Juniors

• Individual Plan of Study 

  • This is the “roadmap” that helps us understand how to help our students accomplish their goals after high school. 

  • The IPS exists as a Google Sheet that each student has access to. There are a number of college/career resources located in this document. Students can use this resource to document progress toward their unique college and career exploration activities. Students and parents should look at this resource together at least twice a year. 

  • XELLO - This is Marion High School’s main college and career exploration resource. Students can explore interests, discover careers, and explore college options all in one place. 

  • ONET Online - ONET is a career exploration tool and job analysis database that provides a wealth of information about each job/career. 

• Student-led Conference

  • This year at student-led conferences juniors will be tasked with creating a checklist of important activities to accomplish during their junior year. The purpose of this is to ensure parents/guardians are aware of their roles and responsibilities during the college admissions process.

  • Juniors will cover a number of topics including:

    • Interests 

    • Plans and Preferences

    • Experiences 

    • ACT Prep and Test Dates

    • Post-Secondary Goals

    • Individual Plans of Study

    • Review of college/training costs and employment outlook

Juniors need to start considering the importance of making a post-secondary decision that meets their needs both academically and financially. Americans collectively owe close to 2 TRILLION dollars in student debt. In-state tuition is 2,580% more expensive than it was 50 years ago and a student has to work 6x the amount of hours to cover the cost of tuition alone compared to students in 1970. Start the conversations now about realistic post-secondary goals. We will discuss financial aid and scholarships in greater detail during senior year. See the senior class page for more information about financial aid. 

• Scholarships are available to students in a variety of sources. Juniors are not allowed to apply for our local scholarships until their senior year. However, this is an overview of what to expect for next year. 

  • Local Scholarships/Community Foundations

  • Government and Institutional Scholarships

  • Scholarship Search Engines

• Local Scholarships

  • Our local scholarships become available to the seniors in the spring semester. Many of them have deadlines ranging from late March to early May 

    • These scholarships will be sent to you via email 

    • They will be available to print in Mr. Venable’s office 

    • You can find a digital copy of each scholarship with requirements and deadlines on the following link - Scholarship Organizer  (Local scholarships are highlighted in gold)

    • I will be exploring a platform this year to more effectively organize our local scholarships. More about this later

  • Government and Institutional Scholarships

    • Federal Student Aid

    • Kansas Board of Regents Grant Programs

    • College or University Scholarship pages (GPA/ACT requirements usually)

  • Scholarship Search Engine Resources and Other Sources That Juniors have access to. 

    • 1. Fastweb: A widely-used scholarship search engine that matches you with scholarships based on your profile and interests.

    • 2. Scholarships.com: Similar to Fastweb, this platform offers a comprehensive database of scholarships and financial aid options.

    • 3. College Board's Scholarship Search: Provides a personalized scholarship search based on your background, interests, and planned college major.

    • 4. Cappex: Offers scholarship matches, along with college search tools and reviews.

    • 5. Peterson's Scholarship Search: Features a searchable database of scholarships and grants for students.

    • 6. Niche: Formerly known as College Prowler, Niche provides scholarship listings, college rankings, and reviews.

    • 7. Chegg Scholarships: Offers a variety of scholarship opportunities and resources for students.

    • 8. UNIGO: Provides scholarships, internships, college reviews, and other educational resources.

    • 9. Professional and Affiliation Organizations: Many organizations related to your intended field of study or extracurricular interests offer scholarships.

    • 10. Online Scholarship Databases: Websites like ScholarshipMonkey, Scholarships360, and CollegeScholarships.org provide additional scholarship resources.

• Students need to complete a form available in Mr. Venable’s office in order to request a college visit. 

  • All of their teachers must sign the form as well

  • This form must be turned in to Mr. Venable’s office at least two days prior to the college visit. 

• Students are encouraged to visit several colleges or programs they are interested in. 

• Parents are also encouraged to attend. 

• I am available to help set up college visits. However, most visits can be scheduled on a college’s website. 

• College/Career Fairs - If there is enough interest, we can explore taking a group on college/career fairs. The earliest fair would be in October.

• The ACT is offered monthly throughout the school year at a number of locations within an hour of Marion.

  • We will host the ACT in the spring at MHS for free to all juniors. 

  • If the student wants to take the ACT additional times during the school year please contact Mr. Venable. 

    • If the student is on free or reduced lunch they can take the ACT for free up to 4 times in a year. 

• ACT Workkeys 

  • We will host the ACT Workkeys in the fall semester for juniors free of charge. 

    • This is a test that assesses workplace skills.

• Junior year is an important time for students to develop and practice healthy habits necessary for success during and after high school. 

• We screen for SEL competency through Satchel-Pulse. This identifies strengths and weaknesses across 5 areas of SEL. These are skills that are valuable in the workplace and are part of healthy personal development. 

  • Self-Awareness

  • Self-Management

  • Social Awareness

  • Relationship Skills

  • Responsible Decision-Making

• Mr. Venable is available for individual counseling to help with academic, career, and social/emotional development. 

During a student's junior year of high school, parents play a significant role in supporting their child's transition to the next phase of life, whether it's college, vocational school, the workforce, or other paths. Here are some important things for parents to do during their student's junior year:

• Stay Involved: Continue to be actively engaged in your child's academic progress, extracurricular activities, and personal life. Attend parent-teacher conferences and school events.

• Provide Emotional Support: Junior year can be stressful for students. Offer emotional support, lend a listening ear, and encourage open communication about their goals, fears, and aspirations.

• College and Career Guidance: Assist your child in researching college options, financial aid, and potential career paths. Provide guidance, but also encourage them to take ownership of their decisions.

• Financial Planning: Discuss college costs, budgeting, and financial responsibilities. Help your child understand the financial implications of their choices and explore scholarship and financial aid opportunities.

• Standardized Tests: Support your child in preparing for and taking the ACT. Help them find test prep resources and create a study schedule.

• Campus Visits: Accompany your child on college campus visits and tours, if possible. These visits can help them get a sense of campus life and make informed decisions.

• Encourage Responsibility: Help your child develop time management, organizational skills, and a sense of responsibility for their commitments.

• Promote Independence: Gradually empower your child to take on more responsibilities, such as managing their own schedule, making appointments, and advocating for themselves.

• Foster Decision-Making Skills: Encourage your child to make well-informed decisions by weighing pros and cons, considering long-term goals, and thinking critically.

• Celebrate Achievements: Celebrate your child's accomplishments and milestones, whether big or small. Recognize their hard work and perseverance.

• Plan for Transitions: Help your child plan for the transition to college or other paths. This includes discussing living arrangements, transportation, and practical aspects of independent living.