PNHS Guidance Newsletter
brought to you by the PNHS Counseling Department
Vol. 1, Issue 1
This is our very first newsletter created by the Counseling Office. In each newsletter, you will find information on what is currently happening in the counseling office, important dates, upcoming events, college and career planning resources, scholarships, relevant articles, and lots of other opportunities. Please take the time to read and share with others.
The Counseling Office wishes everybody a safe and restful holiday break! Happy Holidays!
Seniors!
Attention Seniors! We hope you use this winter break to get some much needed rest, but also to work on scholarships and any last college applications. Please remember that you must give your counselor ten school days to process any scholarship or college transcript requests. You must fill out a transcript request for each application which requires a transcript and supplemental materials to be sent. It is up to you to be aware of deadlines. Please see your counselor if you need assistance.
What we've been up to...
The Counseling Office has been in full swing this semester. Here are a few things that we've been working on...
- Over 1800 individual student meetings
- PPS College Fair
- SAT School Day
- Individual senior post-secondary planning meetings
- Registered over 60 new students
- College and Financial Aid Planning Night
- Common Application Workshops
- Counseling Office Hours Extended Tuesdays & Thursdays until 4 pm
- Scholarship Information Meetings
- Naviance Help Sessions
- AP Information Night
- On the spot admissions - UMass Dartmouth & Johnson & Wales
- Lunchtime college visits
Upcoming Events
- Financial Aid Reality Workshop for Seniors - Thursday, January 14 at 2:15-3:15 - An after school workshop for seniors
- FAFSA Workshop Night for Parents - January 19th from 5:00-8:00 (must RSVP with guidance)
- Junior College & Financial Aid Night - January 20th at 6:30 in the PAC
- 9th grade guidance - February - topics to cover: graduation and college entrance requirements, career cluster finder, 8/9 PSAT results, goal setting, Roadtrip nation
- 10th grade guidance - January/February in US History classes - topics to cover: graduation and college entrance requirements, interest inventory, PSAT results, goal setting, Roadtrip nation
- 11th grade guidance - January/February in Advisory - topics to cover: PSAT results, college searching, resume building, career exploration, post-secondary readiness
- Scholarship & Financial Aid Package Help
- MEFA 'After the Acceptance' Night for Parents - April 9th
- Sophomore College Planning Night for Parents - April TBD
- Course Selection for all grade levels
Plymouth Public Schools Local Scholarship
We encourage ALL college-bound seniors to apply to our local scholarship. Students must complete and submit one application by Monday, February 1st to be eligible for all of Plymouth High Schools’ local scholarships. All seniors have access to the Local Scholarship Application through their student Naviance account and our website. You can also find the application here: http://www.plymouth.k12.ma.us/uploaded/schools/PNHS/Guidance/Scholarship_Application_2016_Final_11-4-15.pdf
- Please follow the directions and complete the form in its entirety
- Student essay is required: cannot be handwritten
- Please remember to submit copies of the S.A.R., Part 1, Page 1, (Student Aid Report from FAFSA) indicating student name and EFC (Estimated Family Contribution)
- Submit financial aid awards from all colleges
- Transcripts provided by the Guidance Department
- Please bring completed application with all supporting documents to Guidance by February 1st
- NO late applications will be accepted, but supporting documents such as financial award letters) may be submitted through Wednesday, March 30, 2016
Financial Aid
To file the FAFSA, please visit: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov. You may fill out the FAFSA without having yet filed your 2015 taxes, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible. Many college have deadlines for the FAFSA, some as early as February. Please be sure to check with colleges for specifics.
On January 19th, PNHS will be hosting a FAFSA Workshop for parents from 5:00 to 8:00 pm. Come with questions, bring financial documents, and get started with professionals. Please RSVP by calling or emailing the Counseling Office so that we can have appropriate space and resources ready.
Naviance
We've had a lot of interest and questions about Naviance lately.... what is it and what can it do for our students? Below is a quick explanation, as well as a list of available tools.
Tools available for students and parents:
- College searching
- College and career research and matching tools
- Personality tests and interest inventories
- Four-year course planning
- PrepMe: ACT & SAT test preparation
- Resume building
- Surveys to help connect what studetns are doing in the classroom to what they might wish to pursue in the future
- Scholarships: local and national searches
- Scattergrams of PNHS acceptance history of specific colleges and universities
- Roadtrip Nation: short kid friendly interviews of people in a wide range of careers around the country
If you would like more information or training in Naviance, please contact our office and we are happy to help!