please take care of yourself

This week in the CCRC...

We'll be highlighting the following topics:

• Finish your FAFSA!

• Request to Send your Transcript to a College on Xello!

• Not too late to apply to college!

• Apply for the Wallin Scholarship

• Apply for the Page Grant Scholarship

-----

Remember that in the CCRC, you can connect with:

• Mr. Billy (Career & College Readiness Coordinator)

  • • Can provide resources to college info, scholarships, FAFSA, and more!

• Ms. Voigt (Work Based Learning Coordinator). 

  • • Can provide resources to internship & job opportunities, trade school info, career pathways, and more!

The CCRC is located in room 1017, right next door to the Counseling office. Please take advantage of this CCRC Newsletter, which will be sent out to you on a bi-weekly basis!

We hope you can stop by the CCRC to plan for your future!

Make an appointment to meet with Mr. Billy HERE!

See Ms. Voigt's Weekly newsletter here!

FINISH YOUR FAFSA

Completing the FAFSA has never been easier! The average time it takes for students
to complete the FAFSA with their parent/guardian is now  under 30 minutes! 

** Connect with Mr. Billy to get your FAFSA started/completed **

Why should I complete the FAFSA?

Why wouldn't you want free money to pay for college? These funds are money from the government specifically designated to help students pay for a college education. The FAFSA helps review how much money your family has, and with that, it helps determine how much assistance you need with paying for college.

Do I have to pay this money back?

The FAFSA will offer you multiple types of financial aid. This ranges from Grants, Scholarship, Loans, and Work Study. For Grants and Scholarships, you DO NOT have to pay this money back- it is complete free to you! For Loans, this is something you must pay back; however, for the FAFSA Loans, you do not have to begin paying it back until after your graduate from college, you could also do a payment plan. For Work Study, this is a JOB at the college you plan to attend, where you'd work your hours, and instead of getting a paycheck, the money you make goes directly to your tuition. Also with Work Study, most of these jobs are easy, low effort, and very flexible with your school schedule!

Do I still have to do the FAFSA even though I'm not planning to go to College?

I always encourage everyone to do the FAFSA regardless if you plan to go to college or not. There is ZERO penalty for doing FAFSA and then later declining the offer they give you. The FAFSA is also a first-come-first-served application, meaning the earlier you apply, the more money you could receive to go to college. Also, who knows, maybe right now you are not thinking about college, but maybe in May or June, that could change. You'd rather have the option to take FAFSA funds than not!

NOT TOO LATE TO APPLY TO COLLEGE!

Thinking of applying to college? It is never too late to do so, of course, the sooner you apply, the better. And YES! There are a number of colleges out there that are still be accepting students to their schools! Below, please find important details on college application deadlines:

REGULAR DECISION - Usually in January. This is a standard deadline for most colleges where students who simply want to be considered for their college will apply.

ROLLING ADMISSION - This means that the college will continue to accept students based on how much space they have left to fill. They could continue to accept students all the way until summer time. 

How do I begin applying? You could start by a simple google search of the college with the words apply following, example 'Century College Apply'. This will usually bring you to their website to begin applying to the school. Different schools may have different applications, some could take less than 15 minutes to complete, some could take days or weeks!

Need help? Come see Mr. Billy in the CCRC! You can also book an appointment with him to guarantee you'll find the time to meet with him. Book HERE.

WALLIN SCHOLARSHIP - DUE JAN 28TH

The Wallin Education Partners Scholarship is a non-profit committed to supporting low to moderate income students from partner high schools in accessing and persisting in college. We do this by providing eligible students with scholarships, 1:1 advising, and career support. If you are interested in getting support, resources, and encouragement from when you graduate high school to when you cross the stage at your college graduation, apply!

WHO CAN APPLY?

• Graduating senior (class of 2026) from a partner high school in Minnesota (Johnson students are eligible)

• Minimum 3.0 GPA (unweighted)

• Parent(s) adjusted gross income (AGI) must be under $95,000 (up to $135,000 for a family of 6+ members)

• Enrolled in Fall 2026 in an accredited, 4-year, public or private (not-for-profit) institution in Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, or any Historically Black College or University (HBCU) in the nation

WHAT IS ON THE APPLICATION?

• Application form

• Essay

• Financial documentation

• High School Transcript

WHEN IS THE DEADLINE TO APPLY?
January 28th, 2026

HOW MUCH SCHOLARSHIP MONEY CAN I WIN?
Up to $16,000 for 4 years ($4,000 a year)

WHERE CAN I APPLY?
https://scholars.wallinpartners.org/apply/ 

QUESTIONS?
Come chat with Mr. Billy in the CCRC, or contact the Wallin Representative, Muna Adani at  muna.adani@wallinpartners.org

PAGE grant scholarship - DUE APR 1st

In 1988, Diane and Alan Page launched a foundation that has grown to support and inspire young people of color throughout Minnesota for 35 years. Today, the Page Education Foundation’s programs help to financially support college students’ academic goals while fostering positive mentor relationships and encouraging role models for children. The Page Grant scholarship helps to empower Minnesota students of color to pursue their dreams of higher education by providing financial resources and guidance to help them successfully navigate their higher education journey.

WHO CAN APPLY?

• A student of color (Black African American, American Indian, Asian American or Pacific Islander, or Latino/a or Hispanic).

• A graduate of a Minnesota high school.

• Enrolled or planning to enroll in an accredited Minnesota post-secondary educational institution.

• Register and maintain full-time status throughout the academic year they are awarded the grant.

WHAT IS THE TIMEFRAME TO APPLY?
January 1st, 2026 to April 1st, 2026

HOW MUCH SCHOLARSHIP MONEY CAN I WIN?
$2,500 to $3,500 annually. This scholarship is also renewable yearly!

IMPORTANT DETAILS FOR ALL APPLICANTS:

• There is no GPA requirement.

• Non U.S. Citizens are encouraged to apply.

• This grant is awarded per academic year and must be renewed annually.

• All applications must be submitted online no later than April 1, 2025, at 11:59 pm.

WHERE CAN I APPLY?
https://www.page-ed.org/apply/new-applicants/

QUESTIONS?
Come chat with Mr. Billy in the CCRC, or contact the Page Grant Coordinator, Houashe Yang, at houashe@page-ed.org

This week's Highlights

Current scholarships to apply for

You are not limited only to the ones listed below

• Wallin Education Partners Scholarship

  • • Deadline: January 28th, 2026

    • Award: $16,000 over 4 years of college

• Dell Scholarship

  • • Deadline: February 15th, 2026

    • Award: $20,000

    • Applicant must be in programs such as AVID, College Possible, Genesys Works, Upward Bound, etc.

• AAUW Scholarship

  • • Deadline: March 5th, 2026

    • Award: $4,000

    • Applicant must be female-identifying

• Oliveira Scholarship

  • • Deadline: March 15th, 2026

    • Award: $1,000 - $4,000

• Page Education Foundation Grant

  • • Deadline: April 1st, 2026

    • Award: $2,500 - $3,500

    • Applicant must be a student of color looking to attend college in MN

• Various Scholarships Available on the FIRST Scholarship Portal

  • • Website HERE

View scholarship page HERE for more info on available scholarships!

upcoming CCRC events

• None at this time- please prioritize YOU and take care of yourself.

See the CCRC Calendar HERE!

Questions? You can Contact: