Higher education is worth the effort.
Statistics show that the higher your education level, the higher your
annual income potential. Higher
Education can also seem like an overwhelming event when it comes to
applications, financial aid, housing, new surroundings, empty nest syndrome,
etc. If you take it one step at a time
and are careful to plan ahead and know what to expect, the process can be less
stressful for all involved.
College
Prep List:
Freshman Year:
Participate in school
activities and organizations.
Look for opportunities for
leadership and community service.
Start a student profile of
activities and honors — save it to a disk to be updated annually.
Take challenging courses for college
preparation.
Study hard and keep grades
high to earn best possible class rank.
Sophomore Year:
Take PSAT (a practice SAT) in
October .
Discuss careers and college
majors with parents and mentors.
Explore college choices on the
internet and visit campuses.
Prepare for SAT/ACT and
college by taking the most rigorous courses you can handle.
Continue school activity
involvement and volunteer work. Update
student profile.
Junior Year:
FALL
Take PSAT again in October.
Attend Tyler Area College
Night at Oil Palace.
SPRING
Take SAT I or ACT (fee waivers
are available for students with need).
Take SAT II (Subject Tests) in
late spring or June if you are considering a college that requires it (Rice,
UT, SMU, etc.).
Narrow college choices to a
short list, visit websites for admission information and deadlines.
Continue to challenge yourself
with rigorous courses.
Continue school activity
involvement. Update student profile.
Senior Year:
What do I need to apply to colleges?
______ Completed Application (For
most, can apply after Sept. 1 of senior year)
______ Essays, if required
______ Official High School
Transcript (Obtain from Registrar’s Office-$5.00 each).
Colleges
will require an official transcript with application and 1 final transcript after graduation. Check with colleges to see if
they require a mid-year transcript.)
______ SAT or ACT scores sent
directly from the testing agency
______ SAT II, if required
______ Application Fee, if
required
______ Resume, if required
______ Letters of Recommendation,
if required
______ Completed FAFSA (Free
Application For Federal Student Aid-Can apply after January 1 of senior year — this is a FREE
application)
______ NCAA Clearinghouse
Registration (for students intending to play sports at the college level)
______ Supplemental Information
(any added information your particular college requires to complete the
application process)
You MUST meet all deadlines—colleges are NOT
flexible in this area. It is up to the
student to make sure colleges have all required documents by deadline. Because requirements for admissions are
constantly changing please do not rely on outside sources for current
information. Go directly to the college
or university for the most current information.
Where do I go for?
Scholarships: www.fastweb.com , Financial Aid and Scholarship offices at the colleges
you are applying to, the scholarship board in Mrs. Tucker’s office in the
library, www.collegeguidanceconsultants.com
(see counselor for passwords), The
Mayor’s Cool Program in E103, and www.CollegeforTexans.com.
NCAA Clearinghouse: Student athletes planning to participate in
intercollegiate athletics are encouraged to register on line with the NCAA
Clearinghouse at the end of their junior year.
Federal Aid: Complete the FAFSA as early as possible (after
January 1st)-some scholarships are based on need (paper forms are
available in December and require information from your tax returns/online
application is preferred) TJC provides free workshops.
Texas Grant is based on need
and Rec. Grad. Plan
Contact colleges about Texas
Be On Time Loan Program
College Applications: (For most schools, apply after September 1st
of senior year) The Apply Texas application is available on line at
www.applytexas.org for all Texas Public Colleges. Most private and out-of-state
college applications can be downloaded or are on-line at www.commonapp.org.
Start a dialogue with the Admissions Office as soon as possible for the most
current information.
Official Transcripts: Order your transcripts through the Registrar’s
Office ($5 each).
SAT/ACT/SAT II/THEA: Booklets and registration forms are available in
the counseling office, but it is suggested that students apply on-line, if
possible. Be sure to check with colleges
about SAT II test requirements.
ACT- the test consists of four
multiple choice tests: English, Reading, Math, and Science Reasoning. Scores
are given in a 1-36 range and are added together for a Composite score.
Students may choose to take the optional Writing Test and will receive an
additional English/Writing score, but this score will not affect the Composite
score. There is no penalty for guessing on the ACT.
SAT-the test has three
sections: Critical Reasoning, Math, and Writing. Each section is scored
200-800, with 2400 being a perfect score. There is a slight penalty for
guessing on the SAT. An educated guess is encouraged for each question, but if
a student has no idea whatsoever about an answer to a question, it is suggested
that the student leave it blank.
SAT II: Tests are one hour and
measure knowledge in a particular subject area (biology, math, etc.). Some
selective colleges require the SAT II and will list it as a requirement in
their admissions information.
THEA-The THEA is used by Texas
Institutions of higher education as an assessment instrument for entering
students. The THEA Test provides the diagnostic data required by legislation in
Texas. To pass the THEA test a student must pass all three sections (Writing,
Reading, and Math).
THEA
exemptions: SAT 1070 w/ 500 (V) 500 (M); ACT 23 w /19 (E) 19
(M); TAKS 2200 on ELA and Math with a 3 or better on the Writing composition.
Colleges and the NCAA want ACT/SAT/THEA scores sent directly from the
testing agencies. When completing your registration forms for these tests be
sure to include the school codes for the colleges you want to receive your
scores. You can send scores to four colleges for free with your test
registration. This will save you money and will save you from having to go back
and send your scores if you are trying to meet application or scholarship
deadlines. NCAA code is 9999.
Recommendation Letters: Students will need to prepare a “brag
sheet” (forms are available from your counselor) to present to counselors,
teachers, etc. when asking them to write a letter of recommendation. Be sure to
include extra-curricular activities, work experience, and future plans.
References will want to know any pertinent information that will help them
“sell” you to a college admissions committee, so be thorough! When asking someone to write a letter of
recommendation always present them with a completed brag sheet, a resume, and a
self-addressed stamped envelope (colleges prefer recommendations to be sent
directly from the person preparing the letter), at least 3 weeks before your
recommendation is due.
College Visits: Nothing can replace actually walking the halls
and the grounds of a prospective college. Talking to students, Admissions
Counselors, Advisors, Financial Aid Officers, Department Heads, etc. can help a
student decide if a college is right for them.
Rigorous Senior Year: Colleges are looking for students that will be
successful. They recommend that seniors continue to follow a strong college
prep program and most colleges require students to list their current courses
on their application. Because many colleges require all freshmen to take a math
placement test, seniors are strongly
encouraged to take math their senior year. Even though many students
want to “take it easy” their senior year, they should continue with upper level
core courses.
Helpful
websites:
www.tylerisd.org TISD
website
www.act.org ACT
registration and college info
www.collegeboard.com SAT
registration and college info
www.ncaaclearinghouse.com Student
athlete’s registration
www.applytexas.org Texas
common application
www.commonapp.org Common
application for selective schools
www.thea.nesinc.com THEA
registration
www.fastweb.com Scholarship
searches
www.tjc.edu TJC
website
www.uttyler.edu UT
Tyler website
www.texascollege.edu Texas
College website
www.fafsa.ed.gov Free
Application For Federal Student Aid
www.pin.ed.gov Obtain PIN
number for filing FAFSA
www.princetonreview.com College
Information and Preparation
www.window.state.tx.us/scholars/ Information
about colleges and universities in the State of
www.access.bridges.com Career interest inventory
and college search
site ID: 0053545 password: tylerisd
www.CollegeForTexans.org College and financial aid
information
www.yourpassionyourplan.com Career exploration
www.testpreview.com Test prep
www.track.uttelecampus,org TAKS prep
www.asktacac.com Texas
Assoc. of College Admissions Counselors
Dual Credit
FAQ:
May high school students receive college credit?
Yes. Texas law allows qualified
high school students to receive college credit which reduces the time and
attendance expense for college education.
There are two ways to receive the credit: (1) Dual Credit enrollment and
(2) Advanced Placement.
What is the difference between the two? “Dual Credit Enrollment” means that a high school student enrolls for a
course, which is taught on the REL campus or on a college campus, and may
receive both high school credit and college credit for the course or college
credit only.* Tuition and fees charged
by the college are paid by the student.
The class is taught by Tyler Junior College faculty.
“Advanced Placement” means that a student enrolls in an AP course taught in
high school by a properly certified high school teacher, completes the course,
and receives college credit upon both the satisfactory completion of an
advanced placement examination administered by the College Board and posting to
an official transcript by an accredited college.
Which students are qualified for concurrent credit
for next year? High school students wishing to take a dual
credit course must meet admission requirements for a public two-year college,
with the exception of high school graduation.*
Students who will be seniors in high school must be THEA-exempt or
THEA-passed in the subject area for the course in which they plan to enroll. Students who will be juniors in high school
must be THEA-exempt or THEA-passed in all three subject areas, regardless of
the subject area of the course in which they plan to enroll.
Who benefits?
Dual credit is a
win-win situation for both the student and the State. The student is saved the expense of repeating
courses in college which may be similar to those taken in high school. The State saves operating expenses for
students attending college and taking courses similar to those taken in high school.
*
Dependent on Dual credit course.
What Dual credit courses are offered at REL?
Dual credit courses are offered for juniors and seniors in English,
Social Studies, Science, Auto Tech, and Welding. See your counselor for more information.
Credit by Exam (CBE): Students
may take CBE to receive credit for high school courses. A grade of 90 or better must be achieved to
earn credit without prior instruction. A
grade of 70 or better must be achieved for students with prior
instruction. Students must have earned a
grade of 60-69 to request CBE testing.
If the attempt to pass is unsuccessful, no record will be made on the
student’s transcript. A study guide will
be sent to the student about three weeks before the test dates. See your counselor for more information. There is a fee for students with prior
instruction in the subject.
Increased Weighting for AP/PreAP/PreIB/IB Courses:
PreAP courses receive five extra points each semester, and AP courses
receive ten extra points. PreAP and AP points
are added for ranking purposes only.
Points are not added to semester averages.
Pass/Fail: Students taking a course pass/fail
need to fill out a pass/fail form, available in the counselors’ office. This form must be turned in by the fifth class
day regardless of whether or not you discussed pass/fail with your counselor
during the spring scheduling conference. Core courses, Foreign Language
courses, and the SAT Prep course are the only
courses that can be taken pass/fail. Courses must be over and above what is
required for graduation. Pass/ Fail courses do count for eligibility purposes.
SCHEDULE CHANGE
GUIDELINES
If you need to change your schedule, go to the Counseling Center and ask
for a schedule change request form. Complete
the form and return it to the Counseling Center ASAP. It is very important that you continue
following your current schedule until you receive a notice of schedule change
from your counselor. Schedule change
requests can only be made in writing and must have a parent signature. No telephone changes are accepted.
The ONLY schedule changes that will be considered are the following
schedule adjustments:
* If you are enrolled in a class for which you
already have credit
* If you have the same class on your schedule
twice
* If you failed a course and need to repeat it
* If you have an incomplete schedule
To solve
schedule conflicts, counselors may have substituted an alternate choice or an
elective similar to the one you chose.
Due to overloaded class sizes, we regret that we cannot accommodate
teacher change requests, “change of mind” requests, or lunch preference
requests.
Schedule
change deadlines printed in the Student Handbook will be strictly enforced.
Please
make yourself familiar with the dates.
2007-2008
Testing Dates
( * denotes free TISD
test dates. TISD will pay for one ACT or
SAT. Deadlines are much earlier for the free test—check with your counselor.)
SAT Test Dates
October 6
*November 3
December 1
January 26
*March 1
May 3
June 7
ACT Test Dates
September 15
October 27
*December 8
February 9
*April 12
June 14
TAKS Testing 2007-2008
(TEA website June 2007-dates subject to change)
Oct. 23 ELA Exit Level Retest
Oct. 24 Math
Exit Level Retest
Oct. 25 Science
Exit Level Retest
Oct. 26 Social
Studies Exit Level Retest
Mar. 4 9th
Reading, 10th ELA, ELA Exit Level and Retest
Mar. 5 Math
Exit Level Retest
Mar. 6 Science
Exit Level Retest
Mar. 7 Social
Studies Exit Level Retest
April 29 ELA
Exit Level Retest, 10th Math
April 30 Math
Exit Level and Retest
May 1 9th
Math, 10th Science, Science Exit Level and Retest
May 2 10th
Social Studies, Social Studies Exit Level and Retest
July 15 ELA
Exit Level Retest
July 16 Math
Exit Level Retest
July 17 Science
Exit Level Retest
July 18 Social
Studies Exit Level Retest
