1. GET INVOLVED!  It is not too late to join a club, try out for athletics, or volunteer.  There are so many ways to become connected to West and the community.  Make intentional connections to activities that have meaning and that you will commit to long-term.  

2. KNOW YOUR TEACHERS!  Dedicate yourself to academics beyond each class period, seek help from your teachers when needed, ask them for advice on how to succeed in their class. You may need to ask your teachers for recommendation letters during your senior year.  Make sure they know you!

3. KNOW YOUR COUNSELOR!  We have six counselors that work in Student Services to assist you with academic, college/career, and social/emotional needs.  We will meet with you as a junior class for important college and future planning information during the year, but do not hesitate to make an appointment with us for any questions or concerns. We will be asked to write a letter of recommendation on most college applications.  We want to get to know you! 

4. WORK HARD!  You can still impact your grade point average by 50%, you are continuing to develop your permanent transcript which will later be evaluated by colleges and places of employment.  Achieve to the best of your abilities but don't forget to take time with friends, family and other non-academic endeavors.

5. VOLUNTEER!  Now is a great time to continue thinking about ways to give back to your community.  Volunteering is a wonderful way to help others while exploring your areas of interest.  Volunteering opportunities can be a great start to your future resume and are often asked about by college admissions.

6. BE RESPONSIBLE WITH SOCIAL MEDIA!

High School students should be careful about what they post on social media, i.e. blogs, podcasts, message boards, Facebook, Instagram, Snap Chat. Research has shown that 26% of colleges surveyed are using search engines to research potential students.  The negative material the college admissions officials are finding contradict the application essays and characters that students have projected.  Admission decisions can be affected if information is found about a students character differs than what is portrayed on their application.

All Juniors will take the ACT on March 7, 2023.  These test scores may be used in the college admissions process, to exempt you from participating in required work in your Senior year, and/or to deem you eligible to take college level courses at Forsyth Tech.  Put forth your BEST effort! 

ACT Test Taking Tips

 The test is FREE to all Juniors!!!

• The College Foundation of North Carolina

• The College Board

• Crosby Scholars

• Forsyth Technical Community College 

If you are a rising junior or senior with a weighted 2.8 GPA, you may be eligible to take college courses at Forsyth Tech tuition-free while enrolled in high school.  Students should have valid test scores (ACT:  22 or higher Math, 22 or higher in Reading, and 18 or higher in English, or SAT scores of 500 or higher on Math and Critical Reading).  If students do not have valid test scores on the ACT or SAT, they may take a placement test at ForsythTech.  If you are interested, please visit the Forsyth Tech website to review the list of courses under

“Find A Course”.  Because Forsyth Tech’s calendar is different from

WSFCS, students must be willing to attend classes when WSFCS are not in session.

My College QuickStart is an online college and career planning kit available free of charge to all students who take the PSAT. Students can find their projected SAT scores, search for colleges, get a personalized SAT study plan, and take a personality test to find majors and careers that may fit their interest. It also allows students to review each test question, their answers, and the correct answers with answer explanations. Access is available using the access code printed on your child’s paper score report. Please have your student see their counselor if they have additional questions.

* Click on the Junior, Sophomore, or Freshman page and you will find a link to the College Board website and the video Presentation (Your Next Steps: Understanding your  PSAT/NMSQT Results Student Video) 

School Counselors meet with Juniors in groups through American History classes each semester.  Fall meetings will be held in December and Spring meetings will take place in February.  After the classroom sessions are completed, the presentations will be posted for students/families to reference.  

Need a Fee Waiver for SAT or ACT? Complete the google form

Junior Year College and Career Planning is when Counselors work with Juniors giving valuable information on college and career planning. If you are a junior and did not attend the sessions in the library, parents and students can click the link below to view this helpful presentation.

Click here to view Freshmen Profiles for North Carolina Universities.

These tools available to you on the CollegeBoard website. You can link to the video (Your Next Steps: Using PSAT/NMSQT Results Student Video) presentation here. My College QuickStart is an online college and career planning kit available free of charge to all students who take the PSAT. Students can find their projected SAT scores, search for colleges, get a personalized SAT study plan, and take a personality test to find majors and careers that may fit their interest. It also allows students to review each test question, their answers, and the correct answers with answer explanations. Access is available using the access code printed on your child’s paper score report. Please have your student see their counselor if they have additional questions.