THE COLLEGE APPLICATION PROCESS Applying to college can seem intimidating, especially if you are the first one in your family going to college. However, breaking the process up into tasks and creating a schedule makes it much more manageable. There are three main steps when applying to college: 1) the college application; typically online on the college’s website, 2) sending an official transcript to the college; this is done using Parchment, a service free to all OSH students, and 3) completing the FAFSA; the application for student aid. Some colleges ask for a college essay. If an essay is optional, it is best to submit an essay. It is important to pay attention to deadlines. There are multiple deadlines to choose from. Early decision deadlines (ED) are usually in November. ED admissions are binding and the student MUST enroll if offered. Early Action (EA) applications are due in Nov/Dec. EA applications are not binding and students hear back sooner than a rolling admission. The CRC presented this information to all seniors in Advisory in September. If you missed the session, you can watch the recording here.
SCHOLARSHIPS Apply for scholarships early and often. While most scholarships are for seniors and due between November and March, there are scholarships for all ages and throughout the entire year. While many scholarships look at GPA, there are just as many that do not. It is important to do your research and check eligibility requirements. Then, plan ahead and make sure you meet deadlines. The CRC website > Scholarships posts local, state and national scholarships, as well as scholarships for specific groups of students. Scholarships 101: This handy one-page handout outlines an overview of key terms, timelines and important information to know when searching and applying for scholarships.
DOUGHERTY FAMILY COLLEGE The Dougherty Family College offers an associate degree designed to set you up for success, providing a smooth transition to a four-year college. This program is for students that want to obtain a four-year college degree and face financial or social obstacles on the way to their goal. Students need to have a 2.5 GPA or higher and a strong desire to succeed. Daugherty Family College students transfer to the University of St. Thomas after completing an AA degree.
HISTORICAL BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES The Historically Black College and University’s (HBCU’s) principal mission was, and is, the education of Black Americans. HBCUs provide connections to Black history and celebrate Black culture. They offer outstanding programs, particularly in STEM fields. HBCUs provide a supportive environment and unique networking opportunities. Want to learn more about HBCUs? There are more than 100 HBCUs in the US. This HBCU Listing has links to all the colleges and universities. If you want to apply to multiple HBCUs, check out the Common Black College Application. The CRC will be hosting monthly HBCU College sessions with local alumni. Upcoming sessions will be posted in Schoology and on the CRC monitor. Don’t miss these great sessions! Sign up TODAY at mini-session sign up.
HBCU COLLEGE FAIR Park Center will be hosting our Third Annual HBCU College Fair on Tue, Nov 19 from 3:00-5:30 pm. The HBCU College Fair is open to all students throughout the district. This is a great opportunity for students to talk with alumni and representatives from a variety of Historically Black Colleges and Universities from all over the United States. The college fair will be held in the Park Center cafeteria. Students and families may enter from the Brooklyn Blvd parking lot, Door A, or from the Noble Ave parking lot, Door L. Come and join us for a great night of opportunities celebrating Black History, Culture and Education!
GRADES: RAISE.ME & MONEY How would you like to get paid for getting good grades? Raise.Me is a platform that helps 9-12th grade students earn scholarships for their achievements in high school. More than 330 colleges and universities partner with Raise.Me to award micro-scholarships for both academics and extracurricular activities. High school students can sign up for a free account at raise.me and start adding their achievements right away. The platform shows students how many scholarship dollars they will be awarded when attending various colleges.
FAFSA for the 2025/2026 school year (current seniors) was released to a limited amount of families in October. It will open for ALL SENIORS sometime in December; we are hoping December 1. The CRC will be covering FAFSA with senior students during Advisory on December 10. There will be a virtual support session for families held in January.
UPCOMING CAREER PANELS The CRC offers monthly Career Panels for students to learn about a wide variety of positions in a given career field. Upcoming Career Panels include:
November 12 Business
January 14 Art and Music
February 13 Education
Interested students must sign up in advance to attend at https://forms.gle/K1JsHnpbJDorBDVS9
All upcoming events, including college visits, are posted on our website. Please check often and sign up for those that interest you!
ADVISORY SESSIONS
In October, Maz (mazanecm@district279.org) will be sharing information with students in Advisory.
11/19 Scholarships (seniors)
12/3 Paying for College (seniors)
12/11 FAFSA (seniors)
12/11 Genesys Works! (juniors)
12/17 Osseo’s Health Science Magnet Program Information (Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors)
