DestinationCollege2019
Crosby Scholars Senior Program Newsletter - August 2018
Seniors...Start Your Applications!
2018 Graduate offers advise...
Crosby Scholar Alumni, Daniel Bonomo offers a little wisdom.
The biggest piece of advice I could give to upcoming seniors about the college and scholarship application process would be to manage your time effectively. Most of the applications for scholarships and colleges open up a few months before they’re due. This makes it seem like you can take your time, but it’s a lot less stressful to have them done with at least a week to spare.
If you can, get as much done in August, when Common App opens because once school starts your workload will pile up considerably. Also, having essays done early means you can take advantage of other people to revise your essays. Crosby offers a free essay revising service, and I personally sent them around 10 essays because they were so helpful. Most professional essay services can charge up to $50 for an essay, so having a free service is so helpful.
Another stressful component of the application process is the interview. While they can be very intimidating, especially to those who haven’t done one before, in reality, there’s nothing to fear. If you’ve never experienced an interview situation before, talk to your counselor and they’ll be happy to set a practice up for you. The most important thing to consider in the interview is just to be relaxed and be yourself. Most interviews are actually pretty relaxed. The interviewers aren’t looking to trick you and they really just feel like conversations. When thinking about answers, the interviewers don’t want to hear what you think they want; they want to hear who you are. A genuine response is always well-received, and don’t pretend to be someone that you’re not; it’s so easy to spot. If you can talk about yourself and what you’re passionate about, you’ve already mastered at least half of any interview.
Timelines for Success
Test Prep!
Are you planning to retake either the ACT or SAT this fall? In addition to our August SAT/ACT Boot Camp, here are some FREE online test prep resources you can use. As little as 30 minutes of practice each day until your test can make a real difference!
ACT.org -- Information about the test including a practice test with answers
Khan Academy (SAT) An official partner of The College Board (SAT).
CFNC.org (SAT & ACT) -- Log in and click the "Plan" tab at the top. Under that, click on the "For College" tab. From there, you will click on "College Test Prep" under "Plan for College" and choose your respective test.
Number2.com (ACT)
BWS Education Consulting (SAT & ACT) -- Vocabulary Study Guide, printable practice tests, tips for handling test anxiety, and more
PrepFactory.com (SAT & ACT)
SparkNotes.com (ACT) -- Information about each section of the test, plus tips and strategies for studying for and taking the test
Kaptest.com (ACT & SAT) -- Free Turbo practice tests for ACT and SAT ( you put them in a shopping cart like you will have to pay, but the price is $0.00) This site is an official partner of ACT. Paid options here, too, look for Free Resources tab at top of page, a variety of options.
Timing is Everything -- Know When to Apply by Maya Read
At many colleges and universities, there is more than one application deadline. Understanding the difference between these deadlines can allow you to apply at a time that offers you the most advantage.
The Regular application deadline is the standard deadline for submitting applications and is usually in January or February. Schools send their decisions around March. These decisions are not binding--you can choose to either accept or reject the offer.
Early Action is similar to the Regular deadline in that the decision is also not binding. You submit your application around November (some are as early as October) and receive your decision as early as December. Colleges sometimes require students apply Early Action in order to qualify for scholarships; if your school does this, you should consider applying at this deadline. However, for students who need to retake the SAT or ACT or improve their GPA during the first semester of senior year, this may not be the best choice.
The deadlines and notification dates for Early Decision are similar to Early Action, but it is important not to confuse these options. Early Decision is binding. This means that if the college or university accepts you, you must withdraw your application from all other schools you applied to and enroll at that school. If you have one school that you are absolutely sure about, you should consider this option.
Some schools give priority to students applying by these earlier deadlines but not all. This is different from school to school, so you'll need to do your research to find out if there is an advantage to applying early at your schools.
Finally, some schools offer Rolling Admissions. With Rolling Admissions, you can submit your application over a longer period of time. Colleges review the applications and send decisions as they come in. It is usually to your advantage to apply earlier, but this allows you some flexibility if applying early is not an option.
Most schools give you several deadline options. Make sure to choose the deadlines that give you the best chance for admission and financial aid.
Upcoming Senior Academies
Register in your portal for the Senior Academies that match your needs and your schedule best.
Telling Your Story: Writing Your College Application/Scholarship Essays -- Aug. 8th, 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Essay Writing/Scholarship Workshop -- Sept. 22, 10:00 - 12:00 p.m. (We are planning to add more space in this academy. Check your Remind.com texts for more information.)
More Academies to Choose From
We’ve added new senior academies, For Seniors and their parents.
Understanding the Financial Aid Process on October 1, 6 - 8 pm at Mitchell Community College Mooresville Campus. Students and Parents are welcome to attend. The student has to attend with Parent to get academy credit.
FAFSA Night TBD. is a boot camp-style academy offering you free help to complete and submit your FAFSA.
Freshman Survival on February 23rd from 10:00 - 12:00 p.m. will feature a panel of admission counselors and college students who will give advice on how to not just survive, but thrive during your first year of college.
The Game of College are you ready to play? March 11th, 2019 10 - 12 noon
Surviving your Child’s Freshman Year on April 8th from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. is an academy just for parents* of seniors. Learn what you can do to help make your child’s first year at college exciting and stress-free for everyone.
*Students don’t need to attend, and this event does not count toward the 2 academy requirement for seniors. Parents: If you’re interested in attending, have your senior register for you in their Crosby Scholars portal.
DO NOT WAIT to attend an academy. Remember you need to participate in 2 different senior academies to complete the senior program. We are planning to add a few additional academies. Please choose the best academies for you and sign up now.
College Admission + Full Scholarship = QuestBridge
If you’re a high achieving, low income student, QuestBridge College Match Program is well worth a look. This program helps qualified students get admitted to highly selective colleges and universities with full scholarships (without loans) that include tuition, room, and board. Schools nearby, like Davidson College and Duke University participate, but you could also be matched with schools around the country like MIT, Stanford, or Princeton.
Senior Advisor Assignments
Your Senior Advisor’s name is posted in your Crosby portal. If you do not see an advisor assigned, contact jjamison@crosbyscholarsiredell.org immediately.
If you have self-selected an advisor and you do not see them in your portal, that means they need to contact Jenniffer Jamison, jjamison@crosbyscholarsiredell.org
College Visit/College Fair Deadline: October 31st
You can also attend your high school's college fair in October (visit your guidance office when school begins to get information on dates at your specific school. Don't forget to visit at least four colleges and ask their representative sign your Crosby Scholars form. Contact Jenniffer Jamison (jjamison@crosbyscholarsiredell.org) if you have questions.
Senior Program Requirements
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