Counseling Corner: Willowbrook Guidance Department provides seminars and tips to prepare seniors for life after high school

The Willowbrook Guidance Department is committed to helping students prepare for their post-secondary-education goals. As part of that focus, the department recently hosted/will host several events to guide seniors through the college application process.

  • On Aug. 23, the Guidance Department met with seniors to discuss the college application process. Seniors will meet individually with their counselor in September or October to complete a Senior Interview. During that meeting, counselors will review each student’s progress toward graduation, as well as post-high school plans.
  • On Aug. 24, counselors met with senior parents/guardians to review that process and to discuss post-high school options.
  • To further assist students, counselors will host the following seminars during Warrior Time.
    • Aug. 30: Selective colleges/universities
    • Aug. 31: The common application
    • Sept. 1: College of DuPage (COD)
    • Drop-in assistance: Every Wednesday from Sept. 7 to Nov. 15, counselors will be available during Warrior Time in the College and Career Center to guide students in completing their applications, to provide Naviance assistance, to offer help with searching for financial aid and scholarships and to answer questions.
  • Students also can find more information about colleges of interest through:
    • Meeting with college representatives in the College and Career Center (students can view the list of representatives who will visit Willowbrook and sign up in Naviance)
    • Attending college field trips and visiting college campuses (seniors are allowed two excused college-visit days)
    • Attending college fairs
  1. Oct. 14: National College Fair – 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at McCormick Place in Chicago (for more information, and to register, go to http://tinyurl.com/zreu4a4)
  2. Oct. 17: COD College Fair – 6 to 8 p.m. at COD (for more information, and to register, go to http://tinyurl.com/ydxdqlw6)
  • The Guidance Department encourages parents/guardians and students of the class of 2018 to join the department’s Remind account to receive updates and notifications of deadlines, scholarship information and more.
    • To join, text @c8df3a to 81010.

Below are a few tips as students begin the college application process:

Start early. Set deadlines for completing essays, collecting recommendations and filling out forms a few weeks before they’re due. Mark those earlier deadlines on your calendar – and don’t miss them. College websites are the best place to find accurate deadline information.

Be consistent. Using the exact same name on all of your forms makes things easier for admission officers. Decide whether you want to use a shortened version of your legal name, or your middle name, and then always use the same version.

Be careful. Careless mistakes on your application can hurt your chances of getting accepted. After you finish an application, put it aside for a day, and then check it again for errors. If you can, have a teacher or a parent/guardian proofread it as well. Save and review online applications before you submit them.

Submit once. When you apply online, you’ll usually get an automated response your materials have been received. If you don’t, contact the college’s admission office. Don’t apply online again or mail in another application.

Keep copies. Make a copy of each piece of each application. Save personal identification numbers, passwords, canceled checks and notes or e-mails from admission officers. That documentation can save you if a problem arises.

Get confirmation. If you mail applications, put a stamped postcard addressed to your house in each package, so admission officers can let you know your materials arrived. If you get a notice something is missing, don’t panic. Call the admission office and calmly ask what steps you can take.

- Source: College Board (http://tinyurl.com/mx63dug)