Counseling Department Newsletter

• Upcoming Events!
• For All Students:
• Maintaining Mental Health During Summer Time!
• For Junior Students:
• NEACAC Spring College Fairs
• College Planning Presentation for Juniors
• College Visit Checklist
• Fall SAT Registration
• For Senior Students
• Final Senior Year Tasks & Transcript Fees
• Financial Aid Presentation & Scholarships
• Making Sense of the Financial Aid Letter
• Mental Health Matters!
  

Upcoming End of the Year Events!

Monday, May 27th: Memorial Day, No School

Tuesday, May 28th - Thursday, May 30th: Senior Final Exams, Periods 1 - 4

Friday, May 31st: Senior Final Exams, Periods 1 & 2

Saturday, June 1st: SAT Testing at WRHS

Tuesday, June 4th: Science MCAS Testing for 9th Grade & Baccalaureate for Grade 12, 7:00 pm

Wednesday, June 5th: Science MCAS Testing for 9th Grade

Thursday, June 6th: Graduation at DCU, 6:00 pm

Tuesday, June 11th: Last Day of Quarter 4/Semester 2 for Grades 9, 10 & 11

Wednesday, June 12th: Final Exams, Full Day

Thursday, June 13th: Final Exams, 11:55 am Dismissal

Friday, June 14th: Final Exams, 11:55 am Dismissal

Monday, June 17th: Final Exams, 11:55 am Dismissal

Tuesday, June 18th: Last Day of School, 11:05 am Dismissal

Summer is around the corner and although it's a time filled with sunshine and fun, students can also struggle due to the lack of school supports, disruption to daily routines, and less natural opportunities for social connection with others.

Check out this ARTICLE on how all students can support their mental health during summertime!

New England Association for College Admission Counseling (NEACAC) has scheduled some college fairs that will be taking place between May and June.

There are still two fairs that will be held in Massachusetts later this month:

1. Wednesday, May 29th at Assumption University in Worcester, 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
2. Thursday, May 30th at Bridgewater State University in Bridgewater, 9:00 am - 10:00 am, 10:00 am - 11:00 am, and 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

If you are interested in registering or learning more information, click the link here

If you were not able to attend our recent College Planning Presentation for Junior students and their families on preparing for the college admissions process this summer, you can review the slides and listen to a recording of the presentation HERE.

With the weather getting warmer, late spring and summer are great times to plan college visits! Talk with your family about visiting colleges. We have a College Visit Checklist to bring with you that can help you when you start making decisions on which colleges you want to apply to. Click here for the checklist and make sure to print it out to bring with you!

SAT registration is open for the 2024-25 testing year.

Many colleges consider SAT scores as part of their holistic admission and placement decisions. Most juniors take their first SAT in the spring and many take it again in the fall of their senior year to improve their score. It can help you keep your college options open, demonstrate your unique strengths, and even help you qualify for scholarships.

Upcoming 2024-25 SAT Dates & Regular Registration Deadlines:

August 24,2024 - Register by August 9, 2024

October 5, 2024 - Register by September 20, 2024

November 2, 2024 - Register by October 18, 2024

December 7, 2024 - Register by November 22, 2024

March 8, 2025 - Register by February 21, 2025

May 3, 2025 - Register by April 18, 2025

June 7, 2025 - Register by May 22, 2025

Students should register HERE for upcoming tests. Please note that not all test dates are available at Wachusett.

Seniors! As we are nearing the end of the school year, there are a handful of important tasks that need to be accomplished so that you can collect your graduation tickets and move on to the next chapter.

1. Naviance End of Year Surveys - All students need to complete the following TWO surveys in Naviance, listed on the homepage by clicking on the dropdown next to your initials in the upper right hand corner of the screen. The first survey is the Graduation Survey and the second survey is the Senior Exit Survey Class of 2024.

2. Senior Transcript Fees - $12.00 must be paid through RevTrak online if you had transcripts sent to any colleges this school year. Please review the directions for how to pay online below:

• Go to the WRHS Online Payment Center
• Click on the Wachusett Regional High School block
• Click on the Transcripts block
• Enter Student's last name, Student's first name and student i.d. #
• Proceed to payment options (credit card)

If paying this fee poses a financial hardship, please connect with your school counselor.

3. Indicate the College You Are Attending - If you are attending college next year, please log into Naviance, go to the Colleges I'm Applying To list, and indicate the ONE college you will be attending next year at the bottom of that list.

All students must complete the two surveys to receive their tickets to graduation. If you applied or are attending college next year, you will also need to pay your transcript fee and indicate the college you will attend.

Have you received financial aid award letters? Going Merry has an article to help you understand your award letter. Due to the issues with the FAFSA, many schools are delaying the Decision Deadline from the typical deadline of May 1st to June 1st. Be sure to check the websites of the schools you are considering attending for their specific acceptance deadline.

In May, we celebrate National Mental Health Awareness Month! Here at Wachusett, students will be asked to help mental awareness bloom at Wachusett by placing a paper flower on the wall outside of the auditorium with the following:

1. A healthy coping strategy that works them

2. A positive change that they could make to support their own mental wellness

3. A message of hope and support for others struggling with mental health challenges.

Take a look at some of the amazing messages shared in our Wellness Garden below!

Book an appointment with your counselor here!

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