College Prep Corner
Find all things college oriented from Ms. Lucas!
College and Career Advising
Email: kylielucas@vikingnet.net
Website: www.phs.usd503.org
Location: 3030 Morton Avenue, Parsons, KS, USA
Phone: (620)421-3660
Week Nine
Week 8: Enrolling in College Classes during High School
Every year Parsons High School and Labette Community College join forces to offer PHS students an opportunity to jumpstart their college experience! Enrolling in concurrent and/or dual credit college coursework is a great way to begin chipping away at the requirements necessary for a certificate or degree beyond a high school diploma. Depending on what curriculum you have completed early on in high school, classes such as English Composition I & II, Public Speaking, General and Developmental Psychology, College Algebra, Trigonometry, and Calculus, among many others, can be taken for both high school and college credit. It is imperative to work with Mrs. Spriggs to ensure you understand the commitment (both intellectual and financial) of taking classes for college credit and with an LCC Advisor to confirm that the classes you are enrolling in are actually necessary for the major and career field you want to pursue. If you are interested in learning more about enrolling in college courses during high school, schedule a time to meet with Ms. Lucas or see Mrs. Spriggs in the counseling center!
Week Eight
Week 8: College and Soft Skills
According to US News, one of the most important aspects of preparing for college pertains to refining an individual’s soft skills. Soft skills are attributes that govern how well an individual interacts with others. These soft skills are especially important within the workplace to ensure career success. College pushes students to develop soft skills including the use of effective communication, resolving conflict, being a team player, having good time-management, and understanding social issues, among many others.
“From group projects to communicating with professors, an ability to convey ideas clearly and work collaboratively will serve students well. That includes dealing with social issues. Many students will find themselves working closely with people from different backgrounds and life experiences, so they should consider taking advantage of diversity and inclusion classes or books. In addition, leadership and problem-solving skills are important qualities when it's time to apply for jobs and internships during school and after graduation.”
Ms. Lucas’ Classes can help you hone in on developing these soft skills prior to high school graduation and beginning college. Visit with her today about enrolling in College and Career Explorations for the upcoming Spring 2023 semester! Stop by her classroom #204 or send her an email to kylielucas@vikingnet.net with any questions!
Week Seven
Week 7: Employers & College Expense Benefits
Did you know that there are companies, businesses, and industries that will help pay for their employees to obtain career training and higher education?! Finding these “unicorn” places of employment, and subsequently being hired on as an employee, could help college students obtain their degree very affordably! While some employers will offer a tuition or cost reimbursement program, others will pay up front for the cost of attending classes. As a local example, Labette Community College has an agreement with several employers in the area to pay for tuition and incidental fees at LCC so their employees attend college. The list of employers that a student could consider are:
· City of Altamont
· City of Chetopa
· City of Edna
· City of Mound Valley
· City of Oswego
· City of Parsons
· Labette County
· Labette Health
· Neosho Township
· Parsons State Hospital and Training Center
· USD 503 – Parsons
· USD 504 – Oswego
· USD 505 – Chetopa
· USD 506 – Altamont
There are many other resources that can be sought out to help pay for higher education beyond just scholarships and federal financial aid (pell grants, loans, and work study jobs). This employee benefit is one great example! If you would like help researching other opportunities for employment and whether or not the business you want to work for offers help to pay for college, schedule a time with Ms. Lucas to research further! Click on the link below to access her appointment sign up!
Week Six
Week 6: Are you a military-connected student?!
What does it mean to be a military-connected student? “Military-connected” means any student who is:
Currently serving on active duty
In the National Guard
In the U.S. Reserve
A veteran: anyone with prior military service regardless of whether you retired or your characterization of discharge
A dependent spouse or dependent child
A surviving dependent of a deceased service member
This definition applies to students affiliated with the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, National Guard, and Coast Guard.
According to Home Room: The Official Blog of the U.S. Department of Education’s Website,
“The U.S. government helps service members, veterans, and their family members (aka: military-connected students) achieve the American dream through higher education, especially with two important benefit programs. The first program is the Military Tuition Assistance (TA) program, which supports course work for active duty, National Guard, and Reserve Component service members. The second program is the GI Bill, which supports post-service course work. These benefits can cover up to 100% of tuition and a living stipend at approximately 5,600 American colleges, universities, and career schools, giving those who served and their families the opportunity to build a better future through education.”
If you fit into one of these criteria to be considered military-connected and would like to utilize these programs to help finance your education, you will need to apply through the US Department of Veteran Affairs. Here is the link to the website with more information: https://www.va.gov/education/how-to-apply/
See Ms. Lucas in room #204 or email her at kylielucas@vikingnet.net for more information!
Week Five
Week 5: The Importance of Job Shadowing
If you have not yet job shadowed in the profession/career field you plan to enter, it is imperative to do so prior to high school graduation. Job Shadowing will help you understand what the typical day is like. It is a way to experience, first-hand, what types of people you will interact with, what roles and responsibilities you will take on, and the work environment in which you will spend your time. Job shadowing opportunities can be discussed and scheduled with the PHS Academic Advisor Teacher, Ms. Lucas. See her in her classroom #204 or send her an email to kylielucas@vikingnet.net to visit about your options!
Week Four
Week 4: Did you know? ( Ms. Lucas has office hours)
Did you know that the Academic Advisor/Teacher at Parsons High School schedules private appointments?! YES! If you are a student who is not enrolled in Ms. Lucas’ College Orientation course this semester, you can still meet with her. She is available to help you with items such as researching college and career options, goal-setting and other life skills, scheduling college campus visits and job shadowing, and much more! What is it that you could be doing right now as a high schooler to prepare for the future? If you are interested in scheduling an appointment to meet with the academic advisor, please email kylielucas@vikingnet.net to get a date/time on the calendar!
Week Three
What is FAFSA?! --- Great question!
FAFSA is an acronym that stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The FAFSA is an electronic form completed by current and prospective college students in the United States to determine eligibility for student financial aid that can be used to help pay for higher education. There are three types of financial aid that the federal government will determine a student to be eligible for. These three types include pell grants, student loans, and work-study. Most colleges, universities, technical schools, etc require students to have a FAFSA on file with their organization in order to qualify for scholarship dollars too!
Submitting the FAFSA is FREE! The FAFSA must be completed annually. The 2023-2024 application opens on October 1st. It requires use of the 2021 tax year information. There are certain eligibility criteria such as being a US Citizen or eligible non-citizen, demonstrating financial need, maintaining satisfactory academic progress, among others. Seniors are encouraged to submit the FAFSA as soon as possible to determine what, if any, out of pocket cost they may have to attend college. If you would like more information explaining the difference between the three types of federal aid, please visit this website: https://studentaid.gov/resources/types-infographic-accessible
A special event is planned for Parsons High School seniors and their responsible adult in order to get the FAFSA completed. This event is called, "Apply Kansas," and will be held Monday, October 24th. Professionals from Labette Community College and Pittsburg State University, along with the PHS counseling department, will be available to help navigate the FAFSA process. Let us assist you during this structured time devoted to ensuring our students' success! Start time is 8:00 a.m., and the event will run through noon. You are welcome to attend anytime during those hours, but should plan for approximately 1 hour on campus. If students and/or parents/guardians have questions regarding the FAFSA or Apply Kansas Event, please email Kylie Lucas, PHS Academic Advisor/Teacher, at kylielucas@vikingnet.net.
Week Two
The first step to going to college is applying! For many students, applying to college can be a daunting task. It can be particularly overwhelming for students who may be the first in their family to pursue post-secondary educational dreams or have yet to consider their plans after high school. Lucky for PHS, there is an annual “Apply Kansas” Event! Apply Kansas is the annual statewide campaign in which high schools conduct an event to help seniors apply to college (all institutions) with their peers and with help, guidance, and a cheering squad from school staff, local community supporters, and post-secondary volunteers. In partnership with the American College Application Campaign of ACT, Apply Kansas is a month-long, state-wide initiative to increase the number of students applying, enrolling, and succeeding in college or other post-secondary goals.
The Apply Kansas Event at PHS is scheduled for Monday, October 24th beginning at 8:00 a.m. Parents and Guardians are encouraged to join their student to help with the college application submissions. There will also be dedicated financial aid representatives available to assist students with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid Application (FAFSA) process. The FAFSA will help families to determine if a college-bound student is eligible for government financial aid to help pay for schooling. Come join us for this exciting Apply Kansas Event to prepare for the next step after high school graduation! Whether you’re applying for university, community college, technical school, or a job, we will be ready to assist you in your efforts on October 24th!
Week One
Attention Seniors! Deciding what to do after high school graduation can be stressful. If you are struggling with committing to a plan, your best tool will be to visit the college campus(es) you are interested in. Most admissions and scholarship applications to 4-year universities are due November 1st, so the sooner you can visit a college, the better! --- and more likely you will be to receive financial aid to help pay for college. Visiting will help you determine whether or not the college is a good fit for your and your individual needs. If you would like help getting college visit details arranged, please see Ms. Lucas in room 204 during Viking Time, 5th, or 6th hour.
Did you know that seniors are allowed three excused absences for college visits per year? These absences must be communicated beforehand, and there is a specific form to submit to the Main Office to be excused. Take advantage of this! Your senior year is full of exciting milestones. While enjoying those, don't procrastinate educating yourself and making decisions to ensure your success in the future! Go VISIT VISIT VISIT those college campuses!
Click here for ideas on what questions you should ask during your college campus visit: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cc5Z8M7M325fvoxLZ43QZFQccv7vy8wsChrpcrz0KBI/edit