Quick Facts and Updates
2008-2009 School Year

Extensive changes have taken place with recent state legislation concerning college testing and funding.  Last year, the MEAP (Michigan Educational Assessment Program) was replaced with the MME (Michigan Merit Examination).  This is the name of the group of tests our junior students must complete to qualify for the Michigan Promise Grant, which used to be the Michigan Merit Award. The scholarship amount has increased recently to $4,000, which can be used at any two or four year college, as well as at vocational training schools such as cosmetology, mechanical and medical training schools.   The MME will be based on the ACT college entrance exam and two WorkKeys tests (a package of tests developed by ACT that are used by employers to match the skills and abilities of potential workers with jobs that are available).  Dates for these tests next spring will be announced later. (If parents do not want their child to participate they are asked to call the office and request an Opt Out form, which needs to be completed and returned to school.  These students will be expected to attend their regular classes on the test days.)

The ACT Plus Writing Test, which is a required college entrance examination to most colleges in the Midwest, is now included in the Michigan Merit Exam.  The test is now provided free of charge by the State of Michigan and is given at Covenant during normal school hours at a specified time in March of the students' junior year.  If the student misses any or all of the tests they must take the makeup test to qualify.  This year, if the student fails to qualify for the Michigan Promise Grant no vouchers for retakes of the ACT will be issued, due to statewide misuse of this opportunity.  However, students may retake the test on specified Saturdays at other locations (there is a registration fee for these retakes).  Click here for test dates and registration deadlines for the ACT.  ACT scores are important; an ACT score of 23 is required in order for the student to qualify for the Michigan Competitive Scholarship. An ACT score of 29 is required along with a grade point average of 3.5 to qualify for the Faculty Honors Scholarship at Grand Valley State University. Students are advised to check with the college of their interest to determine ACT score requirements for scholarships.

The PLAN test will be administered to sophomores in October at Covenant Christian High School. Students should arrive in time to begin taking the test at 8:30AM. They should bring at least two number 2 lead pencils as well as a calculator. Click here for more information about the PLAN.

The PSAT will be administered to juniors in October at Covenant Christian High School. Students should arrive on time to take the test at 8:30 AM. As is the case with all standardized tests, students should bring number 2 lead pencils as well as a calculator. Click here for more information about the PSAT.

We are seeing more scholarship opportunities that require community service activities in order to qualify. Community service includes serving in church, young people's groups, hospitals, nursing homes, etc. as well as the community at large. We believe that service is a means of testifying of our gratitude to God for His blessings in our lives.  We encourage our students to seek out opportunities to help others.  Please see Mr. Huber or Mrs. Van Uffelen for a list of potential volunteer opportunities.  You may also want to visit http://www.volunteermatch.org/ for volunteer opportunities.

Students at Covenant Christian High School have the opportunity to take advantage of our Career Exploration Program (CEP). In this program students "shadow" a person in the occupation or profession in which they are interested. Students should see Mr. Huber or Mrs. Van Uffelen to obtain the necessary forms and learn more about the program.

Students at Covenant Christian High School also have the opportunity to visit colleges during school days, although we encourage our students to use Teachers Convention, Records Day, Saturdays, etc. for this as well.  We ask that juniors use no more than one school day for college visits, while seniors are allowed two days.  Students set up their own visits.  Please pick up a College Visit Guide (a list of frequently visited colleges, their websites, and their procedure for setting up a visit) and College Visit Permission form when preparing to set up a visit – these are located in the Career Guidance office.  The College Visit Permission form should be filled out and turned in at the office at least 5 days before the college visit. 

You are no doubt aware that students can test out of certain college courses. The CLEP test is used by many colleges to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate college-level achievement. Most colleges and universities grant credit and/or advanced standing to students who perform at an acceptable level on the CLEP test. You should contact your college to obtain further information concerning the cost of the test and testing dates.

Most students who plan to attend college apply for federal and state financial aid by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). In order to complete this application they must supply the code for the colleges they are considering. A list of codes for select institutions in Michigan is found on the Counseling Home Page under the link "Federal School Codes for FAFSA Forms". If a student is considering other schools, they should click the look-up link on that  page or contact one of our counselors for the code. Click here for more information about the FAFSA.

If your son or daughter is attending college you may qualify to claim tax credit under the Hope Scholarship Tax Credit (not to be confused with Hope College) or the Lifetime Learning Tax Credit. Learn more by clicking on the links.

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