CHS School Counselors' Corner

College Application Tips and Updates

Please do not forget that you must request transcripts! Log into Scoir and make sure any school you need a transcript for at this time is under the "Applying" list; this will trigger a transcript request in your counselor's portal...This should have been done ten school days in advance of any deadlines. If you did not do this at that point, please see your counselor right away. Thank you for your cooperation.
Please consider getting your applications in ahead of time in case of glitches.
Be sure to proofread your application very carefully before submitting it.
If you get stuck at any point in the Common App process, please check out the Common Application Applicant Solutions Center. They are ready to help with any questions and respond to requests as they are received, day and night, 24/7.
When/if you add more schools to your list, please be sure to tell your counselor so we know to go back on to Scoir and send your transcript and letters to your new school(s).
If you are not applying test-optional, please remember to send your SAT and/or ACT scores in from either www.collegeboard.org or actstudent.org. Unless your school allows you to self-report your test scores, the scores on the application are not enough. Schools must receive the official scores from College Board or ACT. For more information on what test-optional means, please see our past S'More!
It may take one to two weeks for your scores to be received by your colleges, so please don’t delay.

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What is the "STARS," Anyways?

The Self-Reported Transcript and Academic Record System (STARS) allows applicants to record and submit courses, grades, and test scores as part of your college application to participating colleges and universities.

Students will list courses and grades that have been completed, or will be attempted (e.g., senior year courses in-progress), for high school credit.

In order to determine if a school you're applying to requires this form, please see here.

If you must fill this form out, please do the following:

Log into X2
Click on My Info
Click on Transcripts
Click on the funnel icon
Select All Records
You will see a list of all classes you've taken and all grades you've earned by term/final grade.

HELPFUL TIPS: When you are in the STARS Form, you will enter your courses and grades by semester. It will automatically say that a full year course is "1" credit; please change it to "10." Also, it will indicate that half-year courses are .5 credits; please change it to "5."

Expert financial aid assistance...for free!

Navigating the financial aid landscape can be challenging. Thanks to a generous donation, Chelmsford High School families now have access to personalized support and resources to help you navigate the college financial landscape including the financial aid process. The CHS School Counseling Department has teamed with the experts from College Affordable to help you to take the steps to make college more affordable. Please see the following site, information about the upcoming webinar, as well as the "Financial Aid Checklist" included below.

Financial Aid Webinar with College Affordable on October 15th!

Submitting the FAFSA is just one piece of the puzzle, and a lot of questions remain about next steps and how to address other requirements. Join College Affordable as they take families through the next phase of the financial aid process.

For those of you who are not familiar with the program, College Affordable is a local non-profit organization we partner with to provide our students and their families support with the financial aid process at no cost.

In addition to being your resource for all questions related to the FAFSA, CSS Profile, and financial aid eligibility, the organization holds webinars specifically designed to support families where they are in the financial aid process.

Date: Thursday, October 15, 2026, 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM

Topic: I submitted my FAFSA...now what?

All families who are new to College Affordable should visit this link and click on our school icon to register. Registering with College Affordable ensures that students and families do not miss out on any of their webinars or one-on-one services that provide for our students and families. This page is also a great resource for you and will contain information related to the program you can take advantage of.

All questions can be directed to College Affordable via email at financialaid@collegeaffordable.org or call/text 781-343-1941.

College Financial Fit Checklist

One of the most stressful components of applying to college involves the financial aid process; many students don't know what they don't know.

The Massachusetts Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators has put together a helpful checklist so that you won't miss a beat. Please see here for more info: https://masfaa.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Financial-Fit-Checklist-ACS.pdf

CSS Profile and The Town of Chelmsford Scholarship Fund

Most folks have heard of the FAFSA, but the CSS Profile might be new to you.

The CSS Profile is an online application that students submit to apply for financial aid from colleges and scholarship programs. It’s different from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA ®) that students use to apply for financial aid from the federal government. It is NOT required of every institution, but it's important to know if you need to fill it out.

Please visit the following link to see if the schools you are applying to require this Form: https://profile.collegeboard.org/profile/ppi/participatingInstitutions.aspx.

The CSS PROFILE is REQUIRED for the Town of Chelmsford Scholarship Fund, the application for which can be found here: TCSF | Application Process

The Town of Chelmsford Scholarship Fund, a 501(c)(3) Non-profit organization, provides financial assistance in the form of scholarships to Chelmsford residents who have or are about to complete high school and wish to continue their undergraduate education.

The fund awards scholarships based on need, scholastic achievement, college acceptance, and qualities of character.

The scholarship fund is not limited to graduating high school students - any Chelmsford resident who has completed secondary school and is pursuing undergraduate education is eligible for consideration.

Since its inception in 1957, the fund has awarded more than $2 million in scholarships generously donated by the community to help students from Chelmsford.

School counselors will meet with students in the winter to outline additional details of the scholarship process upon said scholarships being publicized.

UMass Lowell Transfer Dictionary

Are you a senior applying to UMass Lowell? Have you taken a class for "Dual Enrollment" credit here at CHS? If so, check out the UMass Lowell Transfer Dictionary, which will help you determine how courses taken at a different institution will transfer to UMass Lowell. Visit uml.edu/transferdictionary for more info.

Admissions Visits at the College and Career Readiness Center

Did you know that our very own College and Career Readiness Center hosts several Admissions officers each week? Learn about the college, ask questions, and get a sense of what it's like to talk to someone in this role. Please visit Scoir to register, and see here for a list of who will be here over the next two weeks.

Counselors' Corner Archives

For full access to all Counselors' Corners, as well as a list of topics that each covers, please see here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/12sGLYMpl9yZ4sLvH2JeN_IBPsEhUSfu70RRdcPab4U0/edit?usp=sharing

Weekly Stress Relief: Floating Lanterns

Some days, a little calm music and relaxing visualization can really do the trick. Check out this lovely video if you're feeling stressed; while it won't fix everything, it will likely help ground you and provide a few minutes of R&R.