Spring Break College Visits

No matter what grade you are in and what plans you have established for spring break, I'd like to encourage you to consider adding in at least one (if not more) college visits to your agenda.

For seniors, many colleges are in session during our break and so this is an ideal time to be able to visit the campuses of your top choices. Being able to compare your college choices and to make sure you are finding the school which will be your best fit before the May 1st decision deadline is helpful. You can also consider making an overnight visit at the colleges for a different opportunity that you have probably not had a chance to do thus far.

For freshmen through juniors, making college visits is a beneficial opportunity to start identifying what aspects you like most and least in a college. You will have the chance to actually walk around on a campus and imagine yourself being there in the future. People watch, explore opportunities, investigate academics, and engage with the admissions staff to help guide you in your future college application plans.  

If you are planning to be in town, there are lots of local colleges that you can visit easily. If you will be traveling over break, you can still make college visits wherever you find yourself during break. Chances are good that there are colleges near or along your destination and even if it is not a school that you are considering for the future, it still gives you the chance to get another view of colleges... and this can be incredibly valuable as you ultimately determine what you want or don't want in a school.

AI & College Admissions

There is no area that is changing faster and growing more rapidly than the influence of AI in college admissions. It is the area where we are watching the most webinars, reading the most articles, and listening to the more podcasts about over any other aspect of college admissions. 

Can AI be a useful tool in supporting your college admissions process? Absolutely.

Can AI be mis-used and therefore hinder your college applications? Absolutely.

And that is why it is a tricky area. 

Tomorrow, all junior students are invited to attend the Junior Seminar on AI & Admissions where we will spend 20 minutes talking about appropriate use of AI in applications. Juniors, as a reminder, the seminars take place before school from 8:15-8:35 in Room 201. We hope to see you tomorrow morning for this workshop!

There are some colleges that say students must cite any AI resource used in any aspect of their application. There are others that know AI can be a helpful tool in researching, brainstorming, or giving feedback. And nearly all colleges would say that you should absolutely NOT use AI to write your essay or complete your application as a whole.

The best rule of thumb we have seen and heard related to appropriate AI use in your applications is that if you would not ask a human such as your parent, teacher or counselor to do something for you then you should not be asking AI to do it for you! I think that is a key way to help reframe thinking about AI and your applications.

AI and applications is an exciting, interesting area of growth and we will all continue to learn together.

Final CC+ Reminder

All students looking to earn free college credit in classes next year MUST turn in the College Credit Plus intent to participate form by April 1st!  This is a firm deadline established by the State of Ohio and we cannot extend it. Since we are not in school after March 27th it is really important to be sure you get your forms turned in to us before spring break!  

Just as a reminder, this is what gives you the chance to take CC+ classes next year on the college campus, online, taught by college instructors at WKHS (English, Psychology, Government, Sociology, Ethics), and/or the regular WKHS classes taught by the WKHS teachers which can get you college credit for the exact same class you may have already signed up to take (Pre-Calculus, Honors Pre-Calculus, AP Calculus AB).  

If you have any questions about College Credit Plus - stop and see us or watch the video on the counselor website.  (www.wkhscounselors.com).  The intent to participate form packets which includes the video sign-off forms are also available on the counselor website.

Anxiously Awaiting Decisions

The rest of this month tends to be big for college admissions decisions. Most of the colleges who have yet to announce their decisions will be releasing them over the next week or so. This can be a very stressful time for students. Try to take a deep breath and relax – you have done the best job to put yourself in the best situation possible with your applications. If you are stressing out awaiting the news, feel free to stop in and see me so we can talk about it.

CSCC Application Day

Are you planning on attending Columbus State Community College next year after you graduate? This is a great option for a lot of students because it allows students to transition from the high school to college expectations in typically smaller classes and for a fraction of the cost. 

Students attending CSCC have much later deadlines for admission and so it can be easy to procrastinate on completing the application. This Wednesday, in the Counseling Center Conference Rooms, we will be hosting an admissions representative from Columbus State Community College for an Application Day. Seniors, if you have not already applied to CSCC and want to have it as an option for you in the future, please take advange of this application day! Students can come during lunch periods and should bring their Social Security Number so that your entire application can be completed on the spot.  

For students who are already technically CSCC students because of participating in College Credit Plus, you don't have to submit an application to attend full time next year, but there are steps that need to be completed and the admissions rep will be able to assist you with completing those requirements as well.

Even if you're not sure you're ready to go to CSCC right away or if you are still holding it as an option for financial reasons as you try to make your decision about college, you can also come and participate in the Columbus State Community College Application Day.  

Feel free to stop and see me if you have any questions.

Worthington Schools Job Fair

All students who are 16 years old and over are invited to attend the Worthington Schools Job Fair on Friday, March 27th. There will be many employers looking for students who are interested in working summer jobs, part time jobs in the school year, and even some for soon-to-be graduates who are interested in working full time in the future. We hope you will take advantage of this opportunity if you are in need of a job. Check out the information and download the permission slip from the Counselor Website - www.wkhscounselors.com.

Creating a Resume

One of the questions I have had a few students ask me lately was about how to create a resume when you are a high school student with no job experience. It is a great question!

Interestingly, a webinar that I had attended talked about how as seasoned professionals with lots of years of experience, we still aim for resumes that are a page or, at the most, 2 pages long. And yet for high school students, all too often they feel as if they need to try to craft a resume that is 2-3 pages in length. Let me stop that myth right now. No, you do not. A one page resume is absolutely appropriate and more than adequate for a high school student!

When you develop your resume, this is one of the areas where many students will use AI or Templates that are readily available to help design your resume. I assume it goes without saying, but just to clarify, you should only list information in your resume that is accurate and truthful! Do not embellish to try to make yourself look/ sound better. Honesty is essential.

Your resume will often include aspects such as honors/ awards received, jobs (if you have had any - and yes helping babysit or take care of a neighbors pets counts), and activities you're involved in.

Here are a few videos about creating a resume without job experience that might be helpful to you as you work on developing your resume:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GU9pQFt7xms

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-z4v-Dw7n50