CHS School Counselors' Corner

Senior meetings for those applying early action or early decision have begun, students are working on essays and applications, and college admissions counselors are scheduling time to visit CHS.

While this is all so exciting, please keep aware of your stress level; reach out to us if you are feel overwhelmed. We are here to help!

Wondering "who does what" by way of college applications? How should you request transcripts? Would a "best practices" list be helpful? Please see below for our Senior Slides presentation, made for and tailored to you, the CHS Class of 2025.

Please join College Affordable (with whom we partner) for a webinar including invaluable information on the financial aid process. Read on!

On its face, the financial aid process is cumbersome. It can grow more complicated because the process is different for each family and additionally can be different at each college. Join College Affordable as they help you understand the different aspects of the financial aid process, why the colleges require certain types of information, and understand how your family dynamics affect the process.

Date: Thursday, October 17, 2024 at 6:30 PM

Topic: Why is this required? Understanding how your family dynamic affects the financial aid process.

All families who are new to College Affordable and their support, should click on this link and continue to our school icon to register. This page will house information related to different program aspects you can take advantage of.

If you previously registered with College Affordable and need to just sign up for these webinars, please follow this link.

Many students ask us how they should send their transcript to schools; the simple answer is they shouldn't! Your school counselor will send your transcripts to the schools for which you request they do so in Scoir.

Requesting transcripts is easy; please follow this link for more information on what to do. You must please request transcripts in Scoir at least ten school days prior to your deadlines.

All students who have a deadline of October 15th or November 1st or earlier should have been in some form of contact with their counselor--even if just through a Google Form--regarding their deadlines; if you haven't done so, please do as soon as you can.

For continuity this year, we ask that you please fill out the Common App as such:

AP courses: "AP"

Honors courses: "Honors"

CP courses: "CP"

Non-Leveled courses: "N/A"

*If your College Prep course is for Dual Enrollment credit, please select "Dual Enrollment."*

In order for us to send your documentation to the colleges, you must link your Common Application account (www.commonapp.org) to your SCOIR account. The first part of the FERPA consent form, which will electronically link the accounts, is found in the Common App under My Colleges, Recommenders and FERPA, FERPA Release Authorization. The SCOIR section can be found under the Personal Details tab. While it is the student’s choice as to whether or not to waive the right to access, we strongly suggest that you do waive this right as colleges will take more seriously a recommendation letter that is strictly confidential.

Most folks have heard of the FAFSA, but the CSS Profile might be new to you.

The CSS Profile is an online application that students submit to apply for financial aid from colleges and scholarship programs. It’s different from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA ®) that students use to apply for financial aid from the federal government. It is NOT required of every institution, but it's important to know if you need to fill it out.

Please visit the following link to see if the schools you are applying to require this Form: https://profile.collegeboard.org/profile/ppi/participatingInstitutions.aspx.

We need ALL of our seniors to join this classroom. The Join Code is xituyud.

Please check out all the resources on our Google Classroom (parents and guardians, you will need to have your students show you.). From financial aid webinars and virtual college fairs to the Common App and open houses, there is so much information available here!

What are you interested in doing for a career? Do you know? How DOES one figure it all out?

If you're looking for insight on what you might enjoy doing, please visit the MassHire Career Information Center. Free to all Massachusetts residents, this resource is designed to provide occupational and educational information to help people make better-informed career and school choices.

Take a peek below, and please see Ms. Cunningham in the College and Career Readiness Center for more information!

The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) is a multiple-aptitude battery that measures developed abilities and helps predict future academic and occupational success in the military. It is administered annually to more than one million military applicants, high school, and post-secondary students.

It will be offered at CHS on Thursday, December 12th, and much more information is to follow. Stay tuned!

EMERSON HOUSE COUNSELING TEAM:

Mr. Dan McGrath (A-K): mcgrathd@chelmsford.k12.ma.us

Ms. Kara Kelley (L-Z): kelleyk@chelmsford.k12.ma.us

HAWTHORNE HOUSE COUNSELING TEAM:

Ms. Tammy Leary (A-K): learyt@chelmsford.k12.ma.us

Mrs. Christine Lima (L-Z): limac@chelmsford.k12.ma.us

WHITTIER HOUSE COUNSELING TEAM:

Mrs. Jennifer Orsini (A-K): orsinij@chelmsford.k12.ma.us

Mrs. Jamie Ellis (L-Z): hillj@chelmsford.k12.ma.us

COORDINATOR OF SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING AND COUNSELING SERVICES PRE-K-12:

Ms. Shannon Bischoff: bischoffs@chelmsford.k12.ma.us

Website: https://chs.chelmsfordschools.org/about-chelmsford-high-school/guidance/
Location: 200 Richardson Road, North Chelmsford, MA, USA
Phone: 978-251-5111

The School Counseling Department is thrilled to work so closely with Ms. Alex Cunningham, Facilitator of our very own Career and College Readiness Center. Ms. Cunningham brings a wealth of knowledge to the Department and cannot wait to support our students as they plan for the future.

Read on to learn more about the Career and College Readiness Center and Ms. Cunningham!

View for the Career Center: I am excited to put a modern spin on the Career Center and ensure it is a warm and welcoming environment where all students at Chelmsford High School can feel comfortable dropping by and accessing resources for planning their future college and career opportunities.

Special Events/Services: Students will be able to come into the Career Center to access support with college and career exploration, get connected with business and employment opportunities, access workshops in Resume Writing, Interview Skills, Importance of Digital Footprint, Work Readiness Skills, and more. They can also access work permits and transcripts.

Background Info: I did my undergrad at the University of New Hampshire, where I dual-majored in Criminal Justice and Psychology and minored in Forensic Science. I went to Southern New Hampshire University for my Master's degree in Forensic Psychology. I've worked with young adults for around three years now, and two of those were specifically on career advising.

A Fun Fact: I'm overly obsessed with English Bulldogs... I love their goofiness! I have one named Luna.