Counselor's Corner - USD 110 Thunder Ridge Schools

Counselor's Corner

Kathi Boden, Student Success Coordinator

Welcome to the Counselor's Corner! Here you will find information about: ACT Registration, graduation requirements, financial aid, scholarships, and college searches.

Please check often for updates and contact me at school if you have questions about the content on this page!

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Thunder Ridge High School Graduation Requirements

Admission Requirements for State Universities

State universities in Kansas follow Qualified Admissions (QA) criteria when admitting undergraduate students. QA guarantees admission to a state university for Kansas residents meeting certain criteria. These criteria are set by the Kansas Board of Regents, the governing body for the six state universities. The purpose of QA is to enhance success at the university level by ensuring students are prepared for the rigors of a university education. The institutions that use QA for admission are: Emporia State University, Fort Hays State University, Kansas State University, Pittsburg State University, University of Kansas, and Wichita State University.

Qualified Admissions for Kansas Residents

State Scholars Curriculum

Kansas System Wide Transfer Courses: takes the guesswork out of college transfer within Kansas' public community colleges, technical colleges, and universities! The courses have been approved by the Kansas Board of Regents for transfer as direct equivalents at all public post-secondary institutions.

2018-2019 ACT DATES


Test Date	Registration Deadline	(Late Fee Required)


December 8, 2018	November 2, 2018	November 3-19, 2018
February 9, 2019*	January 11, 2019	January 12-18, 2019
April 13, 2019	March 8, 2019	March 9-25, 2019
June 8, 2019	May 3, 2019	May 4-20, 2019
July 13, 2019*	June 14, 2019	June 15-24, 2019

Phillipsburg is a test center for the June and October ACT!!!!

Choose the ACT-No Writing Test!

Cost : $50.50 (fee waivers are available for students who qualify - see counselor for details)

Thunder Ridge School Code: 171-580

To register, go to www.act.org or see Mrs. Boden. There are fee waivers available for students who qualify.

ACT Prep

play2prep App (Available for iphones and androids)

Daily training (5 questions)
ACT & SAT customized training
Simulated tests
Timed games vs. other players (if you want)
Progress tracker

www.act.org

Free ACT question of the Day
Preparing for the ACT – free student preparation booklet
Sample Questions
Tips for taking the ACT
Test Description

March2success

ACT, SAT practice tests, flashcards & games
7 full-length practice tests that are timed and scored just like the real test
Can review your test and see detailed explanations of each problem
Also includes information about taking the test, test tips, and test-taking strategies
Zero Hour Threat Game allows you to review for test

*Seniors wanting to participate in the Hansen Scholarship Test in September must a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5 and have taken the ACT before September and scored at least a 21 to participate.

FINANCIAL AID

FAFSA on the Web www.fafsa.gov

National Association of Student Financial Aid www.nasfaa.org

StudentAid.gov

Priority Deadline for Kansas - Received by April 1. Some schools may have an earlier priority deadline!

Unfortunately, there are people out there trying to take advantage of students and parents trying to get financial aid for college. Don't pay for help to find money for college! Commercial financial aid advice services can cost well over $1000. You might have heard or seen these claims at seminars, over the phone from telemarketers, or on-line:

"Buy now or miss the opportunity." Don't give in to pressure tactics. Remember the "opportunity" is a chance to pay for information you could find yourself for free.
"We guarantee you'll get aid." A company could claim it fulfilled its promise if you were offered student loans or a $200 scholarship. Is that worth a fee of $1000 of more?
"I've got aid for you; give me your credit card or bank account number." Never give out a credit card or bank account number unless you know the organization you are giving it to is legitimate. You could be putting yourself at risk of identity theft.

For more information on scholarship scams:

http://www.finaid.org/scholarships/scams.phtml

www.studentaid.ed.gov/LSA

www.ftc.gov/scholarshipscams

Try these Free Sources of Information:

The U.S. Department of Education's Web site: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/redirects/federal-student-aid-ed-gov

Don't Pay for the FAFSA - Several web-sites offer help filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for a fee. These sites are not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education !

To request college transcripts from Cloud County:

Go to Cloud County Community College web-site at www.cloud.edu/. Select Academics, select Academic Services, select Transcript Request or see Mrs. Boden for a copy of the request form.

Scholarship Searches!!!!!

tuitionfundingsources.com

Federal Student Aid

Senior Scholarship Information:

All scholarship information that comes to me will be posted on this web-site. If there is a flyer, those are posted on the bulletin board in the senior hallway.

Kansas Board of Regents Scholarship - Apply online at www.kansasregents.org or applications are available from your college financial aid office. The following scholarships are available: State Scholarship, Ethnic Minority Scholarship, Nursing Service Scholarship, Teacher Service Scholarship. Some have service requirements. Common eligibility criteria: resident of Kansas, enroll in a qualified program in a Kansas college or university, and not already awarded an undergraduate degree, unless you are applying for the Kansas Nursing or Kansas Teacher Service Scholarships.

Kansas American Legion Scholarships - this is a variety of legion scholarships available for Kansas students. These are not our local legion scholarships. To access, please go to www.ksamlegion.org and click on the "Scholarships" icon then select which scholarship(s) you wish to view and print off the application. Deadlines vary per scholarship.

Horatio Alger National Career & Technical Scholarship Program - Receive up to $2,500 to pursue a career or technical education certificate/degree (510 awards up to $2,500 each). Criteria: Have completed high school or plan to complete high school by Spring 2018 with plans to enroll at a non-profit post-secondary institution by fall 2018. Exhibit a strong commitment to pursue and complete a career or technical program at an accredited non-profit post-secondary institution in the U.S.; Demonstrated critical financial need (must be eligible to receive the Federal Pell grant as determined by completion of the FAFSA); Demonstrated perseverance in overcoming adversity; Be involved in community service activities; Be younger than 30 years old; Be a U.S. citizen. The application will be open with a rolling deadline until all awards have been given out. Applications will be reviewed monthly. For more information or to apply, go to https://scholars.horatioalger.org/scholarships/about-our-scholarship-programs/technical/

Kansas Board of Regents Scholarships - the following opportunities are through the Kansas Board of Regents:
KS Career Technical Workforce Grant - available for students in a designated high demand, critical industry program at a designated KS educational institution.
KS Ethnic Minority Scholarship
Kansas Military Service Scholarship - must be KS resident and have served in any military operation after 9/11/2001 for which they received hostile fire pay in international waters or on foreign soil.
KS National Guard Assistance Program - recipients agree to complete their current service obligation to the KS Air or Army National Guard plus three months of service for each semester of assistance they receive.
KS Nursing Scholarship - recipients must secure a sponsor to fund up to half of the scholarship and provide full-time employment to the recipient after licensure. This scholarship has a service obligation.
KS State Scholarship - eligible students would have received a letter stating they were designated by the KS Board of Regents as a KS State Scholar in their senior year.
KS Teacher Service Scholarship - recipients have a service obligation to teach in an identified curriculum or underserved area one year for each year's funding.
Common eligibility criteria: KS resident (except for Nursing Scholarship); enroll in a qualified program in a KS college or university and not already awarded an undergraduate degree (except for Nursing or Teacher Scholarships), complete FAFSA by April 1 priority deadline.

If you are interested in the above-mentioned scholarships, apply online at www.kansasregents.org. Paper copies are also available in the Counselor's Office.

Hagan Scholarship - this scholarship is a need-based merit scholarship to help rural students graduate from college debt free. For more information on student eligibility and criteria, please visit www.hsfmo.org. Deadline to apply is November 15, 2018.

GE Reagan Foundation Scholarship - Honoring the legacy and character of our nation’s 40th President, the GE-Reagan Foundation Scholarship Program rewards college-bound students who demonstrate exemplary leadership, drive, integrity, and citizenship with financial assistance to pursue higher education.Each year, the Program selects numerous recipients to receive a $10,000 scholarship renewable for up to an additional three years – up to $40,000 total per recipient. Awards are for undergraduate study and may be used for education-related expenses, including tuition, fees, books, supplies, room, and board. In addition, Scholars are invited to participate in a special awards program and receive ongoing leadership-development support. Eligibility:demonstrate at school, at the workplace, and within the community the attributes of leadership, drive, integrity, and citizenship;demonstrate strong academic performance (minimum 3.0 grade point average/4.0 scale or equivalent);be citizens of the United States of America;be current high school seniors attending high school in the United States (students living on U.S. Armed Forces base and homeschooled students are also eligible); and plan to enroll in a full-time undergraduate course of study toward a bachelor’s degree at an accredited four-year college or university in the United States for the entire upcoming academic year. Semifinalists will be required to provide a recommendation from a community leader, such as a high school principal, elected official or executive director of a nonprofit organization, and must provide documentation to certify academic performance and financial need. Finalists will be interviewed via Skype or telephone by a member of the selection committee. Learn more about the qualifications of a GE-Reagan Foundation Scholar. For more information, go to https://www.reaganfoundation.org/.
Deadline is January 4, 2019.

National Technical Honor Society Scholarship - NTHS has awarded over $2,000,000 in scholarships to date and will award over $296,000 scholarships to high-achieving CTE students in 2019. Established in 1984, NTHS membership is America's highest award for excellence in career and technical education, and a positive image builder for CTE students and programs. Over 4,500 career/technical schools and colleges are affiliated with the Society. For more information, call NTHS toll free @ 800.801.7090 or visit www.nths.org. Deadlines vary.

LOCAL SCHOLARSHIPS

Most are for high school seniors but some may be for college students. Some eligibility is based on where you live, some are based on what county the school you attnd is located in.

TO ACCESS THE FOLLOWING SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS, PLEASE CLICK ON THE SCHOLARSHIP TITLE.

TO FILL OUT LOCAL SCHOLARSHIPS, CLICK ON SCHOLARSHIP NAME, TYPE DIRECTLY INTO ADOBE AND PRINT. Adobe Reader required. Download for free from http://get.adobe.com/reader OR see Mrs. Boden for the scholarship application. If possible, these forms are designed for you to open and then type in. If you have trouble using the fill-in for scholarships, open in the Adobe. Many have a fill-in feature.

Please check back frequently for additions and updates!

Rudd Foundation Scholarship - Eligibility: be a US citizen or permanent resident; be Kansas resident or qualify for in-state tuition; unweighted GPA of 3.0 or above; graduating high school in 2019 and will enroll full-time in the Fall; demonstrate financial need (Pell eligible); must be admitted and will attend either Emporia State, Fort Hays State or Wichita State University. This is a 4-year scholarship that will be applied to tuition & fees, books & supplies, room & board. Twenty scholarships are available. To apply, go to www.ruddfoundation.org. Applications accepted Oct. 8 - Dec. 14.

Other Helpful Information

COLLEGE PLANNING

College.gov - this is a resource from the U.S. Department of Education about continuing education for students (of all ages) and parents. The purpose of this site to engage, inform and inspire students about continuing in post-high school education.

AnyCollege.com - this is a site to utilize for conducting a college search

College Answer www.collegeanswer.com

The College Board www.collegeboard.com

EducationPlanner.org www.educationplanner.org

My College Guide www.mycollegeguide.com

U.S. Department of Education www.ed.gov

Kansasworks kansasworks.com

CAREER ASSESSMENT

MyNextMove.org

MySkillsMyFuture.org

CareerOneStop.org

MyFuture.com

www.todaysmilitary.com