Welcome!
Thank you for viewing the PHHS Career Counseling Newsletter! I will update this with information for students to explore careers and share important events and resources. If you have any questions, email me at jcrowder@hcps.us
Sincerely,
Mrs. Crowder
PHHS Career Counselor
FAFSA Delayed
The Department of Education announced that completed FAFSA applications would not be sent to colleges until the first half of March. This means that families will not learn of their financial aid award packages from colleges until likely April or later. Some colleges have chosen to move their May 1 deposit deadline to June 1. Please pay close attention to communications from the colleges applied to.
Scholarships 101: Prepare, Search, Organize
December break is a great time to get organized and prepare for scholarship applications. Here is a guide to help you get started.
There are many scholarships for students who want to pursue a 2-year degree or certificate at Reynolds, a trade or apprenticeship (YES! There are scholarships for trade and apprenticeship programs!), or attend a 4-year college. Here is an easy guide to navigate searching and applying.
PREPARE
Many scholarships will request the following 3 items. Get them ready now so that when you find scholarships, you have everything ready to go and can apply easily.
1. Create a resume! Use Google templates to make it easy and so you don't have to create one from scratch! (Go to Google Drive, new Google Doc, hover over the arrow and select “From a template” and choose a template to create your personal resume.)
2. Personal Statement – It’s not uncommon for a scholarship to ask for an essay or a personal statement specifically. Write an essay between 250-500 about yourself! If you’re struggling for how to write this, think about it in thirds: where do you come from, where are you now, where do you aspire to be. Be sure to focus on your why! Then you can adjust this if needed for a specific scholarship.
3. Transcript – Order an up-to-date transcript in Parchment.
SEARCH
It can feel overwhelming searching for scholarships. Here are the best places to check.
1. Institution – Some, not all, colleges may have scholarships you must apply for. Two great examples are ECU and Reynolds. The best way to find out if an institution you are considering has any is to simply Google search the institution name plus scholarships. Or you can try to navigate to the institutions’ scholarships and financial aid page. Know that some institutions might only have scholarships for upperclassmen (not you) because they award scholarships to freshman when they submit an application for admission.
2. Family – Check with your parents or guardians to see if their employer or any organizations they belong to provide scholarships.
3. Senior Scholarship Application – Our high school offers several scholarships each year from area organizations. By completing the Senior Scholarship Application, the PHHS scholarship committee will consider you for these opportunities.
https://sites.google.com/hcps.us/collegeandcareercenter/scholarships-financial-aid
4. HCPS Scholarship Opportunities – Career counselors are adding scholarships to this list each week. Set a calendar reminder to check it weekly December – March. Be sure to read the requirements and be aware of the deadlines. https://sites.google.com/hcps.us/collegeandcareercenter/scholarships-financial-aid
ORGANIZE
Create a spreadsheet or Google Sheet to keep track of what scholarships you have applied for and to track scholarships you've earned. AND share it with your parents to let them know your scholarship status. This will be incredibly helpful in April and May when you are making final decisions for your plans after graduation.
Career Counselor- Mrs. Crowder
Email: jcrowder@hcps.us
Website: https://sites.google.com/hcps.us/collegeandcareercenter/home
Location: Patrick Henry High School, West Patrick Henry Road, Ashland, VA, USA
Phone: (804) 365-8025
Twitter: @HCPSCareers