Guidance


Thomas C. Fink, Jr., M.Ed., N.C.C.
School Guidance Counselor
Mapletown Jr. / Sr. High School
1000 Mapletown Rd.
Greensboro, PA 15338
Phone: 724-943-3401 Ext. 226
Fax: 724-943-4769
 

Websites to be used as resourses

O-Net

The O*NET program is the nation's primary source of occupational information. Central to the project is the O*NET database, containing information on hundreds of standardized and occupation-specific descriptors. The database, which is available to the public at no cost, is continually updated by surveying a broad range of workers from each occupation. Information from this database forms the heart of O*NET OnLine, an interactive application for exploring and searching occupations. The database also provides the basis for our Career Exploration Tools, a set of valuable assessment instruments for workers and students looking to find or change careers.
The Occupational Information Network (O*NET) is being developed under the sponsorship of the US Department of Labor/Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA) through a grant to the North Carolina Employment Security Commission.

College Board

The College Board believes that an investment in education is an investment in the future. From our earliest days, we have devoted ourselves to educational opportunity and achievement. We have championed innovation, equity and excellence for generations of students. We are advocates for children and parents; we empower teachers and educators; and we are a strong presence in thousands of schools and communities across the country.
Our work falls broadly into three categories: College Readiness, College Connection and Success, and Advocacy.
College Readiness
The College Board seeks to ensure that every student in the United States has access to a high-quality education and is prepared to succeed in college. Our College Readiness initiatives promote curricula, assessment tools, district and guidance resources that help K-12 students prepare for the academic rigors of higher education. Through Advanced Placement® college-level courses and exams, high-school students can earn college credit and advanced placement, and learn from some of the most skilled, dedicated and inspiring teachers in the world.
Our College Readiness programs include:
Advanced Placement (AP®)
SpringBoard®
ReadiStep™
CollegeEd®
CLEP®
PSAT/NMSQT®
EXCELerator™
College Connection and Success
The College Board helps students connect with and successfully complete a high-quality college education. We provide resources, tools and services to students, parents, colleges and universities in the areas of college planning, recruitment and admissions, financial aid, and retention. The SAT® and Student Search Service® programs alone have helped millions of students of diverse backgrounds learn about colleges, apply and enroll.
The College Connection and Success programs and resources comprise:
SAT, SAT Subject Tests™ and SAT Readiness Tools
Student Search Service
College Planning
College Search
CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE®
Scholarship Search
Advocacy
The College Board is a leading advocate and resource for excellence and equity in education. We invest in the future of America’s students by promoting high academic standards; supporting educators; and building critical connections between policy, research and real-world experience to drive systemic reform in education.
Our College Board Advocacy & Policy Center work focuses on three critical areas:
Supporting educators in building college-going cultures through such initiatives as the CollegeKeys Compact™ and the National Office of School Counselor Advocacy
Improving college affordability and financial aid awareness through initiatives like Trends in Higher Education and Education Pays
Providing a roadmap to educators and policymakers on college admission and completion rates through the College Completion Agenda and such initiatives as the Access & Diversity Collaborative
Why do we fight so hard for education? Because of one simple belief: when more people achieve higher levels of education, the whole world benefits.

American School Counselors Association

The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) supports school counselors' efforts to help students focus on academic, personal/social and career development so they achieve success in school and are prepared to lead fulfilling lives as responsible members of society. ASCA provides professional development, publications and other resources, research and advocacy to more than 29,000 professional school counselors around the globe

NCAA Eligibility Center

To participate in college athletics in the freshmen year the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) states that students must meet three requirements; graduate from high school, complete the minimum required academic courses, and have qualifying grade-point average (GPA) and SAT or ACT scores.
The 16 academic credits are four courses in English, two courses in math, two classes in social science, two in natural or physical science, and one additional course in English, math, natural or physical science, or another academic course such as foreign language.
To meet the requirements for grade point average and SAT scores students the lowest possible GPA a student may be eligible with is a 1.700 with an SAT score of 1400. The lowest SAT score a student may be eligible with is 700 with a GPA of 2.500.
As of 2011, a high school student may sign a letter of intent to enter and play football for a college only after the first Wednesday in February.[17] In August 2011, the NCAA announced plans to raise academic requirements for postseason competition, including its two most prominent competitions, football's Bowl Championship Series and the Men's Division I Basketball Championship; the new requirement, which are based on an "academic progress rate" that measures retention and graduation rates, and is calculated on a four-year, rolling basis.[18] The changes raise the rate from 900 to 930, which represents a 50% graduation rate.

PHEEA

Created in 1963 by the Pennsylvania General Assembly, the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) has evolved into one of the nation's leading student aid organizations. Today, PHEAA is a national provider of student financial aid services, serving millions of students and thousands of schools through its loan guaranty, loan servicing, financial aid processing, outreach, and other student aid programs.
PHEAA's earnings are used to support its public service mission and to pay its operating costs, including administration of the Pennsylvania State Grant and other state-funded student aid programs. PHEAA continues to devote its energy, resources, and imagination to developing innovative ways to ease the financial burden of higher education for students, families, schools, and taxpayers.
PHEAA conducts its student loan servicing activities nationally as American Education Services (AES) and FedLoan Servicing.

FAFSA

Federal Student Aid, an office of the U.S. Department of Education, ensures that all eligible individuals can benefit from federally funded financial assistance for education beyond high school. We consistently champion the promise of postsecondary education to all Americans —and its value to our society.
Federal Student Aid plays a central and essential role in supporting postsecondary education by providing money for college to eligible students and families. We partner with postsecondary schools, financial institutions and others to deliver services that help students and families who are paying for college.
Today, Federal Student Aid performs a range of critical functions that include, among others:
·         Educating students and families on the process of obtaining aid;
·         Processing millions of student financial aid applications each year;
·         Disbursing billions of dollars in aid funds to students through schools;
·         Enforcing financial aid rules and regulations;
·         Servicing millions of student loan accounts, and securing repayment from borrowers who have defaulted on their loans; and
·         Operating information technology systems and tools that manage billions in student aid dollars.
This is a complex, multifaceted mission that calls on a range of staff skills and demands coordination by all levels of management. Consequently, Federal Student Aid, a Performance-Based Organization (PBO), emphasizes tangible results and efficient performance, as well as the continuous improvement of the processes and systems that support our mission.

ACT

ACT is an independent, not-for-profit organization that provides a broad array of assessment, research, information, and program management solutions in the areas of education and workforce development.
Each year, ACT serves millions of people in high schools, colleges, professional associations, businesses, and government agencies—nationally and internationally. ACT has offices across the United States and throughout the world.

American Education Services

AES was created to guarantee and service a variety of Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) and private (alternative) student loan products for lending partners throughout the nation. AES is a national leader in providing quality customer service to millions of student loan borrowers through its highly trained and experienced customer service representatives.

You Can Deal With It


YouCanDealWithIt.com provides practical and easy-to-understand advice on how to deal with common financial situations facing today's college students and recent graduates, such as:
·         Understanding student aid, including the repayment of student loans
·         Learning effective money management, including setting a budget
·         Dealing with the dangers of credit cards while enjoying the benefits
In addition to being a resource for students, this website also provides information and tools for parents and college financial aid administrators to help them communicate accurate and effective financial advice to their prospective students, current students, and graduates.
YouCanDealWithIt.com was first launched in 1999 as a proactive way to reduce the number of students who encounter financial difficulties and default on their student loans.

Education Planner

EducationPlanner is your one-stop career and college planning website. EducationPlanner provides practical and easy-to-understand advice to help prepare students for the important decisions they will face in the future.
·         Middle school students will discover their interests and the things that motivate them by participating in several fun, interactive activities that get them thinking about careers.
·         High school students will discover and learn all about careers and colleges—including ways to pay—using simple search tools, clever interactive exercises, and straightforward instructions.
In addition to being a resource for students, this website also provides information and tools for parents and counselors to help them motivate and prepare today's youth for a successful tomorrow.

PA Career Zone

Pennsylvania CareerZone is a spin-off of the New York CareerZone, a proven, successful career exploration and planning system designed especially for students. Jobseekers, educators, and counselors will also benefit from the wealth of information on 900 occupations from the Occupational Information Network (O*Net) database.
Users are encouraged to work through the Interest Profiler, Work Importance Profiler, and Assess Yourself assessment based on the Holland Codes for self-exploration. Comprehensive information on 900 occupations includes state specific wages, worker attributes, job characteristics, and much more. There are 300 career videos that give users a snap shot of the featured occupation. Job openings on Americas Job Exchange are easily accessible within each occupations profile.