Counseling Department Newsletter
February 2020
Course Selection for 2020-21
Stop by the Counseling Office, Rm. 2003, to pick up a course card if you did not receive one.
Students should be discussing next year's course choices with their current teachers, school counselor, and parents.
SCHOOL COUNSELORS WILL BE HAND-ENTERING ALL COURSE CARD REQUESTS.
Please ensure that your card is accurate and includes:
STUDENT FIRST & LAST NAME
STUDENT ID NUMBER
COURSE NUMBERS
COUNSELOR'S NAME
Course card due dates are listed below:
9th grade students should bring completed course cards to their Biology class on February 11th.
10th grade students should bring completed course cards to their Chemistry class on February 12th.
11th grade students should bring completed course cards to their Social Studies class on February 13th.
Early College Credit Options
If you plan to request to enroll in a college course through Early College Credit Program or Start College Now for the Fall 2020 semester, be sure to submit your application to your counselor by the March 1st deadline.
More information about each program, as well as the application can be found below:
Start College Now (SCN) allows high school students the opportunity to take college courses at Wisconsin Technical Colleges. The process is very similar to Youth Options. Statute 38. 12 (14) outlines the aspects of the program. Students looking to take courses in the fall semester must turn in the application to their high school counselor by March 1 of each year. For spring semester courses, the deadline for submission to their high school counselor is October 1 of each year. Counselors will forward directly to the district representative on behalf of the student and family.
Link to Application / Madison College SCN Website
Program Specifics:
- Courses requested CANNOT be similar or equivalent to courses offered by the district
- Student may take up to 18 credits; no more than 2 courses at a time
- Grades 11 & 12 only
- Fall & spring semesters only; no Summer option
- Student MUST meet pre-requisites outlined for each course
- Processed within MMSD by the Office of Personalized Pathways
- Questions? Contact Jen Wegner, 663-5229
The Early College Credit Program (ECCP) allows high school students the opportunity to take college courses at Wisconsin public (University of Wisconsin) and private universities. The process is very similar to Youth Options. Statute 118.55 outlines the aspects of the program. Students looking to take coursework over the summer term need to submit their application to their high school counselor prior to February 1 each year. Students looking to take courses in the fall semester must turn in the application to their high school counselor by March 1 of each year. For spring semester courses, the deadline for submission to their high school counselor is October 1 of each year. Counselors will forward directly to the district representative on behalf of the student and family.
Link to UW Application / UW Website
Link to Private College Application / Website
Program Specifics:
- Courses requested CANNOT be similar or equivalent to courses offered by the district
- Student may take up to 18 credits; no limits number of courses at a given time; however, UW will limit to 1 course at a time in most cases, 2 in rare cases with previous successful completion
- Grades 9-12; however, most universities will have restrictions for Grade 10 or lower (unless there are extenuating circumstances)
- Fall, spring, and summer courses are available under the program
- Student MUST meet pre-requisites outlined for each course
- Processed within MMSD by the Office of Personalized Pathways
- Questions? Contact Jen Wegner, 663-5229
Is Your College Asking For Your Mid-Year Transcripts?
If your school is NOT on the Common Application, students are required to request their mid-year transcript via parchment.com
West HS Scholarship Application Closes Feb. 7th at 4 PM!
Students can access the application HERE or by visiting the front page of the West HS Counseling Website: madisonwesths.wixsite.com/counseling
What is it? Each year, many local organizations and individuals generously provide approximately 45 scholarships for West Seniors. Each scholarship donor determines the criteria for their scholarship. The criteria vary widely, but may include one or more of the following: academic achievement, leadership, school/community service, athletic achievement, financial need, special interests/talents, personal character, or intended area of study.
Who can Apply? ALL SENIORS who have attended high school in the Madison Metropolitan School District for a minimum of three (3) full semesters. The 8th, or final, semester must be at West. In addition, seniors must complete and submit the West High Scholarship application to be considered for these scholarships.
If you have any questions, please contact one of the following counselors:
Kelly Anderle (608-204-3194; kaanderle@madison.k12.wi.us)
Lisa Lehman (608-204-4132; lalehman@madison.k12.wi.us)
How Can TuitionFit Help You?
Explore the real range of actual college prices
TuitionFit displays all of the prices shared by similar students, so you can see offers from schools you haven't applied to yet, significantly expanding your options.
Compare financial aid awards
TuitionFit breaks down the details of every financial aid award so that you can understand how your offers compare to others in the data set, giving you the information you need to negotiate or appeal your award.
Choose your college with confidence
TuitionFit helps you determine the real value of each college, allowing you to know that the school you choose is worth the price they are asking you to pay.
Sign up for this FREE service and upload your award letter today!
ACT March 3rd
On Tuesday, March 3rd (2020), all grade 11 students will take the ACT + Writing Test at West High School. The district covers the registration fee for juniors testing at their schools on this test date. Students in grades 9, 10 and 12 will have no school on the test date. More information will be communicated to students and families as we near the test date.
The ACT is a national college admissions test that is accepted by all four-year colleges and universities in the U.S. The test covers four subject areas: English, mathematics, reading and science. The ACT + Writing test includes a 40-minute writing section.
MMSD offers free test prep for the ACT through Xello. Students can access Method Test Prep through their Xello account (via your student gmail account). A link to Xello can be found by scrolling to the bottom of West’s homepage and clicking on the link to Xello.
Junior Conferences
During your conference, you and your counselor will discuss the following topics:
- Transcript Review
- Course selection for Senior year
- Discussion of post-high school plans
A summary page will be shared with student and family following the conference. Included in this summary is a timeline of next steps for post-high school plans.
UW Madison's Business Emerging Leader (BEL) Program
The Business Emerging Leaders (BEL) Program is designed for promising students who come from diverse backgrounds and have strong academic records and demonstrated leadership skills. Program participation gives students a distinct competitive advantage when adjusting to college life, learning in classes, and applying for internship opportunities, ultimately preparing them for successful careers in business.
BEL Program students who are admitted to UW–Madison and major in business are granted a full-tuition scholarship for four years of attendance. (Completion of the program does not guarantee admission into the university.) The BEL Program meets every summer for three years, beginning the summer after tenth grade. Learn more on the Program Details page.
Students are selected based on their demonstrated academic success, leadership skills, commitment to diversity, and potential to excel in business at the university.
BEL applicants must:
- Be a current 10th grade student
- Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
- Have and maintain a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA (unweighted on a 4.0 scale)
BEL applicants must identify as at least one of the following:
- African American
- Southeast Asian American (Hmong, Vietnamese, Laotian, Cambodian)
- Hispanic/Latino
- Native American
- Low-income student (defined as a student who receives free or reduced lunch benefits at school)
Note the application deadline of February 17, 2020.
Experience Madison College
Attending Experience Madison College is a smart choice!
Learn about our college by seeing yourself on campus. Madison College hosts several Experience events that let you try college on for size. Meet instructors, participate in hands-on activities and take a campus tour focused on your interests.
Advisors, staff and instructors are available to answer your questions and provide help with your free application.
All events take place on select Fridays from noon - 4 p.m.
Future students, parents/guardians and mentors are all welcome at EMC.
QUESTIONS? Email us or call (608) 243-4248.
Business & Applied Arts Feb. 14th
Health: Feb. 28th
Applied Science, Engineering and Tech: March 13th
Goodman South Campus: March 27th
Protective Services: April 17th
Arts & Sciences/Liberal Arts Transfer: May 1st
Find out more information about Experience Madison College HERE
Employment & Volunteering Information
Free Summer Opportunity for Students interested in Math, Science & Engineering
ProCSI (Promoting the Computational Science Initiative, pronounced "proxy"), is an annual, week-long residential program that is offered, free of charge, on the campus of the University of Wisconsin - Madison. The camp is open to all students, however, first-generation and/or minority high school students going into their 10th, 11th, or 12th grade are encouraged to apply.
ProCSI participants attend lectures on a range of engineering-related topics, go on tours of the campus, and experience campus life during this fun-filled week. Students will be provided with meals at a university dining hall and reside in the dorms, both at no cost.
ProCSI 2020 will be held from July 19-24, 2020. Instructions for the application form are available online at https://sbel.wisc.edu/procsi/ .
Wisconsin American Legion Law Enforcement Career Academy - Applications are open!
The Wisconsin American Legion Law Enforcement Career Academy (WALLECA) is a program for current Juniors and Seniors in high school who are in good academic standing. The program provides a first-hand experience and insight into the operations of law enforcement agencies.
The program will offer physical fitness training coupled with classroom instruction and hands-on training. Topics of instruction include criminal law, constitutional law, patrol procedures, criminal investigation procedures, traffic crash investigation, evidence gathering techniques, arrest techniques, taking fingerprints, testifying in court, public speaking, leadership skills, report writing, interviewing techniques, crisis intervention, use of control and firearms training.
The 2020 program will run June 22-26, 2020. To submit your application, click on the application link below and complete the application between January 6, 2020 and February 25, 2020. Please note, this does not guarantee a spot in the academy, those chosen will be notified no later than April 1st. The last question on the application is a 250 word or less essay on why you would like to attend, so please be prepared for the essay prior to clicking on the application link. If you have any questions, please contact Sheri at sheri@wilegion.org.
Application link: https://wilegion.org/view/document/2020_wisconsin_american_legion_law_enforcement_career_academy_application.pdf
Stay Connected This School Year!
HAPPY NATIONAL SCHOOL COUNSELING WEEK FROM YOUR WEST HIGH COUNSELORS!
National School Counseling Week 2020, "School Counselors: Helping Build Better Humans," will be celebrated from Feb. 3-7, 2020, to focus public attention on the unique contribution of school counselors within U.S. school systems. National School Counseling Week, sponsored by ASCA, highlights the tremendous impact school counselors can have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career. National School Counseling Week is always celebrated the first full week in February.