%->> FCAT, S.A.T.s, PELL GRANTS,

%-FINANCIAL AID, WHAT SCHOOL IS

%-RIGHT FOR YOU?

%-THE PATH TO POSTSECONDARY

%-EDUCATION CAN BE OVERWHELMING.

%-COUNSELORS, ADVISORS, AND

%-EDUCATORS ARE WORKING TO HELP

%-STUDENTS AND THEIR PARENTS

%-MAKE THE TRANSITION TO HIGHER

%-EDUCATION.

%-♪

%->> THESE STUDENTS ARE IN A

%-MIDDLE SCHOOL ALGEBRA CLASS.

%-THEY ARE LEARNING CONCEPTS

%-THAT WILL BE THE FOUNDATION OF

%-FURTHER STUDIES IN HIGH SCHOOL

%-AND COLLEGE.

%->> BUT THAT'S WHAT THOSE

%-REPRESENT.

%-ALL THE ORDERED PAIRS ON THAT

%-LINE, WHEN YOU PLUG THEM IN,

%-MAKE A TRUE STATEMENT.

%->> IN ALGEBRA,

%-TRUE STATEMENTS RULE.

%-BUT GETTING TO COLLEGE

%-REQUIRES MORE THAN JUST

%-LEARNING THE FACTS.

%->> STUDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO

%-LEAVE MIDDLE SCHOOL WITH A

%-CAREER AND ACADEMIC PLAN.

%-SO THROUGH THAT PROCESS,

%-STUDENTS WILL DO CAREER

%-EXPLORATIONS AND CREATE A

%-FOUR-YEAR ACADEMIC PLAN OF

%-WHAT COURSES THEY WANT TO TAKE

%-AT HIGH SCHOOL BASED ON WHAT

%-THEY WANT TO DO WHEN

%-THEY GRADUATE.

%-IT'S IMPORTANT THAT PARENTS

%-ARE COMMUNICATING WITH THEIR

%-STUDENTS TO FIND OUT WHAT

%-THEIR INTERESTS ARE AND ARE,

%-YOU KNOW, HELPING THEM PLAN

%-THOSE COURSES FOR HIGH SCHOOL

%-THAT WILL HELP THEM MEET

%-THEIR GOALS.

%->> ONE OF THE KEY COMPONENTS

%-TO GETTING INTO COLLEGE

%-IS THE ADMISSION TEST,

%-LIKE THE S.A.T.

%-AND A.C.T.

%->> TYPICALLY, STUDENTS ARE

%-GOING TO TAKE THOSE FOR THE

%-FIRST TIME IN EARLY SPRING OF

%-THEIR JUNIOR YEAR.

%->> BUT THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE

%-FACING STUDENTS AND THEIR

%-PARENTS WHEN PLANNING FOR

%-COLLEGE IS HOW TO PAY FOR IT.

%-AS PART OF THE FINANCIAL AID

%-PACKAGE, PARENTS NEED TO

%-BECOME FAMILIAR WITH FAFSA.

%->> THE FAFSA STANDS FOR THE

%-FREE APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL

%-STUDENT AID.

%-SO THIS IS THE REQUIRED

%-APPLICATION THAT STUDENTS AND

%-PARENTS MUST COMPLETE FOR

%-STUDENTS TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR

%-FEDERAL GRANTS, FEDERAL LOANS

%-AND ANY KIND OF FEDERAL --

%-EVEN WORK STUDY PROGRAM THAT

%-THEY MIGHT BE INTERESTED

%-IN DOING.

%->> ALL FAMILIES ARE ENCOURAGED

%-TO FILL OUT FAFSA BECAUSE

%-PRIVATE FOUNDATIONS AND

%-SCHOLARSHIP ORGANIZATIONS

%-OFTEN REQUIRE THE FORM, TOO.

%-FLORIDA RESIDENTS MAY ALSO BE

%-ELIGIBLE FOR STATE AID.

%->> FOR FLORIDA STUDENTS,

%-THE FLORIDA FINANCIAL AID

%-APPLICATION THAT THEY'LL WANT

%-TO COMPLETE, IT'S FOR OTHER

%-STATE SCHOLARSHIPS AND GRANTS,

%-BUT THE ONE WE ALWAYS KIND OF

%-FOCUS ON IS THE BRIGHT FUTURES

%-SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM, AND IT IS

%-REQUIRED THAT THEY COMPLETE

%-THAT AND MEET THE ELIGIBILITY

%-REQUIREMENTS FOR

%-BRIGHT FUTURES.

%-♪

%->> KEEPING UP WITH TEST

%-SCORES, FINANCIAL AID

%-PACKAGES, AND COLLEGE

%-SELECTION CAN ALL BE

%-OVERWHELMING.

%-IN PINELLAS COUNTY SCHOOLS,

%-OFFICIALS HAVE CREATED THE

%-PARENT ACADEMY TO HELP.

%->> WE'RE DOING WORKSHOPS FOR

%-PARENTS TRYING TO HELP THEM

%-BE ENGAGED.

%-AND THAT'S PART OF THE PARENT

%-ACADEMY IS LET US SHOW YOU HOW

%-TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON

%-IN THE CLASSROOMS SO THAT YOU

%-CAN HELP YOUR STUDENT AT HOME.

%->> ONE OF THE WORKSHOPS

%-FOCUSES ON COLLEGE

%-AND CAREER PLANNING.

%-PARENTS ARE GIVEN TOOLS TO

%-TACKLE ALL ASPECTS OF GETTING

%-THEIR CHILD INTO COLLEGE.

%->> THERE'S A GREAT RESOURCE ON

%-OUR WEB SITE AND UNDER THE

%-GUIDANCE COUNSELOR SECTION

%-THAT TALKS ABOUT HOW YOU CAN

%-GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF

%-APPLYING FOR COLLEGES, WHAT

%-ARE THE COURSES THAT THEY NEED

%-TO TAKE.

%->> LAYNE SPOTTS IS A COLLEGE

%-AND CAREER COUNSELOR AT

%-JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL

%-IN TAMPA.

%-SHE HELPS GUIDE STUDENTS AND

%-THEIR PARENTS THROUGH THE MAZE

%-OF INFORMATION AVAILABLE FOR

%-PLANNING FOR COLLEGE.

%->> WE HAVE A LOT OF

%-FIRST-GENERATION STUDENTS

%-WHOSE PARENTS DID NOT GO TO

%-COLLEGE, OR EVEN THOSE THAT

%-DID, IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME AND

%-A LOT OF THINGS HAVE CHANGED.

%-SO SOME OF THEM DON'T MAYBE

%-BELIEVE OR REALIZE THAT THEY

%-NEED TO BE INVOLVED.

%-BUT I DO THINK IT IS VERY

%-IMPORTANT FOR THE PARENTS TO

%-UNDERSTAND THE COLLEGE PROCESS

%-FROM THE START.

%->> ONE CRITICAL AREA IN

%-PLANNING FOR COLLEGE IS

%-SELECTING A SCHOOL THAT IS THE

%-RIGHT FIT FOR YOUR CHILD.

%->> A MAJORITY OF MY STUDENTS

%-END UP CHOOSING COMMUNITY

%-COLLEGE FOR SEVERAL REASONS.

%-FINANCIAL IS PROBABLY ONE OF

%-THE BIGGEST REASONS THAT THEY

%-CHOOSE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

%-BECAUSE IT IS APPROXIMATELY

%-HALF THE COST

%-OF A STATE UNIVERSITY.

%-ALSO, SMALLER CLASS SIZE.

%-BUT THE OTHER OPTION WE HAVE

%-ARE THE TECHNICAL CENTERS.

%-AND SOME OF OUR STUDENTS THAT

%-ARE VERY CAREER FOCUSED,

%-WE HAVE THE TECHNICAL CENTERS

%-IN THIS AREA THAT ARE AN

%-EXTENSION OF HILLSBOROUGH

%-COUNTY SCHOOLS, BUT THE

%-COMMUNITY COLLEGE ALSO OFFERS

%-SOME OF THOSE SAME

%-TECHNICAL PROGRAMS.

%-FOR THE STUDENTS THAT ARE

%-DEFINITELY NO MATTER WHAT THEY

%-WANT TO MAKE THE SACRIFICE TO

%-GO TO A FOUR-YEAR UNIVERSITY,

%-THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THEY

%-HAVE A GOAL TO DO, TO GET

%-STARTED IN THEIR MAJOR

%-HOPEFULLY EARLIER AND TO HAVE

%-THAT, USUALLY HAVE THAT

%-ON-CAMPUS LIVING EXPERIENCE

%-AND BEING INVOLVED WITH

%-STUDENT LIFE.

%->> IF YOU DO GET A LATE START,

%-THERE ARE STILL OPTIONS FOR

%-ENTERING COLLEGE.

%->> I'VE HAD SENIORS COMING IN

%-CRYING BECAUSE THEY HAVEN'T

%-STARTED.

%-MY FAVORITE EXPRESSION FOR

%-SOME OF THOSE STUDENTS IS, YOU

%-KNOW, IT MAY NOT BE THE WAY

%-THAT YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE

%-GOING TO GET THERE, BUT

%-THERE'S STILL A WAY TO GET

%-THERE, AND WE JUST HAVE TO

%-FIGURE THAT OUT.

%-SO WHETHER THAT IS EITHER

%-APPLYING TO BE ON A WAITING

%-LIST, IF THEY WANT TO GO TO A

%-FOUR-YEAR UNIVERSITY, OR

%-APPLYING FOR THE SPRING

%-SEMESTER AND THEY COULD MAYBE

%-START AT COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOR

%-THAT SEMESTER.

%-FORTUNATELY, IF COMMUNITY

%-COLLEGE OR TECHNICAL SCHOOL IS

%-THE OPTION THAT THEY ARE

%-LOOKING AT, THAT'S PRETTY MUCH

%-OPEN ENROLLMENT ALL YEAR.

%-SO THEY USUALLY CAN GET IN

%-EVEN IF THEY WAITED THIS LATE.

%->> IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY

%-PUBLIC SCHOOLS, COUNSELORS

%-HAVE ESTABLISHED A PROGRAM TO

%-HELP LATINO FAMILIES WHERE

%-PARENTS MAY NOT HAVE A DEEP

%-UNDERSTANDING OF THE

%-ENGLISH LANGUAGE.

%->> PASOS AL FUTURO IS A

%-PROGRAM THAT IS DESIGNED TO

%-INCREASE THE COLLEGE AWARENESS

%-OF LATINO AND SPANISH-SPEAKING

%-FAMILIES.

%->> PASOS AL FUTURO TRANSLATES

%-AS THE STEPS TO THE FUTURE.

%->> WE PRESENT IT IN

%-FOUR STEPS.

%-THE FIRST STEP

%-IS THE PREPARAR.

%-SO WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO IN

%-ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, AND HIGH

%-SCHOOL IN ORDER TO PREPARE TO

%-HAVE THE MOST CHANCES AND THE

%-MOST OPPORTUNITIES TO BE ABLE

%-TO ENTER A UNIVERSITY.

%-THE SECOND PIECE IS BUSCAR,

%-OR COLLEGE FIT.

%-SO IT'S TALKING ABOUT HOW DO

%-YOU FIND THE RIGHT COLLEGE

%-THAT'S RIGHT FOR YOU.

%-AND THEN THE THIRD PIECE,

%-IT'S THE APPLICATION PROCESS.

%-SO HOW DO YOU ACTUALLY APPLY

%-WHAT'S REQUIRED IN AN

%-APPLICATION PACKET,

%-WHAT COMPONENTS NEED TO BE

%-TURNED IN TO BE ABLE TO

%-APPLY TO A UNIVERSITY.

%-AND THEN THE FOURTH ONE,

%-WHICH IS A VERY IMPORTANT ONE,

%-IS HOW ARE YOU GOING TO PAY

%-FOR COLLEGE.

%-SO IT'S THE

%-FINANCIAL AID PIECE.

%-♪

%->> PARENTS JUST NEED TO BE

%-EMPOWERED WITH THE TOOLS IN

%-ORDER TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT

%-AND ASSIST THEIR CHILDREN THE

%-BEST WAY THAT THEY CAN.

%->> THESE WORKSHOPS AND

%-OUTREACH EFFORTS ARE ALL ABOUT

%-AWARENESS.

%->> THE AWARENESS PIECE IS SO

%-HUGE, BECAUSE IT'S REALLY

%-BUILT ON JUST OPENING THAT

%-PANDORA'S BOX, IF YOU WILL,

%-OF KNOWLEDGE.

%-IT'S JUST TAPPING THE DOOR OF

%-STARTING TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT

%-IS TO GO TO COLLEGE.

%->> IF YOU'RE A PARENT TRYING

%-TO HELP YOUR CHILD PREPARE FOR

%-COLLEGE AND CAREER,

%-THE EFFORT MAY SEEM DAUNTING.

%-THERE IS HELP AND

%-ENCOURAGEMENT AVAILABLE,

%-AND IT'S AS CLOSE AS YOUR SON

%-OR DAUGHTER'S SCHOOL.

%->> OUR WORK IS TO EDUCATE THE

%-FAMILIES AND THE COLLEGE AND

%-CAREER PLANNING PROCESS, AND

%-SO BEING EXPERTS IN THAT FIELD

%-HELPS THE PARENTS EVEN MORE

%-BECAUSE WE ARE ALWAYS GETTING

%-UPDATED WITH THE INFORMATION.

%->> I HAVE AN OPEN-DOOR POLICY.

%-SO IF PARENTS WANT TO COME AND

%-SIT DOWN AND IF THEY FEEL LIKE

%-THEY NEED 10 MINUTES OR THEY

%-NEED AN HOUR WITH ME, I TRY TO

%-ACCOMMODATE THAT BECAUSE IT

%-CAN BE VERY OVERWHELMING.

%->> PARTNER WITH THE TEACHERS.

%-PARTNER WITH THE COUNSELORS.

%-THEY ARE GREAT RESOURCES AND

%-THEY WANT THE COMMUNICATION

%-WITH THE FAMILIES, BECAUSE

%-THEY WANT TO SEE THE KIDS

%-SUCCEED AND THEY WANT THEM TO

%-GO ON A CAREER PATH OR COLLEGE

%-PATH WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO BE

%-HAPPY AND SUCCESSFUL.

%->> TO LEARN MORE ABOUT COLLEGE

%-PLANNING, VISIT

%-bigfuture.collegeboard.org.

%-HELIOS EDUCATION FOUNDATION,

%-CELEBRATING 10 YEARS

%-OF CHANGING LIVES

%-THROUGH EDUCATION

%-IN ARIZONA AND FLORIDA,

%-IS PROUD TO SUPPORT

%-"WEDU QUEST."

%-YOU CAN LEARN MORE AT

%-Helios.org.