HHS PTSA - Winter Newsletter 2012 by Cedar Hills Media & Marketing

In this Issue>>> President’s Letter Leslie Esenault From the President’s Desk Student Activities H’ville Council of PTA’s Nominating Committee Summer Workshops Protecting our Youth HHS Technology Committee Reflections Miss HHS FCA National Honor Society Spanish Club FCCLA FBLA Anchor Club

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Winter 2012

In addition to the updates the PTSA newsletter brings you regarding all of Huntsville High School’s fantastic activities, sports, and organizations, this first, on-line edition of the newsletter is dedicated to relaying information to students and parents concerning college preparedness. English Dept. Spectrum Academic Team Mu Alpha Theta Art Dept. Senior Class News AFJROTC HHS Choir HHS Band HHS Baseball HHS Cheer HHS Soccer HHS Swim and Dive HHS Indoor Track HHS Theater Dept. Exam Exemption Procedures AlchoholEdu

College Edition: Ms. Wolfe Check List by Year Test Prep. Factors in Choosing Applying to College Top 10 Application Mistakes

7 7 8 8 8 9 10 11 12,13 14 14 14 15 16 17 18 19,20

21 23 24-26 27 28 29 30

Paying for College/Financial Aid 31 Alabama Colleges and Univ. 32,33

Many of us enter the high school experience in a blur of decisions, wondering if we helped our students make the right course selections, are lined up correctly to benefit our child come graduation day, and anxious for what each year may bring in the competitive world of college preparation and acceptance. In the following pages, you will find resources applicable to every level of college preparation, from Freshmen to Seniors. These resources cover everything from identifying high school goals and opening academic avenues, to pre-testing and testing, to comparing college characteristics, and choosing the correct college fit . You will also find resources related to common college application mistakes and the road to financial aid. The PTSA hopes that you find this information helpful as each day brings our children closer to high school graduation and what lies beyond. Page 21 of the newsletter begins the College Edition section.

From Principal Leslie Esneault __________________________________________________________________________________________________ Happy 2012 to everyone!! I wish you and your family a most prosperous and healthy new year. It’s always a great feeling to have a fresh start and a renewed sense of purpose. The faculty and staff and Huntsville High School along with our feeder middle schools enjoyed an incredible day of in-service on January 4. Renowned educational leader Todd Whitaker addressed the faculties with his highly energetic presentation, “What Great Teachers Do Differently.” The teachers spent the afternoon in group break- out sessions with trained facilitators discussing indicators, causes and preventions of bullying. We were provided with excellent anti-bullying resources and materials and will begin earning the “No Place for Hate” certification. In an attempt to improve student attendance, achievement and discipline, I was granted permission to pilot an exam exemption procedure for spring 2012. Provided the student meets the requirements set forth in the procedure (printed in this newsletter), s/he may earn the privilege to exempt two end of the year exams in May. A committee will review the data to determine if this privilege had a positive impact on student attendance, grades and behavior.

With the financial help of the PTSA and HHS Student Council, we are excited to provide an alcohol prevention program designed for our high school students called AlcoholEdu. It is our hope that upon completion of the program, students would strengthen the knowledge and skills they need to make informed decisions regarding alcohol use and its dangers. The program is provided at no cost for parents and students. Additional information will be coming home with students. PTSA can provide the parent information. We encourage your participation in this alcohol prevention program and appreciate the support of the PTSA and Student Council. This is a very busy time for our students, especially our seniors!! As the end of the semester draws near, seniors are making final plans for life after high school. Many will be continuing their education at a college or university; others may be entering the world of work or the military. It is the goal of the high school to prepare these students for their future endeavors by providing rigorous and challenging instructional programs. University statistics show that Advanced Placement students continue to outperform students who take a less challenging curriculum and are more likely to complete a degree earning a college diploma. If you are interested in learning more about the Advanced Placement program, you may read about it at www.collegeboard.org I would encourage you to speak to your student about the incredible learning opportunities that AP courses can offer. I am pleased to announce that Mrs. Leigh Brown was selected as the Huntsville High School Teacher of the Year. Mrs. Frieda Sadler was named the Huntsville High School Support Person of the Year. Both entries will be submitted to the Huntsville Council of PTA’s for consideration for annual awards. Congratulations to both of them!! Spring registration will be upon us very soon. Please begin talking to your students about course selections for next fall. We want students to be challenged and to excel academically, but we also want students to consider all of the extra activities they are involved in to avoid overloading their schedules. Please work with your students to reach a healthy balance between academics and extra-curricular activities. Your entire household will benefit from this conscious effort. I am thankful for the continued support of our parents, students, businesses, and community members who donated money and classroom supplies to our faculty and staff this year. Your donations have made a financially difficult year much better. I know I speak for the entire faculty when I say, “thank you for your incredible support.” I am excited about the spring semester for our students and teachers. Great things are happening at HHS every day!! Please make it a goal each night to ask your student to share at least one thing that s/he learned that day. If I can help you in any way, please know that I am a phone call or an email away. Wishing you all the very best in 2012!!!

From the President’s Desk Lisa Miller

Welcome to 2012, to our first ‘electronic-only’ newsletter and to our first college-focused edition! I believe that you will find this information to be interesting and important to you! I hope each of you enjoyed many holiday blessings and are experiencing a wonderful new year. Our Huntsville High School family and community continue to be blessed with outstanding faculty, administration and staff, along with wonderful PTSA volunteers and parents. Thanks to you all! You and your PTSA volunteers are the greatest!. Here is a partial list of recent activities: 

The Newsletter Committee (Carmen Thompson and Kris Valentine, Co-Chairs), and Susan King, working with our community and college sponsors, have expertly moved us from a mostly paper format to a mostly electronic format. There will still be a few printed copies, but it is our intention to use technology and be good stewards of all of our resources. I hope you like our new format. You can find the current and archived copies of the newsletter at hhsnewsletter.com.

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The Hospitality Committee (Talitha Yokley and Holly Butler, Co-Chairs) continued their outstanding support of the teachers and staff with a Holiday Cookie and Hot Chocolate event in December and their famous Crock Pot Chili Luncheon on the first day back to school from winter break!

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The Gift Wrap Committee (Cathy Hicks, Chair) wrapped gifts for our teachers to help them during one of their busiest times—the holidays and final exams!

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Our First VP, Programs, Kari Smith, planned two of our most popular events: our Lunch and Learn with Mrs. Esneault, and our Club Fair and Rising Freshman Orientation. The Lunch and Learn was fabulous! Special thanks to Mrs. Esneault for always being willing to answer our questions.

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HHS and PTSA served as host for a Huntsville Council of PTA’s citywide event on Protecting our Neighborhoods and Our Youth. Information was provided by Officer Bob Cornelison from the Huntsville Police Department and Attorney Mary Ena J. Heath from the law firm of L. Thompson McMurtrie, LLC, Attorneys at Law.

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Volunteer Chair Susanne Bagwell continues to be able to mobilize all of us when volunteers are needed. HHS was the first site for parent portal training for iNow. We were grateful during those evenings to have some of our feeder schools provide volunteers, so thanks again to a strong and large HHS family!

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The Technology Committee (Susan and Steve Solomon, Co-Chairs) is helping ensure that existing equipment is in working order. We are all excited about the available technology and wireless access coming to HHS as our city schools enhances technology for all schools and students.

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The Student Activities Committee (Karen Kimbrough, Chair) is working on several exciting ideas with students.

As Mrs. Esneault stated, HHS PTSA, our Health and Safety Committee (Annette Birchfield, Chair) and Student Council have worked together this year to offer an online alcohol prevention program for students and parents. AlcoholEdu for High School is an evidence-based and completely confidential online alcohol prevention course. The college-level version of this course is a requirement for incoming freshmen at many colleges and universities across the nation. Research statistics are presented in this newsletter in another article. Also, in this newsletter is our HHS Parent user id for accessing this FREE parent course. Please review this course yourself and share this valuable information with other adults in our community. We have been able to fulfill many teacher requests due to your generosity. More requests are being received this semester. We still need members to join HHS PTSA so that each of our students is represented by at least one adult member. Please join family members and grandparents at this time as well. Individual memberships are $8 and you can find the membership form on the HHS website/PTSA tab www.hsv.k12.al.us/schools/high/hhs/PTSA.htm . Membership Co-Chairs, Laura McCown and Shelley Delay are working to bring us to our goal of 100% PTSA membership. Thank you again to all dedicated PTSA volunteers and parents—we simply could not do this without each one of you. Warmest regards, Lisa Miller, PTSA President lmillerhsv@comcast.net

Student Activities The HHS PTSA Student Activities Committee is working to bring back the Inter Club Council. In the past this organization of representatives from all HHS clubs and groups was an active force in shaping the culture of HHS. The Inter-Club Council (ICC) helps approved Huntsville High clubs gain access to event planning information and influence future events. We hope the return of the Inter-Club Council will be a great investment of time in student-led initiatives each semester. We have contacted all club sponsors on the HHS website. If you are in an approved HHS club and your group has not been contacted please email karenkimbrough@gmail.com to add your group's name to the list of clubs to be represented Soon we will hold our first meeting. Stay tuned!

Huntsville Council of PTAs On January 7, the HHS PTSA assisted the Huntsville Council of PTAs with the first Principal’s Academy by providing both breakfast and lunch for the participants. The Principal's Academy is a new program instituted by Dr. Wardynski to provide additional training (free) to teachers and administrators of the Huntsville City School System. The individuals who are part of this program were nominated, then completed an application to be accepted. These sessions allow attendees to strengthen their role as Principals or gives extra instruction for those who aspire to become a Principal. The Academy meets one Saturday every month.

Nominating Committee The HHS PTSA is looking for a few good men or women!!! If you are a current committee chairman, committee member or interested in serving on a PTSA committee next year, please contact the Nominating Committee. We would like to know if you are graduating out of HHS, would like to remain in your current postion or are interested in a new area of service. Please respond by email or phone by Feb. 15th. Julie Stephens, Chairman hstep@knology.net (256) 539-1515

Summer Workshops Look for information regarding Summer Workshops offered at Huntsville High School during the summer months in the Spring Edition and in Panther Postings. In addition to our very popular classes in English, Math, Historical Writing, Study Strategies, and Mastering the ACT/SAT...Look for the new "How to Survive an Audition" workshop taught by Mike Chappell. For more information, contact: Beth Moore 256-533-2640

Informative Community Discussion Held at HHS ________________________________________________________________________ The Huntsville Council of PTAs sponsored a very informative event called “Protecting our Neighborhoods and Youth” on Thursday, Jan. 26. Huntsville High School was the host school for the meeting. The speakers were Officer Bob Cornelison with the Huntsville Police Department and attorney Mary Ena Heath with L. Thompson McMurtrie, LLC, Attorneys at Law. Officer Cornelison shared some important advice on neighborhood safety. He discussed practical ways to protect our families, homes and community given the recent rash of burglaries in the city. He also talked about how to be pro-active and work smartly to ensure safety. He emphasized being aware of what is going on in your neighborhood and to call the nonemergency police number if you see an unusual situation in your community. The Huntsville Police non-emergency number is 256-722-7100. Mrs. Heath, a former HHS PTSA president, talked about social hosting and underage drinking. Those attending learned what risks and responsibilities we have as parents and as a community regarding social hosting and underage drinking. She also presented specific information about Alabama laws and discussed how certain social hosting and underage drinking cases have

been interpreted by the courts in our state.

HHS Technology Committee

Reflections ____________________________________

The Huntsville High School PTSA Technology committee was created in 2009 and worked very hard to bring Huntsville High School classrooms to a 21st Century state. By fall of 2011, LCD projectors were installed in all the classrooms and document cameras/ActivBoards were installed to add enhanced teaching capabilities. With money in short supply this year, the committee has been helping Huntsville High School to maintain and repair its current technology equipment. Mr. Bean will be distributing a survey to teachers, so that we can become more aware of classroom needs and desires. The committee is looking forward as the Huntsville city school system unveils its new technology plan and brings our classrooms to a new level. As Huntsville city 5th graders received their Dell Netbooks by Christmas, many of us were surprised to see how quickly the new technology is making its way to the schools. We look forward to seeing Huntsville High School equipped with a wireless network and a portable computer in the hands of every student. Helping Huntsville High transition into this new information age will be a priority for the Technology Committee. Currently, the committee is helping Mrs. Britton (Business/Marketing Department) to purchase Adobe’s Photoshop Certification software. Students will be able to take a certification test after learning Photoshop CS5. This industry standard certification will give students an advantage in the multimedia and graphic design environment and will definitely be an asset in their career development. Mrs. Britton is still seeking funds to help with this project and can be contacted at kbritton@hsv.k12.al.us.

The National PTA Reflections Program is one of the largest student arts recognition programs in the country. Please see http://www.ptareflections.org/ for more info. We are proud that four Huntsville High students have been selected as winners in the “Diversity means…” competition at the city level! The award ceremony will be at AAA on Thursday, Jan 26, at 6:30pm. The winners are: Sarah Barr (senior) - visual arts - “Diversity Is … Unity” Jacqueline Heard (senior) – literature – “The Great Autumn Tree” Tiffany Hnetynka (freshman) – photography – “Dogversity” Kristina McGroary (senior) – visual arts – “Waterborne” Congratulations to our students and “Go, Panthers!” We know you will represent us well. HHS, be on the lookout in upcoming Panther Postings for next year’s theme to get started early!

Miss HHS Fundraiser, benefitting the American Heart Association The annual Miss HHS fundraiser sponsored by Delta Tri Sigma will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2012 in the HHS auditorium. Please encourage your daughter to sign up ($10.00 entry fee) and support Delta Tri Sigma and the American Heart Association. Heart disease is the number one killer of women in the US today and February is National Heart Association month. The money raised from the Miss HHS fundraiser will be given to the Heart Association. Any girl at HHS can enter. $10.00 entry fee. Be at HHS at 5:00 on the day of the event. Practice on Monday from 3:15 - 4:30. $5.00 admission at the door.

FCA Huntsville High Fellowship of Christian Athletes continue to meet on Wednesday morning at 7:00 in the lecture hall. All students, faculty, and parents are invited to attend. We will have many interesting guest speakers for the second semester. A large group of students continue to meet together each week. Please join us and get involved in a wonderful time of fellowship and Bible study. Breakfast is provided for all who attend. If there are any questions please contact Lorri Doss in room 219. 5

National Honor Society News The next NHS meeting is Thursday, February 9th at 7:15 a.m. in the lecture hall. The NHS-sponsored “Save our Schools” project to has been very successful. The money obtained from the collection of box tops will be delivered to elementary and middle schools in the Huntsville area. So far, NHS has collected over 7500 box tops!! The homeroom competition resulted in 5063 box tops collected for education! Congratulations to Mrs. McKnelly’s homeroom for collecting over 600 box tops, and to Mrs. Brown’s homeroom for collecting 371!! All students in these homerooms received free smoothies from Smoothie King. Thank you to Lisa Cole for her generosity!! NHS continues to hold weekly tutoring sessions for all HHS students in all academic subjects. Tutoring times are Tuesdays at 7:15 a.m. (Mrs. Schultz’s room – 169) and Thursdays at 3:15 p.m. (Blocker’s room – 250).

NHS will sponsor an HHS Five Guys night on Monday, Febuary 13. All students and parents are encouraged to eat dinner that evening and tell the cash register that you are from Huntsville High School. Five Guys will give 10% of all sales to NHS for senior scholarships.

Spanish Club

Congratulations to the newly selected members of National Honor Society:

The Spanish Club enjoyed an eat-out at La Alameda in November. Co-vispresidenta Jaquelina Farber helped Maestro Robinson deliver around 40 shoe box Christmaswrapped gifts from HHS Spanish Club members to the office of Friends of the Children at the Habitat for Humanity Warehouse from where they are being shipped to orphans in and near Guatemala City. The Club also delivered 90+ student-made Spanish Christmas cards to the residents of Big Spring Specialty Care on December 16. The Club is starting preparations for the annual Spanish Club Convention at the University of Alabama. The convention will be on April 13. This year’s theme countries are Venezuela, Colombia, El Ecuador, and Peru. –Maestro J. Robinson

FCCLA FCCLA is sponsoring the upcoming Fashion Design Field Trip to New York City on February 9th – 12th. We are partnering with two other schools, Grissom and Bob Jones and are taking a total of 35 students and parents. This is HHS 4th Fashion Field Trip to New York. We will be concentrating on fashion sites such as Fashion Institute of America, Mood Fabrics, Costume Exhibits at Metropolitan Museum of Art, Macy’s Behind the Scenes Tour and the Garment Tenement Museum. We will be touring a jewelry design factory and will experience a Sample Sale, as well as be able to shop in Soho, Chinatown, and Fifth Avenue stores. We are currently locating a designer showroom and will be in NYC during Fashion Week. Students will have the opportunity to see other classic New York sites such as the Empire State Building, Times Square, Ground Zero and Ellis Island. 6

FBLA

Anchor Club

HUNTSVILLE FB

Huntsville FBLA members support Kids To Love Foundation

Recently, members of Huntsville High School’s chapter of Future Business Leaders of America supported the Kids to Love Foundation. Kids to Love is a Huntsville-based organization that sponsors foster children and their families. Members donated over $130 to help purchase Christmas gifts for the organization. On December 11th, members met at Target to purchase the gifts for the families. This is the second year the Huntsville High FBLA chapter has supported the Kids to Love organization.

Anchor Club is a service organization for girls in grades 10-12. We meet in Mrs. Williams’ room (226) every Thursday afternoon from 3:15 to 3:45. We are an enthusiastic group that enjoys getting to know each other and volunteering in the community. If you’re interested in joining us, we’d love to see you this Thursday! Julie Williams

The Huntsville High English Department is extremely pleased to have Susan Guthrie, a Shakespearean actor and director, as our Artist in Residence from January 23rd until March 9th. This project has been made possible by grants from the Alabama State Council of the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts as well as HHS PTSA, Academic Booster Club, the Huntsville Literary Association and the Lowe Foundation. We are so excited to have her working with us. Susan will spend several days in our English classes during our study of Shakespeare and is sure to be

entertaining.

We are pleased to announce the theme for Spectrum 2012, which will be “Curio.” A curio is something valued for its unusual nature. Spectrum Curio will highlight the most original, the most beautiful, and the most unusual pieces of literature (poetry, prose) along with artwork and photography from our own Huntsville High students. Students must submit original items by Friday, March 2, to Room 223. Spectrum 2011 was awarded a Gold ranking (the highest award) by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association. We aim to earn this highest honor again for Huntsville High in 2012. Submit to Spectrum!! You can purchase “Spectrum Curio” for $8 in the lunchroom or in Room 223 beginning May 2. 7

Academic Team

Mu Alpha Theta

We have enjoyed a wonderful season this year in Academic Team. We are currently undefeated in city round robin play. The city championship will be decided on February 9 at Butler High School. The following day, February 10 a group of six team members will travel to Snead State Community College to compete in the Alabama Scholastic Competition Association District meet. The traveling team members are Ben Brewer, Bailey Brotherton, Sara Campbell, Cody Fee, Max Moseley, and Jared Wasilefsky. Our appreciation is extended to the Academic Booster Club for their long standing support financially for this program.

The following students were inducted into Mu Alpha Theta, an international honor society that recognizes excellence in the study of mathematics, on December 13, 2011.

Ron Bean and MaryAnn Moon (Coaches)

ART Department We are pleased to announce that we have an amazing new teacher in the Art Department, Jessica Patmon is now teaching fundamentals of art and drawing. She is a graduate of UAB with her Masters in Art Education; her concentrations include drawing, painting and ceramics. Each art teacher will have students representing Huntsville High School at the Huntsville Museum of Arts annual Youth Art Month ( VAA)/( CAC) exhibit. The opening reception is March 11th from 1:00 to 5:00 and admission is free to the public. Please join us in supporting visual arts and celebrating the amazing talent of local art students. The exhibit will be open during regular museum hours until March 18th (admission fees apply after March 11th)

Caroline Adams Auburn Bastin Mason Baumann Kai Bawcom Adam Beasley Marie Beverly Samantha Blair Jimmy Bridges Matthew Brown McCarley Buchanan Beth Byers Mark Chlarson Addison Cimino Brett Cleary Peyton Cook Emily Cragon Smyly Crawford Chelsie Crossen Amy Cutter Leigh Ann Daniel Abby DeBusk Alexander Dombrowsky Anna Gant Abby Ginn Joseph Hicks Grant Hinton Dylan Holder

Brandon Honeywell Austin Howard Aryanna Hyde J’Nala LaPointe Sydney Larsen Taylor Larsen Anna Lee Lawson Ben Letson Maddy Lewis Celia Masucci Katherine McCown Ashley Medina Reed Miller Max Moseley Amanda Nagle Will Nunn Bahman Patel Kenya Payne Thomas Pigott Kyle Reasons Chris Roberts Sarah Sizemore Karter Smith Sarah Solomon Lauren Tepool Coleman Wlodarski

Donations Needed: The art department is in need of the following materials, if you are doing early spring cleaning, we would greatly appreciate anything you can contribute.  Baby food jars  Yogurt or other plastic containers  Old magazines  Old worn out sheets for ceramics class  Lotion  Paper towels Thank you in advance for your continued generosity.

SENIOR CLASS NEWS ITEMS:

February

TBA – Order senior cap and gown

April 6

Last Day to pay for mandatory graduation fee – Early Bird Price --$85.00 (It is included in quota). After today graduation fee is $100.00.

April

Delivery of senior supplies-After spring break

April 28

Prom-North Hall 1

May 14

6th and 7th period final exams

May 15

4th and 5th period final exams

May 16

2nd and 3rd period final exams

May 17

1st period final exams

May 18 Auditorium

Cap and Gown Pickup and MANDATORY rehearsal for graduation and awards day*-10:00 a.m.-

May 20

Baccalaureate – 2:00 p.m. Line up at 1:30 p.m. Dress: Ladies: White dress and shoes (white or black) Men: Dark pants, white shirt, tie, (no tennis shoes)

May 21

Class day (Seniors Only) 10:00 a.m. Attire- Casual

May 22

Awards Day 9:00 a.m. Attire – Same as Baccalaureate

May 23

Senior Picnic – Location to be determined – Seniors Only Attire- Casual

May 25

Mandatory Graduation Practice –10:00 – VBC Arena Attire - Casual

4:30 line up for Graduation at 5:30 Attire- Same as Baccalaureate ALL DEBTS TO HUNTSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL MUST BE PAID BEFORE CAP AND GOWN CAN BE ISSUED. CHECK ON YOUR DEBTS FOR LOST BOOKS, CLASS FEES, ETC. AND MAKE SURE THE DEBTS ARE CLEARED. NO EXCEPTIONS! Graduation fee includes the fees for cap and gown rental and the diploma. Please make all checks payable to Huntsville High School.

Additional Optional Activities with Cost:

Senior Picnic, Senior Film, Senior Class T Shirt, Graduation DVD

AFJROTC

The HHS JROTC CYBER PATRIOT computer security team recently competed against over 600 JROTC, Civil Air Patrol, and high school teams in the 4th annual CYBER PATRIOT Competition. The team finished 2nd place worldwide during the 2nd round and was the only local team to advance to the semifinal round. Team members are Nick Hawk, Rachel Stough, Xavier Shouten, Nathaniel Trudeau, Jackie Faber, and Sarah Stough. The team is coached by John Stough and Jeff Baker.

The HHS JROTC cadet staff hosted a visit by Dr. Wardynski on 25 January, where they briefed him on the JROTC program and the accomplishments of their unit. Cadets also performed a drill demonstration and were inspected on their uniforms by the superintendent. The HHS ROTC program has earned the highest ratings possible on their last three annual inspections.

Cadets are busy planning for the annual military ball to be held 17 March, at the Redstone Officers and Civilian Club. Festivities include recognition of the HHS Teacher of the Year, crowning of the 2012 Corps Sweetheart, Senior Sillies, formal dinner, and the dance. Guests include alumni, administrators, parents, and cadets from other schools.

CHOIR HONORS!!!!!

Amanda Anderson won the District V Female Outstanding Choral Student Award along with the Huntsville All-City Female Outstanding Choral Student Award! She will compete for the Alabama Female Outstanding Choral Student Award at the All-State Choral Festival in March at Samford University. She also represented District V in the AMEA Music Education Scholarship interviews held in Montgomery January 18-21, 2012, while also participating with 6 other students in the AMEA Honor Choir Festival. The other students who won spots in the 2012 AMEA Honor Choir were: Nick Patton, Bradley Via, Stephen Karigan, Hunter Hladky, Halea Dardin and Kelsey Cooper.

Mrs. Smith & Amanda Anderson

AMEA Honor Choir

John Colem an, Darious Dailey, Decorian Cobb

We also had three students win places in the 2012 Alabama All-State Show Choir that took place in Montgomery January 18-21, 2012. 255 students auditioned statewide for 60 places! These students were: John Coleman, Decorian Cobb and Darious Dailey. We have several students who will be participating in the State Solo and Ensemble Festival in February. Our Crimson Beat, APPLAUSE!, and Total Sound show choirs will travel to Nashville February 24 and 25 to compete in the Belmont Music City Show Shoppe Show Choir Competition. HHS will have 23 students participate in the All-State Choral Music Festival in March. They are: Jenna Marshall, Mary Grace Railey, Antonia Apfelbeck, Emily Glass, Andrea Walker, Adrienne Fletcher, Jennifer Starck, Leah Munroe, John Collin Powell, Kyle Haulenbeck, Amanda Anderson, Decorian Cobb, Darious Dailey, Paige Davis, Lauren Glass, Hunter Hladky, Kabrina Isabelle, Jasmine King, Jordan King, Abby Parris, Rebecca Savas, Sarah Sizemore and Natalie Struthers. Please congratulate Sarah Sizemore for being selected nationwide to participate in the Carnegie Hall Honors Choir in New York also in February!

Congratulations to all the students for working hard for these honors!

HUNTSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL BAND Congratulations to our senior marching band and color guard members who were recognized at halftime on Senior Night, October 27, 2011: Madalyn Atherton, Michael Athey, Jake Brouwer, Erin Conway, Smyly Crawford, Tyler Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Arienzo, Savannah Dewberry, Alex Dombrowsky, Hunter Echols, Cody Fee, Mark Foreman, Nathalie Guerrero, Ashley Head, Katie Jackson, AJ Lindner, Lindsay MacMillan, Danteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; McDowell, Joshua Midds, Michael Payne, Aly Plasterer, Allen Porter, Stephanie Ray, Kyle Reasons, Sarah Russell, Maggie Smallwood, Karltaris Smith, Rachel Stone, Jared Wasilefsky, Hailey Webber, Chris Wolfe, and Joshua Yarbrough.

The HHS Band performed in the Huntsville Veteran's Day Parade in downtown Huntsville on November 11. They joined the community in thanking current and former members of the Armed Forces for their service and sacrifice. The band also performed in the Huntsville Christmas Parade on December 3.

The HHS Band invites you to commemorate your favorite student, graduating senior, teacher, or alumnus with thepurchase of an engraved brick, which will be placed in the courtyard around the American flag. Bricks may be purchased through any band member. For your convenience, there is an order form attached to this newsletter. Order forms are also available in the band room. An engraved brick makes a great Birthday or Graduation gift! In November, nine advanced band students performed with the UAHuntsville Invitational High School Honor Wind Ensemble. The students spent two days in master classes and practices, culminating in an evening performance on November 19, 2011. Participating students were: Maggie Smallwood, Clay Brown, Lily Brooks, Lydia Nance, Reed Miller, Scott Zook, Kyle Reasons, Gus Arnold, and Daniel Daugherty. Congratulations to these accomplished musicians! The annual Holiday Concert featuring the HHS Symphonic Band was presented on December 12 in the Huntsville High School auditorium. This free event was a great way to begin the holiday season! Concert-goers had the opportunity to do some holiday shopping at the Holiday Marketplace, held in conjunction with the concert. A variety of local businesses with an array of holiday gifts for purchase supported the marketplace. Also, there was a Silent Auction benefitting the band, featuring items donated by local businesses. A reception for all band members and their families followed the concert. Thank you to all who made this event enjoyable and successful! On Saturday, January 28, thirty students participated in tryouts for the District One Honor Band and the All-State Band. Tryouts were held at Brewer High School. Congratulations to the hard-working and dedicated students who participated. On February 23 and 24, the HHS Band will once again host the Music Performance Assessment (MPA) at Huntsville High School. Over 40 area middle school and high school bands will perform. Contact Steve Wasilefsky at wazrs@yahoo.com to volunteer to help during the MPA. 12

This year during spring break, the band is traveling to Spain! The trip will be from March 23 to April 2, 2012. Students will travel to Madrid, Valencia, Segovia, Avila, Toledo, and Barcelona to explore the sights, taste local culture, and participate in several concerts with local musicians. Highlights of the trip will include Segovia’s Roman aqueduct and Alcazar fortress, the medieval walled city of Avila, Toledo’s magnificent cathedral, and Barcelona’s Picasso Museum. Five concerts will be performed during the trip, featuring the HHS band performing with Spanish youth bands. Please continue your generous support of band fundraisers to help the students raise money to participate in this trip of a lifetime! The HHS Band would like to thank everyone who participated in the Cookie Dough and Pork Butt fundraisers. Your support helped the band raise funds to support all aspects of our music program, to include trip fees, music competition fees, instrument purchases and maintenance, as well as fee scholarships and support for students with financial hardships. Watch for another Pork Butt sale this spring, featuring delicious pork butts and sauce prepared by Ed Cain!

IMPORTANT DATES: February 23-24 - Music Performance Assessment at HHS March 23-April 2 - International Trip to Spain April 12-14 - Alabama All-State in Mobile April 21 - Solo and Ensemble Competition May (TBA) - Advanced Band Tryouts May 7-18 - Flag Corps Tryouts

Huntsville High School

Commemorative Bricks Engrave your name in the History of Huntsville High: http://www.huntsvillehighband.co m/forms/HHS-Comm.pdf

May 8 - Spring Concert at HHS

May 25 - Graduation May 29-31 - Freshman Band Camp (full band) June 1 - Freshman Band Camp (percussion only) July 23-26 - Band Camp (1/2 days) July 30-August 2 - Band Camp (full days)

FCA

HHS SPORTS>>>>

HHS Baseball Silent Auction The Ledges February 10, 2012 7:00-10:30 pm Sunday Casual Attire $100.00 for 2 people to purchase tickets.....www.HHS-Baseball.com Italian Style Dinner Buffet DJ, www.metropolitandiscjockey.com

Huntsville High Fellowship of Christian Athletes continue to meet on Wednesday morning at 7:00 in the lecture hall. All students, faculty, and parents are invited to attend. We will have many interesting guest speakers for the second semester. A large group of students continue to meet together each week. Please join us and get involved in a wonderful time of fellowship and Bible study. Breakfast is provided for all who attend. If there are any questions please contact Lorri Doss in room 219.

Congratulations to Coach Mark Mincher 2011 Alabama State Baseball Coach of the Year L. Esneault

HHS Cheer Try-Outs

Try-outs for the 2012/2013 cheer squads will be Mar 10, and Mar 12-15, 2012. For more information, along with forms to print and bring to the mandatory parent meeting for cheer candidates, visit the HHS cheer website at http://hsvcheer.squarespace.com/

Huntsville High Soccer Sends Two to NCAA!!! Congratulations to Coach Melanie Donahoo and the HHS Panther Volleyball Team 6A State Champs -L. Esneault

Panther Soccerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Alicia Hereford (Auburn) and Rachel Ames (Yale) make it official!! Huntsville High Soccer sends its CONGRATULATIONS and BEST WISHES to Rachel and Alicia! Come out and support HHS Soccer! Varsity and junior varsity schedules posted @ www.hhspanthersoccer.org

HHS Swim & Dive Team The HHS Swim and Dive Team completed their season at the Alabama High School State Meet on December 2nd & 3rd at Auburn University. Over the course of the season, swimmers and divers were determined to make the qualifying times and scores needed to attend. HHS was well represented at the AHSSA State Meet with thirty swimmers and divers: Swimmers: Parker Baldwin, Matthew Brown, Amanda Clark, Kelley Cooper, Jackson Herring, Dylan Holder, Ellery Jones, Ethan Jones, Ann Ledyard, Elise Maurel, Sean McCarthy, Carter McDonald, Liz Olson, Cade Overbeek, Devon Parsons, Jennifer Stark, Ella Sullins, John Smith, Karter Smith, Stone Strankman, Jared Sutphin, and Trey Wintzinger Divers: Jordan Bagwell, Emily Caramanian, Shelby Christian, Ryann Holden, Anna Katherine Kimbrough, Savannah Ledbetter, Lindsey Nalley, and Ryan Petroff At the State Meet the boys placed 5th and the girls placed 11th. Congratulations to the following divers who placed in the top 16 for this meet: Jordan Bagwell (6th) and Ryann Holden (10th) for the boys and Lindsey Nalley (10th) and Savannah Ledbetter (12th) for the girls. The boys Medley Relay took 5th and included Carter McDonald, Matthew Brown, Sean McCarthy, and Jared Sutphin. The girls Medley Relay took 6th and included Elise Maurel, Jennifer Starck, Devon Parsons, and Liz Olson. Liz Olson took 7th in the 200 Free for the girls and Jared Sutphin took 14th for the boys. Jennifer Starck took 13th in the 200 Individual Medley. John Smith took 5th in both the 50 Free and 100 Fly. Karter Smith took 12th in the 50 Free. Sean McCarthy took 16th in the 100 Fly. In the 100 Free Elise Maurel took 15th. Liz Olson took 7th in the 500 Free for the girls while Jared Sutphin took 13th for the boys. The Boys 200 Free Relay took 2nd and included Sean McCarthy, Carter McDonald, Karter Smith, and John Smith. The Girls 200 Free Relay took 15th and included Kelley Cooper, Ella Sullins, Amanda Clark, and Devon Parsons. Carter McDonald took 15th in the 100 Back. Jennifer Starck took 6th in the 100 Breast. The boys placed 3rd in the 400 Free Relay and included Sean McCarthy, Carter McDonald, Jared Sutphin, and John Smith. Both Liz Olsen and John Smith were selected for the Huntsville Times Elite 1st Team while Honorable Mention members were Jordan Bagwell, Ryan Holden, Lindsey Nalley, and Savannah Ledbetter for diving and Carter McDonald, Matthew Brown, Sean McCarthy, Karter Smith, Jared Sutphin, Jennifer Starck, Devon Parsons, and Elise Maurel for swimming. HHS swimmers and divers that made the 2011 North Alabama Champion Team were Elise Maurel, Liz Olsen, Jordan Bagwell, and John Smith. Congratulations and Good Luck to the HHS Swim and Dive Team Seniors! Harrison Hudson, Sean McCarthy, Lindsey Nalley, Keith Napolitano, Devon Parsons, Ryan Petroff, Taylor Ware, and Annabeth Weakley Many thanks go to the following: our faculty representatives Greg Taylor and Tina Jones, our swim coaches Paige Brown and Travis Pinnix, and our dive coaches Steve Hall and Donald Overbeek. We would also like to thank booster members Meg McCarthy - President, Holly Holder - Vice President, Diane Smith - Treasurer, and Sandra Parsons Secretary for their many hours of service. Great job swimmers and divers on a wonderful season! 15

HHS Indoor Track

For the first time in six years, HHS now offers an indoor track program.

The

Birmingham Crossplex, a newly constructed, world class facility, is host to the 4 regular season indoor track meets, as well as the AHSAA Indoor State Meet held February 3 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 4. There are several differences between indoor track and outdoor track. The indoor track is 200 meters instead of 400 meters. The indoor track is banked, but has a hydraulic system that allows the track to be lowered when the athletes are running the 60 meter dash, which takes place in the middle of the track. In indoor track, there is only a 60 meter hurdle race, with no 100, 110, or 300 meter hurdle events. There are no javelin or discus events for obvious reasons. The 60 meter dash replaces the 100 meter dash associated with outdoor track, because there is not room for the 100 straight dash. There is a 4x200 relay in indoor track, but not in outdoor. This year, 45 athletes from HHS participate on the indoor track team, superbly coached by Coach Terrance Young. Stephen Baker is the coach for the long distance events (800 meters and longer), Brad Hill is the throwers coach, and Derrick Johnson is the sprinters coach. So far, HHS indoor track athletes have participated in the Magic City Invitational on December 10, the Holiday Invitational on December 17, and the Icebreaker Invitational on January 7. At the end of January, they will participate in the Last Chance Invitational, prior to preparing for the AHSAA Indoor State Meet held in February. During the three earlier indoor track meets, Berta Ameliniate and brothers Brian and Grant Hill performed well in shot put, with Grant holding a new school record. Nathan Vardaman placed in the 60 meter dash and the long jump. Cameron Rice, Rachel Wiggins, and Alexis Gaines placed in the 400 meter dash. In long distance events, Madeline Sharp placed in both the 1600 meter and 3200 meter runs, with Matthew Little placing in the 1600 meter run. For boys short distance relays, Dominique Bone, Nathan Vardaman, Deonta Moore, and Cameron Rice placed in the 4x200 meter relay. Nathan, Deonta, and Cameron, along with Dylan Bishop also placed in the 4x400 meter relay. For long distance relays, Matthew Little, Brett Cleary, Zachary Marsh, and Mark Chlarson placed in the boys 4x800 meter relay, with Madeline Sharp, Laurel Sharp, Stacy Solomon, and Alyssa Staubach placing in the girls 4x800 meter relay. Congratulations to all HHS indoor track athletes and good luck with your performance at the AHSAA Indoor State Meet in February!

Huntsville High Theater Department

Oklahoma! April 12-14 & 19-21 at 7:30 pm April 15 & 21 at 2:00 pm Huntsville High Theater presents the Rodgers and Hammerstein's classic musical favorite "Oklahoma!". Bring the whole family and join Curly, Laurey, and the gang as they sing and dance to some of your favorite show tunes such as "Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin'", "The Surrey With The Fringe On Top", "People Will Say We're In Love", "Can't Say No" and of course, "Oklahoma!". 17

Huntsville High School Exam Exemption Procedures Pilot for Second Semester, 2012

The earned privilege of exam exemption is designed to reward students for academic performance, prompt and regular attendance, and good behavior.

1. Students will NOT be eligible for exam exemption if they have been suspended out of school or placed in an alternative school setting for that semester.

2. Students will NOT be eligible for exam exemption if they participate in, organize, or publicize a “senior prank” or “senior skip” day.

3. Students will qualify for two exam exemptions if they have earned an overall 85% average, have a minimum of 85% in the class exam exempted, and have five or fewer absences including tardies (3 tardies = 1 absence).

4. Students may not exempt the same course exam twice during the calendar school year.

5. Students may NOT exempt Advanced Placement semester exams or end-of year AP National exams.

School sponsored field trips do not count as class absences. Prior permission from teachers must be obtained before going on any field trip. These dates should be recorded as “field trip” in gradebook.

6. All absences – medical, parent note, prior permission, ISS, family trips, etc. – count against exam exemption. The classroom/homeroom teacher record is final. Medical notes and parent notes must be on file within the time period specified in the HCS Official Student-Parent Handbook and will not be accepted late in order to exempt exams.

7. Exam exemptions must be used at the scheduled time of the exam. Teachers may not accept early exam exemptions.

Prior to exams, the list of students who currently have an 85% or higher will be distributed to teachers. The teachers will strike any student who exceeds five absences. Administrators will consult the list for discipline. A master list of qualifying students will be compiled. Students who have met the requirements for exam exemptions will receive a numbered exemption slip in homeroom. Students must acquire the teachers’ signatures for approval of those exemptions. The signed exemption slips are returned to the homeroom teacher as a record. Students will NOT be issued a second exemption slip if the original one becomes lost or damaged. Any student who abuses this exemption policy will lose any future exemption privileges. 18

AlcoholEdu for High School Research Statistics (data provided by outsidetheclassroom.com)

What is meant by the term, ‘evidence-based’ program? In general, this means there is good research behind these programs. You can compare outcomes in groups of students who have taken the programs to groups who have not and there are statistically significant differences.

AlcoholEdu for High School is included on SAMSHA’s (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices (NREPP) and proven to increase knowledge, change student attitudes, behaviors and most importantly reduce the negative consequences associated with underage drinking.

Our Data Shows that AlcoholEdu for High School: •Engages teens: Over 90% of students said they paid attention to the course and over 80% of students recommend the course to their peers. Research shows that teens prefer to receive alcohol prevention via the Internet.* •Increases alcohol-related knowledge: The percentage of students passing the knowledge test increased by 32% from pretest to posttest (p < .01), with 93% of students passing the test after completing the course. The average score on the test increased from 66% to 84%. •Undermines acceptance of underage drinking: The percentage of students reporting that drinking alcohol is never acceptable for people under the age of 21 increased significantly from 37.8% at baseline to 47.5% after completing the course (p < .001). •Reduces Underage Drinking: The percentage of students who reported not drinking was significantly higher among students completing the course than among the control group (76.7% vs. 73.9%, p < .001). In addition, the percentage of students who reported that they drink and see no need to change their alcohol use was significantly lower among students completing the course than among the control group (13.1% vs. 14.7%, p < .001). •Reduces riding with an intoxicated driver: The percentage of students reporting they had ridden with a driver who had been drinking decreased significantly from 27.1% at baseline to 23.5% after completing the course (p < .001).

Huntsville High School PTSA and Student Council present:

Free Alcohol Prevention Course for Parents Help your teen make safer and healthier decisions! AlcoholEdu for Parents uses videos, interactive exercises, and only takes approximately 30 minutes to complete.

Access is Free and Easy: 1. Visit: http://highschoolparents.alcoholedu.com/ 2. Under New User type: 11PH00422PARENT 3. Click “Sign Up”

What does the course do?  Helps parents understand Social Host Liability  Dispels common misperceptions about underage drinking  Assists with strategies and techniques for monitoring and setting rules  Gives guidance on what to do if your teen is experimenting  Gives expert advice for dealing with common situations. 20

This section of the HHS PTSA Newsletter-College Edition is brought to you by your Huntsville High School Counselors, the PTSA , and our HHS PTSA Newsletter sponsors:

And…

College Prep for Freshmen and Sophomores – Ms. Wolfe What you can do Freshman year to prepare for college: 1. Research colleges and find the ones that will fit your needs to be successful academically and hopefully socially and spiritually, in my mind the more well-rounded you are in those three qualities the better prepared you will be to face life as an adult. Find out everything you need to be accepted and then work back from there on your timeline. 2. Once you have your timeline in place, start planning with your parents, teachers and counselor your class schedule not only for your freshman year but through your senior year, with the caveat that situations may change, it's important to have a structure in place. 3. Enroll in challenging classes that will prepare you for the specific colleges you're looking it, making sure you cover all the core subjects such as English, history, math, science and foreign languages. 4. Pick areas of interest in activities outside of school and participate in them, be it a sport, club, a drama or music group, volunteering and work experience. Colleges are looking for more than great academic achievement; they want well-rounded students who have passion for what they love. Your outside activities will reveal to the college a lot about your character and what makes you tick. (Information from http://www.youniversitytv.com/ )

What you can do Sophomore year to prepare for college: 1)

I have a great brochure, short and to the point, titled “Planning Your Future for Sophomores.”

Please come by my office to pick one up. It provides several tips for what you should be doing right now to plan for life beyond high school. 2) Keep volunteering! Volunteering is a great way to not only give back to the community, but also looks great on a college and/or work application. I have volunteer hour sheets in my office on which you can keep track of where you volunteer, when you volunteer, and the dates and times. Be sure to get someone from the volunteer organization to sign off on all volunteer hours. 3)

You should be working on the following things:

Develop an action plan for the rest of high school;

Continue to dedicate time to extracurricular activities;

Research careers and colleges; and

Begin financial planning.

(Information from www.Scholarships.com) 4) Please make it a point to schedule a time to see me to go over your plan for classes over the next few years, career interests, and post-secondary education plans. ****All sophomores will take the Alabama High School Graduation Exam the week of March 19-23. Each day is a different untimed test. The tests cover Language, Social Studies, Biology, Math, and Reading. If you have passed either Biology or Math (or both) in the fall, then you do not have to retake those tests.***** 23

Online Resources for College Preparation The information below has been taken from College Preparation websites (linked below) for your easy-access convenience. You are able to access the highlighted links directly from this newsletter. They have been grouped in the following order:       

Preparation suggestions by grade Test preparation (ACT, PACT, SAT, PACT) Factors for Choosing a College Application Top 10 Application mistakes Financial Aid Alabama Colleges and Universities

Please take the time to access the following links for more great information about college prep: http://www.actstudent.org http://www.collegeboard.org/

Check list by Year http://www.actstudent.org/college/checklist.html

Freshman Year     

Find out how to make the most of high school Plan challenging high school courses

       

Review EXPLORE results with your parents and school counselor Start thinking about reasons for attending college

Find out why you should go to college Become familiar with college entrance requirements Take EXPLORE®—a set of four tests that measure academic achievement; EXPLORE results can be a benchmark before taking PLAN® and the ACT® test

Join/continue extracurricular activities Attend summer camp at a college to experience a college-like atmosphere Research college costs Continue/start saving for college Meet with your college/career counselor at least once a year Explore careers on the Internet by using DISCOVER®

Sophomore Year   

Continue to take and plan challenging high school courses Continue to meet with your college/career counselor at least once a year Keep exploring careers on the Internet by using DISCOVER®

          

Think about what kind of education/training different careers require Take PLAN® Review PLAN results with your parents and school counselor; compare these to your EXPLORE® results to measure growth Start collecting college information Visit colleges and talk with college students Be ready with a list of questions to ask on your campus visit Use this list of college characteristics to decide how to evaluate different colleges Begin filling out the college comparison worksheet (PDF; 1 page, 64KB); for assistance with PDF files, see these tips Continue/start saving for college Consider your reasons for going to college and how they relate to your career interests Join/continue extracurricular activities

Junior Year     

Keep meeting with your college/career counselor at least once a year Continue to take and plan challenging courses

       

Read our key information about the ACT test Talk with your parents and high school counselor about colleges that interest you

  

Keep your grades up Join an academic club Register for the ACT. You should be academically ready to take it by spring. If not, take it early in your senior year.

Prepare a list of questions to ask on campus visits Continue to visit colleges and talk with college students List, compare, and visit colleges Start or update an academic resume Consider putting together a portfolio that highlights your special skills and talents Keep filling out the college comparison worksheet (PDF; 1 page, 64KB); for assistance with PDF files, see these tips Investigate scholarship opportunities Volunteer for activities and clubs related to career interests Get a part-time job, apprenticeship, or internship; or job shadow in a profession that interests you

Senior Year Senior year is finally here, and it's full of things to do to get ready for college. Use this senior year checklist to keep track of your progress and upcoming deadlines for testing, admissions and financial aid.

August 



learned a lot since you first took it.) Review ACT test results and retest if necessary 25

August – December            

Visit with your school counselor to make sure you are on track to graduate and fulfill college admission requirements Consider taking courses at a local university or community college Keep working hard all year; second semester grades can affect scholarship eligibility Ask for personal references from teachers, school counselors, or employers early in the year or at least two weeks before application deadlines. Follow your school's procedure for requesting recommendations. Visit with admissions counselors who come to your high school Attend a college fair Begin your college essay(s) Apply for admission at the colleges you've chosen Avoid common college application mistakes Find out if you qualify for scholarships at each college you have applied to Start the financial aid application process See your school counselor for help finding financial aid and scholarships

January – May            

If you need it, get help completing the FAFSA Ask your guidance office in January to send first semester transcripts to schools where you applied. In May, they will need to send final transcripts to the college you will attend. Visit colleges that have invited you to enroll Decide which college to attend, and notify the school of your decision Keep track of and observe deadlines for sending in all required fees and paperwork Notify schools you will not attend of your decision Continue to look for scholarship opportunities Keep track of important financial aid and scholarship deadlines Watch the mail for your Student Aid Report (SAR)—it should arrive four weeks after the FAFSA is filed Compare financial aid packages from different schools Sign and send in a promissory note if you are borrowing money Notify your college about any outside scholarships you receive

Test Prep http://www.actstudent.org/testprep/index.html



Preparing for the ACT (PDF; 80 pages, 1,075KB) or Preparación para el examen de ACT (PDF; 86 pages, 1.18MB) –FREE A free student preparation booklet available from most high schools and colleges—includes test information, complete practice tests with scoring keys, and a writing prompt with sample essays.

   

Practice test questions–FREE Alternate Format Practice Tests Order Form (PDF; 1 page, 45KB)–FREE Test tips–FREE Test descriptions–FREE

College Board Tests provided by collegeboard.com Follow the links below to register online for the SAT, view and send your SAT scores, and find all the information you need — including exam dates and fees — for the SAT, SAT Subject Tests™, PSAT/NMSQT, AP, and CLEP. SAT & Subject Tests

PSAT/NMSQT

CLEP

About

Registration

Calendar

SAT Practice

Preparing

SAT Subject Tests Practice

My College QuickStart™

Grades

Scores & Transcripts

Scores

Scores & Review

Contact

AP Subjects

CLEP Exams Getting Credit

Test taking Tips: http://www.actstudent.org/testprep/tips/index.html http://www.satexamprep.com/index.html

Identify Important Factors in Choosing a College http://www.actstudent.org/college/factors.html

In choosing a college, the first things you'll probably consider will be the type of academic program and the availability of the major—or majors—you are most interested in. Here are some other things to think about as you compare colleges. How you rank these other factors will depend largely on your personal preferences and needs. Number your top five factors by importance below. Location



Financial aid distance from home

Environment



deadline(s)



required forms



type of school (2-year or 4-year)



% of student population receiving aid



school setting (urban, rural)



scholarships



location and size of nearest city



part-time employment opportunities



co-ed, male, female



religious affiliation

Size

Housing



residence hall requirements



availability



enrollment



types and sizes



physical size of campus



food plans

Admission requirements

Facilities



deadline(s)



academic



test(s) required



recreational



average test scores, GPA, rank



other



special requirements

Academics

Activities



clubs, organizations



majors offered



sororities/fraternities



special requirements



athletics, intramurals



other



accreditation—recognized by regional or national accrediting bodies as meeting its objectives



student-faculty ratio



typical class size

College expenses



tuition, room and board



estimated total budget



application fee, deposits

Campus visits



when to visit



special opportunities

Applying to Colleges

http://www.collegeboard.com/student/apply/index.html

Applying to college takes thought, effort, and organization. Our tools and expert advice can help you keep track of applications, apply to college online, and write solid admission essays.

Articles The Application       

College Application Calendar College Application FAQs Preparing for Admission Tests Your Counselor and the Application Process Is Part of Your College Application Really Missing? NEW! Avoid Sending Too Many Applications See all Articles

Essay Skills    

Sample College Essay Questions Recipe for a Draft Three Steps to a Great College Essay See all Articles

The Letters Are In...    

No Acceptance Letters: Now What? College Decision-Making Guide What to Do if You're Wait-Listed See all Articles

Advice from ACT about what you need to do when you're applying to colleges. http://www.actstudent.org/college/applying.html 

Become familiar with college entrance requirements You should know about admissions requirements before you start applying to colleges. While particular requirements vary, every college sets some standard for evaluating prospective students. Most colleges look at your high school performance, course selections, and test scores to decide which courses you will be allowed to take.



Register for and take college admissions tests Most colleges want students to take a college entrance exam. Here is some helpful information about registering and preparing for the ACT test.



Should you test again? Sometimes it's hard to know if you should retake the ACT test. This article offers some things to think about when you're considering whether you want to take the ACT test again. 29



Apply to "choice" colleges The application process at each school is unique. Some things remain consistent though, and we have advice to help you through the application process.



Top 10 college application mistakes Know common college application blunders to avoid. Counselors and admissions staff share the most common mistakes students make on college applications.

Top 10 College Application Mistakes http://www.actstudent.org/college/mistakes.html Senior year is hectic, but don't let that affect the quality of your college applications. Take your time, pay attention to detail and plan ahead so you can meet the deadlines. Following are some of the top responses from counselors and admissions staff who shared the most common mistakes on college applications. 1.

Misspellings and grammatical errors—This is a big pet peeve of admissions people. Misspellings on something as important as the application shows that either you don't care or you aren't good at spelling. Some students even misspell their intended major. But don't stop with a spell check. Proofread for grammatical errors, too.

Applying online, but the application isn't actually submitted—If you apply online, you should receive confirmation that the college or university received it. Confirmation could be an email message, a Web page response or a credit card receipt. Follow through and make sure that your application has been received.

Forgotten signatures—Make sure you sign and date the form. Often students overlook that part of the form if it's on the back. Check that all spaces are completed.

Not reading carefully—For example, if the form asks what County you live in, don't misread it as Country and write United States.

Listing extracurricular activities that aren't—Those that make the list include sports, the arts, formal organizations and volunteer work. Talking on the phone and hanging out with friends don't make the cut. Make sure your activity information is accurate. Colleges may check with your high school.

Not telling your school counselor where you've applied—Let your counselor know which colleges you're applying to, and ask him or her to review your high school transcript before sending it to colleges. Sometimes transcripts have errors.

Writing illegibly—First impressions count, so take your time and use your best handwriting. It will make a better impression.

Using an email address that friends might laugh about, but colleges won't—Select a professional email address. Keep your fun address for friends, but select an address using your name for college admissions.

Not checking your email regularly—If you've given an email address, the college will use it. You don't want to miss out on anything because you didn't read your email.

10. Letting Mom or Dad help you fill out your application—Admissions people know if your parents help, whether you have two different styles of handwriting or your admissions essay sounds more like a 45-year-old than a 17-year-old. It's fine to get advice, but do the work yourself.

Paying for College and Financial Aid http://www.collegeboard.com/student/pay/index.html Understand all of your options when it comes to paying for college. We can help you get the latest information about college costs, scholarships, financial aid applications, education loans, and college financing. Use college costs and financial aid tools:

 

Scholarship Search Financial Aid EasyPlanner

Articles Add It Up

   

What It Costs to Go to College Net Price Calculator Financial Aid FAQs See all Articles

  

Where the College Scholarships Are Financial Aid Calendar Apply Early and Follow All the Rules See all Articles

   

Reducing College Costs College Tuition Tax Credits Paying for College Is a Shared Responsibility See all Articles

 

The Borrowing Process and How It Works See all Articles

Scholarships & Aid

Ways to Pay

Loan Center

Types of Financial Aid http://www.actstudent.org/finaid/types.html

Financial assistance to attend college comes in many forms. Federal Aid Programs—Federal programs are based on financial need. They are the largest single source of financial aid for college. State Aid Programs—Most states support various aid programs (both need-based and merit). Generally, eligibility for state need-based programs follows the federal guidelines. Grants and Scholarships —Awards based on merit or merit plus need. They don't have to be repaid. Loans—Funds loaned through a lending institution or college. Interest rates vary by program. For federal loans, qualifying students—based on need—will not have to pay interest while in school. Loan programs also are available to eligible parents to help with college expenses of their qualifying children. Military programs—The military offers several options to help you pay for college.

Work-study programs—Jobs that allow students to earn money toward their education while they are enrolled in school. Students can sometimes get jobs related to their program of study. Working and Savings—As the cost of a college education rises, more students and parents will need to put money aside. Lots of college students have part-time jobs to help make ends meet. Most people use a combination of these forms of aid to pay for college.

Thinking about an in-state school? The following list represents a variety of colleges and universities in Alabama. You can learn a lot by visiting a school’s website – things like average ACT score requirements, application deadlines, campus tour dates, and courses of study.

Alabama Colleges and Universities Public Universities Alabama A&M University - Normal, AL Alabama State University - Montgomery, AL Athens State University - Athens, AL Auburn University - Auburn, AL Auburn University at Montgomery - Montgomery, AL Jacksonville State University - Jacksonville, AL Troy University - Troy, AL The University of Alabama - Tuscaloosa, AL University of Alabama at Birmingham - Birmingham, AL University of Alabama in Huntsville - Huntsville, AL University of Montevallo - Montevallo, AL University of North Alabama - Florence, AL University of South Alabama - Mobile, AL University of West Alabama - Livingston, AL University of Alabama System - Tuscaloosa, AL

Armed Forces Army – www.army.com Navy – www.navy.com Air Force – www.airforce.com Marines – www.marines.com

Non-Profit Independent Institutions Amridge University - Montgomery, AL Birmingham-Southern College - Birmingham, AL Concordia College - Selma, AL Faulkner University - Montgomery, AL Huntingdon College - Montgomery, AL Judson College - Marion, AL Miles College - Birmingham, AL Oakwood University - Huntsville, AL Samford University - Birmingham, AL Spring Hill College - Mobile, AL Stillman College - Tuscaloosa, AL Talladega College - Talladega, AL Tuskegee University - Tuskegee, AL United States Sports Academy - Daphne, AL University of Mobile - Mobile, AL

Public Two-Year Colleges Alabama Southern Community College -Monroeville, AL Bevill State Community College - Sumiton, AL Bishop State Community College - Mobile, AL Calhoun Community College - Decatur, AL Central Alabama Community College - Alexander City, AL Chattahoochee Valley Community College - Phenix City, AL Drake State Technical College - Huntsville, AL Enterprise State Community College - Enterprise, AL Faulkner State Community College - Bay Minette, AL Gadsden State Community College - Gadsden, AL Ingram State Technical College - Deatsville, AL Jefferson Davis Community Collegev - Brewton, AL Jefferson State Community College - Birmingham, AL Lawson State Community College - Birmingham, AL Lurleen B. Wallace Community College - Andalusia, AL Marion Military Institute - Marion, AL Northeast Alabama Community College - Rainsville, AL Northwest-Shoals Community College - Muscle Shoals, AL Reid State Technical College - Evergreen, AL Shelton State Community College - Tuscaloosa, AL Snead State Community College - Boaz, AL Southern Union State Community College - Wadley, AL Trenholm State Technical College - Montgomery, AL Wallace State Community College (Dothan) - Dothan, AL Wallace State Community College (Hanceville) - Hanceville, AL Wallace Community College (Selma) - Selma, AL