CCA College Planning and Resources

CCA College Planning and Resources

PSAT™ 8/9

CCA students in 9th grade will take the PSAT™ 8/9, the first in the College Board’s suite of preparatory materials for the SAT®.  The test is given each October (alternate date in November).   Separate grade level standards are published for 8th and 9th graders.

PSAT/NMSQT®

CCA students in grades 10 and 11 will take the PSAT/NMSQT® (National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test).  While the test only counts towards the scholarship contest in the junior year, both sophomores and juniors benefit from taking this test which measures grade-level benchmarks according to a national standard and allows students to see how they would score on the SAT®.  The test is given each October (alternate date in November). 

College Board®/Khan Academy partnership

Students who take any of the PSAT® suite of assessments can find study resources both on the College Board site and at Khan Academy.  Taking advantage of these  free resources is a great first step towards improving your score.

SAT®

The SAT® is given 8 times per year.  This national college-entrance exam is given at regional test centers, most often a county public high school.  The cost varies, but is around $68 per test (2025).  Students are guided to take the SAT® in the late Spring of their Sophomore year, again in their junior year, and if needed to boost scores for scholarship potential, again late in the junior year or the fall of the senior year. SAT® test results are available to students 10 to 21 days after the test was completed.  The best score from each attempt at the SAT® is combined into a “superscore.”  Test dates are posted at the College Board® and will be announced by CCA Guidance as well.

ACT

The ACT is another national college-entrance exam, also given at regional test centers on established test dates.  The ACT tests students in different ways than the SAT.  The questions may appear less analytical and more straightforward to students.  The ACT includes history and science sections and includes trigonometry in its math test.  About 50% of college-bound students take the ACT and 50% take the SAT.   The ACT is now also superscored, and the science section is optional.

Personal Family Meetings

CCA’s College Advisors will meet individually with each family to get to know the family and help guide the college process for each student. 

Overgrad

CCA utilizes a tool called Overgrad (similar to Naviance) for students to search for colleges that are a fit for them according to their academic standing, career goals, and location preferences.  Students can use this tool to find colleges which are a match or “reach” schools to gauge the strength of their admission chances.   Overgrad is utilized as part of the Junior Seminar course curriculum.

Honors Courses

Colleges and universities understand that not all high schools throughout the country offer the same courses.  Competitive colleges may ask if a student has selected the courses with the most rigor offered at their school.  If a student is able to work at an honors level, they should consider selecting that course.  Honors courses are weighted and carry the potential for earning additional qualitative points towards a student’s GPA.

AP® Courses

AP® courses offer students the opportunity to study at a more advanced level while preparing for an exit exam that can earn a student college credit.  AP® Exams, offered in May each school year, are scored on a scale from 1 to 5.  Colleges award credit for students scoring 3, 4 or 5.  Check with the college your student plans to attend to see what standard they require for that institution.  AP® courses also offer students the potential to earn additional qualitative points.

College Advising

CCA parents and students are invited to attend annual presentations by our CCA guidance counselors to learn about the many aspects of preparing for college including: what to do during each year of high school, choosing a college, visiting colleges, college testing, paying for college, NCAA compliance, finding scholarships and more.  Our programs emphasize helping students find the program that is right for them.  Individual coaching through the junior and senior years helps students navigate the selection and application process, obtaining references, writing personal statements and more.  We celebrate College Acceptance Day each May 1st.

NCAA and NAIA

If you are a student who plans to play sports in a Division I or II school, or an NAIA school, you must register for the appropriate clearinghouse.  Specific standards are set by NCAA for both the number of courses (similar to standard diploma requirements) as well as academic standards (cumulative GPA of 2.3 or greater).  It costs $100 (2025)for a student to register with the NCAA Clearinghouse and also $100 to register with the NAIA Eligibility Center.

College Fairs

CCA announces regional college fairs held in October and November each year.  Attending a college fair is another great way to be introduced to colleges by meeting actual representatives from various schools.  Both Christian and secular college fairs are held in our area each fall.

Golden Eagles Guidance Blog

Check out current and archived posts at: https://goldeneaglesguidance.wordpress.com

Counselor Contact Information

Mrs. Suey Nordberg
snordberg@covenantva.org
703-407-3077

Mrs. Janelle Hitt
jhitt@covenantva.org
651-485-3123

Covenant Christian Information

CEEB #: 470009

4177 Bludau Drive

Warrenton, VA  20187