February Guidance Newsletter

Guidance Office Newsletter

February 2020

It’s been a great (and chilly) start to the new year! Please read this month’s newsletter for some important information and deadlines.

Some reminders for the month of February:

Please mark your calendars for a couple of college fairs that are coming up in March. 

The Northern Kentucky Catholic High School College Fair will be held on March 24, 2020, from 6:30 pm-8:00 pm at Northern Kentucky University. More information to follow.

College Fair at Xavier University Cintas Center on March 31, 2020, from 6:30 pm-8:00 pm. More information available here.

*There will not be a spring college fair at CLS this year due to the Catholic High School College Fair at Northern Kentucky University in March.

As always, please watch for any updates from the Guidance Department in                Mr. Gressock’s Friday emails.

College Applications

Thomas More University - You can always apply to TMU for free through their website. Apply here.

Senior Checklist

• You should receive acceptance letters and financial aid offers now through mid-April.
• If you have questions about housing offers, please see Ms. Stone or contact the college.
• Continue applying for scholarships!
• Keep track of all deadlines!
• Please keep track of your scholarship awards for the main office.
• Visit your final college again before accepting.
• Stay on track with grades and extracurriculars. Watch out for senioritis!

Junior Checklist

• Work to stay on track in your classes and keep grades up.
• Sign up to meet with Ms. Tewes for subject selection for next year.
• Opt into the College Board Opportunity Scholarships at cb.org/opportunity.
• Apply for scholarships!
• Meet with the school counselor to discuss college options, standardized testing, and any other concerns you may have.
• Start to think about and evaluate your college options.
• Create a college list-make sure to do this on College Board to be entered into the monthly scholarship drawings!
• If you go out of town, plan to visit colleges along the way.
• Create a standardized testing plan - what are the score requirements of the schools in which you are interested. Also, look at score requirements for scholarships offered at these colleges.
• Explore your interests.
• Stay involved in extracurriculars.
• Explore volunteer opportunities with organizations that may interest you or relate to your intended undergrad field of study and get involved!
• Parents, please keep copies of tax returns handy-you will need them for the FAFSA in October 2020.

Sophomore Checklist

• Sign up to meet with Ms. Stone about subject selection for next year.
• Take the PSAT10
• Attend college fairs
• Tour college campuses

Freshman Checklist

• Sign up to meet with Ms. Stone about subject selection for next year.
• Attend college fairs
• Practice ACT at CLS on April 1, 2020.

Scholarship Opportunities!

Start your scholarship search now. Look for scholarships that apply to your unique traits or interests! Many scholarships are open to freshmen through seniors. There are many websites to search for scholarships. Try scholarships.com, fastweb.com, studentscholarships.org, College Board, or goingmerry.com to name a few. You may also contact local organizations, companies, and religious organizations to ask if they offer scholarships. Cincinnati Scholarship Foundation is a great resource for local scholarships! Start accumulating your college money now!

Listed below are some scholarships of interest.

Regions Riding Forward Scholarship Essay Contest

This scholarship is open to seniors only. You must write a 500 word or less essay addressing an African-American who has been an inspiration in your life. Discuss the contributions of the person who has served to inspire and motivate you. More information available at the link.

Deadline: February 29, 2020             Award: $5,000

Students of Integrity Scholarship

Juniors and Seniors may apply. You must submit a 2-4 page essay to this prompt: In today’s world of technology and call-out/cancel culture, is it easier to be an individual/society with integrity? Or harder? Why? Please read the information contained in the link above about other questions pertaining to the prompt.

Deadline: April 3, 2020                                  Award: Two $2,500 winners

Remembering Marine SSGT Mark Anthony Wojciechowski (“Tony Wojo”)

Please submit a two-page essay using 12-point Times New Roman font, one-inch margins and 1.5 spacing that address the topic “What it Means to me that Servicemen like SSGT Mark Anthony Wojciechowski (“Wojo”) are Willing to Serve and Protect Our Country and Our Way of Life”.  Include how Wojo’s leadership abilities and qualities might inspire you. More information available by clicking the link.  Deadline: April 15, 2020                                                                                                             

Ramsey Debt-Free Degree Scholarship Giveaway is giving away $10,000 in college scholarships. Answer a few easy questions about going to college debt-free and be entered for a chance to win one of three scholarships. Open to freshmen through seniors. First place wins $5,000, second and third place wins $2,500 each. It really is as simple as answering a few True or False questions! You may apply here.

ACT/PSAT

Juniors are required to take the ACT the morning of March 24, 2020. The test will be given at CLS. Students will have lunch after the exam and then watch a movie/have study hall for the remainder of the day. Please remit payment in the amount of $45.50 to the main office or Ms. Stone. Checks can be made payable to CLS.

The next ACT test date is April 4, 2020. This test will not be held at CLS. You must register by February 28. You can register at act.org.

In 2020, students will have the option to retake the ACT as Subject Tests. This means if there is an area where there is room for improvement, students may take only that subject instead of the entire ACT. Registration for subject tests will be through act.org.

In Guidance Class:

In the Senior Guidance class over the next month, we will talk about stress and coping/relaxation techniques. 

In Junior Guidance class, we are working with Naviance to explore colleges of interest to the students, scholarship requirements of those colleges, and individual meetings with Ms. Stone to discuss college/career interests and goals.

In Sophomore Guidance class over the next month, we will cover mastering test anxiety. This will include topics such as anxiety regulation, systematic desensitization, test-taking skills, confidence-building skills, study skills, and more. Even if one does not experience test anxiety, they may benefit from other topics addressed, and/or they may share their experiences that may help a classmate.

Other News:

If you are considering student loans, please pay close attention to the interest rate and principal reductions offered when paying off the loan. Sometimes you are charged a fee for paying off the loan early.

If there is a topic you have questions about or would like covered in the guidance newsletter, please feel free to contact with suggestions at erin.stone@covingtonlatin.org!