A Bulletin Produced by Student Services October 2013 For Handsworth Senior Students and Parents.

Transcription

1 PROSPECTS A Bulletin Produced by Student Services October 2013 For Handsworth Senior Students and Parents. ISSUE ONE Welcome to the academic school year. Prospects is posted by Handsworth Student Services, to inform Grade 11 and 12 students about education, graduation, jobrelated programs and opportunities. It is to your advantage to take a few minutes to read this information carefully and save it for future reference and for discussion with your parents, as much of this information will be of interest to them as well. GOOD LUCK TO GRADUATING SENIORS! A VERY IMPORTANT MESSAGE TO GRADE 12 STUDENTS: As you know, Grade 12 is a very important year in your education. Not only is it the culmination of your high school education, but it is also the gateway to the rest of your life. Your high school transcript is a school record that you may have to produce many times in your adult life. Make sure it reflects your abilities in the way you wish them to be viewed. WHAT YOU SHOULD DOUBLE CHECK RIGHT NOW: Make sure you have the basic 80 credits for graduation, including a Fine Arts 10/11/12 OR an Applied Skills 10/11/12 course. Some of you are still missing marks from required/core courses that have not been entered in our system. PLEASE GET THESE MARKS TO Mrs. Jecks ASAP!!! Make sure you have the APPROPRIATE COURSES for the post-secondary institution AND program of your choice. (Check the appropriate websites.) Check the application deadline dates. Many programs (especially US schools) have Fall due dates. Set academic GOALS for yourself that will allow you to follow your chosen path after your high school education. Use each day to get closer to your goals. Make sure you complete your 30 Work Experience and/or Community Service hours. Pick up the forms from the counselling office or get them from the school website. These forms will be submitted to your Planning 12 teacher DPA- please submit to your Planning/Grad Trans teacher Please check the bulletin board outside the cafeteria and the school website for Grad information. Create your own account with the Ministry of Education. Go to and enter your PEN number and password. You will be able to access all of your Provincial Exam results from the account.

2 Transcripts The term transcript refers to a document that lists the courses you have either completed or are enrolled in, with final or interim marks. The purpose of this form is to verify the accuracy of the information being sent to the Ministry and ensure that you have met all graduation requirements. In Planning 12, you will be given your unofficial transcript in the Fall and Spring to verify your transcript information. ***It is YOUR responsibility to make sure the information on your transcript is accurate.*** WHAT TO DO NOW IF YOU WANT TO APPLY TO A UNIVERSITY IN B.C. Check out the common BC application website: Keep in mind the APPLICATION DEADLINES for B.C. universities, colleges, and technology institutions. Some have Fall deadlines. Many universities will base your initial acceptance on your 2nd TERM grades. In the late Fall, you will complete a Post-Secondary Institutions choices form (PSI) which will allow universities in Canada to access your transcript from the Ministry of Education. This form is available online only, and will be completed in your Planning 12 class. THINGS TO KNOW OR DO BEFORE GRADUATION 1. Your P.E.N. # is a nine-digit number issued to you by the Ministry of Education. This number is unique to you and must be included on post-secondary applications and is used to log on to the Ministry of Education website ( to check your Provincial Examination marks. 2. Think of the college, university, or technology institute you plan to attend. (Check their application deadlines.) 3. Check out the appropriate websites or phone or the admissions office of the institution. Check for campus tours and Open Houses this fall. 4. Check that you have required courses and GPA needed for admission to the institution and program that you desire. 5. The best way to gain insight into post-secondary institutions is to make an appointment with an advisor at the appropriate institutions that you plan to attend. 6. Check the Post-Secondary Scholarship deadlines. Some are due before Christmas. LPI The LPI (Language Proficiency Index) is required or accepted by some post-secondary institutions. It is written a number of times throughout the year, BUT YOU MUST REGISTER FOR THE EXAMINATION AT LEAST THREE WEEKS IN ADVANCE. Stay tuned for more information regarding the LPI test at Handsworth; it is usually written in April. Check the website for general schedules: Call: LPI Office, University of British Columbia Tel: (778) Fax: (604)

3 REFERENCE LETTERS FROM TEACHERS, COUNSELLORS, ADMINISTRATORS OR OTHERS Many universities (primarily in the U.S.) and many scholarship and bursary applications require reference letters. When you are asking for a reference letter from any of the above, PLEASE GIVE TWO TO THREE WEEKS NOTICE. You will need to provide background information about yourself to assist the person who has agreed to be your reference. GRAD COUNCIL EVENTS Grad Photos January (sign up in the gallery for studio appt mid November) Grad Ceremony - June 19, 2014(tentative) Orpheum Theatre Grad Banquet Saturday June 7, 2014 Hyatt Regency Grad wear clothing watch the website for forms mid October ONLINE COURSES/DISTRIBUTED LEARNING Please let Mrs. Jecks know if you are taking an online course outside of the North Vancouver School District. The online school is responsible for submitting the mark to the ministry; to be sure, though, bring in a copy of your final report card. Check the deadline for course completion. Remember that you must have completed AT LEAST 50% of the course by March/ April if you want to use the grade for post-secondary admission. (Double check the specific university website for their policy). Special note this year: UBC requires online courses that will be used in the admission average to be completed by February 1. EXTERNAL COURSES FOR GRADUATION CREDITS Students can receive credits for successfully completing certain external courses approved by the Ministry of Education, Skills, and Training. ***To find out more information about External Courses, see your grade counselor, or visit the website: ATTENDING UNIVERSITY/COLLEGE IN THE U.S. ***Check the university website for application dates. Many U.S. University applications are due before Christmas. SAT s American Universities determine the eligibility of applicants by their Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) results combined with their High School marks. Information booklets on the SATs are available in the Counselling Office. There are usually 5 testing dates each school year. Register online for the SAT at Handsworth s code: ***CHECK OUT THE SAT I AND ACT II INFORMATION ON THE BULLETIN BOARD. You should write your SAT asap if you are planning on attending university in the U.S. Need Tutoring for the SATs? Call KAPLAN (604) Web:

4 TOEFL The TOEFL, IELTS, or other language test must be written if you are applying to university, if English is not your first language, and if you have had fewer than 4 years of formal education in Canada. This is a general guideline; check the requirements of the institutions you are applying to. It is the student s responsibility to submit a completed application by the deadline. Check the Bulletin Board for more information. For tutoring, call KAPLAN (604) , or visit SCHOLARSHIP NEWS Scholarships are monetary awards given to graduates who have excelled in their program of studies and have been active in school and community activities. These awards are intended to help graduates with the cost of their post secondary education. Scholarships generally fall into three categories: Provincial, Handsworth, and External. Students do not have to apply for a government scholarship; they will be automatically considered if they are enrolled in the appropriate courses and achieve the necessary results. The Handsworth Scholarship Committee awards scholarships provided to Handsworth graduates through the generosity of service clubs, businesses, the Handsworth community and individuals. Grade 12 s must complete the Scholarship and Bursary application, which will be given to you in November/December. This application must be filled out by ALL GRADE 12 STUDENTS and returned to your Graduation Transition 12 teacher by JANUARY 31, External scholarships include university scholarships and awards offered by outside agencies. Make sure to check application dates for university entrance scholarships; usually, they should be submitted in January/February. Typically, an applicant for a major entrance scholarship will have a 90% plus average in their academic courses as well as an outstanding record of extracurricular involvement. Other external scholarships will be advertised in future Prospect newsletters and on the school website. Most scholarship applications are quite involved and may require letter of reference or essays. Deadlines for scholarships are firm, so don t leave it to the last minute. REMEMBER TO CHECK THE BULLETIN BOARD FOR UPDATES. Check scholarship information at the following websites:

5 TD Canada Trust Scholarships Criteria: Community Leadership Inquiries: Web: Toyota Earth Day Scholarships Criteria:Environmental Community Projects, Extra-curricular, Volunteer, Academic Strength Web: Loran Scholarship Character, Service and Leadership. FAQ s Can you tell me how I can get scholarships? Scholarships come from a number of sources. See the section above on scholarships. The bottom line is that there are a number of resources, including websites that provide scholarship information. Your best source of scholarships is to find affiliation scholarships (scholarships that require a connection to an organization) that apply to you. Keep your eyes and ears open and check the bulletin board outside the cafeteria for scholarship information that we receive. The school-based scholarships, applied for in January, are often your greatest opportunity. How do I apply to Universities and when is the deadline? For universities and colleges in B.C., apply through the application website: Application deadlines across Canada can be as early as mid January check the websites! If you are applying to school in Ontario, they also have a common application center: For out of province schools, sign up for a transcript in Student Services. LET S HAVE A GREAT YEAR!!!! SEE US IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. GOOD LUCK.