Almond College & Career Center News

It was wonderful welcoming our students back to campus these last two weeks!

Many of our students are getting acclimated to the new building, schedule and routine of a new school year. As always, if you need any assistance, please contact your teacher or any of us in Student Services to assist.

Click HERE to access a list of the members of Student Services.

This time of year, there is a lot of information that we need to get to you. I will try to include the details in these bimonthly newsletters, but occasionally will send separate emails for information too complex to put in one newsletter.

With that said, there are many events coming up soon, so happy reading!

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.

Our Senior Class of 2025 was introduced to the platform last spring.

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. The Counselors anticipate training the Juniors in the near future. Juniors are encouraged to view the tutorial below to complete the onboarding in the meantime. 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 will also be able to create a shadow account to view the college information, view upcoming college visits (under Events) and more! A separate email will be forthcoming when you can create your account.

Thank you to all who attended our College Application Kickoff Presentation on 8/22! We hope you found the information helpful as you progress through the college application process.

If you were not able to attend, please review the following resources:
College Application Kickoff Presentation

WTHS College Rep Contact Info (if you have college specific questions about the application process)

Shared Folder of Resources

As always, please contact your counselor or Mrs. McGahan with questions.

Students are welcome to visit the CCC during their lunch or study hall period (3-6) in the main office. Bring your college/career questions and your Chromebook and let's get this process started! Please report at the beginning or half period bell.

Penwasciz is a student volunteer program at Condell Medical Center in Libertyville that exposes high school students to various healthcare careers and healthcare specialties.

• Students will receive shadowing rotations, direct patient interactions, and multiple health care speakers in order to help reinforce a student’s desire to pursue a career in the medical field.
• Sessions run on Monday evenings from October-April from 5-7 pm or 7-9 pm.
• Application opens on September 3rd and is only open from 3:30-9:30 p.m. A personal statement (less than 300 words) is required while the application is open.
• Space is limited to 32 total students.
• Click HERE for additional information and to access the application on 9/3.

The directors and deans of eight highly-selective liberal arts colleges join forces to provide college-bound students and their families information about some of the most celebrated colleges in the United States.

This 90-minute program provides valuable insights on the distinctions of the individual colleges and the opportunity to speak with eight of the best national liberal arts colleges in the United States.

Click to register.

Participating colleges include:

• Claremont McKenna College
• Colorado College
• Connecticut College
• Grinnell College
• Haverford College
• Kenyon College
• Macalester College:
• Sarah Lawrence College

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, September 5th

• Period 4: John Hopkins University

Tuesday, September 11th

• Period 2: Illinois Institute of Technology
• Period 3: Augustana College
• Period 5: Kenyon College

Thursday, September 12th

• Period 2: Northwestern University, Clemson University
  
• Period 3: Illinois State University, Valparaiso University
• Period 6: Saint Mary's College
• Period 7: University of Notre Dame, Ohio University, Roosevelt University, University of Illinois-Springfield

Tuesday, September 17th

• 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 19th

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

Are you thinking about playing a sport competitively in college? If so, you are encouraged to attend an NCAA Eligibility presentation on Thursday, Sept. 5 at 7 p.m. at Libertyville High School's Auditorium. You can expect to gain insight on recruiting and NCAA eligibility requirements. Lake County high school athletes in grades 9 - 12 are highly encouraged to attend with their parents/guardians. The sooner you can start planning for this, the better! Click HERE for additional information.

WTHS is excited to welcome back Julie Nelson, Regional Admissions Director from Xavier University and a parent of a college student, to talk about the FAFSA and how the financial aid process works on Thursday, September 12th from 7:00-8:00 p.m. in the O'Plaine Auditorium.

With the '25-'26 FAFSA not being available until December 1, plan for a family member to attend our event and learn about the process.

For those unable to attend, we will share the presentation and resources via email after the event.

Cornell University, Emory University, Pomona College, Rice University and Washington University in St. Louis are proud to present LAUNCH (Linking Access, Unity, Networking, Collaboration and Higher Education). They invite you to join LAUNCH partners in a city near you to meet admission officers from all five institutions and learn more about what unites them. Register HERE. Chicago location is September 15th.

First Gen students will receive a pass to remind them to attend. Students can be cleared out of an academic class to attend as long as they are passing that class and receive teacher permission.

On Tuesday, September 17th, WTHS will host Mr. Uriel Gonzalez, former WTHS Schuler Scholar Director and College Counselor at 7pm in Room 211 at the Almond Campus to meet with our Junior and Senior Spanish speaking families and share helpful tips about navigating college admissions, financial aid, and answer any questions our families may have. The presentation will be entirely in Spanish.

LFA will welcome over 100 colleges and universities onto campus on Tuesday, September 17th, between 6:30 and 8:00 pm.

A couple of important things to note:

• Strive Scan. This application is where students register and receive a personal QR code that colleges will then scan to get students' personal information at the fair (most Illinois regional fairs use this software). Please register in advance at: https://app.strivescan.com/students
• Parking. On-campus parking will be reserved for the college representatives in attendance, and there will be campus safety officers monitoring this traffic. Students and parents park at either the Townline Road lot (Route 60 across the street from the LFA entrance) or Christ Church (located at the corner of Route 60 and Waukegan Road). Multiple shuttle buses will be back and forth between campus and these lots throughout the event.
• Event will be held at:
• Lake Forest Academy
  1500 W Kennedy Rd
  Lake Forest, IL 60045
  United States
  

Click for a list of colleges in attendance:https://www.lfanet.org/college-counseling/college-night

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!

On October 1st at 7pm in the O'Plaine Auditorium, hear from the experts at Compass Education Group as they lead a pragmatic discussion of how to navigate this change. Please REGISTER in advance. Presentation topics will include:

• College Admissions and the Modern Testing Dilemma
• Latest Developments in SAT/ACT Digital Transitions
• The Value of the Digital PSAT for Diagnostic and National Merit Purposes
• Choosing Wisely Between Tests and Formats
• Crafting A Personalized Testing and Prep Timeline
• The Evolving Role of AP Grades and Exam Scores
• When To Submit Scores in a Test-Optional Era
• Test Prep Strategies: Cost, Format, Schedule, and Realistic Goals

With the recent ISBE contract change from SAT to ACT Illinois students will now be preparing for the ACT. Get ready to achieve your best score on the ACT! Engage in practice tests and cover the four topic areas of Reading Mathematics English and Science. Practice algebra geometry advanced algebra and basic mathematical refreshers to polish your math skills. Discover helpful ways to remember grammatical rules and effective strategies to help you approach reading passages and questions confidently. Be prepared for the upcoming fall ACT test dates of October 26 and December 14, 2024. Students should bring to each class the required textbook (book info TBA soon), as well as paper, a pencil, pen and highlighter. The textbook can be purchased online or at the CLC bookstore. Classes meet 9/14-10/19 from 9am-12pm or 10/26-12/7 from 9am-12pm. Cost is $275. Register HERE.

At a National College Fair, students learn about programs and find their best college fit. They meet face-to-face with representatives from hundreds of colleges—all in one place—and get their questions answered about majors, degree programs, campus visits, internships, scholarships, financial aid, and much more. Visit the Official NACAC College Fair Site for more info.

National College Fair-Chicago
Date: Saturday, October 5, 2024
Location: Navy Pier (600 East Grand Ave in Chicago)
Fair Hours: 11 am to 3 pm

National College Fair-Milwaukee

Date: Sunday, October 6, 2024
Location: Wisconsin State Fair Park ( 640 South 84th Street
West Allis, WI 53214)
Fair Hours: 12 pm to 3 pm

The fairs are FREE and open to the public.

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

WTHS is once again facilitating a FREE practice, optional ACT test for our Sophomore and Junior students virtually on Saturday, November 9th-Sunday, November 10th. Compass Educational Group will be virtually proctoring the practice ACT that morning. Click HERE to review the details & to register. Deadline to register is November 4th at 5pm CST.

Event Highlights:

• For Students: A fantastic opportunity for middle and high school students interested in healthcare careers (aligned with the College and Career Pathway Endorsements for Health Sciences and Technology).
• For Adults: Ideal for those considering a career change to healthcare.
• Variety of Careers: Featuring both clinical and non-clinical positions with various educational requirements.
• Work Now Opportunities: Positions available for those looking to start working immediately after high school.
• Career Paths and Educational Assistance: Talent Acquisition and Workforce Development teams will be available to answer questions about career paths and educational assistance within our organization.
• College Representatives: Meet representatives from colleges with healthcare-focused programs.
• Event Updates: Access event updates via a QR code or link provided on the flyer.

NW Medicine’s mission is to “create a pathway for the next generation of healthcare leaders”.

Through this program, chosen students are exposed to a broad range of healthcare careers through tours, guest speakers, group discussions, and hands-on projects.

The Discovery Program takes place at Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital one Saturday a month from November-June

This is geared toward students at least 15 years old, current sophomore or junior, and highly interested in a career in the healthcare field.

This program is highly competitive (only 30 students per Chapter).

The deadline to apply is September 30, 2024. Click for additional information on their website.

The STEAM Scholar Program aims to connect highly motivated students interested in science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics with hands-on learning experiences throughout our district.

Students selected to participate in the STEAM Scholars program will have the opportunity to visit four STEAM-related businesses and facilities during the 2024-2025 school year. On these visits, students will have the chance to participate in discussions with local employees, business owners, and educators, and learn more about the STEAM career opportunities in our backyard.

This program is open to all rising Sophomores and Juniors who live in or attend high schools located within Illinois’s Tenth Congressional District. Due to space constraints, we will only be selecting two applicants per high school for participation in this competitive program.

How do I apply?

The application is available here.

The deadline to apply is September 30th.

Registration is required

Questions? email esie.sweillinois@gmail.com

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