News from the Homefront:
At WAHS We're ALWAYS Better Together!
Pleas join us on 13 March from 4:30-6:30 as we enjoy our fantastic community! There will be music, food, games and more! Clubs: You can get 2nd Semester service credit for helping out! Just fill out our form!
Pleas join us on 13 March from 4:30-6:30 as we enjoy our fantastic community! There will be music, food, games and more! Clubs: You can get 2nd Semester service credit for helping out! Just fill out our form!
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Peer Tutoring Needs You!
Yes, YOU! Every You, in fact! Peer Tutoring is an excellent way to give back to your community here at WAHS. And there is no requirement that you be a straight A student in all Honors and AP Classes. Tutoring is for everyone!
Things prospective tutors should know about our program
Get Ready for the Global Health Case Competition!
GHCC asks you to solve a real world public health issue working in teams. This competition is at the intersection of health care, public policy, and global issues. You will work in teams mentored by students in public health from UVA. Space is limited so let us know if you're interested! Interest form can be found here, and must be filled out by 18 February to participate.
Yes, YOU! Every You, in fact! Peer Tutoring is an excellent way to give back to your community here at WAHS. And there is no requirement that you be a straight A student in all Honors and AP Classes. Tutoring is for everyone!
Things prospective tutors should know about our program
- There is no application and no criteria for enrolling in our class or signing up to be a volunteer peer tutor beyond a desire to help others.
- Training is provided. Volunteers receive brief in-person training and a handbook, and students enrolled in the peer tutoring class receive intensive training throughout the school year (and create the next edition of the handbook each year).
- Tutors will have some time most periods to work on their own schoolwork, but peer tutoring is not a study hall. There are assignments, there are duties, there is training, and there is of course tutoring!
- Peer Tutoring is a sequential elective. Students can earn up to three high school credits for taking the peer tutoring class -- one elective credit per year.
- Most tutors say that there are two things they love about tutoring: a) the reward of helping another student get past a rough patch in their academic journey, and b) the benefit they get themselves from the review of subjects and classes they have taken or are taking. In addition, enrolled peer tutors love the camaraderie in their class; it's a community that grows together and supports each other.
Get Ready for the Global Health Case Competition!
GHCC asks you to solve a real world public health issue working in teams. This competition is at the intersection of health care, public policy, and global issues. You will work in teams mentored by students in public health from UVA. Space is limited so let us know if you're interested! Interest form can be found here, and must be filled out by 18 February to participate.
Tomorrow is a(n) B day
Upcoming Events:
Upcoming Events:
- 16 February – Snow Make Up Day
- 17 February – Snow Make Up Day
- 5 March – Conferences
- 13 March – End of 3rd Quarter
- 13 March – Better Together!
- 19 March – Snow Make Up Day
- 20 March – Teacher Work Day, No School for Students
- 24 March – In School SAT Day
- 27 March – Arts Fest in the West
- 6-10 April – Spring Break
- 17 April – Model Congress
- 23 April – Post High Planning Night
- 23-25 April – High School Musical
- 2 May – Prom
- 12 May – Last Day of Classes for Seniors
- 22 May – Graduation
- 25 May – Memorial Day
- 29 May – Last Day of School (1/2 Day)
Use Your Brain for Fun (&$)!
Photo by Joe Ciciarelli on Unsplash
Humanities & Social SciencesAre you a policy fan? The American Foreign Service National Essay Contest is taking entries. This year's topic is soft power. Submit by 1 March
The Carl Sandburg Poetry Contest is taking submissions between now and early March. This year's theme is unity. Delete Cyberbulllying is an essay contest with a $1,000 prize. Submit your proposal to end it by 28 February The Ántonia Scholarship awards a $1,000 stipend to high school seniors who plan to pursue a degree in English. Submit by 28 February Next Generation Short Story Awards invite you to send your best short story for consideration for awards and cash. Submit your work by 26 February The Society for Professional Journalists sponsors a contest for high school journalists. This year's topic is misinformation. Submit by 22 February |
Photo by ThisisEngineering on Unsplash
STEMAction for Nature is an award for a young person who is involved in environmental action. Submit your application by 28 February
Get involved with the math modeling challenge with MathWorks! Register for the competition by 20 February Genes in Space invites students in grades 7-12 to explore a topic of biology. Individual or partners. The Virginia Junior Academy of Science is taking submissions for its conference in May. Get your paper in now! Submit to the Microsoft's Imagine Cup Competition. If you are a tech head, this is for you! And it;'s worth between $50,000 and $100,000! Get in on the Cool Science Extreme Weather Art Contest. It's open to people in grades K-12. |
Visual and Performing ArtsGet involved with the Directing Change Film Contest. It's open to people ages 12-25 and has multiple categories. Submit your entry by 1 March
#USvsHate invites students to create a campaign against hate speech. Submit your work to them by 27 February Junior Duck Stamp invites you to submit a drawing to be featured on a stamp. Submit yours by 1 March The Outdoor Writers Association of America invites you to submit your work focusing on experiences out of doors. This is both a writing and a photo contest. Submit by 31 January River of Words invites students ages 5-19 to submit writing and art. The deadline for submissions is 31 January. Get in on the Cool Science Extreme Weather Art Contest. It's open to people in grades K-12. |
Scholarships for Seniors
The Virginia EL Supervisors’ Association (VESA) is pleased to offer one-time scholarships to English Learners who plan to continue their education at a college, university, community college, or workforce training program. Only complete applications will be reviewed. The deadline for submitting applications is April 24, 2026, by 5:00 p.m. EST.
Scholarship applicants must meet the following criteria:
· Enrollment in an ESL program for at least one year in grades 6–12 in a Virginia public school
· Enrollment in 12th grade at the time of application
· Demonstrated financial need
· Strong, student-written essays
Application Deadline: April 24, 2026, by 5:00 p.m. EST
More Information: http://www.vavesa.org/scholarships
For questions, please contact Samuel Klein at [email protected] or 703-228-6095.
Chihamba African American Heritage Scholarship
The African American Heritage Scholarship supports graduating seniors of African descent from Charlottesville, Albemarle County, and the surrounding metropolitan area who are pursuing postsecondary education. Scholarships are available for students attending trade schools, community colleges, colleges or universities, and HBCUs.
Eligibility requirements include:
• Graduation from a public high school in the region
• Acceptance to a fall 2026 in-person program
• A minimum GPA of 2.5
Students must complete the full application and submit:
• A copy of their 2026 acceptance letter
• A minimum 400-word essay responding to:
– What they hope to learn and experience at their chosen school
– How their education will prepare them for a career or trade
– How their success will benefit or impact the African American community
Important dates:
• Application deadline: March 16, 2026
• Recipient notification: No later than April 6, 2026
• Minimum scholarship award: $500
Scholarship recipients will be honored during the 35th African American Cultural Arts Festival on Saturday, July 25, 2026, at Booker T. Washington Park in Charlottesville.
Completed applications should be emailed to [email protected] with the subject line:
“Chihamba African American Heritage Scholarship 2026”
If you have questions or would like additional information, please contact Page West Hill at (434) 826-9259 or [email protected].
100 Black Men of Central Virginia
Even though this scholarship may seem like it is only for Black Men, it is open to all people of color. Generally speaking, if you have a 3.0 or higher and you fill out the application in its entirety, you will most likely win $1,000. Can't beat that!!! Due March 30.
The Allen and Allen Scholarships
are for students who have overcome challenges in high school. Financial need is also a factor.
The Application Process:
Complete the application form and submit it with a copy of your high school transcripts that reflect academic improvement and high achievement before the application deadline. In addition to these documents, applicants must submit two reference letters, one reference letter must be supplied by a teacher or school counselor, and a personal statement describing your biggest personal challenge and how you overcame it.
Application Timeline:
Please choose the option that is most convenient for you.
The 2026 VSCA Scholarship is now open for essay submissions! This award is designed to support graduating seniors who write an essay about a school counselor in Virginia who has influenced their life at any time during their academic career. Application attached. Application is due by 28 March
The Widow Son's Lodge #60 Scholarship is now available and attached to this email (the 2025 application is identical to the 2026 app). If you would like a paper copy, please see Ms. Poole in Counseling.
Seniors, with financial need can submit their completed applications to the Guidance Office before March 31st, along with the following required materials:
Alternatively, students may choose to:
1741 County Line Lane
Ruckersville, VA 22968
AP Boxley McDonald’s Family Restaurants have invited Charlottesville-area high schools to participate in the AP Boxley McDonald’s: Student & Teacher Achievement Award. Established in honor of McDonald’s founder Ray A. Kroc’s belief that investing in young people and the educators who guide them builds stronger communities, this program spotlights outstanding high school seniors and the teachers who’ve made a difference in their lives.
Why the award was created?
McDonald’s believes that business success should go hand-in-hand with community support. AP Boxley McDonald, and its local franchisees believe in these same truths and have formalized that commitment by launching this award. The award is meant to honor the following:
Who’s Eligible & How to Apply?
Any high school senior planning to enroll in an accredited college, university, or technical school may apply. To complete your application, you’ll need to submit:
Scholarship applicants must meet the following criteria:
· Enrollment in an ESL program for at least one year in grades 6–12 in a Virginia public school
· Enrollment in 12th grade at the time of application
· Demonstrated financial need
· Strong, student-written essays
Application Deadline: April 24, 2026, by 5:00 p.m. EST
More Information: http://www.vavesa.org/scholarships
For questions, please contact Samuel Klein at [email protected] or 703-228-6095.
Chihamba African American Heritage Scholarship
The African American Heritage Scholarship supports graduating seniors of African descent from Charlottesville, Albemarle County, and the surrounding metropolitan area who are pursuing postsecondary education. Scholarships are available for students attending trade schools, community colleges, colleges or universities, and HBCUs.
Eligibility requirements include:
• Graduation from a public high school in the region
• Acceptance to a fall 2026 in-person program
• A minimum GPA of 2.5
Students must complete the full application and submit:
• A copy of their 2026 acceptance letter
• A minimum 400-word essay responding to:
– What they hope to learn and experience at their chosen school
– How their education will prepare them for a career or trade
– How their success will benefit or impact the African American community
Important dates:
• Application deadline: March 16, 2026
• Recipient notification: No later than April 6, 2026
• Minimum scholarship award: $500
Scholarship recipients will be honored during the 35th African American Cultural Arts Festival on Saturday, July 25, 2026, at Booker T. Washington Park in Charlottesville.
Completed applications should be emailed to [email protected] with the subject line:
“Chihamba African American Heritage Scholarship 2026”
If you have questions or would like additional information, please contact Page West Hill at (434) 826-9259 or [email protected].
100 Black Men of Central Virginia
Even though this scholarship may seem like it is only for Black Men, it is open to all people of color. Generally speaking, if you have a 3.0 or higher and you fill out the application in its entirety, you will most likely win $1,000. Can't beat that!!! Due March 30.
The Allen and Allen Scholarships
are for students who have overcome challenges in high school. Financial need is also a factor.
The Application Process:
Complete the application form and submit it with a copy of your high school transcripts that reflect academic improvement and high achievement before the application deadline. In addition to these documents, applicants must submit two reference letters, one reference letter must be supplied by a teacher or school counselor, and a personal statement describing your biggest personal challenge and how you overcame it.
Application Timeline:
- Application opens: December 5, 2025
- Deadline to submit applications: March 6, 2026
- Recipients notified: April 10, 2026
- Awards : $2,000
- The applicant must be a senior in a Virginia high school whose plans include advanced education through college, nursing, business, trade, technical training, or similar programs. Future plans are not required to be in Virginia.
- All sections of the application must be completed in full, with all materials submitted together; incomplete applications will not be eligible for consideration.
Please choose the option that is most convenient for you.
- Filling out the online application at this website
- Emailing your completed application and supporting documents to scholarship@allenandallen.com
The 2026 VSCA Scholarship is now open for essay submissions! This award is designed to support graduating seniors who write an essay about a school counselor in Virginia who has influenced their life at any time during their academic career. Application attached. Application is due by 28 March
The Widow Son's Lodge #60 Scholarship is now available and attached to this email (the 2025 application is identical to the 2026 app). If you would like a paper copy, please see Ms. Poole in Counseling.
Seniors, with financial need can submit their completed applications to the Guidance Office before March 31st, along with the following required materials:
- An up-to-date transcript
- A copy of their college acceptance letter
- A brief description of why they chose their college and whether they plan to return to Charlottesville after their studies
Alternatively, students may choose to:
- Email their application and materials to [email protected], or
- Mail them to the following address, ensuring they are received by March 31st.:
1741 County Line Lane
Ruckersville, VA 22968
AP Boxley McDonald’s Family Restaurants have invited Charlottesville-area high schools to participate in the AP Boxley McDonald’s: Student & Teacher Achievement Award. Established in honor of McDonald’s founder Ray A. Kroc’s belief that investing in young people and the educators who guide them builds stronger communities, this program spotlights outstanding high school seniors and the teachers who’ve made a difference in their lives.
Why the award was created?
McDonald’s believes that business success should go hand-in-hand with community support. AP Boxley McDonald, and its local franchisees believe in these same truths and have formalized that commitment by launching this award. The award is meant to honor the following:
- Celebrate leadership. Honor students who step up in school and beyond.
- Promote scholarship. Reward academic dedication and college ambition.
- Encourage service. Highlight teens who give of their time to improve their neighborhoods.
- Recognize mentorship. Give students a chance to publicly thank the teachers who’ve inspired them.
Who’s Eligible & How to Apply?
Any high school senior planning to enroll in an accredited college, university, or technical school may apply. To complete your application, you’ll need to submit:
- An official entry form (also available from your school counselor)
- A 250-word essay on the theme “My Most Influential Teacher,”
- One letter of recommendation from a teacher, coach, counselor or community leader.
Scholarships for Juniors!
ATTENTION JUNIORS: Applications for the impact-driven, four-year, full-tuition Cameron Impact Scholarship are officially open for the CLASS OF 2027.
The Cameron Impact Scholarship is impact-driven and open to all applicants who meet the GPA and citizenship requirements, regardless of race, socioeconomic status, religion, sexual orientation or any other background factors. Integrity, intelligence, motivation, work ethic, and willingness to serve others are the strongest indicators of a worthy educational investment.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: MAY 1, 2026 at 12PM PT (NOON) - OR - when we reach 3,000 eligible and complete applications - whichever occurs first.
We are only able to accept and review a total of 3,000 complete and eligible applications - please note that we typically reach capacity prior to the deadline and we STRONGLY ENCOURAGE applicants to submit well before the deadline.
https://www.bryancameroneducationfoundation.org/scholarship
The Cameron Impact Scholarship is impact-driven and open to all applicants who meet the GPA and citizenship requirements, regardless of race, socioeconomic status, religion, sexual orientation or any other background factors. Integrity, intelligence, motivation, work ethic, and willingness to serve others are the strongest indicators of a worthy educational investment.
- 15 scholarships awarded per annum
- Four-year, full tuition scholarship (actual dollar amount varies based upon school selection)
- Freedom in choice of school and area of study
- Accepting applications for the Class of 2027 - JUNIORS;
- have a cumulative unweighted GPA of 3.7 or higher;
- be a citizen of the United States.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: MAY 1, 2026 at 12PM PT (NOON) - OR - when we reach 3,000 eligible and complete applications - whichever occurs first.
We are only able to accept and review a total of 3,000 complete and eligible applications - please note that we typically reach capacity prior to the deadline and we STRONGLY ENCOURAGE applicants to submit well before the deadline.
https://www.bryancameroneducationfoundation.org/scholarship
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Self Care:
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Scholarships
Do you need money to make post high a reality? Start with these two databases!
The Kim and Harald Louie Foundation offers up to $100,000 in scholarships for talented seniors in high school. GPA and SAT requirements. Apply by 15 March
AICPA offers up to $10,000 for people who are interested in becoming CPAs. Apply by 15 March. Planning a future in building and construction? NPCA offers up to $20,000 in scholarship money and internship opportunities. Apply by 13 March. The Society for Exploration Geophysicists offers a $10,000 scholarship for a senior in high school who is planning to go into the filed of geophysics. Apply by 1 March. Are you the descendent of an Italian immigrant to the United States who is interested in Italian heritage and culture? There's a scholarship for that! And it's worth up to $12,000. Submit to the National Italian American Foundation by 1 March The Vegetarian Resource Group sponsors a scholarship for vegetarians worth up to $10,000. Submit your application by 20 February Davidson Fellows are people who have made a significant contribution to an academic discipline. Fellows receive $50,000 for their education. Submit by 11 February McDonald's Hacer Scholarship provides up to $100,000 for students who serve their communities and are making a difference there. Apply by 17 February. Horatio Alger is a need based scholarship worth up to $25,000. Juniors and seniors may apply. Submit by 15 February Get in on Microsoft's Imagine Cup Competition. If you are a tech head, this is for you! And it;'s worth between $50,000 and $100,000! Amazon's Future Engineer Scholarship is worth up to $40,000 for students who have demonstrated need. Do Good Things for People Volunteer with Community Bikes! Give them time or goods.
The IRC has multiple openings right now for volunteers Volunteer with Cville Tulips |
Summer's Coming!
Looking for great things to do this summer? Look no further!
And also don't skip this!
And also don't skip this!
JUNIORS: Each year the American Legion and the American Legion Auxiliary host their annual week long civics programs at Virginia colleges, Boys State and Girls State respectively. If you are interested in this program and would like to be nominated, please look through their websites, calendar dates, and content. Only students who are truly interested should apply. If you are interested, please fill out this Google Form by March 1st. Interviews are a required part of the nomination process.
Applications are open for the 48th annual Youth Conservation Camp (YCC)! The camp will be held at Virginia Tech, July 12-18th, 2026. YCC is an experience for high school students (currently enrolled in grades 9-12) held at Virginia Tech each summer. The program brings together about 70 interested students from across the state for a week of learning about Virginia’s natural resources from conservation professionals and faculty from Virginia Tech. Most of the instruction is hands-on and outdoors. Students must send completed applications (Application form and one Letter of Recommendation) to [email protected] by March 26, 2026. Late applications cannot be accepted.
**The Thomas Jefferson Soil and Water Conservation District provides a limited amount of full scholarships for students in our District (Albemarle, Charlottesville, Fluvanna, Louisa, and Nelson) to attend YCC each year. Applicants are encouraged to apply early! Space is limited and camp scholarships are only available in a limited quantity.**
More information about the 2026 Youth Conservation Camp and pictures from previous camps can be found here.
Applications are open for the 48th annual Youth Conservation Camp (YCC)! The camp will be held at Virginia Tech, July 12-18th, 2026. YCC is an experience for high school students (currently enrolled in grades 9-12) held at Virginia Tech each summer. The program brings together about 70 interested students from across the state for a week of learning about Virginia’s natural resources from conservation professionals and faculty from Virginia Tech. Most of the instruction is hands-on and outdoors. Students must send completed applications (Application form and one Letter of Recommendation) to [email protected] by March 26, 2026. Late applications cannot be accepted.
**The Thomas Jefferson Soil and Water Conservation District provides a limited amount of full scholarships for students in our District (Albemarle, Charlottesville, Fluvanna, Louisa, and Nelson) to attend YCC each year. Applicants are encouraged to apply early! Space is limited and camp scholarships are only available in a limited quantity.**
More information about the 2026 Youth Conservation Camp and pictures from previous camps can be found here.
Applications are now open for Camp Woods & Wildlife, to be held June 15-19 at Holiday Lake 4-H Center near Appomattox. This hands-on, career-focused overnight camp is open to any Virginia student aged 13-16 who has not attended before. Our curriculum covers many aspects of forest and wildlife ecology and management. Classes are taught in the field by natural resource professionals. The camp is supported by donations that allow each camper to attend at a cost of only $95.
The TJSWCD has limited funding to allow students to attend for free! Please contact them ASAP if you are interested.
Students should apply no later than April 15. The application and all information can be found at https://dof.virginia.gov/education-and-recreation/youth-education/camp-woods-wildlife/. Questions about camp? Contact Ellen Powell at the Department of Forestry- [email protected] or 434-987-0475.
The TJSWCD has limited funding to allow students to attend for free! Please contact them ASAP if you are interested.
Students should apply no later than April 15. The application and all information can be found at https://dof.virginia.gov/education-and-recreation/youth-education/camp-woods-wildlife/. Questions about camp? Contact Ellen Powell at the Department of Forestry- [email protected] or 434-987-0475.
Triple C Camp Is Looking for Counelsors!
Triple C is a traditional day camp serving 300+ kids in the Charlottesville community each week. Every summer we hire an incredible team of 60+ staff to lead, inspire, and educate our campers. Hiring for Summer 2026 has begun! They have many positions available including Lifeguards, General Counselors, Horseback Riding Instructors, facility support, and more. Contact them today!
Get Writing This Summer with Kelly Writers' House!
We are thrilled to announce the 2026 Summer Workshop for Young Writers, a ten-day program for rising high school juniors and seniors which will take place from July 5-15, 2026.
This is an opportunity for promising, passionate high school writers from diverse backgrounds to learn from the faculty, staff, and alumni of Penn’s Kelly Writers House and Creative Writing Program, and from their fellow participants. Students will engage in a workshop-style course focused primarily on literary nonfiction writing with additional craft sessions in other genres. The goal of this workshop is to provide creative high school students, especially those who have not had similar opportunities, with the chance to dedicate full days to the practice of writing.
Thanks to the generosity and vision of longtime friends of the Kelly Writers House, Maury Povich (C’62) and Connie Chung, we are able to offer assistance in the form of full-tuition grants and funding for travel to participants with financial need.
Because of our commitment to keeping a close-knit learning environment where students receive extensive individual feedback, we will only be able to accommodate a small number of candidates. We hope you will consider applying! The application is open now and is due March 2, 2026.
Please note that admission, or lack thereof, to this program has no direct impact on a student’s chances for eventual admission to the University of Pennsylvania.
Much more information and the application are available via our website.
Martha Jefferson Junior Volunteers
The Summer 2026 Junior Volunteer Program Application is opening (and closing!) earlier this year. As of today, the application is open. It will be closing on March 1, 2026. Please tell your students to get their application submitted early!
Our perfect student:
-Age 15-18
-Expresses an interest in working in a hospital or healthcare field
-Wants to help
-Available for June 8 orientation
All information about the programing, including the application, can be found here: Junior Volunteer Program at Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital. If there are additional questions after exploring the website, please reach out to us at [email protected] so the email does not get lost in the shuffle.
Triple C is a traditional day camp serving 300+ kids in the Charlottesville community each week. Every summer we hire an incredible team of 60+ staff to lead, inspire, and educate our campers. Hiring for Summer 2026 has begun! They have many positions available including Lifeguards, General Counselors, Horseback Riding Instructors, facility support, and more. Contact them today!
Get Writing This Summer with Kelly Writers' House!
We are thrilled to announce the 2026 Summer Workshop for Young Writers, a ten-day program for rising high school juniors and seniors which will take place from July 5-15, 2026.
This is an opportunity for promising, passionate high school writers from diverse backgrounds to learn from the faculty, staff, and alumni of Penn’s Kelly Writers House and Creative Writing Program, and from their fellow participants. Students will engage in a workshop-style course focused primarily on literary nonfiction writing with additional craft sessions in other genres. The goal of this workshop is to provide creative high school students, especially those who have not had similar opportunities, with the chance to dedicate full days to the practice of writing.
Thanks to the generosity and vision of longtime friends of the Kelly Writers House, Maury Povich (C’62) and Connie Chung, we are able to offer assistance in the form of full-tuition grants and funding for travel to participants with financial need.
Because of our commitment to keeping a close-knit learning environment where students receive extensive individual feedback, we will only be able to accommodate a small number of candidates. We hope you will consider applying! The application is open now and is due March 2, 2026.
Please note that admission, or lack thereof, to this program has no direct impact on a student’s chances for eventual admission to the University of Pennsylvania.
Much more information and the application are available via our website.
Martha Jefferson Junior Volunteers
The Summer 2026 Junior Volunteer Program Application is opening (and closing!) earlier this year. As of today, the application is open. It will be closing on March 1, 2026. Please tell your students to get their application submitted early!
Our perfect student:
-Age 15-18
-Expresses an interest in working in a hospital or healthcare field
-Wants to help
-Available for June 8 orientation
All information about the programing, including the application, can be found here: Junior Volunteer Program at Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital. If there are additional questions after exploring the website, please reach out to us at [email protected] so the email does not get lost in the shuffle.
"The Best School" and "The Best School for You" should be one and the same. You're not buying a pair of shoes. You're going to school for four years. Just because it's a good brand name, doesn't mean it fits you or that you're comfortable there.
How to High School
How to Choose Classes for Senior Year
Here is my foolproof formula for success in senior year, juniors:
Four in the Core:
What does this mean? Generally colleges (and especially highly selective colleges) want you to have had four years of each of your core classes in high school. So each year they want you to take English, Math, Science, Social Studies, and World Language. Most often this 4 in the Core does not include the classes you may have taken in middle school. If you came into high school and had already completed Algebra 1 and Geometry, then your four maths would be Algebra 2 Trig, Precalc/Math Analysis, Calc AB and either Calc BC or AP Stats. Yes it is true, my little matheletes you would graduate with 6 math credits. But only 4 would be from high school (which is where it counts more).
A good senior schedule with 4 in the core might look something like this:
AP Literature/PVCC English
AP Physics/Bio/Environmental Science/Chem
AP Government
World Language 4 or AP (or if passed, then another option is fine like an Independent Study)
AP Calc AB/BC/Stats
That is 5 classes, so there is room for a couple more.
Dream Class
Maybe this is Tech Theater, or Creative Writing, or Practical Law, or Engineering. Make sure you have at least one class you are super excited about because during senior year it is difficult for people to keep their focus. For some students it's AP Chem, for others it's Independent Study. It doesn't matter what class you choose, but it must be a class you cannot wait to take. A class whose work you are looking forward to doing is a class you will engage with when there are temptations abounding come February next year.
Take a Study Hall or a Release
This is super important actually. The reality of the Common App is that for a time it streamlined applications and made it much easier to apply to schools. BUT what’s happened since then is that colleges have decided that the Common App is not sufficiently granular for them to get to the root of who a kid actually is. Hence the proliferation of supplemental essays. And with the Supreme Court ruling that things like race and gender cannot be taken into account by a check box, this presents yet another essay many schools are asking students to take on as well. Want to apply to an honors college or a scholarship? Essays for all of that as well. Gone are the days of the one and done essay, Common App complete. Now students routinely find that many schools have as many as 10 separate writing pieces in addition to the regular Common App Essay. And the more selective the school the more likely they are to ask for more (increasingly challenging!) essays from you.
Applying to college is a full blown class for many students. Between working on writing, meeting with counselors, checking in with me, sending essays to your English teachers, you may find that your so-called Study Hall is 100% college application time. I have some seniors who have a release and who have not left school more than a dozen times this year because they use that time to work on applications.
Many seniors think “well, I have Peer Tutoring, that’s like a study hall.” Sorry friends, it’s not. You will have classes and clients you will work with. It’s not time that is your own. You might have only ½ a period a week to devote to apps if you’re going to do a good job as a peer tutor.
Remember that everything you say yes to is a no to something else. If you say yes to taking 9 classes (and some of you are thinking of doing this) it means you are saying no to having support at school that is consistent with your needs. You’ll be stuck with WP or lunches (and we all know that that is too little time for substantive work).
Adults it’s tempting to let kids grind and grind thinking that more is better in senior year. But the reality is that more is never better. Better is always better. Help your student make decisions that will put them in a good position for their fall of senior year. Students need to be successful senior year: mid year grades should be as high as possible, and the classes are hard. Taking on too much leads to a lot of breakdowns. This formula (4 in the Core + Dream class + Study Hall/Release) is the one where I see the most success.
- Four in the Core
- Dream Class
- Study Hall/Release
Four in the Core:
What does this mean? Generally colleges (and especially highly selective colleges) want you to have had four years of each of your core classes in high school. So each year they want you to take English, Math, Science, Social Studies, and World Language. Most often this 4 in the Core does not include the classes you may have taken in middle school. If you came into high school and had already completed Algebra 1 and Geometry, then your four maths would be Algebra 2 Trig, Precalc/Math Analysis, Calc AB and either Calc BC or AP Stats. Yes it is true, my little matheletes you would graduate with 6 math credits. But only 4 would be from high school (which is where it counts more).
A good senior schedule with 4 in the core might look something like this:
AP Literature/PVCC English
AP Physics/Bio/Environmental Science/Chem
AP Government
World Language 4 or AP (or if passed, then another option is fine like an Independent Study)
AP Calc AB/BC/Stats
That is 5 classes, so there is room for a couple more.
Dream Class
Maybe this is Tech Theater, or Creative Writing, or Practical Law, or Engineering. Make sure you have at least one class you are super excited about because during senior year it is difficult for people to keep their focus. For some students it's AP Chem, for others it's Independent Study. It doesn't matter what class you choose, but it must be a class you cannot wait to take. A class whose work you are looking forward to doing is a class you will engage with when there are temptations abounding come February next year.
Take a Study Hall or a Release
This is super important actually. The reality of the Common App is that for a time it streamlined applications and made it much easier to apply to schools. BUT what’s happened since then is that colleges have decided that the Common App is not sufficiently granular for them to get to the root of who a kid actually is. Hence the proliferation of supplemental essays. And with the Supreme Court ruling that things like race and gender cannot be taken into account by a check box, this presents yet another essay many schools are asking students to take on as well. Want to apply to an honors college or a scholarship? Essays for all of that as well. Gone are the days of the one and done essay, Common App complete. Now students routinely find that many schools have as many as 10 separate writing pieces in addition to the regular Common App Essay. And the more selective the school the more likely they are to ask for more (increasingly challenging!) essays from you.
Applying to college is a full blown class for many students. Between working on writing, meeting with counselors, checking in with me, sending essays to your English teachers, you may find that your so-called Study Hall is 100% college application time. I have some seniors who have a release and who have not left school more than a dozen times this year because they use that time to work on applications.
Many seniors think “well, I have Peer Tutoring, that’s like a study hall.” Sorry friends, it’s not. You will have classes and clients you will work with. It’s not time that is your own. You might have only ½ a period a week to devote to apps if you’re going to do a good job as a peer tutor.
Remember that everything you say yes to is a no to something else. If you say yes to taking 9 classes (and some of you are thinking of doing this) it means you are saying no to having support at school that is consistent with your needs. You’ll be stuck with WP or lunches (and we all know that that is too little time for substantive work).
Adults it’s tempting to let kids grind and grind thinking that more is better in senior year. But the reality is that more is never better. Better is always better. Help your student make decisions that will put them in a good position for their fall of senior year. Students need to be successful senior year: mid year grades should be as high as possible, and the classes are hard. Taking on too much leads to a lot of breakdowns. This formula (4 in the Core + Dream class + Study Hall/Release) is the one where I see the most success.
On the Town
- Tonight it's Tango After Dark
- It's the One Mic Stand tonight
- Tomorrow is Zuzu's Hot 5 at the Offbeat Roadhouse
- UVA's Division of Community Engagement presents a Black History Month Gospel Concert Friday
- Tomorrow you can hear a talk on Literature in the Warsaw, Lodz, and the Vilna Ghettos
- Friday is Anna Kovatcheva: She Made Herself a Monster
- Saturday is Live from the Met in HD: Cinderella
- Learn about Garden Soil Preparation on Saturday
- Saturday create a Mixed Media Collage
- Casablanca is being screened on Saturday
- Saturday you can enjoy a French Book Sale
- Hit up Blackfriars for Love Songs on Saturday
- Saturday is Lizzie: No Lovers Welcome
- Love Fest is at Vinegar Hill on Saturday
- Enjoy the Charlottesville Symphony's Masterworks Concert Saturday and Sunday
- Sunday you can see The Flying Ace (1926) with live score
- Sunday is the Great Backyard Bird Count
- Tuesday Evening Concert Series is Yefim Bronfman
