DHS College & Career Newsletter
January 4, 2024
What You Need for August
Welcome back, Falcons! Let's start the year off strong.
Here are our topics for August:
- Senior Information
- Scholarships
- Junior Information
- Underclassmen Information
- Resources and Contact Info
Major Events in August
There will be several major events at DHS over the next few weeks. Students may need to register for some of these events ahead of time.
- Friday, August 16 - Early Liftoff for Seniors (Early Action and Major Scholarships)
- Friday, August 23 - UGA Rep Visiting during 3rd Period for Seniors
- Monday, August 26 - GT Rep Visiting during 3rd Period for Seniors
- Thursday, August 29 - Full Sail Rep Visiting during 3rd Period for Juniors/Seniors
- Thursday, September 5 - Brown University visiting at 2:20PM for Juniors/Seniors
- Wednesday, September 11 - Emory University visiting at 2:20PM for Seniors
- Wednesday, September 11 - Dartmouth College visiting during 3rd Period for Juniors/Seniors
We will also have several colleges visit during lunch throughout the fall. Here are some of the colleges visiting in the coming weeks:
- Monday, August 12 - USC-Columbia
- Friday, August 16 - Early Liftoff for College
- Monday, August 19 - Reinhardt University
- Wednesday, August 21 - Georgia College and State University (GCSU)
- Thursday, August 22 - Middle Georgia State
- Wednesday, August 28 - Shorter University; Full Sail University
- Thursday, September 5 - Kennesaw State University (KSU)
Senior Information
Many colleges in Georgia have free applications throughout March!
Hey, Seniors! Here are a few things you can do in March to make sure you're staying on track for your post-graduation plans:
- Create your Common App account and merge it with your Naviance account
- Write your college application essay
- Apply for Early Action and Early Decision colleges
- Apply for other colleges
- Check out the DHS Scholarship Newsletter and apply for major scholarships
- Submit documents needed for college applications and scholarships
- Visit colleges you're interested in attending
Scholarships
The following scholarships have deadlines in the coming days and weeks. If you'd like to search for more scholarships, check out the DHS Scholarship Newsletter.
The Gates Scholarship
Award: Last-dollar scholarship (covers whatever remains of your college bill = (tuition + room/board + fees) - financial aid)
Requirements:
- Minority student
- US Citizen, national, or permanent resident (Pell-eligible)
- 3.3 weighted GPA
- Ideal candidate has an outstanding academic record, demonstrated leadership ability, and exceptional personal success skills
The application may not be open just yet, but you can apply here by the Sunday, September 15, 2024 deadline.
QuestBridge - National College Match
Award: Full four-year scholarship at a top college partner (affects ED/EA applications)
Requirements:
- Legal status in US not required for some college partners
- Primarily A's in the most challenging courses available
- Usually top 5-10% of class
- Middle 50% of applicants have a 1290-1460 SAT and/or 28-33 ACT (not required)
- Evidence of strong writing ability, intellectual spark, and determination
- Household income under $65,000 for a household of four
- Most participate in extracurricular, community, or other activities
The application will open sometime in July, and you can apply here by the Tuesday, September 24, 2024 deadline.
Golden Door Scholarship
Award: Full cost-of-attendance scholarship
Requirements:
- DACA, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), U-1 visa, Pending Asylum, Refugee Status, or be undocumented
- Unweighted 3.2 GPA (similar to HOPE GPA)
- Willingness to attend a Golden Door Scholar partner school, regardless of location
- Preference given to applicants with high financial need and are interested in pursuing: software engineering, nursing, data analytics, business analytics, and/or digital marketing.
Apply here between August 4, 2024 and the Tuesday, October 1, 2024 deadline.
The Coca-Cola Scholars Program
Award: One-time $20,000 scholarship
Requirements:
- Legal Status in US - eligible for Federal Financial Aid
- Coca-Cola Scholars are well-rounded, bright students who not only excel academically, but are also actively involved in their schools. These leaders are passionate and service-oriented, and demonstrate a sustained commitment to bettering their community.
The application is not open just yet, but you can apply here by the Wednesday, October 2, 2024 deadline.
Cooke College Scholarship
Award: Up to $55,000/year for college
Requirement:
- Legal status not required
- Household income under $95,000
- Unweighted 3.5 GPA (similar to HOPE GPA)
The application will open in late August, and you should apply here by the Friday, November 15, 2024 deadline.
Priority Financial Aid Deadlines at USG Colleges
While some of these may not be final deadlines, it is highly recommended that you complete your financial aid paperwork by these dates.
- ABAC (Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College) - 4/15
- Albany State University - 2/15
- Atlanta Metropolitan State College - 5/1
- Augusta University - 2/1
- Clayton State University - 7/15
- College of Coastal Georgia - 2/1
- Columbus State University - 3/15
- Dalton State College - 5/1
- East Georgia State College - 6/1
- Fort Valley State University - 3/30
- Georgia College & State University - 1/1
- Georgia Gwinnett College - 6/1
- Georgia Highlands College - 7/1
- Georgia Institute of Technology - 1/31
- Georgia Southern University - 2/1
- Georgia Southwestern State University - 2/1
- Georgia State University - 4/1
- Gordon State College - 5/1
- Kennesaw State University - 3/1
- Middle Georgia State University - 4/15
- Savannah State University- 2/12
- South Georgia State College - 5/15
- University of Georgia - 12/15
- University of North Georgia - 2/14
- University of West Georgia - 7/1
- Valdosta State University - 3/1
The Goizueta Foundation Scholars Fund
Award: Different scholarship available at every college it's offered at. Some scholarships cover full tuition, fees, and housing.
Requirements:
- Must be of Hispanic/Latinx heritage
- Georgia Colleges: 1) ABAC, 2) Agnes Scott, 3) Albany State, 4) Andrew, 5) Berry, 6) Brewton-Parker, 7) Clark Atlanta, 8) Columbus State, 9) Dalton State, 10) GCSU, 11) GT, 12) Georgia Southern, 13) GSWU, 14) Georgia State, 15) Goizueta Business School at Emory University, 16) KSU, 17) LaGrange, 18) Mercer, 19) Morehouse, 20) Morris Brown, 21) Oglethorpe, 22) Reinhardt, 23) SCAD, 24) Shorter, 25) Spelman, 26) Thomas Univ, 27) UGA, 28) UNG, 29) UWG, 30) Wesleyan, 31) Young Harris
Apply by the deadline at your college.
Junior Information
Hey, Class of 2025! Only one semester separates you from your senior year. Even though you're not seniors yet, there are still some things you can do now to prepare for your future:
- Apply for scholarships
- Start working on your Common App Essay
- Visit colleges you're interested in attending
- Work with your military recruiter to take the ASVAB and discuss a future with the military
- PARENTS - If you plan to file the FAFSA for federal aid for your student (2025-26 FAFSA), make sure your 2023 taxes were completed.
Underclassmen Information
Even though you're not a junior or senior, you can still take steps now to make and prepare for your post-graduation plans. Here are some things you can do to prepare:
- Apply for scholarships
- Visit colleges you're interested in attending
- Work with your military recruiter and discuss a future with the military
- Sophomores - Revisit your StrengthsExplorer and Career Interest Profiler assessments in Naviance to identify some potential career options.
- Freshmen - Revisit your Career Interest Profiler assessment in Naviance to identify some potential career options.
Resources and Contact Info
Well, that just about covers it! If you're looking for more resources about College and Career topics, check these out:
- DHS College & Career YouTube - videos about many college and career topics
- A Falcon's Guide to Succes for Seniors - a comprehensive guide on a variety of topics related to your post-graduation future
- DHS Scholarship Newsletter - a newsletter with even more information about how you can pay for college
- College, Military, and Job Events - a newsletter on upcoming visits from recruiters as well as college fairs, career fairs, and major events at colleges
- Internships, Jobs, and Summer Opportunities - a newsletter on internships, career events, and summer opportunities
If you have any questions about the College and Career program at Dacula High School or your potential post-graduation options, please reach out to Mr. Cash. You can call him at 770-277-4466, and you can email him at john.cash@gcpsk12.org.
Students - if you'd like to make an appointment with Mr. Cash, you can do so through eClass on the Counseling page. This is the same way you would make an appointment with your counselor.
Parents - if you'd like to make an appointment with Mr. Cash, please reach out through email.