The Four-Year Plan is an individualized schedule for each of the grades 9 through 12. The plan should be developed during your eighth grade or freshman year at the very latest. When developing this plan keep in mind graduation requirements, college recommended courses, career plans, and NCAA athletic requirements. Your Four-Year Plan should be reviewed and revised each year with adjustments made for academic performance, revised career goals, post-secondary educational goals and personal interests.

As you plan your future after high school, your objective is to find a technical/vocational program, or a college or university that is right for you. You want to find the best fit scholastically, economically and socially to prepare for the future goals you want. If you plan to go directly to work (or to part-time employment), finding a career area you like and preparing a resume, letters, and getting recommendations will be an important goal this year. Following are suggestions, information, dates, sample resumes, letters, etc., to help you.

Admissions criteria used by most 4-year colleges to determine admissions are generally the same from college to college. However, colleges do differ in how they evaluate this information. One college may place greater importance on test scores, while another college may stress GPA. Criteria include 1) Grade Point Average, 2) class rank, 3) strength of subjects, 4) ACT and/or SAT scores, 5) recommendations, 6) activities, awards, community service, 7) personal essay, and 8) interview.

Two-year community colleges and technical schools, like Bakersfield College or San Joaquin Valley College, are alternative sources of post-secondary education. Only approximately 20% of today’s careers require a four-year college degree. However, 85% of all careers do require education and training beyond high school. Students may best prepare for their career goals by attending a community college or technical school. Students should prepare for success by taking as many academic courses as possible in high school. However, community colleges and technical schools generally accept anyone with a high school diploma or GED or who is over 18 years old. These schools may also administer their own English and math placement tests.

Take self-inventories to identify your goals, your abilities, your interests, and your work habits. Interest inventories are available in the Liberty High School Career/College Center. One source of assistance is the personal interest inventories found on ECOS. Inventories are helpful in choosing a college major or a career. ECOS can also assist you with choosing a school that will suit your interests.

Plan a campus visit. Campuses offer tours for students and families frequently and open houses for prospective students once or twice a year. Appointments are made through the Relations with School Office on the campuses. Telephone numbers are available online, in college catalogues, and through telephone information. Try to visit while school is in session and talk with students. Read the catalogue before you visit so you know what to look for. Ask questions and take notes so you can compare schools. The Career/College Center has information on college open house dates. College representatives and outreach counselors meet with students in our Career/College Center.

College admission test requirements vary. You will want to do your best. Therefore, plan to participate in test preparation classes, go online to learn of study questions, study the test preparation booklet that comes with the registration packet, and plan to take the test more than once. Scores improve through repetition. Also, plan to take the tests early, at least once in your junior year. Many colleges practice early admissions and having taken the SAT I or ACT early could mean being admitted to the college of your choice earlier than anticipated.

California State Universities require SAT I or ACT. Once admitted, placement tests include the EPT (English) and ELM (Math). University of California campuses require the SAT I or ACT, and the SAT II. You must take 3 tests: Writing, Math Level I, and one more test of your choice. Complete these tests by December. Community colleges, like Bakersfield College, require their own placement test, the ASSET. The ASSET is given in the spring.

Before an athlete can play a sport or receive an athletic scholarship at a Division I or II college, the student must meet specific academic criteria as set forth by the NCAA. A student must have a 2.0 GPA in 13 college preparatory classes. The student must also have a minimum cumulative score of 68 on the ACT (fours scores) or a combined SAT score of at least 820.

Carefully prepare your extra-curricular activities sheet, an autobiography essay and a resume. Ask people to write recommendations and help them do so by giving them a copy of your resume. Remember to thank those who write letters for you. The autobiographical essay includes information about you, your family, your areas of interest, and your plans upon graduation. Use a word processor and its spell checker to increase accuracy.

Create and constantly update your portfolio. Keep copies of your four-year plan, activity sheet, autobiographical essay, letters of recommendations, college applications, FAFSA, and transcript. Include information about colleges and scholarship opportunities.

Scholarship opportunities abound. Visit the Career/College Center, look for the posted Scholarship Calendar listing due dates and criteria, check out Liberty’s Guidance and Counseling web page, or use ECOS for a computerized search. Libraries, newspapers, and the Internet are excellent sources of scholarship sources. Have your parents and grandparent’s check with the personnel office where they work to see if scholarships are offered for dependents. Check with your church and other group affiliations for available scholarships.

FINANCIAL AID

Financial aid is assistance given to a student to help with college costs. It is based on need, the cost of attendance, and the amount of money the student and his or her family is expected to contribute. To be eligible for federal and state grants and institutional aid, students must complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) between January 1 and March 2.  In addition, students are required to have on file a completed G.P.A. Verification to be eligible for California financial aid, called Cal Grants.  Mail the FAFSA early, make a copy, and get a certificate of mailing. Or, file online.

An accurate Social Security Number needs to be on file with the Registrar. Liberty High School will send the SSN and G.P.A. Verifications to the State of California in January. If you do not have your accurate SSN on file, you will need to file a separate G.P.A. Verification Form to be eligible for Cal Grants.

The FAFSA is important for all students to complete because many colleges use it for scholarships as well. A Financial Aid Workshop will be held in January. Students who plan to attend private colleges may need to complete a PROFILE for Financial Aid that is designed for the specific private college. All of these forms are available in the Career/College Center. FAFSA is also available online.

Beware of SCAMS.  What are the warning signs? Does the company pressure you to commit right away, ask inappropriate questions about your finances, display inappropriate openness about other clients’ personal business, promise exclusive information or a scholarship search for a fee, offer awards you never applied for, or ask for a bank or credit card account number to hold a scholarship for you? There are many fraudulent scholarship search services that send letters to students and their parents. The Federal Trade Commission < http://www.ftc.gov/> warns students to beware of scholarship services and invitations to “free seminars” that guarantee scholarships and promise to do all the work. Legitimate scholarships and FAFSA forms are FREE. Check out the government web page on scholarship scams at <http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/edcams/scholarship>.

Where does financial aid monies come from? It comes in two forms – gift aid and self-help aid. Gift aid does not have to be repaid. Self-help includes loans and work-study. Colleges and technical/vocational schools create a financial aid “package” that includes several types of aid. These include:

Grants and Scholarships do not have to be repaid. Grants usually are awarded on the basis of need, and scholarships may be given on the basis of need, achievement, or community service. Local community groups, state and national organizations, employers, colleges, etc give scholarships. Students who meet the eligibility criteria complete a specific application. The FAFSA is the application that all students must complete to gain access to federal, state and college grants.

The federal government supplies most of the financial aid. Federal grant programs include Pell Grants and Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOG). The Hope Scholarship allows a tax credit of $1,500 for the first two years of college.

Loans are a form of self-help aid that must be repaid after you have graduated or left post-secondary schools. These loans usually have low interest rates. They are the Direct Loan, Perkins Loan, Stafford Loan, and the Parent (PLUS) Loan.

Work-Study is money the student earns through campus employment. Recipients may receive varied amounts of this type of aid and it is not repaid.

State Grants include CAL GRANT A, B and C and the new T. Cal Grant A provides tuition assistance to students enrolled in a 4-year college. Awards are based on need and G.P.A. Grants vary according to the cost of the school. . Cal Grant B is intended to aid high-potential students from disadvantaged/low income families. Grants may be used for living and school expenses. Cal Grant C provides assistance for vocational training in community colleges and vocational schools, including related costs such as special clothing, tools, equipment, books, supplies and transportation. Cal Grant T is a newly offered grant designed to assist students who plan to enter the field of education and seek a teaching credential.

Colleges offer a wide variety of financial aid programs funded from their own resources. These can include grants and scholarships, student employment programs, and short-term or emergency loans.

Dates and deadlines are posted on the Guidance and Counseling web page and in the Career/College Center.  Observe all deadlines. Plan ahead and file early.

GOVERNOR’S SCHOLARS AWARDS AND                 DISTINGUISHED MATH AND SCIENCE AWARDS

On September 11, 2000, Governor Gray Davis signed into law two new merit-based scholarship programs that he proposed earlier in the year. The goals of the new programs are to encourage students to study hard in order to master the State content standards and to pursue rigorous coursework in order to excel in mathematics an the sciences.

9th, 10th and 11th grade students who demonstrate high academic achievement on statewide Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) exams can earn scholarships of $1000. Additional scholarships of $2500 will be awarded to those students who first win a $1000 scholarship and then go on to achieve the highest scores on the calculus and science portions of the Advanced Placement (AP), Golden State, and the International Baccalaureate Program exams.

Check the Golden State ScholarShare web site for complete information.

Now, it does pay to try harder!  Award Eligibility Requirements

JUNIORS: The Fountainhead Essay Contest. For more information visit their web site http://aynrandeducation.com . Entry Deadline is April 26, 2010.

FRESHMEN AND SOPHOMORES: Anthem Essay Contest. For more information visit their web site http://aynrandeducation.com . Entry Deadline is March 20, 2010.

FRESHMEN TO SENIORS: Best Buy @ 15 Scholarship program apply Dec. 28, 2009- Feb. 15, 2010. Students involved in volunteer community service or work experience. Visit their website to apply on-line at www.bestby.com/scholarship or www.at15.com

SOPHOMORES TO SENIORS: Thelma Rae Self Music Scholarship. $500 - $1000 available to graduating seniors. Variable amounts available for special requests for next years 10^th-12^th Grade Students. Come to the Career Center for Application. Deadline is Feb. 29,2010.

JUNIORS:  Announcing the 14^th Annual Signet Classics Student Scholarship Essay Contest. For more information visit their web site http://us.penguingroup.com . Deadline is April 15, 2010.

JUNIORS:  How Has Reading Ayn Rand’s Novels Affected You essay contest. For more information visit their web site http://aynrandeducation.com . Entry Deadline is May 14, 2010.

Additional information concerning Scholarships will be posted in the College/Career Center and online via the Internet. All these resources are FREE. Exact deadlines vary year to year. Be sure to confirm the deadline for each scholarship. You may also contact most awarding organizations directly for a scholarship application.

JUNIORS AND SENIORS:  Check out this website for all the information and tools you need for scholarships,  www.scholarships4school.com.  This site is full of very useful information.

SENIORS: Assistance League of Bakersfield is awarding a scholarship up to $1000 to a student with financial need, community involvement, is a resident of Kern County, and a minimum GPA of 3.0. Deadline: February 20, 2010.

SENIORS OF ASIAN DESCENT: Kaiser Permanente is offering a $1000 scholarship to students of Asian descent. They must be a resident of Southern California Kaiser Permanente service area and have a GPA of 3.50.  Access the application online at http://www.kpapan.org. Deadline: March 31, 2010.

SENIORS WITH A MUSIC MAJOR: Willamette University is offering auditions for a Music Scholarship to their school Nov.7, 2009, Jan. 23, 2010, and Feb. 15, 2010.  Please visit  www.willamette.edu/cla/music. Call to schedule an audition: 503-370-6687.

SENIORS: KFC Colonel’s Scholars is giving  scholarships of $20,000 to students with a GPA of 2.75 or higher.  The student must be entering into a 2 or 4 year accredited public university.  Students may complete the application at www.kfcscholars.org.  Application is open from December 1, 2009 through February 10, 2010.

SENIORS:  Bakersfield College Scholarship applications are available for students planning on attending BC.  The application deadline is March 8, 2010.

SENIORS:  Any student of Jewish descent from California is eligible to apply for the Tikkum Olam Award.   Deadline to apply February 19, 2010.  Nomination forms are available on www.sfjcf.org/diller/teenawards.

SENIORS:  California Wine Grape Growers Foundation is offering scholarships for students of California vineyard employees. Go to www.cwggf.com for more information.  Deadline is April 2, 2010.

SENIORS:  Robert Miller Scholarship is for seniors planning on going to Alan Hancock Community College or Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, studying viticulture and/or enology.  Go to www.cwggf.com for more information.  Deadline is April 2, 2010.

SENIORS:  Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority is offering scholarships to all African-American seniors who plan on attending universities, vocational school, and the military are encouraged to apply.  Applications are in the Career Center.  The deadline is March 19, 2010.

SENIORS:  Any student of Portuguese descent, with a 3.50 GPA and participated in 3 extracurricular activities. There is the Cabrillo Civic Clubs of California Scholarship available. More information is available in the Career Center or visit www.cabrillocivicclubs.org/scholarship.asp    Deadline is March 15, 2010.

SENIORS:  Water Awareness Campaign Scholarship. Applications  and questionnaires are a available on the CWAC web site or by calling (916)325-2596.

SENIORS:  Interested in majoring in education who is a child or grandchild of a Kappan in good standing. There is the PDK Prospective Educator Scholarship Program. You can visit www.pdkintl.org/awards/prospective.htm

SENIORS:  Any students of Hispanic heritage, you can apply for  the HACER Ronald McDonald House Charities U.S. Scholarship Program at www.rmhc.org  or visit the Career Center for more information. Application Deadline is February 16, 2010.

SENIORS:  Any students of African American or Black Caribbean heritage, must have a minimum 2.7 GPA and reside within the geographic boundaries of a participating Chapter that offers a scholarship under the RMHC/African American Future Achievers Scholarship program. You can apply online at www.rmhc.org.  Deadline is February 16, 2010.

SENIORS:  Students of Asian-Pacific heritage. must have a minimum 2.7 GPA and reside within the geographic boundaries of a participating Chapter that offers a scholarship under the RMHC/ASIA Scholarship program. Apply online at www.rmhc.org   Deadline is February 16, 2010

SENIOR:   “Italian Catholic Federation” offers $400.00 Scholarships to Roman Catholic graduating seniors of Italian descent who have at least a 3.2 GPA. Application deadline is March 15, 2010

SENIORS:  United Black Student Unions of California is offering several scholarships to deserving African-American High School Seniors. If you want more information please stop by the Career Center. Deadline is February 14, 2010.

SENIOR GIRLS:  Mills offers merit scholarships to  women interested in a career in nursing and who have a strong foundation in math and science, including biology and chemistry.

SENIORS: Calcot-Seitz Foundation scholarships are available to students who major in agriculture.  Scholarship forms and requirements can be found at www.calcot.com . Deadline is  March 31, 2010.

SENIORS: Association of California School Administrators Region XI Scholarship.  One of the parents of the applying student must be a ACSA member. Deadline is Feb. 19, 2010.

JUNIORS AND SENIORS:  Announcing the 14^th Annual Signet Classics Student Scholarship Essay Contest. Please visit their web site http://us.penguingroup.com . Deadline is April 15, 2010.

JUNIORS AND SENIORS:  How Has Reading Ayn Rand’s Novels Affected You essay contest. Please visit  http://aynrandeducation.com . Deadline is May 14, 2010.

JUNIORS AND SENIORS:  Fountainhead Essay Contest. Please visit their web site http://aynrandeducation.com . Entry Deadline is April 26, 2010.

FRESHMEN AND SOPHOMORES:  Anthem Essay Contest. Please visit their web site http://aynrandeducation.com . Entry Deadline is March 20, 2010.

SENIORS:  Oh, The Places You’ll Go! College Scholarship. For more information visit their web site www.ohtheplaces.org . Deadline is February 15, 2010.

SENIOR BOYS:  Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity at  CSU Sacramento  is offering up to 5 Balanced Man Scholarships up to $1000.00 each. For more information visit their website www.sigep.org.  Deadline is June 30^th 2010.

SENIORS:  Howard and Mamie Nichols Scholarship Fund. Please  visit  www.sms.scholarshipamerica.org/wellsfargotrust  Deadline is March 1, 2010.

SENIORS:  Theresa Corti Agricultural Scholarship Fund. Please visit  www.sms.scholarshipamerica.org/wellsfargotrust  Deadline is March 1, 2010.

FRESHMEN TO SENIORS:  Best Buy has 15 Scholarships, apply Dec. 28, 2009- Feb. 15, 2010. Please visit  www.bestby.com/scholarship or www.at15.com.

SENIORS: California Labor Federation Scholarship. Dependents of CSEA members can apply for a $2000.00 scholarship from the CLF. More details  available on the CLF web site.

SENIORS: Union Plus Scholarship Program offers cash awards ranging from $500 to $4000. For more information please visit   www.unionplus.com.

SENIORS:  Union leaders of the Future Scholarship. The program provides annual awards up to $3000. Please visit www.unionplus.com for more information.

SENIORS:  Mendiburu Magic Foundation adheres to the legacy of compassion, strength of character, and a strong belief in right and wrong. Must write a 500 word essay and cumulative grade point average of  2.7 and above. See website for more information www.mendiburumagic.org  Deadline is April 15^th, 2010.

SOPHOMORES TO SENIORS:  Thelma Rae Self Music Scholarship. Come to the Career Center for Application. Deadline is Feb. 29,2010.

SENIORS:  Rob and Bob Grimm Memorial Scholarship Fund. Student of  Grimmway Farms hourly employee (minimum of one-year employment) and must have a GPA of 2.0 or better. Application is available in the Career Center. Deadline is March 3,2010.

SENIORS:  Juan Arrache, Jr. Memorial Trust Fund- Essay Contest.  Information is available in the Career Center. Deadline is March 3,2010.

SENIORS:  The Colonel Harry Hardy Memorial Scholarship.  must demonstrate a special interest in some field of the livestock industry. Must have carried on a successful project raising livestock for at least 2 years during high school. Must be taking agriculture courses in high school and/or have an agriculture major in college. Applications are available in the Career Center. Deadline is March 19,2010.

SENIORS: Youth Automobile Safety Scholarship Program. Students who are children of full-time or retired public employees. More information is avalible in the Career Center. Deadline is April 5, 2010.

SENIORS:  2010 Student-View Scholarship Program. Simply log on to www.student-view.com  .The Scholarship deadline is April 22, 2010.

SENIORS: GFWC/Woman’s Club of Bakersfield scholarship. Must have a 3.0 or higher. Applications are  in the Career Center. Deadline is March 1, 2010.

SENIORS:  Caltrans District 6/Central Region Employee Family Scholarship. Applications are available in the Career Center. Deadline is March 31, 2010.

SENIORS:  Caltrans District 6/Central Region Transportation Scholarship. Pursuing a career in a transportation related field. Applications are available in the Career Center. Deadline is March 31, 2010.

SENIORS:  The California Table Grape Commission. open to table grape field workers and their immediate family only. Must  plan to attend a four-year college or university in California. Scholarship application available to download at www.grapeformcalifornia.com Deadline is Friday, March 19, 2010.

SENIORS:  Laurelglen Elementary School scholarships.  Awarded  to two students that plan to continue their education at a four-year institution. Students must have attended  Laurelglen Elementary School for one year and graduated from the school as a sixth grade student. Deadline is Friday April 6, 2010.

SENORS:  The Kern County Wool Growers Auxiliary scholarship.  Must  pursue the study of agriculture or an agriculture related field. Must have a GPA of 3.0 for sophomore through senior years. Deadline is April 15, 2010.