PHS College & Career Corner

May 26th, 2025

Summer is (almost) here!😎

As we welcome the unofficial start of summer, we prepare to say goodbye to the 24-25 school year! Before we go, we have a few tasks to finish up successfully and enjoy a relaxing and productive summer. Additionally, a big thank you to all those who have served our country on this Memorial Day!

Check out our last senior section, if you are still looking for work please visit our job opportunities, plan ahead for SATs and ACTs, gear up for application season, and complete last minute tasks.

Finally, for those of you who applied to DCTS, unfortunately we have not yet heard about decisions. Please know that I will share this information as soon as I receive it! Thank you for your patience!

🎓 The Last Time - Class of 2025! 🎓

🎊 YOU are worth CELEBRATING! 🎉

Congratulations, Seniors!

A few items to check off before June 6th:

Complete Part 2 (the Google form) of the 2025 PHS Senior Survey if you have not already. Check your email to see if yours is missing!

Make sure you follow all steps outline in the Class of 2025 Senior Letter

We will automatically send your final transcript to the school you listed in your Naviance Survey as soon as it becomes available in mid-June. If anything changes, you must contact Ms. Allen or Mrs. Craft so that we can update your receiving school. If the transcript must be sent to a specific email address, please let us know!

Please see below for information from PHEAA about the state grant. If this was potentially listed as part of your financial aid package from your college, complete these steps now.

💻 PHEAA State Grant Updates 💵

FROM PHEAA:

As we approach the end of the school year, we want to share our plans for the upcoming launch of the 2025-26 PA State Grant Form. While students can’t apply yet (coming soon), there is something they can do now to get ready. Please help us share this important information!

Ensure students have completed their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) at StudentAid.gov—the FAFSA is the first step in applying for the PA State Grant Program.
Students who completed the FAFSA can set up their PHEAA Account Access to prepare for the PA State Grant Form.
Encourage students to monitor their inboxes and make sure @pheaa.org email addresses do not go to spam.

Accounts can be set up now, prior to the PA State Grant Form becoming available.

To set up Account Access:

Go to pheaa.org
Open the Sign In menu
Choose “Borrowers & Students”
Select “Continue to AES Account Access”
Create an account and provide any necessary information

NOTE: If a student already set up Account Access for another purpose, there is no need to do it again. New applicants may have an existing account if they applied for the Grow PA Scholarship Grant, for example. We will provide schools and students with more information as we get closer to the PA State Grant Form launch.

PHS Job Opportunities

If you or someone you know has a job opening, please email callen@rtmsd.org with a description of the job, how to apply, and who to contact for more information!

Link for page here: PHS Job Opportunities

Rising Seniors - It's Your Turn✅

Class of 2026 - Summer Counselor Letter

Dear Class of 2026 students and parents/guardians:

As the end of the academic year approaches, Penncrest counselors are hard at work preparing for your upcoming senior year. You’ve selected your courses for next year, you’ve met with your counselor individually to discuss your post-secondary plans, and many of you have already taken an SAT or ACT exam.

Penncrest High School Counselors are available during their summer hours to provide additional guidance and support for the entire college application process for rising seniors and their parents/guardians. Counselors will host a virtual College Application Boot Camp presentation and are available for individual planning meetings via Zoom with students and their parents/guardians. These sessions allow for individualized questions and planning for students while the virtual presentation provides a comprehensive overview of the entire college application process. A College Application Boot Camp presentation will walk students and families through the busy season ahead, with information about Naviance, deadlines, teacher recommendations, and more. The Zoom link for the College Application Boot Camp is posted below. Registration is required for the individual planning meetings. (See registration links below for each counselor.) Space is limited to a first-come, first-served basis.

Penncrest Counselor Summer Schedule for June 2025

(Counselor’s schedules vary. Please check the specific counselor’s calendar link for available dates.)

Registration Information:

To register for an individual planning Zoom session with your child’s counselor, please use the calendar scheduling links below:

Lori Rice-Spring (students with last names beginning with A and D-K): Lori Rice-Spring’s Calendar

Karen Kerr (students with last names beginning with Ba-Bo, Ca-Ck and L-Q): Karen Kerr’s Calendar

Helen Douglass-Garrett (students with last names beginning with Bp-Bz, Cl-Cz, and R-Z): Helen Douglass-Garrett's Calendar

Cassandra Allen (College/Career Counselor, available for all rising seniors.); Cassandra Allen's Calendar

Wednesday, June 25th, College Application Boot Camp Presentation via Zoom, from 10 until 11AM. Zoom Link

These programs are intended for rising seniors only. (Class of 2026)

Thank you,

Penncrest Counseling Department

25-26 SAT & ACT Dates

Please see below for upcoming SAT and ACT dates. Registration is found here: ACT Registration and SAT Registration.

*Students and families, if you currently qualify for free or reduced lunch, you are eligible for a fee waiver. Please see your counselor or Ms. Allen for a waiver!

🛟 Still Looking for Summer Plans? 💼

Fly-ins for College

Did you know that several colleges offer fly-in programs which allow qualifying students to visit their campus at no cost? Eligibility requirements vary and priority is sometimes given to first generation college students or those who might not otherwise have the means to afford such an opportunity. Examples include: Emory LEADS and Access Davidson. See Ms. Allen with questions!

Summer Programs with Openings

As highlighted in previous C&C Corner Newsletters, many colleges are offering pre-college programs. Note that these opportunities serve the purpose of providing in-depth exploration into a topic of interest (e.g., a STEM camp or insight into medical research) as well as giving students a chance to experience life on a college campus. Most colleges recognize that these programs come at a (sometimes steep) cost and are not typically factored into an admissions team's decision making. Examples include: Columbia University's Pre-College Program and Steven's Pre-College Programs.

Get a Job or Volunteer!

Looking forward to relaxing this summer? Take time to enjoy yourself! However, think about donating time to volunteer work for a cause that you love or...getting a job. Responsibility, time management, an ability to navigate conflict and work with others are all traits demonstrated to future colleges/employers/internship supervisors. In fact, it's one of the activities college representatives mention most when they talk about holistic reviews of applications. Check out our job board or look around town!

College Spotlight on: Our Service Academies⚓

As we celebrate this Memorial Day weekend and honors those who serve, let's take a look at the many paths to military service. Each year, we have students who directly enlist, enter an ROTC program, or enroll at one of Military Service Academies. Take some time to peruse these websites, learn about the opportunities, admissions, and service requirements that are part of serving in the military.

United States Military Academy

United States Naval Academy (including U.S. Marine Corps)

United States Air Force Academy (see here for the Space Force)

United States Coast Guard Academy

United States Merchant Marine Academy