Welcome to The College and Career Center!

Welcome to the College Office! If you are a student then you belong here. Come to Room 230 and see Ms. DiGiorgio to start planning for your future! The college and career planning process begins in the 9th grade.

See me for a fee waiver today.

Look at the emails from my office for updated information. I will also be sending emails through your Google Classroom

Check out the School Calendar for Colleges to meet YOU!

Parents if you would like to set up an appointment to discuss you child's college plans please contact me by calling 718-361-2032 or by email at scuervo@schools.nyc.gov to schedule a time and date.

Ms. DiGiorgio, College Counselor

Start your college search. Go to: https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org

Event: CUNY Application Session for Students with IEP's

Date and Time: Tuesday, November 12th 3:30pm - 6pm

Location: Meet us in the College Office, Room 230 on the 2nd floor

All Senior Students with IEP's and their families are invited.

Ms. Alba and Ms. Digiorgio will be hosting a CUNY Application Session for Students with IEP's to support ISS students with filling out CUNY APP, FAFSA and ACCESS VR.

As a reminder: November 15 is the deadline to submit your CUNY application for free. Prepare your CUNY application and attend this workshop.

Click here to sign up so we can have your information ready (transcript and any relevant materials).

UFT COLLEGE & CAREER FAIR RESOURCE HUB

Click here to enter the UFT Hub or scan the QR code.

High School Registration for Fall 24 College Fairs.
CUNY Counselors Corner
Counselor Registration for the UFT College & Career Fairs
Financial Aid Presentations
Understanding FAFSA Guide (Ten languages)
Participating Colleges & Organizations.
Please post & promote.
Sign up for the UFT Hub Newsletter!

Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) offers a wide range of virtual events that can connect students and families with the information, resources, and financial aid experts you need to help them navigate the college application and financial aid process.

Click here to find an HESC event.

Posted October 15, 2024

Take a moment to read the York College Newsletter

York College Vol 2 Issue 2.pdf

Click here for more information on the CUNY Aviation Institute.

Posted May 2024

Webinar Recording: How to Submit a 2024-2025 Form in Spanish/Grabación de Seminario Web: Cómo Enviar un Formulario 2024-2025 en Español

If you missed the April Webinar about to submit the 2024-2025 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in Spanish, please view the YouTube video

Si se perdió el seminario web de abril sobre cómo presentar la Solicitud Gratuita de Ayuda Federal para Estudiantes (FAFSA) 2024-2025 en español, vea el video de YouTube

Update on Access to the 2024-2025 FAFSA Form for Individuals without a Social Security Number.

The U.S. Department of Education has made temporary adjustments so that individuals who don't have an SSN can access the 2024–25 FAFSA form while completing the mandatory identity validation process. Once you create an account, you can immediately access and complete the FAFSA form by logging in with their StudentAid.gov account username and password. Students without an SSN (citizens of the Freely Associated States) must still meet eligibility requirements for federal student aid. These students must continue to verify their eligible noncitizen status through their school, if requested, before they receive any federal student aid. Click here for more information.

May 16, 2024 Webinar

Upcoming Webinar: Understanding Financial Aid Offers and Special or Unusual Circumstances on webinar on May 16, 2024, at 7 p.m. Eastern time.

This webinar is intended for students, families, and college access professionals. During this webinar, guidance and information will be provided on various federal financial aid programs, evaluating and comparing financial aid offers, and how special or unusual circumstances can impact aid offers.

Click here to Register Now

Take a moment to review the attached college information and college handbook, as presented by Ms. DiGiorgio at our Parent Association Meeting.

To see the presentation click here

Click here to download the handbook College Handbook 2024 1.pdf

FAFSA Updates

Posted October 16. 2024

2025–26 FAFSA Form Coming Soon

The 2025–26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form will be available to the public on or before Dec. 1, 2024.

Between Oct. 1 and Dec. 1, the 2025–26 FAFSA form will be available to individuals selected to participate in a limited beta release. Participation in the beta release is by invitation only. A “beta” is an early release of a technology product, such as the 2025–26 FAFSA form. Beta releases make new products available to a limited number of users before releasing them to the public. Adopting this practice will enable us to find and resolve the kinds of errors that could derail the FAFSA completion process for students and their families.

How To Prepare for the 2025–26 FAFSA Form

Prepare now so you can complete the 2025–26 FAFSA form as soon as it’s available on or before Dec. 1, 2024. Here are some ways you can get ready:

Create a StudentAid.gov account (if you don’t already have one).
Learn about the documents you may need to fill out the FAFSA form.
Determine your dependency status and whether your parent(s) or spouse will be required to contribute information on your FAFSA form.
If you’re a dependent student, use the Who’s My FAFSA Parent? wizard to identify which parent(s) will be a required contributor on your form.

Posted May 2024

Webinar Recording: How to Submit a 2024-2025 Form in Spanish/Grabación de Seminario Web: Cómo Enviar un Formulario 2024-2025 en Español

If you missed the April Webinar about to submit the 2024-2025 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in Spanish, please view the YouTube video

Si se perdió el seminario web de abril sobre cómo presentar la Solicitud Gratuita de Ayuda Federal para Estudiantes (FAFSA) 2024-2025 en español, vea el video de YouTube

Update on Access to the 2024-2025 FAFSA Form for Individuals without a Social Security Number.

The U.S. Department of Education has made temporary adjustments so that individuals who don't have an SSN can access the 2024–25 FAFSA form while completing the mandatory identity validation process. Once you create an account, you can immediately access and complete the FAFSA form by logging in with their StudentAid.gov account username and password. Students without an SSN (citizens of the Freely Associated States) must still meet eligibility requirements for federal student aid. These students must continue to verify their eligible noncitizen status through their school, if requested, before they receive any federal student aid. Click here for more information.

Posted April 11, 2024

FAFSA Letter from Gov Hochul to NYS HS Seniors

See the attached letter from Governor Hochul, encouraging all high school Seniors to complete their FAFSA applications. As you are aware, FAFSA and TAP are key applications for Seniors to complete to receive financial assistance as they consider their options in selecting a higher education institution. For more information visit https://www.governor.ny.gov

English_Governor Hochul letter to HS Seniors.pdf BENGALI_Gov Hochul letter to HS Seniors_April 11 2024.pdf

-SimplifiedCHINESE_GovHochullettertoHSSeniors_April 11 2024.pdf SPANISH_Gov Hochul letter to HS Seniors_April 11 2024.pdf

May 16, 2024 Webinar

Upcoming Webinar: Understanding Financial Aid Offers and Special or Unusual Circumstances on webinar on May 16, 2024, at 7 p.m. Eastern time.

Click here to Register Now

Posted March 2024

FAFSA - What to do when a parent doesn't have a SSN

Step-by-Step Instructions for Submitting Your Form

Step 1: Start the 2024–25 FAFSA® form at fafsa.gov.

As you prepare to fill out the form, make sure you and your contributor(s) each create a StudentAid.gov account. We strongly recommend that you and your contributor(s) each create a StudentAid.gov account before you start your form.

The Department is making improvements to the StudentAid.gov account creation process for those without SSNs by the end of February to ensure a faster and smoother experience.

Step 2: Invite all required contributors to participate in the form.

Follow the prompts in the online form to identify and invite your contributors. Then, complete the entire student section of the form. To invite contributors to your FAFSA form, you’ll be asked to provide their

first and last name;
SSN (if they have one);
date of birth; and
email address (and mailing address, if they don’t have an SSN).

To avoid issues with your FAFSA form, list contributor information exactly as it appears on the contributor’s legal identification such as their birth certificate, U.S. driver's license, or foreign passport. Also, if they already have a StudentAid.gov account, make sure the personal information you enter exactly matches the information they provided when creating their account. Leave the SSN portion blank only for those contributors that do not have one. For additional tips on successfully completing your 2024–25 FAFSA form, read our Pro Tips resource.

Step 3: Sign your section of the form after selecting schools.

After adding your school(s) to your form, review your information, sign your form, and then continue to the “section complete” page.

Step 4: From your “section complete” page, select the link to enter your contributor’s information manually.

Once you apply your signature, you’ll see the "You're Almost There!” page, which indicates your section of the form is complete. Go to the bottom of this page, past “Things You Should Know,” and select the link to enter your contributor’s information manually.

Step 5: Provide information for your contributor.

Fill in all information associated with your contributor who does not have an SSN. You will need to manually enter their income and tax information including their Adjusted Gross Income and income taxes paid. You may need a copy of their 2022 Federal tax return to complete this section.

IMPORTANT: Your contributor that does not have an SSN should NOT enter the form at this time. Please see the section below on corrections for more information.

Step 6: Submit the form.

If you have only ONE required contributor (either a parent or spouse), you will see a “Submit” button at the bottom of the Review Form page (“Take a Moment to Review Before Signing”). Select “Submit” to submit the form without the signature of the contributor who does not have an SSN. A pop-up window will warn you that the form is missing your contributor’s consent, but simply select “Submit” again to move through that message.

If you have TWO required contributors (two parents) who don’t have an SSN, you’ll need to complete the second contributor’s section as well. Select the manual entry link at the bottom of the first contributor’s “section complete” page to enter the second contributor’s information. Once you complete their section, you can submit your form.

IMPORTANT: Your contributor that does not have an SSN should NOT enter the form at this time. Please see the section below on corrections for more information.

Step 7: Watch for your confirmation email.

You will receive a confirmation showing your submission date. Keep a copy of your confirmation (your confirmation email or a screenshot of your confirmation page) in case other financial aid providers request proof of your submission. Note: Your Student Aid Index (SAI) and estimated federal student aid eligibility will not be calculated at this time.

Step 8: Check your form’s status starting in the first half of March.

Starting in the first half of March, we will be processing FAFSA forms. Once your form is processed, the status of the form will show as “Action Required.” This means that the form has been submitted and processed, but your eligibility for federal student aid can’t be determined until all required contributors provide consent and approval and their signature.

Step 9: Provide consent and approval and make corrections where needed to complete processing and receive your eligibility calculation.

Important: You may need to remind your contributors to return to the form to make a correction to provide their consent and signature.

After your form is processed, contributors who don’t have an SSN must return to the form to provide consent and approval to share their information and to add their signature. This will allow us to access the IRS data exchange and calculate your SAI. If you need to make other corrections to your application, such as adding schools to receive your data, you should do so prior to resubmitting.

What To Do if One Parent Has an SSN and the Other Doesn’t

If you’re a dependent student with one parent who has an SSN and another parent who doesn’t, start your FAFSA form and invite only the parent who has an SSN. Your parent should fill out their own section, and the form will prompt them if they need to invite your other parent.

After your parent who has an SSN reviews their responses and signs their section, they’ll see either a “section complete” page or a “form complete” page. If they see the “section complete” page, then they must select the link at the very bottom of the page to enter your other parent’s information manually. They’ll need to provide the same types of information they did in their own section. This will also require the corrections process as noted above.

FAFSA - Parent without SSN.pdf

CUNY step by step application

Step by Step FAFSA Completion Instructions

Fall 2024 Dates and Deadlines

CUNY Freshman Application Priority Deadline for Fall 2024 is February 1.

Accept your College Offer, Placement Test and schedule your advisement meeting.
After you take your placement test, if you are going to defer contact Admission's Office.
SUNY, and Common Application- Check out the college you are applying to for their deadline
FAFSA and HESC- ASAP
Scholarship, check out the book in the college and career office or CollegeBoard, CollegeGreenLight- vary depending on the scholarship you are applying for
CSS Profile for Selective Private schools- Check out the college's website for their own deadline for this application.

College Applications

College Applications:

SAT DATES AND DEADLINES https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat/register/dates-deadlines

Testing

With a few exceptions, most colleges require either an SAT or ACT, and most also require two SAT subject tests. The ACT was traditionally administered in the Midwest, but it is now common on the East Coast as well. Colleges accept either test, without exception.

ACT

The ACT is gaining popularity on the East Coast. Unlike the SAT, which is designed to measure reasoning and critical thinking skills, the ACT is designed to measure academic achievement in English, math, reading, and science. The ACT has an optional writing component for which students must register.

MORE >>

SAT

The SAT includes three sections: Verbal, Math and Writing. Each section is scored from 200–800 points. The Writing component has a student written essay that is scored from 1–6 points. The SAT is offered seven times per academic year.

MORE >>

-SUNY Application deadlines- Check the college you are applying to.

Taken from the SUNY web site : While there is no formal application deadline for freshman applicants, we recommend you apply by December 1 to maximize your chances for financial aid, campus housing and consideration for your major of choice. Please click here the following link for more information about SUNY applications http://www.suny.edu/Student/apply_online_faq.cfm#Deadline

Recommendation letters for College applications:

All students must ask their teachers in advance for recommendation letters.
All students must complete a Brag Sheet IN DETAIL and submit it to your teachers 3 weeks in advance BEFORE your applications are due. Please see me if you need a Brag Sheet.
For students who are applying to colleges this Fall 2023, Please note that all brag sheets and recommendation requests will be due DECEMBER 1^1st,
NO requests will be accepted after DECEMBER 1^st.
What can you do to get great recommendation letters?

o Do very well on all your classes.

o Start to make a list of teachers you plan to ask and begin asking your teachers as soon as you can.

o Get involved in different activities over the next few months for example, get an internship over the summer, or participate in summer programs to help improve your resume.

Students who are eligible for APPLICATION FEE WAIVERS , you need to bring proof of your parents/guardians income in order to obtain a fee waiver. Bring the information to Ms. DiGiorgio immediately in room 230.

Start working on your resume: Need help making a resume? Click on this link for helpful information as well as guidelines on how to build your first resume!http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/student-interactives/resume-generator-30808.html

CUNY- CUNY.edu

Fee Waivers will be available on a first come first serve, however we have a limited number and they will expire on February 28th, 2023

Make sure you look at the Admission Profile to see where you stand. Do not assume you will get in!! Make sure you have the requirements.

College Selection and Admission

What colleges, or types of colleges—small, large, public, private, rural, suburban, technical, or liberal arts—should I be considering? Where do I have a reasonable chance of being accepted? Which schools have the resources to offer me viable financial aid options?

Helpful Terminology

Early Decision (ED): This is a binding admissions plan whereby students commit, unconditionally, to attending the school if admitted. ED deadlines are usually in November, although some schools offer secondary ED deadlines, called ED 2, as late as mid-January. Students receive an admissions decision within four to six weeks. The advantage of this plan is that, if admitted, students know where they are going early, usually by December 15th. While their friends are stressed applying to more schools through January and February and must compare different offers of admission and financial aid through May 1st, successful ED applicants already have everything figured out. Another advantage of this plan is that some schools have higher admission rates for ED applicants. The downsides include losing the chance to compare financial aid packages and having to commit to one school so early on in the process.

Early Action (EA): This plan is similar to ED in terms of application deadlines, but it is non-binding. Students do not have to withdraw applications at other schools if accepted and, should they choose to enroll, they can wait until May 1 to mail in their deposit. Other than having to complete the application early, this plan has no downside and is absolutely encouraged as it buys students the great comfort that comes with being admitted to a school early on in the process, often by December 15th.

Rolling Admission: Under this plan, students’ applications are reviewed on a first-come, first-serve basis. Rather than waiting to receive all the applications by a specific deadline, and then selecting the strongest applications from the pool, admissions decisions are made on an ongoing basis. Therefore, the earlier an application is received, the higher the chance of acceptance, and the sooner the student finds out if s/he is admitted. Students are notified throughout the year, rather on a single date, as with regular decision. Many state schools have rolling admissions plans, such as University of Massachusetts, University of Arizona, etc.

Regular Decision: Under this plan, students must submit applications by a specific deadline; typically between January 1 and February 15, although many transfer applications are accepted through May. Admissions decisions are not made until after all applications are received, to ensure that the strongest applications are selected from the pool. Decisions are mailed to all applicants on April 1.

Scholarships

Other Scholarship Resources

Many companies, foundations, community organizations and clubs sponsor grants or scholarships. Grants and scholarships from these private organizations are called outside, or private, scholarships. These can be big scholarships that cover a lot of costs, to small scholarships for books or expenses. Outside scholarships can be very helpful in funding your college education, but you are more likely to get financial support from the college or institution you attend. In most cases, you shouldn’t plan to rely entirely on outside scholarships to fund your education, but again, they can definitely help!

Financial Aid

How will you pay for College?

You can begin to apply for financial aid. Go to www.FAFSA.ed.gov (This is a free application). The sooner you complete your FAFSA the sooner schools can provide you with a Financial Aid Package. Please note if you have not completed the tax forms for 2017 , when completing your tax information in FAFSA you can put your information for 2017 and select will file as an option. Schools will then give you an estimated Financial Aid packet, but you MUST go back and make a correction once your 2017 taxes have been filed to have the most accurate information.

Do Not forget to also apply for TAP!

Do you want extra money for College that you won't have to pay back??

Check out the thousands of scholarships and grants available to you located in our office!

Click on the links below under Resources for more links to scholarships, and come by the College Office and ask to see our Scholarship book! Please keep in mind that there are numerous deadlines you must pay attention to!

Examples of Scholarships!!!!!

CSO Opportunity Scholarship, Gates Millennium Scholars Program, Dell Scholars Program, United Negro College Fund, Hispanic Scholarship Fund, The Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund, GE-Reagan Foundation Scholarship, KFC Colonel's Twitter Scholarship, NFIB Young Entrepreneur Award, Scholastic Art & Writing Award, SAE Engineering Scholarships, and many more......

Graduating Seniors please review the scholarship resource section.

Sources of Financial Aid Terminology

Grants are funds, often awarded by the college or universities, that do not need to be paid back. Students do not need to complete an application for grant monies, other than the FAFSA/HESC.

Work Study is a federal program that gives students financial assistance through campus employment.

Loans are a form of financial aid that must be paid back after graduation. Below is a list of loan providers:

Stafford Loans can be subsidized or unsubsidized. In the case of subsidized loans, the government pays the interest while a student is in school. For unsubsidized loans, the student pays the interest on the loan and can defer payment until after graduation. Stafford Loans are awarded based financial need.
Perkins Loans are awarded to students with exceptional financial need.
PLUS Parent Loan are awarded to parents, and have an interest rate higher than that of the unsubsidized Stafford loans.
Private Loans

Types of Aid Applications

FAFSA: Primary financial aid form. Required by all colleges for the financial aid process. Determines eligibility for need-based financial aid from the federal government (Pell Grant, Federal Loans, Work Study). Even if you do not qualify for aid, many colleges require the FAFSA to be filed in order to consider students for merit scholarships.

TAP: New York State Residents for NYS colleges only. Determines eligibility for need-based financial aid from the New York State Gov't (TAP Grant, Excelsior, Enhanced Tuition Award).

>> The easiest way to complete the TAP is immediately after the FAFSA!

CSS Profile: Required by many private colleges (list here). The CSS Profile is a longer, more in-depth financial aid form that colleges use to gather additional information about your family’s financial situation.

NYS Dream App: NYS DREAM Act is a new state program that makes undocumented students and others (including students whose custodial parents live out of state) eligible for grants and scholarships within New York State, such as the TAP and Excelsior Scholarship.

Information for Filing FAFSA (Students & Families, Class of 2023)

Step 1: Create an FSA ID for the student applying for aid and 1 parent. The FSA ID is the log-in information the student will need to begin their FAFSA, as well as the “digital signature” the student and parent will use to confirm their FAFSA at the end.

Go to THIS website to create a an FSA ID: https://studentaid.gov/fsa-id/create-account/launch
Follow this video for how to create your FSA ID: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkLnKwSeOF0

Step 2: Gather financial documents from the year 2021. Your 1040 (federal tax form) from 2021 is the most important document you will need! The 1040 looks like this.

Step 3: Got to fafsa.gov (or https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa). Remember, it is the student’s FAFSA and the student should log in with their FSA ID to begin the process. NOTE: families must complete the 2023-2024 FAFSA not the 2022-2023 version (The FAFSA year matches the student's expected first year of college).

Resources & Events for Completing the FAFSA!!!

Video Walkthrough: https://youtu.be/0wtrxGJ8o-o
Step-by-step walkthrough (for 22-23, but generally helpful)!
New York State HESC - FAFSA Completion Events w/ Experts - 10/12, 10/18, 10/19, 10/20, 11/9, 11/10, 11/16, 12/8
SUNY FAFSA Completion Events - Throughout Oct & Nov English & En Español! - https://engage.suny.edu/portal/fafsa_workshops
uAspire (outside organization) - FAFSA Walkthrough Appointments / uAspire - CSS Walkthrough Appointments

Career Search

Career:

Don't know what to major in when you get to College?
Wondering which career choices are best for you?

If you are wondering about which career path to take or you are wondering which colleges may have the programs you might be looking for, below are a few helpful resources that may assist you in the process of figuring out what to do.

Feel free to provide the College Office with some feedback on these links, and feel free to share any additional helpful links you've found that could help your classmates with their search on careers!

Helpful Career related links

*Career One Stop: Provides information about the different career opportunities and career paths one can take. Have an idea of what you want to do but don't know where to start looking for colleges? Career One Stop has a link for students under the 'Education & Training' tab. Follow the instructions below in order to view the schools that may have the programs or occupations you may be interested in. It provides you with the list of schools in each state that has the program(s) you are looking for. It also provides a link to the schools admissions process.

Follow these steps:

Click on Education + training
Select Programs at colleges
Select Education and Training finder
Under Occupations browse or include key words with the occupations you are looking for
Select the state you are interested in attending
Browse the list of schools that appear with your intended major and/or occupation.

Explore career- Careerzone.org this site assists students with exploring different careers and provides additional resources that could help you figure out the best career path for you.

Mapping Your Future- Provides resources for students, families, and educators about career selection, career awareness, college planning, and other supportive tools. 'Explore Careers' tab has free tools that help students make the right choices with a link to assess skills and interests, develop career plans, resources about finding work, and additional guidance and job search resources.

NY Career Zone- NYCareerZone is an online resource that aides with career exploration and planning. It includes current job market information based on the information from the NYS Department of Labor. Link also includes self- assessments and specific information about the careers that exist today.

O*Net- Provides information on a myriad of occupations that exist in the workforce today. Provides skills and interests self assessments, as well as additional resources that may help with your career search.

Careers in the Military- This link provides information for students inquiring about specific careers with the Army, Navy, Air force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and National Guard. This is an opportunity to explore careers as well as information on job requirements and training needed for selected career paths.

Resources

FAFSA Presentation 2019.pptx

Additional Links and Resources:

College Basics

Mapping your Future

Any Colleges

College Matchmaker on College Board

School Guides

Careers in the Military

Resources

Campustours.com

Virtual college tours

http://CUNY.edu

http://nycolleges.org

Information on Private New York Colleges

FAFSA

http://nycolleges.or

Princeton Review College and Career Search

www.fastweb.com

SAT fee waiver guide lines

Scholarships.com

Great website on more scholarship

SUNY Colleges

The Online Financial Aid Application Event for New York Students

Useful Scholarship Search Sites

You can graduate Debt Free!

Financial Aid

Princeton Review Emails

REMINDERS & RECENT NEWS

A list of scholarships are in the college office.

You will be getting emails from the College Office with new scholarships regularly. Read your emails from Ms. DiGiorgio!

Scholarship opportunities

Excelsior Scholarship opens on TBA.

HESC.org - The Stem Scholarship, Excelsior and more

BigFuture.org is a great resource! Please use it, it is extremely helpful

Gates Scholarship is back.

Click here to Register to College Week for live chats with Admissions Counselors and virtual tours of colleges

Class of 2023 - College Acceptance Results

NYU, Hamilton College, Cornell University, Columbia University, Boston University, Vanderbilt University, University of Wisconsin - Madison, United States Air Force Academy, Lehigh University, John Hopkins University, University of Notre Dame, Becknell University, Case Western University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Union College, Binghamton University, University at Buffalo, University at Albany, Fordham University, Salve Regina University, Rochester Institute of Technology, University of Rochester, University at Delaware, University of Connecticut, Valparaiso University, Hunter College, Baruch College - City College of New York, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Manhattan College, St. John's University, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, St. Joseph University, SUNY Farmingdale, SUNY College at Plattsburg, SUNY College of Brockport, Vaughn College of Technology, Adelphi University

Congratulations!!

Please stop by my office to let me know where you were accepted to and will be attending.

Class of 2025 WHERE ARE YOU GOING?

Announcements

End of Year Announcements

Seniors

As we move into the end of the year, I am sending a few key reminders please check your Google Classroom Please stop by or email me if you have any questions.

👀 Keep Your Eyes Out for Admissions decisions!
It’s that time of year -- regular decision admissions results starting the next couple weeks and through mid-April. Please follow these reminders...

If you heard a denial, remember, the most competitive colleges are receiving applications from top students around the world and are only admitting a small percentage. But, no matter what, I know rejection always hurts. I have tissues in my office, and I am happy to talk through the emotions and plan for next steps. More on next steps for waitlist/deferrals below.

📄 Check for any missing documents - admissions or financial!

Again, at this point, colleges are in the final decisions about admissions. PLEASE check your email & admissions portals to see if any necessary items are missing and follow up to complete these. Colleges may also add items - such as scholarship applications - through email or portals. Make sure you are frequently checking for any updates or changes.

💗💗 Get Ready to Make Your Choice.
As you get admissions results, you’ll want to begin reviewing your options for after high school. Make a list of pros and cons and begin getting more information. Many colleges have Admitted Student’s Days or other events to help you get to know the school, either on campus, virtual, or sometimes receptions in New York City. But remember, don't rush your decision. YOU DON'T NEED TO COMMIT UNTIL MAY 1.

💸💸 Review & Compare Your Aid Award Letters

Colleges provide financial aid award letters that explain their costs, the financial aid and scholarship, as well as loans that students and families are being offered. Unfortunately, sometimes these letters can be confusing and sometimes purposefully deceptive.

💰💰Upcoming Outside Scholarship Apps

I've been updating a list of scholarships on this google page. (scroll down to see the posting of any new scholarship!)

✏ Following Up on Deferrals & Waitlists

If you have heard back and you were deferred or waitlisted, get ready to send more information to the institution. You can update them on academics, internship experiences, and more and reaffirm your interest in that institution!

Continued Interest Letter Formats

As well, if the financial aid award you received is not sufficient -- and your family has a legitimate reason that you think you were not given enough aid (loss of job/change in income, additional unconsidered family circumstance) you can "appeal" for more aid. You can also appeal for more merit income, if the college often offers merit income to students.

Sample Need-Based & Merit-Based Fin aid appeals here:

Sample Financial Aid Formats

Additional tips for appealing here.

💲💲Complete Your TAP Application (NYS Aid)

Many students have still not completed their TAP Grant application (an application for New York State Aid grant, free $ that can be applied to any New York State public or private college). It is recommended you complete the application NOW. If you haven't completed your TAP, you may have received an email notification from HESC, the organization that runs the TAP grant program.

Direct Link to the TAP Application: https://webapps.hesc.ny.gov/hescpin/main

Who should complete the TAP Application: Students considering attending any college in New York City/State (public or private) whose family income is less than $80,000 a year, students interested in the Excelsior Scholarship (free tuition at SUNY + CUNY for families making less than $125,000 a year - TAP is a first step to later complete Excelsior), and students considering Macaulay Honors college.

Tips for completing the TAP:

Click "Start My Application" then click the blue link that says "First Time Users Click Here to Register With HESC" to set up your account.
Much of your information will be automatically input from the FAFSA. The application is short, and usually takes 15-20 minutes.
You'll need your parents' 2021 New York State taxes (NY-201, tax form with a little picture of NYS in the corner) to complete the TAP.
Remember, you can only add one college to your TAP right now, and it doesn’t matter what that college is (as long as it’s located in New York). When you make a decision at the end of April about where you will attend, you will log back into your TAP application and enter the correct college.
More information can be found here. To "sign" the TAP at the end, your parents need their driver's license number OR you can print out and hand sign the paper.
If you need to upload a supporting document, go to this direct link!

AGAIN PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAILS + PORTALS FREQUENTLY!

FEE Waivers for the SAT/ACT and applications, you must see Ms. DiGiorgio

SCHOLARSHIPS IN THE COLLEGE AND CAREER Center

Juniors

SAT March 2024

Your College Essay: Make the topic your own and write from your heart. The more your parents and friends tinker with your writing, the less authentic it will read, and admissions counselors will be able to sniff out a doctored essay with ease. Instead, ask for help proofreading your writing and take any of their feedback into consideration, but make sure the emotions of the piece comes from you!

In reference to letters of recommendations, students your deadline is more critical than the recommenders is. Do your part first, have you done that?

Juniors if you need to register for another SAT/ACT see Ms. DiGiorgio next test for you after March's test is JUNE

Students should have an account with College Board in order to register for your next SAT . To register please go to www.collegeboard.org . To Register for your ACT you need to go to ACT.org

If you need further assistance with registering for the SAT and/or ACT, please come to the College Office if you have not done so already.

Students who need a fee waiver for the SAT and/or ACT you need to bring your parents/guardian's 1040 Tax forms or documentation verifying their income to the College Office in order to get a fee waiver for your next exam and College Applications