BELL RINGING TRADITION
Some seniors are beginning to solidify their plans for life after high school, and we are continuing the bell-ringing tradition! The idea is to celebrate all students as they finalize their post-secondary plans—whether that means college, trade school, entering the workforce, or another path. Students who have committed to a college, or another path after high school, may ring the bell in the Mezzanine during lunch. Just be sure to check-in check in with one of the Post-Secondary staff first. Otherwise, on May 1st we will host a National Decision Day photo op on the front stairs with plenty of bell ringing!
SPRING DECISION SEASON
The second half of March and early April is when many colleges notify seniors about their admissions decisions. We wanted to share a few words of advice.
- If you are accepted, that is wonderful news. Celebrate your accomplishment, but please also be aware that some of your friends may not be getting the same good news -- so we ask that you be sensitive.
- A denial does not define who you are or who you will be. Oftentimes, it is a pure numbers game, or, in some cases, the school really wasn’t a good fit for you. You undoubtedly will have choices of where to attend.
- If you are waitlisted or have questions about a decision, you will want to meet with your Post-Secondary counselor to discuss next steps.
- Check your email and college portals frequently to make sure you don't miss any potential deadlines for additional documentation.
- Nearly every college or university offers its own institution-based scholarships. Check the financial aid webpages for each of your top schools to see what's available.
- Financial aid packages from colleges and universities can be confusing! If you have questions, don't hesitate to schedule an appointment with Karen or Brennan.
- Please remember to update your application outcomes in SCOIR as you hear back from schools!
Haven’t applied yet? It’s not too late! There are many colleges and universities that are still accepting applications. Schedule a meeting with Karen Hawkes (A-K) or Brennan Dignan (L-M) so that we can support you.
Trade and Technical Schools, Apprenticeships, and Certificate Programs. Of course, not every student will be pursuing a traditional four-year degree. If this is the case for you, please schedule an Individual Meeting with Karen Hawkes (A-K) or Brennan Dignan (L-M) so that we can start putting together a plan based on your interests.
-Karen, Brennan and Susanne
It's Not Too Late --- 2025/26 FAFSA & Financial Aid
Seniors hoping to receive need-based financial aid should submit the 2025/26 FAFSA application (or CAFSA) as soon as possible. Click here for FAFSA and Financial Aid Tips. Colorado Mountain College offers free, 1:1 FAFSA completion support (English and Spanish) for Aspen High School families. Use this link to schedule an appointment.
IMPORTANT: We’d like to remind seniors (and parents of seniors) who have submitted/are submitting FAFSA to download your FAFSA submission summary report as a PDF and also save your login information. It is not only a good practice to have your FAFSA summary and login info on file, but doing so may safeguard your information if there are any changes to the Department of Education. Please also double check that all of your colleges/universities list are indicated in FAFSA so that they will receive your Submission Summary.
- To download your FAFSA Submission Summary: Log in to your StudentAid.gov account, navigate to the "My Activity" section, select your processed 2025/26 FAFSA submission, and then click "View FAFSA Submission Summary"; you can then download the document as a PDF by using the print option in your browser and selecting "Save as PDF".
Post-Secondary Counseling at Aspen High School is supported by the Aspen Education Foundation.
