SCOUT DESTINATIONS
A QUARTERLY GUIDE TO COLLEGE AND CAREER PLANNING
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We are pleased to introduce SCOUT DESTINATIONS, an online newsletter dedicated to the college and career discovery process. The purpose of SCOUT DESTINATIONS is to provide the entire Lake Forest High School community with relevant information, tips and timelines, along with diverse insights and voices to:
- Help guide families through the college search journey, and
- Ease some of the anxiety inherent in the college search and admissions process.
Additionally, this newsletter can serve as a resource in learning more about the broad spectrum of careers available today both locally and nationally. We always welcome reader feedback.
You can share comments with Dr. Patrick Sassen, Director of Educational Services (
psassen@lfschools.net
).
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Upcoming Events in Educational Services
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ACT National Testing Date
December 8th (late registration deadline November 19, 2018)
319.337.1270/actstudent.org
SAT Prep Classes
LFHS Juniors register by January 9, 2019
Classes run Saturdays 9am - 12 noon
January 26 - March 16
The class is free of charge and includes all materials.
Final Exams
Monday, December 17th - Thursday, December 20, 2018
Gap Year Fair
January 25th, 6-8:30pm at Oak Park and River Forest High School, 201 Scoville Ave, Oak Park
January 26th, 12-3pm, New Trier High School, 385 Winnetka Ave, Winnetka
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Stanford study finds that U.S. News and other rankings are based on factors that don't actually reflect what students and parents say they want in a college.
Thinking about whether the ACT or the SAT is a better fit for you? PrepScholar identifies the 11 key differences between the two tests that will help you pick the best test for you.
There are billions of dollars in scholarship money awarded to high school seniors each year for college. US News has identified 10 great sites to help you in your scholarship search process.
What to do if you have been deferred from a college?
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Follow LFHS Educational Services on Facebook and Twitter @scoutservices1 to learn valuable information about college admission, career exploration, college scholarships, and the daily happenings of the LFHS Ed Services Department.
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Mid-year transcripts:
Many colleges require first semester grades as part of their admission process. The Ed
Services department automatically sends these mid-year transcripts to all colleges where current seniors have applied; seniors do not need to request that these be sent. The transcripts are normally sent out late January.
Transcript requests for January deadlines:
When requesting college transcripts, ten school days are required. Please be aware of the following deadlines:
- Colleges with a December 15th deadline must be requested by December 3rd.
- Colleges with a January 1st and 15th deadline must be requested by 3:00 p.m. on Friday, December 21st due to winter break.
Local Scholarship information:
Applications will be available in Naviance starting January 15th
Check out all scholarship information and the monthly
Scholarship Scoop
here
Registration for Juniors - February 27th & 28th
When considering classes for senior year, we encourage all students to keep a rigorous schedule, as this is the best preparation for college. The course guide will be posted on the LFHS homepage in December. Please spend time familiarizing yourselves with the wide variety of courses offered in each subject area, as there are several choices for seniors in English, Science, Social Studies and electives. Colleges take the senior schedule into consideration as part of the admission decision.
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CHRISTOPHER NEWPORT UNIVERSITY, Newport News, VA
(Photo courtesy of Christopher Newport University website)
Five thousand students attend this public university (with a private school feel). It boasts a gorgeous campus, with spacious dorm rooms. Students are friendly and happy. CNU has an admit rate of 62%, with an ACT range of 23-28. Popular majors include Psychology, Biology, Speech, Communication & Rhetoric.
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UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS, Fayetteville, AR
(Photo courtesy of University of Arkansas website)
This flagship public university is a competitive research institution with an undergraduate enrollment of roughly 20K students. The rolling campus is situated amongst the mountains and lakes of the Ozarks. U of A accepts 60% of applicants, with an average ACT range of 23-28. Popular majors include Management, Marketing, Engineering, Health Professions, Social Sciences, English, and Architecture.
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SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY, Saint Louis, MO
(Photo courtesy of Saint Louis University website)
Located in midtown St. Louis, the campus and surrounding areas have been dramatically improved in recent years. Approximately 7500 undergraduates attend the private university with an average admit rate of 63%, and ACT mid range of 25-30. SLU offers one of the largest American campuses in Europe, located in Madrid, Spain. Popular majors: Business Administration and Management, Nursing, and Kinesiology, Exercise Science and Aviation Science.
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MILLIKIN UNIVERSITY, Decatur, IL
(Photo courtesy of Millikin University website)
This small, private school has an enrollment of 2,000 students, and is located 3 ½ hours from Chicago. Millikin admits 64% of applicants, with an ACT mid range of 19-26. Popular majors include: Nursing, Business Administration and Management, and Music Performance.
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Juniors
- Continue researching colleges that match what you are looking for (size, location, cost, major, extracurricular options).
- Review the standardized testing calendar, and make a testing plan for the spring semester. Register for the tests on the ACT (www.act.org) or SAT (www.collegeboard.org) websites.
- Register for senior year courses that align with your post-secondary plans.
- Continue to access PLT time and resource centers in the building to perform your best academically and ensure a consistent or upward grade trend.
Seniors
- Continue checking your email on a regular basis, as this is how colleges communicate with you.
- If you applied to a college ED (early decision) and are accepted, you must immediately withdraw any open applications to other colleges by contacting their admissions office.
- The colleges that you applied to will receive your 7th semester grades, so continue working hard!
- Send a thank you note to teachers who wrote your recommendation letters.
- If you are in AP classes, register to take the AP exams.
- Visit the colleges you are still considering attending, and arrange an overnight visit with a current student if possible.
- Search for scholarships.
- Compare financial aid packages for the schools where you have been admitted.
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Schools our LFHS students are attending
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In January, counselors will be meeting with Juniors in small group seminars to conduct the “Do What You Are” personality assessment. This assessment provides students with their personality type, which is one of the most useful factors when making educational and career choices. The personality type from this assessment is then linked with college majors and career options. Be sure to ask your Juniors about their results, as this can be helpful in their college search!
LFHS is excited to host the second annual Career Fair on March 19th, 2019. This is a great opportunity for all students to connect with professionals from the careers they are considering. Check out the next newsletter for additional details about this event!
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