College Counseling

PDF RESOURCES: 

• 6th - 8th Grade College Planning (PDF)
• Success in Postsecondary Education (PDF)  
• Learning Styles (PDF) 
• How Do You Learn Best? (PDF) 
• Tips for Middle School Parents (PDF) 
• Career Planning Checklist for Middle School (PDF) 

CHECKLIST: 9th Grade College Checklist (PDF)

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PDF RESOURCES:

• Four-Year Course Planner (PDF) 
• Success in Postsecondary Education (PDF) 
• Military Academy Process (PDF) 

CHECKLIST: 10th Grade College Checklist (PDF)

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PDF RESOURCES:

• Safety, Target, Reach Comparison Worksheet (PDF)
• Four-Year Course Planner (PDF)
• NCAA Recruitment Calendar (PDF)
• Success in Postsecondary Education (PDF)
• How to Make the Most of a College Fair (PDF)
• How to Build a College List (PDF)
• Military Academy Process (PDF)

CHECKLIST: 11th Grade College Checklist (PDF)

CHECKLIST: 12th Grade College Checklist (PDF) 

Standardized testing is conducted for a variety of reasons: accreditation, curriculum review, and college planning, among others. At Divine Savior Academy, this process begins in the middle school and continues throughout high school.

PSAT testing for juniors is done each fall on the second or third Wednesday morning of October. Grade 9 and 10 testing for ACT Aspire is usually completed in the spring. Please see below for more information about each assessment.

Students from Divine Savior Academy use our DSA High School Test Code: 440667 when registering for any of these tests.

 

Find the following information and resources on this page:

1. PSAT/NMSQT: Grade 11 Assessment
2. ACT
3. SAT

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1. PSAT/NMSQT: 

The Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) is a program co-sponsored by the College Board and National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC).  It is a standardized test that provides firsthand practice for the SAT®. It also gives students a chance to enter NMSC scholarship programs and gain access to college and career planning tools.

• PSAT revisions and practice test here
• How To Choose High School Electives

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2. ACT: 

The ACT test, started by the American College Testing Program  is a standardized test used as a college entrance exam. Colleges and universities use a student’s ACT score, along with GPA, extracurricular activities, and high school involvement to determine if they wish to accept the student’s application for admission. ACT provides students assistance in test prep, college planning, financial aid, and choosing a college major.

• See ACT Calculator Policy here
• See this guide for Using Your ACT Results.
• Find more information about the ACT Test here.
• Please follow this link for the most up-to-date listing of ACT Testing Dates.

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3. SAT:

The SAT is a college admissions test that shows colleges what a student knows and how well that knowledge can be applied.  It tests a student’s knowledge of reading, writing and math — subjects that are taught every day in high school classrooms.

• Find more information about the SAT Test here.  (More resources provided below.)
• Find steps to receive SAT test accommodations.
• Please follow this link for the most up-to-date listing of SAT Testing Dates.

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More Information about the ACT and SAT

DSA students may take either the ACT (math, science, English, reading) or the SAT (critical reading and writing), or both.

Helpful articles to determine which test to take:

• What does the Princeton Review say about each test?
• Take this quiz to learn the answer to this question: “Should I Take the ACT, the New SAT, or Both?”

TEST PREP:

SAT Test Prep: The College Board has partnered with Khan Academy to make comprehensive, best-in-class SAT prep materials open and free. Local options exist, too.

ACT Academy is ACT's new program to give each student an individualized learning plan, tailored to that individual's needs.

Compare ACT and SAT scores: Use this chart to find the relationship between ACT and SAT scoring, as well as more links to information about the differences and similarities between the ACT and the SAT tests.

 

Career planning is an ongoing process that allows students to rethink and reevaluate their career options while growing and developing spiritually, emotionally, socially, and mentally. At Divine Savior Academy, this process begins in the middle school and continues throughout high school.

To aid in planning, the college counselors have  developed an extensive list of resources, tools, and helpful links to career planning websites:

1. Middle School Career Planning
2. High School Career Planning
3. Interest Inventories and Assessments
4. Job Search Skills
5. Helpful Links

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Middle School Career Planning

At the middle school level, the career planning process begins with self-exploration. Students are encouraged to evaluate their skills, abilities, interests, personal priorities, education, and life experiences. Personal goals are explored within the scope of present behavior, and what changes may be in order.

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High School Career Planning

At the high school level, the career planning process continues with self-evaluation. Students are encouraged to evaluate their strengths and abilities. The following activities aid students throughout the process:

• Attend a variety of classes to learn strengths and interests
• Develop new skills by participating in clubs, activities, and sports
• Explore career options by talking to parents, advisors, teachers, and college counselors
• Research careers of interest
• Look for part-time jobs or volunteer opportunities in areas of career interest
• Job shadow a parent or family friend to learn more about a career

Freshmen

Students in 9th grade English class complete the College Planning Project which offers an experiential approach to personalized college planning through interaction with information, resources, and activities. Students’ interests, skills, and personality characteristics are assessed and analyzed as they relate to career options and college planning resources. The high school college planning experience produces a career plan students may wish to pursue throughout high school and beyond.

Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors

Through a series of classroom presentations from DSA’s college counselors, students receive detailed guidance with career and college planning tasks appropriate for each grade level. These activities include test preparation, grade-level checklists, NCAA eligibility, campus visits, recommendation letters, application processing, scholarships, and so forth.

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Interest Inventories and Assessments

• Texas Career Check: What Career is Right for Me? Discover which careers are best suited for you.
• How do you learn best? Visual? Auditory? Reading and Writing? Kinesthetic?  Know your learning preference.
• O*Net Interest Profiler: This online quiz helps students discover their interests and match them up to potential career choices.
• Occupational Outlook Handbook:  The United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Outlook Handbook is an online resource for career information. This handbook is available in both English and Spanish.

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Job Search Skills 

• Resumes: Sample resumes, resume templates, and formatting tips.
• Cover Letters: Cover letter samples, formats, layouts, and writing help.
• Job Interviewing: Tips, advice, and practice questions for job interviewing.

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Helpful Links 

• EducationPlanner.org: This education planner aids parents and students from middle school through high school in the career and college process. It addresses all stages of planning, from self-assessment to financial aid, and is an excellent source of advice, information, interactive exercises, and activities.
• Big Future by the College Board: This site is sponsored by the not-for-profit College Board whose mission is to “connect students to college success and opportunity.” Find colleges, learn more about how to pay for college, and make a college plan with online tools and resources.
• Mapping Your Future: This website is sponsored by a group of guaranty agencies who participate in the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) and are committed to providing information about higher education and career opportunities. It is a resource for career, college, financial aid and money management information.
• Texas Reality Check:  Will you be able to afford the lifestyle you want? This website has calculators that will walk you through living expenses and occupation options. 

The financial aid process can feel overwhelming. The good news is that help is available! DSA’s College Guidance Department has put together this Financial Aid page to help students and their families navigate this process. Please find the following information and resources on this page:

1. Financial Aid Terminology
2. Federal Aid
3. Types of Aid
4. Who Gets Aid
5. Scholarships
6. FAFSA: Apply for Aid
7. General Tips and Tools
8. Loan Repayment
9. CAUTION!

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1. Financial Aid Terminology 

Students and families applying for financial aid are often overwhelmed by the terminology and heavy use of acronyms within financial aid forms and literature. Below are some acronyms, terms, and definitions:

FAFSA = Free Application For Student Aid
FSA = Federal Student Aid
EFC = Expected Family Contribution
FPL = Federal Perkins Loan Program
FSEOG = Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants
FWS = Federal Work Study
PLUS = Parent Loans For Undergraduate Students
COA = Cost of Attendance
FFEL = Federal Family Education Loan
LEAP = Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership
SSIG = State Student Incentive Grant
CPS = Central Processing
SAR = Student Aid Report

Federal Pell Grants:

• A gift award that does not have to be repaid
• Ranges between $400 to $4,050 per year depending on need.
• Visit https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/grants/pell for more information.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG):

• Additional gift to the especially needy to supplement the Pell Grant.

Federal Family Education Loan Program

• Offers loans by private lenders to students and/or parents who demonstrate financial need.

Subsidized Federal Stafford Loan

• Loans up to $2,625 for first-year students. Interest paid by federal government, and repayment begins six months after student leaves school.
• Visit https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/loans/subsidized-unsubsidized for more information.

Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loan

• Available to those who do not demonstrate need. Borrower is responsible for all interest that accrues from date of disbursement.

Federal PLUS Loan

• No-need parent loan with variable interest rate capped at 9%.
• Repayment must begin within 60 days of disbursement.

Federal Perkins Loan

• Need based, low-interest loan up to $3,000 awarded by the college at low interest rate to those with exceptional need

College Work Study

• Federally-funded program that enables qualified students to work part-time on campus.

D.O.E. Scholarship Programs (subject to state legislation)

• Awards offered through state agencies based on academic merit rather than financial need.

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2. Federal Aid 

Will you need a loan to attend college? If so, think federal aid first. Federal student loans usually offer borrowers lower interest rates and have more flexible repayment terms and options than private student loans.

Find the Federal Student Aid Loan Programs Fact Sheet here. 

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3. Types of Aid 

Financial aid is money to help pay for college or career school and can come from a variety of sources.

Find types of aid information here. 

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4. Who Gets Aid

Different types of aid (e.g., private scholarships, state grants, federal loans, etc.) have different rules, called eligibility criteria, to determine who gets the aid.

Find aid eligibility information here. 

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5. Scholarships

There are four main sources for scholarships: federal, state, institutional, and local. An updated DSA Scholarship List is available in the College Center and provides deadlines, dollar amounts, and links to local scholarships.

Follow these links to find out more about these different kinds of scholarships and grants:

• Scholarship.org: Provides an online resource center and research library which presents websites related to planning for college, financial aid opportunities, and information about colleges and universities.
• uncf.org: Offers a host of information opportunities and resources for minority students, especially those interested in attending Historically Black colleges or universities.
• hispanicfund.org: Provides scholarship information and resources for Hispanic students.
• collegefund.org: Has scholarship information and resources for American Indian students.
• FastWeb: Offers a quick and easy way to find scholarships and your dream school.
• College Express: Is a great search engine for colleges, loans and scholarships.
• Colleges, College Scholarships, and Financial Aid Page: Offers college-bound students free scholarship and college searches, as well as information on the SAT and ACT.
• The SmartStudent Guide to Financial Aid: Offers a comprehensive listing of financial aid opportunities, including information on ROTC programs.
• The Princeton Review: Provides online applications and services to improve your SAT score.
• Scholarships.com: Provides free college scholarship searches and financial aid resources.
• Goingmerry.com: This website is free and allows you to fill out you FAFSA through prompts and finds scholarships that fit your profile.

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6. FAFSA: Free Application for Federal Student Aid

To apply for federal student aid, you need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Completing and submitting the FAFSA is free and easier than ever, and it gives you access to the largest source of financial aid to pay for college or career school.

Find FAFSA information here.

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7. General Links, Tips & Tools 

• Federal School Code Search
• Top 10 Tips for Writing Effective Scholarship Essays
• 15 Questions to Ask the Financial Aid Office
• College Comparison Tool
• Award Letter Comparison Tools
• Financial Aid Shopping Sheet (US Dept. of Education)
• Net Price Calculator
• FinAid is the most comprehensive annotated collection of information about student financial aid on the web.
• CSS Financial Aid Profile

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8. Loan Repayment

Understanding the repayment process for your federal student loans can go a long way toward building a solid financial foundation.

Find repayment process information here. 

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9. CAUTION!

Be wary of companies that claim millions of dollars in scholarship money go unused or charge a fee for doing a college scholarship search. To lure you in, they may provide the names and addresses of dozens of sources, but often what you get is nothing more than what is available for free on the Internet. Stay away of such companies that:

• make statements or promises of guaranteed winnings (“This scholarship is guaranteed or your money back!”)
• suggest or claim that everyone is eligible
• pressure you to respond quickly to their offer (“You must agree to terms now or scholarship will be withdrawn.”)
• request unusual personal/financial information (“May I have your credit card number or bank account number to hold this scholarship?”)
• require a high application fee (“This scholarship will cost you some money.”)
• have typing and spelling errors in their brochure or application
• mention special consideration (“You’ve been selected by a ‘national foundation’ to receive a scholarship,” or “You’re a finalist in a contest,” that you didn’t enter)
• Beware – do not pay money to get money!

National Fraud Information Center (877) 382-4357