HSA COLLEGE & CAREER CORNER
Harmony Science Academy - Pflugerville, Issue I, Sep 16 2022
Message from Dean of College and Career:
Greetings,
I am Serdar Ozguven, Dean of College and Career at HSA Pflugerville. I want to share our first counselor newsletter of the year. You will find essential information, announcements, and updates on this issue. We will publish it quarterly to keep you posted on critical timelines.
I have a unique passion and enthusiasm at HSA, and it is my honor to serve this community as Dean of College and Career for this school year.
You will be seen below our college and career counseling assignments to know who is your child's assigned college and career counselors.
Our team will work very hard to ensure to give the best college-going experience for our students, parents, and community. Please see the contact information below. Feel free to ask any questions or concerns.
I hope to have a great, successful school year for 2022-2023, and I look forward to working with all of you.
Serdar Ozguven
Dean of College and Career
Assistant Principal
Email: sozguven@harmonytx.org
Website: https://hseaustin-cc.harmonytx.org/
Meet the College and Career Counselors
Schoolinks for 6-12 Grade Students
Dear all,
We will continue to use the Schoolinks Platform for college and career planning. Based on the grade, the students will be assigned to complete monthly activities and assessments, and the college and career counselors will track students' completion and support and guidance.
Where and How to Log in?
Log in with Clever or Sign in with an HPS Gmail account.
Parents also can check their child's progress by following the steps below to claim their account.
Please let us know if you need help or assistance.
I wish you all the best and a successful school year!
How to Create an Account and Claim a Student as a Guardian
Dear parent(s) or guardian(s),
Please contact your child assigned college and career counselor for assistance. Here are the steps to follow for creating an account.
1. Accessing Invitation and Claim Code
To create a guardian account (or to log in to an existing account), you must have a claim code. If your student's school has enabled guardian accounts, your student will need to provide you with their unique claim code for you to create and link your account.
To learn how students can create the invitation and claim code, go to How to Invite your Guardian as a Student.
2. Creating an Account or Logging into Existing Account
Visit https://app.schoolinks.com/claim-student as mentioned in the claim instructions. You have two options for login:
This is your first time on SchooLinks: Click Create a Guardian Account. From here, you can use Google or LinkedIn Single Sign-on or create an account using a phone or email and password.
You've already created an account and need to log in: Click Log in to your Guardian Account. From the Guardian, Alumni, and Professional Users tab, you can use the Single-Sign-on you chose during sign-up or by using the email/password you signed up with.
3. Claiming a Student
Once you're logged in, enter your student's claim code exactly as it was given. Click Verify Claim Code.
You will see the name of the student you're claiming. Select your relationship to the student and click Save Relationship.
You will see confirmation that you've claimed your student.
You may either click Claim Another Student to repeat the claim process or Continue to Dashboard if you are done claiming students for now.
4. (Optional) Claiming Additional Students
As mentioned above, you may click Claim Another Student during your first claim visit to repeat the claim process for all of your students at once, but you can also return to claim additional students at another time. If you need to claim another student at a later date, you can start the process from the beginning again at: https://app.schoolinks.com/claim-student. This time you will choose Login to your Guardian Account, and you will then have the option to enter additional student claim codes.
Upcoming Events, Mark Your Calendar!
COLLEGE APPLICATION -12th grade
Dear parents and students,
HSA will be having a COLLEGE APPLICATION BOOT CAMP this year to help the 12th Grade students to fill out their college applications.
"Our events will be bi-weekly every Tuesday and Thursday after school from 3:15 PM to 4:30 PM. We have limited capacity at the Computer Lab, Room 158, and will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.
Here are the event dates: Mark your calendar!
Tuesday, September 20, 3:15 PM to 4:30 PM
Thursday, September 22, 3:15 PM to 4:30 PM
Tuesday, October 4, 3:15 PM to 4:30 PM
Thursday, October 6, 3:15 PM to 4:30 PM
Tuesday, October 18, 3:15 PM to 4:30 PM
Thursday, October 21, 3:15 PM to 4:30 PM
Tuesday, November 1, 3:15 PM to 4:30 PM
Best Regards,
College and Career Counseling Team
High school seniors: The deadline is quickly approaching for the QuestBridge National College Match! Don't miss out — apply by September 27, 2022.
Click on the link for more information and application:
FAFSA / TAFSA Application
Dear Parent(s) or Guardian(s) and 12th Grade Student,
Senior year of high school is an exciting, busy time for both you and your student. We hope, in the months ahead, that you are able to make wonderful memories of this special time before your student heads off to college.
This may also be a time when you begin to have serious conversations about college costs or how to secure financial aid for college. Although it may seem stressful or confusing, having these conversations and taking action early can simplify the process for your family.
For many students, financial aid makes college after high school a realistic goal. And when higher education feels attainable, students are more likely to pursue it. In 2019, House Bill 3 introduced a new graduation requirement for Texas students. Beginning with the 2021–22 school year, all students need to submit a financial aid application, taking one of the following actions to graduate:
Complete and submit the free application for federal student aid (FAFSA)
Complete and submit the Texas application for state financial aid (TASFA)
Submit a signed opt-out form
With that in mind, we encourage you to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.
(FAFSA) as soon as you are able after the October 1st release date. The FAFSA is used to determine eligibility for a variety of aid: federal, state, and school-based, as well as grants and scholarships.
The sooner the FAFSA is completed, the sooner you and your student can make informed college choices…and get back to enjoying all the memory-making moments still in store.
Beginning October 1, visit www.studentaid.gov to begin the FAFSA application for the following academic year.
Also, FAFSA help is available! Check with your high school counselor, schedule an appointment with the UAspire financial aid advisor, and attend one of our FAFSA workshops for more support and information.
In October, we will have two application nights for our students and parents; we will send you another email for RSVP and other details.
9-12 Grades Parent Nights: Meet with the College & Career Counselors
HSA Pflugerville College and Career Department organize Parent Night about High School Graduation and College-Career transition for 8- 12 grade students and parents.
You will be meeting with your child's assigned college and counselor and learning HPS College and Career department services as well as having an opportunity to get answers to your questions.
Here are the dates and times. Mark your calendar!
- Senior Parent Night, Thursday, September 8th, 5-6 pm
- Junior Parent Night, Thursday, October 13th, 5-6 pm
- Sophomore Parent Night, Thursday, November 10th, 5-6 pm
- Freshman Parent Night, Thursday, January 12th, 5-6 pm
- 8th Grade Parent Night, Thursday, February 2nd, 5-6 pm
Invitation and event details will be sent by email. We are looking forward to seeing you.
12th Grade Parent Night Success
8-11 Grade Students! Get Ready for the PSAT/NMSQT SCHOOL DAY ON WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 12th
Why the PSAT/NMSQT Is Important
When your child takes the PSAT/NMSQT, they open the door to more benefits than you might think.
- It connects students to more than $300 million in scholarships, including the National Merit® Scholarship Program. If your child opts into our free Student Search Service®, scholarship providers will invite them to apply.
- It's excellent practice for the SAT. Both tests measure the same knowledge and skills and ask the same types of questions, so PSAT/NMSQT takers will know what to expect on the SAT.
- It's the first step to a free, personalized SAT study plan. Official SAT Practice on Khan Academy® uses your child's PSAT/NMSQT score to create a customized SAT study plan with sample questions that focus on areas where they need help.
- It shows student progress on the road to college. The PSAT/NMSQT is part of the SAT Suite of Assessments, a series of tests beginning in eighth grade that shows your child and their teachers whether your child is on track for college.
- It shows which Advanced Placement Program® (AP) courses your child is ready for. The PSAT/NMSQT Score Report indicates which college-level AP courses your child has the potential to succeed in.
STUDENT GUIDES & PREP RESOURCES:
Juniors & Sophomores:
-PSAT/NMSQT-Student Guide (11 Grade)
- PSAT 10 Student Guide(10th Grade)
-PSAT/NMSQT- (10-11 Grades) Study Resource-Khan Academy
8th Grade & Freshman:
-PSAT 8-9 Student Guide (8-9 Grades)
-PSAT Study Resource (8-9 Grades)- Khan Academy
How to Practice
The best way your child can prepare for the PSAT/NMSQT is to pay attention in their high school classes and study the course material. Students who do well in school are likely to do well on the PSAT/NMSQT.
Because the PSAT/NMSQT and the SAT focus on the same subject areas and ask the same types of questions, your child can use Official SAT Practice on Khan Academy to practice for the PSAT/NMSQT. It's a free, interactive study tool that provides a personalized practice plan that focuses on exactly what your child needs to stay on track for college.
Your child can download and print official PSAT/NMSQT practice tests.
YouScience Career Assessment and Individual Guidance for HSA Juniors and Seniors
Junior will be taking the exam in October 2022.
Learn more about this new platform from the attached flyers and video links.
https://www.youscience.com/uservideo/
https://www.youscience.com/studentvideo/
Let us know if you have any questions.
Do you want to become college ready?
HSE will be offering an in-person TSI administration for current high school students on Saturdays.
A limited spot is available!
Reserve your spot now!
The test will begin at 9:00 AM.
If you would like to attend the testing session, please fill out this form.
Juniors, Apply Now!
High School Aerospace Scholars
Texas High School Aerospace Scholars is an authentic STEM learning experience for Texas high school juniors to engage with NASA’s mission and become the next generation of explorers. Like-minded students complete an online curriculum in exploration and discovery. The highest achieving students are invited to attend a five-day virtual experience plus a two-day onsite to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, during the summer. Mentored by NASA scientists and engineers, students work in teams to plan a mission to the Moon and Mars.
Website for more information: http://www.nasa.gov/has
Duration: One year
High School Aerospace Scholars Application
NASA Contact
NASA's Johnson Space Center
2101 NASA Parkway
Houston, TX 77058-3607
Phone: 281-483-4112
E-mail: jsc-has@mail.nasa.gov
Website: https://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/stem/High_School_Aerospace_Scholars.html
Turn College Dreams into an Action Plan
As a reminder, College Board Opportunity Scholarships so you can become eligible for money for college when you complete college planning steps. This is a unique scholarship program where the more effort you put in, the more chances you have to earn scholarships.
You can digitally complete this form that is attached and track your progress through the 6 steps to completing your journey and eligibility for the $40,000.
Wish you all the best!!
Free Admissions Essay Review For Seniors
Get Schooled is a free college access support program partnering with Greater Texas Foundation to help Texas students earn a postsecondary credential. Along with other great resources, Get Schooled provides free college application essay reviews that our students could really benefit from.
Code2College Winter 2023 Applications Open! FREE
It is an excellent opportunity for our high school students who are interested in computer science. Code2College program offers software engineering and web development instruction, professional skills development through consistent mentorship, and internships for our students at HSA.
It has officially opened our Winter 2023 Application for classes that start on January 9th. The deadline for students to apply is December 16th, 2022.
Here is the link below to apply and see the attached flyers above for the details.
High School Academic Guide & Course Catalog 2022-2023
Here is the link below to have access to our High School Academic Guide & Course Catalog 2022-2023
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES & TOOLS
no matter where they're coming from or where they're going,
have a plan for what's next.
HARMONY SCIENCE ACADEMY - PFLUGERVILLE
Harmony Science Academy - Pflugerville is a 6th - 12th public charter school providing a high-quality education option for students in the surrounding areas. Our school is a part of the state-wide Harmony Public Schools system
Email: ayildirim@harmonytx.org
Website: https://hsapflugerville.harmonytx.org/
Location: 1421 Wells Branch Pkwy, Pflugerville, TX 78660, USA
Phone: (512) 251-5000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hsapflugerville/
Twitter: @hsapflugerville
Dean of College and Career
Assistant Principal