College Admissions Reps Coming to WMS this Fall

We have done some restructuring in how our College Admissions Presentations are done this year, which will hopefully give more parents/students the opportunity to ask questions and learn about the college admissions process.  We have a number of colleges already scheduled to visit WMS this fall, which are listed below.  However, additional visits will be scheduled and announced here on this blog.  All College Admissions reps will now be scheduled for AFTER SCHOOL (2:47-3:30), and will be located just outside the student center (in the Administration Building) under the TV screen.  There is no need to "sign up" if you want to talk to the colleges...just stop by anytime between 2:47 and 3:30 p.m.  Here are some upcoming colleges that will be here:

October 19 - Linfield College
October 20 - George Fox University
October 22 - Hesston, EMU, and Goshen
October 26 - Northwestern University (Kirkland/Salem Campuses)
October 27 - Northwest Christian University
November 3 - Grand Canyon University
November 5 - Corban University

PSAT Day for Grades 9-11

ALL 9^th, 10^th, and 11^th grade students are taking the "new" PSAT at Western Mennonite School next Wednesday, October 14, 2015.  This test is an important part of preparing for college entrance exams and other post high school plans.  Students received an orientation and practice booklet in their English classes, and those who took the PSAT last year can review those results and practice for this year by logging into their College Board accounts at www.collegeboard.org/quickstart using their user name/password.  

Details for test day: 

Please get sufficient sleep and eat a good breakfast that morning.  Testing begins at 8:00 a.m. and will conclude at approximately 11:30 a.m.

PLEASE BRING the following items to the testing room:  # 2 pencils with erasers, water bottle, and an “approved” calculator (see College Board website or practice booklet for acceptable types of calculators).

Please DO NOT BRING your backpack, cell phone, pocket translator, scratch paper, books, etc. into the testing room with you.  You will have a short break to have a snack, but you must leave it in the very back of the testing room. 

Please ARRIVE ON TIME or early and go to your assigned room BEFORE 8:00 to check in.  Room assignments will be posted next to the mailboxes by the end of the school day on Tuesday.  Remember to leave your snacks at the back of the testing room.

Healthcare Careers Academy

SOPHOMORES who sign up at the Guidance Office by Tuesday, October 6th will get priority to attend the Healthcare Careers Academy on Friday, October 30th (no school that day).  This is a hands-on event where you can learn about healthcare careers including:

• Trauma Nursing
• EMT
• Physical Therapy
• Occupational Therapy
• Dental Assisting
• Pharmacy Technician
• Medical Records, Coding, and Billing
• Medical Office Assistant
• Hemodialysis Technician

The event is held at Chemeketa Community College, Building 6, and students can either meet at the school at 8:00 a.m. and ride together...or...students can meet us at the event (there is no school bus service provided that day as there is no school at WMS).  We will be leaving WMS at 8:00 a.m., and the event begins at 8:45 a.m.  The event ends at 1:30 p.m., and we will arrive back at WMS by 2:45 p.m.

A light lunch will be provided at the event.  Students MUST sign up at the Guidance Office if they wish to attend.  Remember, Sophomores get priority (Juniors are allowed to attend if there is space). 

NEW: Official SAT Practice through Khan Academy for FREE

The College Board has partnered with Khan Academy to give students an enhanced way to practice for the SAT.  This practice is personalized, based upon the student's PSAT results.  For more information, go to:  https://www.khanacademy.org/sat?ep_mid=11152151&ep_rid=44474858

Also, coming soon! 

• Students will be able to write a practice SAT essay, take a picture with their smart phones, and get instant feedback on what they did well and what needs improvement.
• Students will be able to take a paper-practice SAT, take a picture of their answer sheet on their smart phones, and immediately have sub-scores and a customized study plan.

If you would be interested in attending an information session with the details about the newly designed SAT, please e-mail the Guidance Office.  If there are at least 10 families interested, we will schedule a workshop: dfritz@westernmennoniteschool.org

National Christian College Fair

September 28 (after school) is the National Christian College Fair in Portland, and all 9th grade students and their parents are encouraged to attend.  Transportation will be provided for students who sign up by September 21.  If there is still room on the bus after September 21, parents and students in grades 10-12 are welcome to join.  This is a great opportunity to talk to Admissions Reps from 45 different Christian Colleges and learn more about different college majors, scholarships, and dorm life.  The WMS bus will leave at 2:45 p.m., and we will be making a stop for dinner (bring money or sack lunch) on the way there.  For those that will be driving themselves, the actual event is from 6-8 p.m. at:

Westside Christian High School
8200 SW Pfaffle Street
Tigard, Oregon  97223

For the list of colleges attending, go to:  http://myblueprintstory.com/christian-college-fairs/?fid=49

ALL FRESHMEN, please SIGN UP on the bulletin board outside the Guidance Office before September 21 so we will know how many additional seats remain for parents/older students.  Thank you.

Fall Virtual College Fair is September 10th

If you prefer online chats/info, or just haven't had a chance to attend a college fair in person yet, consider "attending" this event:

College Week Live's All Access Fairs are the largest virtual college fairs of the fall and there are only two left!  Don't miss out, make sure you log into CollegeWeekLive on Thursday, September 10th, between 10:00am to 10:00pm EDT for September All Access to chat live with any of over 100 colleges!

Chat Live with college admissions counselors

Connect with admissions counselors and current college students at 100+ colleges and universities. Ask them anything you'd like about getting admitted to college, choosing degree programs, exploring campus life, and more.

Watch expert presentations

Including:

·         US Universities that specialize in STEM
presented by Meredith Graham, Director of CollegeWise
 

·         Path to the Student-Athlete Experience
presented by Jessi Hilger of the NCAA Eligibility Center
 

·         Mindful Guide to College Preparation
presented by Lisa Moore, Author and teacher of teens and their families for over 30 years

·         Secrets to Winning a Scholarship 
presented by Mark Kantrowitz, VP and Publisher of Edvisors

Win Scholarships!

Visit five college profile pages on CollegeWeekLive during the event, ask the schools anything you'd like while you're logged in, and we will enter you in a drawing for our $5000 scholarship to any participating school. 

Download the event flier and sign up today!

SAVE THE DATE! Fly trip to Hesston College October 29-31

Juniors and Seniors!  You have an AWESOME opportunity to fly to Kansas in October to visit Hesston College with other WMS students.  During your visit to Hesston, you will be able to sit in on college classes, meet with an academic advisor in the major you want to study, get a tour of campus, and hang out with current students. It's a great way to get a feel for what a Hesston College student experiences on a daily basis! The dates for this year's Fly Trip are Oct. 29-31.

If you are interested in going on this fly trip, all you need to pay is a $150 deposit, and they will cover the cost of everything else. Once they get a definite number, they will purchase plane tickets for you. Students will arrive in Wichita on Thursday, Oct. 29 and depart on Saturday, Oct 31. They will provide transportation to and from the Wichita airport., lodging, meals, and activities during the entire trip.

There will be a registration page available very soon, and the registration deadline will be Oct. 2. If you would like to make sure you get a link to register for this fly trip, please e-mail or phone Bethany Miller (see her contact information below). 

Bethany Miller

Admissions Counselor

Hesston College

Office: 620-327-8242

Cell: 605-660-5084

bethanym@hesston.edu