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GHS Counselor Connection
September 2023
Welcome Back Foothillers!
We hope you had a fantastic summer and are feeling excited to make it a great school year. Our team is here to support students and families in the Counseling & Wellness Center on the 2nd floor of the main office. Students may visit during break/lunch, or with a pass from their teachers. Caregivers should contact the counselor to schedule an appointment.
Upcoming Events
How to Steer Through Back To School Stress: A Parent's Guide- Webinar on Sept. 7th
In this special back-to-school webinar, leading parenting and mental health experts will help you understand some common causes of back-to-school anxiety, share strategies for supporting your child, and discuss signs that it may be time to seek professional help.
NCAA Initial Eligibility Webinar on September 17th
Are you a college bound student athlete dreaming of playing your sport at the NCAA level? Join NCAA Eligibility Center staff who will walk you through what you need to do to compete at the NCAA Division I, II, or III level. Staff will be answering questions live during the presentation. Click here to register.
Suicide Prevention 101 Webinar on Sept. 26th (English) & Sept. 27th (Spanish)
Future Fest College & Career Fair on October 7th
This year's event will be on Saturday, October 7th at Grossmont College from 9:00 a.m. to noon. This may be one of the most important dates you make this year. More info coming soon! Look for website updates, bulletin notices and posters around campus. All Grossmont High School students and parents are invited!
Wellness Center
Peer Listeners & Peer Mediators Are Here to Help!
Peer Listeners are GHS seniors who care about their fellow students. They have gone through extensive training to prepare them for one-on-one support and mediations between students who are having a conflict. They are available during periods 1-7 in the Wellness Center on the 2nd floor of the main office. Students may request support using this form or by visiting the Wellness Center with a pass from their teachers.
Wellness Wednesdays - Free Yoga at GHS
Students, are you feeling stressed, anxious, or disconnected? Did you know regular yoga practice has been proven to help you feel better? Join us on Wednesday mornings at 8:45am in the dance room for a 30 minute yoga session. Open to all students and staff without a first period class. No experience necessary. Mats provided. Email daguila@guhsd.net for details.
Support Groups
Grossmont High is fortunate to partner with the CAT (Community Assessment Team) program, and we are hoping to provide 8 weeks of psycho-educational groups on our campus! Possible groups include Expressive Art, Let's Talk, or Healthy Coping Skills. Please complete this form if your student may be interested in services. We will reach out to you and your student with more details and to confirm interest.
Academic Support & College Preparation
All Students:
Explore College Options!
Click here for info on lots of great opportunities to participate in college fairs and workshops, offered in person or virtually! This list is updated throughout the school year, so be sure to check back often on the counseling website. We are also in the process of scheduling fall visits to our campus from college admissions reps. Students are encouraged to listen for announcements in the bulletin and sign up to attend! Click here for an interesting article about how demonstrating interest in a college may help a student's application.
Ninth Graders:
Post Secondary Planning Presentations
Welcome to Grossmont! We want you to know where to find support. Counselors will be visiting 9th grade classrooms this week to review graduation requirements and post-secondary planning. A copy of the presentation will be posted on our counseling website, here. We hope you will make it a habit to check this website often!
Tenth & Eleventh Graders:
Register for the PSAT Exam by Sept. 14th at 4pm in the Finance Office
The PSAT will be offered at GHS on Oct. 17th, 2023. The cost is $18 but limited fee waivers are available in the counseling office for students with financial need. The PSAT is an opportunity to practice for the SAT exam. 11th graders who score exceptionally well may also earn honors and scholarships through the National Merit Scholarship Program. The SAT exam is no longer used for admission purposes by the California State Universities or University of California campuses. However, there are some other universities and major programs that still require the SAT/ACT exam or have a test-optional policy, meaning a high score could add value to a student's application.
Seniors:
Post Secondary Planning Meetings
Counselors will be meeting with each senior at the end of September to review credits, post-secondary goals and next steps. We will send letters home to families, detailing your student's progress toward graduation requirements. Students and families should also click below to refer back to a ton of information presented last May:
College Applications are Live!
Gather your information together and start working on them now. Some of the most popular applications include Cal State University, University of California, Common Application, and the Coalition Application.
Do you need to take the ACT/SAT?
Seniors who are applying to private or out-of-state universities may need to take the ACT or SAT exam ASAP. Check the prospective university's website to find out if the college is test-blind or test-optional. Register for the ACT at www.act.org and/or register for the SAT at www.collegeboard.com. Fee waivers are available in the counseling office for students with financial need. CSU schools, UC campuses, and community colleges do not use the SAT or ACT for admissions purposes but they can be used for placement purposes.
Requesting Letters of Recommendation
Students who need to request a letter of recommendation from their counselor for colleges or scholarships must complete a brag packet. Click here to download a copy and return it to your counselor. Please allow three weeks notice and keep in mind that counselors do not work during holiday breaks. Letters will be sent directly to the college or scholarship committee. To request a letter of recommendation from a teacher, we have a different form that you may find helpful (optional-click here). Please give your teachers plenty of notice, too.
Tips for the Personal Insight Questions on the UC Application
It's time to start writing! Students, this is your opportunity to let the UC admissions representatives get to know the real you. Think of it like an interview rather than an English essay. You will need to respond in your own voice, with a maximum of 350 words, to each of four out of eight prompts. You should write your responses in a separate document, take time to proofread, revise, ask someone else for feedback, and then paste the final draft into the application. Here are some great resources to help!
UC Website: Personal Insight Questions