Senior Information
Thinking of Changing Your Schedule?
SAT & ACT
You do not have to retake the entire ACT.
CVCC College Classes
College Degrees
Applying to College
NC College Connect: New Way to Apply to College
No Traditional Application: Students with a weighted GPA of 2.8 receive direct admission offers and only need to complete a short form on CFNC.org to accept their offer, without applying through the Common App or the institution's own portal.
Residency Determination Service
The Residency Determination Service is required by the state of N.C. to prove a student is a resident of North Carolina.
To complete this form, go to https://ncresidency.cfnc.org/residencyInfo/
BRAG SHEETS
All Seniors Must Complete Their Brag Sheets
Instructions are provided in Advisory
See Mrs. Greenwald if you have any questions
Brag sheets are needed for recommendations for scholarships
And applying to some colleges
Fixed Tuition Benefit
APPLY to 4
1 “Safety”
2 “Good Fits”
1 “Reach”
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Once you receive your acceptance letters and offers of financial aid, you can evaluate the costs of attendance and decide where you will attend.
How to Apply
Create a spreadsheet:
Appily
Appily is a free resource that allows students to search schools and scholarships based on their personal profile. Students can search for scholarships based on their year in school, and after completing a short questionnaire, the site filters schools and scholarships that may be applicable.
The Common App
Common Black College App
Apply to 67 HBCUs with one application and a $20 fee.
Common App Writing Resource
The Writing requirements resource from the Common App assists students in learning what writing requirements and questions to expect from individual colleges.
Also, Mrs. Greenwald is an excellent resource for reviewing your essays.
Writing Requirements By College
High School Transcripts
Official transcripts must come from the counseling office.
Unofficial transcripts may be sent to the student and then forwarded by the student to a college or university.
If a university asks for your CVCC transcript, upload an unofficial transcript from your CVCC portal and submit it. Once you have decided upon a college, you may pay $8.50 for an official transcript to be sent by CVCC.
https://blog.cvcc.tech/howto/requesting-a-transcript-from-cvcc/
EARLY ACTION VS. EARLY DECISION
EARLY ACTION
EARLY DECISION
College Essays
College Essays
"I just want to know what makes you the person you are. I want to know what matters to you. I want to know what you care about. I want to know what you dream about."
A College Admissions Representative
Recommendations
Recommendations are required for most scholarships and for some colleges (but not for NC College Connect.)
If you are applying to a college that requires recs:
Remember, if you want a good recommendation, be a hard working student who doesn’t sleep in class, turn in assignments late, or behave in a way that is unbecoming.
CFNC College For North Carolina
All students should create an account on CFNC
Check out the CFNC interest profiler
CFNC How To Videos
:
COLLEGE APPLICATION FEES
Fee Waivers
You must notify Mrs Arditti if you qualify for a fee waiver so that she can validate your waiver on the Common App or other application portal. You may qualify for a fee waiver if:
Emails to College Admission Offices
Financial Aid
Types of Aid
Need-based aid : Aid that is given based on the financial situation of your family. To qualify you must fill out the FAFSA.
Merit-based aid: Aid that is given based on your academic and extracurricular achievements in high school.
Grants/Scholarships: Money that you do not have to pay back.
Loans: Money that you must pay back.
Institutional Aid: This aid comes from the college where you attend and is based on your academic & extracurricular record.
FAFSA
The FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.
You must apply online for an FSA ID number before filing for the FAFSA
How to get your FSA ID
Use the website fafsa4caster.ed.gov to get an early estimate of your eligibility for student aid.
FAFSA UPDATES
FAFSA Updates Continued
Information taken from Going Merry
FAFSA Questions for Blended Families
A Comprehensive Guide for Students and Parents
What is the CSS Profile?
Some colleges require an additional financial aid form which is called the CSS Profile.The form is used to award non-federal aid and is more detailed than the FAFSA. Many private colleges use this info to determined how much of their own money they can offer your student.
UNC-Chapel Hill, Wake Forest, ASU, UNC-A, UNC-C, & UNC-G all require the CSS Profile.
College Guidance Network
The College Guidance Network provides content on college admissions and financial aid.
2022-2023
Financial Aid Award Letters
Financial aid award letters are usually received by students in March or April
Make sure that all potential costs are included like: tuition, housing, food, transportation, books, supplies, and additional fees
Families should wait until all of the offers are in and then compare. What may look like the largest offer may not be the best, One school may awardt $5,000 more grant aid but their cost could be $8,000 more.
Financial Award Letter Comparison
Federal Student Aid Estimator
Want to know how much college aid you can expect? You can figure out how much federal aid you may be eligible for using the government’s latest Federal Student Aid Estimator. This handy calculator was updated for the 2025-26 FAFSA season.
Financial Aid Calculators From CFNC
NC Promise...
Through NC Promise, the state has reduced student tuition
$500 per semester at WCU, ECSU and UNC Pembroke.
AN AMAZING VALUE!
The Next NC Scholarship
The Next NC Scholarship covers tuition and fees at any North Carolina community college for students from families making $80,000 a year or less
Students attending a community college will receive at least $3,000 per year. Those attending a public university in North Carolina will get a minimum of $5,000 per year.
Some Expensive Colleges Are Becoming More Affordable
These universities are offering no tuition costs for families making under $200,000 per year…
Wake Forest University
Emory University
Harvard
MIT
University of Pennsylvania
Paying for College
Once you have been accepted to a college, you will receive a financial aid package (usually in the Spring), and every college package looks different.
Understand stipulations:
You do not have to accept all loans offered to you!
Financial Aid Guide
Here is a link to an article by Going Merry which has a glossary of terms and describes the different types of loans and aid you may receive.
https://www.goingmerry.com/blog/ultimate-financial-aid-guide/
How Much Debt Should A Student Incur?
A “reasonable” amount of student loan debt should be less than an individual’s annual starting salary at graduation. Ex. If a beginning computer programmer makes $55,000, do not borrow more than $13,750.00 per year. If total debt is less than annual income, the graduate can afford to repay those student loans in ten years or less.
Net Price Calculator
The net price calculator is a tool that you can use to estimate your “net price” to attend a particular college or university after you put in your particular data.
Stay in communication with the financial aid office...
Helpful Spanish Resources
CFNC has a representative who serves Hispanic families. Let me know if you wish to meet with him.
Residencia | FAFSA | Solicitudes
Financial Aid - Work Study
To qualify for work study, you must file for the FAFSA
Most jobs are about 10-15 hours per week.
Scholarships
Scholarships
Academics>Guidance>Announcements.
You must apply to receive a scholarship and they can be time consuming.
To be competitive, you must concentrate on good grades, extra-curricular activities, and strong recommendations from teachers and community members.
College Greenlight
College Greenlight does a great job of matching students with scholarships based on a student’s profile.
College Greenlight is also a good place to look for pre-college summer programs.
Going Merry
Going Merry is a free scholarship and financial aid platform.
Scholar Snapp
Scholar Snapp has teamed up with the Common App to help students apply for scholarships.
MAKING THE CHOICE
Deciding Which College You Should Attend: FINANCIAL
Don’t rule out a college because of cost alone. You may receive aid that makes it affordable.
Net price calculators help you provide an estimate of your financial aid eligibility and your cost to attend.
Fill out the FAFSA early. Federal money can run out.
Consult with the financial aid office about your package. Appeals may be made. It never hurts to ask.
Compare your awards from colleges. Look at grants, loans, institutional aid, & your family’s contributions before deciding.
College Virtual Visits
www.youvisit.com These videos showcase virtual tours of colleges and universities around the country.
www.campusreel.org This site offers videos done by students for other students.
College Fly-In Programs
Many colleges offer programs that cover the cost of travel for students that can’t afford to visit.
GAP YEAR OPTIONS
Community College Options
CVCC has over 50 programs of study where students can obtain a degree.
CCC&TI is in Caldwell Co and is another option
https://cccti.edu/all-programs/
Central Piedmont Community College is not a far drive for a lot of students
Western Piedmont Community College is another option in Morganton
Some Fields of Study at CVCC
Automotive Systems Technology Diploma (D60160)
Business Administration Diploma (D25120)
College Transfer Pathway Leading to the Associate in Engineering (P1052C)
Computer-Integrated Machining Technology Certificate #2 (C5021001)
Cosmetology Certificate Pathway (C55140P)
Early Childhood Education: Career Entry Diploma
Emergency Medical Science Certificate
Healthcare Management Technology
Catawba Apprenticeship Network
Earn while you learn in these fields:
• Public Safety
• SOFA Academy
• Construction Academy
• Manufacturing Academy
• Automotive
Which Programs Will Still Pay Off in the Age of AI?
Essential Infrastructure & Skilled Trades: Electrical Work, HVAC/R programs, Plumbing &Pipefitting, Welding & Metal Fabrication, Carpentry & Construction Technology Programs
Transportation, Logistics & Maritime: Transportation Careers, Automotive Technology, Aircraft Maintenance, Maritime Service & Yacht Refit Programs,
Healthcare & Human Services: Nursing Assistant & Patient Care Technician, Emergency Medical Responder & EMT, Mental & Behavioral Health Support
Public Safety & Facilities: Fire Science & Firefighter, Law Enforcement, Facilities Management, and Custodial Technology,
Advanced Manufacturing & Energy: Industrial Maintenance & Mechatronics, Solar & Energy Storage Technician
Service Economy: Culinary Arts, Hospitality & Tourism, Event & Venue Operations
Resilient Digital Fields: Cybersecurity, Cloud & Systems Administration, Digital Forensics & Privacy Technology
NC Works Career Centers
Job-seekers can also register with NCWorks Online to apply for jobs, seek training opportunities, and learn what they need to do to advance their careers.
Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" - Mary Oliver
Considering a Trade School Instead of a 4 Year College?
Military Options
The Military Tuition Assistance Program pays active-duty service members up to 100% of tuition expenses up to $250 per credit. There are more than 1,900 colleges that offer service members and their families the chance to finish college degrees despite a mobile military life.
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Students at DHS must complete 100 hours of community service to graduate. The goal is for students to complete 33 hours by the end of freshman year, 66 hours by the end of sophomore year, & 100 hours by the end of junior year to finish all service hour requirements before the start of senior year.
Students who go above and beyond and complete 200 hours of service hours receive a cord at graduation.
By the way, colleges LOVE community service!
Students, Do you want homework to take less time?
Put your cell phone away from your work area -
A person interrupted by texts takes 50% longer to complete a task and makes up to 50% more errors.
Take a 5 minute break every 25-30 minutes -
Get active during your breaks, which will help you retain information.
Mental Health Resources
Your Life Your Voice Mental Health Resources
How to Help with Anxiety by Karen Young
Sleep Affected by Social Media
More than 1/2 of teens are on screens right before bedtime, keeping them WIRED and TIRED. Sleep loss leads to:
***Poor mental health ***Poor performance in school ***Trouble regulating stress ***changes in structural brain development Teens and Sleep
71
Sleep Loss Hurts…
Attention: You won’t be able to focus as well
Working memory: You won’t retain info well
Mood: It’s harder to regulate your emotions
Quantitative skills: problem solving ability diminishes
Logical reasoning ability: Your reasoning ability declines
Math knowledge: Recalling math information is affected
Social Media & Technology
Teens report an average of 7 hours and 22 minutes per day on their phones (Common Sense Media). At this rate, a teen will spend over 12 years of their life consuming social media, not including sleeping hours.
SOCIAL MEDIA is especially hard on teenage girls and can lead to:
Eating Disorders Loneliness Low self-esteem A lack of confidence Poor body image Reduced time outdoors Reduced sleeping time Higher rates of anxiety and depression Suicidal Thoughts in some teens
**These conditions further impair sleep, creating a vicious cycle
Helping Families Form Healthy Digital Habits
From Common Sense Media: “Teaching kids to put down their devices is like teaching them to stop eating cookies.
One cookie is fine, two cookies are OK, but if they eat the whole container while you're not looking, they're going to feel sick. It's the same with screens: A little video gaming is fine, but three hours later (when they're cranky and their eyes hurt), you're dealing with a digital sugar crash.
And…A lot of tech design is like junk food, scientifically created so that you crave more.”
Smartphones and Social Media are Fundamentally Altering the Lives of our Children.
Recommended Reading:
The information from the previous slide is based on the book, The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness, by Jonathan Haidt
AI Chatbots… Let’s Talk About Them
AI Companies’ Race for Engagement Has a Body Count
The AI industry already knows that AI companions appear to be addictive.
72% of teens have used AI companions
33% of teens use AI companions for social interaction and relationships.
⅓ of users choose AI companions over humans for serious conversations
Meta AI is available to kids as young as 13, and can promote suicide, self-harm, & eating disorders. It misleads vulnerable teens by telling them it's a real person.
Lawsuits filed by grieving parents allege that AI chatbots from companies like Character. AI and OpenAI's ChatGPT encouraged or coached their teenage children to take their own lives
Are AI Chatbots Safe for Teens Under 18?
Robbie Torney, from Common Sense Media, testified recently at a U.S. Senate hearing on the risks of AI companion chatbots, including Meta AI.
His testimony: Meta AI is not safe for anyone under 18. So what can parents do?
How to Protect Your Teen Right Now: Immediate Steps (Common Sense Media)
Final Notes:
You Can Paint the Rock: $10.00 for a week: You supply the paint.
Beautify the Campus: Adopt a Spot
Are You Getting My Emails?
Win At Social…
I AM HERE TO ASSIST YOU
None of you have applied to college before, even if your siblings have. You are not supposed to know all of the steps.
There are no dumb questions. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
If you are a first generation college student, you might need even more assistance.
Teenage life can be hard and sometimes you need support.
It is an honor for me to help all of you find your path after graduation & to support you through the rough spots while in high school.