The senior year guidance curriculum is devoted to completing post-secondary planning, and for most students that means applying to college. Seniors attend the Senior Seminar in September to review important steps in the college application process. During the fall seniors meet with counselors to review their post-secondary plans and ensure that they are on track to complete requirements and meet deadlines. Counselors work individually with students who are pursuing a gap year, post-graduate year, military, or employment after graduation.
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Senior Seminars
April
September
Senior Parent Talk - September 15, 2023 (recording)
Resources for Applying to College
- Required Forms
- Optional Forms
- Helpful Resources
Guidance Instagram Account
Helpful Links
Applying to College
Financial Aid & Paying for College
- Scholarship Document Request Please complete this form if you are applying for a scholarship that requires a transcript and/or letter of recommendation and the Guidance Department will send it out for you.
- FAFSA Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, on the Federal Student Aid website.
- FAFSA Federal Financial Aid Virtual Bootcamp
- CSS Financial Aid PROFILE, Financial Aid form required by some private colleges. List of colleges that require the CSS PROFILE.
- EFC Calculator, Estimated Family Contribution, or EFC, determines what a family is expected to contribute to their child's college costs.
- MEFA, Massachusetts Educational Finance Authority's website offers valuable tools and resources to plan for paying for college.
- FAFSA Day - opportunity to meet with financial aid professionals to assist with completing FAFSA
Free Scholarship Searches
Scholarships/Scholarship Applications
Helpful Forms & Resources
College Application Checklist
Common Application: Completing Step by Step
Colleges with Comprehensive Academic Support Programs
Colleges with ASD Support Programs
College Admissions Selector (Abridged Barron's Guide List of Colleges)
College Spotlight
WHS guidance counselors receive invitations for campus visitation programs, which is a great way to learn more about the college, network with admission representatives and advocate on behalf of our students. We will feature these "hidden gems" on our Guidance Instagram Account.
Previous Events
Guidance-Parent Talk - via Zoom, 9/15/2023
College Admission Panel w/ Boston College, University of Massachusetts, North Carolina State, June 3rd
Live Stream Rebroadcast for those unable to attend; refer to text and timestamps for particular topic
April Senior Seminar
Internship, Apprenticeship, 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.
Apprenticeship training in Massachusetts
Community service and volunteer opportunities are available in Westwood and the Greater Boston Area.
A Gap Year offers students one year between high school and college to explore internships, volunteer opportunities or travel.
