A Publication of the Counseling Department at Monson High School Just for Seniors
WHAT SHOULD COLLEGE BOUND STUDENTS BE DOING IN JANUARY?
1. Fill Out & Submit Your FAFSA
https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa - Use the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form to apply for financial aid for college
Additional information & resources can be found at the following websites:
https://www.mefa.org/ - The Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority has valuable resources and tools to help you prepare for the future and navigate the college planning process.
http://www.salliemae.com - The home page for the Student Loan Marketing Association
http://studentaid.ed.gov - Detailed information about completing the FAFSA
http://www.finaid.org - A comprehensive site with hundreds of links providing info and advice on financial aid
https://student.collegeboard.org/css-financial-aid-profile - Electronic version of the CSS/Financial Aid Profile
https://www.fastweb.com/content/fafsa - FAFSA: Financial Aid Resources & Common Questions
2. Send Your First Semester Transcripts to Colleges You’ve Applied To
The first semester ends Friday, January 20th. Please see or email Mrs. Sorel in the Counseling Office to have your 1st semester grades sent to colleges & universities the week of January 30th.
3. Focus on Your Second Semester Classes
The second semester begins Monday, January 23rd. Please see Mrs. Sorel if you have any questions or concerns about your second semester schedule.
4. Search for and Apply for Scholarships
The Counseling Department produces a monthly list of available scholarships in The Senior Scoop which comes out around the first of the month. Stay Tuned for the 2023 Common Scholarship application, posted in March.
5. Additional information & resources can be found at the following websites:
http://www.fastweb.com - Financial aid information and scholarship search engine
http://www.meritaid.com - Directory of merit scholarships from colleges
http://www.college-scholarships.com - Provides information on colleges, test preparation and free scholarship and financial aid searches
6. Avoid Senioritis
You may have heard about Senioritis and laughed it off – but it’s the real deal. It causes a lack of motivation, general laziness and lethargy. The cold, gray weather, lack of outdoor activities and stress of finals are also important contributing factors.
SEMESTER 1
Midterm/Final EXAM SCHEDULE
JANUARY SCHOLARSHIPS
Big Y Scholarship for Academic Excellence November 1-February 1, 2023
The $500-$2,000 Big Y scholarship is available to students who have their permanent residence in western or central Massachusetts, Norfolk County, MA, or the state of Connecticut. Applicants must be planning to attend an accredited college or university. Selection is based upon transcript of grades, College Board scores if applicable, letters of recommendation, and personal resume. Please visit: https://www.bigy.com/Community/Scholarships for more information and to submit your application.
SuperCollege Scholarship Monthly
Applicants must be high school students, college undergraduates, graduate students, or adult students residing in the U.S. and attending or planning to attend any accredited college or university within the next 12 months. Amount: $1,000. For more information and to apply: www.supercollege.com/scholarship/
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation January 5, 2023
The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute awards more than $1 million in college scholarships to exceptional student leaders each year. High school seniors nationwide who demonstrate leadership, drive, integrity, citizenship, and who demonstrate strong academic performance (minimum 3.0 GPA/4.0 scale or equivalent) are invited to apply for the 2021 GE-Reagan Foundation Scholarship Program. Please visit: https://learnmore.scholarsapply.org/ge-reagan/ for more information and to submit your application.
Liv Mas Scholarship January 11, 2023
Scholarship is open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia, between 16 and 24 years of age, who are on track to apply for accredited post-high school/post-secondary educational programs or is currently enrolled in college. Applicant must submit a video (two minutes or less) that tells the story of their life’s passion. For more information and to apply, click here: https://www.tacobellfoundation.org/live-mas-scholarship/#home
The Massachusetts JCI Senate Scholarship January 13, 2023
The Massachusetts JCI Senate will award two (2) $1,000.00 scholarships to graduating students in Massachusetts. The State winners will be forwarded to the National JCI Senate and will be eligible for additional $1,000.00 scholarships. To obtain an application please visit http://majcisenate.weebly.com.
Henry David Thoreau Scholarship February 1, 2023
The Henry David Thoreau Foundation selects Massachusetts’ high school seniors interested in environmental studies to receive up to $20,000 for tuition to the college of their choice. Please visit: www.thoreauscholar.org for more information and to submit your application.
Walter S. Barr Scholarship March 15, 2023
Each year, the Walter S. Barr Scholarships are awarded to residents of Hampden County who attend any of the region's public or private secondary schools. These high school senior scholarship awards are determined using available information including school records, college entrance examination scores, general attainments, recommendations and financial need. The awards continue through the four-year course if justified by the student's record and need. For more information and to apply, please visit: https://www.horacesmithfund.org/applicants/for-high-school-seniors/
Pureland Supply Vocational and Skilled Trade Scholarship May 1, 2023
The $500.00 Pureland Supply Scholarship is available to students who have been accepted to an accredited trade school, vocational college, technical school or community college for the study of trade, craft, or labor occupations. Recipients are chosen based on their ability to describe how their chosen trade or field plays an important role in today’s world and why this is the path they have chosen. Please visit: www.purelandsupply.com/t-scholarship.aspx
Questions About Financial Aid?
The trusted experts at MEFA are hosting FREE college financing webinars. Webinars will occur during both daytime and evening hours, and feature industry experts, both from within MEFA and from colleges and organizations across Massachusetts. To register for a webinar, please visit: https://www.mefa.org/events/category/college-financing
For questions, please contact your Counselor:
Mrs. Kristen Sorel
sorelk@monsonschools.com
To download and print the January Senior Scoop, click here: