Winter Break TO DO LIST!

Be sure to check items off the following list over your Winter Break!

• Log in to your college email and Student Hub AT LEAST twice a week! If you have any questions, text me!
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• If you haven't applied to all of the colleges you are interested in, JUST DO IT! 
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• Check your Student Aid Report by logging in with your FSAID credentials as fafsa.ed.gov Let me know how much $$$$ you'll receive for your Pell Grant! 
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• Apply for SO MANY scholarships. The more you do now, the better. Click here for essay tips! 
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• Apply for your INSTITUTIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS! These are the ones that your colleges offer ONLY to students at that school. 
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• HAVE FUN!
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• REST! 
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• Get excited for THE LAST SEMESTER of HIGH SCHOOL! 

Scholarship Essays!

You guys! If you haven't started (and maybe even finished) your scholarship application essays...

IT IS TIME! 

I know it can be hard to write about yourself and share your thoughts, feelings and experiences with total strangers. But it can be the MOST POWERFUL part of your application. Sure, grades and test scores matter but most colleges want to get to know YOU as a person with a story...not just the numbers and letters on your transcript! Your essay really is an opportunity for the people in admissions to learn more about WHY they should admit YOU to their college. 

Carve out some time over Winter Break to work on essays! 

TAKE A CHANCE! 

Be yourself! Make sure your essay 'sounds' like you. Just like you want people to be REAL with you, being REAL in your essay makes a difference! 

Start NOW! Select one of your essay topics. Set your timer for 30 minutes and just brainstorm. Write/type EVERYTHING that comes to mind...even if it's takis! I mean, try to stay focused on the topic and write any and everything that comes to mind. You may come across an idea or direction you weren't expecting BUT that will make an awesome essay! And remember, no one has to EVER see your brainstorming document. 

Check out the links below for some great tips on writing your BEST college essay! There are some video clips too. 

https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/get-in/essays/8-tips-for-crafting-your-best-college-essay

https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/get-in/essays/tips-for-writing-an-effective-application-essay-college-admissions

Colorado Opportunity Fund: COF

Have you applied for COF? 

You'll SAVE $85/credit hour on your tuition at some of Colorado's public universities and community colleges! The state of Colorado will pay a 'stipend' towards your tuition and this will reduce your total tuition bill. This could be almost $1,300 PER SEMESTER! The application only takes a few minutes. 

If you are an ASSET and/or DACA student, apply now HERE! 

APPLY NOW HERE! You'll need your Social Security # to complete the application. 

COF can be used at the schools listed below:

Four Year Public Colleges:

• Adams State University
• Colorado School of Mines
• Colorado State University
• Colorado State University-Pueblo
• Fort Lewis College
• Colorado Mesa University
• Metropolitan State University of Denver
• University of Colorado Boulder
• University of Colorado Colorado Springs
• University of Colorado Denver
• University of Northern Colorado
• Western State Colorado University

Two Year Public Colleges:

• Arapahoe Community College
• Colorado Northwestern Community College
• Community College of Aurora
• Community College of Denver
• Front Range Community College
• Lamar Community College
• Morgan Community College
• Northeastern Junior College
• Otero Junior College
• Pikes Peak Community College
• Pueblo Community College
• Red Rocks Community College
• Trinidad State Junior College

Private Colleges:

• Colorado Christian University ($43/hour)
• Regis University ($43/hour)
• University of Denver ($43/hour)

Institutional Scholarship Links!

See below for links to scholarships from YESS' most attended colleges! 

Colorado State University

Community College of Denver 

Arapahoe Community College 

Metropolitan State University of Denver 

University of Colorado- Denver 

University of Colorado at Colorado Springs 

University of Northern Colorado

CU Boulder- DUE FEBRUARY 15TH

Remember to apply for scholarships at your Top 2 or 3 colleges!!!! This way, you'll receive a few options for Financial Aid Awards...you never know which school will offer you the best award! You have to have been admitted to the school and set up your portal/email with the college to complete the scholarship applications. Most of schools have a March 1 Deadline for institutional scholarships. Be sure to check and plan accordingly. To Sign In to most of the schools above, you'll have to activate your account with the school. Search your personal email for information from each school on how to log in! Make sure you are keeping track of usernames and passwords! 

Let me know if you have any questions. 

I've been accepted! Now what do I do?!

YESS HS Class of 2019! 

You all are doing a PHENOMENAL JOB submitting college and scholarship applications. The ACCEPTANCE Letters are rolling in, too! Your hard work is paying off BIG!

So, you've been admitted to some of your colleges. NOW WHAT?! 

Read your acceptance letter/ email VERY CAREFULLY. 

Follow the directions provided to set up your PORTAL/HUB and email for EVERY SCHOOL. 

Review the information in the portal.  Look for TO DO LISTs and RED FLAGS

If your college's scholarship applications are open for application, GET STARTED TODAY! 

ASK QUESTIONS! If you aren't sure what something means, take a screen shot and send it to your Navigator! 

Be sure to check your college email(s) frequently. Many of your schools will ONLY communicate with you via the college email from this point forward. 

<<<Figure out when your institutional scholarships OPEN for APPLICATION>>>

FAFSA Verification!

FAFSA Verification! 

How do I know if I've been selected? What does it mean?

 What do I do now?! 

Many of you have submitted your FAFSA applications. Well done! You should have received an email confirming the submission. Then, 3-5 business days later, you should have received another email. This is the BIG ONE! We're looking for the words PROCESSED SUCCESSFULLY.  This means the application had all of the needed info and signature pages have been received by FAFSA (if applicable). 

Follow the steps outlined in the email to view your STUDENT AID REPORT or SAR. This will involved logging in using your FSAID username and password. Then you'll select View or Print your Student Aid Report (SAR) from the “My FAFSA” page.

How do I know if I've been selected?
When reviewing your Student Aid Report (SAR), look for a * next to EFC (Estimated Family Contribution) in the box near the top of the SAR. This star means you've been selected for verification! It does NOT mean you've done anything wrong but it DOES mean we have some extra work to do!  

What does it mean?
For some reason, FAFSA selected you to provide some extra information. Sometimes this is totally random, other times it's because some info on your FAFSA is contradictory and/or values may have been estimated. Whatever the reason, we'll get it take care of ASAP! 

What do I do now?! 
We'll want to order Tax Return Transcripts (and Letters of Non Filing). We'll need your parent(s) and your 2017 Tax Returns again to get this done! You will also want to check your email/portal for every school you've been admitted to thus far. They'll have some requirements in order for your Financial Aid Award Package to be completed. Don't worry- we'll help you through this process! 

If you've been selected for Verification, please let your College Navigator (that's me or Angie!) know immediately so we can complete the necessary steps! 

I submitted my FAFSA! Now what?!

High five for completing your FAFSA! But that's just the beginning of your financial aid journey. Take a few minutes to watch the video below:

https://youtu.be/1c1gNefSw78?list=PL23B9A23CD8DD82DD

Keep an eye on emails from FAFSA. You'll receive one with a link to your SAR shortly after submitting your FAFSA application. You may want to search your inbox for FAFSA and/or SAR (student aid report) to be sure you haven't missed it! Some students didn't read the whole thing and never go to the link for the SAR! Your SAR will include the estimated amount of aid you'll receive aka your Pell Grant.

If you've already been admitted to any colleges, follow the steps provided in your admission paperwork/email to access your account for that school. Some of them may also create an institutional(college) email address for you. You'll want to check that regularly (at least once a week!) in case they send you information about financial aid and enrollment to that email address! Consider making a calendar reminder to check weekly.

Check out the info provided by FAFSA about Next Steps here. There's info about verification, your SAR, how to claim your award $, and some details about the loan process should you choose to accept a loan.

Always talk to a trusted adult or friend about financial aid decisions. Remember you'll get financial aid packages from all the schools for which you submitted an application. You'll want to compare these offers as you decide what school to attend! Don't commit to anything until you've considered your options from a financial perspective too!!!

LMK if you have ?s!

FAFSA and FSAID!

On Monday, October 1, many of you will be able to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid! You can start to prepare NOW! Check out the resources linked below for more info and instructions on how to create your FSAID. Make sure you save this information in a secure location. A parent or guardian will also need to create an FSAID in order for you to submit your FAFSA!

Here's the link for creating your FSAID. Follow the directions carefully. I'd recommend taking a screenshot of your Security Questions and Answers so that you never get locked out of your account. Remember, do NOT use your school email address! Your parent or guardian will also need to make an FSAID to sign your FAFSA application. Ideally, they need an email address to do this. We can always set one up for them if they don't have one! It is essential that your name, SSN, and date of birth are entered exactly as they appear on your Social Security card otherwise you will get an error. 
Let me know if you need help with either process or have any questions (especially about Social Security cards and numbers)!

Prepare NOW to complete your FAFSA as early as October 1st. Check out this 12th Grade Checklist to guide your preparation and keep you on track. If you are not in 12th grade, this page has links to other great resources for you.

If you are not eligible to complete the FAFSA, there are other sources of $$$ for college. Colleges have institutional scholarships as well as their own forms for determining financial aid. LMK if you need more info!

Senior Fall Checklist!

Hey Seniors! I know you have A LOT going on...SAT prep and testing, homecoming, sports, clubs, enjoying the last year of high school, work, AP/Honors classes, concurrent enrollment, etc, etc.

Don't forget your Post-Secondary Planning! Check out the checklist below to help guide your planning, application and access process. As always, let me know if you have ANY questions!

FALL OF SENIOR YEAR! 

• Finalize your College/Post-Secondary Program Application List! Be sure to include some schools that may be harder to get in to as well as at least one school to which you will for sure be admitted. This list can include colleges, apprenticeships, military and/or technical schools. These are all GREAT post-secondary options. 

APPLY TO SCHOLARSHIPS! 

• Prepare for and complete the FAFSA. Use the search tool in the blog to find LOTS of information regarding what documents you need, creating a FSAID and other info about the process. The application opens October 1!

APPLY TO SCHOLARSHIPS! 

• Stay focused on your grades and extracurricular activities. These remain important parts of your resume. Finish strong! 

APPLY TO SCHOLARSHIPS! 

• Keep track of deadlines! Consider using calendar reminders on your phone to alert you well ahead of deadlines (so you take time to work on applications) as well as the day applications are due. 

APPLY TO SCHOLARSHIPS! 

• Meet with your School Counselor. They will need to know what schools/programs you are applying to so they can send Transcripts, Score Reports, and other application items. Be sure to give them access to the required forms WELL in advance. Be sure to THANK them for their help. 

APPLY TO SCHOLARSHIPS! 

• Continue researching scholarships, add them to your College Research Spreadsheet, and complete these applications! 

APPLY TO SCHOLARSHIPS! 

• Ask for Letters of Recommendation NOW! Be sure you are giving your teachers, counselors, etc enough time to write you an AWESOME letter. If you wrote one for yourself last year, you an share it with them along with your resume to help them out! 

APPLY TO SCHOLARSHIPS! 

• Complete your College/Post-Secondary Program applications as soon as possible. Even if a school has a deadline in the spring, aim to complete your application by Thanksgiving Break. Put yourself at the TOP of the pile! 

APPLY TO SCHOLARSHIPS! 

• ASK for help! If you have questions, ASK them! It's ok to not know everything about the post-secondary process. It's a whole new world. If something doesn't make sense, ASK! This is a good habit to get into as you'll have LOTS of questions once you get to college. ASKING for help is part of being an adult, trust me! 

Ask NOW! Letters of Recommendation!

It's that time of year, Seniors! I hope you all are making use of a checklist like this one or this one!

Get in the habit of setting reminders on your phone or other calendar so that you don't miss any deadlines! 

I'm sure you are all ready for your FAFSA completion. So, let's talk about another important step!

Letters of Recommendation!

 Yes, you HAVE to ask a teacher or two, maybe a counselor as well to say nice things about you. Below are some helpful hints on how to ask, what to prepare for your teachers/counselors, and how to stand out!

How to Get a Great Letter of Recommendation

from: big future by College Board

Colleges often ask for two or three recommendation letters from people who know you well. These letters should be written by someone who can describe your skills, accomplishments and personality.

Colleges value recommendations because they:

• Reveal things about you that grades and test scores can’t
• Provide personal opinions of your character
• Show who is willing to speak on your behalf

Letters of recommendation work for you when they present you in the best possible light, showcasing your skills and abilities.

When to Ask for Recommendations

Make sure to give your references at least one month before your earliest deadline to complete and send your letters. The earlier you ask, the better. Many teachers like to write recommendations during the summer. If you apply under early decision or early action plans, you'll definitely need to ask for recommendations by the start of your senior year or before.

Remember that some teachers will be writing whole stacks of letters, which takes time. Your teachers will do a better job on your letter if they don’t have to rush.

Whom to Ask

It’s your job to find people to write letters of recommendation for you. Follow these steps to start the process:

• Read each of your college applications carefully. Schools often ask for letters of recommendation from an academic teacher — sometimes in a specific subject — or a school counselor or both.
• Ask a counselor, teachers and your family who they think would make good references.
• Choose one of your teachers from junior year or a current teacher who has known you for a while. Colleges want a current perspective on you, so a teacher from several years ago isn't the best choice.
• Consider asking a teacher who also knows you outside the classroom. For example, a teacher who directed you in a play or advised your debate club can make a great reference.
• Consider other adults — such as an employer, a coach or an adviser from an activity outside of school — who have a good understanding of you and your strengths.
• Perhaps most important, pick someone who will be enthusiastic about writing the letter for you.
• If you’re unsure about asking someone in particular, politely ask if he or she feels comfortable recommending you. That’s a good way to avoid weak letters.

How to Get the Best Recommendations

Some teachers write many recommendation letters each year. Even if they know you well, it’s a good idea to take some time to speak with them. Make it easy for them to give positive, detailed information about your achievements and your potential by refreshing their memory.

Here’s how:

• Talk to them about your class participation.
• Remind them of specific work or projects you’re proud of.
• Tell them what you learned in class.
• Mention any challenges you overcame.
• Give them the information they need to provide specific examples of your work.
• If you need a recommendation letter from a counselor or other school official, follow these guidelines:
• Make an appointment ahead of time.
• Talk about your accomplishments, hobbies and plans for college and the future.
• If you need to discuss part of your transcript — low grades during your sophomore year, for example — do so. Explain why you had difficulty and discuss how you've changed and improved since then.

Whether approaching teachers, a counselor or another reference, you may want to provide them with a resume that briefly outlines your activities, both in and outside the classroom, and your goals.

Final Tips

The following advice is easy to follow and can really pay off:

• Waive your right to view recommendation letters on your application forms. Admission officers will trust them more if you haven’t seen them.
• Give your references addressed and stamped envelopes for each college that requested a recommendation.
• Make sure your references know the deadlines for each college.
• Follow up with your references a week or so before recommendations are due to make sure your letters have been sent.
• Once you’ve decided which college to attend, write thank-you notes. Tell your references where you’re going and let them know how much you appreciate their support.

Class of 2019! Major $cholar$hip$!

Check out the following links for information about some major scholarships with EARLY deadlines. Let me know which one's you'll pursue. Share your essays for review with yess.emily@gmail.com

As always, let me know if you have ANY questions!

Greenhouse Scholars: https://greenhousescholars.org/our-scholars/become-a-scholar/

QuestBridge:

https://www.questbridge.org/high-school-students/national-college-match/who-should-apply

Rose Scholars: https://rosescholars.com

Gates Foundation: https://www.thegatesscholarship.org/scholarship

Cameron Impact Scholarship: https://www.bryancameroneducationfoundation.org/cameron-impact-scholarship/selection-criteria-eligibility

Daniels Fund: http://www.danielsfund.org/scholarships/

Dell Scholarship(For AVID or GEAR UP students): https://www.dellscholars.org/scholarship/#

Coca Cola Scholars: https://www.coca-colascholarsfoundation.org/apply/

Horatio Alger Scholarships: https://scholars.horatioalger.org/scholarships/about-our-scholarship-programs/

Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship:

https://www.jkcf.org/our-scholarships/college-scholarship-program/how-to-apply/

HAPPY FIRST DAY OF COLLEGE!

Congratulations to those of you beginning your college journey today! Remember many of the students around you are also experiencing their first day. Introduce yourself, make a new connection, help each other out and ask questions! It's likely that you are NOT the only one wondering where this building is or that classroom is or what some abbreviation means on the syllabus. 

Have fun out there! 

And as always, let me know if I can help you in any way. 

5 Tips to Start College on the Right Foot by Adam Weinberg, President of Denison University

YESS HS Class of 2018! Check out these words of wisdom as you start your college adventure!

5 Tips to Start College on the Right Foot  Adam Weinberg, President of Denison University

Dear Class of 2022:

Welcome to college. The next chapter of your education story will be very different from all those that came before. College will present you with a rich and expansive range of opportunities. The next few weeks and months will be full of firsts – some intriguing, some a bit daunting, and almost all exciting. As you start your college experience, I want to offer some advice from a college president.

Let me begin with an observation — college experiences vary tremendously. Even for students who pursue the same course of study, college is never a one-size-fits-all proposition. The particular combination of classes and co-curricular activities you choose, along with the residential and social choices you make, will create a unique experience that, if properly prepared, will nourish and sustain you in college and throughout the rest of your life.

The key to an outstanding college education is understanding that you are in control. You will ultimately determine both the shape and the quality of your experience. Focus on a few crucial areas, and you can dramatically increase the odds of leading a meaningful and successful life. College plays a large role in making that happen. There are some simple things you can do in college to enrich your educational experience and help you to become an effective architect of your own life.

I would offer just five pieces of advice:

1. Take control of your education.

College is not a spectator sport. To get everything you can from your education, you need to engage actively and participate fully in every aspect of the experience. This begins with your academic choices. Don’t just glide through your classes. Devour them. Savor them. Academics are the core of your experience. Go to every class. Do all the assignments. Show up prepared to listen and to participate. Treat every class for what it is — a unique opportunity to learn. Some classes will make this easy. They will grab you from day one and you will be inspired by every lecture and assignment. In others you will find it more difficult to engage; you will have to work harder to find their relevance and maintain your focus. But even the classes that don’t readily motivate you are of great value and offer opportunities to develop important life skills — including the ability to find meaning in and learn from any experience.

Don’t worry too much about which subjects you are studying. Take the first year (or more) to explore a range of classes and figure out what you enjoy. No doubt you will enter college with a set of academic interests and disciplines you hope to pursue. Be open and use college to examine and test out your interests. What you study is not actually a good predictor of success. However, being academically engaged and doing well is connected to achieving success in all aspects of your life. You will have plenty of time to focus as you move along in your college career. So plan to cast a wide net.

Likewise, it’s important to get involved outside the classroom. Find a few activities that interest and motivate you. You may like a particular sport or be active in the arts. Or perhaps you are community-minded, politically active, or interested in entrepreneurship. Nurture those interests by getting involved in campus organizations and/or the local community. If you do these things in depth, they will be more meaningful and rewarding. Also, you will develop valuable management and leadership skills.

Don’t limit yourself to activities and areas of interest you already know and enjoy. Use college to explore and develop new pursuits. Ideally, you will leave college with a passion — for jazz music or philosophy or soccer or something that you didn’t have when you arrived. For this to happen, though, you have to push yourself to try new things, and be open to, even excited about, reinventing yourself a little.

For many students, something you will do outside the classroom is hold down a job. That’s great. Treat the job as part of your education. Use it as an opportunity to better understand yourself and develop work-related competencies. Try and keep the same job for a period of time and ask your supervisor for feedback on your performance. Pay attention to management styles and work dynamics present in the organization. Invite people you work with to go to lunch and get their advice about jobs, careers, and important skills. Be intentional about exploring what you can learn, and how it may connect to what you are studying, activities you are pursuing, and what you may want to do after college.

2. Cultivate meaningful relationships.

Too often we think of college as being only about classes, programs, extra-curricular activities and projects. At its core, though, college is really about relationships. Your experience — and what you do or don’t get from it — is really a product of the relationships you cultivate. And, regrettably, of those you don’t.

By far the most important relationships you will make are with faculty. Seek out opportunities for mentorship. Starting with your faculty, look to connect with knowledgeable people from whom you can learn in a variety of ways over time. We have incredibly compelling data from research like the Gallup-Purdue Index and books like How College Works that documents how having a close relationship with a faculty member dramatically increases your performance in college, professional success, and well-being throughout your life.

The impact of forming meaningful personal relationships at college also extends to your peers and the friendships you form. Most of us seek out friendships with people whose life experiences are close to our own. To be sure, connections to people with whom you share common interests and backgrounds are important and will play a vital role in your transition into college life (and beyond).

But it’s also important to forge friendships with people whose life experiences are different from yours. We call this lateral learning. You stand to learn a lot from a wide range of peers, especially those who see and engage with the world from different personal, cultural, and social perspectives. And at no point in your life will you be as likely to have such ready access to people from so many different backgrounds as you will in college.

One of the things our colleges do especially well is to bring students with a wide array of life experiences into the same physical spaces — classrooms, residence halls, student unions. However, it is incumbent upon you to take advantage of this opportunity. Learning to work and live effectively with people who see the world differently requires effort and initiative on your part. But mastering this important ability will add great value to your life and help you to be more successful professionally, personally, and civically.

To begin this crucial process, my advice is to commit yourself to the following:

• Make it a point to have a one-on-one conversation with each of the faculty members teaching your classes during the first few weeks of the term, and make it a point to develop one close relationship with a faculty member during your first year in college.
• Identify two or three people in your residential hall whose life experiences are most different from your own and make it a point to get to know and forge friendships with them.
• If somebody says something in a class that is shocking to you, invite them to lunch or out for coffee and just sit and listen to them explain their view. Start by asking about their life experience. Often people’s views come from their backgrounds or what we might called their lived experience.

3. Push yourself to explore new subjects and activities without being afraid of failure or getting embarrassed.

Take classes in subjects that are new and might be difficult or uncomfortable for you. Your education will always benefit from a wide range of courses and an expansion of your boundaries beyond what feels safe or easy. Developing broader skillsets and a more inclusive worldview will better prepare you for life in every way.

Also, be sure to try some activities outside the classroom that are new to you. Audition for a play or a cappella group. Try out for a varsity sport or join an intramural team. Write for the student newspaper. Run for student government. If it doesn’t work out, try something else. Failure is just one step on the road to success.

4. Commit yourself to developing self-awareness and a healthy and balanced lifestyle.

To do these things effectively, it’s important to be actively involved in all aspects of your college life, but not overly so. 

Finding a healthy balance between the academic, co-curricular, and social dimensions of your life is crucial. So too is developing a sense of self-awareness — understanding how others see you and what it means to take care of yourself physically, mentally and personally. If you know that you are prone to over-extending yourself, then use college to learn to narrow and sharpen your focus. If you are apt to be less involved, use college to develop ways of being more engaged that work for you.

 To find that balance and gain true self-knowledge, you have to commit yourself to practicing real self-reflection. Set aside some time at the start and end of your day to take a deep breath. Think about all the experiences you are having in college, and what they are adding up to. Consider what are you learning about yourself and the kind of person you want to be. Think about the life you want to lead. If you are struggling, ask for help. Ask often, early, and loudly. Believe me when I say that you will not be the only one. The vast majority of students have difficulty with some aspects of college – especially during the first year. College campuses are filled with people who are there to help you and want to see you succeed. Reach out to them and others. You will be glad you did.

5. And my last piece of advice — make good social choices. 

Especially during the first few weeks as you are finding your footing and figuring out how things work on campus, the pull to “fit in” will be powerful. The problem is that until you know more, you can’t actually determine what that means. So, take a minute to get your bearings and size things up. Then make the decisions that are right for you. Likewise, look out for those around you. Step up and speak up when you see other people getting ready to make bad decisions for themselves or others. Ease into college and be good to yourself, your friends, and each other.

 Finally, remember to have fun. College will push you and challenge you in all sorts of ways. But it is also a time that can and should be rich with joy and discovery. It is a wild and wonderful journey. I wish you much happiness and success along the way.