Almond College & Career Center News

SENIORS

November 1

• Congratulations to many of our students for submitting their early applications on November 1st! According to our records, over 2,966 applications have been completed by the Class of 2025 so far! Wow!

Next Steps

• As you submit your applications, monitor your personal email to create your log-in for each college's portal. This will be where you track other action steps, admission decisions and financial aid offers later in 2025.

Scholarships

• Scour each college's financial aid websites to see how and when to apply for additional university specific scholarships. Many schools will open additional, separate application platforms on their website after students are accepted.

• Scholarships are regularly being added to SchooLinks that come across our inboxes & desks. To view the list, log into SchooLinks. Click on Finances --> Scholarship matching. Complete the profile and click on District Posted. More will be added throughout the school year!

FAFSA

• Opens 12/1!
• Check out What is Needed to Complete the FAFSA and Step-By-Step instructions
• Sign-up for a FAFSA Completion Workshop if desired

JUNIORS

Practice ACT

• We had over 220 Warren Sophomores and Juniors take the free virtual practice ACT with Compass Educational group this weekend. Well done for you! It was a great way to gain exposure to a our new state test starting in spring, 2025.

Test Prep Options

• If you missed out, Compass has a slew of test prep options and practice tests locally available.

• Check out suggestions on our WTHS website

• WTHS is partnering with Huntington Learning Center to offer our Junior students a FREE ACT prep course in 2025! See additional info. Register HERE. Deadline is 12/6.

BOTH JUNIORS & SENIORS

College of Lake County Events

• November 12th: Treats & Transfer! Periods 3-6 in CCC. See below for details

College Application Fee Waiver Codes

• • Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville (free application until 12/1)
  • Northern Illinois University (always free)
  • Eastern Illinois University (always free)
  • University of Illinois-Springfield (free application until 12/1)
  • Miami University of Ohio has free application until 12/1 (select Miami Fee Waiver on application)
  • Ripon College (free until 1/15)
  • University of Cincinnati (must apply between 11/1-11/15 on their website or select code Free Application Days November 1-14 on Common App)

  
  

  Colleges that have Free Applications:

  • There are many!!! Click HERE for a list of 2,500+ you can narrow down.

Here is the contact information for Student Services.

Have a wonderful week!

Mrs. McGahan, Post-Secondary Counselor

If you would like to make an appointment to meet with your Almond Campus Counselor please email them or stop down to Student Services in the main office to submit a request form. If you would like to meet with Mrs. McGahan, please scan the QR code to the right or click HERE. Book an appointment during your free period.

WTHS is excited to announce the roll out of our new college & career readiness platform, SchooLinks. This comprehensive tool can help families navigate their post-secondary planning throughout high school.

For students, simply click "log in with Google" using your WTHS credentials.

Our Junior Class of 2026 will need to complete the onboarding process in order to view and sign-up for our upcoming college visits. Juniors are encouraged to view the tutorial below. As always, please stop into the College & Career Center in the main office if you would like additional help.

VIDEO tutorial

SLIDES tutorial

**NOTE: Parents/Guardians are now able create a shadow account to view the college information, view upcoming college visits (under Events) and more! See this UPDATED communication.

College Reps will begin to visit with our Almond Campus students starting in September! Meeting with these reps is an excellent way to gather information about your college of interest, answer questions you may have and make that personal connection. Juniors and Seniors are welcome to attend in the College and Career Center!

Students can view the upcoming college visits in SchooLinks --> Events.

Students are expected to sign-up in SchooLinks for the visit by clicking on the events --> Register for the Event.

**Students are allowed to attend 3 college visits per semester if they are missing an academic class. Students attending during a lunch or study hall period will not count towards the 3 visits. If you are not able to attend, but would like the information from the institution, please email Mrs. McGahan (cmcgahan@wths.net).

Thursday, November 14th

• Period 7: Columbia College Chicago

Tuesday, December 3rd

• Period 5 University of Wisconsin-Parkside

Thursday, December 5th

• Period 6: Milwaukee School of Engineering

The University of Illinois Urbana Champaign is hosting several webinar opportunities for families to hear from several Colleges about their academic programs. Click HERE for additional information.

For students interested in learning more about the U.S. Military, representatives from the following branches will be located at the front of the Almond Cafeteria. Stop by their table to receive additional information!

Air Force -- 4th Thursday of the month

Army Reserve – 3rd Tuesday of the month

Army National Guard -- 1st Tuesday of the month

Army – 2nd Tuesday of the month

Navy – 4th Tuesday of the month

Marines – 3rd Thursday of the month

Are you thinking about starting your college education and CLC and later transferring to earn a Bachelor’s degree? Not sure about how this works? Join Ms. Meadowcroft, our CLC Navigator, in the College & Career Center during your lunch period on Tuesday, November 12th to learn more!

SoFi is hosting a Preparing for College Webinar Series for high school counselors and the parents of college-bound students. This three part series will help prepare your family with the information, insights and tools necessary to navigate college financing, and get ready to complete the FAFSA.

Register for one or all of the upcoming events:

Breaking Down the Basics of College Financing

Tuesday, November 12, 2024
7pm

Figuring Out Your FAFSA®
Tuesday, December 03, 2024
7pm

Can’t join? Register via the link above and they will send you a copy of the recordings.

Juniors interested in taking a course at the Lake County Technology Campus next year as seniors, need to apply early as programs fill up quickly and the application is already open!

Students can review all available Tech Campus programs here. Juniors, click here and then click "apply" at the top to access the application. See your Counselor if you need assistance completing it.

All interested families are invited to also attend the Tech Campus Open House on November 14 from 4:30 - 7:30 pm. The best way to learn more about the offerings at Tech is to go check it out for yourself! Interested students are highly encouraged to attend the Open House with their families. Some of the benefits of attending Tech include taking classes in line with your interest, learn essential skills and training to become skilled in a specific trade, qualify to take the State Board Exam to work upon graduation, the opportunity to earn high school and college credit at no cost and much more !

In celebration of National Apprenticeship Week, we are excited to announce our 3rd annual Skilled Trades Career Fair on Friday, November 15, 2024!

The event will be held at the Almond Campus in the Main Gym during periods 3-6.

The goal of the fair is to educate students and foster curiosity on the benefits of Career Technical Education and the variety of opportunities in the skilled trades. All students are highly encouraged to attend!

Would you like to learn more about careers within the Construction field? Swing by the CCC either 6th or 7th period on Thursday, November 21st to hear from a 2018 WTHS Grad about his experience and career tips! To attend, please register in SchooLinks under Events.

Are you an athlete who would like to learn more information about becoming a college athlete? Would you like to hear firsthand from current college staff and college-athletic bound WTHS seniors and their families about what you can do while in high school to increase your chances of recruitment? Then plan to attend our annual “Guiding the College Bound Athlete” presentation on Thursday, November 21st at 7:00 p.m. in the O'Plaine Auditorium. We will provide helpful information about the athletic eligibility process and will have a panel of college athletic staff and future athletes available to answer your questions. All interested high school students and their families are welcome to attend.

Monday, December 9th 6:30-8:00pm O'Plaine Campus

-Come play in our Industrial Tech labs!

-Explore possible careers!

-Talk with college representatives!

-Visit with Mrs. McGahan & Ms. Hartley, WTHS Career & College Counselors!

-See the fun activities the students have been working on!

The goal of Industrial Technology Night is to showcase student work as well as help families explore possible careers. We open up the O'Plaine Campus labs for students to showcase their work to their family, community members, and prospective students. In each lab the Industrial Tech Department will have fun activities or demonstrations for students and families to get involved in. College & Career representatives will be on hand to showcase their programs and answer questions. Our own WTHS College & Career Counselors will also be on hand to help families with any questions they may have on a post high school process. This is a tradeshow style event so come and explore as you please! Click HERE for a list of schools, companies and additional details.

Vanderbilt University's PTY has just announced courses for the Spring 2025 cohort of Mentor Immersion: A Virtual Research Experience, a virtual program for 10th-12th grade students.

• This is a five-month program in which students participate in an application process for a placement in a mentorship focused on a specific academic area of interest.

• Information about application components and placement process, including the test score or educator recommendation option, can be found here.

• Participating students will be paired with a mentor in an academic field and participate in weekly live meetings for 2.5 hours with their mentor and 2-9 other students with similar interests who are working with the same mentor. An office hour is available for student support.

• The mentorship experience culminates with a final project that reflects work in the field of the mentorship.

The Congressional App Challenge is a nationwide competition that encourages students to learn science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills by coding their own app for any digital device. This challenge is open to all middle and high school students who live or attend school in the Tenth District. Students can choose to participate individually or as part of a team of up to four students, if two of the team members meet eligibility requirements. To enter, participants must upload a video showcasing their app and an explanation of what they learned throughout the app-making process. Click here to register by November 1, 2024 (registration indicates your intent to compete).

Beginning October 1, through February 28, the Lake County Joint Apprenticeship & Training Committee will begin accepting applications for both the five-year electrical construction and the four-year telecommunication apprenticeship programs.

· Students must be 18 by June 30, 2025

· High school graduate

· One full-year HS algebra

· Valid driver's license by 1/31/2025

· Minimum score of 4 on NJATC Aptitude Test

· Pass physical exam, background check & drug screen (hair follicle)

https://lakecountyjatc.org/howtoapply/

Electrical Construction Apprenticeship Program - Inside Wireman

· Five-year program

· $17.72+ per hour to start

o Raises at specified times throughout 5-year program

· Journeyman pay rate upon graduation approximately $44.30+ per hour

Telecommunication & Data Apprenticeship Program

· Four-year program

· $18.54+ per hour to start

o Raises at specified times throughout 4-year program

· Journeyman pay rate is approximately $41.20+ per hour

The Golden Apple Scholarship Application is now open! High school students graduating in 2025 or first- and second-year college students can apply to become a Scholar by clicking here. Priority applications close on December 1, 2024. Final deadline is April 1, 2025. See flier for more information.

This program is open to any 14 to 21-year-old interested in learning more about law enforcement careers. Students will help the community as well as learn about careers in law enforcement and learn foundational policing skills. For additional information see their website.

Click HERE to access and explore 170+ careers with videos and information. By participating, you will gain a better understanding of the variety of industries and positions. Some employers may also have possible internships, apprenticeships, job shadowing and/or employment opportunities for our students! For those of you who may not know what you want to do, there’s a career assessment included that will help you narrow down a career cluster to further research. At the end, please complete the exit survey to reflect and provide feedback so we can continue to assist you with your post-high school plans.

WTHS has in-person Study Tables on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:20-3:00 p.m. in the Almond Campus Library for English, Math, Science and Social Studies. Students who need bus transportation home are able to take the shuttle from Almond to O'Plaine and take the O'Plaine busses home.

To date, www.fairtest.org as published over 1,800 colleges and universities which are allowing Fall 2025 applicants to apply test-optional. Many institutions are stating students are at no disadvantage of applying test-optional. But it is good diligence on your part to verify the institution will still distribute merit, academic scholarships, be considered for direct-entry, competitive majors and Honors College consideration.

Almond Post-Secondary Counselor

Instagram @wthsccc

(847) 548-6709

Email: cmcgahan@wths.net
Website: https://www.d121.org/Page/313
Phone: (847) 548-6709
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wthsccc