Shades Mountain Christian School

This section contains MUCH information that we pray will be helpful. Please take advantage of this information and invest some time studying it. If you need further assistance please contact the Guidance Office or Principal.
 
ACT has provided information for first-time college students and parents! This site is technically for educators; however, you will find it very helpful, so please click here to visit their website. There is a site specifically for students - you can get there by clicking here. ACT also has a page specifically for parents - click here to visit that website.
 
The following information on this page has been organized into the following four sections. If you desire, you can click on one of the sections below to jump immediately to that section below.

Six Steps to the College Planning Process	Preparing for the College Entrance Test (ACT/SAT)
Finding Scholarships	Athletes Who Intend To Play for NCAA Divison I-IIIA Schools

Section 1:  Six Steps to the College Planning Process
(information provided by ACT with additions, deletions, and clarifications from our Guidance Office and Principal)
 
Step 1 – Know yourself and your reasons for attending college.  To “know yourself” people need to recognize their strengths and weaknesses, analyze their interests and values, and determine what personal goals you want to achieve in life. As far as reasons for attending college; first, there is God’s will and direction, then you must also consider other factors such as preparing for a career and expanding your learning, participation in extracurricular activities, and the influence your family and friends play in your decision.
 
Step 2 – Consider College Characteristics.  When considering what college to spend four years of your life attending you should, in addition to what has already been shared, look at the following: the majors they offer; the type of school and the type of degrees offered; their admission policy; the location and size of the college; the cost and financial aid that is available; the college affiliation and if it is accredited or not; campus activities; and support services for students.
 
Step 3 – List, Compare, and Visit Colleges.  First, compile information from several resources (websites, college catalogs, college representatives, college fairs, counselors, teachers, parents, students, alumni, etc.). Second, prepare a college comparison checklist of those items that are important to you. Third, weigh the advantages and disadvantages of each college. Fourth, contact the Office of Admission and schedule an appointment for a campus visit. During a campus visit: meet with the admissions counselor, verify admission requirements, determine the actual cost of attending, talk about financial aid opportunities, take a campus tour, find out specifics about the academic program you are interested in, attend a class, and talk with students and faculty. When you visit it is highly recommended that you arrange to spend the night in a dorm, that way you can see what a typical evening is like. Most colleges "come to life" at 10pm and it is important for you to see what that environment is like.  Further Help:  The National Survey of Student Engagement provides excellent research on colleges and universities. The reason we mention this here is because the survey they use to ask students questions provides key questions you should ask when talking to colleges. A very helpful resource they publish is A Pocket Guide to Choosing a College: Are You Asking the Right Questions on a College Campus Visit?" You can view that resource by clicking here.
 
Step 4 – Keep Accurate Records as you Apply for Admission and Meet Deadlines.  First, review college admission test requirements (ACT/SAT including the Writing Test which is now required by many colleges). More and more colleges are requiring the Written Test so that they have another writing sample from the student to compare to the essay often written during the application process because, sadly, many students are not submitting essays that they have personally written with their application. Second, know the application fees and deadlines. Third, submit all application materials (application, fee, high school transcript, recommendations, and test results); students should apply for college admission during the summer after their Junior year, or early during the fall semester of their senior year. Fourth, know scholarship requirements and deadlines (more on scholarships below).
 
Step 5 – Develop a Plan to Finance Your Education.  First, NEVER eliminate any college because of cost. Second, determine all accurate college costs (tuition, fees, books, room and board, transportation, clothes, personal items, spending money, etc.). Third, investigate all possible resources (e.g. parents, savings, summer earnings, scholarships, grants, loans, work-study programs). Fourth, secure necessary forms and pay close attention to deadlines. Fifth, apply for financial aid as early as possible.   Please remember that all males must be registered with Selective Service to qualify for financial aid.  Also note that most colleges require FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) to be completed to be considered for financial aid. If this is true you have two options: (1) Contact our Guidance Office in November as they send us a limited number of forms, or (2) Complete the form online (www.fafsa.ed.gov) for a faster response. You must include not only all financial information from all who claim the student as a dependent with the IRS, but also all monies earned by the student. The powers-that-be determine (through a special formula) what your Estimated Family Contribution is toward your child’s education and colleges then use this to determine how much financial aid to offer you.   Please also visit www.collegeboard.com and select “For Parents” then “Pay for College” for much more helpful information.
 
Step 6 – Review and Finalize Your Plans.  Students – students not parents – must, must, must (can you sense how important we are stressing this?) show initiative to the college admissions office. Frequent communication, via the phone and email, from the student to the college is essential as it tells the college that the student is very interested in attending THIS college and that it is not just one of five that they have applied to. It does not hurt to visit the campus more than once. They key in this step is to make sure everything is done that the college requires to be done for you to be considered for admission and then work to let them know that you are very interested in attending their college. Mom and Dad...you need to allow your son or daughter to be the main contact with colleges.

 
Section 2: Preparing for the College Entrance Test

1.There is a direct correlation between the courses the student takes in high school and how he or she scores on the ACT or SAT. The more advanced the work, the better the student scores.

2.Become familiar with the test (ACT or SAT) that you are going to take. Practice test-taking strategies (timing issues, reading questions before reading passages in the reading section). Take practice tests.

3.Understand what the ACT and SAT covers. The ACT covers English, Reading, Algebra, Geometry, Science Reasoning, and Writing. The SAT covers English, Reading, Algebra, Geometry, and Writing.

4.Statistically (meaning not always true, but usually) those who are better at math score higher on the ACT while those who are better at English score higher on the SAT.

5. We recommend that students take one or both tests as many times as possible. You are strongly encouraged (if you can afford it) to begin taking the tests during your 10th grade year. The first few times you take it are simply to become comfortable with the testing environment; do not worry about the score. Please register for the tests early enough so you can get your first testing location choice. Ideally, you want to take the test at the same location each time (if you register early enough). This way you will know how to drive there, where to park, what building to walk to, where the restrooms are, where the snack machines are, where the clock is on the wall, how the room is set up...you get the idea. This way when you begin taking it for a score, you are so comfortable with the environment you have eliminated that as a stress factor.

 
Section 3: Scholarships
Unless you earn a score of 30 or higher on the ACT (then colleges and universities start recruiting you with financial assistance), you are just going to have to accept the fact that finding scholarships requires work and are not necessarily guaranteed just because the student has a high GPA.
 
Independent Scholarships: Visit www.fastweb.com and www.collegeboard.com for information. Information we receive on independent scholarships is distributed to eligible students. Suggestion: Most students desire the big dollar scholarships, please apply for those as well; however, do not overlook the smaller amount scholarships that most students do not want to bother with. You can win one of those big scholarships, but many little scholarships will add up and often the competition is not as tough for the smaller ones.
 
College Awarded Scholarships: Go to the college website (often listed under financial aid) to see what scholarships are available. Setting up a meeting with the financial aid office during your college visit is highly recommended. It is recommended that you include a resume of high school activities, awards, honors, athletic participation, and leadership roles. Most importantly do not miss application deadlines. Some deadlines for college scholarships are as early as November 1st of the student’s senior year. This means that you must begin the six steps mentioned above as early as the junior year in high school. Watch the wording of college scholarships as some may say your test score and GPA make you eligible for “consideration” while others may provide “automatic” scholarships based on that info. Realize that separate applications and procedures are usually required for departmental or athletic scholarships; generally you must be admitted to college first before being considered for this additional financial assistance.
 
Leadership and Community Service Scholarships: These are based on offices held and involvement. You must keep your resume up to date (number of hours served each year, etc.). Often documents need to be signed by a supervisor and you may or may not be allowed to include mission/church related service.
 
Finally, it is very important that you send thank you letters to scholarship sponsors upon receiving a scholarship. Notify scholarship offices at colleges that “offer” you a scholarship that you will be “accepting” or that you “decline” that scholarship in addition to the thank you letter you send.

 

Section 4: Athletes Who Intend To Play for NCAA Division I-IIIA Schools
If you plan to be a college athlete, then you must register with the NCAA (click here for information and to register online). There are very specific rules about recruiting so you need to read the information on this web site very carefully to understand the program. You must be careful about when, who, and how you make contact with college coaches. Please check with your specific coach here at school or with our Athletic Director for more information.