PTHS Counseling Office Newsletter

1. Information for PTHS Students and Families

2. Mental Health

3. Postsecondary Planning Resources

4. Scholarships & Financial Aid Resources

5. Academic Strategies

6. PTHS Counseling Office

The PSAT/NMSQT scores are now available to students. Scores can be accessed by logging into student College Board accounts or through the email from College Board announcing availability of scores.

Did you know that the PSAT is on the same scale score as the SAT? It provides a predicted score of what a student would have received on the SAT if taken the same day. The score report also provides student strengths and areas for improvement. The PSAT scores can be connected to Khan Academy for free targeted practice to improve SAT scores. Practicing on Khan Academy cannot only help increase SAT scores but also help you to be eligible for scholarships through the College Board Opportunity Scholarships.

If your college/university is requesting your Quarter 1 report card or requiring that your mid-year (semester) grades be sent, please fill out the following google form: Q1 Report Card & Mid-year Request Form. (Mid-year grades will not be ready until shortly after the end of the 1st semester in mid-January).

Unsure whether your college/university requires a Q1 report card or Mid-year grades? Check your college's website, your application or make an appointment to see your school counselor and they can help! Students using the Common App to apply to their schools can see which colleges require a mid-year report by looking in the "School Forms Required" section.

The Post-Secondary Individual Planning (PIP) meeting occurs in the junior year. Students and parents will meet with their counselor to discuss post-secondary pathways, goals after high school, and how to achieve those goals. Topics discussed will include:

• Transcript Review
• Senior Course Selection
• Post High School Plans - College, Career, Military, Tech/Trade School
• Standardized Testing
• Naviance
• Timelines
  
  

Planning Meetings will take place during the regular school day beginning December 8th through March 27th. Please sign up through the link sent out from your students' counselor, which will prompt you to select an appointment date and time. Email invitations were sent out to you by your counselor. Appointments will be on a first come, first serve basis. Please consult with your child to determine a time and day of the week that best accommodates their schedule.

High school brings academics, activities, friendships, and expectations — and with all of that comes stress. This article from U.S. News & World Report shares practical strategies students can use to manage pressure, stay balanced, and protect their wellbeing. From breaking large tasks into smaller steps to scheduling downtime and practicing self-care, the tips can help students build healthy habits that reduce overwhelm and support success both in and out of the classroom.

Social media is part of almost every teen’s world — but high-levels of scrolling and digital distraction can interfere with sleep, focus, offline hobbies, and even academic performance. This Times Higher Education article highlights how counselors are helping students set healthier boundaries, connect with technology in meaningful ways (like creative projects instead of passive scrolling), and understand the link between screen time and wellbeing. The piece also encourages intentional tech use, such as using SMART goals, journaling, and reframing digital habits so they support creativity and real-world goals rather than anxiety or distraction.

The holiday season can be joyful — but for students and families coping with loss, it can also bring up powerful emotions and difficult memories. The Highmark Caring Place offers compassionate guidance on understanding grief during holiday times, recognizing common feelings (like sadness, loneliness, or guilt), and finding ways to honor loved ones while still participating in traditions. This resource includes practical tips to help students and families plan for triggers, communicate about their feelings, and create supportive holiday experiences even in the midst of loss.

The holiday season can bring excitement — but also stress — especially for kids with sensory challenges, anxiety, or disrupted routines. This Child Mind Institute article shares practical tips to help families create a calmer, more enjoyable holiday experience for everyone. Strategies include preparing kids for changes in routine ahead of time, creating quiet spaces during gatherings, bringing familiar foods or comfort items to events, and allowing kids to participate in planning so they feel more in control. These small adjustments can make family celebrations more inclusive, fun, and less overwhelming for young people.

Not sure what to major in? This resource from Novorésumé walks students through how to explore interests, strengths, and career goals to choose a major that fits their future plans. It offers simple, practical tips to help you make confident, informed decisions about your academic and career path.

If you’ve been rejected by a college you hoped to attend, you might still have another shot — many schools allow reapplication in a future admissions cycle. The U.S. News article explains when reapplying is possible, what to consider, and options like improving academics, gaining new experiences, or applying as a transfer student to strengthen your candidacy before reapplying.

Taking a “gap year” — a purposeful break between high school and college — isn’t just time off. According to a Forbes article, many students benefit from using that year to mature, explore interests, gain work or volunteer experience, and clarify their academic and career goals before committing to a degree program. A well-planned gap year can lead to increased focus, self-awareness, and even financial savings, while helping students return to education with more motivation and direction. Of course, it’s not the right choice for everyone, so careful planning and setting structured goals are key.

Planning what comes next after high school can feel overwhelming for students and families — whether you’re headed to college, a trade program, the workforce, or considering a gap year. This article offers four practical tips to help guide that transition, including job shadowing or informational interviews to better understand career options, examining the real costs of college and planning financially, recognizing that two-year colleges and trade programs are valuable paths too, and thinking about a gap year as a way to gain clarity and experience before making big decisions. These strategies can help reduce stress and support informed choices about the future.

O*NET OnLine is a free, comprehensive career-exploration tool profiling hundreds of occupations across the United States. The site offers detailed information on what different jobs really involve — from required skills and education levels, to daily tasks, work settings, typical pay, and employment outlook. Use it to match your interests and strengths with real-world careers, compare different paths, and plan what you’ll need to get there.

December

12/18: HRG Charitable Foundation Scholarship – $5,000

12/31: The "No Sweat" Scholarship – $2,500

January

1/7: PA American Legion 91st Annual Essay Contest – $3,500

1/16: The Jim Borden Memorial Scholarship – $7,500 (renewable)

1/16: Scholarship for Diversity in Media – $7,500 (renewable)

1/16: The Business, Marketing and Technology Scholarship – $7,500 (renewable)

1/31: America250PA Semiquin Scholarship – $10,000

February

2/20: National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame – $1,000 (renewable)

March

3/1: Ross F. DiMarco Scholarship – $1,000

3/1: Lions Young Ambassador of the 21st Century Award Program – $500

3/1: The Foundation 649 Scholarship – $1,000 (renewable)

3/2: Pennsylvania Association of School Retirees Washington Co. Scholarship – $1,200

April

4/6: Epilepsy Foundation Western/Central PA Scholarship Program – $1,500

4/30: Keynotes Music Scholarship Competition – $7,500-$1,500

Ongoing

Citizens Scholarship

PA American Legion Scholarship Program (multiple scholarships)

ROTC Minuteman Scholarship

The Win Mortimer Trust

Scholly Scholarships

AvaCare Medical Scholarship

$1,000 Dream Big No-Essay Scholarship

College Is Power Scholarship

Equitable Excellence Scholarship

Foreclosure.com Scholarship Program

Niche $50,000 No Essay Scholarship

Top Brand Name Scholarships to Apply for Now

College Scholarships for Indigenous American Students

College Scholarships for Military Children & Spouses

Military Scholarships

Micro Scholarships

Leaders Save Lives Scholarship Program

LawnStarter Lawnpreneur Scholarship

Unusual Scholarships

Ray Stoesser Memorial Scholarship

Horatio Alger Association Scholarships for Seniors (Multiple Scholarships)

Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship

North American Van Lines Logistics Scholarship

The BK Scholars Program

The Science Ambassador Scholarship

The Princeton Prize in Race Relations

The Kemper Human Rights Education Foundation Essay Contest

The Horatio Alger Association National & State Scholarships for high school juniors seeks to assist students who have demonstrated integrity, perseverance in overcoming adversity, strength of character, financial need, a good academic record, commitment to pursue a college education, and a desire to contribute to society. Students must have a minimum GPA of 2.0 to be considered. The awarded scholarships range from $10,000 to $25,000 with more than 600 scholarships available. Applications can be found online using this link and must be completed by March 1, 2026.

When you receive a financial aid award letter from a college, it can look overwhelming — with grants, scholarships, loans, and work-study all listed in unfamiliar ways. This helpful guide from The College Investor walks you through how to read and understand your award, compare offers from different schools, spot red flags, calculate your true cost of attendance, and even think about when and how to appeal for more aid if needed. It’s a great resource for seniors and families preparing to make post-high school decisions with confidence.

Think of your organizational plan as a roadmap to your success. There are several benefits to staying organized:

• Time Management: Effective organization helps you make the most of your time. It allows you to schedule your study sessions, plan your assignments, and set clear priorities.
• Reduced Stress: Being organized can significantly reduce stress. When you have a clear plan, you're less likely to feel overwhelmed by looming deadlines or assignments. It provides a sense of control over your academic life.
• Improved Productivity: Organization strategies help you stay focused on tasks, which means you get more done in less time, because you have a well-structured plan in place.
• Better Study Habits: It's simpler to develop effective study habits when you are organized. You can create study schedules, keep track of your assignments, and gather all the materials you need for successful study sessions.
• Accountability: Organization strategies also help you stay accountable to yourself. You'll be more likely to complete tasks and meet your goals when you have a plan to follow.

Planner Apps:

• Google CalendarLinks to an external site. (iOS and Android): This is a daily organizational app that helps you plan your tasks and appointments.
• My StudyLifeLinks to an external site. (iOS and Android): Join a community of millions of students worldwide using MyStudyLife to get and stay organized. Track and get reminders for your classes, homework and exams.
• EvernoteLinks to an external site. (iOS and Android): This app will assist with scheduling, notes, and tasks all in one place.
• MyDailyPlanner App (iOS and Android): My Daily Planner is a daily organizational app that helps you plan your tasks, appointments, and goals in an intuitive and customizable manner.

To -Do List Apps

• Reminders (iOS): Remember the things you need to do with this app. You can use it for all life's to-dos and anything else you want to keep track of.
  
• Google KeepLinks to an external site. (iOS and Android): Capture what is on your mind by creating notes and lists.
• TodoistLinks to an external site. (iOS and Android): Todoist is a delightfully simple yet powerful task manager and to-do list app. Finally, organize your work and life.

Note Taking & Presentation Apps

• Microsoft Office: OneNoteLinks to an external site. (iOS and Android): Organize your thoughts, discoveries, and ideas and simplify planning important moments in your life with your digital notepad. Take notes on your phone and sync them across all your devices with Microsoft OneNote.
• Notes (iOS and Android): Notes is the best place to jot down quick thoughts or to save longer notes filled with checklists, images, web links, scanned documents, handwritten notes, or sketches.
• KeynoteLinks to an external site. (iOS): Keynote makes it easy to create presentations that allows for real-time collaboration and allows you to draw diagrams or illustrations.
• NotionLinks to an external site. (iOS and Android): Write, plan & get organized in one place with presentations, notes, documents, and tasks.
• GoodnotesLinks to an external site. (iOS and Android): This app will assist with note-taking.

Focus Apps

• Focus@Will:Links to an external site. Music streaming app designed to improve focus and productivity during study sessions.
• Forest:Links to an external site. Stay focused, be present. Helps students stay focused by encouraging short periods of concentrated work with the goal of growing a virtual tree.
• Serene:Links to an external site. Serene is an app that combines focus and productivity features. It allows users to block distracting websites, set goals, and break down tasks into focused sessions.
• StayFocusd:Links to an external site. StayFocusd is a Chrome extension that limits the amount of time users can spend on time-wasting websites. It helps students stay focused by setting daily time restrictions.