Hi there!
This letter is meant to inform our readers of the current and upcoming events occurring within our Eureka High School Counseling Department!
This month the counselors are in the Tech Lab working with all students from freshmen to seniors. For the freshmen, sophomores, and juniors, the main focus will be on finishing four year plans, submitting course schedule requests for the 2011-2012 school year, and finishing the interest, skills, and values assessments. These assessments are essential tools to assess compatible career fields for each student based on interests, personality, and current skills. Our time in the lab is valuable to the counselors and to the student body, and provides an opportunity for students’ questions to be answered regarding their schedules, options for career and college planning, and any other academic or guidance concern.
For our seniors, the time in the lab has incredible value. This time of year is flooded with important college deadlines, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA, www.fafsa.ed.gov), and scholarship applications. Students who plan to attend College of the Redwoods (redwoods.edu) in fall 2011 may use their time to fill out their application form in the lab this month. Students making plans to attend an out-of-area junior college or vocational program may also use their lab time as an opportunity to work on their applications.
The FAFSA is the most important document for college-bound students, second to the college application! Regardless of college destination (vocational school, junior college, 4-year university, private university), each student must submit a FAFSA form. This document is one that can be frustrating and confusing for many first-time students and parents. It is important to remember that the earlier a student submits their FAFSA form, the better chance they have at receiving the most financial aid possible. Each day as students submit their FAFSA forms, funds are allocated to those students and the available funds decrease. The deadline to submit the FAFSA form is March 2, 2011. One important detail to note about the FAFSA is that students will need their parents’ tax information for the 2010 tax year. For most, taxes are not submitted and complete until February and March. Despite this detail, there is no need to become frantic, as estimated tax figures are accepted for the first submission of the FAFSA form. Once taxes are filed, parents can then go back to edit their submitted form with the final tax figures. One other important form to note is the Cal Grant GPA Verification form. The Cal Grant is a federal grant that is awarded to students each year, worth thousands of dollars. By filing the FAFSA form a student is automatically considered for the Cal Grant. The second step for the Cal Grant process is the GPA verification. About three weeks ago the counselors provided the GPA verification forms in the senior Civics/Economics/Government classes. If a student has not turned in the form yet they may find it at: http://www.csac.ca.gov/pubs/forms/grnt_frm/march2_11-12_gpaform%28fillable%29.pdf and submit the form to the Counseling Department Secretary before March 2, 2011. Aside from loans and grants, the other important form of financial aid is scholarship. Visit our EHS Counselor Blog often, as we are posting scholarship opportunities on a daily basis. Many deadlines are in February, March, and April, so it is important to remain organized and energized as you go after financial aid opportunities! Junior and senior year high school students have the greatest opportunity for scholarships when compared to already-enrolled college-students searching for scholarship funding. We are often posting junior scholarships on our blog as well. A few key scholarship sites will be featured at the end of the newsletter.
Lastly, for seniors planning to enter the work-world next year, lab time is also an opportunity for resume development, e-portfolio development, internship and job opportunity searches, and certificate-program research.
We look forward to a successful Spring semester and are excited to help each of our students make a plan for their future and support them in achieving their goals.
Sincerely,
Audra Gosvener, on behalf of the entire Counseling Department
Featured Websites and other Valuable tools:
FAFSA........................................................................................................................ www.fafsa.ed.gov College of the Redwoods........................................................................................ www.redwoods.edu Humboldt Area Foundation-A local hotspot for over seventy local scholarships......................................................................................................... www.hafoundation.org Information regarding majors available at each California college campus and college transfer information..................................................................................................................... www.assist.org
