9th Grade Set Your Sights on College
N Pursue extracurricular interests, such as dance, sports,
clubs, or community service.
N Review your goals for the future with your counselor. N Update your CFNC planner.
N Start using the free SAT and ACT test prep at CFNC.org.
N Take the PSAT for practice.
N Talk with family and friends about their educational choices. N “Tour” colleges online at CFNC.org.
N Review your academic plan with your counselor. N Get schedules for college entrance and placement tests. N Use the free SAT and ACT test prep at CFNC.org.
N Take PSAT in October (you may qualify for National
Merit Scholarships).
N Check entrance requirements for colleges that interest you.
N Keep your CFNC planner updated.
N Attend college fairs and financial aid workshops. N Visit colleges.
N Research scholarships, grants, and loans at CFNC.org.
N Talk with coaches about college sports and scholarship eligibility. N Register and take SAT, ACT, and/or AP tests.
N Narrow down your list of colleges.
N Find a summer job or internship in your field of interest.
10th Grade Keep Your Focus
11th Grade The Critical Year for Success N Take courses that challenge you.
N Meet with your school counselor to discuss your educational
and course options.
N Explore course options such as AP, honors and Career
and College Promise.
N Create a free CFNC account to record your courses, activities, and more.
N Explore career interests at CFNC.org. N Research ways to save and pay for college.
Your Checklist for College
College works.
N Review courses, graduation requirements, and scholarship
opportunities with your counselor.
N Update your CFNC planner.
N Select three to five colleges—a dream school, a safety school,
and others in between.
N Track application and financial aid deadlines for colleges. N Take the first SAT or ACT offered this fall.
N Write, edit, proofread, and rewrite your admissions essays early.
N Ask teachers, counselors, or references to write letters of recommendation.
N Attend college day and participate in College Application Week, if available.
N Complete online college applications at CFNC.org before
the deadlines.
N If your high school participates, use CFNC.org to send your
official high school transcript to colleges.
N Send in any other college applications.
N Check with college financial aid offices for school-specific
scholarship information and forms.
N Student athletes send transcripts to NCAA Clearinghouse
for eligibility certification.
N Remind parents to plan to prepare tax information soon after January 1 for your financial aid applications.
12th Grade Fall Don’t Let Up
12th Grade Spring Finish Strong
N Go to www.pin.ed.gov to get an ID number to e-sign your FAFSA. N Complete and submit FAFSA at www.fafsa.gov as soon as
possible after January 1.
N For help with your FAFSA, sign up at CFNC.org for a February
FAFSA Day near you.
N If not accepted by your college of choice, use the
College Redirection Module at CFNC.org to find new options.
N Compare admission acceptance letters and financial aid packages.
N Send in your enrollment deposit to hold your spot at the
college you choose.
N Apply for education loans, if needed.
N Make sure your final high school transcript is sent to your
college (goes automatically if CFNC.org sent earlier).
N Send in any early college credit course transcripts (community college, middle college).
N Take exams for any AP or college-level courses completed. N For community college admission, check with your local campus about placement testing requirements.
© 2013 Pathways, College Foundation, Inc., and
State Education Assistance Authority (CFNC) CFI Form G 632 (09/13)
For more tips on planning for college and career, be sure to take a look at “Let Me Tell You” videos on CFNC.org.
866.866.CFNC College works.
Introduction
Mallard Creek High School recognizes that there are several paths students can take to become college and career ready upon graduation. MCin3+1@CP is a new program which will provide students the opportunity to graduate from Mallard Creek High School, having already earned a full year’s worth of college credits from Central Piedmont Community College, tuition free! This program is aimed at current sophomores to ensure that the appropriate credits are earned by the end of the student’s junior year so he or she may attend CPCC throughout the senior year.
Benefits for Parents and Students
The tuition is waived for the CPCC courses. Credits earned at CPCC could transfer to a 4 year college or university alleviating the rising cost of college tuition.
Students could receive CTE certifications if they complete specified coursework. These certifications lead to immediate employability. (ex: Early Childhood Education pathway = certified daycare worker)
Students earn high school and college credits by taking courses at CPCC.
Opportunity to experience college life while still in high school.
$50 bookstore vouchers will beprovided for each course to off-set the cost of books.
Students can participate in MCHS extracurricular activities, athletics and attend school events such as prom.
Students graduate and walk with their classin June of their senior year.
CPCC courses are offered at various times and locations, allowing for a flexible and customizable schedule.
CPCC offers an abundance of courses beyond the courses offered by a typical high school.
Unlike the Career and College Promise program, MCin3+1@CP allows students to complete all high school requirements in 3 years in order to take all college level classes their senior year.
MCHS Career Development Coordinator will check-in with seniors in the program twice a month.
Things to Consider
Due to FERPA, CPCC faculty and staff are limited in the information they can provide to high school staff and parents.
Students and parents are responsible for staying informed of school events such as senior pictures, cap & gown orders, etc.
Transportation for students is not provided, however city transit options exist in our area. (http://charmeck.org/city/charlotte/cats/Pages/default.aspx)
Additional costs include books and minimal fees.
CPCC courses receive 1 additional quality point towards the student’s GPA (versus 2 additional quality points for an AP course)
Requirements
1. Current sophomore
2. Weighted 3.0 cumulative GPA
3. Meeting the college readiness benchmark scores on the PLAN, PSAT, ACT, SAT or Accuplacer.
Subject PLAN PSAT Accuplacer SAT ACT
English 15 45 86 Sentence Skills 500 Writing 18
Reading 18 47 80 Reading 500 Critical
Reading 21 Math 19 47 55 Arithmetic, 75 Elem.
Algebra 500 22
Students can mix and match College Readiness Benchmark scores in order to meet the requirements.
Example: PLAN English–17, PLAN Reading–19, PSAT Math—47 Proposed Junior Schedule
Semester 1 Semester 2
Honors English III Honors English IV World Language Level 2 (if needed) AFM or Honors Pre-Calculus
Common Core Math III Honors Science American History 1 Honors or
AP US History
American History 2 Honors or Social Studies elective
It is not recommended for students to take AP English 3 or AP English 4 in this program due to the Graduation Project.
Other AP courses can be taken according to the students strengths. Example: AP Statistics, AP Calculus, AP Government, AP Psychology, etc.
World Language requirements must be completed by the end of Semester 1.
Students may need to consider taking a course through NC Virtual Public Schools if it cannot be worked into the student’s schedule.
Important Information
Current sophomores must meet with their counselor as soon as possible to change their schedule in order to meet the graduation requirements in their 3rd (junior) year.
By April 11, 2014, students must meet with Rebecca White to provide benchmark scores and declare their associates degree pathway.
On May 5, 2014, classes open at CPCC for Career and College Promise students. Mrs. White will assist students with course registration.
Application Steps
http://www.cpcc.edu/hsprograms/register-for-career-and-college-promise-cms-students
For questions please contact
Rebecca White, MCHS Career Development Coordinator: [email protected] Margaret Smith, CPCC Program Coordinator: [email protected]
Key Differences between the ACT and SAT
ACT vs SAT: which test is a better fit for your student? Students may take whichever test they prefer (assuming there are available testing locations for both tests). If you’re not sure which test your child would prefer, consider the key differences between the ACT and SAT. Some students find that the ACT caters to their strengths more so than the SAT, and vice versa.
Need a quick side-by-side comparison of the tests? Check out our ACT vs SAT Comparison Chart.
SAT vs. ACT
reasoning test Type of Test content-based test Critical Reading: 2, 25-min sections and 1,
20-min section; Math: 2, 25-min sections and 1, 20-min section; Writing: 1, 25-min essay,
1, 25-min section, and 1, 10-min section
Test Format
English: 1, 45-min section; Math: 1, 60-min section; Reading: 1, 35-min section; Science:
1, 35-min section; Writing: 1, 30-min essay (optional)
reading, vocabulary, grammar & usage, writing, and math
Content Covered
grammar & usage, math, reading, science reasoning, and writing (optional) tricky, questions can be phrased in ways that
make them difficult to decipher Test Style
straightforward, questions may be long but are usually less difficult to decipher
Math, Critical Reading, and Writing scores will each range between a 200-800; total
SAT score ranges between 600-2400 Scoring
English, Math, Reading, and Science scores will each range between 1-36. Composite ACT score is the average of your scores on
the four sections; ranges between 1-36 yes – you lose ¼ of a point for incorrect
answers (except on the grid-in math questions)
Penalty for Wrong Answers?
no – you do not lose points for incorrect answers
yes – you can choose which set(s) of SAT scores to submit to colleges
Score Choice?
yes – you can choose which set(s) of ACT scores to submit to colleges
questions increase in difficulty level as you move through that question type in a section
(except reading passage questions, which progress chronologically through the
passage)
Difficulty Levels
difficulty level of the questions is random
arithmetic, data analysis, algebra I and II, functions, geometry; formulas are provided in
the test booklet
Math Levels
arithmetic, algebra I and II, functions, geometry, trigonometry; no formulas are
provided with private schools and schools on the east
and west coasts; however, every four-year college in the US accepts SAT scores
Tends to be more popular?
with public schools and schools in the Midwest and south; however, every four-year college in
the US accepts ACT scores seven times per year: January, March or
April, May, June, October, November,
December Offered
when?
six times per year: February, April, June, September, October, December (note that some states offer the ACT as part of their state
testing requirements; these tests are not administered on the national test dates) typically about four weeks before the test
date
Registration deadline?
typically about five to six weeks before the test date
www.collegeboard.com More Information
www.act.org
DO YOU FIT THE PROFILE????
SCHOOL NAME AVERAGE GPA AVERAGE SAT Read/Math unless *all 3 parts* AVERAGE ACT Appalachian State 3.99 1153 26 Belmont Abby 3.7 1200 23 Campbell University 2.5 950 20 Clemson 3.59 1230 28 College of Charleston 3.65 1070-1130 23-27
Davidson College 85% in the top 10% of the class
2030 *all 3 parts* 29-32 Duke 90% in the top 10%
of the class
1435 31
East Carolina 3.5 1360 19-23
Elizabeth City State 2.5 800 17
Elon University 4.0 1850 *all 3 parts* 25-29
Fayetteville State 2.0 700 15
Gardner-Webb 3.4 1020 20
Georgia Tech 3.7-4.0 1960 *all 3 parts* 28-32
Hampton University 2.5 950 20 Lenoir-Rhyne 2.0 1030 18-24 Louisburg College 2.0 800 17 NC A & T 2.25 750 16 NC Central 2.3 750 16 w/writing NC State 3.75 1184 25 UNC-Asheville 3.7 1180 26 UNC-Chapel Hill 4.5 1303 28-32 UNC- Charlotte 3.7 1480-1730 21-26 UNC-Greensboro 3.68 1055 23 UNC-Pembroke 2.5 1355 18 UNC-Wilmington 3.71 1130-1250 22-27 Univ. of Georgia 3.4-3.5 1800 25-29 Univ.of SC 3.85 1120-1280 24-29
Univ. of VA 4.0 1800 *all 3 parts* 28-32
Virginia Tech 3.86 1238 25-29
Wake Forest 3.80 Optional Optional
Western Carolina 3.63 1527 *all 3 parts* 21
Wingate 3.1-3.7 1370-1670 24
Winston Salem State 3.1 (2.5 Min) 800 17
Triumph - Free Test Prep
For College Entrance Exams
Free, Online Study GuidesThe Triumph College Admissions Online Study Guide for SAT and the TCA Online Study Guide for ACT are free online tools available to help you prepare for taking the PSAT, SAT, or ACT. You may use these study guides at any time. Use the study guides to learn more about the test, review specific skills, take practice quizzes, and track your progress.
Free, Online Prep Course
Within the Triumph Online Study Guide, you will also find FinalPrep for the SAT and ACT, online sessions designed for preparation the week before the test. FinalPrep helps you to review the structure, format, skills, and test-taking tips you need before you take the test.
How to Log In and Use Triumph Online
Getting to Triumph Online StudyGuide:
Go to Mallard Creek’s website and look for the ACT/SAT Test Prep tab on the left hand side of the page.
Click on the link for Triumph Online StudyGuide. This will bring you to the Online StudyGuide where you can log in from school and home!
Log into the Student Study Guide Homepage:
Enter your Student ID # as the username (Note: If you don’t know your Student ID #, go to your school’s office and ask them to look it up for you.)
Enter your birthdate (YYYYMMDD) as the password
Click the “login” button
Select a Test Preparation Option:
PSAT Study Guide
SAT Study Guide & FinalPrep for the SAT
ACT Study Guide & FinalPrep for the ACT After selecting a test preparation option:
Begin with the overview and complete the steps as directed.
If you are completing a study guide, plan to spend a minimum of ten hours to get the most out of the guide.
FinalPrep will take between 2 and 2 ½ hours. You do not have to complete either program in one sitting. Break up the work and pace yourself.
The online test can be accessed by going to “Step 3: Score and Analyze.” Choose Option 6 (green) to take the practice test.
Personalized for Every Student, Based
on Diagnostic Assessment
TenMarks differentiates instruction for every student. • The program starts each student with a diagnostic
assessment, which results in the automatic creation of an individualized program that adapts to his or her specific needs.
• Each student’s summer curriculum is designed to review concepts from the past year, and get introduced to concepts for the year ahead.
How TenMarks Summer Math
Program Works
TenMarks Summer Math Program for students entering grades 1 through Algebra 2 is designed to guide students through a personalized curriculum that meets their spe-cific needs, helping them practice and master concepts with built-in instruction, and real-time intervention. Designed for the depth and rigor of the new math stand-ards (CCSS and States), every TenMarks’ assignment ensures students build a strong conceptual foundation, improve problem-solving skills, and gain math confidence.
Research shows that summer learning loss in Math is an issue that impacts
all students,
with students losing an average of 2-3 months of math comprehension
every summer.
TenMarks
offers families a proven,
scalable, online summer math program
to reverse the summer learning loss and
help students build a strong foundation
in core math skills.
The personalized summer math program is being offered at $0 cost to your family this summer. Simply visit
http://summer.tenmarks.com to sign up.
Reverse Summer
Learning
Loss with
TenMarks
JUST 20 minutes, 3 timesa week IS ALL IT TAKES. TENMARKS PREVENTS 2-3 MONTHS OF MATH LOSS IN SUMMER TENMARKS MOVES STUDENTS AHEADOn-Demand Instruction
Facilitates Learning & Success
TenMarks is founded on the principle that support must be embedded, and delivered the moment students find themselves struggling. When students work on assignments, they have access to hints and video lessons that help them refresh what they know, and learn what they don’t. With immediate feedback and just-in-time assistance, students develop a deep understanding of the concepts covered, leading to better outcomes.
FREE Summer Math Program for Families
1
2 3
It’s easy for families to benefit from the program.
Parents can register online at
http://summer.tenmarks.com for the summer program - in minutes. It’s super easy!
Before summer break you will receive an email to get started.
Phone and online support is available to families throughout the program.
Students, parents and educators will receive end of summer report cards, with details on performance and progress, which they can leverage for the next school year. Districts may also receive aggregate performance reports and insights by standards and skills.
How Do Familes Use TenMarks Summer Math Program
TenMarks, an Amazon company, is on a mission to reverse summer learning loss in
math, and prove that a personalized online program helps improve math outcomes.
For Summer 2014, TenMarks is offering its powerful 3-month summer program
for $0 cost to families in your school/district.
(Previously $39 per student)
Built-In Interventions
Delivered Automatically
TenMarks has real-time interventions that adapt to a student’s individual needs. When TenMarks recognizes that a student hasn’t mastered a topic, it uses the performance data to diagnose the root cause, and deliv-ers instructional support in a systematic way. Called “Amplifiers”, these adaptive instructional modules help students work through the topic one foundational step at a time, providing bite-sized instruction to fill the required foundational gaps.Reports & Deep Insights
Based on Analysis
TenMarks provides real-time reports and drill-down insights, so families and educa-tors can easily monitor usage, proficiency, and performance for each student. The summer program data can also be used to drive improved progress-monitoring during the school year.
Engaging & Motivating
for Students
TenMarks Summer Math Program is engag-ing for students and enables them to master math concepts with ease. Built-in instruc-tion improves math confidence. Rewards, certificates and games further motivate and engage students.
To motivate students during the summer parents can create customized incentives and rewards. Pizza, video games, or a trip to the zoo, the rewards are all up to you!
2013 AWARD Technology Innovation Showcase
