The Counselor's Corner

The Senior year is often the most stressful - both for parents and students. But, it can also be exciting! Planning and organization can make the difference between a stressful year and an exciting one. I'm hoping this newsletter will be helpful. If you'd like to make an appointment with me to discuss your specific situation or to answer specific questions, please email me at smith@byron.k12.mi.us.

• Applying to Colleges - September/October is the best time to apply to colleges. Friday, September 18 is National #WhyApply Day which kicks off the college application season. Michigan College Month is October. I have created a Google Classroom where I will posting more specific details about applying to colleges as well as scholarship opportunities once they start coming across my desk.
• Requesting Letters of Recommendation - Get at least two (from teachers or employers). Even if you don't use them for college applications, you may need them for scholarship applications and you will need them for your senior exit project. I have a worksheet on my website that will make it easier for recommenders to write one for you - click here.
• Start researching scholarships - There are scholarships for colleges and trade schools. The best outside resources are BigFuture and Fastweb. I will also keep a running list of scholarships on my website - while there aren't any there right now, there will be several local ones once those come across my desk.
• Financial Aid - The 2027/28 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (or FAFSA) should be released October 1. While we are waiting for that, you should be creating FSA IDs if you don't already have one. Both a parent (both parents if married, filing separately) and the student need to have one. It takes a couple of days for it to be finalized in the system so you definitely want to do that ahead of time. Here is the website for that. This form is essential for accessing various federal financial aid programs, including grants, loans and work-study, and should be filled out as early as possible.
• ALL STUDENTS - Create a pros and cons list - This can be for comparing colleges or for comparing different careers. Here is a website that talks about what to look for and what questions to ask yourself.
• Pros and cons - between different post-secondary options - click here

If you are interested in starting an apprenticeship after high school, the State of Michigan has a great website that will help you get started with that. Click here to go directly to the site. If you are interested in other areas of the country, the federal government also has its own website.

There are also people at the community college level that can help students navigate this process as well. For example, LCC has a 13 month lineman program that gets students started on that path.

These are for 2 year or 4 year colleges or university AS WELL AS trade schools! Please read the information on their website.

There are virtual information sessions about the community college guarantee, MAS eligibility requirements, award amounts, action items and additional resources. Click here to register for one of those.

Many Michigan colleges are now part of the Common App. This means that you can complete one application and have it sent to multiple schools. That may not be the best idea, especially if one of those schools offers a free application or application fee waiver. However, it can save time. A couple of schools require you to use the Common App - MSU and UM Ann Arbor are 2 of them. Here is where you go get help on completing your Common App.

I highly encourage students to visit prospective colleges to check them out. When you do that, make sure you take advantage of the pros & cons worksheets earlier in this newsletter to help you out. It truly is the best way to decide if a college "feels" right. Most colleges have a "VISIT" button on their main page where you can make a reservation for an individual college tour. In addition, many colleges have Open Houses designed to give you an opportunity to check out the school with others. They usually have representatives from academic departments and student support services available to answer questions. Many also offer campus tours and presentations from Housing and Financial Aid/Scholarships. Make sure you check out their websites to see if you need to pre-register.

Seniors are allowed ONE day to visit a college, trade school or military rep and have it count as a school activity. Please email your registration confirmation to Ms. Smith or Mrs. Brown. I encourage you to take advantage of professional development days or half days to visit more.

Here is a non-exhaustive list of upcoming college Open Houses.

• Central Michigan University - Saturday, September 19 from 9 am - 1 pm
• Eastern Michigan University - Saturday, October 10 from 10 am - 2 pm
• Grand Valley State University - Saturday, October 3 & Saturday, November 7 at 9 am
• Northern Michigan University - Saturday, October 10 from 8 am - 2 pm
• Oakland University - October 3
• Education & Human Services Day - October 16
• Nursing Day - November 7
• Saginaw Valley State University - Saturday, October 24 from 9 am - noon
• Wayne State University - Saturday, October 3 from 10 am - 3 pm
• Western Michigan University - Friday, October 9, Saturday, October 17, Friday, October 30 & Saturday, November 7

Even though many post-secondary institutions are test-optional, retaking the SAT may be a good idea if you are looking for the next level in merit scholarships at a college or university. You can sign up for the next Saturday SAT via your College Board account. The 26/27 dates are: Oct 3, Nov 7, Dec 5, Mar 6, May 1 and Jun 5.

If you qualify for free or reduced lunches, Ms. Smith has some SAT fee waivers available. The code allows you to register for 2 SATs, send unlimited score reports and other other benefits. See Ms. Smith for a code if you qualify.

Looking for extra help for the SAT? There are some good sites for FREE online SAT practice:

• Khan Academy
• Michigan Electronic Library
• SAT

If you have ideas for future newsletters, please email me at smith@byron.k12.mi.us.