Guidance Office Telephone: 410-313-2871
Guidance Office Fax: 410-313-2873 Guidance Website Note: Students are assigned to their counselors according to alphabet (by
last name).
The Career Center, located in the Student
Services Center, is open from 7:00 a.m. - 2:45 p.m. each day. Students can stop by before and after school, during lunches and by appointment to browse through the information and materials available about colleges and careers. Please visit!
MARYLAND DISTINGUISHED,
NATIONAL MERIT, & NATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT SCHOLARS
Maryland Distinguished
Scholar Program: The Maryland Distinguished Scholar
Program recruits Maryland residents who are juniors
in high school and offers them an opportunity
to apply for a $3000 per year college scholarship
for full-time attendance at a Maryland college
or university.
Maryland Distinguished
Scholars - Academic : Applicants must have earned
a minimum, cumulative, unweighted GPA of 3.7 on
a 4.0 scale in academic subjects taken during their
first 2-1/2 years (five semesters) of high school.
Congratulations to the following students: Finalist:
Eunice Min
Semifinalists: Eric Federline, Thomas Hoesman, and Jordan Swearer
Honorable Mention: Audrey Allison, Rosemary Barton, Daniel Bennett, Tiffany
Bonner, Alex Crawford, Lauren Danker, Brian Davila, Julian DeFronzo, Morgan
Denhard, Viraj Desai, Anton Fleischman, Chelsea Foong, Bryn Gelaro, Jessica
Gross, Sarah Hardingham, Jeff Kalski, Michelle Klassen, William Lambert, Sarah
Logsdon, Kim Mangus, Lindsay Mill, Alexandra Moulden, Ellen Ragland, Adam Robinson,
James Robinson, Megan Robinson, Emily Stokes, Joseph Thompson, Elizabeth Toland,
Tatiana Uruburo, John Wallis, Samantha White, and Robert Williams. Maryland Distinguished Scholars - Arts : H
igh schools can nominate five juniors for an audition in visual art, instrumental
music, vocal music, dance, or drama. Nominated students appeared in person
for an audition or portfolio review before a panel of professional judges.
Congratulations to the following: Honorable Mention: Brian
Beisel – Instrumental
Music, Jessica Prophet – Visual Arts, and
Ji Song – Visual Arts National Merit
Scholars: Congratulations
to Jordan Swearer and Ada Undie for their selecton
as Semi-Finalists in the National Merit Scholarship
Program. These students received this distinction
based on their performance on the Preliminary SAT/National
Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT)
and are competing to become finalists. National
Achievement Scholars : Of
the more than 140,000 Black Americans who request
consideraton in the National Achievement Program
when they take their Preliminary SAT/National Merit
Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) each year,
about 1,600 are named Semifinalists and 3,000 are
referred to colleges for their potential for academic
success.
Congratulations to Ada Undie who was selected
as a Semi-Finalist this year. By meeting high academic
standards and other requirements, Ada has an opportunity
to advance to Finalist standing and compete for
Achievement Scholarship awards.
Congratulations also to Chelsea Foong, Thomas
Hoesman, Eunice Min, Adam Robinson, Emily Stokes,
and Elizabeth Toland who are among the 3,000 outstanding
National Achievement Scholarship Program participants
being referred to U.S. colleges and universities.
As the school year comes to a close, your child
will be taking the Maryland High School Assessments
(HSA). These assessments are required by
the Maryland State Department of Education in order
to receive a Maryland High School diploma. The
HSAs will take place on May 19-22, 2008. Each test
begins promptly at 7:25 am. It is important that
your child is present and on time for each day
during the testing week. Students are reminded
not to bring any type of electronic device to school
that day, as they are not allowed into the testing
area. Students should bring pencils, and
calculator if needed. Students should also
bring a sweatshirt or light sweater so they will
not be uncomfortable in the air conditioned rooms.
HSA's
American Government- May 19th
English 10- May 20th
Biology- May 21st
Algebra/Data Anaylsis1- May 22nd
SAT vs.
ACT: Which one is Right for Me? Contributed
by Greg Murphy, Summit Program Director
When it comes to standardized tests, the SAT
has long been thought of as the benchmark for
college admissions. Over the past few years,
however, the ACT has made significant in-roads
into the once SAT-dominated world of college
admissions. Historically more prevalent in the
Midwest, the ACT has been positively received
throughout the rest of the country and just recently,
the last holdout not accepting the ACT for admission,
Harvey Mudd College in California, gave in. Now
all four-year colleges will allow applicants
to submit either test.
Given the importance of standardized tests
and the confusion that can come from trying to
figure out the pros and cons of each test - after
all, most parents did not have an option - I’m
often asked which test I recommend. Because every
student is different, I encourage parents to
consider the make-up of each test and weigh it
against the strengths and weaknesses of their
student:
· The SAT is an aptitude test whereas
the ACT is more curriculum-based.
The ACT has more advanced mathematics including
trigonometry.
The SAT has a required essay.
· The ACT has
a science reasoning section requiring students
to interpret data in graphs and charts.
There is more time per question on the SAT.
Wrong answers are penalized on the SAT, but
there is no penalty for questions left blank.
While this exercise is a good way to get students
thinking about which test they might perform
better on, another way to discover this is for
students to try out their skills on an ACT or
SAT practice test. Visit collegeboard.com or
actstudent.org to download a practice test and
to learn more about the two tests.
College
Representatives Visit Howard High School Numerous college
representatives are scheduled to visit our
Student Services Office during October, November
and December. Please check the Guidance
Website
for the dates and times of the college representative
visits and to check for any additional college
representative visits. Seniors and juniors
are encouraged to take advantage of these
opportunities to learn more about their colleges
of interest. Please remember that your classes/schoolwork
comes first.Students please sign up in the
College Visit binder in the Student ServicesOffice.
Passes will be distributed in your first
period class. There will be no passes given
after 7:25 a.m. the day of the college visit.
Extended Day for
students taking an HSA starts on Tuesday, October 2nd
for American Government and Algebra & Thursday,
October 4th for English 10 and Biology. Students are
allowed to sign up for one session on Tuesdays and/or
Thursdays. The exception is Homework Help, this is
for students that need transportation home. The academic
sessions run from 2:15 - 3:15 PM and the homework help
session 3:15 until 4 PM. In order for students to be
accepted into extended day, he/she must have thier
form turned into Mrs. Sharon Sowada at least one day
before the session begins. Click
here for Extended Day Form
PTSA
SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
The PTSA is sponsoring three Leadership scholarships
this year: One $1,000.00 scholarship and two $500.00 scholarships.
Criteria:
Must
be a graduating senior of the Class of 2008.
Must have achieved a minimum
cumulative unweighted GPA of 3.0 through the first
semester of your senior year.
Must
have proven Howard High School leadership involvement
in at least two school-based activities during time
at Howard High School (leadership involvement in
an elected or non-elected role).
Must
be enrolled in a two-year or four-year college or
university for the fall 2008 term.
Must
include an original 200-word essay that addresses: “What
Qualities Make an Effective Leader" and "What
Qualities Do I Have to Become a Good Leader?”
Seniors can pick up an application from Mr. Glenn in the
Student Service Center after March
10, 2008. Application, essay and any additional information
should be submitted to Mr. Glenn by 3:00 P.M. on April
28, 2008.
The PTSA is pleased to announce
that an additional $1,000.00 scholarship will be awarded
this year to a deserving member of the
Class of 2008. It is the “Walk the Talk” scholarship
and it is sponsored by last year’s PTSA President,
Mr. Jeff Zarin.
Criteria:
Must
be a graduating senior of the Class of 2008.
Must have
achieved a minimum cumulative unweighted GPA of 3.0
through the first semester of your senior year.
Must have
proven school, community & family involvement during
your time at Howard High School--participates in and/or
supports one or more school activities, is a contributing
family member and volunteers in a community organization
(e.g., neighborhood, church, or service group). Please
provide a reference for each activity (name, phone
number and, if available, e-mail address
Must include
an original essay, not to exceed 400 words, that
addresses: “How I “Walk the Talk” in
my family, school and community.” Provide
descriptions of your involvement and contributions
in these three areas of your life.
Interested seniors should obtain an application from Mr.
Glenn in the Student Service Center after February
25, 2008. Application, essay and any additional information
should be submitted to Mr. Glenn by 3:00 P.M. onApril
14, 2008.
The applications for these scholarships will also be available
on the PTSA website after February
1, 2008. The scholarships will be awarded at the Senior
Awards Ceremony in May 2008.
For more information, contact Jean
Plants at (410) 992-8725. Back to
Top
8700 Old Annapolis Road | Ellicott
City, MD 21043 | 410-313-2867
PTSA
SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Contact Webmaster