College Counseling
Scholarship Bulletins
Mrs. Rivera emails a Scholarship Bulletin to the senior class approximately every month. The bulletin includes many local and regional scholarships. Seniors need to be checking their email regularly for communication from Mrs. Rivera and their College Advisors.
Paying for College/Financial Aid Workshop
Thanks to the junior and senior parents who joined us for the webinar on Friday, October 11. The webinar covered changes to the FAFSA, how the financial aid process works, types of aid available, CCS Profile, the pros and cons of applying early for financial aid, how colleges receive the information and how they determine the financial aid award. If you were unable to participate, you can view the webinar recording here.
Applying for Financial Aid – FAFSA and CSS Profile
Senior parents should continue to check the website of every college to which their daughter has applied/ is applying to. Even though the FAFSA will not be available until December 1, some colleges still want other financial aid forms/documents submitted early, especially if your daughter has applied to a school through their Early Action or Early Decision program. Check colleges that require the CSS Profile application here: CSS Profile Participating Institutions and Programs.
FAFSA Available in December
Do not start FAFSA application now!
The 2025-2026 FAFSA will not open until December 1. Students and parents should not start their FAFSA application until that date. In the meantime, students and at least one parent can create their StudentAid.gov account, which will be necessary to file the FAFSA.
Seniors – Set up and Check College Portals!
Now that many seniors have submitted at least a few college applications, they can expect colleges to notify them acknowledging that the college received the application. Most colleges will be emailing directions on how to set up the college’s portal, which will be specific to each college and will be the student’s communication center with that college. Please get in the habit of checking each of your college portals weekly throughout your college process.
Is Something Missing? (It’s Probably Not)
If seniors receive an email from a college stating that something is missing, please see your College Advisor so we can help you resolve this issue. Colleges are uploading thousands of documents daily and they often get behind in updating portals. It can take up to two weeks for a college to download your materials and update your portal. Very rarely is anything missing! Almost always when we call the college, your documents are there and have not yet been processed. Please don’t panic if you receive an email or portal notification saying that something is missing.
UC and CSU Application Deadlines
Seniors who are applying to any University of California or California State University campuses should do so by December 2. This is the final deadline for the UC application and should be considered a final deadline for the CSU application (although a few CSU campuses will remain open after December 2).
Naviance
Naviance is a fully integrated platform students can use to learn about themselves, careers, and colleges. Through assessments and interest inventories, students can create connections between their strengths and interests to possible majors and future careers.
Freshmen were introduced to Naviance in our small group meetings. They can begin exploring Naviance and recording their activities in the Resume. They were given a temporary password to use to log on to Naviance and to create their own password. We will notify students who have not yet completed this task.
Mark Your Calendar for Late Start Class-Level Advisories & Parent Nights
All grade levels met with the Counselors and/or College Advisors during a late start in the fall for mandatory advisory sessions. Freshmen and Sophomores have one additional advisory meeting in January, and Juniors have two advisories – one in January and one in February. These sessions are critical as we will discuss course options for next year, the process for course registration, as well as focus on college-related topics for juniors. Please plan ahead to avoid conflicts, as these sessions are mandatory.
Revolution Prep Webinars
Our partners at Revolution Prep are offering several free webinars in October. See attached flyer for more information.
- October 8 - From Traditional to Transformative: The Future Landscape of College Majors
- October 15 - Navigating the Ongoing Evolution of Admissions Testing
- October 29 - The Future of Applying to College: Impacts of Technology
Financial Aid for College – FAFSA & CSS Profile
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is typically available on October 1, however, due to major changes last year in the FAFSA, it will not be available until December 1.
Any family that would like to get a jumpstart on the FAFSA can start by obtaining FSA ID’s for the student and parent. The FSA ID will be required to complete the FAFSA. FSA ID’s can be created here: Log In | Federal Student Aid
How to Skip Income-related Questions on UC and CSU Applications; Fee Waivers for College Applications
Both the University of California and the California State University applications have questions that ask students to enter family income and family size. These questions are for the sole purpose of determining if a student is eligible for a fee waiver for the application; they are not questions related to financial aid, nor are they an application for financial aid. The income question is NOT REQUIRED for the UC application, so that question can be skipped if you are not hoping for an application fee waiver.
Seniors! ELEDEF has begun
Your College Advisors, Ms. Austin & Ms. Lee, sit outside in front of the Counseling and College Center Every Lunch, Every Day, Except Friday for college application help. Stop by and ask questions, let us proofread your application, brainstorm essay or UC PIQ ideas, or just talk with us about your college plans. We will host ELEDEF throughout the months of September, October, and November.