College Planning
Preparing for your Future
See below for online resources, college financial aid and scholarships, and forms, transcript requests and information sheets pertaining to Guidance Services.
College Application and Career Planning
Learn more about applying for colleges and visit career planning websites.
- Christian College Planning – College fair and planning resources for Christian higher education
- Education Planner – comprehensive info on careers and colleges.
- Career Cruising (user name: lmhs; password: careers) – excellent career information.
- The Common Application – Common Application for Undergraduate Admissions
- CollegeBoard BigFuture – College Board’s college and career planning portal
- FastWeb Career Planning – various career resources, including resumes and internships
- The Princeton Review– all sorts of college information
- Undergradzone.com – free college prep checklist and free test prep
SAT/PSAT, ACT, CLEP, and AP Testing Resources
Learn more about how to register for the SAT, where the SAT exams are offered and how to send score reports to colleges.
The SAT/PSAT and ACT
- What is the PSAT/NMSQT and the PSAT 10?
- Where do I go to take the SAT test?
- How do I register for the SAT?
- How do I send my SAT Scores to colleges?
- When are SAT test dates and registration deadlines?
- SAT/PSAT Testing Accommodations
- Where can I find information about the ACT?
CLEP Testing
Advanced Placement (AP) Testing
College Funding and Financial Aid Resources
Explore some of the many options for college financial aid.
- Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA)
- U.S. Department of Education: Loans, Grants, etc.
- Federal Student Aid
- Student Financial Aid Guide
- Find Scholarships to Help Pay for College
- GoodCall Scholarships – a database of scholarship information
- FrugalDad – website on college financial prep
- BigFuture – CollegeBoard planning assistance
- Princeton Review – for general college prep info
Local Scholarships
- Ervin Steele Nursing Scholarship – two $1000 scholarships are being offered to seniors from Lancaster or Chester Counties who plan to pursue a degree in Nursing after graduation. A transcript and short essay are required. The deadline to apply is April 16, 2021. Applications are available in the Counseling Office.
- PA School Counselor Scholarship – for seniors who plan to pursue a post-secondary education. The deadline to apply is April 2, 2021. Applications are available in the Counseling Office.
- Compleat Restorations & Lanco Fire Chiefs Assoc. – for any volunteer firefighter (or child of a volunteer firefighter) in Lancaster County who is graduating from HS and plans to pursue further education. A transcript is required. The deadline to apply is April 15, 2021. Applications are available in the Counseling Office.
- Penn State Alumni Assoc. of Lancaster County Scholarships – for seniors who plan to attend any Penn State University campus in the Fall of 2021. There is a General Merit Scholarship and a Financial Assistance Scholarship also. The deadline to apply is May 31, 2021. Applications can be found here: https://psulancaster.com/scholarships/
- Olga Ruth Stratton and Thomas Wolf Scholarships – for seniors from Lancaster County with financial need who plan to attend higher education institutions after graduation. You must have a GPA of 2.5 or higher to apply. The deadline to apply is April 23, 2021. Questions can be emailed to: EPALancaster@use.salvationarmy.org. Applications are online and can be accessed through the following link: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ShareFormPage.aspx?id=YDByf1ysZESjiV8r7UtHc1Iq74uKkIZPqW6heaQB25BUNkRWUTNPQVpXMEQ1OUdKWDk1QzVLRjhVMC4u&sharetoken=kQ7TAwh4vvVhJzJRxA2l
Planning for International Students
Along with the college planning process information that is available for every student, the process for international students is often more involved. School counselors are available to serve our international students. Here are several recommendations to help international students as they prepare for college:
- Be Involved – LMH has great opportunities for extracurricular involvements that colleges consider valuable. We encourage international students to participate in areas such as sports, dramas, student clubs, music and volunteer service opportunities. Talk to a teacher or a counselor who can help you identify a good place to become involved.
- Practice English – The best way to prepare for college is to read, write and speak English. This will help international students prepare for the SAT/TOEFL tests and will aid in the social transition to college life.
- Begin Early – Often the college planning process for international students is more involved and typically requires many steps along with the regular application.
- Prepare for Tests – Adequate SAT and TOEFL scores are necessary for acceptance into college. There are many ways to prepare for these tests. Along with speaking, writing and reading English, there are online resources and preparation classes available to help prepare.
- Course Selection – Take rigorous courses throughout each year of high school. LMH offers many advanced, honors and advanced placement courses. School counselors can serve as a support for course selection.
- International students who regularly associate with native English speakers can score higher on the SAT and TOEFL. Many international students make the serious mistake of spending most of their time speaking their first language with students from their own country.