Focus on your future with VSAC’s help.

Attend one of the free, full-day College Pathways conferences in March and April.

Are you beginning to think about life

after high school? The spring semester of your

junior year is when post-high school planning

revs up. By preparing now for senior year and

beyond, you’ll have more options for what you

can do after graduation.

Wherever you are in the process, the Vermont

Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC) —

your local, state-based nonprofit — can help

you navigate the road

ahead: from exploring

careers and preparing

for standardized tests

to searching for

schools and figuring

out financial aid. Our tips and checklists

will keep you on track, and along the journey,

you can take advantage of our free college

planning workshops and publications,

online tools and resource library,

and more.

The route to your future lies ahead. Take your

next steps now!

Use VSAC’s experience and resources to guide your way.

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Put college in your plans! We’ve mapped out your route to get there.

?

What are you doing after high school?

For test prep, visit www.vsac.org/testprep.Visit www.vsacroadmaps.org. Your partner on the pathway to collegeFor help searching for colleges,

visit www.vsac.org/collegesearch.

Starting out: college visits and more

Go online, then take a trip (or two).

Look at college Web sites, student blogs, and campus videos for a quick tour online, and choose different types of schools to visit over February or April break to get a sense of

what’s out there. Consult www.vsac.org/campusvisits to make the most of your time on campus.

Mark your calendar. Attend college open houses (check the schedule at www.vsac.org/events) and plan to go to the spring college fairs held April 5 to 8, 2010, at locations throughout Vermont.

Plan for summer. Click on “Pathfinders” at www.vsac.org for a listing of summer opportunities for high school students. Applications for some Vermont programs are due in February.

Count on VSAC for help with: • college and career planning • assistance with financial aid • Vermont state grants • public and private scholarships • federal education loans for students and parents • private education loans

Get in gear.Make a college wish list. What location, size, and academics are you looking for? Create your education wish list: big school or small? Urban or rural? Public university or private liberal arts college? Consider the campus life and extracurricular activities offered, too. Attend the College Pathways workshop “Finding Colleges That Fit” to learn more.

Juniors and parents: Jump-start the journey to college!

Testing ... it’s standard. Taking standardized tests is a lot like learning to drive: practice makes all the difference. Rather than fret, focus on being prepared.

Register for the SAT or ACT. Most colleges require one of these two standardized tests to evaluate high school preparation for college study. Talk to your high school counselor to decide which test will best showcase your skills. Because colleges consider your highest SAT and/or ACT scores, starting early gives you time for a do-over if needed. Take round one this spring.

Visit the SAT and ACT links at www.vsac.org or go to www.collegeboard.com and www.actstudent.org for registration info.

Other tests ahead?

Some highly selective colleges also require SAT subject tests for admission or course placement. Sign up to take any relevant tests at the end of junior year.

Advanced Placement (AP) course exams are given in May. Find out more at www.collegeboard.com/testing.

TEST PREP: TRUE OR FALSE?1. You need expensive test-prep courses to do well. False. The best way to prepare for standardized tests is simply to practice. Yes, you can do it on your own (and save your money). •BorrowanACT or SAT prep booklet from the VSAC Resource Center library through interlibrary loan or from your high school counselor. •Getfreeaccesstooneoftheleadingtest-preptoolsavailable— LearningExpressAdvantage.com—ontheVSACWebsite. Sign in with account ID 10254 for free tutorials. •Checkoutwww.actstudent.org/testprep and www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/sat/about.html.2. Test prep is, uh, dull.False—ortrue—it’suptoyou.Whynotmake it a game? • Free Rice (www.freerice.com) offers a unique way to build your word smarts while helping donate food to the UN World Food Program. •SignupfortheOfficial SAT Question of the Day at http://apps.collegeboard.com/qotd/question.do. •Rampupyourvocabatwordsmith.org, with A.Word.A.Day directlytoyoure-mail.

THE DUAL ENROLLMENT OPTIONThinkyou’rereadyforcollege?Tryitout!AsaVermonter,youcantakeadvantageofdual-creditcoursesatVermontstatecollegesthat can count for both high school and college credit. Students may earn college credits during high school and the summer after they graduate. Some programs allow you to complete your last year of high school and first year of college simultaneously, for free. It’sagreatwaytoreducecostsandsampleacollegecurriculum.Visit www.gotocollegevt.org and “Special Programs” at www.vsc.edu for details.

COLLEGE COSTS STICKER SHOCK?Withtherightcollegematch,youcankeepcostsinline.Don’tcross a school off your list until you explore financial aid options: Whatyouultimatelypaymaybelessthanthecollege’s“stickerprice.” VSAC can help you navigate the financial aid process so that you and your family can make the best decisions for your situation. Visit www.vsaccollegepays.org for more information.

explore the options. VSAC resources are ready to help.

Sign up for College Pathways. Kick off your planning for education past high school by attending a full day of free workshops for high school juniors (and sophomores) and their parents. Get insights on choosing colleges, writing a great application essay, paying for education expenses, searching for scholarships, and more … plus enjoy a free lunch. View the complete schedule at www.vsac.org/pathways or see the enclosed insert.

•SaintMichael’sCollege,March13•CastletonStateCollege,March27•LyndonStateCollege,April10

Workshops fill up quickly, so register early!

Go online.How do your skills and personality match potential careers and programs? Go to VT Guidance Central at www.vsac.org/explore to find out. What you like to do today says a lot about what you might like to do later on.

Choose from books, DVDs, software, and other materials, available throughout the state via interlibrary loan from the VSAC Resource Center at www.vsac.org/library, to assist you with exploring careers and college planning.

Plan your itinerary. Use VSAC’shighschoolroadmapwidget for month-

by-month planning. Meet with your school counselor to be sure you’re on track, and sign up for timely e-mail updates to stay up to speed. (Note: VSAC respects your privacy and will never sell your e-mail information.)

Review senior-year classes. Does your high school load match the college requirements? How many courses in math, English, history, science, and foreign language are needed? Demonstrate that you can handle the challenge ahead by taking AP or honors courses if available.

For more test prep, visit www.vsac.org/testprep.

You can get there from here.

Juniors: Jump-start your way to college!Your partner on the pathway to college

www.vsacroadmaps.org

College Pathways ahead. Choose from one of three full-day conferences, held in March and April, free to high school juniors, sophomores, and their parents. Visit www.vsac.org/pathways or call 800-798-8722. Registration opens February 2!

Scheduled maintenance: standardized tests. Check with your high school counselor as to which tests to take, and sign up now. Keep in mind that SAT subject tests must be taken on a different day than the regular SAT. Prepare ahead at www.vsac.org/testprep.

• SAT and SAT subject tests: www.collegeboard.com March 13 (SAT only): late registration ends February 18 May 1: register by March 25 June 5: register by April 29

• ACT: www.actstudent.org April 10: register by March 5 June 12: register by May 7

Plan now for the summer. Will you get a job to help pay for education expenses? look for an internship? Attend a summer learning program? Click on “Pathfinders” at www.vsac.org for summer opportunities for high school students. Applications for some programs, such as the Governor’s Institutes of Vermont (www.giv.org) and MedQuest (health careers exploration), are due soon.

Start the search. Make a list of what you’re looking for in a college or career, and then rank your criteria in order of importance. Match your criteria to schools that would be good “fits.”

Take a drive. February break is a good time to see campuses in action, while colleges are in session.

Use online tools at the “Plan for College” tab at www.vsac.org to explore careers, college majors, and education options.

Go to college fairs and open houses. Check www.vsac.org/events for schedules; college fairs are held throughout Vermont during the first full week of April.

Spring break! Another chance to visit colleges. Schedule campus tours and information sessions. Talk to as many students and professors as you can. The more you ask, the more you’ll learn.

Get in gear. Sign up for planning tips at www.vsacroadmaps.org to stay on track for college or other training.

Remember, you are more than your test scores. Tests are only part of the picture. Schools are also interested in what makes you tick, what inspires you. Stay focused on figuring out what you want to get out of college and which schools can best meet your needs.

Look under the hood: financial aid. View the VSAC Paying for College presentation at www.vsaccollegepays.org. discuss plans for paying for school with your parents. Now’s a good time (as they’re filing 2009 taxes) to talk dollars and cents. Check with VSAC to explore all your options.

Attend College Pathways! • Saint Michael’s College, March 13 • Castleton State College, March 27 • lyndon State College, April 10

enrolled in Advanced Placement courses? Sign up now to take the AP exams in May. Go to www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/about.html for more information.

VSAC’s mission is to help Vermonters, like you, achieve their dreams of education beyond high school. Our goal is to make sure you have the information and resources you need to pursue your education goals — wherever that journey takes you!