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English: 4 years, including literature and one year of composition
- Mathematics:
3 years, including algebra, geometry and algebra II
- Natural Science: 3 years, including general science, biology
and chemistry or physics
- Social Studies: 3 years, including American history, government
and economics
- Foreign Language: 2-4 years of a single language
- Computers: 1 year
No one pattern of preparation will invariably meet admission requirements
at all colleges. A four-year comprehensive and balanced program
in the major academic subjects is strongly advised and will meet
most college requirements and/or recommendations. Students need
to refer to computer programs and college catalogs in the Counseling
Office for information on specific colleges. Below are the links
to the admission requirements for the State of Iowa public universities:
All transcript requests must be in writing. One request from is
required for each school/scholarship. It is important that each
request form be filled out completely; making sure to include the
address of the college for which the transcript is being requested.
Each student must sign and date each request. Transcripts requested
for a school must include the application, a check for the application
fee and all other applicable paperwork, unless application was made
online or the application was mailed by the student prior to the
transcripts being requested. Transcript request forms should be
given to the Registrar, who will process each request and then give
the paperwork and printed transcript to the appropriate counselor.
It is important to plan ahead if a deadline has to be met; it takes
takes approximately a week to ten days from the date of the transcript
request is received to process and mail the transcript.
Using guidelines established by the majority of post secondary institutions,
each post secondary application will need to be accompanied by a
copy of the high school transcript. Two weeks prior to the application
deadline, submit the following materials to the appropriate Valley
counselor:
- Application
- Application fee
- Essays
- Recommendations (when applicable)
- Supporting documentation
Valley High School will mail this packet, including your official
transcript to the college you have selected. NOTE: In order
for a transcript to be considered "official" it must be
mailed from Valley High School.
To request a letter of recommendation from a teacher, counselor
or administrator, please obtain a "Request for Recommendation"
form from the Counseling Office. Provide the completed form to the
person writing the recommendation. Allow a minimum of 10 days for
the writer to complete the recommendation.
Most of these
schools have flexible entrance requirements but are mainly looking
for students who avail themselves of the opportunity to take as
many academic and enrichment courses as their abilities will permit.
Students considering highly competitive colleges should give special
attention to their selection in mathematics, social studies, science
(including two of these: biology, chemistry, physics), foreign language,
and English, including a year of composition. In addition, some
schools are requiring a fine arts credit and computer competency.
Highly competitive colleges will expect a student to have taken
a rigorous selection of courses. For further information, please
confer with your counselor.
In order to assist students and their parents or guardians in making
knowledgeable decisions regarding participation in this program,
the following guidelines are presented:
1. Students
must be high school juniors and seniors or sophomores identified
as gifted and talented to be eligible. Any student anticipating
enrollment in a post secondary course under this act must complete
and submit an application form on or before March 15th with the
intent to enroll in said course for the ensuing school year. Summer
school courses are not included in the program.
2. Students
may enroll in any participating institution of
higher learning under the control of the State Board of Regents,
an area school, or an accredited private institution as defined
in Section 261.0 sub section 5 of the Iowa Code.
3. A maximum
of two (2) credits may be earned from any institutions other than
Valley to be used toward graduation. Students will be granted one
(1) high school credit for every three (3) hours of college credit
earned. Grades earned in courses taken from other institutions will
be recorded on the transcript and be included when computing grade
point averages. Failure or withdrawal from any post secondary
course will result in a failing grade being recorded on the transcript
and computed in the grade point average.
4. Payment
will be made by the West Des Moines School District to the post
secondary institution for tuition, textbooks, materials and fees
upon successful completion of the course. Students will be required
to purchase equipment that becomes the property of the students.
5.
Parents or guardians will be required to furnish transportation
to and from the eligible post secondary institution.
6. Support
services in the form of counseling will be available to students
at Valley as well as the post secondary institution. These services
will include academic, social and emotional counseling related to
participation under this act.
7. Students
will be responsible for scheduling post secondary course(s) in a
manner which does not conflict with their schedule at Valley High
School.
8. A student
may not enroll in a post secondary course when a comparable course
is available at Valley High School. The administration reserves
the right to determine acceptability of courses as provided under
this act and very much encourages students to seek prior approval
before enrolling in such courses.
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