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College Counseling

September 2019 Senior College Counseling Newsletter

09/03/2019

  1. The Jesuit Excellence Tour College Fair will take place before school on Monday, September 9 from 8:00 to 9:00 AM. This is a great opportunity for you and your parents to ask questions in a smaller setting. Please plan to attend if you are interested in any of these schools: John Carroll University, Loyola Chicago, Marquette University, Regis University, Louis University, or Xavier University. A schedule of other Indianapolis area college fairs can be found at https://counseling.bishopchatard.org/2019-2020-college-fair-calendar/. You can Google many tips on how to navigate a college fair; this list is simple and provides the most important questions: https://www.colorado.edu/admissions/2018/10/12/top-questions-college-fair.
  2. Colleges will be visiting Bishop Chatard this fall. To register: Log in to Naviance Student. (Use your student number without @org and your regular BCHS password.) Click on “Colleges” in the top right. Scroll down to “College Visits.” Click on “Show More.” Next to the college name for the meeting you want to attend, click on “Register Now” over to the right. You will not receive a pass for the meeting; please come to room 213 during the passing period.
  3. Please remember to avoid the two most common mistakes: forgetting to send your test scores and forgetting to send your transcripts. Transcripts: You have to list Mrs. Nixon as your counselor in order for all of the proper paperwork to be submitted. Do not list anyone as your Advisor. Remember, if a school does not accept the Common Application, you will need to apply through the college’s website and request your transcript through Parchment. You must request a transcript to be sent to each college or university through Common Application or Parchment. Test scores:  It is important that you send your scores directly from the testing service through your CollegeBoard and ACT accounts. Take advantage of the free score sends when you register. You must send your test scores to each college or university directly from the testing service. It takes 2-3 weeks for your scores to arrive to the schools, so you cannot wait until a few days before the deadline to order them.
  4. Scholarships and Financial Aid:You can begin filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on October 1 at fafsa.ed.gov. You will be reviewed for financial aid based on your 2018 tax information. Many schools have moved their priority deadlines to December 1 or December 15, so please complete the FAFSA as early as possible. If your income has changed drastically from 2018 to 2019, or if you have special circumstances, please contact each college or university for assistance. We recommend fastweb.com, RaiseMe, and CollegeBoard Opportunity Scholarships for outside scholarship searches.
  5. When you apply to a college or university, they will send you login information to access an online portal. Please look for these emails and log in to view your application status, see next steps, and learn about potential scholarship application or interview processes. In related news, it is very important for you to check your email from schools to which you have applied. To make things easier, unsubscribe from emails from schools you are no longer considering.
  6. There is still time to complete your College Autobiography. This helps teachers write letters of recommendation for your college applications. After you complete it, you should ask them in person whether they are willing to write a recommendation for you. Then, send them the copies of your College Autobiography responses.
  7. Still looking for more colleges to add to your list? Check out Naviance Super Match (log in with your student number and your regular password, click on Colleges, click on Find your Fit, click on SuperMatch) and College Board Big Future.
  8. To visit a campus, register on the college or university website, preferably at least 3 weeks in advance. Please have a parent or guardian call the BCHS attendance line on the day of your visit and bring a copy of your itinerary or a school excuse form to Mrs. Kaminski when you return. For out-of-town trips or absences of more than one day, please also complete a Pre-Arranged Absence Form – pdf and return it to Mr. Reilly.
  9. The Common Application indicates that some schools require Midyear Reports from BCHS. These cannot be completed until first semester grades are stored, so they will be submitted between January 10 and January 20. On January 8, please request any non-Common App transcripts to be sent through Parchment. This is important if you have been deferred or a school has requested additional academic information from you.
  10. Check out these tips for coping with school-related stress: https://www.verywellmind.com/top-school-stress-relievers-for-students-3145179
  11. Don’t forget to check out the School Counseling Canvas page for additional information and helpful links.

Thank you to our sponsors at Marian University for supporting Bishop Chatard students.