Counseling Updates
Connecting you to information & opportunities (8/12/2020)
Welcome Back!
We hope your summer was relaxing and rejuvenating. Your teachers, administrators, counselors and school staffs have been busy preparing for a distance learning start to the academic year. You can expect to receive an edition of the counseling newsletter bi-monthly. It will be filled with relevant, timely content related to academics, college and career planning and social/emotional well-being. In this edition of the newsletter, you'll find:
- Student Needs Assessment
- Tips for Distance Learning Success
- College Admission Testing Update
- Virtual Volunteering
- Questbridge Applications
- Upcoming Virtual College Fairs
SAT Registration
As SAT/ACT test dates were cancelled and future test dates remain uncertain, questions abound... Do you need to take the SAT? Would it be to your advantage to take the SAT? Can you avoid the SAT?
Please note the Nevada Union High School WILL be serving as a testing center for upcoming SAT/ACT exams. AUGUST 18 (Tuesday) is the late registration deadline for the August 29 SAT exam.
Here are some things to consider:
- The Cal States (CSU) will NOT be using the SAT/ACT for admission purposes: CSU Suspends Testing Requirement. This applies to all 23 campuses.
- The University of California (UC) will be test optional: UC Test Optional for Fall 2021. *Some scholarships may still require test scores, so students will need to submit scores to qualify for those particular scholarships (UC does not have a list of which ones require test scores or not).
- Private colleges and out-of-state public universities may or may not require the SAT/ACT for fall 2021 admission consideration. Check here for updates on requirements: Test Optional Colleges/Universities. *Please note that these institutions may be test optional for ADMISSION purposes but NOT for scholarship consideration.
- If ANY of the colleges you're planning to apply to require the SAT/ACT, then you will need to take it.
- If any of the colleges you're planning to apply to are test optional, you may choose to test if your score is on the higher end of the mid-50 percent accepted student score range (or higher) OR if you would like to be considered for scholarships/merit-based aid from the institution.
- If the colleges you're planning to apply to will NOT be using the SAT/ACT (i.e. CSU's and Sierra College), then you may opt not to test.
If you decide to take the SAT...
Seniors can register now for the August, September, and October SAT or SAT Subject Test.
Eligible students can register with a fee waiver. Please contact your counselor if you believe you qualify for a fee waiver but it isn't showing up on the payment page.
Volunteer from Home!
Volunteer Opportunities - From the Smithsonian to Amnesty International... Find meaningful volunteer ideas to improve our world.
Youth Service America - Democracy doesn't stop during a pandemic. Check out these 10 resources to help you get involved in the 2020 election while staying safe and healthy.
Vote Forward - Their mission is "to empower grassroots volunteers to help register voters from under-represented demographics and encourage them to vote."
Volunteer Match - Explore hundreds of virtual volunteer opportunities in cause areas like health and medicine, education, and community building, that you can do from a computer, from home or anywhere.
NACAC Virtual College Fairs
Hey, students! Here's your chance to ask questions and hear firsthand from those-in-the-know at hundreds of colleges and universities nearby, across the country, and around the world.
Meet virtually with admission representatives, current students, faculty, and staff to explore and find your best college fit. Attend as often as you like! The first NACAC Virtual College Fair for students is on Sept. 13. Sign up for our email list and we'll let you know as soon as registration opens.