Central Catholic - Find Your Path

Application Submission - Pay attention to the application deadlines. Submit the Transcript & Recommendation Request Form (also found in Naviance Student) as soon as possible. Make your requests at least four weeks in advance if your college requires recommendations and they have not already been written for an earlier deadline.

Letters of Recommendation - If you are applying to a college that requires a recommendation and have not requested them through College Counseling yet, don't forget to complete the request form above. Click HERE for details about requesting recommendations. New requests for early to mid-January deadlines should be submitted ASAP!

Show Your Gratitude - Be sure to thank those who have supported you, especially teachers and counselors who wrote your recommendations.

Check Application Portals - Early application admission decisions will be coming soon. Check your email and application portals. You might have good news already!

Update Naviance with Admission Decisions - We love to hear how you about admission decisions! Update the decision for each college in your "Colleges I'm applying to" list.

Scholarships - Get serious about looking for and applying to scholarships. We advertise scholarships monthly in our newsletter. Your Common App information can also be used to generate suggested matches for scholarships. Go to the Scholarships section under your Financial Aid tab to see your matches. Lastly, check out our last newsletter for advice on applying for scholarships.

Spend time with your student - It is important to take a break from talking about plans for after high school. Many seniors are being asked these questions from well-meaning relatives and friends as well. Enjoy some time together without worrying about what's next or focusing on deadlines.

Complete the necessary financial aid documents as soon as possible - The 2025-26 FAFSA is open now! See details below to help you get ready for it. If your student has colleges requiring the CSS Profile, it can be completed now.

If you missed out on the Paying for College webinar, click HERE to view the recording.

FAFSA - The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is required by both two- and four-year institutions for all federal and state financial aid, federal student and parent loans, and some scholarships. The 2025-26 FAFSA is available now!

• Make sure to create your StudentAid.gov account. You will need this to access and submit the 2025–26 FAFSA.

• Find out if one or both parent(s) will need to be contributors and provide their info on your FAFSA form. Make sure each contributor creates their own StudentAid.gov account. Even if a contributor doesn’t have a Social Security Number, they will be able to create an account.

• Watch the “Preparing for the FAFSA Form” playlist to understand what information and documents you’ll need to fill out the FAFSA form.

Not eligible to complete FAFSA?

• ORSAA - The Oregon Student Aid Application is an alternative to the FAFSA for undocumented Oregon students, including students who have Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status or Temporary Protected Status (TPS). Do NOT complete the ORSAA if you are (1) a U.S. citizen, (2) a legal noncitizen with an Alien Registration number, or (3) an international student who is in the United States with a valid visa. not sure which form to complete? Click HERE to learn more.
• WASFA - The Washington Application for State Financial Aid is for Washington residents who are undocumented or do not qualify for federal financial aid because of their immigration status. The WASFA can also be used in limited circumstances by other select applicants who cannot or choose not to file a FAFSA. People who complete a WASFA are applying only for state aid.

CSS Profile - Some colleges require the Profile in addition to FAFSA and it is available now. Check to find out if any college on your student's list requires it. Click HERE for a list of participating institutions. Check out these helpful tips and resources before starting the Profile - HERE.

Federal Aid - Federal aid is the largest source of money for students with demonstrated financial need through grants, loans and work study. The FAFSA is required for consideration.

State Aid - State-supported financial aid varies by state. In some states, grants cover tuition only and are based on financial need. Some state scholarships are based solely on merit and are measured by academic achievement. Others are designed to support students interested in certain professions to help fill a shortage within the state. Some states also have loan and work programs. The FAFSA is required for any need-based aid.

Institutional Aid - This varies by college. The admission application might not automatically trigger consideration for institutional aid. Always read the college's materials to find out about the aid offered and if additional forms or applications are needed for consideration. When in doubt, contact the college's financial aid office. The FAFSA is often required to be eligible. Some colleges might also require the CSS Profile as well.

Private Aid - Private aid typically is awarded by sources other than colleges and the the government. Filing a FAFSA might be required for consideration.

Once a student has applied for admission and the FAFSA (and CSS Profile if required) is submitted to a college, the financial aid process is initiated for you. A financial aid award letter from the college will be sent based on their awarding timeline. Some colleges will complete this process shortly after a student is admitted, while many others will not send this out until March or early April. The award letter provides the details of your financial aid package.

A financial aid package is a collection of different types of financial aid from multiple sources. It is intended to help you fill the gap between what your Student Aid Index (formerly Expected Family contribution) and college costs or the cost of attendance (COA). After you receive the award letter, students will need to accept or reject each source of financial aid. The college will not increase other aid to compensate if you reject part of the financial aid package, such as loans.

Check out next month's newsletter for more details about award letters and financial aid appeals.

We are continuing to host sessions for seniors who would like assistance with their college or scholarship applications. No sign-up is required and you are welcome to join us for any or all of the following sessions:

• Before School in the Commons
• Every Thursday & Friday from 7:25 to 7:55 am
• December 18 from 8:25 to 9:10 am
• During Lunch in the Counseling Conference Room
• Wednesdays - December 11 & 18
• After School in the Commons from 2:40 to 3:30 pm
• December 11
• December 17
• December 19

• Must be an Oregon resident
• OSAC awards more than $10 million in scholarships annually. You don't need to be a merit scholar or a student with financial need to be eligible for some of these scholarships.
• APPLY - HERE. You will need to wait to complete your application until you have final grades from 1st semester; however, you can fill out most of the application beforehand.
• FAFSA/ORSAA is required to complete your OSAC application.

Early Bird Deadline - February 18 by 11:59 pm PT. Error-free applications will be entered into a drawing for one of several $1,000 Early Bird scholarships.

FINAL DEADLINE - March 3 by 11:59 pm PT.

The Oregon Promise is a state grant that helps to cover tuition for Oregon residents at any Oregon community college.

• Must be an Oregon resident for at least 12 months.
• File a FAFSA or ORSAA application and list one Oregon community college.
• Possess an unweighted cumulative 2.0 GPA or above by the time of application.
• Complete the Oregon Promise application by June 1!

APPLY HERE

DECEMBER

Equitable Excellence Scholarship - Seniors should demonstrate ambition and drive to be a force for good in your community by encouraging others to pursue higher education. Due December 18 at 1 pm PT

Home Depot Foundation’s Path to Pro Scholarship - Scholarship for students planning to enroll in an approved trade-related program (Carpentry, Electrical, HVAC, Plumbing or Construction Management) at an accredited two-year school. Due December 31

Science Ambassador Scholarship is a full–tuition scholarship from Cards Against Humanity for a woman in science, technology, engineering, or math who creates a three–minute video explaining a topic in STEM. Due December 16 at 9:59 pm PT

Transgender First Scholarship - Scholarships for students who identify as transgender or non-binary. Due December 31

JANUARY

APIA Scholarships - Scholarships are available to low-income students of Asian and/or Pacific Islander heritage with an unweighted GPA of 2.7 or higher who will be the first in their families to attend college. Due January 15

GE-Reagan Foundation Scholarship - Scholarships of up to $10,000 per year for high school seniors nationwide who showcase leadership, drive, integrity, and citizenship. Due January 3 at 11:59 pm PT

Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholarship - Scholars receive up to $35,000 over four years and benefit from a four-year comprehensive program. Applicants must be a minority high school senior, US citizen, have evidence of financial need, demonstrate a record of academic excellence as well as leadership potential, and a dedication to community service. Have questions about the scholarship application? Foundation staff will be on hand for a drop-in Q & A session to help answer those questions on the evening of Wednesday, December 18. Click here to join. Due January 9 by 2 pm PT

Hispanic Metropolitan Chamber Latino Scholarship - The Hispanic Metropolitan Chamber invites all Hispanic students with a 3.0 GPA or higher and planning to enroll in a four-year college to apply for scholarships. Due January 12

Live Mas Scholarship - Submit a video (2 minutes or less in length) by January 3 at 5 pm PT that addresses these questions:

• What is your passion and how are you currently pursuing it or planning to pursue it?
• How do you plan to use your passion to make your community, country and/or world a better place?
• What is your education plan and how will it help you pursue your passion and create a positive impact?

Pride Foundation Scholarship - Current and future leaders in the LGBTQ+ community facing significant barriers may apply for over 60 scholarships with one application. Due January 10 at 5 pm PT

Storytellers of Tomorrow Contest - All high-school-age students are invited to submit unpublished, original English-language stories of up to 2,000 words in length for the annual “Storytellers of Tomorrow” Contest. Due January 15

Teen Changemakers Essay Contest - Students will submit an essay (500-1,000 words) responding to this prompt: "How have your mental health experiences helped you to create a supportive and open mental health environment with your peers, within and outside of your high school?" The contest is open to students in grades 9-12. Due January 12

Win Dollars for College Scholarship - Submit an essay of 500 words or less about about “Why is a college education important to you and attend the Portland Black College Expo. Due January 6 at 11 pm PT

DEADLINES VARY

Black United Fund of Oregon Scholarships are open to seniors who identify as Black, African-American, or of African descent. Additionally, ACCESS Scholarships are available to seniors applying to specific universities in Oregon. Deadline varies (Create an account for details)

PWA Career Days are in-person opportunities for students to learn about high-demand career fields. Click HERE for details about upcoming dates. Spots fill quickly. Submit your Student interest Form and Parent/Guardian Permission Form as soon as possible. Transportation is not provided.

The Oregon Goes to College website helps students explore their options. There are links to most trade and career schools as well all of the state's public and private colleges and universities. Specialty schools are categorized to make it easy to find training for particular careers too. These categories are also used on their map of Oregon colleges. You can search for:

• Tattoo schools in Eugene
• Trucking schools in Medford
• Health career schools in Portland
• Cosmetology schools in the Gorge
• and more!

Click HERE and explore all your options.