Santa Clarita Valley Scholarships

If your senior student is planning on continuing his/her education after graduation, he/she should come and pick up an SCV Scholarship application NOW! There will be at least 10 scholarships given out to Valencia High School Seniors. The scholarships range from $400 - $4000. The deadline to turn in the application is February 3rd.  Don't miss out on this opportunity. Pick up an application in the Scholarship File Drawer in the Counseling Office.            

CSU Placement Tests
Did you know that less than half of incoming college freshman pass both of the California State University (CSU) placements tests, the ELM and the EPT?  If your senior student is heading to a CSU in the fall and doesn’t pass the ELM and/or the EPT, the alternative is required summer remediation, which can cost upwards of $5000 and doesn’t award college credit.  The Valencia High School counseling office, in conjunction with Eureka Review, is offering an ELM/EPT review Boot Camp to help your student pass both exams by teaching strategies, reducing testing anxiety, and building her/her confidence.  The Boot camp will take place on Tuesday February 7th and Thursday, February 9th from 3:15 until 6:15.  Information about signing up is in the counseling office and ends by February 3rd.

ACT Practice Exam and Workshop
Experience an ACT exam without the pressure of taking an “official” test! This event, in conjunction with Kaplan Test Prep, includes a practice ACT Exam on Saturday, February 11thfrom 9:00 am until 1:00 pm and a Results Analysis Workshop on Wednesday, February 22nd from 7:00 pm until 8:00 pm. Students can sign up and get further information in the counseling office.

College Visitation Field Trip
Sophomores and juniors with a 3.5 GPA or higher and other additional requirements are welcome to sign up for our college visitation to University of Southern California (USC).  Trip visitation includes a scheduled campus tour and presentation.  The trip will be on Wednesday, February 22nd from 7:45 am until approximately 3:30 pm.  Please inquire about and/or sign up in the counseling office.  Limited spots are available, as this trip will fill quickly

College Financial Aid

Senior students should have applied for, or be currently applying for, financial aid via the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) website at www.fafsa.ed.gov.  Once the application is submitted, you will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR).  Review the SAR to make sure all the information is correct.  The Expected Family Contribution (EFC) appears on the top of the SAR.  The EFC is the amount of money that the federal government has determined that you and your family can contribute toward the cost of your child’s college education.  Eligibility for need-based aid is based on the difference between what the family can pay and the cost of attending the college or university.  The EFC is calculated by a standard formula, applied to all financial aid applicants nationwide, and takes into consideration all of the information you provided on the FAFSA.  Your EFC is the same for all colleges. 

Cal Grant/GPA Verification
This year, Valencia High School submitted all seniors' information to the Web Grants system for a possible Cal Grant. Students will not need to fill out any form or application for the Cal Grant. Any student who submits his/her FAFSA will be automatically considered for a Cal Grant. Information regarding the Cal Grants are found at http://www.csac.ca.gov/doc.asp?id=105.  To find out the status of your Cal Grant, AFTER you have filed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), you can go online and check the status of your Cal Grant application by logging onto https://mygrantinfo.csac.ca.gov and creating an account. This secure site will let you view the status of your Cal Grant application, update your address, view payment history or tell us you're changing your school.

CSS Profile
In addition to the FAFSA, some private colleges require a CSS/Profile application as part of the financial aid application process. The CSS/Profile is a supplemental financial aid application used by many private colleges across the country. More information on the CSS Profile application and a list of all nationwide colleges that require the profile can be found at: https://profileonline.collegeboard.com/prf/index.jsp

2012 AP Exams

Students currently taking AP courses need to begin thinking about and preparing for the 2012 AP Exams.  AP teachers will be distributing information and payment envelopes to their students in February regarding how to sign up and pay for the exams.  Each AP exam will cost $87, and payments will be accepted in the ASB office until the end of February.

SAT Workshop
Valencia High School and The Princeton Review are offering an SAT Workshop on Saturday and Sunday, March 3rd and 4th at VHS.   Designed as a basic introduction to the major principles tested on the SAT, this two-day program is ideal for those students who want to do a quick overview of the SAT before the March 10th SAT administration.  In this workshop, students will learn valuable information about the SAT as well as some of the Princeton Review’s famous strategic test-taking tips.  In addition, students will take a practice SAT and receive The Princeton Review’s famous Cracking the SAT book, complete with practice problems and test-taking strategies.  Studentscan find out more information and/or sign up in the counseling office before February 29th.  This is an especially great workshop for junior students, as the March SAT exam date is the most popular date for junior students to begin their official SAT testing.

College Transcript Requests
Senior students who need their official high school transcripts mailed to any college(s) should visit the VHS registrar’s office in person to fill out a transcript request form.  Any request that is made in person with the correct form will be mailed within 24 hours to the requested college.

2011/2012 Course Selection
The VHS counselors will be meeting with all current 9th, 10th and 11th grade students during February and March to discuss and prepare course requests for the 2012/20013 school year.  These students will be given a copy of the registration paper and will be asked to bring it home and discuss and fill it out with their parents/guardians.

Grades and College Eligibility
Colleges do not accept any grades below a “C” for any required classes. If your student receives a “D” or an “F” in any required class, he/she MUST retake that class to be eligible to apply to college during his/her senior year.

NCAA Clearinghouse If you have a junior or senior student who plans on being an athlete at the college level, he/she must register with the NCAA Clearinghouse.  The registration website can be found at:  www.ncaaclearinghouse.com.  Students/Parents should be very careful when reviewing this website, as there are many details that the students must adhere to in order to be eligible.  If your student needs additional help with eligibility issues, he/she can contact Mrs. Stroh in the counseling office or by email at kas@hartdistrict.org.