Guidance
The Guidance Department is comprised of a Guidance Director/Counselor and Guidance Assistant and offers a comprehensive program of assistance and counseling to the St. Maria Goretti High School community. Personal, college, career, and academic counseling provide the main focus of the guidance program, with special emphasis on the college selection and application process for all juniors and seniors.
Sessions with visiting college admissions personnel a regular part of the guidance program.
College Counseling Overview
Freshmen and Sophomores
Upon receipt of PSAT scores, the counselor, in classroom sessions, instructs students on the interpretation of scores and the resources available to them through College Board. Students also are informed about the numerous factors, including test scores, weighed by college admissions officials when reviewing applications for admissions.
Juniors
Juniors and their parents begin the formal college search and application process during the second semester. The counselor delivers a group presentation to juniors as well as after school presentations for their parents. Each junior receives a counselor-designed college workbook. At this time, students are given research tasks to complete before appointment two.
The second meeting involves individual counselor appointments with juniors and is attended by the student’s parent(s) as well. Students are expected to have completed assigned research and to present a detailed spreadsheet profiling 5-7 colleges of interest with special emphasis on admission standards for each.
Students are expected to complete several assignments over the summer including the expansion of their spreadsheets to include requirements for each college considered.
Seniors
Seniors are urged to begin the college application process as soon as possible when the school year begins if they have not started over the summer. Seniors and parents will have individual sessions with the counselor to set up a college application process calendar to include testing, teacher recommendations, and application deadlines. The guidance office will email transcripts, secondary school reports, and counselor recommendations unless otherwise indicated by the college.
Financial Aid Night
Financial Aid Night, presented by the Director of Financial Aid from a local college is offered each year in the Fall Semester.
College Scholarships
The counselor at St. Maria Goretti High School provides guidelines to students in the scholarship application process. Our graduating classes consistently receive millions of dollars in scholarship offers. See FAQ’s under “About Goretti” for current scholarship offers.
Some common types are listed below:
Merit Scholarships
Based on SAT scores, GPA, class rank, type of courses scheduled in the past, teacher recommendations, counselor recommendations, in-school/out-of-school activities, awards, special recommendations, student's personal essay.
Need & Merit Scholarships
Some need is shown as well as the above criteria.
Need-only Scholarships
Federal and state grants plus loans.
Special Recognition Scholarships
Several are given to graduating seniors for outstanding achievement and various activities.