You may find your counselor is not on your path to class, or you may be way too busy to talk with us at length. Yet, we still wish to meet up. Requesting a quick appointment may be less disrupting to your day.
Please click on the counselor's name below with whom you wish to make an appointment. If we don't call you down within 48 hours of scheduling the appointment, please feel free to stop and check in.
If this appointment is time sensitive, please directly inform Mrs. Slany.
Mr. Young (Han - Kr & Strongsville Academy)
Naviance is a comprehensive website that you and your student can use for college, career, and scholarship searches. Family Connection is linked with Naviance, a service that we use in our Guidance office to facilitate communication among you, your student, and our office.
Naviance Student allows your student to:
Family Connection also lets us share information with you and your student about upcoming meetings and events, local scholarship opportunities, and other resources for college and career information.
Students and parents will both use the student login and start at strongsvillehs
CURRENT STUDENTS:
Current 12th graders who need SHS transcripts sent for College Applications, will request them through Naviance.
1. Go to the page: Student.naviance.com/ strongsvillehs
2. Use the Single Sign On and your Google Login
3. Go to Colleges I'm Applying To
See your Google Classroom for your graduating class for more videos and instructions.
For Current students who need a transcript for CCP, the NCAA Eligibility Center, or for a scholarship, CLICK HERE
PREVIOUS STUDENTS: CLASS OF 2016-2022
CLICK HERE
PREVIOUS STUDENTS CLASS OF 2015 AND PRIOR
CLICK HERE
P.E. Waiver is a way to complete one’s Physical Education requirements. With P.E. Waiver, students receive no credit and no grade. Students are waived from taking two P.E. classes. A student may waive Physical Education classes completing two full seasons of SHS athletics, cheerleading or marching band. Should a student become injured or not complete the season for ANY reason, he/she must find an alternate way to satisfy his/her P.E. requirement.
A student interested in a P.E. Waiver should indicate so on the Final Forms associated with Athletic Participation.
The following due dates apply for the application waiver form: Fall Sports - August 30th, Winter Sports-November 30th, Spring Sports-March 30th.
P.E. Credit Flexibility
Credit Flexibility, as defined by the Ohio Department of Education, is designed to increase curricular options available to students, increase the depth of study available for a particular subject, and tailor the learning time or conditions needed to a complete high school diploma.
Credit Flexibility allows students to earn credit by demonstrating academic and skill level performance through a variety of educational options. Students may pursue alternative coursework or create a plan to demonstrate subject area competency. Approved credit awarded through these guidelines will be posted on a student’s transcript and counted as required graduation credit in the related subject area or as an elective. A student must complete the Credit Flexibility Application and obtain approval PRIOR to beginning the coursework. Applications will be approved 3 times a year. The deadlines are May 30th, August 30th and November 30th.
Credit Flexibility Applications pertaining to Physical Education should include a specific outline about how and when time will be spent. At least 60 hours must be spent participating in the chosen physical activity. In addition, students will be required to purchase a workbook and complete the workbook to receive credit. For more information, see the Credit Flexibility Guidelines and Application.
Try out this Website to determine what you need to do to get to a specific GPA: http://www.back2college.com/raisegpa.htm
To determine your Grade Point Average (GPA), each letter grade has a numerical value as indicated below. Note: numerical values are higher for Honors and AP classes if a grade of C or higher is earned. These classes are said to be weighted.
For most classes: For Honors and AP classes:
In addition to knowing the grade earned for each class, one must also know that credits awarded for each class. Here most classes are 0.5. Physical Education classes are 0.25. There are also just a few classes that are worth 0.625 credits.
Online Registration
Go to www.strongnet.org
Click on Grades in the upper right corner
Log into your PowerSchool account
Click class registration
Click in the box to select your classes - Don’t forget to click Okay after each class
Click submit after all classes have been selected
If you do not see the class you would like, it could be because the teacher did not recommend you for the class or you did not complete the prerequisites. If you failed a class and want to retake it, look for it in electives.
See anyone in guidance for login information and s ee your guidance counselor for help.
The minimum student course load is 5 credits per year. A student must carry a minimum of 5 classes per semester, not including Physical Education. Every effort will be made to limit study halls to no more than two per semester.
TO GRADE 10: A student will be placed in the 10th grade homeroom if he/she has completed a minimum of 5.5 credits.
TO GRADE 11: A student will be placed in the 11th grade homeroom if he/she has completed a minimum of 11 credits.
TO GRADE 12: A student will be placed in the 12th grade homeroom if he/she has completed a minimum of 15 credits and/or has a graduation plan/credit recovery plan in place by the grade level administrator and counselor.
These guidelines should be viewed as minimums. Usually a student will have earned more credits than are needed for grade promotion.
If you do not want your SAT or ACT score on your transcript, do not fill out the high school code on the answer document prior to the test. Doing this will not send the scores to the high school. If you decide to have your score placed on the transcript at a later date, you may do so. If you fill out the high school code, the scores will be sent to the high school. At this point, the scores will go on the transcript. *Note: This does not apply for the district sponsored ACT test. The scores will automatically be placed on the transcript.*
Wondering if you should take ACT OR SAT? Click Here: ACT or SAT ??
What would your counselor say? If you have the time and money, take both the ACT and the SAT during the spring/summer of your junior year. If you decide to retake to get a higher score, retake the test that you felt most comfortable with during the testing process.
Looking for test prep?
ACT Registration and other online and printable resources at: www.actstudent.org
SAT Registration and other online and printable resources at www.collegeboard.org
ACT Free State Testing Day
Ohio provides all juniors a free ACT opportunity each year. The test session is during the school day. Due to the length of the test and the amount of space needed to test, we only have juniors report on this day.
Juniors report at normal time for test pre-administration and testing begins around 8:00. Students finish testing at around 12:30. The test date will be announced each year in February.
The PSAT registration will start on August 27th and end at 11:59pm on September 8th. The date of the PSAT is Thursday, October 10th.
For more information on AP Courses, please contact Mr. Young at jyoung@scsmustangs.org
www.apcentral.collegeboard.com for extensive information about the AP Program.
"A Career Pathway is a collective look at education and training, wage and outlook information for related occupations. These pathways offer an overview of the various career options along with education and training that can begin as early as grade 7. Whether a student is interested in going to college, getting a certificate or working right after high school, career pathways can be customized for any ambition or plan."
Information gathered from http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Career-Tech/Career-Connections/Career-Pathways
Ohio’s College Credit Plus allows qualified students in grades 7-12 to earn college and high school credits at the same time by taking college courses from community colleges or universities. Taking a college course from a public college or university through College Credit Plus is free. That means there is no cost for tuition, books or fees. If a student chooses to attend a private college or university, there may be costs. The college will admit you based on your college-readiness in one or more subject areas. Your school counselor can help you understand your options, deadlines, and how to proceed. You may not participate in the College Credit Plus program beyond your anticipated high school graduation date. If you fail a class or withdraw after 14 days, you will have to pay for the expenses.
Visit Ohio Department of Higher Education site for more information --> Click Here
College Partnerships
Cleveland State University
Cuyahoga Community College
Kent State University
Lake Erie College
Lakeland Community College
Lorain Community College
University of Akron
Youngstown State University
Where do I go from here…..
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
JANUARY
FEBRUARY-APRIL
MAY
All branches of the military would prefer a high school diploma for enlistment. There are very few exceptions made to this requirement. The following steps will lead to a military career:
A two year junior/community college is a way of beginning a four year program or obtaining a two year associates or technical degree. Many occupations require a two-year technical training program rather than a four year college degree. To attend a community college you will need to:
Register to take the ACT and/or SAT Reasoning test. You can register at www.actstudent.org and on www.collegeboard.org. The testing company will forward your scores to three or four colleges without additional fees. A copy of your scores will also be returned to our school. We will forward a copy of your test scores along with any transcripts you request from the guidance office. It is our recommendation that you take the ACT Writing Option if you register for the ACT-it is recommended/required by quite a few colleges.
Decide to which schools you wish to apply. You should have gathered information to help with this decision by: following the suggestions in the College Planning Guide which was available to Juniors, looking at information available in the guidance office, visiting college campuses, checking out each colleges websites, and using OCIS in the media center. Do not eliminate private colleges due to cost; many private schools have decent financial aid packages available.
Apply online using the colleges’ website or the common application. Remember: applying to colleges can be an expensive endeavor, as non-refundable application fees range from $20-$70 or more. If you are considering applying for financial aid at a particular school, you will also need to request information about that school’s financial aid application process. If you have questions, please see your counselor.
Call the admissions office or register online to schedule a campus visit/tour. This is an important step! A few hours on the campus will provide you with much more information about the particular campus than looking through the college’s view book or looking at the website. Your absence from school WILL be EXCUSED if your complete a PLANNED ABSENCE FORM prior to your campus visit. Information about campus visits follow later in this booklet.
College representatives regularly visit SHS. Listen to the morning announcements, check the guidance website and Facebook page, and watch the school Cable Channel to learn which representatives are visiting each week. Your parents are also welcome to talk with these representatives. Teachers may refuse to grant students’ permission to leave class if they believe that doing so will adversely affect the student’s grade.
Complete your college application- suggestions about completing college applications and essays appear later in this booklet. Your counselor will assist you with your application. Make sure you have completed a SENIOR INTERVIEW as the information you share with your counselor will be used to complete your counselor’s recommendation for you. It is advisable to keep a copy of your completed application.
Complete the Transcript Request Form and Request Transcripts via Naviance/Family Connections.
Applying for Financial Aid:
WRITING APPLICATION ESSAYS
Some colleges will require one or more essays as part of the application process. Colleges make this requirement for a variety of reasons:
College’s asking for student essays value students’ thinking and writing skills as an integral part of the admissions process. Many colleges look for evidence of critical and abstract thinking skills. Some schools may ask for a copy of an essay written as a class assignment that contains teacher’s comments and evaluations. This allows the admissions counselor to assess demands placed upon the student at the high school level.
You may wish to ask your English teacher to proofread your essays. The Write Place will also be open to help students with their essays. Please be sure to thank them for their time.
During your Junior year and throughout the summer, you should have visited colleges to tour the campus and meet with admissions officers. Sample questions for admission officers and guidelines for campus interviews were printed in the College Planning Guide-which was made available to Juniors. Extra copies may be found in the guidance office.
When possible, it is advisable to return to campuses in which you have a strong interest and stay overnight. The college admissions office will help with arrangements. It will provide you with an opportunity to spend the night in a dorm, speak with students and faculty, visit classes, meet with financial aid personnel, and athletic personnel. This is the best way to determine if the campus is the “right fit!” Some activities you may wish to include on such a visit are:
There are three main types of financial aid:
What are some sources of aid? A majority of aid comes as a result of completing the FAFSA (Free Application Form for Student Aid). This is a standardized application form which is completed in January or February. You apply for a pin number at fafsa.ed.gov and then you can apply online. The FAFSA is processed by a firm that sends the results to the colleges, federal government, and state government to determine if the student is eligible for aid from those three major funding sources. SHS will present several programs throughout the senior year to provide information about the financial aid process. Other sources of financial aid include local scholarships, private organizations (e.g. parents place of employment, churches, community organization), and nationwide scholarship opportunities.
How is financial aid packaged? The college financial aid office uses the information from the FAFSA to determine the amount of aid the student and family are expected to contribute, the amount of grant money available from the state and federal government, the amount of money available from the college, the amount of money needed from other sources (work study, loans, etc.)
What college can I afford? DO NOT ASSUME A MORE EXPENSIVE SCHOOL IS OUT OF REACH! Private schools often have more money available to students than state schools, which could make the costs more comparable.
How do I get aid? The first step to receive financial aid is to gain acceptance to the college. The financial aid office will NOT award aid until the admissions office has accepted the student. The high school guidance office has internet access to do scholarship searches. Students should spend time with their counselor, learning how to use the materials in our office to obtain scholarship information. Parents are always welcome to use our facilities with your son/daughter. How will parents and students learn of scholarship opportunities? As scholarship notices arrive in the guidance office, they are: listed on the morning announcements, posted on our Guidance webpage and Facebook page, and on Twitter @MustangMonies. Students can also regularly check in with their counselor for scholarship information as well.
**Parent and student will each need to do this prior to completing the actual form in January
TYPES OF FINANCIAL AID AVAILABLE
FEDERAL FINANCIAL AID ELIGIBILITY
To be eligible you must:
Financial aid eligibility is the difference between the Cost of Education and the Expected Family Contribution (EFC). A federal formula performs a needs analysis to determine the EFC.
Cost of education includes tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, transportation and miscellaneous expenses.
HOW TO APPLY FOR FEDERAL AND STATE AID
FEDERAL AND OHIO PROGRAMS
FEDERAL PELL GRANT- Up to $4000/year
SUPPLEMENTAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY GRANT (SEOG)- Amount varies based on need and available funds
FEDERAL PERKINS LOAN- Maximum amount available each year, repayment begins 9 months after the student graduates
FEDERAL STAFFORD LOAN- Maximum amount available per year, repayment begins six months after graduation.
PLUS LOAN- Parent loan, payment begins 60 days after dispersement
OHIO WAR ORPHANS SCHOLARSHIP- Awards tuition assistance to students of deceased or severely disabled Ohio Veterans who served in the armed forces during a period of declared war or conflict. Applications are available in the guidance office.
ROBERT BYRD HONORS SCHOLARSHIP- Merit award available for students with outstanding academic achievement. Recipients are selected based upon class rank, GPA, test scores and participation in leadership activities. One scholarship awarded in each Congressional District.
NURSE EDUCATION ASSISTANCE LOAN- Need based award to students enrolled in Ohio schools.
Extra Curricular Activities
Other Activities
Work Experience
Volunteer Opportunities
Awards
Leadership Positions