High School Counselors

Enrolling in the right classes, taking the ACT or SAT exam and developing good study habits are important steps in planning and preparing for college. Continue encouraging your students to prepare academically for college while in high school to ensure a successful transition.

• Taking the Right Classes
• Making Good Grades
• Building Study Habits
• Preparing for the ACT/SAT
• Exploring Careers
• Exploring Postsecondary Options
• How Financial Aid Works
• Personal Finance Matters
• Working with Families
• College Checklists

Counselor Center on Oklahoma's Student Portal

Are you working one-on-one or with groups of students to help them prepare for college? Check out the Counselor Center on OKCollegeStart.org for free information and resources. Counselors can set up an account to view student progress, remind students of important deadlines and applications, and help students submit applications and transcripts online through the new Transcript Exchange System.

Taking the Right Classes

If your students plan to attend a public college or university in Oklahoma, they must take certain courses during high school. These courses will prepare them for college and help them learn valuable skills in case they decide to enter the workforce after graduation.

Tell your students to create an account at OKCollegeStart.org to track the courses they take online or print and distribute this chart.

« Back

Making Good Grades

Achieving and maintaining good grades can help students get into a better college, earn a scholarship and achieve their goals. Making good grades doesn’t just happen. Encourage your students to identify one or two subjects in which they need improvement. Help them connect with a passionate teacher or tutor to get the help they need to raise their grade(s).

« Back

Building Study Habits

Students need to develop good study habits early if they want to make good grades now in high school and later in college. Offer the following tips to help them develop their study skills.

During class

• Listen carefully and ask questions if you don’t understand.
• Take notes and write clearly.
• Write down assignments and due dates.

At home

• Find a quiet place to study and remove any distractions (TV, radio, cell phone, etc.)
• Get in a routine and study throughout the week, at the same time, if possible.
• Organize your desk, papers and supplies.
• Schedule time to study when you’re at your best. Waiting until midnight the night before a big exam isn’t a good idea.
• Study the most difficult subject first. You’ll get it out of the way and be ready to tackle coursework you enjoy or something that comes naturally.

« Back

Preparing for the ACT/SAT

When it comes to college admission, the ACT/SAT exams play a big role. Both exams are used to measure a student’s educational achievement in a variety of subjects and the scores may be used as admission requirements for certain colleges.

The ACT (American College Testing) is more commonly used in Oklahoma, but students should check with the school(s) they're interested in attending to find out which test is preferred.

Your students may want to take the exam several times to increase their score. It’s usually best to take the first exam during the junior year. To help students prepare for the tests, have them take a practice exam in the Test Prep tab of OKcollegestart.org Also, visit ACTStudent.org or the Student Section of CollegeBoard.com to find test locations, dates and times.

Encourage your students to look at the required exam scores and admission standards for Oklahoma public colleges and universities on OKcollegestart.org

« Back

Exploring Careers

Some students know what career path they’ll choose. They may want to follow in the footsteps of a close family member or they may have excelled in a particular area since early childhood. For others, the process of choosing a profession or major will take more exploration. You can play an important role in this decision-making process by helping them assess their interests and skills.

Investigate Their Interests

As adults, we know it’s not just about what you make; it's equally important to enjoy the work you do. Have your students start their career search by exploring their interests. Have them truthfully answer the following questions and examine their answers.

• What do you like to do?
• What are your hobbies?
• What type of school, church, social or sports activity do you enjoy? Why?
• Do you work after school or on weekends? What do you like most about your job?
• What’s the one thing you would do for the rest of your life, even if no one paid you?

Consider Their Skills

Next, encourage them to think about the specific skills they’ve developed through their extracurricular activities, part-time jobs or volunteer work. Have them complete a chart like the one below outlining their activities and the skills they've developed.

Activity and Skill Chart
Activity	Skill
Example: Yearbook staff	Graphic design/layout Sales Photography Writing

To dig deeper into their likes and dislikes, have them complete the career quiz found at PrincetonReview.com. They’ll need to create a username and password. Also, send them to the Career Center section at OKCollegestart.org for other important career information.

Additional Tools and Resources

• Sample Career Plan
• Develop a Career Plan

« Back

Exploring Postsecondary Options

College isn’t one-size-fits all. Students will need to do a little research to decide which institution is the best fit for them academically, socially and financially.

In order to make that decision, they’ll need to consider several factors, including:

• Institution type (two-year, four-year, public, private, research, regional, etc.)
• Location (urban, suburban or rural)
• Size of school and classes
• Academic programs
• Affordability
• Admission requirements

Picking a college is an important process. Download our Picking a College Decision Tree to help your students find the fit that’s best for them. Also, have your students check out the tools available under the Exploring Colleges tab at OKcollegestart.org

Once students have narrowed down their school choice list, they’ll need to get a feel for the campus, the students and the surrounding area. The best way to do that is to arrange a campus visit. The summer between junior and senior year is a great time for a campus visit. Download the following tools to assist students during this visit.

Additional Tools and Resources

• Places to Visit on Campus
• Campus Visit Checklist
• Getting Answers

« Back

How Financial Aid Works

To apply for grants, federal work-study and student loans, students must first complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) each year aid is needed. Students are encouraged to apply online at Fafsa.gov as soon as possible after Jan. 1. Paper copies are also available by calling 800.4.FED.AID (toll-free). Here’s a simplified look at the financial aid process.

Additional Tools and Resources

Want to help your students and their parents better understand the FAFSA application process? Use our FAFSA Fundamentals course and other resources below. The course covers the basics of the financial aid application process.

• FAFSA Fundamentals PowerPoint
• FAFSA Fundamentals Presenter's Guide
• FAFSA Facts
• Dependency Questionnaire
• OCAP.org
• FAFSA.gov

Oklahoma’s Promise

Every student and parent in your school needs to know about Oklahoma’s Promise. This program allows Oklahoma students to earn free college tuition if they meet certain academic and conduct requirements in high school.

Students must apply for the program during the 8th, 9th, or 10th grade (home school students must apply while age 13, 14 or 15), and their family income may not exceed $50,000 at the time of application. Additional income restrictions apply when the student begins college.

Oklahoma’s Promise will pay tuition at an Oklahoma public two-year college or four-year university. It will also cover a portion of tuition at an accredited Oklahoma private college or university or for courses at public technology centers that are approved for credit toward an Associate of Applied Science degree at a public college. Families can apply online at OkPromise.org.

« Back

Personal Finance Matters

Your students make decisions about money every day. How much to spend and how much to save are important choices in the life of a teen. Help them understand the value in budgeting, saving, managing credit and increasing their earning potential by taking advantage of the free services Oklahoma Money Matters (OKMM) can provide.

OKMM can:

• Locate supplemental materials and activities for classroom instruction.
• Connect you with local financial education providers for classroom presentations.
• Develop financial literacy tools to share with students and parents.
• Develop personal finance content for Web sites and newsletters.

For more information, visit OklahomaMoneyMatters.org or call 405.234.4457 (local) or 800.970.OKMM (toll-free).

« Back

Working with Families

As a guidance counselor, you have a very important job! You know what it takes to get your students ready for and excited about college, and you serve as a trusted source of information for them and their parents. Parents have unique concerns about sending their child to college. Whether it's a financial or personal concern, you can empower parents with the tools they need to make college a reality for their child. To learn new ways to break the ice, check out our Parent Talking Points tool. We also provide Student Talking Points to help you encourage your students to open up and talk about their wants and needs related to higher education.

« Back

College Checklists

Creating a college-going culture in your school and community will take time. In addition to the great things you're already doing, our checklists can help you engage your students and their parents in this important process.

• Freshman Checklist
• Sophomore Checklist
• Junior Checklist
• Senior Checklist

« Back