Off to College Guide

All seniors received this year's Off to College Guide at the senior meeting last week. 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.

To see the powerpoint of the whole senior class presentation, click here.

SAT - October Test Deadline Approaches

The deadline for the October 6th SAT is coming up. Any senior who plans to retake the SAT should sign up ASAP. All juniors will be taking the test in April.  To register, students should go to www.collegeboard.org. The closest testing center is ICC in
East Peoria.

Homecoming Coming Soon!!!

Homecoming week will be here soon (September 17th-22nd to be exact)!!! This is a great way to meet new people, get involved with your class, and have FUN!! Float building starts two weeks before homecoming . If you want to help your class, reach out to the class sponsors for schedules (float, hall decorations, & skit).

The following people are class sponsors:

Freshmen: Mrs. Aldrich & Ms. Dukes

Sophomore: Mr. Williams & Mr. Mercer

Junior: Mrs. Placher & Mrs. Bogner

Senior: Mr. Kosinski & Mrs. Heth

Off to College Breakfast

Important Dates for Seniors & Their 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 7th

8:00 a.m. - Chillicothe Library

This is our 10th 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 program lasts about 45-60 minutes.

 

Financial Aid/Scholarship Night

Wednesday, Sept 12th  

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 Night - Wednesday, October 17th

6:00 p.m. - IVC Library

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) can be tricky sometimes. This program is designed to help you navigate the application and make the process much easier.

High-Tech Ag and Diesel Technology Career Expo

High-Tech Ag & Deisel 
TechnologyCareer Fair

Thurs, Sep 13 @ 4:00-7:30 pm

East Peoria Campus
AIT Building

A drone flies high above rows of corn with pinpoint accuracy. A tractor navigates itself through the field. A service technician troubleshoots an issue for a customer’s machine through remote technology.

ICC will feature these tools of the trade, and more, for today’s agriculture, diesel technology and construction industry careers at its High-Tech Ag and Diesel Career Expo on Thurs., Sept 13 from 4:00 to 7:30 pm in the Agricultural and Industrial Technologies (AIT) Building on the East Peoria Campus.

For more info, click here.  Deadline to reserve a spot is September 7th.

Parchment - What is it?

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.

Mental Health Programming at the Library!

The Chillicothe Public Library is collaborating with local organizations to illuminate issues related to mental health. Topics include suicide prevention, nurturing mental health, and encouraging dialogue to help end the stigma surrounding mental health conditions. Click on the photo for more information, call the library at 274-2719, or visit chillipld.org.

ICC's Apprenticeship Program Open for Fall!

ICC is offering qualified applicants the chance to get paid in a high-demand job, while also attending school to earn an associate degree. These programs combine job related credit courses with structured on-the-job learning experiences. An apprenticeship is first and foremost a job and comes with substantial training and the development of transferable skills, which is beneficial to the employer and the employee. The goal for the apprenticeship programs is to provide workers with advanced skill sets that meet the specific needs of employers, using a flexible learning approach.

The Fall 2018 Industrial Maintenance program is now accepting applications. Click here for more information.

*** Additional Information as of 6/19/18***

Illinois Central College will host two informational recruitment sessions to choose from for potential students interested in learning about its new industrial maintenance apprenticeship program and other programs. The programs are focused on helping students connect with employers from the beginning of their education and attend college for little to no cost.

Event 1: Tues., June 26, from 5-7 p.m. at Arbor Hall at the Peoria Campus

Event 2: Fri., June 29, from 10 a.m.-Noon at the Agricultural and Industrial Technologies Building at the East Peoria Campus

To be or not to be.....isn't that the question Seniors? How do you pick a college major?

Choosing a college major can be quite the task! Your guidance counselor, the Department of Awesome, has probably encouraged job shadowing, or different career expos. In addition, we have suggested researching different areas. There are many college major quizzes online that can give you a general idea of where your interests lie. For example, check out College Major Quiz! Other ways to align a college major to your interests is to consider the following:

Transitional Math Class

For the upcoming school year, IVC will be offering a transitional math for seniors.

What is a transitional math class? 

This class will be offered to seniors who have taken Algebra II but may not feel prepared to take Pre-Calculus class. It is intended to bridge the gap between high school and college mathematics.

What are the benefits?

• Students will have a math class senior year. A year off of math is very difficult for students when taking math in college, trade school, etc. This class gives them an option that is not Pre-Calculus or AP Calculus.
• Students will successfully complete the class will not have to take a math placement test if attending a junior college. This class is the equivalent of MATH 099 at ICC.
• Students successfully completing the class will automatically be placed in a credit bearing class if attending a junior college. This will save students the money and time of taking a non-credit bearing math class.

The counselors are strongly encouraging ALL seniors to take some type of math class now that there is a level for everyone. In the next few weeks we will be chatting with all of next year's seniors about math.

Early Graduation

The early graduation process at IVC has been formalized for this upcoming school year. This morning, the Guidance Department and Administration met with the current junior class to explain the idea of early graduation and what the process of early graduation looks like.

The early graduation process will include an application and interview for interested students. To better explain the process, a list of frequently asked questions follows.

What are the requirements to graduate early?

Students must have completed all graduation requirements, have a specific post-secondary plan, and provide documentation of authenticity of a post-secondary plan. Students must complete and submit the Early Graduation Application Form by June 1st prior to senior year.

Materials Engineering Camp

Attention all students entering their Junior or Senior year! The Peoria chapter of ASM Materials is hosting a week long summer camp for students who are interested in Engineering. This camp is FREE to all selected participants. Camp runs from July 23 - July 26 from 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM. Applications are due May 11th and can be found here. Contact Laura Davis at ldavis@ivcschools.com or by calling 274-5481 with questions.

Oh, The Places You'll Go!

The Guidance Department will be featuring all of the places the seniors will be heading off to next year. Whether it is college, the military, or the workforce, we want to know.

Seniors are encouraged to fill out the one question form that was emailed to them this morning. They can also just stop by Guidance and let a counselor know. Their names will be added to the bulletin board.

Calling all Parents - Career Fair

On September 12th, the Guidance Dept. will be hosting the first annual Job & Career Fair at IVC High School. Our goal is to expose and educate students to possible careers and jobs available to them.

Career portion of fair - Share info with students about what it takes to go into a specific career. What other careers are similar or related to chosen field?

Job portion of fair - Area businesses share procedures with students on how to apply for job openings at their business.

How can parents help? - We would love to have parents participate in the event in either portion of the fair. We are looking for a wide variety of careers and businesses to be represented.

September 12, 2018    9:00-1:00

IVC Auxiliary Gym

Please call the Guidance Department to reserve a spot. (309) 274-5481 x2

2018 SIUE Engineering Summer Camps

Two identical week-long residential camps are being offered at Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville for all current Freshmen, Sophomores, and Juniors interested in various engineering disciplines as well as computer science and construction management. Session 1 is June 3 - 8 and Session 2 runs from June 10 - 15. The deadline to register for one of these camps is April 30, 2018. More information can be found at http://www.siue.edu/engineering/summercamps/.

Local Scholarships Due Friday!!

This is a reminder to all seniors that all of your scholarship applications and supporting materials are due to Mrs. Placher Friday, March 24th at 3:30 - no exceptions! Anything turned in after 3:30 will not be counted toward submission.

Service Academy Night

On April 23rd, Congressman Darin LaHood’s office will host this years’ “Service Academy Night” for students and their families. This is an informational meeting open to all high school students, parents, school administrators, and guidance counselors. The program is held to educate students on general information about all five US Service Academies, how to begin the application process, how to prepare for the physical aptitude test, and the character requirements necessary for applicants. Each of the academies will have representatives on-hand to provide detailed information about qualifications and the application process. These programs are held annually for students interested in attending any of the following prestigious education institutions:

IVC will host a Financial Aid Night this Tuesday, March 13th at 6:00 in the high school library. The presentation is intended mainly for juniors and their parents. All areas of financial aid will be covered, some in more detail than others. Financing college can be a very confusing topic. Stop by for the hour-long presentation to get a better idea of the different aspects of the process.

Call the Guidance Department with any questions (309) 274-5481 x2.

Helen Jordan Truitt Application and Workshop

The Helen Jordan Truitt Scholarship was established in 1987. Since its inception, the Truitt Foundation has awarded scholarships totaling more than $2 million.  Last year $90,000 was awarded to four IVC students.

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

ICC Scholarship Information

Attention Seniors! If you are planning to attend Illinois Central College during the 2018-2019 school year, you should apply for scholarship assistance now! The deadline is April 1st, 2018. The application can be completed online at icc.edu/scholarships. Students complete ONE online    application to apply for every ICC Foundation Scholarship. Please see your guidance counselor if you have any questions.

Health Career Experience at ICC

Illinois Central College has invited local high schools to their campus on Friday March 23rd for the Health Career Experience. IVC is allowed to take 10 students to explore different health career fields. There will be several hands on activities, including an anatomy dissection. Please see your counselor if you are interested.

Class Registration Dates

The meetings with counselors regarding class registration has begun.  Below is a general time frame of when students will be seen. This is just a rough estimate of when students will be called to see their counselor.

To be Seniors  -  January 22 - February 2
To be Juniors  -  February 5 - February 16
To be Sophomores - February 19 - March 2
To be Freshmen - Meeting Feb 2&5, Sheets due Feb 20

Local Scholarship Dates Announced

Each year, over $140,000 is given out in local scholarships. These scholarships range from $250 to $75,000.  Last year, there were 45 different scholarships awarded to graduating seniors.  With the growing cost of college, every penny helps.

Here is a breakdown of the upcoming dates...

Tuesday, February 20th  - 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 20th for all students and parents to view. Students must be the ones to pick up scholarship applications from Mrs. Placher. Parents may not pick up the applications for the student. Students must pick up their own scholarship applications.

Click below for the rest of the dates.

PSAT 10, and PSAT 8/9

We will be administering the PSAT 8/9 and the PSAT 10 on Wednesday, February 28th. All freshmen and sophomores will start testing at 8am. They will need two No. 2 pencils (no mechanical) and a calculator. There is no fee associated.

The PSAT 8/9 is the first test in the SAT Suite of Assessments. It uses the same specifications as the SAT, the PSAT/NMSQT, and the PSAT 10. The assessment establishes a baseline for college and career readiness as students enter high school. The PSAT 10 continues to check on students' progress and pinpoints areas for development.

If you have any questions, please see your counselor.

ICC Honors Program - Deadline for Fall Approaching

ICC established an Honors Program to recognize those who exhibit academic excellence. Consisting of enriched forms of existing courses, Honors sections are based on active student participation through research assignments, in-depth class discussion, group projects and independent study. Students may also enhance leadership skills in community service activities.

This program is limited to fifty participants, selected by a faculty-staff committee. Honors students receive a waiver of tuition (not including books or fees) for up to 64 credit courses in which they are enrolled and receive recognition on his/her academic transcript and at our commencement ceremony.


Qualifications to Apply

Acceptance into the program is competitive and based on ACT (composite score of 27) or SAT scores and other factors including but not limited to: high school GPA, extra-curricular involvement, a letter of interest and recommendations.

Candidates must be an in-district student who has not yet earned an associate or bachelor degree.

To remain in the program, Honors students must maintain a full-time course load, a GPA of cumulative 3.35 or better and must enroll in two Honors sections of general education courses per semester.


The application for the Honors Program is due February 15th. More information can be found at https://icc.edu/academics/honors-program/

Student Election Judges Needed

Peoria County is looking for qualified students to serve as election judges at the upcoming 2018 election cycle. These students must be a US citizen, be a high school junior or senior in good standing with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0, and complete a mandatory 2 hour training class. This is a paying position for students! Students do not have to be old enough to vote to apply to work as an election judge. Interested students should click here for more information including a link to the application. See your guidance counselor with questions.

Finals Week

Here are some tips for preparing for final exams:

*Start studying early...cramming causes anxiety

*Practice and then review material so you truly understand it 

*Complete study guides/make your own study guides

*Ask questions

*Get a full night's sleep before the exam

*Eat a big breakfast before the exam

If you have any questions at all, talk to your teachers! We are here to support you! Happy Finals Week! 

Scheduling 101 Presentation

CLICK HERE FOR PRESENTATION

We had a great turnout for Parent Scheduling 101 Presentation last night. For those 8th grade and freshman parents who were unable to attend, we have attached the presentation from last night, including many of the discussion points. Just click on the link to the right.

If you have any questions about the presentations, feel free to contact the Counseling Department by calling (309) 274-5481 or by emailing any of the counselors.

• Mr. Mark Kosinski (mkosinski@ivcschools.com)
• Ms. Angela Lee (alee@ivcschools.com)
• Mrs. Laura Davis (ldavis@ivcschools.com)

How to Explain a Bad Grade or GPA on a College App

When applying to college, it is quite common for a student to find himself or herself in a situation where a bad grade or GPA needs to be explained. It may be the difference in being accepted or denied admission.  This US News article gives some great advice on how to handle such a touchy subject.

US News Article