Volunteers Needed

Happy Halloween! I hope you all had a safe and fun weekend. Friday night's football victory over Thomas was certainly an exciting way to kick off the weekend. I wanted to share this picture with you of my niece and nephew in their 2010 Halloween costumes. Carly was a "Glamour Girl" and Colton was "Woody from Toy Story." Carly said she would only share one square of a chocolate bar with me (smart girl who loves chocolate), but Cole said he'd share lots of his candy with me. Too cute!

OK, so now to the "real" update...

I need your help! As you are aware, the 2010 WKHS Career Fair will be on Friday, November 19th from 7:30 - 9:15am. This is a huge event and we need help from students to make it possible. We are particularly in need of students to help with setting up the tables and materials for the event on Thursday night (November 18th). We have 2 hour shifts running from 3:30 - 9:30 on Thursday night and we also need help early on Friday morning starting as early as 6:45. I have a sign up sheet in my office, so if you are willing to help, I would appreciate it if you could stop by and sign up as that will allow me to know how many people we can expect to help out. I will also be honest that chances are good I will start begging you to help as you stop by and visit over the next few weeks. (Consider your self warned!) :-)

Tomorrow's Schedule

Tomorrow is the final football game of the season and will have Kilbourne against Thomas. I know that many students are looking forward to the game. For the senior football players, it is probably bitter-sweet as they face their final game in a Kilbourne uniform playing in the stadium under the lights on a Friday night. After the game concludes the Kilbourne fans will return to the WKHS stadium to honor the senior football athletes as they participate in their senior tradition - Senior Tackle. It is a very nice moment for each senior, so it is always nice to watch. To add to the spirit and enthusiasm of the day, the school day will end with a Pep Rally. Good luck Wolves!

Here is tomorrow's schedule:

1st Period: 7:45 - 8:30

2nd Period: 8:35 - 9:20

3rd Period: 9:25 - 10:10

(News: 10:10 - 10:18)

4th Period: 10:23 - 11:08

5th Period: 11:13 - 11:58

6th Period: 12:03 - 12:48

7th Period: 12:53 - 1:38

8th Period: 1:43 - 2:28

Pep Rally Assembly: 2:38 - 3:05

Field Trip Reminder

A reminder to all sophomore students interested in participating in the field trip to the Delaware Area Career Center on Thursday, November 11th. Your permission slips are due back to the secretaries in the Counseling Center tomorrow! I realize that this is 2 weeks before the actual field trip, but the Career Center needs to organize the visits based upon the programs that you want to see and we have to work out all of the details about which bus everyone will be riding since there will be different busses going to the different campuses. If you are even remotely considering applying for admission to the DACC, I strongly encourage you to join us for the field trip! As always, if you have any questions, please stop in and see me!

College Admissions Interview

Some colleges require all prospective students to participate in an interview with an admissions counselor or an alumni representative as a component of the application process. If you are looking at a school which requires an interview – don’t panic!

It is important to relax and be yourself. This is your opportunity to shine. Display your personality and allow your interests and passions to be expressed.

In addition to answering their questions, don’t be afraid to ask any questions you have about the school. Be sure to complete some research ahead of time so that you are not asking questions you easily could have found by visiting their website.

If there is anything about yourself that you want to be sure that the admissions representatives understand – unique circumstances, experiences, or special traits that they might not ask about don’t hesitate to offer up this information. This is your one opportunity to actually discuss these areas with a real person. By bringing up these topics, it may spur them to ask additional questions that you will be able to answer.

And, hopefully it goes without saying, but remember that first impressions are important – so be polite, smile, dress appropriately and arrive on time for your interview!

Here are some additional articles about college interviews that I found that I thought you might appreciate:

Pretend your college interviewer is grandma’s friend

How important is the Admissions Interview?

The Great Comeback of the College Admissions Interview

10 More Essay Writing Tips

I have to admit that I am growing a bit nervous by the lack of essays that I have seen so far this year. Perhaps you are all asking your English teachers and parents to edit your essays (which you should definitely do!) or you feel so confident that you have written a perfect essay that you don't need my input. However, I fear that I haven't seen your essays because you haven't finished your essays. Even more frightening is the fact that some of you probably haven't even started drafting your essays! So, for those of you who are thinking about writing your essays, here are 10 more college essay writing tips:

1. Give yourself plenty of time!

2. Figure out your essay prompt choices and then which one is ideal for you to answer

3. Reflect on yourself! What makes you you? Remember, insignificant things may be significant in setting you apart

4. Draft, Edit, Repeat. (I liked this idea of an “Editing Funnel”)

5. When answer questions asking Why College X: They are looking for fit – what can you bring to their school that will contribute to the college – Needs to ring true – be specific – Relate your experiences with the strengths of that college – picture yourself on campus and explain what you find most appealing – draw on past experiences and highlight how they might carry over to your college contributions

6. Consider the essay to be your written interview

7. Be specific and vivid – provide details to help the reader engage in the story

8. It’s about you, but be careful not to overuse the word “I”

9. Remember, Leadership = Responsibility + Followers

10. Use vivid verbs – see this article for some great examples

I also wanted to let you know that I am in a district-wide meeting all day tomorrow so I will not be in the building. Please plan to stop in and see me on Wednesday if you need anything. And, for those of you who might be advance planners, I can also share with you that I will not be in the building next week on Thursday or Friday as I was selected to present at a state counselor conference.

Parent/ Teacher Conferences

Parent Teacher Conferences will be held on Monday, November 8th, and Thursday, November 11th. Conferences begin at 5:30pm and run every 20 minutes with the last conferences beginning at 8:30pm. All conferences with teachers are scheduled through the secretaries in the Counseling Center. Appointments can be scheduled beginning tomorrow morning by calling 883-2590. This is a great opportunity for parents to be able to meet with teachers.

Hope you have a great weekend! Good luck to all of you who will be taking the ACT tomorrow morning!

Deadlines

Deadlines are real. Often times I worry that the tendency we have in high school to set a deadline and then extend it or accept late materials creates a major problem when it comes to college applications and the rest of the world. The reality is that outside of high school, deadlines are real. If they say you need to have something done by a particular day, then it is essential that you have it done by that day. College applications fit into this strict rule so this is your friendly reminder to watch your deadlines!

It is really important that you stay organized and submit all application materials to colleges prior to their designated deadlines. There are several schools that have scholarship deadlines of November 1st. (This means that if you want to be considered for the maximum scholarship offering that you need to apply by November 1st.) Other schools have November 15th, December 1st, December 15th, or even later deadlines, but because every school is different it is really important that you stay on top of this and meet the requirements with plenty of time. If you have a college application with a November 1st deadline and you have not seen me already, please be sure to come in and see me!

Don't forget, it also takes us time at WKHS to process all of the applications so you need to allow plenty of time to turn your application around and get it back to the college. Some schools (like OSU) hold firm to the requirement that their deadline doesn't just mean that the application has been received by that date, but that all supporting documentation is also in their hands by that particular date. This means that they also need to have your transcript, School Report Form, and official ACT/ SAT test scores prior to the deadline date. All the more reason to watch this closely and give us plenty of time to get your materials to the college.

If you are having trouble figuring out the deadlines, stop down to see me and we can look it up together.

Also, I wanted to let you know that I have a meeting at central office tomorrow morning, but I will be back in the afternoon so if you are planning to stop by tomorrow, please swing by in the afternoon.

Ben Corcoran

It absolutely breaks my heart to have to post another update with such tragic news. As many of you have heard, Ben Corcoran, died yesterday evening. Ben graduated from Worthington Kilbourne High School this past June as a member of the Class of 2010.

Calling hours will be held at Rutherford Funeral Home in Powell on Sunday from 2:00 - 6:00pm.

Funeral will be on Monday at 11:00am at St. Peter Catholic Church on Smokey Row.

Here is a link to Ben's complete obituary. His obituary will also appear in the Columbus Dispatch.

I would like to remind all of my students that you are important to me, I care about you and want only the best for you. Remember that there are always people (like me) who are ready and willing to lend a hand and if you need someone to talk to, please know I'm here to listen.

Students of the Month

I am running a bit behind on this post, but earlier this month 15 WKHS students were honored as October Students of the Month. The recognition as a Student of the Month can only be earned once during a student's high school career. 4 of these fine young men and women were "my" students. Congratulations to (L to R): Carmen Casillas, Katie Baldwin, Haley Defibaugh, and Connor Dahn. I am proud of you all!

Homecoming

It has been a week full of fun activities to celebrate Homecoming weekend. The painted windows looked great and I enjoyed seeing the students dressed up in their interesting range of themed outfits each day. The football game last night was a great victory and it was wonderful to see so many former students who came back to cheer on the wolves.

A special congratulations to one of "my" students, Sarah Bear, who was crowned Homecoming Queen during yesterday's assembly.

(I loved the Homecoming Themed Lobo's!)

Congratulations also to Naomi Barker and Robbie Davidson who were honored as Sophomore Homecoming attendents.

I love to chaperone the homecoming dance beause it is great to see all of you dressed up and having fun. I hope you enjoy your time with pictures, dinner, and the dance! Have fun and be safe!

Assembly Schedule

Thanks to all of the students who took the PSAT and PLAN tests today. You did a great job and I was pleased to see so many of "my" students taking advantage of the opportunity to prepare for the testing that will be a part of your future college application process. I also would like to express my sincere gratitude for all of the students who volunteered to stay and help us tear down the tables and chairs after the PLAN test at the end of the day! You were amazing and I appreciate it very much!

Tomorrow, Thursday October 14th, will include a fun afternoon at WKHS. As a part of the homecoming festivities there will be an assembly (also known to most of us as a pep rally). Below is the modified bell schedule.

1st Period: 7:45 - 8:30

2nd Period: 8:35 - 9:20

3rd Period: 9:25 - 10:10

Announcements: 10:10 - 10:15

4th Period: 10:20 - 11:05

5th Period: 11:10 - 11:55

6th Period: 12:00 - 12:45

7th Period: 12:50 - 1:35

8th Period: 1:40 - 2:25

Assembly: 2:35 - 3:05

I doubt that I need to remind anyone, but Friday is also a day off of school! :-) Between having a three-day weekend and the homecoming festivities, it should be a great weekend!

PSAT and PLAN Update

I know that having both the PSAT and PLAN test on Wednesday have created some questions for students...

If you are taking the PSAT, you will report directly to the gymnasiums when you arrive to school on Wednesday morning. You will need to bring your student id with you in order to check in. You will also need a number 2 pencil (no mechanical pencils allowed), a calculator, and I would recommend a watch. The test will begin 7:45 and you will finish testing at the start of 4th period.

If you are taking the PLAN test, you will go to your 1st through 3rd period classes and when announcements begin you will be released to head to the commons to eat your lunch and then check in at the gymnasiums for the test. Check in begins at 11:00am and you will test for the remainder of the day. (As with the PSAT, don't forget to bring a number 2, non-mechanical, pencil, a calculator and a watch.)

If you are one of the students who love testing so much that you have elected to take both the PLAN and PSAT, you will test 1st through 3rd, have a quick break for lunch, report back to the gym and test again for the remainder of the day.

Generally speaking, the majority of juniors will be testing in the morning and the majority of sophomores are testing in the afternoon so teachers have adjusted the coursework being covered in class accordingly. Ultimately though, you will be responsible for making up any missed work from class.

Writing your College Essay

Writing a college essay can be a frustrating, challenging process, but this is your opportunity to put your best foot forward and show the colleges what makes you special. Ideally the college admissions and scholarship officers will learn something about you and see how well you write.

When colleges review your application they can read things like your grade point and test scores, but they still want to know more about YOU – the person behind those grades, scores, and activities. It is important to remember that your essay will be one of hundreds or more-likely thousands that the admissions committee members will read. (Can you imagine reading all of those?!?) Try to interest them in what you have to say and be sure that it is written well so that it will hopefully stand out. Think of this as your opportunity to introduce yourself to the admissions and scholarship officers reading your application. Be open, honest and real.

When you have to write an essay you need to keep a few important points in mind:

1. Answer the question!
When they give you a prompt or question – be sure that your essay is answering what they are asking! These are smart people – they know when you are just trying to take a different essay and trying to make it fit for their question. Put in the time to write an essay that answers what they are asking. Also, be sure that you respond to all parts of the prompt.

2. Show me – Don’t tell me.
Great, so you told me that you are organized and honest… good qualities for their future college students, but are you demonstrating that to them with your essay? Show them what you mean – that will usually be specific, concrete stories or examples to illustrate your point.

3. Did I learn something about you?
The whole point of these essays is so that the college admissions officers will learn something new about you. (And trust me, they are learning something about you – even if that lesson is you didn’t appear to care enough about getting into school to pay attention to details like spelling.) So, step back and look at your essay again – did they learn something about you that they wouldn’t have known prior to reading your essay?Let me assure you – they really do read the essays! Don’t think you can just throw something down on paper and have it be “good enough.” These are formal essays for an application to a college that will be the launching ground for the rest of your life. I know that it is intimidating, but relax and start writing – and editing – and then do some more writing and editing… One of the biggest challenges as you write your essay is controlling the tone. You want to come across as confident but not boastful, self-assured but not aggressive, accomplished but not perfect. Try to avoid claiming that everything you've ever done has been unbelievably great. Don't be afraid to admit that you are human. Colleges want real, interesting people. Because it's so hard to control the tone of an essay about yourself, you will want to ask several people – teachers, friends, your parents, or even me – to read and respond to your essay. Get a variety of reactions, and then decide how you want to revise the essay. Remember, when getting help with essay revisions, it is important to go into it with the thought that you want to get revisions so it can be the best possible essay (instead of going in hoping the editors will just say – good enough.) And yes, that also means you can’t procrastinate and put it off until the last possible second.

Here is some additional college essay writing information that I really liked and copied from another high school counseling website:

PICKING THE TOPIC
More than likely, if you look at all of the essay prompts you are going to find that they all contain the word “you.” For example, they may ask you to write about a significant experience in your life. No matter what you choose to write about, the essay should say something about who you are, what you value, how you think, and/or what you hope to accomplish. As you search for a suitable topic, be sure to think about the relationship between YOU and the experience, issue, or person.

Be creative. Don't make the mistake of adding one more routine essay to the pile. Many topics that jump to your mind may also jump to the minds of thousands of others applying to college this year. Instead, explore a new angle. Explain how you are different from everybody else, or investigate an unusual opinion.

Don't be afraid of controversy. If you have strong opinions about your topic, let them be known. It's probably a mistake to say what you think your readers want to hear just to keep from offending them. Instead, write what you believe. Admission officers often welcome strong opinions, especially if convincing facts and examples support the ideas. Remember all the times your English teachers have said, "You write best about what interests you most?" Take their advice. Find a topic that excites you, one about which you have strong feelings. If you bring genuine interest to your writing, your readers will find it interesting as well.

COMPOSING THE ESSAY
Your English teachers have given you other good pieces of advice to remember too. Show your topic, don't just tell about it. Use vivid examples. Describe the scene or the person with sharp nouns and active verbs, using details that will invoke the senses. How did it look? feel? smell? sound? What, exactly, did the person say? Don't just tell your reader that "Uncle Henry was odd." Show us his collection of paper clips and his pet slug, Seymour. Don't just say you've been involved in "various leadership positions." Show us how you talked the school board into changing the study hall policy and how you turned the annual church youth group chicken BBQ from a poorly attended, money losing embarrassment into a standing-room-only, budget-busting, finger-licking success.

REVISING THE ESSAY
After you've finished a draft, take a break-a couple of days if you can-before you begin to revise. You need to take a fresh look at the essay. Does it reveal who you are? Does it represent your best academic ability? Does it sound like you? Be sure to examine the overall structure of the essay. Does it make a stunning point at the beginning and then fizzle, or does it steadily build in interest and intensity? Have you made clear the relationship between your ideas? Is the essay well organized?

The essay needs to read smoothly. As you revise and refine the piece, be sure that it has an attractive introduction, carefully crafted body paragraphs, and a confident conclusion. Look for clear transitions between paragraphs, and try to vary sentence length and structure. Pay careful attention to the verbs of each sentence. They should be active rather than passive (not "A decision was made," but "I decided") and should give your reader a clear picture of you in action. Although the essay needs to be personal, you shouldn't overuse the pronoun "I." Use it, of course, but don't start every sentence of the essay with it. Sometimes putting another word in the subject position of the sentence will help. (Compare: "I cut lawns every summer during high school, and I learned a lot." "My lawn care business taught me to work hard, to manage my time and my money, and to communicate well with my customers.")

TARGET: PERFECTION
If you ever write an error-free essay, this needs to be it. Grammatical and mechanical errors may ruin the entire application. Ask a knowledgeable person to help you proofread, and be sure that you type it carefully or-if it is a scholarship application that absolutely insists-write it neatly by hand. Don't let careless last-minute flaws keep you out of the college you want to attend.

Do Not Rank

At Worthington Kilbourne High School we do not rank students. The only exception is for students who have a 4.0 or higher grade point average. All of these students receive a rank of #1 in the class.

The reason behind this procedure is that WKHS is a highly competitive high school environment. For example, in this year's senior class, a 3.5 is not in the top twenty-five percent of the class, but in a less competitive high school it might be and so we do not want anything that could potentially reflect negatively on our students to be included on your applications.

When you are asked on applications to write in your ranking or percentile simply write, "School does not rank." (Unless, of course, you have a 4.0 or higher in which case you can write 1st!)

When I complete the counselor report forms that is what I write as well.

Tomorrow's Schedule

Hopefully you have been listening to the announcements so you are aware that we are on a very different schedule tomorrow. It is a "4A/ 4B schedule" to allow for a drug and alcohol free presentation. From what we have heard about the presentation, it is supposed to be very good so I hope you enjoy it.

In case you don't have the schedule:

1st: 7:45 - 8:27

2nd: 8:32 - 9:14

3rd: 9:19 - 10:02

4th: 10:07 - 11:57

(After you report to 4th period, your teacher will let you know if you have class first and the assembly later or if you are going to see the assembly first and then returning inside for class. If you have 4th period lunch, you go to the assembly first and lunch will begin after the first assembly concludes.)

5th: 12:02 - 12:44

6th: 12:49 - 1:31

7th: 1:36 - 2:18

8th: 2:23 - 3:05

I also wanted to let you know that tomorrow I am tied up in meetings, essentially, all day long. Sorry! I will be out of the building all morning and then when I get back to school have meetings all afternoon. As always, leave me a pass and I will find you as soon as possible.

Recommendation Letters

The need for counselor recommendation letters is a great reminder of why it is important for students of every grade level (Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior) to drop by my office throughout the year to allow me to get to know you better. I sincerely want to know you well enough so that I am more comfortable with talking about some of the incredible things that you all are involved in and are accomplishing during your high school careers.

Have you started looking at your college applications to see if they require recommendation letters from me or from your teachers? Some schools will require it and many will not. OSU, for example, does NOT require any recommendation letters. (Can you blame them? Imagine trying to read over 22,000 recommendation letters on top of the applications and essays that they receive.) Miami University, on the other hand, will require a counselor recommendation. If you are having problems determining if the colleges you are considering require recommendation letters – just stop down to see me and I can try to help you figure it out.

If you do need recommendation letters, give some thought ahead of time to who you would like to ask for the recommendations. Look at the requirements specified by the school – are they open to coaches or advisors writing letters or do they want them to come from academic teachers? If it requires that the letters come from teachers can it be from any subject area or are they only open to the core subjects of English, math, science, and social studies? Are you looking at a career in a specific area that a teacher at WKHS can write about your strengths in that field? For example, if you are considering majoring in Spanish perhaps a recommendation letter from one of your Spanish teachers would be appropriate. What teachers know you best? Who can speak to your work ethic and classroom contributions? If possible, it is often ideal to show your strengths across multiple subjects, so if you have a few teachers to pick from and 2 are math and 1 is science perhaps it would be beneficial to ask 1 math and 1 science teacher rather than the 2 math teachers simply to show that diversity. Remember, in recommendation letters from teachers the colleges are asking for information about you as a student and your potential for handling the academic rigors of college.

Once you have figured out the teacher or teachers that you want to ask for a recommendation (if needed) it is then time to ASK them if they are willing to write a letter for you. It is really important to be reasonable in the amount of time that you are allowing them to have to write your letter. (Think 30 days or more!) They are very busy with their classroom work and grading homework and papers and, of course, life in general. Plus many teachers are often bombarded by students requesting recommendations. If a teacher is unable to write a recommendation letter for you – either because they don’t feel that they know you well enough to write a strong letter or because they have too much on their plate, don’t take it personally, simply ask another teacher. You will be thankful that you didn’t force them to write the letter because it wouldn’t be as solid of a recommendation letter if they were rushed or only had vague highlights to discuss.

In the Counseling and Career Center we have forms that you can use to ask your teachers to write a recommendation for you if needed. It is also helpful to provide a resume or the type of information which is frequently seen on a resume to your teachers. (To make this easier, if you don’t have a resume, we have copied a recommendation information sheet on the back of the recommendation request form mentioned above.) It is also really important to specify the number of letters that you need, for which schools, and to provide envelopes as well as any forms required by the schools for the teachers to complete. (If you are applying with the Common Application and need teacher recommendations they will most likely be completing their forms online and so after they agree to write a letter on your behalf, submit their e-mail address and they will receive the request electronically.)

Once your teacher has completed his/ her recommendation letter they will either give it directly to me to add into your application packet when we mail it or they will give it to you to bring to me. You are the one ultimately responsible for making sure that the recommendation letter is submitted to me so if you are unsure if your teacher has provided me with the letter, stop down to see me.

If a counselor recommendation is required it is beneficial to come and see me as soon as you realize it so that we can set up a time to meet. You will need to provide me with a completed Counselor Recommendation Supplement form that you complete and a Parent Brag Sheet written by your parents. (And, yes, in addition to the forms, I do require EVERY student that I am going to write a recommendation letter for to actually come in and TALK to me… what a crazy concept!) I write the letters on a first come first serve basis. It is the only way I know how to be fair. I try to put a lot of time and effort into the letters – last year it took me an average of 5 hours per letter which adds up quickly. So please, watch your deadlines and try to help me write the best letter possible by allowing me to have the time with it. You might wonder why it takes me so long to write a recommendation letter and it is because each letter should (hopefully) capture the essence of you – and each of you are very different. When writing recommendation letters generalized praise is wasted space so I need stories and examples to help give people a true image of you and to make it more than just what they can read about you in your application. I can’t say that I reach that goal every time, but I promise that I try my best.

Without a doubt, recommendation letters are one of the most time consuming aspects of my job. I love the part when I get to sit and talk with you about your high school career before I write the letters, but the actual writing of the letters… not so much. Oh well, it is a necessary part of the job and so I am happy to do it.

PSAT & PLAN Tests

PSAT Test Date: Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Location: WKHS Gym
Time: 7:00 – 10:45am
Cost: $16 (checks payable to WKHS)

The PSAT is the practice test for the SAT. Juniors and interested underclassmen can register in the Counseling and Career Center by bringing in a check made out to WKHS. This is an important practice test for the SAT and it is also the qualifying test for the National Merit Scholarship competition. Even if you took the test as a sophomore you should re-take the test as a Junior!


PLAN Test Date: Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Location: WKHS Gym

Time: 11:00am – 3:00pm

Cost: $12.00 (checks payable to WKHS)

The PLAN Test is the practice test for the ACT. This test intended for sophomores. (Freshman students can elect to take this test, but it is not an option for juniors!) The content of the PLAN test is closely tied to that of the ACT achievement test, which is used for college entrance and placement decisions. It covers the same subjects and gives you estimated ACT scores.

The PLAN test has many benefits. It can help you get started in thinking and planning for life after high school. It will show you areas you may need extra help. The results can also be used to help focus your test preparation to improve your ACT scores. In my opinion, one of the most valuable aspects is that the PLAN test is that it includes a career component that helps identify career interests and possible career fields. The number of students who have no idea what they might want to do some day is scary and this is one way to help come up with some ideas.

Both of these tests are only practice tests; therefore, scores will not appear on your transcript.

Pass/ Fail & Drop Deadline

I wanted to make sure that all of you were aware that the last date to drop a 1st semester course without having it appear on your transcript is this Tuesday, October 5th. That is also the last date to submit a request to have a 1st semester class graded on a pass/ fail scale instead of the standard scoring. Please make sure that your requests for these options are turned into the counseling center before the school day ends on Tuesday!

Hopefully you are also enjoying your long weekend. As if the three-day weekend wasn't enough, don't forget that you have a late-start day on Monday so you also have the added bonus of being able to sleep in Monday. (I'm so jealous!) :-)