Counseling Department

 

Ambassador High School provides a comprehensive college counseling program. We deliver a multi-layered, comprehensive, and accountable school counseling program. In partnership with teachers, administrators, parents/guardians, and a caring community, the counselor will support all students to become lifelong learners and leaders. The counselor is available to assist with academic guidance, college and career planning, and wellness counseling and referral. In addition to providing individual meetings, family conferences, student/parent workshops, and more. Please feel free to reach out for further information.

 

Ms. Tiffany Hicks

Academic & College Counselor

Social Emotional Counselor

[email protected]

 

tiffMs. Tiffany Hicks holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Media Communication from the University of La Verne, where she also played collegiate college women’s basketball. Ms. Hicks is a recent counseling graduate from Loyola Marymount University and working towards receiving my Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor license to become a therapist. During her time at LMU, she worked as a graduate assistant for the Women’s basketball team in addition to being a Career Guidance Counseling Assistant (CGCA) at Los Angeles Harbor College. She has tons of experience working with student-athletes and college students and creating a safe and comfortable environment.

 

Before entering the LMU master program, she taught at Bishop Montgomery High School as a social studies teacher, where she developed a better understanding of the high school environment. Her training and education qualify her to assist students with various issues surrounding academic, individual career coaching, college signing day, college fairs, financial aid nights, and social-emotional issues. In addition to teaching at Bishop Montgomery High school, she also coached the girls’ basketball team and assisted with player development. She has also worked for the NBPA to provide financial literacy.

 

Ms. Hicks is dedicated to providing all students with a comprehensive school counseling program that encourages the development of the whole person, academically, emotionally, socially, spiritually, and vocationally. She is a member of Faithful Central Bible Church and is a dedicated Christian with a heart for academics, athletics, and the social-emotional health of students. 

 

Ms. Hicks would be happy to meet virtually with college admissions officers to provide more information about Ambassador High School.  Please contact her at [email protected].  To make an appointment please click the link below.

 

Ms. Hicks Appointment Calendar

Our goals are to be sure that all our students have choices of colleges to attend and to lessen the stress that is associated with college admissions. Our school counseling program will align with the National counseling standards and the State learning standards to the three domains of school counseling: academic, personal/social, and career. We guide and support students and families through the college search and application process. Ambassador High School counseling program envisions a future where all of our students are productive and compassionate members of society using their talents, abilities, and gifts to make lasting and positive impacts. Ambassador High School believes a developmental and sequential guidance program is an essential and integral part of the overall education process. We believe that academic, career, and personal/social objectives are attainable by all students when a comprehensive curriculum. Program goals are focused on these three domains:

 

Academic: Includes acquiring skills, attitudes, and knowledge that contribute to the effective learning in school, employing strategies to achieve success in school, and understanding the relationship of academics to the world of work and to life at home and in the community. Academic goals support the premise that all students should meet or exceed the local and state requirements. 

Social/Emotional: Includes providing the foundation for personal and social growth through experience, expressions, and management of emotions as students progress through school and into adulthood. It involves both intra-and interpersonal skill development. This contributes to academic and career success by helping students understand and respect themselves and others, acquire practical interpersonal skills, and develop into contributing members of society. 

Career: Includes providing the foundation for the acquisition of skills, attitudes, and knowledge that enable students to make a successful transition from school to the world of work. The comprehensive plan ensures that students develop an understanding of self, skills, abilities, strengths, and interests as well as career awareness and exploration.

We are committed to:

  • Providing consistent guidance and support while working closely with parents, teachers, and advisors to ensure students remain the focal point of the process
  • Facilitating a reflective, thoughtful, and individualized college counseling experience
  • Advising with an emphasis on collaboration, ethical behavior, and a focus on process rather than placement
  • Helping students and families maintain a healthy perspective about the realities and demands of the process.

 We believe that a successful college application process:

  • Relies on the student’s active engagement and exploration
  • Aligns with the student’s academic profile, personal interests, qualities of character, and financial fit
  • Is approached with a realistic lens that reflects balance, intention, and integrity

  We expect students to:

  • Take ownership and responsibility for the demands of the process.
  • Thoroughly explore the vast options available to them.
  • Conduct quality research, and communicate openly
  • Remain organized, curious, and open-minded

   We want our students to:

  • Engage in and enjoy their high school experience
  • Enroll at a school where they will continue to thrive and grow
  • Consider all post-secondary options including gap years, work, service, etc. if immediate enrollment in an undergraduate program may not be the best choice

We understand the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted student’s academics, extracurricular activities, summer internships, home life and standardized test-taking in a multitude of ways.  College’s understand this too and are making adjustments:

  • Colleges have suspended prospective and admitted student visits as well as open houses. Many college campuses are closed.  Most colleges have shifted to virtual information sessions, virtual campus tours, and virtual student panels.
  • NACAC announced a new tool to use as a central resource for information about changes in college admission events, deposit dates, and more as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. Check it out here.
  • Some colleges have temporarily gone test-optional for students applying for Fall 2021.  See the list of colleges with test-optional policies here.

Standardized Testing

It’s important to note that when colleges say they’re going test-optional, it means that students can still submit standardized test scores if they feel they would enhance their application. And, with high schools transitioning online and temporarily relaxing their academic standards, students’ transcripts will present a more limited picture. So, in some ways, SAT and ACT scores may paradoxically be more meaningful this year. 

For the Class of 2021: if you’ve been studying for the ACT or SAT, we recommend continuing to do so. At many schools, test-optional policies will translate to a chaotic combination of higher applicant volume and less data available to make decisions. Scores can definitely enhance students’ applications regardless of whether they’re required, so for students who’ve already committed to the process and are improving, we’d advise staying the course and look for opportunities to take the test if they are available to you.

Building your narrative during the pandemic


While some aspects of the admissions process have been affected, much remains the same: colleges continue to seek students who demonstrate academic achievement as well as creativity, compassion, initiative, and impact. There’s also tremendous opportunity to demonstrate these qualities in our current climate. 

Many students suddenly have a lot of free time at home due to the lack of spring sports, clubs, and volunteering. Colleges understand that you can’t (and shouldn’t!) be participating in those activities currently. 

However, for students that have the time and want to continue to strengthen their application, there are plenty of ways to still get involved outside of their classes. That will also give you another aspect to emphasize as you look to tell a compelling story to colleges in this process. The story told to colleges will be more important this year than in years past as your essays are going to be one of the only areas not impacted by COVID-19. 

And, for Seniors and younger students, ask yourself: how can I make a positive impact on my community while at home? How can I be of service to others? And what skills can I cultivate to develop as a person and learner? Many universities have made courses available for free online, so now is a great time to learn a new skill.

 

 



Niche
 
Collegeboard Big Future
 
College Vine
  • https://blog.collegevine.com/
  • Free online guidance platform provides high school students with step-by-step recommendations and tools to help you succeed in high school and apply to college
 
ACT College Planning
 
California Career Zone
 
College Data
  • https://www.collegedata.com
  • Sign up for a free account and get access to unique college planning tools to help you make the right decisions about college
 
E Campus Tours
 
Cappex
 
 

Important links:

Scholarship Experts

One of the best, most comprehensive free online scholarship searches available to students, parents, and educators.

College Answer

Sponsored by Sallie Mae, they use the Scholarship Experts data base.

College Board Scholarship Search

Utilizes a database of more than 2,300 sources of college funding totaling almost $3 billion in scholarships and aid.

College Data

This free scholarship search allows students to save results in a data locker.

CollegeFunds

Helps you hunt down the most ideal student loan, scholarships and other financial aid resources available

College Connection Scholarships

This service provides free scholarship searches and personalized scholarship application letters.

College Tool Kit

Search for scholarships by geography, heritage, religion, extra curricular, family affiliation, high school or scholarship name.

eCampus Tours

Uses a database of more than 10,000 scholarship programs that distribute awards worth more than $36 million.

Financial Aid Officer

This free scholarship search engine lists scholarships worth $1.45 billion.

FastAid

The World's largest and oldest private sector scholarship database

Fast Web

Large database of free scholarships

Go College

This search encompasses 800,000 individual awards worth over $2.8 billion in scholarships

The Scholarship Page

Started by a student in 1997

Scholarships

Scholarship database of 3,0000 sources worth up to $3 billion

Scholarships Canada

Canada's most comprehensive scholarship portal

Can Learn

Another Canadian free scholarship search site

School Soup

Scholarship data base lists $32 billion in scholarships

Study Abroad Funding

Our comprehensive database of study abroad scholarships, fellowships, and grants can help make your dream of studying abroad a financial possibility and a profound reality. Scholarship searches can be conducted by country or subject.

International Education Financial Aid

College scholarship and grant information for US and international students wishing to study abroad

Gates Millennium Scholars Program
A billion-dollar grant from the pockets of Bill and Melinda Gates supports the higher educational needs of high-achieving minorities 

Educational Excellence for Hispanics

To help Hispanic students and their families navigate the college process 

 

Federal Student Aid, a part of the U.S. Department of Education, is the largest provider of student financial aid in the nation. Making college education possible for every dedicated mind by providing more than $150 billion in federal grants, loans, and work-study funds each year to more than 13 million students paying for college.
  
Please see our Financial Aid Powerpoint and the NACAC Financial Aid 101 PowerPoint.
 
 
Important Links:
 

College Board 2016-17 Financial Aid Checklist & Worksheet
Form Your Future: How to Fill out the FAFSA Guide 

 

FASFA FAQs

Q: What do I need to do to get financial aid?
A: You can fill out a free application through The US Department of Education. The application is for federal and state student financial aid. After filing the FAFSA, students should establish a WebGrants for Students (WGS) account. Using WGS, students can see their Cal Grant application status, confirm and update their postal and email addresses, provide the required high school graduation confirmation once they graduate, and can change their college of attendance. 

 

Q: How can I get help filling out the FAFSA application?
A: Each year we have a financial aid officer from one of the local colleges come to do a presentation on how to fill out the FAFSA form. The presenter will go through the FAFSA line-by-line and will answer any questions you may have.

Q: The UCs might pay for your fees if your family income falls below a certain level. What does your income have to be and what else does it cover?
A: The UC Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan will cover educational and student services fees if you are a California resident whose family earns less than $80,000 per year and you qualify for financial aid. Blue and Gold students with sufficient financial need can qualify for even more grant aid to help reduce the cost of attending college.

Q: I didn't get a lot of financial aid from my college. How else can I get money?
A: Scholarships and grants! 

California's official source for college and career planning, CaliforniaColleges.edu is a one-stop informational resource for students considering their post-secondary options.

Students can create individual profiles on the site, where they can store information relevant to each step in their own personal college and career planning process (which colleges match their criteria, offer the major they are looking for, etc.), as well as portfolio documents like letters of recommendation, resumés, and commendations or awards.

Tools on this site allow students to:

  • Explore potential careers
  • Search for colleges
  • Create a college financing plan
  • Log community service, work, and extracurricular experiences
  • Launch and track applications to both the California State University and California Community Colleges

 

  • Students save careers, majors, and colleges of interest in their "My Plan" portfolio.
  • Tools on this site allow educators to:
  • Review individual students' activities and plans
  • Manage student accounts
  • Report on students' activities in the aggregate
  • Send messages, create events and assign tasks for individual or groups of students
 
Ambassador is a partner district with CaliforniaColleges.edu's parent organization - the California College Guidance Initiative. Students in grades 7-12 in partner districts must register their account when accessing CaliforniaColleges.edu for the first time.  By registering the account, students will be able to set up their password and take advantage of the additional services available to students in a partner district.  To register an account:
  • Click on the LOCK icon in the upper right-hand corner of the homepage.
  • Click on Register Account.
  • Complete registration.
  • Create a password.

Students will need to provide the following information:

  • Name of the district (Redondo Beach Unified)
  • Name of school
  • Student ID #
  • First and last name
  • Date of birth
  • district email address
 
Parents can also create an account that is linked to their child's account to view their college and career planning progress. Click on "Families" on the CaliforniaColleges.edu​ website for more information.