Junior Counseling Corner
Brighton High School Counseling Office
May 19, 2023
Juniors & families,
Thanks for reading our WEEKLY Junior Newsletter! We hope to include a lot of what you need to know in order to plan for life after high school.
With only a few weeks left of junior year, we STRONGLY encourage you to schedule a 1:1 meeting with your counselor before you leave for summer if you have not done so already. It's a great idea to let your counselor know where you are at in your post-secondary planning process and to ensure you have an individualized plan for the summer. Schedule a meeting using your counselor's Calendly link:
calendly.com/keri_crowley
calendly.com/mary_crelley
calendly.com/travis_figueroa
calendly.com/hollyjuliano
calendly.com/courtney_stern
calendly.com/jennie_viggiani
Here are some updates for this week:
- COMPLETE YOUR JUNIOR SURVEY AND RESUME IN NAVIANCE ASAP
- What are you doing this summer? Get a head start on your post secondary planning with essay writing, college boot camp and more!
- Continue to read our MONTHLY 9-12 Counseling Newsletter. We will be posting information about colleges, fairs and career exploration opportunities that are available.
- Need a job? Gaining work experience is a great way to spend your free time and learn the soft skills needed to be successful in ANY future career! Check out the NEW Virtual BHS Job Board for job opportunities in our area: https://www.smore.com/67rat
Stay in touch and we'll see you soon!
Best,
BHS Counseling Office
(585) 242-5000 x4526
QUEST FOR COLLEGE VIRTUAL INFORMATION SESSIONS
Learn about QuestBridge, a program for high-achieving, low income students, coming to a Zoom near you!
You are invited to attend an upcoming virtual counselor program with representatives from Colorado College, University of Chicago, University of Southern California, Vanderbilt University, and Yale University. Representatives will share information about their respective schools and the QuestBridge organization, which allows high-achieving, low-income students from U.S. high schools to match with the top colleges around the country.
Tuesday, May 16 @ 7 p.m. CT / 8 p.m. ET
Thursday, June 22 @ 7 p.m. CT / 8 p.m. ET
Monday, August 14 @ 7 p.m. CT / 8 p.m. ET
Tuesday, September 12 @ 7 p.m. CT / 8 p.m. ET
Register here:
Scholarships
Students can choose to apply for scholarships to help offset post-secondary program costs. Many of the scholarships are for seniors, and are typically due in the spring, but the earlier you can get a jump on this the better! Unfortunately it just takes time to sort through and find the right ones to apply to. So, if you have some free time this summer start searching, bookmark the ones that you qualify for, and then you have them ready to apply to in the spring.
There are 3 main types of scholarship searches:
1- Local and Regional
These are scholarships that are only offered to students in our area. We have some that are specific to BHS students only, or ones that have other criteria like living in Rochester or coming from a certain background/heritage. We update our local scholarship opportunities in Naviance as they come in, so check often.
2- National Scholarships
Under the Colleges tab in Naviance, the scholarship search feature provides students with a search engine for local, regional and national scholarships. Some of the national scholarships may be larger than the local ones, but remember, you are up against a national pool. But, there are scholarships out there for everyone! They are not all based on academic qualities- there are some for students who are left-handed, or those who want to make a prom dress out of duct tape! You can find something for everyone!
3- School Specific
This is where you have the potential to get the most money. This is particularly true if you are applying to some of the "safety" schools where your GPA, SAT/ACT or other criteria puts you above the average accepted.
Some colleges consider students for school-based scholarships automatically through the college application; other colleges have additional scholarship applications. Always check the financial aid website for each prospective college to determine their scholarship process and deadlines. Keep in mind that some colleges set earlier application deadlines for students who want to be considered for school-based scholarships.
Please visit the Scholarship & Financial Aid page on the Brighton High School Counseling website for an extensive list of other websites to help with the scholarship search. https://www.bcsd.org/Page/2087
Junior Seminar Overview
We covered quite a bit in our 5 sessions together. Copies of all Junior Seminar packets can be found here on our BHS Counseling website:
https://www.bcsd.org/Page/2068
All students are encouraged to schedule a 1:1 meeting with their counselor to discuss their future goals. Junior Seminar covers a lot of general information, so we want to be sure we can personalize it to your journey. We hope to see you this spring or over the summer! You can schedule an appointment using our Calendly links: https://www.bcsd.org/domain/122
Spring/Summer Timeline
Spring
- Begin compiling a list of potential post secondary options. Feel free to schedule an appointment with your counselor for support.
- Have honest family conversations about your options- consider locations, financial impact, academic reach/match/safety, etc.
- VISIT & RESEARCH each of your options.
- If thinking of college, sign up to take the SAT and/or ACT in May/June.
- Talk with family, friends, counselors and teachers- they have a wealth of experiences to tap into.
- Schedule guided tours to make the most of your college/program visit. Getting a feel for the environment is an essential piece of the puzzle.
- Don’t be afraid to call admissions or job offices with any questions.
- Find alumni in the area- they are often willing to engage in conversations with you about their thoughts and experiences.
- Use social networking to your advantage (appropriately). Check out what students are doing on campus.
- Make plans for your summer- do you want/have a job? Internship? Camps? College programs? Career exploration?
- NCAA Eligibility? Make sure you double check with your counselor to ensure your senior year classes are NCAA approved if you are planning to play a D I or II sport in college and complete
- HELP US HELP YOU- complete your resume & Junior Survey in Naviance
Summer
- Continue to research your options, visit campuses/places of employment and speak with recruiters.
- Write your college essay- Brighton Continuing Ed. offers a class to help you get this done in one week!
- Possibly retake ACT (July) or SAT (August)
- Continue your work on the Common App - it doesn't take long to enter your demographic info, and that's most of the application!
- Attend Senior Summer Bootcamp- Mrs. Stern will host hours over the summer.
- Narrow down your options- we will quickly jump into the application/planning process in the fall.
- HAVE FUN!! This is your last summer as a HS student. Make sure to leave time for friends, family, etc!
Common Application
If you are thinking about attending a four year college, we encourage you to use the Common Application to apply- one application for over 900 colleges across the US.
Here's what you need to know about the Common Application: https://www.commonapp.org/
There are 7 main sections of the Common Application. The information you share in these sections will be sent to all colleges you apply to using this application.
Much of the Common Application is information you already have! Other than the last two sections, it really shouldn't take much time at all to complete the majority of the application. The main sections are:
1- Profile- your name, address, phone number, etc.
2- Family- colleges want to know more about who you live with, what your parents do for a living, their education level and any siblings you may have.
3- Education- you will share where you have gone/currently attend HS, your GPA (as of the end of Junior year) and a list of your senior year courses so colleges can learn more about you as a student.
4- Testing- did you take the SAT and/or ACT? If you are opting to self-report your scores, you will do that here.
5- Activities- here you will list up to 10 of your most important extracurricular activities. College reps want to get a sense of who you are outside of the classroom, what is most important to you/your values, and what you will bring to the campus life.
6- Writing- you will write an essay, up to 650 words, based on one of the seven essay prompts given. This is your chance to bring your application to life and share more about who you really are at your core. A list of the essay prompts can be found here: https://www.commonapp.org/apply/essay-prompts
7- Courses & Grades (optional for most schools)- if required, you will need to self-report your transcript. Otherwise, we will send an official copy of your transcript to each school.
Common App has a great "First Year Application Guide" that can help you prepare and organize the information you will need to complete the application. If you wanted to start your Common App now, you can create an account to start entering the information you already have. It never hurts to get a head start! https://www.commonapp.org/apply/first-time-students
The biggest piece/most time consuming of all is the personal essay. It can be really difficult to reflect on yourself and try to condense who you are into 650 words. We are definitely here to help you! All BHS counselors can review your essays or help you brainstorm what to write. Brighton Community Education also offers an essay writing course over the summer- see details below.
In addition to the main sections of the common application, many schools have a supplemental section that you will have to complete. A college may want to know more about what you plan to study there, see if you have any family who are alumni or ask that you write an additional essay...or three...specific to that school.
If you decide not to use the Common Application, many school specific applications are very similar in the information they are asking of you. Again, we are here to help you navigate all of the parts and pieces of any applications you may need to complete.
See your counselor or Mrs. Stern for help getting started!
Pink Sheets
- Please give a Pink Sheet to 3 adults in your life. These could be teachers, club advisors, coaches, employers, etc. Anyone who can speak to a different side of you!
- Once you've provided a Pink Sheet (or the electronic link) to that adult, you are done! They will complete the evaluation and return it to us via paper or electronic submission.
Pink Sheets can be found in the Counseling Office OR you can share the electronic link:
Parent Brag Sheets
GREEN LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION REQUEST FORMS
•Think of 2 teachers who know you best (typically from junior year)
•Fill out the BHS LETTER OF REC REQUEST FORM (grab some in the counseling office)
•Talk to your teacher in person ASAP and give them the request form
•You will follow up with the teachers in the fall with a request through Naviance
Let us know if you have any questions!
JUNIOR FAMILY NIGHT RECAP
In case you missed it, the packet of information shared is posted on our BHS Counseling Website. Please reach out to your child's counselor with any questions.
Jump start your post-secondary planning this summer!
Both BHS and our friends in the community are offering opportunities to help you be best prepared for senior year.
College & Career Bootcamp with Mrs. Stern!
Join BHS College & Career Counselor this summer for one or more of these great, FREE, sessions! See poster for details.
BCSD Continuing Education
- College Essay Writing
- SAT/ACT prep
Sign up today!
Camp College Prep
Camp College Prep combines SAT/ACT preparation, one-on-one college counseling, college essay writing, and the creation of a personal timetable to help high school students better understand and better prepare for the highly competitive college admissions process.
$325/per session
Further information can be found at www.campcollegeprep.com
SAT and ACT Updates
If you have questions specific to BHS testing procedures, please reach out to Deirdre Carter: deirdre_carter@bcsd.org. As things are changing so often, please refer to the testing sites for updated information:
Standardized exams have traditionally been a part of the college application. This year, due to COVID, many schools allowed students the option of submitting test scores or not. Juniors- It's safe to say it's a good idea to get an exam or two under your belt if you are thinking of applying to a four-year college. Below is some brief information about the two exams and the website to check out to get more information/sign up for the exams.
SAT
Collegeboard.org
- Designed to measure academic aptitude in verbal and numerical reasoning.
- Test Content: Reading, Math and Writing.
- Cost $55.00 (w/o writing)
ACT
Actstudent.org
- Designed to measure academic achievement.
- Test Content: English, Math, Reading and Science Reasoning.
- Cost $60.00 (w/o writing)
- Cost $80.00 (with writing)
Visit www.fairtest.org for a list of colleges that do not require standardized tests. Check in with your counselor about a Fee Waiver , if needed, to help cover the costs of the exams.
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STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES (504s & IEPS)
SAT- The BHS Counseling Office applies for all College Board test mods prior to your sophomore year (this summer). If approved, these will apply to all future SAT & AP Exams
ACT- you MUST REGISTER FOR AN ACT EXAM before we can apply for your test mods. Be sure to sign up early, indicate you will be requesting accommodations, and let your counselor know ASAP so we can get them processed before the test date. This typically takes 6-8 weeks.
Remember- both College Board and ACT are private companies. They have the right to approve or deny any test modifications you may have. If you have any questions, please reach out to your counselor or College Board/ACT for more information.
Brighton High School Counseling Department
Email: courtney_stern@bcsd.org
Website: https://www.bcsd.org/Page/2063
Location: 1150 South Winton Road, Rochester, NY, USA
Phone: (585) 242-5000