College Financial Aid Information
January is the time to gather all documents needed to apply for need-based financial aid.  The newest Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is ready for students who will be enrolled in college in the 2011 - 2012 school year.  The website to access the form is www.fafsa.ed.gov.  Other forms required by specific institutions can be found by logging into the financial aid portion of their websites or by contacting their offices

Hope Scholarship
Those planning on attending a Georgia college or university next year may be wondering about eligibility for the HOPE scholarship and how to apply for it.  Eligibility is determined by a student’s four year performance in all core academic courses (English, Math, Science, Social Studies, and Foreign Language).   To be eligible for the HOPE Scholarship, students must have a core academic 3.0 GPA. Preliminary GPAs will be submitted to the Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC) by the registrar during term 2, and once that occurs a student can determine personal eligibility once he/she has created an account at the website www.gacollege411.org .  Remember, this is just a preliminary GPA and grades for Terms 2 & 3 will be submitted following the end of the school year, so students on the border one way or the other, staying focused on getting the best grades possible is important to retain or obtain HOPE eligibility.  To find out more about the Hope Scholarship Program and how to apply, click here: 

Upcoming Events
Sophomore Course Scheduling – Counselors will be meeting with sophomore homerooms during activity period on Thursday, January 20, to go over scheduling for the junior and senior years.

Atlanta National College Fair – On Sunday, February 13, there will be a college fair at the Georgia International Convention Center from noon – 4:00 p.m.  Over 150 colleges from throughout the US will be there to meet with students, and there will be topical sessions offered throughout the fair. The event is free, but there is a $5 parking fee at the convention center. Students can preregister for the fair at http://www.gotomyncf.com/nacac.asp .