Seniors

Apply online on the college’s website (or the Common Application if applicable) to 3-5 schools, preferably.

Send your transcript to colleges by creating a free account with Parchment. 

Directions for creating an account with Parchment are at above link.

Many college planning resources can be found in the Junior Handbook, given to you last year.  This is also on our website. It can be accessed in the Schoology group Class of 2024 under the Resources tab as well.

Information for Juniors

Timeline

Applications will be completed online either via the college website or through the Common Application. Refer to the college website for information on specific admissions deadlines. 

Terms to know:

• Early Action – nonbinding, students receive an admissions decision early but do
  not have to commit until the May 1 deadline
• Early Decision – binding, students who apply early decision must attend this
  college if they get in
• Rolling Admissions – college will review your application on an ongoing basis

Transcripts

Official transcripts must be sent to each college you are applying to via Parchment. The
instructions for creating a student (not parent) Parchment account are below:

Transcripts Instructions

Letters of Recommendation

Check to see if any of your applications will require a counselor or teacher letter of recommendation early. Talk to your counselor or teacher about the letter of recommendation at least two weeks prior to the due date so that they have ample time to write the letter.

Test Scores

Applications requiring test scores will want the scores sent directly from ACT or SAT. To have those sent you can include the 4 schools you would like the scores sent to when you register for the SAT or ACT, or you can log in to your College Board account to send them later. If you wait until later to send the scores, there is a fee to send them.

After the COVID – 19 pandemic, many schools have given students the ability to apply test optional. If you do not want your test scores sent or included on your transcript, you need to let your counselor know BEFORE requesting or sending any transcripts.

All juniors will take the SAT test in school the week after Spring Break and do not need to register for that test date. If your student would like to take the test again on another date, they will need to register to take that test.

SAT Test Dates - TBD

ACT Test Dates - TBD

The most important form to complete is the FAFSA, historically between October 1 and March 1, but FAFSA is undergoing changes and won’t be available until December.

1. Obtain a FAFSA ID by following this link: FAFSA Student Aid Create An Account
   • What You'll Need
     • Your Social Security number (if applicable)
     • Your own email address (do not use your school email or parent's email).
   • Choose Get Started.  Follow the instructions to create your FSA ID now.
2. Complete the FAFSA online at FAFSA Student Aid website.
3. Attend the Financial Aid Night here in the RHS auditorium in the Fall of 2025. Date and Time TBD.

There are many different resources for students when it comes to covering college costs. The government as well as many private organizations and colleges offer assistance when it comes to post-secondary schooling. Scholarships may be given for an array of things, a few examples of these being students with strong academic and athletic skills, specific ethnic backgrounds, and students of parents working for a certain company. The links below contain resources to help future college students get started on their road to success.

Begin your Search Scholarships 101 General ListScholarship Application

Right about now in the school year, you are applying to colleges and making decisions about
where to attend school next fall. Are you wondering what financial assistance might be out
there? Here’s some helpful information to get you started with the scholarship search.

1. Have you completed the FAFSA form yet? While many families may not qualify for federal or
   state aid, it’s a free form, so why not fill it out? It can also help to make you eligible for the
   federal work study program on campus, which is a way to ensure a guaranteed job on campus.
   Money earned can go straight to the financial aid office, too, to be used toward tuition. See
   FAFSA Student Aid website.
2. The Michigan Achievement Scholarship is for graduates in the class of 2023 and after. File the
   annual FAFSA by the state deadline and demonstrate financial need with a FAFSA EFC of 25,000
   or less to qualify.
   • Up to $2,000 if they attend a career training program in Michigan, per year, up to two years
   • Up to $2,750 if they attend a Michigan community college, per year, up to three years
   • Up to $4,000 if they attend a Michigan private college or university, per year, up to five years
   • Up to $5,500 if they attend a Michigan public university or are enrolled in a baccalaureate
     degree program at a Michigan community college, per year, up to five years
3. Additionally, most colleges have merit awards. These are scholarships for which students are
   automatically eligible just based on applying before the college’s set deadline. They typically are
   based on a combination of grade point average and test scores. Colleges will notify students
   directly if they are eligible for these. The Woodbridge N. Ferris Scholarship at FSU is an example
   of this. Applying to an Honors College within a university can sometimes make your student eligible for more money, too.
4. Often overlooked are departmental awards or private scholarships from colleges. These will
   have separate applications and, likely, different deadlines. For Example see The Robert and Ellen Thompson Scholarship.
5. Scholarship databases are another great way to search for scholarships. Websites like
   fastweb.com ask you to complete a questionnaire about yourself. Once completed, you’ll be
   given a list of scholarships for which you qualify. There are too many scholarship databases to
   count. Our advice is to choose one and cross reference your results with a second database.
   Some results may be the same. 
6. RHS has a list that is available on our website. This list changes periodically throughout the
   year. Keep checking it. Once a new list is published, it also gets sent to parents and seniors via
   Family Access.
7. The Rockford Scholarship Application will be available on our website in December. Once a
   Rockford senior completes this application, the student could potentially be eligible for nearly
   twenty different local scholarships. The only eligible students would be RHS seniors. On
   average, there are about 100 applicants per year. Winners of awards from the RHS Scholarship
   Application will be recognized and honored at the Honors Convocation in May. We do our best
   to have as many of our students recognized that evening as possible.
8. Lastly, one great place to look is the Grand Rapids Community Foundation. The website is
   Grand Rapids Community Foundation Scholarships. There are so many awards offered from
   this wonderful organization. I hope this information helps to give you a start in the right
   direction. Good luck as you prepare for next fall, wherever your student is heading.

Good luck with the scholarship process this school year! Let us know if you have any questions

- RHS Counselors

1. General scholarship list: sent every few weeks to seniors through Schoology.  Check your account for the most updated list.  This contains regional, national, and college specific awards as well as numerous scholarship databases.
2. Common Scholarship Application: This application includes approximately 20 RHS specific awards.  It will be available on our website in January.

Students planning to participate in athletics at the college level must register and have their transcript and test scores sent to NCAA and/or NAIA Eligibility Centers via Parchment.  Most importantly, notify your counselor and request that your transcript be uploaded by the counseling office staff directly to the NCAA portal.

Seniors have until May 1 to determine which college they will attend.  Pay attention to important details regarding housing applications, fees, etc. in order to secure your registration. Senior Survey and Final Transcript:  Complete your Senior Survey in the spring; this includes your final college decision and any scholarship awards received.  Request your final transcript for the college you will attend through Parchment.