Counseling Corner: Willowbrook Guidance Department helps seniors prepare for life after high school

The Willowbrook Guidance Department is committed to helping students succeed in their post-secondary-education goals. As part of that focus, the department will host several upcoming events to guide seniors through the college application and decision-making process.

On Aug. 24, the Guidance Department met with seniors to discuss the college application and decision-making process. Those students also 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. 25, counselors met with senior parents/guardians to review that process and to discuss post-high school options.

To further assist students with completing college applications, counselors will host the following seminars during Warrior Time:

  • Aug. 30: Selective Colleges/Universities
  • Aug. 31: Common Application
  • Sept. 2: College of DuPage (COD)
  • Drop-in Assistance: Every Wednesday from Sept. 7 to Nov. 9, counselors will be available during Warrior Time in the College and Career Center to assist students with 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.
  • College-visit field trips and visiting college campuses: Seniors are allowed two excused college-visit days.
  • Attending college fairs:
    • Oct. 1: 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.)
    • Oct. 18: COD College Fair – 6:30 to 9 p.m. at COD (More than 240 colleges/universities will be at the fair. For more information, go to www.cod.edu.)

The Guidance Department encourages parents and students of the class of 2017 to join the department’s Remind account to receive updates and notifications of deadlines, scholarship information and more. To join, text 81010, and then enter @wbhscla.