December Senior Newsletter 

Hope you had an excellent Thanksgiving Break! Now there is only about three weeks until Winter Break! Once we get back from break we only have a couple of weeks left of the first semester, which means that half of your senior year will be over! Enjoy this time of year! 

Upcoming College Application Deadline: January 1st Regular Decision 

January 1st is one of the most common regular decision deadlines for college. While January 1st may seem like a full month away, the reality is you have much less time to get all of your materials together. 

Why is there more of a time crunch? Bloom-Carroll High School is closed for Holiday Break during a portion of that timeframe leading up to, and after, January 1st. You only have through Friday, December 20th, to gather/complete all your materials. This means that you only have about two weeks to request a personal copy of your transcript (for your GPA, class rank, individual class grades, etc), request letter(s) of recommendation (and give your recommender time to complete them), and ask/receive answers to any questions that you may have. 

Scholarships

Fairfield County Foundation Scholarship applications have opened up! BCHS highly encourages students to apply for the FCF Scholarships since there is a smaller applicant pool (county vs state/national) with over 130 scholarship funds available.

Note: Fairfield County Foundation requires first semester grades on your transcript. If you apply through the Fairfield County Foundation and request a transcript to be uploaded, know that it will not be uploaded until after first semester grades are complete (end of January).

Thinking about attending Ohio University Lancaster? The Kilburger Scholarship pays 100% of tuition costs, is renewable each year, and can transfer to the main campus! Deadline is January 15th. What a great opportunity!

Fairfield County Foundation Scholarships and the OUL Kilburger Scholarship details can be found in the BCHS Scholarship Resource. This is a reminder that the BCHS Scholarship is a great place to start when searching for scholarships. The BCHS Scholarship Resource houses scholarships that range from the national level down to the local level: BCHS Scholarship Resource

College/Employment/Military Acceptance Letters 

Future Senior Newsletters will include recognition for students who have been admitted into the college they wish to attend, scholarships they have been awarded, employment they have obtained for after high school, and recognition for military enlistment.

If you would like to be recognized, whenever you receive a college acceptance letter from one of your top two colleges that you plan to attend, please forward the acceptance email to Mr. Kelley ([email protected]). If you receive a scholarship, employment offer (for after high school) and/or enlist in the military, please send that supporting documentation over to Mr. Kelley as well.

FAFSA - Help Session

FAFSA is open!! Would you like to receive help filling out the FAFSA? The Fairfield County Foundation is hosting a FAFSA Help Night night on December 17th at 5pm at the Fairfield County District Library main branch. Another benefit of attending the FAFSA Help Night is that you will also receive help filling out the Fairfield County Foundation Scholarship application, if you need it. Additional information can be found in the flier:click here to view the flyer.

FAFSA - Another Help Session

Sallie Mae has a FAFSA Help session in the form of a webinar scheduled for Wednesday, December 4th at 7pm. Sallie Mae states they “know that the FAFSA® can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. Join our free webinar where we’ll review how users get started, what key changes went into effect last year, and what students can expect after they complete it. Space is limited, so please register early to guarantee your spot.”

Transcripts Sent to Colleges

If you request your transcript to be sent to a college, there are some additional things you should know. First, BCHS always sends transcript within one to two business days, but most of the time it is sent the same day. Secondly, give the college AT LEAST two weeks to update their records to reflect they have your transcript. 

Remember, most colleges are receiving literally thousands of applications; as an example, OU received 27,000 applications last fall. If you requested a transcript from BCHS, have given the college two weeks to update their records and they still show they do not have your transcript, contact the college’s admissions office. Colleges are notorious for not updating their communication (that is sent to you) to show they have your transcript when they do in fact have it. When you call the admissions office they can confirm they have your transcript. Lastly, please do not request another transcript be sent to the same college, that only slows down the process for all parties involved.

Military Contacts

Going directly into the military is a pathway some of our students take after high school. If this is a path you are considering and have not started inquiring about the details, now is the time to start. For your convenience, BCHS has created a list of contacts for each branch of the military to whom you can reach out to ask questions and gather information. 

Ohio Army National Guard - SFC Diaz, William Email: [email protected]

Army - SSG Browning, Larry Email: [email protected]

Marines -  Sgt Neuberger, Alex Email: [email protected]  Cell: (740) 953-0939

Navy/Navy Reserves - Espinoza, Juan Email: [email protected] Office: (614) 204-1222 

Air Force - SSgt Kincaid, Jeremiah, Email: [email protected] Cell: 740-503-4001

Coast Guard - General Recruiter Contact, Email: [email protected] Office: (206) 815-6285

Employment

One of the more recent local developments is the creation of the Fairfield 33 Corridor and the Career Readiness Endorsement (CRE). In short, the CRE connects students to the benefits of working at local businesses. Below is an excerpt directly from the Fairfield 33 Corridor:

“Do you want to start a career right out of high school? Are you looking for a way to pay for college without taking on large amounts of debt? Would you like to have a job with regular hours and good pay? The Fairfield County Career Readiness Endorsement is your pathway to a local career.”

To learn more about the Fairfield 33 Corridor and the CRE, stop in to the counseling office to speak with Mr. Kelley. You can also check out the CRE website. Finally, you can also contact the Fairfield 33 Corridor Career Navigator, Beth Mingyar at [email protected]

Senior Spotlight

Don’t miss your chance to commemorate a special year in the life of your favorite Senior. It is a special time filled with memories, accomplishments, and new things ahead. As a Senior supporter, you have the opportunity to show your love and pride by honoring your favorite Senior in the Yearbook. We are offering the opportunity for a FREE “Senior Spotlight” advertisement. Make sure your son, daughter, or loved one has an ad ALL ABOUT THEM to look at when the Yearbook comes out next fall. Some possible ideas include a good luck note, a graduation congrats, or something unique for your Senior along with a digital picture (either a current picture, or a special picture from the past).