College & Career Prep for Juniors

We look forward to seeing juniors and their parent/guardian at our College & Career Planning Night on February 12 (details below).

How do juniors schedule an appointment? We will automatically schedule an individual meeting with students once they complete and submit the Junior Planning Questionnaire found in the "Tasks from My School" section of Naviance Student.

Parent/Guardian Input Survey - We value your insights. Click HERE to complete our survey and share your hopes about your student's plans for after high school.

Mr. David Blue and Ms. Teri Calcagno

College, Life & Career Counseling Team

February 12 at 6 pm - CCHS College & Career Planning Night for Juniors and Parents/Guardians - Join Mr. Blue and Ms. Calcagno at 6 pm in the CC Weston Commons as we explore all the different options available to students after graduation followed by a session focused specifically on the four-year college admission process. Juniors are encouraged to attend with at least one parent/guardian if possible. Can't make it on February 12? We will record the evening and email it to everyone within a week.

College Board's BigFuture Live Webinars - Check out free, virtual community events for students and families:

• February 8 at 5 pm PT - Ask the Expert: College Planning Tips Now
• February 22 at 5 pm - For Parents: How to Fund Your Teen's Future

Real Talk: Connect with Black College & Career Planning Experts - Students and families are invited to participate in the following free virtual events:

• February 13 at 5 pm PT - 3 Ways to Attend College with Less Debt
• February 27 at 5 pm PT - Secure the Bag & Your Dream Job

Christian College Fair on March 4 - The fair will take place from 6 to 8 pm at Portland Christian Jr/Sr High School. Advanced registration is highly recommended.

Check out the free Gap Year Fair at Cleveland High School from 6 to 8:30 pm on February 13. Attendees get the most up to date information about gap year basics, tips for researching & planning a gap year, navigating the college deferral process, and which programs are accepting applications. Click HERE to register in advance.

Be sure to register for any or all of the upcoming virtual college fairs hosted by the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC).

February 18

March 24

April 21

The annual NW Youth Careers Expo will take place on March 19 at the Oregon Convention Center during the school day. The Careers Expo shows students the region's amazing diversity of career opportunities, along with the skills and education needed for those jobs. The Expo includes hands-on learning, demonstrations, mock interviews, career workshops and the chance to talk directly with professionals about college-and-career options. Interested? See Mr. Blue to register soon.

Juniors and sophomores interested in Engineering will want to check out Oregon E-Week on February 22. The event includes an Exhibit Hall and Career Fair, morning sessions with panel discussions, and field trips in the afternoon. Click HERE for details and to register for this free event soon.

The fair will take place from 4 to 7 pm on Oregon Tech's Portland Metro Campus. Click HERE for details. Attendees will get an overview of EMS programs, including Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and Paramedic, along with opportunities to talk with people currently working in the field. There will be equipment demonstrations and different focused talks and demos from EMS agencies that include:

• Community health care models
• Austere environments including: overseas opportunities, mountain rescue & river rescue
• Disaster response teams
• Opportunities to talk with current students and faculty

Saturday Academy Apprenticeships in Science & Engineering (ASE)

ASE typically offers over 100 internships each summer. Students in grades nine through eleven are eligible to apply for ASE. The application process is competitive, with more than 400 applicants each year. The application requires recommendations from two adults. Please plan ahead to allow your recommenders plenty of time to complete their part. Application deadline: March 8 at 11:59 pm PT

Oregon Business Academy

Business Week 2024 at Oregon State University is an immersive 7-day, on-campus, residential summer program designed for students currently in Grades 9-11. Students work collaboratively in teams, engaging in project-based experiential learning. They face the exciting challenge of creating a business from scratch and discovering their untapped leadership skills. Session dates: June 23-29 or July 28-August 3. Need-based and corporate scholarships are available.

Summer@Cornish

Cornish College of the Arts offers a unique approach to summer arts learning by encouraging teens to mix and match courses over four weeks which culminate in community celebrations with families and new friends. Learn more during their virtual info session on February 15.

Each of the service academies offers a chance for current juniors to immerse themselves in academy life for one week over the summer. Below are the programs still accepting applications.

U.S. Coast Guard Academy - Academy Introduction Mission (AIM) helps students discover whether the USCG Academy experience is truly what they want from college and whether they have what it takes to succeed. There will be an AIM Application/Information Virtual Event on February 21 at 4 pm PT. Application deadline: April 1

U.S. Military Academy - Summer Leaders Experience (SLE) is a week-long immersion into the academic, military, and social life of a West Point cadet. Application deadline: March 15

U.S. Naval Academy - Summer Seminar is the first step for students in navigating their future to becoming one of our nation's next generation of leaders. The Summer Seminar application will also serve as a preliminary application to the Academy that students would complete for admission during their senior year. Application deadline: April 15

During the spring of the junior year is an ideal time if you decide to take the ACT or SAT. You will still have time to retest (if needed) next fall. Click on the links for a complete schedule of upcoming test dates an registraiotn information to help students plan ahead:

• SAT - Next test date: March 9 - register by February 23
• ACT - Next test date: April 13 - register by March 8

Digital SAT vs. Paper ACT: Which test is your test?

Reminder: Many colleges are committed to staying Test Optional permanently and juniors will find there are lots of options. We also know that public universities in Oregon, Washington, and the University of California campuses do not require a test score for admission or scholarships. Click HERE to view a list of popular colleges and their testing policy. Be sure to type 2025 in the Search box to view colleges that have made a policy decision for the Class of 2025.

Be sure to check out our December newsletter for more details about testing and test optional.

Chinese American Citizens Alliance National Essay Contest - The competition will be held virtually on March 4 and is open to all high school students in Oregon and SW Washington. Participants are given 90 minutes to compose an essay in English not to exceed 500 words on a contemporary topic concerning the Chinese and Asian American communities. Chinese Ancestry is not a requirement for this competition. Register by February 27 at 5 pm PT

College Board BigFuture Scholarships - Juniors can make themselves eligible for scholarships each month. Earn entries in monthly drawings for scholarships by completing steps to plan for college. The sooner you start and the more steps you complete, the more chances you’ll have to win. This month’s entries will continue to be included in upcoming monthly drawings. Deadlines vary

Distinguished Young Women (DYW) of Oregon Scholarships - DYW is a national program that empowers young women to reach their full potential by providing scholarships, life skills workshops including interviewing, and a positive peer network. Along with cash scholarships, Distinguished Young Women participants are eligible for college-granted scholarships from colleges and universities across the country. Deadline: February 28

Doodle for Google Scholarship - Design your own Google logo based on the theme given and stand a chance to get your artwork published all over the globe! Entries are judged on the State, and National levels based on creativity, originality, and communication of theme. Deadline: March 14

Horatio Alger Scholarships - The program specifically assists high school juniors who have faced and overcome great obstacles in their young lives. To be eligible to apply for either a National or State Horatio State Scholarship, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Exhibit a strong commitment to pursue and complete a bachelor’s degree at an accredited non-profit public or private institution in the United States (students may start their studies at a two-year institution and then transfer to a four-year institution)
• Demonstrate critical financial need ($65,000 or lower adjusted gross family income is required)
• Be involved in co-curricular and community service activities
• Display integrity and perseverance in overcoming adversity; and
• Be a United States citizen

Deadline: March 15

Sign up for text message reminders - Be sure to sign up if you would like to receive periodic text message reminders regarding upcoming college & career events, test registration deadlines, college visits, etc.

• Juniors - https://www.remind.com/join/ccrams25
• Parents/Guardians - https://www.remind.com/join/e6cg4d9

The same information goes out to everyone, so please only sign up for the appropriate group. Thanks!

Mark your calendars for the following college events:

• Spring College Fair - April 28 at the University of Portland from Noon to 3 pm
• Jesuit Excellence College Fair - April 29 from 11:10 am to 12:10 pm at CCHS
• Case Studies Program & College Fair - May 8 at CCHS from 6 to 8:30 pm

We will provide more details as we get closer to the above events.

Forecasting for Senior Year Classes - Forecasting presentations will take place in March. Be sure to spend time looking over all the information and make thoughtful decisions about next year. Counselors and teachers can help students figure out what is challenging—but not too difficult. If it is unclear whether a student should take a particular course, ask your counselor, the teacher, and current students to determine how much work it will involved in taking the class. Juniors should start looking at admission requirements to colleges or other training programs of interest now to help determine courses as well. Click HERE for insights on high school courses and college admission.