Picking a College & Choosing a Major

• College Board's Big Future
• College Majors 101 to explore career paths and majors.
• WOIS: Most students were given their WOIS log in info before leaving for the COVID-19 break.  Site key required, contact counselor if need yours.  Great resource!  Spend some time learning your strengths, interests, and options!  
• College Scorecard is a great comparison tool. 
• Career Services:  WOIS is a great way to learn about careers.  Visit www.wois.org and use the site key available from the school counselor.  

Tough to Make a College Visit?  Virtual Fair!

PNACAC has moved its annual fall fairs online!  Washington Student Week is October 19-23, and you can register now by clicking the button on this site.  Free!  

Opportunities to Consider

Considering WWCC?  The have virtual Warrior Wednesdays every week at 5 PM through Feb. 24, 2021.  Get a few friends together or just go on your own to get answers to ANY question you may have, big or small.   Join the Zoom meetings with this link, Meeting ID: 851 3325 4623. Anyone who can’t make it can contact WWCCfor an info session by appointment. Call 509-730-0897 or email  melissa.rodriguez@wwcc.edu.

WWCC offers financial aid sessions on Zoom also, 3:30 to 4:30 PM through December 17.  Whether you want to work live on your FAFSA or WAFSA or find out about scholarships and other funding, this is a great place to get personalized help.  Participants can even get a free facemask.   Here is the Zoom link, and meeting ID is 837 6471 5711.  

Cancer Unwrapped Writing Contest:  This essay contest, open to students in grades 9-12, is an opportunity to write an essay between 500 and 1000 words and enter to win a $1,000 prize.   Visit here for details, deadline February 19, 2021
 

Tips for College Visits

WWCS School Counseling enthusiastically recommends high school students of all levels making official visits to as many campuses as possible!  The link below has some tips for focusing on what is important; the academic and career tips are especially helpful and too easily overlooked on any "tour," so you may have to ask!

At DeSales 

• PSAT/NMSQT:  A preliminary SAT and scholarship contest, in October of junior year. January 2021
• PSAT 8 and 9: Not given in 2020-21
• PSAT 10: Not given in 2021
• ASVAB: For Juniors, March 2021
• ASVAB Follow Up/Career Exploratory:  TBA April 2021
• NWEA MAP- 7th and 8th grade participate in MAP testing, a tool used by the school to follow the progress of students and meet their individualized growth needs.
• SAT 2020-21: Free full-length test and free KHAN ACADEMY prep accessible HERE; register HERE
• Career Services:  WOIS is a great way to learn about careers.  Visit www.wois.org and use the site key available from the school counselor.  

At Assumption 

• NWEA MAP- All Assumption students participate in MAP testing three (3) times per year. This tool is used by teachers and parents to track progress and meet the individualized learning needs of each student
• DIBELS ASSEMSSEMENT (The Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills)- This tool is used to track the literacy progress of our early grades, and insure the all students are mastering these fundamental skills.

 

Test Scheduling

• Updates from the College Board (SAT'S) HERE.
• Updates from ACT on testing HERE. 
• Updates on AP testing (Wow!) HERE
• ACT 2020-21:
  • *Note: Until further notice, ACT testing at WWCC has been discontinued.  Therefore, testing in Walla Walla will take place on SUNDAYS, so the day after the mainstream test dates below.  WWVA is hosting these sessions, but they are open to our students.  Other tests sites like Mac-Hi and Tri-Cities are available on the Saturday dates below.
  • Register HERE
  • Free full-length ACT practice tests and information booklets available in the office and online. ACT fee waivers for financial need available in the counseling office!

Scholarship Documents and Information

• Great article on Big Money, Hard Choices  from Cardinal Newman Society.  

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Scholarship Search Engines

We all like a personalized invitation, but these search engines allow students to create profiles, browse, learn more about national and statewide options.  Check them out:

• NCAA Changes with COVID-19, see here
• fastweb.com
• scholarships.com
• Washboard.org This one is WWCS School Counseling's favorite; it is run by WA state and inlcudes local, state, national awards by emailing students after they complete a profile.  For any student, any year, any time, a worthwhile exercise.  
• Check out this website featuring student-made videos at colleges across the country: Campus Reel

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General or Interest Specific Scholarships and Awards

Essay contest for Cancer Unwrapped
Deadline Extended!  Cancer Unwrapped is an essay contest.  If cancer has impacted the life of anyone you know or love, you can enter.  Entries due March 14, need to be 500-1,000 words, and carry a $1,000 possible prize.  

Cut Costs on Private Education
Hoping to cut costs on a private school in WA?  Check out this website.  There are awards requiring applications, and some corporate monies available through those 1-1 talks with financial aid at your chosen school.  Call those offices soon!

Local Scholarship for Women, P.E.O
Click here to enter a contest for a $500 Scholarship.  Entry is pretty simple, with a basic application that asks for more if you make the first cut.  Application due April 15.  

Episcopal Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Marsden Scholarship
Just in!  Marsden Scholarship.  You know that beautiful cathedral above Spokane?  It's the Episcopal Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist.  They offer a $30,000/4 year scholarship.  Deadline is March 31, and you have to have ALL your materials in by then.  Use the link above to learn more, but many of you are eligible!  

Blue Mountain Community Foundation Awards
Blue Mountain Community Foundation!  Best deal in this area!  Need-based and non-need based awards from multiple local sources.  Requires time and effort, FAFSA if you have it, OK for ANYONE. Do it!  Due March 1 at midnight.  

College Board Opportunity Scholarships
College Board Opportunity Scholarships 

Elks Scholarships and Legacy Awards:

• For children and grandchildren of Elks only, application due February 5, 2021.  Click here to apply. 
• Elks Vocational Grants: This is a local and WA state scholarship only, available to US Citizens planning on a 2 year terminal degree.  Applications are online and due to the local lodge by March 1, 2021.  Visit this site and be sure to roll your mouse over "What we do" and then click "Scholarships."  
• Elks Dave Nicholas Memorial is a LOCAL grant available to ALL students with a GPA of 2.2 to 3.2.  Application is due annually the third Friday of March, or March 19, 2021, paper only, available from the counselor.  

The Seattle Foundation STEM Scholarships
Just in!  The Seattle Foundation is a source for STEM scholarships of all types.  Many of these are also linked to TheWashBoard and other search sites, but wow, great place to browse.  

Kiwanis Service/Merit
Just in!  Kiwanis Service/Merit:  This local award goes to someone who demonstrates need, a plan for the future, and a background of service.  Go for it!  Apply here online and get it in by April 14. 

McGregor (agriculture)
McGregor:  For students considering careers in agriculture.  Due March 26, 2021. 

American Indian Endowed Scholarship
American Indian Endowed Scholarship:  For students with close social and cultural ties and who intend to use education to benefit WA state tribal communities.  Due March 1, 2021.

WSSRA (WA State School Retirees' Association)

• Scholarships for Future Teachers. GPA of 3.0 or higher, intend to be a teacher or other school employee.  There are 8 one-time scholarships of $2500; 2 for $2000, and 16 for $900 that are renewable for four years.  Find the application online at www.wssra.org, under the Foundation Tab, print and mail to WSSRA, PO Box 5127, Lacey, WA  98509 by March 1, 2021.
• WSSRA (WA State School Retirees' Association) Scholarships for Future Teachers. GPA of 3.0 or higher, intend to be a teacher or other school employee.  There are 8 one-time scholarships of $2500; 2 for $2000, and 16 for $900 that are renewable for four years.  Find the application online at www.wssra.org, under the Foundation Tab, print and mail to WSSRA, PO Box 5127, Lacey, WA  98509 by March 1, 2021.   

Unique Scholarships
Someone may pay you for doing good deeds!  Check out this unique $750 scholarship from Pointe Pest Control, WA.  Due April 29, 2021.  

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College and University Specific Scholarships/Awards

Walla Walla Community College Scholarships
Link to other local scholarships via WWCC's page HERE but scroll past the Blue Mountain to other awards. 

Applied to EWU?
Go here to apply, and submit by their recommended date of January 15, although final deadline has been extended.  

Baylor
Check out Option 3 on this page!  

U of Montana
Consider the options here. U of Idaho
Read this, but no separate application required.  

WWCC Foundation
Every student even partially considering applying to WWCC should start this NOW.  Application opened Oct 1 and closes February 9, 2021.  Everything you need, including step-by-step instructions, here:  https://foundation.wwcc.edu/scholarships/