Welcome Please make sure you sign in Each student will receive extra credit on a Math Test that has a parent/represent

1. WelcomePlease make sure you sign in Each student will receive extra credit on a Math Test that has a parent/representative here tonight!

2. Welcome Parentsof ELHS Graduating Class Of 2013

3. Contact Information East Lawrence High School 55 County Road 370 Trinity, AL 35673 (256) 905-2430 Counselor – Leisa Turner lturner@lawrenceal.org Office: (256) 905-2430 ext. 14 Registrar – Amanda Letson aletson@lawrenceal.org Office: (256) 905-2430 ext. 15 Guidance Office Fax # (256) 905-2478

4. College Campus Visits • Each student can be excused for up to 2 days (1st Semester only). • Students must pick up a college visit form from Mrs. Sizemore for the absence to be EXCUSED. • The college representative must complete and sign the form while the student is touring that day. • Students must turn in the completed form to Mrs. Morris in the front office the next school day. • Students must schedule a tour with the college. Many colleges on give tours on certain days of the week. It is the student’s responsibility to schedule a campus visit if they choose to. • Students will not be able to use a college day in the second semester.

5. Senior Year Time Line September • Finalize Resume & ask 3 People for a letter of recommendation. (make copies to keep on file) • Apply to colleges and complete scholarship applications • Register for the ACT October • Search for scholarships online • Fill out scholarships from Counselor • Schedule College Visits • Order Senior Graduation Supplies • Continue to keep grades up • Take ACT –Test Date October 27, 2012

6. Senior Year Time Line November • Search for scholarships online • Fill out scholarships from Counselor • Schedule College Visits • Retake ACT in December (8th) • Application & Scholarship Deadlines for UNA, UAB, JSU, Alabama, Auburn, UAH is December 1st. December • Continue Scholarship Search • Get Transcript copies to mail our over Holidays

7. Senior Year Time Line January • Continue Scholarship Search • Get Income Taxes completed ASAP • Income Taxes must be filed with FAFSA to be eligible for Pell Grants and Loans before March 1st deadline • www.fafsa.ed.gov to request a PIN number for student and separate PIN number for parents to use when electronically signing the FAFSA

8. Senior Year Time Line February • Continue scholarship search (there will still be several left to apply for) • Start looking at dorms, housing arrangements, and meal plans for colleges if you will be living on campus March • You should start receiving scholarship offers and acceptance letters from March-May • Keep grades up • Pass Graduation Exams (none of this matters if you don’t graduate) • You generally have until May 1st to decide about accepting scholarships if you ask for an extension.

9. Senior Year Time Line April • Most scholarship awards are out by the end of April or the first week of May. • You need to look at how much money you are receiving from each school and make a decision on where you want to attend college. • Apply for housing of your choice • Colleges should send info about orientation/registration to you directly. • Keep grades up May • Turn in a copy of all scholarship awards you are offered to the counselor’s office BEFORE Awards Day. Even if you are not attending college there we still need a copy of your award letter. • Tell us where to send your final transcript to after graduation • NOW REST and enjoy your summer  • And Parents – Pass the tissue – Your baby has graduated!!

10. Things you may need to know ACT Registration – www.actstudent.org ELHS school code – 012-659 Pell Grants/Student Loans www.fafsa.ed.gov Scholarship Search www.fastweb.comwww.schoolsoup.com

11. ACT – Waiver • There are free waivers available for the ACT if you are a junior or senior and have not already used one. You must meet one of the following to qualify: • Family receives public assistance • Student is a ward of the state or resides in a foster home or is homeless • Student receive free or reduced lunch • Meets the following income guidelines • 2 person family – maximum income of $27,214 • 3 person family – maximum income of $34,281 • 4 person family – maximum income of $41,348 • 5 person family – maximum income of $48, 415 • 6 person family – maximum income of $55,482 • After the fee waiver is filled out, make a copy before you mail it and the copy can be sent to Alabama Colleges in lieu of an application fee.

13. FAFSA • The FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and is the only way to apply for federal student aid. The schools you list on your application will use FAFSA information to evaluate your financial need and determine how much federal aid you are eligible to receive. Many states and colleges also use information from your FAFSA to provide their own financial aid. • Each January, the FAFSA is available for the upcoming school year.  It is best to fill it out as early as you can because some aid is first come, first served. • When you complete the FAFSA, you’ll need to provide personal and tax information. If you’ve filed your taxes already, you may be able to automatically retrieve the information from the IRS. If you haven’t, just estimate your tax information and update it later. • Complete the FAFSA online at www.fafsa.gov. Make sure to fill out and submit the FAFSA each year you are in college. • After you submit your FAFSA, you’ll receive your Student Aid Report (SAR). Your SAR summarizes the information in your FAFSA. Review it and make corrections if needed. • Your FAFSA helps your school determine the types of federal student aid you are eligible to receive. • Types of Federal Student Aid • As the largest provider of financial aid, the U.S. Department of Education’s office of Federal Student Aid provides grants, loans, and work-study funds. • Grants: Grants are free money that do not have to be repaid. • Loans: Student loans are real loans (like a car or home loan) that need to be repaid with interest. • Work-Study: A work-study job gives you the opportunity to earn money to help pay your educational expenses. • Award • Your award letter explains the combination of federal grants, loans, and work-study a college is offering you. The offer might also contain state and institutional aid. If you receive award letters from multiple colleges or career schools, you should compare them and decide which school works best for you.

14. FAFSA Glossary of Terms • Glossary • State Aid • Financial aid from a student's state of legal residence. • Financial Aid Office • The office at a college or career school that is responsible for preparing and communicating information on financial aid.  This office helps students apply for and receive student loans, grant... • FAFSA • Free Application for Federal Student Aid • Financial Need • The difference between the cost of attendance (COA) at a school and your Expected Family Contribution (EFC).  While COA varies from school to school, your EFC does not change based on the school... • Student Aid Report (SAR) • A summary of the information you submitted on your FAFSA.  You receive this report (often called the SAR) via e-mail a few days after your FAFSA has been processed or by mail within 7-10 days ... • Work-Study • A federal student aid program that provides part-time employment while you are enrolled in school to help pay your education expenses. • Interest • A loan expense charged for the use of borrowed money. Interest is paid by a borrower to a lender.  The expense is calculated as a percentage of the unpaid principal amount of the loan. • Award Letter • An offer from a college or career school that states the type and amount of financial aid the school is willing to provide if you accept admission and register to take classes at that school. • Loan Servicer • A company that collects payments on a loan, responds to customer service inquiries, and performs other administrative tasks associated with maintaining a loan on behalf of a lender.  If you're...

15. FAFSA – Jump Start for Summer 2013 • You can fill out the June 12- July 1 FAFSA for the Jump Start Program for the summer term of 2013. • If you qualify for a Pell Grant you get classes for free and if you don’t qualify they will give you one free class just for trying. • This FAFSA will only be good for the summer 2013 (which will require your 2011 tax documents) • You must still complete a FAFSA for the 2013/14 school year. (which needs to be done ASAP when you get your 2012 taxes complete) • Young Men must register with the Selective Service to be eligible for any Federal Assistance for College. You can register at age 17 but must be registered by the age of 18. • The FAFSA will ask if you have registered with the Selective Service.

16. Scholarships • We will post scholarship info on the school webpage: Guidance – Forms Section • Mrs. Sizemore will also have some available to pick up in her classroom as we receive them. • GET online and search for scholarships. You can Google specific or general scholarships. i.e. Scholarships for: American Indian women majoring in chemistry, Nursing students, Females majoring in engineering… • You can create an account at www.fastweb.com and it will help find scholarships. • The Decatur Daily has a section for scholarships during certain times of the year. • We do not receive scholarship announcements very much. So, please help your student search the web for scholarships often.

17. Scholarships • Read the applications, turn in exactly what they ask for, and turn them in ON TIME! • You will need letters of recommendation for most everything. • Students need to find 3 teachers, friends, previous employers, or church members to write a letter of recommendation for scholarships. Keep copies so they can reuse them! • Most teachers need a 2 WEEK NOTICE before you need it. They need a copy of your resume so they can write the letter of recommendation.

18. Financial Aid Web Resources • www.fafsa.ed.gov official website to apply for financial aid • www.finaid.org : explanations of different types of financial aid, glossary of terms, calculators for estimating college costs and financial aid. • www.studentaid.ed.gov : site for U.S. Department of Education; has resources and suggestions for every step of the process, downloadable federal student aid publications, links to information about financial aid programs in each state. • www.nasfaa.org/ParentsStudents : Web site for the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, features on-line financial aid brochures (some in Spanish), worksheets, and checklists. • www.fastweb.com : Searchable database of more than 600,000 scholarships • www.scholarships.com: searchable database of scholarships • college-financial-aid-advice.com provides scholarship listings • www.alstudentaid.com provides college / financial information for Ala. colleges • *Never pay for scholarship searches! All these are free resources.

19. NCAA Requirements • A high school student who plans on playing a sport or hopes to receive an athletic scholarship at a Division I or II college must meet specific academic requirements as set forth by the NCAA. • A student must have at least a 2.0 GPA in 14 core academic courses and the required SAT or ACT score. To initiate the eligibility process, athletes must complete the NCAA Clearinghouse Student Release Form at the end of their junior year. Additionally, students should have their SAT or ACT test scores forwarded directly to the Clearinghouse (this is Code 9999 on the ACT score recipient list). • To register with the NCAA Clearinghouse, fill out the online form at www.eligibilitycenter.org. There is a fee associated with registering with NCAA, but fee waivers are allowed for students who are on free or reduced lunch or who are in Upward Bound or Talent Search. Please notify the Guidance Office if you have indicated a need for a fee waiver on your NCAA registration. • For questions about whether your transcript, student release form, etc. were received, or about when you will be cleared, call the automated system at 877-861-3003. You will need your Personal Identification Number (PIN) and Social Security Number. • If you’ve misplaced your PIN number or if you need other information, you may contact the Clearinghouse at: • Customer Service: 877-262-1492 • 24-hour Voice Response: 877-861-3003 • Fax: 319-337-1556 • Mail: Initial Eligibility Clearinghouse • 2255 N. Dubuque Road • P.O. Box 4044 • Iowa City, IA 52243-4044 • Office Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday • (NCAA Guidelines - Taken from www.eligibilitycenter.org)

22. ParentsThank you for coming tonight!Please make sure you have signed in so your student will receive extra credit in Math!

23. Thank You! Have a wonderful evening!