HRHS Senior Newsletter
December 2018
Happy Holidays!
Two-Year College Process
Decision Days
- Holyoke Community College - Dec. 11th
- Springfield Technical Community College - Dec. 13th
- Greenfield Community College - Dec. 18th
Please sign up ASAP in the guidance office if you haven't already done so. You are required to submit an online application to the college before decision day.
If attending community college is your back up plan, you should sign up for the Decision Day.
HCC Placement Test Info
Tuesday, April 23rd - Students will tour HCC and register for classes. There is an option to re-take the placement test during this event.
STCC Field Trip and Placement Test
Financial Aid
FAFSA Challenges?
All students attending college should fill out the FAFSA. Click here to visit the official FAFSA website and begin your application.
Many students have reported difficulties with the FAFSA website logging out in the middle of a session. If you are having this issue, do not use the "return" key after entering information in each box. Instead use the mouse to click on the the next box to enter your information.
Financial Aid Workshop for Seniors
Dec. 6th - Advisory & Period 5
This workshop is for two and four-year college students. Students will learn:
- How to read a financial aid package
- How to calculate the amount you will pay each month after you graduate from college
- Types of loans and grants
- How to apply for financial aid
If you would like to attend this workshop, sign up in the guidance office.
CSS Profile
Click here to see if your college requires a CSS Profile.
Click here to start your CSS Profile application.
College-Specific Applications & Deadlines
Four-Year College Process
Steps to Complete When Applying to College
Important Note: If you are submitting applications before the college deadline designated on Naviance, you must notify Ms. Scully in person or via email. Otherwise she will not send your transcript and letters of recommendation until the deadline on Naviance.
The College Application Process Checklist is attached. Hard copies are available in the guidance office.
Tuition Reduction for Out of State Colleges
New England Regional Student Program - Tuition Break
New England Regional Student Program (RSP), also known as Tuition Break, is a program for students who find that their intended major is not offered by the University of Massachusetts campuses, Massachusetts state universities or the community colleges.
The RSP provides a tuition break to Massachusetts’ residents, who are enrolled in approved degree programs at public colleges and universities in the five other New England states. There are over 250 majors that are covered under this program. Click here for more information and the listing of available majors.
Other Tuition Benefits for Mass Residents
Castleton University in Vermont offers in-state tuition to all Hampshire County residents, regardless of major. Visit their website for more information.
The University of Maine - Orono offers in-state tuition to Massachusetts residents with a 3.0 GPA and a minimum of 1120 on the SAT. Students must apply by March 15th.
Scholarship Information
Searching for Scholarships
You can search for scholarships through Naviance. Log on to your account and click on the "Colleges" tab. Click on "Scholarships and Money" at the bottom of the menu. This will open four options:
- Scholarship Match and Scholarship List - These links produce the same list of all of the scholarships that are advertised to our guidance office. Many are local scholarships but some are state/national scholarships.
- Scholarship Applications - At this point there is nothing on this page. In the Spring, the HRHS Scholarship application will be posted here. More information to follow.
- National Scholarship Search - This will take you to the Sallie Mae Foundation's national scholarship data base. You can use this tool to search thousands of scholarships nationwide.
Other Online Scholarship Databases
In addition to Naviance, we recommend these on-line search tools for finding scholarships:
Massachusetts AFL-CIO Scholarships
The Massachusetts AFL-CIO will be awarding over one million dollars in scholarships to graduating seniors from Massachusetts. There are two scholarship programs open to students with union affiliation and one open to all students.
In order to qualify for a scholarship, students must take a labor history exam consisting of 30 multiple-choice questions and an essay. The exam will be given at HRHS on Wednesday, February 6th. An on-line study guide will be available on Monday, December 17th.
If you are interested, you must register to take the exam. The deadline is Friday, December 14th.
Click here for more information and to register for the exam.
Announcements
Attention Male Seniors
Federal law requires that men, who are at least 18 years old, but not yet 26 years old, must be registered with Selective Service. Selective Service registration allows the United States Government to maintain a list of names of men who may be called into military service in case of a national emergency requiring rapid expansion of the U.S. Armed Forces. By registering all young men, the Selective Service can ensure that any future draft will be fair and equitable. To register online, go to www.sss.gov.
Failure to register could cost you federal financial aid.
Have you been accepted to college?
Please come to guidance and let us know where you have been accepted. The book of college acceptances is located on Ms. Jablonski’s desk in the guidance office.
Career Spotlight
California wildfires got you thinking? Learn about careers in Disaster Relief.
People who work in disaster relief have a variety of jobs, but they all have a common mission: ensuring that when disaster strikes, help follows. Some workers have full-time positions with a primary focus on disasters. These individuals might work for national relief organizations, like the American Red Cross, government agencies, like FEMA, or local non-profits.
Some workers have relief-related training or specialized skills but work full time in another job and are on call to help when disasters occur. These workers might be nurses and medical personnel, social workers and mental health counselors, or construction and waste removal specialists. Many other people volunteer or work in temporary jobs that last only until recovery efforts are complete.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment growth in relief services occupations will be faster than the average for all occupations from 2016 to 2026. People who work in this industry say that it is a high stress job, but it is also extremely rewarding.
The chart below lists some possible jobs in disaster relief along with required education and average salary. For more information, check out the BLS article on Careers in Disaster Relief.