Successful Senior Presentations

Most seniors completed their required, formal senior presentation this past month. Thank you to the many friends, family members and others who supported each senior with their presence. It was a true moment of celebration and reflection and we were delighted to hear from each senior.

FAFSA Deadline

Parents of college-bound seniors are reminded that the deadline for completing and filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is May 1. Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) has a number of resources available to you and your students to assist with completing the FAFSA. Go to www.pheaa.org and click on "FAFSA Toolkit" in the lower left-hand corner to access a list of the materials you can use.

Third Quarter Report Cards

Students will receive their third quarter report card in school on Wednesday, April 13, in advisory groups.

Advanced Placement Exams

Students in Advanced Placement (AP) courses had the opportunity to sign up to take an AP exam next month. Current students in AP courses received a "Bulletin for AP students and parents" in February. Each exam costs $87.00, payable at the time of the exam. For an AP exam schedule, visit www.collegeboard.com. Students who are taking an AP exam will receive more information later this month.

Junior Advisory Groups

The guidance team recently invited one junior advisory group at a time to the guidance career center for a 30-minute presentation by counselors. This interactive presentation consisted of a brief orientation to the guidance career center and ways juniors can start the college admissions and career search process. The guidance team's goal was to equip each junior with the tools and resources needed to be successful in the college search and admissions process, and to have them begin to think about the steps that need to be taken if they are planning on attending college next fall.

Summer Programs

Along with Lancaster Mennonite's summer camps, there are many great opportunities and camps for high school students that are offered by colleges and universities during the summer. In addition to online information, students are invited to the guidance career center for more information about summer programs.

Courses for HACC Credit

Students who are taking AP US History or AP Intro to Literature for HACC credit next year should be aware of a multiple-step process for registering with HACC for these classes. Students not previously enrolled at HACC will complete application forms on April 7. An application fee of $35 will be due at that time. At a later date (TBA) they will register for the individual courses.

Students will need $90 tuition for each HACC course. (The US History course is two HACC courses combined; the fee is $180.) HACC bills students directly regarding payment for AP US History and AP Introduction to Literature. Students taking English courses for HACC credit need to achieve a qualifying score on a placement test that will be administered May 3 at LMH.

Students who took courses for HACC credit this year will need to arrange with HACC for this credit to be transferred to the college they attend. HACC charges $3.00 for each transcript processed. If you have questions, please contact Mrs. Stacy Shenk at 299-0436 x 307; she serves as the HACC coordinator.

SAT and ACT Preparation

The best way to prepare for the SAT and ACT tests is to take rigorous courses in high school, read and write extensively, and become familiar with the tests by practicing on the available sample tests. Free resources for SAT preparation are available on the College Board website at www.collegeboard.com. This site has daily practice questions, a full SAT online prep course and other resources available to purchase. Similar information is available for the ACT test at www.act.org.

SAT and ACT Registration

College-bound students are encouraged to take the SAT or ACT tests in the spring of their junior year and again in the fall of their senior year. For registration and testing dates for the SAT and ACT, please visit www.collegeboard.com/sat or www.act.org.