It’s time to look ahead, not just to the end of the school year, but beyond. Empower your members with all the resources they need to prepare for their futures. From navigating financing options and programs, to applying for various scholarships, to tackling the college admissions process, www.nhs.us/college has the tools students need to plan for success.
Paying for College
Figuring out how to pay for college can be a journey for students, and the best way to embark is with good planning. This may mean reducing costs by earning college credit during high school with AP, IB, and dual-enrollment classes. Students should consider their own resources, such as where family income or a state-sponsored, tax-advantaged program might come into play. Financial aid, whether need- or merit-based, is another important factor. Colleges and universities have resources to help prospective students see the true costs of attending, and many offer programs through their financial aid office to manage or reduce those costs. Urge students to meet with their counselors and have conversations with their families about how to approach this investment in an economical way.
NHS Scholar Dollars
Powered by CollegeBoard and developed in partnership with the Get Schooled Foundation, NHS Scholar Dollars is a scholarship search tool customized for NHS members and their families. Use the filter tools to narrow search results based on the four pillars of the National Honor Society—scholarship, service, leadership, and character. Searches can also be organized by scholarship amount and deadline. Visit www.nhs.us/scholardollars to get started.
The NHS Scholarship
The application process for the 2018–19 school year may be over, but that doesn’t mean it’s too early to look ahead and start encouraging next year’s applicants. Review the NHS Scholarship Webinar for Advisers, which has information about the application and selection process, along with tips on how to best support your students and write your recommendations. Take time to identify strong applicants, and get students brainstorming about their service and leadership experiences by recommending they check out the webinar on how to shine in their scholarship applications. To access material, visit www.nhs.us/scholarship.
College Admission Planning Webinars
Do your members have questions about applying to colleges? Do they know how to best highlight themselves in their scholarship applications? Might they need help navigating FAFSA? Can they craft a strong college essay? These are some of the most pressing questions facing students and their families, and all are answered in college admission planning webinars on the NHS website. Encourage students to check out the on-demand webinars from last fall, and be sure they don’t miss the upcoming webinars that go into detail about paying for college, beginning the college search, and what to do once they’re accepted. Visit www.nhs.us/webinars or www.njhs.us/webinars. Students can also reach out to panelists on @nhs_njhs and /nhsandnjhs on Facebook using #Prep4College for more insights.
College Savings for NJHS
Help your middle level students in their quest for higher education with the Outstanding Achievement Award, which is open to nominations through February 25. Five hundred honorees will each receive $500 in a 529 college savings plan account. For more information, visit www.njhs.us/oaa.