Seniors:

• Continue to do your best even if your grade will be pass/fail
• Take the revamped AP tests
• Check the colleges for updated information-many of them have extended their deposit date past May 1^st.
• Attend an accepted students virtual open house.
• Discuss with your parents next steps-most colleges are working with students on deferring their start date.  Make sure to complete any required forms to be considered for this.
• If you have been wait-listed make sure you have returned documentation to stay on the wait list.  This year the wait list dynamics will be different from any other.  Make sure you commit to one of the schools where you have been fully accepted by May 1^st or the new extended deadline.
• Review your award letters.  Call or email Financial aid with any and all questions.  If your family has suffered a sudden financial change communicate that to the Financial Aid office.  Don’t wait on this!
• Last but not least….enjoy the gift of time with your family.

Juniors:

• Don’t panic about the ACT and SAT cancellations.  There will be additional opportunities.  Refer to the College Board and ACT sites for updates.  We still encourage you to take each test even though many schools are going test optional.
• Participate in virtual visits to colleges.
• Be creative while you are at home….read, check on shut-ins, help tutor your siblings or other kids virtually.
• Continue to do your best…even with pass/fail courses.
• Start your essays. You have a lot to write about.
• Enjoy this gift of time with your family.
• Everyone is in this together!

The initial-eligibility standards for NCAA Division I student-athletes are changing for the class of 2016 and beyond. The NCAA has asked for our help in getting the word out to high school counselors and coaches across the country.

Student-athletes entering a Division I college or university after August 1, 2016 (this year’s 10th grade class), need to meet these new standards in order to practice, compete and receive aid in their first year of college.

Some of the changes include:
• Student must have a 2.3 in NCAA core courses to compete
• Student must have a 2.0 in NCAA core courses to receive scholarships and/or practice
• Student will not be allowed to re-take classes in senior year to improve their GPA
• Changes to core class and test score requirements

Visit the NCAA’s 2point3.org site for further details as well as resources for you and the coaches at your school. If you have any questions, please direct them to admissions@georgiasouthern.edu.

For assistance in the college search and selection process, contact the College Resource Center at www.crccolumbusga.com or call 706-366-2993.

1. Start Early 

A campus tour shouldn’t be something that parents spring on their student. Begin visiting colleges by your junior year. Carve out time to talk about life after high school, and come up with some ways that he or she can feel more prepared for what’s coming next.

2. Take Smaller Trips
Think about starting with a campus tour at a nearby college. It’s okay if it’s not the student’s highest target. He or she might be interested in seeing what goes on at a school without the pressure of trying to decide if it’s the right place for the next four years. These visits can also help students get a feel for campus size and setting (city versus suburban versus rural.)

3. Don’t Just Take a Trip. Plan Your Trip.
Organizing your trip doesn’t mean pinpointing what you will do each minute of each day. It just means having the logistics and most important activities scheduled so that you have the freedom to explore and improvise.

4. Make It about the Experience.
If you’re a student, try to keep in mind that this whole process is about finding the right college for you: a place that supports your academic, personal, and extracurricular interests. If you’re a parent, help your student keep this perspective on the college search.

For assistance in the college search and selection process, contact the College Resource Center at 706-366-2993 or www.crccolumbusga.com.