WBHS Counselor Connection

In this issue:

Welcome Back Mrs. Casinelli and Thank you Mr. Landon

Pathways to Medical School Event at WBHS (10th-12th grade)

Virtual Junior Parent Night - College 101 - December 6th

Mrs. Essig's Scholarship Club (Seniors)

FAFSA Help Document from Mrs. Essig (Seniors)

Michigan Achievement Scholarship (Seniors)

HBCU College Tour (Seniors)

Mrs. Essig's Top Picks - Articles of interest

Scholarships:

ACS Chemistry Scholars Program - Underrepresented Seniors in Science - Opens Nov. 1st - Due March 1st
American Rocketry Challenge- 6th-12 grades- Dec 1, 2022
Arthur M. & Berdena King Eagle Scout Scholarship - Eagle Scout - Due December 31, 2022
Aveda Institute Cosmetology Scholarship - Natural Talent Cosmetology Scholarship -12th grade - March 1, 2023 at 5pm.
Barbara Lotze Scholarship for Future Physics Teachers -Seniors - Dec 1, 2022
College for Creative Studies - Valde Scholars Program - 3.0 + Seniors - Dec 1, 2022
DAR Scholarships - Various Scholarships - Due January 31, 2023
Elks Legacy Scholarship - Child/Grandchild of Elk Member -Seniors - February 6, 23
EMU Presidential Scholarship- Seniors - 3.5 + - Due December 15th
Epilepsy Foundation of Michigan Scholarships - Various Dates
Foundation 649 Scholarship - Asian American/Pacific Islander Seniors - Due March 1, 2023
Gamma Lambda Education Foundation - Senior African American Male 3.0+GPA- Due March 15th
Gayle S. Joyner Memorial Scholarship - Senior- Due Feb 24th
GE-Reagan Foundation Scholarship - 3.0 GPA Seniors - Due Jan 5th 3 p.m. CST
Get To Foundation Scholarship - 12th Grade Scholar Athlete 3.0 GPA- Due Jan. 15th
Hamilton Scholars Program for Juniors - Due Jan. 25, 23
Hispanic Scholarship Fund - Hispanic Seniors 3.0+ -Typically opens Jan. 1
Horatio Alger Scholarship Programs - Juniors- Opens Dec 1st - Due March 15
Jackie Robinson Scholarship for minority seniors with need - Due Jan. 11th
JFK Library's Annual Profile in Courage Essay Contest - Due Jan. 13, 23
Lake Michigan Credit Union Lloyd F. Hutt Scholarship - Seniors - Due Jan. 31st
Live Mas - Taco Bell Scholarship - Due. Jan. 11th
MASPA Minority Education Scholarship Program - 2.8+ GPA, Entering field of education - Due May 12, 23
MEA Scholarship - Seniors - Due Feb. 16th
Michigan Council of Women in Technology Scholarship - Female Seniors - Due Jan 31st
Michigan Retailers Association Scholarship - Work part time at a MRA Business- Due April 1st
MSGCU Scholarships - Seniors - OPENS Jan. 5th
My Impact Challenge- 9th-12th grade - Due May 31, 22
Northeastern University Torch Scholars Program - Seniors, First Gen, Low income - Due Jan. 1st
Point Foundation - Flagship Scholarship - Seniors LGBTQ - Due December 21st
Ron Brown Scholarship - Seniors - Due ? (Usually Early January)
Rosa Parks Scholarship Foundation - Seniors - Opens in January
The Edward A. Bajoka Legal Scholarship for Immigrants - Seniors - Due December 31, 2022
THE FUTURE OF STEM SCHOLARS INITIATIVE (FOSSI) - Seniors attending HBCU 3.0 GPA+ -DUE: Jan. 31st
Tuskegee Airmen Scholarship Foundation - 3.0 GPA - Due Jan. 23rd
UNCF Scholarships - Various Opportunities for underrepresented students
United States Bowling Congress Youth Scholarships - Various Scholarships for Bowlers - Due December 1, 2022
US Junior Chamber International Senate Foundation Scholarships- Seniors -Due Jan. 13th
Virginia Military Institute Merit Scholarships & General Peay 1962 Merit Scholarships - Due Feb. 1, 23
WSU - Detroit Leadership Award Award for incoming freshmen -Due March 1st
Yale Bassett Award for Community Engagement Application- Juniors - Due TBD - Typically Feb.
Young Scholars Program-American College of Cardiology - Juniors/Seniors - Dec 1, 2022

Seniors - Let's talk!

Seniors - Do you feel like everyone around you has a plan for next year but you don't know what you want to do? Make an appointment to meet with Mrs. Essig and let's talk about your options. It's not too late to apply to colleges or pursue options in the military, trades or world of work! Let's talk! Click here to make an appointment with her: https://sites.google.com/oaklandschools.net/wbhs-counselor-appointments Links to an external site.

Scholarship Club for seniors!

Are you in need of money to assist you with paying for college? Do you need scholarships but aren't sure where to start? Every year we get seniors coming to us in tears in April because they cannot afford the college they wish to attend. Don't let this be you! Apply for scholarships all throughout the school year!

Mrs. Noelle Essig, College and Career Counselor, regularly uses her expertise to provide a personalized college search experience for WBHS students. This fall, she is also using her expertise to help interested students find ways to help pay for their education. Join Mrs. Essig as she launches "Mrs. Essig's Scholarship Club,” providing time each week for students to research and work on scholarship applications. Mrs. Essig will also conduct mock interviews for students who get selected for scholarship interviews.

Our next meetings will take place on:

November 30th at 2:30 p.m. in the iCenter

December 7th at 2:30 p.m. in the iCenter

All seniors are welcome!

Michigan Achievement Scholarship - NEW!

Seniors -

If you filled out your FAFSA and have an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) of $25,000 or less, you want to learn more about the Michigan Achievement Scholarship! This is a new scholarship opportunity and you must fill out the FAFSA in order to see if you qualify. See more details below and at this link.

https://www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid/programs/michigan-achievement-scholarship

If you haven't filled out your FAFSA yet, get going! Remember that Mrs. Essig put together this FAFSA Resource for you. https://www.smore.com/ab29g-fafsa-resources-for-wbhs-seniors

October 11, 2022, Governor Whitmer signed Public Act 212 of 2022 to establish the Michigan Achievement Scholarship.

Starting with the high school class of 2023, students will be eligible for more financial aid from the State:

Up to $2,750 if they attend a community college, per year
Up to $5,500 if they attend a public university, per year
Up to $4,000 if they attend a private college or university, per year

Students will be eligible if their family demonstrates financial need* when they complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

*Financial need is defined as an Expected Family Contribution (EFC of $25,000 or less.

High school seniors can get started by following these steps:

File the FAFSALinks to an external site.
Create a MiSSG Student Portal Links account three to five business days after filing your FAFSA.

College Application and ACT/SAT Test Fee Waivers

Seniors - College application fee waivers are available for students who qualify for free and reduced lunch. Your family needs to apply each year for free and reduced lunch. Please fill out the free and reduced lunch form by clicking here: http://westbloomfield.familyportal.cloud

10th and 11th grade: If you qualify for free and reduced lunch, you can receive a code to waive your fees for the ACT and/or SAT. Please apply for free and reduced lunch first and confirm that you qualify then see your counselor

.

Please note that Ms. Essig posts all scholarship information in the College and Career Center Canvas page. Please follow the Canvas page for the most up-to-date opportunities!

How do I find scholarships?

1. Apply for Financial Aid after October 1st. www.FAFSA.gov

2. Check with each college in which you are applying for merit-based scholarships and deadlines.

3. Check for memorial and alumni scholarship opportunities at each college in which you may qualify.

4. Check with student’s/parent’s employer, banks/credit unions, religious & civic affiliations, etc. for scholarships.

5. Check the College and Career Center Canvas pages frequently.

6. Read the Counselor Connection

7. Conduct a search by using a national search engine, such as www.fastweb.com, www.scholarships.com, www.myscholly.com, www.goingmerry.com/ etc. Be sure to create an email address just for these searches as students will receive a lot of junk email. There is no need to pay money for these services! Watch for scams and never give your social security number.

8. Check Careeronestop: https://www.careeronestop.org/toolkit/training/find-scholarships.aspx

9. College Board Opportunity Scholarships. https://opportunity.collegeboard.org/

10. For more information: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/types/grants-scholarships/finding-scholarships#how-find

11. Remember it takes work to receive most scholarships! You won't win if you don't try!

It is important to do your research and created a balanced list of colleges. If you are applying to several reach schools, it is critical that your list includes likely and target schools. Please also keep in mind that your safety school might be your friend's reach school. Please be cautious of your words. Stay open-minded and chase merit scholarships at schools where your GPA is above their average.

HBCU Search Tool

Interested in an HBCU but not sure where to look? Check out this search tool that allows you to search by major. http://thehundred-seven.org/matchme.php

Every college provides data via the Common Data Set about their previous year's admitted students. This is a great way to understand your chances of admission along with helping you determine whether to send your SAT/ACT scores to a college that is test optional. Simply Google the name of the college + Common Data Set to find this information. Look in Section C. This data quickly helps students understand their chances of admission.

College and Career Center in Canvas for 11th and 12th Grade Students

If you are in 11th and 12th grade, be sure to "accept" the invitation to join the Virtual College and Career Center! Mrs. Essig has created a fantastic resource for you! After you have reviewed the information, you are welcome to set up an appointment with her if you have questions. We kindly ask that juniors wait until after November 1st to make an appointment as seniors are our priority with November 1st college application deadlines. Check Canvas for more details and announcements.

Parents - You can view the information by being an "observer" of your student in Canvas.

Below are some helpful links for Canvas.

Important Contacts

WBHS Counseling Department

Class of 2024, 2025, 2026- 9th thru 11th Grade

Kelly Casinelli - Students with last names A-Ch
Joanne Wegrzynowicz - Students with last names Ci-Gra
Karen Brody - Students with last names Grb-Kl
Kason Dickerson - Students with last names Km-M
Lisa Thompkins - Students with last names N-Sh
John Hepper - Students with last names Si-Z

Class of 2023 - 12th Grade

Kelly Casinelli - Students with last names A-Cu
Joanne Wegrzynowicz - Students with last names Cv-Ha
Karen Brody - Students with last names Hb-Lo
Kason Dickerson - Students with last names Lp-Po
Lisa Thompkins - Students with last names Pr-Te
John Hepper - Students with last names Tf-Z