Aiming for College

1. Aiming for College Making the Best High School Choices to Meet Your College-Going Goals

2. Topics • Recommended High School Program vs. Distinguished Achievement Program • Pre-Advanced Placement • Advanced Placement • Dual Credit • Auditing Classes • Making the top 10% -- and what to do if you don’t • Improving your chances for scholarships • PSAT/SAT/ACT Tests

3. The Deer Park HS Program of Studies Find the DPHS Program of Studies at the Deer Park ISD website (www.dpisd.org under Parent Quick Links

4. WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS?

5. Recommended High School Program • 26 credits • The default curriculum for Texas high school students • Includes a “4x4” of core area class: 4 English; 4 Social Studies, 4 Math and 4 Science courses • Offers courses that give you the best opportunity to succeed in technical school, community college or a four-year university in Texas.

6. Distinguished Achievement Program • The State of Texas seeks to recognize those students with exceptional achievement in high school. The DAP is for those students whose accomplishments are of such caliber as to be acknowledged on a national level.

7. The Distinguished Achievement Program • Goes beyond the RHSP by requiring advanced schoolwork that reflects college- or professional-level skills by completing any combination of four advanced measures: • Score 3 or above on a College Board Advanced Placement Exam. Each exam counts as 1 measure. • Complete original research or project under the direction of mentor(s), judged by qualified professionals and reported to a qualified audience. • Earn a PSAT score that qualifies you as an award recipient in a variety of College Board or NMSQT programs. • Earn a grade of 3.0 or higher on dual-credit courses.

8. Distinguished Achievement Program • Other requirements include an additional year of foreign language (3 rather than 2) and more stringent requirements as to course choices in math and science. This also drops the required number of elective courses from 4 to 3 (the foreign language replaces an elective).

9. Honors Level Courses • PAP English I • PAP World Geography • AP Human Geography* • Honors Algebra • PAP Geometry • PAP Algebra II • PAP Biology • PAP Spanish/French/German Courses available at North Campus for 9th Graders

10. What is a Pre-AP or Honors Course? • A more rigorous course offering, which moves more quickly, covers content at a greater depth, and builds critical-thinking and reading skills. • Pre-AP courses provide excellent preparation for later Advanced Placement® courses • Honors and Pre-AP courses (and dual-credit and AP courses) receive a weighted GPA.

11. Program of Studies, Page 4

12. How Many?

13. Advanced Placement Courses • AP classes offer unique learning experiences that will help you succeed in college. Through AP courses and exams, you can earn college credit and stand out in the admissions process. • AP classrooms engage students in intense discussions, collaborative problem-solving, and learning to write clearly and persuasively.

14. AP Courses • AP courses help students acquire the skills and habits needed to be successful in college. • Students improve writing skills, sharpen problem-solving abilities, and develop time management skills, discipline, and study habits. • Most four-year colleges in the US and in more than 60 other countries give students credit on the basis of AP Exam scores.

15. AP Courses at SC • English Literature • English Language • World History • U.S. History • Government • Economics • Calculus AB/BC • Statistics • Biology • Chemistry • Physics C • Studio Art • French Language • Spanish Language • German Language • Computer Science

16. Dual Credit • Open to juniors and seniors • Taught by San Jacinto College professors at SJC • Students who receive a 70 or better receive high school and college credit* • Deer Park ISD pays the tuition for selected courses taken during the regular school year • Students must meet SCJ entrance requirements

17. Dual Credit Courses • U.S. History • Sociology • Psychology • English IV • Government • Economics • Automotive Technology • Cosmetology • Geology • BCIS • Math (College Algebra and Trigonometry) if Pre-Calculus completed at DPHS – Dual enrollment but not credit • Other CATE courses as approved

18. Auditing Courses • When a student audits a course, they receive a pass/fail rather than a grade. • This is of benefit to students who are in the race to the top 10%. • Only Juniors and Seniors who have a GPA of 4.9 or better can participate. • Maximum of 2 courses/year. • No core academic courses or foreign language courses may be audited.

19. Making the Top 10% • Start strong • Grades matter • Number of weighted GPA courses matters (PAP/AP/Dual Credit/Honors) • Auditing courses may make a difference • In general, juniors at large begin to “kick it in” – that means that those who started strong have an advantage, but only if they stay on track.

20. What to do if you don’t • Don’t give up hope • Check the admissions criteria (know those websites!) for your colleges of choice • Have all of the other ducks in a row • Rigorous coursework • SAT/ACT Scores • GPA • Volunteer Hours • Extra-curricular Activities

21. College Admissions:What Counts? • Grades in AP Courses • Difficulty of student’s course curriculum • Admission tests scores (SAT and/or ACT) • Overall grade point average • Essay or writing sample • Student’s demonstrated interest in attending a particular college

22. What Counts? • Class rank • Counselor recommendation • Teacher recommendations • AP subject test scores • Interview • Extracurricular activities • SAT Subject Test Scores

23. Trends in College Admissions • 2011 was the hardest year to get in to College • College applicants are more interested in Southern schools • International Student Applications are Surging • 73% of colleges and universities experienced an increase in applications • The typical school accepted 65.5% of its applicants • 48% of schools use a wait list – more selective schools are most likely to use them

24. Trends • The acceptance rate for students who applied early-decision was 57% versus 50% for regular applicants. • Homeschoolers are on the rise • Public schools are accepting more out-of-state students • Approximately 20.4 million students are enrolled in college • 56% of enrolled college freshmen are female • The average application fee is $40

25. Getting scholarships • Keep a journal of your awards, volunteer hours, etc… • Start researching scholarships now • Don’t start applying until your senior year • If you qualify, absolutely make sure you are on the free/reduced lunch records

26. The PSAT/NMSQT • Take the PSAT in 9th, 10th, and 11th grades • Currently DPISD pays for all 10th graders to take the PSAT • Nationwide, students who take the PSAT perform better on the SAT test than students who did not, and each subsequent testing tends to improve students’ SAT scores. • Juniors who take the PSAT are entered into the National Merit Scholarship Competition.

27. The SAT Test • Most Texas colleges and universities will use SAT scores as a college-entrance exam • The SAT is a timed test made up of 3 sections • Critical Reading • Mathematics • Critical Writing • Students who take the SAT more than once tend to improve their scores • The SAT is offered multiple times each year

28. The ACT Test • Most Texas colleges and universities will use ACT scores as a college-entrance exam. • The ACT is a timed exam made up of 4 sections • English • Mathematics • Reading • Science • The ACT is also offered several times each year.

29. Helpful Information • Websites • www.collegefortexans.com • www.collegeboard.com • www.hechingerreport.org • www.dpisd.org

30. Contact Information • Lisa Meyer Director of Social Studies and Advanced Academic Programs 832-668-7112 lmeyer@dpisd.org • DPHS – North Campus Counselors Meagan Kiefer & Christine Frames 832-668-7305