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Making the Most of your High School Experience: Advice for 8th -11th Grade Students |
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Paying for college is always a concern for families, and that’s especially true today. Over 8 Billion dollars in federal financial aid in the forms of grants, work study and loans is available to students who qualify. Most people assume that aid is for someone else; don’t make that mistake. When your child is a junior or senior, plan to attend the Financial Aid seminars held at the high school to learn more about paying for college. In addition, students who are eligible for free/reduced lunch do not have to pay any college application fees, and students who have received Medicaid benefits for 24 consecutive months may qualify for free college tuition. Check with the guidance counselors if you have questions. (You should NEVER pay for scholarship searches or financial aid advice!) Allegan students are fortunate to live near several colleges. Students can live at home while taking classes at KVCC or GRCC for the first year or two. Counselors at these colleges will help students understand how to transfer those credits to a 4 year college or university. This is just one option to help make college affordable and possible for everyone. Resources Financial Aid: General College Information: www.finaid.org www.collegeboard.com www.michigan.gov www.knowhow2go.org www.studentaid.ed.gov www.collegetoolkit.org Planning for college should be an exciting time, not a stressful time. Students should talk to their parents and the guidance counselors about their plans for the future. The middle school and high school staff is here to help, so please contact the guidance counselors if you have any questions. Teresa Gibbons, College Planning Consultant (616) 335-4624
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Making the Most of your High School Experience: Advice for 9th and 11th Grade Students |
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It’s not too early to begin thinking about and planning for college. In fact, underclassmen are in a good position to start planning because they have time to resolve to take their school work seriously and to research their college options. Most high school seniors will tell you they regret not doing their best in every class, thus earning average or below average grades. Many college scholarships require a minimum 3.0 or 3.25 GPA. Realizing as a senior that your GPA is too low for admission to the college of your choice, or too low to qualify for an important scholarship can be very disappointing. Commit to doing your best in all of your classes so that every opportunity is available to you as a senior. Some upperclassmen incorrectly assume that if they have below-average grades that they can’t attend college. For these students, community college is an excellent choice. At community college, students may earn a certificate or a 2 year degree. Students also have the option of transferring from community college to a 4 year college or university. When it comes to college, don’t assume anything! Ask your teachers and counselors for help with college planning. Test scores are another important part of your high school career. The more core classes you take, the more you’ll learn, and the more prepared you’ll be for the ACT and other tests. High scores on these tests might earn you a scholarship, and they will definitely determine which college you’ll get accepted to. When selecting next year’s classes, you’ll benefit from a rigorous course load that prepares you for the ACT and your freshman year of college. Planning for college should be an exciting time, not a stressful time. Students should talk to their parents and teachers about their plans for the future. The high school staff is here to help, so please contact the office if you have any questions. |
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The purpose of visiting a college is to find out more information about the school. However, to find out the information you want, you may need to ask some questions: On average, how many students are in a class, especially in freshmen classes? What are the best places for students to study at the college? What tutoring resources are available? Is there a writing center? Are these services free? Are classes taught by professors or graduate assistants? Do you accept AP and/or Dual Enrollment credits? How much does it cost to attend here? Do you offer Block Tuition rate? What scholarship/work study/financial aid do you offer? How do I find out about these? Tell me about technology on campus. Are labs and computers available to an adequate extent? Any special facilities? Are students charged to print in the computer labs? Do students need their own personal computers? Is there wireless available on campus? In the dorms? Is it free?
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