Brandy Hughes, Junior & Freshman Boys Counselor 

Contact Information:  342-2800;  bhughes@tcss.net

LATEST NEWS FROM MRS. HUGHES

Updated:  08-30-10

• Hillcrest High School CEEB Code:  012685 (You will need to provide this number to register for ACT, SAT, or to apply for admission/scholarships.)
• Shelton State's ACT location code:  000070

Transcripts, Applications, and/or Letters of Recommendation Requests: 

1. Any request for a transcript must be made by completing the Transcript Request Form.  Make sure that proper addresses/contact persons are included on the request form.  There are copies of the form on the front counter in the office and can be downloaded under the links "Guidance" and "Forms" on the Hillcrest website. 
2. There is a $5 fee for each requested transcript.
3. Please do not run close on deadlines (making requests at the last minute).  Requests for transcripts will be processed in a timely fashion, but may not get immediate attention.
4. Requests for letters of recommendation should be submitted with plenty of time before the deadline approaches.  Students should submit a completed resume with a request for a letter of recommendation.

Action Plan During the Junior Year

1. Focus on your grade point average. Make sure the courses are challenging and part of a rigorous curriculum. Most of your classes should be part of a college prep curriculum. While a lower grade can be tough to deal with, a more advanced class coupled with a lower grade shows that you are brave and willing to try something tougher. And that struggle often makes for a good topic for an admissions essay.

2. Start looking at colleges. Attend college fairs and find four to six schools that meet your chosen criteria: student population size, location, clubs and organizations, academic disciplines and more. Try to have a couple of those schools be ones you can get into without much problem.

3. Help your school counselor by helping yourself. Take some of the responsibility for college planning onto your shoulders. Start thinking about the questions you really want to ask the counselor - admissions questions, financial aid, help in future career choices. Remember, they have a tight schedule to keep - be prepared. For those students who seek an interactive site that could help with planning and preparing some of those questions, try the college planning page at MyMajors.com.

4. Talk to adults and see what they enjoy and dislike about their jobs. Use your parents as a networking tool, too.

5. Keep involved in extracurricular activities. Volunteer, but not with too many organizations. College and university admissions staffs know when students are trying to pad their resumes and applications. Be sincere in helping one or two groups rather than 15. Remember, being well rounded is a pretty good thing.

6. Take the SAT/ACT in your junior year. It's just easier to start the process and see what scores you will get. If they are lower, take the tests again. Just don't take the tests without some review. The test sites themselves have practice tests, as do the public libraries. Be smart and prepare.

7. It is never too early to talk money. How much money has been saved for college? Are you expected to apply for financial aid? Will parents help? It is sometimes an awkward conversation, but it has to be ongoing. Remember, the true cost of a college isn't determined until the colleges and universities have prepared your financial aid package, and many private colleges have their own give scholarships and grants. And don't overlook community colleges. Many community colleges have articulation agreements with four-year schools so the community college credits usually transfer without any problem.

JUNIOR ALERTS

Vandy Fan for a Day provides high school sophomores and juniors of diverse socioeconomic backgrounds with information regarding the admission process, financial aid, and a chance to enjoy the excitement of a SEC football game (Florida v. Vandy). Please see me by September 1st if you are interested in this opportunity. 

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The PSAT will be administered on Wednesday, October 13th.  The fee for taking the PSAT is $15.00. Please see me if you are interested in taking the PSAT.

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UA Early College - Fall deadline to apply is Tuesday, September 28^th.

• UA Early College Courses - Students can take courses in Humanities, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Natural Sciences, Math, English, History, Language, Fine Arts, and Computer Science.
• Online Information Session - You can schedule a daytime or evening online information session.  
• Partial Tuition Scholarship - Students may be eligible to receive a partial tuition scholarship while they are in UA Early College.

Please visit UA Early College's website at uaearlycollege.ua.edu or call 1-877-823-8759 if you have questions.

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