October Counseling Newsletter 2019
West High School Counseling Department
West High School Counselors
Back Row (L to R): Ms. Nordmeyer, Ms. Glynn, Ms. Anderle, Mr. Gussine
Front Row (L to R): Ms. Lehman, Ms. Coombs, Ms. Dyer, Ms. Chandler
Happy Fall from the Counseling Department! We hope that you and your student have settled in to the school routine and are off to a great start with the new school year.
We have been busy in the counseling office making sure students are set up for success this year. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns you may have.
12th GRADE INFORMATION
In the news...
Congratulations to our 19 National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists! We are proud of you and your accomplishments!
See news article HERE
Applying to College
College application season is in full swing! Check HERE for a suggested senior checklist of steps to take in the college application process. We hope your senior had time to attend our Bootcamp in August, the 12th Grade Parent Night in September or one of the Senior Workshops being held in the counseling office in September & October.
Applying to UW System Schools
UW Journey guides potential students on their venture to college. The goal is to inform prospective students and their families of the tremendous opportunities that exist at our UW campuses. Prospects can find the UW campus that best fits their individual needs, navigate the application process, and explore options to pay for college. UW Journey enables users to view and compare all campuses’ offerings, including both academic and campus life characteristics, to create the most informed choice about which campus to attend. Finally, UW Journey guides prospects through the entire college process, showing the steps to take, and enabling further direction in the form of reminders, checklists, and calendar events.
Find out more information on the UW Journey assistance app HERE
Applying to Madison College
A Madison College admissions representative will be on site at West to help students with their Madison College application. Dates TBD soon!
Sending Your Transcript
Students will have to send transcripts for initial application, a mid year report and a final report at the end of their senior year.
It is the student's responsiblity to send transcripts via Parchment. School Counselors do not send transcripts.
The direct link to West's Parchment page can be found HERE.
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Opens October 1st
12th grade students and families are encouraged to complete the FAFSA as early as possible. The window opens October 1, 2019.
There are a number of local events happening in October and November to help students and their families complete the FAFSA application, please see below for more info:
College Goal Wisconsin
Participating students can even enter to win a $1,000 scholarship.
Get FREE assistance and get your FAFSA completed in one evening!
The following MMSD High Schools are offering College Goal WI events. West students & their families can attend any of these sessions.
All College Goal events start promptly at 6 p.m.:
Wednesday, Oct 2 @ La Follette High School
702 Pflaum Road
Wednesday, Oct 16 @ East High School
East High School 2222 E. Washington Avenue Enter off 4th Street, Door #2
Wednesday, Nov 6 @ Memorial High School
201 S. Gammon Road
Be sure to bring the following information/materials with you!
Scholarship & Financial Aid Information
MMSD's Scholarship Page
TuitionFit
If you’re looking for a college, you know by now that you can’t find out a college’s actual price until after you apply. But what’s the point of applying to a school if you don't know that you can afford it? TuitionFit makes solving that problem easy by letting students securely share the individual college offers they receive to create a single massive data set of actual prices. After anonymizing all the data so your personal identity is thoroughly protected, Tuitionfit shows you all the real prices that other colleges have offered students just like you.
Get Ready for TuitionFit 2.0!!!
Starting in October, you can see schools that fit your price range
NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE IN YOUR COLLEGE SEARCH . . . for FREE.
So sign up now and be one of the first to finally be able to shop for college by price.
Join for Free & Find out more info HERE
College Rep Visits @ West
Students need to plan ahead and get a pass to attend a college rep visit from their teacher or counselor PRIOR to the session.
11th GRADE INFORMATION
PSAT/NMSQT Registration Open through Oct 2nd
The registration window closes at 3:45 pm on October 2nd. No late registrations accepted.
See more info about PSAT at West HERE.
Grade 11 FuturePaths Program for Students and Families
The West High School Counseling Department will host the FuturePaths Program for 11th grade students and their families. Presenters will speak on a range of post-high school opportunities including:
- UW-Madison
- U of Minnesota – Twin Cities
- UW-System schools
- private liberal arts colleges
- art and design schools
- IEP Goes to College
- Apprenticeship Programs
- Military Options
The program begins in the Auditorium at 6:30 pm with a presentation on financial aid followed by two 40-minute sessions that families will choose depending on their areas of interest. This is an important program for juniors and their families.
We hope you can join us!
Monday, Oct 14, 2019, 06:30 PM
Madison West High School Auditorium
National Honor Society (NHS)
Membership
Students interested in being considered for membership in the National Honor Society at West need the following:
earned a total of at least 60 service hours by the end of the first semester of their Junior year.
earned a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.50
demonstrated their character and leadership through a clean school record.
NOTE: All eligible Juniors will receive letters about NHS early in second semester.
Junior Conferences
Beginning in December, Juniors will be asked to make an appointment with their counselor for their Junior Conference. During this conference, your student's counselor will review the following items with your student:
- Transcript/credit review
- Course selection for senior year
- Resume and/or activities log
- Career interests
- Post-high school plans
Students and parents will be emailed a conference summary and a timeline of steps to take in the post-secondary planning process.
More information on how to sign up for a Junior Conference will be emailed to students later this fall.
10th GRADE INFORMATION
Volunteering
If you are a Sophomore, this is a great time to start earning some volunteer hours. Find something you enjoy. Perhaps it's an organization you feel passionate about, a future career interest area, a hobby or activity you enjoy and find out what options are available for volunteering.
Volunteer hours look great on a resume, applying for scholarships and eventually college applications.
Need a handy place to keep track of your volunteer hours? Make a copy of this form!
9th GRADE INFORMATION
Freshman 101 Presentation
Counselors will be visiting 9th grade Biology classes on October 11th for an informational lesson on how to be successful in high school. Topics covered will include:
- Transcript Information
- Grade Point Average
- How to get academic help
- Study Skills Tips
- The importance of class attendance
- How summer school can help (Grade replacement and credit recovery)
- Where and how to access their School Counselor
INFORMATION FOR ALL STUDENTS
AP (Advanced Placement) Exam Changes
The College Board has moved the Advanced Placement exam registration period from the spring to the fall beginning this school year.
What do families need to know?
WHO: All MMSD students seeking to take spring AP Exams
WHEN: MMSD's registration dates are September 30 – October 18 for this spring's final exams.
COST: Exam fees have not changed and remain at $110/exam or $142 for Seminar, but please note a $40/exam deposit is due at this time. The balance will need to be paid between October 18 and February 28, 2020. Please note this earlier timeline.
WHY: Studies have shown students who commit earlier in the school year have a higher engagement and commitment, as well as an increase in scores of 3 or higher across multiple groups.
HOW: Specific registration information regarding MMSD's exam sign up, fee payment and AP updates can be found at mmsd.org/ap
Click on the attachement below for specific AP Exam registration instructions:
Work Permits
During the school year, work permits may be obtained at the Visitors’ Window at the Ash Street entrance of West High School. Students must bring the 5 items listed below to the window before school. The work permit will be prepared and ready for pick-up by the end of the school day.
- Letter from the employer expressing intent to hire, on employer's regular letterhead, describing job title and duties and hours of work. This letter should include the name, address and phone # of the employer.
- Letter of permission from the minor's parent/guardian (parent’s signature on the employer letter is also okay).
- Proof of Age – driver’s license, DOT issued state ID card, birth certificate, baptismal certificate or passport.
- Social Security CARD.
- $10 cash (The employer must reimburse the $10.00 permit fee to the minor by no later than the date of the first paycheck).
Work Based Learning
Academic & Career Planning (ACP)
To find out more about ACP @ West, click on the button below.
School Attendance
If students notice an attendance discrepancy, they can obtain an Attendance Update Request Form in their SLC office and have it signed by a teacher.
Click on the link below for SLC office contact information:
#attendancematters
Good attendance contributes to students doing well in school and eventually in the workplace. By middle and high school, attendance is even more predictive of successful graduation. Each absence represents a preventable lost opportunity to learn in the classroom.
#attendancematters