From the Desk of Kevin Kirkley, Counseling Department Chair

Parents/Guardians:

If you would like your junior to be nominated for college-sponsored Junior Scholar awards based upon grades and tests scores, please complete the release form at this link: Junior Scholar Permission Form  

Due date is March 31.

If you are a senior with new/updated SAT/ACT scores that might qualify you for Palmetto Fellows Palmetto Fellows

contact Mr. Kirkley at kevin.kirkley@richlandone.org

no later than Tuesday, April 1, so that your application can be submitted by the early award deadline.

However, if Mr. Kirkley submitted a Palmetto Fellows application for you earlier this year, there is no need to re-apply. Please remember to complete the online Designation Form in your Palmetto Fellows account to specify where you intend to go to college next year.

 

Students:

-if you took the ACT on March 11 your scores will be available online at https://myact.org in about 6 weeks. Create a MyACT account using the directions that were mailed and provided on test day.

-if you took the SAT on Wednesday, March 19, your scores will be available online at https://scores.collegeboard.org beginning April 15.

 

 

The SAT is approaching in March for juniors and seniors who registered for the SAT earlier this year.  This year’s SAT is an online test that requires two days:  students will complete online setup on March 12 and they will take the actual test on March 19. 

Students will receive their testing room assignments via a note from Mr. Kirkley; signs will also be posted in the halls.  Here are a few reminders regarding testing:

1.      Students must be on time on both March 12 and March 19.  Testing will begin at 8:00 a.m., and students will not be permitted to enter late.  Students should report directly to their testing rooms at the start of the school day.  There is no make-up testing, so it is important to be present and on time.

2.      Students must bring their school laptops fully charged in order to test. 

3.      Testing will likely last from 8:00 a.m. until sometime between 11:00 and 12:00.  Students should be prepared to remain in the testing room for the duration of testing and will be dismissed to lunch at the conclusion of testing.  There will be a break between test sections during which students may visit the restroom. 

4.      Students can download an SAT student guide at the following website.  It contains test information and practice problems:  https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/sat-school-day-student-guide.pdf. 

 

Thank you for your assistance and help in making the SAT testing successful for everyone.  You may contact Kevin Kirkley, test coordinator, with questions at kevin.kirkley@richlandone.org.

Dear Parent/Guardian and Student,

The ACT is coming up on March 11 for students who completed the registration process for the ACT last fall.  The ACT is a college-entrance exam, and students can use their scores on this exam in the college admissions process.  You are receiving this message because your student is registered for the School-Day ACT at Dreher.

A few notes to help your student be successful on test day:

1.       Students must be on time.  Testing will begin at 8:00 a.m., and students will not be permitted to enter late.

2.      Bring #2 (non-mechanical) pencils and a calculator to use for the test (the test is paper-and-pencil).  You can download a list of acceptable calculators at www.act.org/calculator-policy  Please note that TI-Nspire CAS calculators are not allowed. 

3.      Bring a photo ID (school-issued or government-issued).

4.      The ACT has an online test registration form that students should complete.  This form helps students establish an ACT account and provides them the opportunity to send their ACT scores to colleges or universities.  A letter with instructions about this process has been mailed home to students and will be provided again to students on test day.  Please note that students must complete the online form by the published deadline in the letter.  This is an independent process that students should complete on their own.

5.      Testing will likely last from 8:00 a.m. until sometime between 12:00 and 1:00.  Students should be prepared to remain in the testing room for the duration of testing.  There will be a break between test sections during which students may visit the restroom.  Students will be able to attend lunch and fourth block after testing has finished. 

6.      Students will receive their room assignments via a note from Mr. Kirkley in the counseling office.  Signs directing students will also be posted in the halls.

Thank you for your assistance and help in making the ACT testing successful for everyone.  You may contact Kevin Kirkley, test coordinator, with questions at kevin.kirkley@richlandone.org.

Message from Kevin Kirkley on November 5, 2024:

 

Seniors who have met the early requirements for the Palmetto Fellows scholarship have been identified by the counseling office and have received the required application information.  If you think that you have met the Palmetto Fellows requirements and have not been contacted, please contact Kevin Kirkley at kevin.kirkley@richlandone.org.  

Palmetto Fellows requirements can be downloaded here:  https://www.che.sc.gov/students-families-and-military/scholarships-and-grants-sc-residents. 

Briefly, Palmetto Fellows must rank in the top 6% of the class at the conclusion of 10^th or 11^th grade, have a 3.5 or higher GPA, and have a 1200 SAT or 25 ACT.  Alternatively, they may qualify by having a 4.0 or higher GPA and earning a 1400 SAT or 31 ACT.  Please reach out to Mr. Kirkley if you think you have qualified but have not been contacted.

 

PreACT scores for ninth-grade students who tested on October 16 will be mailed home to the address we have on file for each 9th grader in PowerSchool.  We expect score reports to be released by mid-November, and we will mail them as soon as we receive them.

 

PSAT scores will be available for 10th and 11th grade students beginning on November 7, 2024.  Students can access them by logging in to their College Board account (or by creating an account if they don't have one) at https://studentscores.collegeboard.org .

 

 

• From Counseling Department Chair, Kevin Kirkley, on September 3, 2024:

   

  1.  Dreher plans to administer the PreACT and PSAT on October 16 this year.  On that day, all ninth-graders will take the PreACT, and all tenth- and eleventh-graders will take the PSAT.  The PreACT is a paper-and-pencil test, but the PSAT will be an online test this year.  These tests provide practice for the ACT and the SAT, the two main college entrance exams.  The PSAT is also the qualifying exam for the National Merit Scholarship competition for eleventh-graders. 

  2. Because the PSAT is an online test, all tenth- and eleventh-graders will participate in an online "digital readiness check" on October 9 to set up their laptops and ensure they are ready for testing.  Students should come to school with their laptops fully charged and ready for testing on both October 9 and October 16.  They must use the same laptop on both test days.  More information will be available in the coming weeks.  It is important that students be present and on time on both days in order to complete testing successfully.  Free practice is available for the PSAT via the Khan Academy at www.satpractice.org.  

  3. Counselors will send invitations to all seniors and their parents to invite them to senior IGP (Individual Graduation Plan) conferences beginning in the month of September.  The senior conferences provide an opportunity to discuss student goals and plans for next school year.  

  4. In the meantime, parents of seniors can download senior-planning resources from the counseling department available on the Dreher webpage here:  https://www.richlandone.org/Page/12701.  That site includes an overview of senior-year processes and provides links to useful websites.

  5. This year, the FAFSA (the federal financial aid form) will become available December 1.  Richland One is sponsoring a number of financial aid webinars for families targeted at parents of students from all grade levels.  Details about these webinars are available here: https://www.richlandone.org/Domain/3535.

  6. Frequently Asked Questions:

     1. Students can order official transcripts by creating an account at www.parchment.com.  

     2. Official SAT and ACT scores are available by logging into student accounts at www.sat.org or www.actstudent.org.

     3. Dreher sponsors a scholarship listing at this link (please also check the Dreher social media channels regularly):  https://www.richlandone.org/Domain/706

  7. The Richland One College Fair will take place September 27 for juniors and seniors.  Permission forms must be received in the counseling office by the end of the school day on Friday, September 13, in order for students to attend the fair.