Post-High School Planning at ICS
Just getting started on the process of looking into post-high school planning, but don't know where to start?
Check out all the neat activities your counselors will be putting on here at ICS.
Freshman Meetings
In Fall of students 9th grade year, every freshman student will meet in large groups with our principal and our college and career counselor to get to know high school at ICS. We cover a 4-year planning timeline and tips, strategies, and resources for helping students be successful at ICS academically.
Junior Meetings
Ms. Cummings, your awesome college and career counselor, hosts her annual Junior Meetings in February each year. These meetings are an opportunity for juniors and their parents to meet with the counselor in small groups to talk about post-high school planning and senior-year planning. We give students a folder of information so they can start getting organized around their goals and be prepared for whatever plan they are looking to pursue. Every student is required to attend the meeting, but for parents it is optional. Meeting topics consist of getting started on researching options, how applications work, ICS letter of recommendation process, thinking about senior year, etc.
Senior Meetings
In August, just before senior year begins, students are required to attend their Senior Meetings. For these, each student individually meets with me so I can assess their planning progress and help them identify what direction to go next, as well as how I will be supporting them during senior year. Each meeting will be 1 hour long and parents are welcome to attend. These meetings help ICS make sure students are prepared for their senior year before the school year even begins. We talk about where they are at in the research stage, timeline, how to get letters of recommendation as it pertains to their current situation, senior courses and planned class schedule, and any questions students or parents may have about planning. I also invite students to meet with me throughout the Fall to help them with anything they need in the post-high school planning process while they are in the middle of it.
SOHO Hours (Senior Office Hours Only)
During the Fall and early-Winter, Ms. Cummings hosts her senior office hours. These are specific times available for seniors to drop-in and ask questions, get help with essays or applications, work on scholarships, etc. Students do not need to make an appointment for SOHO. Times vary from year to year and student will be notified at their senior August meetings of the schedule for the current times and days.
Financial Aid Presentation
Each year, Ms. Cummings hosts a financial aid presentation at ICS for students interested in perusing college or higher educational opportunities after high school. Often held during the mid-winter, a presentation is given by a financial aid specialist from one of our local colleges. The presentation covers everything from how to get started and considerations along to the way, to what you'll need to know when. We also include some background into public and private scholarships and FAFSA information.
College Visits
Don't forget to come see the fabulous college representatives AND admission counselors that visit our school each year in the Fall from a wide variety of universities. Throughout the Fall we host college reps from schools all over the country in an attempt to give our students an easy opportunity to get to know some great universities, practice asking questions and talking to reps, and begin thinking about their post-high school goals. Please encourage your student to check out the bulletin board in the hallway to the lyceum to note dates, times, and colleges that will be visiting our campus. I would encourage students to check-out colleges they are unfamiliar with, as well as ones they are, to get a sense of all types of opportunities available. Students can attend for a few minutes or talk to them for their whole 30-minute stay and they can bring their lunch if it’s a lunch visit. Visits are held during specific lunches and after school times in the office conference room. We encourage all grade-level students to attend.
A schedule will be continually updated starting in September each year reflecting dates and times. The list will be posted on one of the bulletin boards in the hallway to the lyceum and will also be sent to all students via their school emails.
College Planning Day
Each year in late March our fabulous counselors, Ms. Christiansen and Ms. Cummings, take every junior ICS student to the Washington Council's College Planning Day. This is full day field trip where students take time to attend four seminars of their choice from a list of many of Washington's public and private colleges. Representatives from each school are present to give presentations and answer questions. In recent years we have attended the College Planning Day at the University of Washington: Bothell and in the 2016-2017 school year we will be continuing with the location.
Alumni Panel (Winter)
Every other year, our school hosts invites 6-8 graduates of ICS to return to our school and out on an assembly for our students. Graduates share their experiences about life after high school, their current activities and goals, and tips and tricks for how students at ICS can prepare for post-high school planning. For the 2016/2017 school year, we will be hosting the assembly on December 16th at the end of the school day. All students are invited and I know our graduates look forward to sharing their experiences.
Senior Panel (Spring)
In the Spring of each academic year, Ms. Cummings organizes a panel of 5-7 seniors to give juniors the inside scoop on what post-high planning will look like as it relates to college applications and planning. This event is specifically for junior grade level students and is most often held in our ICS library. Ms. Cummings will inform students when this opportunity is scheduled.
Scholarship Workshops
Once per month, our college and career counselor hosts a brief scholarship workshop for students. It is a drop-in opportunity that highlights the scholarship process, how-to’s, do’s and don’ts, resources, and an opportunity to get started. Most workshops are usually held in the main office conference room or resource room between 2:15 PM and 2:45 PM. Currently only junior and senior students are invited, but I will extend the invite to other grade levels starting in February of each academic year. Parents are welcome to join as well starting in February if they RSVP with me prior to the workshop date. I hope students will be encouraged to check it out! The next meeting dates and times tentatively scheduled are January 12th, February 27th, March 17th, April 19th, and May 9th. After school from 2:15 PM-2:45 PM. Wednesdays from 12:15-12:45 PM.
Resume Building
Ms. Cummings facilitates resume building through Career Cruising and in personal interactions with students. Students will work on these through Career Cruising in one homeroom each year from 9th-11th grade. If students need further time to ask questions, edit, get feedback, or anything else, they can make an appointment to see Ms. Cummings when available and work on their resumes individually. Students can get helps year-round with resumes.
Virtual College and Campus Tours
Browse colleges and universities via virtual tours with the link below! Each school features a student-led virtual representation of the campus and what the college or university has to offer. This website highlights all kinds of college/university campuses including, liberal arts, art schools, ivy leagues, small and rural, private, public, and more.
Take a Virtual Tour Here
International Community School
