PHS College & Career Corner
October 12th, 2026
📣 Falling into Fall🍁
Halfway through October and almost the semester (the marking period is over at the end of this month)! A busy but short week with a 1/2 day Friday and the PSATs on Thursday!
In this Week's Newsletter:
- FAFSA - State requirement with help sessions on Monday, October 19th.
- College Spotlight - Carleton College (my mentor professor attended this wonderful school!)
- Senior Free Apps - enough said!
- CIEE Day - Spend your summer abroad
- PHS College & Career Visits are in almost ending! Please register today!
FAFSA Completion Night - Monday, Oct 19th
Event Information
Please sign up for a slot using this link: PHS FAFSA Completion Night. There will be two time slots - 5:30 and 6:30. Please read the linked description to ensure you have all necessary documents. Students and parent(s) must attend together! Link to full invitation: PHS FAFSA Completion Night Invite
✋College App Help Sessions - Fall 2026✋
🙋 Frequently Asked Questions - Updated!
Please take advantage of these sessions to get your questions answered about STARS, requesting letters of recommendation, essays and more!
- ED? EA? When do I have to submit application materials?
- Deadlines are closer than they appear. For Nov 1st, please have transcript and LOR requests in no later than October 13th. For Nov 15th, please have requests in by October 30th.
- STARS colleges should be submitted 3 days prior to the deadline so you are able to activate your college applicant portal with each school and link your STARs.
- Early Decision=binding contract - make sure you understand what this means and that you let your counselor know your plan at least 5 days in advance so they can sign their part of the agreement.
- My school is not on the Common App. How do I let Penncrest know I've applied?
- Make sure you hand in your 26-27 Transcript Release and College Application Form
- Under the "My Colleges" tab in Scoir, click Add Colleges and fill out how you are applying and answer all the questions.
Free Apps!
Please check your potential college(s)' websites to see if they are participating in a free application week or month! These are opportunities to waive the $35-$95 fee.
SUNY starts next Monday and includes many schools in NY!
Additionally, some colleges will offer free apps until Nov. 1st (e.g., Monmouth University).
*Students who qualify for free or reduced lunch will always be able to receive fee waivers from their counselor. See Ms. Allen or your counselor with questions.*
📆 PHS College & Career Visits📆
📆 LAST BIG WEEK OF VISITS! October 2026 - PHS College & Career Visits 📲
- All registrations occur through Scoir! Classes of 2028, 2029, and 2030, you received an email earlier this month about how to access your account.
- Log in to Scoir through Clever on your RTMSD chromebook.
- If it is your first time registering, you will confirm your age and that you are not a robot. No username or password necessary because it is through your RTMSD/Clever account.
- Details and registration links can be found under the welcome screen on the right hand side under Register for Upcoming Events. You must register at least a day in advance.
- Visits are held in the College and Career Center in the counseling office or Lecture Room A. Please view the location when registering.
- You will receive an email prior to the scheduled visit that will confirm your registration. Please show that to your teacher AND make a Minga pass to come to the visit! Attendance is documented.
- SENIORS - if you plan to apply to a school or have already applied, ATTEND THE VISIT. The representatives will be looking for you!!!
October 13th - October 30th
Tue Oct 13th, 2026
- 08:05AM - 08:35AM - University of Michigan
- 08:50AM - 09:20AM - New York University
- 09:30AM - 10:15AM - CIEE - Summer Study Abroad Information Session
- 09:35AM - 10:05AM - Boston University
- 10:15 AM - !0:45 AM - University of Delaware
- 01:00PM - 02:00PM - CIEE - Summer Study Abroad Information Session
- 01:05PM - 01:35PM - University of Rhode Island
- 01:45PM - 02:15PM - Lehigh University
Wed Oct 14th, 2026
- 08:05AM - 08:35AM - Villanova University
- 08:50AM - 09:20AM - Colorado State University
- 09:35AM - 10:05AM - Rutgers University
- 10:15AM - 10:45AM - University of Richmond
- 11:45AM - 12:15PM - Northeastern University
- 01:05PM - 01:35PM - Franklin and Marshall College
- 01:45PM - 02:15PM - Holy Family University
Mon Oct 19th, 2026
- 08:50AM - 09:20AM - Florida Institute of Technology
- 01:05PM - 01:35PM - Saint Anselm College
- 01:45PM - 02:15PM - Dartmouth College
Tue Oct 20th, 2026
- 08:05AM - 08:35AM - Haverford College
- 01:05PM - 01:35PM - Bryn Mawr College
- 01:45PM - 02:15PM - Hofstra University
Wed Oct 21st, 2026
- 08:05AM - 08:35AM - University of South Carolina
- 01:45PM - 02:15PM - Lafayette College
Thu Oct 22nd, 2026
- 8:05AM - 08:35AM - University of New Hampshire
- 10:15AM - 10:45AM - Harcum College
- 01:05PM - 01:35PM - University of Tennessee
Fri Oct 23rd, 2026
- 01:05PM - 01:35PM - Virginia Commonwealth University
Mon Oct 26th, 2026
- 08:05AM - 08:35AM - Fairfield University
- 10:15AM - 10:45AM - Susquehanna University
Tue Oct 27th, 2026
- 08:05AM - 08:35AM - University of Pittsburgh (Johnstown)
- 08:50AM - 09:20AM - Mount St. Mary's University
- 01:05PM - 01:35PM - Salve Regina University
Wed Oct 28th, 2026
- 08:50AM - 09:20AM - Moravian University
- 01:05PM - 01:35PM - Alvernia University
Thu Oct 29th, 2026
- 01:05PM - 01:35PM - Albright College
Fri Oct 30th, 2026
- 01:05PM - 01:35PM - University of Massachusetts (Dartmouth)
CIEE - Summer Study Abroad Session - Tuesday, 10/13
Mr. Mike Chodroff from CIEE will be in the building to promote summer study abroad! World Language classes will have the opportunity to learn about these offerings!
- Tuesday, October 13th - 9:00 and 1:00
- Register through SCOIR
💡College Spotlight on Carleton College📣
Do you like frisbee? At Carleton College, students connect from the very first day through this round disk, bringing all together. Not only do they have a world-class ultimate frisbee team, Carleton emphasizes the importance of collaboration and curiosity. At a little under 2,000 students, this school is small by design, allowing their students to do real research from their first year with professors that quickly become mentors. In fact, they are ranked #1 in undergraduate teaching!
Additionally, the school is environmentally-conscious, bike-friendly, and have their own cookie house on campus. They are also committed to no-loan financial aid packages to meet a family's full need. Discover a liberal arts school in the midwest and see if Carleton just might be the right fit for you!
🗓 Coming Up!
1. IMPORTANT DATES 📆
- PSATS (10th & 11th grade students) - 10/15
- National Portfolio Review Day - 10/25
- Annual HBCU Fest - 11/14 - Alfred Street VA
2. SUMMER PROGRAM🌞
3. RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES 🤗
Little-Known Secrets of Paying for College - Thank you to Rory Sullivan and The College Funding Coach team for his wonderful presentation on Sept 30th. All resources are in the counseling schoology courses. Please reach out if you have questions!
Where Can I Find?
Information about the counselors and links to schedule appointments with your counselors: Counseling Department Schoology Courses or scan the codes below!
Registration for College & Career Visits: Scoir through Clever
College Application Instructions and Information: PHS Class of 2027: Guide to the College Application Process.docx or in the 12th grade counseling schoology course (tons of great information including links to videos and forms)
Penncrest Weekly Updates and College & Career Corner Newsletters: Archived PHS College & Career Corner Newsletters
Job Postings: PHS Job Opportunities - NEW OPPORTUNITIES POSTED THIS WEEK!!!
Cassandra Allen, PHS College & Career Counselor
Email: callen@rtmsd.org
Website: PHS Counseling Website
Instagram: @penncrest.counseling