College & Career Center Newsletter

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College Conversation with Ms. Mural, Thursday, September 3, 11:30 am - 1 pm

Please join me in Schoology, Counseling Class of 2021, for an informal question and answer session. I will answer as many questions as I can during the 90 minutes. Perhaps questions your peers ask will be relevant to you too, however you do not have to stay for the entire time. Perhaps this Q&A session will help you plan what college application tasks you want to complete over the four-day long weekend!

College Essay Writing Workshop, Friday, September 11, 12 noon - 1 pm

Ms. April Gamble, Senior Assistant Director of Admissions & Coordinator of Counselor Relations at The College of Wooster, will lead a College Essay Writing Workshop for GMHS students. You need to sign up ahead of time using this registration form because the virtual platform for the live program has a capacity limit. I will send out the URL the week of the program to the students who sign up to participate. The workshop is intended to be interactive, so please bring your questions about how to craft a compelling college application essay to ask a current admission officer.

Virtual College Visits start on Monday, September 14

Admission officers from colleges and universities will be joining us virtually to share information about their schools and answer your questions. These visits are scheduled for 35 minutes. Although students are dismissed from school at noon on Mondays and Fridays, some college visits are scheduled after dismissal to minimize conflicts with instructional time. Students in all grades at GMHS can attend virtual college visits.

What do I need to do to participate in a virtual college visit?

• View the virtual college visit schedule in Naviance under the What's New heading on the Naviance homepage
• Download the visit software using the Self Service application portal on your school computer
  
• Sign up in Naviance at least one day before each visit - you can sign up now! Early registration confirms for admission officers that there is interest to learn more about their school which helps to decrease visit cancellations.
• If a visit conflicts with a class, you need to obtain permission from your teacher to attend.
• Think about questions you can ask admission officers

• 15 minutes before each college visit is scheduled to begin, you will find the URL in Naviance to connect to the virtual visit. Some colleges ask you to fill out a form with your contact information ahead of time, so please try to connect a few minutes before each visit begins.

What colleges have scheduled virtual visits with GMHS?

As of August 26, the following colleges are visiting with us September 14-18:

• Monday, September 14: Dickinson College, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University - Daytona Beach, Old Dominion University, Eckerd College, The University of Tennessee-Knoxville, and IE-University-Madrid
• Tuesday, September 15: Radford University, Queens University of Charlotte, University of Tampa, and Virginia Tech
• Wednesday, September 16: University of Kentucky and University of Virginia
• Thursday, September 17: William and Mary, University of Pittsburgh, Oberlin College, and Vanderbilt University
• Friday, September 18: Virginia Wesleyan University, Michigan State University, American University, and Mount Holyoke College

Senior Worksheet & Parent Brag Sheet

Any student who will need a counselor letter of recommendation for college applications needs to complete the Senior Worksheet and have a parent complete the Parent Brag Sheet. These forms can be found within Naviance; the Parent Brag Sheet is also posted on the College and Career Center website. These materials need to be submitted to your counselor one month before the first college application deadline. The Senior Worksheet is completed in Naviance and the Parent Brag Sheet is emailed to your student's counselor.

Coalition for College Virtual Programs

Additional fairs are scheduled for October and November.

September Virtual College Fair, Session 1, Wednesday, September 16, 7-10 pm ET

September Virtual College Fair, Session 2, Thursday, September 17, 7-10 pm ET

HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) College Fair, Saturday, September 19, 1 pm

NACAC Virtual College Fair, Sunday, September 13, 12 noon - 8 pm ET

Exploring College Options

"Exploring College Options is a special informational program sponsored by the undergraduate admissions offices of five of the country's leading universities: Duke University, Georgetown University, Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Stanford University.

This fall we are pleased to invite you and your family to join us for a 90-minute webinar to help you explore your college options and prepare a strong and reflective application in this time of change and new challenges. During the program, admission officers from our five universities will introduce their institutions, discuss the college application process, answer general questions, and provide individual school breakout sessions. You need to register ahead of time to attend." Additional programs are scheduled for October.

Thursday, September 10, 7 pm EDT

Sunday, September 13, 5 pm EDT

Wednesday, September 16, 3 pm EDT

Mount Holyoke College, College Tip Tuesdays

"This eight week series is designed to cover the questions that loom largest in the college search process - especially in our current moment. Join students, alumnae, admission directors, and guest speakers to get to know Mount Holyoke and to gather tips and advice that you can put to use now." Sessions include:

Financial Aid 101, Tuesday, September 1, 7-7:45 pm

Neubauer College Week, University of Chicago and partners

"Join UChicago and our partners as we explore the ins and outs of the college admissions process.

• Tuesday, 9/1 from 7–8 p.m. CDT: Latinos in Higher Education. Dean of Admissions James Nondorf and Fidel Vargas, President and CEO of the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, will discuss the roles that Latinos play in higher education.
• Wednesday, 9/2 from 7–8:00 p.m. CDT: Essay Writing Workshop. Learn about college essays with Veronica Hauad, Deputy Director for Access, Affordability, and Inclusion.
• Thursday, 9/3 from 7–8 p.m. CDT.: Explorando Universidades. Learn about a variety of institutions, including Florida State University, St. Mary’s University, Stanford University, and the University of Chicago, through a Spanish language panel.
• Friday, 9/4 from 7–8 p.m. CDT: Diversity in the City of Chicago. Join admissions counselors as they highlight a number of Chicago’s great neighborhoods and identify some of their must sees!
• Saturday, 9/5 from 12–1 p.m. CDT: Admisión y Ayuda Financiera. Want to learn more about selective universities and UChicago? Learn about the admissions process and financial aid through this Spanish language session.

Students who participate in at least 4 of the events above will receive a special surprise, so be sure to sign up today!"

QuestBridge Quest for College Sessions, Saturday, September 12 at 4-5:15 pm ET

"You are invited to attend a virtual college information session and connect with representatives from Colorado College, University of Chicago, University of Southern California, Vanderbilt University, and Yale University. They will provide guidance on making a college list, applying for admission and financial aid, and keeping your search in perspective. They'll also discuss benefits of the QuestBridge application, which allows high-achieving, low-income students to match with highly selective colleges around the country." You need to register in advance.

QuestBridge QuestCasts for the National College Match

Many past programs are available to view on the QuestBridge YouTube channel.

Craft a College Essay that Stands Out, Wednesday, September 2, 7 pm ET

Behind the Scenes with Admissions Officers, Wednesday, September 16, 7 pm ET

The Sister Colleges Events, Sister Colleges Virtual Parent/Student Information Sessions

"Learn how our outstanding campus opportunities — internships, research, leadership development, career preparation and social life — translate into powerful outcomes for our alumnae." You need to register ahead of time to learn about Barnard College, Bryn Mawr College, Mount Holyoke College, Smith College, and Wellesley College.

Wednesday, September 9, 8-9:30 pm

Saturday, September 12, 2-3:30 pm

University of Pennsylvania, Essay Writing Workshop, Wednesday, September 2, 8 pm

"Personal statement vs. supplemental essay -- what is the point and why so many? What are admissions officers really trying to understand from them? During this program, we will discuss the wide range of essay types required in college applications and how students can distinguish themselves in the application process. You will have the opportunity to ask questions during this session."

Virtual Information Session for the Southeast, Sunday, August 30, 2020, 7-8:30 pm EDT

"Admissions representatives from Harvard, Princeton, UVA, Wellesley, and Yale. will discuss academic programs, campus life, selective college admissions and financial aid." You need to sign up in advance to attend.

ARTICLES & MAGAZINES

• "Best 386 Colleges: 2021 Edition." Best Colleges 2021 | College Ranking List | The Princeton Review, 2021.
• The Best Colleges in America of 2020 by Money, 2020.
  
• Tracking Coronavirus Cases at U.S. Colleges and Universities. The New York Times. (2020, August 26).

ARTICLES

• How to decide what colleges to apply to – advice from an admission counselor, University of Miami Undergraduate Admission
  
  

RECORDED WEBINARS:

• The College Board: Applying to College During a Pandemic
• Pomona College, Connect Through Webinars - "Pomona Admissions offers live monthly webinars on a variety of topics, from Pomona 101, to alumni panels, financial aid and application tips and explorations of different majors."

What should I be doing now to apply to college?

The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) is a large professional organization that has prepared many resources for students. Their Senior Checklist can help you manage your college application process.

Common Application Tutorial Videos

There are several First-Year Applicant Tutorial videos on the Common Application YouTube channel that may be helpful to you. If you have not matched your Common Application to Naviance yet, this video will walk you through the steps.

The national test dates for the ACT in October are: October 10, 17, 24, and 25 (Sunday). September 17 is the deadline to register for any of these October test dates.

Registration to sit for the SAT/SAT Subject Tests on the national test dates is open. September 4 is the registration deadline to sit for the test on Saturday, October 3, 2020.

The SAT will be offered at GMHS on Wednesday, October 14, 2020. More information will be forthcoming.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) will open on October 1. Some schools also require the CSS Profile for financial aid consideration. Please consult individual colleges regarding financial aid forms that are required.

You will find scholarship resources on the College and Career Center Financial Aid and Scholarship website page and within Naviance.

You will find a list of gap year programs on the College and Career Center Gap Year website page.

AmeriCorps NCCC: Application & Selection Webinar, Thursday, September 3, 4 pm

"Are you ready to apply to AmeriCorps NCCC? Attend this webinar for a detailed overview of the application and selection process. We'll get your questions answered so you're prepared to take the next step on your journey to service." You need to register in advance.

Email: murals@fccps.org
Website: https://gm.fccps.org/o/gmhs/page/college-career-center--8
Location: 7124 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22043, USA
Phone: (703) 248-5531

This information is provided for your convenience. Postings do not indicate endorsement or sponsorship by George Mason High School, FCCPS, nor any administrator or employee of either George Mason High School or FCCPS.