Week 2: August 21

SAVE THE DATE: Senior Parent Workshop/Financial Aid Night Will Be Held On September 2nd at 6:00 p.m. Senior Parents please attend to get answers to questions related to the college application process, scholarships, financial aid, alternatives to a 4-year college, etc. Meet at 6pm in the Commons for a presentation and then we will break off into rooms for individualized topics.

**Students, get expert feedback on your college essays from real college admissions counselors! This is a unique chance to strengthen your writing, gain insider tips, and make your essay stand out. All students are welcome to attend—bring a draft or complete essay for review.

*Article by Alanna Schubach on Gotham Writers website

If you’re seeing your high schooler through the college application process for the first time, you’ll probably find that few aspects of the process fill them with as much dread as penning the personal statement. It makes sense: The personal statement, required by most four-year colleges, asks a lot of teenagers, requiring them to demonstrate in 650 words or less what makes them unique, what factors have shaped them into the individuals they are today. They must reflect on their lives and write a clear, concise memoir, a task that would be challenging for most adults, let alone a 17 or 18-year-old.

Brainstorming

Having worked for several years as a college advisor, I’ve found that often, the most difficult part for students is generating ideas. “I don’t have anything to write about. Nothing interesting has ever happened to me,” is a common refrain.

This probably isn’t the case, but it can be difficult to see one’s own life with enough clarity to know what others might find compelling about it. (In talking to one student who claimed her life was boring, I found out she had grown up in a Tibetan refugee camp. I told her I thought that might interest college admissions officers.)

But while loss and upheaval make for obvious memoir fodder, some of the best personal statements center on smaller, quieter experiences; the trick is rendering them with style and suspense.

Brainstorming is a good place to start. When students feel stuck, I have them make lists: I tell them to write down five to ten events from their lives that would have to be included were someone to write their biography. Then I have them list people they admire, and times when they experienced failures and successes.

Also helpful is to ask teenagers to describe themselves and talk about their hobbies and interests. (One student was quick to identify herself as a feminist; she also mentioned she was a fencer who had, on more than one occasion, defeated her own dad in matches. By combining those two passions, we had an essay about learning to fence as a feminist act, how it endowed her with the strength and dexterity to fight the patriarchy.)

Often, in talking about the events, passions, and goals they’ve listed, students stumble upon the seed of an essay. It can help to look at the Common Application essay prompts as they do this, and consider which one their story might fit. Fortunately, the prompts are open-ended, and even if students are applying to schools that don’t take the Common App, the colleges they’re interested in will likely have very similar prompts of their own. (Tip: Steer clear of the last prompt, which gives applicants the option to submit an essay on “any topic;” I’ve heard that admissions officials see this as a cop-out.)

What Makes a Good Personal Statement Topic?

I try not to be prescriptive when it comes to topics, with two exceptions: If a student is uncomfortable talking about the subject, I’d encourage them to choose another; they’re under no obligation to spill their guts to a faceless administrator, especially about a difficult experience they haven’t processed yet.

The other topic to avoid is the charity trip or voluntourism experience through which the student discovered poverty and learned not to take what they have for granted. It’s the fastest way to let colleges know that they’re uninformed about their own economic privileges (and, frankly, about the world outside their bubbles).

Her Campus adds to the list of no-nos any politically controversial topics, lists of accomplishments, and sob stories. By “sob stories,” the author means essays that hinge on something tragic happening to the writer, rather than a hardship they actively overcame. It does make for a compelling essay when a writer depicts herself as a person with agency and resilience, though I think that any subject can become a personal statement, if it is focused and crafted into a story with a beginning, middle, and end.

Transformative experiences make for compelling reads; one of my students wrote about taking on his mother’s responsibilities while she recovered from surgery, cooking (and burning) dinner for the family and running to the laundromat between homework assignments, and his deepened appreciation of the hard work of being a parent.

Discovery of a passion can also be captivating: another student recounted a visit to see family in India, where she learned that DDT was still in use; her concern for her relatives’ health galvanized her into pursuing environmental justice. Another wrote about being ostracized in middle school, not an uncommon experience, but she zoomed into moments of bullying with such specificity that I felt her anguish and her strength when she persevered.

It all comes down to the writing. Which brings us to:

Getting It on the Page

With any creative nonfiction project, a good place to start is with a “brain dump.” Having a strong idea doesn’t mean the writer knows how she’ll structure her essay yet; by getting her thoughts onto the page without the pressure of writing something organized and pristine, that structure may begin to emerge.

Another good guiding principle is to apply the techniques of fiction to the personal essay: Rather than tell their story in summary (“When my mother got sick, I learned important lessons about responsibility”), high schoolers should aim to write about their experiences in scene, showing by including detailed description, dialogue, their own thoughts and feelings at the time. (For an essay about a sick parent, for instance, a student might begin with the moment his parents told him about the illness, and describe his own thoughts and feelings about it.)

The personal statement should function as a narrative that places the reader in the writer’s shoes. I encourage writers to open with a hook, a specific moment that is emblematic of their story’s themes. The student who wrote about being bullied, for instance, led with dialogue, depicting a moment when she overheard classmates talking about her. Often, once writers have their beginning, the rest of the essay flows from there.

Because the personal statement is relatively short—usually only a couple pages—it’s key that writers are selective, including only the details and context that serve their story. The essay doesn’t necessarily have to be linear—many students open with a scene and then flash back to provide the background for how they got there—but it does have to all hold together.

The ending is as important as the beginning, and it’s also the place where students can be most tempted to use clichés about how they learned and grew. But the final sentences are what will linger with readers, so they need to be carefully chosen.

The best way to become adept at this form of writing is to read; luckily, personal essays abound these days, so encourage your kids to seek out some examples. Some schools also provide examples of personal statements they loved—check out these from Johns Hopkins as a jumping off point.

Revising

As with any other form of writing, editing is a critical part of the process. When I work with students on this, we look at their drafts on both macro and micro levels, considering organization, pacing, and clarity, as well as word choice and sentence structure.

Questions to consider during the revision phase are, does this tell a story? Does it grab me at the beginning and maintain my interest throughout? Does it conclude in a way that makes sense and is impactful? Does it answer one of the prompts? Does it show me something interesting about who this person is as an individual?

Keep an eye out for repetition and wordiness. It’s fine to aim for sophisticated language, but it’s also important to be concise, and it’s usually obvious when a high school student is using words that don’t come naturally to them. At the end of the day, the personal statement should be in the writer’s own voice, since that’s what colleges are interested in hearing.

*SAVE THE DATE: OCT 1 Career Fair @HRHS during ACCESS

• Maintain your grades during your junior year is especially important. College Admissions Counselors look for an upward trend in grades throughout the high school years.
• Be aware of the PSAT and SAT dates.
• Speak with your advisor during your junior meeting about your academic record and profile; determine gaps or weakness and get suggestions on how to strengthen your candidacy for the schools in which you are interested in applying.
• Determine what it takes to position yourself most favorable for admission to the college(s) of your choice, in addition to GPA and test scores

Jackie Rapant and Jennifer Ewing offer a full day workshop to complete the Common App college essay and receive individualized feedback. Students end the day with a polished and ready to submit college essay. Additionally, they will receive tools to assist them in asking for and receiving the best letters of recommendation possible.

SEPT 2 Senior Parent Workshop / Financial Aid Night / Essay Workshop @HRHS

SEPT 18 College Fairs USA @ CU Denver 9:30-12:30pm

OCT 1 Career Fair @HRHS

OCT 1 CCHS/CR Day/Night College Fair @HRHS 6:00pm-7:30pm

OCT 2 Denver Music College Fair @University of Denver, 7-9pm

OCT 3 Great Denver College Fair @Mountain Vista High School, 10:00am-12:00pm

OCT 6 Senior Panoramic Photo @ 9:15am

OCT 17 NACAC National College Fair @Convention Center 1:00-4:00pm

NOV TBD Denver Center for the Performing Arts College Fair 7:00pm – 9:00pm

NOV TBD FAFSA Night

FEB 10 Future Planning Night (9th, 10th, 11th Grade Parents)

FEB 21 Practice SAT for Juniors

MAR TBD RMACAC College Fair

MAR 9 College Fair @HRHS (During Access)

MAR 23 Senior Graduation Meeting

MAY 17 Senior Honors Convocation by invitation only 5:30 pm

MAY 18 Senior Breakfast/Mandatory Senior Mtg/Graduation Practice

MAY 19 Graduation @ Red Rocks Amphitheater 7:00 pm

Army ROTC National High School Scholarship, which opened 14 June 2026.
This national scholarship can provide:

• Full tuition or up to $12,000/year for room & board
• $420/month living stipend
  
• $1,200/year textbook allowance
• Leadership training while students complete their degree

There is no military obligation until the start of the junior year of college (unless students accept and activate a 3- or 4-year scholarship earlier). The scholarship is open to students pursuing any academic major.

Students can use this scholarship at hundreds of universities nationwide, including the University of Kansas and our partner ROTC programs across Kansas and northwest Missouri. The Jayhawk Battalion works directly with: KU, Washburn, Baker, Rockhurst, Park, UMKC, University of Saint Mary, and Haskell Indian Nations University. We also host Johnson County Community College and Kansas City Kansas Community College students, but those students will have to enroll at a 4-year university before scholarships or contracting options become available. If students are interested other universities in Kansas, Pittsburg State or Wichita State, those schools are hosted by the Pitt State ROTC program, while Kansas State University operates as its own stand-alone ROTC battalion. Early application is strongly encouraged, as the first national board meets in October. If you would like assistance preparing a competitive application, the admissions officer can work with you directly. Schedule an Appointment

The Common App opened up on August 1 and many of you have begun filling out applications already. Please be mindful of college application deadlines and plan ahead so that you are not scrambling at the last minute to get everything submitted. Whether you are applying via common app OR direct to the institution, here is the process you should follow for requesting supplemental materials at HRHS:

1. Create your brag sheet/high school resume. Fill out the "Student profile" for both counselors and teachers in Naviance if you will be requesting a letter of recommendation. In Naviance click on "About Me" then click on "Surveys from your School". Both surveys are housed there. You can use this for scholarship recommendation letters as well.
2. Research Colleges and finalize your list. Several colleges will have meet and greets in post grad this fall(see above) so make a list of the school visits you want to attend and mark them as “Colleges I’m Applying To” or “Colleges I’m Thinking About” in Naviance.
3. Complete your personal college essay.
4. Retake the ACT/SAT if you want a higher score.
5. Visit the college website to check for application requirements and/or to apply. You may be able to apply through Common App for many colleges.

• Next, you will request transcripts and letters of recommendation (if required) through Naviance.
• You should only ask 1 or 2 teachers about writing you a letter of Recommendation IMPORTANT- please make sure to ask them via email or in person and receive a YES response from them BEFORE adding the letter of recommendation request in Common App/Naviance. Once they have agreed, send them your brag sheet or let them know your student profile is complete in Naviance.
• Go to colleges I'm applying to - red + to add colleges - request transcript. If you applied through Common App, match your account.
• You will then pay for transcripts through MySchoolBucks. Look for HRHS TRANSCRIPTS and complete the form. (This is not invoiced to your account...you pay prior to me sending the transcripts)
• The last step will be for students to email me to let me know everything you intend to send (transcript, letters of recommendation, if you applied through common app) or communicate with me in some way so that I can help you through the process. The earlier the better so we don't miss deadlines. Make sure you check your email everyday as I will communicate via email if there is an issue with your application or transcript, etc.
• I will send an email confirmation once transcript, etc. is sent to the student email and the account listed for myschoolbucks.

Admissions representatives will be in POST GRAD starting in September. Reps will provide a brief overview of each institution, information on admissions and financial aid, and a chance to speak informally with admissions representatives. You should register to attend in naviance and then come by post grad to pick up a hall pass if the visit is during class time.

Here is a list of colleges scheduled for the next 6 weeks. It is subject to change and I'm sure there will be lots more. Keep your eye out for schools you are interested in learning more about.

• 9/1/26, University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus, Norman, OK, 11:30am
• 9/2/26, University of Mississippi, University, MS, 8:30am
• 9/3/26, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, 1:00pm
• 9/3/26, Villanova University, Villanova, PA, 2:00pm
• 9/4/26, Miami University-Oxford, Oxford, OH, 9:30am
• 9/9/26, Loyola University Maryland, Baltimore, MD, 9:30am
• 9/14/26, DePauw University, Greencastle, IN, 9:00am
• 9/15/26, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 11:30am
• 9/15/26, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, 12:30pm
• 9/16/26, Creighton University, Omaha, NE, 11:30am
• 9/17/26, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, 8:30am
• 9/17/26, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, 10:00am
• 9/17/26, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 12:00pm
• 9/28/26, Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY, 10:00am
• 9/28/26, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO, 11:00am
• 9/28/26, Palm Beach Atlantic University, West Palm Beach, FL, 12:30pm
• 9/29/26, University of Redlands, Redlands, CA, 8:30am
• 9/29/26, Stonehill College, Easton, MA, 11:00am
• 9/30/26, Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ, 9:30am
• 10/1/26, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, 12:30pm
• 10/1/26, Whittier College, Whittier, CA, 1:30pm
• 10/2/26, Penn State University Park, University Park, PA, 8:30am
• 10/2/26, Providence College, Providence, RI, 9:00am
• 10/2/26, Rollins College, Winter Park, FL, 9:30am
• 10/2/26, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 11:00am
• 10/2/26, Lafayette College, Easton, PA, 1:00pm
• 10/5/26, University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA, 10:30am
• 10/5/26, Florida Tech, Melbourne, FL, 11:30am
• 10/6/26, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, 8:30am
• 10/6/26, Elon University, Elon, NC, 10:30am
• 10/6/26, Arizona State University- Tempe, Tempe, AZ, 12:00pm
• 10/8/26, Binghamton University, Vestal, NY, 8:30am
• 10/19/26, Bentley University, Waltham, MA, 11:00am
• 10/20/26, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 12:00pm
• 10/20/26, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, 12:30pm
• 10/21/26, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, 12:30pm
• 10/22/26, Clark University, Worcester, MA, 8:30am
• 10/26/26, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 11:30am
• 10/29/26, University of Denver, Denver, CO, 1:00pm

In Naviance, please make sure to add any colleges in which you might be interested to the "colleges I am interested in" section. When colleges reach out for nominations for fly ins or early acceptance scholarships, we would love to include your name. Schools like Swathmore, Embry Riddle, High Point University, and others may ask and I'd love to be able to suggest you.

No time to visit campus in person? Try watching The College Tours. Each episode of the award-winning TV series shares the story of a single college or university through the authentic lens of its current students. Learn from real students about their real experiences on campus. This TV series is a comprehensive guide to aid your college research, helping you answer the ultimate question: ‘Which college is best for me?’ Take the ultimate campus tour now by watching episodes of this informative TV series. The College Tour at High Point University

• ACT's "My Journey" is a free series of live and on-demand webinars designed for high school students and families to navigate college planning, admissions, and career readiness. Led by Collegewise experts, these sessions cover topics like building application roadmaps, finding scholarships, and selecting colleges.

Don’t worry if you can’t make it on time. Your registration includes a recording of the event delivered straight to your inbox.

• Check the Scholarship website on the HRHS website for scholarships and scholarship search engines to help you find scholarships that meet your qualifications.
• I update scholarships that are sent to HRHS seeking potential applicants weekly. It is sorted by application due date.
• I will also post some in this newsletter

The path to college can feel overwhelming, but you do not have to navigate it alone! The Daniels Fund College & Financial Aid Showcase brings together trusted partners to help students better understand college applications, scholarships, financial aid, and the steps ahead. High school juniors, seniors, parents, and guardians are invited to join us for this FREE event.

Saturday, August 29, 2026
8:00 to 11:00 a.m.
CSU Spur Campus, Hydro Building
4777 National Western Drive
Denver, Colorado 80216
Refreshments will be provided

Register here: danielsfund.org/2026-showcase

Seniors took their first SAT in April 2026, and many choose to take it again this fall to improve their score. The SAT can help you keep your college options open, demonstrate your unique strengths, and even qualify for scholarships. And with 100% free practice resources, now including enhanced tailored practice based on your prior test scores and free small-group tutoring, you’ll have everything you need to get prepared.

Upcoming SAT Test Dates (Registration Deadline)

September 12 (August 28)

October 3 (September 18)

November 7 (October 23)

December 5 (November 20)

Upcoming ACT Test Dates (Registration Deadline)

• September 19, 2026 (August 14)
• October 17, 2026 (September 11)
• December 12, 2026 (November 6)
• February 27, 2027 (January 22)
• April 10, 2027 (March 5)
• June 12, 2027 (May 7)
• July 10, 2027 (June 4)

There are several tutors hoping to help students with various subjects or testing. A list can be found on the post grad website.

This is available for free in the Library every Access period, after school Mon-Thurs from 2:45-3:30, before school on silver days from 7:15-8:10!

Students sign up online for tutoring using this google form: Sign up for NHS Tutoring

What kind of help can you get from a tutoring session?

• One-on-One tutoring session -- specific skill or assignment

• A study buddy -- study and review for a test

• A homework helper -- while you work on your homework

• A writing coach -- organize your thoughts/edit your written work

• A reading buddy -- help you with your assigned reading

General Reminder: All seniors need to complete and turn in 20 hours of community service. Your completed hours are posted on your unofficial transcript. Need ideas?

To honor the dedication and bravery of former HRHS students serving in the military, we have a recognition wall for service members at HRHS. If you know of a former student enlisted with the military, I would like to include them in our display case. It is an opportunity for our school community to express gratitude and support for these individuals. Please email me the contact info and I can reach out to them to include their name, branch of the military and a photo/write up if available.

Army National Guard:

• September 9
• October 14

Marines:

• September 16
• October 21

Follow the HRHS Postgrad Instagram Page!