November Senior Newsletter

The first quarter is over! Can you believe that 25% of your senior year is already complete? We are proud of you for all of your hard work. Keep working hard and enjoy your senior year because, before you know it, the bright future you are creating will be here!   

Graduation and Grades

You know which classes you need to pass in order to graduate. Did the grades you earned the first nine weeks help or hurt your progress towards graduation? Kudos to those of you who performed well. For those of you who earned grades that may compromise your ability to pass those needed classes, the good news is that you have time to change it, but you need to start acting now. 

Here are some helpful behaviors that you can implement immediately to begin improving your grades: 1. Communicate with teachers: the more the better. 2. Take advantage of help sessions: may include working with your teacher at different periods, math tutoring during lunch, etc. 3. Be conscientious about your work: check ProgressBook regularly, utilize a calendar, etc. You can do this! 

Diploma Needs

A quick reminder to senior students - Senior Advisors Mr. McNamara or Mrs. Eggleston sent out the below email that requires your attention and action:

“In preparation for graduation, we will need to order your diplomas soon, and we need you to verify your name as you want it to appear on the diploma.

Please click on the link below to fill out a Google Form telling us exactly how you/your parents want your name to appear on your diploma.  Please double-check your spelling.  You must be logged into your B-C email account in order to access the below form.

2024 Diploma Name Verification Form

This will only take a minute or so, but please submit this form ASAP to avoid delays in ordering your diploma.  If you have questions, please direct them to Mr. McNamara or Mrs. Eggelston.”

BCHS Scholarship Resource

This is a reminder that the BCHS Scholarship Resource is there for you. You will find scholarship search engines as well as local and national scholarships within the BCHSSR. Scholarships will consistently be added to this list: scholarships will always be added directly below the previous listed scholarship.

Scholarships specific to BC are listed at the bottom in Purple and Gold; BC scholarships represent anticipated BCHS/local scholarships. Confirmation of each scholarship along with all details will occur closer to March of 2023. 

Scholarships - Scams 

There are millions of scholarships available to students. However, not all scholarships are legitimate. Here are some tips for spotting scholarship scams: You have to pay a fee to apply. They have guarantees. They require very personal information such as credit card, bank account, social security number. 

If you find any of the aforementioned red flags when looking at a particular scholarship, it is best to avoid that scholarship. If you want to evaluate that scholarship more closely and/or report it, you can do so via contacting the National Fraud Information Center, Federal Trade Commision, or Ohio Attorney General. 

College Applications | Early Action Deadline | November 15th    

While early action deadlines vary, November 15th is a common date that many colleges adhere to, including Ohio University. If you are intending to apply via early action with November 15th in mind, by now you should be well on your way to completing the application; have already requested a personal copy of your transcript; are working on Common App (if applicable); asked for letters of recommendations; etc.   

On a side note - compliments to all of you who applied to a college with a November 1st deadline! Your preparation and punctuality was fantastic! 

College Tour

Want to explore colleges in a different manner? “The College Tour is a TV series brought to you by Emmy-nominated and multi-award-winning producers. Hosted by Alex Boylan, each episode of The College Tour tells the story of a single college through the lens of its students.” For more information, click here to go to the College Tour’s website.

University of Cincinnati Fee Waiver

Are you thinking about applying to the University of Cincinnati? UC is promoting: “Now is the perfect time for students to submit their undergraduate admission application for University of Cincinnati! We are waiving the undergraduate admission application fee for students who apply between November 1 – November 14. That's right – students can apply for free! Students applying to the UC Uptown campus via the Common App must select "Free Application Days November 1-14" in the fee waiver section. 

The Ohio State - Regional Campus Fee Waiver

OSU regional campuses are also promoting a fee waiver: “Students can submit their complete application to one of our regional campuses between now and December 15…A complete application includes the online application below and a high school transcript sent directly from the school. Remind students to use this fee waiver code when prompted: UFWREG4”

Columbus State Information Sessions Cont’d

Carrying over from last month’s newsletter, Columbus State Community College still has a few information sessions scheduled over the next week. Attending these sessions can greatly assist your student in making informed decisions about their future education. Families can see all information session dates by visiting the Columbus State's Webpage here.

FAFSA - More General Information

A common question regarding FAFSA is “When do I need to complete my FAFSA?” The first thing to know is that colleges will not be able to give you an accurate estimate of the cost of attending there until your FAFSA is complete. This means, in general, you want to complete your FAFSA early. That way, if the college accepts you, they can provide an accurate estimate to the family on what the cost of attending there would be.  

Do I apply to the college first or complete FAFSA first? Completing both early is ideal, but if you had to choose which one to do first, applying to college is probably the priority because college application deadlines are almost always earlier than FAFSA deadlines.

FAFSA Date Change Reminder

Quick reminder that Federal Student Aid changed when FAFSA opens up. Previously FAFSA would open October 1st, but now it will open up on December 1st. The December Senior Newsletter will include resources to help you complete FAFSA as well as an upcoming January FAFSA help session.

Help For the Holidays

Need help for the holidays? Fairfield County 2-1-1 can help with items such as food and toys. Call 2-1-1 or 740-687-0500 for assistance.