Making a Difference

When I was in high school my mom encouraged us to volunteer at a local hospital. We’d go every week and put in the hours and it was a fine experience – something I was glad to do – and to be able to list on my applications, but there wasn’t anything particularly unique or memorable about the experience. For example, my main memory from my days of volunteering was the job of refilling the water jugs in patient rooms… and how my sister would skip the rooms of anyone moaning… who’d have thought she’d end up becoming a nurse?! (My sister would NOT be happy with me for telling this story!) But that was it – no great epiphany or story beyond the fact that I had volunteered.

As you begin applying to college and for scholarships there are many times that questions come up about what community service experiences you have had. And, even if not asked directly, if you had memorable experiences they can often be used to support your essay responses.

No need to panic! Your volunteer work doesn’t have to be a huge project or consist of thousands of hours of time – what is important is to get involved!  No matter how old you are, now is a great time to start working on volunteering – the experiences will help you in the long run.

Community service opportunities are as different as each individual who decides they want to help make a difference in the world around them. The sky is the limit and I encourage you to find something that inspires you.

Some volunteer ideas that could help get you started could include – community beautification projects (cleaning up parks or areas of the city), helping elderly neighbors, visiting nursing homes to perform music or talk with residents, homeless outreach, packing groceries for a food bank, assisting at the humane society or other animal shelters, wrapping and handing out gifts to those less fortunate, organizing and attending holiday parties for kids or the poor that would usually have nothing to celebrate, serving in a project for those who are disabled or ill (such as Make a Wish, Adventures for Wish Kids, or the Special Olympics), fundraising or recruitment events, becoming the champion for a cause and helping with awareness (Diabetes, Cancer, Organ Donation), and the list literally goes on and on. Also, don’t forget that there are several co-curricular groups at WKHS that focus on community service such as Interact Club and Wolves for Cubs and you are encouraged to look into those opportunities as well.

Some students have also participated in the Leadership Worthington program which helps to teach students outstanding leadership skills and participants work together to complete a small (5-hour) community service project.  The next Leadership Worthington class will begin in January and they are looking to select about 15 high school students for the opportunity.  We have additional information on the website and available in the Counseling Center if you are interested.

I am anxious to hear your community service stories and the ways you are working to make a difference!

4 year colleges?

How long will it take you to make it through college? Most people will quickly think to themselves "4 years" because most WKHS students are looking at 4-year colleges.

Unfortunately, that is not always the reality. While a traditional college is a 4-year school, for many students it is not always realistic that their students will, in fact, graduate in 4-years. You may wonder why this matters now, but it is very important for you to look at the 4-year graduation rates when you are considering colleges for your future because the longer it takes you to graduate from high school, the more you will be taking on in costs for college as well as the longer it will take you to graduate and get out into the working world or to move on to grad school.

You can usually find the 4-year graduation rates on college websites, but it isn't always easily accessible. This is a link to a US Department of Education website called College Navigator where you can search for schools and then by looking at the retention/ graduation rate area you will be able to see the statistics for each school in an easily accessible way.

Each school's 4-year graduation rates should not be your sole factor in making a decision, but it is another piece of the puzzle to help you. You should use the information to help you ask more questions about why their graduation rates are so low. Is it because it is too difficult to schedule classes when you need, is it because the costs are too expensive, is it because students change majors too many times so they end up with a lot of classes that do not help them toward their major, etc.

Happy Searching as you look for the school that is the best fit for you and your future.

Study Strategies

Do you know how to study? I ask students that question a lot and, quite honestly, the most common response is "no." It really isn't a surprise though. The reality is that until high school gets hard enough that you hit the wall and it no longer comes easy to you, studying isn't something you typically have to worry about and spend a lot of time focusing on.

The challenging part of studying is that what works best for one person may not be what works best for someone else. And, even if you figure out what works best for you in one particular subject area, that still doesn't mean that this particular strategy will be most effective for a different subject.

The best news is that there are lots of different ideas and strategies that you can use to develop a study strategy that works best for you! For what it is worth, think of learning to study like you think of learning to run. You already know some skills that have helped you to know how to study and to be successful - just like you already know how to run, but if you practice and really train at running, you can improve significantly and studying will work just the same. Keep working at your study strategies, practice and continue refining your technique until you find the perfect combination that works for you.

If you are struggling to find strategies to try out, I encourage you to visit the WKHS Counselor website as their are lots of examples there.  You can also work with the Academic Assistant's in the Teaching and Learning Center (Room 209) as they have a wealth of knowledge and helpful tips for study strategies that can help you in their particular subject areas as well as studying overall.  And, last, but not least, you can also stop in and see me and I can help brainstorm ideas that you could try.

College Admissions Interviews

Some colleges require all prospective students to participate in an interview with an admissions counselor or an alumni representative as a component of the application process. If you are looking at a school which requires an interview – don’t panic!

It is important to relax and be yourself. This is your opportunity to shine. Display your personality and allow your interests and passions to be expressed.

In addition to answering their questions, don’t be afraid to ask any questions you have about the school. Be sure to complete some research ahead of time so that you are not asking questions you easily could have found by visiting their website.

If there is anything about yourself that you want to be sure that the admissions representatives understand – unique circumstances, experiences, or special traits that they might not ask about don’t hesitate to offer up this information. This is your one opportunity to actually discuss these areas with a real person. By bringing up these topics, it may spur them to ask additional questions that you will be able to answer.

And, hopefully it goes without saying, but remember that first impressions are important – so be polite, smile, dress appropriately and arrive on time for your interview!

This article about college interviews may also interest you:
http://www.hercampus.com/high-school/applying-college/how-nail-your-college-interview-0

Be Patient

Let me start off by acknowledging that I am *NOT* the most patient person on the planet!

I know that it can be frustrating waiting for something to happen. Waiting to hear news. Waiting for the next phase of your life. Waiting... waiting... and still more waiting.

But the reality is you need to be patient.

Right now colleges are overwhelmed and frequently back-logged with all of the applications they have been receiving. When colleges are receiving materials it often takes them two weeks to get everything processed and updated in the computer. They often send out notices to students that are automatically generated letters that they send just to remind you that you need to send your transcript and test scores and a recommendation letter. Students tend to panic when they receive that letter and want to send the materials again. Colleges typically do not want that happening as it will simply back up their system even more. 

Try to be patient. If you get one of these letters (from any college) take a moment and double check - did you send your transcript? Are they missing everything or some particular item? If you applied via Common App you can log in and check to see if everything was submitted and downloaded by the college.  If your materials were mailed within a 2-3 week time-frame, then take a deep breath and relax knowing that it is likely just because their system is backed up. Continue double checking on the college website (most will give you access to see your application status) and see if they have everything. If you are nearing the end of the 3rd week and they still don't have all of your items you can give them a call to double check. Chances are they just haven't made it there yet, but there are times where things get lost in the mail or filed in the wrong area. If items need to be sent again then we will work on taking care of that, but first make sure that they really are missing it.

As always, swing by my office to see me if you have any questions.

Cap and Gown Order

Cap & Gown and Announcement Ordering Information

Seniors have already received information about ordering their cap and gowns and announcements.  It is often one of those moments that makes students realize how quickly graduation is approaching.

If you have lost your packet of information, extra copies of the packets which contain brochures and order forms are available in the Counseling Center.

You can place your order during lunch at school this Thursday or Friday (Nov 13 - 14), by mail or online.  If you are submitting it by mail send your order to NRP Grad Ohio, 3227 Edington Rd., Fairlawn, OH 44333.  To place your order online please visit www.NRPGradOhio.com

Impressive Accomplishment

I have been meaning to post about this accomplishment for several months.  Perhaps you have already heard this news, but Hana Estice has received award recognition for being a National Achievement Semi-Finalist.  This is an award that advances her in the scholarship competition connected to the PSAT.  Hana, I am so proud of you and impressed by your academic focus and dedication.  Congratulations!