Stay Informed

Happy Halloween!  I hope that you had a good holiday.

Did you know that you can receive these blog posts to your e-mail automatically?  Perhaps that is how you are viewing them already, but in case you aren't I thought it might help to know that you don't have to try to remember the lengthy website address for my blog.  (Sadly, I know that it is not an easy address to find but back in 2007 when I started the blog I didn't realize how much of a problem it would become.)

The way I have it set up is that the title of the blog post will be the subject line of the e-mail so you can always delete the post without reading it if you realize it is not applicable to you.  To sign up for the updates, scroll part way down the page on the right hand side to the area that says, "Follow By E-mail" (it is below the Blog Archive & Contributor sections).  Type in your e-mail address and click "Submit."  This will pop up another box with some funky random letters/ numbers to make sure that you are a real person and then you will click on "Complete Subscription Request."  After you do that you will have an email in your in-box that you need to click on the link to confirm that this is a list you want to join and follow.  You do have to follow all of those steps to make sure that the posts will come to you directly.

So, if you want to make sure you never miss out on a blog post, sign up for automatic updates.

The other key way that the counseling center is trying to keep you informed is through "Remind."  Through this service you can receive short text messages with important reminders.  If you would like to subscribe, send a text message to 81010 with the appropriate code below:
For the class of 2017, text @wkhs2017
For the class of 2018, text @wkhs2018
For the class of 2019, text @wkhs2019For the class of 2020, text @wkhs2020

You probably already know this, but this is NOT an actual phone number and the texts we send are from a website and not a cell phone so we can't receive phone calls or messages from you to the number which appears.  It is only for us to send messages.  It is free for you to sign up, but regular text messaging rates apply through your phone company.

It isn't necessarily hard work to keep up with all of the upcoming dates, deadlines and opportunities if you are staying organized, writing down key dates and maintaining your planner, but I want to make it as easy as possible so that you are never caught off guard.  By following my blog and receiving Remind texts plus following @wkhswolves on Twitter, I believe you won't have any difficulty staying informed.

Transcript Release Reminder

I wanted to remind everyone that if you are in the process of applying to college you need to make sure you come in and fill out a transcript release card.  This process must be completed for EVERY college where you are applying!  The blue transcript release cards are located in Mrs. McDaniel's office in the Counseling Center.

If you are applying to schools utilizing the Common Application or Send EDU, your transcript will be submitted electronically.  You will need to report me as your school counselor on the School Forms page so that I am assigned the transcript data responsibility and given access to submit them on your behalf.  If you are unsure how to do this, bring your common app username and password to school with you after you have completed the majority of your application and we will fill out the assignment component together.  Transcripts uploaded to Common App and Send EDU are free of charge because we are not charged to use those systems.

If you are applying to schools that don't use the Common Application or Send EDU, we will send your transcript through an electronic system or by regular mail (depending on if they are a college that will accept them electronically or not).  There is a $1.00 fee for each of these transcripts you have requested.  

Some students have asked me if you have to be done with your applications to request your transcript and the short answer is no, but hopefully you will be close.  The one time that it doesn't matter if you are close or not is when we get close to winter break (which, believe it or not, is approaching quickly).  Remember, we are not at school over Christmas either, so if you are applying to colleges with a December 31st or January 1st deadline, you need to make sure that you have requested your transcript no later than December 9th to give us enough time to process and mail it in before your college application deadline.

Get Organized!

The time to get organized is NOW! It is better to start each quarter off organized and just maintain it rather than to let things get completely out of control and then work on cleaning everything up in order to find that *one* item that you needed.

For some students, being organized comes easier than it does to others and the reality is that one system of staying organized doesn't always work for everyone else so you really need to think about what does or does not work for you. Sometimes the best way to figure out an organization strategy that will work for you is to stop and reflect back on what has NOT worked for you in the past. For example, if you are a person who always tries to keep things in binders, but then ends up with the little pocket areas in the front and the back of the binder stuffed to the breaking point then this system of organization really isn't working very well for you so it is probably time to try something different.

Stress is usually the outcome of not being organized. You forgot a homework assignment, can't find a paper that you need, or didn't realize that you were supposed to study for a test. By being organized you can help eliminate (or at least cut back a great deal on) stress. Let's be honest... you don't always like writing down all of your assignments in your planner, but there are so many other things going on in your day and such a wide variety of activities and events competing for your attention that it is hard to remember exactly which questions you were supposed to answer for homework for a particular class. Having one place where you write down the information that you are going to need to know and the deadlines are essential for good organization skills.

And, staying organized isn't just an important task when you are doing school work - this is also vital for your entire college application process and it will be important to you for the rest of your life.

Ms. Elliott, the English Academic Assistant, is outstanding with helping students get organized and you can also feel free to come by and talk to me if you need some help with organization strategies.

Why THIS College?

Why do you like a particular college?  What is it about the school that made it stand out to you and left you with the impression that this would be a good place for you to spend your collegiate years?

Hopefully, you have an idea about what you'd answer for both of those questions for each school that you are including on your list of schools where you are going to apply.  And, let me clear - you should like something about every college that you are considering and you should feel good about each of the schools if you are applying there!

In addition to mattering for deciding where you are going to apply, your answers to these questions are essential when you are trying to answer college-specific essay questions.  Some colleges will ask applicants to answer supplemental essay questions and often one of these questions relates to what you like about their school.  They may phrase it in different ways, but the bottom line is that they are trying to determine why you believe their school is a good fit for you.

Remember, the admissions officers who work for the school already think their school is great and they know about the wonderful opportunities available so you need to take it beyond saying that they have a great location, outstanding professors, and wonderful weather.  You need to take it to the next level by identifying specific aspects at the school where you can see yourself contributing to the school and offerings that you plan to take advantage of while you are in college.

Good luck in searching for the right college fit for you and for conveying why it's a good fit in your essays.

Graduation Points

Beginning with the junior class (Class of 2018) and beyond all students have the goal of earning a certain number of graduation points in addition to passing designated classes to graduate.  Students will earn these points based on the End of Course exams that you have to take each year.

There are 7 tests that contribute to the total graduation points.  Every student will take tests in:
- English 1
- English 2
- Math 1
- Math 2
- Biology (current juniors took Physical Science and Biology and the higher score will be used)
- US History
- Government

Students must earn a total of 18 points in all of these tests.  This is complicated a bit in that 4 of the points must come from English, 4 points from Math, and 6 points from the Science and Social Studies areas.  This allows the other 4 points to come from any of the tests together.

Most juniors have taken 6 of the 7 tests - leaving just the Government test.  The district recently sent home a letter to all juniors updating students and parents about where you currently stand toward reaching your goal points.  Let me assure you, I am watching these points closely!  Most students don't need to worry about the points - and for those who have retaken a test, they have typically improved their scores.  So, I don't want you to stress or be anxious about these tests, but I do want you to do your best on every end of course test.  If you have not done well in the tests in the past and are short of the points you will need to achieve your goal points, then I do recommend that you take the test(s) again and see if you could improve your score.  (For example, some students have earned a 2 on a Math 1 test and a 1 on the Math 2 test resulting in a total of just 3 points for Math - this would be the perfect situation for the student to repeat the Math 2 test to try to earn 2 points as that would result in the student earning 4 points for Math as needed for graduation.)

Additionally, please know that even if you are not able to reach the point goals on the End of Course assessments, there are still other options to successfully fulfill the testing requirement for graduation.  For example, students can achieve college readiness scores on the ACT or SAT exams.  Earning a certificate for specific in-demand careers and a designated score on the Work Keys test is also an option for completing this requirement.  I don't tell you all of this to overwhelm you or to stress you out, but I just want to be sure that you are aware that there are options for graduation and we will work together to make sure that you WILL graduate!

As always, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to stop in and let me know.

Pre-ACT

Pre-ACT Test Date: Wednesday, November 16, 2016
Location: WKHS Gym
Time: 7:30am (check-in) beginning promptly at 7:45am
Cost: $12.00 (checks payable to WKHS)

The Pre-ACT is the practice test for the ACT. This test is an option for freshmen, sophomores or juniors.  The content of the Pre-ACT 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 Pre-ACT has many benefits. It can help you get started in thinking about and planning for life after high school. It will show you areas where you may want to seek extra help. The results can also be used to help focus your test preparation to improve your ACT scores. Additionally, one of the other valuable aspects is that the Pre-ACT test includes a career component that helps identify career interests and possible career fields. For all of the students who have no idea what they might want to do some day this is one way to help come up with some ideas.

It is only a practice test; therefore, your score will not appear on your transcript.

Students can register for the test in the WKHS Counseling and Career Center today through November 9th.

College Admissions Interviews

Some colleges will require or strongly encourage 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!

There is No Better Time!

As we head into the long weekend, I am reminded of a phrase that Mr. Cooke (English teacher and IB Coordinator) used to say often to his students - There is no better time.  He is right.  There is no better time!

It is normal to tell ourselves that we will do an assignment, write an essay, or clean up our room later.  I suspect you are like me in telling yourself things like, "I have a lot of work to do tonight, I will work on it tomorrow" or "It's the weekend, I deserve to relax today, I will work on it tomorrow" or "It's for school, I will wait and do it during the week."  Whatever the phrases that you tell yourself, I encourage you to pause and really see this for what it is - a procrastination strategy.

Believe me, I do understand that this is common.  Unfortunately, I am seeing a great deal of it right now with students who need to be working on their college applications and especially with drafting their essays.  It becomes so easy to think that you will work on the essay tomorrow or next weekend, but there really is no better time.  The moment you have right now is the best time to begin working on your application.  Something else will always come up - a paper, more homework, something fun that you want to do with your friends, spending time with your family, sleeping, and the list goes on and on.

So, this weekend, while you have the extra time, please use it productively.  There is no better time than now.  Enjoy the long weekend, but try to enjoy it by making today productive.  It will be worth it in the long run!

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 and financial aid forms 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. 

I'd like to remind you that college applications is just 1 piece of my job as a high school counselor. I am more than happy to help you by writing recommendation letters if they are needed by your school, but you must give me at least 30 days notice before you need the letter! Being able to outline, draft, edit and revise each letter is important so that I can share all the great things you will bring to the college. 

Don't forget, it also takes us 3-5 days at WKHS to process your transcript release and get it submitted to the colleges you have selected. 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 and official ACT/ SAT test scores prior to the deadline date.

With the FAFSA now being based on the 2015 tax returns (for this year's seniors) the FAFSA is now open and ready for you and your parents to complete.  Be sure to do this and submit it to all of your colleges prior to the earliest FAFSA deadline.  Many colleges in Ohio have December 1st deadlines while others might not have deadlines until January or even February.  Just like with college application deadlines, each school gets to set their own FAFSA deadlines and you will need to watch the deadlines carefully so that you do not miss out on your chance to try to qualify for grants or loans.

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

PSAT Reminder

Don't forget - tomorrow is the day when Kilbourne students, as well as many other students around the country, will take the PSAT.  

If you are one of the students who will be taking the PSAT, you will report directly to your assigned room when you arrive to school on Wednesday morning.  Please plan on leaving your book bag and your cell phone (turned off) in your locker.

You should bring your student id with you in order to check in.  You will also need to bring number 2 pencils (no mechanical pencils allowed), a calculator, and I would recommend a watch. 

As a reminder for all of the other students - you will be on a late-start schedule with classes starting at 11:50am.  Buses will run at regular time only so if you ride a bus to get to school, please bring work to do while you are in the commons for 4 hours awaiting classes to start.

Good luck on the PSAT!

Activities

At WKHS you are blessed to have a wide range of activities from which you can choose to be involved with based upon your interests. Whether it is athletics, musical groups, theater, clubs, or community service outreach opportunities, every student can find a place where they can contribute and belong. And, in the off chance that there is not a group that you are interested in, it is also possible that you can work with a staff member to establish your own group.  

If you would like to see a list of all of the opportunities that already exist, stop by the Athletics Office.  They also have interest forms that you can complete and leave for the adviser of the club that you would like to join so that they can help connect you with information about upcoming meetings and opportunities.

Sometimes students or parents will talk about their belief that colleges want to see students who are involved in a ton of activities. What is more important than just being a part of a lot of activities is that students find areas of passion and pursue those areas with focus and long term dedication.

As you are considering your areas of involvement and how you can get involved, please remember that it is far more important that you are involved because it is meaningful to you rather than because it will "look good" on a college application!

Application Completion Workshop

Seniors, don't forget - tomorrow night is the College Application Completion Workshop.  If you are not completely finished with your applications then you should be there to work on them!  All of the counselors will be in the computer drop-in lab tomorrow night from 5:30 - 7:00pm to help you with your applications.  This includes helping with reading through your essays, double checking your common application components, and helping you to keep moving forward on your applications.  Every year we have a huge turn out for this event and I hope to see you then!

End of First Quarter

Do you feel like this school year is going unbelievably fast?  Today marked the end of the first quarter.  This is an important point for you to pause and reflect.  Remember, quarter grades are not included on your transcript - just semester grades.  This means that you have reached the half-way point in earning the grades that will be on your transcript.  Some of the questions you should ask yourself include: Are you where you want to be?  If you are not, what do you need to do different to turn things around?  If you need ideas for how you can improve your grades, I strongly encourage you to meet individually with your teacher.  You should also take advantage of the help available from the academic assistants in the Teaching and Learning Center (which is located in room 209).  You are also welcome to stop by and talk to me and we can try to brainstorm some ideas to help.  If you are happy with your current progress, congratulations!  Make sure you think about what you have done that has been helpful to your success and continue to put forward those same actions.

Colleges Evaluating GPA

When colleges evaluate applications for students there are a great deal of factors they take into consideration.  One of the aspects they look at is the student's grade point average (GPA).  Last month I talked about how GPA's are calculated at WKHS, but did you know that many colleges unweight your GPA?  College admissions officers look at the school profile submitted with each application to make sure they have an idea of how your GPA stands up to other students from WKHS, but that only helps them gather an idea about you as a Kilbourne student.  It is hard for colleges to figure out how to compare the grade point averages for students from different high schools because each high school determines their own system for calculating GPA's.  For example, at WKHS we weight grades for AP, IB and CC+ courses, but other schools might weight grades for honors classes as well and yet another school may not give extra weight to any classes.  Additionally, some schools calculate different GPA levels for grades with plusses/ minuses - so a B+, a B and a B- each have a different weight while others (like Kilbourne) do not compute plusses/ minuses as being different than a standard grade - a B in the example mentioned.  As a result, many colleges will look at the high school transcripts and re-calculate the grade point average based upon their own system so that they are comparing the GPA's on the same scale.  Please know that not every college will recalculate and unweight your GPA - it depends on their own policies and procedures.  If you have questions about if colleges will recalculate your GPA or not you can always ask the individual college admissions offices.

PSAT Update

Don't forget, next week is the PSAT.  The test will take place on Wednesday, October 19th.  All 9th and 10th graders will be taking the test.  Juniors must register for the chance to take the test and I STRONGLY encourage all juniors the chance to take this test.  The test costs $15 for Juniors and it will not only help prepare you for the SAT, but it is also the qualifying test for multiple scholarships.

Because most of the student body will be taking the PSAT, we will be functioning on a very different bell schedule.

All 9th - 11th grade students will be taking the PSAT from 7:45 - 11:30.  Seniors that will not be testing can either ride the bus in at the normal time of day or they can find their own transportation to come to school later in time for the classes to begin at 11:50.

Classes will be very fast and in order to keep lunches at a decent time the order of your classes will be out of order.

Here is the bell schedule:

Testing: 7:45 - 11:30am
Transition to classes: 11:30 - 11:50
4th Period: 11:50 - 12:12
5th Period: 12:17 - 12:39
6th Period: 12:44 - 1:06
7th Period: 1:11 - 1:33
3rd Period: 1:38 - 1:56
2nd Period: 2:01 - 2:19
1st Period: 2:24 - 2:42
8th Period: 2:47 - 3:05

See, a very different bell schedule than normal!

Juniors, don't forget to register in the Counseling Center this week to take the test!

Merit Based and Need Based Aid

Paying for College is expensive! There is no question that higher education costs add up quickly and it can be confusing to try to figure out what all of the different terms related to financial aid really mean.  Don't forget, tomorrow night at 7pm, WKHS is hosting a Financial Aid Night to help make the process a little easier to understand and to allow you to learn directly from a Financial Aid expert. 

Below is a brief overview to try to help give you some insight to what you might hear when talking or reading about financial aid.

There are two broad categories of financial aid – Merit Based aid and Need Based aid.

Merit Based aid is what you think of when you think “Scholarships.” These are usually awarded to students based onacademic achievements, leadership, athletics, special talents such as art or music, volunteerism, or other personal qualities that set you apart. These scholarships do not consider financial need. A significant portion of all merit-based aid comes directly from the college/ university. Some schools may require additional scholarship applications, essays, interviews, and many colleges will have earlier deadlines to be considered for their scholarships. It can be helpful to know that a lot of times the smaller, private colleges will have more money available for scholarships in order to help make attending their school competitive with the lower costs of the public colleges. Please also remember that there are scholarship offerings listed in PrepHQ. It is important to keep an eye out for unique scholarships that might apply to your personal situation. Last year I had a student who was able to qualify for an Italian heritage scholarship. Perhaps one of your grandparents won a purple heart or maybe you have time to write an essay for one of the other scholarship competitions… no matter what the situation, if you find a scholarship that you meet the criteria for go ahead and apply – you might be pleasantly surprised at the result and if you don’t, the answer is definitely a “no.”

Need Based aid is what you will sometimes hear people refer to as “Financial Aid” even though both Merit Based and Need Based aid technically fall under that one category. There are a variety of different Need Based aid programs. Grants are considered gift assistance – they give you money and you do not have to pay it back. Loans which can come from a wide variety of sources – the federal government, the college, and private banks is money that you are required to pay back. Work Study programs are on campus job opportunities that the government helps find that allows you to earn money for college through working on campus. The big difference between Merit Based and Need Based aid is that Need Based aid is that the type and amount of Need Based aid you will receive depends upon the amount of financial needyou have.

And, yes, just to add to the confusion – there are some scholarships that will consider financial need as a criterion. They are still awarding the scholarship based upon some specific aspect of who you are it is just allowing them to narrow down the potential applicant pool.

One last important reminder - NEVER pay to be considered for a scholarship! That is a scam. Don't waste your money!

If you have any questions you can always call the financial aid offices of the schools where you are applying as they are true experts in the field. I am also happy to try to help in any way that I can.

Delaware Area Career Center

When students enter 9th grade, many are excited about the different choices and opportunities available in high school. Unfortunately, the reality is that the first two years of high school really don't have all that many choices. There is, however, a great deal of flexibility as students reach their junior and senior years. One of those options includes the possibility of attending the Delaware Area Career Center.

Today during English classes, all sophomores listened to a presentation about the Delaware Area Career Center (DACC) and the programs they have available for students. This is a great opportunity to earn your elective credits in an area that interests you rather than taking electives that you are selecting simply because they will fill up your schedule.  One of my students, Zack DePascale, did a great job as one of the student ambassadors sharing about his experiences at DACC.

It was interesting to hear about all of the different programs that are available for students to explore. There are some unique experiences and opportunities available that can really stand out to colleges. If you are interested in participating in the field trip to the DACC, please be sure to return your permission slip to the counseling center right away - no later than October 21st.  The field trip is scheduled for Friday, November 18th.

Kilbourne Students

There have been a few events to recognize Kilbourne students that I haven't had the opportunity to talk about yet...

Last month we hosted a breakfast for students who are new to the district to welcome them to the Worthington Kilbourne High School community.  We wanted to take the opportunity to check in on how the new students are adjusting to life at WKHS and hear more about where they moved here from as well as what they like or dislike.  It was a great way to start the day!

WKHS has over 70 students who are new to the district.  Many of them are from within Ohio, but we also have new students from as far away as Germany -  including our foreign exchange students who come from a wide range of countries across the world.  Each of these students brings knowledge of their past communities that will strengthen and enrich our school.

I was impressed by how many of the students are already involved in activities - football, soccer, cross country, band, and choir were just a few I heard mentioned and many of the students are looking forward to joining sports or clubs as the year continues.  Some students commented on the differences in food and the length of time for lunch at WKHS compared to their old schools.  We heard reflections about how early classes start at Kilbourne compared to their old schools, how thankful they are for the freedoms and trust that we put in students, and also the helpfulness of students and staff members.

I am thankful to come to work at WKHS every day and as I talked with these newest Kilbourne Wolves, I was excited that they are a part of our school because they have so much to contribute and I was overwhelmed with pride - not only in the way that these students have overcome the challenges involved with adjusting to a new school, but also with pride for how the students and staff have welcomed these new students.

Be sure to try to meet the new students in your classes, lunch, sports, or clubs and welcome them to WKHS!

Additionally, on Friday morning was the first Student of the Month Ceremony of the year.  Students are recognized for their commitment to the school and community and can only be selected to receive this honor once in their high school careers.

Congratulations to Abby Souder (L) and Tania Craig (R) along with Abby Eymann and Amy Flores who were unable to attend the ceremony.

Homecoming

It has been a week full of fun activities to celebrate Homecoming. 

A special congratulations to one of "my" students, Abby Souder, who was crowned Homecoming Queen during yesterday's assembly.  Congratulations also to Lindsey Buterbaugh and Will Alban who were honored as Freshmen Homecoming attendants.  

I am looking forward to being a chaperon for the homecoming dance tonight because 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!

College Planning Information Night

On Wednesday, October 19th the WKHS Counseling department will be hosting a Student and Parent College Information Night. Over the last few years, this program has received some of the best feedback out of all of the information nights we host. The students and parents who attended this meeting in the past have expressed how much this helped them get started and move forward with the college search process and developed a better understanding of what to expect along the way.  The meeting is primarily targeted at juniors, but sophomores and freshmen are welcome to attend if interested. The meeting is at 7:00pm in the auditorium. 

I hope you will plan to attend! And yes, I want you to bring your parents to this meeting and no, I don't want you to just send your parents instead... this is YOUR future and you are responsible for deciding what direction you will take.

Application Completion Workshop

It may seem scary how fast time flies and that college application deadlines are rapidly approaching.  I don't want you to be haunted by your applications!  Even though it may be getting dark outside, on Monday, October 17th, from 5:30 - 7:00pm, the counselors will be in the computer lab to assist you.  The most important trick is to bring your information with you.  Sometimes the essays may seem spooky and common app can be ghastly, but do not be afraid - the counselors are here to help!  No costumes are required, but we will have some treats.  You don't want to boo hoo because you miss it.  :-)

Students are in very different places in their application process.  Some of you still haven't started and so this will be a great opportunity for you to get started with your applications with our support and assistance.  Most of you have started, but are struggling to get finished and so if you need help finalizing your essays or just finding the time to be able to work through your application and get it finished, this is the perfect opportunity to complete your applications.

While I understand that coming back to school or not leaving after practice isn't very appealing, the reality is that it will make a difference.  By spending a few hours on focused application work, I am confident you will find the progress you make on your applications worth the sacrifice.  So, unless you have finished 100% of your applications, I hope you will join me and the rest of the counselors in the computer labs on Monday the 17th to work on finishing them!

Parent/ Teacher Conferences

Parent/ Teacher conferences are coming up in the next two weeks.  Conferences will be held on Monday, October 17th from 3:30 - 7:30pm and on Wednesday, October 19^th from 5:00 - 9:00pm.  Each conference will be scheduled in 20 minute time blocks.  Conferences allow parents the chance to learn about your student’s classroom performance from the teachers, it allows the opportunity for you to ask questions and they provide an opportunity to build a dialogue with the teachers regarding any thoughts and concerns you might have.

Parents, if you are interested in arranging to meet with one of your son or daughter’s teachers during conferences, the online system will be up and running for you to register for a meeting slot as of tomorrow morning.  Conferences will be scheduled as people sign up for them, so if you want to make sure you have times that work well for you, I strongly encourage you to register right away.  

Please follow the steps below to register for a parent/ teacher conference:

- Follow this link to take you to the conference scheduler:  http://ptcfast.com/schools/Worthington_Kilbourne_High_School 

-  Click on the teacher you would like to meet with for a conference.

-  Sign up by entering your child's last name, first name, your name and your e-mail address and then click Submit.

-  The next screen will direct you to check your e-mail inbox for a message with the subject "Select Date/ Team for Teacher Conference Now."

-  Open the e-mail and click on the link to select a conference time.  If you do not receive an e-mail, please check your junk/ spam folder.  Please note, you MUST follow the link in the e-mail in order to complete the sign-up process.

-  The link will take you to a Time Picker.  Available time slots will appear on this page.  If there are no available appointments that suit your schedule, please e-mail the teacher directly to set up an alternate meeting time.

-  After submitting your time slot, you will be prompted to finish, schedule another appointment for the same student or register another student.  Once you have completed your reservations, you will receive an e-mail confirming the date and time of your conferences and a link by which you can make changes to your date or time if you need to do so.

If you have any problems using the online conference registration system, please contact Anne Focht at WKHS.  She can be reached by e-mail at afocht@wscloud.org or by phone at 450-6400.

Also, junior students and parents (as well as any interested students/ parents in younger grades), don't forget that Wednesday, October 19th at 7:00pm is the College Information Night.  We schedule this meeting on conference night to try to help parents minimize the number of nights that you have to be at school, so if you'd like to take advantage of both opportunities on the same night, simply select teacher conferences before 7 and then come and attend the college night in the auditorium.

Application Process Reminders

I am happy to say that I have been seeing more and more students working their way through the beginning stages of the college application process. I think that many students have found that they are worried that it will be much bigger and more difficult than it really is. Without a doubt*, the most challenging part of the college application process is writing your college essay. (*OK, so I said this is the most challenging part, but really I should say this is the most challenging part for right NOW. Picking your list of schools was the most challenging part before you started applying and soon waiting will be the most challenging part and then, of course, making the decision about where to attend will be the big challenge. :-) I know it can be overwhelming, but you will get through this and I am here to help you in any way that I can!)

When applying, you complete and submit your application online. Most schools will require you to create a username and password. I cannot stress enough how important it is that you save all of these usernames and passwords! You will more than likely need them again when you want to check your admissions status. 

A few reminders other important about your online application...

1.) Punctuation and spelling matter! Pay attention to the details - this is your introduction to the college and you want to make a positive impression.

2.) Use your parents "real" names - they are more than just "mom" or "dad."

3.) Double check that you have the correct social security number. Many schools use that to connect all of your application pieces together.

4.) If it has a spot for an essay response - that is really an essay - do not just write in a quick sentence and move on. Take the time to draft, edit, revise, edit, revise, step away from, edit, and revise some more before you copy and paste the final essay into the application and submit it.

5.) Tell the Truth! Do not make up something or claim that you won an award, completed community service, or had some other issue during high school if it is not true. Honesty matters in how the college will perceive you and it is also simply an issue of integrity.

(And, for the record, all 5 of these problems are actual problems I have found when reviewing student applications at WKHS! I couldn't make them up...)

In addition to submitting your application online you will need to request for your transcript to be submitted to your college.  Your parents already signed your transcript release card if they attended senior college information night.  If not, you will need to take the form home and have it signed.  Mrs. McDaniel (Registrar) keeps the transcript release cards in her office.  You will simply go into her office, find your card in the box and add in the specific colleges where you want your transcript sent and give her the $1.00 fee for each transcript.  (The fee is waived for schools that are using Common App or Send edu for us to submit your transcripts.)  Mrs. McDaniel will then submit your transcript directly to the college(s) you have indicated.

It is ESSENTIAL to watch your deadlines carefully! You need to provide plenty of time for the transcript to be processed. The best “rule of thumb” for your getting your application to the counseling center is a week before the due date. Most college due dates are for all materials (and not just the application) to be received in their office before that date. Don’t forget that many colleges also have earlier due dates than those publicized to be considered for scholarships so you need to read carefully! If your application requires a recommendation letter from me, you definitely need to provide me with the 30 days of time because I write all recommendation letters on a first come first written basis and I do not want to have your application submitted after the due date because it wasn’t given to me with a reasonable amount of time.  That means get me your recommendation letter stuff RIGHT NOW if you haven't done so already.

After you have submitted your application you may also need to verify that your official test scores were sent from the testing organization (ACT/ SAT) directly to the college. If you did not have them sent to that particular school then you will need to pay the fee to have them sent if the college requires official scores from the testing agency.

Then it is time to sit back and wait...

When you eventually hear back from your schools, please stop in to see me and let me know the admissions decision as this is something that we track.

As always, please remember that I am here to help you and will help guide you through the process as we go. Feel free to ask questions and drop in to see me as you work on your applications.

Homecoming Week Festivities

This week is Homecoming Week! It is full of a variety of festivities and activities to celebrate and honor the tradition and experiences of high school at WKHS.

Here are some of the highlights of what to expect in the week ahead:

- Windows are painted in the commons - they look great. Congratulations to everyone who worked so hard to design and create the masterpieces.

- Tomorrow (Monday) is Preppy Day.

-  Tuesday is American Day.

- Wednesday is Pajama Day and Wednesday night is the Bonfire at 7:30pm behind the school.  While there, homecoming attendants for grades 9 - 11 are announced and the senior king and queen candidates are reduced to 3 each.

- Thursday is a Jersey Day. 

-  Friday's theme is a Purple Out which is also what the Kilbourne Krazie's have selected for the game theme.  There will also be an assembly on Friday and that is where the Homecoming King and Queen will be crowned. The football game is Friday night  - a great opportunity to come out and support your wolves! 

- Saturday is the Homecoming Dance from 8:00 - 11:00pm. 

Enjoy this week's festivities!