NEWS - SENIORS - CLASS OF 2025

NEWSFLASH

Congratulations and welcome to your Senior year! This will be a very busy and memorable year for each of you. 

 

Resume Tips. Colleges are looking to accept students who will positively impact their school community. You cannot do that from your dorm bed while sleeping or while playing a video game. So show them that you are READY to engage and be a part of something bigger! Get out there this summer and: get a job, do service, take classes, something anything!

START SMOOTH
-Make sure you are checking your school email. That is how I will communicate with you about opportunities, scholarships and all things Senior Related-check this daily. It is also time for you to begin using a personal email for all things related to post high school graduation – you will need to check this email DAILY and OFTEN….This will be how the colleges you apply to will send out updates and information.****Are you getting how important checking your email is?
-Every college you apply to will send you information on how to access an applicant portal- you need to set those up and track to make sure they have all pieces of your application needed to make a decision. Keep up with your login ins (User / Pass) because this is unique to you.  Keep a notes page in your phone with all of your important user/password combos. Trust me – this will be helpful to you.
-TALK TO YOUR PARENTS about the schools you plan to apply and what your college budget looks like –or if there is one or not?? Make sure you are ALL on the same page! Remember a college education is a privilege and it is very expensive.  You need to have these conversations early and often to figure out your plan for paying for your post-secondary education.

 

ACCESS TO MY WEBSITE:  Go to www.shisd.net and follow the link to Campuses/High School/Counselors.  You will need to access my website daily, every other day, weekly, in other words…OFTEN.  I am constantly updating information that you NEED to know.  Email me if you ever have questions – [email protected]

 

WRITE AN ESSAY:  Almost every admissions application & scholarship application requires an essay.  Scholarship essays lean more towards “why you are deserving of the scholarship.”  This is your time to shine.  DO NOT be LAZY and miss out on the opportunity for scholarship monies because you do not want to write an essay.  Save the essay and tweak it for various scholarship opportunities that may come up in the future.

 

PROSPECTIVE COLLEGE ATHLETES:  Register online with the NCAA Clearinghouse if you want to play college athletics.  http://web1.ncaa.org/ECWR2/NCAA_EMS/NCAA.jsp  In order to participate in athletics and receive athletically-based financial aid, you must register with the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse and meet eligibility standards. If you wish to register on-line with the Clearinghouse, you must have a valid U.S. Social Security Number and a VISA or MasterCard. There is a cost.  Also, if you take the ACT or SAT, be sure to have your scores sent to the Clearinghouse, code: 9999.

 

SENIOR MALES:  You MUST register with the Selective Service within 30 days of your 18^th birthday.  IT IS THE LAW!! Men can now submit their registration information when they turn 17 years and 3 months and will automatically be registered upon turning 18.  Pick up a registration form at the post office or go to www.sss.gov

 

MENINGITIS VACCINATION:  As of October 1, 2013, Texas state law (Senate Bill 1107) requires that college students under 22 years of age must provide proof of receiving an initial bacterial meningitis vaccination dose or booster within the last 5 years. This includes all new and transfer students, as well as former students who are re-enrolling after a break in enrollment.  Students must show proof of having the vaccination at least 10 days prior to the start of the semester.

 

Financial Aid Application Graduation Requirement - In 2019, the 86th Texas Legislature established a new financial aid application graduation requirement. Beginning with students enrolled in 12th grade during the 2021-2022 school year and beyond, each student must do one of the following in order to graduate:  

• Complete and submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA);
• Complete and submit a Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA); or
• Submit a signed opt-out form.

Additional information regarding the financial aid application graduation requirement is provided on the Financial Aid Requirement webpage.

 

FAFSA: In order to apply for federal student aid, which can be used to attend an eligible college or career school.  Federal student aid includes Federal Pell Grants, federal student loans, and work-study opportunities.  In addition to determining eligibility for federal student aid, many states, private organizations, colleges, and career schools rely on information from the FAFSA® to determine eligibility for nonfederal sources of aid. 

FAFSA Application Opens Annually: Starting on October 1st, 2024, the Department of Education will release the 2025-2026 FAFSA for testing with a limited set of students and institutions. The Department of Education will make the application available to all students on or before DEC  1, 2024.  You must FIRST get your FSAID - you can create an FSA ID - https://fsaid.ed.gov/npas/index.htm - by using this website.

There are many FAQs on this website regarding the FAFSA: https://fafsa.ed.gov/help.htm

 What will I need to fill out the FAFSA?

• Your Social Security Number or Your Alien Registration Number (if you are not a U.S. citizen)
• Your federal income tax returns, W-2s, and other records of money earned. (Note: You may be able to transfer your federal tax return information into your FAFSA using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool.)
• Bank statements and records of investments (if applicable)
• Records of untaxed income (if applicable)
• An FSA ID to sign electronically.

If you are a dependent student, then you will also need most of the above information for your parent(s).

What is an FSA ID, and will I need it to complete the FAFSA? The FSA ID allows students and parents to identify themselves electronically to access FSA Web sites. An FSA ID is made up of a username and password and can be used to log into FAFSA on the Web. While you are not required to have an FSA ID to complete and submit a FAFSA on the Web application, it is the fastest way to sign your application and have it processed. It is also the only way to access or correct your information online, or to pre-fill a FAFSA on the Web application with information from your previous year’s FAFSA. If you do not already have an FSA ID, you can create an FSA ID - https://fsaid.ed.gov/npas/index.htm - by using this website.

 

TEXAS COMMON APPLICATION: Most 4-year public universities use the Texas Common Application for Freshman Admission.  You can apply at multiple universities using this one application.  You can apply online at https://prod.applytexas.org/

 

COLLEGE VISIT: Seniors may be granted up to 2 college days to visit a campus.  College days cannot be taken in December, the week prior to Spring Break, nor in May.  This absence is excused and will NOT count against your exemptions as long as you follow the College Day Form Instructions.  In order to take a college day, you must complete and return the College Day sheet ONE WEEK prior to the college day.  If you are on the failure list at any time with an “I” or a grade of “69” or less or if you have failed a semester course your senior year, you cannot take an excused college day.  Be sure to bring a note from the college you visited to excuse the absence. Forms are located on the wire “RACK” in the high school office outside of the College and Career Center.

 

FREE SCHOLARSHIP SEARCH - www.fastweb.com

 

TRANSCRIPTS:  As soon as you are ready for me to send your transcript out to your prospective college(s)…Fill out the form located outside the College and Career Center and submit the form to me.  You can also email me the request. Colleges don’t want YOU to send the transcript to them.  SHHS will send your transcript out electronically so that the recipient will consider it “official.”

 

VALEDICTORIAN - SALUTATORIAN POLICY:

The valedictory and salutatory honors shall be awarded only to those students who have been:

1. Continuously enrolled in the Spring Hill High School the entire four semesters immediately preceding graduation
2. Be graduating after exactly eight semesters of enrollment in high school; and
3. Have completed the foundation program with the distinguished level of achievement.

 *Spring dual credit college courses will not be used to determine VAL, SAL or top 10% for the graduation ceremony because they are not yet completed at the time of the final ranking.

 

The student meeting the local eligibility criteria for recognition as the valedictorian shall also be considered the highest-ranking graduate for purposes of receiving the honor graduate certificate from the state of Texas.

 

TOP 10% - for students who rank in the top 10% of their high school class they are automatically admitted to any public university in Texas EXCEPT for UT AUSTIN (TOP 6%).  The class of 2025 has 136 students.    Those student who rank from #1-14 are in the top 10%. 

We will complete another class ranking in January. The final ranking will be at the end of the 3^rd marking period (3^rd 9-weeks) to determine Valedictorian, Salutatorian, and the Top 10%. We will NOT class rank again after graduation. Grades will continue to count and will figure into your final GPA through the last day of the school year.

 

AP STUDENTS:  HB1992, legislation requiring all Texas public colleges and universities to award credit to students who submit scores of 3 and higher on AP exams.   To find out if your out of state college will accept a 3, 4, 5 and which courses you will get credit for, log on to www.collegeboard.com/ap/creditpolicy. Click on “AP Credit Policy Info,” type in your college’s name, click on the college, and click on the “click here for this Institutions AP credit and placement Policy on the Web.”

 

TSIA2 ASSESSMENT:  All first-time-in-college students are required to take the TSIA2 (Texas Success Initiative) Assessment if not previously tested and enrolled, TSIA2 Complete or exempt.  Please see the link on my webpage Dual Credit Information – Kilgore College for more information on the TSIA2 Assessment.  SHHS will offer the TSIA2 beginning in October if you need to “prove” college readiness. See me or Mrs. Williamson to sign up for the monthly TSIA2 test offered here on the SHHS campus in the computer lab.

 

ACT/SAT:  If you have already taken one of these tests and you are satisfied with your score then you have taken care of business.  Make sure you have at the very least taken one of these tests if you are planning on going to college.  Check the link “COLLEGE ENTRANCE EXAM INFO” for test dates, costs and how to register online.  If you participate in the school’s free and reduced lunch program you are eligible for TWO FREE FEE WAIVERS—See Mrs. Childers for these.

 

SHHS DOES NOT SEND – TSIA2 SCORES, AP SCORES, ACT SCORES, or SAT SCORES.  YOU are responsible for sending these scores to your respective college/university.  You also have the ability to log into your own College Board or ACT Student account to access your scores.  TSI Scores are available via the College Board portal for students to use to retrieve their TSIA/Accuplacer test scores: https://studentportal.accuplacer.org/?SFMC_cid=EM106580-&rid=47693047#/home

You must know your UNIQUE SHHS STUDENT ID to retrieve your TSIA2 Scores.  This is something you should have saved in the “Notes” of your phone when you took the TSIA2 Test at SHHS.

 

 

INFORMATION FOR THOSE Graduating Seniors who plan to attend Kilgore College (KC) for Fall 2025, do not need to apply to KC again.  However, there is some information that is needed to transition them from dual credit students.  Below is a link to that form.  If you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out. 

 

https://www.kilgore.edu/dual-credit-transition-form/