Resources for students

WHAT IS COLLEGE?

Any post-secondary (after high school) education that is at least 2 years of education. This includes community colleges, vocational or trade schools, and 4 year colleges/universities. Students who go to college and obtain at least a long term certificate make on an average $6,100 more a year than a non-college/certificate person. A 4 year college grad earns an average of 60% more (which is $36,000+ a year).

​Regardless of your background and/or socio-economic status, everyone has the opportunity to go to college.  Even, if your grades weren’t always perfect, or the best, there is a college for you.  Even if you have a disability, every college in the country has a Disability Resource Center on campus to help you make it through college.

Types of College

Community College:2 year colleges, although for some it may take longer depending on number of classes you take. They offer Associate Degrees and Certificate Programs. They also offer technical training in specific occupations, (bookkeeping, culinary arts, cosmetology, health professions, etc.). Students may attend part-time or full-time. Students can take some college classes while in high school, which will help them finish college or obtain a college degree faster. A great way to get a specialty or skilled training at a low cost. Plus, each community college have agreements for students to transfer from their 2 year college to a 4 year college.State Colleges and Universities, Private and Independent:4 year+ colleges that offer Bachelor of Arts/Science degrees, Master of Arts/Science degrees, J.D. (Juris Doctorate), M.D. (Doctor pf Medicine) and Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy) degrees.

What does it take to get into college?

Your grades are very important when it comes to going to college for FREE!  The higher your grades are the more likely you will find a college that will offer you a FULL academic scholarship to attend their college for free.  Your ACT and/or SAT test score is equally as important.  Sometimes you can have a lower GPA, however your ACT and/or SAT score was really good so they college accepted you because of your high test score.  Sometimes, you can be a 4.0 student and the college you selected didn’t offer you a scholarship or only a small scholarship because your ACT and/or SAT test score was low.  That’s why it is really important to focus on getting good grades and studying in advance for the ACT and SAT test so you can get a good score. Both ACT and SAT (College Board) offer test preparation on their sites (act.org and collegeboard.org).

What are the core classes needed for college?

This is guideline of classes needed to get accepted into a college/university and can be used for pretty much any college, however make sure you check with your dream college or the college you are trying to attend to make sure they don’t require any additional classes. Student Athletes you must make sure you are on track to receive your athletic scholarships.  Just because you are a good athlete, doesn’t mean this does not apply to you.  Although you get recruited, you still have to meet the school’s requirements to get in. 

Here are the Core classes:
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4 years of English
3 years of Math (4 years recommended)
2 years of Social Science (like US History, World History- 3 years recommended)
2 years of Laboratory Science (like Biology, Chemistry, Physics)
2 years of a Foreign Language (3 years recommended)
1 year of Visual and Performing Arts (Art, Drama, Music, etc.)
1 year of College Preparatory Elective (can be chosen from field above, or psychology, statistics etc.)

How to choose a major

What is a major?
A major is a group of courses that focus and shape a student’s skills, development, and experiences. A major should interest and excite a student, as it will take a significant amount of their academic time
and energy. Majors, can be Biology, Computer Science, Engineering, Psychology, Business, Physics, Physical Therapist, Occupational Therapy, Gerontology, Sociology, and so on.

Choosing a Major
We suggest a student major and go into a profession that he or she has passion for. For instance if you love sports, you may want to think about being a Physical Therapist, Sports Medicine, Communications as a Sports Announcer. You love building, being innovative, solving problems to help make life better, you may want to major in engineering.
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Know your interests- what you love, who you are, what makes you..you.

Research- check out all majors and what’s available, interview family or people that you think you would
like doing what they do, shadow people while they are working to see if it is something you would like

Make sure you do your homework and see what jobs/careers exist for the type of major you are thinking
about. Remember your selecting your major should be what you love, what interests you and research.
And please ask questions.?

ACT vs. SAT

We recommend you take both test in order to boost your chances of getting into the college of your choice.  All colleges accepts BOTH test.  Some people score higher one ACT vs. SAT and vice versa.  With the NEW SAT test, it is now more along the lines of the ACT.  They are inline to a student’s applied knowledge.  What they should have learned up to a student’s present age or grade level.

The ACT is an abbreviation of American College Testing. A college readiness assessment is a standardized test for high school achievement and college admissions in the United States produced by ACT, Inc. The highest score one can achieve on the ACT test is 36.

The SAT used to stand for Scholastic Aptitude Test, then it was change to Scholastic Assessment Test, and now apparently through much concerns and better understanding, now it is just called the SAT test.  It doesn’t stand for anything, it is just the name of the test that is also used by colleges to accept students into college.  The old test had 3 parts-Critical Reading, Math, and Essay for a maximum score of 800 in each section for a total score of 2400.  Recently, the essay section is not required anymore, so the maximum score is 1600, and it is more aligned to the way students are taught or learn in school.  

The ACT and SAT is not a requirement of all colleges.  Many colleges have omitted the ACT and SAT has being a requirement.  Many presidents feel these tests don’t measure the real student.The New SAT, which launched on March 5th of 2016, is basically a carbon copy of the ACT – it was designed to be just that.

The two tests have far more commonalities than differences, so what the difference:

- The New SAT doesn’t have a science section. The ACT does, but is as nothing to do with science.

- The essays are different.Both tests come with optional essays. The ACT essay asks you to come up with your own argument and support it. The New SAT essay asks you to evaluate an argument that someone else has already written for you. Neither is easier or harder – it’s just an issue of personal preference.
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- The New SAT has a few fill-in-the-blank math problems, and half of the math problems don’t allow calculator use.The ACT lets you use a calculator on all its math problems, and all the answers are multiple choice. The New SAT has a “with calculator” and “without calculator” section, and 13 of its problems force you to fill in your own answer. The “without calculator” problems aren’t difficult because they don’t require any difficult arithmetic, so it’s not that much of an issue.

- The New SAT is far less “time intensive.”This is the big issue that really separates the two exams. The New SAT gives you far more time per problem, so it’s a much less intense testing experience. Alternatively, the ACT makes you go at a blisteringly fast pace.

- Aside from those differences, the tests are practically identical. The material tested is the same. The formatting is basically the same. They both test your knowledge of math, English grammar, and reading comprehension. They both take 3-4 hours to complete. And they both accomplish the same exact same goal: help you get accepted to college, and possibly help you get more money for college if you score well.

Financial Aid

Types of Student Aid

‍Grants
Financial aid that doesn’t have to be repaid (unless, for example, you withdraw from school and owe a refund) 

Scholarships 
Money awarded to students based on academic or other achievements to help pay for education expenses.  Scholarships generally do not have to be repaid.​

Work Study 
A federal student aid program that provides part-time employment while you are enrolled in school to help pay your education expenses.​

Loans 
Borrowed money for college or career school; you must repay your loans, with interest

Student Aid Info
Download FAFSA Deadlines

Scholarships

National College Resources has scholarship opportunities.

Scholarship Guidelines

Student Athletes

Academics & Skills

All students must strive for academic excellence in the classroom.  The higher the Grade Point Average (GPA) in your core classes, i.e. English, Math, Science, History, the more opportunities you create for yourself to participate in collegiate athletics. SAT/ACT preparation is a must. This means you must take some preparatory classes before you take the SAT and/or ACT.  If this is an area you feel you need help, we can help you. ​

When it comes to playing on the field or on the court, “There is no substitution for a fundamentally sound player”.  We recommend that potential student athletes attend skill camps that are specific their particular sport and to their playing position. Most importantly, student athletes should prepare for a career after college sports. If you feel you need assistance in any skill area, we can help.​Most intercollegiate athletes will not reach the status of being a professional athlete, but all can become PROFESSIONALS.That’s why it important to obtain your college degree above all, because “NO ONE can take your education from you.”

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