August 2023 Newsletter

All college applications will be submitted online, electronically through the colleges official web page. A link to "apply" is usually found in the top right corner of the website.

Most college applications open August 1 of senior year. Many colleges across the US also participate in the COMMONAPP, which is an online program where you can submit one application to multiple colleges. Most colleges open their application system early in the fall of your senior year. 

Colorado Colleges and Universities that participate in the COMMONAPP: CU Boulder, UCCS, University of Colorado Denver, Western Colorado University, Regis University, Metropolitan State University Denver, Naropa University, Colorado College, Colorado Mesa University, Colorado School of Mines, CSU Ft Collins, UNC, University of Denver, Ft. Lewis College 

A free resource to compare different colleges. Use it to see which colleges offer which majors, how much it costs to attend, student enrollment and much more! CollegeScorecard Website 

• If you have been offered admission to ANY colleges or been awarded ANY scholarships, please fill out this Google Form as you find out, so that Vista Ridge can recognize YOU for your college acceptances and scholarship awards!

• Grants: Money from the Federal Government, college/university or private companies or organizations. Most grants are need based and do not need to be repaid.

• Scholarships: Money that is earned or given for a variety of reasons such as academic, athletic or persona attributes or affiliations. Some scholarships are need based and some are not. They do not need to be repaid. **Most Scholarships a student earns will come directly from the college itself. If you apply to multiple colleges, if accepted, you can apply for scholarships to each to compare offerings and help decide where you want to attend. You MUST let each college know your final decision of where you will attend by May 1 of your senior year.                                   

  VIEW OUR SCHOLARSHIP PAGE

• Work Study: Money that is earned from work typically on campus while in college. Work Study money comes from the federal and state governments or from the colleges and does not need to be repaid. This money is not usually available to upfront pay the colleges bill but can be used for living expenses throughout the term.

• Loans: Any of the above ways to pay for college can be used in any combination. Any remaining balance of tuition will require the student to borrow money. Loans are money that are borrowed from the federal or state governments, a lender or a private source. Loans must be repaid upon graduation, when the student leaves school or drops below half time. Both parents and students may use loans to pay cost os attendance. Loans do typically accrue interest while in college at a set rate. Subsidized loans start accruing interest after the student completes a degree, while unsubsidized loans start accruing interest right away. 

• The FAFSA is the universal application to apply for all types of financial aid. This should be the first place you start to search for financial aid and borrowing money to pay for college.

Many colleges will also let you set up payment plans, and you can always pay out of pocket too.

From October 17-19, 2023, any application you submit to any participating college in Colorado will waive the application free. This saves Colorado students hundreds of dollars every year. All state college in Colorado participate. Be sure to keep an eye on your email for more information on this date. 

***Instructions on How to Apply for Free Application Days

November 5, 2022

December 3, 2022

March 11, 2023

May 6, 2023

June 3, 2023

Please visit collegeboard.org to register. 

Looking for SAT practice tests? The Khan Academy has partnered with College Board to provide FREE SAT practice and prep. CollegeBoard writes the SAT, so they are the most reliable source for SAT prep.

It is recommended that each student spend at least 6-20 hours preparing for the SAT, at least 2-3 months in advance of your test date.

ACT Test

Did you know you can also take the ACT? Most colleges accept either the SAT or ACT test. If you are interested in taking the ACT, you can sign up at ACT.org. VRHS does not offer the ACT.

Upcoming ACT Dates:

December 10, 2022

February 11, 2023

April 15, 2023

June 10, 2023

Need tips for writing the BEST college essay?

Tips for Writing an Effective Application Essay

Crafting the Best College Essay

Reach out to your counselor for feedback on your essay drafts. We are more than happy to assist you!

Need a copy of your High School transcripts sent to a college? Most colleges have an electronic transcript delivery service, and will request the transcript directly from the Vista Ridge Success Center once you submit your college application. 

Vista Ridge has also partnered with the program Parchment for transcript ordering services. To use this program to order a transcript, please go to this link to have transcripts sent to any college you need.  It is FREE while you are still a student at VRHS.

If you meet any of these criteria, you are eligible for a fee waiver, and do not need to pay to take the SAT, ACT, register to register with NCAA,  or pay for college application fees. If you meet the criteria, and would like a fee waiver code, please contact your counselor.

Early decision plans are binding — a student who is accepted as an ED applicant must attend the college. Early action plans are nonbinding — students receive an early response to their application but do not have to commit to the college until the normal reply date of May 1. 

Approximately 450 colleges have early decision or early action plans, and some have both. Some colleges offer a nonbinding option called single-choice early action, under which applicants may not apply ED or EA to any other college.

Please visit CollegeBoards website for more information on the differences between Early Action and Early Decision

**Colleges in Colorado that participate in Early Decision or Binding application processes:

• Colorado College

• Denver University

Did you know that if you choose to attend a college that participates in the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) Program, that you can receive a reduced cost of tuition, so that you will pay less than Out of State Tuition Costs? Click here to learn more. 

Participating states include: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

Colleges will make their own determination of which AP scores they will accept into their school. Most colleges grant credit for scores of 3 and above. Please contact the college directly or visit their website for more information on their policies around AP exams. Please visit CollegeBoards Website for more information on AP scores and how to send your scores. 

If you have applied to a college and been accepted, you have until May 1 of your senior year to notify the college that you accept your offer of admission (unless you applied as ”Early Decision”). Having until May 1 to accept your offer, means that you have the spring semester of your senior year to compare financial aid packages and scholarship offers from different schools. Most scholarship opportunities close by March 1. 

Visit the College Bound Student Athlete page for resources and information. If you want to play your sport in college, it is possible you have academic eligibility requirements to fulfill before graduation.