COUNSELOR CONNECTION
La Canada High School
DAILY LCHS ANNOUNCEMENTS
Can't hear the PA Announcements in class? Did you know that all of the announcements are posted on the school website? Just go to the Student Portal on the upper left corner of the website, then "PA Announcements" on the right gold bar. (Or, you can click here for the link.) Stay informed and never miss an announcement again!
GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
PSAT Sign-ups
The PSAT will be on Saturday, October 15th. Sign-ups began, for juniors only, on September 6th. Sophomores and freshmen may sign up beginning September 19th. The cost will be $25 until September 23rd. Please have your student see Mrs. Hicklin before school, during break, during lunch, or after school, NOT DURING CLASS. Please note that the price will increase to $30 on September 26th. The last day to sign up is September 30th. Have your student sign up early, as space is limited.. When paying, please use check or cash only. If paying cash please have exact change. Make checks payable to LCHS, include your student’s name, ID number and PSAT on the memo line at the bottom of the check.
On the day of the exam, please bring the following:
· #2 pencils with good erasers
· A photo I.D.
· A four-function, scientific, or graphing calculator
Please arrive at school between 7:30 and 7:45 AM. The test starts at approximately 8:30am and is a two-hour test. You should be finished at about 11:00am.
Math Tutoring Available
Math support is available on campus every Wednesday after school by Ms. DiFiore in Room 213. (2:45-4:00). Tutoring is open for all math levels.
LCHS Clubs and ASB Information
This Wednesday, at lunch, is the first semester Club Day! All clubs will have booths out with information and sign-ups. If you are not sure your club was approved, check the list in front of the ASB Room (room 115). If you have questions, contact Ryan Chen (rchen18@mylcusd.net) or Adin Ryssdal (aryssdal19@mylcusd.net).
During break this Friday, the 2016 Homecoming theme will be announced! The announcement will take place in front of the ASB room (room 115) so be there to find out information about this year’s Homecoming dance.
California Scholarship Federation Announcement:
The California Scholarship Federation (CSF) is a statewide organization that recognizes academic excellence upon graduation at the high school level. All Sophomore, Junior and Senior students with good grades and citizenship are encouraged to apply each semester. (Freshmen have to wait until second semester to apply). To attain full membership and a CSF Gold Seal, a student needs to successfully submit an application at least 4 semesters of high school. One semester must come from senior year.
Now is the time to turn in the application with last semester’s report card! The application is currently available online only (we are not running off copies to hand out). They are available at lchsspartans.net, through the student portal; click on the CSF app. The applications, along with a xeroxed copy of their last report card, are due to Mrs. Alequin no later than 3 pm this Wednesday, September 14th.
Seniors: No need to pay your $5 now, unless you are CERTAIN that you will have qualified with your 1st semester grades from this fall. Mr. Spitler will accept $5 cash now if you want to get the payment out of the way. (no checks please!)
Questions? Email Mr. Spitler: cspitler@lcusd.net Thank you!
SAT and ACT Prep Courses at LCHS
Last call on signing up for the ACT prep courses offered exclusively at LCHS! First class begins this Saturday September 17th at 9:00AM. Princeton Review will be able to take sign-ups through Thursday September 15th. LCHS is partnering with The Princeton Review again this year to offer discounted SAT and ACT courses here on campus. Click here for LCHS student discount information. Click here for general information.
SAT/ACT Testing Dates
Click below for important SAT and ACT dates and deadlines.
Hurry! October 22nd ACT test registration deadline approaching on September 16th!
2016-2017 SAT Test Dates and Registration Deadlines
2016-2017 ACT Test Dates and Registration Deadlines
"Harvard, Berkeley, or Bust"
LCHS families are invited to a special presentation by Collegewise Head Counselor and Vice President Arun Ponnusamy on "Highly Selective College Admissions"
Have you ever wondered what it really takes to get into a school like Stanford? While this presentation alone will not get students into Stanford (if it could, we’d need a LOT more seats), Arun Ponnusamy, head counselor and vice president of Collegewise, will discuss how schools like Columbia, USC, MIT, and the rest of the nation’s most selective colleges make decisions from pools full of the most qualified applicants. He will also explain what those admitted students do to set themselves apart from the rest of the applicant pool. Mostly importantly, he’ll reveal some Collegewise strategies to improve a student’s chances of admission to such schools as well as offer some wisdom on why hundreds of other colleges might actually make more sense to be on a college list as opposed to only those with admit rates in the single digits. And finally, this is a process that can be joyful and offers opportunities for self-reflection and growth. He’ll explain how.
Arun has personally reviewed the college applications of over 8,000 high school seniors and read approximately 20,000 college essays. If that sounds mathematically impossible (it did to us the first time he said it), here’s how it worked. Before he became a college counselor at Collegewise, Arun was an assistant director of admissions for five years at the University of Chicago (his beloved alma mater). He then held the same post for two years at Caltech and spent two final years as an admissions reader for UCLA. If you’re still with us and doing the math, that’s nine admissions cycles for three highly selective colleges in two states. But Arun doesn’t believe that the most prestigious colleges are necessarily the best. In fact, he was raised in Ohio where it is apparently a state law that residents not only fanatically love Ohio State, but also treat anyone who loves the University of Michigan with great contempt (it’s a college football rivalry thing, for the uninitiated).
You are invited to a special presentation by Arun Ponnusamy on "Highly Selective College Admissions"
Location: LCHS Audtiorium
Time/Date: September 29th 6:00 p.m.
UCLA Open House
Come and learn more about UCLA! You will have an opportunity to tour the campus, learn about applying for admission and financial aid, and hear about academic programs and student life at UCLA. Event takes place on October 8th. Click here for more information and to register: UCLA Open House Information
ACT, SAT, and College Application Fee Waivers
The college application process can quickly become expensive, but fee waivers for the ACT, SAT, Common Application, and NCAA are available for students who qualify.
General eligibility information can be found at the following links: https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat/register/fees/fee-waivers
http://www.lcusd.net/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=455497&type=d&pREC_ID=985769
If eligible, your counselor can provide you specific information about each waiver.
Freshman Forum
Follow Link Crew this year!
Instagram: @LCHSlinkcrew / Snapchat: LClinkcrew / Twitter: LCLinkcrew
Remind 101 Counseling Text Reminders
- If you would like to receive text reminders and valuable information from your counselor this year, text @yourcouns to 81010 to join the Freshman Forum Remind 101.
"Lies People Tell High School Freshman" by Kevin McMullin
Kevin McMullin is the founder and president of Collegewise and the author of If the U Fits: Expert Advice on Finding the Right College and Getting Accepted.
SOPHOMORE SCENE
Remind 101 Counseling Text Reminders
- If you would like to receive text reminders and valuable information from your counselor this year, text @yourcoun to 81010 to join the Sophomore Scene Remind 101.
JUNIOR JUNCTION
Remind 101 Counseling Text Reminders
- If you would like to receive text reminders and valuable information from your counselor this year, text @juniorjun to 81010 to join the Junior Junction Remind 101.
SENIOR STOP
Important Dates:
- Sept. 15th: "Facing the College Application Process" Parent Night 6:00 LCHS Auditorium
- Sept. 21st: Senior College Advisory Workshops begin (See details below)
Sept. 29: "Highly Selective College Admissions" presentation 6:00 p.m. La Canada High School Auditorium
Sept. 29: St. Francis College Fair 7:00 p.m.
Oct. 1: FAFSA application available online
Oct. 8: UCLA Open House Information
Nov. 30: UC Applications Due -->Access the application starting NOW
Nov. 30: CSU Applications Due
Dec. 1: USC Scholarship Deadline
Upcoming College Visits*:
View College Visits Fall 2016 calendar
Duke University 9/14
Goucher College 9/14
Emerson College 9/15
University of Massachusetts, Amherst 9/16
Gettysburg College 9/16
The George Washington University 9/16
American University 9/16
Texas Christian University 9/19
University of Tennessee, Knoxville 9/19
Linfield College 9/19
Bentley University 9/20
Colorado State University 9/20
Rhodes College 9/20
*Visit sign-ups will take place through Naviance. Please remember to ask your teacher in advance, prior to the visit. When you sign up on Naviance you will be prompted to print a permission slip. You MUST bring the signed permission slip with you to the visit in order for it to be an excused absence.
Facing the College Application Process
The "Facing the College Application Process" presentation was delivered to students via their Gov/Econ classes last week on Sept. 7th and 8th and was presented by the LCHS Counseling Department. Students who took Gov/Econ over the summer were invited to attend via individual invitations to one of the sessions. The slide presentation can be accessed online and has live hyperlinks to various resources: Facing the College Application Process
The student handouts can be accessed on Naviance, or can be printed from the following links:
- Counselor Meeting Checklist
- Instructions for Completing Naviance for Counselor Letters of Rec
- Instructions for Completing Naviance for CSU/UC/Community College/Non Letter of Rec Schools Only
- Naviance
The counselors explained the transcript request process as part of the presentation. This form was not part of the student handouts, but can be accessed via Naviance or in the front office at Mr. Erickson's desk. It is also available for you HERE. Official transcripts are $5 each, payable by cash or check. Students must obtain the counselor's signature prior to submitting the form and related fees to Mrs. Waas, Registrar.
We continue to see all students on a walk-in basis during non-class hours or via appointment sign-ups using the clipboards in the front office. Seniors were instructed on how to use "Signup Genius" for their final college counseling meeting. The link to Signup Genius will soon be delivered to students via remind 101. Those appointments begin on Monday, Sept. 19th and will conclude on Nov. 4th.
The parent version of this presentation will take place this Thursday evening (9/15) at 6 p.m. Handouts for the evening will be provided at that time and will be posted to the newsletter next week. We look forward to seeing you there!
College Application Support
There are many steps in the application process, but don't fret! Counselors will be hosting a variety of workshops during STEP and/or lunch. STEP College Advisory Workshops will begin on September 21st in the IRC. See dates and topics below. You must sign up in Naviance under "College Visits."
- September 21, 22, 28: "Finding the Right Fit"
- October 5, 6, 12, 13: "Application Nuts and Bolts" (Common App, Transcripts, Test Scores, Naviance, CSU and UC application support)
- October 19, 26, 27: "Application Writing Workshop"
- November 2, 3: "Financial Aid"
Remind 101 Counseling Text Reminders
- If you would like to receive text reminders and valuable information from your counselor this year, text @seniorstop to 81010 to join the Senior Stop Remind 101.
College Applications
College application season is here! Commonly used websites include:
New application platform available for some schools: http://www.coalitionforcollegeaccess.org/
Testing
If you are applying to even one private school or out-of-state school, the GREAT majority of those schools will want a counselor letter of rec, a.k.a. the "Secondary School Report". This is in ADDITION to teacher letters of rec. Make contact with your teachers and counselor early, especially if you are applying Early Action or Early Decision. It is imperative that your Naviance account is up-to-date. Be sure to finish any summer tasks that were assigned during the Junior College Project.
Know your deadlines! Naviance is a great tracking tool. Be sure to use your Google calendar to track important events as well. Colleges have deadlines ranging from October 1 through May 31, and everywhere in between. It is your responsibility to know your deadlines.
Financial Aid-Changes to the FAFSA Process for 2017–18:
SUBMIT A FAFSA EARLIER: Students will be able to submit a 2017–18 FAFSA as early as Oct. 1, 2016, rather than beginning on Jan. 1, 2017. The earlier submission date will be a permanent change, enabling students to complete and submit their FAFSAs as early as October 1 every year. Be on the lookout for "Financial Aid Night" hosted at LCHS in October- Date and Time TBD.
USE EARLIER INCOME AND TAX INFORMATION: Beginning with the 2017–18 FAFSA, students will be required to report income and tax information from an earlier tax year. For example, on the 2017–18 FAFSA, students (and parents, as appropriate) will report their 2015 income and tax information, rather than their 2016 income and tax information. For more details and to sign up for a FAFSA ID number: https://fafsa.ed.gov/
Essays and Personal Insight Questions
Think about your college essays. Brainstorm ideas and look for common themes so that you do not reinvent the wheel with every essay. The earlier you begin your essays, the better. It allows for a calmer approach and more time to proofread and gather input from teachers and friends.
College/Career Resources
To help students answer the UC Personal Insight Questions:
http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/how-to-apply/personal-questions/index.html
"To Get to Harvard, Go to Haiti"
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/14/opinion/sunday/to-get-to-harvard-go-to-haiti.html?_r=0
"Don't trust your friends' advice on getting into college - and other tips from admission experts"
COUNSELING CORNER
Resources:
From LCF Community Prevention Council: "The Small Book of Big Issues"
Books by Challenge Success and Its Founders
Registration 2017-18
Save the Date Reminder - August 7, 2017 for grades 12-10, August 8, 2017 for grade 9.