Career and College Advisor Notes for November 2024

November is National Scholarship Month! What does that mean for you? If you’re a senior, it means you’ll probably  start completing some scholarship forms and begin gearing up for the release of the new FAFSA form in December. And if you’re in 7-11th grade, you are already eligible to apply for certain scholarships, no matter what your current plans are for after high school! Check out this scholarship database that lists awards available to students by age/grade.

University of Washington Application Deadline: Friday, Nov. 15

Many of our seniors have already been hard at work on college applications this fall, some for early deadlines and others for due dates later in the school year. All applications for the Seattle campus of the University of Washington are due on Friday, November 15. This is the UW’s regular deadline, and the only time they accept applications. Seniors, please keep reaching out if you need any help completing your applications in the coming week.

Financial Aid Information for Families: Monday, Dec. 9, 6:30pm

We will host our annual in-person financial aid night in the Liberty Bell Library on Monday, Dec. 9 @ 6:30pm. At that point the 2025-26 FAFSA form will be available, and parents are encouraged to come with questions about the FAFSA or other aspects of financial aid for our Zoom guest speaker, David Aramaki. However, if you’re looking for an overview of the financial aid process that you can access anytime, I’d recommend this recording from Aim Higher Washington: Financial Aid Basics.

The FAFSA unlocks a lot of grant and scholarship funding, so be sure to fill it out as the foundation of your financial aid journey. In Washington state, the FAFSA is used to determine eligibility for the Washington College Grant and the College Bound Scholarship – all you need to do is fill out the FAFSA, and the college/university/training program will process your FAFSA data and let you know how much you’re qualified to receive from state and federal grant & scholarship programs.

Fastweb Scholarship Database

Any student interested in pursuing national or regional scholarship opportunities should check out the Fastweb database. (There are a number of similar options out there, but Fastweb seems to be the most comprehensive.) Interested students can create a profile on the site, and Fastweb will  filter out scholarship opportunities that fit their profile, allowing students to more easily sift through the many many options out there. 

A Few Important Scholarship Opportunities

Leadership 1000 Scholarship - Application Due November 30

Seniors, if you're considering attending a 2- or 4-year college or university in Washington state and meet the income eligibility guidelines, apply for the Leadership 1000 scholarship. The award is $5,000 per year and it's renewable for 4 years ($20,000 total). The application does include several short essays, but all students who meet the income criteria are encouraged to apply—it's worth your effort! A guide to the application process is attached.

Hagan Scholarship - Application Due December 1

The Hagan Scholarship is a nationwide need-based merit scholarship, providing recipients with the opportunity to graduate from college debt-free. The scholarship is worth up to $7,500 each semester. See the full eligibility and application details on their website: this is a nationwide scholarship program, but students from rural and relatively small school districts are preferred. If you meet the criteria, talk to Ms. Anderson about how to apply.

Montana State University Presidential & WUE Scholarships - Applications Due December 6 & January 6

The Presidential Scholarship is offered through MSU’s Honors College, and is the highest value award at Montana State University, including a full tuition waiver and a generous housing stipend. The Presidential Scholarship application is open, and is due on December 6, 2024 for the 2025-2026 academic year. 

MSU will be offering a very limited number of Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) scholarships to new freshmen enrolling in the fall of 2025. The WUE application is open, and instructions to apply can be found on MSU’s Nonresident Scholarships page. The deadline for WUE scholarship consideration is January 6, 2025. Due to the high value of WUE and the volume of applications, the scholarship is limited and extremely competitive. Students are encouraged to apply early and to complete the application carefully. Students will be notified in mid-February if they have been awarded WUE.

For information about accessing WUE scholarships at other colleges and universities in Western states, check out the WUE Savings Finder. A list of all participating WUE schools is attached to this message.

One last note for the Class of 2025 – be on the lookout for emails from the colleges you’ve applied to about their specific scholarship opportunities! It can be hard to wade through all the communication to find the important stuff, but try to keep an eye out. 

That’s all for now! See me with questions or if you’d like to set up a time to talk about what’s next after high school. (This offer applies to both students and families!)

With gratitude,

Beth/Ms. Anderson

College and Career Advisor

Methow Valley School District

banderson@methow.org

509.996.2215, x4175

Office Hours: Available at LBHS or ILC during the school day  on M/Tu/Th/F

Available remotely on Wednesdays

Career and College Advisor Notes for October 2024

Happy Homecoming Week, Mountain Lions! October is a long month full of all kinds of opportunities and obligations. Please reach out anytime you have questions or just need a moment to sit and breathe – there are many resources available to support you.

Upcoming Field Trips!

Last week we had a fantastic overnight college tour to the UW, UW Bothell, and Skagit Valley College (see attached pic!). Below are the dates and descriptions of the remaining fall field trip opportunities. For all trips, see Ms. Anderson to sign up and pick up permission forms:

Wednesday, Oct. 23 - Okanogan County Career Expo (during the school day, 8:30am-1:00pm, all AVID CLIMBS students in grades 9, 10, and 12 will attend).

Wednesday, Oct. 30 - Construction Career Day at the Spokane Fairgrounds (long day trip: 6:30am-6:30pm, any students in grades 9-12 are welcome to sign up). The day will include: Welcome & Orientation (30 min),  Heavy Equipment (1 hour 15 min),  Hands-on Demos & Info (1 hour), plus a free lunch.

Campus Tour Opportunities (on your own)

This is the season when colleges in our region host preview days that are designed for students and families to learn more about their campus communities. Check out the links below for more information!

Friday, Oct. 11 and Oct. 18 - Western Washington University Fall Preview Days

Friday, Oct. 11 and Monday, Nov. 11 - Gonzaga University Preview Days

Saturday, Oct. 12 - Eastern Washington University Preview Day

Saturday, Oct. 19 - Fall for Whitman Day

Saturday, Oct. 26 - Washington State University Preview Day

Saturday, Nov. 2 - Seattle University Preview Day

Two Important Scholarship Opportunities (also posted on Scholarships 2025 Google Classroom)

Leadership 1000 - Application Due November 30

Seniors, if you're considering attending a 2- or 4-year college or university in Washington state and meet the income eligibility guidelines, apply for the Leadership 1000 scholarship. The award is $5,000 per year and it's renewable for 4 years ($20,000 total). The application does include several short essays, but all students who meet the income criteria are encouraged to apply—it's worth your effort! 

Hagan Scholarship - Application Due December 1

The Hagan Scholarship is a nationwide need-based merit scholarship, providing recipients with the opportunity to graduate from college debt-free. The scholarship is worth up to $7,500 each semester. See the full eligibility and application details on their website: this is a nationwide scholarship program, but students from rural and relatively small school districts are preferred. If you meet the criteria, talk to Ms. Anderson about how to apply.

PSAT for Juniors on Wednesday, October 23

The PSAT is given free of charge to all juniors. The PSAT will be administered using the Bluebook app, which means students will need to bring their fully charged Chromebooks on test day. Students may wish to use resources on Bluebook to practice for the PSAT. Erika Spellman will send  more details in advance of the test; talk with Erika or Beth if you have any questions. 

School Day SAT on Thursday, October 24

Interested seniors have already signed up – feel free to check in with either Erika Spellman or Beth Anderson if you have any questions about what to expect or how to prepare. The SAT will also be administered through the Bluebook app, and students will need to have their Chromebook fully charged and ready to go on test day.

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

Ask Ms. Anderson for printed copies  of full-length practice SATs and take advantage of these excellent online SAT and ACT prep resources:

Online College Application Support

A number of schools now have webinars or podcasts on a range of admissions topics, which students can access anytime they have questions. Two good options are: the Inside the Yale Admissions Office podcast and the Macalester College Workshop Wednesdays series. The information will be useful no matter whether you’re planning to apply to these particular schools or any other selective colleges/universities!

FAFSA – December 1

As I mentioned last month, the release of the 2025-26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) will be delayed until December 1. In the meantime, there are a couple new resources that may be helpful to families: a new Federal Student Aid Estimator tool and a Who's my FAFSA Parent? wizard to determine which parent(s) will need to contribute financial information to the FAFSA.

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

Office Hours: Available at LBHS or ILC during the school day on M/Tu/Th/F

Available remotely on Wednesdays

CAREER AND COLLEGE ADVISOR NOTES FOR SEPTEMBER 2024

Welcome to another new school year, students and families! We’re doing it!

We’ve already had some great opportunities to build community, both in and outside the classroom,  and I look forward to all the ways we will continue to learn from and with each other this year. As always, please let me know what ideas you have about how we can explore ALL possibilities for high school and beyond.

Dear Class of 2025…

I know your senior year just started, but now is the time to take stock of your post-high school plans and build a list of tasks/deadlines that will allow you to get wherever you want to go after graduation. Here’s a rough outline, which will be especially helpful for those of you who are thinking about applying to trade & technical schools, community colleges, formal apprenticeship programs, or 4-year colleges & universities:

  • Make time to chat with Ms. Anderson and Mrs. Spellman about your future plans. (We’re super excited to talk with every single one of you!)
  • Create a list of potential post-secondary schools or training programs or career paths that appeal to you and feel free to add and subtract as you learn more about each option. Use a spreadsheet or Google doc to track your application progress and Google calendar to remember important deadlines.
  • Work on your personal essay. In October all seniors will begin an in-class personal essay unit during their Senior Seminar or ILC Advisory class. You’ll generate topics and draft personal essays during this unit, and you can continue to edit and refine your work through the fall.  Essays are an important component of many scholarship and admission applications.
  • Talk with teachers who know you well to ask if they would be willing to write letters of recommendation for you. Plan to give them at least 3 weeks of lead time and provide each teacher with background information about your academic strengths and best personal qualities so they’re able to write a compelling letter on your behalf! Mrs. Spellman needs a paper copy of this LOR packet (again, 3 weeks in advance!) in order to complete her counselor recommendations for you.
  • Get a strong start on your fall semester coursework. Some colleges will ask you to submit mid-year transcripts as part of your application, and you want to let them know you’re putting in your best effort.
  • Start searching for scholarships and gathering information related to financial aid (2023 tax documents, information about assets, etc.). The 2025-2026 FAFSA application (the correct version for the Class of 2025) will open late again this year–December 1, 2024–and I’ll update you as the date gets closer! 
  • Attend this year’s Paying for Post-HS Education Night in the LBHS Library (date TBD–Nov./Dec.)

Upcoming Field Trip Opportunities (see Beth/Ms. Anderson to sign up!)

NEW DATES! Monday-Tuesday, Sept. 30-Oct. 1: Westside College Tour (UW Seattle, UW Bothell, Skagit Valley College) 

Wednesday, October 23: 2024 NCW Career Expo at Okanogan Agri-Plex

Wednesday, October 30: Construction Career Day at Spokane Fairgrounds

Other College/Career Events (not school trips)

Fridays, October 4,  11,  18: WWU Fall Preview Days

Friday-Saturday, October 25-26: NACAC Seattle National College Fair

Tuesday, October 29: NACAC Spokane National College Fair 

So Your Student is a High School Senior: A Conversation for Parents on Thursday, Sept. 12, 5-6pm  (online)

Are you a parent of a senior who may be applying to selective colleges? Consider tuning in this coming Thurs., Sept. 12 for a general overview of the admissions process with an admissions officer from Bowdoin College. Topics will include researching schools, essay writing, application timelines, financial aid, and ways to support your student throughout the process.

Naviance for Career Exploration 

Again during the 2024-2025 school year, students will be using Naviance during classes like AVID (CLIMBS), Senior Seminar, and Advisory as a tool to support career exploration and post-high school planning. Students are also welcome to log in to Naviance on their own time to browse careers and educational pathways – just go to https://student.naviance.com/lbjsh, select “Student,” and then “Continue with Single Sign On” to log in through your methow.org Google account. 

PSAT for Juniors on Wed., October 23

Each year we offer the PSAT free of charge to all juniors. Check out the link for test prep resources, and Mrs. Spellman will send more details about the PSAT as the date approaches. 

School Day SAT for Seniors on Thurs., October 24

We’re excited to be offering the SAT at Liberty Bell during the school day again, on Thursday, October 24. 

Please register by signing up with Debbie Bair in the main office ASAP**.**  Check in with either Erika Spellman or Beth Anderson if you have any questions about what to expect or how to prepare.

Students may still choose to register for Saturday SAT/ACT dates at any of the testing sites in our region. See Mrs. Spellman or 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 online SAT and ACT prep resources:

Does Test-Optional Really Mean Optional?

A few selective colleges have returned to their pre-pandemic policies of requiring test scores on their applications. However, many schools have officially made  standardized testing optional, and a few have chosen a test-free policy, meaning that no test scores will be reviewed during the admissions process. Have questions about whether to test? Check out FAQs and a current list of test-optional schools at the newly redesigned FairTest: The National Center for Fair and Open Testing. 

That’s all for now! Throughout the year I’ll be on campus (either at Liberty Bell or the ILC) on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, and on Wednesdays during 2nd block at LB only (remote the rest of the day on Wednesdays). You are welcome to contact me anytime by email (banderson@methow.org) or by leaving a voicemail at 509.996.2215, x4175.

Looking forward to a fantastic fall and beyond!

Beth/Ms. Anderson

College and Career Advisor

Methow Valley School District

banderson@methow.org

509.996.2215, x4175

College and Career Advising Notes for Summer 2024

Hello, Students and Families:

Summer is nearly here! We heard moving and funny speeches and celebrated the incredible Class of 2024 during their commencement ceremony last Friday, and now students are turning in their last assignments, teachers are calculating final grades, and we’re all looking forward to a change in routine for the next couple months.

As many of you know, my personal last-week-of-school tradition is to leave you all with a few ideas for post-high school planning. Obviously your first priority for the summer should be to de-stress, decompress, and be outdoors as much as possible! But summer is also a great time for students to: take on a part-time job where you can learn new skills, reflect on your learning experiences and think about goals for next year, and dream about what the future holds. These are just a few resources to help you along the way...

Local Summer Job Opportunities

Many employers in the valley are still looking for seasonal help in food service, retail, housekeeping, construction, farming, and more. A lot of students find jobs by word-of-mouth or through friends and family, but the Methow Valley News Classifieds can also be an excellent way to see what jobs are available! Either find a paper copy of this week’s paper or use the link above and select “Employment” from the drop-down menu to see the current list of open positions at local businesses.

Rising Seniors

The summer months are a good time to get a head start on post-high school planning tasks. 11th graders (a.k.a. rising seniors!) and their families are encouraged to review the attached slideshow, which contains suggestions and links to resources related to planning for senior year and beyond.

The list below is basically a condensed version of the slideshow; all these things can be accomplished on your own time, at your own pace!

❏ Complete the Game Plan survey using your Naviance account (to log in, click the “Student” icon and then choose the “Continue with Single Sign On” option to sign in with your methow.org Google account).

❏ Make a list of potential careers and the education/training you’ll need to achieve your goals (use Naviance, paper & pencil, or whatever app works best for you).

❏ Brainstorm topics or even write a rough draft of your personal essay. Your summer work will make early scholarship/college application deadlines more doable in the fall.

❏ Gather information related to financial aid—the 2025-26 FAFSA should be available on October 1, 2024, and we’ll plan a financial aid night for families around the time of its release. Note: you’ll use 2023 tax data to complete the 2025-26 FAFSA application.

If your plan includes applying to 4-year colleges...

❏ Create a Common App account and start entering some of the basic information.

❏ Read “The Checklist for College-bound Juniors,” by Patrick O’Connor – good (and brief) advice for navigating the 4-year college application process. You can also consider whether test prep will be on your list of summer tasks. There are many test-optional colleges and universities, and if you choose to apply without submitting test scores you can focus your energies on excelling in rigorous coursework and writing stellar essays. However, the decision to test or not to test is ultimately personal; Ms. Anderson and Mrs. Spellman are available to discuss your options. We are planning to offer another School Day SAT in October 2024.

TIps for using Naviance Career Exploration Resources

Both Erika Spellman and I recommend that students do one or two assessments of their strengths and skills during each year of middle/high school in order to notice how their interests evolve over time – the Self-Discovery tab in Naviance has a number of options, and most of the assessments can be repeated as many times as a student wants. Students have used Naviance during Advisory this year, and the summer is a great time to look back and reflect AND do additional career research.

Our student Naviance link is: https://student.naviance.com/lbjsh. All LB & ILC students in grades 7-12 have accounts associated with their methow.org Google login, so they need to click the "Student" backpack icon and then click the "Continue with Single Sign On" button rather than creating a new account (even if it’s the first time they’ve used Naviance).

Virtual College Admissions Resources

Both 2-year and 4-year colleges and universities offer a number of virtual resources to help students navigate the admissions process. Here are links to those offerings for a range of schools:

Washington Wednesday Webinar Series - specific to the UW, exploring a range of admissions topics

Whatcom Community College Information Sessions - learn more about specific programs at WCC

Reed College Virtual Admissions Events - helpful for understanding selective college admissions

Montana State University Virtual Visits - explore MSU’s degree options or meet with an admissions rep

Renton Technical College Virtual Welcome Center - great workshops & links to online advising

8 of the Best Colleges Virtual Programs - virtual dates coming soon; good resource to interact with a

number of selective liberal arts college admission representatives in one place

The University of Chicago Virtual Events - range of admissions topics, some involve other universities

ReadyWA - Career Exploration Resources for Students & Families (Grades 7-12)

Ready Washington is a coalition of more than 20 state and local agencies, associations, and advocacy organizations focused on providing career planning resources for all students in Washington state. Click these links to see their suggestions for having conversations with high school and middle school students about high school and beyond.

Whether you’re a graduating senior or a continuing junior high or high school student, feel free to email me with any questions or concerns or interesting updates about your lives, even after this school year ends and before the next one begins. :)

Have an amazing summer!

All the best,

Beth

Beth Anderson

College and Career Advisor, Methow Valley School District

Career & College Advising Webpage, email: banderson@methow.org

CAREER AND COLLEGE NOTES FOR MID-MARCH THROUGH MID-APRIL 2024

Hello Students and Families,

There are some awesome things on the horizon, including the Trades Fair at TwispWorks on March 20 and a College & Career Fair at LBHS on April 22 (organized by our CLIMBS students!). Let me know if you have questions about any of the opportunities listed here.

Scholarships!

Seniors, keep checking the Scholarships 2024 Google Classroom page for new scholarship opportunities and updates to deadlines, etc. One opportunity to highlight – the Methow Valley Education Foundation now has four distinct programs (with one universal application): MVEF General Scholarships, Trade/Vocational School Scholarships, the Tom Zbyszewski Memorial Scholarship, and the new Arnold R. Campbell Memorial Scholarship(s). The MVEF scholarship committee especially encourages students who are interested in trade or technical education/training to apply.

SAT Prep for Juniors

Ms. Anderson will be offering a test prep series during Advisory on Tuesdays & Thursdays starting on March 19, leading up to the School Day SAT at Liberty Bell on Thursday, April 25.

Because of the new digital format of the test, our test prep will be mostly online. But I encourage all juniors to attend the advisory prep sessions in person for two reasons: 1) having time set aside and a group of colleagues to practice with provides accountability and motivation, and 2) I'll guide you through the resources and show how to use them effectively. 

If you're interested, here's a recent NY Times article about the new digital SAT. According to students who have already taken the digital SAT this spring, the shorter testing time is a real game-changer!  

Many (but not all) colleges and universities plan to continue their test-optional admissions policies next year. You can check out a current list of test-optional schools at FairTest: The National Center for Fair and Open Testing. 

Summer Essay Workshop at The Bush School, Mazama Campus

The week of June 24-28, Hilary Kaltenbach (MVSD parent and former Bush School teacher) and Jasminé Smith from The Bush School will be offering a writing retreat designed to support rising seniors as they tackle the writing components of college applications. MVSD juniors are invited to register as day students – you’ll attend from 10am-3pm each day – for a cost of $50 (and financial aid is available). Check out the attached flyer for more details, and see Beth Anderson with questions. 

Upcoming Events & Deadlines

Wednesday, March 20 — MVSD Trades Fair at TwispWorks

The second annual MVSD Trades Fair is sure to be an awesome experience! From 11:30am-1:00pm on March 20, tradespeople from the Methow and nearby communities will set up outside at TwispWorks, in front of our MVSD Welding and Auto shops. There will be demonstrations of tools and equipment, and students will have the opportunity to ask the representatives from different trades about the qualifications and experience needed to work in their fields. See Beth Anderson, Wyatt Southworth, or Grant Storey if you want to attend – we will arrange transportation from LBHS to Twisp and back.

Monday, April 22 — College & Career Fair at LBHS

The 7th-8th and 9th-10th CLIMBS classes are planning a whole-school College & Career Fair that will be held during JH/HS Advisory and lunch on Monday, April 22. Representatives from colleges and local businesses/employers will be on hand to answer questions and give students information about opportunities in their industries/schools. 

Thursday, April 25 — School Day SAT

Juniors are encouraged to sign up with Debbie in the main office (no later than March 25) to take the SAT at Liberty Bell on April 25, starting at 8:20am. This opportunity is free and during the school day – please take advantage of it!

Ongoing — Finish the FAFSA

Seniors & families: there’s still time to complete your FAFSA application in order to receive scholarships and financial aid at many post-secondary institutions for the fall of 2024. Remember: even if you’re not planning to continue your education next year, I’d encourage you to fill out the FAFSA because it will give you the opportunity to access the funds you need if you change your mind!

Be well,

Beth/Ms. Anderson

Beth Anderson 

College and Career Advisor

Methow Valley School District

banderson@methow.org