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College GuideGet2College counselors can provide you with personalized adviceon how to do everything outlined in this booklet. Just call one ofour Centers listed on the back cover or chat with us live atget2college.org.SENIORS
How tochoose theright collegefor youASK YOURSELF SOME QUESTIONS.WHERE DO I WANT TO LIVE?Answering questions like these will help you focus Urban, suburban, or ruralyour college search. Live at home and commute What interests me? Move away from home and live on campus How do I spend my free time? What makes me feel passionate? How do I learn best?HOW LARGE IS THE STUDENTBODY? What do I think I want to do in the future? What type of degree am I seeking? What is the average class size forintroductory classes?GET TO KNOW THE OPTIONS. How many students live on campus? What percentage are from in-state vsThere are different types of colleges/universities.Do your research to determine the right fit for you. Public or privateout-of-state? Is there diversity on campus (ethnic,geographic, family income)? Community college or four-year institution Historically Black College or University (HBCU) All male or female student body Religious affiliation Military academyTHE COLLEGE GUIDE FOR SENIORS2
DECIDE WHAT MATTERS MOSTTO YOU.For some students, sports and activitiesare very important. Other students want aDID YOUKNOW?challenging academic environment. Somestudents want both.SEARCH FOR COLLEGES.DID YOU KNOW?Visit school websites, request brochures andcatalogs, and talk to admission and financialaid staff.Increasing the number of collegeapplications from one to threeincreases the probability of enrollmentby 50%! Check out a great resource atwww.bigfuture.collegeboard.org. Make campus visits. Look at colleges’ Net Price Calculators.NEXTSTEPS:GET2COLLEGE.ORG3
Make sureyou visityour favoritecollegesTHE COLLEGE GUIDE FOR SENIORS4
The best visit may include meeting youradmission counselor, taking a campus tour,sitting in on a class, having lunch with currentstudents, and meeting faculty or staff whoteach or work in your interest areas.DURING YOUR VISIT: Listen to the college radio station. Read the student newspaper and other student publications. Scan bulletin boards to see what daily student life is like.QUESTIONS FOR YOUR TOUR GUIDE OR STUDENTS YOU MEET ON CAMPUS: Why did you choose this college? What is it like to go from high school to college? What do you do in your free time and on the weekends? What do you love about this college? What would you have changed about your college search?OTHER GOOD QUESTIONS TO ASK DURING YOUR VISIT: What forms are required for admission, and what are the deadlines? Are there any advantages toapplying early? What special programs are available such as honors programs, study abroad, learning communities,freshman experience, or internship opportunities? What percentage of the campus is wireless? Do the faculty and students rely on network-sharing forassignments? How do I apply for financial aid? What forms are required, and when are the deadlines? What percentage of your students go on for graduate or professional degrees? What type of careerservices do you have? What types of support services are available to students on campus such as tutoring programs andwriting centers?GET2COLLEGE.ORG5
What you’llneed forcollegeadmissionsFOUR WAYS TO GAIN ADMISSION TO A MISSISSIPPI PUBLIC UNIVERSITY1. Complete the College Preparatory Curriculum3. Complete the College Preparatory(CPC) with a minimum 3.2 high school gradeCurriculum (CPC) with a minimum 2.00 highpoint average (GPA) on the CPC; orschool GPA on the CPC and a score of 18 or2. Complete the College Preparatory Curriculum(CPC) with a minimum 2.50 high schoolhigher on the ACT* (Composite); or4. Satisfy the NCAA standards for studentGPA on the CPC or a class rank in the topathletes who are “full-qualifiers” under50% and a score of 16 or higher on the ACT*Division I guidelines.(Composite); orWHAT IF YOU DO NOT MEET THE CRITERIA?Students who do not meet the above criteria are nonetheless eligible for admission. Such studentsmust participate, however, in an on-campus placement process at the university of their choice. Theprocess will determine whether the student may be enrolled in regular freshman-level courses or berequired to enroll in the summer semester with mandatory participation in the Summer DevelopmentalProgram. Successful completion of the summer semester entitles the student to continued enrollmentin the fall semester at the university of his or her choice.*In lieu of ACT scores, students may submit equivalent SAT scores.THE COLLEGE GUIDE FOR SENIORS6
MISSISSIPPI COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIESPUBLIC UNIVERSITIESNORTHWESTAlcorn State Universitywww.alcorn.eduMS CCNORTHEASTRUSTMS CCCOLLEGEDelta State Universitywww.deltastate.eduBLUE MOUNTAINCOLLEGECOAHOMAOLE MISSCCITAWAMBACCJackson State Universitywww.jsums.eduDSUMississippi State Universitywww.msstate.eduMUWMVSUMS DELTAMSUCCMississippi University for Womenwww.muw.eduEAST MSCCMississippi Valley State Universitywww.mvsu.eduUniversity of Mississippiwww.olemiss.eduHOLMESEAST CENTRALCCCCMERIDIANBELHAVEN, HINDS CC,CCJSU, MILLSAPS,MS COLLEGE, TOT UGALOOUniversity of Southern Mississippiwww.usm.eduALCORN STATEJONES COUNTYCO-LINJUNIOR COLLEGECCPRIVATE UNIVERSITIESSOUTHWESTMS CCUSM,WILLIAM CAREYBelhaven Universitywww.belhaven.eduPEARLL RIVERCCBlue Mountain Collegewww.bmc.eduMS GULF COASTCCMillsaps Collegewww.millsaps.eduMississippi Collegewww.mc.eduRust Collegewww.rustcollege.eduTougaloo Collegewww.tougaloo.eduWilliam Carey Universitywww.wmcarey.eduCOMMUNITY & JUNIOR COLLEGESCoahoma CC - www.coahomacc.eduMeridian CC - www.meridiancc.eduCopiah-Lincoln CC - www.colin.eduMS Delta CC - www.msdelta.eduEast Central CC - www.eccc.eduMS Gulf Coast CC - www.mgccc.eduEast MS CC - www.eastms.eduNortheast MS CC - www.nemcc.eduHinds CC - www.hindscc.eduNorthwest MS CC - www.northwestms.eduHolmes CC - www.holmescc.eduPearl River CC - www.prcc.eduItawamba CC - www.iccms.eduSouthwest MS CC - www.smcc.eduJones County JC - www.jcjc.eduGET2COLLEGE.ORG7
How to take the ACT:Practice really helpsACT or SAT scores are requested by most colleges and universities as a part of the admissionprocess. Your results provide one way for colleges to measure your potential for academic success.Colleges may also use these scores for course placement, academic advising, and scholarshipevaluation. Most students take the ACT and/or SAT during their junior or senior year in high school.At least half of all students take it twice and improve their score the second time around. Free ACTPrep resources may be available through your local library or high school, and the Get2CollegeCenters offer free ACT Prep Workshops.Fee waivers are offeredto help lower incomestudents pay for theACT and SAT. Ask yourhigh school counselor ifyou qualify.GET2COLLEGE OFFERS FREE ACT PREP WORKSHOPS. CHECK DATES ANDREGISTER AT GET2COLLEGE.ORG.THE COLLEGE GUIDE FOR SENIORS8
ACT-SAT TEST DATESACTTEST DATESREGISTRATION DEADLINELATE FEE REQUIREDSeptember 12, 2015August 7, 2015August 8-21, 2015October 24, 2015September 18, 2015Sept. 19 - Oct. 2, 2015December 12, 2015November 6, 2015November 7-20, 2015February 6, 2016January 8, 2016January 9-15, 2016April 9, 2016March 4, 2016March 5-8, 2016June 11, 2016May 6, 2016May 7-20, 2016ACT Fees (subject to change)ACT (no Writing) 39.50ACT plus Writing 56.50Late Fee 25.00SATTEST DATESREGISTRATION DEADLINETEST TYPEOctober 3, 2015September 3, 2015SAT & Subject TestsNovember 7, 2015October 9, 2015SAT & Subject TestsDecember 5, 2015November 5, 2015SAT & Subject TestsJanuary 23, 2016December 28, 2015SAT & Subject TestsMarch 5, 2016February 5, 2016SAT OnlyMay 7, 2016April 8, 2016SAT & Subject TestsJune 4, 2016May 5, 2016SAT & Subject TestsSAT Fees (subject to change)SAT with essayLate FeeSubject Test Base FeeLanguage with Listening TestAll other Subject Tests 54.50 28.00 26.00 26.00 18.00 eachFOR MORE INFORMATION, CHECK WWW.ACTSTUDENT.ORG (319.337.1270) FOR ACT ANDWWW.SAT.ORG (866.756.7346) FOR SAT.GET2COLLEGE.ORG9
Four steps to getfinancial aid for collegeAPPLY NOW FOR PRIVATE SCHOLARSHIPS.1 See your high school counselor or There are several free scholarship sitescareer center manager for a list ofon the Internet. Some popular sites .MERITAID.COM Looking locally for scholarships canproduce successful search results.WWW.MYCOLLEGEDOLLARS.COMAND WWW.FASTWEB.COM.Start with your local community/civicorganizations and businesses. Ask your Read your local newspaper everyfamily and friends what organizationsday to look for announcementsthey belong to and see if they offerabout scholarships. Newspapers willscholarship opportunities. Do youralso feature pictures of studentsparents’ employers have scholarshipreceiving scholarships. By seeing whatcompetitions? Do you have an olderscholarships they are awarded, you willfriend who was awarded a scholarshipknow what is available.from a local business or organization?Check it out! Many scholarships are not posted untilthe fall of your senior year, but deadlinesstart popping up as early as December.APPLY FOR THE GET2COLLEGE CHOLARSHIP AND CHECK OUT OTHER LOCALAND STATE SCHOLARSHIPS AT GET2COLLEGE.ORG.THE COLLEGE GUIDE FOR SENIORS10
2APPLY EARLY FOR COLLEGEADMISSION AND SCHOLARSHIPS. Most scholarships come directly fromindividual colleges. Complete applications for admission in the fallof your senior year. You must be accepted foradmission in order to receive scholarships andfinancial aid. Most can be found online at eachcollege’s website. MAKE SURE YOU MEET ALLDEADLINES! Check each college’s Net Price Calculator to helpyou estimate your financial aid options. Some schools may require the CSS/Financial AidProfile in addition to the FAFSA.GET2COLLEGE.ORG11
3COMPLETE THE FAFSA TO APPLY FOR FEDERAL FINANCIAL AID.WWW.FAFSA.GOVThe FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and is required to receiveany federal funds. Federal funds include need-based and non-need-based grants,work-study programs, and student loans. The FAFSA may also be used for awardingsome state aid, institutional aid, and even private scholarships.After January 1 of your senior year, you and your parents need to complete federal taxreturns for the previous year as soon as possible. Remember to make copies of yourtax returns. These documents will be needed to complete your FAFSA.You must complete the FAFSA at www.fafsa.gov after January 1 of your senior year.The online application process contains built-in edits to help you prevent costlymistakes. Make sure you meet your prospective colleges’ priority deadlines. Mostfamilies submit the FAFSA in February or March.Review for accuracy your Student Aid Report (SAR), which is sent to you after youfile your FAFSA. If necessary, make and submit corrections. If you have any specialcircumstances, contact the Financial Aid Office of the school you plan to attend.THE COLLEGE GUIDE FOR SENIORS12
COMPLETE THE MISSISSIPPI FINANCIAL AID APPLICATION.4Learn about the state grants and eligibility criteria at www.mississippi.edu/financialaid.The Mississippi Office of Student Financial Aid offers scholarships and grants basedon merit and financial need.You should complete your application after January 1 of your senior year and prior toMarch 31 which is the earliest deadline.Check your email and/or online college student account for a financial awardRECEIVE YOURnotification and to make sure the Financial Aid Office has received all requiredFINANCIAL AIDdocuments. You will typically receive award notifications indicating your financialAWARD NOTICESAND MAKEFINAL COLLEGEDECISIONS.aid and scholarship amounts in the spring. You may need to accept or rejectthe award(s) by a deadline, so read carefully. If you receive awards from severalcolleges, remember to decline those from the schools you do not plan to attend.Complete any additional paperwork the school requires. If you are receiving astudent loan, you will need to complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN) andentrance loan counseling as directed by the school.GET2COLLEGE.ORG13
Where to findMississippifinancial aidThe Mississippi Office of Student Financial Aid provides funding to fulltime students attendingeligible Mississippi colleges and universities. By completing the Mississippi Office of Student FinancialAid Application annually, you are ensuring that, if qualified, you will receive financial aid from statesources. The application may be accessed at www.mississippi.edu/financialaid or you can link tothe Mississippi application after completing the FAFSA and most of your info will be prefilled. Formore information on the programs listed below and others, contact the Mississippi Office of StudentFinancial Aid at 601.432.6997 or 800.327.2980.MISSISSIPPI TUITION ASSISTANCE GRANT (MTAG)DEADLINE: SEPTEMBER 15Covers up to 500/year for freshmen and sophomores and up to 1000/year for juniors and seniors.Initial eligibility for the student who: Is a freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior. Is a resident of Mississippi. Has a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 and a minimum of 15 on the national ACT or 720 on thenational SAT. Is not full Pell Grant eligible.MISSISSIPPI EMINENT SCHOLARS GRANT (MESG)DEADLINE: SEPTEMBER 15Covers up to 2500/year, but may not exceed tuition and required fees at attending institution.Initial eligibility for the student who: Is a resident of Mississippi. Achieves a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.5. Scores a minimum of 29 on the national ACT or 1290 on the national SAT or is a National Merit/National Achievement Finalist or Semi-Finalist.THE COLLEGE GUIDE FOR SENIORS14
HIGHER EDUCATION LEGISLATIVEPLAN (HELP)Information about other MississippiDEADLINE: MARCH 31aid (Nissan Scholarship and TeacherCovers tuition and required fees for no more thanEducation Scholars Forgivable Loan10 semesters at a public institution. Participants(TES), etc.) can be found atattending a private institution in Mississippi willwww.mississippi.edu/financialaid.receive an award amount equal to the awardof a student attending the nearest comparableSupporting documents may beMississippi public institution. Additional documentsrequired by the Mississippi Office ofmust be submitted by April 30.Student Financial Aid. View completerules and regulations atInitial eligibility for the student who:www.mississippi.edu/financialaid. Is a freshman and/or sophomore who graduatedfrom high school within the immediate past twoyears. Is a resident of Mississippi. Demonstrates need as determined by the resultsof the Free Application for Federal Student Aid(FAFSA). Meets the income threshold to qualify as listed onthe HELP website. Has a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 and aminimum of 20 on the national ACT. Meets a specific high school core curriculum.NOTE: Studentscannot receiveboth MESG andHELP.GET2COLLEGE.ORG15
MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TODAY FOR PERSONALIZED COUNSELING ONHOW TO GET TO COLLEGEGulf Coast Get2College CenterNorth Mississippi Get2College Center715 Cox Avenue, Ocean Springs, MS 395645699 Getwell Road, Building H, Suite 3Phone: 228.875.4441Southaven, MS 38672gulfcoast@get2college.orgPhone: 662.349.2789nms@get2college.orgJackson Get2College CenterDon’t live near a Get2College Center?2600 Lakeland Terrace, Jackson, MS 39216Live chat with us at get2college.org, call us atPhone: 601.321.5533601.321.5533 or 800.986.4322, or send an emailjackson@get2college.orgto info@get2college.org.OUR SERVICESGET2COLLEGE ORIENTATION - We’ll tell you how we canhelp you prepare for college.COLLEGE TIMELINE - Together we will develop a timelinefor college planning to include applications for scholarships,admission, and financial aid.ACT PREPARATION - Choose from a variety of optionsincluding workshops and online interactive test prep toimprove your scores.CAREER EXPLORATION - What field of employment bestsuits your personality? What will your major be? We’lluse a personality and interest assessment to guide you inresearching a career cluster or college major that may be agood fit for you.COLLEGE SEARCH - We’ll help you find colleges thatprovide the right fit for you and assist you with completingapplication forms.RESUME WRITING - During this session, we’ll guide youas you format your high school or college resume oftenrequired for scholarships and college admission.GET2COLLEGE.ORGESSAY WRITING - We’ll help you capture a college’sattention with your admission or scholarship essay thatillustrates who you are and what you are passionate about.FINANCIAL AID AND SCHOLARSHIPS - Learn aboutdifferent types of need-based and non-need-based aid,including federal and state grants, student loans, workstudy, and merit-based scholarships.FAFSA, STATE, AND OTHER FINANCIAL AIDAPPLICATIONS - Whether you are renewing or filing forthe first time, let us guide you through the FAFSA (FreeApplication for Federal Student Aid), the Mississippi Officeof Student Financial Aid Application, and institutional aidapplications.INTERVIEWING SKILLS - Let us prepare you for yourscholarship, honors college, or admissions interview. With amock interview, we’ll give you a heads-up on what to expectand the best way to prepare.
1. Complete the College Preparatory Curriculum (CPC) with a minimum 3.2 high school grade point average (GPA) on the CPC; or 2. Complete the College Preparatory Curriculum (CPC) with a minimum 2.50 high school GPA on the CPC or a class rank in the top 50% and a score of 16 or higher on the ACT* (Composite); or 3. Complete the College Preparatory
