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Connellsville Area High School

Student Action Plan - 12th Graders

Senior year is a whirlwind of activities. This is a big year for your child as he or she balances schoolwork, extracurricular activities and the college application process. Use the suggestions below to help you and your child successfully navigate this important time.
 
Quick Guide (College-Bound Seniors)
Please NOTE: You must use a personal email when taking any post-secondary steps below. Your school email will not receive outside emails.

Exploration

Visit the Exploration site to find visitation days, major explorations, college searches, etc.

 

Applications

After applying to any post-secondary school, you must send an official transcript.

Post-secondary schools have their applications available on their school websites. Some schools utilize the Common App, which allows you to complete one application and send it to multiple schools. The list of schools is on the Common App website.

If your prospective college is not a "Self Reporting" school, you must complete the transcript request form below:

Request Transcript Here!

Testing

The majority of post-secondary schools require that you take the SAT's or ACT's. At this time, several colleges are waiving the SAT/ACT Requirement but you would need to check with your prospective school. Some scholarships do require that an SAT be taken, so it is advised that students take the SAT's at least once. Students can check with their counselor to see if you qualify for a fee waiver.

SAT's - Register Here!      ACT's - Register Here!

Student Athletes

All students wanting to play a Division I or Division II sport in college, must register with the NCAA. 

**Note: You must also send you SAT scores directly from CollegeBoard to the NCAA. The NCAA will not accept your SAT scores from the high school.

Financial Aid

Application Opens October 1st

1st: FAFSA (Federal Financial Aid) - Must be completed every year!

www.fafsa.gov

Documents needed:

Social Security Number
Driver’s license number, if you have one
Your W-2 forms
Current bank statements
Records of other untaxed income received, including workers’ compensation, child support, etc.
Your federal tax return from the prior year

Note: It helps if you move directly from the FAFSA to PHEAA, information will 

2nd: PHEAA  (State Financial Aid)

www.pheaa.org

Note: Make sure you put your colleges on the forms.

2021 Financial Aid Workshop PowerPoint

Scholarships

#1: College/University Scholarships - Each college/University will post scholarships on their “Financial Aid” page on their website. 

#2: Scholarship Search Engines: (There are more but these are 2 examples)

www.collegeboard.org

www.fastweb.com

https://www.chegg.com/scholarships

https://www.usnews.com/education/scholarships/search

 

#3: Remind App - Use Code: @cahssch

Note: You can also find the scholarships on the HS Scholarship Page

#4: Local Scholarships - Available in late March or early April (Students will receive notification of when applications are available through the Remind App.)

Senior Year Schedule

Summer
  • Visit post-secondary campuses together. Use the Campus Visit Checklist to learn how to get the most out of these experiences.
  • Find out a college’s actual cost. Once your 12th-grader has a list of a few colleges he or she is interested in, use the Net Price Calculator together to find out the potential for financial aid and the true out-of-pocket cost — or net price — of each college.
  • Encourage your child to get started on applications. After applying, students MUST request an official transcript to be sent through the counseling office.
  • Help your child decide about applying early. If your senior is set on going to a certain college, he or she should think about whether applying early is a good option. Now is the time to decide because early applications are usually due in November. Read about the pros and cons of applying early.
 
Fall
  • Work together to apply for financial aid. October 1st is when you can start applying!
  • Learn about college loan options together. Borrowing money for college can be a smart choice — especially if your high school student gets a low-interest federal loan. Learn more about the parent's role in borrowing money.
  • Take advantage of dual enrollment/college in the classroom options when possible. Make sure to check with prospective colleges/universities to verify credit transfer.
  • If your child begins an elective class and determines that it is not a good fit, they must meet with their school counselor with in the first 2 weeks of school to develop a plan.
  • Your child will meet with their school counselor within the first 9 weeks to discuss post-secondary options. Learn more about the counselor's role in applying to college. There are in-house college and military visits through the counseling department where students can ask the representatives questions.
  • Athletes wanting to play a DI or DII sport in college need to register with the NCAA Clearinghouse and have their SAT or ACT scores sent directly to the NCAA Clearinghouse through their testing account.
  • Create a calendar with your child. This should include application deadlines and other important dates. Your child can find specific colleges’ deadlines in College Search. If your child saves colleges to a list there, he or she can get a custom online calendar that shows those colleges’ deadlines.
  • Many seniors retake college admission tests, such as the SAT and the ACT, in the fall. Check our website for registration deadlines and testing dates.
  • Offer to look over your senior’s college applications. But remember that this is your child’s work so remain in the role of advisor and proofreader and respect his or her voice.
  • Help your child find and apply for scholarships. He or she can find out about scholarship opportunities at our website, along with the college/university's financial aid site.
  • Your high school student will need to request and complete scholarship applications and submit them on time. DEADLINES are critical!
  • Encourage your child to set up college visits. A visit is a great way for your child to learn more about a college and for a college to learn more about your child. Get an overview of the interview process.
 
Winter
  • Encourage your child to take AP Exams. If your 12th-grader takes AP or other advanced classes, have him or her talk with teachers now about taking these tests in May. This could result in college credits.
 
Spring
  • Help your child process post secondary responses. Once your child starts hearing back about admission and financial aid, he or she will need your support to decide what to do. Read about how to choose a college.
  • Review financial aid offers together. Your 12th-grader will need your help to read through financial aid award letters and figure out which package works best. Be sure your child pays attention to and meets any deadlines for acceptance. Get more information on financial aid awards.
  • Help your child complete the paperwork to accept a college’s offer of admittance. Once your child has decided which college to attend, he or she will need to accept a college’s offer, mail a tuition deposit and submit other required paperwork. Learn more about your high school senior's next steps.
    Your child MUST complete the final transcript request form to have their final transcript sent to their post-secondary school placement.