Connections Newsletter

December 20, 2024

College and Scholarship Applications

College Applications Some of you mentioned you were going to work on your application(s) over break. Since our team will also be out of school, we wanted to give you the HOW TO for applications again. Yes, it’s the same doc we sent before Colorado Applies Days in October. A few reminders:

Be sure you have chosen the correct application type and deadline type when you add to Colleges I Am Applying To; we send letters based on these deadlines.

After you submit your application, you can also request your transcript be sent. Once the transcript is sent, it will say “sent” in Colleges I Am Applying To.

Essays Still working on your college essay? Here is an essay writing checklist for you.

Senior Letter of Recommendation Deadlines Check your applications for any letters of recommendation required from your counselor or your teacher(s). Staff does not work on vacation days. Come by Connections with any questions. For applications due on January 1 and 17, requests should have already been made to your teacher and/or counselor. For Applications due on February 1, request Connections letter by January 10 and Teacher Letters by January 17.

Scholarships Debunking the Myth: Thousands of dollars of scholarships go unclaimed each year.

This research was done several decades ago. That statement is no longer true with the increase of search engines and social media. What can be true is that some niche scholarships, local scholarships, and employer-based scholarships may need more applicants. Click here for the “YOU shoulds!”

FAFSA A common question after submitting the FAFSA is, "Now what?" The Department of Education explains what happens after the FAFSA is filed. For help completing the forms, check out these FAFSA 2025-2026 Tips.

Financial Aid Find more resources about financial aid and student loans here.

Admissions Decisions

For the seniors who have applied early decision or early action, those decisions will be filtering in over the next few weeks. Many colleges post admission decisions in the student application portal. In other cases, emails are sent. Be sure to check the process your college follows.

Accepted If you are accepted, congratulations! Please log in to Naviance under Colleges I am Applying To, click edit pencil, and update the decision. We would like to create a pennant acknowledging your admission. And please let us celebrate with you!

Deferred If you are deferred, you can take additional steps if you are still interested in the college (see attachment). Deferral means your application is still under consideration. What to do if deferred? Colleges who have ED and EA options typically post information on their website about what to do if deferred. As an overview, here are some of the recommendations. DO NOT do all of these. This list was created to give you an overview of the myriads of options colleges recommend. Again, research what the college recommends and follow their guidelines.

Denied If you are denied, please remember this is not a decision about who you are as a person. It is a process filled with many applicants who just met what the college was looking for this application season. YOU ARE INCREDIBLE! But I understand it is hard. Be kind to yourself. There are other options, and I am available if you need to make additional plans.

Save the Date

At TCA

Thursday, January 16, 8:40: Career Talk – Joy Fine, Nurse Practitioner

Thursday, January 23, 8:40: Career Talk – Shawn Sawyer, Space Force

Tuesday, January 28, 1:15: Bethel College

Application Deadlines

Application: 2/1/25; Connections Rec Ltr: 1/10; Teacher Rec Ltr: 1/17

Application: 2/15/25; Connections Rec Ltr: 1/25; Teacher Rec Ltr: 1/31

In the Community

Friday, February 7, 7:00-2:00: UNC Future Teacher Conference, Greeley. Spots fill quickly.

Saturday, March 8, 9:00-11:00: RMACAC Spring College Fair, Pine Creek HS

Saturday, March 9, 1:00-4:00: RMACAC Spring College Fair, Cherokee Trail HS

Community Service

If you are looking for volunteer opportunities, check out VolunteerMatch, local food banks, animal shelters, community centers and churches. As a reminder, 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 (March 21, 2025 for seniors). 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.

Fee Waivers

If you qualify, here are two avenues to waive college admission testing (SAT, ACT, AP) or college application fees. If you qualify for an SAT fee waiver, or the ACT fee waiver, you can be approved for a fee waiver to most colleges. Another route is the NACAC College Application Fee Waiver. Please contact Ms. Peters at tcacollege@asd20.org for assistance.

Scholarships, Awards and Application Information

Find out if your college is offering a fee waiver here.

Colorado Mesa University offers their Distinguished Scholar Award providing a renewable, full tuition, merit scholarship. The deadline to apply is February 10.

Marist’s Long Reach Scholarship is awarded to students who demonstrate exceptional achievement in studying history. This scholarship is designed to give students with a passion for history the opportunity and freedom to pursue exciting undergraduate research and apply it to their future careers.

In the fall of 2025, Michigan State University will offer 30 Josephy R. and Sarah L. Williams Scholarships, awarding 4-year full tuition, room and board, supplies and experiential learning opportunities.

At the University of Texas of San Antonio their tuition-free Bold Promise income threshold has increased to $100,000 or less, which will help more students and families receive free tuition at UTSA.

For the Fall of 2025, first year Clark University students from a school in Colorado qualify for the Regional Incentive Grant, where admitted first-year students automatically receive a $5,000 per year grant (renewable for a total of four years or $20,000).

Enrichment and Other Opportunities

Article about Enrichment Opportunities

National Student Leadership Conference offers pre-college summer programs that allow students to experience their dream career before heading to college. Students can choose from 37 different interactive programs on 17 prestigious university locations. Scholarships available.

The University of North Carolina Asheville will be hosting weeklong summer immersion art and science programs that offer students a chance to explore university life, deep dive into academic topics and hands-on experiences.

Rhode Island School of Design is offering a summer Pre-College Program with day-long studio classes, critiques and projects. Spaces are limited in each of the 21 majors, apply early to secure a spot.

Colorado School of Mines will be hosting the Summer Multicultural Engineering Training program. This free one-week residential program is designed for students from underrepresented populations, including ethnic or racial minorities, women and prospective first-generation college students.

Participants in M3 Challenge 2025 use math and data to solve open-ended and timely real-world problems in teams for an opportunity to win scholarships.

The Becker School of Design and Technology at Clark University is hosting the Summer Game Studio. Students explore all aspects of game design—from concept to creation—and each participant will design their very own game.

The University of North Dakota is hosting the North Dakota Governor’s School program for sophomores and juniors from June 2 - 27. Students will explore their preferred discipline and career opportunities working closely with faculty, UND students, and peers. There is no cost for this program; apply by January 15.

Resume Tips

A high school resume begins the summer before 9th grade. It is important to start early and keep the resume updated. Your resume should explain the value you created, quantifiable results you delivered, how you exceeded expectations, and how you were innovative. Add details to your resume with as much detail as possible (Qualify and Quantify). Writing down “teddy bear drive with NHS” does not give as many details as “organized teddy bear drive with 10 other students, collected 250 teddy bears to distribute to fire stations in our community,” which tells a much better story. Here are some tips on brainstorming more content for your resume.

PWR Curriculum

Families, many of you have asked questions about learning what your children are learning as it relates to college, career, and life readiness. Within the Naviance tool, there are short lessons that align with our lessons in the classroom. Working through these short lessons together might be helpful to launch family conversations about finances, scholarships, career exploration, and more. Here is a list of the available lessons and here are instructions on how to complete a curriculum lesson in Naviance.

College Highlights and Resources

Through the Brown/RISD Dual Degree Program, students can develop and integrate diverse spheres of academic and artistic interests by pursuing a Bachelor of Arts at Brown University and a Bachelor of Fine Arts at the Rhode Island School of Design over five years.

Career Spotlight - Registered Apprenticeship and Scholarship

Registered Apprenticeship is a training model that combines on-the-job learning and classroom training which is referred to as “related instruction.” As an apprentice, you are employed from day one and learn your new career pathway by doing it. This is referred to as “On-the-Job Learning” (OJL). You will also take classes during your apprenticeship with the related instruction. Every apprentice has an assigned mentor. The mentor is a seasoned journey worker who helps with the On-the-job learning as you advance through the apprenticeship. Scholarships are available, find out more about apprenticeships here.

Future farmers might be interested in the new AGCO technician training center and the Agricultural Service Technician Associate in Applied Science degree program. The AGCO AAS program is an official apprenticeship offering students a blend of classroom instruction, paid on-the-job training, and nationally recognized credentials.

SAT Fee Waivers

SAT fee waivers are available to low-income 11th- and 12th-grade students in the United States. A student is eligible if they enroll in or are eligible to participate in the federal National School Lunch Program (NSLP), or their family's annual income falls within the Income Eligibility Guidelines set by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service. Be sure to look at the current year's guidelines to verify.

Upcoming SAT and ACT Test Dates

The next SAT testing date is March 8, 2025. Register by February 21, 2025.

Additional test dates: May 3, 2025

Schoolhouse offers freeSAT Tutoring Bootcamp

March2Success offers free online SAT, ACT and ASVAB test prep

More test prep resources available on our Connections page

The next ACT testing date is April 13, 2025. Register by March 8, 2025.

Additional test dates: March 8, May 3, and June 7, 2025

Connections Center (Career & College)

Joanna Peters, Director - Junior, Senior

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

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

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