Central Catholic - Find Your Path
Class of 2022 - College, Life & Career - September 2021
***WHAT'S NEW THIS YEAR?***
The College, Life & Career Counseling Team:
Mr. David Blue will now be serving as our new Director of College, Life & Career Counseling. He will focus primarily on developing the overall program this year.
Ms. Teri Calcagno '85 is returning to CC as your college counselor after spending a couple years away from the position. She is replacing Mrs. Martin who moved away over the summer to be closer to her family.
You're Invited...
Virtual Paying for College Nights - The College Place Oregon and the Oregon Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators will offer two Virtual Paying for College events for seniors and families later this month. There will be a "Paying for College" presentation as well as the opportunity for participants to privately ask questions. Financial Aid Administrators will answer questions live during the presentation and families will be able to ask questions anonymously.
- September 28 at 6 pm (presented in English) - Register at https://bit.ly/2WNbrCd
- September 30 at 6 pm (presented in Spanish) - Register at https://bit.ly/3jjc6TE
***CAREER PREPARATION***
***PREPARING FOR COLLEGE***
College Visits at CCHS
Representatives from a variety of four- and two-year colleges and universities will be on campus to meet with students. The admission representative typically presents information about their institution and then allows time for students to ask questions. Students should make the effort to meet with college representatives when they visit CC or host evening receptions. It gives college reps an opportunity to get to know you, answer your specific questions, and lets them know that you are genuinely interested in their institution. It is to your advantage to learn as much as you can about a college before you apply or visit the campus.
- Which colleges are visiting CC? Visits will be advertised in Naviance Student in the "What's New" section, daily announcements, and outside the Counseling Center.
- How do I sign up for a visit? Students sign-up for visits in Naviance Student. Then, they need to pick up a College Visit pass from the Counseling Center and have their teacher sign it at least one day in advance of the scheduled visit.
College Fairs & Upcoming Events
Common Application Assistance
The Common Application is accepted by over 950 colleges and universities. A complete list of colleges accepting the Common Application can be found HERE. If you were not able to attend a College Application session over the summer, we will be offering some additional opportunities to learn about the Common Application. During our visits to Government classes, students will have a chance to get started working on the Common App. There will also be a session offered on September 9 during Student Life.
Should you take the SAT or ACT?
Over 1,600 four-year colleges and universities will not require students to submit ACT/SAT scores to be considered for Fall 2022 enrollment. We also know that public universities in Oregon, Washington and California will not require a test score for admission or scholarships.
Consider the following:
If the SAT/ACT is optional for your colleges, should you take it?
You need to think about your application packet as a whole. Basically, colleges are assessing two things:
Your academic achievements: GPA, college prep courses and possibly an ACT or SAT score.
Some colleges will also want to know what you do beyond the classroom. You will have the opportunity to tell colleges who you are through your personal essay and your list of extracurricular activities including hobbies, service, family responsibilities, work, etc.
How do you know if your GPA is strong enough for admission?
Use the Naviance Student scattergram tool to compare your GPA data with Central Catholic students who have applied and been admitted to each college.
You can also Google search for [name of college] class profile, then click on the result from the college website. On this page, search for info about the incoming GPA range for admitted students. If your GPA falls within or above the range, test scores might not be as significant.
What about test scores for merit-based scholarships? If a college offers merit scholarships and is test optional, they are likely not requiring a test score for scholarships; however, they might require something else. Check out the requirements for each college on your list, so there are no surprises.
ACT Test Dates 2021
- October 23 - Register by September 17
- December 11- Register by November 5
My recommendation is to skip the optional Writing section. Since the College Board has eliminated the optional essay portion for the SAT Test, almost all colleges are no longer requiring this section.
REGISTER HERE
ACT COVID-19 updates, click HERE
Free ACT Prep, click HERE
SAT Test Dates 2021
- November 6 - Register by October 7
- December 4 - Register by November 5
REGISTER HERE - Most, if not all seniors should already have a College Board account. DO NOT create a new one -- use the one you have!
Khan Academy is a very good FREE test prep resource and you can link it with your previous SAT Test.
How Much Will a College Really Cost?
Search for Net Price Calculators on each college's financial aid page or search HERE
What is a Net Price Calculator?
Net price calculators are available on each college's website and allow prospective students to enter information about themselves to find out what students like them paid to attend the institution in the previous year, after taking grants and scholarship aid into account.
What does Net Price mean?
Net Price is the amount that a student pays to attend an institution in a single academic year AFTER subtracting scholarships and grants the student receives.
Complete a Net Price Calculator for each institution on your list! Students and families will need to work together to provide the required information.