%->> 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.