Connections Newsletter

While historically we have visited seniors in their English, Rhetoric, and Civics/AP Gov classes, the process is changing. Some Connections lessons will transition to large group lectures, and some will be scheduled for 1st-7th hours. Seniors will receive a pass to attend the Mandatory Connections class in the lecture hall during an ASSIGNED class period. All high school teachers will be notified of this change to allow seniors to leave their classes for Connections lessons. This plan by senior teachers and admin will enable senior teachers to have more teaching time yet still allow our Connections team the opportunity to provide career and college support during this critical year.

If you have an October 15 deadline for a college or scholarship application, you must complete these four steps by Sept. 23 for teachers and Sept. 16 for Connections.

1-Verify on the website if a letter is REQUIRED, then ask your letter writer in person

2-Update your resume in Naviance (or upload to About Me>Journal and add a note “See Resume in Journal” in the About Me>Resume>Objective section)

3-Complete the Letter of rec/Form Profile in Naviance

4-Add the request into Naviance (this permits us to release information and you the opportunity to clarify what you need in the letter.)

"We work while you work so your application does not need to be completed before requesting a letter."

<<Stop into Connections if you need ANY help with these steps>>

If you have a November 1 deadline for a college or scholarship application, you must complete these four steps by Oct. 21 for teachers and Oct. 1 for Connections.

For letters needed for November 1 and beyond, you should request letters from your senior teachers.

TCA

Upcoming Events in Connections

Monday, September 23: Mini-College Fair, Colleges Attending

Monday, September 23, 11:25: Service Academies

Tuesday, September 24, 8:40: University of Delaware

Tuesday, September 24, 9:35: Southern Methodist University

Tuesday, September 24, 11:25: University of Providence

Tuesday, September 24, 1:15: Palm Beach Atlantic University

Wednesday, September 25, 8:40: University of New Mexico

Thursday, September 26, 1:15: Colorado Mesa University

Friday, September 27, 8:40: University of the Pacific

Friday, September 27, 9:35: Lipscomb University

Thursday, October 10, 1:00-3:00: Connections Parent Open House

Friday, October 11, 8:00-12:00: Connections Parent Open House

Tuesday, Oct 15 to Thursday, Oct 17: Colorado Free Application Days

In the Community

Benefits of Attending College Fairs

September 23 - Christian College Fair

September 23 - Southern Colorado College Fair

September 29 - NACAC College Fair

October 2 – D20 College Fair

October 5 – Explore Johns Hopkins: Denver

All students must complete 40 hours of community service and write 4 (four) 350-word reflective papers by the end of the third quarter of their senior year. Hours and papers are logged in the Community Service (x2VOL) link found on the TCA Intranet page and under the Family tab on the TCA website if logging in from home. If you need help, refer to this Helpful Hints sheet or stop by Connections.

The Daniels Scholarship Program helps make college possible for motivated and ambitious students. The scholarship covers the full cost of attendance at partner schools within Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.* A full list of partner schools is available here. Scholars that choose to attend a school outside our 4-state region receive up to $25,000 a year for qualified educational expenses. Deadline to apply is October 18.

The Presidential Scholarship at Boston University has changed from an established $25,000 award to a half-tuition scholarship and will be adjusted annually to reflect changes in the tuition. BU meets 100% of demonstrated need for all first-year students, and the BU Scholarship Assurance guarantees that any need-based aid received in the first year will never be reduced throughout a student’s undergraduate years at BU.

The Belk Scholarship at Davidson College provides comprehensive funding (tuition, fees, food, and housing), plus $6,000 in special opportunity stipends. See Ms. Peters if you are interested in attending Davidson.

The Music House in Colorado Springs is offering an afterschool program every Thursday from September 19 until December 19. Through hands-on activities and guided mentorship, students will gain valuable insights into music, art, and the broader creative world, all while developing their own unique artistic voice.

Interested in becoming a teacher? Check out the resources at Teach Colorado! They may even pay your college application fee!

Apprenticeship is a high-quality career pathway that combines paid on-the-job learning with classroom instruction. An Apprentice learns a skilled trade or profession under the guidance of a qualified mentor. Click here for ACC Apprenticeship Programs.

Arapahoe Community College is hosting a Learn & Earn Expo: Apprenticeship Hiring Fair on October 15th from 10 am to 2 pm. Students will have the opportunity to tour the ACC-Littleton Campus, learn about different apprenticeship opportunities across various industries, meet industry professionals, find programs that offer real-world training and mentorship, and discover how an apprenticeship can fast-track your career and provide valuable skills.

The Common App simplifies the college application process by allowing you to use one application for several schools. Each college specifies HOW students can apply, and they read applications EQUALLY among all options. Here is a great video on completing the Common Application.

Students who want feedback from an admissions office can send their draft essays and schedule a time to meet one-on-one to discuss essay tips and suggestions with a St. John’s College admissions counselor at admissions@sjc.edu.

When you are entering your activities, list them IN ORDER OF THEIR IMPORTANCE to YOU. This order gives the reader more information about who you are and what you enjoy doing the most. Every part of your application should build layer upon layer of your story. Here are some other tips for you.

At the Brown, Columbia, UChicago and Vanderbilt Virtual Access and Affordability Session on Tuesday, September 24 from 6:00-7:00 pm, admissions representatives from Brown, Columbia, UChicago, and Vanderbilt will hold a joint session for students about their respective universities, access and affordability, and financial aid. Visit collegetravelgroup.org to learn more.

The University of Virginia School of Architecture offers virtual information sessions and meetings with ambassadors for interested students who are unable to travel to Charlottesville.

The University of Pennsylvania launched a Center on Media, Technology and Democracy to better understand and respond to the way media and technology influence global conversations.

Colorado State is known for getting students out of their seats and into the field and can be fun.

During the Identity Series at Johns Hopkins students can get to know how Hopkins students explore their identities and find belonging on campus.

The next SAT testing date is October 5, 2024. Register by September 20, 2024.

Additional test dates: November 2 and December 7, 2024; March 8, 2025

The next ACT testing date is October 26, 2024. Register by September 20, 2024.

Additional test dates: December 14, 2024 and February 8, 2025

Katina Dahl, Advisor - Freshmen, Sophomore, AP, PSAT/NMSQT

Jodi Hoffman, Office Manager - College & Career Visits, Community Service

Email: tcavisits@asd20.org
Website: tcatitans.org
Location: 975 Stout Road, Colorado Springs, CO
Phone: 719-484-0091 1104