Pupil Personnel Services

College & Career Resources

COLLEGE PRESENTATIONS FOR FAMILIES

COLLEGE ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

It is difficult to make a generalized statement as to what high school courses students should take who are planning to go to college. Requirements for college are as varied as there are colleges. Generally speaking, colleges fall into one of four selection categories:

Highly Selective – Excellent student, high test scores, rigorous high school program (i.e. 4 years of English, 4 years of mathematics, 3 to 4 years of laboratory science, 3 to 4 years of social science, 2 to 4 years of world languages), recommendations, activities; examples: Stanford, Harvard, M.I.T., Notre Dame, Northwestern, University of Chicago.

Selective – Excellent student, high test scores, strong college preparatory program (same as above); examples: Illinois Wesleyan, DePaul, Loyola University and University of Illinois.

Traditional – Rank in top half of class and/or achieve a particular ACT or SAT score, strong college preparatory program is recommended; examples: Illinois public universities such as Illinois State, Northern Illinois, and Eastern Illinois.

Open Door Policy – High school diploma required; may need specific high school courses to get into some programs (example: algebra for the electronics programs); examples: Community colleges such as Joliet Junior College.

A counselor can assist a student in identifying which colleges fit each category. College representatives tell us that students should take as many of the core (traditional) academic courses as possible. An example would be 16 credits selected from English, world languages, math, science and social science. Students planning a career in the health professions, engineering, or the sciences should take as much high school math and lab sciences as possible. World language is required for some colleges. Students are strongly encouraged to research college/university requirements. If it is required, then two consecutive years of the same world language is necessary. Some universities will allow students to substitute World Language for two years of fine arts credit. Four years of literature & composition are required at most universities. Taking the most challenging courses we have to offer for four years will prepare a student for most any program in college.

COLLEGE REPRESENTATIVE VISITS

Each fall and spring representatives from public and private colleges and universities visit Lincoln-Way High School to talk with juniors and seniors. Calendars of the scheduled visits are posted in the PPS office, on the college bulletin boards, and are also announced in the daily announcements and posted on the PPS web site. Juniors and seniors need to register in the PPS office to meet with the representatives one day in advance with classroom teacher approval. Parents and students can access college representative visit schedules on-line on the PPS Department home page.

COLLEGE/CAREER CENTER

The PPS department's website and counselor’s Teams pages contain numerous resources to assist students and parents with college and career decision-making. Students will learn about websites that assist with the college selection process as part of the counseling curriculum. Students can find specific facts about a school, occupation, or financial aid. In addition, students can specify characteristics that are important to them in selecting occupations and/or schools. Some websites also include interest inventories to assist students in identifying career areas that fit with students’ interests.

COLLEGE OPPORTUNITIES

Students have opportunities to take courses at Joliet Junior College. Some coursework may provide dual credit – for both Lincoln-Way and for college. Students are required to be in attendance at Lincoln-Way for five hours to be considered full-time and must be enrolled in a minimum of four classes and physical education to take advantage of this option. Classes required for graduation are expected to be taken at Lincoln-Way. Students are required to complete the authorization and registration processes for dual credit and dual enrollment courses.

FINANCIAL AID

  • Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form is used for federal and state aid. This form is used to determine the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) using federal methodology.

  • CSS Profile - Private schools may require additional information that is not provided by the FAFSA, therefore, the student may have to register with the College Scholarship Service which is the financial aid division of the College Board. NOTE: Not all schools require this form so please check will the college/university’s admission or financial aid office.

  • Institutional Forms - Schools may also require a family to fill out a form which will provide them with additional information not available on the FAFSA.

  • EFC Estimator Form - The Financial Aid Need Estimator estimates what your family might expect to pay toward college costs and provides you with the basic costs of attendance at specific institutions.

  • Other Financial Aid Sites:  Financial Aid Information - This is an excellent home page of links to many financial aid related sites, ranging from institutions to government to scholarships to scam alerts.

  • LOANS-Loans are provided through participating lending institutions and repayment of balance and interest is required. The Stafford and Plus loan links are provided by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC).

ISAC GIFT ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) provides financial aid for college education through the many gift assistance programs that it administers. Gift assistance is awarded in the form of scholarships, grants, tuition waivers and loan repayment for teachers and childcare providers. As an approved participant in any of the gift assistance programs administered by ISAC, postsecondary institutions may receive funds on behalf of eligible students.

 

SCHOLARSHIPS

College/University Scholarships award both merit and performance scholarships. Check with individual institutions to learn of available awards and deadlines. Each year local organizations offer scholarships to Lincoln-Way students. Each scholarship may have its own application process and requirements. Scholarships are given by high school clubs, school organizations, civic organizations, individual and local businesses. Organizations and the scholarship committee select recipients of the scholarships given to Lincoln-Way students. Information concerning scholarships is available online.

  •  For the 2021-2022 school year, all local scholarships will be posted on the Senior College and Careers Team’s page which includes all current seniors.  Parents will need to work with their senior if they wish to view the local scholarships.

SCHOLARSHIP RESOURCES

  • Fastweb - This site is an excellent free scholarship search database.

  • Colleges and Scholarships - This web site is designed to offer college bound students and parents easy access to information on colleges and universities throughout the United States, free college and financial aid searches, SAT and ACT test preparation tips, and more.

  • Going Merry - Going Merry is a free scholarships and financial aid website. Students can find and apply to scholarships directly from the website.

  • Student Scholarships - Student Scholarships has been providing scholarship information to students and scholarship management services to companies since 2003

  • Raise Me - A new way to earn money for college. With RaiseMe, anyone can earn money for college starting in 9th grade based on their achievements in school and life.

  • Cappex  - Cappex is a one-stop destination that helps students and parents make smarter decisions about admissions and financial aid by providing free and easy-to-use tools for the discovery, application, decision and payment process.

 COLLEGE LINKS

  • College Board Online - This outstanding site offers students and parents one of the best online search engines for colleges based on a large criterion of student interests. It also offers information on applying to colleges - like working on the admissions essay - and getting financial aid for college.

  • College & Career Ready - This resource provides guidance for students who wish to go to college or get a career right out of high school. It also provides helpful information for those who are undecided.

  • The Princeton Review - Princeton is a national provider of test preparation programs. In addition to test information, this website offers general information about college entrance exams, college admissions in general and related topics.

  • Community Colleges - This site offers direct links to over 1,200 Community College websites, including Joliet Junior College and Moraine Valley Community College.

CAREER LINKS

  • Occupational Outlook Handbook - The Bureau of Labor Statistics has put the Occupational Outlook Handbook online. The handbook offers descriptions for jobs, employment conditions, working environment, outlook for the profession, required training, earning statistics, and related occupations.

  • College Board/Career Search - Click on Majors & Careers Profiles to read career profiles and find the majors related to them. This portion of the College Board website includes information about college majors, planning for jobs and internships, and articles about careers.

  • Illinois High School 2 Career – ​Illinois High School 2 Career is an interactive career exploration tool that helps students make informed decisions about life after high school. ISBE developed the tool in partnership with the Illinois Department of Employment Security and the Illinois Student Assistance Commission. It displays information gathered from actual Illinois students over an eight-year period and provides a snapshot of the education required, compensation, and job stability a student can expect in hundreds of different occupations.​

  • Military Careers - This website offers information to parents and students about the benefits of a military career and whether this might be the right choice for you.

  • Resumes - Are you ready to create a resume? Here you can use templates and get expert advice and step-by-step help on writing a resume.

  • Monster.com - Perhaps the most comprehensive job search site online, Monster helps you find jobs, post resumes, network with employers, and get career advice.