News/Announcements from the GHS Counseling Department

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• In case you need to contact your child’s counselor, the counseling office is divided by alphabet. If your student’s last name starts with A-Ge, Ginger Chastain is the assigned counselor; Gi-Pi, Tammy Bennett is counselor; Pl-Z, Donna Sexton is counselor.

• For students and parents interested in dual enrollment/Move On When Ready for spring 2017, information sessions will be held on 9-30 and 10-14 at the school during lunch. Space is limited, so you must contact your child’s counselor in advance to see whether your child is eligible and to sign up for these sessions.

• Now is the time to start checking the scholarship page on the GHS Guidance web page at https://sites.google.com/a/gilmerschools.com/ghs-scholarship-page/home. Check this page weekly for updated information.

Feature of the Week from GHS Counselors: College Admission or Placement Tests

There are several tests that colleges, universities, and technical schools may use to determine whether to admit or where to place a student. Two tests commonly used for admission purposes are the ACT and SAT. It is important to consider what test(s) your post-secondary (after high school) college, university, or technical college of choice accepts for admission, as well as your own strengths and weaknesses, in choosing which of these to take. The ACT, or American College Test, is an achievement test that measures what a student has learned in English, Math, Reading, Science, and Writing. It might be a good test to consider if you are less confident in math. It has 215 multiple-choice questions and takes approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes to complete, including a short break (or just over four hours if you are taking the ACT with writing). The web site is http://www.act.org/. The SAT, or Scholastic Aptitude Test, is a test that measures what you are likely capable of learning and focuses on verbal and reasoning areas. It might be a test to consider if you are strong in math and English. It takes around 3-4 hours to complete. The web site is https://www.collegeboard.org/. Each test costs around $50-$60, depending on whether a student takes the writing portion. To sign up for either, go to that test’s web site.

Two tests commonly used for placement are the COMPASS and ASSET tests. These tests help determine the appropriate academic classes for a student in a technical school or college. The COMPASS is an untimed, computer-based assessment, and the ASSET measures a student’s ability in basic academic skills. Check the web site of your post-secondary school of choice to see whether it uses these tests.

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