Junior Newsletter
January 2020
We hope you find the first edition of the Junior Newsletter to be helpful as you begin to plan for life after high school.
Family Meetings
Ms. Scully would love to meet with each student and their family to talk about your plans for after high school as well as courses for senior year. If your parent/guardian would like to meet with you and Ms. Scully, please have them contact the counseling office by calling 437-5593 or emailing sjablonski@hr-k12.org.
Students are also encouraged to make an appointment with Ms. Scully to discuss their college search or post-secondary plans anytime they would like assistance.
Alternative Learning Options for Senior Year
Want to learn more about dual-enrollment?
New Career Focused Dual Enrollment Program
This Early College program is geared for students who want to begin preparations for a career. Students will take courses that are required for a certificate or associate’s degree that prepare students for entry into a career. Greenfield Community College, Holyoke Community College and Springfield Technical Community College have a number of career related programs that students can begin as high school students. While students take classes in these programs at a community college, they will also earn high school credits and complete their graduation requirements. This program is not for students who wish to transfer to a four-year college.
Some examples of programs are:
Computer Programming
Computer and IT Security
Medical Assisting
Criminal Justice
Photography
Electrical Engineering Technology
Optics and Photonics
Landscape Design
Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning
And many, many more.
To learn about the options at our local community colleges, click on the college links below.
See Ms. Scully for more information about Dual Enrollment
Dual Enrollment Options for Four-Year College Bound Students
If you are looking for a challenge or you are interested in getting an early start on college there are options for you to start taking college courses. Students can choose to take one college course or to attend a community college full-time during their senior year.
Students taking one college course cannot take a course that is offered at HRHS. Students participating in full-time dual enrollment will take courses from the Massachusetts General Education Foundation course list since these courses will transfer to all MA state colleges and universities.
See Ms. Scully for more information about Dual Enrollment
VHS - Virtual High School
Applications are available in the guidance office.
Click here to search for available courses.
Military Information
The meeting to review ASVAB results has been moved to January 16th at 12:20.
The next step, after taking the ASVAB, is to reach out to recruiters from the branch(s) of your choice. Take time to investigate the career and enlistment options for multiple branches of the military in order to ensure you are choosing the best path for you.
Four-Year State College and University Minimum Requirements
Many Hampshire students apply to Massachusetts state colleges and universities each year. As juniors are reviewing their PSAT scores, it is a great time to see if you are on track to meet the state college and university minimum requirements for admissions.
Students must have a 3.0 GPA (or their test scores must fall into the sliding scales below) in order to be admitted. Keep in mind that these are minimum requirements and that meeting these requirements does not mean that students will automatically be admitted. Students with lower than a 2.0 will not be admitted to these four-year public colleges but may be admitted into four-year private schools.
Upcoming Events at HRHS
SAT Prep Course
Brian Leaf, author of multiple SAT prep books, is offering an SAT prep class at HRHS starting on February 24th. The course runs on Monday nights from 6:30-8:30 for 8 weeks. The course finishes in time for students to take the May SAT. The cost of the class is $450. Families can sign up at www.brianleaf.com.
Doctor for a Day
If you are interested in becoming a doctor in the future, you are invited to apply for the Doctor for a Day Program. On Tuesday April 7, 2020, students selected for this competitive program will be assigned to spend a full day with a physician observing daily rounds, office visits, surgery, or emergency care. This program is open to students in their junior or senior year, who have a serious interest in becoming a physician and have a strong background in the sciences.
For more information see Mrs. Jablonski. Applications are must be mailed and delivered by January 30th.
4-Year College Field Trip - April 8th
In order to help students explore options for after high school, the junior class will participate in a field trip to visit a 4-year college. Students will have the option of visiting either UMass Amherst or Springfield College. This is a great opportunity for students to be on a college campus during the school year and to get a feel for the college while the students are in session. Students will tour the campus, meet with admissions representatives and eat lunch in the dining commons. More details will be coming in future newsletters.
Junior Workshops - March 24th & 25th
Springfield Technical Community College Field Trip
Are you interested in a career in engineering, computers or a medical field? If so, you are invited to attend a field trip to STCC on April 16th. During the field trip, students can choose to tour the School of Engineering Technologies or the School of Health. More details will be included in the next newsletter.
Financing Your College Education
Colleges Offering Full-Merit Scholarships
Some colleges offer full-ride scholarships, meaning the college covers fees, textbooks, and housing costs in addition to tuition. These scholarships are extremely competitive, but worth trying for because of the big pay off.
Check out this blog post for a list of top colleges that offer full-ride scholarships.
Colleges That Meet 100% of Financial Need
New England Tuition Break
New England Regional Student Program (RSP), also known as Tuition Break, is a program for students who find that their intended major is not offered by the University of Massachusetts campuses, Massachusetts state universities or the community colleges.
The RSP provides a tuition break to Massachusetts’ residents, who are enrolled in approved degree programs at public colleges and universities in the five other New England states. There are over 250 majors that are covered under this program. Click here for more information and the listing of available majors.
Merit Scholarships for "B" Students
Many colleges offer between $3000-$25000/year in merit scholarships based on grades and SAT/ACT scores. These scholarships aren't just for students with straight "A's". Make sure to check out each college's financial aid website to see if you qualify for merit aid.