If you applied for Early Decision, then chances are you have already heard back from the school. Also, some colleges, such as USC and Winthrop, have already released their first waves of acceptance letters.  However, the majority of schools have not yet given the verdict on potential students. So now seniors are forced to wait, holding their breaths, until colleges alleviate their anxiety. Then, they will either be excited at the prospects of a new year in a new place or disappointed that things didn’t work out. When asked about her experience of waiting for college admissions decisions, senior Hope Lewis said, “I always wondered if I was going to receive a thick packet that said YES! or if I would receive a rejection letter.” Most all of us have had that fear, the fear that a college will turn us down and all our plans will change. Senior Brad Wilson says, “It’s just like having your entire future in front of you… Did you do enough? Did you do it right, will it be good enough? All those things run through your mind as you wait for the letter to arrive in the mail, with your name on it, finally giving you some relief.” It gets especially nerve racking for many of us as time goes on. Senior Kourtney Chapman states, “For me it was worrying because I saw other students getting acceptance letters and I was left wondering, where was mine?” We worry that we’ll have to rebuild our ideas of the future if our dreams don’t come true. As dismal as that sounds, it is a possibility that we all have to face.

But things always happen for a reason and somehow you’ll end up where you need to be. Hopefully that will happen without the involvement of rejection letters, but if it does involve them just remember: if that school was really the right place for you to be, you would have been accepted. It is at this point in our lives that we need to remind ourselves to keep an open mind. Most seniors probably have a plan for their life, an ideal outcome, maybe even a dream. But don’t let yourself get so caught up in making you future turn out as planned that you miss the opportunity to receive something so much better. Just because you may not end up with exactly what you wanted doesn’t mean that your life will be any less amazing. Don’t ever think that a decision made by any college admissions board can hold you back. The only thing that can hold you back is yourself- don’t let it.

On the other hand for students who have not taken either test yet or thought about college, the upcoming months maybe a stressful time. For seniors, the season of fall brings on deadlines, recommendations, transcripts, planning, applying and rushing to do all that before December. Doesn’t that sound fun? Well it shouldn’t unless you take the right steps and plan to prepare, then the thought of applying to colleges the fall of your senior year should be fun. Not only college admission deadlines lurking right around the corner, but placement test deadlines also coming up soon.

To satisfy the admissions office at the colleges you’re considering, you will most likely have to make that life altering decision to take the SAT or ACT. If you have not decided which test to take, the deciding factor may be whether or not the college requires a certain test. You wouldn’t want to get all the way there for them to tell you that you passed the wrong test. Even though many colleges accept either one, it is still good to check on the policy at the college you are considering. Senior Daryl Butler took the SAT the June after completing his junior year and says, “it isn’t too difficult as long as you focus, it was just long.”

The months of September through December will be busy for seniors who plan on going to four year colleges and universities next fall. Senior counselor Mrs. Smiley says that college-bound seniors should apply to college as soon as possible preferably by October 1st but no later than December 1st. Students should also remember to schedule college visits and take the SAT or ACT if haven’t already. Online applications would be the best way to apply to a college but if needed, paper applications for most in-state colleges can be asked for in guidance. Before you become overwhelmed with applying to college, you should take the time out to gather as much information about the college and take college visits. Take a weekend tour of the campus, talk to professors, walk up to random students and interrogate them and ask as many questions as humanly possible. Having more than enough information is better than having no information. If you are unavailable to make a visit to the campus, another good way to research a college’s reputaion is by talking to people who are familar with colleges or someone who has recently graduated from the school. Ask your parents or that strange family member who always seems to know too much about colleges. Finding general information of colleges over the Internet or social media websites such as Facebook or Twitter, is not always the best way to get information on a place your considering to get your higher level of education from. Not everyone on the world wide web is an expert, and sometimes rumors get passes along as facts.

Many opportunies such as CSRA College Night and The Educational Opportunity Day that both took place early September, helped to relieve students and parents with some of their questions and concerns. When asked if either of the opportunity days helped with their his college search, Senior Kwashane Robinson responded ” Yeah, I got alot of information I needed for North Carolina A&T. It was very informational but there were alot of students there.”  Scholarship drawings, financial aid seminars, and an essay writting seminar were available at college night. Both events helped many students who haven’t choose a college to apply to or students who didnt know what they want to major in once the get to college. Career Specialist Mr. Saunders replied ” In certain situations some kids are still finding out about them self “. So if you’re still undecided about your college major or just cant seem to pick only one, its okay according the The College Board, most colleges offer advising to help you find a focus. In general, you don’t start taking courses for your major until your junior and senior years. Only after applying to the colleges of your choice may you start applying for scholarships. Every senior has to apply for Free Application for Federal Student Aid or FASFA in Febuarary or after your taxes. You should submit your forms as soon as you can and see if a college you applying for has a financial aid deadline date.

When done with your checklist of preparing for college, don’t let the noose of senioritis break the neck of the previous four years of accomplishment! As the year continues on and you’re awaiting that 8.5 x 11 envelope letting you know where you will or won’t be heading, remember enjoy and embrace your last few months in high school while it lasts and that although it’s a big decision, college doesn’t have to define who you are.

This year’s ceremony was opened with American Legion Post 71′s presentation of the Blue Bannered Salute Flag. After that, Mrs. Davis introduced the ten “Hall of Famers.” The recipients were, Ashley Crawford, Joshua McCormick, Emily Heath, Marina Clements, Kelly Cercy, Macie Whatley*, Bradley Green, Andrea Swift, Loranzo Hammonds, and Travis Pickens. Each of these students has been very successful in their academics, they have all been leaders at NAHS, and they are active in community improvement in some way.

Not all of these students expected to be a “Hall of Famer”. Some of them were in shock once they realized their name was being called, “It was very exciting, and I wasn’t expecting to be on the Hall of Fame,” exclaimed Bradley Green. Travis Pickens added, “It’s a real honor to be elected out of a class of 30o plus seniors.”

What’s next for the Hall of Famers? Most of these students have already decided where they want to go to college and what they want to major in. Travis is going to the Medical College of Georgia and will go into the Aviation Field. Mrs. Pickens, his mother says, “I’ve known he wanted to be in aviation since he was eight years old, and all I’ve had for him is high hopes.” Marina Clements will go to Clemson University, “I will major in Bio-Medical Engineering.” Andrea Swift plans to major in Psychology and minor in dance. Ashley Crawford is more similar to Marina, “I plan to go to Clemson and major in Biology.” I am also part of the Pre-health Studies Program,” said Ashley Crawford. Loranzo Hammonds plans to go to Florida International and major in Physical Therapy.

How did these students get to where they are? Their parents, that’s how. “I didn’t know any of this would happen or it would go this far,” said shocked Mrs. Hammonds. Mrs. Swift has always taught her daughters the same lessons, “You should always be honest, you should always work hard, and you should always behave.” So all in all, do your best and good things will come to you! If you keep working hard, keep your grades high, and be active in the community, you could also one day be a member on the Hall of Fame.
*Name previously not listed. Apologies.

The logo for North Augusta 2000, sponser organization. Photo Credit: North Augusta 2000

Some speakers will be in class for a week, some for two, and others for only a few days. That time is used to cover the individual professional’s subject area, such as public safety (students can ask questions about their rights when they are pulled over, etc.), or marriage and relationships (students ask a power couple questions about when to get married and who you’d be best matched with) or even employment matters (questions about interviews, application processes, and what to wear). The entire purpose is to deliver students practical information that will be useful in the future. Mr Emerling, the class’s sit-in teacher/advisor believes that Real Life, “supplements skills that they may not get in their regular classes.”

On paper, sure, it sounds like a great class. What do the students who actually take the class think about it? Jessie Turner loves the class, “it’s one of my favorite classes because it’s fun and I actually learn things I will use in the future, not mundane things that I will never need.” This class is an overall good idea and promotes skills needed for seniors to become functional adults. So juniors, talk to your guidance couselor and make sure you take Real Life 101.

These are a few of the million concerns that seniors are stressed with at this time of year. College-bound seniors have many things to do early in the school year to prepare for the future. Most have already applied to colleges, many have already narrowed the list and visited the ones they are interested in, but others have not even thought about college yet.

This crash course on local colleges is for you late bloomers. If you haven’t decided where to apply, or maybe if you’re just now looking, follow this small guide to big opportunities. This doesn’t include all the local colleges or universities, covering all of them would take me until we graduated, and then it wouldn’t be of help to anybody. I hope this crash course in college will help you in your choices for the future.

So this is how this college crash course works. This crash-course guide is going to be broken down college-by-college or university, including all the major points of interest. There are 5 major categories in selecting a college: price, location, size, majors, and student life. *Price will be in-state (assuming that all students at North Augusta are from South Carolina) and will include all tuition, fees, books, and housing, etc for one year, or two semesters. These are in no particular order of importance, one may matter more to you than me. These are however, how most college searches categorize your interests. I will also include other important information as we go along. So let’s get started.

Clemson University
Price: $20,320
Estimated personal expenses: $6,378

Clemson Tiger Paw Photo Credit: Raycomsports/blog

Location: Clemson, SC
2 hours and 23 minutes from North Augusta, SC
Size: Total Enrollment-19,111
Freshman-3,386
Men-1,803
Women-1,583
Majors: Clemson has 80 undergraduate majors. The most popular include- Engineering, Bioengineering, Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Nursing, Business, Food Science, Parks and Recreation, and many others.
Student Life: Clemson has a very wide range of student activities. Football is a big deal at Clemson University. Their mascot is the tiger and the school colors are orange and purple. Clemson has a rush week for sororities and fraternities, intramural sports, and 50 or more clubs.
Application Deadlines: December 31 for early notification; May 1 for final admissions for fall 2011

University of South Carolina
Price: $17,850
Estimated personal expenses vary
Location: Columbia, SC
1 hour and 14 minutes from North Augusta, SC

Carolina's Logo Photo Credit: Sportsapparelsuperstore.com

Size: Total Enrollment-27,488
Majors: More than 350 degree programs; this includes International Business, Nursing, Business, Sports Management, Psychology, Natural Resources, Communications, Veterinarian Sciences, Environmental Sciences and many others.
Student Life: USC is an “urban living” campus in downtown Columbia, SC. USC has a huge football stadium (Williams Brice Stadium) and their mascot is the Gamecock. The campus life is also the city life for USC students, with classes spread out across our state capitol. USC is known for it’s weekend parties, especially during football season. Carolina has many sororities and fraternities as well as 300 student activity organizations on campus.
Application Deadlines: October 15 for early notification; December 1 for priority applications

University of South Carolina-Aiken
Price: $15,159
Personal expenses vary
Location: Aiken, SC
No more than 25 minutes from North Augusta, SC
Size: 3,203
Majors: USCA offers more than 30 programs of study and has many majors and minors to choose from. USCA offers Pre-Pharmacy classes, Nursing, Business, Communications, Health Science and many others.

USCA Pacers logo. Photo Credit: Peachbelt. com

Student Life: Unlike the previous schools, USCA does not have a football team. They do have 13 competitive NCAA teams that include soccer, softball, and baseball. Basketball is a popular sport, competing in the Peach Belt Conference. Their mascot is the Pacer. USCA does offer sororities and fraternities as wel l as a newspaper staff and other student run organizations.

Coastal Carolina
Price: $13,320
Location: Conway, SC
No more than 4 hours from North Augusta
Size: 8,400 undergraduate students; 44 percent freshmen
Majors: Coastal Carolina does not offer the same bachelor degrees as other four-year colleges. For example, they offer Pre-Nursing, instead of a full Nursing Degree. This also goes for Pre-Law, Pre-Engineering, and Pre-Medicine. They do, however, offer other degrees such as Elementary Education, Physics, Biology, Chemistry and others.

Coastal's logo-Yes, thatsa bird, a Chanticleer. PC: Happyhourvalley.com

Student Life: We’ve all heard: Coastal Carolina is a renowned “party school.” However, coastal is not just a party school. They have many oppurtunities for students. They have a Student Government Club, fraternities and sororities and many other clubs, such as Psychology Club, Pre-Health Fratenities, History Club, and Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Deadline for Application: December 1st for priority acceptance.

Winthrop
Price: $15,577
Location: Rock Hill, SC
2 hours 45 mins from North Augusta
Size:6,241 undergraduate students; 1060 freshmen
Majors: Winthrop has 80 undergraduate degree programs, including: Accounting, Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Business Education, Performing Arts, Arts, Athletic Training, and Early Education, just to mention a few.

The beautiful Winthrop campus. Photo credit:campusshot@oldwingspan.com

Student Life: Wihthrop offers more than 180 clubs and student organizations on campus and off. They also offer intramural sports and compete in NCAA Division 1 sports. Winthrop also has 18 fraternities and sororities. Their mascot is the eagle and their colors are garnet and gold. Winthrop is a great academic establishment, a beautiful place to live and learn and it’s 15 minutes from Carowinds; what more could you ask for?
Application Deadlines: December 1 for priority acceptance

University of Georgia
Price: $ 37,496
Location: Athens, GA
No more than 2 hours and 30 minutes
Size: 26,142 undergraduate students
Majors: Georgia offers 22 baccalaureate degrees in 140 different fields. The proffesional degrees include law, pharmacy, and veterinary medicine.

The UGA dog. Photo credit: wisd.com

Student Life: Georgia offers about 600 registered student organizations, including 35 social fraternities and 23 social sororities. Athens is always jam-packed with Bull”dawg” fans during football season. UGA is big on football, and the mascot is an actual dog, “UGA”. U.S. News & World Report’s 2010 “Best Colleges” edition has UGA tied for 21st among national public research universities. Kiplinger’s Magazine ranks UGA 4th in its 2008 list of the “100 Best Values in Public Colleges.” And recently, Georgia was ranked #1 in party schools in the nation, yes the whole NATION!

Augusta State University
Price: $2,004.00 (does not include housing; Augusta State does not offer on-campus housing)
Location: Augusta, Georgia
15 to 25 minutes from North Augusta
Size: information was not availiable, but Augusta State is considered a small school, no bigger than USCA or Aiken Technical College.
Majors: Augusta State is big in Arts. If you’re not into artsy stuff, they also offer: Chemistry, Physics, Physics/Mathematics, Art, Performance, Music Education, Music, History, Communications, English, French, Spanish, Political Science, Sociology, Social Work, Criminal Justice, Accounting, Finance, Management, Management Information Systems, Marketing, Interrelated Special Education and more.

Augusta State's Logo Photo Credit:gacolleges.com

Student Life: Augusta State is also big on basketball. The Jaguar’s basketball team competes in the Peach-Belt Conference, along with USCA. The Augusta State golf team is also very esteemed. Clubs and activities, sure! They have over 100 student run clubs and committees. Augusta State students can also find plenty to do when class isn’t in, Augusta is a hot spot for parties, club scenes, the Masters, and restaurants.

Aiken Technical College
Price: $ $1853.00 (this is full time 15 or more credit hours)
Location: Aiken(Graniteville), SC
15 minutes from North Augusta
Size: information is not availiable, but Aiken Tech is smaller than USCA.
Majors: Aiken Tech offers technical degrees, duh. They offer associate degrees, certificate programs, and diplomas in applied sciences. Majors included are: Nursing, Welding, Radiology, Basic Business, Business Managment, Accounting, Alcohol and Drug Abuse, and many more.

Aiken Technical College. Photo Credit:aikenproperties.com

Student Life: Aiken Tech is most known for it’s killer softball team. They also have a men’s basketball team.  Aiken is a great little town to be a student in too. There is plenty to do. Aiken Tech does not have fraternities or sororities, but does have a few student-run clubs and organizations.

So, that’s a lot of information.  College is a huge decision in your life, and can affect you in so many ways.  I hope this information either helped you narrow your search or helped you decide where you’re going to go.  Another tip for choosing college, make a pros and cons list and decide what is most important to you.  Seeing it layed out in two categories will help you decide.  Goodluck!

In July of 2008 the Post-9/11 GI Bill was passed, creating a great new way to receive financial aid when attending a college. The new bill, which went into effect on August 1, 2009, will provide education benefits for service members who have served on active duty for 90 or more days since Sept. 10, 2001. How much the bill will benefits an individual’s education is based on the number of days served on active duty.

This new bill also includes the National Guard and reserve service members, which was something not offered on the previous bill.

One educational benefit in particular offers to pay all of your tuition and fees. The new GI Bill includes the Yellow Ribbon Program which helps students avoid some or all of the out-of-pocket tuition and fees. This Program does not include every school, and the school must enter agreement with the VA to share the expense. There is also a criteria the service member must meet in order to be eligible for these benefits. You must serve a total of 36 months, as an active duty service member. The only exception is if you are honorably discharged from active duty service due to a service-connected disability and have served a minimum of 30 continuous days.

There are many more educational benefits that this Bill offers that every student interested in joining the armed services should look in to. Even if you do not qualify for the full scholarship you could qualify for other benefits and receive some payment through your college years.

	You must be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen under state residency statutes.
	You must be a South Carolina resident at the time of high school graduation and during the period of award.
	You must have graduated from a South Carolina high school or graduated from a high school outside of South Carolina while a dependent of a parent or legal guardian who is a legal resident.  If you graduated from a high school outside of South Carolina, you are expected to self-identify to the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships in order to be assured that you are not overlooked during the University’s review of LIFE eligible students.
	You must be a full-time undergraduate student seeking your first baccalaureate degree.
	You must not be receiving the South Carolina Palmetto Fellows Scholarship.
	You must not have been judged delinquent, nor have been convicted or pled guilty or nolo contendere to any felony in any state.
	You must not have been convicted of any second or subsequent alcohol or drug-related misdemeanor in any state within the past academic year.
	You must not be in default or owe a refund or repayment on any Federal or State financial aid.

Eligibility Requirements for Entering Freshman

	You must meet all general eligibility requirements.
	You must meet two of the three requirements listed below: 1. Have a 3.00 final high school grade point average based on the Uniform Grading Policy. 2. Have a minimum SAT test score of 1100 or ACT test score of 24. 3. Have graduated in the top 30% of your high school graduating class. http://www.sc.edu/financialaid/life.html