Class of 2021 (Srs) - CollegePrep@OCS Assignments

Lela.Org is offering a $1000 scholarship to be determined by a drawing in June. Complete your FAFSA, make a PDF your FAFSA confirmation page, and register at asklela.org. Deadline is May 31. Follow the link below to apply.

The Go To Bat Scholarship is awarded by Gauthier Amedee Personal Injury Law, a firm located in Gonzales, Louisiana. Two, $500 scholarships will be awarded to two seniors who meet the following eligibility requirements:

--Applicants must be college students in Louisiana, with a GPA of at least 3.0, who have been accepted to or are currently enrolled in a 2-year college or 4- year university.
--Applicants must have a GPA of at least 3.0.
--Two students will be selected to receive $500 in scholarship funds based on their winning essay response.

To enter, applicants are encouraged to submit via form on the website. Link below

The deadline for submissions is April 30th, 2021. The winner will be notified individually and announced on their social media sites between May 17th-21st, 2021.

High school seniors who have been, or whose parent/legal guardian has been, Claiborne Electric members for at least one year are eligible to apply for this scholarship. Students must have been residing in the household with the member for at least one year at the time of the drawing.

This scholarship is good only for institutions of higher education in Louisiana.

The scholarship is by a drawing on 4/24/21.

Deadline to apply is Friday, April 16. Complete the attached form and mail to the address on the form.

If you've attended a Morehouse Parish-region high school for your sophomore, junior and senior years (OCS qualifies for this) and have been a Morehouse Parish resident for those three years, you are eligible to apply for this scholarship.

See the attached letter for application requirements. Application Deadline is March 26.

If you are planning to take the April ACT, registration ends March 12th. This is the last ACT offered until June 12th. To register, go to my.act.org

See the flyer in Google Classroom for all upcoming dates and deadlines.

First time signing up? See the Google Classroom assignment and instructions that we posted in November.
*Remember, don't use your OCS email address
*December test is deadline for most scholarships
*April test is deadline for qualifying for TOPS

M*A*S*H is a summer program (held on the campuses of Louisiana Tech and BPCC) which offers students interested in health careers an opportunity to learn the basic sciences relating to medical theories, diagnosis, careers, and treatments. These intense, college-level classes are condensed into a 12 day Pathophysiology course; students are expected to study, take tests, and perform at the highest academic level.
**11th and 12th graders can apply
**3.0 minimum GPA
**21 ACT minimum

If you are planning on attending ULM, this is great news! ULM, which seems to be the most generous of our local universities in offering scholarship monies, has reopened their foundation scholarship applications to freshmen, with more opportunities. So, if you didn't already do this during the October application period, do this now. Follow these instructions:

The ULM Foundation and Scholarship Offices would like to invite graduating high school seniors to apply for Foundation Scholarships. The Foundation Scholarships are donor funded and awarded separately from other ULM Academic Scholarships. There are over 500 scholarships awarded annually with amounts ranging from $200 - $10,000. While students may have previously applied for ULM Foundation Scholarships in October 2020, there are now additional scholarship opportunities available they may be eligible for. The application deadline is February 28, 2021. Please find the attached flier for general Foundation Scholarship information.

Students can apply at the ULM Foundation Scholarship Portal (link below).

Here are some guidelines to direct students through the application process:

1. Please log in to the ULM Foundation Scholarship Portal with your ULM Credentials. If you need help with your ULM Credentials, please read the following guidelines:

*What is my username?
Your username is the same as your email address. If your email address is '[email protected]', username is 'user123'. If you do not know what your email address, you may use this online form to lookup your username using your CWID.
*What is my password?
Your default password is your birthdate followed by a dash “-“ and the last four digits of your CWID. For example if your birthday is 04-17-85 and the last four digits of your CWID is 1234, then your myULM default password will be 041785-1234. There are no spaces in the password. Here is an example of the format: MMDDYY-XXXX
*I cannot remember my password to access myULM, webmail, or Moodle.
Call the Helpdesk at (318)342-3333 or email [email protected].

2. Once you sign in, complete the General Application. When answering the following questions, please use these helpful hints below:

Expected ULM Graduation Date: Month and year you expect to graduate from ULM.
Professional/ Community Activities: Examples may include: Church involvement, volunteer work, internships. etc.
Leadership Roles/ Special Recognition: Examples may include: Clubs, organizations, and officer roles you may have held, etc.

3. Once you finish filling out the General Application, hover your mouse over the Opportunities tab at the top. This will provide you with a list of recommended scholarships. Click APPLY and answer any supplemental questions. For a complete list of all foundation scholarships, click on “Ours” on the Opportunities tab.

4. After you have applied to the scholarship, you are done! You can check the status of your application by logging back into the system.

All decisions will be made by the end of July 2021, and students will be notified through their ULM Warhawk email.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Scholarship Office at (318) 342-5321 or [email protected].

Seniors,

We will begin Midyear Interviews (one-on-one or in small groups as you prefer) this coming Monday, 2/1/21. Before we can schedule you, we need for you to complete this questionnaire.

Once we schedule your interview, we will send you an invitation from Google Calendar. Do these things:

1. Accept if the date & time are OK.
2. If not, Decline and email to let us know what works better.
3. Know that if you're missing a class for the interview, your teacher will also receive an invitation just to let them know you will be out. They, too, can Decline if they need you in class, and we will reschedule for you.

Questions? See Mrs. Malone.

I'm sharing this with all HS students; if you are not a senior but think you'll want to apply for this in the future, make note of it for later.

The Jackie Robinson Foundation scholarship application is now available!

The Jackie Robinson Foundation provides four-year scholarships of $30,000 and extensive support services, including career guidance and internship placement, to highly motivated African American students who have maintained a 98% college graduation rate.

The application closes at 5:00 pm ET on February 1, 2021.

To get more information, click the link in the attached PDF, or copy and paste this address into your browser.

https://www.jackierobinson.org/apply/?utm_campaign=counselors&utm_source=programs&utm_term=FY21&utm_medium=email

FAFSA
If you think you'll qualify for TOPS and haven't yet completed the application for TOPS, you need to start that soon.

There are two options for applying for TOPS: the FAFSA, or the TOPS Online Application (which has some restrictions, so check it out before you settle on using it). The link to the TOPS Online Application info is below.

Colleges have a "priority application deadline" for FAFSA. LSU's, for example, is January 31. It's not a hard deadline, but the later you complete it, the longer you have to wait for your financial aid offer letter from the colleges you're considering. This letter tells you essentially how much you will owe them when you start school.

To begin, use the attached guide. Also, we are sending paper copies of this guide home this week through Coach Inman's class, so you can wait to get the paper copy if you want.

YEARBOOK ITEMS DUE
--January 31, your 2 senior portraits and baby picture are due. Upload these to www.hjeshare.com using the school code HJ17517.
--January 31, if you want to buy an ad, you need to purchase by this date. Check your Google Classroom for instructions.

MIDYEAR INTERVIEWS
Midyear Interviews begin Monday. You are receiving an update questionnaire which must be completed before your interview. Complete it as soon as you get it, please!

If you're going to college (nearly all of you), or if you plan to get TOPS for college (again, nearly all), you need to complete the FAFSA. This Free Application for Federal Student Aid is an application for all federal and state grants, scholarships, loans, and work study programs--including TOPS.

(For TOPS, you alternately may use their TOPS Application (see their explanation page before you select one or the other. See the attached link, or copy this link into a web browser:

https://www.osfa.la.gov/AwardSystem/faces/jsf/onlineApp/onlineAppFAFSA.jspx

We strongly recommend you complete the FAFSA by January 31. Each college/university has its own spring "priority application" deadline. The earlier you complete it, the more likely you will receive the first of the financial aid award letters (including your TOPS estimate) that colleges begin sending in March/April.

If you need any assistance, use the contact information on the back cover of the LELA guide. We highly recommend them!

ANOTHER VIRTUAL COLLEGE FAIR
The College Board (which is the company that produces the PSAT, SAT, and AP Tests) is offering a series of virtual fairs, "BigFuture (TM) Days." Designed for sophomores and juniors (but if you're a freshman and interested, we say, go for it!), You'll be able to connect with admissions reps & explore colleges. Register at the link below & see the attached PDF for more information.

FEBRUARY ACT REGISTRATION DEADLINE
Friday 1/15 is the last day to register to take the ACT Test. If you need assistance, look back in our prior posts to find out more details about how.

NATIONAL YOUTH LEADERSHIP FORUM AND OTHER PROGRAM INVITATIONS
Some of our high school students have begun receiving another round of invitations to the National Youth Leadership Forum, these for Medicine and Engineering.

We'd like to remind you that, although the invitation might indicate someone at the school has recommended you for this, we aren't aware of anyone who actually has done this.

Also, for this particular program, we have had students who participated in past years and found it to be a great opportunity. However, your decision to participate is entirely your own. These are quite expensive programs.

As with any such experience which requires your missing school, before committing you should clear your absences with Mrs. Stokes.

If you receive similar materials in the future, please feel free to ask us about them.

The information you submit here will be considered for inclusion along with your senior portraits in the senior section of the yearbook. Have fun, be creative, and include memories you'll treasure when you look back at these pages after you graduate.

If you have English with Mrs. Hollingsworth, she will set aside a little bit of time in English right after we return from the holidays to help us ensure your information is in the correct format. Mrs. Malone and Mrs. Stokes will then edit them for length and content.

COMPLETION DEADLINE: January 15, 2021

DISCLAIMER: The administration reserves the right to edit and proofread for content.

HERE'S WHAT TO DO: Complete the questionnaire line by line. In each line, read the content in the first box. Then type your answer in the second box, using the sample in the third box on that line. Then, move to the next line.

When you are done, submit the questionnaire.

If you have questions, see Mrs. Malone or Mrs. Stokes.

Have you applied to all the colleges on your list? Remember these things:

1. Always apply by each college's scholarship application deadline, OR
2. Apply by December 17, whichever date is earlier.

If you need help, see Mrs. Malone or Mrs. McMullen.

ULM is offering an opportunity for seniors and their parents to receive assistance in completing the FAFSA. If you find the resources we are sharing with you this week not helpful, or just really want someone to help you, be sure to sign up. See the attached for information. You don't have to be going to ULM in the fall to take advantage of this opportunity.

Open to future La Tech students, this freshman one-time (non-renewable) scholarship will award three winners with prizes of $750, $1500, or $2500.

This contest requires that you submit one of the following that describes what your school life looks like during the Covid lockdown and/or Phasing restrictions related to your school experience:

-Painting
-Drawing
-Graphic Design
-Video (5 mins or less)
-Essay
-Poem

Submit your entry to [email protected]

Deadline is January 15, 2021 (Selection/announcement is 3/1/21)

If you have any questions at all, email Colin Bailey, our recruiter at [email protected]

*this scholarship is at this point unpublished on their website. The only way we knew was by watching an email video sent to us from Colin—to me that means a counselor will have to watch the video AND communicate it on his/her own to seniors. Might mean there won’t be a ton of entries, so if you’re considering Tech as option 1 or 2, please participate!

SENIOR PORTRAIT REMINDER
We've mentioned this in the info packet and in our videos but want to remind you yet again: PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE make sure that IN YOUR PORTRAIT PHOTOS for the yearbook that you meet OCS Dress Code! We don't want to have to ask you to submit another one; it's embarrassing both for us and for you. If you're not sure about a pic, send it to Mrs. Malone and she'll help you decide.

LSU NEW "TEST OPTIONAL" POLICY
Please see the attached information if you have applied or will apply to LSU. They are now offering an option to you, if you choose it, that will NOT consider your ACT scores for admission. Instead, your application information would be considered, including these factors: high school grades, curriculum rigor, grade trends, grades in courses related to major interest, a letter of recommendation, optional essay, activities & awards.

If you've already applied, you've been sent an email inviting you to change to this "Test Optional" application type. My understanding is that you DON'T have to take this option.

If you are not sure, let Mrs. Malone or Mrs. McMullen know; we'll help guide you in your decision making.

**LSU'S PRIORITY APPLICATION DEADLINE is December 15. If you haven't already done yours and are planning to, GET BUSY :)

Senior Parents who want to purchase ads for their senior must reserve the space so the yearbook advisers can plan for the space. Follow this link to reserve or confirm your reservation. Copy this link into your browser to access the form:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSddjrJTO-9EzqW3vKLo64B4FM5nO41CyO3qLKSgQcs3FIMnpQ/viewform?usp=sf_link

GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

We've posted several things in Google Classroom this week. Parents, you should see these items listed in your weekly update email this afternoon from Google Classroom.

This is a good time to remind you that we actually post everything we need for y'all to know from a College Prep standpoint. I also want to remind you that you now have an alternate, and a little bit better way, to view items in Google Classroom:

GOOGLE CLASSROOM SYNC ON WEBSITE

While the weekly emails from Google Classroom provide you with each of your student's assignments listed in Google Classroom and their status, this sync feature allows you to look at all assignments, whether or not they have an "active" status. You won't be able to see any attachments to the assignment; for those, you will have to have your student's login/password.

1. Go to www.ocs.org

2. At the top, select Staff Directory

3. Select the teacher whose Google Classroom assignments you'd like to see.

4. There is an initial login screen at this point. You can move between teachers once you log in the first time in a session.

LOGIN: ocsparent
PASSWORD: lovegod20

5. On the teacher's page, select the Class your student is enrolled in. From there, you can do several things:

see upcoming assignments
see all assignments
send an email to the teacher (click Instructor; select Send Email)
subscribe to updates to the teacher's page
subscribe to the teacher's calendar

SENIOR YEARBOOK NEEDS - UPDATE

Baby Pictures
Thank you! We've got 47 of the 58 senior baby pictures in now. If you haven't yet submitted, we'll be contacting you separately.

Senior Portraits
Remember that we need TWO senior portraits for the portraits page--one full (or 3/4)-length and one close-up. Another reminder that the portraits must reflect dress code! PLEASE!

Senior Ads
Please follow the link below to reserve your ad space. We have to know how many pages to reserve in the yearbook. I've set the form so that you can see the responses; please check to be sure your ad reservation is recorded. Please let us know this by Monday, December 14.



Seniors, attached are the next three videos in our seminar series. We recommend

-- > everyone watch #3, College Costs
-- > if you will qualify or hope to qualify for TOPS, watch #4, Applying for TOPS
-- > if you are interested in scholarships of any kind, watch #5, Scholarships

If you print out THE GUIDE, all of the separate items we mention in the seminar are included in the Guide. We also are attaching each of the pieces separately for your convenience.

Planning to take the ACT? Register at my.act.org.

See the attached flyer for all upcoming dates and deadlines.

FIRST TIME SIGNING UP? You should know these things:

1. PARENTS-- your student should be involved in the setting up of his/her account, as there will be information requested that is easiest for them to supply, and should know how to access the account too.
2. You will have to provide a contact email address for the student. Here are our very strong suggestions:
----> DO NOT use your OCS email address! Our server's filter will not allow incoming emails of this nature.
----> This might be a good time for the student to have a personal email address if he/she doesn't already have one. It will be needed in the future for PSAT, PreACT, senior college applications, etc.
----> Parents can assist their students in setting up an address and can monitor it if needed. Make up an address that is "professional"--a college admissions officer might have to email you one
day!
----> The email address you use for ACT should be one that is checked frequently AND one you have access to.
3. The student should complete the Interest Inventory once per year.

WHEN? HOW OFTEN?
Freshmen: 1-2 times (used to qualify for Dual Enrollment beginning in 10th grade)
Sophomores: 1-2 times
Juniors: Twice, fall and spring
Seniors: as often as necessary in the fall
*December test is deadline for most scholarships
*April test is deadline for qualifying for TOPS

If you have always wanted to become a health care professional, now is the time to try it out and see if it's for you! Take part in the different health career programs that AHEC offers throughout the year.
Their two fall programs are "Day with the Doctors" and "Day with AHEC."
**Must be in 11th or 12th grade to apply
**"Day with the Doctors" applicants must have a 3.0 GPA
**"Day with AHEC" must have a 2.5 GPA
**Applications due to counselors on Thursday, November 5th

See the attached PDF for application link. 150 scholarships awarded, $20K total.

This is a leadership scholarship so you will have to provide evidence of volunteerism, service, leadership, etc.

Deadline is 4pm, October 31.

coca-colascholars.org

>>--- TOPS MINIMUM ACT SCORE SET AT 20 FOR 2021 SENIORS ---<<
Annually, state law recognizes the minimum ACT score to qualify for TOPS based on the prior year's state ACT average (never lower than 20). The average for the class of 2020 did not rise above 20, so the minimum score required for the Opportunity level of TOPS remains a 20.

>>--- TECH, ULM SCHOLARSHIP OFFERS ARRIVING ---<<
We're starting to hear that ULM and Tech are now emailing/mailing your scholarship offers. Here's what we recommend:

1. If a scholarship offer is non-binding (read the fine print), accept all scholarships and return the documentation to them in the way they request. READ THE FINE PRINT, but ULM & Tech are traditionally non-binding offers.
2. At the end of the year, we'll instruct you to decline previously accepted offers to the schools you are NOT attending; because your decisions might change between now and June, it's best to accept all offers while you are still deciding as long as you're comfortable with the associated risks.
3. Email // screenshot // let us make a copy of your award letters. We recognize your accomplishments at the end of the year. Do this ASAP; you'll forget otherwise.

>>---UPCOMING VIRTUAL VISITS ---<<
***LSU Virtual Event for Students in Ouachita Parish***
Wednesday 10/21, 6-6:30pm.

You must pre-register here:
https://admissions.lsu.edu/register/Ouachita

***Louisiana College Virtual Preview Day***
Saturday 10/24, 1-3pm
Attendees will have $25 application fee waived and have a chance of winning 1 of 2 $1000 scholarships.
Register here:
https://lacollege.edu/admissions/visit-campus/preview-day/

>>--- NELA VIRTUAL FAIR ---<<
The schools in Central and North LA have decided to host another Virtual College fair for the students of Louisiana on Tuesday, October 27 from 6pm-8pm. Attached is a flyer with the schools who are attending. The first 45 minutes will be presentations from the institutions and then the last hour and 15 minutes students will be able to jump on other zooms with the institutions individually to ask specific questions.

>>--- JOB SHADOW DAY NEXT THURSDAY ---<<
Seniors, if you haven't already scheduled your shadow experience for next Thursday, you are running out of time. Remember we told each of you it's your responsibility to schedule your own job shadowing experience. Your counselors will be extremely busy getting Testing Day going and won't be able to set aside time to offer advice next week, so act quickly. The information and form that you must return to school are included in this Google Classroom under "INFO & FORMS."

>>--- LDCC (Delta Community College) APP NOW OPEN // SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION OPENS IN NOVEMBER---<<
The Fall 2021 application is now available for high school seniors interested in attending Delta after graduation. Students can apply directly through their website (NO application fee).

Go to https://www.ladelta.edu/ and select "APPLY."

Delta offers incoming freshmen scholarships. The application for these will be be available in late November.

>>--- COCA COLA SCHOLARSHIP OPEN // DEADLINE OCTOBER 31 ---<<
This is the first of several scholarships for which we'll share information. So you can see it on the calendar, we'll add it as an "Assignment;" you should be able to read the info and mark as done to get it off your Assignments list but still see the deadline on the calendar. If interested in applying, follow the links/read the info to continue.

>>--- GOOD ULM INFORMATION ---<<
We met recently with our ULM recruiter and got some good information to share with y'all:

1. ULM will use a student's ACT "SUPERSCORE" to award scholarships this year! This is an unpublished procedure and does not apply to admissions; only freshman academic scholarships.

2. ULM Foundation Scholarships application for first-time-freshmen (that's y'all) is open through October 28. Please, please, please apply if you're at all interested in ULM. There are dozens of these and the requirements for each vary and are often different from those for freshman academic scholarships.

To apply: https://ulm.academicworks.com/
You will need your CWID (remember that we keep reminding you to find the ULM email that has this information and your login/password in it!): https://ulm.academicworks.com/

Here it is! The second video in our Senior Seminar series along with an updated Guide that has all the info from the first two videos. Please watch and let us know if you have questions. We hope to release at least one of the Paying for College videos before Fall Break.

>>---ULM DE STUDENTS--BE ON THE LOOKOUT!---<<
We just received word that ULM has just sent out their admissions letters for all Dual Enrollment students. This means they have taken your Dual Enrollment applications and automatically processed them as your Undergraduate Freshman application. Bring your copy to us so we can make a copy of it!

This isn't the letter that gives you your CWID and username/password; remember, these are the ones we want you to keep because of the information you need.

>>---ULM FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPS---<<
Planning to go to ULM and need a little extra scholarship cash? Apply for ULM Foundation Scholarships ASAP. The application period for these opened on October 1 and CLOSES OCTOBER 31. These are a separate source of scholarship money at ULM AND do not have the same ACT & GPA requirements that the Freshman Academic Scholarships do, so you may be eligible for additional funds--but only if you apply for them.

Also, you have to first be admitted to ULM, so if you still need to apply, do that first; wait for your admissions letter, then apply for Foundation Scholarships.

Hurry, though: the deadline is October 31!

To apply: https://ulm.academicworks.com/

For more information on these scholarships, you can see each one listed on the page above. To filter the list to the ones you would be considered for, type "Freshman" in the keyword search at the top.

Questions? Ask us!

>>---SENIOR SEMINAR VIDEO SERIES #2: APPLYING TO COLLEGES---<<
Don't forget to watch this video if are still applying to colleges or if you have questions.

Seniors & Parents,

It's probably time to begin organizing your application stuff. Here's our suggestion: GET A FOLDER! Or if you're Type A like Mrs. Malone, get an organizing binder. Your choice, but a folder with pockets will work fine.

FOLDER CONTENTS
In this folder, you should have the following:
-A copy of the senior's transcript
-A copy of each of his/her ACT scores
-Resume or Activity Record (If you completed)
-Letters of Recommendation (if you requested them from people)

In this folder, you should collect:
-Correspondence from each college that contains specific information about you, your application, your scholarship, or items you need to respond to.
-Copies of items you send to the college.

INFORMATION SHEET
We've created a sheet to help you "catch" the important information you need about the school and your counselors for your applications [at the top of the form] and information about yourself [and you often ask us for which we don't have] for your applications, etc. We recommend using this or another method to organize and save these types of information.

*I've included a pic sent to me this summer by one of our 2020 grad moms. She started saving things for her senior a few years back when we introduced the idea. <3

***>>>DATE CHANGE FOR JOB SHADOWING<<<***
Job Shadowing for seniors has been moved to Thursday, October 29. This date is chosen because 9th-11th graders take standardized tests based on the date for the PSAT. This year, and just recently, PSAT has moved its national testing date to 10/29, so we are forced to move Job Shadow day as well. We are so sorry for the inconvenience. Please make the appropriate adjustments with your plans for the day.

>>UPCOMING "ASSIGNMENTS" IN SR CLASS<<
You might notice some "assignments"--tasks, really, are due next Wednesday, 9/30: Getting organized for applications; Resumes; and Recommendations.

If you're considering only ULM & Louisiana Tech, and you are in Dual Enrollment at each of these, you're lucky--these things are not required.

HOWEVER--If you are applying to 1) LSU, and/or 2) A Private college, and/or 3) An Out-of-State College, these assignments are for YOU. That's because any of these require a Counselor Recommendation and most likely at least one other letter of recommendation. And we (your counselors) require your completed resume before we complete your Counselor Recommendation.

If you need assistance, please ask, and sooner rather than later!

>>ULM SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION<<
See the attached for ULM's updated scholarship information for the 2021-22 school year. Also included is a fee worksheet that helps break down costs. This sheet can be used for other schools as well if you fill in the blanks with their information.

>>ULM TOURS THIS WEEKEND<<
If ULM's on your list, take advantage of Talon Tours day this Saturday, 9-12. Sign up here: https://www.ulm.edu/talontours/

>>VIRTUAL COLLEGE FAIR FOR LOUISIANA COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES<<
If considering ANY college in Louisiana, you should register for this fair. See the attached PDF. You have a choice of three dates.: October 8, 15, or 20.
6pm: University Information
7pm Breakout Zooms for 1:1 questions

>>FALL INTERVIEWS<<
We're 2/3 through our fall interviews and should finish next week. A few things to remember:
1. When you get your invite, please accept it (or decline if we need to reschedule).
2. Your Interview, unless specifically stated otherwise, is in Mrs. McMullen's office (NOT via Google Chat). If Mrs. McMullen isn't in her room, find Mrs. Malone.

>>WATCH THE "BASICS" VIDEO<<
We can't visit your classes to do our usual seminar this year; these videos provide the same information in small pieces. Everyone should watch the first one. The next one, Applying, comes out next week.

>>PAYING FOR COLLEGE WEBINAR<<
The Louisiana office of Sallie Mae and Career Compass of Louisiana are offering a Paying for College webinar. Here is the information:

High school seniors and parents are invited to attend a free webinar entitled Paying for College to understand the college financial aid process. Please invite your seniors and parents so they can register for the webinar.

Louisiana Paying for College Webinar
Monday, October 5, 2020
6:00 PM CST

Join Christie Smith, Director of Business Development with Sallie Mae and Career Compass of LA for this informative session. We will cover the basics of college financial aid such as federal financial aid, state awards, scholarships and other options to consider in how to pay for college. We will also include tips on completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) which opens October 1, 2020.

Register today at:

https://salliemaebank.webex.com/salliemaebank/onstage/g.php?MTID=e8dbbdbcb9c7c7d7b8ab361f8e905e257

US ARMY (ROTC) VIRTUAL COLLEGE LEADERSHIP FAIR
If you're interested in 1) the military, 2) getting your entire college bill paid for, and 3) leadership, this information is for you: A virtual college leadership fair hosted by the United States Army Cadet Command on 26 September 2020 from 10am-1pm. This event will bring over 100 Universities to students across our country in a safe and virtual environment. Students will have the ability to move around virtual tables to talk to the University Army ROTC programs, advisors, and current students at the Universities.
• Over 100 virtual tables hosted by University Army ROTC programs
• Register to Win a new PlayStation 4
• Listen to previous 4-year scholarship winners
• Talk to University admissions to learn how to get in
• Talk to currently serving Officers to learn about career options
• Learn about other scholarship opportunities
• Be a part of a historic event!
• Supporters will have tables at the event as well! (Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jacksonville Jaguars, and much more)
See the attached PDF for more information.

Seniors, please take a few minutes to watch the attached video. Print & refer to the attached Guide. Mark this assignment as Done when you have finished. Please try to complete by Friday.

**SENIORS: Please remember to mark this "Assignment" as "Turn In" or "Mark as Read" so this will clear from your list!**

>>VIDEO SERIES SET TO UPLOAD TODAY (MAYBE MONDAY)<<
We were ready to record our first video today, but the internet had other plans. Look for an email with the link on Monday.
>>FALL INTERVIEWS<<
We've already seen 10 of our 58 seniors. WOOHOO! We will sens appointment invites Monday for next week. If you don't have a conflict, accept the appointment. If there's a conflict, "Decline" and email us a better time.

>>VIRTUAL COLLEGE FAIRS -- CHRISTIAN COLLEGES<<
Attached is an email from virtualchristiancollegefairs.com if you are interested in a Christian college. They are hosting fairs on September 15 and November 5.

>>VIRTUAL SERVICE ACADEMY DAY<<
If you are interested in applying to a military service academy--US Naval Academy, Air Force Academy, West Point, or US Coast Guard Academy, two things:
-----let us know ASAP! We have work to do!
-----Plan to attend Virtual Service Academy Day on 9/23 via video call. Information is attached.

Please complete this questionnaire to help us (and you) prepare for your upcoming Fall Interview. We've assigned "points" to catch your attention. You can't use them for anything, sadly, but you'll earn our gratitude for completing on time.

>>QUESTIONNAIRE POSTED! COMPLETE BY TUESDAY!
Seniors, we're starting to get things rolling for you. You have a questionnaire assigned in Google Classroom. This one has a point value and a due date of 8am, 9/8/20. Please complete this for us. We have begun to schedule our one-to-one appointments starting next Tuesday and need this information to make the schedule and prepare for your time with us.

**Parents--we'd appreciate the help reminding your senior to complete the questionnaire. Thanks!**

>>YOUR FALL SEMINAR VIDEOS ARE LOADING!
We're getting together everything we want to tell you and will be recording our videos next week, FINALLY! Look for a link by the end of next week.

>> APPLYING TO HARDING?
Use the code below for a waiver of your application fee! If you would like a Harding University "viewbook," and there are no more left in Coach Inman's class, see Mrs. Malone

HU1924Bison

>>ULM RECRUITMENT & ADMISSIONS
--If you are not enrolled in Dual Enrollment with ULM and want to apply as a "First-Time Freshman," apply now at https://www.ulm.edu/admissions/apply.html. Right now, the $20 application fee is waived.

--Follow "ULM Recruitment and Admissions" page on Facebook for updates.

--ULM's recruiter for our area is Logan Eagen, and her email address is [email protected]

--ULM is offering in-person tours. To sign up, go to ulm.edu/hawkseekers. Please do not schedule a tour or visit to ULM or Tech on a school day.

>>KNOW YOUR COLLEGES' RECRUITERS
As you begin to make contact with colleges you're applying to, keep the name and contact information for their recruiter. Each college will have a recruiter assigned to our area, and they are the best resources for you while in the application process.

>>SOUTHERN MISS HONORS COLLEGE APPLICATION OPEN
Interested in Southern Miss? See the attached email for info on their Honors College. The application is open!

FOR SENIORS: Please read the attached document then "Mark as Done."

FOR PARENTS: The content of the document is included here:

Welcome to your “Class of 2021” Google Classroom!

This Classroom has been created to include every senior in the Class of 2021. Its purpose is to communicate important information about your senior year in general and the college application process specifically. Because parents are invited as Guardians, this is also a way to communicate the same important information to them.

In the past, at this point, we already would have met with your parents and you! The beginning of this year has been anything but “normal”! But that won’t stop us from doing what we do:

HERE’S THE PLAN FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE

Video Series
Our usual routine of parent and senior seminars is not possible in our current COVID phase, so we are working on a series of very short videos with accompanying information to provide information to you, at least in the short term. This means you’ll have to keep up with what we share to stay informed about what to do, because what we have to share is important for you.

Fall One-on-One Meetings
We also plan to begin our fall one-on-one with each senior--anticipating starting these next week. Before your meeting, you’ll be required to complete a questionnaire, which we’ll send to you in GC.

What to Do in “Class of 2021” Google Classroom

So that we are assured everyone RECEIVES AND READS the information, all things we share will be posted in GC as an Assignment with a due date.

“GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS” ASSIGNMENTS
Most items we post will be “General Announcements” and will be included as “Assignments”--this is the only way a parent can see the content we share.
Our goal is to send weekly-ish general announcements to you to keep you informed.
PLEASE open and read the “Assignment” then select “Mark as Done” to clear it from your list of Student Work; otherwise, the list of incomplete “Assignments” will continue to grow.

OTHER ASSIGNMENTS
Other times, we will create an “Assignment” that is an actual task you must do for us; for example, a beginning-of-the-year survey that we use to collect information from you.
These assignments will also have due dates, and we will request you complete them by the due date.

EXPECT CHANGES
As we learn more about how best to use GC and navigate COVID life, expect that the way we do things WILL CHANGE. We’ll do our best to keep you informed. All we ask is that you read what we send. This is the ONLY “class” you will take that is ALL ABOUT YOU!

Mrs. Malone & Mrs. McMullen

We hope that we've finally cracked the Google Classroom email code--and if you receive this email on 8-7, then we were finally successful!

Here are some things you might be interested in knowing:

>>COLLEGEPREP@OCS: The Senior Year, An August Back-to-School Seminar
We will hold our August seminar for seniors and parents! However, it will be in a much different format--and a vision of what our future seminars will look like: The counselors will release a set of brief videos (no more than 10 minutes each) on several categories of information we need to share with you. The target release date is next Thursday, August 14. Depending on our success in producing them, we might release them in batches before then. If it looks like we will be late with them, we'll let you know in advance. The videos will be delivered via a link to our private YouTube Channel.

>>REGISTRATION FOR the ACT and SAT Now Open
As some of you have experienced, registration is now open for college admissions tests--and it's not going smoothly, from reports we've received. Hang tight, say a prayer, and hopefully, things will smooth out soon.

--Some ACT reminders for seniors:

--->CHECK your personal information listed on your ACT account--First, Middle, Last Name; Social Security Number; Home Address. Because college database systems have to match the identifying data from your electronic ACT score sent to them, if any of this information is different, your ACT record won't "match" and not be assigned to you. This causes delays but not until later when you don't realize this is the problem. Then your mom gets stressed, you get stressed, and we get stressed. Save us all some heartache, OK?!

--->Send to ULM and Tech as often as possible. These colleges will offer you scholarships based on what you have sent to them, and many of you will end up at one or the other (even if that's not your plan at the moment).

>>GET ORGANIZED! (See attached pic from an 2020 Senior Parent)
Even though it seems early, it's probably time to begin organizing your application stuff. Here's our suggestion: GET A FOLDER! Or if you're Type A like Mrs. Malone, get an organizing binder. Your choice, but a folder with pockets will work fine.

--In this folder, you should collect the following:
--->A copy of the senior's transcript
--->A copy of each of his/her ACT scores
--->Resume or Activity Record (If you completed)
--->Letters of Recommendation (if you requested them from people)

-In this, you should collect:
--In this folder, you will also begin collecting correspondence from each college that contains specific information about you, your application, your scholarship, or items you need to respond to.

***Soon, you will receive admissions letters from ULM, Louisiana Tech, and Delta, if you are taking Dual Enrollment from them (some of them via email). Each contains your college user ID and login and password for your online account. You will not need these now, but you definitely will later: TRUST US!

Sooooooooo, PLEASE LISTEN UP: Save a copy of these letters NOW. Immediately. Or else you will bother us on our all-too-short summer vacation because you don't know your College ID number! Seriously, though, you just need do this.

>>>>SOUTHERN MISS HONORS COLLEGE INFORMATION
See attached PDF for information about applying to this program.

Email us if you have questions!