will want to pursue to achieve

success in that career?

YOUR COLLEGE COUNTDOWN

College: Countdown to College

9th Grade:• Check in with your guidance counselor

regularly to discuss goals and plans.• Meet your college counselor to get on

his/her radar early!• Sign up for Maryland Scholars

courses.• Study! Colleges look at your transcript

beginning with freshman grades. All 4 years count!

• Ask for help when you need it.• Talk to your guidance counselor about

taking AP classes next year as a sophomore.

• Find and extracurricular activity that interests you and join.

College: Countdown to College

10th Grade:• Check in regularly with your guidance

counselor to make sure you are on track with your coursework.

• Meet with your college counselor as well this year to continue to build a relationship

• Keep up with your academics and sign up for honors, AP, or IB classes if you are ready.

• Continue extracurricular activities and take a leadership role if possible.

• Take the PSAT test to be prepared for the SAT. Study for it - there are some scholarships associated with the PSAT.

• Plan enrichment activities for the summer –internships, apprenticeships, jobs, and shadowing opportunities.

College: Countdown to College

11th Grade:• Continue to check in with your guidance

counselor to make sure you are on track – maintaining strong grades this year is very important!

• Schedule regular meetings with your college counselor this year. Maintain good grades and work to your potential.

• Take Honors, IB and/or AP classes.• Register, study, and take the SAT or

ACT test.• Check out the colleges you are

interested in either in-person or online. Start making a list of your favorites!

• Think about scholarships – start early so you can build a record that allows you to qualify.

College: Countdown to College

12th Grade:• Take a rigorous math class so you’ll be

successful when taking college entrance exams.

• Meet with your college counselor and review your transcript and ask him/her for a recommendation letter. Do mock interviews with him/her to prep as well.

• Know and meet the deadlines to fill out college applications. Start early! Writing essays and getting teacher recommendations can take time.

• Submit your college financial aid application (FAFSA) by Feb. 15

• Search the web and private groups for scholarships and apply.

EXPLORING YOUR OPTIONS

College: The OptionsThere are many four-year universities and colleges out there. These four-year schools offer students a Bachelor’s Degree. • There are over 2,700 four-year schools in

the US.• Maryland houses 38 four-year schools, 12

of which are public colleges/universities.

You will have many options for your future college or university choice!