DHS Guidance Newsletter

D.H.S. Guidance Buzz

November 2008

ANNOUNCEMENT: Financial Aid Night will be held at Dunellen High School on Thursday, December 4, 2008 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. This will be your opportunity to learn about the intricacies of the college financial aid process, which will begin with the January 1, 2009 filing of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Seniors and juniors are invited to attend the College Fair at Rider University on December 4, 2008. A bus will leave DHS at 9:30 a.m. And will return at 12:30 p.m. As transportation is limited, accommodations will be made on the first come/first served basis to those who sign up in Guidance.

SAT – Dec. 6th – Registration deadline is Nov. 5th. Late registration is Nov. 18.

SAT Fees – $45.00 (SAT I) $20.00 (SAT II) $23.00 (Late Fee)

ACT – Dec. 13th – Registration Deadline is Nov. 7. Late registration is Nov. 20.

ACT Fees - $31.00/no writing - $46.00 with writing

High school code for applications is: 310-280

Thank you for your patience as I have worked with the seniors re: their college applications. I have begun meeting with juniors and will continue over the next several weeks. If you have immediate concerns, please see me or make an appointment.

According to “Reach for Junior Year”, juniors should be developing their college lists based on information obtained from visits, brochures and online. You should also be building your resumes through work and/or extra-curricular activities, with an emphasis on leadership roles where possible.

I have met with all the seniors and am aware of your post-secondary plans. As we proceed through the college application process, please make note of the following:

Deadlines: Be aware of all the deadlines for all the colleges to which you plan to apply and give Guidance at least two weeks notice of any impending deadline. Update your activity list for your transcript as soon as possible.

Recommendation letters: If you haven't already asked two teachers for recommendations, do so immediately. My practice also is to send a counselor recommendation letter with each application; before I can write such a letter you will need to complete a Senior Uniqueness Form and sit for an interview.

Essays: Essays and personal statements are critical elements of most college applications. You should revise such writing several times and get feedback from teachers, parents and guidance counselors before sending them out.

As a junior and as a senior, you are encouraged to visit colleges three times a year; these count as “excused absence.” Pick up a “College Visitation Form” from the Guidance Office before you go to a college. Permission is needed first from your parent, Mr. Lynch and your counselor before you can visit. A signature from a college representative, while you are there, is also necessary. Return the form to Mrs. Missimer in the Attendance Office.

Representatives will be coming to D.H.S. during the lunch periods from colleges, the military, and business schools. Make sure you pay attention to the morning announcements for the dates. Take advantage of these opportunities to gather information and speak to the representatives. A list is posted in homeroom containing the schools and dates. You can check on our web-site as well!

Ø Berkeley College will be holding Open Houses on Nov. 15 and Dec. 13. Go to www.BerkeleyCollege.edu/OpenHouse for information on times and locations.

Ø Bridgewater College, Bridgewater, VA will hold Open Houses on Nov. 8, 2008, Jan. 31 and Feb. 21, 2009. If you bring a completed application with you to the Open House or apply online the application fee will be waived. For information and to register go to www.bridgewater.edu.

Ø Centenary College, Hackettstown, NJ will hold its Fall II Open House on Nov. 8. Check-in is at 9:30 a.m. Register online at www.centenarycollege.edu/events.

Ø Central Pennsylvania College, Summerdale, PA, will hold an Open house on Nov. 15^th. For information and to register go to: www.centralpenn.edu/events.

Ø The College of Old Westbury (SUNY) – 22 miles east of New York City on Long Island – will hold an Open House on Nov. 9^th from 9:00 a.m. to Noon. Visit www.oldwestbury.edu for information and to register.

Ø College of Saint Elizabeth, Morristown, NJ will hold an Open House & Financial Aid Workshop on Nov. 15 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Register and get information on this and other events at www.cse.edu/camputvisits.htm.

Ø Felician College, Lodi, NJ will hold an Undergraduate Open House on Nov. 15th beginning at 9 a.m. in the Lodi Cafeteria. For information and to register go to www.felician.edu.

Ø Lafayette College, Easton, PA will hold an Open House on Nov. 7^th. For information, go to www.lafayette.edu and click on “Admissions”.

Ø Lebanon Valley College, Annville, PA, will hold an Open House on Nov. 15^th. Go to www.lvc.edu (admissions) for information and to register.

Ø Loyola College in Maryland, Baltimore, MD, will hold its College Days Open House on Nov. 22^nd from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The comprehensive program includes faculty presentations on majors, in addition to a general information session and campus tour. For information and to register to to www.loyola.edu/admission and click “Visit”.

Ø Manhattanville College, Purchase, NY will hold a fall Open House on Nov. 8,th from 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Register and take a virtual tour at www.manhattanville.edu.

Ø Middlesex County College will hold its fall Open House on Nov. 2 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Go to www.middlesexcc.edu for information and directions.

Ø Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ will hold an Open House for prospective freshmen on Nov. 9th. For information and to register go to www.montclair.edu/admissions/visit.html.

Ø Mount Saint Mary College, Newburgh, NY will hold Open Houses on Nov. 16 and Dec. 7, 2008 and Jan. 25 and Feb. 22, 2009 from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Register and get more information at www.msmc.edu/admissions.

Ø Pennsylvania College of Art & Design, Lancaster, PA will hold an Open House on Nov. 15 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Application fee is waived during Open House. Register online at www.pcad.edu.

Ø Quinnipiac University, Hamden, CT will hold a fall Open House on Nov. 8th from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Register at www.quinnipiac.edu/visit.

Ø Ramapo College, Mahwah, NJ will hold an Open House on Dec. 7th beginning at 9:30 a.m. at the Bill Bradley Sports and Recreation Center. For information and to register go to www.ramapo.edu/openhouse/.

Ø Raritan Valley Community College will hold an Open House on Nov. 15^th from 10 a.m. to Noon in the College's Conference Center.

Ø Roanoke College, Salem, VA will hold Fall Visit Days on Nov. 4 and Nov. 8. Register at www.roanoke.edu/visit.

Ø Seton Hall University, South Orange, N.J. Will hold an Open House on Nov. 8^th. For information and to register visit: www.shu.edu

Ø Shippensburg University, Shippensburg, PA will hold an Open House on Dec. 6th beginning at 8:30 a.m. For information and to register online go to www.ship.edu/admiss/openhouse.html.

Ø The State University of New York Institute of Technology, Utica, N.Y. Will hold an Open House on Nov. 15^th. Popular majors include criminal justice, computer science, engineering, psychology, telecommunications and health information management. For information and to register, go to: www.sunyit.edu.

Ø The University of Delaware will hold a fall Open House – known as Blue & Golden Saturday – on Nov. 15th, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Sign up at www.admissions.udel.edu.

Ø The University of Scranton, Scranton, PA, will hold an Open House on Nov. 9^th. The application fee will be waived during this time. For information and to register go to www.scranton.edu.

Ø Western New England College, Springfield, MA will hold Open Houses on Nov. 9th and Dec. 7, 2008 and on Feb. 28, Mar. 28 and April 19, 2009. Register online at www.wnec.edu/admissions.

Ø William Paterson University, Wayne, NJ will hold a fall Open House on Nov. 16th at the Student Center beginning at noon. Register online at ww2.wpunj.edu/admissions/visiting/ohouse.cfm.

Ø Daemen College, Amherst NY will host Senior Visit Day on Nov. 11 at 9:30 a.m. Discover Daemen from a student’s point of view. Learn about available majors. For information go to www.daemen.edu/admissions.

Ø Kean University will hold Information Sessions on the five-year combined bachelor/master’s degree for high school science and math teachers and for research careers in such areas as biotechnology and computational math will be held on Nov. 19 and Dec. 1 at 6:00 p.m. All sessions will be in Kean Hall, K-127. For more information visit the website at www.njcstme.kean.edu or email njcstme@kean.edu.

Ø Lafayette College, Weston, PA, will host Multicultural Visit Day on Nov. 14^th, which will include a discussion on multicultural campus life. Go to www.lafayette.edu and click on “Admissions” for information.

Ø Middlesex County College has changed the application deadline for their selective Health Technology programs to Dec. 1, 2008 for the Fall 2009 semester. Programs include: Dental Hygiene; Medical Laboratory Technology; Nursing; Psychosocial Rehabilitation & Treatment; and Radiography Education. Apply online at www.middlesexcc.edu.

Ø The University at Buffalo (SUNY), Buffalo, NY, will hold Fall Discovery Day on Nov. 11^th; this will be of particular interest to students interested in the schools of architecture and planning, medicine and biomedical sciences, nursing, pharmacy, and public health and health professions. Visit; www.admissions.buffalo.edu/discoverday for information.

Scholarships are filed alphabetically in the Guidance Office. Please stop by before or after school to look at them. Ask Mrs. Wilhelm to copy it for you if it is the only one on file. We will be happy to send them out for you. Please provide us with an envelope and a stamp!

Feel free to borrow a college catalog, CD, video, or any other resource material from the Guidance Office. Please let one of the counselors or secretary know if you take something out. We have FREE career and college brochures and pamphlets available that you can keep! Check on our table and shelves.

JUNIORS and SENIORS: Important Reminder: You must complete 25 hours of Community Service as part of your graduation requirement. See Ms. Piano for further information on placements and hours.

Miscellaneous

Job opportunities are posted in the Guidance Office as they come in. Please check the inside bulletin board periodically if you are seeking employment. Let us know if you get a job! Working papers may be obtained from Mrs. Missimer in the Dean of Students office after you obtain the job.

Important information will be posted outside the Guidance Office on the small bulletin board. Such information will include test dates for PSAT, SAT and ACT tests. Be sure to check it periodically.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!