For additional details about a topic, click the links within this document* 

1. Register for either an ACT (act.org) or SAT (collegeboard.org) .  You can study for the SAT or ACT for free with Khan Academy.   The best time to take the exam for the first time is spring of junior year.  Click on the "SAT/ACT/ASVAB/AP Exams" tab for more information.

2. Visit colleges of interest. With your career goal and college major as your guide, compile a list of 3 – 5 colleges and contact them for a formal visit (See “Choosing the Right College” and “Top 10 Reasons Why You Should Attend a Technical College”). 

3. Apply to colleges/technical colleges of interest. 

• Create or use your GAFutures.org account to apply to Georgia schools or on the college’s website. 
• Be mindful of schools requiring the Common Application.  Your counselor will upload your transcript for free, for all colleges in which you apply.
• If you are attending an out of state college, you may request your Etowah HS transcript to be sent via Parchment.com for $6.  If you are attending college in Georgia, you may order your transcript for free on GAfutures.org.
• Send your scores to the colleges from the applicable testing agency (ACT or SAT). Adhere to all admission deadlines. 
• Once accepted, follow the next steps/guidelines and send required documents/deposits as directed by the college. 
• Click on these blogs published by GA Tech and UGA for helpful college admission tips.

4. Learn how to check your HOPE GPA, apply for FAFSA, and search for Scholarships. 

• Log in to your www.GAFutures.org account and select “Your HOPE GPA” to see if you are on track to qualify for the HOPE Scholarship. Be sure to check your graduation and HOPE rigor requirements as well. Within your GAFutures profile, you must enter your Social Security Number (SSN) so your transcript may be uploaded by the state for HOPE GPA calculation. Your SSN entered on GAFutures and SSN provided to EHS must match or your HOPE GPA will not be calculated.  Your final HOPE GPA will be calculated and available beginning in June after graduation on GAFutures.
• Scholarship information will be communicated through the "Scholarships" tab of this site, as well as the Eagle Messenger and your student email. Scholarships may also be found on GAFutures.org. 
• Apply for the FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (automatically includes HOPE application) or only HOPE scholarships/grants via GSFAPP.  More details are available under the "HOPE/FAFSA" tab.

5. Learn how to qualify for the HOPE Scholarship/Grant/Zell and what it covers. 

• Understand HOPE Academic Rigor Requirements and check your HOPE GPA on GAFutures. HOPE program and awards: 
  • HOPE Grant: Pays a portion of tuition for students enrolled in a Certificate or Degree program at a state technical college. There is no minimum GPA required for initial eligibility. Students must maintain a 2.0 GPA to retain the HOPE. The scholarship may only be regained once. 
  • Zell Miller Grant: Pays full standard tuition for students pursuing a Certificate or Degree program who maintain a 3.5 or higher GPA. The first term is awarded retroactively after earning a 3.5 GPA.
  • HOPE Scholarship: Click here for award amounts: HOPE/Zell $ Students must have a 3.0 HOPE GPA to qualify initially plus rigor points noted with an asterisk (*) on EHS 4-year grad plan. 
  • Zell Scholarship: Students must have a 3.7 HOPE GPA to qualify initially, a 1200+ on the SAT and/or 26+ on the ACT, plus rigor points noted with an asterisk (*) on EHS 4-year grad plan. 

6. If you are an athlete, register with the NCAA or NAIA and learn about eligibility requirements. a. Determine which is needed for eligibility and complete the online registration process as soon as possible at www.eligibilitycenter.org or www.playnaia.org. 

7. Request a letter of recommendation (LOR), ONLY if required by the College or Scholarship Sponsor. 

• Complete the Senior Brag Sheet and please provide no less than two weeks for the recommender to write the letter of recommendation.  Additional information is in "Letters of Recommendation" below.

8. Order transcripts for college applications/scholarships.

• Complete a transcript request through www.parchment.com for $6 or to Georgia colleges for free on www.gafutures.org. You will need to enter your social security number within your profile to order your transcript on www.gafutures.org. 
• Colleges/NCAA/NAIA will not accept unofficial or opened transcripts. 
• We will only upload transcripts through the following trusted sources: GAFutures.org, The Common Application, UGA’s portal, and NCAA/NAIA. All other transcripts will need to be mailed. Our system requires an accurate social security number to complete the upload. 

Lastly, be sure to work closely with your counselor and email if you have any questions.

Click the picture of Georgia on the right to explore all of the technical college programs in Georgia to see what fits your interests!

In two years or less, you’ll be career-ready. Tuition is surprisingly affordable and job placement rate is 99%. With 22 colleges across Georgia, there’s one nearby where you’ll succeed sooner. Get started today!

You can choose from 600 programs that can be narrowed down based upon when you want to start, which college you'd like to attend, and what program you're interested in learning more about.

Top 10 Reasons to Attend a Technical College

If you're planning to attend a 4-year college, you must earn a qualifying score on the SAT or ACT to be admitted.  For a guide to Georgia college admission requirements, click HERE.   It's best to take the SAT or ACT more than once for the opportunity for superscoring, which allows colleges to use a student's highest individual section scores from multiple test dates to create a higher overall score for the SAT or ACT.  For example, if you score high in Math on one test and high in English on a different test, a superscore combines these best section scores into a new, elevated total score, which is then considered by the admissions committee.  Many colleges accept superscores, and it's generally advantageous to take the test more than once to maximize your superscore.  You may study for the SAT or ACT for FREE on Khan Academy.

 Click HERE to register for the SAT.

Click HERE to register for the ACT.

Requesting an Official High School Transcript:

GAFutures.org   

• Free to submit for In-State participating schools 

• https://www.gafutures.org/   

• Click on College Planning and then scroll to HS Transcript. 

Parchment.com  

• Around $6 per transcript request – can be used for out of state colleges 

• https://www.parchment.com/u/registration/9435/account  

Commonapp.org 

• When applying to colleges on Common App, enter your school counselor's email address when prompted. Your counselor will complete your School Report, which includes a free upload of your transcript for the colleges in which you apply, to view electronically.

• https://www.commonapp.org/ 

Sending Official Scores to Colleges

• ACT and SAT scores must be ordered directly from the testing agency.

• We recommend choosing colleges to send scores while filling out registration testing information for free especially for super scoring.  

• ACT Scores- Request scores at www.actstudent.org   

• SAT Scores- Request scores at www.collegeboard.org  

• Testing agencies can take 2 to 4 weeks to send test scores.  Please watch your deadlines and order test scores early enough to meet college deadlines!

If your college of interest or a scholarship sponsor requires a letter of recommendation, a completed SENIOR BRAG SHEET must be provided to the recommender no less than two weeks prior to when the recommendation is due.  Sentences do not help us, but paragraphs do!  When you ask a teacher, counselor, or community member to write a letter for you, show them your appreciation and professional manner; ask them in writing and provide them with plenty of information about yourself.  

• Give specific details and avoid general descriptions that may apply to most students. We are looking for what separates you from others.

• Be sure to make a copy, in the event you are asking more than one person to provide you with a Letter of Reference.

• Detail in-school and community participation including extra-curricular activities, leadership positions, honors, awards, and volunteer work for grades 9-12.

• Indicate your college and career plans after high school graduation with as much detail as possible.

• Provide teachers/counselors with a stamped, addressed envelope, if your letter of recommendation is to be mailed. 

• If you fail to provide your recommender a two-week notice, your LOR may not be received by the deadline.

It is your responsibility to monitor that all required documents have been sent and received by the college. Be aware that it can take several weeks for colleges to process transcripts, letters, etc., and to update online application status checks.  To track your Common App documents, you can also sign into your Common App account and see when all of your documents were completed.  

 If you would like a Letter of Recommendation, please complete the Senior Packet and provide to your recommender. CLICK HERE FOR SENIOR BRAG SHEET  Another option to provide your recommender is a completed CommonApp Brag Sheet.

For a list of scholarships available to apply for now, click on the separate "Scholarships" tab.

What is a college or university scholarship?
Scholarships are financial aid awards designed to help students pay for an undergraduate degree.  Sometimes a scholarship is a one-time check. Other school scholarships are renewable and provide money for students each semester or school year. These awards differ from student loans in that they don’t have to be repaid.  Students might receive the money directly as a check in their name. In other cases, the money is given to the student’s school. In these cases, the student would then pay the school for the difference on any money owed for tuition, fees, room and board. If the scholarships and other forms of financial aid are enough to cover the direct college costs, the excess money is refunded to the student.
How and when can the money be spent?
Scholarship checks awarded in your name can be spent on anything, but you would be wise to look at this as an investment.  This money is for school expenses. This could mean tuition, but it could also be books, pencils, housing, food (you can’t study on an empty stomach) or even computers and software.  When you receive the scholarship money depends on the scholarship you won. Sometimes you get the money in one chunk before school begins, and in other cases the money is distributed in installments. Sometimes a scholarship may be paid out in the middle of a semester.
Where do they come from?
Scholarships come from a variety of different sources, including clubs, organizations, charities, foundations, businesses, colleges and universities, the government and individuals. Colleges and universities offer financial assistance in the form of merit aid as well, so don’t forget to contact the schools you are considering if you qualify for any merit aid.
Avoiding Scholarship Scams
There are a wide variety of scholarship scams out there, and it may not always be easy to identify them. One thing you should always remember is that you should never be asked for money or any financial information in order to apply for a scholarship or to receive one. All legitimate scholarships will be free to apply for, and the information about these scholarships will be readily available online.

Scholarship Search Resources

GAFutures.org

Looking for money to help pay for college? Search scholarship opportunities based on location, college and etc.

Questbridge

We are looking for high school seniors who have shown outstanding academic ability despite financial challenges. We take a holistic approach to reviewing applications, and we do not have absolute criteria or cut-offs for GPA, standardized test scores, income, or other factors.

Circled In

Circled In has thousands of national, regional, and local scholarships. There are also opportunities for every grade level, from freshmen to seniors.  

Scholarship Search Website by Grade

Scholarship Guidance: Weekly Scholarship Newsletter

Individualized scholarship newsletter and search to help students find scholarship opportunities for the upcoming school year. 

HOPE & Zell Miller Scholarship--visit https://www.gafutures.org/hope-state-aid-programs/state-aid-applications/state-programs/

If you have any further questions, please contact your college/university and/or Mr. Hilliard at GSFC as they are going to be your best source for information on HOPE and Zell Miller Scholarships. 

Application for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

Here's a 25 minute video that walks you through completing the FAFSA.

Creating and Using the FSA ID

What’s an FSA ID?
The FSA ID is a username and password combination you use to log in to U.S. Department of Education (ED)
online systems. The FSA ID is your legal signature and shouldn’t be created or used by anyone other than
you—not even your parent, your child, a school official, or a loan company representative. You’ll use your
FSA ID every year you fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form and for the lifetime of
your federal student loans.
How do I get an FSA ID?
Visit StudentAid.gov/fsa-id/create-account/launch to create an FSA ID. You’ll need your Social Security
number, full name, and date of birth. You’ll also need to create a memorable username and password, and
complete challenge questions and answers so you can retrieve your account information if you forget it.
You’ll be required to provide either your email address or your mobile phone number when you make your
FSA ID. Providing a mobile phone number and/or email address that you have access to will make it easier to
log in to ED online systems and allow additional account recovery options.
Important: A Social Security number, email address, and mobile phone number can only be associated with
one FSA ID. If you share an email address with someone else, then only one of you will be able to use that
email address to create an FSA ID.
FSA ID Tips
• If you need to provide information about your parents on the FAFSA® form, one of your parents will need an
FSA ID to sign the form. Your parent can create an FSA ID and then sign the FAFSA form electronically
using that FSA ID. Not sure whether you’ll need to put your parents’ information on the FAFSA form?
Check out StudentAid.gov/dependency. Remember: You should create your own FSA ID, and your
parent should create his or her own FSA ID. Also make sure to use the correct FSA ID when signing the
FAFSA form electronically.
• When you first create your FSA ID, the use of your FSA ID will be restricted to completing, signing, and
submitting an original (first-time) FAFSA form. You’ll have to wait one to three days for your information to
be confirmed by the Social Security Administration (SSA) before you can use your FSA ID for other actions,
such as submitting a FAFSA Renewal or signing a Master Promissory Note. If you provided an email
address, then you’ll receive an email letting you know that your information was successfully matched with
the SSA, and you can begin using your FSA ID.
• If you forget your FSA ID username or password, look for the “Forgot My Username” and “Forgot My
Password” links on log-in pages. These links will direct you to web pages where you can request a secure
code to be texted to your verified mobile phone number or emailed to your verified email address. The
secure code will allow you to retrieve your username or reset your password. You can also retrieve your
username or reset your password by successfully answering your challenge questions. Remember: If you
verified your email address or mobile phone number during account creation, you can enter your email
address or mobile phone number instead of your username to log in.

Learn more about how you can use your FSA ID at StudentAid.gov