Week 12: NOV 6

Need Help filling out your FAFSA? Come to FAFSA/CASFA completion night held at HRHS Tuesday, November, 17th, 5:30-7:00 pm. Watch for a sign-up coming soon!

I've received several notifications from universities extending their Early Action Deadline after November 1. Why? It seems that maybe total application count is not where it needs to be. It could also be that something specific in the way that they are trying to shape the class is not where it needs to be, meaning maybe they don't have enough applicants of a certain type of major, maybe geographically they are not attracting students from the right areas that are likely to enroll. Remember, colleges have a lot of historical data so they know what they need in order to meet their enrollment goals, or they potentially have new initiatives that need to be filled, and if they are not seeing it trending in their applicant pool, then they are going to push to try to get more qualified applicants. Sometimes it's not even the total number but total number of qualified applicants. You may see it happen again with regular decision. Regardless, if any of the schools emailing you that they have extended their deadline and you are interested in applying, you have a few more days to do it.

Students shouldn't view a gap year as a casual break or a way to delay their future, experts say.

As you receive your college acceptance letters, please let me know of any scholarship offers you receive. And that means EVERY scholarship offered....even if you don't accept the award. We report the total amount offered to our seniors. When you receive award letters, please forward the email, bring it in, snap a picture or email a typed summary....however it is easiest for you to send me the notification of the offer so that we can update our system.

• This includes any scholarship offered to you: need based, academic, athletic, etc.
• Please include the name of the scholarship, the total amount of $$ awarded and indicate if it is a one time scholarship or for all four years.
• Specific information (names, amounts) will not be published. The total $$ earned will be announced during our Honors Convocation ceremony in May and reported to the district.
• Please reach out with any questions you might have!

In Naviance, please make sure to add any colleges in which you might be interested to the "colleges I am interested in" section. When colleges reach out for nominations for fly ins or early acceptance scholarships, we would love to include your name. Schools like Swathmore, Embry Riddle, High Point University, and others may ask and I'd love to be able to suggest you.

This week, Colorado Mesa University announced a guarantee: any student with a high school GPA of 3.0 or higher is guaranteed admission to CMU. First-time students with a 3.2 GPA or higher are guaranteed a scholarship of at least $3,000, and students with a 3.9 GPA or higher are guaranteed a scholarship of at least $5,000. The stronger a student's academic record, the greater the scholarship support available.

If you missed Colorado Free Application Days, CMU is offering another Free Application Week from Monday, November 9 through Sunday, November 15! Students can apply at coloradomesa.edu/apply or on the Common Application.

NOV 17

FEB 10 Future Planning Night (9th, 10th, 11th Grade Parents)

FEB 21 Practice SAT for Juniors

MAR TBD RMACAC College Fair

MAR 9 College Fair @HRHS (During Access)

MAR 23 Senior Graduation Meeting

MAY 17 Senior Honors Convocation by invitation only 5:30 pm

MAY 18 Senior Breakfast/Mandatory Senior Mtg/Graduation Practice

MAY 19 Graduation @ Red Rocks Amphitheater 7:00 pm

Looking for more resources to prepare your college applications? Check out the self-paced Applying to College 101 Course on Coursera.

Admissions representatives will be in POST GRAD starting in September. Reps will provide a brief overview of each institution, information on admissions and financial aid, and a chance to speak informally with admissions representatives. You should register to attend and then come by post grad to pick up a hall pass if the visit is during class time.

• Call or e-mail Post Grad (contact info on the Post Grad home page)
• Register with RepVisits

• 11/16/26, Savannah College of Art and Design, Savannah, GA, 10:00am

No time to visit campus in person? Try watching The College Tours. Each episode of the award-winning TV series shares the story of a single college or university through the authentic lens of its current students. Learn from real students about their real experiences on campus. This TV series is a comprehensive guide to aid your college research, helping you answer the ultimate question: ‘Which college is best for me?’ Take the ultimate campus tour now by watching episodes of this informative TV series. The College Tour at High Point University

• ACT's "My Journey" is a free series of live and on-demand webinars designed for high school students and families to navigate college planning, admissions, and career readiness. Led by Collegewise experts, these sessions cover topics like building application roadmaps, finding scholarships, and selecting colleges.

Don’t worry if you can’t make it on time. Your registration includes a recording of the event delivered straight to your inbox.

From an article posted on College Data.com

Honors colleges and honors programs are designed for students who excel academically and like a highly interactive and challenging learning environment. Here are some things to consider before pursuing an honors track in college.

• On any honors track, you can usually expect smaller and more rigorous classes, more direct interaction with faculty and fellow honors students, and oftentimes enticing perks. Benefits can include special housing, early class registration, exclusive scholarships, and research and internship opportunities.

• Hundreds of universities offer some type of honors curriculum. Honors colleges and programs are as varied as individual colleges, and so it makes sense to research any honors program carefully. Here, we’ll cover the basics of honors colleges and programs, and provide some tips for evaluating them.

WHAT IS AN HONORS COLLEGE? WHAT IS AN HONORS PROGRAM?

• Although the terms “honors college” and “honors program” are often used interchangeably, there is a slight difference between the two. An honors college is usually a separate, stand-alone college within a larger university system — similar to a university’s school of business or college of education. Honors colleges usually have their own buildings and facilities, faculty and administration, and dorms.
• An honors “program” isn’t a separate college unto itself, but a series of courses or seminars within a college or department. For example, San Diego State University’s Honors Minor in Interdisciplinary Studies includes 16 units that students can complete outside of their major over four years. Students in the program are required to study abroad and complete one “high impact” experience — such as research or community service.

WHAT ARE HONORS COLLEGES AND PROGRAMS LIKE?

• Honors colleges and programs vary widely but there are a few things that most programs have in common. The community within an honors college tends to be close-knit, with lots of interaction inside and outside class with fellow honors students and honors faculty. Some programs provide living/ learning communities around an academic subject and may have faculty living within the honors community.
• While the learning community in an honors college or program can be intimate, most honors students take both honors classes and regular classes and participate in the full college experience. Students who are enrolled in an honors college or participate in an honors program often receive special honors distinction at graduation.
• Some honors programs last all four years of college, while others can take just two years to complete. Many community colleges also offer honors programs. These programs can enhance a student’s transfer application to a four-year college or provide other opportunities. At Orange Coast College in Southern California, for example, honors students attend seminar-style classes, complete special projects, and have access to honors counseling and library privileges at nearby UC Irvine and UCLA.

WHAT CAN YOU STUDY IN HONORS COLLEGES?

• The liberal arts are often the focus of honors instruction, yet many programs concentrate on a single discipline. Honors instruction may take non-traditional approaches and encourage learning through experience.
• The University of Maryland's two-year "Advanced Cybersecurity Experience" lets students get hands-on experience in the cybersecurity field and live with other cybersecurity students in a living/learning community.
• Some programs allow students to design their own course of study, pursue a double major, and simultaneously pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees. UT Austin’s highly selective Plan II honors program, for example, is a liberal arts major unto itself, but the coursework takes up about one third of a student’s academic plan, providing room for students to pursue a second major or explore other areas of interest.

HONORS PROGRAMS CAN BE PUBLIC OR PRIVATE

• Many public universities offer honors programs to attract top students who might want to attend a selective, liberal arts or Ivy League school. An honors college within a large public university can provide the small class size, academic rigor and individual attention of a small liberal arts college with the resources of a large research university. For some students, this is the best of both worlds.

HOW TO GET ADMITTED TO A COLLEGE HONORS PROGRAM

• Each honors program has its own entrance requirements, but in general, you need strong grades and test scores than students applying to the college's regular programs. There may be a separate application, or you may be invited to participate based on your strong academic record, or both. You will likely will need to maintain a minimum grade point average to remain in the program.

There are many advantages to attending an honors college or participating in an honors program, including:

• A built-in community of similarly intellectually-driven peers
• Individualized academic and career counseling
• Access to alumni networks and mentors
• Scholarships and funding for research, study abroad, or special projects
• “Honors” distinction at graduation

Yet, students should also be aware of some of the drawbacks, including:

• You may have a heavier workload. Classes and assignments are usually more rigorous and demanding than non-honors classes.
• It might take longer to graduate. Some honors programs are a degree unto themselves, pursued concurrently with another major. These additional units could add time to your degree, depending on your educational goals.
• The thesis or capstone projects required by some honors programs can be challenging to manage, especially if you have a demanding course load or other responsibilities during senior year.
• If you leave the honors college, your withdrawal may show up on your college transcript.
• Honors courses do affect your GPA. If you are considering medical school, law school, or other graduate programs where your GPA is critical — or undertaking a demanding major — this may be an issue to consider.

Questions To Ask About College Honors Programs

If you’re invited to join an honors program or you are considering applying to one, do your research. Talk to students already in that program. If you can visit the college, sit in on an honors class or two so you can visualize yourself fitting in — or not.

Here are some questions you might ask:

• How difficult are the courses and how do they differ from regular courses?
• If the program is a self-contained college within a college experience, how does the program affect students' social lives and involvement with the rest of the campus?
• Will you have to participate in a minimum number of honors-level classes?
• Will your studies follow a theme or focus on certain disciplines?
• What are the academic performance requirements to stay in the program?
• Will you have to write an honors thesis or complete a capstone project?
• Are there additional fees involved in the honors program?
• How many students complete the honors program?
• What happens if you change your mind after you start the program?

Although honors colleges and programs come with many perks, you may be able to experience some of their advantages — such as access to research, study abroad, living/learning communities, and dual degrees — outside of an honors curriculum. However, if you are a strong student with a passion for learning and intellectual challenge, an honors college or program may greatly enrich your college experience.

• Check the Scholarship website on the HRHS website for scholarships and scholarship search engines to help you find scholarships that meet your qualifications.
• I update scholarships that are sent to HRHS seeking potential applicants weekly. It is sorted by application due date.
• I will also post some in this newsletter

In 1994, The White Rose Scholarship Foundation was created. A program of the Rocky Mountain Court System Inc., this foundation was created to award scholarships to ALL Colorado residents, enabling them to continue their college education. The money is donated directly to the schools with the stipulation that the scholarship award is to be used for tuition or to purchase textbooks. The eligibility criteria are that the applicant must reside in Colorado and attend an accredited higher learning institution. Annual disbursements have averaged $15,000 over the last 11 years, and are given out in amounts ranging from $500 to $2,500.

Scholarship eligibility requirements:

• Citizenship: Must be a United States citizen OR permanent resident of the United States AND a resident of the State of Colorado for the past year (365 days). (Permanent residents, attach a copy of your residency card).
• Demonstrate financial need: Please submit the first 2 pages of your PREVIOUS YEAR’S federal personal and/or your parent’s tax return.
• Community Service: The WRSF is a community service-based scholarship; the applicant must be involved in one or more community service activities, (i.e. school, church, civic, LGBT, etc.).
• Post-Secondary Education: Must be either applying to, admitted and enrolled, or attending an institution of higher learning or an accredited technical or vocational school.
• GPA: Have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0, or GED equivalent. (Evidenced by high school and/or college transcript)

Applications due January 31, 2027

Graduating high school seniors in the United States, who reside in a state that has a JCI Senate scholarship chairperson or contact. Colorado's JCI Scholarship Chairman is Dale Hill, who can be reached at 303-466-1192 and dlh.coloradoroadrunner@hotmail.com

• STUDENTS MUST HAVE A GPA OF 3.75 AND ABOVE TO BE CONSIDERED.
• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this scholarship.
• You must attend a college or university in the United States to be eligible.
• You must begin your college career in 2027.

Scholarship grants in amounts of $2000 or $2500 will be awarded to graduating high school seniors in the United States, who plan to continue their education at an accredited post-secondary college or university within the United States. Fifty (50) grants will be awarded to 2027 graduates by the United States JCI Senate Foundation.

The DAR Good Citizens program and scholarship contest are intended to encourage and reward the qualities of good citizenship. The program is open to all senior class students. United States citizenship is not required. The student selected as the school’s DAR Good Citizen must have the qualities of: truthfulness, loyalty, punctuality, and being worthy of trust cooperation, courtesy, and contributing to the welfare of others personality, self-control, ability to assume responsibility, ability to inspire others, and a decision-maker devotion to and support of one’s country, supporting service members and veterans, working for causes that make one’s community stronger, and appreciating the cultural and historical importance of America’s unique population. Our school is only able to select one student to submit an essay for this scholarship so if you are interested in being considered, please submit your name to Mrs. Sadler.

Celebrating Colorado students who strengthen their communities:The Colorado Council on High School and College Relations (CCHS/CR) is proud to continue its longstanding commitment to supporting students who make a meaningful difference in the world around them. Our Community Service & Volunteerism Scholarship recognizes high school seniors and continuing college students who demonstrate exceptional dedication to service, leadership, and positive community impact.

Apply Now!

Scholarship Overview

• Total Scholarships: 12
• Amount: $2,000 per scholarship
• Eligibility: High school seniors graduating in Spring 2027 or continuing college student (must be a CO resident)
• Use of Funds: May be applied toward tuition, fees, books, or other educational expenses at any accredited postsecondary institution

Who Should Apply
This scholarship is designed for students who:

• Have made a sustained commitment to community service or volunteer work
• Demonstrate leadership, empathy, and initiative
• Have positively impacted their school, neighborhood, or broader community
• Can clearly articulate the significance of their service and what they’ve learned from it

Service can take many forms: organizing local food drives to mentoring younger students, supporting cultural or environmental initiatives, volunteering with nonprofits, or creating new programs that address community needs.

Application Requirements
Applicants will be asked to submit:

• A completed online application
• A short essay describing their community service experience and its impact
• A letter of recommendation from a teacher, counselor, supervisor, or community leader familiar with their service
• A high school transcript

Why This Scholarship Matters
CCHSCR believes that service minded students strengthen Colorado’s future. By recognizing and supporting young leaders, we aim to encourage lifelong civic engagement and empower students to continue making a difference as they transition into college and beyond.

Timeline

• Application Opens: September 1, 2026
• Application Deadline: February 1, 2027
• Award Notifications: End of April / Early May
• Scholarship Disbursement: Summer 2027

Seniors took their first SAT in April 2026, and many choose to take it again this fall to improve their score. The SAT can help you keep your college options open, demonstrate your unique strengths, and even qualify for scholarships. And with 100% free practice resources, now including enhanced tailored practice based on your prior test scores and free small-group tutoring, you’ll have everything you need to get prepared.

Upcoming SAT Test Dates (Registration Deadline)

• November 7 (October 23)
• December 5 (November 20)

Upcoming ACT Test Dates (Registration Deadline)

• December 12, 2026 (November 6)
• February 27, 2027 (January 22)
• April 10, 2027 (March 5)
• June 12, 2027 (May 7)
• July 10, 2027 (June 4)

There are several tutors hoping to help students with various subjects or testing. A list can be found on the post grad website.

This is available for free in the Library every Access period, after school Mon-Thurs from 2:45-3:30, before school on silver days from 7:15-8:10!

Students sign up online for tutoring using this google form: Sign up for NHS Tutoring

What kind of help can you get from a tutoring session?

• One-on-One tutoring session -- specific skill or assignment

• A study buddy -- study and review for a test

• A homework helper -- while you work on your homework

• A writing coach -- organize your thoughts/edit your written work

• A reading buddy -- help you with your assigned reading

General Reminder: All seniors need to complete and turn in 20 hours of community service. Your completed hours are posted on your unofficial transcript. Need ideas?

Help us prep the garden for growing season - Help us maintain the garden and pick our crops. Will include whatever is ready -- beans, cucumbers, squash, carrots, or beets. Pulling weeds. No experience needed. Please provide your cell phone number when you sign up in case of weather issues.

When: Wednesdays - October 7th and 14th from 6:00 pm - 7:15 pm

Saturdays - October 10th and 24th and November 7th - 9:00 am - 11:00 am

Location: Food Garden at Grace Presbyterian Church

7900 Hope Place, Littleton, 80125

Link to volunteer

To honor the dedication and bravery of former HRHS students serving in the military, we have a recognition wall for service members at HRHS. If you know of a former student enlisted with the military, I would like to include them in our display case. It is an opportunity for our school community to express gratitude and support for these individuals. Please email me the contact info and I can reach out to them to include their name, branch of the military and a photo/write up if available.

Army:

• November 9

Army National Guard:

• November 11

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