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Christian Colleges Fair: February 27, 2021
The annual MidWest Christian College Expo will be held Saturday, February 27 from 10 am to noon (free). This event will be held at Colonial Presbyterian Church located at 9500 Wornall Road, KCMO. Over 40 Christan colleges across 17 states will be represented, including reps from the Concordia system. Masks required. Social distancing will be implemented. Follow this link to learn more: https://metrovoicenews.com/christian-college-expo-features-50-schools-from-17-states/
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College-Related Webinars and Virtual College Fair: March 9 and 10, 2021
Webinars cover the college admissions process, financial aid, career awareness, and more. The College Fair hosts over 100 colleges from the Midwest and beyond. Register for each webinar and a timeslot to visit with specific college reps here: https://www.strivescan.com/Missouri/. All events hosted by MOACAC, Missouri Association of College Admissions Counseling.
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Create an account with Edmit
Edmit is a tool that helps with finding a college that is a financial fit for your family. You can learn more about Edmit by visiting this website: https://www.edmit.me./
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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
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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.
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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
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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.
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ACT Test Dates 2021: Create an account with MyACT.org
February 6 (Registration deadline: January 8)
April 17 (Registration deadline: March 12)
June 12 (Registration deadline: May 7)
July 17 (Registration deadline: June 18)
For more information, please click here to visit the ACT website.
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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
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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
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Paying for College
Follow this website from Sallie Mae to learn basic information about paying for college: https://www.payingforcollegeresource.com/?dtd_cell=SMSCGESCSOSOOTOTOTHOTHRN
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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/
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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.
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College Scholarships for Women
https://edubirdie.com/blog/scholarships-for-women
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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
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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/
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Christian Colleges
Follow these links to research a variety of Christian Colleges:https://christianconnector.com/Christian-colleges-form-SS.cfm
and https://applicationu.com.
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Degrees in Cyber Security
Follow this link to learn more about degrees and careers in Cyber Security: https://cyberdegreesedu.org/
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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
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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.
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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