Jump Start your Senior Year!

YESS Class of 2019! Take some time NOW to get started on your plan for life AFTER high school.

I know it seems early but the more you do now, the better! 

Let me know if you have ANY questions. 

1) College and Scholarship APP Prep:

Check out the prompts at the following link: 

https://www.commonapp.org/whats-appening/application-updates/2018-2019-common-application-essay-prompts

 

Write an essay for TWO of these prompts. These will be useful for college and scholarship essays. 

2) Begin RESEARCHING scholarships for which you are eligible. 

BE SURE TO KEEP TRACK OF WHAT YOU FIND! 

Check out the options here: http://yesscollegeandcareercorner.blogspot.com/p/scholarship-resources.html

If you want a google sheet that is set up for tracking your research, let me know. 

3) Not sure what you'd like to do after high school? Take some time to complete these questions: https://www.mynextmove.org/explore/ip 

When you are done, you'll have some ideas about post- high school education options AND career paths. 

BE SURE TO WRITE THEM DOWN and EMAIL them to me! 

4) Send me a list of your TOP 3 Choices for after High School- this could be colleges, apprenticeships(job training education), etc. Please include the $$$ cost of attendance for each of your TOP 3 choices! Keep in mind, your Top 3 Choices may change over the next few months as we do more research. No problem! 

Class of 2019! Time to start post-secondary planning!

Now that you are ALMOST Seniors, it's time to make a college application prep plan! Remember our conversations with your current Senior classmates...They expressed wishing they'd done some prep work for Senior fall during the summer after their Junior Year. It really is a part-time job. Consider spending a few hours a week on your college research and preparation.

Here are some ideas of what to work on! 

1) Complete a Letter of Recommendation for yourself! Highlight skills and activities that truly reflect your abilities and interests. Your teachers/counselors will be SO impressed with your extra effort when you ask for Letters of Recommendation for college and scholarship applications. Share your Letter with them to help them out.  Here are some tips on how to ask for a Letter of Recommendation when the time comes!

2) Create or update your resume! Summer can be a great time to add some volunteer work in addition to your paid summer job. Just a few hours a week goes a long way! 

3) Put in a few hours a week looking for MORE scholarships to add to your College Research Spreadsheet! Add deadlines to your calendars with reminders in advance of these due dates!

4) Complete at least 2 essays for the Common Application Essay Prompts. Remember, even if you are NOT using the Common App, these essay questions will be applicable to other application questions for schools and scholarships. Be sure to save them in your google drive with clear file names. Share them with yess.emily@gmail.com if you want feedback!

5) If you are not happy with your SAT score, there are plenty of resources that will allow you to improve your skills. Don't forget to sign up for the SAT in the fall if you choose to retake it!


(Here's the link for the College Research Spreadsheet! Be sure to follow the directions for COPYING and saving as your own file.)

As always, let me know if you have any questions! 

Your Junior Spring College Prep!

Hey Juniors, get college ready! Here are some things you should focus on between now and your Senior Year! 

1. Stay focused on your grades! Colleges will be looking at your Junior year grades when you submit your applications in the Fall. Finish the semester strong.
2. Start researching possible majors and colleges you'd like to attend. Don't forget to use your College Research spreadsheet to keep track on info. You can also keep track of job titles that sound interesting to you and discover related majors that way.  
3. Make a list of scholarships for which you'd be eligible. Make sure to add them to the Scholarships tab on your College Research spreadsheet! 
4. Get to know your counselor and Future Center Advisor at school. They'll be able to help you with mailing your transcripts, writing letters of recommendation, and possible fee waivers for your applications. 
5. Visit colleges if you can. Start with the Auraria campus! You can schedule tours online. Community College of Denver, Metro State University, UC Denver
6. Choose challenging classes for Senior Year. Remember, you have to show colleges that you are outstanding and up for challenges! 
7. Prepare for the SAT and/or ACT. Check out this great, FREE resource. While test scores are not the only thing colleges look at, they can separate you in a crowd. 
8. Keep your resume up to date. This is a great habit to get into for your future. You have to learn how to best express your strengths and accomplishments. Again, you are trying to STAND OUT in a crowd! 
9. Start working on a personal statement and other essay prompts. Trust me, the work you do on personal statements and other essay prompt now will help reduce your stress in the fall. You'll also have much better essays to submit since you worked to make them better and better over time. 
10. Plan your summer activities. Remember  your resume? Summer is a great time to add new, unique and challenging experiences to your personal history! Here are some pre-collegiate opportunities to consider. 

HEY SENIORS! You CAN go to college!

It's never too early to start thinking about college! If you are a SENIOR in High School, it's time to carry out (or make!) your plan for college applications, financial aid, and scholarships.

Here are some reminders for Fall courtesy of Petersons.com- things you should be doing between now and the end of November.

Fall 2016: Visit the schools and complete applications

Continue to visit schools.
Fall is a great time to look at the schools on your college lists because classes are in session and you are better able to meet and talk with students and professors. You may even be able to sit in on a class or two.

Finalize your college list.
Use the information you’ve gathered from college visits, interviews, and your own research to decide which schools you will apply to. It’s okay to apply to colleges that you think will be more difficult to get into. But it’s also important to put a few safety schools (where you’re sure you’ll get in) on your list. Talk to counselors, teachers, and parents about your final choices.

Stay on track with your grades and extracurricular activities.
Colleges will look at what you’ve done in your senior year, so stay focused on doing well in your classes and maintaining a commitment to extracurricular activities.

Submit financial aid forms.
Fill out the FAFSA, and if necessary, the PROFILE. These forms can be obtained from your guidance counselor. No matter what your family’s income level is, the FAFSA is your main priority for financial aid purposes because it will determine how much you’re expected to pay. Don’t send the forms until after October, because they can’t be processed before then.

Take standardized tests.
Register for and take the ACT, SAT, or SAT Subject Tests as necessary. Be sure you have requested (either by mail or online) that your test scores be sent to the colleges of your choice.

Keep track of deadlines.
You’ll be filling out lots of forms this year, so it’s important to know what form is due when. Make a calendar showing the application deadlines for admission, financial aid, and scholarships.

Ask for letters of recommendation.
Give letter of recommendation forms to the teachers you have chosen, along with stamped, addressed envelopes so your teachers can send them directly to the colleges. Be sure to fill out your name and address and the school name on each form. Discuss your goals and ambitions with your teachers so they’ll be more prepared to write about you.

Meet with your guidance counselor.
Your counselor can help you stay on track with admissions requirements. Make sure they know which colleges you want transcripts, score reports, and letters sent to. Give your counselors any necessary forms much earlier than the actual deadlines so they’ll have time to send the forms in.

Complete applications.
Finish the application forms for the schools you’re interested in. Proofread them and make extra copies before you send them. Make sure you and your school’s guidance office have sent all necessary materials, including test scores, recommendations, transcripts, and application essays. You should plan to get all this done before winter break, so you won’t be rushing to make deadlines.

Continue your scholarship search.
Apply for scholarships whose deadlines are approaching and keep searching for more scholarship and grant opportunities. Using online scholarship search tools is a great way to find potential aid. Ask colleges about what scholarships you may qualify for. The downtime after applications have been sent is a great time to focus on financial aid.

Link for 9th-12th Grade and Parent Info:
https://www.petersons.com/college-search/~/link.aspx?_id=de05e09b75a94c3cb154e328693f8730&_z=z.aspx