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.

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 will be offering after-school essay writing help sessions. These will be held from 2 - 3 p.m. in the Writing Lab every Thursday from 1/9 - 1/30. 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.

See upcoming schedule of college rep visits HERE.

The Fidelity Scholars Program is now open for applications. This is a comprehensive support system which provides scholarships and support throughout college. Bachelor degree candidates can be funded for up to the full four years of study and last year over 2.85 million dollars was awarded to 200 students. The program is open to historically under-resourced students from Mass and ten additional states. Students must have an unweighted GPA of 2.5-3.5, be Pell eligible or demonstrate financial need and attend an in-state college or university. Apply by Jan 30, 2025. More information at UNCF.org/fidelityscholars.

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.

Seton Hall application fee waiver ($65). Enter XFW on the Common App.

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.

Electrician Apprenticeship Training: “Earn While You Learn, Free Training!” Applications for apprenticeship training through the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), Local 103 located in Dorchester, MA will be accepted only during the upcoming period of Jan 6-31, 2025. Electrical apprentices are currently starting at $25.51 per hour. Find more information regarding requirements and watch an intro video at bostonjatc.com.

Summer 2025 Pre-College Programs Virtual Fairs: Saturday, 1/11/25 (11-1:00pm). Summer’s coming! This virtual event provides the opportunity to learn about academic summer programs at top US colleges/universities throughout the country. Attendees can visit virtual booths to ask questions and chat with program representatives. Registration is free: https://www.precollegeassociation.org/fairs.

University of Notre Dame Pre-College Online Program: 100% online and offered year-round. Learn from Notre Dame faculty and earn a Certificate of Completion. Current offerings include: Biology, Business, Finance, Law, Medicine and Psychology. Visit: bit.ly/nd_gcflyer to learn more.

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.

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.

Bridgewater State University SAT Prep Workshops: for the Digital SAT. Upcoming on-campus sessions: January 26-March 2, Sundays 1-5pm to prep for the March SAT and March 30-April 27, Sundays 1-5 to prep for the May SAT. The program features expert tutoring, practice tests, individualized attention and study tips. The cost is $325 and includes the SAT Study Guide. Register at: bridgew.edu/ccs/SAT-Preparation or contact Darlene Marks 508-531-2711 (d2marks@bridgew.edu) for more information.

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 wesites to develop your list:

• CollegeBoard

• College Data

• College Navigator

• College Majors 101

• College Raptor

• Appily

• Petersons

• College Insights

• College Scorecard