Patriot Post
Counseling Corner: December Edition
AP Exam Ordering
Complete information in the AP Order Form 2019 document below.
Wellness Corner
We will be hosting a Wellness Wednesday for students on January 30, 2019 at 8:15 am in the Commons to go over Stress Management and Anxiety.
A Lunch & Learn will be hosted on January 22, 2019 during student lunch in the library focusing on resources for first generation college going students. Please join us to learn more about the Education Opportunity Program (EOP) and the Care and Guardians Scholars, which could all be helpful in paying for college and receiving additional support while in college.
Senior Scene
College Application Reminder: Counselors and teachers will not be checking email over the winter break so anything received during this time will not be addressed until after January 7th. Please see your counselor before break to address any deadlines during this time.
Things for seniors to do during winter break:
Get some much needed sleep; you earned it and deserve it.
Visit family and friend
Send in test scores if needed
Visit a few colleges where you applied
Give thanks to those who helped you through the college process: parents, teachers, etc.
No checking out mentally; colleges want you to finish strong.
Happy & healthy holidays to you and your families.
On Tuesday, January 8th, from 5:00 – 7:00pm, in room 131/132 please join us for this hands-on workshop with Financial Aid specialists who will help you complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and California Dream Act application. Please bring your 2017 tax returns and your student’s school laptop. Remember, the FASFA is due March 2, 2019 for students entering college in Fall semester 2019.
Seniors who are planning to attend community college in the fall of 2019, must now complete an in-person Orientation. Orientation will provide you with important information about English and math placement, terminology, policies, available services and the college's expectations of you as a college student. We will have staff from four different community colleges here at Beckman to walk you through the required matriculation steps. Seniors can take advantage of the following events happening at Beckman.
Irvine Valley College Fast Fridays
UC Application Updates
Official score reports sent to one UC campus are automatically available to all UC campuses to which a student applied.
Some students will be randomly selected to verify information in their application, including 7/8th grade language other than English and math (including geometry) courses, and will be notified by email by the end of December. The deadline to respond is Jan. 31. Failure to respond to the request by the deadline will result in withdrawal of the application.
Junior Junction
Those planning to attend a university after high school should register online and prepare for the SAT, SAT Subject Tests and/or ACT. You should begin taking one in the spring to give yourself opportunities for retests if needed.
PSAT scores came out on December 12th; did you check your score in your CollegeBoard account?
Start thinking about colleges that you may want to visit for Winter Break. Play with Super Match on Naviance to see all of your college options under your specifications. Colleges care what a student does outside of the classroom so start to think about who you are or what you could do to bolster your resume.
Also start thinking about your classes for next year. Are they appropriate for your post high-school goals? You will be meeting with your counselors in January to plan out next year.
Sophomore Stop
Part of the focus for tenth grade is to explore extracurricular activities and career exploration. All students have access to our Naviance program where interest inventories, career clusters and related career assessments can be explored. Parents also have access to explore the Naviance program and learn how to navigate it. This tool will become very useful junior year, as this will be the primary source for researching majors and colleges.
Click HERE to finish your interest and career cluster inventories this December! Remember to add three career clusters/ careers to your career list and speak with your counselor about these! Contact your counselor if you need access to your free account.
Start to research colleges. Visit schools during winter break as this can motivate students by showing them how all their hard work can pay off. Colleges care what a student does outside the classroom, so continue to do extracurricular activities. Research and learn what schools and programs interest you, then create a filing system for each college.
Click HERE for checklists for Academic and Financial Preparation.
Freshman Forum
Finals week (Dec. 17th -20th) can be a stressful time for students. These exams draw upon your knowledge from the entire semester. Knowing how to properly prepare for finals is the key to avoiding stress. Here are some helpful study tips.
9th grade students will register for their 10th grade classes January 22nd - January 28th.
To prepare, students will attend an informational meeting with their English class on January 18th in the PAC and will be given a 10th grade course selection sheet.
In addition, you are invited to have coffee and treats at the annual 9th grade Parent and Counselor Coffee on January 15th at 8am in the Commons. During this presentation you will receive information on course planning for 10th grade, upcoming important dates and activities, how to keep track of grades and graduation status, and summer school.
Please be sure to review your student's course selections and sign the sheet.
Throughout the month of November, freshman counselor, Erin Charles, visited freshmen in their Biology classses. Students learned how to calculate their GPA, log into Naviance, and completed the Supermatch lesson where they explored areas of interest and began to build their college list.
-Project Objectives:
- Ability to calculate both unweighted and weighted GPA
- Ability to login and access Naviance
- Know how to search for colleges in Naviance Super Match based on personal preferences
- Identify important characteristics of colleges to consider when researching and selecting a college
- Identify ten colleges that match preferred interests
- Learn more in-depth information about three colleges to assist with the college selection process
DATA: Read the graph below to see how much the students learned from this valuable lesson!
Start to research the colleges your student saved to their Naviance account by visiting schools during winter break. This can motivate students by helping them understand that school success is preparation to meet their post-secondary goals. Students should also develop their learning outside of the classroom. View information about clubs here.
Upcoming Dates
1/8: Financial Aid Workshop "Cash for College": 5-7 pm in rooms 131/132
1/15: The Well-Balanced Student, 6 pm in the Performing Arts Center
1/15: 9th Grade Counselor Coffee, 8 am in the BHS Commons
1/16: 10th Grade Counselor Coffee, 8 am in the BHS Commons
1/17: 11th Grade Counselor Coffee, 8 am in the BHS Commons
1/18: 12th Grade Counselor Coffee, 8 am in the BHS Commons
Student Events:
1/15: 12th Grade Meeting
1/16: 11th Grade Meeting
1/17: 10th Grade Meeting
1/18: 9th Grade Meeting
2/1: Last day for schedule change requests