Parent University

O*NET

• How can I guide my child who has little to no idea of what they may want to study or pursue for a career?

  • I begin at the basics and move backwards. Perhaps observe something that brings a spark to your child or inquire about something that is of great interest. This might be playing basketball or video games. I would then dig into the skills that go into each activity and gage the level of interest the student shows. If they prefer the problem solving and mechanics of a video game perhaps they would be interested in data science, project management, or information technology. I will then use O*Net to research sample careers, showcase their tasks, evaluate their projected growth, and determine what credentials are needed to enter the field. This way we know if the student should research colleges, trade schools, or certifications. 

• My child is interested in the medical field. Where do we get started?

• Are there any mentorship or internship opportunities available for my child to learn more?

  • Yes! These are also excellent opportunities for students to learn more about on-the-job daily tasks. There are opportunities like Summer Rise, HOBY, and more which will be advertised through this website and the newsletter. Students may also inquire at any job about "job shadowing".

• Is there an outline for each grade level to be prepared?

  • Yes! If you scroll down the homepage here you will see the suggested timeline and outlines for each grade level.'

• Who should my child be talking to at school?

  • Their College and Career Navigator, Counselor, Registrar, Teachers, Coaches, Peers, and the representatives when they come to visit.

• What bring you so much joy that you could do it even when it gets hard?

  • The post-secondary process is a puzzle. The pieces consistently move, change shape, fit, and then don't fit. I enjoy this puzzle. Continuously researching the changes to the field and ebbing with the trends of our students makes every day exciting!

• What test prep is offered for the SAT?

  • SAT Prep at MC

  • There is a wealth of resources located on the testing page here

• What test prep is offered for the ACT?

  • SAT Prep at MC

  • There is a wealth of resources located on the testing page here

• How many times is it recommended my child take these tests?

  • For students who need a test score, it is recommended to test no more than 3 times. 

• We qualify for a fee waiver, how do we get one to register?

  • Students may reach out to Ms. Wolk for a fee waiver for the SAT and ACT. Students may also apply for an SAT fee waiver on their CollegeBoard account. Please give about 4 weeks for it to be approved. Students will qualify for a fee waiver if they also qualify for free and reduced lunch. 

• How are my child's extracurriculars highlighted on an application?

  • On the Common App there is a section called "Activities". Students will highlight everything from taking care of family to employment to sports and clubs in this section. Academic extracurriculars will be highlighted elsewhere on the application. Students can also elaborate on any extracurriculars in the college essay or supplemental essays.

• What extracurriculars are the most helpful when applying to college?

  • Anything your child wants to be involved in is valuable. Jobs, community service, club participation and leadership, athletics, personal projects, and more. Students are encouraged to expose themselves to many different opportunities that may catch their interest. Then they will want to remain consistent in one or a few interests. This is completely individual. 

• What should rising seniors be doing over the summer?

  • Visit schools they may be interested in. This includes trade schools. It is advised they complete their college essay and complete 50% or more of the Common App. This way they may focus on senior year when classes begin. Student's may also take advantage of the workshops at RHS and across MCPS.

• What timeline do you suggest for exploring post-secondary options?

  • In Junior year it is a great time for students to begin browsing the many options post high-school. Students will want to stay focused on their classes and extracurriculars while attending college fairs, visits, and touring colleges. This will include speaking with military recruiters and touring trade schools. There is no one right answer for what to do after graduation. There are many options. Students will want to be open-minded.

• What tools are available to assist with exploring options?

  • We start with Naviance. Students will have different tasks to complete depending on grade level and pathway they select in Naviance. Withing Naviance students will want to use "Supermatch College Search" and "Scattergrams". There are many helpful websites such as Appily, Niche, and BigFuture. Students are also encouraged to use the resources in the college and career center, on this website, and sent regularly through newsletter. 

• How should we make a list of colleges to visit?

  • Luckily there is a ton of information online about each college. It is suggested the student begin researching online, in the college and career center, or at college fairs the colleges that catch their eyes. They will want to look for schools that offer their program of study (major) or offer flexibility for studies, clubs and resources on campus, campus environment, athletics, alumni network, and COST. With this information, make a list of the colleges in order of most interested to least. You can arrange visits with the colleges on their websites. Visiting can bring new insight to the level of interest as well as provide small scholarships.

• What do colleges look for besides grades?

  • In short, admissions representatives are real people looking to connect with the whole human who may positively contribute to their classrooms and campus communities. This means they are looking heavily at the "Activities" section of the Common App. They want to see who the student is beyond their academics. What interests them, what are they passionate about, what responsibilities do they have?

• Does freshman year count?

  • Yes. Transcripts are evaluated for admissions for grades 9-11.

• Where are students applying?

  • On Common App with Naviance connected. Students can also apply through institution websites, but will need to ensure the institution is added on Naviance. 

• Do parents have access to common app?

  • No. Students have the option to add mentors and reviewers. This can be anyone the student elects, however, this person does not have access to make direct edits to the students application.

• When are applications due?

  • It is advised that students submit applications for the Early Action period. This ranges from October 15 - December 15. Most commonly applications will be due by November 1. 

• What is the difference between Early Action and Early Decision?

  • Early Action allows the student to apply to as many schools as they would like in the first pool of applicants for evaluation and scholarship consideration. Early Decision is a binding contract requiring a counselor and guardian signature. A student can only apply to one school Early Decision indicating this is their most desired school. If accepted the student must attend regardless of scholarship offered. 

• What local Associate degree programs are offered?

  • Montgomery College offers 100+. Howard Community College offers an AA in Culinary. Community College of Baltimore County offers an AA in Aviation Technology. This is just a sample. There is a plethora of amazing locations in Maryland where students may earn college credit to begin a career or transfer to a university.

• What information is available for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)?

  • Each Spring MCPS hosts an HBCU College Fair. Specific resources and scholarships for students attending an HBCU are present at this event. We offer college tours to a local HBCU and HBCUs make visits each year. We encourage students to connect with RHS alumni and representatives to get the most current information about specific schools.

• What guidance is offered for completing college applications?

  • Students may always set individual meetings with me at calendly.com/mswolk. I will host several in school and evening workshops beginning in the summer to assist students through the application process. We will also have themed weeks aimed at making completing applications a little less stressful.

• How many schools should my child apply to?

  • 6-10. The student will want to apply to schools they know they can be admitted to, some they are unsure about, and some that are difficult for the student to be admitted to. These should be schools the student can see themselves studying at and potentially living at.

• How much does it cost to submit applications?

  • It can range from $45 - $100 per application. Some schools will offer free application periods. 

• Are there application fee waivers?

  • Yes! If a student is eligible for free and reduced lunch or used a fee waiver on the SAT or ACT they are eligible for a Common App fee waiver. This is a question within the Common App. Alternatively, some schools will give out waivers when the student tours a school or attends a college visit. 

• What are some military academy and ROTC options?

  • U.S. Military Academy at West Point

  • U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis

  • U.S. Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs

  • U.S. Coast Guard Academy at New London

  • U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point

  • Use the following tool to research ROTC options: ROTC Locator

• Why are military representatives reaching out to my home?

  • Your student may have provided their contact information when a recruiter was at an event or a school visit. 

  • Any school (high school/college) that receives federal funding must abide by the Solomons Amendment: “The Solomon Amendment is a federal law that requires institutions receiving certain federal agency funding to fulfill military recruitment requests for access to campus and for lists containing student recruiting information. The law allows military recruiters to access some address, biographical and academic program information on students age 17 and older who have not filed any FERPA restrictions. The Department of Education has determined the Solomon Amendment supersedes most elements of FERPA.”

    • Our local military recruiter stations may request this information through MCPS. 

• What are local trade school options?

  • Montgomery College offers a lot of trades from Building Trades to Automotive to Cybersecurity and more. Check them out here!

  • IEC Chesapeake

  • Living Classrooms Foundation

  • Chesapeake College

  • Lincoln Tech 

  • Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics

• What trades are taught?

  • Most popular are electrical engineering, construction, HVAC, Automotive, health professions, culinary, and computer sciences. 

  • MANY more trades are taught. Students will want to research each school as some trades are specific to the school.

• Are there specific skills required to enroll?

  • Some schools may ask for a letter of reference from someone who has observed your current experience. 

  • Schools will require a high school diploma or GED. 

  • Some may require an entrance exam of basic English and Math.

• Does financial aid cover trade schools?

  • YES!

• What are the financial aid applications?

  • FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), MDCAPS (Maryland College Aid Processing System), and CSS Profile

• Do we need to do the applications if we will not qualify?

  • Yes, it is still advised to complete the FAFSA and create an MDCAPS account. The FAFSA data is often used to check a box or qualify students for additional scholarship. All state funds including legislative scholarships will go through MDCAPS.

• Who needs to complete financial aid applications?

  • Seniors. Only the student will need to create an account with MDCAPS and if necessary, the CSS Profile. Both the student and guardian will need to complete the FAFSA application - unless there are any unique circumstances.

• When do applications open?

  • October 1 of the students senior year. Students and guardians are advised to create accounts before this date. 

• When should financial aid applications be completed?

  • Before March 1 of the year the student will enroll in college. Applications can still be completed after March 1st, however, many grants have this deadline and do not award money for applications submitted after this date. 

• Where can we find scholarships?

• When can we begin applying for scholarships?

  • As soon as you would like! Scholarships may be sparse the younger the student is, however, they are encouraged to apply for scholarships as soon as they are ready. Students will want to read eligibility requirements carefully to ensure they can apply.

• What guidance is offered for completing applications?

  • Students may always set individual meetings with me at calendly.com/mswolk. I will host several in school and evening workshops with community partners to assist families completing the applications. I will also create theme weeks as the application opens and as we near March 1.

• What is the difference between in- and out-of-state tuition?

  • In-state tuition will charged to students who reside in the state of the institution. There are a few exceptions to this. Please speak with the CCN to learn more. In-state tuition can be 10k-25k cheaper than out-of-state tuition. Out-of-state tuition is charged at a higher rate for students who do not reside in the state of the institution. 

• When will there be parent meetings?

  • College and Career related meetings will occur throughout the school year. For senior parents, there will be a summer meeting to inform you of the post-secondary process your student is in. There are several optional meetings throughout the school year on financial aid, college planning, and many more. For Junior parents there is a meeting in the Spring. 

• How can a parent get access to and receive training on Naviance?

  • If any parent does not have access to Naviance, they may reach out to the CCN or a counselor to have the account activated. You will not need to create an account. Once activated, you will not have access to edit any content of your child's account, but you will be able to see their activity. 

• Is there any 1:1 support offered?

  • Yes! You may always set individual meetings with me at calendly.com/mswolk. It is preferred that all meetings occur with your student present. If they are unavailable or you wish to meet without your student, please inform me ahead of time.