Planning, Applying & Paying for College
WHERE TO START? Planning, Research, & Exploration
Where should you begin in College Planning & Exploration?
College Planning Guides
A Guide for Families in the College Admissions Process, from the National Association of College Admissions Counselors
Step by Step Guide on College Awareness and Planning for 9th & 10th grade, from the National Association of College Admissions Counselors
Step by Step Guide on College Awareness and Planning for 11th & 12th grade, from the National Association of College Admissions Counselors
College Research & Exploration Resources
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Log-in with your BRK email and password
Virtual College Fairs
Fall 2020 NACAC Virtual College Fairs
Virtual Campus Tours
College Admissions Counselors
- Most colleges have admissions counselors assigned to specific states, counties, etc.
- Call, email, or connect with admissions counselors assigned to BHS
Search engines and websites
Recommended Reading
Important Preparing for College Tips
"Where You Go Is Not Who You Will Be"
"College Is Yours 2.0"
"Colleges That Change Lives"
"Looking Beyond the Ivy League"
WHAT TO DO? Applying to College
How do you apply to College?
Everything you need to know from BHS Counselors!
Applying to College Overview: The College Application Process, Part I
Applying to College Overview: The College Application Process, Part I
Applications 101: The College Application Process, Part II
Applications 101: The College Application Process, Part II
Navigating The Common Application
Navigating the Common Application
Mindfulness & The College Application Process
College Application Requirements
College Application Timeline
Writing College Essays
College Essay Resources
College Essay Writing presentation
A Guide to College Essay Writing from an essay expert!
Planning & Drafting Personal Statements from Berkley Public Library 10.17.20
Free e-Book for students and parents!
How to Write an Effective College Application Essay: The Inside Scoop for Students.
Essay Prompts
Common Application Essay Prompts
Essay Tips and Information
Essays That Worked - Johns Hopkins University
New York Times - College Essays
Helping Juniors Get a Jump on The College Essay
ACT & SAT Information, Registration, & Test Prep
Managing Test Stress for Juniors and their Parents: Test Planning during a Pandemic
Missed our LIVE Virtual event on 1/19/21?
Check out our presentation here!
COVID-19 UPDATE: Test-optional information
Please Don't Test, Jon Boeckenstedt, Oregon State University 07.24.20
MI College Access Network College COVID-19 Response Guide
Listing of Michigan colleges' standardized testing requirements and campus tour information for Fall 2020. Updated monthly.
"Test Optional Means Test Optional", National Association of College Admissions Counselors
List of colleges with test-optional policies in place affirm that they will not penalize students for the absence of a standardized test score.
COVID-19 UPDATE: SAT exams
Please check College Board Coronavirus Updates for the latest information.
COVID-19 UPDATE: ACT exams
Please check the ACT website for COVID-19 updates.
ACT & SAT Information
The BHS Counseling Department gets questions every day from parents and students about whether students should take the ACT or the SAT and when. Here are answers to some of our most frequently asked questions along with some recommendations.
Do Colleges want me to take the SAT or ACT?
Most (not all) colleges and universities require students to officially submit either an ACT OR SAT score as part of their application. The vast majority of colleges and universities do not have a preference whether students submit an ACT or SAT score. They will accept either/or and students do not have to submit both. Therefore, it is up to the student to decide which test to take and which to submit.
Over the years a student in the Berkley School District has had exposure and practice with the SAT via PSAT experiences. Each student is provided a free, official SAT as part of the standardized tests required of juniors each year. Students do not have to sign up for or pay for this particular test in April of their junior year. However, many students take an official test before April of their junior year.
The Counseling Department recommends students take either an ACT or SAT prior to April, if possible. Which means – students have to register for an ACT or SAT (outside of the April test) on their own.
Can I still take the ACT?
If students still want to take the ACT or take the SAT outside of the one, free test offered at school – they will need to sign up for and pay to take another test independently by visiting the ACT or SAT websites directly.
It is the recommendation of the counseling department that students take one of each exam during their junior year (or prior) to see which test is better suited to them. Because students typically take the exam more than one time, signing up in the Summer of sophomore year or any time junior year is best.
How do I sign up for the ACT or SAT?
Visit the testing websites directly:
ACT Registration & Information
SAT Registration & Information
If I register for the ACT, will I still receive accommodations?
If you receive accommodations in the school setting and have a 504 Plan or IEP and is taking the ACT outside of the school setting for the first time this year, please contact your counselor directly and they will help you with explaining how the accommodated testing works for the first time.
Is there assistance in the registration fee?
If your family receives assistance via the Free/Reduced lunch program or is experiencing financial difficulties, please contact your child’s counselor to inquire about a fee waiver.
ACT and SAT Test Dates
View ACT and SAT test dates for the 2020-2021 school year (printable)
Registration for ACT and SAT:
Register here for the ACT
Register here for the SAT
Test Preparation Links and Resources:
ACT/SAT Free Test Prep Passes to The Tutoring Center in Birmingham
SAT Prep - Khan Academy
ACT Test Prep Services
HOW TO PAY FOR IT? Financial Aid Resources & Information
Paying for College Basics
Guides and Information
Financial Aid checklist for Senior Year
Federal Student Aid At-A-Glance (2019-2020)
Affording College in Michigan Guidebook (2019-2020)
State of Michigan Financial Aid At-A-Glance (2019-2020)
Sallie Mae video series on Paying for College process
View the recorded Funding Education Beyond High School presentation from Financial Aid Expert with
Presentation Outline
Filling out the FASFA
Start completing the FAFSA on October 1st!
3 Simple steps:
Create an FSA ID and record on
FSA ID and FAFSA Instructional Handout
Gather relevant documents using the FAFSA Checklist
Begin the FAFSA
Need help with the FAFSA?
Schedule a Virtual FAFSA Appointment with a Financial Aid expert!
Virtual FAFSA Appointments are available to assist high school seniors and their parents complete the FAFSA with professional assistance on an individual basis in a private webinar environment. Appointments are private and secure. Virtual appointments take place online from the comfort of your own home or other location you choose. You will receive a private link to your personal webinar environment after signing up for a virtual appointment. These appointments are free and available to the public.
- Prior to your appointment please review the
FAFSA Checklist for a list of items necessary to complete the FAFSA.
- Students and parents should each create an FSA ID at least one week prior to completing the FAFSA.
Create an FSA ID now.
- Use the
FSA ID Worksheet to record related information for your files.
Video Tutorials:
How to Create an FSA ID video to learn the steps necessary in creating the FSA ID
7 Easy Steps to the FAFSA video series to learn more about the application.
FAFSA help line:
Call Oakland University's Financial Aid Help line at (248) 370-2550
Filling out the CSS Profile
Do the colleges you are applying to require an institutional aid application or the CSS Profile?
The following colleges, universities, and scholarship programs use CSS Profile as part of their financial aid process for some or all of their financial aid applicants in the populations listed below. Please check schools’ websites or contact the institution for more information.
Please click here to start the CSS Profile.
Understanding Financial Aid Award Letters
How to read Financial Aid offers
Understanding Award Letters resource
Financial Aid Award Letter Comparison Worksheet
HOW TO PAY FOR IT? Scholarship Resources & Information
Scholarship Resources & Information
Scholarship Tips
Applying for Private Scholarships tips
Scholarship Search Engines
Check out the following scholarship search engines! Create an account, complete a questionnaire and a list of scholarships you are eligible to apply for will be generated.
MI Student Aid Scholarship Finder
U.S. Dept. of Labor Career One Stop Scholarship Finder
Scholarships.com
FastWeb
Big Future
Scholar Snapp (recommended to use if applying to colleges via Common App)
Going Merry
Micro-Scholarships using RaiseMe!
RaiseMe is a platform that helps students prepare for college by earning scholarships for their achievements in high school. Over 250 colleges and universities award micro-scholarships for both academics and extracurricular activities through the partnership with RaiseMe. Check out
this poster with some impressive RaiseMe stats!
Join the Berkley High School page at RaiseMe!
Where else can I look for Scholarships?
- BHS Counseling Department Newsletter (available every Monday!) and Counseling Office in Schoology (All things College folder --> Paying for College --> Scholarships)
- Check scholarship webpages on college/universities websites. They often have additional scholarships outside of the merit scholarships that are usually awarded based on a student's admissions application.
- Ask family members to check if employers, civic clubs, places of worship, etc. offer scholarship opportunities.
- Check national and state professional associations or organizations of the career field or profession you intend to pursue.
Berkley High School Profile, Course Information & Statistics
Click here to view our school profile, which includes information and statistics regarding BHS courses, student opportunities, AP classes, college admissions testing scores, etc.
For a printable copy, please view BHS Profile for 2020-2021school year
BHS Counseling Department News
View ArchivesWhat's inside...
- Updated BHS Virtual calendar for Semester 2
- S1 Report Cards available in MISTAR on January 26th
- OSTC-SE begins hybrid learning on January 19th
- Managing ACT/SAT Pandemic Test Planning Stress Q & A for Juniors (LIVE!) January 19th
- Oakland ACE Early College Program app is open! (current 10th graders only)
- Birmingham Family YMCA is hiring!
- Bloomfield Hills Financial Stock-to-Scholarship Challenge register before January 20th
- Strength Talks: Mentors virtual meeting at lunch on January 21st
- OSTC-SE Virtual Open House is January 21st
- Perry Virtual Experience for February 2021 - register now
- Oakland Univeristy SAT Prep Spring Program - registration is open!
- Late Registration Deadline for AP Exams is February 26th
- Community Choice Credit Union Scholarship due February 28th
- Robert A. Leonard Jr. Charitiable Trust scholarship due March 1st
- Joyce Ivy Summer Scholars Program app due March 1st
- Rosa Parks Scholarship is due March 2nd
- Michigan Schools & Government Credit Union Scholarships due March 5th
- Huntington Woods Men's Club Scholarship is due March 29th
- Detroit Society of Women Engineers Scholarship is due April 1st
- FU$E Scholarship due May 1st
- Resources for Parents: How to Stop Procrastinating, Attendance in MISTAR, Grades in Schoology
- Meeting with your Counselor
- Ways to stay connected & informed!
What's inside...
- Updated BHS Virtual calendar for January
- OSTC-SE begins hybrid learning on January 19th
- 9th grade student & Counselor meetings
- Class of 2023: Exploring Options for 11th Grade & Beyond is January 13th
- Managing ACT/SAT Pandemic Test Planning Stress Q & A for Juniors (LIVE!) January 19th
- Bloomfield Hills Financial Stock-to-Scholarship Challenge register before January 20th
- Strength Talks: Mentors virtual meeting at lunch on January 21st
- OSTC-SE Virtual Open House is January 21st
- Perry Virtual Experience for February 2021 - register now
- Oakland Univeristy SAT Prep Spring Program - registration is open!
- Late Registration Deadline for AP Exams is February 26th
- Joyce Ivy Summer Scholars Program app due March 1st
- Rosa Parks Scholarship is due March 2nd
- Huntington Woods Men's Club Scholarship is due March 29th
- Resources for Parents: Keeping Kids Engaged in Remote Learning, Attendance in MISTAR, Grades in Schoology
- Meeting with your Counselor
- Ways to stay connected & informed!
What's inside...
- Updated BHS Virtual calendar for January
- 9th grade student & Counselor meetings
- Bloomfield Hills Financial Stock-to-Scholarship Challenge register before January 20th
- MYLEAD Leadership Conference (10th graders only) app due January 4th
- Class of 2023: Exploring Options for 11th Grade & Beyond is January 13th at 6:30 PM
- Managing ACT/SAT Pandemic Test Planning Stress Q & A for Juniors (LIVE!) January 19th
- OSTC-SE Virtual Open House is January 21st
- Late Registration Deadline for AP Exams is February 26th
- Joyce Ivy Summer Scholars Program app due March 1st
- Resources for Parents: Spotting Depression in Kids, Attendance in MISTAR, Grades in Schoology
- Meeting with your Counselor
- Ways to stay connected & informed!