Sophomore advising started earlier this month and will continue through May. Sophomore students and their families have been invited to attend a guidance meeting with the student’s counselor. Topics of discussion include A – G requirements and graduation status, the different college systems that exist (such as four year colleges, military, and junior college), admissions tests for different college, and other resources for finding information on colleges.

     There have been pros and cons for the sophomores when it came to this new way of advising.

     “I liked that we got out of class for the advising, but the session was seemed to be too long,” said sophomore Zach Anderson. “I do like that our family was with us, I think it was better that way and I got to see what I was going to do and where I was planning on going for school after high school. There was a lot of helpful information.”

     Each student has been mailed a letter with the date and time of their scheduled meeting and each student receives a pass the morning of their guidance/counseling meeting. Every year, there is some form of advising for sophomore students. For the passed two years however, counselors wanted to spend more intensive one on one time with students and parents.

     “Parents are an integral part of a student’s success,” said counselor Michael Brockman. “They play an important role in guiding kids in high school and post high school education. Plans are enhanced when parents work with students and teachers.”

     Each grade level has a specific focus and receives advising for schedules and future plans for post high school education, however, sophomores have targeted information on post high school preparation since their upcoming junior year is such a vital year in a student’s high school career.

     “I learned a lot about schools and what my status on going to college was,” said sophomore Erik Marquis.

     For many students, junior year is the time during high school where students focus on preparing for college. They focus on what their plans are after high school, what schools they want to attend, how to fulfill certain requirements.

      For that reason, counselors feel it is important that sophomores prepare for the busy junior year that lies ahead. These counseling sessions have provided and will continue to provide a guide for the students and their families to help them to determine the necessary things that need to be done in their remaining years in high school, and ultimately help plan the beginnings of their future.