January 31, 2024
Winter 2024
LFHS is proud to share the latest edition of Scout Destinations. This edition has numerous articles and blog posts with current information and advice for families navigating the college admissions landscape. Our Counselors highlight some schools worth a look, and important upcoming events are listed. We always welcome reader feedback. You can share comments with Dr. Patrick Sassen, Associate Principal (psassen@lfschools.net).
In this Issue
- In the News
- Schools Worth a Look
Virginia Tech University
University of Denver
- Marist College
- Upcoming Dates
- Nuts and Bolts
In The News
Schools Worth a Look
Virginia Tech University
Location: Blacksburg, Virginia
Size: Large (29,000 undergraduate students)
School Type: Public
Acceptance Rate: 57%
Average Accepted ACT Range: 26 to 32 (Test-Optional)
Popular Majors: Management Sciences, Mechanical Engineering, Information Sciences, Finance, Biology, Psychology, Food/Nutrition/Wellness Studies, Communications, Civil Engineering
Average Net Cost: approximately $45,000
Students Receiving Financial Aid: 72%
Click the picture below for a campus tour!
University of Denver
Location: Denver, Colorado
Size: Mid-Size (5,400 undergraduate students)
School Type: Private
Acceptance Rate: 64%
Average Accepted ACT Range: 27 to 31 (Test-Optional)
Popular Majors: Finance, Psychology, Marketing, International Relations, Communications, Biology, Management Services/Information Systems, Economics, Political Science/Government
Average Net Cost: approximately $40,000
Students Receiving Financial Aid: 99%
Click the picture below for a campus tour!
Marist College
Location: Poughkeepsie, New York
Size: Mid-Size (4,800 undergraduate students)
School Type: Private
Acceptance Rate: 64%
Average Accepted ACT Range: 26 to 29 (Test-Optional)
Popular Majors: Business, Communications, Psychology, Fashion/Apparel Merchandising, Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration, Paralegal, Computer Science, Biology
Average Net Cost: approximately $38,000
Students Receiving Financial Aid: 95%
Click the picture below for a campus tour!
Upcoming Dates
January 22 - End of February: Student Registration
March - May: Individual junior meetings with counselors
March 5: Summer job and internship fair at LFHS
April 9: SAT test at LFHS during the school day for Freshmen, Sophomores, and Juniors
Nuts and Bolts - Seniors
If Deferred From a College
While it can be frustrating to get a deferral from a college, the good news is that the college is still considering the student. Colleges are often looking for more information from a student before they make their decision, such as 7th semester grades. Be sure to read what a college is communicating regarding their deferral. Sometimes colleges will accept new information, whereas other schools will not. It may be helpful to write a letter of continued interest to the school(s) a student has been deferred from. This way, the college(s) know that you are still seeking to gain admission, and if a school will take additional information, a student can communicate any new accomplishments.
Financial Aid
Seniors and their parents seeking financial aid to assist with paying for college must complete the FAFSA form. The FAFSA was recently revised and was just made available at the end of December. Both students and parents both will have information to complete on the FAFSA form. Due to the FAFSA just being released in December, students will not begin to get financial aid awards from colleges until later this spring. Be sure to check the financial aid webpage of the colleges your seniors are considering attending to determine if information in addition to the FAFSA is required. Some colleges also require the CSS profile (in addition to the FAFSA form). Completing the FAFSA is a graduation requirement in the state of Illinois, but for families not seeking financial aid, a Non-Participation Form may be completed instead; the form is at the very bottom of this Program Application & Status Checks tab. See the Financial Aid Application Non-Participation Form Instructions for details on how to complete the electronic form.
Registration
Counselors will be meeting with students for registration beginning January 22 and continuing through the end of February. Teachers will be providing recommendations and counselors will assist students in choosing appropriate courses that will provide the best balance between their academics and extracurricular activities. Counselors will email parents with confirmation of the classes selected by their students. Any changes must be made by emailing their student’s counselor by March 1.
Nuts and Bolts - Juniors
Junior Meetings
Counselors will be meeting individually with juniors and their parents to discuss the college research and visit process, and to help juniors with the creation of their college list. These meetings will start in March and continue through April. Counselors will schedule meetings during Juniors’ study hall time, and will email the meeting date/time to Juniors and their parents.
College Visits
Juniors are encouraged to visit colleges throughout the second semester. Doing so will help students to determine if a school is potentially a good fit for them. Keeping an open mind and visiting a variety of schools in terms of size, location and campus setting is helpful for students to determine their options as they begin to create their list of safety, target and reach schools. Be sure to schedule your visit through the admission office to take advantage of the college overview presentation as well as the student led tour. Schedule your visit as far in advance as possible, as some dates are popular with schools, and visits can fill up. If students are not able to visit schools in person, most schools have virtual tours on their websites which is a great starting point in determining fit.
Standardized Testing
Juniors will take the SAT test at LFHS during the school day on Tuesday, April 9th. Completing this test is a graduation requirement. If Juniors would like to take additional ACT or SAT tests, they must register directly through the ACT or SAT websites (act.org or collegeboard.org). Use these links for ACT test dates and SAT test dates.
Career Exploration and Local Scholarships
Career Exploration: Career fair and Professional Panels
Beginning in the spring, watch for professional panels available during lunch periods on Thursdays. There will be a broad representation of career areas including mental health, law, human resources, cybersecurity, healthcare and more!
The Summer Job and Internship Fair is scheduled for March 5 in the lower commons. This is a great opportunity for students to network with potential employers as well as volunteer organizations.
Local Scholarships
The local scholarship list is available now to LHFS seniors, and can be found in Naviance or on this page. Applications must be submitted by March 15, 2024. Seniors who are awarded local scholarships will be invited to attend the Honors Night ceremony in May. Contact Jennifer Gleason (jgleason@lfschools.net) with any questions.