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Director of College and Career Counseling

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Mrs. Jean Whalen
Director of College and Career Counseling
Phone: (724) 625-4444, ext. 1654
 
College representatives looking to visit PRHS, please use RepVisits to schedule a date and time.
Mrs. Jean Whalen serves as the high school's Director of College and Career Counseling. Mrs. Whalen began working in the school district in 1999 at Hance Elementary. Since coming to the district, she has been a member of various departments in the school district, such as special education, the high school library and most recently the high school guidance office.
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Mrs. Whalen earned her bachelor of arts degree in English from William Paterson University. She received her Certificate in College Counseling from the University of California, San Diego. She is a member of two collegiate admissions associations. PACAC, The Pennsylvania Association for College Admission Counseling and NACAC, The National Association for College Admission Counseling and local organizations such as The Western PA College Success Roundtable.

Mrs. Whalen assists students in achieving their post-secondary goals. To better assist her students, she visits many college campuses to gather information and to learn more about what colleges and universities are looking for when selecting students to join their incoming classes. Mrs. Whalen completed the Harvard Summer Institute on College Admissions at Harvard University. She was recognized nationally in 2011 as one of the "Counselors That Change Lives" and again in 2015 as Kent State Counselor of the Year.

            

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College Counselor Tour - Butler University 

 

Director of College and Career Counseling

  • Advises stakeholders about college choice, college applications and college admissions trends, enabling students to make educated decisions about their future
  • Researches and distributes vital information about financial aid, scholarship opportunities and summer programs
  • Establishes and maintains mutually beneficial relationships with college admissions staff, facilitating opportunities for student advocacy
  • Visits college campuses to gain a thorough knowledge of admission requirements and student culture on campus
  • Serves as the site administrator of Naviance, a comprehensive college and online career planning tool. Click here to access your student account »
  • Is a contributing member of PACAC, NACAC and multiple college advisory committees. Also serves as a guest speaker at various college preparation venues

Services Provided

  • Summer Workshops: Hosting application workshops over the summer takes the stress off fall athletes, students applying early action/early decision, and all students who want to start working on their applications over the summer before the school year begins.
  • College Visits: Open to sophomore, junior, and senior students. Over 100 colleges, technical schools and career guest speakers visit our high school throughout the year
  • Financial Aid Night: Students and their families are strongly encouraged to attend to learn about the financial aid process and what options today's students have available to them. Handbooks containing information about the financial aid process are disseminated.
  • College Planning Night: This event is open to all students and their families who are looking for an overview of the college admission process. How do colleges select students? How do students choose the right college?
  • 11th Grade College/Career Lesson: Students learn how to research and compare colleges and careers using multiple criteria including location, student body, admissions selectivity, majors and more.