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Essex High School
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Essex High School Senior E-Newsletter

Essex High School Senior E-Newsletter
Issue 1
September 10, 2008

In this Edition:
Welcome!
Going to Work after High School
College Fair
Connect Pilot Students
Re-cap of College Information Night
College Admission Testing Deadlines
Free VSAC Workshops
Colleges Visiting EHS
Scholarships
Resources


Welcome!
Welcome to the first edition of the Essex High School Senior E-Newsletter. Don’t forget to check your e-mail on a regular basis for future e-newsletters that contain important dates, reminders and tips for life after high school.

Going to Work after High School?

Are you planning to take some time off from school and go directly into the world of work? If so, now is a good time to plan for that. Here are some tips on what you should be doing:

>See your school counselor: Make a point of meeting with your school counselor to discuss your options after high school based on what your interests and goals are. He/she will help you navigate the road to your future.

>Take a test to assess your skills, abilities, values, and personality: Your school counselor can give you a survey that will assess these traits and match them with careers. There is also a career assessment available online at www.vsac.org called VT Guidance Central. It is free for any Vermont student to use.

>Research careers: Once you have matched up your skills, abilities, values and personality to different careers, you should then research those careers. One place to start is the Occupational Outlook Handbook. You can find that at: www.bls.gov/oco/home.htm. You will find job outlook statistics, salary rates, training information and much more helpful information at this site.

>Write a resume: For help writing a resume go to: http://www.how-to-write-a-resume.org/ . Once you have written a resume show it to your parents, friends, teachers, counselor, etc. for editing and advice. Remember your resume is your marketing tool!

>Search for jobs: There are many places to find a job such as, newspapers, Internet, bulletin boards, and through word of mouth. You can also look for help finding a job through the Vermont Department of Employment and Training http://www.labor.vermont.gov/.

>Interview and complete job applications: Interviews are a chance to sell yourself in person. Practice with a friend or a parent before going into an interview. The more practice you have the more confident you will feel. For interviewing tips go to: http://interview.monster.com/archives/tips/. When completing job applications remember to be neat and honest. This will be the first impression you will make to a prospective employer. Make it count!

College Fair

The annual college fair is being held at the Saint Michael’s College on September 18, 6:00-9:00 p.m. This event allows you the opportunity to speak with many admission representatives all under one roof. At this point in your college search process you may have identified several colleges of interest. You can use this fair to introduce yourself to admission representatives, ask questions and learn more about their schools. If you are still searching for schools here’s a tip that will help you at the fair: Come prepared with peel-off labels listing your name, home address, e-mail address, phone number, high school, year of graduation, and possible major. You can leave these labels with the college representatives to receive more information. Over 200 colleges and universities will be represented at the fair, for a list of these schools look in the Guidance and Counseling Office. With so many schools participating in the fair it would be a good idea to make a list of the schools you want to see prior to going to the fair.

Connect Pilot Students:

Please check in with your school counselor to let them know where you are at with your profile development, college search, college list development, and using the site. We are hearing from many students and parents that they are feeling a bit overwhelmed with this program and we need your feedback about this. Once you get some practice with the program we believe it will get easier. Don’t go it alone! Come to us for help with this.

Re-cap of College Information Night at Essex High School

If you missed the College Information Night last week or were completely overwhelmed by all the information please make an appointment to meet with your school counselor to talk about it. Here are some highlights:


•The transcript packet contains paper work that needs to be completed in order for your transcripts and recommendations to be sent from EHS.

•The packet should be completed and handed in to Mrs. Blake no later than 3 weeks prior to your first college deadline.

•You will be completing your college application separately from the transcript packet and sending that on your own to the colleges by their application deadline.

•You will requesting recommendations at least 5 weeks prior to your college deadline in order to give your recommender enough time to write a thorough letter and get the recommendation to us. Please ask people in person if they are comfortable writing you a letter of recommendation and if they are willing to do so.

•Follow all of your application deadlines!

•See your school counselor at any or all of those points for clarification or assistance.

College Admission Testing Registration Deadlines

*Please note the dates in the green school calendar are wrong. Please check the testing web sites for the correct dates*

ACT: The test date is October 25th. You must register by September 19th. www.actstudent.org

SAT: The test date is October 4th. Regular registration has passed. You may register late with an additional fee of $23 by Sept. 16th www.collegeboard.com

Free Workshops at VSAC

Throughout the year VSAC (Vermont Student Assistance Corporation) will be offering free workshops to students. All workshops will be held in the Resource Library at VSAC in Winooski. To register for a workshop call 1(800) 642-3177 or e-mail at www.info@vsac.org.

“Finding a College that is Right for You” September 24th, 6:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m.
“Preparing for the SAT” September 27th, 11:00 am -12:30 pm
“Writing an Effective Admissions Essay” October 8th, 6:00-7:30 p.m. “Preparing for the ACT” October 15th, 6:00-7:30 pm

Colleges Visiting Essex High School

Throughout the fall, college admissions representatives will be visiting Essex High School to meet with students. This is a great opportunity for you to introduce yourself, get your questions answered about their school and show them how interested you are in their college. If you would like to visit with a college while they are here, see Mrs. Harms in the Guidance Office for a purple pass. Bring the purple pass to the college visit with a teacher signature from the class you are missing.

8-Sep 11:45 Queens College
12-Sep 2:00 Norwich
15-Sep 8:30 School for the Museum of Fine Arts Boston
16-Sep 9:00 Bishops University
16-Sep 10:30 SUNY- Canton
16-Sep 1:00 Johnson State
16-Sep 1:30 Southern Vermont College
17-Sep 8:15 UCONN
17-Sep 9:15 Providence
17-Sep 10:15 Northeastern University
17-Sep 1:00 Gordon College
17-Sep 1:30 Newbury College
22-Sep 8:15 Rivier College
22-Sep 10:30 UMAINE Orono
22-Sep 11:15 Fordham
24-Sep 10:30 Montana State University
25-Sep 9:30 Dickinson College
29-Sep 8:15 Colgate University
29-Sep 8:45 Castleton
30-Sep 8:15 St. Joseph's College of Maine
30-Sep 10:30 Union College
2-Oct 10:00 Alfred University
3-Oct 8:15 Univeristy of New Hampshire
3-Oct 9:30 Elon University
3-Oct 1:30 St. Lawrence College
6-Oct 8:30 Husson College
6-Oct 12:00 University of Colorado - Boulder
7-Oct 10:30 Southern New Hampshire University
13-Oct 8:15 Univ. of Richmond
15-Oct 11:00 Boston University
16-Oct 10:00 Roger Williams
21-Oct 8:30 VT Technical College
27-Oct 1:00 St. Anselm
29-Oct 8:15 Endicott
29-Oct 11:30 Stonehill College
30-Oct 9:30 Western New England College
5-Nov 8:30 Bentley
6-Nov 2:00 Barnard
10-Nov 8:15 Marist
11-Nov 8:30 Rochester Institute of Technology
11-Nov 9:15 Univ. of Rochester
12-Nov 9:00 Emmanual College
17-Nov 11:15 University of New England
19-Nov 8:15 Univ. of Southern Maine
19-Nov 10:00 SUNY-Potsdam
19-Nov 1:30 North Country Community College
20-Nov 9:00 Daniel Webster College
20-Nov 1:00 Colby Sawyer

Scholarships

The National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts offers scholarships in the performing, literary and visual arts. The final registration deadline is October 1, 2008. Audition/Portfolio received deadline is November 3rd. More info on this scholarship is available at www.nfaa.org or in the Guidance Office.

Ron Brown Scholar Program awards scholarships to highly motivated African American students who are currently seniors in high school and plan to pursue undergraduate degrees full time. Applications are in the Guidance Office or at www.ronbrown.org. Deadline to apply is November 1st to be considered for other scholarships as well or January 9th for the Ron Brown Scholar Program only.

Horatio Alger Association Scholarship Program for seniors graduating in 2009, awards more than $12 million in college scholarships and grants. Applications are online at www.horatioalger.com/scholarships. Students may apply beginning August 1 -October 30, 2008.


Resources available in the EHS library:

How to Prepare for the SAT II
Up Your Grades
The Real ACT Prep Guide
Zen in the Art of the SAT: how to think, focus, and achieve your highest score
Hot Words for the SAT 1
Cracking the SAT II
Test of Time: A Novel Approach to the SAT and ACT
1600, Perfect Score: the 7 Secrets of Acing the SAT
Fiske New SAT: Insider’s Guide
Pass Key to the New SAT
Tooth and Nail: A Novel Approach to the New SAT
Conquering the SAT: How parents Can Help Teens Overcome the Pressure and Succeed
SAT Comprehensive Program
The Official SAT Study Guide: for the New SAT
SAT 2400
Up Your Score: The Underground Guide to the SAT
Barron’s Math Workbook for the New SAT

Essex High School Senior E-Newsletter
September 29, 2008
Issue 2

In this Issue:
Searching for a Career
Navigating the College Application Process
Reminders from the Counseling Office
Mark your Calendar!
Colleges visiting EHS
Scholarships

What Career Would I Like?

Whether you are planning to go to college right after high school or you are planning to go right into the work force, you may still be asking yourself "What career would I like?" The Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC) has provided an online tool you can use to explore your interests, values and skills to create a list of possible careers. You may access Vermont Guidance Central by going to www.vsac.org to start your exploration. When you arrive at the VSAC website, go to the right hand side of the page under Tools and click on VT Guidance Central, when the new page comes up you will then be asked for your portfolio name and password. If you have not created one you may do so now. You may now start exploring your career options in several different places. You can take the "Career Quiz" in the EXPLORE section or you can use the PLAN section and use the "Interest Profiler" or the "Career Finder". As you complete each section you will generate a list of potential careers. If you find a career that peaks your interest you may then look to see what type of training you will need, on the job training vs. further education. Remember, career choices may change over time as you grow and develop new interests. If you need further help with this or would like to talk to someone about your results please stop in to see your school counselor in the Guidance and Counseling Department.

Navigating Through the College Admission Process

Senior year can begin with an overwhelming rush of activities including homework, sports, clubs and jobs. Who has time to search for colleges? Time invested now, however, can go a long way towards alleviating stress further down the road. Your school counselors suggest the following five steps for a successful college admission experience:

1. Complete a search and make a final list of colleges.
You can complete your search with your counselor and using an online college search program from the school library or at home. Some recommended sites are: www.collegeboard.com, www.petersons.com, www.universities.com, or www.review.com . By entering college characteristics which are important to you, such as enrollment size, location, major, cost, etc. you will come up with a list of colleges that are a good “fit” for you. Then you can decide, with further research, whether to include them on your final list.

2. Attend college visits at Essex High School.
Many colleges and universities come to our school to meet with prospective students. It gives them a chance to meet you and answer your questions without making you travel to see them. It is a great opportunity for you to introduce yourself to the admission counselor who covers our area. He/she will then know you better and be able to explain to the admissions team who you are when your application comes across their desk for discussion.

4. Visit!
Now is the time to think ahead to our October break (Oct. 23 & 24) and visit colleges while they are in full operation. Check the college websites to find out when tours, interviews and/or information sessions are available. If you have an opportunity to stay overnight or eat in the dining hall- DO! If you are not able to travel far, visit local colleges to get a feel for college life and build a list of likes and dislikes. Come up with a list of questions ahead of time to ask, such as:
1. What are the strongest departments at the college?
2. What size are typical classes?
3. How do I compare academically with students already attending this school?
4. What percentages of students remain on campus over the weekends?
5. Are sports available for the average athlete?
6. What kind of student is generally most successful at this college?
7. What kinds of cultural, sports or literary activities are offered on campus?

5. Get organized!
Now is the time to start a calendar of due dates for yourself. Important dates you will need to keep track of over the year are:
* ACT & SAT registration deadlines and testing dates
* College application deadlines
* Transcript request deadlines
* Financial aid & scholarship deadlines

With so many deadlines it is easy to get overwhelmed. Keeping these dates well organized will eliminate a lot of your stress in the college application process.

Reminders

*RECOMMENDATIONS: If you need recommendations for college applications please hand your “recommender” a yellow recommendation request form when asking them to write for you. If you need more copies of the yellow recommendation request form they can be picked up in the Guidance & Counseling Office. Don’t forget to give the person plenty of time to write a recommendation and write the due date on the yellow form. Most people writing recommendations do so on their personal time. Don’t forget to thank them for taking time to write you a letter.

*TRANSCRIPT REQUESTS: All transcript release packets and requests need to be handed directly to our registrar, Mrs. Blake. Please do not hand those to anyone other than her. This keeps all of the requests in order so nothing gets lost in the shuffle.

*Connect Edu Pilot students have a different method of requesting recommendations and transcripts. Please follow the method that was explained at the college night. If you have questions about that please contact your school counselor.

 

Mark Your Calendar!

October 1, 6:00-7:30 p.m. VSAC “Understanding the College Application Process” Free workshop, go to www.info@vsac.org to register
October 8, 6-7:30 p.m. VSAC "Writing an Effective Admissions Essay" Free workshop, go to www.info@vsac.org to register
October 7, Transcript Release Packet due to Mrs. Blake in the Guidance & Counseling Office for Nov. 1st application deadlines

 

Senior Newsletter
October 22, 2008
Issue 3


In this issue:
Writing the College Essay
So many forms to keep track of...
What is the CSS PROFILE?
Free Workshops at VSAC
Dates to Remember
Colleges Visiting Essex High School
Scholarships


Writing the College Essay

School Counselor, Laurie Thompson, recently visited several schools in Virginia and came back with an article written by an admissions representative at the University of Virginia. In “Writing the Essay: Sound advice from an expert” Parke Muth shows you the difference between a bad, good and risky essay. If you are stuck on what to write about for your college application essay and how to write it you should check out this article! http://www.virginia.edu/undergradadmission/writingtheessay.html

So Many Forms to Keep Track of...

At this point in the college application process you may be noticing there are a lot of forms to complete or ask others to complete in order to apply to college. You have the transcript release packet your school counselors gave you, your application, teacher recommendation forms, financial aid forms, etc. The list goes on and on! The first thing you will want to do is organize all of the steps you will need to complete in order to apply and attend college. Everyone has their own system for doing that. One way to keep it all straight is to create a college calendar with deadlines and a spreadsheet for all the different forms that need to be completed. You can use the spreadsheet to check off the items you have completed. Here is a
brief description of some of those forms you will be responsible for:

Transcript Release Packet: This was given to you at the beginning of the school year in a large envelope. These forms are multi-colored and are used to request your transcript from the Guidance & Counseling Office to be sent to the college and scholarship programs of your choice. Transcripts will not be sent without a completed transcript packet.

College Application: Applications come in many forms. You may be using the Common Application, the Universal Application, or the college’s own application. The application may be completed electronically or on paper. The application itself may have many additional forms to it such as the School Report Form or Counselor Recommendation, Teacher Recommendation Form, and/or a Supplement.

Counselor Recommendation or School Report Form: You do not need to submit this form to your counselor. Your school counselor will automatically send a school report form from our office with every college transcript that is mailed out. It is a form that we have developed in our office that answers the questions found on the college school report forms or counselor recommendation forms.

Teacher recommendation forms: Many college applications will have a specific form they would like your teachers to complete along with a letter of recommendation. Look through your application completely to locate those forms. Give that form to your teacher when your teacher agrees to write a recommendation for you. If a teacher has already written you a letter and you find the teacher recommendation form after the fact, call the college to find out if they will need it before giving it to the teacher to complete. Every college will have a different response. Some will say they are fine with the letter alone, while others will want their form completed in addition to the letter.

Supplemental Forms: If you are completing a Common Application or a Universal Application there may be a specific supplemental form that will also need to be completed in addition to your application. Your application is not complete without that supplement.

Financial Aid: There are many forms involved with financing college! There is the FAFSA, CSS PROFILE, Vermont Grant Application, and many scholarship applications. All of these have deadlines and if completed properly could earn you money for college if you are eligible. Stay tuned for more information about these financial forms in future newsletters.

Remember these three points:
1.) All of your forms and applications have deadlines. Go directly to the source to find out what the deadline is, i.e. check a college’s website for the exact application deadline. If deadlines are not met you will miss out on opportunities.
2.) Look through all of your materials first to better understand what you will need to complete.
3.) When in doubt ask someone for help, call the college and talk with your school counselor.

What is the CSS PROFILE?

The CSS PROFILE is a financial aid form that some colleges require in addition to the FAFSA form (more on the FAFSA at a later date). While the FAFSA is completed after January 1st, the CSS PROFILE should be completed now. Not all colleges use this form. Before completing the application you should check the college web sites to see if this application is required. You may access the application from this web site: https://profileonline.collegeboard.com/index.jsp The last day to submit a 2008-2009 PROFILE Application is December 9, 2008.

 

Free Workshops at VSAC

Throughout the year VSAC (Vermont Student Assistance Corporation) will be offering free workshops to students. All workshops will be held in the Resource Library at VSAC in Winooski. To register for a workshop call 1(800) 642-3177 or e-mail at http://services.vsac.org/ilwwcm/connect/VSAC.

“Finding a Career that is Right for You” November 19, 6:00 pm-7:30 pm.

Dates to Remember:
Transcript Request Deadlines, Oct. 23rd (tomorrow) for any Nov. 15th application deadlines.
Transcript Request Deadlines, Nov. 4th for any Dec. 1st application deadlines.
Nov. 13th, 7:00-8:30 p.m. GAP Year Fair at So. Burlington High School. Free and open to all students.

 

Colleges Visiting Essex High School

Throughout the fall, college admissions representatives will be visiting Essex High School to meet with students. This is a great opportunity for you to introduce yourself, get your questions answered about their school and show them how interested you are in their college. If you would like to visit with a college while they are here, see Mrs. Harms in the Guidance Office for a purple pass. Bring the purple pass to the college visit with a teacher signature from the class you are missing.

27-Oct 1:00 St. Anselm
27-Oct 1:45 Tufts University
29-Oct 8:15 Endicott
29-Oct 11:30 Stonehill College
30-Oct 9:30 Western New England College
30-Oct 12:15 Merimack
5-Nov 8:30 Bentley
5-Nov 9:15 Clarkson
6-Nov 2:00 Barnard
10-Nov 8:15 Marist
11-Nov 8:30 Rochester Institute of Technology
11-Nov 9:15 Univ. of Rochester
12-Nov 9:00 Emmanual College
14-Nov 9:45 Green Mountain College
17-Nov 11:15 University of New England
19-Nov 8:15 Univ. of Southern Maine
19-Nov 10:00 SUNY-Potsdam
19-Nov 1:30 North Country Community College
20-Nov 8:15 Wheaton
20-Nov 9:00 Daniel Webster College
20-Nov 1:00 Colby Sawyer

Senior Newsletter
October 31, 2008
Issue 4
In This Issue:
Common Application Online
ConnectEdu Pilot Students
Beware of Scholarship Scams
UVM Early Action Applications
Colleges Visiting Essex High School
Scholarships

Common Application Online
There have been many questions recently about the Common Application Online and requesting information from teachers and counselors. On the Common Application it will ask you who you are requesting a recommendation from. Once you enter the names of those people (teachers and counselors) the Common Application sends an e-mail to that recommender. If the recommender is writing a recommendation and submitting it to the Guidance and Counseling office on paper or submitting it through our ConnectEdu pilot program he/she can delete the Common Application e-mail that was sent to him/her. Please let your recommender know this. This will not affect your ability to complete and submit your application. If you are having difficulties navigating the Common Application process check out the frequently asked questions at: http://s3.parature.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=5524 .

Connect Edu Pilot Students
To all of our helpful ConnectEdu Pilot Program students, please read the following reminders:

•Remember to give your recommender an addressed (with the admissions office address on it), stamped envelope for each school you are asking them to write for. Do not put a return address on the envelope. These envelopes are only for schools that are not ConnectEdu partners.

•When you submit your transcript requests be sure to check off the correct admission deadline, Early Action, Early Decision, Rolling Admission, Regular, etc. Otherwise, the deadlines will not show up correctly for your counselor and your transcript may arrive late.

•If you have requested a transcript from your counselor and you see that it has been sent, please do not re-submit a transcript request for that same school. Talk to your counselor first if you have questions or concerns.

•You can use your c-mail in ConnectEdu to communicate with your counselor.

•Please do not request recommendations from anyone if you are not sure if you are applying to a school. Each recommendation that is written through ConnectEdu takes time. You do not want someone to write for you if you are not applying to a school.


Beware of Scholarship Scams

In addition to applying to college you may also be applying to scholarships. Here are some websites that will explain to you potential scholarship scams you may encounter. These sites came from www.fastweb.com .

10 Scam Warning Signs
http://www.fastweb.com/sp/news/fh/113578/t1/CQYKH79MZCA6 Knowing these warning signs can keep you from being a scholarship scam victim.

Suspect a Scam?
http://www.fastweb.com/sp/news/fh/113578/t2/CQYKH79MZCA6

There are ways to report shady scholarship deals and prevent others
from falling into a trap.

Scholarships and Privacy
http://www.fastweb.com/sp/news/fh/113578/t3/CQYKH79MZCA6

With identity theft on the rise, it's important to keep your personal information safe. Learn how to protect your personal information when applying for scholarships.

UVM Early Action Applications
If you are applying to UVM Early Action, this is a reminder that your transcript to UVM will be sent when your quarter 1 grades become available. UVM has informed us they will wait for those grades.