College Counseling Summer Send-Off
For Rising Seniors from Ms. Campbell, College Counselor
Hello Summer!
Whatever the case may be, the college application process will move forward and it moves QUICKLY. Many college applications, including the Common Application, open in August. Yes, THIS August. Like, a month and a half from now. That being said, you will not be able to complete a college application in it's entirety until transcripts from BCPS are available. This usually occurs mid-late September so technically, that would be the earliest that you could submit a completed application.
Also, if you have plans to take the SAT/ACT and the college requires it for admission or they are going test-optional and you want to submit them, you will also need to have those scores available to submit. More on that below...
There are though, many other things that you can and should be working on this summer. Many of the things that you need to know about the process are included in this newsletter. Please read it carefully and keep it for your reference as we proceed into summer.
Know that I am here to help you through this process. I am a 10 month employee so I do not technically work during the summer but I will be back on duty at the end of August.
Also, if you have not already, be sure to join the College Counseling Schoology Group for your school. It is the main way that I will be communicating with you regarding college, scholarships, internships, etc.
Perry Hall High School Join Code: 9BXF-ZC87-VV3SM
Loch Raven High School Join Code: DCK69-64XX5
Should I take the SAT and/or ACT?
Many colleges are altering their admissions requirements to go "Test Optional" which means you can choose whether or not to submit test scores. Test Optional does not mean "Test Blind" however. Test Blind is where a school does not want to see test scores from any applicant. Therefore, if a school is test optional and all being equal between you and another candidate, they submit strong test scores and you do not, it is possible for a school to go with that other candidate over you.
We do not have any indication at this time that the SAT will be offered during the fall in school so, your only opportunity to take the SAT, may be in August, September and/or October.
If you qualify for Free or Reduced lunch, you qualify for a waiver. Please contact Mr. Ferenschak at PHHS or Ms. Moody at LRHS for a code. mferenschak@bcps.org or jmoody@bcps.org
Do not wait to register as seats are filling up extremely fast due to limited seating because of social distancing guidelines.
SAT Updates and Dates of Administration
Check here for the latest information from the College Board on the Coronavirus updates and impacts: https://pages.collegeboard.org/sat-covid-19-updates
SAT DateSAT Subject Tests AvailableRegistration DeadlineLate Registration DeadlineDeadline for Changes
August 29, 2020
July 31, 2020
August 11, 2020 (for mailed registrations)
August 18, 2020 (for registrations made online or by phone)
August 18, 2020September 26, 2020
SAT Subject Tests not offered on this dateAugust 26, 2020
September 15, 2020 (for registrations made online or by phone)
September 15, 2020October 3, 2020
September 4, 2020
September 15, 2020 (for mailed registrations)
September 22, 2020 (for registrations made online or by phone)
September 22, 2020November 7, 2020
October 7, 2020
October 20, 2020 (for mailed registrations)
October 27, 2020 (for registrations made online or by phone)
October 27, 2020December 5, 2020
November 5, 2020
November 17, 2020 (for mailed registrations)
November 24, 2020 (for registrations made online or by phone)
November 24, 2020March 13, 2021
SAT Subject Tests not offered on this dateFebruary 12, 2021
February 23, 2021 (for mailed registrations)
March 2, 2021 (for registrations made online or by phone)
March 2, 2021May 8, 2021
April 8, 2021
April 20, 2021 (for mailed registrations)
April 27, 2021 (for registrations made online or by phone)
April 27, 2021June 5, 2021
May 6, 2021
May 18, 2021 (for mailed registrations)
May 26, 2021 (for registrations made online or by phone)
May 26, 2021ACT Test Registration and Dates
Test Date / Registration Date /Late Registration Deadline/ Test Score Release
July 18, 2020* /June 19, 2020/ June 20-26, 2020 /July 28-September 4, 2020
September 12, 2020 / August 14, 2020/ August 15-28, 2020/ September 22-November 6, 2020
October 24, 2020 /September 18, 2020/ September 19-October 2, 2020 / November 10-December 31, 2020
December 12, 2020 / November 6, 2020 / November 7-20, 2020 / December 22, 2020-February 5, 2021
February 6, 2021 / January 8, 2021/ January 9-15, 2021/ February 16-April 1, 2021
April 17, 2021/ March 12, 2021/ March 13-26, 2021/ April 27-May 7, 2021
June 12, 2021/ May 7, 2021/ May 8-21, 2021/ June 22-August 9, 2021
What should Juniors be doing now to prepare for college?
-Make sure your list contains at least one MD Public University!!! (It is important to have this even if it is not your number one choice as, we can see from this past year, finances can change in the blink of an eye and plans sometimes have to change with it).
-Create a list/resume of your activities and clubs. Focus on the years of high school. Clubs, activities, honor societies, leadership positions, community service, employment, internships, etc. Jot them down with dates so that you have them. Colleges WILL be asking you about all of this in your application.
-If and when colleges open up, GO VISIT!!!! There is nothing that compares to stepping foot on to a college campus and seeing for your self what it is like and if it "feels right" to you.
-If an in-person visit is just not possible, go to the college's website and do their virtual tour. It's the next best thing.
-Many colleges are offering virtual Open Houses and panels with current students and faculty. This is a great idea and can help you get a sense of the community you will be a part of, their mindset, philosophy of education and their vibe. Register for McDaniel College's Junior Workshop Week at https://admission.mcdaniel.edu/portal/visit_virtualJNR_2020
Check out more info on this program below!
-Practice for the SAT. Log in to your College Board account and use the free service, Khan Academy. This service works with your PSAT scores to create individualized practice for you. You can even set a regular schedule of practice. Recent studies suggest that practicing on Khan Academy for 20 hours increased students' scores by 115 points. That is substantial.
-Another option? The Answer Class! SAT/ACT Prep Info
Perry Hall High School PTSA in conjunction with The Answer Class is offering affordable SAT and ACT Prep classes online this summer. These live virtual, eight-hour SAT and ACT classes are open to area high school students looking for comprehensive, convenient and engaging standardized test prep that won't break the bank. Classes sponsored by PHHS PTSA are as follows: SAT Prep on July 7 and 9 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and August 1 and 2 at the same times. ACT Prep is offered on July 28 and 30 from 5 to 9 p.m. Each class is $159, or $10 less if you register at least a week in advance. An SAT/ACT Prep Combo Package is available for just $249. A portion of the enrollment fee benefits PHHS PTSA. For more information, and a link for online registration, visit http://www.phhsptsa.org
-Create a Common App account. The Common Application is one application that 100's of schools use so chances are, many of your schools will be Common App schools. Set up your account with your profile but do not start applying to colleges. August 1st will come and wipe out any active applications but will not erase your profile.
-While you are in Common App, check out the essay prompts. These are the actual prompts that you will use for your Common Application. You will choose one and only one when doing your actual application but, even if you don't do a Common App, the prompts there are very similar to other essay prompts in other applications. Begin brainstorming some ideas for your essay. Remember, the essay is the way that you bring your application to life. You will need to do several revisions so this is just a start.
-Begin looking for and applying to scholarships. IT IS NOT TOO EARLY!!! College is expensive and most of us need all of the help we can get. See the financial resources sheet below for links to legit websites. Remember, you should NEVER pay for a scholarship search!!! That is a scam so don't even bother. The Golden Rule here - You should never pay money to get money.
Searching for Colleges? Try these...
-@Naviance has a new Chats with Colleges video series with admission leaders to offer advice on approaching the college search process while at home. Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gufc8HiSfug
-College Board Big Future: Learn about and compare colleges
https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/compare-colleges
-Collegevine: Provides college search and also great information on financial aid, scholarship searches and essay writing. https://www.collegevine.com/
-Niche: Great website that "grades" colleges based on college student reviews: https://www.niche.com/
-Colleges that Change Lives: Based on the book by Lauren Pope, this website features schools that in their words have, "Personalized, student-centered experiences [are] at the heart of every Colleges That Change Lives education. While the CTCL member schools all share that mission, they are otherwise very distinctive from one another." https://ctcl.org/
-The Princeton Review: A long-trusted resource for students published yearly.
https://www.princetonreview.com/college-rankings/best-colleges
US News and World Report: Another trusted yearly resource which analyzes over 1,900 schools https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/college-search
Interested in taking CCBC courses next year through Perry Hall High School?
*All documents referred to in these directions can be found on the PHHS 11th Grade School Counseling Schoology Page under “resources.”
*If you need to let your counselor know by the end of the semester if you want to take the class for “dual credit” - high school and college credit
If you plan on taking CCBC classes AT PHHS in the Fall:
- Follow the directions on the “Early College Access Admission Steps” to apply to CCBC and receive your ID#
- Use the “Perry Hall on-location info sheet” to fill out the “Reg Form PH_on-location” to register for classes at Perry Hall.
- If you plan to take Criminal Justice on T/TH in addition to English 101, you must register for the M/W section of English 101
- Complete the “ECAP Consent Form_ Fillable” in order to receive your discounted tuition price. If you fail to complete this form and turn it in, you will be responsible for paying for the entirety of your class.
- Send both the ECAP and Registration Form, completed and signed, to Ms. Furman through Schoology or to her email cfurman2@bcps.org
- Complete the “Early Release Blank Form” and return that to YOUR counselor
* With the limited option for remote testing for English placement, all high school students that have below a 2.5 GPA are required to complete our Academic Literacy course (ACLT 053), in order to be eligible for the English 101 placement level. You would need to complete an academic literary course in the summer in order to be eligible for the ENGL 101 or Criminal Justice course in the fall. This course does not count for high school or college credit.
*Please discuss your plan for CCBC classes with your counselor to make sure it works with your schedule (You will need 4.0 Credits- 2 classes each day).
Interested in taking CCBC courses through Loch Raven High School?
Interested in taking courses at CCBC on Online this Summer or Fall?
All documents referenced in this section are located in the 11th Grade Counseling Schoology group under "Resources".
Follow these steps to get started:
1. Apply to CCBC -www.ccbcmd.edu/apply
· You will need your social security number
· Click Apply Now under Earn a degree or credit certificate
· Create a log in and password for your application and begin
· Your program of study is Personal Enrichment
· You will get a CCBC ID # at the end of the application
2. Talk to a CCBC Admissions Representative: Jonathan Howie – jhowie@ccbcmd.edu
· They will ask for a copy/proof of your GPA from your Report Card or Transcripts
o You can find this information in your BCPS One Account
3. Placement Testing
· If you have a 2.5 or higher unweighted GPA or 480 on your SAT=College Level English Placement if you don’t meet those requirements you will have to Test in English
· If your course requires Math you have to take the ALEKS placement test unless you meet criteria below
Due to the COVID -19 crisis, The CCBC Testing Center will remain closed until further notice. In lieu of this closure, new alternatives for placement testing have been approved. We will now accept current 9th, 10th, and 11th grade high school unofficial high school transcripts for English/Reading placement which includes courses that have an Academic Literacy (English/Reading) pre-requisite.
Students must meet one of the requirements below to qualify for college level English/Reading placement.
· Unweighted GPA of 2.5 or higher
· Final grade of a B or higher for the BCPS SAT prep course
· Scores of 3 or higher on the AP English Language and Literature exam
· Scores of 3 or higher on the AP English Literature and Composition exam
· SAT score of 480 or higher in Evidence Based Reading and Writing
· ACT score of 21 or higher in either Reading or English
Students who want to take a Math course, or a course that has a Math prerequisite, will be able to take the ALEKS online placement test (at home). High school grade point averages do not exempt students from taking the ALEKS placement test. However, students who meet one of the requirements below are exempt.
· ACT Math score of 21 or higher
· SAT Math score of 530 or higher
· Scores of 3 or higher on the AP Calculus AB exam
· Scores of 3 or higher on the AP Calculus BC exam
· Scores of 3 or higher on the AP Statistics exam
Students taking a summer or fall course or a course at a CCBC campus/online will need to submit a transcript at the end of the school year. Also, students who need to take the ALEKS placement test will need to contact their Admissions Counselor/Recruiter, Jonathan Howie at jhowie@ccbcmd.edu who will notify the Testing Center for this request. The student will receive an email from the Testing Center that will provide detailed preparation and login instructions
4. Once placement is verified, you can REGISTER. How to register:
Online registration is the best option for current students and is available 24/7.
Try our online registration system OR
· Log in to SIMON
If you plan to Audit a credit class, in SIMON click "Request to Audit Courses" and follow the instructions after you complete the registration process. New to CCBC? View the Summer schedule of classes.Release Time at LRHS
Class of 2021-If you want release time for any reason next year (internship, CCBC classes, work release etc) you must complete the attached document.
Open the form, fill it out, rename it as your last name, save it to your desktop and then email it back to Mrs. Wolfkill (jwolfkill@bcps.org) and your counselor.
If you have issues, Mrs. Moody will be there all summer to help.
Ms. Stephanie Campbell
Email: scampbell3@bcps.org
Phone: 443-809-1932