We encourage students and parents to refer to the Senior and Junior timelines to make sure they are on track with the college search and planning activities.

Senior College To Do List available HERE.

NACAC Guide to the College Admissions Process can be accessed HERE.

Naviance College/Career Readiness Program: This is available to all our students and is the go-to place to do a college search, develop a realistic list of colleges including Reach, Likely, and Safety schools, and to list the colleges to which they will be applying, which is how Guidance sends transcripts and recommendations.

Transcript Request Form: Whether you are applying Early Action, Early Decision, Regular Decision, or Rolling Decision, please be sure to complete this release form (orange paper in guidance or here Transcript Request Form) and get it to your Guidance Counselor, along with a one-time $5 fee, at least two weeks prior to their earliest deadline. No records will be sent without this form being submitted to Guidance.

• Note: It is very important for students to submit college applications by posted deadlines. Don’t wait for school records, as those are only sent after your application is submitted.

Letters of Recommendation: Colleges typically require one teacher and a Guidance Counselor recommendation, while some highly competitve colleges require two teachers (refer to the college websites). Seniors should think carefully about whom they would like to write for them and make their requests as soon as possible (a minimum of two weeks prior to any deadline). Both the teacher(s) and your Guidance Counselor will need your detailed Brag Sheet in order to write you a recommendation.

• After first asking in-person, students must then officially request FHS teachers on Naviance (found under the College Tab) Guidance Counselors don’t need to be requested, while “outside” recommenders (coaches, mentors, employers) can be requested on the Common App.

Common Application: Create a Common App account and begin to complete the Common Sections & the College Specific Sections. Mr. Hamilton is available to assist in completing this as well.

• Note: All students using the Common App must complete the FERPA (release of information) section under any one college on the Common App. This is required only once in the process and allows us to send student records.

Matching Common App and Naviance: To send student records to colleges, students must link/match their Common App account with their Naviance account. After creating a Common App account, add at least one college, complete the Education section and FERPA. Then go to Naviance and on the Colleges I'm Applying To tab, you will see a pink banner at the top. Click "match accounts" and then enter the email and password you used to create your Common App. Follow the prompts to complete the process.

Personal Essay: This is one of the key components of the Common App. Colleges view it as the student’s “voice.” We recommend reviewing the seven prompts on the Common App and starting a draft essay, if you haven’t done so already. Best to share your draft with a trusted adult to review prior to posting the finished essay on the Common App.

• Note: The English department offers after-school essay writing help sessions periodically throughout the year. There will be college admissions reps available at some of these sessions as well. A great opportunity to polish up those essays.

Create a personal resume: Get a leg up on the college application process by creating a personal resume, which can be shared with college admission reps when you meet them on-campus or at FHS. This is an opportunity to highlight your accomplishments (academic, extracurricular, work history, and special skills/talents) and leave a positive impression.

• Note: Find a resume builder on Naviance or consult with your English teacher if you're not sure how to best create a great resume.

CollegeData Mobile App can be a very helpful tool throughout the college search and application process. It provides the opportunity to search and compare over 2,000 college profiles, thousands of scholarships, includes a college acceptance calculator and will help students prepare, apply and pay for college. Go to: www.collegedata.com

See upcoming schedule of college rep visits HERE.

The Individual Dual Enrollment Access (IDEA) Program offers MA high school students the opportunity to enroll in college classes as an affordable way to earn college credits and gain a head start on earning their college degree. Courses are offered after 4 PM M-F and anytime on weekends, and include select online sections and most summer classes, all of which qualify for reduced tuition. Programs are offered through our state universities, including Bridgewater State University ($180 credit), and through community colleges such as Bristol CC, Bunker Hill CC, Massasoit CC ($50 Credit), Mass Bay CC, and Roxbury CC. Most programs require a GPA of 2.5 or higher and a recommendation from the high school Guidance Counselor or Administrator. Don't hesitate to get in touch with your Guidance Counselor or Mr. Hamilton for more information, or go to the website of the public college of choice for further details.

Aim High Flight Academy is an aviation scholarship for a three-week introductory flight program held during the summers at various universities throughout the world. The program is designed to inspire young adults to explore aviation. Students receive one-on-one training from Air Force and Certified Flight Instructors in the classroom and the sky. Earn up to 15 flight hours with all expenses paid. There is no prior experience required. Open to high school students who will be 16+ next June 1 and have a 3.0 GPA. Applications open in October and there is no commitment to the Air Force. Go to www.airforce.com and look for the Aim High application.

Brown Pre-College Programs: All are invited to attend virtual information sessions for the summer programs of 2026 on Tues, Dec 9 and Tues, Dec 16 from 7-8pm. Learn about programs and courses, student life experience, and more. Have your questions answered and receive a digital recording of the information session. Contact: precollege@sf.brown.edu.

Fordham University Summer Leaders Academy is an immersive pre-college program that offers innovative academic courses and activities in New York City and on-campus housing. Course options include: A NY Exploration of Art History, A Journey in Reading and Writing, and both a Pre-Health and a Pre-Law Intensive among many more. For details visit fordham.edu/summerleaders.

Harvard Medical School Online Program for Students Ready to Go Further: Offers motivated high school students the opportunity to explore medical science in a flexible fully online format. Learn from Harvard Medical School faculty and engage with real-world case studies. Courses include genetics, physiology, immunology, and more.
Contact: program@mm.pc.hms.harvard.edu

Harvard Medical School Pre-College Online Program: Get a glimpse of what it's like to study medical science. Courses available year-round with flexible scheduling options. Subjects include Biochemistry, Genetics, Immunology, Pharmacology, Physiology, Becoming a Doctor and Medical Research. Visit: bit.ly/hm_gcflyer

UMass Amherst Veterinary Technology Program: A unique Veterinary Technology major with 2 years on the Amherst campus and 2 years on the UMass/Mt. Ida campus in Newton. Vet Techs are the nurses of veterinary medicine. To find out more: www.umass.edu/veterinary-animal-sciences/veterinary-technology-major or email vettech@umass.edu

Notre Dame Pre-College offers a true college experience on campus, abroad and virtually for exceptional high school students ages 13 and up. Includes a competitive pre-college GAP Year program in Jerusalem and an Intro to Engineering program and a Career Discovery in Architecture. Find more info at precoll@nd.edu or call 574-631-8964.

Rice University Pre-College Program: Get an inside look at a leading research university before college. Explore interests and build new skills in college-level classes, 100% online. Subjects include Aerospace, Business and Economics, Global Affairs and Law, Medicine, Psychology and STEM. Visit the website at bit.ly/rice_gcflyer

School of Fashion Design (Boston): Seats are still available in their high school program for students in grades 9-12. Programs run Saturdays, Jan 24-March 14 from 9:00am-2:30pm. The first half of the day is dedicated to fashion sketching, the second half to sewing and clothing construction skills. They also offer a Fashion Portfolio Prep Course for high school students on Tuesdays online from Jan 27-March 10. Go to fashion@sfdboston.org

Stanford University Pre-Collegiate Studies: Offering a range of online and residential programs designed for motivated, intellectually curious pre-college students. Subjects include art, business, computer science, humanities, math, science and social justice. Students currently in grades 8-11 are eligible for online programs and should apply by March 13, 2026. Session One: June 15-26, Session Two: July 6-17, 2026. For residential programs open to students currently in grades 10-11, apply by Feb 2, 2026. Financial aid is available to support eligible students. Go to precollegiate@stanford.edu for further details.

Access a list of Pre-College Programs HERE.

uAspire.org which helps underrepresented students overcome financial barriers to postsecondary pathways offers free virtual events to walk students and families through the financial aid process while providing resources and guidance. Each session is one hour:

Brockton Area Educational Opportunity Center: This was founded to meet the college planning needs of families from low-income and first-generation backgrounds. They are a source of assistance in identifying career options, building a balanced college list, applying for financial aid (including help with FAFSA), and searching for scholarships. Call 508-586-3100 for more information.

Bowdoin College: Free application for first generation or anyone applying for financial aid.

Bryant University: Use the code tupp63

Culinary Institute of America: Apply by 12/31 using code REFERCIA. If admitted, students will receive a $1,000 Early Application Grant.

Dean College

Emmanuel College

Fitchburg State University: You must use the Fitchburg app

Framingham State U offers free applications to anyone touring the campus or attending an Open House.

Lasell U (Newton, Ma) Also offers a LEAP application which replaces the personal essay and recs with a one-to-one interview.

Mass College of Art and Design: Indicate on the application that you have a fee waiver (no code needed).

All UMaine campuses

Mass College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

Merrimack College (see below regarding a new tuition-reduction program)

·Stonehill College: code 1948

U of New Haven will waive the application fee (go to their website to access the code).

Western New England University

For families who demonstrate financial need or who are experiencing hardship, a fee waiver is available on the Common App. If you are not sure you qualify, consult with your Guidance Counselor.

Bridgewater State University: Starting in the fall semester of 2025, the Bridgewater Commitment, will cover the full cost of tuition and mandatory fees (currently $11,734/year) for full-time, in-state students from families earning $125,000 or less.

Umass/Boston, through its “Beacon Pledge” program is now offering free tuition and fees for those families who earn less that $75,000 per year and are Pell Grant eligible. This covers all tuition and fees but not housing. Go to umb.edu for more information.

Mass State Community Colleges now offer free tuition/fees and provide up to $1,200 per year for books and supplies to those eligible.Basic requirements include a high school diploma, declaring a college major and taking a minimum of two classes per semester. Contact the community college of choice e.g. Mass Bay, Massasoit, Bristol, Bunker Hill, Roxbury, Cape Cod CC Middlesex and ask about the MassEducate program.

The new FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), the required document for need-based financial aid, is now available. Its very important to check with college admissions/financial aid offices regarding their specific financial aid requirements & deadlines. It is recommended that families complete the FAFSA as soon as possible.

FSA IDs: Before starting the FAFSA, parents and students should set up their required FSA IDs, which are used to complete the FAFSA online. You cannot receive financial aid without one. Go to studentaid.gov to set up your ID and to complete the FAFSA.

Note: Many private colleges also use the CSS Profile Form in addition to the FAFSA and require that it be completed at the time of application. For a complete list, go to CollegeBoard.

The CSS Profile (cssprofile.org) is an online financial aid application used by many colleges to award non-federal institutional aid. It is used in addition to the FAFSA. Families can access this form through the student’s College Board account (collegeboard.org) and also see a list of participating colleges (typically private colleges like BC, BU, Brown, Holy Cross, Northeastern, Tufts etc.). There is a cost of $25 for the first school and $16 for each additional school. (Fee waivers available if qualified and automatic if already used for SAT testing). Note: If applying early, many of the participating colleges require this form to be filed by early deadlines.

Brockton Area Educational Opportunity Center was founded to meet the needs of college planning for families from low-income or first-generation backgrounds. They provide FAFSA/CSS Profile Assistance to those who would benefit from individualized and in-person assistance. Contact: Chaketa Crawford at 508-586-3100 or ccrawford@massedco.org for more information.

Federal Student Aid Estimator (studentaid.gov) is a free tool from the U.S. Department of Education that provides an early estimate of Federal Student Aid including possible federal direct student loans, federal work-study, and Pell Grants. It does not take into account institutional/school-specific awards. For that info refer to the College Net Priced Calculator.

College Net Priced Calculator can be found on almost all college websites and can provide a concrete idea of the loans, scholarships and grants you may receive from a specific school/institution apart from any federal aid.

SAT dates can be found HERE.

There are fee waivers available if the cost of testing presents a hardship. Please see your Guidance Counselor for assistance.

SAT Prep for the New Digital SAT from Bridgewater State College of Continuing Studies. Learn test-taking skills/strategies through this intensive course and receive the updated Digital Book to help prepare. Includes study tips, tutoring, and individual attention. The cost is $325 and includes the SAT Study Guide. All sessions take place on the BSU Bridgewater campus. Contact Darlene Marks at 508-531-2711 or d2marks@bridgew.edu

• Session One: Feb 1, 8, 22 and March 1, 2026 (Sundays 1-5pm) in prep for March 14 SATs.

• Session Two: March 22, 29, April 12, 26 (Sundays 1-5pm) in prep for May 2 & June 6 SATs.

Boston Tutoring Center offers one-on-one SAT and ACT tutoring via Zoom and has been preparing students in test prep for over 22 years. For more information us the link https://www.bostontutoringcenter.com/tests

Khan Academy Free SAT Prep: Although it isn’t necessary to prep for the SATs/ACTs, students may benefit from utilizing Khan Academy, which can be done from home. Most students are familiar with this tool and have used it in the classroom. They can create a personalized practice plan based on PSAT/SAT scores by linking Khan Academy with CollegeBoard.

Although many colleges remain test optional, we recommend students take both the SAT and ACT tests and then repeat the strong test. Be aware that some colleges still require testing (FL state schools, MIT, and some programs within certain colleges - nursing, forensics, engineering, honors programs). Strong scores can help in admissions and also in qualifying for merit aid.

Sending SAT & ACTs: If you’re self-reporting test scores to colleges, most require that they also be sent “officially” through CollegeBoard or ACT.org by using the Send Scores option. Students are responsible for sending scores as colleges don’t accept scores from high schools.

• There is a $12 fee per report to send SATs and $18 per report to send ACTs, if not done at the time of registration. Fee waivers do cover unlimited requests.

Build your college list through online research, campus tours and visits, open houses, and by making an appointment with Mr. Hamilton.

Naviance College / Career Readiness Program: Available to all our students on Naviance, this is the go-to place to do a college search. Utilize the College Match/Supermatch options to develop a “Thinking About” list of schools. By using Scattergrams and College Compare features, students can see how they match up to FHS applicants over the past decade and develop a realistic list of colleges that include Reach, Target, and Safety schools. Another key feature is the Career Exploratory Program, which includes an Interest Inventory.

Some other helpful websites to develop your list:

• CollegeBoard

• College Data

• College Navigator

• College Majors 101

• College Raptor

• Appily

• Petersons

• College Insights

• College Scorecard