CCR Update

High School students enter the National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®) in October of their Junior year. In April, NMSC identified the 50,000 students with the highest PSAT/NMSQT® Selection Index scores to qualify for recognition. Out of this group, approximately 16,000 students were named Semifinalists and now have the opportunity to advance and become finalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program. Semifinalists are the highest scorers in each of the 50 states and represent less than one percent of each state's high school seniors. St. Charles East High School would like to congratulate seniors Zaac Victor De Luna, Sarah Krohn, Jaxson McInnis & Rebecca Strait for achieving this distinction! We are so proud of you!

D303 is conducting a Fall Testing Day on 9/23/26 using assessments from Progress Learning. These assessments will allow all Freshmen, Sophomores, and Juniors to experience an assessment that is aligned with the PreACT/ACT. These assessments will be administered online so students will need to bring their school-issued Chromebooks. Students and parents received an individual testing email which includes the student name and room assignment at the top of the page:

• Freshman PreACT Day

• Sophomore PreACT Day

• Junior Practice ACT Day

9/23/26 will be a non-attendance day for Seniors. Seniors are encouraged to use this day to complete college applications, make a college visit, apply for scholarships or attend our College Application & Essay Workshop in the Main Commons. This workshop will run 7:20-10:30 a.m.

The Juniors will also take the PSAT/NMSQT exam on 10/22/26 during the regular school day. The PSAT/NMSQT exam is a preliminary SAT that also opens the door to consideration for National Merit scholarships. This will be an online exam and students will need to bring their school-issued Chromebooks.

• D303 Financial Aid Night-St. Charles North Auditorium-September 16, 2026-6:30-8:00 p.m.
• 2027-2028 FAFSA Application-Scheduled to open October 1, 2026
• Pathways Night (2 Year, Tech, Trades & Military Post-Secondary Options)-Compass Academy-October 28, 2026-6-8 p.m.
• FAFSA Completion Workshop-B200C/LRC-October 29, 2026-6-8pm.
• Early College Credit Information Night-St. Charles East Little Theatre-November 17, 2026 -6:30-8:30.p.m.
• Spring Into College-Little Theatre-March 9, 2027-6-8 p.m.
• Fox Valley College Fair@ St. Charles East Main Gym-March 24, 2027-6-8 p.m.

More details will be shared as we get closer to each event date.

Counselors met with the seniors on 8/26 & 8/27 through their Engiish 12 classes to walk through the college application process or the next steps for their post-secondary plans. A copy of the Senior Presentation is linked here and under the College tab of the CCR website. Each senior will then meet individually with their school counselor regarding their post-secondary plan during the months of September and October. Seniors can start booking appointments with their counselor using their You Can Book Me link found on the CCR homepage or by scanning the QR codes outside the CCR Office.

The Counselors will be offering workshops in the LRC-East Lab to assist our seniors with their post-secondary planning for college, military, trades, etc. These workshops will run periods 1-12 every Wednesday from September 2nd until October 28th. Seniors are reminded to attend during a free period in their schedule.

SIgn up in SchooLinks:

1. Log in to your SchooLinks account (https://app.schoolinks.com/).
   

2. On the Student Dashboard, click on the Events section to see all upcoming college application workshops.
   

3. Click on the date and period of the workshop you want to attend, and then click on the Register for this Event button.

Commencement is a special day in the life of every Saint! The traditional graduation cap, gown, and tassel are important iconic symbols of your success and pride in your school. We want you to look your best at graduation while wearing your school’s official colors--the Orange & Black! Seniors who attended the Class Meetings on Tuesday filled out the order form for their cap and gown. No further action is necessary to order. If you missed the class meeting, please stop by the CCR Office or check your email to place your order. Details for the graduation ceremony can be found on the East High School & CCR Websites and has been linked here for your convenience. Herff Jones also provided a packet to seniors interested in ordering optional announcements and accessories to celebrate your accomplishments! Extra packets can be picked up in the CCR Office or Student Life Office.

Important information for students who are interested in taking an AP exam but are not enrolled in the corresponding AP course:

Students wishing to take any AP exams for classes in which they are not enrolled must register and pay for the exam no later than Friday, November 6. The fee is $100 per exam and is non-refundable. Registration forms are available here or in the College & Career Office. Once payment is received, you will receive a join code from Mr. Gill to complete your order.

Elgin Community College is offering a series of College & Career events for the fall and spring semesters. Session topics include The Start of College Decisions, Financial Aid 101, Early College Credit options, Professional Etiquette, Discovering Careers, Career Clusters & Opportunities, Successful Interviewing and more. All events are free and open to the public. Events will be held virtually over Zoom on Tuesday evenings from 6 to 7 P.M. unless otherwise noted. For more information and meeting links, please visit https://elgin.edu/community/college-transitions/ccr/upcoming-events/

Upcoming Events:

Launch Strong: Thriving in College

Date: Tuesday, September 15, 2026 Time: 6:00 pm to 7:15 pm Location: Virtual

Success in college begins with a plan. Whether you're a first-time college student, adult learner, transfer student, or returning to complete your degree, this webinar will help you build a strong foundation for the semester ahead. Participants will learn how to read and understand a course syllabus, manage important academic deadlines, set realistic goals, navigate college expectations, and connect with campus resources designed to support student success. By understanding how college works and learning practical ways to stay organized, manage responsibilities, and access support, students can approach the semester with greater confidence. Join us as we kick off the College & Career Success Series, a year-long webinar series designed to help students plan, prepare, and succeed in college, career, and beyond. Theme: PLAN

The City of St. Charles is offering a career pathway job shadow program to St. Charles high school students interested in exploring a career in municipal government. You may schedule up to three different job shadow experiences per school year, during which you can explore work sites, ask questions, see demonstrations, and learn about education and certifications. Students will be responsible for transportation to and from the City. The date, time, and length of the job shadow will be scheduled outside of school hours directly with the City’s job shadow program coordinator. Please return your completed registration form to Mr. Matt Gill in the College & Career Office.

The 2026 DuPage County Trade Apprenticeship Expo will be held on Thursday, October 15th, 2026 from 3:30pm – 6:30pm. The event features interactive, hands-on demonstrations by the county’s building trade organizations as well as opportunities to meet with instructors to learn more about each individual trade apprenticeship program. Advance registration is required to attend.

This highly popular event is for current high school or college students, parents, guidance counselors, and teachers. It is an interactive way to introduce interested parties to the building trades, and more importantly, outline the career potential that exists outside of the traditional collegiate path.

This includes building a career without incurring student debt.

The Discovery Program exposes students to a broad range of activities designed to encourage their interest in healthcare careers. Program activities include tours, guest speakers, group discussion, and hands-on projects. Meetings are most often on the third Saturday of each month from 9:00am-12:00pm. The NM Discovery West Chapter and the Greater DeKalb Chapter collaborate a lot, so meetings will be held at Central DuPage Hospital, Delnor Hospital, Kishwaukee Hospital, and various off-site NM locations. Please note, meeting dates, times, and topics are subject to change. Participants are responsible for their own transportation.

For information about the Discovery Program and how to apply.

The application deadline is 9/28/26.

For questions about the Discovery Program please email NMDiscoveryProgramWest@nm.org

The 2026-2027 NCAA guide is not yet available, as the NCAA releases guides annually.

1. Log in to your SchooLinks account (https://app.schoolinks.com/).
   

2. On the Student Dashboard, click on the School Events section to see all upcoming college visits.
   

3. Click on the name of the visit you want to attend, and then click on the Register for this Event button.
   

Before attending the visit, make sure you pick up a College Visit Pass from the College & Career Readiness Office or Student Services. You will need to fill out the form and have your teacher sign it before attending the visit. You will also be responsible for making up any missed work when attending a college visit.

If you have a conflict with a college visit, please email Diana.Ams@d303.org for the college rep's contact information.

For Scheduled Virtual Visits: Click the link to enter the live virtual conference with a college rep. For the full listing go to the College Visit page on the CCR Website.

9/14/26 Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville 1

9/14/26 Academy of Art University 3

9/15/26 DePaul University 2

9/15/26 University of Oregon 8/9

9/16/26 Saint Norbert College 2

9/16/26 University of Wisconsin-Madison 4/5

9/16/26 Michigan State University 10/11

9/16/26 Saint Mary's College 12

9/17/26 University of Wisconsin-Whitewater 1

9/17/26 Purdue University-Main Campus 2

9/17/26 University of Nebraska-Lincoln 4/5

9/17/26 University of Kentucky 12

9/18/26 Virginia Tech 3

9/18/26 Baylor University 4/5

9/18/26 Ball State University 6/7

9/18/26 Syracuse University 12

Information for local scholarships and select national scholarships is available in the College and Career Office and through the scholarship listing on the CCR website. This list will continue to be updated throughout the school year.

The Voice of Democracy

The Voice of Democracy is the Veterans of Foreign Wars’ premier scholarship program. Each year nearly 26,000 high school students compete for more than $2 million in scholarships and incentives, with a top prize of $30,000. Students compete by writing and recording an audio essay on an annual patriotic theme. The 2026-2027 audio-essay competition topic is: What a Veteran Taught Me About America. The Voice of Democracy is open to students in grades 9-12. Please email Richard Zawislak (richard.zawislak@yahoo.com) to submit your entry. All entries should be submitted by October 23, 2026, in order to meet the national deadline. Rules and criteria for submitting your application are attached here.

Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship Foundation

The Cooke Foundation College Scholarship Program is the largest undergraduate scholarship program available to high-achieving high school seniors with financial need who seek to attend the nation’s best four-year colleges and universities. In addition to the monetary award, Cooke Scholars receive comprehensive educational advising, significant cohort-based programming, and graduate school funding, as well as a thriving network of nearly 2,500 fellow Cooke Scholars and alumni.

Each award is intended to cover a significant share of the student’s educational expenses – including tuition, living expenses, books and required fees. Awards (up to $40,000) vary by individual, based on the cost of tuition as well as other grants or scholarships he or she may receive. Key requirements include: Unweighted GPA of 3.5 or above. Demonstrated financial need and family income up to $95,000. Application deadline is November 11, 2026.

Elks National Foundation Scholarship Program

The Elks National Foundation will award 500 four-year scholarships to the highest-rated applicants in the 2027 competition. Most Valuable Student scholarships are for students pursuing a four-year degree, on a full-time basis (minimum of 12 semester hours), in a U.S. college or university. All scholarships are in the form of certificates of award conditional upon the full-time enrollment of the winner in an accredited U.S. college or university. Male and female students compete separately. Awards range from $1,000 per year to $7,500 per year. The Chicago office of the Elks National Foundation will announce the 500 national winners in late April 2027. (Many local Lodges, districts and state Elks associations award their own scholarships through this program. These scholarships are not to be confused with the 500 Elks National Foundation Most Valuable Student Scholarships.) The application deadline is November 12, 2026.

Website: https://sites.google.com/d303.org/stcharleseast--collegecareer/home
Location: 1020 Dunham Road, St. Charles, IL, USA
Phone: 331-228-5770
Twitter: @STCECCR