Class of 2027 Chief Points

Class of 2027,

And just like that, you're a week into senior year! I hope you've had a great start to your final year at Lakeland. Now that the initial excitement of being a senior has settled in, it's time to start getting serious about making a post-graduation to-do list, if you haven't already.

September is a great time to get organized, make a plan, and take some action—especially if you're planning on 4-year college. You don't need to have everything figured out yet, but you do want to make sure you're making steady progress. And remember, there are plenty of post-high-school paths beyond a traditional 4-year college, so this is about figuring out what makes sense for you.

In this month's newsletter, you'll find information about:

• 🎓 For all seniors: A few important reminders to make sure you're on track, including graduation requirements, service hours sheet, Job Shadow packet, and Diploma Form.

• 🏫 I'm giving a College Apps 101 presentation in senior English classes—Sept. 9th in Mr. Schuler's classes and Sept. 23rd in Ms. Misko's—to help get your application process underway. This will be an overview of everything you need to know including Scoir, Common App, Letters of Rec, Transcripts, FERPA, FAFSA, and more.
• Preview the College Applications 101 presentation
• Don't forget: College Application Guide and Postsecondary Counseling Website
• 📅 Mark the Calendar: Upcoming rep visits, college and career fairs, and financial aid events.
• 📝 SAT/ACT: Upcoming testing dates and reminders about sending scores, if needed.
• 💵 Financial Aid & Scholarships: Quick hits about what you should be doing now to make your next steps after graduation affordable.

Whether you have a clear plan for after graduation or you're still figuring out what comes next, I'm here to help. After the September presentations in English classes, I will be pulling all seniors individually to check in about your college and career plans. That will be the perfect opportunity to ask questions specific to your goals and where you are in the process.

Cheers to senior year!

Mrs. Wengert

One of the biggest milestones of senior year is earning your diploma, and we want it to display your name exactly as you'd like it to appear!

All seniors must complete the form linked below by September 30. If a form is not submitted by the deadline, your diploma will be printed with your name exactly as it appears in Infinite Campus. [Shoutout to the 20% of you who've done this already!]

❗ The last day for schedule changes this year is Wednesday, Sept. 9th. Please take one last close look at your transcript and your current schedule to ensure that you will meet all of your graduation requirements by the end of this year! Reach out to me if you have questions!!!

4 English Credits

3 Math Credits

3 Science Credits

3 Social Studies Credits

2 Art/Humanities Credits

1 Phys. Ed. Credit

0.5 Health Credit

0.5 Personal Finance Credit

7 Elective Credits

❗ Check Your Credits: Access your transcript in Infinite Campus under the Documents tab.

I monitor your credits, but it's important that you review your transcript, too! Make sure you're on track to meet LHS graduation requirements, and don't forget to check the admission requirements for the colleges on your list. For example, some four-year colleges require two years of the same world language. Taking a few minutes to review your transcript now can help avoid surprises later.

This is down from the previously required 20! Use the Service Hours Tracker linked below to track your hours. You can always pick up a paper copy from the Counseling Office.

*NHS Members: 10 of your hours from NHS can count towards meeting graduation requirements! For our documentation purposes, please write up 10 of your hours on our Service Hours Tracker, and have Mrs. Cantando sign off on your sheet after checking her online system.

Need ideas for volunteer/service hours?

• Reach out to the Scott Township Fire Dept. to ask about any way you can volunteer.
• If you're part of (or familiar with) a local faith community, ask them about ways to give back.
• Check out the U. of Scranton's Featured Volunteer Opportunities for ideas.

All students are now responsible for completing a job shadow experience. What this looks like is up to you, but the idea is to spend a full day (or at least half a day) shadowing someone in a career you are interested in. Whether you arrange to be in a law office, community center, police department, or construction site, your time should give you a behind-the-scenes look at a career field and help you gain self-insight: Do I like this? Could I really see myself in this field? Am I willing to do the post-high school training/college/etc. needed to enter this field?

Job shadow packets are available for pick-up in the Counseling Office and also linked below. *If you are unsure what to do or need help identifying a job site, you can reach out to discuss!

• Creating/managing your college list
• Scoir
• Common App
• Requesting Letters of Rec
• Transcripts
• FERPA
• FAFSA
• ...and more.

After the September presentations in English classes, I will be pulling all seniors individually to check in about your college and career plans. That will be the perfect opportunity to ask questions specific to your goals and where you are in the process.

*Dual Enrollment English Seniors: If you're not taking an English class at Lakeland, it is extra important for you to review the slides linked below and to use the resources on our website to get familiar with the college app process! We'll also have our individual meeting, during which I'll be happy to review key steps (i.e., connecting Scoir and Common App, FERPA, requesting LORs).

Especially if you are 4-year college bound, please take a look at the LHS Postsecondary Counseling Website, specifically the *College Application Guide.* A lot of this will be covered in the College Applications 101 presentation too, but for those already asking questions, you can help yourself with these resources!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) & links to the College Application Guide answers:

• When are college deadlines? Can you explain the different types?
• What should I consider when applying to colleges? How do I know where I should apply?
• What is FERPA? Do I need to sign that release?
• Do I really need to use Scoir ("score")? (Short answer: YES! You must use Scoir, linked below!)
• How do I request letters of rec? Who should I ask?
• Where do I fill out the Senior Brag Sheet so my letters of rec will be strong? (Answer: Scoir!!)
• How do I make sure my transcript gets sent to the schools I've applied to?
• What's the deal with college essays?
• Can you point me to scholarships?
• When/how do I fill out the FAFSA?
• What if college-based and federal financial aid isn't enough?
• How do I sign up for the SAT? How do I send my scores? Do I have to send my scores?

Log into Scoir (linked below) to see all upcoming college and career rep visits, which are being added all the time. Mark your calendars for when reps of interest will be at Lakeland! We already have the following institutions coming to us this fall:

• University of Scranton
• East Stroudsburg University
• Susquehanna University
• Kutztown University
• Marywood University
• Penn State University
• Misericordia University
• Temple University
• Lafayette College
• University of Delaware
• ...and more!

Rep Visits are during Lunch & Learn in the Commons. It's a great chance to meet a representative, ask them your questions, and gather information to help you decide whether to apply to a college.

*Note: Meeting a college rep can count as "demonstrated interest," a term that college admissions folks use when a high school student signals that they are truly interested in applying/attending. Colleges also track when you visit their campus and consider that in the admissions process.

Wed. Sept 16 - RailRiders Game & College/Career Fair

The RailRiders will host their annual College & Career Fair at PNC Field. The event aligns with a 1:05 PM game against the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, and high school students can attend the career fair and the game free of charge! There will be 20+ colleges attending, include: Johnson, Keystone, Misericordia, Arcadia, Lackawanna, King's, Marywood, Wilkes, and more. We can take up to 40 students, leaving the school after Lunch & Learn (leaving at 12:15 PM) and returning around 4:30 PM to the school. Students are responsible for coordinating their own ride home from the school. Sign-up link is forthcoming!

Thurs. Oct 8 - Healthcare College & Career Expo @ Viewmont Mall

The Northeast PA Area Health Education Center (NEPA AHEC) is hosting their 5th Annual Healthcare Career & College Exploration Event. They are welcoming colleges, universities and healthcare organizations to share their programs and opportunities with high school students, college students and professionals looking to expand their healthcare experience. This year they will have over 40 exhibitors. Space is limited to 40 students. Sign-up link is forthcoming!

Thurs. Oct 15 @ 9:00 AM - Regional College Fair @ Wilkes University

The Pennsylvania Association for College Admission Counseling (PACAC) hosts free regional college fairs across Pennsylvania connecting students, families, and high school counselors with admission representatives, financial aid experts, and military or trade vendors. Attendees use a digital barcode system via StriveFair to share information easily. Space is limited to 40 upperclassmen, with priority given to seniors. Registration is first-come, first-served. Sign up at the link below!

• Departure time: 8:00 AM (Meet in the Commons)
• *Our time slot to attend the College Fair is 9:00-10:00 AM. We will eat at the Shoppes at Montage before heading back to Lakeland.
• Return time: 12:15 PM

Tues. Sept 15 @ 6:00 PM

Lakeland Financial Aid Night. This will be an in-person session hosted at Lakeland for our students and families. Our speaker will be Jessie Beecroft, Assistant Director of Financial Aid at the University of Scranton. She will present to families on the financial aspects of college and answer any questions you may have.

Mon. Oct 19 @ 6:00 PM

PHEAA Virtual Financial Aid Night. A virtual information webinar hosted by the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) for seniors and families in our region. Link to the event forthcoming!

**Fall SAT @ Lakeland** The SAT will be offered at Lakeland on Saturday, November 7th. The deadline to register for the Nov. 7th testing date is October 23rd. Register here.

Our SAT/ACT testing page can answer all of your questions about SAT/ACT, including:

• What date(s) should I take the SAT or ACT?
• Should I even bother taking it? What does it mean for schools to be test-optional?
• How can I find test prep?
• How do I register?
• How do I send my scores? etc...

Applying for financial aid can feel overwhelming, but I will be sharing helpful resources throughout the year to assist you and your family throughout the process. Review the info below to get started!

LHS Postsecondary Counseling Website. The Financial Aid section of our counseling website lays out a lot of the financial aid process and frequently asked questions. I recommend getting familiar now, and referring back to it throughout the year. Here you'll find information such as:

• Why financial aid is important
• What financial aid is
• Tips to get you started
• The different financial aid applications
• When you apply for financial aid
• Who fills out the applications
• What the different types of applications look like

FAFSA. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for your freshman year of college, 2027-2028, will open on October 1st, 2026. Please note: The FAFSA is a form you will fill out EVERY year that you are in college, so make sure you use a personal email (not your Lakeland email) when creating an account, and make sure you write down your login information!

PHEAA. Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) is our state-specific resource for financial aid. They administer state grant programs, and help educate students and families about the financial aid process so that affordable higher education is more accessible. Especially as the cost of college continues to rise, resources like PHEAA are essential! Representatives from PHEAA provide a variety of webinars, including an overview of how to apply for all types of aid.

Tues. Sept 15 @ 6:00 PM

Lakeland Financial Aid Night. This will be an in-person session hosted at Lakeland for our students and families. Our speaker will be Jessie Beecroft, Assistant Director of Financial Aid at the University of Scranton. She will present to families on the financial aspects of college and answer any questions you may have.

Mon. Oct 19 @ 6:00 PM

PHEAA Virtual Financial Aid Night. A virtual information webinar hosted by the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) for seniors and families in our region. Link to the event forthcoming!

I will be continually updating you on scholarships available via these newsletters and the Class of 2027 Google Classroom. In the winter and spring, applications for scholarships within our local community (not advertised on scholarship search sites) will open up. For now, you can check out the Scholarships page of the LHS Postsecondary Counseling Website. It has some search sites that may provide you with opportunities!

During the summer, you can:

• Create accounts on reputable scholarship search websites (click the button below)
• Research scholarships offered directly by the colleges you're considering, especially for your intended major (i.e., Nursing, STEM fields, Education, etc.)
• Start a list of scholarships that interest you, along with their requirements and deadlines.
• Start brainstorming or drafting essays that you may be able to reuse for multiple applications.

Pro Tips: Stay organized and apply throughout senior year—not just all at once in the spring!

I know this was a lot of information, but remember: senior year is a marathon, not a sprint. You don't need to have everything figured out right now. Stay organized, focus on what's in front of you, and keep chipping away at your to-do list—the small steps you take now will make the months ahead much less stressful.

I believe in every one of you, and I can't wait to see all that you'll accomplish this year! Keep an eye out for future senior newsletters with more tips, reminders, and important deadlines. And remember, I'll see you in English classes this month for the College Apps 101 presentation.

Don't hesitate to reach out if you have questions or aren't sure where to start. I'm here to help!

Cheers,

Mrs. Wengert

Mrs. Wengert - ewengert@lakelandsd.org

Classes of 2027, 2029 & 2031

Make an appointment with Mrs. Wengert

Mrs. deQuevedo - ddequevedo@lakelandsd.org

Classes of 2028, 2030 & 2032

Make an appointment with Mrs. deQuevedo

Website: http://counselingatlakeland.weebly.com/
Location: 1355 Lakeland Drive, Jermyn, PA, United States
Phone: 570-254-9485
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lhscounselors/