US News & World Report: January Issue

Read the latest edition of US News & World Report to learn about:

The Skills That Every Student Needs for College
Extra Credit-Applying for Scholarships
Ranking Spotlight
US News Path to College Scholarship
College Compass: Find the Right Fit

Read the full report here

US News & World Report

Volunteer Oportunity

The Habitat for Humanity ReStore serving Durham and Orange Counties would love to have students come volunteer as a Habitat Helper! They will work alongside staff members and other volunteers in the ReStore. They will get to assist donors as they drop off their donated items to the store, and help customers find the items that they are looking for or help them load the items into their vehicle. This is a great way for the students to expand their customer service skills, learn how to problem solve, and work on their leadership skills with their peers.  The students will get to meet a lot of new faces, and they will get the satisfaction of knowing that they helped individuals right here in their community. The money that the ReStore makes goes towards building homes in both Durham and Orange Counties.

Interested in this cool opportunity? Visit our website to sign up for a 1-time volunteer orientation, where you’ll learn about the mission of Habitat for Humanity, how the ReStore supports this mission, and what you’ll be doing when you first start volunteering with us. Orientations last about 90 minutes. We offer 2-hour volunteer shifts, Monday-Saturday, 9am-6pm and Sundays 10am-4pm. (If you are 14 or 15 years old, please contact the Volunteer Program Manager first, as we have limited volunteer opportunities for those under the age of 16.)

Website

 Please contact Amanda Casella, the Volunteer Program Manager if you or your parents have any questions!

United States Military Academy

The Admissions Office at the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point opened the on-line window for applications for admission for the prospective Class of 2022 on January 15, 2017.

Any current high school-level juniors and seniors or high school graduates under the age of 22 who are motivated to attend one of the best educational opportunities in the country may open an on-line application by completing an USMA Candidate Questionnaire on the link below. 

At that same USMA on-line web site, current high school juniors may find information on the application process for an one-week long USMA Summer Leaders Experience at West Point. 



West Point

Durham Tech. CCP Information sessions

The Career and College Promise (CCP) provides seamless dual enrollment educational opportunities for eligible North Carolina high school students in order to accelerate completion of college certificates, diplomas, and associate degrees that lead to college transfer or provide entry-level job skills. The Career and College Promise is for students who want to get a head start on college and who are also college ready while still in high school. Tuition and fees are waived for credit courses! 

 

Learn about program requirements, plans of study, and apply for admission! Attendance at an information session is mandatory for students. Parents are welcome to attend.

All sessions on Durham Tech's Main Campus will be held in the Phail Wynn, Jr. Student Services Center (Building 10), Multi-Purpose Room.

Wednesday, January 25, 4 – 5 p.m., Wynn (Building 10), Multi-Purpose Room

Thursday, February 23, 5 – 6 p.m., Wynn (Building 10), Multi-Purpose Room

Monday, March 20, 5 – 6 p.m., Wynn (Building 10), Multi-Purpose Room

Thursday, April 13, 5 – 6 p.m., Wynn (Building 10), Multi-Purpose Room

June 5, June 5, 5 – 6 p.m., Wynn (Building 10), Multi-Purpose Room

See below for more information and registration:

Durham Tech CCP

UNC System Admission Requirements

The University of North Carolina is a multi-campus university dedicated to serving our state and its people through world-class teaching, research and scholarship, and outreach and service. The oldest public university in the nation, UNC traces its roots to the state’s 1776 constitution, which held that “All useful Learning shall be duly encouraged and promoted in one or more Universities.” Today, nearly 225,000 students are enrolled on 16 university campuses across the state and at the NC School of Science and Mathematics, the country’s first public, residential high school for gifted students.

The University of North Carolina’s 17 campuses extend from the state’s mountains to the coast. More than 220,000 students are enrolled at 16 universities and the NC School of Science and Mathematics, the country’s first public residential high school for gifted students. Each year, we graduate more than 30,000 students from over 200 academic degree programs. Our graduates emerge as leaders, creators and researchers, prepared to connect with and give back to the communities that have supported UNC for more than two centuries.

UNC Minimum Admissions Requirements

College Board Information

With a College Board account, students can access their SAT and AP scores online, and send them to colleges. They can also register for the SAT and CLEP exams, and print  SAT Admission Tickets or CLEP Registration Tickets. Additionally, an account lets students manage personal college lists, save scholarship searches, compare costs at colleges and more. 

All students are encouraged to create an account with the College Board, whether they plan to take the SAT or not. 

College Board Website

ACT Information

All current 11th grade students will be taking the ACT at VAHS on  February 28 as part of the  State Testing program. Registration is not required, and scores can be submitted with college applications next year.

Any student who chooses to take (or re-take) the ACT on Feb. 11, through National Testing, must register with the ACT by January 13 to avoid late fees.  

All 10th-12th students should create an account with the ACT to register for National test dates, receive score reports, access practice materials, and send ACT scores to colleges as part of the college application process.

 ACT Website

ACT Test Prep Guide

Healthy Brain Food

Do you know which foods are good for boosting cognition? See the article below from ADDitude magazine to learn which foods are best for your brain. Even people without ADHD can benefit from eating healthy foods!

9 foods to supercharge your brain 

NC Triangle All Service Academy Student Information Session

This event is for high School students and their parents who are interested in paid college and career opportunities who have strong academics, sports, physical fitness, and extra-curricular activity preparation…and must pass a medical examination.

Attached please find an invitation for students (ideally current juniors, sophomores, and freshmen) and their parent(s) to attend the 2017 All Service Academy Student Information Session at Cardinal Gibbons High School in Raleigh on February 25, 2017. The session is hosted by U.S. Senator Thom Tillis.

At this event, attendees may gather information on all Service Academies as well as talk to representatives from each school. 

Please inform Ms. O'Kane if you plan on attending this event. 


NC All Service Academy Event Flyer

NCC Summer Research Experience Program

The North Carolina Collaborative (NCC) Summer Research Experience Program is recruiting high school, college students and teachers for its 2017 session! The NCC program provides an intensive research experience over 8 weeks in the summer, focusing on pharmaco-epidemiological research methodology and scientific writing skills. Participants are placed in teams and matched with Duke faculty mentors to work on an original, hypothesis-driven project, progressing through draft figures and tables, an abstract, a PowerPoint presentation, and a written thesis. The research experience is supplemented with content-related tutorials provided by Duke medicine and pediatrics faculty members, a statistician, a medical writer, and other research staff. The program also includes an intensive medical ethics seminar on the responsible conduct of research.

• College students will receive $3,200.
• High school students will receive $2,600.
• Teachers participating in the program will also be compensated for the 8-week commitment.

Deadline for applications is on January 09, 2017. Check out the program website for more information:

https://www.dcri.org/education/ncc-summer-research-experience-program/

If you have questions or need additional information, please contact: 

Divinagracia R. Pinson

Program Coordinator and Assistant to:

Danny Benjamin, MD PhD

Kiser-Arena Distinguished Professor of Pediatrics, Duke University

Chair, Pediatric Trials Network (https://pediatrictrials.org)

Faculty Associate Director, Duke Clinical Research Institute (https://www.dcri.org)

2400 Pratt St. Durham NC 27705

Phone: 919-668-7081

Divinagracia.Pinson@duke.edu

​

UNC-CH Application Deadline Extended

In light of the upcoming holiday, UNC Chapel Hill has extended the deadline through the entire holiday weekend to provide students with additional time to submit their applications. Students should submit their application on the Common App website by Monday, January 16 at 11:59 pm Eastern Time.

Only the application and application fee or fee waiver request need to be submitted by the deadline. Other materials such as transcripts, the letter of recommendation, and school reports can arrive after the deadline, and we will accept them through the end of January.

Comprehensive Scholarship List

Attention Seniors! College Application season is in full swing, and many students have already received initial acceptance letters. It's time to start searching and applying for scholarships. Please check the link below for a comprehensive list of scholarships with detailed information and application deadlines.


Scholarships

PSAT Scores and Score Reports Available

PSAT score reports are available in the counseling office for students who took the PSAT at Voyager in October. Students may also view their scores through their individual College Board accounts.

The Brooks Scholarship

The Brooks Scholarship is open to High School seniors, from 14 qualifying counties, attending college in Fall 2017.  It is for students planning to attend NCSU, UNC-Chapel Hill, or UNC-Greensboro.  The deadline for submission is January 31, 2017 PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR A BROCHURE.

The application and more information can be accessed online at www.cfnc.org/brooks.

Should you have any questions, please contact Rashonn Albritton (ralbritton@ncseaa.edu).

Description

Established in 1955 by a Trust endowed by the late Aubrey Lee Brooks, these scholarships are available to graduating high school seniors from a 14-county area of North Carolina. The North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority provides central administration for the Brooks Foundation.

Eligibility

Awards are made annually to seventeen (17) graduating high school seniors who meet all of the following criteria:

• Complete an Aubrey Lee Brooks Scholarship Application
• Demonstrate financial need
• Plan to enroll as full-time students in a degree-granting program at N.C. State University, UNC-Chapel Hill, or UNC-Greensboro
• Permanently reside and attend high school in one of the following counties: Alamance, Bertie, Caswell, Durham, Forsyth, Granville, Guilford, Orange, Person, Rockingham, Stokes, Surry, Swain, or Warren

Of the 17 scholarships, one is awarded to a student from the areas of Greensboro and High Point and to a senior at the N.C. School of Science and Mathematics who is from an eligible county. Additional criteria include merit, leadership, character, and the desire of the recipient to prepare for a career as a useful and informed citizen.

Value

The scholarship provides for an award of about one-half the cost of an undergraduate education. The maximum award for the 2015-2016 academic year was $12,000.

Brooks Scholars may receive additional funding for summer internships, research or travel abroad, and a one-time computer stipend of $2,500. The scholarship is renewable, provided the recipient has continued financial need, remains enrolled full-time at an eligible institution, and maintains a 2.75 cumulative grade point average and good citizenship.

Free Online ACT Test Prep Event

All 11th grade students will take the ACT at VAHS on February  28, 2017.

Students can sign up to attend a free online event to help prepare for the ACT– a live session covering all four subject areas on the ACT test.

Expert instructors will outline the most commonly tested concepts on the ACT and provide an overview of the powerful interactive instruction available through ACT^®Kaplan^® Online Prep Live.


Kaplan Online ACT Test Prep