Well, after a long-induced pandemic hiatus, I've returned to my blog yet again to target our junior students and their parents. On Thursday, February 25th, the Hopkinton High School's Counseling Department will present a webinar to kick off the eleventh graders' college application process. If you did not see the recent email inviting the Class of 2022 and their parents to attend, please click here. We have already received many RSVPs, and the reason I'm blogging is to address some of the questions that parents have already asked in advance of the program. Unfortunately, many of these inquiries are beyond the scope of our webinar's presentation, but I hope to clarify and inform those families who are going through this process for the first time. I was the guinea pig in my family, as I was the firstborn in a family of four children, and I did not make it easy for my parents. Stay tuned for a separate post addressing how parents can cope with the college process with a teenager who refuses to engage.
But, I digress; let's focus on the now. Rest assured that the college application process spans over a year, and at this stage of the game, no one is behind. Your goal in the spring of your junior year is to RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH. Yes, there will be time to start applications, write college essays, craft resumes, and hone specific nuances of the process. Still, your current focus should be narrowing down your options so by the time you hit August of your senior year, you will have at least a handful of schools to which you plan to apply. You should also sign up for at least one college exam (SAT/ACT) in the spring of the junior year; if you haven't done so, check out this helpful webinar to learn more about the differences between the SATs/ACTs, or contact your child's school counselor to offer advice.
Additionally, all juniors are required to attend a mandatory Junior Seminar (February-March), in which each counselor meets with all of their students in a small group setting, addressing certain specific topics such as Finding your Fit/Using Naviance, The Common Application, the College Essay, Letters of Recommendation, Financial Aid/Scholarships, and more. Check out this doc to see what you should be doing each season for the next year. Additionally, if you want to watch a video with yours truly, click below to view a YouTube clip.
Here are some time codes so you can fast forward to areas in which you have interest:
1:15: College Timeline: The Here and Now
4:00: The Junior Seminar
5:15: Fall FAQs: How many colleges to which students typically apply?
7:40: Application Types (Early Action versus Early Decision)
11:30: November 1st/15th Deadlines: What grades are sent?
12:35: Regular Decision Deadlines (January 1st/15th): What grades are sent?
14:55: Rolling admissions
16:25: The FAFSA
18:20: Scholarships
As always, please contact your child's counselor if you have any follow-up questions; or, at the very least, email me at Kristen Wurster kwurster@hopkinton.k12.ma.us so I can direct you to the correct person. As always, it takes a village, and in the next year or so, your counselor will be an essential villager who will guide you through the process, not only through graduation but potentially beyond. Please don't be shy in reaching out because this is how we forge strong relationships with our students and families.
