Connections Weekly Newsletter
February 2, 2024
Class of 2024
Community Service: A reminder to seniors that the required 30 hours of community service and 3 papers are due by the end of the third quarter on March 15. 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 and talk to Mrs. Hoffman.
Mid-year transcripts have been sent to colleges for all seniors who previously requested an initial transcript. If you are requesting a transcript in Naviance for a new scholarship or college application, be sure to click the mid-year transcript box.
Financial aid can be one of the more confusing aspects of the college admission process. Most students hope to receive some form of financial aid to help pay for the high cost of college. SR Financial Aid Letter.docx that will help you understand financial aid awards.
Other FAFSA Resources
2024-25 FAFSA FAQ video about the FAFSA 2024-25 changes
How to Create an Account and Username (FSA ID).
Worksheet: Creating a FSA ID - English
Worksheet: Creating a FSA ID - Spanish
Update from Federal Student Aid
Letters of Recommendation: If you have a February 15 College Application or Scholarship deadline, the Connection’s deadline is January 25, and the teacher recommendation letter deadline is February 1. Here is the HOW TO doc for both letter types. Stop by Connections with any questions or to pick up a request form for Ms. Peters. Click here for a complete list of 2023-24 Application Deadlines.
Classes of 2025, 2026 and 2027
Four-Year Plan
During our Connections classroom visits this week and next week, we are working with students to create a 4-year plan for their high school courses. As we emphasize, this is a plan, and we all know…plans change! These 4-year plans will be helpful to reference during the course registration process starting later this month. Students and families will receive more information from Mr. Shields and Mrs. Norman. Each course will have an information video (on demand) recorded by the teachers. Additionally, in Naviance, every course title is a hyperlink to the course description and prerequisite/co-requisite requirements. If we can answer any questions about course choice based on post-secondary plans, we are here to help.
Class of 2026
MC2 is a health careers pathway program designed to provide youth, starting sophomore year in high school, the opportunity to gain experience and exposure to the world of healthcare and access to ongoing support in their pursuit of healthcare professions. The program requires a two year commitment with students participating in activities during both their junior and senior year. Click here and here for more information. Go to www.childrenscolorado.org/mc2 for more information and to apply.
Applications are due by 5 pm Wednesday, March 6, 2024. The application is long as it requires a school transcript, essays, a recommendation, and general information so we advise that students start working on their application several weeks before the March 6th deadline.
Connections Website
On our Connections webpage https://www.tcatitans.org/hsConnections you will find many resources available for you to search AS YOU HAVE QUESTIONS. For example, Under the Senior Specific category we have:
How do I compare award packages?
The College Interview and College Visits
United States Military Academies - Steps for the Application Process
Save the Date
At TCA
Thursday, February 8, 10:30 – BINGO
Monday, March 4, 10:30-11:20 - TCA Mini-College Fair
In the Community
Saturday, March 2, 9:00-11:30 – RMACAC Spring College Fair, Pine Creek High School
Scholarships, Awards and Other Financial Aid Information
The Hagan Scholarship is a nationwide need-based merit scholarship, providing up to $7,500 each semester for up to 8 consecutive semesters. Free workshops, Free Schwab Brokerage Accounts, and Free Study Abroad provide recipients with a practical understanding of important life skills not typically covered in the school curriculum. Deadline to apply is March 1.
Colorado Garden Foundation offers a four-year full-ride scholarship to a Colorado senior attending a publicly funded Colorado college or university. Applicants must be majoring in the specified agriculture and plant science majors. Deadline to apply is March 15.
The Kinnikinnik Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution will award a $1500 merit-based scholarship. Student and counselor or teacher applications are required. Deadline to apply is March 22.
County Sheriffs of Colorado awards approximately thirty $500 scholarships every academic school year. See the Guidelines and Application for more information. Deadline to apply is March 1.
The USDA 1890 National Scholars Program provides educational and career opportunities for students seeking bachelor's degrees from a 1890 Land Grant University. The scholarship provides full tuition, fees, books, room and board to students pursuing degrees in agriculture, food, natural resource sciences, or related academic disciplines.
The Coolidge Scholarship is a full-ride, presidential scholarship that covers a student’s tuition, room, board, and expenses for four years of undergraduate study.
Savannah College of Art and Design offers the SCAD Distinguished Scholars Award, $20,000 per year for tuition at any SCAD location. To be considered, students must be recommended by a teacher or counselor.
Ursinus College has extended their application deadline to February 8. Application is free via the Common Application or Coalition with Scoir. All admitted students, no matter their family’s income, are reviewed for scholarships of up to $40,000 per year.
Enrichment
Arapahoe Community College offers Coding Bootcamps so students can learn skills and technologies necessary to enter the industry, programs include Back End Software Development, Front End Software Development, Big Data Engineering, and Digital Marketing.
Opus Creative Industries, an organization focused on workforce development programs, offers a Culinary and Hospitality Capstone Program. This program allows students to try a career as a restaurant chef before committing while being paid.
Colorado College’s Pre-College Block (July 8-24, 2024) includes an array of academic courses, all taught by CC professors and for college credit, and allows students an opportunity to try their distinctive Block Plan. Need-based scholarships are available until March 1.
UNC Asheville is offering Summer 2024 Pre-College Programs. The programs run June 16-21 and June 23-28 with topics spanning the arts and sciences.
Champlain College offers a selection of residential credit-bearing and noncredit-bearing Pre-College Summer Programs for high school students in a variety of exciting in-demand fields.
Cornell College will be hosting a Mock Trial Summer Camp from July 7-12. Students will work with one of the few full-time mock trial coaches in the country and learn what it’s like to compete at the college level.
Carnegie Mellon University will be offering Summer Academy for Math and Science (SAMS), a pre-college program that provides opportunities for rising high school seniors from underrepresented communities to explore STEM-related fields. SAMS is a fully funded, merit-based program. Deadline to apply March 1.
Boston University is offering five distinct Summer Programs for Pre-College Students where students can earn college credit, discover a new subject area, perform cutting-edge research in university labs, or immerse themselves in hands-on learning.
Wings Over the Rockies is offering flight training scholarships to Colorado students (ages 15-18). Students can work towards Private Pilot Certification in gliders or single-engine airplanes. Deadline to apply is February 17.
If you are looking for an internship, check out these opportunities:
AFRL Scholars - Air Force Research Laboratory, aerospace engineering
U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Headquarters Student Internship Program
U.S. Department of Education's Student Internship Program
Summer Internships at the Foreign Policy Research Institute
National Institute of Health High School Summer Internship Program - biomedicine
Senate Page Program
Internships and Career Development - USC Center for the Political Future
US Department of the Interior| Bureau of Land Management | Internship Program for Students and Graduates
Youth Conservation Corps | US Forest Service
The University of Delaware is offering the Edge Summer College Program where students can take 1-2 credited college level courses, participate in college readiness workshops, and gain insight into the college application process.
If you are looking for more summer program information, check out TeenLife’s 2024 Guide to Summer Programs. Find the perfect blend of learning and fun, with options ranging from academic enrichment to creative arts.
Career Highlights - Top 10 Highest Paying College Majors
Why do we focus on who you are, your strengths, values, interests? For those future opportunities you may not heard of...
This Year’s Top 10 Highest-Paying College Majors Include Some You May Have Never Heard Of
Increasingly, your earnings potential varies greatly depending on your choice of major in college. “Even more so than the school itself, choosing a major is key in determining what skills a graduate can perform out of school, and what types of professions they’re qualified for,” said Jackson Gruver, data analyst at Payscale. “Ultimately, the degree you decide to pursue could have a significant impact on your lifetime earning potential.” While students who pursue a major specifically in science, technology, engineering or math — collectively known as STEM disciplines — are projected to earn the most overall, Payscale’s college salary report found that petroleum engineering currently holds the top spot for highest-paying bachelor’s degrees in 2023. Read More...
Connections Center (Career & College)
Katina Dahl, Career and College Advisor - Freshmen, Sophomores, AP
Jodi Hoffman, Office Manager - Rep Visits, Community Service
Location: 975 Stout Road, Colorado Springs, CO
Phone: 719-484-0091 1104