Financial Aid Night

Tomorrow is October 1st and, for seniors, this is a very significant day.  Once again this year, the FAFSA will open on October 1st.  (In the past it used to open on January 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 2016 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 this week for parents at 7:00pm on October 4th 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.  

We Need Others

We are not meant to live in isolation.  Each of us has our own individual talents and strengths, but no matter what, we need other people.  We need people to encourage us when we are down, to listen when we are lonely, to help us when we struggle, and to celebrate with us when we succeed.  

Thankfully, at WKHS we have an incredibly supportive community who jumps at the opportunity to help others.  This always stands out the most when we pay attention to the big events or when there is some type of sad situation and people rally to support those impacted.  But what I believe is even more impactful are all of the consistent small ways that people help one another on a daily basis.  I realize that holding a door open, offering a smile to someone in the hall, pausing to ask how someone else is doing, or offering a quick congratulatory message may not seem glamorous, but to me, THOSE are the moments that stick with you and create a lasting difference.  It never ceases to inspire me when I see these little acts of kindness in action and it makes me thankful to work in a place where people care for each other.

So here is my challenge for you... over the next few days, try to find one of those little ways to help brighten the day of someone around you!  It will certainly make a positive impression on someone else, but who knows, you just might benefit from it too.

There are so many examples of the ways you have blessed my life and I am grateful for you all.  And, if you are the type of person who likes trying to help others around you, don't forget that WKHS has lots of different clubs and groups that you can get involved with whose purpose is to help others.

For now though, thank you again for touching my life and please take the challenge and try to do something little to find one way to help brighten the day of someone around you!

Senior College Application Basics

There are some basic questions that are frequently asked in college applications and yet many times students and parents don't know the answers.  Since I have had quite a few individuals asking me these questions, I figured it would be helpful if I covered a few of those basic answers in case you come across them too when you are completing your applications.

- Your graduation date is May 20, 2018

-  Your class has 307 students

-  WKHS offers 17 AP courses, 12 IB classes, and 13 honors classes

-  If your grade point average is a 4.0 or higher you have a rank of 1.  If your gpa is less than a 4.0 then we do not rank and that is what you should write instead ("Does Not Rank" or "None").  

- To find your GPA and/ or your past classes and grades to submit, you can find that information on Infinite Campus in the Reports section.

- Many colleges will ask you about me.  My name is Brianna Abbott.  My title is School Counselor.  My e-mail is babbott@wscloud.org and my phone number is 614-450-6490.  

-  Our school's CEEB code is 365507.  (Most applications if they ask you this will give you a look-up option, but you can just type it in as well.)

- I am really happy that so many of you are working on your applications because I know I wouldn't hear these questions if that wasn't the case.  Don't forget that if you are in need of a teacher or counselor recommendation letter that you should be asking for a letter at least 30 days in advance!  This means, that if you are trying to hit a November 1st application deadline then you should be asking for a recommendation letter this week if you haven't already taken care of that.  (And, again, remember, if your intended colleges do not require a recommendation letter, do NOT waste your teacher's time by asking them to write a letter that won't end up getting used.)

I hope that helps.  If you come across any other questions don't hesitate to let me know.

Don't forget, I will be gone this Friday and next Monday and Tuesday!  Stop by to see me now through Thursday if you need something.

More on College Visits

Last week I posted about making college visits and specifically a list of questions you can ask during your time on campus as well as reflection questions to ask yourself.  However, throughout the week I had a lot of students and parents follow up with me regarding more questions and so I'd like to spend a few minutes to review some of the most frequently asked questions.

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.

For seniors, a great day to consider making a college visit this fall is coming up on October 11th.  WKHS will be operating on a late-start schedule because all 9th, 10th, and most of the 11th graders will be taking the PSAT.  We will be on a very modified schedule for the day once you come to school and so while there will be great opportunities available to you throughout the day at school, this is a day when you can be sure that you will not have to miss out on classroom instruction or tests if you miss which is a definite plus.  Everyone other than seniors should be taking the PSAT though so that would NOT be a good day for the rest of you to make visits.  Does that make sense?  This is the perfect example of looking at the school calendar to pick out dates that will work and trying to make the visits at smart times.

Other great days 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 20th could be a great visit day for students in all grades.  (Again, the 19th is not though since that is the last day of the quarter.)

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 wrote about a week 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!

Follow the Directions

From the time you were little you probably learned that there are always rules and consequences of not following those rules. Sometimes we don’t have any problem following the rules and sometimes… well, it isn’t always quite so easy to do *exactly* what we are supposed to do.

I can think of countless examples of this in my everyday life and many of them cross over into your life too – be at work/ school on time, don’t use cell phones in the middle of class, drive the speed limit, etc. Some times these are easy and sometimes we may struggle even though the reality is – they really aren’t that difficult to obey.

OK, I am rambling – the basic point is that I’d like to remind you to follow the directions! In everything and in every way – there are consequences of not following directions. This applies to your school work and – for those of you who are seniors – to your college and scholarship applications.

When they ask you to write an essay of 250 words or less – keep your essay to that length. If they ask for a list – give them a list. If they ask a question – answer the question completely. The difference is often in the details! Please pay attention and do what they are asking you– you never want someone to have a reason to eliminate your hard work on a technicality. And yes, even if they say it is optional or preferred that means they really want it that way, so just suck it up and do it their way. Remember, in class not following your teacher’s directions might result in a bad grade, but as you get out into the real world the consequences can be much more severe and have a lasting impact.

I recognize that this all seems very obvious, but at some point we all get tired and think, “oh well, this is good enough…” So remember I’m here if you need me to encourage you to push through and take it that one extra step.

Also, I wanted to give you a heads up that I will be out of school this Friday and the following Monday and Tuesday so if you want to stop by to see me, please plan ahead so that I don't miss you and make you wait until the following week to connect.

Class Drop & Pass/ Fail Deadline

I wanted to make sure that all of you were aware that the last date to drop a 1st semester course without having it appear on your transcript is 1 week away - this coming Thursday, September 28th. That is also the last date to submit a request to have a 1st semester class graded on a pass/ fail scale instead of the standard scoring. Please make sure that your requests for these options are turned into the counseling center before the school day ends on Thursday!

College Fairs

A couple of days ago I wrote about the upcoming Columbus Suburban College Fair and I mentioned that it often feels like (organized) mass chaos.  Here is some information that can hopefully help you if you plan ahead so that you can make the most out of your college fair experience. 

College fairs give you a chance to meet with admissions representatives in person. They are all gathered together in one place in order to meet you and to answer your questions. Many schools also keep track of the number of interactions/ meetings you have with their admissions representatives during your search and application process so that they can gauge your interest level in their school. As a component of this, and also a way to expand their mailing database, a large number of the college fair booths will have cards for you to fill out with your contact information and interests. If you want to save a lot of time, I suggest that you create and print out address labels that include your name, address, phone number, e-mail, high school name, year of graduation, intended major(s), and extra-curricular activities of interest. You can then just put the label on the card instead of re-writing the exact same information at table after table for each college.  (Work smarter not harder is my philosophy!)

Be prepared before you get to the college fair. Know that there will be far more schools than you are interested in or can even truly take in during one afternoon, so it is useful to come up with a list of colleges that you would be interested in learning more about by doing a search that looks for different criteria that seems to be a good fit for you. With that list in hand you now have a starting point for the colleges that you would like to talk to during the fair.

It can be useful to ask the same questions of each college so that you can compare them and their responses appropriately. I encourage you to think about the things you most want to know about the school and can’t find in a brochure or website. Everyone is different so your questions are going to be different depending upon your interests, but if you are really interested in playing a club sport in college, you might want to ask about their club/ intramural program and the numbers of students that participate. You may want to ask what the top 2 or 3 majors are on campus as that will give you an idea of what most of the students are interested in studying. If you are undecided about what you would like to study, it would be a great idea to ask them what support and services are available to help students in exploring different majors.

Take something with you to be able to jot some notes on and also a pen or pencil. It is a crazy event with so much happening that if you don’t write it down as you go you won’t remember much after the fact. The admissions representatives are giving you a small look of the college – so reflect on that and write it down - what do you think following each glimpse?

When you are walking through the college fair with the list of schools that you want to talk to don’t forget to leave some time for browsing – you may realize that a school you hadn’t previously considered has just what you are looking for in a college. It can be easy for us to get caught in the cycle of only looking at specific schools because that is what “everyone” else is considering.

Ideally you will be able to avoid getting caught up in the crowds and confusion so that you don’t walk away from the college fair with a lot of brochures, but no real ideas or impressions about which colleges most interest you. At the end of the college fair you will likely have a bag filled with information about colleges. As the “Faring Well at College Fairs” article says, “Don’t succumb to the temptation of just piling all those brochures in some obscure corner of your bedroom. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, take a day or two away from the college search. Then get out all of those brochures, along with the notes you took at the fair, and read through them. You may find that some colleges aren’t as interesting as you first thought. Others only look better the more you research them.”

Good luck and happy college searching… I can’t wait to hear about the schools that spark your interest!

College Costs - Public vs Private

One of the topics that always comes up when talking about colleges is the affordability (or lack thereof) of colleges.

Lots of students are scared away by the costs of private schools and do not even consider them as reasonable alternatives – even if the college has all of the features that they are looking for in a school. Please don’t automatically rule them out… Look for the right school first and then worry about the costs and determining if it is going to be a viable option later. The reason I say that is that the data shows that the total difference in college debt between a public and private Ohio college from the time they entered to the time they completed their bachelor's degree only ended up being between $1,000 - 5,000. Yes, I know that is still a lot of money, but in the whole scheme of things it really isn’t and so completely eliminating a school from consideration that you might really like because the initial cost seems too high just isn't worth it.  Now, that being said, if you found that the actual costs to attend were significantly different then at the time when you are comparing actual financial aid awards to one another you will be in a position to make an educated choice about what is the right college for you - costs and all.  Part of the reason that some students may elect to take on a potentially higher cost of a private college is that the 4 year graduation rates at those schools can be significantly higher than the rates at some of the public colleges.  Ultimately there is a lot to compare.

Debt is a very real problem and something all students need to keep in mind, but remember, college is an investment in your future so while it is important to make informed and educated decisions, try not to let the numbers completely panic you.  

And in case you were curious… here’s the specific data and the source: According to The Project on Student Debt – The average student loan debt for seniors graduating from Ohio colleges and universities in 2015 was $28,146 for Ohio public universities and for Ohio private colleges the average debt was $32,679.  

I also wanted to give you a heads up that we will be hosting a Financial Aid Presentation regarding filling out your FAFSA on Wednesday, October 4th at 7pm in the WKHS Auditorium.  Please save the date and plan to attend!

Below are a few articles related to college costs:

10 most, least expensive colleges

10 colleges that give merit aid to the most students

Private college tuition is rising faster than inflation…again

Explore the costs of attending college

Consider the cost benefits of private colleges

Use community colleges as affordable stepping stones to4-year college degrees

College Visits

Yesterday I talked about the Columbus Suburban College Fair, but I also want to remind you of the importance of making college visits to individual campuses that appeal to you.  And, actually, even those which don't appeal to you.  Bear with me for a second - I promise I am not trying to waste your time... But here is the thing, you do not know yet what you like or don't like about a college.  How could you?  You have never attended college so it is unreasonable to think that you would automatically know.  But once you start visiting college campuses - near and far, big and small (and somewhere in between), urban, suburban and rural, you will start to develop a sense for what you can find at all colleges and what will fit best for you.  For most of my students over the years, what they have quickly realized after about 3 college visits is what they do NOT like as much and they can then use that information to help narrow down their interests and perhaps find other similar 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?
- (Ask students) How easy is it to meet with faculty?
- (Ask students) Are you able to register for the classes you want?
- 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?
- 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?
- 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 access to the internet and the campus LAN?
- 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.

And, of course, by now it should hopefully go without saying, please don’t forget to take a picture of you on campus to bring back for the “Oh, the Places You’ll Go” display! :-)

Columbus Suburban College Fair

The Columbus Suburban College Fair is one week from today - Sunday, September 24th from 1:00 - 3:30pm at Otterbein University in the Clements Center (180 Center St., Westerville, OH 43081).  This is the largest, local fall college fair and a great opportunity for our students.

If you have never been to a college fair before, I admit that it often feels like mass chaos.  But it also provides the opportunity for you to gain a lot of useful information from a large number of schools in a short period of time.  So take a deep breath, relax, and try not to get too overwhelmed.

I hope you will make plans to attend the College Fair next weekend!

PSAT

PSAT Test Date: Wednesday, October 11, 2017
Cost: $16 (checks payable to WKHS)

The PSAT is the practice test for the SAT. This is a great opportunity for students to begin to assess their progress toward college and career readiness standards.  WKHS will be operating on a late-start schedule to assure that students are able to take the test without the concern about missing what is happening in their classes.  The test is mandatory and will be provided to all freshmen and sophomore students free of charge.

Juniors are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED to take the test!  This is an important practice test for the SAT and it is also the qualifying test for the National Merit Scholarship competition. Even though you took the test in past years you should re-take the test as a Junior to try to open you up for scholarship opportunities!  Juniors should register in the Counseling Center by bringing in a check for $16 made out to WKHS. (Exact cash is also an option for registering for the test.)

The deadline for juniors to register for the PSAT is October 6th.

Also, for students interested in practicing/ preparing for the PSAT, CollegeBoard and the KHAN Academy are offering free supplemental practice tests to prepare for the PSAT.  Information can be obtained at: https://www.khanacademy.org/sat and https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/psat-nmsqt-psat-10/practice

Infinite Campus

Can you believe we are about at the half-way point of the first quarter?  In many ways it feels like we just got started.  As you probably recall, we no longer send home interim reports because you have the opportunity to check your grades on an ongoing basis.  But, 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 that you see when you look at Infinite Campus.  I have heard that 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 that is located in the top Right portion of the page.  You can also look below the login boxes for a link to Frequently Asked Questions for more detailed information.

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 (visits are happening daily now) or by attending their community gathers sponsored in the Columbus area, participating in "optional" interviews and essays, and visiting their campus.

Just because you have clearly demonstrated your interest in a college 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 collegiate home.  

Get Organized

The time to get organized is NOW! Yes, I realize that we are still in the early part of the year, but trust me, it is better to start 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.  So, today, pause and look in your bookbag to see how it looks.  Does it appear organized and like your system is working?  If not, it's time to make some adjustments in your approach.

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.  If writing them down in a planner or a calendar seems overwhelming, than consider adding them into the notes section of your phone or exploring all of the different apps that are out there to help students keep track of assignments.

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.

As far as the college application process is concerned - most of you should be moving from the "getting organized" phase into the "doing" part. Figure out and write down in one place all of the schools where you plan on applying. List out the other key pieces of information that you need to keep track of for that school - deadlines, recommendation letter needs, essays required, etc. Having one page with all of this information is not meant to stress you out - it is meant to be a way to help you look easily at all of the things you need to do and by when and then you will be able to break it down into more manageable pieces in order to meet your goals/ deadlines.  And then it is time to start taking action on it!

As always, feel free to come by and talk if you need some help with organization strategies.

25 Mistakes in Choosing a College

Today as I was meeting with a student in my office we were discussing some of the ways that students select colleges where they will (or will not) apply.  I was mentioning that there are plenty of Kilbourne students who have elected to apply to colleges simply because they don't require an essay.  (Not the best reason to select your ideal college.)  Our conversation reminded me of an article I had liked that highlighted this list of 25 common mistakes in choosing a college. I whole-heartedly agree with the list and think it is important for students to consider as they are looking at schools. Unfortunately, I can't find the original article that it was from (the link I had for the article is no longer active) because it had also provided explanations for why these actions are mistakes, but if you are curious, stop by and see me and we can discuss it together.  

1. Only look at colleges your best friend is looking at

2. Go to college where your girlfriend (or boyfriend) is going

3. Consider only colleges that mom or dad attended

4. Choose a college because it is the last place mom or dad want you to go

5. Choose a college based on the quality of their athletic teams

6. Go to the college with the best party scene

7. Look only at colleges within 50 miles of where you live

8. Don’t examine who you are and what you want from a college

9. Consider the cost of the college in deciding where to apply

10. Don’t visit a college or a similar type of college before applying

11. Choose a college without investigating campus safety

12. Let the choice just happen instead of taking charge of your future

13. Apply to colleges that you don’t really like because you think it will make your parents proud or impress your friends

14. Choose a college based on whether the student body is attractive

15. Believe that the harder a college is to get into, the better it must be

16. Assume that all colleges are the same

17. Rely on the rankings in news magazines

18. Apply only to prestigious colleges

19. Rely on someone else’s opinion

20. Be too shy to ask questions

21. Rely on a college’s advertising

22. Misjudge your ability to get admitted to a particular college

23. Ignore the resources you have available to help

24. Don’t adequately investigate your college choices

25. Decide that there is only one “right” college

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.

Candy, Toys & Question of the Day

One of the things that is really important to me is that you will each find my office to be a place of safety.  I try to make sure that you are always welcome in my office. You never need an excuse to stop by and say Hi as I would love to see you. Yet, to some people, it can seem easier if you feel like you have an excuse... if that is how you feel, then perhaps your "excuse" can be to stop by for the candy or toys in my office.  I have a range of different types of candy in the candy jar in my office as well as lots of toys, so feel free to use that as reason enough to stop by and say Hi!  Plus, you can always come to see what the latest question of the day is because I change it up every day and I love learning all the new bits of information as you share your insights and opinions.

The one thing that I do ask of all students is to be aware and respectful of confidentiality of other students.  If my door is closed that means I am having a confidential conversation and so I ask that you do not knock or interrupt.  If it is an emergency, please notify one of the secretaries at the front of the counseling center and they will either interrupt me or find another counselor that is available until I am free.

While here I am begging for you to come by my office to visit, I do also want to give you a heads up that I will be out of the building this week on both Wednesday and Thursday for meetings so those would not be days to plan a quick visit.

Looking forward to having you visit soon!

Test Score Submissions

I know that a lot of WKHS students took the ACT this morning and I hope it went well for all of you!  One of the important points to remember related to the college admissions tests (ACT and SAT) is that while your scores, once received at WKHS, will appear on your transcript, the vast majority of the colleges want to receive the score results directly from the testing agency. You receive the option to send your scores to 4 colleges for free when you are registering for the test and there is an additional charge for any extra schools you want to send your results to after those initial four.

You can log in to the ACT and SAT websites to review the locations where you selected to send your scores to make sure that every college you are considering has received a copy of your scores. 

Sending your scores is an important step as you are working on the college the application process. So, in addition to making sure that you have completed your application form, written your essay, secured your recommendation letters, and submitted your transcripts, please make sure that you have sent your test scores to each of the colleges where you are applying.  (And since you can do this part in advance, it is worth just knocking that component off of your "to do" list.

Parent Presentation

This blog update is for your parents so if you could please make sure that your guardian sees it, I would appreciate it.

The Worthington Schools K-12 Counselors were awarded a grant from the Worthington Education Foundation to host a series of presentations by Norman Shub, Ph.D., the Clinical Director of the Gestalt Institute of Central Ohio.  Norman Shub is an author, teacher and psychotherapist who is a leader in the guiding of individuals, couples, families and communities toward solutions.  He will be presenting to Worthington parents about The Importance of Letting Your Child Struggle.  I suspect that this might sound like a strange topic, but all children must struggle in order to grow.  

In this workshop you will learn to: make your child proud of the things they master, help your child develop grit and perseverance, and help your child be emotionally independent.

I know that all of the feedback I heard from parents who attended the presentation Dr. Shub provided last spring on Anxiety really appreciated the opportunity to learn from him and so I hope that parents will plan to attend this session.

The workshop will be held next Wednesday, September 13th from 6:30 - 8:00pm in the TWHS Auditorium.  (Please note that it is at TWHS and not at WKHS!)

We do ask that you RSVP if possible using the following website:  https://goo.gl/forms/bV8e5NiPlVh46SpB3

I look forward to seeing you at the presentation!

ACT and SAT Reminders

A reminder to all seniors...

If you are planning on taking the ACT or SAT this fall, the testing deadlines are fast approaching!

The next SAT test is October 7th and the registration deadline is September 8th (which is tomorrow!) Late registrations will be taken (with an additional cost) up through September 27th. Just as a reminder, most you should be taking the SAT Reasoning test - frequently also called the SAT I. (SAT II or Subject Tests are for the highly selective schools and are in addition to needing the SAT Reasoning test. Double check with the colleges you are considering to make sure you will have all the tests you need to meet their requirements.)

The next ACT test is October 28th and the registration deadline is September 22nd. They will also take late registrations through October 3rd for an additional fee.  (And, for what it is worth, those students who will be taking the ACT on Saturday will begin to be able to see their scores on September 19th.)

To register for either test, please visit their websites directly.

Additionally, one of the most common questions I get from students is which test did I do better on or how do you figure out how the scores compare to one another.

The ACT and SAT have very different scoring scales and so it can be hard to understand it, but the companies partnered together to research and compare results from the different tests to help students and families understand how the scores relate to one another and they created concordance tables.  Unfortunately, these tables were still very confusing to most people and so they have further simplified it with a Score Converter tool. Utilizing this tool you can submit enter your SAT scores and then see how it compares to the ACT scores.  (It will also show you new vs. old SAT scores - but that is more to important to you because of the fact that those old scores are what have been researched against the ACT.)  Here is the link to the SAT Score Converter tool and more information about this comparison resource.

Try not to get stressed out about the college admissions tests... I know it can be frustrating, but remember it is only one piece to the puzzle that the colleges will be considering when evaluating students!