QUESTION
You have been invited to a friend's house. The friend lives about 100 miles away. You have never been to their house. You have never even been to their town. Your mom, dad or other adult has agreed to drive you there, but you are responsible for getting directions. What should you do?
A) Convince your mom, dad or other adult that finding your friend's house is their responsibility.
B) Hop in the car, head in the general direction of your friend's town and hope for the best.
C) Know where you're going and have a plan; know the friend's address, have a map, use directions/GPS.
D) Stay home.
Upcoming Dates
RMACAC FREE College Fair - September 30, 11:00AM-1:30PM - Westminster College, Salt Lake City - Colleges from across the country will be represented.
NACAC Virtual College Fair - September 10, October 15 & November 12 - 1PM-6PM - Colleges from across the country will be represented.
ACT - October 28; Registration Deadline is September 22 (Late Registration w/fee October 6). December 9; Registration Deadline is November 3. Help with registration is available on September 19 & 20 during both lunches in the Highland Library.
Utah College Application Week - October 2nd-6th - Students will receive help to complete college applications during school. Many Utah colleges waive their application fee during this event.
FAFSA Completion Night - January 25, 4PM-7PM - Highland Library - Families can have questions answered or receive help from trained professionals in filling out the FAFSA Application.
Senior Year Coursework
Graduation Progress - You must have 24 credits in specific areas in order to graduate. You can check which requirements you still need on PowerSchool using the 'Graduation Progress' tool in 'Historical Grades'. If you have questions see your counselor.
Credit Recovery - If you failed a class that is required for graduation, be sure to meet with your counselor to come up with a plan to make up that credit. Highland offers a few options for credit recovery. Start early to make it up in time for graduation!
Future Education and Career Goals - Addition coursework helps to ensure that you are college and/or career ready. Colleges often require or recommend additional coursework beyond what is required to graduate from high school. Completion of CTE courses and CTE Pathways can prepare you for a job or addition training in your field.
Required for High School; Recommended for College
- Language Arts - 4.0 credits
- Math - 3.0 credits; 4.0 credits
- Science - 3.0 credits; Biology, Chemistry, Physics
- Social Studies - 3.0 credits
- Fine Arts - 1.5
- Career & Technical Education - 1.0 credit
- Computer Tech / Digital Studies - 0.5 credits
- Financial Literacy - 0.5 credits
- PE/Health - 2.0 credits (PE Skills, Fit for Life, Lifetime Activity)
- Electives - 5.5 credits; 2 years of a World Language in a progressive manner
Career Ready = 3 credits in a Career Pathway
Honors Diploma Requirements:
- 16 Honors courses taken and passed in 4 years of high school, 3 credits of which need to be AP or IB or Concurrent.
- Must have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher.
- Must have taken and passed 2 consecutive years of a World Language. (Level III or higher World Language classes count as Honors.)
Career Pathway
The goal of high school is to prepare students for college and a career. A high school diploma is the first step, but that is just the beginning. The majority of careers now require more advanced education: a 1-year certificate, 2-year associates degree, 4-year bachelors degree or more (college = 1, 2, 4, or More). Every senior should be working to develop a College and Career Plan. This plan should include the coursework that will support those goals. Use your YouScience results to help plan. Don't wait until you graduate. The path starts now. Work with your counselor and parents to develop a plan that's right for you.
Choosing a College
First and foremost, college choice should be based on career goals. Which career path you wish to pursue will dictate what education you need to attain. College = 1, 2, 4, or more. This means it can include a 1-year certificate, 2-year associates degree, 4-year bachelors degree, or more such as graduate school, law school, medical school etc. It's important to keep in mind that not every college will offer every major or degree program. The links below can help you to find a college program that is right for you. Not quite sure what you want to study in college? Keep in mind that larger universities will have more programs to offer.
College Fairs, Tours & Events
College Fairs are a great way to see what schools are out there and to talk to a representative.
Once you have a list of schools you are interested in, it's a good idea to take a tour or attend an event. Touring a college's campus and attending admission events allows you to get a sense of the school community to see if it's a good fit. Many schools have virtual tours available on their website or on youtube.
It is also possible for you to set up a more specific tour or meeting with someone from a program or department of interest. Not every program is the same from school to school. Knowing the pros and cons and what they have to offer can help to inform your decision to apply or attend.
Get Organized
Once you have found colleges with majors you are interested in, narrow them down to 4-10. You should have schools that fall into three categories: Safety Schools, Good Fit Schools, and Reach Schools.
Next, create a calendar of important deadlines. Deadlines to include are:
- Application deadlines (Priority vs Final)
- Scholarship deadlines (General and Department)
- Financial Aid deadline
- Audition/Portfolio deadline (if program requires)
- NCAA deadlines and requirements
Application Process
Understanding what documents to submit for your college and scholarship applications is important to know well in advance. All colleges will require an application and official transcript. Colleges may require an ACT score. Some colleges are waiving it for admissions, but still requiring it for merit-based scholarships. Some colleges and scholarships will require additional materials.
Application documents may include:
- Application - Each college will require an application; The length of the application can vary. Applications are available online on the college's website, allowing you to start, save and edit as necessary. Might as well start early! Some colleges use the Common Application, which allows you to apply to multiple schools at once.
- Transcript - All colleges will want an OFFICIAL copy of your transcript. An official copy means it comes directly from the school. It is a good idea to review your "Historical Grades" on PowerSchool to make sure all grades are included and accurate. You can request an official copy from the the Registrar. Give at least a week for requests to be processed.
- ACT/SAT Scores - While many schools are waiving this requirement for admissions. Some colleges are still requiring it to award scholarships. Some colleges will also use it for class placement. Most colleges want scores sent directly from ACT. Use the link below to make a request.
Additional Materials
Letters of Recommendation - Some schools and scholarships require letters of recommendation. Consider a counselor, teacher, coach, or supervisor who knows you and can speak to your strengths and character. It can also helpful to provide a resume to the person writing your letter in order to give additional information. You can use the form below. Please give at least 2 weeks notice.
Essay/Personal Statement - Some colleges, honors programs, or scholarships require an essay or personal statement. This is an opportunity to show the college something special about you and also demonstrate your writing skills. It is recommended that you take your time in developing this piece. Proper use of grammar, punctuation, and spelling are important. Below are some tips and a resource for FREE writing coaching:
Audition/Portfolio/Interview - Some colleges or programs will require an audition, portfolio, or interview. Each program will have specific requirements that may differ greatly from one program to the next. It is very important to start preparing audition and portfolio pieces early. Contact the school or program to learn the details of what is required.
ACT
While many colleges are waiving test score requirements for admissions, many merit-based scholarships and some college majors (i.e. Business or Engineering) will still require test scores. Locations in the Salt Lake Valley will offer the October 28 tests, the Registration Deadline is September 22. There will also be a December 9 test, the Registration Deadline is November 3. Accommodations can be requested for English language learners and students with a disability. Fee Waivers are available for those who qualify.
ACT Prep
Shmoop offers an online ACT prep program that is FREE to Utah students. This program includes tutorials targeted toward the specific needs of each student as assessed in an initial practice test. Shmoop can be accessed through any Highland canvas course (see left-side menu in the course).
There are classes in the community. Check out the link below.
Highland will offer a FREE 6-week ACT Prep class starting August 30, 3:30PM-5PM. Space is limited! Students who scored less than a 20 on the ACT are strongly encouraged to sign up.
Paying for College
How to pay for college is on everyone's mind during this process. There are a lot of opportunities to decrease the cost of college. Paying attention to deadlines is very important in this process.
Financial Aid
FAFSA - Free Application for Federal Student Aid
Over $6,000 is available in grants per student. While federal aid is based on need, many colleges require students to fill out the FAFSA in order to be eligible for other scholarships as well. The application opens December 2023. It is only necessary to fill out the application one time in order to submit it for all schools, but the deadline varies by school; Some deadlines are as early as February so get it done early!
For students who qualify for any portion of the federal grant, the Utah Promise Scholarship can cover costs for tuition and fees for up to two years. This scholarship is offered at Utah's public colleges and universities, as well as Utah's public technical colleges. See individual college's website for more details.
Scholarships
Scholarships can come from a variety of places and can be awarded for a variety of reasons. Scholarships may be awarded for: Academics/Merit Based, Talent, Service, or Leadership
You can get scholarships from:
- College/University in general
- Specific Department at College/University
- Community Organization
Here are some tips:
For help finding scholarships, contact Highland's Scholarship Coordinator, Landon Clark. You can also contact the colleges and universities of interest. The following scholarship databases can help you to find additional scholarships.
Help is Available
Meet with your counselor:
- Claudia Kassner, A-Cl - claudia.kassner@slcschools.org
- Nicole Bogue, Co-G - nicole.bogue@slcschools.org
- Mia Naddeo, H-Le - mia.naddeo@slcschools.org
- Lisa Madsen, Li-Ma - lisa.madsen@slcschools.org
- Victoria Saley, Mb-R - victoria.saley@slcschools.org
- John Vallentine, S-Z - john.vallentine@slcschools.org
College Access Advisor - Wes Lee - wes.lee@utah.edu
Scholarship Coordinator - Landon Clark - landon.clark@slcschools.org
Registrar/Transcripts - Emily Zavala-Lopez - emily.zavala-lopez@slcschools.org