September 2011 - Battlefield High School

towards the Armed Forces Qualifying Test score, which
determines whether students are qualified to enlist in the
military. In addition, the test contains an interest inventory
portion and a career exploration tool that can identify
potential occupations. Students DO NOT need an
interest in the military to take this test. Students interested
must register through their counselor in the Counseling
Center by Tuesday, October 18, 2011.
Financial Aid Night
The Battlefield High School Counseling Department
will host Financial Aid Night for parents/guardians on
Thursday, November 3, 2011 at 7:00pm in the school
auditorium. The presenter will be Erik Melis, Senior Associate
Director of the Office of Student Financial Aid at
George Mason University.
Parent Portal
Joseph Huddle
Specialty Programs Coordinator
This year “Parent Portal” is replacing “Edulink” to serve
as a new tool to follow your child’s progress. Due to the
change in software, all parents will need to register for a
Parent Portal account, even if they have had a Fusion/
Edulink account previously in Prince William County.
You may register for your Parent Portal account online
at http://parentportal.pwcs.edu . Once your request has
been processed, you will receive an email that will contain
your username and password. As a security measure,
you will need to print a hard copy of this email, and bring
it along with a photo ID to Battlefield HS to activate
your account
We will be accepting this paperwork from 6am-4pm every
day we are open. Please check the school website for
additional extended hours.
SOL Retests
Retests for seniors needing English 11 Writing SOL
(multiple choice and short essay) will be given during
the week of October 17. Results should be in by early
January.
SAT/ACT TIMELINE
Chris McMillan
Assistant Principal
freshman year, you have the opportunity to take time to
study and prepare for the SAT/ACT. You can begin by
focusing on your studies, figuring out what subjects most
interest you, and getting involved in sports and/or extracurricular
activities. It’s also a great chance to consider
taking the PSAT next fall. Now is the time to begin researching
the time/dates of upcoming tests at www.collegeboard.com.
Sophomores (Class of 2014)
Continue to focus on your academic curriculum. If you
are taking AP classes, sign up and take the corresponding
SAT/ACT Subject Test immediately after your AP course
has ended while the material is fresh in your mind. Students
typically take the PSAT in October of their sophomore
or junior year. The PSAT is important for a number
of reasons: it is great practice for the SAT and it’s the
qualifying test for a National Merit Scholarship. A high
score could qualify you for a National Merit Scholarship.
Since the test is only administered in October, summer is
a great time to prepare for the PSAT.
Juniors (class of 2013)
Many juniors take the PSAT in October followed by the
SAT/ACT in the winter or spring. Do you have to take
the SAT/ACT in your junior year No. But it’s generally
a good idea because it leaves you plenty of time for a second
try if you’re not happy with your score. Also do not
wait until your senior year, because you will be working
on your college applications.
Seniors (class of 2012)
Senior year can be complicated because there are several
factors that can affect your SAT/ACT testing timeline.
Answering the questions below can help you figure out
your ideal testing plan:
Are you applying early decision
Are you applying to highly competitive colleges
Are your current scores far from your goal scores
Do you plan to take both the SAT and the ACT
If you have answered mostly “yes” to these questions,
then October should be the latest you take the SAT or
ACT exam. If you have answered mostly “no”, then
you can take the exam up to December of your senior
year.
Freshmen (Class of 2015)
It’s never too late to think about your future. During your
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