Nolan Catholic College Counseling
Class of 2022 - October 1, 2021
Class of 2022 To Do List - October 2021
- Complete the FAFSA - Free Application for Federal Student Aid opens October 1! Apply early to maximize your aid! The FAFSA® form allows students to request federal grants, work-study, and loans, all in one application. It is also required for students to be considered for most scholarships. See below for more information and tips to complete the FAFSA.
- CSS Profile - Do you need to complete this financial aid form too? Some schools require it -- check your school's financial aid websites. See below for resources.
- Update Naviance Student!
Is your list of schools in "Colleges I'm Applying to" up to date?
Are your application deadlines correct?
Have you checked which application type you will be using? Common App, ApplyTexas, or the institution's own application.
- College Applications - The Early Action November 1 or November 15 deadline is fast approaching! If you can not submit your application by the college's early deadline then you can submit by the regular deadline --usually in Jan or Feb. Check Naviance for future deadlines.
- Applications to Texas A&M and University of Texas, Austin - see below for special instructions!
- As college acceptances and scholarship offers roll in, be sure to let us know by completing a Senior Survey for each. See below for more information.
- Complete a NetPrice Calculator for each school on your list -- see below.
- Review the list of colleges visiting Nolan Catholic HERE.
- Thank your letter writers! Teachers and counselors have been working overtime the last few weeks writing your letters and completing academic forms.
- Scholarships - Check out the scholarships listed at the end of this newsletter!
COLLEGE APPLICATIONS
If You're Applying to Texas A&M or University of Texas, Austin! URGENT
- Application should be submitted as soon as possible!
- Complete a transcript request form - HERE
- See your counselor as soon as possible for help uploading needed documents!
After you submit you application....
- Complete a Transcript Request Form for each school you're applying to! This authorizes your Guidance Counselor to send your transcript.
- Have you completed the FERPA Release Form?
Naviance Student
Naviance Student is a great college search tool!
- Use the Find Your Fit or Research Colleges Tab to explore options that you might not have thought about!
- Update your "Colleges Applying to" List
- Use the Compare Me and Scattergrams Tool to determine your admissibility
- Common Applications must be linked to Naviance Student in order to allow transcripts and letters of recommendation to be sent. See instruction video below.
COLLEGE NEWS
- Seattle University is offering an application fee waiver to all students attending Catholic high schools. To access the fee waiver on the Common Application, students can select the school-specific waiver option “I attend a Jesuit/Catholic High School” under the “General” section of the Seattle University Questions page.
- TCU Honors College Discussion - HERE
- What happens after you submit your college application? What does holistic review mean? Who makes admissions decisions and what factors do they weight the most? HERE
- How important are extracurriculars? HERE
FINANCIAL AID
Financial Aid 101 courtesy of the University of Notre Dame
Understanding Financial Aid
You know of our reputation for academic excellence. We also want you to know that we are committed to need-blind admission and to meeting 100 percent of financial need.
Wondering what these statements really mean? In this issue of Financial Aid 101, we'll start by defining a few financial aid terms. Click to learn more.
Estimate Your Cost - HERE
Apply for Financial Aid - FAFSA
Take these steps to apply for federal student aid.
- Student and one parent each need to create an FSA ID - HERE
- Get Prepared - Gather the documents you’ll need.
- Complete FAFSA® Form - Apply early to maximize your aid.
- Review Student Aid Report - Make corrections, if necessary.
- Respond to Aid Offer- Accept the aid you want.
- Receive Aid - Get your aid from your school.
- Renew Your FAFSA® Form - Reapply each year.
When filling out the FAFSA remember to...
- Student - Create an FSA ID - HERE. FSA ID's are needed in order to sign and submit your FAFSA.
- Parent - One parent must also create an FSA ID (separate from your student's) - HERE
- Use 2020 Federal Tax Return data!
- Use the IRS Retrieval Tool if you are eligible - see below for more info!
- Complete the FAFSA for the 2022-2023 school year.
- Add all the colleges to which you're applying! If you add colleges to your list after you have completed the FAFSA -- just edit it and add!
- Use your legal name!
FAFSA and the IRS Retrieval Tool - Should you use this?
YES! You can save time and effort if you qualify to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool. It will
transfer your income tax data directly from the IRS to your online FAFSA.
You and your parents may be eligible to use this tool if:
- Your family income tax returns were filed electronically at least two weeks before you complete the FAFSA.
- Your family income tax returns were mailed to the IRS at least eight weeks before you complete the FAFSA.
If you are eligible to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool and choose to do so, you’ll be transferred
from the online FAFSA to the IRS website, which will guide you through the transfer of your tax information. When you’re done, you’ll be sent back to your FAFSA.
If an applicant does not use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool and the applicant's FAFSA is selected
for verification, the applicant will be required to complete IRS Form 4506-T, Request for
Transcript of Tax Return, during verification. ... It is no longer sufficient to provide a photocopy
of the federal income tax return.
MORE INFO HERE
Net Price Calculators - 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 a college or university’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. Scholarships and grants are
forms of financial aid that a student does not have to pay back.
Complete a NETPRICE CALCULATOR for each school on your list! Students and parents will
need to work together to provide the required information.
Senior Survey - College Acceptance and Scholarship Awards!
Each year Nolan Catholic celebrates the college acceptances and awards received by our senior class. These accomplishments are recognized throughout the year and during graduation. Nolan Catholic is not informed directly when you are accepted into a school and/or receive an award, so we need your help.
As you are accepted into schools and/or receive notification of awards/scholarships, please update us using the link below. We ask that you submit 1 survey response per college acceptance or recognition. We’re excited to share your achievements!
COLLEGE EVENTS
College Visits at Nolan Catholic - October 2021
See the link below for a complete list of colleges!
To register for a college visit follow these steps:
Log into your Naviance Student account (please send me an email if you do not remember your login information and I will send you an email with a temporary password and instructions to reset your password.)
On the homepage in the What’s New box (bottom right corner) you will see a list of college visits.
Click on more info associated with the college of your choice
Click on Register (the green box at the top of the page)
Print your registration page and show it to your teacher when asking for permission to attend
You must register no later than 24 hours prior to the college visit. Check in the Guidance Office the day of the visit for location.
Contact Nanette Martin in the Guidance Office at nmartin@nchstx.org if you need help registering for the college visit.
The College Tour
INTERNSHIPS
Scholarships Awarded by a College or University
Check the Financial Aid and Scholarship webpages of each college you're applying to! Are there any additional applications needed (besides the admissions application)? Are there any scholarships that fit your profile and need an additional application?
Complete a Net Price Calculator for every college on your list! Net Price Calculator's, available on every college's website, are an easy tool to use to estimate how much each college might give you in scholarship money!
- College for All Texans, Bordering States Waiver - HERE
- Oklahoma State University Out of State Scholarships
- University of Texas at Dallas - The Eugene McDermott Scholars Program
- Dayton University - Leadership in Service Scholarship
- Seattle University - Sullivan Leadership Award
- Boston University - Trustee Scholarship and Presidential Scholarship - Due Dec 1
- Catholic College Information Scholarship
- Heisman High School Scholarship - Due Oct 19
- Around the Corner from College Scholarship - Due Dec 31 and June 30
- Immerse Education Essay Competition - Win a full scholarship to the Immerse Summer School in Oxford, Cambridge, London or Online! - Due Jan 5th
Scholarship search engines