Helping Students Become Ready for College

It's not just about getting the grades to get into college, and completing the many steps of the application. There are many big and little steps that our children need to be taking to ensure that they are ready for this transition into independence. It is so important to begin to allow them to do more for themselves. When we step in and do it for them, the message we give is that they can't handle this on their own. Our children are strong and capable young people. It is such a gift to sit back and watch how they will take on the world.

How to Help a Teenager Be College-Ready

Completing the FAFSA for college aid

It will soon be time for college-bound students and their parents to fill out the FAFSA. The Free Application For Federal Student Aid is where every family who receives federal and state aid must begin. Once a family fills out the forms, the federal government does an analysis and establishes an Estimated Family Contribution or EFC. The EFC is the number that college financial aid offices use to determine what kind of aid students are eligible for and can receive.

The FAFSA forms will be available online January 1. To receive financial aid, this form needs to be completed each year a student attends college. It is important that you meet the deadlines for the colleges that a student is applying to or attends. The earlier the FAFSA is complete, the better chances a student may have at securing different kinds of financial aid. The FAFSA form itself can be accessed at: www.fafsa.ed.gov

IMPORTANT CHANGE FOR JUNIORS
Beginning next year, the FAFSA will be available on October 1. Instead of using income information from the prior year, the FAFSA will use income information from the prior-prior year. For example, for the 2017-2018 school year, the FAFSA will require income information from 2015.

It is strongly recommended that parents of 11th and 12th grade students attend the Financial Aid Night at CPCS in January. More details to follow!

Useful tips for reporting parent info on the FAFSA.

Gearing Up for College

It's that time again. Time for seniors to begin the college application process. It can be daunting, but there are so many resources available to help along the way. I'll list just a few here...

For finding schools that match what you are looking for, check out Big Future on the College Board site, or the new site launched by the White House, the College Scorecard

CPCS offers many local scholarships, which will be available during the second half of the year. There are also many state and national scholarships that students can apply for. Check out the Tuition Funding site from Wells Fargo to learn of new scholarship opportunities.

For more information on the College Application process, come to College Information Night, Sept 24, 6:30-8:00pm in the CPCS library. Drop in anytime.

As always, stop in, call or email the Guidance Office for assistance at any step along the way of this exciting journey.

College majors least likely to end in underemployment

Choosing a college major can be a dreaded task for college-goers and college applicants, but becoming well-informed about job outlooks in advance can pay off in financially, as well as in life-long satisfaction.  

The College Majors Most and Least Likely to Lead to Underemployment




More on STEM careers:

Ideas for Living with Your Kids AND their Electronics

This article has some great tips for families hoping to manage the effects that technology has on our children and our family lives.  Staying ahead of the ever-changing world of "screens" is tricky, but it's not impossible. Check out this article and feel free to share your ideas for creating a balance between your family's values and the use of media and electronics. My favorite resolution is Put cell phones to bed!

Media Resolutions Every Family Should Make

Welcome!

Welcome to the newly updated CPCS Guidance & Counseling website!  There is much information here for college-bound students.  More information on college and career readiness will be added soon.