Planning for College: Mark Your Calendar for These PHS Events

Going to college? For almost all Piedmont students, the answer is yes.

Which college? And how to survive the application process – with everyone's sanity intact? Those are trickier questions.

Piedmont High School's College and Career Center, funded by the PHS Parents Club and staffed by a part-time coordinator and volunteers, can help.

The center offers a variety of services, including one-on-one college and career counseling, visits with college admissions representatives and practice ACT and SAT tests.

The center also hosts college-related informational events for parents and students (see this spring's schedule below). In addition, the center publishes a weekly bulletin (available on the center's Web page) and maintains a library of college and career reference materials.

Information on summer programs, college scholarships, community service organizations, gap year programs, tutors and test preparation resources is available upon request.

The PHS College and Career Center is located in Room 20 of the PHS Science
Building. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on school days.

For more information on the center's services and events, contact Sandra Brod at (510) 594-2651 or SBrod@piedmont.k12.ca.us.

Spring Events for Students and Parents

• Wednesday, March 7, 7 p.m.: Junior Parents' Orientation. An introduction to the college application process for parents of juniors.

• Tuesday, March 20, 7 p.m.: Choosing a Major and Exploring Unusual Majors. Open to all high school students and their parents. Center director Sandra Brod and PHS counselor Amanda Carlson will discuss considerations when choosing a major and how to find a major that taps into your passion.

• Saturday, March 31, 8 a.m. (at PHS): Mock SAT. Open to sophomores and juniors. This test may be useful for juniors who would like extra practice before the May 5 and June 2 SAT test dates.

• Wednesday, April 25, 7 p.m.: Sophomore Academic Planning Night. For sophomores and parents of sophomores. PHS counselors will discuss information for students to consider as they prepare to enter their junior year. Much of the information included in the Sophomore Packet (found on the PHS website under the counseling link) will be reviewed.

• Wednesday, May 2, 7 p.m.: Transition to College. For parents of seniors. Join PHS counselor Ashley English in learning what to expect in the transition from high school to college.

• Tuesday, May 8, p.m. Senior Parent Panel. For parents of juniors. The evening will include a moderated panel and Q&A session. Parents who have been through the process will talk about visiting colleges, negotiating the application process, using college consultants and more.

• Tuesday, May 15, 7 p.m.: Case Studies Night. For juniors and their parents. College admissions representatives will lead workshops where attendees evaluate college applications using materials representing fictitious students. Materials have been updated this year to be more representative of PHS students and the colleges they apply to.