College Visits Part 2

I posted about questions to ask on college visits a few days ago, but I also know that many students and parents frequently have other questions related to visits and so I want to try to address some of those.

When can you make your visit?
Anytime!  Students often schedule visits to colleges on times when it fits with their parents schedule.  You are allowed to miss school for college visits - it is an excused absence, but please be sure to still have your parents contact the attendance office.

While you can make visits at any time, I encourage you to try to select days when you know you will have a positive experience.  There are many colleges that will host a major specific day and those days often include lots of unique experiences in that field of study including meeting professors, talking to students, seeing their projects, etc.  You also want to maximize the positive experience of going on the visit by not creating problems with your high school schedule and commitments.  For example, if you know that you have a game and therefore have to be in school for at least half the day, then that is probably not the best day to try to squeeze in a college visit.  You also know that there tend to be a lot of tests, quizzes and projects on the last day of the semester, so I encourage you to avoid that day as well.

A great day for all students to make college visits would be the days that we have off in Worthington, but the colleges will likely still be in session.  For example, Friday, October 18th could be a great visit day for students in all grades. 

How should I set up the visit?
The student should be the one who communicates with the college - not the parent!  Remember, you are the one who is going to college - not your mom or dad.  You are trying to show the college that you are mature, responsible and ready for the college opportunities and that begins with having the ability to communicate effectively with the admissions office.

Some colleges have online visit registration options and others only take reservations by phone.  You will definitely want to sign up for the visits in advance!

Should I attend on a "major specific" day?
As I mentioned in an earlier question, there are many colleges that will host special recruitment days for students looking at a particular major.  For example, there may be an engineering day, a nursing day, a communications day, etc.  These are GREAT opportunities for students to consider visiting the campus - not only for those of you who have made up your mind that you are interested in a particular field, but also for those students who think they might like to study that field.  So, for example, if I think I might want to study something connected to business, but don't know any more than that going to the college's business day can be a great learning opportunity for me to gain insight into the different aspects available within that major and that college.  If you attend you might walk away excited about a particular opportunity or section of business or you may leave realizing you thought it seemed terrible and that would still give you the information to help you know that this is not the best job field for your future.

What else should I keep in mind?
- Take a picture!  Don't forget, I want a picture of you on every college campus you step foot on!

- Use the questions that I shared a few days ago to help guide you on possible things to ask.

- Pay attention to the details around you to learn all that there is to know about the college.

- Remember, a lot of outside factors can influence the quality of the visit positively or negatively. For example, the weather… if it is a gorgeous sunny day with perfect temperatures you may think it is the most beautiful school and if it cold, rainy, or dreary you may think it is miserable, but try to remember that the weather changes from day to day and judge the school without being overly influenced by the weather. (Please also remember that if you are traveling to areas in different climates than Ohio that weather may truly be an appropriate factor to consider, so I am not making a blanket statement to always ignore the weather.)

- Tour guides also form a huge impression of the school that you visit. Most colleges know that and will try to find outgoing, positive, energetic students to take you through the campus. Ideally the guides will try to get to know something about you or your interests to help point those aspects of the school out to you, but the reality is the students serving as tour guides are not always great and, let’s be honest here, we all have bad days so even some of the good tour guides can have off days where they won’t be impressive on the visit. I know it can be hard, but try to separate the guide from the school.

- If you can spare the time – stop and sit on a bench and just “people watch.” Are these people that you can imagine being your friends in the future? Remember, you are hoping that in the near future that you will be able to make friends with them and others like them on campus. Think about how you are feeling on the campus – can you imagine yourself being there and being both happy and successful at this school?

I cannot wait to hear about your experiences exploring college campuses!

Planning Ahead

There are a lot of events and dates that you will want to know about coming up this month.  I wanted to make sure that you had a chance to plan ahead because many of these are opportunities you won't want to miss.

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.  The Windows are painted in the commons - they look great. Congratulations to everyone who worked so hard to design and create the masterpieces.Here are some of the highlights of what to expect in the week ahead:

- Tomorrow (Monday) is Pajama Day.

-  Tuesday is Beach Day.

- Wednesday is Fraternity/ Sorority Day.
- Thursday is a 80's Day. 

-  Friday's theme is a Kilbourne Spirit and then the Kilbourne Krazie's have selected a Pink out for the game theme.  There will also be an assembly on Friday and that is where the Homecoming court will be recognized. 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.

Tuesday, October 1st:  Financial Aid Night at 7pm in the WKHS Auditorium.  Come and learn about the FAFSA and applying for financial aid.

Thursday, October 3rd:  Picture Re-Takes during lunch periods in the auditorium.  Any students who didn't get their picture taken or want to participate in re-takes should go during their lunch period to meet with the photographers.

Wednesday, October 9th:  College Application Completion Workshop.  Senior students are invited to come during their lunch periods to work on revising and completing their college applications in the drop in lab.

Sunday, October 13th:  Columbus Suburban College Fair at Westerville Central High School from 1:00 - 3:30pm.

Wednesday, October 16th:  PSAT for sophomore and junior students who signed up to take this practice SAT.

Thursday, October 17th: End of the 1st quarter.

Friday, October 18th: No School.

Wednesday, October 23rd: Planning for College Information Night at 7pm in the WKHS Auditorium.  This is a key evening for junior students and parents to attend.  Freshmen and Sophomore students and parents are also welcome to join us for an early look at preparing for college.  This is also a Parent/ Teacher Conference Night.

Monday, October 28th:  Worthington Industries Workplace Partnership Information meeting.  This presentation will explain a new partnership opportunity to students and parents about the chance for seniors to complete an internship at Worthington Industries with a chance to transition into employment at $14.50/ hour following graduation.  This is also a Parent/ Teacher Conference Night.

College Visits

College visits are often the best way to get an understanding of the true feel for a college campus.  It is great to make a range of visits at different types of campuses- near and far, big and small (and somewhere in between), urban, suburban and rural, as a way to help develop a true understanding of what to expect on various environments. Once you start visiting college campuses you will start to develop a sense for what you gravitate towards and what will fit best for you.  For most of my students over the years, what they have realized that it is easier to identify what they do NOT like as much and they can then use that information to help narrow down their interests and perhaps find other schools to explore.

So what do you do on your college visit?  You will want to ask questions as you tour the school. (Below is a lengthy list of question ideas for you.)  After each visit, review the list to see if there are any other questions you might want to add. Remember, you are visiting campuses to get a feeling for the atmosphere of each place – something you can’t get from a brochure or website.

Questions to Ask During a Campus Visit:

- What activities and services are available to help students get settled (academically and socially) during their first year?
- How big are the classes?
- What is the total cost of attending the college?
- What types of financial aid does the college offer and how do I apply?
- Are all freshmen assigned to an academic advisor?
- Where do most freshmen live?
- Can I take a tour of the building to see the difference between a typical freshmen entry level lecture class, an honors class, and a small group classroom?
- What activities are available for students?
- Who teaches the majority of the courses for first-year students?
- How successful are the college’s graduates in finding jobs?
- What services (such as transportation and shopping) are available locally?
- What is there to do on weekends? Do most students stay on campus or leave on weekends?
- Are the dorms spread throughout the campus or clustered in one area?
- Is there any kind of shuttle service between classroom areas, the library, the student union, and dorms? How late does it run?
- Is there a security system to bar outsiders from entering dorms?
- How large is the campus security police force? Does it patrol the campus regularly?
- What services are offered by the campus health center? How large is it?
- Does the student health center refer students to the local hospital? Is there a nearby hospital? How large is it?

Ask Students:
- How many of your courses are taught by a big-name professor and how many by a teaching assistant?- How easy is it to meet with faculty?
- Are you able to register for the classes you want?- Is the teaching innovative and project oriented or is it mostly lecture oriented?
- Do most freshmen class lectures take place in an amphitheater?
- What are the strong majors? What are the weak majors?
- How hard do you have to work for your grades?
- What’s the reputation of the ________ department?
- How adequate for your needs is the campus computer network?
- Do fraternities and sororities dominate the social life of the college?
- What do students do on weekends? Do most go home?
- How is the advisement system? Do you feel your professors really care?
- How helpful are the other students if you miss a class? (Are they willing to share a copy of their notes or review the information covered with you?)
- There are a lot of organizations on campus. Are they dominated by a few groups or is anyone welcome?
- How active is the ___________ (fill in the activity in which you are interested)?

Pay Attention to/ Take note of:

- Are the dorms quiet or noisy? Do they seem crowded?
- How large are the dorm rooms? Is there adequate space and light to study?
- Does each dorm room have strong access to the internet?
- What’s advertised on dorm and classroom bulletin boards? What does this tell me about campus life?
- How good is the lighting around each dorm, classroom, and lab buildings?
- Do the buildings and grounds look well cared for or do they need painting and general repair work?
- Is the grass cut and are the grounds landscaped?
- What’s the condition of the playing fields and the sports equipment?
- How is the quality of the food in the cafeteria or dining hall? How are the sizes of the portions? Is it healthy or fast food? Are there meal plans?
- Does it look like there is much to do outside of campus?
- How easy is it to get to places off campus?
- Are there places within walking distance?
- Are there places to get extra furniture, like bookcases, for your dorm room?
- Is there a supermarket nearby to stock up on snacks and soda?
- If you move out of a dorm after freshman year, what are the options in apartment complexes or buildings?

Things to Ask Yourself:
- While waiting how did the staff members that you observed interact with students? Were they friendly or did they approach students – both potential freshmen like you and enrolled students – as if they were interfering with the staff members jobs?
- Was the Admissions office a friendly and inviting place with a great deal of information about the school or was it cold and sterile with little information to pick up?
- What did your parents find out about the career planning services offered to graduating seniors and to graduates? What do the services include?
- Do most of the students seem to be like you or are they completely different? Can you imagine being friends with the people you see on campus?
- How would you feel being in a classroom full of these students? Sharing a dorm with them?
- Do the students try to make you feel at home? Are they happy to answer your questions or do they make you feel like you’re intruding? How do they interact with one another?
- Does the campus seem too big or too small?
- Do freshmen live in their own dorms? How do I feel about living in a single-sex or coed dorm?
- Do you feel comfortable and safe?
- Think about the kind of person you are. Are you a self-starter or do you need someone to motivate you? Do you like being part of a crowd or would you rather be alone or in a small group? How important is it to be near your family? How comfortable are you with challenging courses?
- Compare your offers – financially and what the school has to offer. Make a list of pros and cons of each school and the key reasons for your decisions. Remember some factors may be more important to you than others.

After the Visit/ Interview:
- Write thank you notes to your interviewer and anyone else you met with formally, such as a coach or a professor.
- If you spoke with any students and traded e-mail addresses, send an e-mail thank you.

Submitting College Applications

Completing your college applications is done online and while this provides an easy way to use options like the Common App to apply to multiple schools with one application, it does have some challenges. Here are a few reminders as you work on your online applications...

1.)  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. (Even though you think you won't forget them, I strongly suggest that you to save it in your phone or somewhere at home where no one will accidentally throw it out or your dog won't eat it.

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

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

4.) Double check that you have the correct social security number. Many schools use that to connect all of your application pieces together.  Believe me, this is a NIGHTMARE if you end up submitting an application with a typo in your social security number.

5.) 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.  Watch your word count as you are planning for your responses.  Some short answer essays are even more challenging than the full essay because you have to respond using so few words.

6.) 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 of these problems are actual problems I have found when reviewing student applications at WKHS! I couldn't make them up...)

Because of You

Today at school we had the chance to honor and celebrate the impact of others on your life.  #BecauseOfYou was the point behind this video and it was also the message so many of you had the courage to share and recognize during the day today.

For all of the parents or anyone who, for whatever reason, didn't have the chance to watch the video during your 3rd period class today, I hope you will take a few minutes and watch this powerful PSA that was created by the Ad Council.

I have watched the video many times as we were preparing for today and the final message that, "Because of You someone's entire day can change, Because of You someone's entire year can change, and Because of You someone's entire life can change", continues to touch my heart.  And here is the reality... we don't always see that in ourselves.  We don't recognize the impact we are having on others.  But we are often keenly aware of how much others help us.  The reason we wanted to focus on that today is that it is important and valuable to realize the depth of an impact you are having on someone else - even though you might not realize it at the time.

My video message said... #BecauseOfYou I feel I have a sense of purpose in my life.  I am not your parent, but I love you like you are my own child.  You have blessed my life in ways you can't even imagine and I am so proud as I have watched you overcome challenges, work hard to achieve your goals, and never give up on your dreams.  Even though I don't get to see you as often as I'd like, you are always in my heart and mind.  I love you and I am grateful for every moment of love you have shown me too.

I also did a photo message for Lexi... #BecauseOfYou I am no longer lonely.  (I didn't even realize I was lonely until I had Lexi and then I realized just how much she brought to my life and how much she filled a void I hadn't even recognized was there.)

I loved seeing all of the kids and staff that participated. But in particular it was hearing kids talk about how their teacher or coach or adviser or friend had done a #BecauseOfYou message to them and how much it meant to them. In fact, some of the Field Hockey girls sent their coach their #BecauseOfYou photos and she did one on her own and sent it back to them! Gives me chills. I love that genuine connection and caring!

If you didn't participate today during lunch, there is no time like the present... hop on social media and share the message #BecauseOfYou to recognize someone who has had a positive impact on your life.  Who knows, perhaps by doing so you will inspire someone else to recognize someone too.  And, if you are not on social media, then at least send someone a text, email, or tell them face to face how much they have changed your life for the better.

This world has enough negativity.  Stress levels are high.  Frustration runs deep.  Disappointment and hurt seems never-ending at times.  But there is good.  There is so much good!  We need to focus on it today and every day.  Because by doing so, perhaps it will end up multiplying.  Someone will decide to be a little kinder because they know that it had made a positive difference to someone else in the past.  What a gift and blessing that would be for not only you, but for our school, our community, and our world.

Thank you again to all of the students who participated in today's #BecauseOfYou day.  #BecauseOfYou Kilbourne is a better place!

ACT Scores

Students who took the ACT earlier this month can begin accessing their scores online today.  I hope you will be thrilled with the results!  I know that seeing results can be stressful - especially if you didn't do as well as you had hoped.  Please remember that I am looking forward to hearing from you about your results.

I know in talking to seniors there are many who were feeling stressed as if everything was hanging on the outcome of these tests and I want to remind you that this is not the case.  There are many colleges that do NOT require test scores when evaluating applicants for admission and, for regular admission deadlines there are still additional testing dates that you can use to re-take the test if needed.  So, if your score is not what you had hoped it doesn't mean there are not still plenty of choices available to you. 

Financial Aid Night

In spite of all the pumpkin spice everything that is around, it's hard to believe that we are already approaching October 1st and, for seniors, this is a very significant day.  The FAFSA will open on October 1st.  The government and colleges have moved FAFSA's opening date and due dates up in order to give students and families more time to be able to have their financial aid offers and consider the implications when making the decision about which college will be the best fit financially.  The FAFSA for current high school seniors will be based upon the 2018 tax returns.  You can access the FAFSA here:  https://fafsa.ed.gov/

When students and parents are completing the FAFSA, you will each need to have an FSAID number.  This number will allow you to electronically sign your FAFSA and in the future it would let you sign promissory notes as well as complete future FAFSA's.

The student and parent will each create their own separate numbers.  You cannot use the same e-mail addresses for the creation of the numbers so if you don't have an e-mail address and have been using your parents e-mail in the past then this is the ideal time to create your own e-mail account.

You will make your own challenge questions to help you access your number if you forget it in the future so it is important to write down those challenge questions and answers to make sure you will remember it down the road.  I recommend that students and parents make a folder related to FAFSA where you store all of this information so that you will always have it when you might need it.

If you forget to create an FSAID number prior to completing your FAFSA, it will still have a link for you to be able to go back and create one, but ideally you should create it ahead of time.

Here is a link to create your FSAID numbers:  https://fsaid.ed.gov/npas/index.htm

To help you with the college financial aid process we will have a Financial Aid Meeting coming up next week for parents at 7:00pm on October 1st in the WKHS Auditorium.  We are fortunate enough to have Faith Phillips, a financial aid director for OSU Newark and COTC, sharing her expertise with our parents and students.  She always has useful insight and is able to present it in engaging ways that will help you in completing your financial aid application.  

Latest in College Admissions

Earlier this month I was out of the building for a day to attend the Ohio Association of College Admissions Counselor Articulation meeting.  This is the opportunity for all of the Ohio 2-year and 4-year, public and private colleges to come together and meet with high school counselors to review what they are looking for in applicants, what we need to be aware of as we work with you during the year, the latest news from their campuses and more.

One of the challenges each year is that Ohio has a LOT of colleges!  359 in fact.  So we get a quick glimpse of them and yet, while it feels fast and overwhelming at times, I always find myself walking away with important information.

When we met with senior students and parents at the college information night we talked about the data on where Kilbourne students have been most likely to attend after they graduate.  It is not a surprise that most of the colleges where students attend are located in Ohio.  CSCC is the most frequently attended post-secondary institution for our students.  Their growing opportunities along with the fact that it is, by far, the most cost effective choice, has made this the top choice for our students.  After CSCC comes the Ohio State University which includes both main campus and the branch campuses.  Getting admitted to main campus continues to grow more competitive with each year.  The current freshmen class of students at OSU have an average ACT score of 29.3 – 29.4 and 95% of the accepted students are in the top 25% of their high school graduating class (65% were within the top 10% of their high school classes).  OSU also shared that 99% of their accepted students had more than 4 credits of math, 91% had at least 4 credits of Science, and 89% had 3 or more years of foreign language.  I also thought it was interesting to learn that only 17% of the admitted students did not have College Credits coming with them.  Clearly, they are looking for students who extend beyond the minimum requirements.  I will remind you though that they were quick to point out that there is a place for everyone interested in being a Buckeye to be accepted and that their branch campuses do have a lot of great opportunities for students to get their start.  For WKHS graduates, the colleges which rounded out our top 5 most attended included Ohio University, the University of Cincinnati, and Miami University.

One of the break-out sessions at the senior night had been regarding highly selective colleges… and we talked about the competitiveness of highly selective colleges, I assume you believed me about the fact that admissions to these colleges and universities is a definite long shot, but Brown University recently shared that they accepted just 7% of all of their applicants and 94% of those accepted students were in the top 10% of their high school class.  One of the craziest (mind-boggling) stats is that their middle 50% of ACT score ranged between a 33-35.  (Middle 50% means that 25% are below that range and 25% are above it... which means 25% of their accepted students had a perfect score on the ACT and only 25% of their accepted students had less than a 33.)  Duke University admissions data for the current freshmen class paints a similar picture of competitiveness.  They accepted about half of their class from the early decision applicants and half from the regular decision applicants.  But because of the numbers of applicants, that means that technically they accepted 18.4% of their ED applicants and just 6.4% of their regular decision applicants.

And yet, I really want to stress to all of you that there IS a college that is out there for every student with every area of interest and capability.  And many of them are expanding programs and opportunities based upon student interests and needs.

Capital University shared that they have a program that honors students who have a parent working in non-profit or public service sectors guaranteeing the students half-tuition.  I thought this was incredible!  So, if you have a parent who works as a teacher, a firefighter, for a non-profit health organization, and so many more specific areas, then you qualify to have half-tuition for college at Capital.  Learn more about their good guarantee.

Many of the Ohio schools such as Muskingum, Miami, and Akron have competitive e-Sports teams so if you are seeking opportunities to take your video game skills to the college level then this might interest you.  There are also many colleges that are focusing on digital design majors (like Tiffin) or similar fields such as Cybersecurity (like Ashland and Walsh).

One of the other big pieces of information that you will want to know is that Miami shared that they require one recommendation letter, but that the letter can be from any staff member who knows you well - a teacher or counselor.  The way the Common App indicates it on their site is that one counselor letter is required, but that is because their system doesn't have a way to report that it can be from either school representative, but that one is required.

We have links on the Counselor website and extra copies sitting out in the front of the counseling center (as well as I have some in my office) of the brochures that help give overviews of all the Ohio colleges if you want to check them out.  

The reality is that aspects of college admissions and the new majors, initiatives, and priorities of every college are frequently changing.  This is part of why having access to college websites as well as the chance to meet with admissions representatives makes it so much easier to explore what is happening on campuses each year.

Counselor Website

The WKHS Counselor website is www.wkhscounselors.com and it is one of the best resources that we have for students and families.  In so many ways, I can tell you that you can replace me with the website.  I mean, I hope not really replace me, but truly, the majority of the information that you might need from me is accessible to you 24/7 on the Counselor Website.

Want information about study strategies?  It's on the website.  Struggle with test anxiety?  Check the website for hints.  Wondering what to expect on college interviews or who the upcoming college reps visiting WKHS will be?  We have you covered on the website.  Not sure where to start in your college search?  Lots of pages connected to that on the website.  Want more information about anger, stress, coping strategies, or suicide prevention?  Yep, all of that is on the website too.  Where do we send you to complete your transcript release form?  The website.

The search box in the top right corner is one of the best and easiest tools to use to find anything you want.  The reality is that because the website has so much content, it is hard to make it so you can find everything in an easy, straight-forward manner.  Or, the other option, spend some time just moving around the different areas of the website.

We put a lot of time and effort into making sure that the website covers the information you want and need because we know that when you think of something it isn't always possible to stop by our offices to ask a question.  We still want to see and help you in person, but this is just one more tool that we have created to help you.

My request, if you haven't visited the counselor website lately, please follow this link now and go spend a few minutes checking it out.

Class Progress Reminders

Can you believe we are already beyond the half-way point of the first quarter?  In many ways it feels like we just got started.  As you are hopefully aware, you and your parents have the opportunity to check your grades on an ongoing basis.  But, if you haven't started checking your greats yet this year, since we are about half way through, this is the time when you are able to get a good feel for how you are doing in each of your classes.  I strongly suggest that you take a look at your grades and make sure you are on track for the quarter.

I am sure you and your parents know how to access Infinite Campus which is the system that has your schedules, attendance, grades, and transcripts.  Your teachers are updating their grades at least once a week so that you can check and have an ongoing update for how you are doing in each class.  This continual information provides you with the chance to celebrate if you are doing well and to identify what you might need to change if you are not meeting your own expectations for the goals you had set for the year.

One challenge for me is that I cannot see the same things you see when you look at Infinite Campus.  I have heard students say the program is a bit more difficult to use on the computer, but that for people with smart phones, the free app from Infinite Campus is very easy to use and is a great tool.  If you are interested in downloading and using the free Infinite Campus app, you will need to know that the District Code is: YCWTRL

If you haven't figured out how to access Infinite Campus at all, please visit the Worthington Website at www.worthington.k12.oh.us and then you will click on the Login Icon.  You can also look below the login boxes for a link to Frequently Asked Questions for more detailed information.

I also 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 just a week away - Thursday, September 26th. 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 next Thursday!

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 US History classes, all sophomores had a chance to listen to a presentation about the Delaware Area Career Center (DACC) and the programs they have available for students. Attending DACC 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.  

It was interesting to hear about all of the different programs that are available for students.  With over 25 different programs available, there are many unique experiences and opportunities available that can give you a jump start on a career and can also 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 no later than, October 17th, but I'd encourage you to return it right away so that you don't lose the permission slip or forget.  The field trip is scheduled for Friday, November 22nd.

One thing to realize about the Career Center is that they partner with 15 different districts from across Central Ohio.  So by attending the Career Center you have the chance to meet new people who have similar interests.  Each student is still involved in the activities in their home school such as sports and clubs, but this just extends that network of friends and contacts.  I will also point out that while it is a huge advantage to have that many different schools all working with the career center, it also means that the 25 spots available in each program (except Digital Design which have 50 spots available) are going to be competitive to apply and get a seat.  As a result, if this program interests you, I encourage you to make your visit in November so that you can apply right away after the field trip.

Demonstrated Interest

Did you know that colleges keep track of every contact and interaction you have with them?  For colleges, they typically refer to this as your demonstrated interest.  They want to know that you are genuinely interested in their college and that applying to their school is something you have investigated and feel like it would be a good fit. Don't get me wrong, that doesn't mean that you should call a school multiple times a week - that would definitely get on their nerves, but they want students who are truly interested. You can show that by meeting with their admissions representatives when they come to WKHS (as you know, visits are happening daily now), meeting with the admissions reps at college fairs, by attending their community gathers sponsored in the Columbus area, participating in "optional" interviews and essays, and especially visiting their campus and doing the official tour and presentation session (not just showing up at a campus for a Saturday football game and assuming you now know everything about the school).

Your demonstrated interest will not be what gets you accepted to their school, but since colleges are always trying to predict who it is that will ultimately attend their university out of those they accept, it works to your advantage to be sure that the college will be a good fit - not only because it demonstrates your interest, but also - and more importantly - because it will enable you to be confident that this is a school which fits your needs and goals in what you were hoping for in a college campus community and in your future collegiate home.  

Resume of Failures

I recently came across a sheet titled: Your Resume of Failures by Mayra that I had printed way back in 2011 and saved as a reminder for myself.  I know that when I printed it I was just saving it for myself, but unfortunately that means I don't know how to attribute credit for it now... but as I read it again I realized that while the message most definitely applies to my life, I suspect it will also apply to your life.  And so I wanted to share it with you.  I hope that you will think about the times and ways that you have grown from failures, set-backs, embarrassments, and heartbreaks.  I firmly believe that talking about them shows your strength!


Your "Resume of Failures"

I honestly believe that it is our failures, not our successes, that bond us.  Think about it.  If you know someone who has gone through a similar "debilitating" experience (loss, betrayal, abuse, addiction, death, anxiety, sorrow, embarrassment, etc.), you tend to feel a certain bond with that person... as if they "know what you know."

One difficulty we encounter with failure is making the time to talk about it.  While our culture loves and thrives on talking about the failures of others, sadly, we are seldom courageous enough to discuss our own.  We feel shame.  We want to hide.  But this is exactly what we must work through in order to have our "failure" be something of value.  Here is my list of what I consider the gifts of failure.

The Gifts of Failure:

1. For showing me that I was wrong
2. For showing me my false beliefs
3. For showing me my humanity
4. For teaching me humility
5. For teaching me self-compassion
6. For teaching me self-forgiveness
7. For the opportunity to reassess
8. For the opportunity to try again
9. For its connecting power (better bonding agent than success!)
10. For how failure leads to truth

So you see, there is great value in failure.  It is precisely through the trials and erros of life that we become more of who we are.  How we get to the root of who we are.  How our layers of false beliefs, "shoulds," and "musts" are challenged and are then able to be laid to rest.

Here is a little secret: while your "failure" was certainly awful, painful, soul sucking, embarrassing and hurtful, it is really not that unique... really.  We like to think "we are the only person who ever experienced this!" but the truth of the matter is that we are not.

Any human being who is willing to share their "resume of failures" and who can walk in grace and compassion is someone to admire and someone who I would proudly call friend.

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).  I already talked about how GPA's are calculated at WKHS last month, 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 admissions office.

College Essay - Revision

I'm back to talk about college essays some more.  Did you notice that I took a break from the topic for a few days?  It may sound cheesy, but I did that intentionally because that is also what I am asking each of you to do after you finish your draft of your essay.  Be happy that you are pleased with your essay.  Put it down, walk away from it for a few days and then go back later and re-read it again.  

I have already had several students who had drafted their essay at the end of their junior year and then didn't worry about their essay all summer come into my office very worried because they thought they were done with their essay, but then they read it again this fall and realized it wasn't at all the way they had remembered it would sound.  They were disappointed to find that what they initially thought was great ended up falling short of their own expectations when they were able to look at the essay with fresh eyes.  They were shocked, but I was happy because this meant they were one major step closer to having a polished essay that accurately conveyed them.

My point is that once you have written your essay, you want to give plenty of time to edit!  I understand that this is (drastically) different than most of the essays you have written in high school, but it is worth writing a draft, walking away from it for a few days and then coming back to read it again to take a fresh look.

REVISING THE ESSAY
Taking the time to edit and go through multiple drafts is a gift you can give yourself to drastically decrease your stress with the entire college application process.  Here are some areas to keep in mind as you are revising your essay...

When you begin reading through your essay again ask yourself:

Does it reveal who you are?

Does it represent your best academic ability?

Does it sound like you? 

Look at 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?

As you begin to get picky, look at your word choice and make sure you are not overusing particular words.  Pay careful attention to the verbs - they 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."

The essay also needs to read smoothly. If it is a longer essay, 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.

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, and 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 writing your essay until the last possible second.  And I hope this goes without saying, but don’t lie.  Do not make up stories that are not true or genuine.  You are the best you there is and this essay is about you so show yourself off and just be careful on tone.

Every year I have at least 1 student ask me if the colleges read the essays and I can assure you that the answer is YES – they really do read the essays!  Please 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 sounds intimidating, but relax and start writing – and editing – and then do some more writing and editing… 

Please rest assured that I am here to help you with your essays.  I will NOT write it for you, but if you are struggling to come up with topics or want help editing, don't hesitate to stop by and see me.  Also, the English teachers and Ms. Elliott are awesome resources for editing help too.  Good luck and happy writing!

Welcome to WKHS

This morning 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 42 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 Egypt, not to mention 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, 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 rest of Kilbourne's 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!

Ask.

This week is National Suicide Prevention Week.  This link takes you to a short 3 minute video clip with information related to suicide.  It's intended audience is for the parents of teens, but it applies to kids too.  I am going to ask you to stop now and watch it.  Please.

I recognize that the video is simple, not overly emotional, but wow does it hit on so many of the key messages related to suicide.  Most of all, the importance of asking.  The feeling of being alone with your thoughts, your feelings, your loneliness, your hurt, your pain, and not being able to see any way out is a key risk factor for teens having thoughts of suicide.  So ask.  Ask the people around you, "Are you ok?" Ask, "Are you having thoughts of killing yourself?"  Ask, "How are you feeling?"  And then listen.

If the answer is yes, then it is time to act.  Get your family member or friend support and help.  Something needs to change in his/ her life so that they don't have to feel this way.  And if they say no, but your gut instinct is that something is wrong - trust yourself and still seek support.  You know the people in your life best.  You know when something is wrong with your friend.  You know when they are hurting or not acting like themselves.  There is never any harm in pulling more support into their life... and it may truly end up saving their life!

If someone is in immediate danger of taking his/ her own life, please call 911 or go directly to an Emergency Room.  If you aren't sure of the level of danger, you can also call the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or use the Crisis Text line by sending text to 741741 - both numbers are available free of charge, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

If you have concerns about a friend while you are at school, please come and see me or one of the other counselors at WKHS.  We are here to help!  What you and your friend are going through matters to us and you could be helping to save their life by speaking up.

College Essay - Make it Count

Last night I started talking about the college essay and once you have come up with a unique topic and decided what question you want to answer to showcase yourself, it is now time to WRITE!

COMPOSING THE ESSAY
When writing your essay you want to make every word count.  But you can't really do that unless you have a plan for your writing so that you do not just ramble.  Whenever possible, start your essay with a catch – something that will engage the readers and compel them to continue reading.  As you are writing, try to keep in mind that this is a formal essay so you need to make sure that you are using proper grammar, punctuation and varying your sentence structure.

Be sure to use your voice and stick to the word count.  (An important hint: I know it doesn't seem like it, but I promise, it is always easier to cut words than to try to figure out how to squeeze more detail in later, so answer the question fully first before worrying too much about word count, but plan ahead enough so that you are at least in the ball park of your word limits... you want to cut 50-100 words not try to cut 2,000 words.) As you are writing you want to maximize your word count to provide details and depth.  

There are 3 main aspects you want to keep in mind while drafting your essay:

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 taking a different essay and trying to make it fit for their question.  Put in the time to write an essay that answers the question they are asking.  Also, be sure that you respond to all parts of the prompt and fulfilling exactly what the college is asking you to do (list, define, explain, compare/ contrast, evaluate, etc.)  Yes, you will be telling your story, but as I showed yesterday, that is only part of the process - you have to also reflect back on how that story relates to you and your life in whatever way they are asking.

Show me - Don't just 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 with vivid examples – that will usually be specific, concrete stories to illustrate your point.  It can be helpful to describe the scene or the person with sharp nouns and active verbs or by using details that will invoke the senses. How did it look? feel? smell? sound?  Don’t just say that "Uncle John was odd." Show us his dog who smashed through closed windows and his unique decorating style of mixing plaid and polka dots.

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?  I tend to frustrate students a lot when they come in with their drafts and before I even look at it I ask, "What am I going to learn about you when I read this?" If you don't have a good answer to that as you start writing then I am going to encourage you to pause and reflect before you keep writing.  You have to write with the end in mind when drafting college essays and the end is that the college admissions representative is going to learn something about you.

More essay fun yet to come, but happy writing...

College Essay - YOU

Today seemed to include a LOT of conversations with seniors about their college essays.  Students working to brainstorm what they are talking about in their various essays, students trying to figure out how to make an idea they have work for the prompt they have been given, students that have solid drafts, and others who truly have not even started.  So let's spend a few minutes talking about the essays.  Last month I talked about the importance of coming up with a creative topic.  If you are at that phase of the process, please pick up a brainstorming sheet from the counseling center or download a copy off of the counselor website and always feel free to look back to my blog post where I talked more about that topic.

But for today I want to talk specifically about the importance of your essay focusing on YOU!  When colleges review your application they can read things like your grade point average and test scores, but they still want to know more about YOU – the person behind those grades, scores, and activities.  You should be the star of your college essay! This is your chance to communicate to the colleges who you are and how your mind works.  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 stand out.  Think of this as your opportunity to personally introduce yourself to the admissions and scholarship officers reading your application. Be open, honest and real. 

I encourage you to think of your essay as a blind date.  You are trying to make a positive impression on someone you don’t really know by showcasing who you are and all of the great things about you.  You want them to walk away knowing that you are special and thinking, "Wow, I really want to meet this kid."  The best news of all though is that you don’t have to suffer from the nerves of making a silly mistake on this “blind date” – you can perfect your essay so that you can make sure you are putting forth a positive message with a good tone that also shows your ability to think and write clearly and logically.

As you read through the essay prompts, what you will notice is that each question focuses on you.  I know that it isn't always easy or comfortable and it's definitely not what you are used to writing about, but it is important.

For example, I saw a scholarship application that had prompts, but then they also took it a step further to descibe it in more detail hints about what they were looking for in the responses.  I think it might help clarify if you saw it as well...

"Suppose you had to choose one person - a modern person or person from another era - to travel with you on a cross-country road trip. Who would you choose and why? What would make this person an ideal traveling companion? What insights will you gain? Hint: Do not spend most of your essay describing the person and his or her history/accomplishments; what’s important to us is what your choice reveals about you."

And another example:

"Describe an experience that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood. This could involve your culture (“rite of passage”), an incident in your community or family, or even a revelation of skills, ideas, life lessons, etc. What did you learn/gain from this transition? Hint: Do not spend most of your essay on the details of your experience; what’s important to us is your insight into the lessons you learned and/or knowledge you gained."

So yes, you are telling them a story, but ultimately you are just using that story as a way to tell the reader more about YOU.  Who you are, how you think, ways that you feel, and the impact you have.  Believe me, each of you has a powerful story to share because you are unique and wonderful... now it's time to start working on your essay so that the college can recognize that about you too.

As the week progresses I will continue to give you more college essay writing tips.

Also, a quick reminder, college admissions reps have started visiting WKHS regularly.  Don't miss the chance to meet with them!  Tomorrow OSU, Duke, and BGSU will visit Kilbourne.  OSU and BGSU are among 2 of the most popular colleges for WKHS grads to attend and Duke always has a large number of applicants... if you are planning to apply to any of these colleges, plan on meeting with the reps tomorrow morning in the Counseling Center!