High School Graduation Requirements
GED vs High School
Completion
Community College vs 4-year College
Getting into College
Succeeding in School
100
Washington State high school graduation requirements are the same as 4-year college entrance requirements.
What is FALSE. 4-year college entrance requirements are more challenging than the requirements to get your high school diploma. If you are planning to attend college after high school, research the entrance requirements for each school you want to apply to to make sure you are taking the right classes. Your school counselor can help with this.
100
How old you need to be to get your GED.
What is 16 years old.
100
___ out of 10 college-bound high school graduates start their college education by going to community college.
What is four.
100
True or False. There are things I can do to prepare for college as early as 9th grade. BONUS (100 points): List 5 things anyone can do to plan for college in high school.
What is TRUE. For sure, you should start doing serious planning starting in September of your 12th grade year. If you are past this point and haven't done anything yet, don't worry, just get started now. The Center can help!
100
The Center offers a time for students to drop in with school-related questions and get the help they need to be successful in school. What is the name of this group and when does it meet?
What is Education Now, Wednesdays from 3 - 5 pm.
200
Your plan for meeting high school graduation requirements and for preparing for life after high school. This is one of the items you need to complete to graduate.
What is the High School and Beyond Plan. Your plan should include: Classes needed to prepare for a 2- or 4-year college, vocational or technical school, certificate program or the workforce, personal story, learning style, goals for high school and immediately after. Talk to your school counselor to get help completing or updating your plan!
200
The five sections of the GED test that you need to pass to get your GED. BONUS (100 points): How many times can you re-take the GED test in one year?
What is Lanuage Arts - Writing, Language Arts - Reading, Social Studies, Science and Math. BONUS: Three times. If you have learning or physical challenges, you may be able to get accommodations to take your GED. Talk to the GED testing center where you plan to take your GED. The GED takes 7.25 hours to complete, however you can take each of the of the five subject parts at different times.
200
True or False. Anyone can attend community college.
What is TRUE. Transfer students, professional/technical degree and certificate seeking students, continuing education students (non-credit programs), and students who just want to take a class for a variety of reasons are all examples of types of students who attend community college. Basically, anyone is welcome!
200
I can get a ____ to cover the costs of the SAT and college application fees.
What is waiver. Talk to your school counselor to see if you qualify. If you are not in high school, talk to the Center about our scholarships. If you plan to go to community college, ask their admissions office directly about fee waivers (although it is free to apply to most community colleges in Washington State).
200
True or False. If you had an IEP in high school, you can get accommodations in college.
What is TRUE. It is your responsibility to let your college know that you had an IEP and what you think you will need to be successful in college. As early as possible, set up an appointment with your school's student services or disability support services office. When you set up the meeting, ask what paperwork you will need to bring with you. Think ahead of what accommodations worked for you in high school - you will need to request each accommodation you want in college. And, you will need to tell your college teachers what accommodations you are eligible for - how much you share and with what teachers is up to you. The Center can help you with this process!
300
The minimum math you need to graduate vs the minimum math you need to meet the 4-year college entrance requirement.
What is 2 credits (minimum graduation requirement) and 3 years (minimum 4-year college entrance requirement; must be Algebra II or higher). If you plan to apply to a highly selective 4-year college or university, 3-4 years of math is recommended.
300
The number one place high school completion programs are offered.
What is community colleges. You can enroll in high school completion programs starting at age 16, the same as the GED. Many community colleges limit enrollment in high school completion programs to at least 18 years old, and many offer significantly reduced fees if you are 19 or older. Also, if you want to enroll before age 18, you have to get forms signed by your school and parent/guardian.
300
This type of school is more likely to offer on-campus housing options.
What is 4-year college. Some community colleges do offer on-campus housing though, although this is rare. Green River Community College in Auburn is one example.
300
True or False. I have to get letters of recommendation and write an essay to get into college.
What is FALSE. It depends on what kind of school you plan to attend. The application process is much more rigorous to get into a 4-year school. Most community colleges do not require letters of recommendation or application essays.
300
Most schools offer ___ and writing and math ___ free of charge where students can get help with homework and research papers.
What is tutoring and labs. You have to sign up for this service. To learn about what times the tutoring center or labs are open, talk to your school or visit their website. Tutoring and labs are free at all community colleges, but may cost at 4-year schools. This could be something to consider when choosing if a school is right for you!
400
The four things you need to complete in order to graduate from high school.
What is earn all of your credits, pass the WASL or an alternative, complete your Culminating Project, and complete your High School and Beyond Plan.
400
True or False. You can earn college credits and high school completion or high school diploma credits at the same time.
What is TRUE. High schools offer dual enrollment programs where you can earn college and high school diploma credits at the same time. One example is Running Start. Talk to your school counselor if you are interested. If you want to earn high school completion and college credits at the same time, talk to the Academic Advisor at your community college.
400
This type of school is best to attend if you don't know what kind of program or career you want to pursue.
What is community college. Going to community college generally costs much less than going to a 4-year college. So, exploring different classes before committing to a program is more affordable at the community college level. Community colleges also offer intensive guidance counseling that can help you assess your abilities, interests and educational options. Plus, you may actually be able to take a wider array of courses (including both liberal arts and career-oriented) than at a 4-year college, making it easier to check out many different options in one place. Remember, the Center can help you research what program or career might be best for you and what schools offer what you are intersted in!
400
True or False. It is important to have an idea of what I want to study when I apply to schools.
What is TRUE. Some community colleges offer options to get your Bachelor's degree and 4-year schools don't offer work-training/professional/technical programs. And even the same types of schools offer different programs. If you know what you want to study you can do a better job of picking a school that is the best fit for you.
400
The ___ ___ is who students meet with each quarter to choose their classes, create their Academic Plan and make sure they are on track to get their degree.
What is Academic Advisor. At some schools you meet with any Academic Advisor who is available. You always have the option to request one person to meet with during your whole time at that school though, and we recommend this! It is only required by most schools that you meet with your Academic Advisor your first quarter or once a year. Know though that you also have the option to meet with them every quarter, and having someone to help keep you on track or answer questions about what teachers are best to take is a big asset.
500
Name one of the three state-approved alternatives to the WASL. BONUS (100 points): What is the name of this option for meeting graduation requirements?
What is: Collection of Evidence, WASL/Grades Comparison; and Advanced Placement and College Admission Test Scores. Students have five free chances to pass the WASL while in high school. If you have an IEP, you have additional options - talk to your school counselor. BONUS: What is the Certificate of Academic Achievement.
500
True or False. There is no difference in future opportunities if a person earns a GED instead of a high school diploma.
What is FALSE. There are some differences that are important to know about. In order to get into a 4-year school in Washington State, you need to meet all high school graduation requirements (aka earn your high school diploma). However, you can transfer into a 4-year school from community college, and you only need a GED to get into community college or technical/professional/work-training programs. For working, holders of GEDs have almost the same opportunities as those with a high school diploma. For example, most businesses that require a high school diploma also accept the GED. However, if two applicants are otherwise equally qualified, the applicant with the diploma may be preferred to the one with the GED. For the purposes of military service, a GED is regarded as a Tier 2 education (earning a high school diploma is Tier 1), and the armed forces limit the percentage of Tier 2 candidates to be accepted in any enlistment year. In addition, GED holders must score higher on the ASVAB to qualify.
500
This type of college might be best for this type of student: Has been out of high school or college for a while and wants to ease back into school. Needs extra support to be successful in school. GPA is not very high.
What is community college. If you want to pursue college-level course work but aren't academically ready, community colleges offer special classes, programs and tutoring to help you strengthen your basic skills. The average class size at most community colleges is also significantly smaller than at public 4-year schools (although it may be the same size as private 4-year schools), which means you can get more teacher support.
500
What is the name of the form everyone who plans to go to college needs to fill out every year to get federal financial aid. BONUS (100 points): If you fill out this form, do you automatically get financial aid?
What is FAFSA. BONUS: No. There are a lot of factors that contribute to how much financial aid you can get. Your and/or your parents' income, whether you have children, and more. You also have to fill out forms at your college, and if you want to go to school in the summer, have an extra financial aid form you need to complete. If you want to apply for scholarships and state-based grants, those applications are separate. Financial aid can be confusing - the Center is here to help! Ask us questions and/or bring in any financial aid forms to get our help understanding them and what you need to do get your full financial aid.
500
List 5 things anyone can do to stay on track in school and plan for their career.
What is studying, doing your homework, meeting with teachers, going to tutoring or the writing lab, joining TRiO or another school support program, visiting the Career Center, staying organized, starting projects and papers early, setting aside time every day to study, and more!
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