PHS College & Career Corner

It's not October just yet, but fall is unleashing its fury on us this weekend. It's a great time to set a (short) list of intentions to complete. For our seniors, it might be getting your personal statement for the Common App finished. For our juniors, it might be registering for an open house at a college your interested in attending. For our sophomores and freshmen, it's time to start getting involved and attending the upcoming club & activity fair!

In this Week's Newsletter:

• Money! No, we do not have any giveaways, unfortunately. However, we are pleased to partner once again with The College Funding Coach to offer a webinar Little Known Secrets of Paying for College on 9/30 @ 6:30 pm. Details below! It's open to all families and 9th grade is a great time to start planning for future costs.
• Senior College Apps - Over a third of our class has already applied to colleges and PHS is ready to support our students! Remember to attend our help sessions and see below for FAQs.
• PHS College & Career Visits are in FULL SWING! Please see the calendar and register through Scoir (using Clever) to attend upcoming visits, with over colleges coming next week!

Please take advantage of these sessions to get your questions answered about STARS, requesting letters of recommendation, essays and more!

FAQs

• How do I know if I need to complete the Self-reported Transcript and Academic Record (STARs)? You will see this noted on the college's website under application requirements. Additionally, you can check Which colleges/universities accept the STARS? and create your account here. Alternatively, you can wait until after you submit at one of your STARs schools (e.g., Pitt) and set up your account through your college portal. They will have a place to link it. It only needs to be completed once and can be linked to several colleges after applying. Submit everything at least 3 business days before any deadlines to ensure all materials are in by the required date.
• I matched my Scoir and Common App account. Why haven't my materials been sent yet? This could be due to a number of reasons.
• 1. You have not handed in your 26-27 Transcript Release and College Application Form so your counselor does not yet know that you are applying and need your transcript sent.
• 2. You have placed colleges in your Common App account but did not fill out the General tab for each college that says what cycle you are applying for (fall 2027) and your admissions plan (Early Action, Early Decision, etc.). Scoir will not be able to submit materials until these items are completed.
• 3. You just handed in your form and have not provided 2 weeks/10 days for counselors to process materials. Each applicant's information is verified to ensure everything has been done properly!
• Do I have to wait until my Letters of Recommendation (LOR) are sent before I submit? No, you can submit when you are finished with your application. If the colleges require letters of recommendation, your application will not be considered complete until letters are received. If letters are not required, speak with your recommenders about when you are submitting and provide ample time for them to complete their letter around the time that you plan to submit. If it is a rolling admissions school, it is possible that your application may be reviewed upon receipt. This is not as common for early action schools with set deadlines.

• 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!!!

• NACAC Philadelphia College Fair - 10/10
• PSATS (10th & 11th grade students) - 10/15
• National Portfolio Review Day - 10/25

Examples include: ND on the Road - Philadelphia, UD Fashion Open House

Free Virtual College Admissions Workshops

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!!!

Email: callen@rtmsd.org
Website: PHS Counseling Website
Instagram: @penncrest.counseling