While you have some down-time during the Winter Break, we would like to remind you of some important activities that will need your attention.
SENIORS:
If you haven’t been keeping up with the emails that colleges have been sending you, you need to take the time to read all the correspondence from the schools you are interested in. After you have applied, most schools will send one email to the email account you used to apply and then they will start sending correspondence to the email they have created for you within their own system. They will email important deadlines and ask for information needed for your application to be complete. If you do not access the emails, and miss this important information, your application will not be considered.
One of the things that colleges will be looking for is your ACT or SAT test results. Please make sure to send these scores. If you need more information, please read the previous blog posts covering this.
Starting January 1st , you can begin your FAFSA (or Free Application for Federal Student Aid). The FAFSA is your application for a federal Pell Grant and state Cal Grant. This is money that you do not have to pay back. These grants give money for trade school, community college, or a four-year university. Everyone should apply! Don’t forget - even if you think your family makes too much money to qualify for a grant, many colleges require you to fill out the FAFSA in order to qualify for ANY type of aid at their school. This could mean that you lose out on merit aid. Merit aid is money colleges offer based on how well you have done in high school and your parent’s finances aren’t taken into consideration.
If you are still unsure what the FAFSA is all about, check out THIS video. Please remember, you do not need to have your taxes complete to fill out the FAFSA. You can use your previous year’s tax statements. Later, when you finish your taxes you can go back in and have the IRS automatically update your FAFSA form for you. THIS link will take you step by step through the IRS data retrieval tool in the FAFSA form.
If you didn’t attend a financial aid workshop and would like even more information on the FAFSA, THIS video goes through the FAFSA application with easy-to-follow directions. There will also be another financial aid workshop held at COC on January 19th at 6pm in the Performing Arts Center. It is called Cash for College and is excellent.
Speaking of money, now is the time that scholarship applications start to really become available. If you haven’t already done so, please check our previous blog post about a scholarship that we recommend all students consider submitting because it is a fantastic opportunity to be awarded BIG MONEY!
Lastly, many of you will need to sign up for English and Math placement tests for your colleges. You will be notified through email if you are required to take the tests. The testing dates fill up quickly. Please sign up for the earliest date possible! If you wait until May to sign up for testing, there is a good chance you will have to travel three or four hours away to find open spots!
JUNIORS:
You will be meeting with your counselor at the beginning of second semester to discuss your senior schedule. We will be talking about what you need to accomplish for college admission, but DO NOT WAIT for our meeting to sign up for the SAT and/or ACT if you plan to apply to a four-year college. We recommend that you take your SAT or ACT at least once during your junior year. The SAT is only offered at Canyon and the ACT is only offered at Valencia. Every student in the Hart District is trying for the same seats, so you want to register as early as possible! Registration for the tests is done online. Here are the links for SAT and the ACT.
