Counselor’s Corner
by KATHY ARENDT, College and Career Counselor
As the school year draws to a close, seniors are finalizing college plans, accepting scholarships and preparing for the next step in their educational life. As a College and Career Counselor, I now switch my focus to the junior class, encouraging them to get a jump on the college application process. Several college recruiters have come to Hays High School this month, meeting with our college-bound juniors.
The most important step that juniors can accomplish before summer is to get signed up for an SAT or ACT test in June. The Texas Education Agency funded one SAT in May or June of 2010, as well as one ACT in April or June.
Hays High School has had two hundred juniors sign up for the June 5 SAT. Lehman High School will be hosting the ACT on June 12. There is still time to sign up late for the ACT on-line. See your College and Career Counselor for more information.
Juniors may also get a jump on the college application process by spending time this summer constructing their resume, listing activities, community service awards, summer activities and work history in a resume format. There is still time to add to this high school resume, by making time this summer to do community service or finding summer employment.
The Texas Common Application will open on August 1, 2010, so juniors may also want to begin to plan and write their college essays. The essay topics on ApplyTexas will remain the same for next year. The University of Texas has moved their application deadline to December 1, 2010.
Senior year is an extremely busy time. Proactive juniors will try to work ahead by taking their ACT and/or SAT in June, building their high school resume and writing at least two of their college essays. They will continue to stay busy in the summer by working, doing community service and adding to their high school resume. They may also choose to study for future SATs by asking the College and Career Counselors for access to a College Board SAT On-line Prep program that is funded by Hays CISD.
Planning to visit the colleges of their choice is an important summer activity for juniors. Not only can informative application data be found on every college website, but it is very helpful to travel to the university campus and really get a feel for the campus atmosphere. While seniors are finishing the last few days of high school life, juniors need to be getting organized and working on their future. We’re here to help in any way that we can.
