College & Career Information
COLLEGE TESTING
PSAT / NMSQT & PSAT10
The Preliminary SAT / National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT / NMSQT) is offered in October to 10th and 11th grade students at GCA. This test requires about 3 hours (testing and data fill-out). The PSAT is the first step to enter scholarship competitions conducted by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Each year, of the 1.5 million high school students entering the competition, about 50,000 are recognized for their academic accomplishments and potential. Approximately 7,250 students are selected to receive a National Merit Scholarship Award. To be eligible, students must be enrolled full-time as a high school student, be a citizen of the United States or a permanent U.S. resident, and take the PSAT as a junior (11th grade). Sophomores (10th graders) can take the PSAT10 as a pretest for the PSAT, but the score does not count toward scholarship competitions. The students who will benefit from taking the PSAT are:
- Those with a GPA of 3.5 or better (to be considered for scholarships)
- All 11th grade students. The PSAT is an excellent exam to take as prep for the SAT given to juniors in the spring of their junior year.
- Juniors who are trying for the National Merit Scholarship Award
In April, students in grades 8 – 11 take the SAT as part of the MME (Michigan Merit Exam), which is paid for by the State of Michigan. The PSAT (given in the fall) provides another opportunity for students in grades 10 and 11 to take a pre-college entrance exam, but it is not paid for by the State of Michigan.
SAT
The SAT tests students in the following subjects: reading, mathematics, writing and language. Visit the SAT website for more information and to register. To be eligible for the National Merit Scholarship Program, be sure to put the code 0085 on your registration form, so that your SAT scores are sent to NMSP.
SAT Prep: The best way to prepare for the SAT is by taking the free official SAT practice tests offered by Khan Academy. Eight full-length practice tests, plus study and test-taking tips are available. Free practice tests can be downloaded on the SAT website or a paper copy can be obtained from the GCA counselor.
ACT
The ACT contains multiple-choice tests in four areas: English, mathematics, reading and science. ACT’s writing test is optional and will not affect the composite score. Some colleges/universities require or recommend taking the writing test. Many students take the ACT more than once to achieve a high score for college entrance and/or scholarship qualifications.
ACT Prep: Knowing what to expect and how to answer the questions is one of the best ways to prepare. Visit the ACT website and download the free Preparing for the ACT or take the ACT Online Practice Test. These tools include a full-length practice test along with answers and a scoring key for each test section. The Official ACT Prep and Subject Guides are available for purchase on the ACT website.
Helpful Scholarship Websites
www.wiredscholar.com – A website where you can find FREE cash for college, get the scoop on over 4,000 colleges and universities, figure out what to major in, and learn how to apply
www.collegenet.com – Super fast college search, apply and finance
www.fastweb.com – Over 400,000 scholarships, fellowships, grants and loans
www.gocollege.com – Over 500,000 scholarships and general college information
www.scholarships.com – A database of about 600,000 scholarships from over 8,000 sources
www.absolutelyScholarships.com – Best way to find and apply for scholarships.
www.eStudentLoan.com – Student loan information and financial aid advice.
www.ed.gov – Financial aid information
www.SchoolsintheUSA.com – Explore career paths and find the right college
www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid – Information on financial resources, MI-LOAN program
www.actstudent.org – ACT testing info
www.collegeboard.org – Information on college selection and planning, college search, financial aid information, on-line registration for SAT, test Question of the Day, AP Exam information
www.wmich.edu/finaid – WMU Scholarship Guide
www.finaid.org – Financial Aid Information Page, Scholarship search, EFC estimator, Scam Alert and more
www.petersons.com – Peterson’s Guides, college search and information
www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/cohome.htm – Assortment of college-related information and comparison chart
www.embark.com – College search, college information, scholarship and test prep information
www.usajobs.gov – Job outlook
COLLEGE LEVEL EXAMINATION program (CLEP)
Students may take courses at GCA and then take the CLEP test to exempt college requirements and/or get college credit depending on college requirements. GCA students have passed CLEP tests for: Government, US History I, Chemistry, Economics, Biology and Psychology. AP English (plus a passing test score) also earns college credit. Read more HERE.
DUAL ENROLLMENT
Over the years a number of high school students have taken college courses while still in high school. This is called “dual enrollment.” Public Acts 131 – 134 allow non-public students to go to a college and dual enroll up to a maximum of 10 courses in four years. Colleges must bill the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) directly for students in private schools. MDE calculates the correct payment amount (not necessarily full tuition).
If you are interested in considering a dual enrollment opportunity, here are some points of consideration:
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- Taking college courses does begin a college transcript – make sure you are ready!
- Students must follow the college requirements. For example, if you change your mind about taking a course and you don’t officially drop the course by the drop date, an “E” may be permanently recorded on your transcript for that college. Also, check with the college to see what their minimum GPA requirement is to be considered for dual enrollment.
- To receive both college and high school credit, the college course must be at or above the level of courses offered at GCA and preapproved by the GCA Counselor. Credit (not grade) will be given for pre-approved (1) credit recovery courses, (2) alternate courses due to irresolvable conflicts, and (3) courses taken at a traditional college if the course is not offered by GCA.
- Credit earned per (3-4 credit) college course will be equal to that of a semester course at GCA (typically 5 credits). For college foreign language courses (other than Spanish), the student will receive 5 credits and also an exemption from one year requirement of high school foreign language.
- Core GCA courses must be taken at GCA.
- Eligible charges include tuition, course fees, registration fees, material fees up to a prorated percentage of the statewide pupil-weighted average foundation allowance (likely a maximum of $600-$700 per course).
- Students must be in a public or state approved nonpublic school (GCA is state approved).
- Students must complete required documentation (college enrollment form, transcript, permission form).
- Courses that are considered a hobby, craft, recreational, physical education, or religious education are ineligible for State of MI reimbursement. In addition, each college has restricted classes.
- For further information, visit the State of Michigan website.
