Seniors

• I want to apply to college, but don't know how: Click on Applications to the left under table of contents.
• Early Action, Early Decision and Priority Decision Deadlines are coming up quickly. Don't wait until the last minute!
• College Rep Visits next week: Metropolitan State University of Denver. Register in Naviance.
• I need information on NCAA or NAIA (playing sports in college): Click on NCAA or NAIA to the left
• I need information on Testing/Test Prep: Click on Testing to the left
• Financial Aid and Scholarships may include trade schools: For more information, click on Financial Aid or Scholarships to the left
• CASFA, CSS Profile and FAFSA information is available below. Applications opened October 1st!

The winners are:

• Flower: Lily
• Motto: "Don't get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life."- Dolly Parton
• Song: Heroes by David Bowie
• Quote: "You'll never do a whole lot unless you're brave enough to try."- Dolly Parton

141 seniors need to schedule their senior credit check meeting with Mrs. Pigati!

112 seniors need to schedule their senior credit check meeting with Mrs. Sawaged.

• For a November 15th deadline, you need to submit supplemental materials with Ms. Gentry by November 13th. November 15th is a SUNDAY.

• Ready to apply to college? If you need a letter of recommendation or transcripts, all steps to request are located on the Post Grad website.
• Your first step will be to visit the college website to check for application requirements and/or to apply. You may be able to apply through Common App for many colleges.
• Some colleges utilize a Self-Reported Academic Record (SRAR). This means they do not require transcripts (save your $3).
• Next, you will request transcripts and letters of recommendation (if required) through Naviance. Go to colleges I'm applying to > blue + to add colleges > request transcript. If you applied through Common App, match your account.
• You will pay for transcripts through MySchoolBucks BEFORE transcripts are sent. It's $3 per official transcript sent.
• The last step will be for students to come see Ms. Gentry to send materials. You will need to know what you want sent (transcript, letters of recommendation, if you applied through common app, etc.).

• STEPS TO REQUEST LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION

  • If your college requires a letter of recommendation, see your counselor and/or teacher at least two weeks in advance of the deadline. Only ask for a recommendation letter if the school requires one.
    • Give teachers a copy of your resume or the Student Profile for Letters of Recommendation found in Naviance under About Me (in the upper right), Surveys From Your School
    • Request the letter in Naviance > Colleges > Letters of Recommendation > Add Request: Find the teachers alphabetically by last name. General Requests can be sent to any college, so that's the preference. If you want a teacher to write a letter for a specific college, let them know and request only for that college.
    • Check in with teachers after a week. Requests will change to "in progress" in Naviance once teachers have uploaded the letter.

• If you have questions, ASK! Talk to your counselor or Ms. Gentry. We're here to help and we want students to understand the process.

• College Reps visit Castle View to meet with prospective students. Reps are available to answer questions about the college, application, scholarships, and more. It's a great idea to meet with these reps as they are usually the ones who read your application. You must register for each visit in Naviance and pick up your pass the morning of the visit.
  
• Metropolitan State University of Denver - Thursday, November 5th at 10:00 AM
• Savannah College of Art and Design - Wednesday, November 18th at 8:30 AM
• Western Colorado University - Thursday, November 19th at 12:30 PM

• CASFA is for students who are not eligible for Federal Student Aid, undocumented students or students from mixed status families or other situations who prefer not to share their contributors' personal data beyond Colorado higher education institutions. Students who complete a CASFA are applying for State and institutional aid only (NOT Federal Student Aid).

• The purpose of the CASFA is to determine need for financial aid awarding purposes to students historically excluded from receiving state and federal financial aid. CASFA positively supports families and is a logical next step in efforts to erase equity gaps and put college in reach for the families who benefit most from a postsecondary education. CASFA also supports the department’s efforts to make college more affordable by reducing the cost of obtaining a credential and maximizing a student’s higher education investment.

Colleges and career schools use the FAFSA form to determine how much financial aid you're eligible to receive, which could include grants, scholarships, work-study funds, and loans.

You must apply for aid every year, but with the right information in hand, it's easy.

• Have you received a scholarship? We want to know about it! Please bring in or email a copy of the original scholarship offer so that we can update our system.

• The Flusche & Fitzgerald Scholarship Contest requires students to raise awareness about different legal issues. Applicants must create a public service advertisement video (PSA) about this prompt: What should motorists do while driving if they see a law enforcement vehicle that is stopped on the side of the road? The winner will receive $500. Apply now for the Fall Semester deadline of November 30th.

• The Hagan Scholarship is a nationwide need-based merit scholarship, providing recipients with the opportunity to achieve their goals and graduate college debt-free. The scholarship provides up to $7,500 each semester for up to 8 consecutive semesters. Applicants must graduate from a high school located in the United States. The Applicant’s Adjusted Gross Household Income reported for 2025 Federal Income Tax Purposes must not have exceeded $125,000. Deadline to apply is December 1, 2026.

• North American Van Lines is proud to announce our annual Logistics Scholarship contest. Three lucky qualified entrants will each win a $1,000 scholarship towards their degree in logistics or supply chain management at the college or university of their choice. Apply here by December 15, 2026.

• Senior Planning believes in giving back. We have chosen to help ensure the next generation of medical social workers are ready to provide the care that American seniors will need. Spring applications are due by December 15th.

• The Burger King Scholars Program grants range from $1,000 to $60,000 and are intended to help students offset the cost of attending college or post-secondary vocational/technical school. Recipients are selected based on their grade point average (GPA) 2.0+, work experience, extracurricular activities, community service and financial need. The application period for the 2026-2027 school year closes on December 15, 2026. Click here to apply.

• The Equitable Excellence Scholarship provides over $1.8 million in scholarships to young people throughout the nation. Students have the opportunity to receive a $5,000 annual scholarship. The 2026 program year is now open until December 22nd, 2026. Click here for more information.

• We are excited to announce that the DAR Scholarship application portal opened on November 1 for the 2027 award year! The online application portal, DAR AcademicWorks, will remain open until January 31, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. (Hawaii Time).

• TheDream.US is the nation's largest college access and success program for immigrant youth with DACA or TPS status, or that meet TheDream.US immigration eligibility criteria. It opens its new round of scholarship applications for the 2026-27 academic year on November 1st. The National Scholarship, an up-to-$36,000 scholarship for high school or first-time college students and community college graduates, closes February 28, 2027. Learn more by visiting the website.

• The required tasks for all seniors are:

• Complete AchieveWorks® Learning & Productivity assessment from 9th grade
• Complete Career Interest Profiler from 10th grade
• Complete AchieveWorks® Skills from 11th grade
  
• Identify 3 favorite careers
  
• Add colleges to my list
  
• Schedule Senior Credit Check With Counselor
  
• Create/Update Resume: Use free services like google docs templates, ChatGPT, or Canva. Here is what you should include for a College Resume, or a resume for employment.
• 12th Grade Post-Secondary/Workforce Goal. What do you want to do after high school?

• Use the Naviance tool "SuperMatch college search" under the colleges tab. This tool allows students to search for specific interests and narrow down their college options. Students can then make a list of their appropriate choices.

NCAA Eligibility Center registration fees increased on September 1st.

New NCAA registration fees are:

• Domestic certification: $120

• International certification: $180

• Athletics-only: $85

  
  

But registration is only one part of an increasingly complex NCAA eligibility process.

As dual enrollment, CTE, credit recovery, virtual learning, and other flexible pathways grow, a course can often count toward graduation or college credit and still not meet NCAA initial-eligibility requirements.

As the Education Partner of the NCAA Eligibility Center, Honest Game helps schools and districts proactively monitor NCAA-approved coursework, Core GPA, and eligibility requirements - so students are on track before it’s time to register.

• The deadline to register for the December 12th National ACT, is November 6th.

• ACT.org is the go-to place to get FREE, personalized practice for the ACT. Go to the website for more information.

• The Princeton Review offers Free practice SAT and ACT tests, as well as strategy sessions and test prep. Find more information on the website.

• Read this before sending ACT/SAT scores to colleges: https://blog.prepscholar.com/important-read-this-before-sending-act-scores-to-colleges