Junior Parent Night

Looking beyond high school

Did you get a raffle ticket?

HHS Counseling Office

Mrs. Ratchford

School Counseling Director

T-Z, IB Diploma

Mrs. Kuklick

School Counselor

A-C, ELL

Mrs. Hall

School Counselor

D-H

Ms. Hawthorne

School Counselor

I-M

Mrs. Poegl

School Counselor

N-S

Ms. Melton

Career Counselor

Ms. Clemens

Intervention Counselor

Mrs. Rice

Student Support Services Coordinator

HHS Counseling Office

Mrs. Woodson

Administrative Assistant

Mrs. Henderson

Registrar

Top 3 Takeaways

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1. Where to find information on all pathways after high school

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• What your student should be working on now

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• Funding higher education/training

Graduation Requirements

Is your student on track to graduate?

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If college bound, are they taking the best classes to prepare for college?

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If employment bound, have they explored all CTE classes that could prepare them?

Senior Information Website

Link on the Hanover High School website under Parents/Students

Support at HHS

Academic & Career Plan w/Ms. Melton

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• Students were led in Career Reflection
• Personality/career assessment from September
• Chosen career cluster and career goal
• Students completed their Academic & Career Plan
• Reviewed diploma type
• Discussed balanced 11th and 12th grade year (rigor the same or increased)
• Connection between courses and post secondary plan
• college - Alg 2 min + WL
• CTE courses

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Course Registration w/ School Counselors

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• Classroom presentations in November
• Individual School Counseling Meetings
• Review of diploma type and graduation requirements

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Junior Launch w/ School Counselors

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• This same presentation in late February!
• Pathways after high school
• Resources to support students

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SchooLinks

New in 2024/25 School Year

Students access in Classlink

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• Assessments
• Variety of assessments for students to better understand themselves
• Career Search/Planning
• Search for career information, trends, salaries, education needed, videos
• Favorite careers and identify chosen career cluster
• Academic & Career Plans
• Learning Hub
• Short courses on variety of topics: Career clusters, Planning for 2/4 year college, Employability skills, Financial aid, Planning for military, Jobs and internships, The College Application Process
• College
• College search and info
• College Applications (Connect with Common App)
• Request recommendations
• Send transcripts to colleges
• HCPS Senior Scholarship List
• Mostly starting Jan of Senior year

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Earning Credentials After High School -

The Options

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• College/University
• 4 year college (Bachelor degree, 120 credit hours)
• Community College
• Career Studies Certificate (approx. 15 credit hours)
• Certificate (approx. 30-50 credit hours)
• Associate Degree (2 years/approx. 60-65 credit hours; transfer to a 4 year college for 2 more years and earn a Bachelor degree)
• Career: Apprenticeship or Trade School or Short Certification Courses
• Salary + training + credential
• Examples of companies willing to train and help you earn a credential: Richmond JATC (electricity), Anton Paar (engineering), Afton Chemical (mechanic and engineering), Dominion VA Energy, VA State Police
• VCCS: Fast Forward
• Military
• Includes work/skill training and earn money for college
• Includes housing, insurance, and other benefits

“70% of jobs in VA require more than a high school diploma!”

Junior and Senior Timelines

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What should my child be doing now?

How We Communicate With You and Students

Hawk Happenings (parents)

• Sent via each Sunday afternoon via Parent Square
• School Counseling information about:
• Transcripts
• Course Registration
• Events
• Scholarships

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Schoology (students)

• Class of 2026 course page
• Transcript information
• Visits to HHS (college, military, employer, etc.)
• Special events (military fair, trade fair, etc.)
• Summer opportunities

Hanover County College & Career Center

Link on the Hanover High School website under Resources - Counseling

Let’s Raffle!

Find your ticket!

Trades & Employment

Finding Opportunities

1. Talk to CTE teachers (Agriculture, Engineering, Health Sciences, THCTT, etc. Lots of exposure to career connections)

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• Research options on the HCPS College and Career Center under Careers
1. Reynolds Fast Forward
2. Trade School Database
3. Apprenticeship Search

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Military

Military

1. Take the ASVAB in 2025
2. Invest in your physical fitness
3. Review the 3 pathways to service on the HCPS College & Career Center
4. Meet with recruiters who visit HHS and attend career expos
5. Consider ROTC programs in college (JROTC next year?)
6. Consider Reserves (part-time commitment)

College/University

Your Why!

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Academic Fit

• Balance of academic rigor and room for achievement and distinction
• Type of learning/size of classroom environment
• Competitive vs. Collaborative
• Courses of study or majors
• Will I feel successful here?

Personal Fit

• Institution’s Philosophy and Mission
• Student Body
• General Climate
• School Spirit
• Religious or spiritual life
• Will I feel comfortable here?

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Financial Fit

• Tuition, Housing and food
• Books and Transportation
• Is it affordable for my family?
• What type of aid and scholarships does the college offer?

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Think about why you want to go to college. What do you want to get out of it?

This will help guide your search for colleges and is a good warm up for essays.

College Visits to HHS

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• Most Tuesdays in the fall (some Wednesdays/Thursdays)
• 11:30-12:00
• Sign up by the day before
• eHall pass
• Auditorium
• These are the representatives that read your applications!

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Sign up to attend college visits at HHS in advance by checking SchooLinks - EVENTS

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Opportunities Guide

• Each 11th grader received a copy the week of Feb. 24
• Digital copy linked on the HCPS College & Career Center
• Types of colleges
• College application process
• Campus visits
• Financial Aid
• Profile of Virginia Colleges

Building a College List with Big Future

• Create a Free Account at bigfuture.org
• Search Colleges by Locations, Majors, and More
• Click on a school to see At a Glance Information, Deadlines, Average GPA and ACT/SAT Scores, and Tuition Costs

Get Organized Now!

Copy this college organizer from the HCPS College and Career Center and add information about the colleges you find.

Parts of a College Application

• Application
• Name, contact information, parent/guardian information, high school details, etc.
• Common App OR School Specific Application
• High School Transcript
• Academic record for all high school courses taken: Course name, final grades, attendance
• Application Fee
• These will vary: $50-100 per college
• Fee Waivers
• *Application essay
• Will vary depending on the college: Common App essay, Additional college specific essays
• *Letters of Recommendation
• Teacher and/or counselor
• *Test Scores (SAT or ACT)
• At many Virginia colleges and universities, these are not required
• *Auditions/Portfolios
• Rare, unless applying to an arts program

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*Some colleges do not require one or more of these items. Do your research!

Application Plans/Deadlines

Early Decision (ED)

• Apply to only ONE college
• Binding - If admitted, must attend
• If financial need is a factor, consider not applying ED
• Deadlines usually in November
• Often more competitive round
• Senior year grades not included, but senior year classes are considered
• Demonstrates interest
• Applications read by admissions after the deadline
• Application decisions usually released in December

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Early Action (EA)

• Apply to more than one
• Not binding
• Deadlines usually in November
• Senior year grades not included, but senior year classes are considered
• Applications read by admissions after the deadline
• Application decisions usually released in Jan/Feb
• VA Tech strongly encourages applicants to apply EA!

Regular Decision (RD)

• Apply to more than one
• Deadlines usually in January
• First semester Senior year grades included
• Applications read by admissions after the deadline
• Application decisions released by end of March
• For many colleges, this is when most applications are submitted

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Application Plans/Deadlines

Rolling

• Can apply to more than one
• Deadlines will vary, but students encouraged to apply in first semester
• Applications read continuously as applications are received
• Application decisions released within 2-6 weeks of application being submitted
• Usually when most applications are submitted

Priority

• Deadlines will vary, but many are December 1
• May combine with Regular deadlines
• Usually for scholarship consideration
• Sometimes for special programs requiring a portfolio

FAFSA Priority Filing Date

• FAFSA opens in October
• Refers to the FAFSA, not the application for admission
• To be considered for aid, especially institutional aid, FAFSA applications should be submitted 1st semester
• Deadlines vary by college (Jan or Feb)

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Restrictive Early Action/Single Choice Early Action

• Can only apply to one college early, limiting ability to apply to other colleges early
• Not binding
• Deadlines usually in November
• Senior year grades not included, but senior year classes are considered
• Applications read by admissions after the deadline
• Application decisions usually released in Jan/Feb

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Top 10 Factors in a College Admission Decision

Data from National Association of College Admissions Counseling (NACAC) �2023 State of College Admissions Report

Notice the term “GPA” isn’t listed!

Less Consideration in a College Admission Decision

Data from National Association of College Admissions Counseling (NACAC) �2023 State of College Admissions Report

Changes coming?

College Admission Tests

• SAT & ACT
• ACT changes starting in April (science optional)
• Note that AP/IB isn’t an admission test
• Dozens of Virginia Colleges and Universities are test optional
• Hundreds of colleges and universities in the US are test optional
• Exceptions to test optional
• Military academies; Some public college systems (ex: Georgia, Tennessee, Florida); Selective colleges like Ivies; Honors programs and some scholarships
• Timeline
• Min. 1 in Junior Year (May/June)
• Final beginning of Senior Year (August/September)
• Check the HCPS College and Career Center for more about ACT and SAT
• NOTE: Virginia code requires public schools to include scores on transcripts. However, you can request to have them removed by completing a form in the School Counseling office. Due by Sep. 12. Copies are on the School Counseling website

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Accessing PSAT Scores

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• Students in 9th & 11th grade take in October
• Access scores online through CollegeBoard account: studentscores.collegeboard.org.

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Planning on Playing a Sport in College?

• Don’t forget to register with the NCAA Eligibility Center if want to pursue Division I or II collegiate sports
• A transcript of grades must be uploaded to NCAA Eligibility Center
• Six (6) courses in Senior Year

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Financing Further Education

• Bachelor - avg. tuition + room/board in VA $160,000/4 years
• First 2 years (Associate) @ Reynolds - $10,000/2 years (save $70,000!!)
• First 2 years Richard Bland (Associate) -$9,000/year (save $62,000)

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• FAFSA vs. CSS Profile
• All families encouraged to complete (FAFSA often required for scholarship consideration) starting in October 2025. See college requirements. While some families might not qualify for federal aid, they could earn institutional aid.

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• Smaller, private colleges w/great automatic scholarships for certain GPA’s
• Randolph-Macon, Sweet Briar
• VTAG - $5,250 MUST APPLY (more for Hampton & Virginia Union Unis)

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• Affordable, large in-state publics
• George Mason University, Old Dominion University

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• HCPS scholarship information next year (largely 2nd semester)

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Financing Further Education:

Strategy of One-Thirds

Savings

Past

Current Income

Present

Loans

Future

Financing Further Education

Virginia Community College System:

Guaranteed Transfer Program

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• A gateway to the commonwealth’s four-year colleges and universities.
• Students who graduate from one of Virginia's 23 community colleges with an associate's degree and a minimum grade point average may obtain GUARANTEED admission to more than 30 of the commonwealth's colleges and universities.
• Cost $avings - Community College Tuition appx. $5,000/year

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Virginia G3 Program: Get Skilled, Get a Job, Get Ahead

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• High need career education for low income families
• G3 at Reynolds is a tuition assistance program for any Virginia resident who qualifies for in-state tuition and whose family income falls below an identified threshold. It could mean students pay little to no tuition.
• Sometimes one year or less
• Programs: Healthcare, Information Technology, Manufacturing and Skilled Trades, Early Childhood Education, and Public Safety

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Upcoming Events

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College Jumpstart

Wednesday, March 19

6:30pm

Mechanicsville High School

Upcoming Events

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Summer College Bootcamp

July 28-31 am @ Virtual

Mini College & Career Expo

July 31 am @ HHS

Upcoming Events

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Senior Parent Night

August/September

Senior Class Sponsors

Yearbook

School Counselors

Last Week

(February each year)

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HCPS Career Expo

45 HCPS Business Partners

Free transportation

During the school day

Start Your Resume Now

Include:

• Contact Information
• Education
• Certifications (CTE, Health Sciences & THCTT students)
• What you do when not in class
• Volunteering, job, clubs, sports, etc.

Jobs, Internships, Recommendation Letters, Interviews, Scholarships, etc.

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Google Drive has great templates!

High School Transcripts ordered through SchooLinks

No longer use Parchment!

Non College Application Needs

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• Access by going to School - Record Requests
• Official: Scholarships, summer programs, NCAA, etc.
• Unofficial: self view

College Application Needs

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• Senior transcripts ready in mid September (includes summer coursework and senior year courses which most colleges require)
• Colleges must be in SchooLinks - Colleges - College Applications
• Requires syncing Common App & SchooLinks
• Common App closes end of July and opens after August 1, then can link to SchooLinks to send transcripts to colleges

Keep exploring options and researching Opportunities for post-secondary plans.

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Reach out to Ms. Melton, Career Counselor and your Caseload Counselor with any questions!

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Check out the HCPS College and Career Website and Schoology under

“Class of 2026” → School Counseling Materials

Things to look out for over the next few months:

• Students should check Schoology Regularly!
• Set a reminder or a routine to check daily or weekly
• Small Group Support
• College Search & Applications (let Ms. Melton know if would like to join First Gen group!)
• Transcripts
• Updated with Junior year grades (late June/early July)
• Letters of Recommendation
• Please give teachers and counselors at least two weeks to complete a letter of recommendation. Ask in person, invite in SchooLinks.
• Summer College Bootcamp
• Registration in May/June
• Senior Meetings with the counselor
• September & October

Let’s Raffle!

Find your ticket!

You’ve got this!

Class of 2026