Counseling Resources
Student Resources
- Academic Handbook
- Student Life Handbook
- Test Prep
- Standardized Testing (Pre-ACT, PSAT, ACT, SAT)
- Student Athletes
- Scholarships
- Career Exploration
- Monthly Newsletters
- Summer Opportunities
- Financial Aid
Academic Handbook
The Ben Lippen Course Catalog has been created to assist in the selection of classes and is designed to be used in conjunction with advising from the College Counseling department.
The Academic Handbook is a great place to reference the following:
- Graduation requirements
- Course offerings
- Description of courses
Student Life Handbook
In conjunction with the Academic Handbook, The Student Life Handbook also contains pertinent information relating to college counseling and your student's journey at Ben Lippen.
Inside you can find insights on the following, and more:
- Make-up/late work policy
- Dual Credit
- Grading scale
- Graduation requirements
- Community service requirements
Test Prep
It is recommended that students complete some form of test prep, regardless of form, prior to taking the ACT or SAT. Students should select their preferred format of test prep after considering their learning style and should allot at least a month towards their selected format prior to sitting for the test. Consistency and dedication is crucial when it comes to test prep. Now that students are able to submit their "super-score" to colleges (for both the ACT and SAT), test prep can not only affect one set of scores, but multiple!
Below are some recommend resources that are tried and true when it comes to preparing for both the ACT and SAT.
Standardized Testing (Pre-ACT, PSAT, ACT, SAT)
As students progress throughout their time at Ben Lippen they should expect to take the Pre-ACT and/or PSAT in addition to the ACT and/or SAT.
Students should expect to take either the Pre-ACT or PSAT during their sophomore and/or junior years. The ACT and/or SAT is often taken beginning spring of a student's junior year and into their senior year as they apply to college(s).
Student Athletes
For students looking to continue pursuing athletics in college, make sure you start planning early! Both your skills, academics, and your time are all valuable assets when it comes to this process. To begin your journey, we recommend referencing the resources released by the NCAA. Their resources do a great job breaking down the process of becoming a college athlete freshman through senior year!
A few initial resources to help begin this process are listed below.
Scholarships
You've gotten accepted to college, now you ask, how am I going to pay? It's never too early to begin the process of looking for scholarships!
There are many different types of scholarships, including the following, and more.
- Merit-Based Scholarships
- These scholarships are often based on academic performance (test scores and GPA).
- State Scholarships
- Students residing in South Carolina can qualify for the Palmetto Fellows, LIFE, or HOPE scholarship.
- Institutional/Endowed Scholarships
- Each school typically has a scholarship page listed on their website. This page often lists available scholarships for both incoming and current students. Qualifications typically vary so be sure to review and see if you qualify!
- Outside Scholarships
- These are scholarships provide by external sources and typically have a required application process. While these may seem readily available to students, note that these scholarships are selective as students across the nation are competing for the same scholarships.
To start your scholarship search, please find a few resources listed below.
Career Exploration
No matter what grade you're in, it's never too early to begin your career exploration. The College Counseling Department is here to aid you in that process. We help students not only explore their passions but provide them with the resources to make those passions a future career.
Not only can students schedule a meeting with their college counselor to discuss their interests at any time, we can also provide different resources, such as the ones below, to help you further explore all potential career paths.
Monthly Newsletters
Each month the College Counseling Department releases their College Counseling Monthly Newsletter. This newsletter is class specific and allows both students and parents to view crucial information as they move forward throughout the academic year.
Topics often included in the newsletter include:
- Upcoming events
- Application process
- Scholarship opportunities
- Summer programs
- Approaching deadlines
To view the most recent College Counseling Monthly Newsletter, please visit the link below.
*Please note that the next College Counseling Monthly Newsletter will be available in September 2025*
Summer Opportunities
While many of our students are heavily involved both in the Ben Lippen and local community throughout the course of the academic year, we also encourage our students to use summer as an opportunity to get involved.
Included below is a resource referencing numerous summer programs of distinction, along with their associated information.
Financial Aid
The financial aid process is often tedious and time-consuming so we have compiled some resources to help aid in this process.
- General:
- Be prepared. Don't wait until senior year to begin the financial aid process. There are small things you can do beginning freshman year to help with this process.
- FAFSA:
- Each year, the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) becomes available in October for students and parents to complete. While not required, it is recommended that all families complete and submit this document in hopes of receiving federal funding.
- Resources: