Happy Halloween

My nephew, Brady, dressed up as Mario.

When you were little, I suspect that Halloween was a day filled with excitement.  You had the chance to dress up, pretend that you are someone you are not, hang out with your friends and be given candy by neighbors.  Today, for many of my seniors in particular, I suspect Halloween is a day filled with anxiety.  You are not able to disappear into your imagination and the stress of tomorrow's college application deadline feels rather like a nightmare.

I would like you to pause.  Breathe in.  Breathe out.  Repeat that again. 

Seriously.  (If you didn't, please stop and take the well needed deep breath.)

Applying to college by the early action deadlines is a great goal, but it is not the only deadline so if you are not ready, you're not ready.  Breathe.  You do still have a little over 24 hours left to try to finish up your applications so I want to give you a few final reminders.

1. If you are applying tomorrow via Common App and have not already identified me as your counselor on the FERPA and Recommenders section of your application, you need to do this TONIGHT!

2.  You need to submit your transcript release form.  This is on the WKHS Counselor website - www.wkhscounselors.com - and you need to get that done before noon tomorrow so that I have time to get it uploaded before I leave for the day.

3.  If you have not already requested that your official test scores be sent from ACT/ SAT directly to your colleges, then you need to go the the testing agencies pages and request for your scores to be sent.  (Hopefully you have already done this because they won't make it by tomorrow, but still do this now if you realize you hadn't done that step.)

4.  If you are trying to rush together a half-hearted application and you know that your essay is not great and really could be better, I am going to encourage you to have a heart-to-heart with your parents about waiting to submit your application for the regular deadlines.  The regular deadlines are NOT late.  It is absolutely acceptable to apply by those dates.

5.  This has been a non-stop week of trying to review essays for students.  If you are still working on your applications and need help, feel free to stop by tomorrow and I will do my best to squeeze you into the day - just prepare yourself for the fact that you might have to wait for a few minutes.

Back to Halloween, I wanted to give a special acknowledgement to all of the students who braved the cold and wind tonight to go "Trick or Canning" for the Worthington Food Pantry.  You make a difference and I am grateful for your efforts!