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MARCH 30, 2020:
MARCH 30, 2020:
Dear 11th grade students and families,
We hope you are all managing these unusual times as well as can be expected. We wanted to share some information that may be useful to you as you consider academic and future planning. At this point, all students have received confirmation of the classes that they pre-registered for in PowerSchool for the 2020-2021 school year. It is important to reflect on your Personalized Learning Plan as you decide what courses to enroll in at each grade level. If you have any questions, school counselors are happy to help. We are available through email and video chat. Please let us know when you would like to schedule a time to meet.
- The school counseling office planned to take 10th and 11th graders to the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC) event, College and Career Pathways earlier this month. Due to the cancellation, VSAC has created an online format for the workshops that were planned for this program. There is a range of information regarding college admissions, technical training, local jobs, financial aid, etc. VSAC is a great resource for students and families at all grade levels.
- For juniors, spring is the time to begin visiting college campuses as a way to start creating a college list. Due to the COVID-19 response, colleges are not offering in person tours and campus visits. Check out this link for a list of colleges that are offering virtual tours online. This informational spreadsheet was created by a colleague in our field and includes colleges in the US and Canada. It is also included in an article on college admissions through Forbes.
- This is a good time to be thinking about summer activities. The school counseling office receives a variety of information regarding summer opportunities and we update this document on a regular basis.
- In response to the evolving situation around COVID-19, the CollegeBoard has canceled the May 2nd administration of the SAT. The June 6th SAT is still scheduled to occur at this time.
- The ACT has canceled their April 4th test date and it has been rescheduled for June 13th. The next test administrations for the ACT are June 13th and July 18th.
- Due to the testing cancellations, there is a growing number of colleges that are changing their admissions requirements and going test optional. Please consult specific college websites for more information about these changes. Fairtest.org is a great website that lists hundreds of schools who admit large numbers of applicants without regard to test scores.
The School Counseling website is a great resource for future planning. There is information about the US Military, college planning, Gap year ideas, foreign exchange programs, and much more. We encourage you to take some time to look at the variety of resources available to you and reach out if you need any support. We are thinking of you all during this challenging time.
Thank you,
Erin and Alan
CURRENT INFORMATION:
CURRENT INFORMATION:
Quaranteen Time: An online event sponsored by UVM and the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation about how to get college and career ready. Follow this link for a flyer with more information
Juniors: In response to the evolving situation around COVID-19, the CollegeBoard has canceled the May 2nd administration of the SAT. In addition, the make-up exam for the March 14th administration, scheduled for March 28th, has also been canceled. The June 6th SAT is still scheduled to occur at this time.
The ACT has also canceled their April 4th test date and it has been rescheduled for June 13th. The next test administrations for the ACT are June 13th and July 18th.
These additional events have been canceled as well:
Financial Aid and Managing College Costs Presentation: Thursday, April 9th at 6:30 pm.
Consider Canada College Fair: Monday, April 6th from 6:30-8:30 pm.
As we have more information, we will keep you updated. Please reach out to your school counselor with questions.
If your post-secondary plan includes applying to college in the fall of senior year, it is important to register and take either the SAT or ACT this spring. These college admission tests are accepted equally among all colleges. Students who are eligible for free or reduced lunch may receive a fee waiver for the SAT and/or ACT.
If you intend to enlist in a branch of the US military, you may follow this link to learn more about each branch of the service. You are also welcome to contact recruiters directly by phone.
Please be in touch with your school counselor with questions. See the links below for helpful information as you continue to think about your future goals.
Some links from our junior meeting packet include:
Junior year planning checklist
Definitions of admission options
VSAC: Know Your Career Options
Things for Juniors to be thinking about:
Things for Juniors to be thinking about:
Junior year is a very important year. This is a year that should be challenging academically, and one in which you continue to explore new opportunities, and develop your communication and self-advocacy skills. College bound students will want to be thinking and planning ahead so they are in a good place when they begin their senior year. Students pursuing military options can begin to explore ideas with recruiters. Students who are pursuing options such as a GAP year or work, can also begin to think about how their senior year may help them with their plans after graduation. In all cases it is important to do your best academically as a junior. School counselors are available to help students with planning and organizing through FIT block presentations and individual meetings.
Career Exploration - Research some careers that you are interested in. Follow this link for more info on career awareness . There are some great resources! You can find information about training needed for certain jobs as well as salaries you can earn, the outlook for employment when you are out of college, whether the number of jobs is shrinking or growing. This can be a great way to narrow down your major choice.
Military Options - Recruiters from all branches of the U.S. Military have the opportunity to meet with students at Mt. Abraham. Representatives may set up table displays and meet with students individually based on appointment. We are happy to provide meeting space with the understanding that parents are aware that these meetings are taking place at school. If you need assistance in locating a recruiter, see your school counselor.
College Search – Start thinking about what you want in a college. Think about things like where it’s located, how many people attend, does it have a program that you want to study, do they have on campus housing and what kind, can freshmen have cars, do they have activities/athletics that you may want to do? There are lots of Internet sites that can help you narrow down your searches and help you learn about different schools. This link will lead you to lots of information on college selection. See your counselor for help. We have access to more information than you could possibly read so let us help you!
Continue to do your best in school – Everybody likes good grades! The best predictor of your ability to succeed in college, on the job, or in a military career is you high school record and your habits of work. Do your best!!! Also, spend time reading. Not only can it be fun, but it is also good SAT/ACT and ASVAB preparation. Look up all of the words that you don’t know. Chances are, if it’s an obscure word, you could see it on the next placement test that you take!
SAT/SAT Subject Test/ACT Information: Testing schedules are available at the SAT and ACT websites. Please visit these websites to see testing dates and deadlines by which you must sign up. If you have any concerns about testing dates, which test to take, or even if you should take any tests at all, see your counselor.
Fee Waivers: Junior and senior students who qualify for free or reduced school meals are eligible for fee waivers to take the SAT, ACT, and AP Exams. During senior year, students may also be eligible for college application fee waivers. Almost all colleges in the United States accept these waivers. For the 2019-2020 school year students must have completed the Application for Free and Reduced Price School Meals, and have been determined eligible. Applications are available in the school counseling office, the main office, and the cafeteria.
COLLEGE REPS We will once again have representatives from various colleges visiting Mt. Abe. It is a very good idea to meet with them if you are interested in that particular school. Simply ask for a pass to attend. Please check your school email as we are sharing the schedule through student gmail. Follow this link to see the current schedule of visits
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