Sail Into Senior Year

WSD Presents:

Discerning the �Ideal Career

Volunteer

Hobby

Occupation

Job

= Ideal Career

Click Here

To College,

or not to college…

That is the question.

Can I avoid being a statistic?

Research the education/training needed for the career(s) you are considering

Research the program to make sure it is appropriate and affordable

Develop a plan to finish (15 to Finish), use your resources, and reach out for help when you need it

MILITARY

Full-time Enlistment

• Army
• Navy
• Air force
• Marines
• Coast guard

Reserves

• Army
• Navy
• Air force
• Marines
• Coast guard

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National Guard

• Air national guard
• Army national guard

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE SLIDESHOW FROM WSD MILITARY OPTIONS NIGHT

• Focused on hands-on, practical training to allow students to gain entry to specific career fields 
• Look at cost, accreditation, retention rates, and information on job placement and average earnings in those jobs 
• 12 months to 24 months training certificate programs or associate degrees 
• Many technical schools are for-profit and tuition costs vary widely  
• Public technical schools accept the A+ Program Scholarship
• Can provide affordable ways to get technical training at low cost 
• Examples of Vocational/Tech School careers:  Pharmacy Technicians, Dental Assistants, Paralegals, Computer Repair, Medical Assistants, Practical Nursing (CNA/LPN), Welding, Aviation Maintenance, Automotive Technician, Web Development, Funeral Directing, HVAC   

Vocational/Technical School

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TECHNICAL SCHOOLS and PROGRAMS

A+ PROGRAM SCHOOLS

• State Technical College of MO

OPEN HOUSE on March 29!!

• Programs
• Video
• Associates of Applied Sciences
• SCC
• STLCC
• Ranken technical college*
• Dozens more throughout MO

* A+ Scholarship at Ranken is not full tuition

PROFESSIONAL ACADEMIES

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• Paramedic / EMT
• Law Enforcement
• Massage Therapy
• Cosmetology/Esthetician/Barber
• Culinary Arts

INDUSTRY-RELATED PROGRAMS

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• School of Clinical Laboratory Science
• School of Radiologic Technology
• Licensed Practical Nurse
• Pharmacy Technician

2 - Year Community College

• Degree for students who plan to transfer to a college or university
• Must complete 64 credits including 42 credits of general education requirements
• AA and AS degrees generally parallel the first 2 years of a Bachelor’s Degree at a 4-year institution
• Examples of AA/AS Transfer Degree Pathways: Biology, Engineering, Psychology, Computer Science, Business or Economics, Art/Graphic Design, Political Science

• Degree for students who complete the requirements of one of the career/technical programs with a minimum of 64 semester credits
• Not intended to transfer to a 4-year institution
• Examples of AAS careers: Deaf education- Interpreter education, Dental Hygienist, Business Administration, Culinary, Graphic Design, Hospitality Management, Occupational Therapy Assistant, Law Enforcement, Emergency Medical Science

Associates of Arts/Science Transfer Degree (AA/AS)

Associates of Applied Science (AAS)

4+ Year College or University

• Well rounded college experience that includes an academic area of study (Major/Minor)
• Cost of attendance can vary from $16,000-$24,000 for public instate
• Cost of attendance for private or out of state may run $25,000-$50,000 +
• Specific admission requirements
• Living on campus is usually required - at least freshman year
• Opportunities to get involved on campus- clubs and activities
• Research/study abroad/Co-op/Internships
• Some careers require a Bachelor’s, Master’s or PHD

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Bachelor’s Degree and Beyond

Paying For Your Education

• Determine total Cost Of Attendance - COA
• Investigate all possible resources:
• Parents/Savings
• Student summer earnings
• Financial aid:
• A+program
• Scholarships
• Grants
• Loans
• Work study
• Secure necessary forms and note deadlines
• Apply for financial aid as early as possible

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Paying For Your Education

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• FAFSA.gov (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
• 2026-2027 version of the FAFSA
• Apply October 1, 2025 – February 1, 2026
• Based on 2024 taxes
• S.A.R. (Student Aid Report)
• SAI (Student Aid Index; formerly EFC)
• 529 College Savings Plans
• Award Letters
• Net Price Calculator posted on all college websites
• Early College/Dual Enrollment/AP credit

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Missouri A+ Scholarship Program

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* Sign A+ Student Participation Agreement

* Attend an A+ high school for 2 years prior to graduation

* 2.5 cumulative unweighted GPA

* 95% cumulative attendance rate

* Proficient score on an Algebra EOC exam or qualifying math subscore

on the ACT or Pre-ACT.

* Maintain a record of good citizenship

* Apply for federal student aid at FAFSA.gov (senior year, after Oct. 1st)

* 50 hours of unpaid supervised tutoring (junior/summer/senior year)

* 12.5 hours can be approved job shadowing

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BENEFIT – Pays for tuition and general fees while earning an associates degree at a Missouri community college or public vocational/technical school. The A+ Scholarship funds are available for up to 4 years after high school graduation. Some 4 year universities are offering scholarship money for completing the A+ Program.

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The

Right

Fit

College Admissions Exams

ACT

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• 3 Subtests: English, Math, Reading
• Optional Science & Writing test
• Top score for each test - 36
• Top Composite score - 36
• Sign up at www.act.org
• Holt & Liberty are test centers

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SAT

• Consists of 3 subtests -

Reading, Math, Writing & Language

• Composite score range is 400-1600

calculated with one subtest score for Math and one for Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (each section is scored with a maximum score of 800)

• Sign up at www.collegeboard.org
• Liberty is a test center

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The Hot Topic of “Test Optional” for college admissions, scholarships, Academic Honors at Graduation, etc…

Dual Credit Options- Classes taken at high school

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• UM-St. Louis (Anatomy and Adv. French/AP French)
• Missouri Baptist University (College Algebra)
• Missouri State University (Culinary Arts III)
• University of Central Missouri (Pathways to Teaching)

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• St. Charles/St. Louis Community Colleges
• Ranken Technical College
• Missouri Southern State University (free classes for students on Free/Reduced Lunch)
• Mo. State, Truman, SEMO, etc.
• Many other colleges/universities

Dual Enrollment

AP (Advance Placement) Exams

Students enrolled in AP classes (weighted) have the OPTION to take the AP Exam at the end of the year to potentially earn college credit.

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* National Testing Dates: May 5-16

* Cost $99 per exam

* Will you earn credit? Specific College Decision www.collegeboard.org/apcreditpolicy

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What Colleges Look For…

• Admission Requirements, core classes & college prep classes
• Grades/GPA/Rank
• ACT/SAT scores (composite, superscore, sub-tests)
• Leadership/Involvement
• Activities: Sports, Clubs, Community Service, Part-time Jobs, Summer Opportunities
• Admission Essays
• Teacher and Counselor Recommendations (if required)
• Interviews, when required or recommended.
• Admissions officers review student files and make selection based on the standards and needs of the individual college.
• Each college sets their own requirements; it is up to YOU to be aware of what you need to do to be admissible.

Applying to college – Helpful Hints

• Common Application – Apply to several colleges with one

comprehensive application. (Takes 20 hours to complete.)

• Opens on August 1^st but you can get a head start by working your essays over the summer
• Transcript will be sent through Xello (counselors) linked to their Common App, sent in the fall application window. Some colleges require a Mid-Year Report with updated transcript.
• Deadline vs. Rolling Admissions Pay attention to scholarship deadlines
• Early Decision- Binding if admitted
• Early Action- Receive a decision early if you apply by the early date, typically Nov 1 or 15
• Regular Decision- Deadlines will vary. Response usually received in Spring.
• Rolling Admission-Applications are read & decisions are made continuously throughout the year
• When applying through the college’s website, students must request their transcripts be sent through Xello.
• “APPLY WEEK”– is October

Understanding Applications & Transcripts

• Rolling Admission - Students can apply anytime during the application process and will get a decision back from the school quickly. There is no "deadline."
• "Priority" deadline - A student's application gets priority for admission as long as it is completed within the application window specified by the school.
• Early Decision - A student can only apply to one school for Early Decision. ED is binding; if you apply ED and are accepted, you must attend this school and pull all applications submitted to other schools.
• Early Action - Under Early Action a student can apply early and get a decision quickly, usually by the second week of December, with no requirement to attend. You can apply EA to more than one school.
• Restrictive Early Action - This option is a hybrid between ED and EA. You are not required to attend the college if accepted but you cannot apply ED elsewhere (you can apply EA to other schools)
• Single College Early Action - Applying Single Choice Early Action means you may not apply anywhere else through ED or EA. Be sure this is your first choice school so you do not miss out on applying early anywhere else.
• Early Decision II - This is a second round of ED some schools offer that is binding. The deadline is usually Jan. 1 with decisions coming in February. If you don't get into your first ED school, this is a good option to apply to your second choice ED.
• Regular Decision - Apply during the regular application period. This is non-binding and you can choose whether or not to attend. Deadlines vary by school.

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Supporting documents will be sent by deadlines, earlier isn't better!!

Understanding Applications & Transcripts

• Common Application
• One application for several colleges (some college-specific questions)
• You can start your essays any time
• Create your account AFTER August 1st
• IMMEDIATELY choose the "Decision Plan" (Early Decision, Early Action, Regular Decision, etc.)
• List the College and Career Counselor as the "Counselor" in Common App
• Transcripts will be sent beginning September 1st
• Applying on College website
• Apply through website
• Request transcripts through Xello (info coming soon)
• Transcripts will be sent beginning September 1st
• Letters of Recommendation
• Not all colleges require them; DO NOT ASK FOR LETTERS IF YOUR COLLEGE DOESN'T
• Give AT LEAST 2 weeks notice for LORs
• Provide recommenders with brag sheet / Request for LOR form
• Follow-up with Thank You note

ACTION ITEMS:

• Do your Research
• Career interests and skills (Xello)
• Career outlook
• Job shadowing
• College research
• Does it "fit?": majors, cost, culture, distance, etc.
• Do I meet their admissions requirements?
• Campus visits
• By the fall, create a list of 2-8 colleges that you plan to apply to
• Complete college applications
• Most applications open August 1st
• September and October are prime months to work on applications (OCTOBER IS APPLY MONTH!!)
• Watch deadlines and be aware of supplemental items needed (transcript, LORs, portfolios, etc.)
• Apply for scholarships (priority order: institutional - local/regional - national)
• Set up My Scholarship Central Account over the summer
• File FAFSA - October 1st - all financial aid comes from FAFSA, including student loans
• Click HERE to access a Junior/Senior year checklist

Junior Checklist for the College Bound Student

• Challenge yourself in courses
• Get/stay involved in activities (Sports, Clubs, Community Service, Part-time Jobs, Summer Opportunities)
• Take the ACT/SAT
• Research career interests
• Research colleges/programs
• Visit with college reps at school
• Visit college campuses
• Attend local college fairs
• Consider summer school, if needed
• Take advantage of summer opportunities

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• Athletes: monitor eligibility
• Make a plan to complete A+ hours
• Research scholarship opportunities and qualifying criteria
• Consider letters of recommendation
• Begin to build your portfolio/resume
• Talk to parents about how much they will be able to help with funding your education (how much financial aid will you need?)
• Make an appointment with your counselor and or college/career counselor if you have questions

Senior Checklist for the College Bound Student

• Choose your courses wisely
• Continue extracurricular activities
• Retake the ACT if necessary
• Complete A+ tutoring hours
• Attend local college fairs
• Visit College Campuses
• Narrow down college choices
• Visit with college reps at school
• In the fall, apply to 2-8 colleges
• Request that transcripts be sent (Xello or Common App)

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• Complete the FAFSA online (Oct. 1)
• Request letters of recommendation if needed
• Meet school scholarship application deadlines
• Apply for outside scholarships
• Continue planned college campus visits
• Apply for local scholarships
• Work with college of choice on financial aid package
• Make college choice (check deadlines)

Education is NOT enough! �Short-comings of Job Applicants:

• Poor work habits (66%)
• Lack of communication or interpersonal skills (56%)
• Lack of critical thinking and problem solving (49%)
• Lack of teamwork or collaboration (47%)
• Inability to interact with different cultures or backgrounds (42%)
• Inability to think creatively (39%)
• Unwillingness to learn (38%)
• Inability to pass a drug test (5%)

(based on survey of 1144 area employers; statistic represents the percentage of respondents who have noticed a “significant” lack in that skill or quality)

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SOURCE:

2019 State of St. Louis Workforce Report

Mentors 4 College

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https://mentors4college.org/

• Personal mentor
• Workshops

* Career Slam

* Application Essay Writing

• Fantastic website with many valuable resources & webinars.

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Thank you for coming!

• General Q&A
• Individual Q&A