College Night Starts the College Application Process for Northside Juniors
Umar Khan (Adv. 101), Sadrish Acharya (Adv. 101), and Julia Torres (Adv. 103) pore over material from college night. Photo by Kate Clemenz.
February 20, 2020
As seniors are approaching the end of the college application process, juniors are beginning theirs with the annual College Planning Night. This event is hosted by the Northside Counseling Department, which distributes important information about personal essays, financial aid, and choosing colleges.
Northside juniors were given a presentation outlining their college journey, starting with the question about finding the right college fit. With more than 5,000 colleges across the country, it’s important to evaluate different factors like size, location, and area. This means deciding between a school with 60,000 or 1,000 students, Midwest vs. East Coast, and choosing between urban and rural settings. The Counseling Department emphasized on learning more about yourself as it makes researching colleges easier.
Counselors also spoke about SAT testing, the FAFSA, different application types, and letters of recommendation. Another important aspect of the college planning process is completing the personal essay, which is a chance for colleges to have a more complete and personal view of the applicant. The personal essay also gives students the opportunity to write about memorable and important experiences that have shaped them into who they are today.
Students can access all of this information through the Northside website under the “Counseling” tab. Northside counselors provide students an array of services to help with academic, personal, or social issues. Students are assigned a counselor who assists them every year. Counselors can write recommendations for students for summer programs or for college applications, assist in helping them choose classes for the upcoming year, and provide information regarding scholarships or summer programs. Northside counselors are here to assist students in any way and can be found in their offices near the main lobby.
Here are the resources that were provided during College Planning Night:
College Planning Night PowerPoint Presentation
Learn Plan Succeed Graduation Requirement (English)
