PTHS School Counseling Newsletter
Fall 2019: Welcome Back
- The PSAT
- Career Spotlight: Cardiovascular Purfusionist
- Workshop Wednesdays at PTHS: College Application Help
- What are the Right Choices in College Admissions?
- How to Get into Your Dream School
- 4 Ways to Get Free Money for College
- Important AP Exam Registration Information
- FAFSA Completion Night
- The South Hills College Fair
- The South Hills Trade Show
- University Informational Session
Increase SAT Scores & Potentially Earn Scholarships with the PSAT
Students in grades 9-11 will automatically participate in the PSAT on Wednesday, October 16th. This is a great opportunity to practice for the SAT that students take during the Spring of their junior year. Students who take the PSAT score higher on the SAT on average than compared to students who do not take the PSAT. The PSAT score is also a predictive score of what a student would earn on the SAT if taken the same day becuase all PSAT and SAT assessments are aligned on the same common scale score. The PSAT is an opportunity to explore academic strengths and weaknesses that are predictors of success in college. Identified deficits can be targeted for improvement.
Students in grade 9 will take the PSAT 8/9. Students in grades 10 and 11 will be administered the PSAT/NMSQT. Students who take the PSAT/NMSQT during their junior year are automatically considered for the National Merit Scholarship program. There is also more than $255 million in additional scholarships for qualified students who opt in by selecting "yes" to the student search service question on the answer sheet.
Career Spotlight: Cardiovascular Perfusionist
There are approximately 18 institutions in the United States that offer programs in Cardiovascular Perfusion. Carlow University is one such institution. Students who attend Carlow University obtain certification, a bacherlor's degree and a master's degree in Cardiovascular Perfusion in five years. Applications for this program are due October 1, 2019. More information is available on Carlow University's website.
Workshop Wednesdays at PTHS: College Application Help
How to Get into Your Dream School
Important AP Exam Registration Information
Advanced Placement exams are scheduled from May 4th though May 15th as determined by the College Board. We encourage our students in AP courses to take the exam because scoring well could earn college credit. For specific information about a college or university’s credit policy, please visit: https://apstudent.collegeboard.org/creditandplacement/search-credit-policies
NEW THIS YEAR:
The College Board has changed the registration timeline. Regular online registration will begin on Monday, September 30th and end on Friday, November 8th at 11:59 p.m. Registration closes and all balances must be paid by November 11th at 11:59 p.m. In order to register, students must click on the link provided on the PTHS Advanced Placement Webpage or visit www.totalregistration.net/AP/390535. To complete registration, students must answer all of the required questions. Please remember to have a credit or debit card available prior to registering.
For the 2020 exams, we are excited to continue to offer our families the ease and convenience of registering and paying for AP Exams online using Total Registration. The registration process will take a few minutes and can be completed from any computer with internet access.
PARENT PRESENTATION:
Lastly, due to the new 2019-2020 changes, the counseling office will offer an AP Parent Night Presentation the evening of Parent Conference Day; October 24, 2019 at 6:00 p.m. During this time, we will discuss the new 2019-2020 changes and offer assistance on getting your student registered for the exam!
Please visit the PTHS Advanced Placement page for information regarding exam registration, new 2019-2020 changes, and exam dates.
http://www.ptsd.k12.pa.us/AdvancedPlacement.aspx
IMPORTANT DATES:
September 30, 2019: Registration opens at 12:01 a.m.
October 24, 2019: AP Parent Presentation 7:00PM-8:00 p.m.
November 8, 2019: Regular registration closes at 11:59 p.m.
November 11, 2019: Exams must be paid for by this date. Exams with any remaining balance will be cancelled. Last day for a full refund.
March 13, 2020: Last day for a partial refund.
The College Board Opportunity Scholarship: Class of 2020
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Completion Night
The South Hills College Fair at Cool Springs Sports Complex
The South Hills Trade Show at PTHS
Organizations Who Plan to Attend
- All State Career School
- Bella Capelli Academy
- Bidwell Training Center
- Carpenters Training Center
- CCAC
- Douglas Education Center
- First Energy Corporation
- Ford Motor Company
- Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee
- New Century Careers
- New Horizons
- Pittsburgh Career Institute
- Pittsburgh Technical College
- Roofers & Waterproofers Local 37 JATC
- Southwest Training Services, Inc.
- Triangle Tech
- United States Army
- United States Marines
- Universal Technical Institute
Harvard, Princeton, University of Virginia, Wellesley, and Yale Informational Session
PTHS Counseling Team
Ms. Patton (A-Di) x 5232 pattona@pt-sd.org
Ms. Riggle (Dj-Kl) x 5234 rigglec@pt-sd.org
Ms. Simmons (Km-M) x 5517 simmonsa@pt-sd.org
Mrs. Prinsen (N-Sk) x 5220 prinsenh@pt-sd.org
Mr. Sudol (Sl-Z) x 5238 sudolj@pt-sd.org
Mrs. Lusk - Counseling Secretary x 5213 luske@pt-sd.org
Mrs. Murphy - Counseling Secretary x 5518 murphyc@pt-sd.org
Mrs. Steffen - Dean of College & Career Readiness x 5235 steffenl@pt-sd.org