The junior year guidance curriculum is devoted to post-secondary planning. The Junior Seminars take place January through March. Students utilize Naviance, an online database instrumental in researching colleges. Additional seminar topics include standardized testing, college essay writing, financial aid and scholarships. Juniors meet individually with their counselors throughout the spring to develop a well-balanced list of colleges.

 

Virtual Financial Aid Night 10/22/2024

Recording 

Power Point Presentation 

    

Guidance Parent Talk 10/18/2024 

Recording

Power Point Presentation 

 

Resources for Visiting Colleges:

• College Campus Visit Form
• Campus Visit Summary

 

 

Helpful Links:

Program of Studies 

Digital SAT Rollout - Recorded  (9/12/2023)

2023-24 Junior College Planning Night (Recorded 1/24/2024)

 

Applying to College

• Naviance
• Common Application

 

Standardized Testing

• Registering for the ACT & SAT
• SAT & ACT Prep Programs
• ACT
• College Board
• Colleges That Are Test Optional 
• Colleges That Accept Self-Reported Test Scores

 

Financial Aid & Paying for College

• FAFSA, Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, on the Federal Student Aid website.
• Student Aid Index, SAI  Student Aid Index is an eligibility index number that your college's financial aid office uses to determine how much federal student aid you would receive.  The Student Aid Index (SAI) has replaced the Expected Family Contribution (EFC).
• MEFA, Massachusetts Educational Finance Authority's website offers valuable tools and resources to plan for paying for college.

 

Free Scholarship Searches

• Fastweb
• Big Future by College Board
• Scholarships.com
• Cappex.com

 

Scholarships/Scholarship Applications

• John & Abigail Adams Scholarship for Massachusetts State Colleges
• Stanley Z. Koplik Certificate of Mastery Tuition Waiver Program for Massachusetts State Colleges

 

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Helpful Forms & Resources:

 

College Planning Timeline Junior Year

College Application Checklist

Colleges with ASD Support Programs

Colleges with Comprehensive Academic Support Programs

College Admissions Selector (Abridged Barron's Guide List of Colleges)

Parent Information Form

 

 

Junior Seminars

 

January

• Topic: Introduction to College Search Process

 

February

• Topic: Naviance & Common Application

 

March

• Topic: Paying for College, Scholarships, Financial Aid

 

 

Internship, Community Service & Gap Year Opportunities

 

Internships provide an excellent opportunity for students to explore potential career interests. WHS partners with The Education Collaborative, TEC, to offer internships during the school year and the summer.

• TEC Internships

 

Community service and volunteer opportunities are available in Westwood and the Greater Boston Area.

• List of community service and volunteer programs in Westwood area.
• Teen Life Volunteer Programs in Greater Boston area.

 

A Gap Year offers students one year between high school and college to explore internships, volunteer opportunities or travel.

• Teen Life Gap Year Opportunities
• Americorps
• City Year
• Dynamy

 

 

PSAT - October 26 th @ Westwood High School 

Counselors will meet with Juniors to review results.