Counselor’s Corner
by KATHY ARENDT, College and Career Counselor
As we near the end of the first six weeks of school for 2010-2011, I would like to focus on our seniors. The fall of the senior year is extremely important with regard to college applications, testing, and decision-making for the future. With new college deadlines, more competitive standards, and a need to put a great deal of thought into applications, seniors are encouraged to use the fall wisely.
The first focus is to retake the SAT and/or ACT early in the senior year. Hays High School will host the SAT on October 9, 2010 and December 4, 2010. Lehman High School will host the ACT on October 23, 2010 and December 11, 2010. Seniors should sign up on-line at www.collegeboard.comand on www.act.org for these exams. All colleges and universities will review a senior’s rank in class and college entrance exam scores for the academic component of application reviews. It is very important to have the strongest exam score possible to improve the student’s opportunities. Each high school’s Career Center has an on-line SAT prep program available to seniors.
Seniors will generally benefit from finishing their college applications before Thanksgiving. The University of Texas at Austin has moved their final application deadline to December 1, 2010. Many of the scholarship deadlines and priority deadlines are December 1, as well. It is important to make October and November the months for seniors to focus on college applications. The English teachers will be helping with one college essay as a part of their curriculum.
Seniors are encouraged to visit colleges, sit in on college classes, and even spend the night in dorms to aid with their college decisions. Two college visits are allowed in the senior year without affecting attendance, with college visit forms completed a week beforehand. These forms may be found in the Career Center.
Extracurricular activities and community service continue to be important throughout the senior year. Resumes are a part of the college application. Colleges love involved students who understand the importance of giving back to communities. The final step in college applications is the submission of letters of recommendations from teachers, counselors, employers, etc. Seniors need to ask for two or three letters early, giving the writers two weeks lead time. Choosing people who know the student well is a very important consideration.
Overall, the college application process can be a difficult one. I encourage students to come into the Career Center often for assistance and ask a lot of questions. We are here to help. Seniors who make their applications a priority in the fall will be less stressed, will increase their chances of being accepted, and will have more time to spend on scholarships and financial aid in the spring. The prospect of attending college is very exciting with the potential for a huge payoff for the future. Our focus is to make college and higher education possible and viable for every senior.
