PHS College & Career Corner

This special Friday edition of the PHS College & Career Corner highlights what you need to know for the SATs this Saturday, March 9th. We wish the best of luck to all our sophomores and juniors taking the exam! Please read the information carefully, as you are the first students to take the Digital SAT. You must be prepared with Chromebooks/laptops charged and the Bluebook app downloaded in advance.

Remember: Relax the night before - hang out with friends and family in a calm environment! Get to bed early but not too early. Make sure you have all your supplies ready to go. For the morning, eat a filling breakfast but stay within your normal food choices. Dress in layers and arrive a little early. Bring your confidence - You've got this! 🍀

Please review these reminders and visit this website to double-check what may be brought with you and what should be left at home: What to Bring on SAT Test Day

• Students are still required to go in person to a testing site. Report at 7:45 am.
• You should still bring a pen or pencil for scratch work and a snack/drink for breaks.
• There is a built-in calculator for the math section, but you may still bring your own (see acceptable requirements in the link above)
• Students take the exam on their personal laptop or tablet, a school-issued device or a borrowed device from the College Board.
• You must bring a fully charged computer - *Bring a charger just in case*
• Have the BlueBook testing app downloaded and updated on your computer
• Bring your picture ID (school ID, drivers license, or Passport) and your CollegeBoard registration ticket.

• The exam is now shorter, down to about two hours instead of three, and more time can be spent on each question.
• The digital SAT is composed of two sections: Reading and Writing and Math. Students have 64 minutes to complete the Reading and Writing section and 70 minutes to complete the Math section for a total of 2 hours and 14 minutes.
• There are shorter reading passages, with one question tied to each.
• Most of the questions are multiple choice, though some of the math questions ask you to enter the answer rather than select it.
• The exam will still be scored on a 1600-point scale.
• Both the math and reading sections will be divided into two parts. The second section will be easier or harder depending on how the test-taker performed in the first section.
• On all questions, there's no penalty for guessing: if you're not sure of the answer, it's better to guess than leave the response blank.

It's almost mid-March and no one has received official financial aid letters yet. It's frustrating, confusing, and not at all your fault! However, in order to receive financial aid, you must apply for financial aid. For merit-based aid, most schools do not require the FAFSA. However, in order to receive federal aid or state aid, you must complete the FAFSA. Colleges report that FAFSA submissions are down 38% from last year and higher education officials are worried about this decrease: New FAFSA Data Detail Slow Start, Uphill Climb Ahead for Class of 2024 - National College Attainment Network

That being said, we are here to help, as are the financial aid offices at your potential colleges. They hope to receive the data from the government by next week, with the goal of getting information to all you by early April. The PA State Grant has not yet opened, as they also need the information from the FAFSA since they have shifted to a new platform - GrantUs. I will share via this newsletter once we know that it is available for you to apply. If you do not know where to start, please reach out to me!

Don't forget the free money available through scholarships! Take an afternoon to write an essay, record a video, or complete whatever task is required of you to get that $500-$7500 award! Keep checking the Scholarship folder on Schoology in the counseling course for new scholarships.

See below for some excellent opportunities!

• March Career Link Calendar
• March 20th - Maris Grove Job Fair
• April 13th - Apprenticeship & Trades Fair @ DCIU Morton

Collegiate athletic conferences are often comprise of colleges with similar values, missions, and sizes. Though all unique in their own right, these schools band together in educational and athletic ideals. Today's spotlight is on the New England Small College Athletic Conference, which is a group of small, selective liberal arts schools in the northeast. As a NCAA Division III conference, they focus ensuring academics are a priority for student-athletes.

Member Schools:

• Amherst
• Bates
• Bowdoin
• Colby
• Connecticut College
• Hamilton
• Middlebury
• Trinity
• Tufts
• Wesleyan
• Willams
  

See if one of these colleges might just be the right choice for you!

1. College Fair | Neumann University: April 17th

2. Main Line Villanova College Fair: May 22nd

• Thinking about attending a military academy? You are STRONGLY encouraged to attend a summer session at one of the institutions as a rising senior. Applications due soon:

• West Point – Summer Leadership Experience (3/15/24)

• Naval Academy– Summer Seminar (3/31/24)

• Coast Guard Academy – AIM Summer Program (4/15/24)

West Point Admissions Event at Widener University: March 11th @ 6:30

Email: callen@rtmsd.org

Website: https://www.rtmsd.org/domain/208
Phone: 610-627-6212