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Counselors at Ralston High explain transcript requests, scholarship tools and college pathways
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Summary
Counselors detailed how to request official transcripts via Parchment, warned families not to pay for scholarship help, highlighted scholarship tools (EducationQuest, Scholarship Quest) and described dual-enrollment and credential options available to students.
Counselors at Ralston High School walked families through practical steps for college applications: how to request official transcripts, where to search for scholarships, and which dual-credit and credential programs are available.
Tara Vaughn explained that official transcript requests must be made through Parchment (the counselors referred parents to the Parchment link on the school counseling website), describing it informally as ‘‘kind of like an Amazon order, but for transcripts.’’ She said students can view unofficial transcripts in the student portal, but official copies for applications should be requested through Parchment.
Counselors emphasized scholarships are free to apply for. Rick Painter said, ‘‘It does not cost anything to apply for any scholarship. If you get something in the mail that says, pay me to help your student apply for college, throw the letter away.’’ They urged families to use EducationQuest and school-provided resources rather than paid services. Families were asked to email scholarship award letters to Miss Carlo by April 17 so the school can include awards in honors-night and graduation programs.
The counselors outlined postsecondary options available this year: College Possible (support program), College Now (through MCC — college-level classes, not dual enrollment through the high school), Kickstart (dual-credit online with SCC), and Credential College (short, often credential-focused classes). Counselors said most of these options are free to students this school year though students may need to pay for books or other materials.
Athletic recruiting and extracurricular pathways also received guidance. Mike Burling reviewed the recruiting process for students seeking athletic or performance opportunities—coaches, statistics, and video are often needed; counselors will help assemble necessary documents and communications.
Families who experienced technical issues when sending unofficial transcripts were told to contact the counseling office (Laura or Beth McGrath) for troubleshooting; staff offered to walk families through Parchment or accept files if there were upload errors.
Next steps: use the counseling webpage’s links for Parchment and scholarship resources, contact the counseling office for transcript or upload problems, and submit scholarship award letters and documentation by the stated deadlines.
