Counseling & Guidance

The following websites may help students prepare as they look into their college and career plans.

• AccreditedOnlineColleges.org
• ACT
  • Register for the ACT, download a college comparison worksheet, use the financial aid estimator and prepare for the test.
• College Board
  • Register for the SAT, search for colleges and scholarships and obtain a variety of information about the college search and application process.
• CSS Profile Online
  • The CSS profile is the form many private colleges and universities require, in addition to the FAFSA, for those applying for financial aid.
• Financial Aid
  • A guide to financial aid.
• How to Become a Police Officer
  • Criminal justice programs train students to work in some of the most exciting jobs available, like law enforcement, forensic science, private investigation, and much more.
• Indiana College Costs
  • The National Center for College Costs has developed a web site that is to bring comprehensive college selection, admissions
    and financial aid information to Hoosier students and families.
• Match College
  • Information helping you find the right college.
• National Association for College Admission Counseling
  • Extensive list of online resources. This is a premier site for college resources.
• NCAA Online
  • Information about playing sports at the NCAA Division I, II, or III college level.
• Online Medical Assistant Schools & Programs
  • Want to become a medical assistant? Don’t have time to take classes at a college campus? Online medical assistant programs may be the solution you’ve been looking for.
• The Princeton Review
  • Search based on name, region, state, size and cost.
• Student Loan Network
  • Get information on College Costs; Tuition, Fees, Room, and Board

Guide to completing the FAFSA:

Step 1:
Apply and receive admissions to the university you would like to attend.

Step 2:
You may apply for a FSA ID on the FAFSA website. Select your own FSA ID (and complete the security questions).

Step 3:
Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This application will determine the type(s) of federal aid for which you are eligible. To complete the FAFSA you will need the Title IV code for each school you list on the application. You can obtain each school’s Title IV code at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/FOTWWebApp/FSLookupServlet.

Your financial need will be determined by the school. The financial aid office calculates you need by subtracting your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) from the Cost of Attendance (COA). Information from the FAFSA helps determine your EFC. Your EFC will be the same at any college you plan to attend. The COA, however, varies and will usually include the following: tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies and personal and other miscellaneous expenses.

Once your FAFSA has been processed, your school will notify you of the type and the amount of financial aid that you may be eligible to receive.

Step 4:
You will receive a Student Aid Report and your school will receive an Institutional Student Information Report (ISIR).

NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse
Student athletes must register with the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse to be eligible to play NCAA Division I or Division II sports in college. (Athletes playing in NCAA Division III do not have to register.)

What is the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse?
The NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse is the organization that determines whether prospective college athletes are eligible to play sports at NCAA Division I or Division II institutions. It does this by reviewing the student athlete’s academic record, SAT or ACT scores, and amateur status to ensure conformity with NCAA rules. To find out more about the NCAA or to register click on the following link: http://eligibilitycenter.org

Students make sure that you have informed your Guidance Counselor that you are interested in playing a sport(s) on the college level!

NCAA INITIAL ELIGIBILITY- DIVISION I

All student-athletes interested in a NCAA Division I and II institution MUST meet certain specialized requirements to be eligible for financial aid and to participate in any sport.

• NCAA CORE REQUIREMENTS
  • The number of required courses is sixteen (16), to include the following:
    1. four (4) years of English
    2. three (3) years of Mathematics (Algebra+)
    3. two (2) years of Science (1 year with lab)
    4. two (2) years of Social Science
    5. two (2) additional course English, Math, Science
    6. three (3) additional years in English, Math, Science, Foreign Language or Computer Science

• DIVISION II GPA/SAT/ACT REQUIREMENTS
  • Student-athletes entering a Division II college MUST have an overall 2.0 (on a 4-point scale) grade point average and a 2.0 GPA in the 14 cores courses. In addition, they must have a combined score of at least 820 on the SAT or 68 sum score on the ACT.
• DIVISION I GPA/SAT/ACT REQUIREMENTS
  • Student-athletes entering a Division I college MUST meet higher standards than those entering a Division II institution. The standards are based on a sliding scale that starts with 2.5 GPA in the 16 cores courses. It is possible for the student-athlete to have a GPA lower than 2.5 if they meet higher requirements in the SAT or ACT scores. Inquire in the Athletic Office for information about the sliding scale and the NCAA Clearinghouse.

Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT)
The SAT is a qualifying test required for admission to most colleges and universities in the state of Indiana and in many schools outside of Indiana. Juniors who wish to make early application to colleges should take the SAT I in the spring of their junior year. Students should determine if the college of their choice requires Subject Tests (SAT II). To register for Subject Tests (SAT II), see your counselor. SAT scores are also used for scholarship consideration.

REGISTER EARLY!
Students who are considering attending college are strongly encouraged to take the ACT or SAT in the spring of their junior year. The SAT will be given to all juniors on a school day in the spring (paid for by the Indiana Department of Education). They may then retake the tests if necessary during the fall of their senior year. Students may obtain student information (Taking the SAT) from their counselor.

Click Here To Register Online http://sat.collegeboard.com/register

SAT Fees
SAT Fees can be found here: http://sat.collegeboard.com/register/sat-fees
No refunds! Payment can be made by credit or debit card.

Important Numbers on the Registration Forms:
15231 – Test Center Number for Elkhart High School
150916 – Elkhart High School Code

Important:
Students should bring their admission ticket and a picture identification in order to be accepted for the test. Students will be denied entrance to the test without a picture ID. Students may want to use a calculator on the math portion of the test so they are advised to bring a calculator and #2 pencil(s) as well.

For more information or to register online: www.collegeboard.com

SAT RESOURCES

1. Barron’s How to Prepare for the Scholastic Aptitude Test; SAT
2. Peterson’s SAT Success
3. SAT, Scholastic Aptitude Test
4. Inside Strategies for the SAT
5. Princeton Review

“American College Testing” Assessment
The ACT is a qualifying test required for admission to colleges and universities in Indiana and in many schools outside the state of Indiana. Juniors who wish to make early application to colleges should take the ACT in the spring of their junior year.

REGISTER EARLY!
Students who are considering attending college are strongly encouraged to take the ACT or SAT in the spring of their junior year. They may then retake the tests if necessary during the fall of their senior year. Students may obtain student information (Preparing For The ACT Assessment) from their counselor.

ACT Test Fees

For more information or to register online: www.act.org

Important Numbers on the Registration Forms:
193660 – Test Center Number for Elkhart High School
150916 – Elkhart High School Coder

Important:
Students should bring their admission ticket or mailgram from ACT and a picture identification in order to be accepted for the test. Students will be denied entrance to the test without a picture ID.

ACT RESOURCES

• Preparing for the ACT Assessment
• Preparing for the ACT Writing Test

Billions of dollars are available to students seeking scholarships. The following are some pages that Elkhart High School Counseling Office recommends for searching for available scholarships:

• Scholarship Experts: This link is a free scholarship matching service with database of over 2.4 million scholarships worth over $14 billion.
• American College Foundation: Provides vital process-driven details and procedures to help ensure the student receives the best college education at the most competitive price.
• Minority Scholarships: Scholarships and More For African-American Students.
• High Five Scholarships: With over $45 billion in total awards, HighFiveScholarships.com matches students with hundreds of scholarships – free of charge.
• Scholarships.com: Free scholarship search and financial aid resource that matches colleges to personal information.
• Scholarship Scam Page: Federal Trade Commission info about scholarship swindles.
• Fastweb: A free scholarship search engine that matches a student’s interests with available scholarships.
• Student Loan Network: Get information on College Costs, including tuition, fees, room, and board.

Students should also log in to their Naviance account to search thousands of available scholarships.

Although teenage pregnancy rates are on the decline, Elkhart Community Schools has been a strong advocate of education for all—including for the quality of life of young parents and their children. Since 1978, Elkhart Community Schools has operated the Teenage Parent Program (TAPP). Students who are pregnant or who are parents are eligible for TAPP. These students attend their home high school where, along with their regular coursework, they are enrolled in one or more of TAPP’s courses. A licensed child care center is provided for high school students and is located in the adjacent Elkhart Area Career Center, where it serves also as a learning laboratory for students in EACC’s Child Care Services training program.

• For information about the ECS TAPP Program, contact our TAPP Coordinator at 574-262-5833.