Dream Team Chronicles
Fall Edition
WOLCOTT HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELING DEPARTMENT
Email: mwursthorn@wolcottps.org
Website: www.wolcottps.org
Location: Wolcott High School, Bound Line Road, Wolcott, CT, United States
Phone: 203-879-8157
Welcome Back!
Welcome to the Dream Team!
The Dream Team would like to welcome Mr. Wursthorn, the Director of School Counseling. Previously, Mr. Wursthorn was a School Counseling Chairperson at Bethel High School. He will be working with students whose last names begin Sc-Z (seniors), So-Z (juniors), Sp-Z (sophomores) and T-Z (Freshmen). He has been a counselor/administrator for over twenty years and he looks forward to meeting and working with you and your children.
We also welcome Ms. Van Wyngaarden, School Counseling Intern from Central Connecticut State University. She is working on her Masters in School Counseling. She has a caseload of 40 students and she is available Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and alternating Fridays.
The 10th Annual College Fair!!
Checking in College Representatives
The Dream Team
Students and Parents engaging with College Representatives
PSATs and Senior College Visit Day
Also, on October 16, 2019, all students in Grade 12 participated in the Senior College Visit Day. Many seniors took advantage of this opportunity to visit their colleges and explore their post high school plans.
Welcome Class of 2023!
College Corner!
SCHOLARSHIPS!
Find Local Scholarships in Naviance:
Check Naviance weekly-as new scholarships become available, we will add them. You can check them from home with Naviance. (LOG IN with your first initial last name (not email) and your password is whslunchcode (for ex. whs11111).
*** BE AWARE OF SCHOOL COUNSELING DEADLINES-***Late Applications Will Not be Accepted***
· Click on Colleges
· Scholarships and Money
· Scholarship List
Class of 2019 Alumni Panel
FAFSA/CSS Profile
On October 1st, the FAFSA portal opened for students and families to start applying for Financial Aid. Go to: https://fafsa.ed.gov/ to create your FSA ID and fill out your FREE application for federal student aid (F.A.F.S.A.)
Additionally, some colleges requires families to complete the CSS profile to obtain more financial information and better determine aid eligibility. To see if your college requires this form, please go to: https://profile.collegeboard.org/profile/ppi/participatingInstitutions.aspx
Financial Literacy Article from SCSU
1. The Confusing Financial Aid Award
If you are confused by your financial aid letter, do not feel bad—a very common mistake in the financial aid process is misunderstanding where the money for your package is coming from. Colleges use various sources to fund financial aid packages and they do not all necessarily save you money. Unfortunately, the financial aid letter is rarely clear about what type of aid you will be given (loan or grant) or how much you will owe in the long run. The only way to effectively understand exactly where your aid is coming from and how much money you will owe is to ask questions. Look at each item listed in your package and ask the college’s financial aid office whether it is a loan or a grant. For loans, find out the interest rates, details about the maturation of the loan, and piece together what it will cost you in the long-term. For grants, find out how and when the money will be dispersed. Some schools will provide the entire grant at the beginning, while others will spread it out over four years. Be sure you understand every detail of your financial aid package, no matter how confusing it may seem.
2. The Fear of High Prices
Many families are quickly scared away from applying to private schools when they see a yearly price tag in the range of forty to sixty thousand dollars. However, the sticker price is far less important than the net price. This is the total amount you will pay out of pocket to attend a college after aid and other variables like travel or room and board are factored in. The more expensive schools often offer far more financial aid, meaning your cost to attend could drop drastically to the range of a state school. Calculate your net cost to attend a university before you cross it off your list for being too overpriced.
3. Drawing from Retirement to Help Defray Expenses
If at all possible you should avoid pulling money from your retirement accounts to help fund your child’s college education. When you withdraw from your IRA, money that was previously not counted as assets in financial aid calculations can suddenly negatively affect the amount of aid you receive because it is now counted as income. Then you face sharp penalties and fees for drawing from your retirement too early as well as owing taxes on previously untaxed funds. The damage you do to yourself by tapping into retirement is far worse than taking out federal loans to pay for college.
4. The Dangers of Procrastination
When it comes to filing for financial aid, DO NOT WAIT! Start early and fill out the FAFSA as soon as possible. There are many different deadlines for federal, state, and college financial aid programs, and some of them are quite early. Use estimated tax information on the FAFSA if you don’t yet have your returns, then come back later and fill in the exact figures. This way you can meet the early deadlines. Otherwise, you risk missing out on the maximum financial aid package for which you are eligible.
5. Just Because You Need It Doesn’t Mean They Give It
Not all colleges fulfill 100% of financial need. Don’t assume that your FAFSA EFC (Expected Family Contribution) is all a college will expect you to pay. Ask each college whether they fulfill 100% of financial need, and if not, what percentage of need do they cover. A cheaper school that only covers 70% of need could be more expensive than a higher priced school that covers 100%.
6. Fixed Financial Aid Packages
Many people assume that if their financial need increases in the future, then their aid package will be accordingly adjusted. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Some schools will not adjust your package for any reason after your first year of college. This is something you need to find out ahead of time, especially if you expect your need to increase in the future. You don’t want to discover in your child’s third year of college that you can no longer afford to pay for it.
Article above shared by Dorothy Mautee at College4Less.
Advanced Placement/UConn Early College Experience (ECE) Classes
We offer 12 UConn Early College Experience (ECE) classes and 4 Advanced Placement courses at Wolcott High School. Over 300 students are registered for UConn ECE courses at Wolcott High School. Students have registered for their Advanced Placement exams and they have enrolled in their University of Connecticut college courses. Also, Wolcott High School was highlighted in a recent UConn ECE video. Our students are well on their way to obtaining college credit in high school!
Payment Information from UCONN:
Fall/Full year courses- Payment Due by November 7
Spring Courses- Payment Due January 8
By registering for a UConn course through UConn ECE, students have a financial obligation to the University of Connecticut. Students are financially responsible for all courses for which they enroll. Students and authorized users are notified by e-mail when their e-bill is ready to be viewed. Payment can be made online, by mail, or in person. Failure to receive an e-mail bill notification does not absolve students of the responsibility of payment by the due date.
Students have 24/7 access to view any term fee bill by accessing their student account in the Student Administration System.
University standard policies on late fees, returned checks, and collections will apply.
SCHOOL COUNSELING Oct/Nov CALENDAR OF EVENTS
ASVAB
Scones and Scholarships
Wednesday, Dec 18, 2019, 08:00 AM
Wolcott High School, Bound Line Road, Wolcott, CT, USA
2019-2020 Counselor Breakout
Mrs. Taryn Villano-Corso
Seniors A-D 2020
Juniors A-D 2021
Sophomores A-F 2022
Freshman A-E 2023
Mrs. Alyssa Giedra
Seniors E-L 2020
Juniors E-L 2021
Sophomores G-Ma 2022
Freshman F-L 2023
Mrs. Kelley Brochu
Seniors M-Sa 2020
Juniors M-Sm 2021
Sophomores McC-So 2022
Freshman M-S 2023
Mr. Mark Wursthorn
Seniors S-Z 2020
Juniors So-Z 2021
Sophomores Sp-Z 2022
Freshman T-Z 2023