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WHS ACCESS NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 2017
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Wheaton High School CollegeTracks Team
Ms. Meghan Lynch
Program Director
240.221.1699
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COLLEGE ESSAY 101
Writing your college essay(s) can be challenging, but it doesn't have to be.
Check out the
10 tips below for advice on writing a stellar essay!
- Show your individuality. You are more than a set of numbers!
- Proofread...again & again. Spell Check cannot catch everything.
- Be resourceful! Ask your English teachers for help and get tips from CollegeTracks and the College & Career Center.
- Keep it simple and concise. Strong essays have a clear focus and supporting details.
- Give yourself time! Don't wait until the last minute. Well-written essays take time to plan and organize.
- Tell a story. Use details and specific examples to compose an essay that readers will understand.
- Be yourself! Your essay should be natural and genuine.
- Accentuate the positive. Demonstrate how you've grown or learned from an experience.
- Ask for feedback. Others can identify mistakes you may have missed.
- Believe in your story! Pick a topic that interests you. If you like your story, others will too.
REMEMBER - WE CAN REVIEW YOUR ESSAYS!
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SENIOR SPOTLIGHT
Melos G.
What excites you the most about
beginning
your college journey?
"Knowing that I am about to start college and that I will have the freedom to make my own decisions!"
What do you like the most about being a part of CollegeTracks?
"They help me with any questions that I have, no matter what I am doing. I really wouldn't know what to do without them!"
What type of music do you enjoy?
"I like rap music and my favorite artists are Migos and Young Thug."
What advice do you have for juniors who are beginning their college application journeys?
Stay focused and listen to CollegeTracks because this is important. It will pay off senior year because you will have most of the stuff already out of the way and senior year you can just worry about the applications, recommendations, and FAFSA.
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MONTGOMERY COLLEGE MYTHS
Whether Montgomery College is the only college on your list or one of your options, it's important to
understand the facts about MC as you apply to colleges this fall!
Here are just a few!
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MYTH
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TRUTH
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MC is the only college my family and I can afford
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Some four-year colleges, even private ones, may be as affordable as MC for you and your family! |
| If I go to MC, I won't have to study for and take a college entrance exam |
MC requires "college-ready" scores on either the SAT, ACT, or Accuplacer tests in order to take college-level classes.
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My GPA is too low to go to any college, except MC
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Some four-year colleges accept students with lower GPAs. MC enrolls students with competitive GPAs.
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MC is the only college that is close by.
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There are many four-year colleges close by and in the DC/MD/VA area. |
| MC is just like high school all over again and it is easy |
MC is a college. College is not like high school and will require more work for more challenges courses!
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It is easy to transfer from MC to a four-year college like UMD-College Park!
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The transfer process is not always as easy as it looks. The GPA you earn at MC will determine your four-year college options!
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KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK SENIORS!
Scholars juggled November 1 deadlines, ACT prep, FAFSA completion, and more. Some received their first college acceptance letters, while others visited Goucher College to get a feel for the campus environment!
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SENIORS DO NOW!
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Finalize your college list
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Update your college list on Naviance
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Send your ACT/SAT scores to colleges you are applying to
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Follow-up with your teacher to make sure your letters of recommendation have been sent to your colleges
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Sign up for college visits at Wheaton
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Visit colleges during early release and no-school days. Take a campus tour and arrange to meet with an admissions representative!
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Email us your college essay for review and feedback
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Complete your FAFSA (see CollegeTracks for details)
- Apply to at least 3 scholarships
Schedule an appointment with CollegeTracks TODAY!
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"EYES ON THE PRIZE" COMPETITION
Did you know college books are very expensive?
Do you want money to help pay for your books?
APPLY TO AT LEAST
3 SCHOLARSHIPS BY MAY 15TH!
Participate in CollegeTracks' "Eyes on the Prize" Scholarship Competition!
Student that applies to the most scholarships will receive:
- The "Eyes on the Prize" Award at the end-of-year Senior Awards Ceremony
- An Amazon Gift Card for college books
Let CollegeTracks know which scholarships you are applying to so we can help you track your progress and review your applications!
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FAFSA SEASON
It's FAFSA season at CollegeTracks!
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is one of the first steps in securing financial aid for college!
We can help you and your family complete the family accurately and on time. We are now accepting FAFSA
appointments
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CLICK HERE TO SCHEDULE YOUR FAFSA APPOINTMENT TODAY!
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$CHOLARSHIP SPOTLIGHT
Let Ms. Lynch, Mr. Brown, or Ms. Rula know if you're applying for any of these scholarships!
NAME:
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation College Scholarship Program
DUE DATE:
November 14, 2017
AMOUNT: Up to $40,000 per year
ELIGIBILITY:
High School senior, 3.5 GPA or above, demonstrate financial need, 1200 on SAT or 26 on ACT
NAME:
Elks National Foundation Most Valuable Student Compeitition
DUE DATE:
November
AMOUNT:
$1,000 per year, up to $12,500
ELIGIBILITY:
Any high school senior who is a citizen of the U.S. may apply (this does not include Permanent Residents of the U.S.). Applicants will be judged on scholarship, leadership, and financial aid.
NAME:
Education Matters Scholarship
DUE DATE:
November 30, 2017
ELIGIBILITY: Legal residents of the U.S. who plan to enroll in a post-secondary institution no later than Fall 2020. Must answer the following question in 250 words or less: "What would you say to someone who says education doesn't matter, or that college is a waste of time and money?"
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COLLEGE SPOTLIGHT!
St. Mary's College of Maryland is a public liberal arts, co-ed, non-religious college. It is one of the
top 5 public liberal arts colleges in the nation (U.S. News & World Report).
Approximately 1,900 students attend St. Mary's. 9
0% of St. Mary's students reside in Maryland. The remaining 10% are from 28 states and 23 nations.
St. Mary's offers 31 academic programs. Popular degree programs are Biology, Economics, English, Political Science, and Psychology.
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SHOUT OUTS
- Wheaton High school administrators and staff, we appreciate all you do to support and encourage students!
- Shoutout to all of the Seniors who are attending Fall Workshops!
- Thank you to the CollegeTracks volunteers for their continued dedication to student success. A special thank you to volunteers who dedicated extra hours to help scholars meet their November 1 deadlines!
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WHERE TO FIND US?
Room 1007
Mondays, Tuesdays,
Thursdays, & Fridays
9:00am-5:00pm
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