Plant Seniors

WELCOME TO SENIOR COLLEGE NIGHT 2024! Counselors will review this information again in detail during senior lessons. Please bookmark or save this page to refer to throughout the college application season. Updates will be made to information and to the scholarship page as well.

Hello! Can you believe it's finally here? We hope senior year is off to a great start! You are likely still adjusting to being back at school. However, if you haven't started college applications, now's the time to get started. Students can carve out a little time each week to work on applications and essays. We recommend doing a little each week to help keep things be more manageable and check in with your counselor regularly for assistance. We are here to help and look forward to helping seniors throughout the year.

Sincerely,

Athena Dicus

Student Services Department Head

Counselors will be visiting English classes in September to share important details about the college process and other post-secondary options. Providing information through a smaller environment will allow seniors to ask questions. We will cover all things shared in this newsletter.

STARTING IN SEPTEMBER, Seniors MUST schedule their "senior meeting" with their assigned alpha counselor and can do so through each counselor's Canvas class. We meet with each senior to review required credits for graduation, assist with post-secondary planning, and help with the college application process. To schedule an appointment, students will follow these steps. The bookings are not live yet while counselors are balancing classes.

**NOTE: THIS DOES NOT WORK FROM THE PARENT CANVAS ACCOUNT--ONLY FROM THE STUDENT ACCOUNT. THE SENIOR SHOULD BOOK THE APPOINTMENT.

1. From a computer, go to the "School Counselor" Canvas class homepage. From a cell phone, go to sdhc.instructure.com and log in. (Booking appointments will not work from the app)
2. Select View Course Calendar
3. Select Find Appointment

**Students must have teacher permission IF he/she will miss a class/elective and will show the appointment to the teacher for a pass to the student services office.

This senior checklist will be reviewed with seniors during the individual senior meeting and a copy will be provided to each student. Graduation requirements will be reviewed as well. Please know, it is the student's responsibility to meet graduation requirements. The counselor guides students but ultimately students are responsible for meeting graduation requirements.

• Review the checklist to help your senior stay on track
• Click here to download a copy
• Click here to see a full description of graduation requirements
• NEW: the online course requirement is no longer required for current seniors!

Counselors can assist seniors with the tasks below and with general advising.

GENERAL APPLICATION, NAVIANCE & COMMON APP HELP

• make a list / do research
• request letters of recommendation in person
• college essay assistance
• start / work on actual applications
• set up a Common App account
• navigate Naviance and link it to Common App

*Students can book an appointment through Canvas with their alpha assigned counselors.

*Students can also visit room 101 for assistance. Parent volunteers are in 101 during all lunches to help assist students. If privacy is important, then a private appointment can be booked with the alpha counselor or with Ms. Moseley at calendly.com/laurenmoseley.

If these steps are not completed, we are not able to send documents to colleges.

1. Match Common App to Naviance--Log into Naviance, click on "Colleges I'm Applying To", click on Match Common App, log into Common App.
2. Complete the FERPA--Log into Common App, click on one of your colleges, click on "Recommenders and FERPA", waive your right to view recommendations.

**Upload your Resume--FSU requires a resume. THEY recommend students upload the resume in Common App AND in their "Application Status Check" portal on FSU's website.

**GPA Scale is "4.0". Enter the weighted GPA. Class rank is "exact" and "weighted".

Students will need to SEE their counselor to request a letter of recommendation. Students will submit requests to teachers through Naviance, but they will NOT request a recommendation through Naviance for the counselor. Seeing the counselor allows face-to-face interaction and gives an opportunity for the counselor to ask questions and get to know you well or we will schedule an appointment. You will want to prepare a resume and/or be ready to talk about yourself.

We recommend students choose the essay prompt they can address with strength throughout the essay. Some students write really well but may not address the prompt as well as they could.

The "Activities" section is one of the few ways colleges get to learn more about your student. Students should write specific details when describing each activity. This gives college admissions readers a clear perspective and perception of the student. Unfortunately, there are only 50 characters allowed, so see your counselor if you need help.

Students must log into Naviance on our unique website: https://student.naviance.com/planths.

Students should use Chrome when using Naviance.

I cannot send documents to colleges if these steps are not done.

1. Match Common App to Naviance--See above
2. Request Transcripts for colleges that require them. Click on "Colleges I'm Applying To" then click on "Manage Transcripts"
3. Formally request a recommendation from your counselor in-person & via Canvas message IF you need one and give 2-3 weeks notice. There is not an online request for a counselor recommendation.
4. Submit your Recommendation Requests for TEACHERS in Naviance. Click on the Colleges link at the top of the page, click on Letters of Recommendation, click on "Add Request".

Plant does NOT send test scores to colleges. Test scores are NOT on the transcript. Students must send official test scores directly from their College Board and/or ACT account. Scores must be submitted to colleges and arrive by the deadlines.

• Log into College Board and click "send scores"
• Log into ACT and send scores from your "scores dashboard"

The SSAR is the Student Self Reported Academic Record. Most of the Florida colleges will require students to self-report grades instead of sending a transcript. Students will use their transcript summary to enter every class and grade line by line. Choosing the subject area can be confusing. Therefore, STUDENTS can follow these steps and links below.

• Use the transcript summary to enter all coursework.
• Review your transcript to make sure everything is on it and is accurate.
• Click HERE to review helpful information for filling out the SSAR
• Click HERE to review the PLANT academic subject areas
• Click HERE to start your SSAR

FOR BRIGHT FUTURES, ALL HOURS ARE DUE PRIOR TO GRADUATION!

Service/work hours are NOT required for graduation but ARE required for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program and other private scholarships. Profferfish was discontinued, but we have acquired a NEW online service hours system. Information will be published as soon as we are onboarded. ALL hours must be submitted through this portal by the student, even if a student still has hours on paper forms or from out-of-state or private school. This will continue to streamline the documentation process for students.

The ASVAB is free career planning aptitude test designed for students in grades 10-12 that helps predict future academic and occupational success. Participation is totally voluntary. Your child can benefit from this unique opportunity to explore personal potential and the world of work at no cost. Testing will take place on the following dates.

• Dates: November 19th or February 27
• Time: 8:30am
• Place: TBD (computer lab)
• Sign up: Click here to sign up

Email: athena.dicus@hcps.net
Website: http://planthighguidance.weebly.com
Location: 2415 S. Himes Ave, Tampa, FL 33629
Phone: 813-272-3033