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