School Counseling Bulletin
May 2020
HI! HOW'S IT GOING?
We miss seeing and talking to you. If you have a quick question, concern or need more in-depth conversation, we are here for you during the day. Please reach out to us.
Diana Becker
Casey Bowles
Chad Johnston
Tara Leja
Joy Rullo
Shelly Saba
Elizabeth Schneider
Emails will be monitored regularly during office hours.
AP Exam Updates due to COVID 19
As you are aware, AP Exams will be approximately 45 minutes and include only free response questions on topics covered through mid-March. A revised exam schedule is available here. Tests may be taken at home on a smartphone, desktop, laptop, tablet, or Chromebook and if you need a device to use for testing please let us know ASAP by contacting your school counselor or Mr. Bowles.
In addition, students should be receiving email updates from College Board (sent to the email address submitted when you enrolled in the AP classroom). This guide explains the exam day process, the steps students need to take before exam day, and provides details about the e-tickets students will need to participate.
Mr. Bowles will be offering office hours on Wednesday, May 6, 1:30 PM - 3 PM, and Thursday, May 7, 1:30 PM-3 PM to any students that want to "pop in" with questions. You can click on this link at any time during office hours on those days to chat. More details will be sent to all students taking an AP exam later this week so please keep an eye out for that email from our office.
COMMON APP ESSAY PROMPTS AND ACCOUNT CREATION - 11th GRADE ONLY
Essay:
This is a great time to start working on your essay! The essay provides students with the opportunity to make their application stand out. Brainstorm with a parent or friend. Consider what is really meaningful to you. Think about what you want colleges to know about you that will not be found in other parts of your application. The 2020-21 Common Application prompts can be found here. Mrs. Shine also has wonderful resources in the Writing Lab to help students with their essay. Check them out here.
Common Application:
If applicable, start the Common Application. Now is a great time to start exploring the Common Application. You can create a Common App account at any time, and your account can rollover from year to year, using the same username and password. Please be sure to keep track of your password; sharing it with a parent or guardian is a good idea. Any work you complete will be saved during the Account Rollover in late July. Please note that college specific questions and recommender invitations will not rollover. Rumor has it: Your English teachers may be asking you to complete this task in the near future.
This short video is an easy way to discover how to create a First-Year Common App account.
HOW COLLEGES ARE RESPONDING TO COVID-19
THE CONNECTIONS CLUB
The Connections Club is a student-led group at the high school. The purpose of the club is to reach out to students that are new to the district. Several small gatherings/activities will be held throughout the year to welcome new students to the high school community.
Please consider joining our student mentor team to help make a difference in a new student's experience.
Email Mrs. Schneider, School Counselor, eschneider@mtlsd.net if you are interested in becoming a mentor.
FINANCIAL AID
PHEAA continues to receive great interest in Financial Aid Webinars and we will be offering additional webinars in May on the following dates from 6-7 pm: May 7, 14 and 21.
Representatives from the Pennsylvania Higher Education Agency (PHEAA) will be providing an overview of how to apply for all types of financial aid, including completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which is required to determine eligibility for most student aid programs such as the Pennsylvania State Grant, Federal Pell Grant, institutional offers, and federal student and parent loans. This will also be a great opportunity to have PHEAA representatives answer questions you may have.
Click Here to register for the May 7 webinar from 6-7 pm
Click Here to register for the May 14 webinar from 6-7 pm
Click Here to register for the May 21 webinar from 6-7 pm
Any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our PHEAA representative directly.
William M. Lindsey
PHEAA - Pennsylvania School Services Manager
Direct: 717. 720.1529
Email: wlindsey@pheaa.org
Additionally, All of the PHEAA Access Partners are available for one-on-one virtual Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) sessions every Wednesday in May from 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM. This opportunity is available to current 2020 high school graduates and others who are planning to enroll at a post-secondary institution in the fall of 2020 or spring of 2021. We are scheduling phone appointments for assistance with the FAFSA. Access Partners can be reached by text or phone to schedule an appointment. As you may know, PHEAA extended the May 1st PA State Grant application deadline by 2 weeks to May 15th for the 2020-21 Academic Year. We hope that this additional assistance with the FAFSA will assist students in completing the FAFSA before the new deadline of May 15th.
VIRTUAL COLLEGE VISITS
Research/Visit Colleges (4 year and/or 2 year programs), military and workforce options, gap year programs. This is easy to do through your Naviance account and other websites like these: College Board’s BigFuture, College Confidential, Niche and Peterson's College Confidential.
Many colleges/universities are currently closed and have developed robust virtual visits. Students and families should take advantage of the virtual tours available at these institutions. Check a couple of them here: University of Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania State University.
You can also consider following schools on social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.
Don't forget to check out the free Virtual College Fair, sponsored by PCACA (Pennsylvania Association for College Admission Counseling), which has expanded their program through May 8, 2020.
SOPHOMORES!
JUNIORS!
You can find it in the Google Classroom: Student Personal Analysis (if you need the classroom code, please contact your school counselor)
SENIORS!
Complete the 12th Grade-2020 Post-Graduation Survey by May 15, 2020 which will be sent to you in an email later this week.
This information is usually collected by school counselors while meeting with Senior students in their 12th grade English classes the first week of May. The information we collect is required by the PA Department of Education and shared with the Activities Office to complete the college map and shared with the Devil's Advocate for their final issue. Although we are unsure of the details of how this information will be displayed, it must be collected so together we can celebrate the accomplishments and plans for The Class of 2020!
This survey must be completed by every SENIOR.
NCAA UPDATES
The NCAA has made significant adjustments to their initial eligibility requirements for the class of 2020. They have also adopted a "Do No Harm" policy for future classes impacted by the Covid 19 crisis. Please use the link below to see information supplied by the NCAA as well as to register with the Initial Eligibility Center. This can be done as early as freshman year but does not need to be completed until prior to your senior year.
Please contact Mrs. Saba with any additional questions.
CREATE A PLAN FOR TAKING THE SAT/ACT AND PREPARE
With many test dates being cancelled and colleges announcing that they will be moving to test optional, the future is unknown, but we would still suggest that our students prepare to take the SAT/ACT in the late summer or early fall. There is no way to predict what the state of our country will be, but we would suggest students continue to prepare in hopes of taking the exams. In the past few weeks, a number of colleges and universities announced plans to become “test optional” for the next year or two, starting with the Class of 2021. Double check college websites for updated information on testing requirements as changes are happening quickly!
MAY IS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH
Getting the Right Start is a student's guide to mental health.
Resolve Crisis Services
If you or someone you love is overwhelmed, anxious or can't stay mentally well, please know that there are caring professionals who would be happy to speak with you directly. In Allegheny County, this is free & confidential help 24/7.
Contact Resolve Crisis Services online : Resolve Crisis Services
or by phone: 1-888-796-8226 (1-888-7-YOU CAN)
Telephone crisis services and mobile crisis services are available to all Allegheny County residents.
High School Counseling Office
Email: acarini@mtlsd.net
Website: https://hs.mtlsd.org/student-services/school-counseling
Location: 155 Cochran Road, Mount Lebanon, PA, USA
Phone: 412.344.2053