• SHHS Counseling Department
     
    SHHS Counseling Staff  - 610-892-3470  (Extensions listed below)
               

    WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24 SCHOOL-BASED ADMINISTRATION OF THE SAT FOR STRATH HAVEN STUDENTS. THE REGISTRATION DEADLINE FOR THIS ADMINISTRATION IS THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18.

    The cost of the SAT is $52 for the regular test or $68 for the SAT with essay. Payment may be made via check payable to Strath Haven High School or EXACT CHANGE if paying in cash. No change will be made. *Please contact the guidance counselor with questions about financial assistance.

    Following registration, students and guardians will receive an informational letter regarding administration day instructions and COVID protocols for test day. If you have questions regarding the test, please contact the SAT coordinator: Tom McLaughlin (tmclaughlin@wssd.org).

    Register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc4QexLRP2F78J-9OUA5e7rqkuX_l1qCLYFKCCWY4XWqgeHFw/viewform

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    Dear Students, 
     
    What is happening in our communities, those close by and far away, is deeply troubling and provokes complex feelings in all of us. While it may feel like we are really distant and unable to support you in the traditional sense, we remain committed to being a source of comfort and familiarity to you. If you would like to talk, please reach out to us so we can connect over the platform that you prefer.
     
    Most sincerely,
    Your school counselors
     

    The American School Counselor Association Antiracism Statement

    ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    February Financial Aid Assistance Webinars hosted by Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency  

    1. Understanding the Financial Aid Offer & Balances
    2. Covering the Gap-Pieces of the Puzzle to Help Pay Your Education Bill

    Please click here for more information.

    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    February Student Opportunities for Future Readiness

    Students in grades 7-12 and educators are invited to participate in a series of Snack & Learns scheduled through the spring of 2021. Snack & Learns provide opportunities for students and educators to engage with professionals in a career cluster of interest or with staff and faculty at post-secondary institutions. All sessions are free and open to anyone interested. Most are scheduled for half an hour. Advanced registration for each session is required at https://forms.gle/RFRQBYxx5FgriL1A6.

     

    February 2021 Snack & Learns

    • John Rattray, 2/9 at 1 pm Eastern 
    John Rattray, CEO of Sparkwear, will speak on how his interests in computers, inventions, and entrepreneurship, from elementary, middle, and high school helped him succeed in college and prepared him to start his own technology company. 

     

    • Duquesne Light Company EDT Boot Camp, 2/18 at 11 am Eastern
      Erin Bunda from Duquesne Light Company will introduce the Electric Distribution Technology Boot Camp – a paid six week course designed to boost math and reading skills in high school students, while also providing OSHA-10 certification, CPR/FIRST Aid training, and financial readiness preparation.
    • Leveling Up After High School: Workplace Expectations, 2/24 at 11 am Eastern
      Michael Geeter from Schell Games will share tips and tricks to achieve success in your job search. 
      This session will give advice on the best way to transition from a school atmosphere into the world of work.

     _________________________________________________________________________________________________________

     

      Juniors and Seniors!

    This year our college representative visits will be virtual. 

    College Board Big Future Days Virtual College Visits

    College Board is hosting virtual events for high school students to connect directly with college admissions representatives and take action on the most important steps for college.

    Who: This event is meant for high school sophomores and juniors, but younger and older students are welcome. We also encourage parents/guardians to join along with their students.

    What to Expect

    • Explore colleges in a way that’s not overwhelming, and show them you're interested.
    • Take action on key college planning steps like searching for colleges and exploring careers and majors.
    • Listen, learn, and participate in live Q&A and online chat with admissions representatives and current students who have been through it all.
    • Download college planning resources, and drop in with questions for a college adviser.

    Save the Dates

    You can attend any event and more than one. Explore your college options in each region!

    Click on the region to see a list of participating schools.

    BigFuture Days West + Southwest Saturday, February 6

    BigFuture Days Southeast Tuesday, February 23

    BigFuture Days Northeast Sunday, March 7

    BigFuture Days Midwest Thursday, March 11

    https://pages.collegeboard.org/big-future-days?SFMC_cid=EM424052-&rid=47642996

     

    PENNSYLVANIA COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY  Spring virtual information sessions are ongoing and will continue through Saturday, May 8th. During these virtual information sessions, students will learn more about Penn College and get a chance to ask any questions they might have. While these virtual information sessions are geared towards Seniors and Juniors, any high school student can attend. 


    To register for the information session, students should go to my admissions staff page. On this page, students should find the session they want to attend and click register. Once a student registers, a link for the session will be sent to them in a confirmation email.

    In addition to my personal virtual information sessions, Penn College is also offering a variety of other virtual and on-campus visit opportunities. To find out more and to register for these events, students can visit www.pct.edu/visit. 

    If anyone has questions please don't hesitate to reach out to me. 

    Bryce W. Winder
    Admissions Counselor | Admissions 
    Pronouns: He, Him, His
    PENNSYLVANIA COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY 
    +  o  + 
    One College Avenue, Williamsport, PA 17701 
    Office: 570.329.4602 |Text: 570.873.0077 |Meet Me
    ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
     

    College Campuses are Closed…How to Visit Virtually

    1. College websites’ own virtual tours
    2. Follow college admissions’ social media
    3. Reach out to local alumni from SHHS to get their impressions and ask questions
    4. Youvisit.com offers virtual reality and 360 views of many college campuses
    5. Youniversitytv.com - Informal student-led tours, not sanctioned by the colleges, but these have student perspectives. Take these with a grain of salt – consider the source!
    6. The Student Life tab in Naviance provides lots of helpful data including ethnicity statistics, average age of students,  % living on campus, etc...
    7. Collegexpress.com’s Lists and Rankings pages – great information about school culture and distinctive features
    8. Don’t forget about reaching out to admissions office representatives!  Use this time to create a list of questions based on the research that you do and email those admissions reps. They are there to help you learn about their schools and whether a particular school is the right fit for you.  You can usually find the name of your regional admissions representative on a college’s admissions website.  Our admissions reps’ names are also sometimes listed in Naviance.  This is a terrific way to demonstrate your interest in a college.  Don’t forget to write professional, carefully worded, and proofread emails.

          _____________________________________________________________________________________________________    

     College Essay Resources

    The College Essay Guy - 7 Great College Essay Tips to Help You Out

    Georgia Tech Admission Blog - College Admission Essays: "I've Heard That One Before"

    Tulane Admission Blog - "Ten Tips for an Epic College Essay"

         _________________________________________________________________________________________________________

       

            Delaware County Community College: College for a Day

    High school juniors and seniors are invited to visit Delaware County Community College for a day of hands-on experiences. Students will:  Explore majors, Meet current students and professors, learn how to apply and pay for college, and Tour Campus. 

    QUESTIONS? Contact Amber Moore | 610-723-4950 | amoore33@dccc.edu

    Marple Campus | 901 South Media Line Road | Media, PA 19063

     
    Delaware County Community College - Dual Enrollment Program - CHECK THIS OUT!!!!
    DCCC is pleased to announce a special opportunity for high school juniors and seniors.  Students may enroll in college classes at DCCC while completing their high school curriculum.  Eligible juniors may take up to 9 credits, and seniors may take up to 12 credits at the amazing reduced rates of $50 per credit (with fees included) for a sponsoring school district, and $100 per credit (with fees included) for a non-sponsoring district.  The $25 application fee is also waived.  For more information call 610-359-5333 or enroll@dccc.edu.  Check out the website as well - www.dccc.edu/highschool
     
    Click here for more information and registration form -  DCCC Dual Enrollment Information and Registration Form
     
     
    _____________________________________________________________________________
     
     

     

    Financial Aid presentation by Frances McKeown from PHEAA

    Click here for Presentation

    _____________________________________________________________________________ 
     

     

     
     
      2020-2021 Common Application Essay Prompts

    The essay prompts are as follows:

    • Some students have a background, identity, interest or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.   
    • The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success.  Recount an incident or time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure.  How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
    • Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea.  What prompted your thinking?  What was the outcome?
    • Describe a problem you've solved or a problem you'd like to solve.  It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma - anything that is of personal importance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.
    • Discuss an accomplishment or event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
    • Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you want to lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you?  What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
    • Share an essay on any topic of your choice.  It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.
     _____________________________________________________________________________
     
     
     

    The Common Application has announced that the 2020-2021 essay prompts will remain the same as the 2019-2020 essay prompts. Based on extensive counselor feedback, the existing essay prompts provide great flexibility for applicants to tell their unique stories in their own voice. Retaining the essay prompts provides the added benefit of consistency for students, counselors, parents, and members during the admissions process.

    Plus, with essay prompts remaining the same, students rolling over their existing Common App accounts have more time to plan and prepare their applications prior to the final year of high school.

     
     
    _____________________________________________________________________________
     
    TRANSCRIPT REQUEST DEADLINES -
     
    Transcript requests and all supporting materials (brag sheets, student info sheets, activity sheets, transcript release forms and any secondary school reports) must be COMPLETE and ready to be processed when submitted to the Guidance secretary.  We cannot guarantee that your materials will reach the respective colleges on time if you do not meet the following SHHS guidelines:
     
    OCTOBER 15 deadline - due by Tuesday, September 15.
    NOVEMBER 1 deadline - Requests must be submitted to the Guidance secretary by Thursday, October 1.
    NOVEMBER 15 deadline - Due by Thursday, October 15
    DECEMBER 1 deadline - Due by Monday, November 2
    DEC.21 THRU JAN. 3 deadline - Due by Tuesday, December 1 
    JANUARY 15 deadline - Due by Tuesday. December 15 (because of Winter Recess)
    FEBRUARY 1 deadline - Due by Monday, January 4
    FEBRUARY 15 deadline - Due by Friday, January 15
     
    _____________________________________________________________________________
     
     
      STANDARDIZED TESTING INFORMATION -  SAT Test: Click Here
                                                                                               ACT Test: Click Here
     
     
    ATTENTION CLASS OF 2021!! -  Are you confused about the college application process?
     
    Click here for the complete Guide To College Planning
     
    Here's a brief summary of how to get started - Getting Started with Your College Applications and this link explains where all those forms go    What Goes Where College Application Checklist
     
     
     
        Seniors  -  this LINK is a very informative video concerning linking the Common App and Naviance!
     
     
     
     
     
    Look for scholarship and summer opportunities information on the SHHS guidance page.  Information is always being added and updated - please be aware of scholarship/summer application deadlines!
     
    Remember to click on the SAT-ACT-AP Information link on this webpage for a multitude of test prep options - including free, practice standardized tests and test prep tutors!
     
     
    SAT Registration:  Students may register online at http://www.collegeboard.org.  The test center number for SHHS is 39-700. The code number for Strath Haven High School is 395-015.
     
    ACT Registration: You may register online at http://www.actstudent.org.  The test center code for SHHS is 216670. The high school code for SHHS is 395-015.
     
     

    SHHS