Guidance

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School Profile 2012

College Acceptances 2008
College Acceptances 2009
College Acceptances 2010
College Acceptances 2011
College Acceptances 2012

Department Purpose

The Guidance Department at Our Lady of Lourdes Academy assists all students with curriculum choices, with college planning, with college and financial aid application processes, and with the selection of higher education institutions and careers. In addition, counselors are available to assist students with their personal concerns, to meet with students and their parents when necessary, and to help students resolve difficulties related to academic achievement. Each student is assigned a guidance counselor, beginning freshman year.

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Naviance

The Guidance Department uses Naviance, a Web-based tool for navigating the college application process. Naviance is a comprehensive tool that students use for all things college. Family Connection (the student module of Naviance) can be accessed at the following website. http://connection.naviance.com/olla
Please note that students must have an activation code to use Naviance. For more information, contact your counselor.

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Department Seminars

The Guidance Department at Our Lady of Lourdes Academy hosts several seminars throughout the year to inform students and their parents on the college process. Seminar topics offer suggestions for anticipating and preparing for college, tips for selecting colleges and universities and completing applications, and information for accessing financial aid sources and paying for a college education. In addition, the department organizes an annual seminar on a current topic of interest to adolescent girls and their parents.

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Guidance Office Members

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Personal Counseling

The Guidance Department offers personal counseling to all students who may need this service.

The members of the department are available to assist students who may have personal problems and to meet with their parents when necessary. A student may be referred to Guidance for personal counseling in a number of ways:

• Student may fill out an appointment slip (blue) so that a counselor may schedule an appointment.
• A teacher may make a referral for a counselor to see a student.
• A parent may call the Guidance Office and ask that a counselor see her daughter.

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State University System & Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Programs

The Florida State University System (SUS), along with the state’s public universities’ admissions directors, offers a free annual workshop for guidance counselors - the SUS Admissions Tour. As part of the Admissions Tour, directors explain admissions philosophies, policies, and procedures so that counselors can better meet the needs of their university-bound students. In addition, the SUS provides an annual matrix with helpful admissions-related information pertaining to the various Florida SUS schools. These institutions include, in alphabetical order: Florida A&M University (FAMU), Florida Atlantic University (FAU), Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU), Florida International University (FIU), Florida State University (FSU), New College of Florida (NCF), University of Central Florida (UCF), University of Florida (UF), University of North Florida (UNF), University of South Florida (USF), and University of West Florida (UWF).

Matrix information for each of the Florida SUS schools includes: Location, Enrollment, Sports Division, Percent of Applicants Accepted for Fall 2012 & Summer 2012, Mid-Range GPA for Fall 2012 & Summer 2012, Mid-Range SAT & ACT Scores for Fall 2012 & Summer 2012, Honors Programs, and 2012-13 Tuition rates.

To download the matrix, click HERE.

Important points to consider for application to State University System and the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program:

• Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program will re-calculate GPA.
• Not all classes can be used to qualify for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship.
• Only core courses will be taken into consideration when re-calculating the GPA.

Florida Bright Futures will include 16 credits of college preparatory academic courses:

• 4 units of English, at least three with substantial writing requirements
• 4 units of mathematics at the Algebra I level and higher
• 3 units of natural science, at least two with laboratory science
• 3 units of social science
• 2 sequential units of the same foreign language

NOTE: May use up to 2 additional credits from courses in the academic areas listed above and/or AP, IB or AICE fine arts courses to raise the GPA.

The State University System will also re-calculate GPA and has similar guidelines for recalculation of the GPA and admission to a state university. In addition to the core required credits, state universities and FL Bright Futures will only consider core electives (electives directly from "core requirements“ such as math, English, social studies, science, foreign language) toward calculation of GPAs. Non-academic electives will not be used toward GPA calculations or considered for admission into state universities and FL Bright Futures - SAT Prep, Yearbook, Journalism, Business courses, Computer courses, Theology, Performing Fine Arts, Art.

Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program

In 1997, the Florida Legislature created the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program. This Florida Lottery-Funded scholarship rewards students for their academic achievements during high school by providing funding for them to pursue postsecondary educational and career goals in Florida. The Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program is an umbrella scholarship which houses three scholarships: Florida Academic Scholars Award, Florida Medallion (used to be Merit) Scholars Award, and Florida Gold Seal Scholars Award. At Our Lady of Lourdes Academy, the Florida Gold Seal does not really apply, as we are a college prep high school. For complete information, visit the Florida Bright Futures Web site; click
HERE.

For further information, please contact Ms. Cristina Diez-Arguelles or Mrs. Maria Tilson, Bright Futures Co-Coordinator.

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Silver Knight Awards

The Silver Knight Awards are sponsored by the Miami Herald/El Nuevo Herald. The award recognizes outstanding seniors who not only maintain good grades, but who unselfishly apply their special knowledge and talents through service to their school and community.

Beginning in freshman year, all students are encouraged to keep a record and documentation of their service, to make a commitment to a specific service project, and to obtain information through Guidance for maximizing the impact of their volunteer efforts.

For further information, please contact Mrs. Maria Tilson or Ms. Cristina Diez-Arguelles, the co-coordinators of the program, or log on to http://www.miamiherald.com/silverknights/.

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College Visits on Campus

The guidance department welcomed 73 college representatives from the following colleges and universities during the 2010-2011 school year. Seniors had an opportunity to hear from each representative on topics ranging from the school’s admission requirements, academic programs, student life and financial aid. School visits for the 2011-2012 school year will begin in August. Information regarding college visits is posted on Family Connection, and a news bulletin, updated weekly, is also available through Family Connection.

To see the list of schools who visited Lourdes Academy during the 2010-2011 school year, click HERE.

Testing

Extended Time Accommodations

A student with a documented disability may be eligible for accommodations on standardized testing through the College Board and/or ACT Assessment. In order to determine eligibility, the documents supporting the need for accommodations must be on file in the Guidance office. Documentation must include the following:

• State the specific disability
• Be current (check with College Board and ACT for guidelines)
• Provide relevant educational, developmental, and medical history
• Describe the comprehensive testing and techniques used to arrive at the diagnosis
• Describe the functional limitations
• Describe the specific accommodation
• Establish the professional credentials of the evaluator

Once the evaluations are received in Guidance, parents will receive additional forms to petition the College Board and /or ACT (the applications are different) as per the family's request. For more information, please log on to http://www.collegeboard.com/ssd or http://www.actstudent.org/regist/disab/policy.html

Please note: Documentation does not guarantee eligibility for extended time.

All documentation should be turned in to Mrs. Ginny Castellanos as soon as it is available.

SAT Dates

Register on-line at http://www.collegeboard.com

ACT Dates

Register on-line at http://www.actstudent.org