Spring in to ACTION!

Greeting from the West side of the State! March certainly has come in like a lion for us! I am sorry to report the snow and cold is nowhere near over!

I have been telling my students, "Don't let the March lion get you discouraged! The semester is moving right along!" As seniors are deciding on their college destinations and looking for scholarships, juniors are hoping they too can get a start on the college going process. I have had a number of students approach me looking for ways to make themselves rise above the competition and stand out to a college or scholarship selection committee. Students do not want to be cowardly lions, they want to ‘eat up’ the competition. For seniors, building a resume and finding those unique activities late in the semester is a little harder than it is for the underclassmen but its not too late! Students should always be looking for ways to broaden their horizons and be well rounded both academically and in involvement opportunities. 

There is no exact list of attributes selection committees for colleges and competitive scholarships look for in students but usually they look at a student's

·         Academic Record, GPA, Rigor of Classes

·         Test Scores (ACT, SAT)

·         Activities and Leadership (Clubs, Sports, Involvement)

·         Community Service (In or out of School)

·         Work Experience

·         Content and Quality of Essays and other application materials

Being a well-rounded student is key to standing out to a selection committee. Students should also remember that quality always supersedes quantity. Showing commitment and the ability to prioritize is important and getting that RAAR! factor across to a committee is easier when you have specific and clear examples of your involvement.

Students may also be given the opportunity to join local and national honor societies. National societies like National Society of Collegiate Scholars or Who’s Who of American High School Students are just some of the organizations who invite students to pay a fee to be in their membership roster. National Honor Society is an example of a local honorary that many high schools have. Member benefits in national and local academic honor societies include:

·         Peer networking

·         Publications and member-only web content

·         Free national events for members and their families

·         Dedicated member-services staff and volunteers to assist students

·         Member communications

·         Service and leadership opportunities

·         Unique outreach from top domestic & international universities

·         Exclusive scholarship opportunities and academic competitions

·         Personalized membership certificate

·         Personalized press release for distribution to local media

·         Unique offerings through partnerships

The choice to join an honorary sometimes comes down to budget for students. If students opt to pay the membership fee, having their name on an honor list can make them look more appealing to competitive colleges and for scholarships. It is however in my experience that there are so many different ways students can get involved for free and be just as competitive and impressive. It would not hurt a student to join one of these organizations but if they choose not to, there will not be any long term regrets. Being involved, no matter what it is in, is important and most selection committees look for it at many different levels. All students can be the golden lions they want to be if they commit to being active in high school.

For more information on local and national student honor societies:

http://www.nhs.us/

http://nshss.org/

For more information on resume building, career advice, and involvement:

http://ebook.career-guides.net/default.aspx?cgid=22

Let us hope the lions of March become sweet lambs of spring soon!

Cheers!

~Liz Rader

WyCAC Advisor

Evanston High School
erader@uwyo.edu   

"The March wind roars
Like a lion in the sky,
And makes us shiver
As he passes by.
When winds are soft,
And the days are warm and clear,
Just like a gentle lamb,
Then spring is here."
-  Author Unknown

Second Chances

As the school year continues and I meet with more students I am often reminded of the pressures of high school and how they can change students outlooks on life. Sometimes there are situations and factors that are totally out of our control that can adversely effect school work. This can be anything from family issues, financial trouble, or relationship problems. These obstacles can often come into young peoples lives and take them by surprise, subsequently they may perform poorly in school or on standardized tests. While it is important to focus on grades and ACT/SAT in high school I would like to point out that those numbers do not indicate your future potential. Years from now you may look back and laugh about how you stressed over these figures. While a low GPA or test score can impede your college process just remember that anything is possible if you really try and commit. If you find yourself in this position look into conditional admittance into schools, if you are a junior or younger remember there is still time to boost those grades! You can contact your local Educational Opportunitiy Center and see if you can get a waiver to retake your ACT, or if you find yourself in your senior year and cannot find assistance look at the Thomas Foundation scholarship http://www.thomas-foundation.com/ available to students who need it. In the end remember that grades and test scores are important but if you find yourself behind dont give up, because everyone deserves a second chance.

March Madness!

Spring is in the air around here! And with that comes the rush of panic for high school seniors as they try to pull together the finals strings of their future. My office is swarming with students in a panic who didn’t get the FAFSA filed by March 1, or the ones who haven’t applied to a college of their choice! It’s such an overwhelming feeling as they drown a little every day in high school course work all while they are putting pieces into place for college and planning where to go, who to room with, and what meal plan to choose.

I keep reminding them—RELAX! Organize and manage your time! There may be a night or weekend where you can’t go out with your friends, but it’s one weekend that can and will better prepare you for the future!

As for the FAFSA, March 1 was the PRIORITY deadline, not the final and last time to EVER submit it! So add that to the “TO DO THIS WEEKEND” list! And continue the scholarship search, many deadlines are in March. That’s why they call it March Madness right? It’s the month of deadlines, cutoff dates, and crunch time if you’re behind!

Only a few more months, enjoy the ride and RELAX!

*Faith Helton

WyCAC College Advisor

Rock Springs High School