College & Career Monthly Newsletter
June Edition (Last one!)
Congratulations!
You did it!
Graduation is right around the corner, and with it, the end of high school. For some of you, high school was a time of great distress, turbulent, and grueling. You'll be happy that it's over. For others, high school was a wonderful time and you made lasting connections that will continue beyond the four walls here. And for some, it was just eh.
Whatever camp you fall in, it's time to move on. Love it or hate it, high school is now soon behind you. Take the time to celebrate your accomplishments (yes, graduating high school is an accomplishment) and get ready for the future. It may not seem like it now, but high school is such a small part of your life. The future has much more in store for you, so get ready!
Personally, I'm glad to have been your College and Career Counselor. Sure, I didn't get to meet a lot of you in-person, but in a weird, cosmic way, I guess I've reached out to all of you in some way or another. At the very least, I cluttered your inbox with my newsletter email.
At the end, I hope in some way I was able to have an effect on your high school journey. If you were able to think even for a second about your future plans because of my work, then I'll be satisfied.
Graduation Schedule
Graduation season is upon us. Here are the graduations per school.
- June 4th: Aloha HS, Sunset HS, Westview HS [Done]
- June 5th: Southridege HS, Mountainside HS, Beaverton HS,
- June 6th: ACMA, BASE
- June 8th: FLEX, ISB
- June 9th: Merlo
- June 11th: Early College HS
Pinning the Map
Seniors took time to pin where they were planning on going next year
Oh the places you'll go
Staying in Oregon, but we love in-state tuition!
Photo Booth Fun!
Say Cheese!
Important Dates!
Dates that you should put down in your planner!
- Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) opens October 1st.
- OSAC Scholarships opens November 1st
- You should work on your Common App NOW!
- PCC Foundation Scholarship opens November 1st
Seniors, you may be aware that you need to complete something in order earn your last bit of career credit to graduate high school. That instinct is correct, as you will need to fill out a Career Credit Form created by yours truly.
Here's what you'll need to do:
1. Access the form here: https://forms.gle/HU1mxsKyiEv4uyBc6
2. Fill out the Form
3. Access the APEX modules (Financial Aid and Careers) through the FOS Class of 2026. There are a few modules you must complete, but they are not graded.
4. In the form, there will be a section that asks if you are planning on going to college or pursuing another option. Choose the one that is appropriate for you and complete the relevant documents.
5. Submit the form!
Once you've completed everything, the counselors and I will review the submissions at a later date and award the career credit
Other info to note: The due date for the career credit is May 8th.
If you are stuck or have questions, please contact me at philip_hou@beaverton.k12.or.us
- Are you going to a 4 or 2 year school? You may need to make a Common Application account and start the application process!
- Do you need to take the SAT or ACT for your school? Check the Registration Deadlines!
- Do you need a Letter of Recommendation for a school? (Most schools don't, but it's always good to double check)
- FAFSA or ORSAA? Take a short quiz to see which one you need!
- What the heck are those? Learn more about FAFSA and ORSAA here!
- Are you an athlete and want to play sports in college? Register for NCAA or NAIA!
Stuff to do over the Summer to prepare for Senior Year
Before you start gnashing your teeth and jumping up and down, hear me out. Your senior year is going to be busy. In addition to school, you might have clubs, sports, a job, family responsibilities, etc. That doesn't leave you much time for college searches/applications, scholarships, financial aid, etc. So over the summer, I highly recommend you spend at least an hour a week working on college stuff. Even if you're not planning on going to college, it wouldn't hurt to do a little research. You never know, you might change your mind!
So here's some things to think about over the summer:
- Where do I want to go? Do I meet the requirements to go there? (and this applies to a 4 year, 2 year, or trades)
- Make a list of the above! Think about if those places match your financial, social, and academic wants/needs!
- Common Application (one stop shop: you fill out one application and can apply it to multiple colleges you are interested in)
- Common Application Essay prompts: Same as last year. You can also "re-use" your essay for scholarships that ask similar/the same questions
- FAFSA: You won't have to worry about this until October, but you can make an FSA ID right now!
- If you are undocumented and would like to attend higher education, you will need to fill out the ORSAA
- Make a spreadsheet! It's easier to keep track of things you need to do if you're organized. And this applies to everything, not just prepping for senior year.
- I was going to put on here take the ACT/SAT, but who wants to take tests over the summer? If you are planning on it, find out if your school even requires the tests. It might not!
- Think about what scholarships you might apply for! See the below post for more resources.
- Put on sunscreen! Skin cancer is bad.
Scholarships
If you're uncertain where to look for scholarships, I will provide a list of websites that are trusted and verified:
Oregon Specific: OSAC (this officially opens November 1st)
- Appily.com
You can sort by many different filters that can help narrow your search.
Chef
What is a Chef?
- "Direct and may participate in the preparation, seasoning, and cooking of salads, soups, fish, meats, vegetables, desserts, or other foods. May plan and price menu items, order supplies, and keep records and accounts." Quality Info
What level of Education do I need?
The typical entry level education for this occupation is a Postsecondary training (non-degree).
What's the wage range look like? (Throughout all Oregon, 2025)
- $21.99 (10th percentile) - $43.42 (90th percentile)
- Average Annual: $65,536
What does the growth look like in 10 years?
- 10 year growth is projected to be 12.9%mployment in this occupation in 2024 was somewhat larger than most occupations across the state. The total number of job openings is projected to be somewhat larger than most occupations in Oregon through 2034. This occupation is expected to grow at a somewhat faster rate than the statewide average growth rate for all occupations through 2034.
What are some schools I can go to for this occupation?
- Central Oregon Community College
- Lane Community College
- Linn-Benton Community College
- Southwestern Oregon Community College
- Christian Culinary Academy
- And more!
What are some other related fields?
- Bakers
- Food Service Managers
- Waiters/Waitresses
- Cooks, Private household/Restaurant
Gamer Moment
Your College & Career Counselor is a gamer 🤓 so if you have some time/$/or a library card, you should definitely play these:
- Clair Obscure Expedition 33 (phenomenal story about grief and amazing soundtrack)
- Super Battle Golf (more fun with friends and you will hate each other afterwards)
- Slay the Spire 2 (I haven't played it personally but a lot of my friends enjoy it)
- Devil May Cry 3 - 5 (bangers)
- Persona 3 4 or 5 (Long JRPGs, but worth it)
- Uncharted series (makes you want to rock climb)
- Street Fighter 6 (beast mode, baby!)
- Any Fire Emblem game (warning: you have to use your brain)
- Resident Evil 4 (the 2005 one)
- Risk of Rain 2 (☔☔☔)
- Team Fortress 2 (it's a classic and it's free!)
- Remember, use your time responsibly and take breaks!
Contact me!
Scheduled an appointment using the link HERE
Over the summer I will be periodically checking my email, but don't expect any reply until late August.
Email: philip_hou@beaverton.k12.or.us
Location: Tuesday Afternoon (PCC/Zoom Only) Wednesday/Friday (FLEX site)
Phone: 503-356-9170