** Please scroll through the remaining information to find topics of interest. **
- Career Exploration and Job Fair- On November 18th, students will listen to 2 speakers in the morning, specific to their indicated career cluster of interest. They will then have time in Advisory to explore the fair, connect with industry professionals, and deepen their knowledge of careers of interest. Military representatives will also be in attendance.
- Advanced Placement (AP) Testing- Students who are enrolled in AP Classes (Biology, Calculus, or Computer Science) need to communicate with Mrs.Leach by November 8th if they do not plan to take the AP exam in May. If students decide to not take the exam after November 8th, there will be a $40 cancellation fee (the cost of the test). Please refer to Mrs. Leach in Student Services with any additional questions regarding AP testing.
- ACT Testing- Students interested in taking a college entrance exam can locate information, dates, registration links, and test prep resources on the ACT website. Upcoming national test dates and registration deadlines can be found here. If you have a student who receives free or reduced lunch, please have them contact their school counselor for an ACT fee waiver.
- College Exploration and Changes to Admission- COVID-19 has had an impact on the college exploration and admission process. Many colleges that have previously required a college entrance exam are now considered test-optional. For more information and answers to questions such as if you should still test or if you should provide test scores on college applications, refer to this article.
The University of Minnesota suggests students should reference the academic profile of their colleges of interest. This profile will include the middle 50th percentile of freshman
applicant test scores admitted for Fall 2024. This data will provide some indication on if you
should submit your test scores for application purposes (if they are a test optional college).
If similar to your scores, go ahead and submit them with your application. If your scores are
below the average admitted test score, apply without those scores. **Check with each of
your colleges to determine their application requirements and check with admission
reps if you have questions on submitting ACT or SAT scores as part of your
application.**
Tips for College Visits
FAFSA- All seniors planning to attend a post-secondary institution are encouraged to complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA becomes available December 1st and requires creating a FSA ID for login purposes.
Financial Aid Basics- general info on the FAFSA, work study, and student loans
Federal Student Aid- info on getting ready for college and how financial aid works
FAFSA application- unavailable until December 1st. Current seniors should fill out a 2025- 26 FAFSA.
- Scholarships- Scholarships can be used to pay for college and do not have to be repaid. Scholarships fall under merit- or need-based categories. More info on the scholarship search process is available here.
BHS Student Services- Scholarships- continue to watch throughout the year for local, state, and national scholarships.
10 Sites to Kick Off Your Scholarship Search
- Transcripts- All official Buffalo High School transcripts must be requested and sent using Parchment, an online transcript ordering service. Further information on creating accounts and placing orders can be found on the Student Services website or by using the QR code. If your student qualifies for free or reduced lunch, please let your assigned counselor know so that a fee waiver can be provided.
- College Knowledge Month- October is recognized as College Knowledge Month in the state of Minnesota- an initiative to promote post-secondary education, provide information to students and families, and offer free applications for participating colleges (the list hasn’t been updated for 24-25 yet, stay tuned). Students have the opportunity to meet with college reps during their lunch time through the Mini College Fairs that take place every Tuesday. There are also several informational sessions during BASE available for all students in grades 9-12 as they begin the process of college exploration. Check out our Student Services Calendar soon for session details.
- Freshman Minute Meetings- Counselors will connect with freshmen this fall through Advisory to reintroduce ourselves and to gather quick and pertinent information that will help us support them as students for the next 4 years.
