Construction WBL Application Available

Work-Based Learning (WBL) Construction applications are available here

Students in the class will get a hands-on chance to learn about all of the different trades. Some of the trades the students will learn about include Plumbers, Sheet Metal Workers, Carpenters, Cement Masons, Iron Workers, Steamfitters, Electricians, and Operating Engineers.

Here is how the program works...

First semester:

• Students participate in WBL in either the morning or afternoon. They are expected to be at IVC the other half of the day.
• Students will spend a week or so at each of the different trades, learning that trade in a hands-on atmosphere.
• Students will also spend time covering all of the OSHA Guidelines for the workplace.

Second semester:

• Students choose one of the trades and spend a semester at an actual job site.

Applications are available in the Counseling Office. Applications are due March 1st.

College Applications - Check Those Deadlines!

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.

ICC EMS and CNA Applications Released

Applications are available for the 2024-25 school year.

• EMS and Fire Safety Program - Open to Seniors - Click here for more info
• CNA Program - Open to Juniors and Seniors - Click here for more info

How to negotiate a financial aid package!!

Great video from IVC graduate Micah Schultz '20 about how to get the most out of your financial aid package. Well done Micah!

Senior Retreat Is Right Around the Corner

We are very excited about the upcoming senior retreat. We will be at a new location for the first time. The retreat will take place Nov. 1-4 at LOMC in Oregon, IL.

Some info about the retreat...

-- The retreat is four days in length and nearly 100% led by a group of five seniors.

-- This is the 35th retreat. Over 1,000 students have attended the retreat over the past eighteen years.

-- Since we are at a new retreat center, there is limited space for this first retreat. We will only be allowed to take 15 guys and 15 girls on the retreat.

-- 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 20th but space will fill up before that. See any Mr. Kosinski with questions. 

Questions to Ask While 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:

Juniors - PSAT Test Next Week - Sign up now

What: PSAT/NMSQT Test
Who: Open to any junior
When: October 13th

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 get your test results, connect your College Board and Khan Academy® accounts to get free personalized SAT study recommendations.

In addition, when you take the PSAT/NMSQT, you’re automatically screened for the National Merit® Scholarship Program, an academic competition for recognition and scholarships.

There are only 35 spots available. You can sign up with Mrs. Placher in the counseling office. The test will cost $17.00. Checks can be made out to IVC. Payment must be received before test day. We will test on October 13th, 2023 at 8:00 am.

Important Information from UIUC

 The University of Illinois has just released information from all of the undergraduate colleges within the university. This is an important read for any student planning on attending UIUC.

Please click below for info...

Great Chance to Get Involved

We had our first meeting of IMPACT this morning. IMPACT is a club at the high school for students with a passion for making a difference.

The club is open to ALL students. 

Some activities we have done in the past...

• Trick or Treat for UNICEF
• Operation Christmas Child
• Gnomes for the Elderly
• Easter Seals Week
• Tie Blankets for residents at Evergreen

Click here or on picture for all the details

Illinois Colleges with NO Application Fee

Some colleges are offering no application fees. That means it will cost you $0 to apply to these colleges. You can't beat that deal!

Augustana College                        Aurora University

Bradley University                         Eastern Illinois University

Elmhurst University                       Illinois College                  

Illinois Wesleyan University           Lewis University             

Loyola University Chicago             McKendree University      

Monmouth College                        University of Illinois Springfield

ISAC Guide to Programs

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

The College Tour App

The College Tour is a TV series brought to you by Emmy-nominated and multi-award-winning producers. The series tells the story of colleges and universities around the world.​

Each episode of The College Tour will focus on a single college or university.
​
From campus life, academics, housing, sports, activities, and much more… each student driven segment will give young people an inside look at what it’s truly like being a student at the featured college or university.

Download the app for a truly one-of-a-kind series featuring colleges and universities in a way they have never been seen before!


Area schools featured so far include:
-- University of Illinois-Champaign

-- University of Illinois-Chicago

-- University of Missouri
-- Iowa State University
-- Illinois State University
-- Illinois Wesleyan University

You may also click this link to explore schools.

Future Teachers - Check This Out!

The Golden Apple Scholars teacher preparation and tuition assistance program is now accepting applications for the Class of 2024!

Golden Apple Scholars Receive:

-- Up to $23,000 in total financial assistance for college
-- Extensive classroom teaching experience
-- Academic and social-emotional support
-- Job placement assistance
-- Mentoring from our award-winning teaching faculty

Click this link for the application and more information.

SHAPE YOUR FUTURE WEEK is coming!!

Starting on September 25th, schools will start visiting IVC to meet with prospective students. Juniors and seniors are encouraged to sign up for these visits. If a freshman or sophomore would like to attend, he or she needs to ask the counselors. Form MUST be filled out by the students, although we definitely encourage the parents to nudge the students to sign up. Click on picture below if you would like to see which schools are visiting.

More schools will be added as they sign up for a visit.

Methodist College Announces Open House Dates

 Methodist College will be hosting a fall Open House on Monday, October 9th and Saturday, November 18th at 9:00 AM for any prospective students and guests. They currently offer the following degrees:

Undergraduate Degree
· Bachelor of Science in Nursing
· Bachelor of Science in Health Science
· Bachelor of Social Work
· Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Management

Certificate
· Nursing Assistant Certificate (CNA)
· Medical Assistant Certificate
· Gerontology Certificate

Graduate Degree
· Master of Science in Nursing

Click here to register for either of these great events!

Connecting Common App and Naviance

If you are a senior using the Common App, you will need to link your account to Naviance for us to send all Counselor Documents as well as Teacher Recommendations. Below are the steps to link the two:

1. Log onto your Naviance account. If you do not know the password, you can log in using Clever.
2. Click on COLLEGES I'M APPLYING TO.
3. Click on MATCH ACCOUNTS.
4. Enter your Common App Email address and click on MATCH ACCOUNTS.
5. You are done :)

Check out the video below for help if you are having any issues or stop by the Guidance office.

12 Reasons To Stay in Illinois

This document is an admissions guide for the state universities in Illinois. It provides current information about each state university, while the accompanying chart presents comparative admission, cost, curricula, and other relevant information.

FAFSA NEWS

All senior parents should check out the new FAFSA Update.  If you have any questions, please let us know. We will have a FAFSA workshop in January for any parents who struggled with the FAFSA. The word we are getting from ISAC is that the process will be much easier than in the past.

Freshman Class Meeting

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.

CLICK HERE FOR PRESENTATION

Small Groups Starting Today

We are excited to announce that we have started our small groups for the 2023-24 school year.  Guys Group and Girls Group.  The two groups meet once a week during 3rd, 4th or 5th period. A student will not miss a class more than once per month. There are a variety of topics covered at small group: academics, self-confidence, overcoming loss, friendship, bumps in the road, etc.  The goal of small group is to give the students an opportunity to explore and talk.

- Guys Group has over 30 guys split into three groups. Led by Mr. Kosinski
- Girls Group has over 20 girls split into two groups. Led my Mrs. Davis and Mrs. Williams

Please let the counselors know if you would like to see your son or daughter in small group.  Although the group started today, we have the opportunity to add students. All students who have signed up for group will be bringing home a permission slip to be signed by parent/guardian.

Shape Your Future Week - Juniors and Seniors

 

Senior Meeting - Off to College and more...

 The counselors met with the senior class to cover options after high school. The bulk of the meeting was about the college selection process but time was also spent discussing the military, trade schools, and specialty schooling.  Students are encouraged to use the Off to College Guide that they were given at the meeting.  That guide, along with a PDF copy of the presentation, will give parents and students an idea of what was discussed. 

Please let the counselors know if you have any questions.

College Board's BigFuture College Search

Struggling to find a college that is right for you?

College Board's College Search can help! On here, you can narrow down choices based on size of school, location, majors offered, 2 year or 4 year, campus life, and much more! This is a great starting spot for any student who is at a loss for where to begin. Click below to start searching!

College Board College Search

Party in the Park - Volunteers Needed!

 

Help is needed to direct traffic, supervise the inflatables and more! Click this link to sign up!!

Future Teacher Conference Coming Up

The Counseling Department will be taking a dozen interested students to the Future Teacher Conference at ISU.  We went last year and it was absolutely fantastic!! 

When - November 3, 2023
Where - Illinois State University
Cost - Free
Who should attend - Any junior or senior interested in the teaching field

Students will be given the opportunity to choose from over 25 different breakout sessions.

Interested students should sign up in the Counseling Office. Only 12 spots available.

Registration is open through October 13th, as space permits. All students should register individually. It is very important for each student to complete their own registration form so they can select their individual sessions. IVC Students should not register for the 2:00 session.

Important Dates for Senior 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.

Off to College Breakfast
Friday, Sept 8th
8:00-9:00 a.m. - Chillicothe Library

This is our 13th 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

Off to College Guide

All seniors will be receiving this year's Off to College Guide at the senior meeting next Tuesday (Aug 29th.) 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 HERE

ICC's Ag, Diesel, and Horticulture Showcase

Save your spot!!

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

A Great Way to Earn College Credit

 Welcome to CLEP!!

College Level Examination Program - You can receive college credit for what you already know and avoid sitting through college courses that you don’t need. There are CLEP Tests in over 30 subject areas.

Who is eligible? - Any student at least 13 yrs old
Where do I test? - IVC H.S. is an official CLEP Test site now
How do I get more info? - Stop by the counseling office or CLICK HERE for a step by step guide to taking the test.

Calling All Parents - Career Fair

The planning has begun for this school year's Career and College Fair. Over 650 students will spend the day investigating colleges and careers. We are always looking for presenters to spend a part of their day sharing with interested students. 

Deadline for October ACT and SAT approaching

The deadline for the October ACT and SAT is coming up.  Any senior who plans to retake either test should sign up ASAP. 

To register, students should go to.... 

SAT - www.collegeboard.org

ACT - actstudent.org 

The test is not given at IVC but there are nearby testing centers.

Side note: 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.

Do you know what IVC 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.

Welcome to the new school year!!

We are so glad to get back to school. 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.

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) - rwilliams@ivcschools.com

Local Scholarship List Released

The counselors met with the senior class this morning to present all of the local scholarships available to the students for the 2022-23 school year. All scholarship applications will be due on April 11th. No late applications will be accepted.

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.

Truitt Scholarship Workshop

The Helen Jordan Truitt Scholarship was established in 1987. Since its inception, the Truitt Foundation has awarded scholarships totaling more than $2.3 million. Last year $40,000 was awarded.

Students are invited to apply for a Truitt Scholarship. The criteria for eligibility was established by the Truitt Foundation, not IVC High School.

Invitation to Apply

GPA after 6 semesters - 3.0

7th semester GPA - 3.5

Attention Seniors - Local Scholarship Dates Announced

Each year, over $100,000 is given out in local scholarships. These scholarships range from $250 to $40,000.  Last year, there were 60 different scholarships awarded to graduating seniors.  With the growing cost of college, every penny helps.

Here is a breakdown of the upcoming dates...

Wednesday, March 8th  - Local Scholarship Meeting - Extended HR

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 on the 8th for all students and parents to view. All scholarships will be available through Naviance on the 8th.

Click below for the rest of the dates.

2023 Rural Health Careers Camp

2023 Rural Health Careers Camp


Registration is now available for the 2023 Rural Health Careers Camp. The Rural Health Careers Camp is a three-day, overnight educational program for high school students interested in the healthcare field. Students will participate in hands-on learning activities and labs that represent different healthcare careers and stay at an overnight facility to experience living on a college campus. Some of the healthcare careers already scheduled are: medicine, nursing, social work, dentistry, physical therapy, occupational therapy, medical lab sciences, and many more!

The 2023 camp will be in-person at the Bishop Lane Retreat Center, 7708 E McGregor Rd, Rockford, IL 61102 from Monday, June 26 through Wednesday, June 28, 2023.

Check-in will be at 9:00 am on Monday and check-out is scheduled for 7:00 pm on Wednesday.


The cost to attend the camp is $100 and scholarships are available.


If you have high school students who are interested in learning about all the different healthcare careers available, our camp is a great opportunity for them to explore many different healthcare careers! For more information and for the application to apply, please visit this webpage: https://ncrhp.uic.edu/programs/experiences/rural-health-careers-camp/.

Registration Meetings for 2023-24 School Year

The counseling staff met with the freshmen, sophomores, and juniors about registration for next school
year. There are links to all registration presentations on the right hand side of the blog. Hopefully all students have taken the opportunity to input their selections into TeacherEase. If not, please get it done asap. Registration is still open until January 31st.  A timetable of registration dates is below.

January 24-26 - Registration meetings
January 31st - Registration closes
February 1st - Counselors begin meeting with students on individual basis about selections.  We will begin with juniors, then sophomores, then freshmen.

Counselors will meet with incoming freshmen in February.  Their deadline is different than current students.

Great opportunities for Students

We will be meeting with students regarding registration starting next week. One of the GREAT opportunities for interested students is Work Based Learning.  Spend half the day in one of these programs, spend the other half at IVC.  The three programs available are:

• Health Career Occupations (Application due February 1st)
• EMS (Emergency Medical Services) and Fire Science  (Application due Feb 1st)
• Construction Trades  (Application due March 1st)

Click on the program above for more info

Materials Engineering Camp This Summer

Fantastic opportunity for students interested in engineering! And it is FREE!


What is a Materials Engineer? Materials engineers work with metals, ceramics, and plastics to create new materials. Materials engineers develop, process, and test materials used to create a range of products, from computer chips and aircraft wings to golf clubs and biomedical devices. Basically, materials engineer create and study materials at the atomic level.

Click here for more information

Click here for application