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Welcome to the second issue of the Guidance News for the 2011-12 school year!
Each month, the guidance department will send this electronic newsletter to you. If you missed last month's issue, past issues are archived on the school website under GUIDANCE NEWS. We welcome you to familiarize yourself with the other resources that are available on our website. The links in the grey sidebar will take you to various guidance-related web pages.
High School Testing Day
On Wednesday, October 12, students in grade 9, 10 & 11 will be taking testing assessments.
- Grade 9 - The TerraNova tests student achievement in key academic areas.
- Grade 10 - The PLAN is a practice test for the ACT college admissions test. In addition to measuring student achievement in key academic areas, it includes a career interest survey. Sophomores received an information booklet on the PLAN test in advisory groups. More PLAN information can be found at www.planstudent.org.
- Grade 11 - The PSAT is a shortened form of the SAT test. Students had the option of signing up for the PSAT in past advisory group sessions. A fee of $14 will be expected to be paid on Wednesday, October 5, in advisory groups. Juniors who are taking the test should also bring two #2 pencils and an approved calculator. You may find more information in the PSAT student booklet that juniors received in advisory groups or at www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/psat/about.html.
Mennonite College Day - Thursday, October 20
Students are encouraged to consider meeting with representatives from Eastern Mennonite University, Bluffton University, Bethel College, Goshen College, Canadian Mennonite or Hesston College. Representatives from these schools will be on campus for Mennonite College Day on Thursday, October 20. Most of them will be available during the school day and after school until 4 p.m. to meet with prospective students and/or parents. To schedule an appointment, please call Mrs. Grosh at ext. 315 or email at groshca@lancastermennonite.org.
College Financial Aid Seminar
As part of Mennonite College Day on Thursday, October 20, there will be a seminar on college financial aid and the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid www.fafsa.ed.gov) presented by Michele Hensley from Eastern Mennonite University. Parents and students are invited to attend this evening seminar at 7 p.m. in the Gathering Area. This seminar is open to all students and parents, regardless of where students are planning to attend college.
SAT & ACT Preparation
The best way to prepare for the SAT & ACT test is to take rigorous courses in high school, read and write extensively, and become familiar with the test by practicing with 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 on the ACT website. College-bound students are encouraged to take these 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.
Mid-Term of the First Quarter
Since we have reached the mid point of the first quarter, parents are reminded that now is an ideal time to log onto their Net Classroom account to view student progress. Counselors will meet with students who are receiving lower than a C in more than one class and each senior who is receiving lower than a C in any class. Parents and students are welcome to contact teachers if they have questions about their current course work. For Net Classroom technical support, please email netclassroom@lancastermennonite.org.
Advisory Group Updates
Typically, students meet with their advisory group each Wednesday with a faculty advisor. The first month of advisory groups consisted of orientations, senior class meetings, sophomore reflections, junior/freshman mentoring, and reconnecting with each other. Upcoming activities will include senior presentation preparation, college/career day preparation for juniors, sophomore getting-to-know-you sessions, and chapel reflections.
College visitations on campus
The guidance office receives information regarding college and other post high school training opportunities. In addition, college representatives frequently visit our campus to meet with students in our career and guidance center. Students are encouraged to look at the extensive schedule of colleges and universities that are planning to visit LMH in the next few months. The schedule can be found at www.lancastermennonite.org/guid/cvisits or on the bulletin board outside the guidance office. It is also included in morning announcements. Over 30 colleges are scheduled to visit campus this fall.
Popular Guidance Resources
Students and parents are encouraged to utilize the Online Resouces page of the guidance website. There are numerous links to quality websites that include information on popular guidance links, college testing, college searches, scholarship information, career assessments and other information.
NCAA Clearinghouse for High School Athletes
In order to potentially play and participate in athletics in a Division 1 or Division 2 college or university, high school student athletes must register with the NCAA Clearinghouse and make sure their high school course selection meets NCAA initial-eligibility standards. Students are encouraged to see their school counselor for an NCAA Memo with registration steps, and they can download the worksheets from the NCAA website.
Christian College Fair
A yearly Christian college fair sponsored by NACCAP (North American Coalition for Christian Admissions Professionals) will be held Thursday, October 13, starting at 7 p.m. at Lancaster County Christian School. For a complete list of Christian colleges that are attending, please visit this website.
Lancaster County College Fair
The Lancaster County College Night at Conestoga Valley High School will be held Monday, November 7, 6:30-8:30 p.m. There will be approximately 215 institutions participating. If you have questions about the evening, please call (717) 397-5231, ext 2499.
Career and College Day for Juniors
On Thursday, December 1, LMH will host a Career Day and College Fair for the junior class. In the morning, students will hear career presentations based on their interest areas, and learn about hiring trends, educational requirements and job descriptions. In the afternoon, students will attend a college fair in Gym A. Representatives from more than 40 schools will be in attendance to answer questions and interact with students. Parents are invited to attend the college fair. Following the fair, students have the opportunity to attend workshops of their choice such as: financial aid and scholarships, admissions criteria, vocational technical training opportunities, and choosing a major. Juniors will receive more information soon. For questions, please contact Erin Hill, guidance counselor, at 299-0436, ext. 318.
Preparing seniors for life after high school
Senior Interviews
During the next several weeks, seniors will be invited to participate in their senior interview with their school counselor. These interviews are intended for reflection, planning and prayer. Along with making sure graduation requirements and credits are in place, school counselors will find out how they can assist students as they plan for life after high school. It is a pleasure for the counselors to meet one on one with each senior as they reflect and prepare for the future.
Senior Presentations
Seniors are currently preparing and signing up for their senior presentation during advisory group sessions. We are looking forward to hearing from each senior as they reflect, appreciate and anticipate their future. Each senior will have an informal senior presentation with their advisory group in preparation for their formal presentation. The formal presentation will be a time of celebration with family, friends, classmates, teachers, church family, coaches and others who have made an impact on their lives. Most formal presentations will take place on March 5, 20 or 29. For more information on the required senior presentation as well as a Letter to Parents about Senior Presentations, please visit the guidance page for senior presentations.
College Planning Calendar for Seniors
There is a month-by-month calendar for college-bound seniors posted online. Seniors are encouraged to access the calendar for this month's responsibilities so they can stay on track in the college admissions process.
Tips for seniors planning for college next fall
- Take the SAT or ACT in October, November or December. For registration and testing dates, please visit www.collegeboard.com/sat or www.act.org.
- Visit colleges and universities. Students are encouraged to visit college campuses on days that LMH does not have school or when LMH has extended weekends. If students need to request an excused day of school to visit a college, please complete an Educational Trip form 5 days in advance of your scheduled visit.
- Speak to college reps who visit LMH from now through December.
- Send college applications during October, November and December - before Christmas is strongly recommended. During the application process, please check carefully the application deadlines and requirements for specific programs. Programs that require screening interviews, auditions or portfolios (like music or art programs) may have earlier application deadlines. Students interested in early decision programs will also need to apply early.
- Students need to request their high school transcript to be sent to the colleges that they apply to. For current students, a Parent/Guardian Transcript Release Form and a Transcript Release Form needs to be completed and the guidance office requests at least 10 days for processing. These forms can be found on our website. Go to the Guidance page and look for the Transcript link to go to the Transcript page.
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