Planning, Applying & Paying for College

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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Virtual College Fairs

Fall 2020 NACAC Virtual College Fairs

Virtual Campus Tours

• YouVisit
• CampusReel

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

• BigFuture
• Cappex
• College Confidential

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"

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

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

• Planning Personal Statements - Part 1
• Drafting Personal Statements - Part 2

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

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

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:

1. Create an FSA ID and record onFSA ID and FAFSA Instructional Handout
2. Gather relevant documents using the FAFSA Checklist 
3. 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

Understanding Financial Aid Award Letters

How to read Financial Aid offers
Understanding Award Letters resource
Financial Aid Award Letter Comparison Worksheet

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? 

1. BHS Counseling Department Newsletter (available every Monday!) and Counseling Office in Schoology (All things College folder --> Paying for College --> Scholarships)
2. 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.
3. Ask family members to check if employers, civic clubs, places of worship, etc. offer scholarship opportunities.
4. Check national and state professional associations or organizations of the career field or profession you intend to pursue.

 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