• Students who need to complete/turn in graduation required community service hours: 109 or 24%

• Students who need to complete ICAP requirements: 38 or 8% - Check your Naviance > tasks

• Seniors who need to see Ms. Gentry to complete their final Naviance task in-person: 338 or 73%

• Students who have completed their application to college: 68.9%

All students need to complete an Individual Career and Academic Plan for a graduation requirement. The last step to receiving that signature, is completing the ICAP Graduation Survey with Ms. Gentry. It is not assigned until you are standing with her to complete.

CASFA Eligibility Expansion and Data Security

The Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE) has expanded Colorado Application for State Financial Aid (CASFA) eligibility to students from mixed-status families who qualify for Federal Student Aid but prefer not to share their contributors’ personal data beyond Colorado higher education institutions. CASFA allows all students to apply for State and institutional aid (or similar).

CDHE prioritizes the privacy and security of CASFA applicants. Information provided through CASFA is used solely to determine financial aid eligibility and is never shared with third parties. Federal law (FERPA) protects applicants’ personal data, ensuring that it cannot be disclosed without a judicial order. Students should submit only one financial aid application (FAFSA or CASFA), keeping in mind that state and institutional aid may not fully replace forfeited federal aid.

• You got into college! Now what? Below are some ideas for financial aid.
• Apply for FAFSA. Get help here. You must apply for FAFSA to receive grants (financial aid that does not need to be repaid).
• Apply for the College Opportunity Fund (COF) if you are planning to stay in CO.
• Apply for scholarships and financial aid through the college/university.
• Apply for scholarships included in my emails, through Naviance, or through a search engine such as fastweb, Going Merry or raiseme.
• Apply for loans. Federal Loans are available through FAFSA: Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans and Federal Perkins Loans. Alternative (or private) Loans may be considered as well. Find out the differences between federal and private student loans. You DO need to pay back loans, which will include interest payments, so make sure to do your research!
• Apply for a work study program through the school.
• Get a job.
• Keep in touch with your college/university Financial Aid department AND the Admissions Rep. Keeping in contact with these people may be beneficial as opportunities arise.
• Let colleges know if you will not be attending. They may have students on a waitlist, so let them know ASAP!
• See Ms. Gentry in the main office. All seniors have a FINAL NAVIANCE SURVEY to complete in-person once they commit to their plans. It is not assigned until they meet with Ms. Gentry.
• If you have received ANY scholarships (including merit from schools you have declined), send a copy of the letter to Ms. Gentry. The class of 2025 currently has $4,153,558 in scholarships awarded!

• Final transcripts are final because they include final semester 2 grades and the graduation date. Students request these transcripts through a final survey in Naviance as part of their senior check-out. Seniors can complete the survey with Ms. Gentry as soon as they commit to post grad plans. Once the district adds the graduation date to the transcript (usually in the beginning of June) I send out all final transcripts. You do not need to pay another $3 if you have already paid for that school to receive a transcript.
• Use your resources. Counselors, teachers and Ms. Gentry are here to help you with this process. Make your future a priority and ask for help if you need it. College applications can feel complex and they change constantly. We are also here to help you find your pathway even if it isn’t college. Our goal is to make sure you find your “right” path.
• Have you heard back from a college? Let me know the college decision so that I can update your application status in Naviance.
• If you have had someone write you a letter of recommendation, please make sure to THANK them. That's not a requirement of their job and it takes a lot of work. Thank you cards are a nice memento!
• We have a few college reps visiting Castle View this spring. Reps visit to help students learn more about the college/university, but they are also usually the rep who reads your application and helps you with all steps of the application process. If you list a college in “college I’m applying to” or “colleges I’m thinking about” in Naviance, you will receive an e-mail notification about the visit as soon as it’s scheduled. If you don’t have colleges updated in Naviance, you will have to frequently visit Naviance or the College Visit calendar to check upcoming visits. You must register for each visit in Naviance and pick up your pass the morning of the visit.
• University of Nebraska-Lincoln - Tuesday, April 8th at 11:00 AM
• South Dakota Mines is excited to announce that our 2025 summer camps are now open for registration. We'll be hosting STEM day camps for current 8th-12th grade students. Our faculty-led camps give students an immersive pre-college experience in subjects like Biomedical Engineering, programming, robotics, geology, and more.

• Designed especially for high school juniors and seniors by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s renowned faculty members, “Designing a Next-Generation Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle" event takes place via Zoom on April 22, 2025, at 9:00 PM EDT / 6:00 PM PDT. A team of Embry-Riddle students is collaborating with industry partners to develop an innovative uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) for delivering medical supplies. This UAV is designed to launch from a host aircraft and autonomously fly hundreds of miles to make a delivery. The team utilized advanced computational fluid dynamics, 3D-printing and tests in wind tunnels and flight trials in the production process of the UAV.

• The ASCENT/TREP scholarship application for partnering Colorado colleges is officially OPEN through May 1st. Here's what is needed to apply:
• ASCENT/TREP Application 25-2026
• Passion Paragraph
• Trusted Adult Recommendation
• FAFSA or CASFA Confirmation

If you submitted your FAFSA form online, we’ll process your form within one to three days. If you submitted a paper FAFSA form, your form will be processed within 7 to 10 days.

Once your form is processed, you’ll receive a copy of your FAFSA Submission Summary, which summarizes the information you provided on your FAFSA form. Review your FAFSA Submission Summary and make sure all of the information is complete and accurate.

Your FAFSA Submission Summary will include your Student Aid Index (SAI). Schools use your SAI to determine your eligibility for a Federal Pell Grant and other federal and nonfederal student aid. Learn more about how your SAI is calculated.

You can check the status of an online FAFSA form at any time by logging in to StudentAid.gov and selecting your FAFSA submission from the "My Activity" section of your account Dashboard.

If there is any missing or incorrect information, complete or correct your FAFSA form as soon as possible.

Once your FAFSA form is processed, your Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR) is sent to the colleges or career schools you listed on your FAFSA form. Those colleges and career schools are responsible for creating your aid offer and disbursing your financial aid. However, listing a college or career school on your FAFSA form is generally not sufficient to receive aid at that school, as most schools don’t create aid packages for every applicant who lists the school on their FAFSA form.

Contact the financial aid office at the college or career school you plan to attend to find out if there are additional requirements for receiving financial aid and to learn more about the process of applying for aid at that school.

Webinar Information - Tuesday April 8

• If you have received a scholarship, please bring me a copy so that we can record your achievement! Currently, the class of 2025 has over $4,153,558 in scholarship awards.
  
• If you are applying for scholarships and they require a copy of your official transcript you need to request it in Naviance. Go to colleges I'm applying to > Manage transcripts > pink + > request transcripts for scholarships. I need to know your deadline, the name of the scholarship, the address, and then you need to pay the $3 transcript fee in MySchoolBucks.

• To be considered eligible for the Global Lift Equipment Scholarship, you must have a GPA of 2.5 or greater and submit a short story. Apply online by April 15, 2025.

• The Shawn Carter Scholarship Fund (SCSF) was founded on the belief that any motivated individual in need should have the opportunity to further his or her education. All Shawn Carter Scholars are required to “give back” by conducting community service and by serving as mentors to younger, aspiring Shawn Carter Scholars. Minimum GPA of 2.0 and household income not exceeding $75,000. Apply by April 1st - April 30th.
  
• Four one-year $3,000 ASHRAE scholarships available to undergraduate students enrolled full-time in their first year of college in a pre-engineering, engineering, or engineering technology program leading to a bachelor’s degree in a course of study that traditionally has been a preparatory curriculum for the HVAC&R profession. Applicants must be high school seniors with a cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 3.0 on a scale where 4.0 is the highest and/or a class standing of no less than the top 30% and accepted into an engineering, pre-engineering, or engineering technology program. Deadline to apply is May 1st.
• To be considered eligible for the Odenza Vacations College Scholarship, you must submit an answer to an essay question and have a 2.5+ GPA. Application deadline is May 1st.
• Abbott & Fenner Business Consultants are committed to continuing our efforts at helping those who have the desire and ambition to succeed. We will be awarding up to $1,000 to the winner(s) each year. Scholarship deadline is June 10, 2025. Students will submit an essay on the topic: "Describe your educational career and life goals. Explain your plan for achieving these goals. Include your degree/major, why you selected it, and how this degree/major will help you achieve your goals."

• Need to send SAT scores to a college? Do that through your College Board account. Instructions are here.

• Need to send ACT scores to a college? Do that through your ACT account. Instructions are here.

• With just over a month until the AP exams, Revolution Prep knows how crucial it is for students to assess their readiness. That's why I wanted to remind you that your students still have a chance to take free practice exams in the following subjects: AP Biology, AP U.S. History, AP Chemistry, AP Physics 1, AP Calc AB, AP Calc BC. Bonus tutoring: any student who completes a practice exam receives 2 free hours of private AP exam prep tutoring - no purchase necessary (More info here).
• Here are the details:
• Practice Exams: Available Saturdays and Sundays throughout April (proctored live online) - includes a detailed score report offering insights into student strengths and challenges.
• Flexibility: Students choose from a range of dates that work best for them and can see the practice tests schedule and sign up here. Feel free to share with your families!