Counseling Corner: Willowbrook Counseling Department provides grade-level programming for students

The Willowbrook Counseling Department is committed to helping students achieve their goals and reach success while in high school and beyond.

As part of that focus, the department hosts multiple events and offers a variety of services specific to freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors. See details below.

Freshmen:
The Willowbrook Counseling Department facilitates a student-organized peer mentor program called New Beginnings for all freshmen. The program trains upperclassmen to work with freshmen on academics, team building, social skills, school spirit/pride and more. This is accomplished through their daily resource period and Friday activities, which are meant to be engaging and interactive. Activities include:

  • New Beginnings Olympics: A competition among freshmen resource periods
  • A scavenger hunt throughout the building to learn where resources are located 
  • Interactive team-building activities
  • Icebreakers: Getting to know your mentor and other freshmen
  • Clubs/athletics fair: Leaders share information about the extracurricular opportunities at Willowbrook and encourage freshmen to get involved

There also are interactive presentations/activities given by counselors, which include:

  • “Family Feud”-style game: Getting to know the Student Services Department
  • Understanding Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) resources and how to utilize them
  • “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire”-style game: Grades, final exams, GPA, etc.
  • Registration/course-selection presentation

The goal is to create an inclusive atmosphere to make sure each freshman knows he or she belongs in the Willowbrook family and to encourage freshmen to pay it forward when they become upperclassmen.

Sophomores:
As part of the Counseling Department’s goal to prepare students for post-high school success, counselors provide career programming for sophomores.

Sophomore career unit: Throughout November, counselors will visit sophomores to introduce them to the career-development process. That process includes using SchooLinks to complete the “Find Your Path” and “Would You Rather” assessments linked to careers, job outlook and education requirements. Students will use the results of those assessments to choose a career of interest and begin the career exploration process.

Career exploration tips: The Occupational Outlook Handbook (http://www.bls.gov/ooh) is an excellent resource to explore careers and get up-to-date information on jobs. It includes details about work environment, pay, education, job outlook and similar occupations. Students and parents also can review Willowbrook’s Career Exploration Handbook at https://dupage88.libguides.com/ld.php?content_id=58437031.

Juniors:
Throughout the school year, counselors work with juniors individually and in groups regarding the college search and planning process. Below are events the department offers to fulfill this goal.

Junior Next-Step Presentations: The College Search and Planning Process: In October and November, counselors meet with juniors to discuss the College Search and Planning Process. Topics include post-high school options, junior-year planning timeline, senior-year course selection, components of the college application, an introduction to the college search process and SAT testing. Students are given access to the presentation and the Google Classroom and Remind codes for the latest information. The Google Classroom has many resources to assist with the college and career planning process.

Junior Parent Night Presentation: The College Search and Planning Process: On Oct. 19, counselors presented to parents/guardians of juniors. The event took place on Zoom, and information discussed included items presented to juniors during their Next-Step Presentations, as well as other important content. The presentation can be viewed at https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1qdgc61Zr4hr_JrVuY9bSd3da0MxI41jqsXevmGo64fA/edit#slide=id.ga1e282b358_2_89. 

Conquering the Challenges of College Costs Presentation: This virtual presentation will begin at 6 p.m. on Nov. 8 and will take place on Zoom. It will focus on helping parents/guardians and students manage college costs without excessive debt. It also will provide information about how to find your financial college fit. A flyer with the Zoom link to join the event was e-mailed to families.

SchooLinks and Creating a Balanced College List: Counselors will teach juniors how to use SchooLinks to create a résumé, search for colleges and create a balanced list of colleges that includes safety schools, match schools and reach/dream schools. 

Seniors:
Members of the class of 2024 are currently immersed in the college application process, and the Counseling Department is assisting those students with completing those documents, as well as the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

As part of the school’s focus to help students with their post-high school plans, the department provides several events to guide seniors.

Senior Parent Night: On Aug. 24, the department hosted a Senior Parent Night, “The College Application and Decision Process.” During the evening, steps to complete college applications were discussed such as factors to consider when creating a college list, writing a college essay, submitting transcripts and requesting letters of recommendation through SchooLinks and how to make a final decision by May 1, 2024. The presentation can be viewed at https://dupage88.libguides.com/GuidanceandCounseling/ParentPrograms. Seniors can visit the WBHS Class of 2024 Google Classroom for resources, handouts and videos to assist them in this process. 

Senior Interview: May 1, 2024, is National College Decision Day, so students have time to make their final decision. Seniors have been meeting with their counselors to review graduation status and develop/review their post-high school plan. Seniors are encouraged to continue working with their counselors and are invited to attend college application assistance during resource period on Wednesdays (through Nov. 15) in the College and Career Center.

Senior Financial Aid Night: The process of researching and applying for financial aid to attend college can be overwhelming, but the Counseling Department is here to help. On Nov. 31, the department will host a “Senior Financial Aid Night” for parents/guardians. During this presentation, financial aid terms, how to apply for financial aid and how to search and apply for scholarships will be discussed. Steps to complete the FAFSA also will be shared, as this is a graduation requirement for all students in Illinois. The 2024-25 FAFSA will open in December 2023, and the form can be completed at www.studentaid.gov.

FAFSA Completion Workshops: Willowbrook will offer FAFSA Completion Workshops in the Library Media Center, and the dates will be shared soon. During the events, members of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) will assist students and parents/guardians with completing their FAFSA form. 

Students and parents/guardians should bring their social security numbers, driver’s license and completed 2022 taxes. Students and parents/guardians also will need to create a FSA ID (a federal username and password) prior to completing the FAFSA. 

Scholarships also are a great way to help with the costs of attending college. There is quite an array of scholarships, so there is something for everyone. Many scholarships are based on merit, but there also are some based on ethnicity, gender, volunteer work, future education plans, financial status and many other factors. Students can search and apply for scholarships through multiple avenues, including:

  • Financial aid page of the colleges/universities to which they apply
  • Student’s or parent’s employer (many companies offer scholarships for children of their employees)
  • National scholarship search sites such as www.Fastweb.com and www.Scholarships.com 
  • A large focus at Willowbrook is local scholarship offerings. There are many businesses and organizations throughout DuPage County that offer scholarships for students. Students will be notified of those opportunities after they are released and shared in the Scholarship Google Classroom. 

For more information about any of the grade-level programs above, contact the Counseling Department at https://dupage88.libguides.com/GuidanceandCounseling.