Seniors are often seen scrambling from the months of August to September, balancing school work and college applications. Does Poolesville High School offer adequate college prep services for students in need?

PHS has its own established Career Center, headed by Mrs. DeOto. Mrs. DeOto is in charge of scheduling college visits to PHS for junior and senior students to attend and talk to the college reps who will be evaluating their incoming applications. The Career Center is one of the main tabs on the PHS website, and is clearly accessible. On the page, there are links to free test prep services for ACT and SAT, preparing those who are getting ready to take their first steps towards college. The page also features Financial Aid quick links, a printable list of all colleges visiting PHS, scholarship information, and helpful resources for college applications- like the Common App or Montgomery College applications. Overall, the online resources are incredibly helpful for students looking for their options, and if something more specific is needed, Mrs. DeOto’s email is also available for more specific inquiry.

In early September, the counseling department went into all 12th grade English classes to supply students with a comprehensive college application to-do list, detailing how to send SAT/ACT scores to colleges, how to set-up a meeting with Mrs. Hornburg- the college registrar in charge of sending transcripts, and what colleges want to hear about in personal statement essays. There were 3 handouts that were received either during the session or later if a student was absent that day, ensuring that every senior had access to a clear to-do list before submitting their college apps. Personally, I met with my counselor several times at the end of junior year, once over the summer, and twice since the beginning of senior year to get advice and make a college application outline. Many of the appointments were initiated by my counsellor, but when I needed more support and scheduled meetings, my counsellor was willing to find the time to answer questions.

This year, there were 41 colleges that visited PHS starting October 1 and ending October 26. There were announcements about upcoming college visits posted in the hallways, on the PHS website, and on the morning announcements. College visits were open to both juniors and seniors, so those applying next year could get a better feel of what the colleges would be looking for. The colleges varied from Montgomery College, to UMD, to University of South Carolina; there was a large variety in public, private, local, and non-local schools for students to listen to and apply to.

PHS is incredibly supportive of the college admissions process and provides students with a range of options to get involved with the process of applying to college. Not only is the information provided for seniors, but juniors are also prepared and encouraged to attend college visits and plan ahead. However, students do have to take responsibility for their own deadlines for each university and ensuring that all scores and transcripts are sent on time.