Luskin Academy Counseling Department 

Counseling Newsletter  

 

Happy Fall! As you receive these Counseling Newsletters, you will find specific

information for your grade level and important upcoming dates. Please read thoroughly to

make sure you do not miss out on opportunities and numerous available scholarships that

can provide you with free money for your post education plans.

 

Tutoring Schedule Are you struggling in a class? Tutoring is MANDATORY for students who are receiving an NP in a class. It is time to take advantage of free tutoring available after school 3:05-3:45 to all students. Please view 

tutoring schedule below and take advantage of valuable support! It is IMPORTANT that you stay on track for graduation.    

 

Monday  Tuesday  Wednesday  Thursday  Friday Math  English  Science  History/ Social 

Studies World 

Language and Electives 

 

Upcoming Important Dates 

CSU/UC Application Deadline: November 20, 2019 Thanksgiving Break: November 25-29, 2019 

  

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SENIORS!  

YOU ARE ALMOST THERE, SENIORS! YOU CAN DO IT! 

Upcoming Senior Events: 

CSU and UC Applications are DUE November 20, 2019!!! UC College Application Bootcamp: November 16, 2019 | 9:00 am-12:00 pm 

FAFSA & Dream Act Workshop: December 7, 2019 

 

FAFSA & Dream Act Workshop 

When: Saturday, December 7th 

Come get support in submitting your FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) or the California Dream Act! 

 

Timeline 

● 8:00 - 9:00 am: FAFSA en espanol (last names A-M) 

● 9:10 - 10:10 am: FAFSA en espanol (last names N-Z)   

● 10:15 - 11:00 am: CA Dream Act Application 

● 11:10 am - 12:00 pm: FAFSA in English 

 Brag Sheet/Resumé/Letter of Recommendation  

What is a Brag Sheet? A brag sheet helps you think about who you are and what makes you special! It is a tool to help start the writing process for personal statements, college admission and scholarship essays. Share with teachers, counselors, or college advisers who plan to write your letters of recommendation. Brag Sheet has been assigned in your Google Classroom and needs to be completed before requesting any letters of recommendations from teachers and counselors.  Including a resumé with your college application is advantageous for two reasons. First, a resume serve as a great summary of your leadership examples and achievements in and outside of the classroom. Second, a resume 

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can be a helpful tool to elaborate on experiences not mentioned in other places in your application. Overall, a resume is helpful as a quick summary of who you are as a person, a student, and a leader.  Some college applications require a letter of recommendation from your school counselor and/or teacher In order to request a letter of recommendation you must complete your Brag Sheet!  Your GRADES matter! Your senior grades are IMPORTANT for graduation and college admissions! Did you know that your admission decision can be rescinded or revoked. Colleges might think that you couldn’t handle your course load, or even worse, that you stopped applying yourself. If you are failing a class, please attend tutoring, ask for help, start a study group with classmates, and do not give up trying!

JUNIORS 

Why is the 11th Grade The Most Important? The main reason that junior is the most important year for your college applications is because it’s the last full year of high school that colleges see. It also represents you at your most mature - since teens grow a lot year by year, junior year is the best way for colleges to extrapolate what you'll be like as an adult in college.  Because you want to demonstrate your full capabilities, 11th grade should be the hardest course load year on your transcript. It should most closely approximate a college course load, so that colleges can get a sense of how you would handle that level of work. Remember, this is the time to really push yourself!  Colleges like to see one of two things from your academic career: either a strong performance that is maintained throughout, or an upward trend of doing better and better each year. If you got really good grades in 9th and 10th grade, then nice job! And, 11th grade needs to be more of the same - great grades in even harder classes. 

But if you had a tough time in 9th or 10th grade, then 11th grade is the year when you can show colleges the full range of your abilities by pulling off a banner year of good grades. Imagine an admissions officer seeing at a transcript with mediocre grades in 9th grade, followed by a junior year of challenging classes and good grades. This officer will see a student who rises to the challenge and has the perseverance to keep going even in the face of a setback.   

On the other hand, a bad junior year can make a good freshman or sophomore year look like a fluke. Now picture that same admissions officer seeing a transcript with a bunch of 10th grade A's, followed by 11th grade B's 

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and C's. This time, the officer is likely to conclude that the strong sophomore year performance is not really an indicator of the student's ability.  

If you have any concerns please see your Counselor Ms. Caudillo to discuss all opportunities.  

SOPHOMORES Fall Semester Conversations Ready for a one-on-one meeting with your counselor to discuss your transcript and review a 4 year plan? Fall Conversations will take place during the month of October where you will get the opportunity to reflect on how you did academically in your first year of High School and set goals to help improve or maintain your grades. Students will learn about the benefits of participating in volunteer/ extracurricular activities and how they connect to academic, career and personal interests.   Start your career and college exploration Log into your Naviance account today to begin exploring careers related to your interests and strengths. In November, Ms. Gutierrez will visit your Advisory to begin the Career Cluster Finder. However, you can begin today to be ahead of schedule!  Cal Grant GPA Your Sophomore and Junior year grades are important because you may be eligible to receive a grant that pays your college tuition! Visit the Ms. Gutierrez in the counseling office if you would like to receive more information about Cal Grant or how to raise your grades up.    

FRESHMEN Your first semester grades close on DECEMBER 20th, 2019!!! Your grades now impact your the Fall 2023 college applications. 

● Please attend tutoring and ask for help. All staff at Luskin are here to support you. ● With a college degree, your chances of being employed and making enough money to sustain yourself 

increases by almost 200%.  

California state summer school for the arts - application OPEN NOW! 

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Are you interested in animation, dance, film & video, music, theater, visual arts, or writing? This is the summer program for you! CSSSA is a 4-week residential (in dorms!) summer program for students interested in the arts!  Financial aid is available for students and families that need it! 40% of participants have some or most of their fees paid by scholarship.  “California residents enrolled in grades 9 through 12 are eligible to apply to CSSSA. Students from outside of California may also apply; a limited number are admitted each year. Participants are selected in the spring on the basis of their talent and creativity as demonstrated through assignments and teacher recommendations. CSSSA’s student body is representative of the ethnic and socioeconomic diversity of the state. The admissions process is highly competitive; in 2019 fewer than half of all applicants were accepted in each department. Students who complete the four-week program are named California Arts Scholars.”  Check out the program website to learn more!  Smash academy - summer program at Ucla - Application OPEN NOW! “SMASH Academy, our flagship program, is a STEM-intensive residential college prep program that empowers students to deepen their talents and pursue STEM careers. Every summer, scholars are immersed in tuition-free studies at leading universities throughout the country. During the academic year, scholars participate in monthly programming.  They are coached by instructors that represent the future they can have. Because of their common background, students connect more deeply with instructors and gain true mentorship from these STEM professors and industry professionals. As they go through the program, scholars not only develop their skills and network – they also find their voice and build the confidence to become who they want to be.” 

Check out the program website to learn more. 

Watch video here to learn more. 

Application for SMASH Academy Summer 2020 at UCLA ois OPEN NOW! 

 

Managing Stress at School:  ● Self-Care: eat well, get enough sleep and do something you enjoy. ● Change your thinking: start with the positive thoughts. ● Take your assignments one step at a time. ● Ask for help: teacher, counselor, other trusted adult. 

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 Fall Semester Opportunities Have you thought about volunteering or enrolling in a college course for free? It is vital to use your time outside of the classroom to begin exploring your interests and develop valuable life skills.  1. Volunteering 

● Volunteering teaches important life skills.

● One of the very best reasons to volunteer is to explore interests and ideas for a future career.

You can also list their volunteer work on their resume when you are ready to begin working

a paid job in the future.

● Volunteering allows students to give back to society.

○ Students can learn what it means to care for others and provide a service for someone

who is in need, so they can give back to the community and put aside their own needs.

● Students take with them important skills and values as they emerge as adults.

⇢ Visit the Counseling Office for more information

Alliance for Children’s Rights High School students have the opportunity to provide translation, administrative, and clerical support. Email resume and cover letter to allianceinternapps@gmail.com. Visit their website for more information.  

LA Animal Services Volunteer Team  

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Looking for volunteers who want to make a difference in the lives of the abandoned and orphan animals in care. Looking for friendly, outgoing and personable volunteers to assist the public and work with the staff at Animal Shelters and at off-site adoption events.  

2. Concurrent Enrollment Are you interested in earning college credit? Students are eligible to enroll in two community college

courses without having to pay for tuition. All you will need to complete is a K-12 Supplemental

Application, get approval from your counselor, apply online, visit the community college of your

choice to turn in form, register for courses, buy required textbook, and attend you class(es).

  

College & Career Fairs 

Stepping in the Right Direction 

Black College Fair 

When: December 15, 2019 Where: Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center 

Bring your students out to Learn more about our GREAT HISTORICALLY BLACK 

COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES and meet with Recruiters, Alumni and students.  

Students will have an opportunity to attend Workshops, Forums, and of course if you 

are a Senior in High School or a Community College Student: BRING YOUR 

TRANSCRIPTS!! Register HERE! 

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NACAC Greater Los Angeles National College Fair

When: April 26, 2020 Time: 6:00 - 8:30 P.M

 

 

College Preparation 

The fair allows students and parents to meet one-on-one with admission representatives from

a wide range of national and international, public and private, two year and four year colleges

and universities. Participants will learn about admission requirements, financial aid, course

offerings, and campus environment, as well as other information pertinent to the

college-selection process. At the fair’s counseling center, students and parents can discuss

individual needs with college experts.

 

Best Advice for Parents During the College Process BY KIRSTEN CLODFELTER 

What’s one of the most important factors parents might be missing when it comes to the college admissions process? 

It’s a far different process than when you were applying to college. And if you didn’t go to college, that doesn’t mean you can’t support your son or daughter through this process. Rather than relying on stories you hear from others, do your research and ask questions. This sets a great example for your child.   

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How can parents best support their students when the family is entrenched in college selection and applications? 

College talk can become the dominant topic at the dinner table during a student’s junior and senior year of high school, and often the student isn’t the one sustaining or initiating this talk. I advise parents and students to pick a specific time each week to check in on the college search. Developing a communication strategy and a plan between parents and students is important, but so is acknowledging that college shouldn’t be the sole focus of everything.  

Even as they prepare to leave high school, students often need to feel the support of the adults in their lives. At my school, we ask senior parents to write a brief note to their child about the qualities they see in them and what they’re proud of, and then to share it at a time of the parents’ choosing. Celebrating your child for the person they are becoming, rather than the offers of admission they receive, provides a genuine boost of support that can make a powerful difference during a stressful time. 

One of my colleagues gave her daughter a T-shirt to wear when she was a senior. It reads, “Don’t Ask Me About College.” My students have shared horror stories with me about family members, friends, even complete strangers badgering them about their college search. Parents can help protect their teenagers by anticipating that this will happen at some point and working with them to develop a strategy to deflect the undue attention and move the conversation onward. Read more here!

Scholarships 

(HS) I Have a Dream (Deadline: January 31, 2020) $1,500 scholarship award. The Scholarship prize may be applied by students who are 13 years or older, legal residents of the fifty (50) United States or the District of Columbia, and currently enrolled (or enroll no later than the fall of 2026) in an accredited post-secondary institution of higher education. The student must submit an online response to the question: "We want to know... what do you dream about? Whether it's some bizarre dream you had last week, or your hopes for the future,” (250 words or less) (HS) Dell Scholarship (Deadline: December 1, 2019) $20,000 scholarship award. The Scholarship prize may be applied by students who plan to attend an accredited higher education institution in the pursuit of a bachelor’s degree in the Fall after high school graduation, be eligible for a federal Pell Grant in the first year of college, be on track for graduation in your current academic year, and earn a minimum of a 2.4 GPA. (HS Seniors) Burger King Scholarship (Deadline: December 15, 2019) $20,000 scholarship award. The Scholarship prize may be applied by students who have a minimum 2.5 GPA, be passionate about serving the community, graduating senior with plans to attend a two or four-year accredited university, college or vocational/technical in the United States, Canada or Puerto Rico, and be a high school senior, BURGER KING® employee, spouse/domestic partner or child of an employee.

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(HS Seniors) Medical Scrubs Scholarship (Deadline: December 15, 2019) $1,000 scholarship award. The Scholarship prize may be applied by students who are citizens of the United States or in possession of an Alien Registration Card, High School senior, a minimum cumulative GPA of a 3.0, and want to pursue a degree in the medical field such as therapy, nursing, medicine, nutrition, laboratory science, dentistry, etc. (HS) Gen and Kelly Tanabe Scholarship (Deadline: December 31, 2019) $1,000 scholarship award. The scholarship prize may be applied by students who are a legal resident of the United States, currently in school or planning on going to start school in the next 12 months, high school student, college or graduate student. The student must submit an online response to the question: “Why do you deserve to win this scholarship? Describe your academic or career goals -OR- Any topic of your choice” (250 words or less) (HS Seniors) PepsiCo Scholarship (Deadline: May 25, 2020) $1,000 scholarship award. Applicant must demonstrate the following: academic excellence; leadership in extracurricular activities; a commitment to volunteer service in the community; and financial need. Applicant must also be an incoming or continuing full-time undergraduate student at any education institution for the current academic year, be of Latino descent, and have a minimum 3.0 GPA. The scholarship is available to U.S. Citizens, Permanent Legal Residents, Undocumented, DACA or Eligible Non-Citizens (as defined by FAFSA).  College Friday Remember to wear your college gear on the second Friday of each month! Is there a college you would like more information about? Visit the Counseling Office today to get information on your prospective university.

 

College & Career Spotlight University of California, Riverside 

Total # of undergraduates: 22,055

Graduation rate: 62.4 % - Acceptance rate: 56.6% - Retention Rate: 89%

Popular Majors: Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Business, Engineering, Management, Marketing, Psychology,

Related Support Services, Social Sciences

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