Logging In: College and Career Access
Ask the Experts by Milissa Pierce and Carla Palffy
Q: I have a high school sophomore. I am wondering what online resources are available to help us explore his future opportunities.
A: Wow! This is an overwhelming challenge! Nowadays, internet resources abound and are easily accessible to everyone.
It can be daunting to know where to begin this process and what sites will benefit your individual needs and goals.
There are many knowledgeable people who can guide you through this process. Your school counselor is a valuable resource. Beginning as early as middle school, families should be working together to help students begin the self awareness process.
There are thousands of websites that can guide you through this journey. These include assessment sites that help an individual explore their talents and skills, individual college websites, testing and test preparedness websites, college search engines that help find specific and matching criteria, financial aid information and websites that explain the process of funding and paying for college, scholarship search tools and many more.
As a student moves into high school, the goal of exploration continues; shifting to college and career readiness. Every step of the way, there are tools that can assist and guide you. Choosing credible tools can give a family knowledge and support. The challenging piece can be sifting through the abundance of information and knowing which sources are valid and relevant to your needs.
The State of Michigan has recently introduced an intranet Portal that will help educate and guide individuals and families through this process. It is called Michigan College Access Portal (www.michigancap.org ). This site is a "one stop resource" containing key links. It is available to all state residents.
In late October, The Family Center will be hosting an interactive hands-on computer workshop, "Logging In: College and Career Access". The goal of this evening is to help parents and students become aware and adept at navigating internet resources that will facilitate the transition from high school and beyond. Space is limited to one family (2 persons) per computer. Please register in advance online at www.familycenterweb.org. Two workshop evenings are planned in late October.
Milissa M. Pierce, MA, LPC is beginning her 9th year as a counselor at Grosse Pointe North High School. and teaches in the Counseling Program at Oakland University. She has also worked in the community as a teacher, college professor, counselor, family life educator, childbirth educator, and fitness instructor for over 25 years. Pierce can be reached at 313.432.3226.
Carla Palffy, M.A., M.Ed., LPC is a school counselor at Parcells Middle School. She is also founder of College Prep Rx www.collegepreprx.com in Grosse Pointe. Palffy is a member of The Family Center's Association of Professionals, Board and Co-Chair of its Program Planning Committee.
SAVE the DATE
Logging In: College and Career Access
Date: Wed. October 26
Time: 6:30-8:30pm
Location: Grosse Pointe North High School - Computer Lab, B116
NOTE: Workshop limited to 30 spots (student & parent may use 1 lab computer)
No fee
RSVP by October 24
Register online www.familycenterweb.org or call 313.432.3832
The Family Center, a 501C 3, non-profit organization, serves as the community's hub
for information, resources and referral for families and professionals.
To view more Ask The Experts articles, please visit our website www.familycenterweb.org.
Please email your questions to
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To volunteer or contribute, visit familycenterweb.org or call 313.432.3832.
20090 Morningside Drive, Grosse Pointe Woods, MI 48236
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