__________________________________________________________
Virtual Opportunities to Help with the College Journey
Looking for more college information? Consider attending evening virtual events by registering at this link: https://www.moacac.org/show-me-my-future-student-registration. Topics include Choosing a College that Fits, Paying for College, A Case for higher Christian Education, and more. Colleges participating include MIZZOU, College of the Ozarks, DePaul, Drake, and many others.
Another opportunity to attend virtual fairs in October and November where you can have access to over 600 colleges can be found here: http://virtualcollegefairs.org/events
___________________________________________________________
Virtual Christian College Fair: Live November 5 and more options during November
Over 100 Christian colleges will be represented at this virtual event.
Learn more and register here: https://myblueprintstory.swoogo.com/ChristianCollegeFairs2020?utm_medium=email&utm_source=sharpspring&sslid=MzcwNrEwNLIwNrUwAwA&sseid=MzI0MrU0MbEwNgEA&jobid=ddb1390b-fab7-4611-8954-178f808cab0e
___________________________________________________________
Tips for Completing the FAFSA
1. October 1st is the first day you can file the FAFSA. It is important to complete the FAFSA as close October 1st as possible. College, state, and private aid deadlines can be earlier than federal aid deadlines. Pay attention to your college(s) financial aid deadline. One parent and the student can create their FSA ID prior to October 1 to be ready for when they file their FAFSA.
2. For more information, click on the free government website Completing the FAFSA. The website has a question-by-question guide to completing the FAFSA.
3. Visit Student Aid on the Web for more information in regards to the FAFSA.
If you have questions about the application, FAFSA on the Web or federal financial aid for students in general, call:
Federal Student Aid Information Center (FSAIC)
800-4-FED-AID (433-3243) / TTY 800-730-8913
Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to midnight Eastern Time
Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern Time
_________________________________________________________
Private Scholarship Opportunities for Juniors
1. The 2021 Collidge Scholarship is for juniors only:https://coolidgescholars.org/
https://coolidgescholars.org/. It is a full-ride, four-year scholarship used by recipients for undergraduate study at any accredited college or university in the United States.
2. KC Scholars Traditional Scholarship: https://kcscholars.org/traditional
Although this scholarship is awarded upon high school graduation, it is important to plan ahead. Students need to document their tutoring hours as well as stay on top of their GPA, attendance, and take the ACT, earning a qualifying score in Math to secure this scholarship. In other words, don't wait until your senior year to start working for this scholarship.
_________________________________________________________
College Savings Plan/Matching Program: 9th Graders Only
KC Scholars offers a college savings and matching program for freshmen only each year. Applications open January 1 - February 26. To learn more visit: https://kcscholars.org/traditional
________________________________________________________
ACT: General Information
Due to complications with scheduling assessments due to COVID-19, ACT has postponed its original plan to allow students to retake individual sections and then use their best results to Superscore. ACT had planned to implement this test option beginning September 2020. However, ACT has announced that section retesting will be postponed until a date to be determined later. Students will be required to have completed one full ACT before they are eligible to retake individual sections. Be aware that many, but not all, colleges accept Superscoring. Review the admission requirements of the specific colleges your student is considering by reading from the college website to know if those colleges accept ACT Superscores.
The December and April ACT testing dates at Saturday national testing centers continue to be the only options when students have the opportunity to order the TRI which means resources come back to the student following testing at a small fee. Resources include test questions, the student's answers, and the answer key for that test. These materials can be helpful when studying for future ACT testing.
____________________________________________________
ACT Test Dates 2020 -21: Registration opens August 3
Saturday, September 19, 2020
Saturday, October 10, 2020
Saturday, October 17, 2020
Saturday, October 24, 2020
Sunday, October 25, 2020
For more information, please click here to visit the ACT website.
__________________________________________________________
Growing Trend in Test-Optional Colleges
Follow this link to learn more about colleges that are test-optional with regards to the ACT/SAT: http://fairtest.org/2019-best-year-ever-testoptional-higher-ed-admissi
________________________________________________________
Early Decision vs. Early Action
Follow this link to help determine if Early Decision or Early Action is right for you:
https://professionals.collegeboard.org/guidance/applications/early
_________________________________________________________
Paying for College
Follow this website from Sallie Mae to learn basic information about paying for college: https://www.payingforcollegeresource.com/?dtd_cell=SMSCGESCSOSOOTOTOTHOTHRN
________________________________________________________
Finding a Job While in High School
Need help finding a job during high school? Follow this link to learn about employment opportunities plus skills such as writing a resume and preparing for an interview: https://www.zippia.com/job-search/high-school-jobs/
________________________________________________________
Elk's Most Valuable Student Scholarship 2021
Class of 2021 students can apply now for national and local scholarships. Apply at www.enf.elks.org/mvs. Deadline is November 15, 2020.
________________________________________________________
College Scholarships for Women
https://edubirdie.com/blog/scholarships-for-women
__________________________________________________________
SwiftStudent: Free online tool to help students apply for financial aid appeal
Has COVID-19 resulted in unexpected financial challenges after your FAFSA submission? Would you like to request an appeal in your financial aid package? SwiftStudent is a free and secure online tool to help with the financial aid appeal process. Learn about SwiftStudent here: https://formswift.com/swift-student
________________________________________________________
Searching for Private Scholarships and Going Merry
Click here to find 6 great options for searching for private scholarships.
Click here to view some of the most frequently used questions for scholarship essays.
Create an account with Going Merry for tips on searching local, state, and national college scholarships as well as suggestions for writing essays:
https://www.goingmerry.com/
________________________________________________________
Christian Colleges
Follow these links to research a variety of Christian Colleges: https://christianconnector.com/Christian-colleges-form-SS.cfm
and https://applicationu.com.
________________________________________________________
Degrees in Cyber Security
Follow this link to learn more about degrees and careers in Cyber Security: https://cyberdegreesedu.org/
_________________________________________________________
Degrees in Health Care Administration Fields
Follow this link to learn more about options in the area of Health Care Administration: https://discoverhealthadmin.org/degree
_________________________________________________________
Discover Grand Canyon University
Would you like to visit Grand Canyon University? Grand Canyon University offers the "fly-in" two-night program to discover GCU. The goal of the "fly-in" program is to be able to leave GCU with confidence in the direction you want your future to go in. The tour will include the opportunity to learn about your college of interest; identify what degree program you would like to pursue; gain in-depth program information; participate in hands-on activities; tour the campus, and meet current students in your college of interest.
For more information, please click here to visit the Grand Canyon University website.
_________________________________________________________
Close Up: Washington DC High School Programs
Close Up is the nation's premier nonprofit, not partisan civic education organization. Since, 1971, over 900,000 students and teachers have participated in our experiential learning programs.
Close Up ensures their students will have a safe and memorable trip made possible through their all-inclusive package that includes travel, lodging, 24-hour supervision, and access to medical care as needed. Close Up is a once in a lifetime opportunity that will inspire students to become active participants in our democracy.
If your student is interested in applying to Close Up, please contact Keri M. Cook: kcook@closeup.org and visit www.CloseUp.org