DestinationCollege2024
Crosby Scholars Senior Program Newsletter - December 2023
Take Advantage of the Quiet Times This Holiday
Staying home with family in scaled down holiday celebrations, can give you more time to focus on you and your loved ones. So, cozy up by the fire and take advantage of the quiet time by reading through this month's newsletter.
Let us know when YOU Get IN!
Applying for college is a big deal. We have partnered with you in this process and would love to know when you get a response from the college. We want to congratulate you and celebrate with you. You can email your advisor or Jenniffer Jamison. If you post on social media be sure to tag Crosby Scholars Iredell County. We received BIG news this week from QuestBridge. Two of our seniors have matched for a full 4-year scholarship. This is life changing news. Congratulations to Natalie and Ana for this accomplishment.
We Hate to Loose You
Missing College Visit/Fair Form
Missing Meetings with Senior Advisor
Please contact me if you have any questions. Jenniffer Jamison - jjamison@crosbyscholarsiredell.org
Crosby Scholars Senior Requirements
Community Service Hours - must be turned in by 1/31/24
Attend at least 1 Senior Academies by 1/31/24 - You will notice this number has changed. We have given every senior 1 academy credit this year.
156 students turned in 923 hours of community service this year to date. For anyone who completed this requirement by 11/30 we put your name in a drawing for a Chick fil a Gift Card. Congratulations Sara Gregg & Ana Noriega. We will be mailing your gift card to your home. Congratulations!
You Applied Early and Haven't Heard Yet?
So you have finished your applications and are now waiting to hear from the schools about a decision. Each day you check your email, run to the mailbox, or login to the school's website to check your status. It does not help when friends and family going through this process might have already heard from their school and are posting all over social media, "I Got IN" photos. Very few people jump on to tell the world they were deferred, waitlisted, or rejected.
So, we are really in No Man's Land. That space where you just have to wait. Some people are better at this than others. We are watching our emails, school application portal and checking our mailbox daily for that envelope. If you have not received the answer yet, you are probably wondering WHY?
- DON"T PANIC - This process takes time. Every college is on their own schedule.
- CHECK APPLICATION STATUS - Log in to the college's student portal. Double check that your application is complete, and they have received all of the information required. Check the school's website to see the status and ensure they are not waiting on you to provide something else?
- CHECK YOUR EMAIL - Which email? ALL OF THEM. Did you use your school email in the application or a personal email? Have you read all communication from the colleges? There might be important dates or insight into their process that can put you at ease.
- REVIEW COLLEGE WEBSITES - Many colleges will post the timeline and important dates on their websites. Do your homework and try to find the answers to your questions online first.
- CONTACT THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS DEPARTMENT -Don't call without doing your homework. But if you end up calling,
- Find the right contact - usually the person responsible for your region.
- Communicate in the way they advise - they might spell out to email first or dial a specific number for information.
- Be prepared when you get them on the phone. I like the script I found online - “I’m calling because I submitted my early decision on [such and such a date] and I understand you sent decision letters/emails out, but I haven’t received my letter/email [or when I log in, there is no decision posted for me]. Can you help me figure out why I haven’t gotten my decision yet?”
Holiday Gatherings Without the College Stress
Adapted from "Advise for the Thanksgiving Table" by Bartley Sides
In the coming days, there will be many opportunities to pause and celebrate with family and friends. However, one thing will certainly not pause during the holiday break – the nagging feeling of anxiety and worry for the millions of high school seniors awaiting college decisions. While their younger cousins play video games on the XBox, seniors may very well be cornered in the dining room answering endless questions about college from aunts, uncles, and grandparents.
I’ve had students share with me that they oftentimes dread family gatherings because of the questions, the unsolicited advice, and the comparisons between other family members, friends, and neighbors. To be fair, college is an easy conversation starter. It’s relevant, it’s important, and everyone feels like they have a little something extra to add. However, I beg of you: please allow the seniors to relax and enjoy their vacation in peace!
PARENTS: Maybe you’ve felt out of the loop on the college process or maybe you feel like you’re stuck in a loop. Whatever the case may be, now is your time to shine as a perfect example of what it means to be the parent of a high school senior. It’s your chance to intervene, to redirect the conversation, and to protect your child from the barrage of questions that will inevitably begin before the green bean casserole comes out of the oven. Here are six easy responses to questions that will earn you MVP during the holidays:
- “We’ve decided not to talk about college today and give him a break!”
- “I don’t know where he’s going to end up next fall. The possibilities are endless.”
- “I know that everyone in our family has always attended that college. She has different thoughts, though, on where she sees herself, and we support that decision.”
- “That’s interesting that you’ve never heard of that college. We visited and absolutely loved it. Plus, it’s where the school’s English teacher attended!”
- “She doesn’t know what she’s going to major in yet. In fact, did you know that nearly 2⁄3 of college students will change their major at least once?”
- “We are considering the price of the college. However, he’s applied for lots of scholarships, and his counselor is helping with that process, too.”
When in doubt, change the topic completely. Let your child relax. Offer him or her an extra slice of pie or another helping of a favorite dish. Your senior will be thankful for you.
Upcoming Senior Academies
Every senior is required to attend one academy by January 30, 2024. Many of you have already met that requirement. We will continue to offer programs not only for those who need academy credit but for all seniors that would benefit from the information. The next 3 academies are highlighted in the images below.
In-Person Academy Options
- "The Game of College" - December 28 - Crosby Scholars Office - Goodwill Career Connections Center
- In Person Academy - January 27 - Mitchell Community College Mooresville - Guest Speaker Mrs. United States, Director of DEI at CINTAS, Global Inc. See graphic below with choices of academy topics.
LIVE Zoom Sessions
- Getting the most out of your college experience - Summer Immersion, Studying Abroad & Honors College Programs! - December 5, 6 pm - Mariah Roseboro
- Choosing a Different Path - GAP Year or Straight to Work - Dec 6, 2pm - Jenniffer Jamison
SELF PACED ACADEMY
- bit.ly/speakcollege - Print the 2-page fill in the blank document and after you complete the session send me your answers.
- Academy Credit for FAFSA COMPLETION - Upload your Student Aid Report to your Crosby Student Portal and email mroseboro@crosbyscholarsiredell.org and we will give you an academy credit.
- Financial Literacy - CFNC.org - COMPLETE 10 Modules with 80% pass rate using the Crosby Code. Link to Literacy Academy --- CODE 46A8A3-23-24
- YouScience- Career Exploration Evaluation -email Jenniffer Jamison if you are interested in completing this.
If you still need to meet this requirement, please register in your portal now for the academies that best match your needs and schedule.
Application and Scholarship Essays--Need Help?
Scholarships are OPEN
Fall Check In Senior Advisor Meeting
Fall Check In senior meetings are due by December 31st. You can find your senior advisor's contact information in your portal.
Iredell County Crosby Scholars Senior Program
Email: jjamison@crosbyscholarsiredell.org
Website: crosbyscholarsiredell.org
Location: 124 4th Crescent Place, Statesville, NC, United States
Phone: (704) 873-5005
Facebook: facebook.com/crosbyscholarsiredell
Twitter: @iredellcrosby