It’s no secret that the college application process can feel quite daunting. In the early months of a student’s senior year, they are confronted with the decision of whether or not they would like to enter the workforce or pursue post-secondary education after graduation. Those who are set on attending college are then thrown into the grasp of lengthy college, scholarship, and financial aid application forms.
Navigating these unfamiliar processes can prove to be challenging, but fortunately for Central Kitsap High School students, it is not something they have to tackle alone.
The Counseling Office
CKHS’ counseling department understands that having access to support and guidance throughout the college application process is vital.
In the beginning of the year, counselors will meet one-on-one with each senior student to discuss their post-secondary goals and assure they are on track to graduate. Counseling department head Michelle Sotelo has been working closely with the Counseling & Career Center to connect students with an array of resources they can utilize as they work their way through applications.
“Counselors are a great resource,” Sotelo said. “We’re happy to read and give feedback on your essays as you’re writing them, because this is what we do!”
Not only is the counseling office a great place to receive advice, but it is also where students will find themselves as they are gathering information about their academic profile, such as their class rank and cumulative GPA, or filling out forms to request a letter of recommendation from a teacher or counselor. In addition to this, CKHS Counseling Technician Stacy Mohs can connect students to scholarship and grant opportunities, and releases a monthly newsletter with an assortment of local, regional, and national scholarships that senior students can access through the Class of 2025 Google Classroom or counseling department’s website.
“That newsletter is there right now with some scholarships that seniors can be applying for now, and it will grow,” Sotelo said. “The number of pages, the number of opportunities, the number of dollars available to students increases throughout the year, and so seniors [should be] keeping an eye on that. … Just know that when you’re applying for those, you’re applying against students across the nation. The advantage of students applying for some of our local scholarships is that those are usually just for students either at CK high, or in our district, so you have a smaller candidate pool and a great chance of getting those.”
While Mohs and the counseling department will continue to expand the resources and information available to students regarding scholarships, Sotelo did clarify that it is not “scholarship season” yet, so students should expect to see a peak in scholarship opportunities later on in the year.
Workshops, Seminars, and Events
The Counseling and Career Center has been working to coordinate a variety of seminars, workshops, and events that will provide support to students with anything from crafting the perfect college essay to exploring local career pathways.
These events range in topic, with some focused specifically on supporting seniors through the application process and others broadly inviting students of all grade levels to learn more about their post-graduate options.
On Oct. 25, a limited group of students were taken by the counseling department to the National College Fair at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle, providing them with the opportunity to speak with representatives from a variety of colleges and universities. Later, on Oct. 30, CKHS hosted its own annual College & Career Day event, where hundreds of students from all grade levels were able to connect with local employers and colleges.
“Every student has their own unique path, and whether that be a community college, a four year university, joining the military, going directly into the workforce, we’re here to help support [you],” Sotelo said. “I would say the best thing that you can do is talk to people that you know in your life and ask them their story. ‘Where did you go to school? What type of training did you need in order to become what you are today?’ I think you’re going to find that there’s a lot of people who go to get post-secondary education, and it doesn’t necessarily lead them directly into that line of work that they’re in right now, but it was a stepping stone for them, and every piece of it helped them along the way to get where they currently are, so just know it’s a journey.”
CKHS has also held multiple financial aid events led by the school’s financial aid specialists Jennifer Rushing-Crocker and Jenn Brantley, including a workshop held during advisory on financial aid. Two other college readiness workshops were held in the early weeks of November during advisory, with one centered on college essay writing and the other on navigating the Common App and related application processes.
Throughout the fall, CKHS will continue to welcome in college representatives to share information with students about their institution and the unique programs they offer. In recent years, the CKSD has adopted the Washington Guaranteed Admissions Program (WAGAP), which allows students from partnering school districts to receive guaranteed admission to the six participating Washington four-year public institutions. If a student meets WAGAP’s academic requirements, they will be automatically admitted into Central Washington University, Eastern Washington University, The Evergreen State College, University of Washington Tacoma, Washington State University, and Western Washington University.
“CWU [Central Washington University] will be here on campus to do on the spot admissions, so seniors can literally sign up for this event to be able to come in, meet face to face with a CWU representative,” Sotelo said, referring to the event set to take place on Nov. 18 from 1-2:30 p.m. in the Career Center. “They’ll take a look at your transcript and they can offer you right there on the spot admission to the university.”
Looking Forward
As more information is confirmed regarding additional resources and future events, the Counseling and Career Center will notify students through their respective cohort Google Classrooms and the CKHS School Counseling website. When it comes to college readiness — or career readiness — Sotelo reaffirmed that “there’s not a one size fits all when it comes to education, and your pathway is your own unique experience.”
“Lean on your resources,” Sotelo said. “You have a team of people behind you. You have your counselor, your teachers, your administrators, your family members. If you have family members who have gone to a university, they’ve probably experienced some of those same things. I always remember what my ASB teacher told me when I was in high school. She said, ‘Michelle, if it’s meant to be, it will happen, and you’re going to get into the school that’s going to be a good fit for you because they see something in you that is going to really help you moving forward.’ So although that rejection can be really hard, know that it happened for a reason, and you’re going to find that perfect spot for you.”
