College Counseling

School Counseling Newsletter

Class of 2023 August College Counseling Newsletters

08/31/2022

September 11:

1. There are over 20 colleges visiting BCHS this week! Sign up in Scoir to attend the meetings.

2. If you missed the virtual Evening with IU and Purdue, you can view it here.

3. Remember, every senior has to meet with Mrs. Nixon prior to October 7. Please stop by 213 or set up an appointment here.

4. Here are some quick links to Common App, Parchment, and FAFSA.

5. Have a great week! We are here to help you!

September 7:

Here is this week’s update for seniors!

1. Every senior needs to meet with Mrs. Nixon between September 8 and October 7. You can either sign up for an appointment or just stop by room 213 to meet. You do not have to have an appointment, but you do need to be ready to talk about your future. Please bring your ipad if you have questions about your college applications.

2. Today is the last day to sign up for the SAT School Day. Register here.

3. We have over 25 colleges visiting before the end of next week; register here under Events with your BCHS google login to receive a pass.

4. Please keep your grades up. It’s hard to catch up with more rigorous senior coursework, so it is best to stay on top of things.

5. It can be overwhelming to juggle Homecoming week, academics, and extracurricular activities. Please remember to take care of yourself and prioritize your health and wellness.

August 29:

Here are the top 5 things to remember this week:

1. If you are interested in IU or Purdue, please attend this meeting on Tuesday, August 30: Virtual Evening w/ Indiana University Bloomington & Purdue University West Lafayette, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM, https://purdue-edu.zoom.us/j/96785551536?pwd=NVV1VGlTb3FwRGpDR1o2Vk4wUG83UT09 , Passcode: Boilers

2. Marian will be here Tuesday, August 30, we have 4 colleges coming next week, and there will be 18 colleges here the week of September 12. Don’t forget to sign up for college rep meetings in Scoir (log in with your BCHS google account and click on Events).

3. If you are interested in taking the SAT School Day on October 12, please register here prior to September 7.

4. If you need help with Common App, please go here. This page is full of tips. Also, scroll down and watch the video next to “Get ready to begin your journey.” Don’t forget to click on the My Colleges tab, choose one of the schools in gray, then click on Recommenders and FERPA to invite Mrs. Nixon as your counselor and your selected Teacher as your teacher. You do not need an Advisor.

5. The best way to make college applications less overwhelming is to spend time working on your applications. We promise it’s not as overwhelming once you start! Feel free to stop by room 213 after you create your account if you have questions.

August 24:

5 important things for seniors to remember this week:

1. Colleges start visiting BCHS today! Use your BCHS Google login to get into Scoir and sign up for the visit. It is the only way to get a pass for the information session.

2. You have the opportunity to take the SAT on October 12 if you want another score. Please sign up here soon.

3. Helpful links from previous newsletters and emails: Common Application to apply to college, Parchment to request transcripts, College Autobiography to share information about yourself for letters of recommendation, Senior Packet for Parents with important information about your senior year

4. Booking college visits at least 3 weeks in advance helps ensure that you will have a spot. For fall break and PSAT day, you will need to book even earlier. Each college and university has a specific place to schedule visits. Examples: Ball State, IU, Marian, Purdue, Valparaiso.

5. Take a deep breath, look around, be grateful, say a prayer, and get outside to unwind this week.

August 11:

1. The Lilly Scholarship Nominee applications are due Friday, August 12, at 8:00 am. See requirements and apply here.

2. This is a great time to ask teachers for letters of recommendation. Please complete the College Autobiography to help us have more background information.

3. If you are having any trouble logging in or setting up your account for Indiana University dual credit ACP courses (W131, P155), contact ACP directly at 812-855-6789 (fastest way, you can use our office to make the call) or acp@indiana.edu for assistance.

4. You can always get a copy of your transcript by going to parchment.com and entering your own email address. You will need a copy for the Courses and Grades section of your Common Application. You can also use Parchment to send transcripts to colleges for free!

5. Colleges will begin visiting Bishop Chatard at the end of the month. It is very beneficial to come to these meetings. You can save your spot through your Scoir account (log in with your BCHS Google login).

Remember, I am in room 213 if you need anything!

August 1:

Happy August 1, Seniors! We can’t wait to see you next week. We have a few notes for you to help you kick off your last year of high school on the right foot.

The Common Application is now live. Read this list and watch this video to apply to college now. At the very least, you can set up your account, waive your FERPA (in the Recommenders section after you add Colleges on the Colleges tab) and add Mrs. Nixon as your counselor. This will allow us to attach your transcript to your application now for your colleges to download when you submit your application.
The application to be BCHS’ nominee for the Lilly Endowment Scholarship is available. Complete it before August 12 to be considered for this amazing opportunity.
If you apply to any schools outside of the Common App, remember to request a transcript in Parchment. It is the only way for us to know you need a transcript.
While the Archdiocesan system transfer will not allow you to see your schedule yet, please know that School Counselors will be available next week to help with schedule change requests related to your core academic courses. We will continue to send information your way as things develop.
Take a deep breath. Know that you are loved, you have value, and you are not alone. Your Bishop Chatard administrators, teachers, staff members, peers, and community are ready to help you make this your best year yet.

Class of 2022 May College Counseling Newsletter

05/03/2022

Complete the BCHS Exit Form: Please complete the 2022 Exit Form to help several offices at Bishop Chatard gather very important information and data. We send your final transcript to the school you indicate on this form. If you change your mind about the school you are planning to attend, please email pnixon@bishopchatard.org and aalerding@bishopchatard.org so that we can send your transcript to the correct place. Note: You must be signed into your BCHS email to open the form.

Finalize Financial Aid: If you need help with FAFSA verification or your financial aid package from your school, check out InvestED, use the FAFSA help line , or contact the financial aid office at your school of choice.

Send us your Admission & Scholarship Offers: While we can’t make any guarantees, there may still be a chance for you to have your last minute admission and scholarship letters added to the senior slideshow. Please forward those to pnixon@bishopchatard.org or bring them to room 213. Congratulations on all of the scholarships and awards you have received!

Dual Credit Courses and Transcripts: If you have taken dual credit classes, we aren’t able to send dual credit transcripts to colleges because they are issued directly through the credit-granting institution. You will need to request that the college sends your transcript after grades are final in the course. For Indiana University Advance College Project (ACP) courses (W131), you can request your transcript by calling (812) 855-4500. For Vincennes University courses (Accounting), you can request your transcript at www.vinu.edu/transcript-requests. For questions, please contact them by phone at 812.888.4220 or email at records@vinu.edu. For Trine University courses (Public Speaking), you can request your transcript at https://www.trine.edu/resources/registrar/transcripts.aspx. Please contact them at 260-665-4186 with questions.

Enrollment Deposits: Many schools have enrollment deposit deadlines. Please check with your colleges to see what their policies are. If you need an extension, contact the admission office and ask for an extension on the enrollment deposit.

Transcript requests: If you are still applying to new schools, please request to have your transcripts sent through Parchment.com.

Withdraw your other applications: If you are no longer interested in a school, email them to ask to withdraw your application. Also, unsubscribe from their emails. This will save you time, prevent them from calling you with reminders, and limit emails in your inbox.

No idea what to do next year?: See Mrs. Nixon! That’s why she is here. We can work to set something up for you!

Questions?: If you have any other questions or need to process your thoughts on your options for the future, please contact Mrs. Nixon to let her know if there is anything she can do to help in the next few weeks. Thank you, and congratulations on being so close to finishing your last semester of high school!

Class of 2022 Application Week College Counseling Newsletter

10/25/2021

Many college applications are due this week! In most cases, if you want to receive maximum consideration for admission and scholarship, you need to submit your application and all required documents prior to November 1. Follow these simple steps to success:

Go to the internet browser and type in “Common Application” or “Apply to (insert the name of the college or university here)”. Complete ALL questions in the application.
If you are using the Common Application: a)Immediately after starting, go to the “My Colleges” tab, click on “Recommenders and FERPA” and Invite Mrs. Nixon as your counselor. YOUR TRANSCRIPT CANNOT BE SENT IF YOU DO NOT DO THIS. Your application will not be complete if you do not request your transcript. If you request your transcript later than Friday, 10/29, at noon, we cannot guarantee that it will arrive to the school on time. b) If you haven’t entered any teacher recommenders yet and your schools do not require teacher recommenders, do not list any teachers here. Even if it allows you to enter optional teacher recommenders, do not list anyone here. If your schools do require recommenders, be sure to politely ask a teacher if they have time. Do not invite an advisor. c) **This link is also helpful if you have questions on Common App: https://www.commonapp.org/
If you are applying from the school’s website, go to Parchment.com to request your transcripts to be sent there. YOUR TRANSCRIPT CANNOT BE SENT IF YOU DO NOT DO THIS. Your application will not be complete if you do not request your transcript. If you request your transcript later than Friday , 10/29, at noon, we cannot guarantee that it will arrive to the school on time.
Attach or complete any necessary resumes, essays, and other required documents.
Make your selection regarding test scores. If you want to have your scores reviewed, some schools allow you to self-report them on the application or through their online admission portal. Others require them to come from the testing service. For SAT scores, you will want to go to CollegeBoard, log into your account, click on the scores, scroll down, and click on Score Sends.
Complete theCSS Profile if your school requires it: This is another tool colleges and universities use to award financial aid. It is a College Board product and there is a fee to submit it. You do not need to do the CSS profile unless the school to which you are applying requires it.
The majority of schools provide you with an application portal where you can view your application and admission status. Log in to verify whether your application is complete.

Junior September College Counseling Newsletter

09/19/2021

This is an exciting time in your college search process!

Here are a few tips to help you prepare for your next steps:

Review the College Preparation Steps for Juniors to be sure you are on track.
Start in SCOIR. You can access it by clicking on the Google icon and signing in with your BCHS Google account. If you have trouble, please contact Mrs. Nixon. Use this amazing tool to 1) research colleges and universities, and 2) complete the YouScience Career Assessment tool.
Mark your calendar: There is a College Information Presentation for your parents and guardians to attend at 6:00 pm on Progress Report Night.
Get the best grades you can. This is a huge opportunity to prove yourself as a student who can ask questions, show grit, and overcome adversity. Rising to the challenge when other students take the easy way out is a way to separate yourself from the crowd. If you love your teachers and love your family but would love an outside tutor even more, Bender and Rocap, Class 101, and Huntington Learning Center are all nearby.

Check out upcoming dates for ACT and SAT and register. Mark future dates on your calendar. We encourage you to prepare for and take the test, view your scores, and talk to the schools to which you are applying before making a decision about whether to apply test optional.
Colleges want to know what is important to you and the things about which you are passionate. Ask people in your desired career if they are willing to do a phone interview so you can learn more about the profession. Line up job shadowing opportunities to help you learn more.