~ College Bound Seniors ~
This information is for seniors interested in opening the door to a college education for next school year. If you are unsure, I recommend you complete this process and leave your final decision for April (May 1 is the typical commitment date). You can do all of the steps below with $$ ZERO dollars $$ invested and keep this door open as an option to consider later. See me for help!
Local College Fair (Early Sept)
Every year MTU coordinates a local college fair on their campus with the MACAC organization.
The event is typically held the second week of school (Thursday at 9 am) and HHS provides transportation
and release from class. Upwards of 30 college reps attend this event and often take time to visit our campus. Watch PowerSchool announcement for times of their visit and email the high school counselor to sign up to see them. You WANT them to know who you are as they are often involved in the acceptance process.
The event is typically held the second week of school (Thursday at 9 am) and HHS provides transportation
and release from class. Upwards of 30 college reps attend this event and often take time to visit our campus. Watch PowerSchool announcement for times of their visit and email the high school counselor to sign up to see them. You WANT them to know who you are as they are often involved in the acceptance process.
Continue College Searching
Finding the right college for yourself can be challenging. You need to consider what the campus has to offer educationally, but also things like location, cost, opportunities on campus, social avenues, etc. HHS implemented XELLO into it's K-12 curriculum
to help integrate this search process throughout your education. Reminder, your log in is the same as your
school log in. Beyond XELLO, here are a few other popular resources.
to help integrate this search process throughout your education. Reminder, your log in is the same as your
school log in. Beyond XELLO, here are a few other popular resources.
- USNews Education
- College Navigator (EXCELLENT SOURCE: Government Stats)
- MyBigFuture College Search
- Peterson's College Search Tool
- Princeton Review
- 2021-22 Michigan Public Universities Info
Applying to College (August+)
There are basically 2 popular ways to apply to colleges:
- Directly on the college's website. Sometimes there is a fee. If you qualified for free/reduced lunch, see your school counselor for a fee waiver. You will need to order your transcripts to be sent to each institution through Parchment. Note: MTU will suggest sending your counselor a paper request and link to a different provider for your transcript. IGNORE their suggestion. We only use Parchment so you can track your order.
- Using the Common Application (See YouTube CommonAPP). This is a popular tool for students applying to several different universities/colleges (see List). You still need to pay per application, but you only need to file this form once. Be aware of the reference process (ask before you use someone, tell them to check spam because their invite comes through email, make sure they don't write it to one specific college admissions team, etc). Fee waivers may still be an option. You will need to add me as your school counselor so I can enter information on your behalf (see Letter of Recommendation below for REQUIRED steps). You will need to order your transcripts to be sent to the Common App through Parchment.
Retesting/Score Sending
Many colleges are becoming "Test Optional" for admission but scholarships can be a different league. Here's a few testing facts:
- Students may retake the SAT on a Saturday by registering through their College Board Account. Use the KHAN ACADEMY to prep!
- Students with strong Science backgrounds sometime prefer the ACT because it offers a specific score for Science. Also given on Saturdays across the nation and registration is online.
- Many colleges "Super-score" which means they take the best from every category and make their own score to use. (This is the same with your GPA... they sometimes only use core classes to recalculate your GPA).
- Free/Reduced lunch students can ask their school counselor for fee waivers both to retake a test or to send scores to colleges.
- Your CollegeBoard account holds your SAT and AP Scores. Issues logging in have to go to them directly 888-SAT-HELP
- AP Scores only need to be sent once you decide where you want to go/who you want to issue you credit
- SAT Scores were sent for free when you registered for the test with me. You can see where they were sent in your account and you can pay to have them sent in there as well.
Letters of Recommendation (Apps/Scholarships)
I met with all the juniors personally last year and shared a google folder with them so we can communicate and share documents there. In their file, they have the two resources below (look under "shared with me" to find the folder/add these if yours is missing). They were encouraged to ask for letters from teachers, coaches, bosses, community leaders, etc last spring so that references had time to write quality letters. Many colleges and scholarship committees will require 2 (sometimes 3) letters in an attempt to get a more holistic picture of the applicant (beyond GPA and Test Scores). I recommend asking three individuals so you can choose the best vantage point.
IMPORTANT: If you are filling out the Common App, I need both of these completed in our shared folder. Email me when this step is complete so I can do my portion in your file.
IMPORTANT: If you are filling out the Common App, I need both of these completed in our shared folder. Email me when this step is complete so I can do my portion in your file.
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Sending Transcripts (Apps/Final in May)
We use Parchment.com for all transcript requests. This program is totally free while you are in high school and allows users to track their orders for delivery through their own personal accounts. Students can order a self-view and print transcripts for use with scholarships etc. It is suggested that you use a personal email when creating yours. If you have issues logging in, call 847-716-3005 to have them resent your account.
NOTE: The thumbnail picture you see is of the last transcript you requested. When you request the latest transcript to be sent, that image will be updated. You will need to order your FINAL transcript to be sent to you FINAL choice in May of your senior year. I will remind you :)
NOTE: The thumbnail picture you see is of the last transcript you requested. When you request the latest transcript to be sent, that image will be updated. You will need to order your FINAL transcript to be sent to you FINAL choice in May of your senior year. I will remind you :)
Parchment Guide |
FAFSA Form: AFTER Oct 1st (not before!)
The financial aid process begins for seniors on October 1st. This free federal form is used to calculate grant, work study on campus, and loan eligibility, along with some other need based scholarships. Both the parent and the student must complete this form for the child to receive any assistance for college. Local FAFSA filing nights are offered in the community and your college/universities Financial Aid office is always the best resource if you have questions about anything on the form. HHS partnered with GoingMerry last year to allow our families to walk through a self guided FAFSA application. Their software will replace FAFSA prompts with real names and personalized questions/answers. See the flyer below.
NOTE: This form is based on your family's income from 2 years ago. If things have changed significantly, contact the Financial Aid Office directly to file a change in circumstance form.
NOTE: This form is based on your family's income from 2 years ago. If things have changed significantly, contact the Financial Aid Office directly to file a change in circumstance form.
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Financial Aid Letters (January)
It is a good idea to apply to more than one college so you can compare offers. These typically come to your NEW college email so be sure to check that regularly. You should discuss the details of each letter with a Financial Aid Officer from that college/university to ensure you understand each item. Generally, this form will list the total COA/cost of attendance (tuition/fees/expenses/etc) and then itemize what you are eligible to receive each semester (loans/grants (free money)/work study/college offered scholarships). You want to watch for loans (you have to accept these and the payment conditions) and scholarships that are one-time only. At the end, they will typically list what is called "Unmet Need" which is the money you will need to provide upfront for that school year. See "Net Price Calculator" on any college/university website to estimate this offer.
NOTE: These change yearly as your circumstances change.
NOTE: These change yearly as your circumstances change.
Example Fin Aid Letters |
Scholarships (All Year Long)
Four Types: National, State, College/University, and Local/Houghton High School Specific
National
Students were encouraged to create an account in GoingMerry starting Sophomore year as national scholarships are everywhere for everything... they just need to be searched out. The national search engines create filters based on criteria given to them by the student and then email suggested scholarships for students to explore. Essay scholarships are typically the best as lots of students are not interested in putting the writing effort into their search. See tab in Google Sheet for more resources
State
State scholarships are advertised on their website all year long for planning purposes. These are offered to targeted groups based on specific qualifications. TIP (Tuition Incentive Program) and the Michigan Competitive Scholarship are the most common and are based on some form of need.
College/University Offered
Most colleges offer a standard amount of money based solely on your application criteria (GPA and Test Scores most often) which can be found on their scholarship website and will typically be mentioned in your acceptance letter. Others to watch for are the high end competitive (sometimes full ride) scholarships that are typically due mid October to mid November and require more action to apply (recommendations, essays, and sometimes interviews). The college rep will be an excellent resource for these types of scholarships.
Local/Houghton High School
Local scholarships are also offered by businesses, families, in memory of an individual, Class of XXXX during reunions, and volunteer clubs and organizations who fundraise specifically to help a HHS student start college on the right foot. They generally begin release in December and with most posted in February. Houghton has an impressive list of scholarships that are only awarded to our graduates. This tab is already populated so you can see what to expect in the near future. Thank You's are a must for these scholarships.
Note: Never pay for scholarship searching, give SSN or a picture out, or provide bank account information.
National
Students were encouraged to create an account in GoingMerry starting Sophomore year as national scholarships are everywhere for everything... they just need to be searched out. The national search engines create filters based on criteria given to them by the student and then email suggested scholarships for students to explore. Essay scholarships are typically the best as lots of students are not interested in putting the writing effort into their search. See tab in Google Sheet for more resources
State
State scholarships are advertised on their website all year long for planning purposes. These are offered to targeted groups based on specific qualifications. TIP (Tuition Incentive Program) and the Michigan Competitive Scholarship are the most common and are based on some form of need.
College/University Offered
Most colleges offer a standard amount of money based solely on your application criteria (GPA and Test Scores most often) which can be found on their scholarship website and will typically be mentioned in your acceptance letter. Others to watch for are the high end competitive (sometimes full ride) scholarships that are typically due mid October to mid November and require more action to apply (recommendations, essays, and sometimes interviews). The college rep will be an excellent resource for these types of scholarships.
Local/Houghton High School
Local scholarships are also offered by businesses, families, in memory of an individual, Class of XXXX during reunions, and volunteer clubs and organizations who fundraise specifically to help a HHS student start college on the right foot. They generally begin release in December and with most posted in February. Houghton has an impressive list of scholarships that are only awarded to our graduates. This tab is already populated so you can see what to expect in the near future. Thank You's are a must for these scholarships.
Note: Never pay for scholarship searching, give SSN or a picture out, or provide bank account information.
Final Decisions (May 1)
Most colleges want to know if you are (and even if you are not so they can open the seat and funding to others) planning to attend by May 1. The real commitment will be your first deposit and selection of your orientation date. The soon this happens the better as all the good classes will fill up fast (everyone avoids the early morning classes). Remember to have your AP Scores sent through your College Board account to the college you plan to attend and ask about CLEP testing if you want to save money by testing out of some basic college classes. You also need to have your final transcript sent via Parchment to your chosen school even if you used the Common App. You can do this at any point second semester senior year by selecting "next grading period" when you order. Often university students will take summer community college classes also as a way to save money and time.