TJHSST College and Career Center Newsletter
Fall 2020 Edition
October Connections
It's been a great first month of school as we learn to connect and engage in our new virtual world. Students have been reaching out, asking questions, attending virtual college visits, and navigating their resources. Every Tuesday and Thursday during lunch students can join the College and Career Center Question&Answer sessions. Students can contact Ms. Wolf for the GoogleMeet join code.
CLASS OF 2021 REMINDERS
Transcripts
The college application season is well underway for the Class of 2021! Students, your next Transcript Request Deadline for early November application deadlines is this Friday, October 9. Information and links to the request forms can be found in the TJHSST 2021 Google Classroom and in Naviance Student Document Resources. Contact Ms. Cox in the Transcript Office if you have questions.
Students, please remember to invite your counselor as a recommender on the Common Application so they can upload your transcript packet. Invite them today so the materials can arrive on time!
Financial Aid
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form is now open and available for students and their families to complete. .
For many colleges to which TJHSST students apply, the CSS Profile from the College Board will also be required to determine eligibility for institutional financial aid.
College Access Fairfax is holding virtual workshops to guide you through both these forms and processes. Registration is required so they have enough staff at the workshop particularly if you are attending a FAFSA completion event where you can get individual help in completing the form. Spanish and Korean translation is offered at some workshops.
Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC) also offer financial aid workshops that are free to the public. Visit their Financial Aid Tutorial website here: NVCC Financial Aid
COLLEGE VISITS TO THE CCC
Junior and Senior students must sign up to attend these visits in Naviance Student where the full list of visits is updated daily. If the visit occurs during an 8th Period block, students must also register for the visit in Ion, the student intranet. These visits are for students only. Our upcoming roster of visits include:
Top tip from college representative visits this week: When writing the "Why this college?" supplemental essay about a college/university, make sure you cannot substitute the name of that particular college/university with another. If you can, then your "Why?" essay is not specific enough and that college may not be your best fit. Colleges want to know what you bring to their campus and that you've researched the programs and activities that interest you.
COLLEGE VIRTUAL VISITS AND COLLEGE FAIRS
National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) Virtual College Fairs
Monday, October 12 | Sunday, October 18 | Sunday, November 8
The next NACAC Virtual College Fairs are happening soon! Register at the links below:
On each fair date, more than 600 colleges and universities will offer Zoom* sessions and meetings. Students can listen to presentations and ask questions.
2020 FCPS Virtual College Week
This year, FCPS will host a Virtual College Week from Monday, October 19 to Friday, October 23, 2020. This event will feature two live virtual sessions each evening starting at 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. During these sessions, FCPS students and families will be provided an opportunity to meet virtually with subject-matter experts and ask questions about college admissions, standardized testing, financial aid, and postsecondary planning. Students and their families must register here to attend any of the sessions. Visit the FCPS Virtual College Week web page for more details.
Campus Connection Day at Virginia Tech | African-American, Latinx and First-Generation student experiences at Virginia Tech | Register by October 10, 2020
ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES
The FCPS updated list can be found in Naviance Student. Below are some recent updates:
Intro to Quantum Computing Course
Open House at Agricultural Technology at Virginia Tech
Virginia Space Grant Consortium (VSGC) provides the following FREE STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) opportunities for Virginia high school students in grades 10 through 12.
10TH GRADE | Virginia Space Coast Scholars (VSCS)
11TH AND 12TH GRADE | Virginia Aerospace Science and Technology Scholars (VASTS) | Virginia Earth System Science Scholars (VESSS)
SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
The FCPS updated list can be found in Naviance Student. Below are some recent updates:
Dell Scholars Program | deadline December 1, 2020
OppU Achievers Scholarship | deadline December 31, 2020
Automotive Women’s Alliance Foundation Scholarship | deadline January 9, 2021
Scholarship Search Sites:
College Board Opportunity Scholarships
RaiseMe | Earn money for college starting in 9th grade based on achievements in school and life.
PARENT/GUARDIAN WORKSHOPS
Other news for Parents:
Free and Reduced-Price Meals
If you submitted an application for Free or Reduced-Price Meals last school year for your student(s), please remember to submit a new application for this school year. The current eligibility status will expire on October 20, 2020. Apply for free and reduced-price meals by visiting www.MySchoolApps.com. Eligibility may also provide your student(s) other important benefits. Be sure your students are approved for the 20-21 school year.
The online application is available in the following languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, Tagalog, French, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Korean. Paper applications are available to complete and submit in English upon request at FCPS food distribution sites.
Questions? Reach out to Student Services.
The information provided is for your information and review. Scholarships and enrichment programs offered by organizations other than FCPS are neither sponsored nor endorsed by FCPS, the Fairfax County School Board, the Superintendent or TJHSST. Students and parents should carefully review all application requirements. Parents/Guardians need to confirm the details, accuracy and relevance of any program chosen for their student. This document contains links to one or more web pages that are outside the FCPS network. Neither FCPS nor TJHSST controls the content or relevancy of these outside pages.
*Zoom-External opportunities may utilize an online technology, or video and web conferencing tool that has not been assessed or approved for use in FCPS by the FCPS Department of Information Technology. Students should gain permission from their parent/guardian before engaging in any non-FCPS enrichment opportunity. Families should review and agree to the Terms of Service and User Agreements for any technology platform used to facilitate these opportunities.