Counseling
Advocating For Students
The mission of Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School’s Counseling Department is to provide a developmental and systematic comprehensive program that ensures academic, personal, social, and career development and achievement for all students. The program is proactive and preventative in its focus and enhances the learning process by assisting students in acquiring critical professional standards and appropriate models of best practices in the field as an integral part of education.
Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School’s counseling program is designed, implemented, and managed by professionally trained and certified counselors who provide a systematic array of curriculum, interventions, and services that include the skills and knowledge of counseling, consultation, coordination, and curriculum. Professional school counselors are charged with advocating that all students benefit from the educational program. They work collaboratively with school staff, families, and members of the community to provide seamless transitions from school-to-school and school-to-career so that all are productive citizens and effective leaders.
-Excerpt from The College Board
For more information email Director of Guidance or call (727) 857-2600.
Counseling Resources
Here are a few resources to help you navigate the process of selecting a college or university and applying for admission a little easier.
Guidance Appointments
Our dedicated counseling team is here to support your academic journey and personal growth. Whether you need assistance with course selection, college planning, or personal concerns, we’re ready to help. To schedule a guidance appointment, please click the link below and fill out the form. We’ll reach out to confirm your appointment time as soon as possible.
Off Campus College Visits Form
Exploring college campuses is an exciting part of your high school experience. If you’re planning to visit a college during school hours, we want to ensure your absence is properly documented. Please click the link below to fill out the Off Campus College Visit form at least three days before your planned visit. This helps us keep track of your educational activities and maintain accurate attendance records.
On Campus College Visits Form
e regularly host college representatives on our campus to provide you with valuable information about their institutions. These visits are excellent opportunities to learn about different colleges and ask questions directly to admissions staff. To participate in an on-campus college visit, please click the link below and complete the form. Space may be limited, so be sure to sign up early!
Class Change Request
We understand that sometimes you may need to adjust your class schedule. Whether it’s to balance your workload or explore a different subject area, we’re here to help. To request a class change, please click the link below and fill out the Class Change Request form. Our counseling team will review your request and get back to you as soon as possible to discuss your options.
Counseling FAQ's
How can I arrange to talk to my guidance counselor?
You can stop by the main office to request to see your guidance counselor. Who knows? Your counselor may be available to talk right now! For simpler questions or to make an appointment, email your counselor directly. It’s a great way to get a fast response. Be sure to include your homeroom teacher’s name and the period you are interested in making the appointment.
See the “Guidance Appointments” above in the counseling resources section.
What is BMCHS’s “school code” or “CEEB code”?
101850
What is BMCHS’s address and phone number?
Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School
13651 Hays Road
Spring Hill, FL 34610
Phone: 727-857-2600
Fax: 727-857-2613
How do I get a transcript sent?
Complete a Transcript Release form and submit it to Guidance.
How can I become involved in after school activities?
Your student handbook has a list of activities. Listen to announcements, watch bulletin boards, talk to the advisor or your friends to find out when the next meeting is, and go! Sometimes it’s easier to start a new activity if you go the first time with a friend or someone who is already a member of the activity.
What do I do if I have a concern about something that occurred in my (or my child’s) classroom (grades, assignments, classroom activity, student behavior, etc.)?
Your (child’s) teacher is always the best resource for accurate and complete information about classroom events and student performance, so it is always best to begin by speaking to him or her. Your (child’s) counselor might also be a good resource for more general strategies and interventions, or to provide support to you (your child) in school. In the very rare situation where your concern can not be resolved at this level, you may want to speak to the department supervisor.
How can I contact my child’s teacher?
Either by voicemail or e-mail. See the staff directory.
Does BMCHS offer tutoring to students in academic distress?
Yes, but consider approaching your teacher first to see if he or she can assist you. In addition, the National Honor Society provides tutors in a drop-in lab and one-to-one on a limited basis. Guidance will have more information about this opportunity. Students who require intensive and ongoing remediation may have greater success by working with a private tutor. Your counselor or teacher may be able to offer some names of private tutors.
When should I take the SAT and/or the ACT?
It is recommended that a student take the SAT and ACT at least once before the end of their junior year.
How many times should I take the SAT and/ or the ACT?
This varies from student to student, but most counselors recommend taking it two or three times.
Students should be careful in taking the SAT multiple times, as the College Board will send ALL previous scores to these universities. For this reason, students should not take the SAT more than 3 times total, and should be careful to study between these tests to make sure each successive score report shows an improvement over the previous.
You can take the ACT more than once and can elect which scores are sent to colleges for review.
Should I take the CollegeBoard Subject Tests? When?
Subject Tests are sometimes requested by colleges as well, although they are seldom required. The best time to take a College Board Subject Test is at the end of a year in which a student is taking the highest level of the subject in which the student wants to take the test. Students should prepare for Subject Tests by reviewing content material for the test, so it may make sense to take biology, chemistry, physics, foreign language or math on a June test date.
How do I register for the SAT?
Get more info and register online at www.collegeboard.com.
How do I register for the ACT?
Get more info and register online at www.act.org.
Do I really need to visit the colleges that I am applying to before I know if I’ve been accepted?
College visits are the most critical step in completing your research. It’s the only way to get a true feel for a campus and whether it is the right fit for you. Additionally, you may be interested to know that after considering your grades, courses taken in high school, and test scores, an absolutely key variable in an admissions committee’s decision to admit a student may be whether or not that student has actually taken the time to visit the campus! This is especially true of a student whose GPA, course selection, or SAT scores are not quite as high as the committee would like. On the many college visitations that your guidance counselors have made, admissions reps frequently mention that when tough choices have to be made in admitting a few students from a pool of similarly qualified individuals, whether a student has visited campus can be the deciding factor. If at all possible, make that visit! If it is a true hardship for you to make that visit, put that and the reason for the hardship in writing and ask the admissions office to include it in your application file.
If I can’t visit right now, what else can I do to learn more about a college that is of great interest to me?
Many college representatives visit BMCHS each fall. If you are seriously interested in attending a college or university that takes the time to visit BMCHS, then you should make every effort to attend that meeting. The representative who visits will often be the person who does the first read of your application when you apply. Make a good impression by coming to the meeting and being prepared to participate in the conversation. It’s your chance to show your best to the person who is in the best position to advocate for you when admission decisions are being made!
What kinds of questions should I ask college reps?
Questions to Ask College Admissions Reps is a list of questions that may help you elicit important information about colleges you are considering. Asking pertinent questions helps to present you as an interested, active applicant rather than an apathetic passive one.
Do my extracurricular and outside activities really matter all that much in admission to college?
The things you do in your spare time may be the coolest thing a college admissions representative ever heard about! Don’t be afraid to tell about yourself, and the passions in your life, when you apply to that college of your dreams. If you don’t tell, who will?
How can I find out about scholarship opportunities?
Most often, students who receive the most merit aid receive this from the college that they choose to attend. To find this aid requires diligent research into each individual college’s available scholarships. Usually, eligible students are automatically offered scholarships for which they are qualified, but early research at college financial aid offices, or by checking a variety of resources, online and in print (Ex: CollegeBoard’s Scholarship Handbook) yields the most $$$ for students. BMCHS receives notices about many privately offered scholarships and keeps a file of applications in the Guidance Office. For more information, visit our College Planning Page.
