Senior Counseling Corner
Brighton High School Counseling Office
October 13, 2022
Seniors,
We have finished 3rd seminar and will be moving into our 4th and final seminar with counselors next week.
Be sure to bring your charged lap top from here on out as we will continue to work in Naviance and on college/job applicaitons, scholarships, etc.
We JUST added ANOTHER Instant Decision Opportunity! Join Nazareth College on November 29th if interested!
St. John Fisher College Instant Decision Day is on Monday!! There is still time to sign up if you are thinking that Fisher may be an option for you.
Sign up for any Instant Decision Opportunities here: www.calendly.com/courtney_stern
In case you missed our Senior Parent Night Series 1 & 2, all information from the presentations are posted on the Senior Information Page of the BHS Counseling Website.
Our last Senior Parent Night will be next Tuesday, October 18th!
We look forward to seeing you in seminar and senior office hours!
Best,
BHS Counseling Office
(585) 242-5000 x4526
SENIOR PARENT NIGHT PART 3- EXPLORING YOUR OPTIONS
It’s not surprising that many students may be undecided as to what they want to do after they graduate. Please join us as we explore some of the post-graduate options available to students and share resources to help guide student decision making.
**Guest speakers will be joining us to provide insight on opportunties available in the trades and military!
Tue, Oct 18, 2022, 06:30 PM
BHS Room 262
SOME SUNY APPS FREE THROUGH OCTOBER!!
Some of the phenomenal SUNY schools are offering FREE applications through the end of October. Check out the individual college websites for more information/to see if they are offering this great opportunity to waive to application fee!
For an example, here is the link for SUNY Brockport: https://www.brockport.edu/admissions/apply/index.html
Senior Seminar
In Seminar 3 we are continuing to work in Common App accounts, Naviance and exploring post-secondary options. We also discussed the parts of the application and what admissions reps are looking for in the application.
**if you would like BHS to submit your test scores (SAT/ACT/AP):
- They are considered unofficial by the college if sent by us.
- If we send test scores to one common app school, they are sent to ALL common app schools.
- So, if you are thinking of sending scores to some but not all colleges, we will have to look at other ways to get the scores there.
- If a college wants OFFICIAL SCORES- you will need to log into College Board and/or ACT and pay to have them sent to each college.
Stop in to Senior Office Hours or see your counselor if you need more help!
Instant Decision Days
This fall we will be offering Instant Decision days with THIRTEEN phenomenal institutions! THE MOST WE'VE EVER HAD!!
**Nazareth College just added for November 29th!
Students will have the chance to meet with an admissions representative and receive instant feedback on their application- most students will be informed of their admissions decision that day!
Below are the general instructions. This is SUCH a great opportunity to learn more about what the college has to offer you and get some early feedback. Sign up if you are interested!
If interested, please follow the instructions below:
- Sign up on Calendly for your 15 min admissions appointment with any of the institutions you are interested in.
- It is recommende that you submit your college application at least 1 week prior to the instant decision date.
- Please encourage teacher(s) to upload letter(s) of recommendation to Naviance at least one week prior to instant decision date.
- An admissions counselor will review your materials and could provide an admissions decision and estimate of your scholarship package that night! (some colleges may require a few additional days to process materials)
- Please note- Geneseo is an ADMISSIONS INTERVIEW ONLY. This will be used as part of your application to be reviewed later. No decision will be made that this time. If interested in Geneseo, we highly recommend taking advantage of this.
Calendly Link: https://calendly.com/courtney_stern
A few recommendations:
- Show up a few minutes early- you don’t want to be late!
- Wear appropriate attire- no need to dress up, but please look presentable. This is YOUR opportunity to show them who you are other than a name on a piece of paper!
- Come prepared with questions about the school- we are happy to help you with this.
If you have any questions about these opportunities, please contact Mrs. Stern!
Senior Office Hours
BHS Counselors will be available for SENIORS only to help support you with your post-secondary planning. We will be covering a lot in seminar, but we want to make sure you are well supported in this process. We are here to help!!
No sign up needed- just drop in to office hours whenever you are free. Stay for 5 minutes or stay for hours. This is a great opportunity to ask questions, work on applications with support or just a quiet place to work on your plans.
Please see the poster below for more info and times.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to your counselor. We hope to see you all soon!
College Rep Visits to BHS
Reps will be visiting in-person and virtually. Colleges have already begun to snag spots at BHS, so check Naviance regularly for our schedule.
- Be sure to SIGN UP for the visit in Naviance.
- If a rep is in person, they will be in room 257 (the conference room across from the Counseling Office)
- If they are virtual, you will be able to access a link to their zoom via Naviance. You may come to the Counseling Office and we can help find you a quiet space to attend if needed.
- In person or virtual, you will need teacher permission to attend if the visit takes place during a class. Grab a pass from the counseling office.
You are welcome to sign up for as many visits as you'd like! We encourage you to sit in on the ones you know, as well as some that you've never heard of before. There are so many INCREDIBLE institutions all over the country with phenomenal opportunities. You just don't know about them yet!
We will list the next week's visits in the newsletter. Be sure to check out Naviance & the College Visits page on the BHS Counseling Website for a complete list of ALL visits this season. Check often- we get new visits scheduled every day!
SCAN OUR NEW QR CODE! Posters are around school and will lead you directly to our College Visit Website. Check often and bookmark the page!
Registrar Deadlines
Check out the Registrar deadlines- based on the college/job/scholarship deadlines, the dates below are when your application is DUE TO THE REGISTRARS OFFICE.
Please note- the Registrars Office will not be ready to process application materials until October 1st. Please contact your counselor directly if you have an unusually early deadline.
FAFSA Opened October 1
Most families agree: Filling out financial forms is not fun. But with these tips, you can save the families you're working with time + hassles.
1. A few days before the FAFSA form is released (on October 1), set up the federal student aid (FSA) ID and the parent's federal student aid (FSA) ID online at https://www.fsaid.ed.gov.
2. Wait about a week after October 1 before diving into the FAFSA. It becomes available on October 1, but each year brings a new set of circumstances. It can take a few days for FAFSA administrators to fix bugs and problems that don’t become evident until after it’s in use. Wait a bit and save some hassle.
3. Gather the paperwork beforehand:
- FAFSA & TAP Codes for your colleges
- For entering college in 2022: Household or parent’s 2020 tax return and W2s. ("Parent" is the custodial parent for the previous 12 months.)
- The student's 2020 tax returns and W2s
- Social security numbers
- Student’s driver’s license
- Bank statements, records of investments, records of untaxed income (e.g. child support, veteran’s non education benefits).Set aside an hour of quiet time to work on this.
4. Go to FAFSA.gov (it's free!); avoid FAFSA.com (FAFSA.com charges a fee).
5. BONUS TIME SAVER! The IRS data retrieval tool will link IRS records with the FAFSA form and automatically pre-fill parts of the FAFSA automatically, saving time and work. In order for it to work, however, the street address entered in the FAFSA must be a perfect match to how it was entered in the completed tax return.
6. Residents of New York State, should complete the TAP right after submitting the FAFSA by selecting the "complete your state application now" box. Doing it now, while in the mode, will save the hassle of having to log back in and do it later.
7. To avoid data common processing errors and delays:
- Don't leave spaces blank; fill in every answer, even if the answer is "0".
- Use the child's full name every time (e.g. "Samantha"), not nicknames (e.g. "Sam").
- Double check that social security numbers have been entered correctly.
- Save copies and make a note of the date forms or other correspondence is submitted. Always keep copies of tax return transcripts and W2's, too.
If you're confused, reach out for help. Financial aid can be complicated, so it's best to ask the experts. Many of our area colleges are open to supporting you through this process, especially MCC. A copy of the Financial Aid Night presentation is posted on our BHS Website.
WOMEN IN MANUFACTURING SUMMIT FIELD TRIP
Interested in engineering? Like to work with your hands? Join us for a panel of industry experts on the great careers for women in advanced manufacturing!
**LUNCH PROVIDED!
Grab a permission slip in the Counseling Office if interested - due back October 17
Thu, Oct 27, 2022, 11:00 AM
260 EAST MAIN STREET
College Fairs & Career Exploration Opportunities
College Fairs at BHS! Join us in the Atrium!!
WNY Consortium of Higher Education
- Wednesday November 4, 4th period
- 21 Colleges & Universities will be here to chat with you! Check them out: https://www.wnycollegeconnection.com/
NYSACAC College Fairs are Coming Up!
(Virtual) Wednesday, October 19, 6:30 - 8PM
In the spirit of cooperation, six of the nation's top liberal arts colleges —Amherst, Bowdoin, Carleton, Pomona, Swarthmore, and Williams—are joining forces to help students with their college search.
Campus Life and Building a Community
Wednesday, October 19 at 7 pm EDT
How do our students find and build community? How do we support inclusion and belonging? How can you find your place? Learn how our six colleges ensure that first-generation and low-income students have the resources they need to succeed and how we foster community on our campuses.
Student registration | Counselor registration
We hope you’ll join us and we look forward to helping your students navigate the college search process. We'll see you online,
Sixcolleges.org
The Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local No. 3 NY are hosting a Career Fair on Saturday, October 22nd from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM at the BAC Local No. 3 NY Training Center (33 Saginaw Drive, Rochester, NY 14623). Please see the attached brochure for more information.
If you or any students are interested in attending – please RSVP to Robert Stoir at roberts@bac3ny.com or (585) 410-3297.
This is a great opportunity for students to visit the training facility and meet with the Bricklayers!
The Eastman School of Music, in collaboration with The Juilliard School and Ithaca College will co-host the Upstate New York Music College Fair on Thursday, November 3rd from 4:00-6:00PM.
This college fair is designed for students who are interested in music and the arts. Attendees can meet admissions representatives to learn about top colleges, universities, gap-year programs and summer music festivals from across the U.S. and beyond. Students, parents, and teachers are all welcome.
College Fair Menu
- Event Schedule
- Attending Schools
- Directions and Parking
- Hotel Accommodations
- Recruiter Guidelines
- Shipping Instructions for Recruiters
- Disability Accommodations
Admissions Menu
- Admissions Main
- Undergraduate
- Graduate
- Audition Repertoire
- International Applicants
- Tuition & Financial Aid
- College Fair
- Orientation
- Experience Eastman
- Contact Admissions
2022 Event Schedule
2:30-3:30 PM Panel Presentation on Applying to Music Schools – Hatch Recital Hall
Admissions representatives from Eastman, The Juilliard School and Ithaca College offer insights on the admissions process.
4:00-6:00 PM College Fair – 2nd floor of 26 Gibbs St and Eastman Theatre
Past Participating Schools & Programs
Programs marked with an asterisk* are pre-college, high school, or non-degree programs that specialize in music.
Directions and Parking
The College Fair will be held at the Eastman School of Music. Recruiters will be located in two connected areas: the second floor Cominsky Promenade and the upstairs balcony of Kodak Hall. Enter through the Main Entrance to the School at 26 Gibbs St. General directions, parking information, and a map of downtown can be found here.
Find the College for You at NACAC Virtual & In-Person College Fairs
You can register for free here.
All of our fairs will feature MatchMaking! At the time of registration, students will select the attributes that are most important to them in a college. They will then receive an email that best matches them to the specific colleges and universities based on the criteria they provided. Students will then reference this email on the day of the fair to connect with their best matches! Make sure to encourage your students to register early so they can take advantage of this great feature.
Virtual College Fairs
NACAC Virtual College Fairs are a great opportunity to connect with colleges and pursue your college dreams all from the comfort of your own home. Have a quick video chat with a rep, drop in on a virtual presentation, send a question through chat - make a connection YOUR way! Check out our schedule below.
You can also check out a quick video on how it all works! We look forward to seeing you and your students at an upcoming college fair soon!
Best wishes,
NACAC College Fairs Team
Ways to get "on campus"
Although you may not be able to physically get on campus right now, this is a great time to take a virtual trip! Check out these resources:
- Individual college websites
- Naviance (many of the colleges have videos and interactive information posted there)
- www.campusreel.org - over 15,000 real videos, tours and experiences from 300+ college campuses, created by current students
- Thanks to an incredible colleague in a College Admissions Counselor group who put together this working excel file. Including demographic data from College Board, she lists colleges in the US and Canada who offer virtual tours, youtube channels, etc. UK coming soon! https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1sO7pVos0EvK0BvXoMbnyg00K6r7hXbOQE0HNXF4N4eM/htmlview
Parent Brag Sheet
It's not too late to help! We would love to hear about your children through your eyes. If you have not done so already, please take a few minutes to complete the parent brag sheet. As counselors, we love to include your thoughts!
Parent brag sheet:
SAT & ACT- IMPORTANT Updates
BHS Standardized Exams being offered this fall:
SAT
November 5 - Deadline OCTOBER 7
**If you take an SAT or ACT exam AFTER we have submitted your transripts/scores to a college, YOU must submit the new scores directly to the college via College Board or ACT. See your counselor with questions.
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:
ACT- www.actstudent.org
SAT- www.collegeboard.org
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