Senior Monthly News
MD Guidance & Counseling - September 2017
Hello!
Throughout the fall semester, each counselor will be meeting with their students for an individual senior visit to review transcripts, college applications, and essays. Counselors will also be visiting senior English classes for a Four-Session College Classroom Curriculum and work closely with senior English teachers to assist students in completing their college applications and essays. Counselors review with students screen-by-screen through the Common Application, UC Application, and CSU Application.
Check our our upcoming events, such as College Night and College Rep Visits at Lunch. Please make sure that you:
- complete and submit your Senior Guidance Questionnaire
- take and send your official SAT or ACT scores
- request for Letters of Recommendation early if you need them
- send your official transcripts if needed through Parchment
- turn in Service Hours + Reflection (if you are finished with hours)
- visit colleges and research/organize with Naviance
- continue in your commitments to clubs/activities, for example NHS & CSF
If you are planning to play sports in college, make sure that you have registered with the NCAA/NAIA Eligiblity Center and sent your transcripts
College Night 2017
Wednesday, Sep 27, 2017, 05:00 PM
Mater Dei High School, West Edinger Avenue, Santa Ana, CA
- Please ask your counselor at least 3 weeks in advance of your first application due date (this does not include the holidays)
- Please complete and submit your Senior Guidance Questionnaire online
- Counselors will only write letters of recommendation when your submitted questionnaire is received. Counselors can submit your letters of recommendation and secondary school report only after you have ordered your official transcripts through Parchment.com
Transcripts: Parchment.com
Order your official transcripts through Parchment, www.parchment.com to be sent directly to the Common Application for Common App Colleges, or to the college directly if requested. Please remember that you do NOT send transcripts to the UCs or Cal States.
If you have completed enrichment courses outside of MDHS, request an official transcript from that school/program be sent to the private colleges you apply to, and any other school that asks for a transcript as part of its application. For UC/Cal States, request the transcript for your enrichment class at the end of the year, when you request your final MDHS transcript to be sent.
Official SAT & ACT
Please check the SAT & ACT testing requirements of the specific colleges you are applying to. Some schools require the writing section, and some specific majors require subject tests. The December SAT & ACT testing dates are the last dates most colleges will accept scores.
Please self report your test scores on your applications and send your official scores to the institutions you are applying to. Log in to your SAT account at collegeboard.com and ACT account at act.org to send your official scores.
College Rep Visits
Be sure to meet with the visiting College Admission Representatives during lunch in Shamrock Plaza. Click here for a list of colleges and visit dates. Click here for a list of Questions to ask College Admission Representatives.
NHS Applications & CSF Sign-Ups
The National Honor Society (NHS) recognizes students who have demonstrated excellence in the areas of Scholarship, Leadership, Service, and Character. NHS applications are due in the guidance office by 3pm on September 8th, and the NHS Induction Ceremony will be held on September 27th, 2017 at 7:30AM, LeVecke Center.
Would you like to continue being recognized for your outstanding academics? CSF (California Scholarship Federation) Sign-Ups will be held October 24-27, during lunch in the Shamrock Plaza. Please check the calendar for the dates by your last name.
If a student has been in CSF for four (4) semesters (do not have to be consecutive) and one of the semesters is for grades earned during the first semester of the senior year, they qualify as a Sealbearer. Sealbearers will be recognized in the graduation program, and in the spring, they will be given a gold cord at the Senior Awards Ceremony. This cord will be worn with their gown at the graduation ceremony and they will also receive a gold seal on their diplomas. A CSF Ceremony/Meeting will be held Wednesday, December 6, 2017, at 7:30AM, LeVecke Center. All CSF Members must attend!
College Visits
Wednesday, October 11th is a day off for seniors only, and a great day to visit college campuses.
Here is Guide to College Visits by the Collegeboard and a Campus Visit Checklist. You can also bring these Tough Questions to Ask on Your College Visit!
If you are not able to go on a campus visit, be sure to take advantage of the opportunity to meet college reps during their Lunch Time Visits and at our College Night fair (Sept 27th).
SAT & ACT Tests
This Fall we are offering two prep classes on campus through Tried & True Tutoring. Our 8-week SAT Comprehensive Course starts on September 5th and ACT Bootcamp classes are in October. Registration links can be found on the SAT/ACT Test Prep page and in a recent Naviance email. Sign up soon!
It is recommended that students take the official ACT, SAT and SAT Subject Tests (if required) during the spring of Junior Year
- Helpful Testing Timeline to assist you in your planning
- To register for the official SAT with writing and/or SAT Subject Tests: www.collegeboard.org
- To register for the official ACT with writing: www.actstudent.org
Service Hours, Academics, & Naviance
Service Hours are a requirement for graduation here at MD. You should have a minimum of 70 hours completed and turned into Mrs. Hopkins in the Campus Ministry Office by November 27, 2017 and a minimum of 80 hours (40 direct) and Reflection (essay/oral presentation) by April 9, 2018. Click here for more info on service hours, links to the verification form, and a list of service opportunities. Make sure that you are on target with your service hours. Students who have not completed their Christian Service Graduation Requirement will not be permitted to participate in Graduation Exercises.
If you are struggling in any of your classes, be sure to check out our Academic Supports page. Regularly review your Aeries and Blackboard accounts. The senior year is important in terms of the classes you take and how well you do in these classes. Every college will ask for a final transcript, and many want a 7th semester transcript as well, which shows the grades earned during the first semester of your senior year.
Take advantage of your Naviance and its college planning tools and resources. You can keep track of a list of colleges you are applying to and your deadlines and view admissions data specific to MD students.
NCAA and NAIA
If you are planning to play sports in college, be sure to inform your counselor and register with the NCAA and/or NAIA. For more information, please see the Student-Athlete page. You will also need to request that your official MD transcript be sent directly to NCAA through Parchment, www.parchment.com.