Counseling

Senior year is a busy time for students and there are many things to keep track of. Our goal is to use this space to share any information the Class of 2021 will need. 

Resources

• FAFSA - Free Application Federal Student Aid. This should be completed every year when attending post-high school education, including trade schools.
• MN Office of Higher Education - This is a great resource to find all MN State schools, including 2-year, 4-year, and technical colleges
• Naviance - Request transcripts and letters of recommendation. Research Scholarship Information both locally and nationally. Set up a username and password.  
• Scholarships - Log in to Naviance for a current list of available scholarships.

Please contact the Guidance Office or your student's counselor for more information on the following support services.

Programs/Resources

College Possible
A nonprofit organization dedicated to helping promising low-income young people prepare for and earn admission to college. This program’s mission is to identify low-income juniors and seniors who have the motivation and potential for college, and then provide them with four critical services: 1) ACT and SAT test preparation, 2) intensive guidance in preparing college applications, 3) help in obtaining financial aid, and 4) guidance in transition to college. Applicants should have earned a 2.5 GPA, passed the basic standards tests, and demonstrated a solid attendance record.

Advisory
All students are assigned an Advisory teacher and generally stay with the same Advisory teacher all four years of high school. Advisory is used to communicate and interpret school policies, procedures, and processes, distribute midterm/quarter progress reports, and disseminate information about programs, activities, and events. 

After-School Math Help
The Math Resource Room is open for math help on Tuesdays and Thursdays after school. Math help is also available after school during ELT on Wednesdays (2:20 - 3:50 p.m.). AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination): An in-house academic support program that prepares students for college eligibility and success. The program targets academically average students and places them in advanced courses, while supporting them in the AVID elective. AVID services students who are traditionally underrepresented on four-year college campuses. Students interested in the program must apply and go through the selection process.

ELT (Extended Learning Time)
A program for freshmen and sophomores who are struggling with current course work and need extra time or help to complete assignments. ELT help sessions are offered Monday through Thursday after school from 2:20 p.m. - 3:50 p.m. in the Media Center. Both staff and peer tutors are available to assist students in their studies.

Fresh Start
A transitions program intended to identify and support freshmen who may struggle but not qualify for other services. The purpose of Fresh Start is to have students earn 12 credits their freshman year. The program specifically focuses on the four core subject areas of English, mathematics, science and social studies, providing academic tutoring and, when necessary, behavioral and emotional guidance.

Link Crew
A high school transition program that welcomes freshmen and helps them feel comfortable throughout their first year of high school. Built on the belief that students can help students succeed, Link Crew trains members of the junior and senior classes to be Link leaders. As positive role models, Link leaders are motivators, leaders and teachers who guide the freshmen to discover what it takes to be successful during the transition to high school and help facilitate freshman success.

Resource Rooms
Available to students during their study halls. Students must get a pass from a teacher to use a resource room and to be excused from their study hall.
 

Credit Recovery Options

"A” School
An in-house alternative high school program that helps students recover credits in order to graduate. It is specifically designed for students who struggle with the traditional school model and would benefit from an alternative learning environment. Students interested in the program must apply and go through the selection process.

AHSPlus
An after-school program designed for students who have credits to recover or GRAD tests to pass in order to graduate. High school students (including those not yet 16 years of age) who have attended and not passed a core subject course in English, mathematics, science and/or social studies, and students who have taken one or more of the state GRAD tests and not passed are eligible. AHSPlus operates after school on Mondays and Tuesdays, 2:10 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. in room 350.

GED (General Equivalency Diploma)
The Robbinsdale Adult Academic Program located in New Hope provides preparation for the GED. A certified staff of teachers helps students gain the knowledge to pass the GED test. Students cannot earn a GED until their high school class has graduated. Call 763-504-8300 to schedule an appointment.

Independent Study
A state-certified program for students 16 years of age or older who are at risk of not graduating from high school. Students meet once a week with their teacher(s) and then complete assignments, usually as packet-based work. Most students use this option to make up one or two credits, often while attending high school. An Independent Study form must be completed by the student’s counselor. 

Math Remediation
An after-school remediation program the Math Department offers for seniors. There is also a summer prep class available for juniors.

Summer School
A three-week summer session generally available for freshmen and sophomores. An additional computer-based program is available for juniors and seniors. Applications are available May 1.

• College Possible
• Naviance
• College Application Organizer

College admission representatives can now go to RepVisits to schedule an appointment with our high school.

Naviance Instructions for Seniors Applying to College

1. Go to https://student.naviance.com/ra
2.  Click on the Naviance link of the right-hand side of the page
3. Log in info: user name= ID#, password=6 digit birthdate (ex. Jan 2, 1999 would be 010299)
4. Click on the “Colleges” tab
5. Click on “Colleges I Am Applying To” and  click “+”  and type in the exact name of the college you want to add.  Please enter each college you have already applied to or plan to apply to.  
6. Click the “request transcript” button if you have already applied.  If you have not yet applied, please apply first, and then request your transcript!

**If you are applying to any schools that take the Common Application, they will have a tab that with a symbol of a monitor that says CA .  You must click on the tab and indicate “yes” or “no” within each college to let us know if you are using the Common Application to allow Armstrong to send your transcripts.  If you are using the Common Application, you will also need to enter the e-mail address that you are using for the Common App and your birth date and match the 2 accounts.  The colleges you are applying to must be listed in BOTH Naviance and in your Common App list so we can send your transcript.  If you still need help, stop by the Guidance office for assistance!!

Teacher Recommendations
If you need teacher recommendations, go to the “Colleges” tab and then “Colleges I’m Applying to” page and click on “add requests.”  You can then choose a teacher from the pull-down menu and type a message. Once you are done typing the message, click “update request” and the message will be e-mailed to the teacher. Please talk to them in person as well!  The recommendation will be sent electronically if the teacher uploads it.  If a teacher is not on the list, ask them to talk to Mr. Easley about being added to the list.

Scholarship List
The scholarship list is located under the “Colleges” tab. It is important to check this list weekly as new scholarships are added often.  All our local, community, district and high school scholarships are kept in this spot and the applicant pools of these scholarships are much smaller than the national scholarships!  Most of our scholarship opportunities are received late winter and early spring.  We encourage students to use this list as a first resource for applying to scholarships. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I use the Common Application? (www.commonapp.org)

If you are applying to 2 or more colleges that take the common app, then it may make sense to use it. If you are only applying to 1 college that takes the common app, it is usually best to do the application for that college/university. For colleges that are Common App Exclusive, there is no choice - you must use the common app.

How many letters of recommendation do I need? 

It depends on the college. Generally, two letters of recommendation is a good number but some colleges do not even require them so it is best to do your research.   Some scholarships require letters of recommendation so having 2 is a good plan.

How do I request ACT scores be sent to the colleges?

ACT scores are listed on your high school transcript if you put down your high school code when you registered.  First, check with the college to see if they accept it off the transcript. Many of the MN colleges and universities now accept them off the transcript.   If they do not, you must log in to your ACT account, and pay $12 for each college. 

How do I request transcripts and letters of recommendations?

All transcript requests are done through Naviance, as stated above, and should be done at least 2 weeks before the college’s deadline.  When requesting a letter of recommendation, it is best to give teachers at least 3-4 weeks, but this timeline is at the discretion of each teacher. The Guidance office has a letter of rec questionnaire available. 

Where is the best place to find scholarships?

The scholarship list in Naviance!  Local scholarships are the best scholarships to apply to as they have the smallest candidate pool.  Also, check early with the colleges and universities that you are applying to and see if there are early deadlines (some are as early as Nov. 1st) for particular scholarships. 

How many colleges should I apply to?

We recommend 3 to 6 colleges. Never apply to just one, however, there is no need to apply to 20.  Apply to a college that you would like to attend and don’t just apply to see if you can get in.

When is College Knowledge Month?

College Knowledge Month happens during the month of October. During the month of October, the following colleges and universities typically waive their application fees:

Alexandria Tech & CC, Bemidji State University, Century College, Dakota County Tech, Fond du Lac Tribal & CC, Hibbing CC, Lake Superior College, MCTC, MN State Tech & CC, MN State College- SE Tech, MSU-Mankato, MSU-Moorhead, MN West Comm & Tech College, Normandale CC, North Hennepin CC, Northland Comm & Tech College, Northwest Technical College, Ridgewater College, Riverland CC, South Central College, SMSU, St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud Technical & Comm College, Vermillion CC & Winona State University.