The University of Pennsylvania recently shared tips for writing essays and listing activities on college applications, including through the Common App. Please check out the links above. An email was also shared with students this past week.

The Counseling Department has met with seniors during their English classes to discuss the college application process, including how to work in their Naviance/Common App accounts and to answer any questions they may have had.

Students have also received a calendar listing all the dates that college representatives will be visiting STVM this fall during the lunchtime hours. Students will want to take advantage of these visits because representatives provide valuable information, including application fee waivers and other tips. 

The Counseling Department also frequently sends emails with scholarship opportunities, application deadlines and other important information to students. Students should check their school email regularly to stay on top of important information on the college process. 

Is the University of Dayton on your college list? Did you know that UD offers a scholarship worth $5,000 per year ($20,000 over four years) exclusively to graduating seniors from Marianist high schools through its Marianist Leadership Scholars Program (MLS)?  This four-year faith, service, and leadership program is available to students who have demonstrated both an understanding and a practice of the Marianist story. Currently, six STVM graduates are participants in UD's MLS program. If you plan to apply to UD, we encourage you to apply for this scholarship. An application with essay questions, letters of recommendation, and an interview (held virtually) are required. Visit this link to learn more and access the application. Applications have a priority deadline of Nov. 15, 2025. You can also contact Brother Mitch Schweickart, S.M at the University of Dayton with any questions. Be sure to also follow MLS on Instagram at @mls_udayton

Take a look at the Senior Seminar flyer for helpful guidance about your future after graduation from STVM, including college planning advice, as presented during this past week's Parent/Guardian Senior College and Career Information Meeting.

NAVIANCE UPDATE

As noted during Curriculum Night, this year all students will work in Naviance, which is an educational data management platform used by STVM to help manage the college application process, including sending transcripts and letters of recommendation and building a student resume. Naviance is linked with students' Common App accounts and other platforms used in the college application process. 

Naviance is not a program new to STVM -- we have used this platform for many years to manage the college application process. What is new this year is that all students, including freshmen, will begin to be familiarized with this program so that by the time they are seniors applying for college, they are well acquainted with how it works.  Here are some of the highlights on how students will be working in Naviance over their time at STVM.

Freshman Year

• Naviance Account Login (students)

• Career and college exploration

• Resume profiles

Sophomore Year

• College exploration

• College majors exploration

• Trades exploration

• Resume building - service and leadership

Junior Year

• College fair

• Career fair 

• Scholarship searches

• Begin letters of recommendation considerations

• Fine tune resumes

• College visits

Senior Year

• Common App is completed as part of English classes (beginning of school year)

• Resume Brag Sheet created in school

• Letters of recommendation

• Applications and transcripts

Scholarships & future opportunities 

The counselors are forwarding scholarship and other post-graduation opportunities to the Class of 2026 via their school email and will continue to do so throughout the upcoming school year. We encourage students to look through this information regularly. We also will highlight some of the opportunities in this section of the Counselor's Corner.

• The 2026 Jackie Robinson Foundation (JRF) scholarship application is now open! JRF Scholars receive grants of up to $35,000 over four years to supplement the financial aid they receive from their colleges or universities. In addition, Scholars receive extensive support services, including career guidance and internship placement, and they attend JRF’s annual multi-day "Mentoring and Leadership Conference" in New York City as well as other regional events throughout the year.  JRF Staff will be hosting a handful of Q&A sessions starting in October to answer any questions you have about the application process. Check the website for updates once those dates have been finalized. Click here to for more information. The application closes at 5:00 p.m. ET on January 7, 2026. 

• This link to College Now lists several scholarship opportunities. Please scroll all the way through and to the bottom to explore scholarships for which you may be eligible!  

• Stark State offers several scholarship opportunities for Northeast Ohio students.  Click here to find the ones for which you meet the criteria.

• The Akron Community Foundation provides scholarships from forward-thinking donors to help local students pursue their educational dreams. Please click here to visit its website and locate scholarships for which you may be eligible.

• StudentScholarships.Org is a great resource for external scholarships. Please click here for a list of scholarships currently accepting applications. Also, please click here to sign up for the newsletter.  

• Scholarships.com has valuable information as well as application links to all types of scholarships. It's worth checking out often to see if you might be a fit!

Students interested in Ohio University should visit the OHIO Freshman Experience webpage to learn more about student life at OHIO's Athens campus, to review important dates and deadlines (like the Early Action Deadline on November 15) and to schedule a visit. Students who apply to our Athens campus by the Early Action Deadline receive priority consideration for direct entry to academic programs, merit scholarship programs and University honors and scholars experiences. 

Honors Program at Ohio University: Students interested in pursuing an honors major within the Honors Tutorial College must select an honors major on the application for admission. Students who meet eligibility requirements for honors and scholars programs will be invited to complete a separate supplemental application to apply. Explore all of OHIO's honors and scholars opportunities at ohio.edu/honors.

The Rice University Precollege Program offers an excellent opportunity for students to strengthen key skills early in the year and explore academic interests through online programs and courses in subjects such as aerospace, engineering, or psychology, applying these core skills in engaging contexts.

Please click here for more information on how to apply for this program.

The University of Colorado recently shared these important application dates with students.

Early Action: Nov 15, 2025

Regular Decision: Jan 15, 2025

Students can also find the admission counselor assigned to our school on our "Find my Admission Counselor" webpage.

Bowling Green State University's Searchable Scholarship Guide has opened. If you are interested in attending Bowling Green, please look through this list of scholarships as well as their scholarship and financial aid information page. Note: The deadline for full-tuition scholarships, including an award for National Merit Scholars through the Honors College, is Nov. 15, 2025.

High School Student International Travel Opportunity through BGSU!

Did you know that high school students can earn college credit while traveling to discover Spain's rich culture, history and language at the same time? During the two summer sessions on June 7 to June 20, 2026 and June 28 to July 11, 2026, participating high school juniors and seniors live with a host family, travel to gorgeous cities and gain confidence in their Spanish language skills. Click here to learn more.

Students interested in a career in the culinary arts are invited to visit the Culinary Institute of America on its New York campus. Click here for information on fall open house events.

ACT and SAT Dates

There are several opportunities to take the ACT and SAT over the upcoming months. 

For ACT dates and details, please click here.

For SAT dates and details, please click here.

Tara has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Master of Arts in School Counseling, both from Walsh University. She has been working as a school counselor for 11 years, with the majority of that time being at a school in Washington, D.C. Tara is happy to be a part of the STVM family, and she is committed to creating a nurturing environment where every student feels valued and empowered. Tara can be reached by phone at 330-253-9113 ext 131 or by email at tmccants@stvm.com.

Amy has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a Minor in Applied Conflict Management, a Master of Education in School Counseling, and an Educational Specialist Degree in Counseling, all from Kent State University. Amy has more than 12 years of experience working with youth and more than ten years of experience working in a school setting.  Amy is very excited to start this journey at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School! She is passionate about her work to help students and their families and believes every student can become their best self. Amy strives to provide a calm, warm, and non-judgmental environment. If you have questions or need to contact Amy, you can call at (330) 253-9113. Ext. 182, email agay@stvm.com.