Career & College Advisor Notes for October 2026

Link to the Financial Aid Night Zoom recording: Paying for Post-HS Education with David Aramaki 2026

October is a long month full of all kinds of opportunities and obligations. One of the main focuses of this month will be financial aid (the FAFSA is open!) and learning about how to pay for post-high school educational expenses. Please reach out anytime you have questions – there are many resources available to support you.

Upcoming Field Trips

For all trips, see Ms. Anderson to sign up and pick up printed copies of permission forms:

Wednesday, October 21 - Okanogan County Career Expo (during the school day, 8:24am-12:00pm, all AVID CLIMBS students in grades 9/10 and 11/12 will attend).

Tuesday-Wednesday, October 27-28 - Overnight College Tour to Gonzaga University, Spokane Community College, and Washington State University (see Beth for details).

ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery), Thursday, Oct. 8

Tomorrow morning, registered students will be taking the ASVAB as a tool for career exploration. If you are interested in taking the ASVAB on a future test date, email or talk to Beth Anderson. For more information about the ASVAB, see: https://www.officialasvab.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/ASVAB-Fact_Sheet.pdf

Paying for Post-High School Education (aka Financial Aid) Night, Monday, Oct. 12

This coming Monday, October 12, from 6:30-7:30pm, join us  in the LBHS Library or on Zoom – the  link will be shared via Skyward message on the day of the event.

We will have the opportunity to learn from David Aramaki, a financial advisor and paying-for-college expert, about the financial aid system and paying for post-secondary educational expenses. David has joined us on a number of occasions to share his knowledge, and he’ll be with us virtually via Zoom. All families and students in grades 7-12 are welcome – there will be a lot of useful information for parents of younger students who are planning for the future. Bring all your burning questions about financial aid and saving for college!

School Day SAT for Seniors on Tuesday, October 13

We’ll be offering the SAT at Liberty Bell during the school day on Tuesday, October 13. Testing will begin at 8:24am and finish by lunchtime. Registered students should plan to be in the library with a fully-charged Chromebook by 8:20am – there will be very limited access to extra Chromebooks, so be sure to bring yours!

Students may still choose to register for Saturday SAT/ACT dates at any of the testing sites in our region. See Ms. Anderson to obtain a fee waiver for outside tests (all students who receive free/reduced lunch qualify for free testing).

There are some excellent *free* online SAT and ACT prep resources:

PSAT for Juniors on Thursday, October 15

On Thursday, October 15 all juniors at Liberty Bell will be taking the PSAT exam. Testing will begin at 8:24am and will last until about 11:10am. Students need to bring their fully-charged Chromebook on the day of the test, and they may wish to bring a snack for the break.

What content is covered on the PSAT? See: https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/psat-nmsqt/whats-on-the-test

Students and families are also encouraged to review the PSAT Student Guide (also available in a Spanish-language version). Additional reminders about PSAT testing will be sent to juniors and their families in the coming weeks.

Arranged ACT Testing

Because the nearest ACT test center is over 75 miles away, students can choose to apply for arranged testing at Liberty Bell. If your student would like to apply, review this information:  ACT Arranged Testing-Policies and Procedures. Then complete the application form on pages 5-8 and bring the form to James Mitchell, our testing coordinator. James (jmitchell@methow.org) will work with students to schedule testing.

Senior Application Reminders

Sunday, Nov. 1 - Early Decision/Early Action deadline for many colleges

Sunday, Nov. 15 - University of Washington-Seattle application deadline (this is the UW Seattle’s only deadline option!)

**Remember to request your counselor recommendation and teacher letters of recommendation at least three weeks before your first deadline to give folks time to write effective letters!**

Please reach out with any questions or concerns!

Many thanks,

Beth/Ms. Anderson

College and Career Advisor

Methow Valley School District

banderson@methow.org

509.996.2215, x4175

Career & College Advising webpage

FINANCIAL AID RESOURCES:

FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid - seniors will submit the 2027-28 FAFSA form)

WASFA (Washington Application for State Financial Aid; only for non-FAFSA filers - use the WASFA Questionnaire to determine your appropriate financial aid application)

CSS Profile (additional financial aid application required by some colleges/universities)

Washington College Grant/WA Grant (free money available to WA residents attending WA colleges/tech schools/universities/apprenticeships; eligibility based on FAFSA/WASFA)

College Bound program (additional free money for WA graduates to attend college, eligibility based on family income & FAFSA/WASFA)

Federal Student Aid Estimator (for families of younger students)

About the College and Career Advising Program

The goal of our College and Career Advising program is to provide students and their families with the information and resources necessary for them to make well-informed choices about their post-secondary education. Liberty Bell recognizes the diversity in our families and understands that what might be right for one student may not be a good fit for another.

Therefore, we work individually with students and their families to help them successfully develop and achieve their post-graduation goals – whether that is applying to a 4-year, 2-year or technical college, designing a productive gap year plan or entering the military or workforce. Some of the specific services that we offer include:

  • Educating students and parents about the full range of post-secondary educational options.
  • Meeting individually with juniors, seniors and parents to help them with their college lists, the application process, college essays and financial aid needs, including the FAFSA, the CSS Profile, and scholarship applications, as well as with SAT prep and registration.
  • Holding financial aid information sessions for students and parents to make sure that they have all the resources and support they need to reach their goals.
  • Working with the school counselor to ensure that 9th and 10th graders take the necessary classes to be eligible for their post-HS goals, including college admissions.

Planning for life after high school should be a fun and exciting process; but at times it can be a bit overwhelming. If you find yourself feeling stuck, or if you have questions about any part of the process, contact our office at (509) 996-2215.