12th Grade

Each student is provided the opportunity to meet with their school counselor each year for a grade level visit. At these visits we discuss graduation progress, courses they need for the following year, and post-secondary planning. Below is information that is discussed in those meetings along with additional resources. 

High School Planning

Things you can do as a 12th grader to stay informed of the things happening in the counseling office:

• •  Check your email regularly  - email is a main form of communication about school wide announcements and how many of your teachers try to connect with you about important information. 

  • Check the Counseling Website 

  • Follow us on Instagram @linnmarhscounseling

Check out the college & career events held at Linn-Mar. Find the calendar here. 

• • Visit with college admission counselors at the high school, go to college fairs, or go on college visits.

Participate in clubs, sports, or other activities. Check out Linn-Mar’s REACH booklet for clubs and activities offered at the high school. 

Career Planning

Look at our career resources page for more information on career planning. 

Job Shadows and Internships - Workplace Learning Connection: Students in grades 10-12 can participate in 3 job shadows per school year. Students can participate in internships the summer after 10th grade. The job shadow and internship portal opens at various times through the year. 

Xello - Students can log into Xello using their Office 365/One Drive account. 

Kirkwood Career Coach - Career Assessment, Career Research, Education Research 

Military- find more information regarding the military here. 

Apprenticeships - find more information about apprenticeships here. 

College Planning

ACT or SAT: most 4 year universities are test optional although it is still recommended to take the ACT or SAT for scholarship qualifications. The ACT is popular for many Linn-Mar students, but students may choose between the ACT and SAT based on their preferred testing format. Click the links for additional test prep resources and to register for the test. If you are a 12th grader looking at taking the ACT, it is recommended to test before December of your 12th grade year to ensure enough time for your scores to be sent to colleges. 

Complete the FAFSA form. Regardless of income all students should complete the FAFSA to be eligible for grants, scholarships, and loans. 

• Iowa College Access Network (ICAN) Centers help families complete the FAFSA for free. There is a center located in Hiawatha at the Kirkwood Linn Regional Center. To schedule an appointment in-person or virtual, go here. 

Scholarships

There are three main scholarship types: local scholarship, national scholarships, college specific scholarships. 

Local Scholarships: You can find more information about local scholarships under the 'college/career' tab. This link will take you right to our scholarship page. The first tab on our scholarship spreadsheet has local scholarships. This document is updated throughout the year as we receive notification of new scholarships. 

National Scholarships: You can find national scholarship opportunities on the 2nd and 3rd tab on our scholarship spreadsheet. 

College Specific Scholarships: Look at individual colleges for their scholarship application for school-specific scholarships and deadlines. 

• Scholarship Applications: Iowa State, Iowa, UNI, Kirkwood

Kirkwood Courses: Linn-Mar offers a variety of Kirkwood course opportunities online or in-person at Linn-Mar. You can find more information about Kirkwood offerings at the attached link. 

Kirkwood Transcript Request - This link will tell you how to request your Kirkwood transcript to be sent to the college you are attending. Make sure to do this after you finish your last Kirkwood class of the year. 

Transferology - If you have taken Kirkwood courses and would like to see how they transfer to different colleges you are looking at, Transferology is a good resource. You can create an account and add the college courses you have taken. Not all colleges use this tool. 

AP Courses: If you are wondering what score you need on an AP course for college credit and how that transfers to a specific college, you can look up that information here. 

Xello, Transcript, Common App 

Log into your Xello by clicking the app icon in your Office365/MyApps page on your school computer. 

Requesting your transcript - request your transcript on Xello. Watch here if you need assistance. 

Common Applications need to be linked to your Xello account so that the School Counselor can fill out their reports and upload transcripts. Watch here if you need assistance.