Page 13 - 2019-20 H. S Course Catalog FINAL_Neat

Preparing for College and Career (continued)

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
Some students, with a documented learning disability, are eligible for "extended time" on standardized tests. These students are
currently eligible for extended time on tests in high school. A student must apply to the testing company for the right to use extended
time on standardized tests. The process takes several weeks. If you think you might be eligible, see your Counselor. You may file your
request as early as freshman year.

ADVANCED PLACEMENT (AP) COURSES
Advanced Placement Courses prepare students for the rigor of college. It is suggested that students consider taking at least one AP
course before graduation. You can earn credit and/or placement at most colleges and universities in the U.S., as well as colleges and
universities in more than 40 countries, through qualifying AP Exam grades. At many of these institutions, you can earn up to a full
year of college credit (sophomore standing) through a sufficient number of qualifying AP Exam grades.

Individual colleges and universities, not the College Board or the AP Program, grant course credit and placement. Because it varies
from school to school, you should obtain a college’s AP policy in writing. You can find this information in the institution’s catalogue
or on its Web site, or by using collegeboard.com’s AP Credit Policy Info search.

Colleges that have received your AP Grade Report will generally notify you of any placement, credit, and exemption you have earned
during the summer. You can also contact the college’s admissions office to find out the status of your AP credits.

FEE WAIVERS
Fee waivers for testing may be available. There are strict guidelines regarding financial need. If you think you may be eligible, and
you are a junior or senior, see your counselor.

APPLYING FOR FINANCIAL AID
Financial aid is awarded based on merit (academic achievement), financial need, or some combination of both. Some schools will
offer merit scholarships to attract students who are high achieving relative to the school's applicant pool. Few schools maintain "need-
blind" admissions, meaning that applicants are admitted without regard to their ability to pay. Schools who do maintain need-blind
admissions will state this in their financial aid information because they are proud of this fact.

More than half of all student applicants apply for financial aid. Colleges themselves are the greatest sources of financial aid because
they distribute money made available through the U.S. government. Aid from colleges is usually awarded as a package consisting of:
 A grant, this is a gift and does not have to be repaid.
 A student loan, this must be repaid by the student.
 Work-study, this is an opportunity to work for pay for a certain number of hours per week on campus.
A good web site for estimating your family's financial aid eligibility is: http:/ /www. finaid.org.

The FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, is required by all colleges in order to apply for financial aid. You can file
on the web – this is preferred. You can also file on the web at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Filing on the web is preferred. However, you must
first apply for a PIN number, because you need a PIN to electronically sign your FAFSA. Once you apply for your PIN on the FAFSA
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web page, your PIN number will be mailed to you in 1-5 days. In either case, the FAFSA cannot be filed until after October 1 of the
prior year in which the student plans to attend college. FAFSA must be filed in early March.

From detailed financial information reported in the FAFSA, formulas produce the expected family contribution, or EFC. This sum is
considered an amount that the family can be reasonably expected to pay over time, not just currently from income and assets. Each
year, the Counseling Department invites a guest speaker to explain line by line the process of filling out the FAFSA.

In addition to the FAFSA, some colleges also require the CSS College Profile when applying for financial aid. The Profile is offered
through the College Scholarship Service, which is the financial aid division of the College Board. You can apply on line at
www.collegeboard.com or by phone. In either case, you must complete the CSS College Profile short form. Copies are available in the
counseling office as early as October. The FAFSA is free, but the College Profile costs money. Fee waivers are available to those who
qualify. If a college requires it, however, one must be filled out. The College Profile collects even more information about the
finances of the student and parents.
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