O'Plaine College & Career News

September is flying by! It is hard to believe next Sunday marks the first day of fall and Homecoming is just around the corner! When we welcome Warren alumni back to speak to current students, their consistent advice is to take full advantage of all the things available to you in high school. There are many post-secondary opportunities and events taking place this fall, some of which I've listed in this newsletter. Please take time to review them and take full advantage of those that interest you!

Have a great week, Blue Devils!
Ms. Hartley (She/Her)
O'Plaine Post-Secondary Counselor

If you're planning to attend college and neither of your parents completed a Bachelor's degree, then YOU are considered “First-Generation” or “First-Gen!” Did you know many of our Warren teachers are first-gen? Other well-known first-gen college graduates include John Legend, Sonia Sotomayor, Oprah Winfrey, Michelle Obama and many more. All first-gen O'Plaine students are invited to attend our first-gen, college and career prep workshops. Click below link if you are first-gen and would like college and career info, including information about our workshops!

Latinx/e Campus Life & Community

Wednesday, September 18 @ 5:00 p.m. CDT

Attend an admissions staff-moderated panel featuring current Latinx/e students who have firsthand experience with Northwestern campus life. Discover the diverse range of student experiences, resources, and communidad that shape their journeys.

Academics Through a Latinx/e Lens

Thursday, September 19 @ 5:00 p.m. CDT
Engage a panel of current Latinx/e students moderated by an admissions staff member alongside a special guest from the Latina and Latino Studies Program. Gain a deeper dive into academics at Northwestern and learn how Latinx/e perspectives are integrated into the academic community at Northwestern.

Instagram Takeover w/ Live Q&A

Friday, September 20 @ 4:00 p.m. CDT
Head over to our Instagram (@northwesternadmissions) for a student takeover. Throughout the day, a current Latinx/e Northwestern undergrad will document a day in their life on our story. Then from 4-5 p.m. CDT there will be a live Q&A where they will answer all your burning questions!

If you’re not able to attend Hispanic Heritage Month programming, visit our YouTube Channel (@NorthwesternAdmissions) where you can watch a student panel or even take a campus tour.

College representatives are coming to Warren. Come get more info about schools' majors, admission requirements, student life, housing, tuition, financial aid and more. All college visits are held in the College & Career Center (Room 258). To attend, students must have a college visit pass signed by the teacher of the class that conflicts with the visit at least 24-hours in advance. The signed pass will serve as your pass to attend and also provide you an opportunity to ask for missed work from your teacher, for which you are still responsible. Passes are available to print here, in the main office and in the College & Career Center. Three college visits per semester are allowed. See Ms. Hartley with any questions.

• You must be passing the class in which the visit conflicts (your absence will be excused)
• If you have an assessment, presentation, etc. due in the class of the scheduled visit, you're expected to stay in class and can request the info provided from Ms. Hartley
• If visit conflicts with your lunch or study hall, it does not count as one of the three allowed
  
• If it conflicts with lunch, you are permitted to eat during the visit
• Visits are open to freshmen and sophomores and are a full-period in length - students are expected to stay for the duration of the period
  
• 1st semester the visits are live streamed from Almond, and 2nd semester they're in-person at O'Plaine
• View all upcoming college visits in SchooLinks --> Events.

Tuesday, September 17

• Period 2: Saint Norbert's College
• Period 3: University of Maine, Claremont McKenna College
• Period 4: The George Washington University
• Period 6: University of Missouri, University of Nebraska Lincoln, Missouri State University, University of Utah

Thursday, September 19

• Period 2: University of Kansas
• Period 6: University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Wisconsin-Lacrosse, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
• Period 7: Boston University

Tuesday, September 24

• Period 2: Bradley University

Thursday, September 26

• Period 1: Princeton University
• Period 3: Michigan Technological University
• Period 4: Grand Canyon University
• Period 6: Northern Illinois University

• Located in Room 258 by the Library
• Location for college visits and post-secondary seminars and workshops
• Students can also drop in during their lunch study halls on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays
• Simply report directly to the CCC instead of study hall, arrive on time and your attendance will be excused!

Post-Secondary Seminars begin this month. The information you learn in Seminar will provide you with an understanding of post-secondary options and resources and help you graduate from Warren with a plan in place. Seminars will be held in the College & Career Center (Room 258) during students’ lunch study halls, lunch support classes, lunch activity periods and on a non-travel day for band students. Your assigned seminar day will be communicated to you by that teacher (band students will receive an email). Be sure to report directly to the CCC on your designated day. Attendance will be taken and is mandatory.

• SchooLinks is our online college and career planning and exploration tool for students
• Students will learn in seminar how to navigate the site and all its capabilities
• View brief tutorial here if you are interested in checking it out or viewing the complete college rep visit schedule
• If signing in for the first time, you'll first complete a brief onboarding process
  
• Stop by the College & Career Center if you would like additional help
• Parents were sent an email last week on how to set up a shadow account if interested

For students to log in:
Go to SchooLinks and simply click "log in with Google" using your WTHS credentials

The School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Missouri State University is hosting their annual Criminology and Criminal Justice Open House for prospective students from 9:30 to 2:30 on Monday, October 7 at the Plaster Student Union. Details below.

Join Columbia University, University of Chicago, University of Texas at Austin, University of Michigan and Yale to discover the opportunities they have to offer! It's time to reflect on your many options for the future. Whether you imagine yourself studying in a city, a suburb, or in a rural area; at a large, public university or a smaller, private school; or cheering on your favorite team or sleeping in on game day, you can learn about the features that will make your future college home a perfect fit for you! Click here for more info. Admissions counselors will discuss academics, campus life, financial aid and the admissions process at a variety of top institutions.

The Class of 2026 and 2027 are experiencing the biggest changes to the ACT & SAT in a century with the digital, adaptive PSAT and SAT and shifting landscape of the ACT. With the State of Illinois now requiring the Class of 2026 and beyond students to complete an ACT to graduate from a public high school, this is one presentation you won't want to miss! Come hear from the experts at Compass Education Group as they lead a pragmatic discussion of how to navigate this change. This presentation is on October 1 at 7pm in the O'Plaine Auditorium. REGISTER in advance.

WTHS is offering a FREE, online, optional practice ACT test for WTHS Sophomore and Junior students on Saturday, November 9 - Sunday, November 10. Compass Educational Group will be virtually proctoring the practice ACT that morning, and students can take the practice test from the comforts of their own home. Click HERE to review the details & to register. Deadline to register is November 4 at 5 pm.

While visiting college campuses is an important part of the college search process, college fairs are free and a great way for students and their families to visit with many colleges at once. See list below for some upcoming fairs in our area, including the college fair at CLC on October 17! Click links below for more info and to register (registration is required).

9/15 NACAC Virtual College Fair, 12 - 5 pm

9/17 Lake Forest Academy, 6:30 - 8:00 pm

10/5 NACAC National College Fair in Chicago, 11 am - 3 pm

10/6 NACAC National College Fair in Milwaukee, 12 - 3 pm

10/8 Choices: For College-Bound Students with Learning Differences at Niles North High School, 6 - 8:30 pm

10/13 NACAC Virtual College Fair, 12 - 5 pm

10/16 Christian College Fair in Elmhurst, 6 - 8 pm
10/17 Regional College Fair at the College of Lake County, 6 - 8 pm

10/19 Christian College Fair in Northfield, 6 - 8 pm

11/3 NACAC Virtual College Fair, 12 - 5 pm

If you missed the recent NCAA Eligibility presentation at Libertyville High School, click here for the info that was shared. Understanding the requirements and planning early in the eligibility process is essential . We will also host an NCAA night at WTHS on Nov. 21 at 7 pm in the O'Plaine Auditorium.

Are you interested in both the sciences and humanities? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may want to look into Archaeology and Anthropology, disciplines that link scientific methodologies with humanistic interpretations of human culture and the human past. The University of Wisconsin - La Crosse is one of the top regional universities in the Midwest with highly respected and well-resourced academic programs in Archaeology and Cultural Anthropology. Their Archaeology Major is ranked in the Top 10 in the country in terms of quality and value. Their students find specialized careers in museums and universities as well as a variety of more common professional pursuits in environmental science, development planning, government agencies, K-12 education, business, law, forensic science and health care to name just a few. Our programs are also excellent preparation for government service, non-governmental organizations and the Peace Corps. For more information, you can contact the program Chair and Professor, Tim McAndrews, directly at tmcandrews@uwlax.edu.

CLC invites 9th - 12th-grade students to come learn more about their apprenticeship programs. This month they are highlighting their Manufacturing apprenticeships. The programs will be held at CLC's Grayslake Campus or the CLC Advanced Technology Center (ATC) in Gurnee. Students can choose ONE of the five sessions to learn more and get some hands-on experience. Parents/guardians are encouraged to attend with their student. Space is limited, so registration is first come, first served. Programs Include: Automation, Robotics, Mechatronics; Precision Machining Technology; Industrial Technology; Welding and Fabrication and HVAC. The program is October 14, 16 or 17 (depending on program) from 4:30 - 5:30 pm. Enrollment is limited so don't wait to complete the application! Deadline to register is October 7!

Representatives from the below branches of the U.S. Military will have an informational table in the Cafe during all lunch periods as indicated below. Stop by if you are interested, would like more info or have questions!

Marines: 1st Wednesday of the month

Navy: 2nd Wednesday of the month
Air Force: 4th Wednesday of the month
Army: 10/16, 12/18, 2/19 & 4/16

Click below to view prior issues

September 5, 2024

Ms. Trini Hartley
O'Plaine Post-Secondary Counselor

e: thartley@wths.net

p: 847-599-4532

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