College & Career Newsletter

CELEBRATE! Half of the senior class has now applied to at least 1 college.  ICI has already processed 115 transcript requests from seniors to colleges all over the country! It’s not too late to apply, so keep up the good work. 

Hey Seniors! Winter Break Reminders

1. Complete the NC Residency Determination form (if you plan to attend college in NC, this is REQUIRED!

2. Create your FSA ID - you will need to keep up with this number until the FAFSA opens later in December. (Make a note of your FSA ID! You will need it each year that you complete the FAFSA in college!)

*At least 1 parent must also create a FSA ID.  (Step 8)  The only reason why both parents would need an FSA ID is if they are married filing taxes separately.

3. Complete the FAFSA when it opens; Supposed to open in December. No date announced yet. 

4. Don’t forget to request your official transcript and letter(s) of recommendation once you’ve applied! During winter break, you may submit an electronic transcript request form HERE

*If you need a transcript and/or letters of recommendation for a scholarship (rather than a college application), please also complete this form! 

*This form can also be found on the college/career counseling website

5. IF you are submitting test scores to colleges (ACT or SAT), it is your responsibility to send those to colleges by logging into your online account (CollegeBoard or ACT.org) 

6. Once you’ve applied, check each college’s financial aid website to see if they have a separate scholarship application! 

7. Once your applications are submitted, check your email regularly to make sure if the college needs any additional information, you can get that to them in a timely manner. 

-IF they need an AB Tech transcript (if you’ve taken AB Tech classes in high school, you will request that transcript directly from AB Tech.

Hey Juniors! Winter Break Reminders

Please schedule your Junior Conference! 

This is the time of year that juniors should seriously begin the post-graduate planning process. As the 11th grade counselor, I would like to inform you of the programs IC Imagine has in place to assist you and your student in this process.

Juniors will begin receiving information about post-graduate planning this week. This will include a review of graduation requirements, and the tasks necessary to jump-start the post-graduate planning process. Attached is a “College Timeline for Juniors” that you can post in a visible spot to keep you on track. I would encourage parents to check out our Post-Secondary Counseling website for more information. 

“ICI 301” is how we refer to the college and career counseling that juniors will receive this year. There are several ICI 301 tasks for juniors and their families to complete this year:  

  • Students attended a ICI 301 counseling presentation on November 1st, 2023 during American History/US History

  • Students should complete the “Junior Conference Survey” and a college/career search in their SCOIR account BEFORE their scheduled junior conference with Ms. Vernau

  • Students should schedule AND attend their Junior Conference

    • Students should work with parents/guardians to find a time for their conference

    • Students should use my Google Calendar to reserve their conference date/time (or use the QR code →) 

    • If parents/guardians would prefer to join virtually, please indicate that on the Google Calendar form, and I will provide a virtual meeting link

    • If parents/guardians are unable to attend, I will provide a follow-up email with an overview of the conference (and resources) after I  meet with the student 

  • Junior Conferences will begin next week and may be scheduled through March 2024.  

Finally, ICI provides your student with access to SCOIR, an amazing resource for postsecondary planning.  Students can access SCOIR at this URL and sign in with Clever via their ICI Google account. 

https://app.scoir.com/signin

Juniors & Seniors currently taking AB Tech dual enrollment courses: 

Please remember that AB Tech is not on break yet! You will need to continue to work on your AB Tech courses until the end of their semester (Dec 16)! Please stay on top of your work and check your email regularly to ensure you are not missing any information from your AB Tech instructors!  

During winter break, please reach out to Vicki Thompson directly with AB Tech questions or concerns. (vickithompson@abtech.edu

Upcoming Events

  1. FAFSA Workshop - January 17th, 6 PM at Franklin School of Innovation. This is for current seniors applying to college who need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). We will be co-hosting a FAFSA workshop.  You and your family will be able to listen to a brief financial aid presentation and then complete the FAFSA with a specialist from CFNC. Please come with a computer, FSA IDs, and having already completed your NC RDS form. 

  1. AB TECH Application Workshop - January 18th at 8:45 AM - (classroom location TBD.) Current seniors who would like to apply to AB Tech for Fall 2024

Senior Scholarship Opportunities 

  1. 2024 Matthew Matthew C. Graziadei Achievement Scholarship - ALL North Carolina students with disabilities are eligible for nomination. Including students enrolled in the Occupation Course of Study, students who will be receiving a Graduate Certificate and students enrolled in the Future Ready Course of Study. 

  2. NC Assist Scholarship - Any NC senior planning to attend college next year who is 18 years old or older.  No essay required!

  3. UNCF Fidelity Scholarship Program - Please see their eligibility requirements on their website

  4. King Law Scholarship 

  5. Local Scholarship Searches here and here 

ATTENTION SOPHOMORES, JUNIORS & SENIORS: Interested in a paid, summer internship this summer? OneLife By Goodwill will be working with a small group of students weekly during semester 2.  These students will then begin a paid, summer internship.  This program requires an application & interview. We will hold an informational meeting in January.

Don’t forget to check out the ICI Postsecondary Counseling website! 

Best wishes for a successful college or career planning process!

April Vernau

11th & 12th Grade Counselor