College Applications - Hurry

 The College Application process is underway and seniors should be applying. There are a lot of steps to navigate so it is important that the process get started.

Each school has different deadlines and requirements for needed items. Be sure to check with each school to verify that you have the correct information. November 1st is a deadline for several schools, so check these out soon!

If you have any questions or need to clear any confusion, please see your counselor as soon as possible. We will try our best to help with any questions regarding applications, common app, Naviance, or even FAFSA.

Seniors Going to College - How Far Along Are You?

We are now well into October. Any senior planning on going to college should be started with the process. If not, TODAY is the day to get started. Below is a checklist of things that should be done or at least underway by now.

• Investigate colleges and possible majors to find a good fit. (See your counselor if you are struggling with this step.)
• Visit colleges (It is important to see if a specific college is a good fit for you.)
• Apply to colleges (All applications can be found on the colleges' websites.)
• Complete FAFSA (Please complete ASAP. You do not want to lose out on money that will be gone if you wait. FAFSA is mandatory this year for graduation.)
• Start looking for scholarships (Check out Scholarship link to the right and the Off to College Guide for more links to great scholarship websites.)

Check out your account on Naviance.com to update your college page. This will help your counselor send out materials in a timely fashion.

IVC/ICC Spring Dual Credit Classes

IVC is partnering with ICC to give our juniors and seniors a chance at earning college credit at a discounted price. Classes available are:

-- ART 110 Art Appreciation

-- BUS 110 Intro to Business

-- COMM 110 Intro to Communication
-- ENGL 110 Composition I
-- ENGL 111 Composition II

-- HLTH 121 Medical Terminology
-- MATH 110 Concepts of Mathematics
-- MATH 111 General Statistics
-- PSY 110 Introduction to Psychology
-- SOC 110 An Introduction to Sociology

A detailed description of these classes can be found here. If you have any interest in taking any of these classes, all of which are held virtually, please email ldavis@ivcschools.com. The deadline to enroll is Tuesday, October 19th.

Senior Retreat Is Back!!

We are very excited about the return of the senior retreat. After a year off because of covid, the retreat has returned. The retreat will take place Nov. 3-6 at Eagle Crest Camp in Washburn.

Some info about the retreat...

-- The retreat is four days in length and nearly 100% led by a group of students who graduated last year.

-- This is the 31st retreat. Over 1,000 students have attended the retreat over the past sixteen years.

-- If a student would like to attend but cannot afford the retreat ($90), there are some partial and full scholarships available if the student comes to see one of the counselors.

Please see one of the counselors for a registration sheet. The sheets are due by October 22nd. See any counselor with questions.

Parents' Guide to Teen Depression

Teenagers face a host of pressures as they navigate their way through some tough years. With all this turmoil and uncertainty, it isn’t always easy to differentiate between normal teenage growing pains and depression. But teen depression goes beyond moodiness. It’s a serious health problem that impacts every aspect of a teen’s life. Fortunately, it’s treatable and parents can help. This article from helpguide.org is a fantastic resource for recognizing the signs and symptoms of depression and a list of ways to help your teen.

Click here for the article

Fire Science/EMS Career Day

This event is open to juniors (and sophomores), but limited to 10 students per school.

This career day encourages students to seek high-skilled, high-demand, high-wage careers in Fire Science and Emergency Medical Services. Students will rotate through the East Peoria fire station, training facility, and classrooms talking with firefighters and learning first-hand what a day in the life of a firefighter is really like. Learn what you can do to enter this noble profession!

Date: November 16th

Time: 8:30-11:30 a.m.

Where: East Peoria Firefighters' Training Facility

See Mr. Kosinski in Counseling Office if interested.

Avoid These Common FAFSA Errors

Mistakes can delay your application and limit the amount of aid you are eligible to receive. To avoid errors, carefully read all of the questions on the FAFSA. Some of the most common FAFSA errors are:

• Leaving blank fields. Enter a '0' or 'NA' instead
• Using decimal points. Round to the nearest dollar
• Listing an incorrect Social Security or driver's license number. Triple-check these
• Failing to use your legal name. Avoid nicknames
• Listing incorrect marital status or failing to include the appropriate parents. If custodial parent is re-married, you will need to include your step-parent's information
• Failing to count yourself as a student
• Failing to count an unborn child. Number in household is for the upcoming school year, so, for example, if your mom is pregnant, she is counted as '2' people
• Forgetting to list the colleges you have applied to. Make sure the schools receive your information!

A WONDERFUL service is offered to Illinois students through the Illinois Student Assistance Commission. Our representative, Simone Bridgeforth, will schedule a meeting with parents and students who are filling out the FAFSA free of charge to answer any questions you may have. Contact your Guidance Counselor for more information.

Questions to Ask on a College Visit

One of the best ways to learn more about a college is to visit their campus. When you're visiting, it is to your advantage to slow down and ask several questions. While it is helpful to talk to the admission staff (individuals who are paid to talk up a school), it also very insightful to talk to students about what they like and don't like about their school (individuals who will give their honest opinion). 

Here is a list of questions to ask while on a campus visit:

$500 Up For Grabs to an IVC Student

One IVC student will walk away with $500 in this year's Voice of Democracy Contest sponsored by our local VFW. Students need to create a 3-5 minute oral essay. The competition is open to all IVC students. The winning submission from IVC will move on to the state competition. Last year's winner Reese Hankins finished 5th in State.

Topic: America: Where Do We Go From Here
Grades: 9-12
Top Prize: $500
Second Prize: $200
Due Date: October 31st
For more details: Entry forms may be picked up from any counselor, English teacher or social studies teacher.

Basically students will need to write an essay and then turn it to an audio file. It is actually quite simple. The teachers at the high school use many different programs to save audio. Students should ask their English teacher if they are unsure what program to use. The counselors have thumb drives available if needed.

Link to Application

FAFSA Opens Today!!

Today is the first day that families can fill out the FAFSA. For a list of steps to completing the FAFSA, check out this link.

Reminder that it is important to fill out the FAFSA as soon as possible. There is a limited amount of MAP grant money in Illinois. This is money that does NOT need to be repaid.

Filling out the FAFSA is also a graduation requirement, so be sure to get this done ASAP!

ICC Visit Days

Illinois Central College has released this year's Fall Campus Visit Days.

Reserve your spot online by clicking here.

The full list of visit days is as follows:
October 1st - General Studies/Undecided

October 11th - General Studies/Undecided

October 22nd - Agricultural & Industrial Technologies

November 5th - Health Careers

November 11th - General Studies/Undecided

November 18th - Culinary Arts Open House

December 3rd - General Studies/Undecided

College Reps Visiting IVC

            

Over the next three weeks, several colleges and universities are sending representatives to IVC to answer student questions, give students a feel for the schools, and highlight the key aspects of their respect schools. Seniors are HIGHLY ENCOURAGED to sign up for these visits. Stop down in the Guidance office or click this link to sign up for one or more of these visits!

Seniors: FAFSA Opens Up Next Week

 

PSAT/NMSQT

Listen up Juniors! The PSAT/NMSQT will be offered on Wednesday, October 13th at 8:00 AM at IVC. There are only 35 spots available, so sign up today! The cost of the test is $17. Sign up with Mrs. Placher in the Guidance office.

The PSAT/NMSQT is a great way to preview and practice for the SAT. It will test the same skills and knowledge as the SAT. When you receive your test results, connect your College Board and Khan Academy® accounts to obtain free personalized SAT study recommendations. More information can be found here.

ISAC Guide to Programs and Services

This handy guide explains many of the available programs and grants available through ISAC (IL Student Assistance Commission). Explanation of the following programs includes:

• MAP Grant
• IL Veteran Grant
• IL National Guard Grant
  
• Minority Teacher Scholarship
• Special Ed. Tuition Waiver
• IL Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program
• Nurse Educator Loan Forgiveness Program
• ...and more.

Click here for more info

Army ROTC Tuition Waiver Scholarships

If you are interested in pursuing a future as a Commissioned Officer in the United States Army through the ROTC program while earning your degree at one of several Illinois public schools, you may be eligible for and receive the Illinois State Tuition Waiver Scholarship (ISTW) by participating in the ISTW Combine. Applications must be emailed to arotc@illinois.edu no later than October 16th. Click here for more information about qualifications. You can find the application here.

Illinois State Universities - At A Glance

State Universities - Summaries At A Glance

This document provides a summary of minimum high school course requirements for admission of freshman to Illinois public universities. That includes course requirements, foreign language requirements, admissions requirements, application filing dates, and tuition and fees.

State Universities - Majors At A Glance

This document provides a summary of majors at Illinois public universities.

Golden Apple Scholarship

The Golden Apple Scholarship is available for any senior who is hoping to study in the education field. Students can trade up to $23,000 of tuition support for beginning their career in a high-need school. More information on this scholarship program can be found at www.goldenapple.org with the application found here.

U of I - Program Explorer Tool

Before students apply to U of I, they are encouraged to check out the Program Explorer tool.

For each major at U of I, the Program Explorer tool provides a brief description, what graduates do with the degrees, how much the program costs, graduation and retention rates, related majors, and more.

Students can also take a self-assessment to discover which of the majors relate to their interests, explore majors by Holland type, and compare majors side by side.

Since students are admitted by major at UIUC, this tool is especially important to those applying. Hopefully this tool will help them make an informed decision on prospective major.

Questions About College Planning and Financial Aid??

Did you know you can get answers sent directly to your phone? With the ISAC College Q&A FREE text messaging service, you can get your questions answered and received important information about college planning events and deadlines - all via text.

It's easy to get started! Simply text your first and last name to 309-306-7066.

Virtual College Fair - COMING SOON

Midwest Virtual College Fair

The upcoming Midwest College Fair is right around the corner. This is a fantastic chance to meet some college reps and get some questions answered. Some of the area colleges at this virtual fair include:

Bradley University

DePaul University

Illinois College

Knox College

Millikin University

SIU-Carbondale

SIU-Edwardsville

Western IL University

Click on the image or link here to get more information about the fair

ISAC Financial Aid Presentation

If you were unable to attend Thursday night's Financial Aid night, you can find a copy of the presentation here. The presentation covered the differences between scholarships, loans, grants, and more.

Reminder that there is a parent Off to College breakfast on Friday, Sept. 17th at 8:30 at the Chillicothe Public Library as well as a parent Off to College night on Wednesday, Sept. 22nd at 6:00 at the IVC Library.

College For Free - It IS possible

SIU Carbondale is now offering the Saluki Commitment. The Saluki Commitment is their pledge that all students who meet certain criteria are guaranteed that tuition and mandatory fees will be fully covered for eight consecutive semesters at no cost to students or families.

Recipients must meet all of the following criteria:

• Be a first-time incoming freshman enrolling full-time in the fall 2021 semester or later
• Have a cumulative high school GPA of 2.75 or higher
• Have an annual family income less than $63,575 with assets less than $50,000 based on the FAFSA
• Be an Illinois resident who attended an Illinois high school
• Be a dependent student under age 24
• Be eligible for Federal financial aid

How to qualify (and stay qualified):

• Have a current FAFSA on file by December 1
• Apply for admission by March 1
• Enroll in a four-year degree program at SIU Carbondale
• Stay enrolled full-time for eight consecutive fall and spring semesters
• Maintain satisfactory academic progress in order for the commitment to be renewed

The Saluki Commitment does not cover housing, course fees, student health insurance, parking permits and fines, summer courses, Study Abroad, books and indirect costs such as transportation and supplies.

College Board Opportunity Scholarships

All seniors are eligible to earn scholarship money - just by completing college planning steps that are beneficial to all students regardless of the financial incentive! No GPA, test score, application, or essay required. By creating a College Board account (www.collegeboard.org), students can build their college list, practice for the SAT, explore scholarships, and so much more - each of the steps will enter students into a drawing for $500. More information can be found here.

Illinois Colleges with NO Application Fee

Some colleges are offering no application fees for up to the whole year. That means it will cost you $0 to apply to these colleges. You can't beat that deal. We will update it as more colleges offer free  

Augustana College
Aurora University
Bradley University
Elmhurst College
Eureka College
Greenville College
Illinois College
Illinois Wesleyan University
Lake Forest College
Loyola University Chicago
McKendree University
Millikin University
Monmouth College
Rockford University

Senior Off to College Meeting

The counselors met with the senior class this morning to cover the ins and outs of the college application process and other options after graduation. Each counselor will also meet individually with the seniors to talk in detail post-secondary plans.

If you would like to see the topics covered, please click here for the presentation.

A copy of the Off to College Guide was distributed. Students will be able to find almost every topic discussed at the assembly in the Off to College Guide.

Homecoming Activities Coming Soon!!!

Homecoming week will be here soon (September 27th- October 2nd)!!!

This is a great way to meet new people, get involved with your class, and have FUN!! 

Float building and hall dec prep may begin on Friday, Sept 17th. 

 

If you want to help your class, reach out to the class sponsors for schedules (float, hall decorations, & skit).

The following faculty are class sponsors:

Senior:  Mrs. Aldrich & Mrs. Webb 

Junior:  Mr. Blankenship & Miss Ramseyer

Sophomore: Miss Danzer & Mrs. Hofer 

Freshmen:  Mrs. Bogner, Mr. Kosinski  & Mrs. Placher

Job Opportunity - Apply Now

LUTHERAN HILLSIDE VILLAGE is now hiring part time dining associates! We are looking for day shift and evening shift candidates! Benefits include a friendly, team-focused environment. No late nights, and flexible schedules.

Click here for more info

Combatting Test Anxiety

"I know the material but when the test arrives, I draw a blank." We hear that quite frequently in the Counseling Department. Test anxiety can most easily be described as the excessive worrying about performing well on a test. Test anxiety can be very tough to overcome at times. With a little bit of work, though, it can be reduced.

• Preparing for the test is the best way to counter test anxiety. The #1 reason for test anxiety is that the student is not confident that he or she truly knows the material. Confidence comes from preparation.
• Reducing negative thoughts is so important when taking a test and

Freshman Assembly

The counselors met with the freshmen today during homeroom to give them a brief overall of how the department works. 

 

Things that were covered include:

-- who the counselors are,

-- the different reasons a freshman may want to chat with us,

-- where our office are located,

-- how to go about requesting to see us,

-- confidentiality,

-- living up to their awesomeness,

-- getting involved,

-- and who their class advisors are.

ICC's Agriculture, Diesel, and Horticulture Showcase

Great Way to Use a College Visit Day!!
Friday, Sept 17th  

9:00-1:00 at ICC

 

Explore high-demand careers in the high-tech agriculture, diesel-powered equipment, and horticulture industries at the ICC Agriculture, Diesel, and Horticulture Showcase. This free event includes tours and live demonstrations by ICC students showcasing the latest technology in agriculture, construction, and heavy truck equipment. Browse equipment displays from industry partners and ask questions about career opportunities. For more info, call (309) 694-5200. Click below to register.

Do you know all that high school has to offer?

Getting Involved At IVC 

 

IVC has dozens of sports, clubs, groups, and activities for students of all ages and interests. Check out the list to see many of the great options IVC has to offer!

If you have questions about any sport, club or activity, contact a counselor. We can point you in the right direction. 

2021-22 Off to College Guide

All seniors will be receiving this year's Off to College Guide at the senior meeting next Wednesday (Sept 1st.) The guide is packed information such as: timelines, factors to consider, college open houses, keys to the process, important website links, and steps to writing a great essay.

The guide can be accessed by clicking this link.

Off to College Parent Breakfast

 

Important Dates for Seniors and Parents

Below is a list of important dates this year with a short description of each. We encourage seniors and parents to attend as many of these programs as possible. For more info on any of them, please call (309) 274-5481 x2.

Financial Aid/Scholarship Night
Thursday, Sept 9th
6:00 p.m. - IVC Library

A representative from the IL Student Assistance Commission will be at IVC to present a program on financial aid and scholarships. This program is very informative, especially for those parents who are new to the college application process. FAFSA will also be introduced.

Off to College/FAFSA Intro Breakfast
Friday, Sept 17th
8:30-9:30 a.m. - Chillicothe Library

This is our 12th year offering an Off to College Breakfast at the Chilli library. The breakfast will cover the application process, some of the ins and outs of college, tips for parents, and more. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) can be

SAT TEST - October Test Deadline Approaches

The deadline for the October 2nd SAT is coming up. Registration deadline is Spetember 3rd. Any senior who plans to retake the SAT should sign up ASAP.  To register, students should go to www.collegeboard.org. The test is not given at IVC but there are nearby testing centers.

Sidenote: All juniors will be taking the test in April. The school takes care of that registration.

SENIORS - What is Parchment?

Parchment is the electronic transcript site that makes sending transcripts simple. It is completely free for all students currently in high school. The best part...it takes about 2 minutes to go on the site and request a transcript. The counselors then click an approve button and the colleges have the transcript. It is the only way that transcripts will be sent to colleges, universities, NCAA, etc.

Reminder to seniors: You must register using the email that was sent to your school email from Parchment. Registration takes about 5-10 minutes but will only need to be done once. After you are registered, ordering transcripts couldn't be simpler.

Note to Parents: The student must sign up for Parchment using the link to his/her school email address. Any accounts using other email addresses will not work because the account will not be properly linked to our school. Please encourage the students to set up the account as soon as possible. It is the only way transcripts will be sent.

Welcome to the New School Year!!!

We are so glad to get back to school. With the exception of masks, this school year will hopefully look a lot more "normal" than last year did. There will definitely be a blend of in-person and virtual events hosted by the counseling department throughout the year. We look forward to staying in touch with all parents and students.

New to the Counseling Department:
Mrs. Rachel Williams - Mrs. Williams comes to us from Midland High School. She will be taking over the caseload that Ms. Lee had in past years.  We are super excited to have Mrs. Williams aboard. 

Please reach out to any of the counselors with any questions you may have:

Mr. Mark Kosinski (students last name A-K) - mkosinski@ivcschools.com

Mrs. Laura Davis (students last name L-Z) - ldavis@ivcschools.com

Mrs. Rachel Williams (students with IEPs and 504s) - rwilliams@ivcschools.com

Seniors Going to ICC in the Fall

ICC’s Smart Start Boot Camp

July 12 - August 6 (Monday- Friday)

8:00 am – 3:00 pm

ICC East Peoria or Peoria Campus

(in-person with adherence to COVID-19 guidelines)

Smart Start is a four-week summer program designed to strengthen your math and English skills and develop college success strategies to prepare you for the transition to academic life at Illinois Central College.

As a student in the Smart Start program, you will:

• Develop skills to be successful in college
• Gain a greater understanding of ICC resources
• Establish a support system of fellow students & college personnel

$25 one-time fee, which students receive back as bookstore credit upon successful completion.

REGISTER now. Enrollment is limited.

icc.edu/smartstart

Questions? Contact ashaw@icc.edu or earlycollege@icc.edu

Need a summer job - How about detasseling??

Team Corn is hiring for Summer Jobs

• Great Wages & Hourly Incentive Pay
• Free Transportation
• Flexibility with your schedule
• Leadership Opportunities

You can apply online at:   www.teamcorn.com

ICC OPEN HOUSE

 ICC would like to announce that in-person Open House is back. Students and families can explore the 150+ programs of study at ICC, meet in-person* with faculty and staff, discover student activities, and begin the steps to enrollment.

ICC Open Houses:
Thursday, April 22 from 3-7 pm (East Peoria Campus)
Tuesday, April 27 from 3-7 pm (Peoria Campus)

Advance registration is required to ensure social distancing and capacity limits.
Register at icc.edu/openhouse.

*Face masks are required and all COVID guidelines will be followed for safety measures.

Can't make an Open House event? The ICC Admissions team is now meeting in-person* with potential students. Visit icc.edu/visit to schedule an individual visit to the ICC campus.

SENIORS: Which Scholarships Need Recommendations

Local Scholarships are due in a few weeks.  Just to clear up some confusion, recommendations are only needed for a number of the scholarships. Please ask the people as soon as possible.

Below is a list of the scholarships requiring a recommendation.

• Chet Coffey Scholarship
• Cusac Scholarship
• Fraternal Order of Police Scholarship
• Jane Harms Scholarship
• Leighton Scholarship
• Noah Ordaz Heart of Gold Scholarship
• Path to Gold Scholarship
• Pilger Scholarship
• Truitt Scholarship

A How-to-Guide to Freshman Registration

Planning a schedule for freshman year can be quite an intimidating process. Hopefully this blog post will help students and parents through the process. The lime green registration sheets are due by Thursday, March 25th to the student's grade school main office. Class selection should also be inputted into TeacherEase before returning the sheets (for those students with access to TeacherEase.)

The front side of the registration sheet is the demographic portion. It is important that it be filled out completely since the information will be entered into the computer system.

Please click below for further instructions...

Pearce Hiring Swim Instructors

Pearce is looking for Swim Lessons Instructors to help out with youth swim lessons. It’s a good way to get a head start on your Spring Break or Summer job and help teach valuable skills to kids in the community. A great, and fun, job for lifeguards or anyone with swimming experience. Fill out an application at pearcecc.com or come in a fill out an application. Any questions call Pearce and ask for Andrew.

Scholarship Presentation

The counselors met with the senior class this morning to present all of the local scholarships available to the students for the 2021-22 school year.

Any student who was not in attendance is encouraged to take a look at the presentation by clicking here and stopping by the counseling office to chat with the counselors about any other tips that may have come up during the presentation.

All scholarships must be accessed through Naviance. Students can log in to Naviance using Clever.  The list of scholarships can be found by clicking here or the link in the Local Scholarships Section to the right.

ICC Scholarship Deadline Approaches

 Just a reminder to all students who plan to attend next fall, the scholarship application is due Mar 1st. There are scholarships exclusively for IVC students so this is definitely something that all prospective ICC students should be applying.  

To apply for scholarships, go to  https://icc.edu/students/scholarships/

Local Scholarship Dates Approach!!

Each year, over $125,000 is given out in local scholarships. These scholarships range from $250 to $40,000. Last year, there were nearly 50 different scholarships awarded to graduating seniors. With the growing cost of college, every penny helps.

Here is a breakdown of the upcoming dates...

Wednesday, February 24th - Local Scholarship Meeting - Extended HR (7:40-8:45)

Students will see a presentation on all of the available scholarships. They will also receive a handout which lists each scholarship. That sheet will be posted on this blog for all students and parents to view. Students will be able to access all scholarships through Naviance. For the first year ever, all scholarships will be done electronically.

Tuesday, April 6th - DUE DATE FOR ALL LOCAL SCHOLARSHIPS - 3:00 

(Click below for information about the Truitt Scholarship and Workshops)

Congratulations to Reese Hankins!!!

We would like to take a moment to congratulate Reese Hankins on her 5th Place finish at the State Competition for this year's Voice of Democracy Contest.  This is Reese's second time placing at the State Competition.

Class Registration Info for Seniors Attending ICC

For all seniors attending ICC in the fall, class registration is pushed back about a month from previous years. For Fall '21, here are the NEW DATES:

• ICC Fall '21 class schedule available to view online approximately April 12.

• ICC Fall '21 enrollment opens on or about May 3rd.

• ICC Summer schedule available to view by March 12 - enrollment opens March 22.

Please keep these dates in mind as you are registering for classes for next year.

MTI - Explore Your Career Night!

 

Midwest Technical Institute is hosting a Career Night for all students interested in finding out more information about all that MTI has to offer on Thursday, February 11th from 5:30-7:30 PM. Learn more about their programs and how to be career ready and in the workforce in less than an a year! During this event, you can tour the campus, get a hand-on exercise, meet with Financial Aid, and more! Click here for more information.

Seniors - ICC Tuition Waiver

High school seniors with a cumulative ACT score of 25 or above, or a cumulative SAT score of 1200 or above, may be eligible to compete for an ICC Honors Program full-tuition waiver for up 64 credit hours at ICC.

The application deadline for entrance in Fall 2021 is February 15th. This includes the completed application form, a personal statement, recommendations, and official transcripts and test scores.

More information and further instructions can be found at ICC.edu/Honors - scroll down to the section Honors Program Full-Tuition Waiver

Material Engineering Camp

Attention all students entering their Junior or Senior year! The Peoria chapter of ASM Materials is hosting their 16th annual week long summer camp for students who are interested in Engineering. This camp is FREE to all selected participants. Camp runs from July 19 - July 22 from 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM virtually for 2021. More information can be found here. Applications are due May 3rd and can be found here.