A Note From Sam
Featured Article
Upcoming Events and Deadlines
Class Specific Monthly Focus
College Spotlight
Internship, Job and Volunteer Opportunities
Summer Programs
In Other News
Helpful Resources
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December is a month filled with excitement, anticipation and giving. As the month begins so does the countdown to the much anticipated winter break. The thrill of having two weeks to relax, decompress and focus on something other than school is extremely welcomed at this time of year. As the month moves forward there is likely anticipation woven into various parts of the days. It may be the extra workload from teachers as the semester winds down, or awaiting Early Decision/Early Action letters
(Featured Article)
. No matter what the upcoming weeks may bring, anticipation usually comes with some added stress. However, what if you looked at it through a different lens? What if you allow yourself to imagine the excitement you will feel when you see "Congratulations" on the top of the Early Decision letter or the sense of accomplishment that comes with completing schoolwork? How does that change in perspective impact how you experience the days ahead?
Also in this issue I am excited to share with you the enhancements we've made to our volunteer program
(Volunteer Opportunities)
. Since we are in the season of giving this is a perfect time to be present in the community and give back to those in need. For those who find themselves in a state of anticipation, I know that process requires time and waiting is never easy. So, maybe this month you look at the passing of time as a journey to something great. Cherish the moments in the middle and savor the waiting as much as the outcome.
Happy Holidays,
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Samantha Stuber
College and Career Center Advisor
SStuber@auhsdschools.org
925-280-3935
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The 'Send' Button Has Been Pushed, Now What?
How to Manage the Early Decision/Early Action Waiting Process
It's been at least a month since your child submitted their Early Decision/Early Action application. With notification dates quickly approaching there's a lot of emotion surrounding the waiting. As a parent you might find yourself managing your own anticipation, as well as your child's. Questions like, What happens if my daughter is rejected? How will he handle it? How will I handle it? What's the best way to support her? Or you may be asking yourself, "What am I going to do now that I know he is going to be a plane ride away?" Whatever questions are running through your head the reality is we have no control over the decision but we have complete control over how we handle the news.
As parents of soon to be graduates, you've learned over the last eighteen years that your children take many cues from how they see those around them handle situations. So in this case, maybe it's more about responding than reacting. Responding is taking a pause, reflecting on what occurred and choosing how you want to move forward. Reacting is that spur of the moment emotional reaction. The one that those around you can usually hear as it happens. So as you wait with your child, wondering will there be tears of joy or tears of disappointment, here are some things you can do to be more of a responder:
- Take a deep breath or as many as you need.
- Remember you are proud of your child no matter what the colleges say.
- If your child receives a rejection, be an active listener. Let them vent, scream, or cry while you sit there as a shoulder to lean on.
- If they are accepted, celebrate with them! They worked hard to get here! Once the cheering subsides remind your child that not all their friends will get the same result and to be sensitive to others.
- Keep busy with things you enjoy in life and remind your child to do the same.
- Enjoy the moments and create memories because we all know how fast time goes by.
Now that we covered what you can do, here are some tips for your child:
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As you wait to hear from the colleges, take a moment to write your child a letter letting them know exactly how proud you are and all the joy they have brought to your life. Cherish the waiting as a road to something great. They will all get into a college and if it's not an ED/EA school, that means there is something better waiting around the corner!
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Upcoming Events and Deadlines
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DECEMBER
11
PSAT and ACT Scoreback Night - CCC
6:30pm - 7:15pm How to interpret PSAT scores
7:15pm – 7:30pm How to interpret mock ACT scores
11 -14
Freshman introduction to the College and Career Center
14
Deadline to submit Community Service hours completed between
April 1 – November 30.
20
Community Service mid-year celebration
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Class Specific Monthly Focus
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It's December and UC, CSU and early deadline applications have all been submitted. If you listen closely enough, you can hear the sighs of relief coming from all the students, and me! Chances are, your student is feeling pretty burnt-out on the college application process. Utilize our featured article this month to help as college decisions start to be released and double check the list below to make sure your student is on track.
Submitted Applications
- Students should confirm the colleges have received a completed application.
- Students should create portals at the colleges that request them to do so.
- Check your email! Colleges use email or their individual college portals to correspond about missing or necessary documents.
Application Process
- Double check college information is up-to-date in your Naviance account.
- Order transcripts for colleges.
- Order test scores for SAT, ACT and SAT subject tests to be sent to schools that require them.
Financial Aid
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How to Interpret the PSAT Scores
If your junior took the PSAT in October, expect to receive results around December 10. We have partnered with Tried and True Tutoring to offer a seminar on "How to Interpret the PSAT Scores." The presentation will take place on December 11 from 6:30 - 7:15pm, in the Library. Students and parents are encouraged to attend. In addition to interpreting PSAT scores, you will learn about:
- The differences between the SAT and ACT tests
- Test and study timelines
- Suggestions and methods of test preparation
Immediately following this presentation, students who took the Mock ACT in October will receive their scores and learn how to analyze the results. This will take place from 7:15 - 7:30pm.
Prep for Standardized Tests
Spring of Junior year
is the optimal time to take the SAT or ACT, so now is the time to start prepping for the test. In spring, we will be partnering with Tried & True to offer another Mock ACT exam in January, an SAT comprehensive class and test prep boot camps prior to select exams. Keep a look out for the full list of opportunities in our January newsletter.
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During the second week of December, freshmen will be coming into the College and Career Center during their English class to learn about Naviance. Naviance’s ‘Family Connection’ is designed for students and parents to help make decisions about colleges and careers. Students will be learning how to access their Naviance account and will begin entering pertinent information. They will also have access to a variety of personality and learning style assessments.
As a parent, you will gain access to your account that will be connected to your student after this workshop.
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University of Oregon is a public institution with
approximately 20,000 undergraduates. It is renowned for its research and commitment to teaching and has earned the honor of being ranked one of the top 62 research universities in the nation. Many of these opportunities are available to undergraduates since the graduate school is rather small in comparison. This is a big draw for those students wanting a research component in their college experience. In addition to research, U of O offers more than 300 degrees and certificate programs across its nine schools. This allows students many options when deciding since ⅓ of U of O applicants are unsure of their major/minor when entering. For those looking for a little more rigor, University of Oregon has the Clarks Honors College. Additionally, U of O is ahead of many similar institutions when it comes to financial aid. Once admitted, over $245M a year is given to undergraduates to offset the cost of tuition. This combined with a breadth of opportunity and similar feel to a UC campus, makes University of Oregon a great option for many Miramonte students.
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Internship, Job and Volunteer Opportunities
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Coding:
Looking for 3-4 detail oriented upperclassman to gain experience in research and coding tweets. Pay is negotiable, but is estimated between $15 - $20/hour with an estimate of 15 hours of work per week. For more information or to apply, contact Jessica Nevin at
jvknevin@me.com
.
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Del Rey Dolphin Club:
Enjoy part-time work at a local elementary school helping with the before and after school program. Work includes keep children safe, being a good role model, monitoring activities and helping serve snacks.
M-F: Morning Shift 6:45-8:45 am
M-F: Afternoon Shift 1:45-6:00 pm
M/W/F: Afternoon Shift 1:45-5:15 pm
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We are excited to announce the enhanced and expanded Miramonte Volunteer Program! Giving back to our community is a wonderful way to feel connected, especially during the holiday season. The College and Career Center has always supported volunteer programs, but now with some exciting changes, we can truly offer students another level of support and encouragement. Here are some of the enhancements we've made:
- New Webpage
- New electronic platform to help increase student awareness of opportunities and streamline the process for submitting and verifying volunteer service hours.
- Program Coordinator - Jeanette Chang, parent volunteer, is helping develop the volunteer program and coordinate with the local and broader community to offer our students more opportunities.
- Logo design contest - We want students to be the curators! To do so, we are running a logo competition where students have a chance to submit their design for the new MHS Volunteer Program. All entries should be submitted to Ms. Stuber by December 15.
- Increased student recognition events - In addition to our annual end of the year awards, we are hosting a mid-year lunchtime celebration to recognize dedicated student volunteers on December 20. Students must submit volunteer hours completed since April 1, 2018 by December 14. For instructions on submitting hours, see the MHS Volunteer Program webpage.
- Graduation Distinction - Starting with the Class of 2020, qualifying students will be honored at Senior Awards night and will receive a stole to wear at graduation. The stole will identify students who graduate with distinction in Volunteer Service.
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Boys and Girls State
Applications are now open for juniors for the American Legion Boys and the American Legion Girls State. One male and one female will be selected to represent Miramonte this summer. This is a great opportunity for students who are interested in current events and important local, state and national issues. Please look at
Girls State
and
Boys State
for more information. If interested in applying, the
Girls State application
and the
Boys State application
can be found by clicking on the links. Students must submit application to Ms. Stuber by January 18 to be considered.
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The Best College Admissions Blogs
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College admissions can sometimes seem confusing and while looking for reliable resources, it can be hard. On the below links, you can find a list of admission blogs written by different professionals to help guide you.
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New Data on Admissions: Criteria That Matter, Early Decision and More
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The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) surveyed colleges about seven student characteristics and how important they are in admissions. Take a look at the full article to see how a variety of colleges rank different factors in their admission decision.
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The Diluted Value of High Test Scores
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In the last 10 years, the number of students scoring 1400-1600 on the SAT or 31-36 on the ACT doubled. See where the big shifts have been and what the trends in test scores are predicted to be for the class of 2019.
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Miramonte College and Career Center
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