June 2019: 11th Grade
MDHS Counseling Newsletter
MD Juniors... Now MD Rising Seniors!
Congratulations on finishing your junior year--what a feat. We are always so awed by the hard work, endurance, talent, character and kindness that you each pour out. You are AMAZING! And we are so honored that we get to be your school counselors.
As we look ahead to the summer and senior year, we want to remind you that we here as your resource—from personal/social issues to college & career exploration to your day-to-day academics... Please let us know if there’s anything we can do to support you.
Have a very happy summer!
Please consider giving us your feedback on the MD School Counseling program through the survey below:
Breathe. Relax. Have Fun!
First and foremost this summer, take care of you! Take breaks as you need, soak in the sun, spend time with your friends and family. Rediscover old hobbies, discover new ones.
Summer UC Application Webinars
Interested in applying to the UCs? Students can register now for 1-hour-long online webinars, dates running June through August, on the topics of Freshman Selection, the UC Application and Personal Insight Questions. Webinars are hosted by UC Santa Barbara and will give you an overview of the University of California admissions, applications, and advice on writing your responses to the Personal Insight Questions.
MD Summer School
What if I Earn a D or F in a class?
It is imperative that students repeat any classes where their grades were below a "C." Students cannot receive a Mater Dei diploma with any "F" grades on their transcript. Also, students may not participate in graduation if they have 3 or more "F" grades not made up. In addition, most four-year universities will not accept "D" or "F" grades in academic subjects. If you plan to go directly from Mater Dei to a four-year university, you need to make up all "D" and "F" grades. Subjects with "D" or "F" grades may be repeated in summer school, and the better grade will be used in the GPA; colleges usually do likewise.
Summer School at Mater Dei is Monday June 17th - Friday July 19th. You can register online at: www.materdei.org/summerschool.
Summer Ideas for Preparing for College & Beyond
MD College Application Workshops - MD Counseling will be offering a week-long workshop the last week of June, Monday 6/24 to Friday 6/28. More information will be shared soon.
Volunteering – Serving others deepens our gratitude and happiness while making our world a better place! Do something meaningful and impactful this summer. Remember to log your hours in MobileServe.
SAT/ACT Testing – SAT/ACT exam scores are often part of college admissions review. Please see more info about these exams at https://www.materdei.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=70016&type=d&pREC_ID=303774
Tried & True Tutoring, in partnership with Mater Dei HS, is bringing its complete SAT course to campus. Take advantage of this convenient opportunity to significantly boost your score during the summer break and dramatically improve your college admissions opportunities!
Scope:
- 20 Hours of Instruction, 2 real SAT practice exams, taken online; Targeted homework
Schedule:
- June 17 — July 17, Mondays & Wednesdays, 2:00 — 4:00 PM
- Pre-Test June 15 or 16; Post-Test June 20 or 21
Price:
- $499
Quick Sign Up Link: https://store.triedandtruetutoring.com/collections/southern-california/products/mater-dei-hs-orange-county
College Research
- Build your list of colleges you’re interested on Naviance (https://student.naviance.com/mater). Remember to keep in mind having safety, target/match, and reach schools.
- Try the Naviance SuperMatch or CollegeBoard College Search at https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/college-search
- Visit a campus and take a tour
- Register for a summer camp or classes for enrichment
- Apply for a summer job for interview experience and build real life job skills
- Interview someone in a career that you might be interested in
- Try career assessments through California Career Zone at https://www.cacareerzone.org/assessments or the Naviance Career Interest Profiler
- Read up on different careers or watch videos through Road Trip Nation: https://roadtripnation.com/edu/careerfinder
Start Your Scholarship Search/Financial Planning
- Begin by discussing with your parents/guardian about how you plan to pay for college
- Ask college programs about their financial aid and scholarships available
- Use the “Net Price Calculator” on individual college’s websites
- Start your scholarship search and applications. You can try the scholarship list in your Naviance account.
- Add a reminder in your calendar that the FAFSA (federal aid application) opens on October 1st.
Counselor Letter of Recommendation – If you will need a letter of recommendation, please fill out and submit the Counselor Letter of Rec Questionnaire. Instructions and submission link are on this PDF, https://4.files.edl.io/be6b/03/22/19/211857-130ae82c-9888-4202-913e-5e6a7ec4e234.pdf. More information on Letters of Rec are below.
Counselor Letters of Recommendation
Would you like to work on your college applications early? If you need any letters of recommendation, please consider working on your Counselor Letter of Recommendation Questionnaire now and during the summer!
You can view and save the Counselor Letter of Recommendation Questionnaire at https://4.files.edl.io/be6b/03/22/19/211857-130ae82c-9888-4202-913e-5e6a7ec4e234.pdf. Please be sure to read the instructions in the questionnaire PDF.
What is the Counselor Letter of Recommendation Questionnaire?
Just like its name, it is the questionnaire that MD students must fill out and submit if they need a letter of recommendation from their counselor. Some colleges require letters of recommendation, and some do not. Our questionnaire has a section for students and a section for parents/guardians.
When do I turn this in?
You may submit your completed questionnaire as soon as you are ready. So that your counselors can write the best recommendations, we ask that you turn in this questionnaire at least 3 weeks in advance of your first college application due date. Earlier is always appreciated, but when you are ready is just as important to us.
If you have any questions, please feel free to let your counselor know. We are here to support you.
Summer Wellness
Mater Dei High School Counseling Department
Website: https://www.materdei.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=70016&type=d&pREC_ID=237246
Location: Mater Dei High School, 1202 W Edinger Avenue, Santa Ana, CA 92707